1 10 102 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/102041fa347013b0a75795e08a16c1d8.png 79298872644ba9fc0a40f4b36267a8fe https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/785862a44cf4270612883357c7f6d071.mp4 c504b54516ed5c5070f29edb403a27e3 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource July 4th 2020 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 4th 2020 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/bb68511a6f79f6f5b64248e3dd65e09f.jpg 49c137c04462fbd208f93f4c5afacfb8 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fall Festival Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015 Description An account of the resource Celebrate the season at Hillside United Methodist Church’s Fall Festival on Saturday, September 26, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Join us at 3737 U.S. Hwy 80 W, Phenix City, for a friendly, family-oriented day with music, light refreshments, and activities for all ages as we gather in gratitude for God’s goodness. All are welcome—bring a friend! https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/12b97c315d79246f7fe14525a2f0793e.jpg c02ca49220c4010068eda0ad265844e2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2022 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound The Blood of Jesus Ephesians 1:7-10 Ash Wednesday has come and gone… we are now in the season of Lent The season of Lent leads us to Easter Easter Sunday is so beautiful. I always think (showing my age) of bright Easter colors and ladies and little girls wearing white gloves (does anyone wear them anymore?) But to get to Easter, we first have to go through the cross. Good Friday Just like our salvation. Today we celebrate Holy Communion together. The bread and the cup It is a New Testament version of Passover. Old Testament Passover was a celebration/commemoration of the original Passover God sent the Death Angel to slay every first born child in every household There is no passing over (no “Passover”) without the blood on the doorposts If the Children of Israel had not applied the blood, they would have lost their children, too. With the Blood came protection. Without it, there was only death. Jesus is: The lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. (John 1:29) Some things are difficult for our minds to process without the Holy Spirit to reveal them to us. John 6:53: Then Jesus said unto them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.” John 6:60: Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” “This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?” Every morning I approach the Throne of Grace by first recognizing I am nothing of my own effort. I cannot earn the privilege of His presence. Through the Blood of Jesus, we have redemption from our sins The sins that would have otherwise sent us to an eternity in hell. Forever separated, not only from our loved ones, but from God Himself. Through the blood of Jesus, we are redeemed from our past. We regain right standing with God. Righteousness. Our dignity is restored. “Sin hath left a crimson stain…” “Oh, precious is that flow…” We have nothing without Jesus shed blood, but through it, we have total victory. Early last week this verse jumped out at me off the pages of my Bible: Romans 9:16 - It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. Rom 1:17: “This gospel unveils a continual revelation of God’s righteousness—a perfect righteousness given to us when we believe. And it moves us from receiving life through faith, to the power of living by faith. This is what the Scripture means when it says: “We are right with God through life-giving faith!” “We are right with God through life-giving faith!” Faith in what? Faith in the Power of Jesus’ Blood. (mixed with faith) We first recognize we are sinners – and therefore separated from God. Even at our best attempt we can never live right – we can never purify ourselves. Our only hope is to have faith in God’s mercy – and His mercy is made available to us (only) through the shed blood of Jesus. Col 1:20: - And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself—back to its original intent, restored to innocence again! The law came through Moses – which showed us our sinfulness Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ We know ALL have sinned – and scripture also tells us “You have ALL become true children of God by faith in Jesus Christ!” (Gal 3:26) ALL: John 1:12 - “ …to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” Faith in Jesus Christ means we have faith in Him and what He accomplished for us through His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. We have faith in the blood of Jesus Eph 1:7 - In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace There is power in the blood of Jesus to forgive you from all your sins, and understanding this is crucial to living a victorious life. The enemy fears this truth the most and that is why he attacks this teaching on the forgiveness of sins so vehemently. If the enemy can get you to believe the lie that you are not completely forgiven and keep you sin-conscious, he will be able to keep you defeated, condemned, fearful of God, and caught in a vicious circle of failure. Understand: Jesus is the Son of God and His blood is untainted by any sin. That is why the shedding of His pure and innocent blood is able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. His blood does not cover sins temporarily like the blood of bulls and goats in the old covenant. His blood blots out and completely erases all our sins. This is the blood of God Himself, shed for the forgiveness of all our sins! We need to start to realize that this is not a “basic teaching.” This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we reject the Blood we reject the Gospel In the end times, people are not exactly anti-God, but they are anti-Christ. The anti-Christ movement attempts to devalue Jesus’ deity, the cross and His power to forgive all our sins. That is why, in these last days, we need more preaching about Jesus, His finished work and the new covenant of His unmerited favor. We need to keep the new covenant and the cross of Jesus as the focus of our message. The only way to stem this deception from creeping into the church is to focus on exalting the person of Jesus and the central tenet of the new covenant, which is the complete forgiveness of sins! This is the gospel, and when the gospel truth is preached, people will be set free. There should be no compromise when it comes to the gospel of Jesus. There is no denying the truth – we only accept it or reject it Forgiveness of sins is based on His grace (unmerited favor) alone and we have access into this grace by faith. Our part is to only believe! This is what makes the gospel the good news. Take away the complete forgiveness of sins and it is no longer the “gospel,” which means “good news.