Gateway Church Live | “The Divine Antidote to Loneliness” by Lisa Harper | November 15–16

come together in a community and just lift up the 
((music playing))
 name of Jesus. You know, there's power in his presence. And I believe that, you know, when his word says that he inhabits the praises of his people, 
((music playing))
 I believe that there's life, there's peace, there's hope, 
((music playing))
 and there's joy that we find in God's presence.

And there's there's all of that in our unity and worship. 
((music playing))
 So, let's just come together and lift up his name. Lord, we honor you. God, we give you praise. Lord, this is all about you, but we thank you for your 
((music playing))
 presence, God, and we glorify your name in Jesus name.

Come on, let's worship. Thank you, 
((music playing))
 Jesus. Yes, we praise you, Lord. We say wondering into the night, 
((music playing))
 wanting a place to hide the soul is back. I 
((music playing))
 try with all my might, but I just can't. Fire slowly 
((music playing))
 drifting away. Just 
((music playing))
 when I ran out, I met a man I 
((music playing))
 didn't know.

He told me that I was not alone. 
((music playing))
 You picked me up. 
((music playing))
 You turned me around. You place my feet on solid ground. 
((music playing))
 I'll be a master. I've been a savior because you heal my heart. You change my 
((music playing))
 name. Forever free. I'm not the same. I've been the master.

I've been 
((music playing))
 the savior. I thank God. Yeah. I cannot 
((music playing))
 deny what I've seen. Got no choice but to believe. My 
((music playing))
 doubts are burning like cash in 
((music playing))
 to my old friends. You can just keep moving 
((music playing))
 cuz you ain't welcome here. 
((music playing))
 I walk the streets of gold. I'll see how you save my soul.

((music playing))
 This way back me up. 
((music playing))
 Turn me around. Raise my feet on the ground. I 
((music playing))
 savior because you kill my heart. You change my 
((music playing))
 name forever free. I'm not the same. I master. I savior. I thank 
((music playing))
 God. Yeah. Thank you, Lord. Another 
((music playing))
 one. I always say 
((music playing))
 another one. I am free.

We believe it. Oh, 
((music playing))
 hell. Lost another one. I am free. I am free. Oh, 
((music playing))
 I am free. Another one. I am free. I am free. Oh, we believe it. 
((music playing))
 Another one. I am free. I am free. Oh, I am free. 
((music playing))
 Another one. I am free. I am free.

Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 My heart change my name forever. I 
((music playing))
 see. I f I 
((music playing))
 go. Thank you, Lord. Yes, I 
((music playing))
 praise you, Jesus. I thank God. Come on, 
((music playing))
 let's just thank him in this place. Thank you, Father, 
((music playing))
 God. We've come to say thank you. We've come to praise your name, Lord.

Tonight, today, we just give you all the glory, all the honor. We thank you 
((music playing))
 for the perfect blood of Jesus that it covers all guilt, all shame, and we've come to say 
((music playing))
 thank you, Father. Oh, we say thank you. Please say I thank you. The hill I 
[music and singing]
 could not climb.

Though the cross 
[music and singing]
 to bear was mine, a sinner's 
((music playing))
 death you chose. And with love and grace 
((music playing))
 atone sing I'm covered. >> 
((music playing))
 >> I'm covered by the blood of Jesus. It's all 
[music and singing]
 under the blood of Jesus. All sin and 
[music and singing]
 shame is washed away and my debt is paid 
((music playing))
 cuz I'm covered by your blood.

Oh 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 my 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 god. 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 The blood of Jesus 
((music playing))
 is wash away 
((music playing))
 by the church. 
((music playing))
 Thank you Jesus. Oh we wash clean in your blood today. 
((music playing))
 Oh, we stand alive in you. And let all the 
((music playing))
 saints proclaim his glory. We 
((music playing))
 sing what? He is the lamb. Oh, he's worthy.

((music playing))
 Oh, the 
[singing]
 empty grave. Our testimone. Yes, it is. Sing worthy is. But come on, church. 
((music playing))
 Let this be our response today. I say let all the saints proclaim 
((music playing))
 all the glory of Jesus. Oh, she 
((music playing))
 grave the empty gra. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat.

((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Yeah. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Yeah. Heat. 
((music playing))
 Yeah. 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 He's 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 worthy. He's worthy. He's worthy of song. Worthy of praise. Worthy 
((music playing))
 of attention. Oh, cuz he gave it all for you. He gave it all for you. 
((music playing))
 So what else can we do but praise? What else can we do but to worship the God who saves, the God who heals, 
((music playing))
 the God who redeems, the God who makes new?

Oh, his 
((music playing))
 name is Jesus. His name is Jesus. Oh, come on, church. In your own 
((music playing))
 words, can we just lift our praise and God in this place? If you never done that before, 
((music playing))
 just tell us thank you. Sing these words are more than words. It's a prayer. Thank you, Jesus, 
((music playing))
 that we're covered by your blood.

