Gateway Church Live | “Healed Days” by Pastor Daniel Floyd | August 23

Heat. Well, good morning church family. Are you ready to worship this morning? Come on, let's lift this thing high today. We love you, God. Be praised in this place. I walk by faith and not by side. I'm pressing on. I'm running towards the price.

Oh, I will not fear what I can't see. No matter what may come, I still believe cuz you know I know that you're with me. We sing and I see your faithfulness for good for all your promises. You raised me from the grave. You call me by my name. You set me free. And now I'm on my way to my best day. My hope is built on nothing on your righteousness.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. I know how good you are. I see what you can do. You start I hear you call my name.

Heat. Time and time again I've seen your faithfulness. God all your promises. Weren't you thankful this morning? You raised me from the grave. You called me by my name. Set me free. And now I'm on my way. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Sing.

Come on. Can we praise him today? Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. When we sing this together, the sun comes up. When the sun comes up, it's a new day. Dawn, it's time to sing your song again. Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be seen. When the evening comes, call me sing. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul.

Worship his holy name. Still I never before. Oh my soul I worship your holy name. You are rich in love and your soul to anger. Your name is great and your heart is kind. For all your goodness I will keep on singing. 10,000 reasons for my heart to find the Sing oh my soul I will sing your holy name I take when my strength is failing the end draws near and my time has come

Still my soul will sing your praise and it's 10,000 years and forever more. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. your holy name.

Oh, I worship your holy name. I bring you a sacrifice of praise this morning for all you've done, Lord, and for who you are. Oh, we worship you. We worship you. And I will bless God sanctuary. Bless God the fields of plenty. Bless God in the darkest valley. Every chance I get, I bless your name. Bless God when my hands are empty. Bless God with the praise that calls me. Bless God when the body's watching every target. I bless your name. Come on. Bless God with the weapons for me. Bless Gods are falling.

Bless God cuz he goes before me every chance I get. I bless your name. Bless God for he holds the victory. Bless God he's always with me. Bless God for always worthy. Every chance I will see. Bless God in the sanctuary. Bless God of Bless God in the darkest valley. Every chance I bless your name. Bless God when my hands are empty. Bless God with the praise across me. Bless God's watching every chance I get. I bless your name. Bless God for me. Bless God. Bless God cuz he comes before me. Every chance I get, I bless God for he holds the big tree.

Bless God for always with me. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh my soul, I worship your holy name.

Oh God, I worship your holy name. Yes, God, we worship your holy name. Can you thank the Lord for his presence right now? You know, I'm I have a personal conviction that God never waste his presence. When he shows up, he always has something on his heart. Something on his mind. He has you on his heart. He has you on his mind. But I mean, the Lord wants to move in our midst today, I believe, in a very special way. We're going to enter into a time of communion. When you came into the room, you should have received the elements. If you didn't, if you'll raise your hand and usher will get those to you quickly. But I'm going to ask you go ahead and take off the bottom section and get and pull the bread out. Go ahead and take the top of it off and get the cup ready. And while you're doing that, I just want to remind us that the the cup of the Lord represents the blood of Jesus. We know that. And the bread represents his body that was torn for us. And we're very accustomed to the fact that the shed blood was to forgive our sins, to make us clean. And we're also very aware that his broken body is for our healing. Mind, soul, spirit, body is all about healing and forgiveness. But I believe there's another even deeper meaning to the

communion. And that meaning is found in Hebrews chapter 10. I'm going to read the verse to you. It says, "Therefore, having boldness to enter the holiest or the holy place by the blood of Jesus by new and living way which which he consecrated for us." It goes on to say, "Through the veil, that is his flesh. Let us draw near." It goes on to say, "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." You see, the broken body of Jesus and the shed blood of Jesus made a way for us to go into the presence of the father. That's a big deal. Let me let me say it this way. In Exodus chapter 33, when Moses prayed to see the glory of God, when Moses pressed in to the presence of God, the Bible says when God passed by, he covered Moses's face because the presence of God would have killed him. Aren't you glad that we can go into the presence of God and not have to risk that? Just as Moses was covered by the by the hand of God, we're covered by Christ.