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be SAVED” Believe that all your sins are forgiven. That is your part in the new covenant. That is how you become established in the new covenant of grace and experience the fullness of His unmerited favor! Eph 1:7 “Because of the blood of Christ, we are bought and made free from the punishment of sin. And because of His blood, our sins are forgiven. His loving-favor to us is so rich.” It starts with that recognition of our lost condition that we have without Christ. Jesus: “Blessed are the poor in spirit (who realize their spiritual poverty – that they are spiritually needy,) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Romans 5:9 - And there is still much more to say of his unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in my sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God. This is the Gospel – this was God’s plan for ALL of us 2 Tim 1:10: Jesus “destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” I preach the gospel of grace because the good news of Jesus changes lives. The gospel is the good news that at the moment you receive Jesus into your life and make Him your Lord and Savior, all your sins are forgiven and you receive the gift of eternal life. Heb 10:10 - For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Chinese version: By God's will, Jesus Christ sacrificed His body only once to make us holy forever. We have faith in Jesus sacrifice that: cleanses us - redeems us - makes us righteous, free from sin - heals us Heb 10:19 - Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… Rev 1:5 – Jesus “loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood” You are justified and made righteous through your faith in Jesus Christ. Your righteousness is a gift from Him. In Christ you now have perfect standing before God, paid for by the precious, eternal blood of His Son. There is no more judgment, punishment, and curse for you because the full judgment, punishment, and curse for all your sins fell upon our Lord Jesus at the cross. Jesus paid it all! The same blood that tore the veil removed your sins. We can never make light of the awful price Jesus paid for our redemption. “Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” “…for the Joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross.” “Oh, precious is that flow…” Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Blood ​血液 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 03/06/2022 Description An account of the resource Eph 1:7 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 以 弗 所 書 1:7: 在基督之中，我们凭借他的血（死）， 享有自由，罪孽得到赦免，是根据他那丰富的恩典所赐。(pg 1894) Romans 9:16 - It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy 罗马书 9:16: 由此可见，这不在于人的意愿，也不在于人的努力，而在于施怜悯的神。(pg 1834) Col 1:20: - And by the blood of his cross, everything in heaven and earth is brought back to himself—back to its original intent, restored to innocence again! 歌罗西书 1:19,20: 因为上帝乐意让一切的丰盛住在祂里面， 又借着祂在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，使天地万物借着祂与上帝和好。(pg 1909) Romans 5:9 - And there is still much more to say of his unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in my sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God. 羅 馬 書 5:9: 由于基督血的奉献，我们得到了上帝的认可，所以，通过基督，我们肯定会得以拯救，免遭上帝的愤怒。(page 1828) Heb 10:10 - For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. 希 伯 來 書 10:10: 凭上帝的意旨，耶稣基督只牺牲了自己的身体一次，便使得我们永远圣洁。(pg 1950) Heb 10:19 - Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus 希 伯 來 書 10:19: 所以，兄弟姐妹们，我们有信心借助耶稣的血进入至圣处 (pg 1951) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2024 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound By Grace Alone Titus 3:3-5 Ripley’s Believe It Or Not There was a time – many decades ago – when going to the gym was a daily part of my routine. Not just the treadmill, either. The iron plates! The usual crowd was there most days – and since we knew each other, we worked out together – spotting each other at the bench press, etc. More than once during this time period, I would get to the point that I needed help getting the heavy weights off my chest. I just couldn’t push them off of me and onto the rack all by myself. If I didn’t ask for help, I wasn’t going anywhere. The weight would only get heavier. There are situations in all of our lives where we can’t take care of things all by ourselves. The burden just gets too heavy. Like the burden of our sins. as Step 2 of the Twelve Steps describes it, “We came to be aware that a Power greater than ourselves”… was necessary. U2: “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own” Tough. You think you've got the stuff You're telling me and anyone - You're “hard enough” You don't have to put up a fight - You don't have to always be right Listen to me now - I need to let you know - You don't have to go it alone. Trying to bench press too much weight and discovering that you are trapped by your own denial of human limitations – is a lot like what we do when we try to live a victorious life under our own power. PRIDE could have kept me trapped under those heavy weights… how would that have ended? (what if I had been all alone in that gym?) As long as you’re running away, you’re going to miss the greatness God put in you. You can’t conquer what you don’t confront. Too often we’re comforting what we should be confronting. We’re making lists of excuses. But you can’t run from everything that’s uncomfortable. You can’t ignore issues, sweep them under the rug, and think they’ll go away. When you get honest with yourself, when you confront what you know you need to deal with, it may be uncomfortable, but God gives you the grace, the strength, and the power to do what you couldn’t do on your own. THIS is why Jesus came. This is why He shed His blood. THIS is why He died on that cross. For you and for me. Revelation: If I preach anything less that our complete and total redemption because of Christ alone, I am not truly preaching the cross – and therefore, not preaching the truth. “ …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Today’s Message is entitled: By Grace Alone. My purpose for this message is to instill in a deeper way the truth that we are saved by grace through faith, and not of works. We can never earn our salvation. It is a gift. (Eph 2:8) A gift we should receive with gratitude and humility. Wesley: “It is strange that any whom he has actually saved should doubt the universality of his grace!” “We allow, it is the work of God alone to justify, to sanctify, and to glorify; which three comprehend the whole of salvation.” “I believe justification by faith alone, as much as I believe there is a God…I have never varied from it, no, not a hair’s breadth from 1738 to this day.” “Taking the word in a more particular sense, faith is a divine evidence and conviction, not only that ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,’ but also that Christ ‘loved me, and gave himself for me.'” Martin Luther: "We do not become righteous by doing righteous deeds but, having been made righteous, we do righteous deeds." R.C. Sproul: "The whole basis for our relationship with God is rooted and grounded in grace, that which is not earned." Anyone who has shared the gospel with others has discovered people who said things like, “I try to live a good life.” “I hope my good outweighs my bad.” They think they can push off that weight (and debt) of sin under their own power. Here is an illustration of Salvation through Grace by Faith, as illustrated by Jesus: Luke 18:9-14 (read) The publican goes to heaven not because he is special but because he is shown mercy by God through receiving the redemption of Christ the Savior. A sinner does not need to pay any cost to go to heaven because the Lord Jesus has paid everything on the cross. The Pharisee perishes because he does not have the Savior, whereas the publican is saved because he has the Savior. Like that Pharisee, PRIDE can keep you buried under those heavy weights… Pride can keep you lost. Pride can keep you bound. “That’s just the way I am” If you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them. God sent us a savior because we needed to be saved Watchman Nee: Salvation is the free gift of God, and it is freely given to all sinners who believe. “In summary, you who are good men, do not boast in yourselves, for your good cannot save you. And you who are bad men, do not be discouraged, for your bad may not be your condemnation. Praise and thank God, how wonderful is His salvation! Though we all are like the publican, being hopeless and helpless sinners who deserve eternal punishment, God nevertheless has caused the Lord Jesus to die on the cross for us that we may be saved by believing and accepting Him as our Savior. What amazing grace this is! Let the sinners follow in the steps of the publican. Come to God, confess your sins, and ask Him in faith, saying: “God, be merciful to me a sinner, for the Lord Jesus has indeed died on the cross for me.” God will save you. Thank Him for His so great salvation.” Straight is the Gate Matt 7:14: But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it. John 3:36 - “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” This grace not only saves us, but also empowers us to live the Godly life we wanted to live: Titus 3:8: This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. John 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Rev 22:17: The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource By Grace Alone 恩典 Description An account of the resource Titus 3:5: He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. 提 多 書 3:5: 他拯救了我们，不是因为我们的行为，而是靠他的怜悯、重生的洗礼和使我们更新的圣灵。(page 1936) Matt 7:14: But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it. 馬 太 福 音 7:14: 但是，通向永生的门是非常窄小和艰难的，只有极少数的人才能找到它。(page 1568) John 3:36 - “He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” 约翰福音 3:36: 信子的人有永生；不信子的人得不到永生，上帝的烈怒常在他身上 (page 1721) John 5:24: “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” 约翰福音 5:24:“我实实在在地告诉你们，谁听从我的话，又信差我来的那位，谁就有永生，不被定罪，已经出死入生了。(pg 1725) Rev 22:17: The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 啟 示 錄 22:17: 啟 示 錄 22:17: 圣灵和新娘说∶“来！”愿听到的人都说∶“来！”愿口渴的人都过来。愿任何想得到赋予生命的泉水的人，都无偿地得到它。 (page 2017) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01/14/2024 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/9bbb6eadd4bbf17991dbae594a102ea8.mp4 1742b23d85bcff46e1bf5aacd9757e92 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/8787a0e86d2600f60fe4b65310c7eaa1.mp4 91dca853781450b0d9669b4b021fc2c6 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Church Building Bird Eye View Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 27, 2020 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/e8106b76b56c275d541f20ea73511337.jpg 1f0469f996565e461a139c3c210b1b0a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2022 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Homecoming 2022 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/a6d23ed4a6275f4db76679495bedfe80.png 78640caa3b6bbc4ec523e8bcacd793bd https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/c2e26ef139826588a390f7197d33656b.png 79bcea086d342132c77a1a76afbb636f https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/ba826ecd45d11d5763a0e8f9db78b1e5.mp4 a5d38287436162e4014e91cdaa306596 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2026 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Remember to Forget Luke 17:32,33 Some of you have done this. You pull down an old photo album, or you scroll back through your phone to pictures from ten or twenty years ago, and an hour disappears. You smile. You laugh. And somewhere along the way, a quiet thought slips in: "Those were the days." The kids were small. The church was full. The family was all together. We felt younger and stronger, and we didn't know how good we had it. But think about what a photo album actually is. It's a collection of the moments we chose to keep. Nobody snaps a picture of the argument in the car on the way to the family reunion. Nobody frames the stack of unpaid bills, the sleepless night, or the diagnosis. The album shows us the smiling moments and quietly leaves out the struggle behind them. So when we say "the good old days," we're often remembering an edited version. Now, hear me clearly: Remembering is not a sin. Scripture tells us again and again to remember what God has done. The problem comes when remembering turns into longing, when we stop thanking God for the past and start living in it, as if today is just a disappointing leftover. That is the danger Jesus has in mind in Luke 17. He tells His disciples not to turn back for what they've left behind. Then, in just three words, He says something that should stop us in our tracks: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32). Of all the people Jesus could have named, He picked her. We don't even know her name. She is remembered for one thing: she looked back. This morning I want to ask a question I'll keep coming back to: Why? Why would you keep looking back when your life is happening right here, right now? Let's go back to the story Jesus points to, in Genesis 19. Sodom is under judgment, a city marked by abomination, violence, cruelty, and a deep disregard for God and for people. In His mercy, God sends angels to get Lot and his family out. And notice how reluctant they are. Genesis 19:16 says that "while he lingered, the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city." They had to be pulled out. Then comes the instruction in verse 17: "Escape for your life. Do not look back." It's simple and clear, and it's given out of love. Vs 26: "But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." Here is what we need to see. (by God’s Grace) She was already rescued. She had been taken by the hand. She was out of the city, and the destruction hadn't touched her yet. Physically, she had left Sodom. But in her heart, she was still there. Jesus tells us why in Matthew 6:21: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Her treasure was still in Sodom: her home, her memories, her comfort. Her feet were on the road out, but her heart followed her treasure back. Think about what Sodom looked like in her rearview mirror. Every photo album she owned was in that city. When she turned around, she probably wasn't thinking about the violence or the sin. She was thinking about the kitchen, the friends, the life she knew. That is how nostalgia works. It remembers the comfort and forgets the chains. That is how I remember boot camp. Some of you may be able to relate. I remember the friends I made – the funny moments. I forget the pain, the frustration and daily humiliations. Six weeks felt like six years. So let me ask the question again. “Why? Why look back?” Why trade the mercy of the hand that pulled you forward for the memory of a place that could not hold you? God did not rescue you so that you could spend the rest of your life facing the wrong direction. Even if some of those days were genuinely good, that season has done its work. God has moved you on, and He has not left you. He is in front of you, not behind you. Jesus doesn't stop at "Remember Lot's wife." He explains why it matters. Luke 17:33: "Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it." Look at the irony in that. The person who grips the old life tightly thinks they are protecting something. But Jesus says clinging doesn't preserve your life. It loses it. Lot's wife wanted to keep what she had, and