We get to go into the presence of God. Today, as we take partake of these elements, here's what I'm envisioning in my heart. We're saying, Lord, thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for your healing. But today, I press in for more of your presence. Listen folks, we have to have more of the presence of God. We cannot live in this world without more of the presence of God. So, can you believe with me right now as we partake of these elements, we're asking the Lord for more of more of your presence. Can we do that? Father, we thank you for the broken body of Christ. We thank you for the shed blood. Let's receive the bread together. Let's drink the cup together. If you'll put those cups in that seat back pocket in the front of you. If you're here on the front, put it on the floor there. If you feel comfortable, I want you to lift your hands to heaven right now. It's an act of faith. I want us to say to the Lord, "Lord, we're stepping closer. We're stepping into your presence, Lord. And just like Moses, Father, we're asking to see your face. We're asking, Lord, that by your presence, you change us. You mark us.

And that something shifts today supernaturally in our lives. Matthew's going to sing a song over us for a few minutes. When we get to the chorus, if you know it, you can sing along. But right now, let's just enjoy the presence of the Lord. Let's press in as Matthew sings this over us. Moses stood on the mountain waiting for you to pass by. You put your hand over his face so in your presence he wouldn't die. And all of Israel saw the glory and it shines down through the age.

And now you've called me to boldly seek your face. So show me your face, Lord. Well, show me your face. Yes, Lord. Then g up my legs that I might stand in this holy place. Yes, Lord. Show me your face, Lord. Your power and grace, I could make it to the end.

If I could just see your face. Come on, let's pray that together. Show me your face. Show me your face, Lord. Yes, Lord. Show me your face. Oh, and good of my legs that I might stand in this holy place. Show me your face, Lord. Oh, show me your face. Oh, I would make it to the end. Oh, if I could just see your face.

If I could just see your face. If I could just see your face go. If I could just see face Jesus. Maybe we've made this complicated more than it was ever meant to be. Or hasn't it always been about the same thing? Oh Lord, bring us back to simple things. You be the center of it all. My heart belongs to you, my savior. All in all, you're the one I hold on to. For the beauty of your name, my soul will live to say, "Jesus, I love you.

It teach us to discern the moment when to serve when to sit here at your feet or keep us awake to what's important. Oh, just like Mary, she chose the better things. You s of it all. My heart belongs to you, my savior. All you're the one I hold on to. For the beauty of your name, my soul lives. Jesus. Yeah. Heat.

Jesus in my life for your glory. My whole world for you everything for the honor of your name is my taste. The story of you all everything is for the my Yeah. Heat. Heat.

Heat up here. Yeah. Heat. Yeah.

Heat. Yes Lord. This season. Yes Lord. Yes Lord. All we are for the glory of your name. For the honor of your name. You alone are worthy of all praise and adoration. Jesus. We thank you that you tore the veil.

That we could be in your presence today. The presence of a loving heavenly father. We thank you and we glorify you in Jesus name. The people of God said amen. Amen. Our God is good. Amen. He is so so good. Well, Pastor Daniel has an amazing message for us today. But before we get to that, can we turn around and greet our church family and then you can be seated. Thank you again for worshiping with us. Good morning. Welcome to church everybody. Come on every campus put your hands together for Jesus today.

He is worthy of all of our worship. Want to say hello to all of our locations, everyone joining us online or on demand later in the week. Of course, our gateway gatherings and our prison campuses. And if you're here for the first time or maybe the first time in a long time, uh we want to say welcome. Come on, every campus. Let's put our hands together for those who are with us. And maybe the first time in a little while, we're honored that you chose to spend the morning with us. We are in week two of a series called best days. And uh we've been last week we talked about last week your best days are your faithfilled days. And today I want to talk on this idea that your best days are your healed days. That God could have so many wonderful things for you in your future, but if you walk into them wounded, you will miss out. And so we want to talk about your best days are your healed days. So if you're the note-taking type, write that down. If not, write it down. Anyways, and I do want to remind you September the 13th, don't miss that Sunday, having a series called This Is Us. We're going to be talking about where God's leading us as a church. And so, if this is home for you, uh then you want to make sure you're in the room for all of that series. Psalms 61 verse 1-4, David writes this in a really tough time in his life. He says, "Hear my cry, oh God.

Listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth, I call to you. I call as my heart grows faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Talk to you about healed days. Let's pray together. Father, our heart and our minds is open to you today. So, Holy Spirit, speak to us. We believe your word can change us, can heal us, can transform us. And so would you do that in this place? And we ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. Everybody said amen. Amen. How many of you have ever been around two children and they get into the my dad is conversation. My dad's stronger than your dad. My dad can beat up your dad. Anybody ever been around that? like my dad. Um I mean it'll get to the place of where my dad lifts can lift a car. I mean it just it it escalates really fast, right, everyone? Um and what what's happening in the conversation is this. They're just basically saying, "I've got a lot of confidence in my dad." Um you can see it on the playground, right? I I know when our kids were were little and maybe a first time into a new environment or first time on a playground we may have been to the park or even walking into school, they'd kind of make their way by themselves but look back over to make sure that mom and dad was still present,

right? Why? Because the presence of their parents brought confidence to them, right? And and how many of you know that whenever they got hurt on the playground, then they quickly run over to mom and dad, right? expecting that you can fix it, that you can solve the problem, that that the scrape knee can be resolved if I can just get to mom and dad. And and here's the reality of it is my kids never were concerned about whether or not their scraped knee mattered to me. They never asked, "Dad, do you care about this?" They assumed I did and ran to me. Really to Tammy first, but if she was Come on, everybody runs to mom first. We're second, Dad. We We understand that. And so all of us had those people in our life, father figure, an uncle, somebody in your life that you're like, "Man, their presence brings me confidence." And whenever I'm hurting, I could run to them as a child. And here's what I've noticed is that when you're wounded as a kid, you're quick to run to those who can help you.

When you're wounded as an adult, you hesitate to run. That whenever something gets wounded in our soul because what do you do in life when it's not a scrape knee anymore? and it's it's not a a hurt feelings and it's not something happening on the playground and I bump my knee. What do you do when the wound is deeper? What do you do when the wound is in your soul? What do you do with a wounded soul? Because here's the reality is that you will never live your best days if you're walking wounded. You'll never experience everything that God has for you in life if you're walking with a wounded soul. Because here's why. Because your wounds become the window through which you see everything. Your wounds become the window through which you see your relationships and you see friends and you see marriage and you see parenting and you see how you develop in your career. Everything gets filtered through the window of wounds. Let me say it this way. It becomes the lens through which you see everything.

Have you ever been taking a picture or maybe a selfie with some friends and you hold it up and it's it's like cloudy the picture is and someone's like, "Give me the phone." They take their shirt and they clean off the lens, right? Here's what a lot of us do. Instead of fixing the lens, we want to fix the picture. So, if I could fix the boss, if I could fix my wife, if I could fix the kids, if I could fix the church, if I could fix the whatever fill in the blank, then maybe it would fix everything. So, we spend all of our energies wanting to fix people. And maybe, just maybe, God is saying, "If you would change the window through which you're seeing life, maybe it would fix a whole lot of things." Maybe I'm just proposing, remember, I'm your friend. That the that the picture doesn't need to be fixed. Maybe it's something in you that needs to be healed because we look through the window of our wounds.

Peter Scazario in his book, The Emotionally Healthy Leader, calls this the shadow side. That we all have this shadow side. And I love the way he says it. I want to read the quote to you. He says, "Your shadow is the accumulation of untamed emotions. It's less than pure motives and thought that while largely our unconscious, listen to this, strongly influence and shape behaviors. It is the damaged but most hidden version of who you are. It's the wounded part of you. In the book, Meeting the Shadow, the psychologist Connie Zwg writes this. It is dangerous. It's disorderly and forever in hiding as if the light of consciousness would steal its very life. It is the part of you that whether through life experience or circumstances or whatever it may be, trauma of the past, something someone has spoken over you, sometimes someone hurt you, they didn't stand up for you, whatever it may be, whatever caused the wound in your life, it is that part of you that wants to stay hidden. Matter of fact, the enemy wants you to keep it hidden because what you hide cannot get healed.

But whenever you're willing to expose it to God, God has a way of healing the deepest wounds in your heart. But the enemy wants you to keep it hidden. Why? Because it will undermine the very best of you. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4 that we have this treasure which is Christ in us, the hope of glory, but it is in earthn vessels. So we have this beautiful treasure which is Christ. If you've placed your faith in him, you have this beautiful treasure. If not, I'll give you an opportunity to do that today. But it is housed within earthn vessels. In other words, beautiful treasure. Clay pots. Could I say cracked pots? How many even know? We've all got some cracked areas in our life. None of us have arrived yet. None of us are perfect yet. And so it's this it's this tension of we have this beautiful treasure of Christ, but it's in these earthn vessels. And these earthn vessels are subject to pain and they're subject to issues and they're subject to challenges. And it's that shadow side.