she lost everything, including the future God was walking her into. So what does clinging cost us? First, it costs us the people in front of us. Think of someone who spends every family gathering saying, "Remember when? It was so much better then." The people at the table are alive and hungry for attention, but the one living in the album doesn't see them. Second, it costs us the purpose in front of us. God has work for you now: someone to serve, someone to encourage, a risk to take in faith. But you cannot do today's work with yesterday's eyes. Third, it costs us gratitude. When we say the best days are behind us, we are quietly telling God that what He is giving us now is not enough. Nostalgia can sound like worship, but it often hides a complaint: "Lord, things were better before." In Numbers 11:5, the children of Israel complained about the manna and looked back longingly to what they ate when they were in total slavery: We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. And fourth, it costs us the future. A quick glance in the rearview mirror is helpful. A long stare ends in a wreck. And we may miss the very thing God says He is doing. Through Isaiah He declares, "I am doing a new thing," but you can't see a new thing while you're staring at an old one. We'll come back to that promise in a moment. So, in our text today, Jesus isn't being harsh - He is being honest, because He loves us. He is saying, "Don't spend the life I've given you trying to hold on to a life that's already gone. Let go, and you'll find the real thing." The Gospel is not about preserving the old. It's about being made new. Paul puts it this way in Philippians 3:13: "I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead” Paul had a past too, with both achievements and regrets, and he refused to let either one set his direction. So here is the invitation this morning: Close the album. I don't mean throw it away. Keep the pictures. Thank God for every good gift in them. But don't let the album become your address. Don't live there. Because today is not yesterday. Yesterday is finished. Whether it was wonderful or painful, it has done what it was going to do. But today is real, and God is present. Lamentations 3:23 says “His mercies are new every morning.” This morning's mercy was not available yesterday. It was made for today. The God who rescued you did not bring you out just to leave you with a good memory. He brought you out to bring you into something new. Lot's wife missed that. Listen to what God Himself says in Isaiah 43:18-19: "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" Notice who He is talking to. Just before this, He reminds Israel of the Exodus, the greatest rescue they had ever known. And then He says, "Don't dwell on it." God is not asking us to erase our memories. He is telling us not to treat even His greatest works of the past as the ceiling of what He can do. The God who parted the sea is not finished. Now, some of us hold on to the past for very different reasons. Some of us are holding the golden years, afraid that if we let go, we'll lose the best we ever had. And some of us are holding the wounds: the failure, the betrayal, the loss. We replay them again and again, as if guarding the pain could keep us safe. Hear me. God is asking both hands to open. To release their grip. Open the hand that grips the glory, and open the hand that grips the grief. You are not dishonoring what was good, and you are not excusing what was bad. You are refusing to let either one be your master. And you cannot take hold of the new thing while your fists are full of the old. So ask yourself: Where is your treasure? Is it in the album, or is it in what God is doing today? Your heart will follow it. The new thing is not a threat. It is a gift from a Father who has never once lost track of you. The hand that pulled you out is the hand that will lead you on. So here is a simple challenge for this week. When you catch yourself saying, "Those were the good old days," or when an old hurt starts to replay, do two things. First, thank God for what He gave you then, or hand Him the pain and open your hand. Second, ask Him, "Lord, what are You doing today?" Then do one thing in response. Call the person you've been meaning to call. Serve someone. Take the next small step of obedience. Lot's wife was rescued, and then she looked back. Jesus says to us today, "Remember Lot's wife," so that we won't. Our scripture today says, “Don’t forget the example of Lot’s wife and what happened to her when she turned back. All who are obsessed with being secure in life will lose it all—including their lives. But those who let go of their lives and surrender them to me will discover true life.” So let go. Open your hands, open your heart, and say yes to what He is doing next. Today is NOT yesterday. So why look back? “For your heart will always pursue what you esteem as your treasure.” Let's pray. Father, thank You for every good thing You've given us in the past. And we bring You the hurts we've carried too. Forgive us for the times we've held on to what was and missed what You are doing now. We open our hands. Take the glory and the grief, and fill them with Your new thing. Pull us forward by Your hand, as You pulled Lot's family out. Give us open hearts, and eyes for the people in front of us. Help us trust that You are with us today and already in our tomorrow. In Jesus' name, Amen. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Remember to Forget 记得要忘记 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 10/11/2026 Description An account of the resource Luke 17:32-33 “Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.” 路加福音 17:32-33 「你們要記得羅得的妻子。凡想要保全自己生命的，必喪掉生命；凡為我失去生命的，必救了生命。」 Genesis 19:17 “Escape for your life. Do not look back.” 創世記 19:17 「你要逃命，不可回頭看。」 Genesis 19:26 “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.” 創世記 19:26 「但羅得的妻子在他後邊回頭一看，就變成了一根鹽柱。」 Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 馬太福音 6:21 「因為你的財寶在哪裡，你的心也在哪裡。」 Philippians 3:13-14 “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal.” 腓立比書 3:13-14 「忘記背後，努力面前的，向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞。」 Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” 以賽亞書 43:18-19 「不要記念從前的事，也不要思想過去的事。看哪，我要做一件新事！」 Lamentations 3:23 “His mercies are new every morning.” 耶利米哀歌 3:23 「他的慈愛每早晨都是新的。」 