Let me say it this way. That shadow side is the part of you that caused you to respond with a higher level of anger to your children than the moment really deserved this week. And in in the moment, you knew this has nothing to do with them. Is this too real? It's the part of you that you've been walking with Jesus for 40 years, but you still can't say certain names without tightening your jaw. That's the shadow. That's the shadow. And it undermines the very best of you. The shadow side of you keeps you from being able to be a safe place for other wounded people. Because whenever you're hurt, hurt people hurt people. And whenever you're wounded, you judge in others what you disdain in yourself. But can I tell you something? The good news is healed people can heal people. And Jesus has the power to heal whatever wound that you're dealing with. Let me explain it to you this way. Did you know you're made up of three parts?

You're like, I thought I got more parts than that. According to the Bible, you are body, that's this, your flesh. your soul, that's your mind, will and emotions, and then your spirit. Your spirit is made alive whenever you come to Christ. But how many of you know your mind, will, and emotions have had a whole life experience. And so your spirit is saying, "Forgive them, love them, care for them." Your soul is going, "I want to give them a piece of my mind. I want to punch them in the throat." And God is in the process of sanctifying. This is the process of sanctification. your mind, will and emotions so that your body acts more like Jesus and less like you. And the wounds happen in your soul. So the spirit of God is wanting to transform and heal that part of you so that your mind, will, and emotions come into line with who Jesus is and how he wants you to live in this life. Are y'all tracking with me?

And so the world tells us medicate it. The world tells us brand it. In other words, give an image to everybody around you that everything is good on the inside. The world tells you to suff it, forget about it. But David gives us another option in Psalms chapter 61. I want to show you today. David is writing this psalm in the context. If you're with me, say amen. We good? Dave's writing this. David is Dave. I'm gonna call him Dave now. King Dave, new name. Psalm 61. Most scholars believe the context of this that he's writing this while he's running. Listen to this. From his son Abselum. So if you know the Old Testament story, his son Abselum instead of waiting his turn to become king because he would have been a parent to the throne, he decides to get ahead of God and ahead of timing. And so he begins to curry favor with the people. And he starts to set it in the city gate and say things like, "Hey, if I were king, I'd do it this way." And so people begin to become endeared to him. And he begins to build some followers. While David is out fighting battles, David comes back and his son is trying to overthrow the kingdom. And so David is now on the run because Abselum wants his dad dead. Let me just pause here and say that it's often not the Philistine or Goliath or a stranger that gives you your deepest wounds.

It's often the people that are closest to you. Because people that you do not open your heart to cannot hurt you. But the people you open your heart to, you're vulnerable for hurt. And here's the deal. You can either choose to live life without hurt. You'll also choose to live life without love. So it's David is wounded and you hear it in the psalm because he says, "Oh Lord, hear my cry." I wonder if you've ever been there where you're like, "God, are you even listening to me?" This is what David is saying. God, can you even hear what I'm saying to you right now? He says, "Oh Lord, hear my cry. I'm at the end of the earth." In other words, I feel like I'm at the end of my rope. like I've got nowhere else to go. I don't know what else to do. This is the cry. I love the vulnerability of David. Aren't you thankful that the people that we learn about in the scriptures aren't like, "Well, bless the Lord. Everything is wonderful." And aren't you just glad that there's some rawness? How many of you are encouraged? There's a little bit of dysfunction in David's family. Come on, somebody. All of you have a little bit of All of you have a little bit of dysfunction in your family. And if you're like, "No, I don't. You're the dysfunction." Okay.

I just love the rawness of him. But I love what David says next. He says, "But lead me to the rock that is higher than I." This is this is a man that is done with self-help and self-t talk and self-medication. This is a man that knows that healing has to come from something that is beyond him. that he needs God, that he needs the presence of God in his life to heal him. Can I tell you something? The presence of God or the Holy Spirit working in your life doesn't make you better than anyone else. It makes you better than you. How many of you know you need something better than you? That there's some things that like how good you are, smart you are, how much resources you have will not accomplish. You need the power and the presence of almighty God working in your life. And David is saying, "I need you to lead me to the rock that is higher than me, that is outside of me, that is beyond me, that is supernatural.

I need something. I can't fix this." And I wonder if you've ever been in that place if you were to take the church face off today and just say, "I need something beyond me. I'm I'm tired of carrying this wound. I'm tired of every time that subject comes up, it's like a scab and it's not yet a scar. I'm tired every time I run into that person, it reignites that feeling. I'm tired of every time I go to that place, walk into that environment that it it boils up again in my life. I'm tired of carrying. Can I tell you something? You'll never heal what you hide. This is where David is. He's He's got a wounded soul. But then in verse three and four, he gives us four places to run. It's almost like David's reminding himself in the moment, okay, I've been at this place before. I've been distraught before.

Hello, he lost a little child. I've been at the depths before, but I remember some things. And I just want to give you four places that you can run when you have a wounded soul. Four places that bring healing into your life. And it's found in verse three and verse four. David lists them. He says this. He says, "For you have been my refuge." It's number one. A strong tower against the foe. That's number two. I long to dwell in your tent forever. Number three, and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. And so, we're just going to those four things from the scripture. I want to break those down for us. Number one, my refuge. David said, "You've been my refuge." If you want to write this down beside that, it's a place of protection. The refuge of God is a place of protection. We see this over and over again in Psalms. I want to read you two of them. Psalms 46:1 says this, "God is our refuge and strength and everpresent help in trouble." Psalms 9:12 says, "I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress." These aren't words that we use today like fortress. Refuge.

What it basically means is he is our shelter. He's our place of safety. He's the place where we can run into and nothing else can get to us. He's a covering for us. He He is where we find safety from the storms that come into our life. I I think about it like this. You ever watched a movie? Um, okay. They don't watch movies at South Lake. I know they do at Frisco. You watch movies. I'm holy. I just read my Bible. I don't know what to do for you. Um, you ever watching a movie where someone is being chased and they're running and someone is chasing them and the music intensifies and your heart is, you know, like your your heart is elevating. You're like, you're you're in the moment with them and it's moving and the bass is going and the whole thing and then they run into the run. They slam the door and they're safe and all of a sudden this calm comes over you.

You ever noticed that? Like your blood pressure goes down, your heart rate goes down. Why? They found safety. This is the picture that things in life are chasing you. That enemy of your soul is chasing you. And God is the place where you go, I can breathe again. I'm at peace. The shalom of God. My heart rate goes down. He's my place of refuge, my place of safety. When my soul is wounded, where do I run to? I run to God. Why? Because he is my refuge. I think about the cities of refuge in the Old Testament. Israel had six cities of refuge. They were pre pre-established places for people to run to, and they were all within a day's run. Anywhere you were in Israel, you were within a day to get to a city of refuge. God created these places of safety physically in the nation of Israel before the city of refuge was ever needed. And can I tell you something that in Jesus we have a city of refuge, a place to run, a place of safety, a place where we can find content, where our blood pressure can we can go, God, I don't know what's there's chaos all around me. There's hurt coming at me, but you are my place of safety. It's because I dwell with you. Psalms 18 199

91, right? I dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. It's my place of refuge. Okay. Do you ever play, let me illustrate it this way. Do you ever play um tag when you were a kid? I was thinking about this. I don't think my kids have ever played tag. They played Minecraft. Played Pokemon. I don't think they I don't know if they ever played tag. But whenever you play tag, what happened? You had a base, right? The base was the place of safety and then you went and hid and then someone find you, you take off running and you just got to make it to base and they can't get you when you get to base. Well, the base wasn't it wasn't because of how fast they were, how good they were. It's because of where they were standing that made them safe from anybody that was chasing them. Can I tell you something? Whenever you are wounded, it is not time to push away from God. It is time to run to God because he's base. He's a place of safety.

He's a place of protection. He's the refuge. Number two, he said, "You're you've been my strong tower." If you want to write this down beside it, this is a place of perspective. It's a place of perspective. Isaiah 58 says this, 55:8, I'm sorry, said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts." In other words, I don't see it the way that you see it. God says, "Neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." If you've been around church, you'd recognize this one. Proverbs 3:5 and 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understandings, understanding all your ways. Submit to him and he'll make your path straight. Lean not on your own understanding, your own perspective. God says, "My ways are higher than yours. My thoughts are higher than yours." The tower is a place of perspective. Why? Because when you climb up in a tower, you see it from a different vantage point.