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pastor: Mike Koger Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hillside United Methodist Church 3737 US 80 Phenix City AL 36870 United States https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/aa4b6aa606a78496c97d83ef401f72b7.png ebd75cfde6caf2c83bf1d0e02a727ad9 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/3fa0f2dba496ee3d0adefb044088c849.mp4 3340ff70043ca1fc3a857c4cb897bc23 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/555a6869460723e4d2537fa27db870a6.png 1f2d07fd48b45d7615727909de5b7aa0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2026 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound The Invisible Ceiling: Stop Waiting for Permission Deuteronomy 1:6–8 "You have stayed long enough at this mountain... See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession..." Let me ask you something before we go any further… What are you still waiting for permission to do? Not what are you waiting for God to do. What are you waiting for someone to let you do? Who exactly are you waiting on? Who has to sign off? Who has to say, "Go ahead, you're ready"? Think about it. Because here's what's strange: there is no locked door. No fence. No physical barrier. And yet, sometimes something keeps us from moving forward. We tell ourselves: "I'm too old." "I'm not qualified." "I don't have enough money." "What will people think?" "Maybe someday, when everything settles down..." And someday becomes next month. Next month becomes next year. And eventually we become very comfortable living beneath a ceiling that may not even exist! God, our Creator, may be calling us into something greater, but we cannot walk into a new life while continually asking permission from the limitations of our old one. So here is the question underneath the question: What if the greatest obstacle between you and the person God is calling you to become isn't your circumstances? What if it's the CODE you've been living by? For several weeks, we explored THE CODE—the beliefs, assumptions, and experiences that shape how we interpret our lives. Today I want to bring all of it to one practical question: What are we going to DO with it? Because transformation was never meant to remain a beautiful idea. At some point, faith must become movement. "You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on." The Israelites weren't necessarily in the wrong place. They had simply reached the point where staying was no longer the next step of obedience. I wonder how many of us are there. We're going to work, paying our bills, attending church. But somewhere inside, we sense there is more. More to contribute. More to become. Maybe God is whispering: "You've stayed at this mountain long enough." (do you need to speak to your mountain?) Think back to where THE CODE began. We asked, "Who wrote the CODE you're living by?" And we discovered that God desires to write His truth upon our hearts Heb 10:16: “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” Eight messages. One unfolding invitation: let God change the way you see yourself, so you can begin living differently. Many of the limitations we live with were never consciously chosen. Someone criticized us when we were young. We experienced failure. We were told to be "realistic." And somewhere along the way, those experiences became instructions. We stopped saying, "That didn't work," and started saying, "I can't do that." An experience became an identity. A disappointment became a prediction. And a prediction became an invisible ceiling. When the angel of the Lord found Gideon, he wasn't standing triumphantly on a battlefield. He was threshing wheat in a winepress, hiding it from the Midianites. And the angel called him a mighty warrior! Gideon immediately began explaining his limitations. His clan was weak. His family position was insignificant. In other words: "You don't understand. I'm not that person." But God was calling Gideon beyond the identity he had built from his circumstances. Gideon was no fearless man. He questioned. He needed reassurance. And yet he responded. Biblical courage is not the absence of uncertainty. It is choosing to trust God while uncertainty still exists. How much of our lives have we spent waiting for permission from people who were never assigned to determine our potential? Waiting for someone to tell us we're talented enough. Educated enough. Young enough. Old enough. (Canasta) Experienced enough. Worthy enough. We want somebody to say: "Yes! You may now begin becoming the person God created you to be!" ( ) The permission we've been waiting for isn't theirs to give. This doesn't mean ignoring wisdom, accountability, or the counsel of others. It means recognizing that other people's expectations should not automatically become the boundaries of our obedience. ( ) When God calls us forward, our answer cannot forever be: "But what will everybody think?" Here is where I want this message to become intensely practical. We want the entire map before we'll take the first step. But faith rarely works that way. Thomas Merton: "You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope." Maybe that's the invisible ceiling. Maybe we're not waiting for permission from another person. Maybe we're waiting for permission from certainty. "When I know exactly how this will work out—then I'll move." But that's not faith. Prov 3 tells us to trust in the Lord rather than leaning on our own understanding. Sometimes God doesn't show us the destination. He shows us the next step. Think how often Jesus invited people into a simple action: "Come." "Follow me." "Rise." "Stretch out your hand." "Go." James 2:17 reminds us that faith without action is dead. So maybe you don't need the entire plan today. Maybe you simply need to take the next faithful step. Make the phone call. Repair the relationship. Spend ten uninterrupted minutes with God. Start the project that's been living in your imagination. It doesn't have to impress anybody. It simply has to move you toward where God is calling. “Small steps taken over time lead to big results” Because sometimes the smallest step of obedience becomes the doorway to something we could never have imagined. Remember our message about the Secret Place? We don't enter it merely to escape the world. We enter to become better prepared to engage it. Spiritual growth should become visible in the way we love, serve, and contribute. We don't seek God simply to feel better about remaining unchanged. We seek Him because He transforms us. Philippians 3:13–14 describes Paul's determination to leave what is behind and press on toward what lies ahead. We are not prisoners of yesterday. We are not required to remain the people we were five years ago—or even five minutes ago. "The author of our story is still writing." Perhaps the next chapter begins when we stop insisting that every detail be revealed before we turn the page. As we close, I want to invite you to consider one question. Not ten. Not a five-year strategic plan. Just one. What is ONE thing I would begin doing if I stopped allowing fear, uncertainty, or the expectations of others to determine my future? What dream have you quietly placed on a shelf? What would one small step of faith look like? You are KNOWN. You can be TRANSFORMED. You can live in ALIGNMENT. You can discover GREATNESS through service. You can develop COURAGE. Your understanding can be UPDATED. You can rediscover WONDER. …And you can draw strength from the SECRET PLACE. Now it's time to LIVE THE CODE. I want to show you how to take that thing you know you need to do, and empower you to do it. Would you be open to that? (deep breath) Ask yourself: What is ONE thing I would begin doing if I stopped allowing fear, uncertainty, or the expectations of others to determine my future? Can you SEE what it would look like to take that step of faith? Now, how would it FEEL to have actually done it? Put yourself in that state now. Experience it as already happened. Breathe it in. Feel the elation—the breakthrough—the SHIFT. Romans 12:2 reminds us that transformation comes through the renewing of our minds. Don't allow an old experience to become a permanent instruction for a new season of life. You have stayed at this mountain long enough. Stop waiting for permission. Take the step—and discover what God can do with a life that is willing to move forward. Prayer Lord, renew my mind. Break my limitations. Give me courage to begin. Help me trust You—even when I cannot see the way. Today, I take one step forward. My life is Yours. Lead me into what is next. In Jesus' Name. Amen. The CODE declaration "I will not allow yesterday's limitations to determine tomorrow's possibilities. I will listen to God, trust His leading, and take my next step of faith." "You don't break the invisible ceiling by thinking bigger alone. You break it by taking the next faithful step." Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Invisible Ceiling 看不见的天花板 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 10/04/2026 Description An account of the resource Deuteronomy 1:6-8 “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. … See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers.” 申命記 1:6-8 “你們在這山停留的時間已經夠了。…… 看哪，我已經把這地賜給你們。你們要進去得這地，就是耶和華向你們列祖所起誓要賜給他們的那地。” Judges 6:12 “When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” 士師記 6:12 “耶和華的使者向基甸顯現，對他說：「大能的勇士啊，耶和華與你同在！」” Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 羅馬書 12:2 “不要效法這個世界，只要心意更新而變化，叫你們察驗何為神的善良、純全、可喜悅的旨意。” Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” 箴言 3:5-6 “你要專心仰賴耶和華，不可倚靠自己的聰明，在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，他必指引你的路。” Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 約書亞記 1:9 “我豈沒有吩咐你嗎？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶，因為你無論往哪裡去，耶和華 —— 你的神必與你同在。” James 2:17 “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” 雅各書 2:17 “這樣，信心若不伴隨行動，就是死的。” Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 腓立比書 3:13-14 “弟兄姊妹們，我不是以為自己已經得著了；我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的，向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裡從上面召我來得的獎賞。” Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pastor: Mike Koger Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hillside United Methodist Church 3737 US 80 Phenix City AL 36870 United States https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/a2ad56f618fa176300a115e9ac0a39df.png 1dc74384662600708e7ea6e957192288 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/4893a7d629eaf08d8eb7ee42578ee6d5.png 824592d692b9b3699be6bc5c69ec02ad https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/18ea933de52c136e80a620aab97ef1d5.mp4 5cf5c002352a343377abf6f9a7ef5df1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2026 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound What Do You See?: Training the Heart to See the Blessing Luke 6:45 1 Cor 1:4: “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus” A life of meaning and purpose doesn’t happen by accident. Sunday night leads to Monday morning… “When I focus on the drudgery of my duties, I start wishing my LIFE away.” Think back over today. (so far) It probably hasn't been that long since you woke up. Somewhere between getting out of bed and walking into this room, I'd wager most of us complained about something. Maybe it was the weather. .. or the coffee being cold, or the person who cut you off two blocks from church. It doesn't take much, does it? Complaining is almost effortless for us. It's like our default setting. Here's what I want you to sit with this morning: What if that very moment you complained about was actually carrying a hidden blessing you didn't even notice? What if the slow traffic gave you three extra minutes to pray for your family? What if the cold coffee reminded you that you have coffee, in a warm house, with people who love you nearby? Early Monday morning these words struck my soul: “Stop looking for what is wrong in a situation, and start looking for what is Right.” We are so quick to name what's wrong. We can be so slow to name what's right. And I believe that's not just a personality quirk — it's a spiritual condition. It's a matter of the heart. So today, I want us to ask honestly: “has my heart become a factory for complaints, or a wellspring of praise?” And more importantly — can that change? I believe with everything in me that it can. But it won't happen by trying harder. It happens by grace. Let's walk through this together. Jesus said something in Luke 6:45 that cuts right to the heart of this issue — literally. He said, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." Notice what Jesus is saying. He's not primarily talking about behavior management. He's not saying, "Try to say nicer things." He's saying that your mouth is a window into your heart. What comes out of your mouth on a regular basis — whether it's complaint or praise, grumbling or gratitude — is simply the overflow of what's already inside you. If the well is bitter, bitter water comes up. If the well is sweet, sweet water comes up. “For the overflow (the abundance) of what has been stored in your heart will be seen by your fruit and will be heard in your words." It's worth pausing on that word "abundance," because the original Greek is even more specific than our English translation lets on. The word is “perisseuma,” and it means surplus or overflow — not just "a lot of something," but the excess that spills out when a container is already full.” It comes from the word perisseuo, which means "to exceed a fixed number or measure." Interestingly, that's the same word family Matthew uses to describe the leftover fragments gathered after Jesus fed the five thousand — the abundance that remained once everyone had eaten their fill. Applying that image here: your heart is like a container. Whatever fills it past capacity is what spills over the rim as speech. That's why "watch your words" is the wrong starting point. Speech isn't manufactured on demand; it's overflow. You can't dam up bitter overflow by trying harder at the rim — you have to change what's filling the container in the first place. (what’s in your well?) Prov 4:23: “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” So when we catch ourselves complaining constantly — about our jobs, our health, our spouse, our church, our government, our weather — that's not just a bad habit we need to break. It's a diagnostic. It tells us something about the condition of our hearts. Complaint isn't really the root problem; it's a symptom of a heart that has stopped looking for blessing and started expecting entitlement. But here's the good news tucked right alongside that warning. Proverbs 15:15 says, "All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast." Did you catch that contrast? The same set of circumstances — even affliction, even hardship — can be experienced two totally different ways depending on the condition of the heart. “Stop looking for what is wrong in a situation, and start looking for what is Right.” One person, heart fixed on what's wrong, experiences every day as bad. Another person, heart cultivated toward gratitude and cheerfulness, (perspective) experiences a continual feast — even walking through the same valley. This isn't about denying reality or pretending hard things aren't hard. It's about recognizing that the heart's posture shapes our entire experience of life. A grateful heart doesn't ignore pain; it simply refuses to let pain have the final word. Matt 13:12: Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. What are we noticing in the moment? That's the power of choosing gratitude in the moment. This is exactly what Paul is calling us to in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Notice, he doesn't say give thanks for all circumstances He says give thanks in all circumstances. In the middle of the traffic, in the middle of the daily stresses, in the middle of the hard conversation, there is always something to