How many of you know that whenever you're wounded in your soul, all you can see is what's right in front of you. Why? Because it becomes the window that you look at things through. All you can see is right. When you get up in a tower, you can see what's in front of you. You can see what's around you. And you can see what has been behind you. You get perspective. You can see it from a different view. The battle doesn't change. The perspective changes. The fight hasn't changed. How you see the fight has changed, which changes everything. You get a different perspective in the tower when watchmen were put up on the wall. Why did they go up on the wall? So that they could see things from a higher view. God is saying, "My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts." I'm trying to elevate your perspective so you can see things from a different level so that when chaos is going on around you, it doesn't have to go on inside of you because you see what I'm doing. Can I tell you when you get up in the tower of God, you can see the future. And that provides hope for you to know that I may be facing something right now, but I know the God that I serve, that he has good plans for me, that my best days are in front of me, that that's a promise of God, that he's moving me from victory to victory. I can see out in front of me, but I can see beside me, I'm not the only one walking

through this. That if I'll run to God, when I run to God, I end up running with God's people. and I got some people that'll fight the battle with me and walk alongside with me. This is why you need to be in community. It's why you need to be in a small group. Right now, we're in small group season. You need to get into a group. Why? Because they're going to come some moments in your life where you're finally willing to take the mask off. And you need to know there's some people beside me that'll carry me and walk with me, celebrate with me. But you also can see behind you. And that's an important one because when you get the perspective to see behind you, you can see how many times God has been faithful in your life. And the God that was faithful before will be faithful today and he'll be faithful in all of your tomorrows. So you can worship him knowing he's got my back. So the tower gives me perspective, helps me to see. David went on to say, Dave, our friend, he said, you've been my tent.

The tent, you can write this beside it, is a place of his presence. Psalm 16:11 said, "You make known to me the paths of life, and you will fill me with joy in your," everybody say it together, "in your in your presence with eternal pleasures at your right hand." There's joy in the presence of God. Exodus 33:7-9, Moses said this. Now Moses would used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the tent of meeting. And anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances of their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. How many times can we say tent? As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud, the presence of God would come down and stay at the entrance while the Lord spoke spoke to Moses.

This is where God invites me to connect with his presence. The tent of meeting, this is the place of worship, the place of prayer, the place of the word. And can I tell you something that where the presence of God resides, the power of God resides. that where the presence of God resides, the power of God resides. The power to heal, the power to save, the power to set free, the power to forgive. Whatever it is that you need in your life, where the presence of God is, the power of God is. But I I want to point out something to you in that passage in Exodus 33 is that the tent of meeting was established. Moses would go to the tent. Then God's presence would descend and set at the entrance of the tent. So God met Moses at the point of his pursuit. God met Moses at the point of his pursuit. And his presence will meet you at the point of your pursuit.

Notice that the cloud didn't run around the camp trying to find Moses. It didn't say the cloud by day was like running through the camp going, "Hey, somebody meet with me." No, God's not needy. No, it said when Moses determined when Moses went when everyone went whenever anyone wanted to go inquire of the Lord, they went to the tent of meeting. In other words, they set a sacred space. And you and I were going to have to set a sacred space. If if Sunday is the only nourishment you're getting of God's presence and God's word, you're going to be emaciated spiritually. If you only ate once a week, you would not be healthy. How in the world could you be spiritually healthy if all you get is what our team provides in worship and then the word that you get on Sunday? No, you've got to determine every day, I'm going to make my own tent of meeting. I'm going to find a place where I invite the presence of God and I seek the presence of God and I get in the word of God and I worship God and I cry out in prayer. It's got to be a part of your everyday. God isn't confined to the walls of our campuses. He is everywhere at all times. He can meet you in your car. He can meet you on the interstate.

He can meet you in your dorm room. He can meet you in the boardroom. The presence of God can meet you wherever you determine to set a tent of meeting. and say, "God, I need you to meet me here. I need you to tabernacle in this place because in the presence of God, there is the power of God. And where there is the power of God, the healing of God can happen to a wounded soul. You need the presence of God in your life." You met Moses at the point of his pursuit. So the question is, are you pursuing his presence? Are you creating space in your life for his presence and power to heal the most wounded parts of your life? Finally, he says, you're my shelter. He said, actually, I find refuge in the shelter of your wings.