thank God for, because His presence and His goodness don't leave the room just because our circumstances got difficult. Paul gives us a practical strategy for this in Philippians 4:8: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Good Things) If we miss out by neglecting to notice the Good Things, we miss life. (my notecard* and my wristband*) *see – I’m not telling you to do something I am not already doing In other words — go looking for it. “If you want to look for obstacles, what’s wrong is always available. But so is what’s right!” In common words - “Stop looking for what is wrong in a situation, and start looking for what is Right.” (“Seek and ye shall find”) Don't wait for the blessing to knock you over the head. Actively search for what is good, right, lovely, and praiseworthy in your day. It's there. It's almost always there. But we have to be the kind of people who are looking for it. Now, here's where I need to be honest with you, and I need you to hear this clearly: none of us can simply decide, through sheer willpower, to stop complaining and start praising. If it were that easy, we would have done it years ago. We've all tried the New Year's resolution version of gratitude — "This year, I'm going to be more positive" — and by February we're right back to our old patterns. That's because this isn't ultimately a discipline problem. It's a heart problem. And heart problems require more than effort. They require grace. Here's the beauty of the gospel: God doesn't just command us to have grateful hearts and then leave us to white-knuckle our way there. He sends His Spirit to actually change the well itself. Remember Luke 6:45 — it's about the treasure of the heart. “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart.” Grace is what replaces the bitter treasure with sweet treasure. Grace is what takes a heart that has been trained by years of entitlement and complaint, and slowly, patiently, re-forms it into a heart that overflows with thanksgiving. This is not something we manufacture. It's something we receive. 1 Cor 4:7: And what do you have that grace has not given you? Every time you find yourself softening toward gratitude instead of hardening into complaint, that is grace at work in you. Every time you catch a complaint halfway out of your mouth and turn it into a prayer of thanks instead, that's not you being a stronger Christian by sheer effort — that's the Spirit of God doing surgery on your heart in real time. And because it's grace, it's not a one-time fix — it's an ongoing, daily work. Closing Prayer Father, we come to You aware that our hearts often run toward complaint before they run toward praise. We confess that we've grumbled about things that, in Your kindness, were actually gifts. Forgive us for missing so many blessings hidden in ordinary moments. Lord, we ask for Your grace this week — not our willpower, but Your grace — to soften our hearts. Open our eyes to notice the blessings we would normally overlook: the small mercies, the unearned kindnesses, the quiet gifts scattered through our ordinary days. When frustration rises up in us — in traffic, in waiting, in disappointment — give us the grace to respond with praise instead of complaint. And Lord, let this gratitude not stay locked up inside us. Help us to speak it out loud to the people around us this week — to thank our spouses, our children, our coworkers, our friends. Let the overflow of our hearts bless the people You've placed in our lives. Where we've taken people for granted, restore in us eyes to see them as gifts. Thank You, Father, that this transformation isn't up to us alone. Thank You that Your Spirit is doing the deep work in us, turning bitter wells into sweet ones, turning complaint into praise, turning ordinary days into a continual feast. Have Your way in us this week, we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource What Do You See? 你看见? Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 09/27/2026 Description An account of the resource Luke 6:45 “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” 路加福音 6:45 “善人從他心裡所存的善就發出善來；惡人從他心裡所存的惡就發出惡來，因為心裡所充滿的，嘴裡就說出來。” 1 Corinthians 1:4 “I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.” 哥林多前書 1:4 “我常為你們感謝我的神，因神在基督耶穌裡所賜給你們的恩典。” Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” 箴言 4:23 “你要保守你心，勝過保守一切；因為一生的果效是由心發出。” Proverbs 15:15 “All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.” 箴言 15:15 “困苦人的日子都是愁苦的；心中歡暢的，常享豐筵。” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 帖撒羅尼迦前書 5:18 “凡事謝恩；因為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意。” Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” 腓立比書 4:8 “弟兄姊妹們，我還有未盡的話：凡是真實的、可敬的、公義的、清潔的、可愛的、有美名的，若有任何德行，若有任何稱讚，這些事你們都要思念。” Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pastor: Mike Koger Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hillside United Methodist Church 3737 US 80 Phenix City AL 36870 United States https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/09ac32cd75d37d80cc8103d5122eaaa6.png 54aee4c9693b2ed9eb7b5c493e076195 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/bd1e8dd11f35fc7366119e9fee47c31c.mp4 a70a500713cc18c351f1a2f3666815f7 https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/e1ef3a2f91249065efa54a8afa31d6ba.jpg d66d4a0311407d71395618a4ea4e0d07 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2026 Moving Image A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation. Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound SECRET CODE Matthew 6:6 Have you ever known exactly what you needed to change — and still didn't change it? You knew the conversation you needed to have. You knew the habit you needed to break, the thing you needed to start, the person you needed to forgive. You could see it clearly. And yet, somehow, the same familiar patterns kept winning. Here's the hard truth: to know to do better and still not do it can leave us in the same place as not knowing at all. Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, the opportunity, and the responsibility to give something back by becoming more. But "becoming more" doesn't happen by accident. Something has to get upsized in us. And if we keep thinking the same things in the same way, the familiar past will sooner or later become the predictable future — unless we do something new. So how do we actually change? Where does real, lasting change begin? It begins with a seed — a desire, a revelation, an epiphany of some kind. And like every seed, it may sit in a dark place for a while, waiting for the breakthrough, waiting for the new morning that coming to the surface will finally reveal. And that's where we're headed today — to discover what it means to meet God there, and why that's where real change begins. I sometimes catch myself thinking, “I would like to go on this retreat…” RETREAT: To retreat means to move back, withdraw, or go to a quiet and safe place — a private, secluded, peaceful place where we can get away from the constant stress and stimulation of everyday life. We all need times of retreat. We all need silence. And there are ways to make that happen even without going out of town. Luke 5:16 — “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Matthew 14:23 — “After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.” We don’t just need a retreat every few years. We need a daily retreat. Where can we go? How can we do that? Maybe the change we need isn’t first something we need to