This is a place of promise. Deuteronomy 31:6 says this, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God goes with you, he'll never leave you, never forsake you." I love what Isaiah 54:10 says. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken." Listen to this. "Nor my covenant of peace." How many you are grateful today that God is a covenant keeping God? My covenant of peace will not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. He said, ' Don't be terrified. I'm going to go with you. He said, the hills may be shaken, but my covenant for you will not be shaken. The shelter of his wings is a place of promise. It's a place of I got you. It's a place of I'm covering you. Now, I've never been under the wings of an animal.

I don't know if you have never experienced that, but I have read a little bit about how eagles, when little eaglets hatch and they're in the nest, there's a whole interesting thing about how an eagle works with its eaglets and how actually when they're trying to get them strong and fly, they'll remove the bottom so the thorns poke them from the nest. So, they actually begin to get strength in their legs because to build strength, you got to have resistance. But it says that it'll gather the little eaglets. It'll land on its necks. It'll gather the little eiglets under the wings. And here's what I just imagine is true is that if you're under wings, you can't see what's happening on the outside. And some of us, we're wanting God to show us step 12, 13, and 14. And he's like, I just need you to trust me. But here's what I do know is that if you're under wings, you've got to be close enough to feel the heartbeat of the one covering you.

And this is the point. God said, I'm going to shelter you under my wings. Why? I want you to learn my heart. And in learning my heart, you find healing for a wounded soul. I want you to learn my heart. I want you to learn my heart for you. I want you to learn my heart for others. I want you to learn my heart for that situation you're walking through. I want you to learn my heart. Shelter. It's a place of promise. If God said he'll do it, he'll do it. If God said it'll come to pass, it will come to pass in your life. He is good on his promises. He is a covenantkeeping God. And so what do we do practically? Three thoughts real quick as we wrap up. Number one, you find help in God.

You've got to run to God. You You'll never heal a wounded soul trying to figure it out on your own. And so, you've got to run to God. Some of you have never done that. And today, I'm going to give you the opportunity. you've never surrendered your life to Jesus. Maybe you've done church, maybe you've done religion, but you've never fully surrendered your life to Jesus. Today will be a day that you do that. Number two, you find hope in God's presence. The presence of God brings hope. It brings strength. What did he say? I find joy in your presence. But number three, you find healing with God's people. you find healing with God's people. 1 John 1:9 says what? Confess your sins to God and he you will be forgiven. James 5:16 says you got to confess to somebody else to find healing.

Forgiveness comes from God. Healing happens with God's people. I don't like it that way. I didn't make it that way. God did. take that up with him. Which you know what that means? That means at some point pride has to come down. At some point you've got to be willing to take the mask off the church mask that so many times we wear. How are you today? I'm blessed and highly favored. What are you talking about? You cussed your child out this week. You're not blessed and highly favored. You're wounded and you need healing. You switch campuses cuz you can't see somebody that you're bitter towards. You're wounded. That's a wounded soul. And God never meant for you to live that way. But you have to come to some point in your life where you go, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I'm sick and tired of giving the enemy a playground in my life. I'm sick and tired of carrying that wound day after day, moment after moment. I'm sick and tired of not being able to go in that environment because this thing comes back up in me. I'm sick and tired of it and today I'm getting healing for it.

So, you find healing with God's people. That means in just a few moments when we open the altars for prayer at every campus, you should slip out, make your way. I've never done that. I've never asked for prayer, pastor. Well, if you want to keep getting what you've always got, keep doing what you've always done. But at some point you got to do a new way. At some point you got to go God's way. You have to come down and grab one of these prayer and say, "This is my wound. This is the struggle. This is the thing I'm dealing with." We're going to pray together and believe by faith that there's healing in the presence of God among God's people. And today's going to be a day where you draw a line in the sand. And I'm believing today is going to be a day of transformation in your life. That something's going to lift off your life. That God's going to touch you in a powerful way. But you've got to be willing to take the step because you find healing with God's people. Will you pray with me? Every head bowed, every eye closed. All of our locations if you can where you are online today.

And for some of you, you you can't take the step of healing your wounded soul because you've never encountered the healer and his name is Jesus. And today, you need to take the step of receiving him as your Lord and as your savior. You need to take the step of surrendering your life to Jesus. In just a moment, we're going to pray together. And there's not anything special particularly about the words I say. It's just me helping you communicate your heart to God's heart. It's your faith that matters. It's you saying, "Jesus, I need you. I want you to forgive me of all my sin. I want you to give me a brand new start today. I make you the Lord of my life." In other words, he's in control. If you've never taken that step, I'm not asking you if you've done church or if you're a member somewhere or if you've been through confirmation. I I'm not asking that. I'm asking, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? For some of you today, there was a time when you were really walking with the Lord and you know that you're far from God right now and you need a fresh start.

You need a it's a moment to come back home to him. But if that's you, before we pray, no one's going to come to you or point you out. But I'm going to count to three and I'm going ask you just to shoot your hand up high enough long enough for myself or the pastor at your location to see. We just want to know who we're praying with and then we're going to pray together. When I count to three, if God is speaking to you, you shoot your hand up high and long enough for us to see and then we'll pray together on three. One, two, three, shoot your hand up. God bless you. Shoot it up high. God bless you. I see you. God bless you. God bless you in the very back. Beautiful. Over to my right. I see you. God bless you. You can put it down, church. Will you pray this out loud with me for the benefit of all those who just slip their hand up? Say, "Jesus, I need you. I ask you to forgive me of all my sin. I believe you died for me. I believe God raised you from the dead.

Today, I make you my Lord and Savior." Thank you for a brand new beginning in Jesus' name. Everyone said, "Amen." Amen. Can we put our hands together and celebrate those made that decision? Well, at every one of our campuses, in just a moment, we're going to have our prayer teams make their way to the front. And we want an opportunity to pray with you for healing, whether it is in an area of your life you need a healing for your wounded soul, your emotions, whatever it may be. And so, as our prayer teams make their way forward, I'm gonna ask them at every campus if they would to make their way to the front or up in the balcony. And we're going to stand. And when we do, I'm going to invite you just to get out of your seat. Well, pastor, what will people think about me? It really doesn't matter what they'll think. God wants to meet you in this place today. And so, I'm going to ask you if you would stand all over the room at every campus. And as the team leads us in this chorus, you go ahead and slip out, make your way down, find someone, and we believe God's going to do some powerful healing work in your life today. Let's worship together.

Can we sing? I've run to the father. I've fallen to grace. I'm done with the hiding the reason away. My heart needs a search. My soul needs a friend. So I run to the father again and again. I run to the father. Fallen grace. I'm done with the hiding. No freezing away. My heart needs a searching. My soul needs a friend. So I run to the father again and again. Oh, I run to the father. Falling grace. I'm done with the hiding the reason. My heart needs a searching. My soul needs a friend. So I run to the father again and again.

I run to the father. Falling grace. I'm done with the hiding away. My heart needs a searching. My soul needs a friend. So I run to the father again and again and again and again. What an incredible word today. It demands a decision in all of our lives today. What are we going to do with this word? We're responsible for what we've just heard and we can't just stay where we are. And in many cases, the next step for you would be to get information on a group and get into a group and stop doing life alone. So out in our lobby today, there are pastors there to help you, answer any question you might have about groups. Groups are so important in the life of becoming a disciple. You could also text the word groups to 710 and you'll receive information on your phone of how to get connected. But you've got to get connected. I love what Pastor Daniel talked about of of how God can forgive us, but it takes people in our lives, confession and interaction to get healing. And all of us need healing in our lives. We need each other. You believe that? If you believe that, say,

"Amen." All right. Well, we're going to stay down here and pray for you as long as we need to. But before I dismiss you, let me pray over you right there. Father, I thank you for your goodness. I thank you for the word of the Lord to us today. Lord, I thank you that you're calling us out of where we've been and you're calling us into a new place with you. God, I pray this week we'd find that tent. We'd find that place to meet with you and have quiet time and find a new place to pray and just get honest before you. Lord, don't let us stay where we are. God, I pray in our obedience we'd find a group. If we can't find a group, we'd get trained and start a group. But Father, I pray in Jesus' name, put people in our lives that'll help us to stay real and to get healed and be discipled. And then lastly, Lord, I ask you, would you fill us fresh with your spirit? Not just for us, but God, would you use us in the life of somebody this week? Let the presence of God fill us and move through us and use our lives.

Father, we pray in Jesus name. And everyone said, God bless you. You're dismissed.