DO. Maybe it’s somewhere we need to GO. Not necessarily to a retreat center. Not out of town. Into the Secret Place. The Secret Place is where we deliberately remove the constant stimulation of our external environment and become attentive to God. There are answers awaiting us in the Presence of the Lord. I can recall, many years ago now, sitting down with a Benedictine monk who helped unwrap this verse for me in a much deeper way. Matthew 6:6 — Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Go in. Shut the door. Meet the Father. Listen. Come out changed. ? How can God speak to us if we will not listen? The answers are revealed (revelation) in the Secret Place Remember – the Book of Revelation was revealed to John while he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos. (“what the enemy meant for evil…”) What we are trying to do, sometimes only God can do. Getting alone in God’s presence is where real change occurs. Psalm 91:1 — “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Notice the progression: First we GO there. Then we learn to DWELL there. Eventually, we learn to LIVE from there. The Secret Place is not merely an appointment on our calendar. God invites us to develop a life that is lived from His presence. Jesus told His disciples, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” How can we learn if we are not being taught? How can we be taught unless we take time to be quiet and listen? Matthew 6:5–6 — “Whenever you pray… go into your innermost chamber and be alone with Father God, praying to him in secret. And your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.” In the world, people who achieve greatness in their chosen fields often do most of their work — their training and preparation — behind the scenes. We see the performance. We rarely see the preparation. Tony Robbins: “You get rewarded in public for what you practice in private.” Jesus taught us to go into a private room, close the door, and speak to God in secret. The reward is not merely recognition. God sees sincere devotion. And more importantly, we encounter Him there. Psalm 51:16–17 — “The source of Your pleasure is not in my performance… The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you.” “rend your hearts – not your garments” (Joel 2:13) Ash Wednesday “Tear your heart and not your clothes.” Return to the Lord your God, for He is full of loving-kindness…”  We need to be guided by the voice of the Holy Spirit so we can make wise choices and see our lives from the right perspective. Romans 8:14:“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” WHAT VOICES ARE WE LISTENING TO? We have all heard stories about people born into successful families — people with every possible advantage — and yet their lives end in regret and untapped potential. I once attended the funeral of a person who took his own life, to the unimaginable shock of his family and friends. The minister performing the eulogy described his situation in a unique and thought-provoking way. He said this man “had a hearing problem.” He couldn’t hear the kind words — the voices of people who loved him, cared about him, and depended on him. What voices are we listening to? How can we hear if we don’t truly take time to listen? It’s not that God isn’t speaking. Maybe we have a hearing problem because we have never closed the door. Deuteronomy 29:29 — “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” We come to God in the Secret Place with an open heart and an open mind. Dispenza: “The unknown is the perfect place to create something new.” John 14:26 — “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 12:16: His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The Holy Spirit has a reminding ministry. In these special times in God’s presence, He not only shows us deeper things; He can also lead us in the ordinary, seemingly mundane things of life. We may remember something important that needs to be done. We may suddenly see the next step. God is a God of order. He orders our steps and leads us in the best path for our lives. It’s okay to take notes. The closed-door times alone in God’s presence should be the foundation of our Christian lives. But eventually, the Secret Place becomes more than somewhere we visit. It becomes the place from which we live. Psalm 91 uses the words dwell and abide. It speaks of ‘Elyon — the Most High; Shaddai — God Almighty; and Adonai — Lord, my Lord.’ The One who dwells in the shelter of the Most High learns to live beneath the shadow of the Almighty. 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 — “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks…” Or, as another rendering expresses it: “Make your life a prayer.” This is dwelling. This is abiding. John 15:7 — “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Jesus told us what to do — and how to live our lives. Romans 16:25 — God strengthens us “according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages.” 2 John 1:2 — “…because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever.” CLOSE THE DOOR There are really two doors in this message: the physical door Jesus tells us to close, and the mental and spiritual door we must close on the competing voices. Close the door on the noise. Close the door on yesterday. Close the door on everybody else’s expectations. Close the door on the voice that keeps telling you nothing will ever change. And enter the place where Jesus said your Father is in secret. The great promise of Matthew 6:6 isn’t merely that God rewards us there. … It is that the Father is already there. You aren’t going into the Secret Place trying to find God. You’re going there because He is already waiting for you. The SECRET CODE isn’t something God is hiding FROM you. It’s something He wants to reveal TO you — in the Secret Place. Psalm 91:1 — “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Go there. Dwell there. Abide there. Live from there. CLOSING PRAYER Father, thank You for meeting me in the Secret Place. Quiet the noise around me and the noise within me. Help me to close the door and listen for Your voice. Holy Spirit, teach me. Guide me. Remind me of Your truth. Help me not just to visit Your presence, but to dwell there. I release yesterday. I open my heart to You. Speak, Lord. I am listening. Lead my steps. Renew my mind. Change my life. I will dwell in the Secret Place and abide under Your shadow. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Secret Code 属灵的秘密 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 09/20/2026 Description An account of the resource Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” NLT 马太福音 6:6 “你祷告的时候，要进你的内屋，关上门，向你在隐密中的父祷告。你在隐密中看见的父，必然报答你。” 和合本 Psalm 91:1 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” KJV 诗篇 91:1 住在至高者隐密处的，必住在全能者的荫下。 和合本 John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” NKJV 约翰福音 14:26 “但保惠师，就是父因我的名所要差来的圣灵，他要将一切的事指教你们，并且要叫你们想起我对你们所说的一切话。” 和合本 Romans 8:14 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” NKJV 罗马书 8:14 因为凡被神的灵引导的，都是神的儿子。” 和合本 John 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you will, and it shall be done for you.” NKJV 约翰福音 15:7 “你们若常在我里面，我的话也常在你们里面，凡你们所愿意的，祈求，就给你们成就。” 和合本 THE SECRET PLACE — WHERE REAL CHANGE HAPPENS 在隐密之处，生命得以改变 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Pastor: Mike Koger Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Hillside United Methodist Church 3737 US 80 Phenix City AL 36870 United States