That we stand alive in you. We stand on the promise of your name, Jesus. All praise, 
((music playing))
 all praise to Jesus. Oh, the worthy, worthy, worthy, worthy. 
((music playing))
 No one 
((music playing))
 seeing 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 my cuz he's washed me. He's made me 
((music playing))
 whole. >> So, how could I sing any other name 
[singing]
 but Jesus?

How could I praise any other name but Jesus? Cuz he saved my heart. He made 
[music and singing]
 me right now. Oh, my heart will sing. Oh, that there's no other 
((music playing))
 name. Open my Jesus. Open 
((music playing))
 my Jesus. 
[singing]
 And my heart will say no other 
[music and singing]
 name. Jesus. Oh Jesus. 
((music playing))
 You'll have my song.

God, my heart will 
[singing]
 sing. And no other 
((music playing))
 name will tell him. Jesus, we put on our lips today. Jesus 
((music playing))
 name 
[singing]
 of Jesus. And my heart will say no other 
[singing and music]
 name Jesus. All to 
((music playing))
 Jesus 
((music playing))
 say no. More than >> Jesus. >> We need Jesus. 
((applause))
 
((music playing))
 I will give you all my worship.

I will give you all my praise. You alone 
((music playing))
 I long to worship. You alone are worthy 
((music playing))
 of I will give you all 
((music playing))
 my worship. I'll give you all 
((music playing))
 my praise. You alone I long 
((music playing))
 to worship. You alone are worthy of our praise. 
((music playing))
 
((applause))
 cuz he reigns. He reigns. He 
[snorts and music]
 reigns over all the earth.

He reigns. He reigns. The only one true God. The only one who saves 
((music playing))
 forever. He will reign. He reigns. He reigns over all the earth. He reigns. He reigns. The only one true God. The only 
((music playing))
 one who saves forever. Jesus 
((music playing))
 is reign. You reign. 
((music playing))
 Holy is the Lord.

((music playing))
 Holy is the Lord. Seated on the 
((music playing))
 throne. The train 
[singing]
 of his road fills 
((music playing))
 the temple. Worthy 
((music playing))
 is your name. Worthy is your 
((music playing))
 name. Let the heavens rejoice. 
((music playing))
 Let the earth be glad. Say 
[music and singing]
 among the days that our God reigns. 
((music playing))
 Our God reigns 
((music playing))
 forever. your kingom reign. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Our God forever.

Your kingom 
((music playing))
 reign. We worship and 
((music playing))
 adore. Oh Jesus we adore. 
((music playing))
 The perfect lamb was slain 
[music and singing]
 and risen from the grave. Hallelujah. Oh, 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 I 
((music playing))
 for you. 
((music playing))
 >> 
((music playing))
 >> Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 >> 
((music playing))
 >> forever your king. 
((music playing))
 He reigns. He reigns. He reigns 
((music playing))
 over 
[singing]
 all the earth. He reigns. He reigns.

[music and singing]
 The only one true God. The only one 
[singing]
 who saves 
((music playing))
 forever. He will reign. He reigns. He reigns over 
((music playing))
 all the earth. He reigns. He reigns. The 
((music playing))
 only one true God. The only one who s forever. Jesus 
((music playing))
 reigns. He reigns. He reigns. Heat. Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat.

Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 The only one who saves 
((music playing))
 forever. Jesus. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Find us on our knees. Have mercy on us, please. Our hope is in 
((music playing))
 you. We believe 
[singing]
 it's true 
((music playing))
 that God can save a 
[singing]
 nation. 
((music playing))
 
((applause))
 Find us on our knees. 
((music playing))
 Have mercy on us, please. 
((music playing))
 Our hope is in 
((music playing))
 you. We believe it's true 
((music playing))
 that God can save 
[singing]
 the nations.

Oh. 
((music playing))
 I want to read this in Revelation 5. It says, "And they sang a new song with these words." You are worthy 
((music playing))
 to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered 
((music playing))
 and your blood was ransomed. Blood has ransomed people for God, for every tribe and language and people and nation.

And you have 
((music playing))
 caused them to become a kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign 
((music playing))
 on the earth. And then I looked again and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of 
((music playing))
 angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty 
((music playing))
 chorus, "Worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered to receive power 
((music playing))
 and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing."

And then I 
((music playing))
 heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They say, "Blessing and honor and glory and 
((music playing))
 power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the lamb 
((music playing))
 forever and ever." So come on, let's just join with heaven.

((music playing))
 Let's join with the angels and give glory to God. We say that you reign in this place. Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Yeah. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Yeah. Heat. 
((music playing))
 Yeah. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 for Jesus. 
((music playing))
 Yes, you 
((music playing))
 
((music playing))
 Lord. We thank you for your presence in this place. Father, we thank you that when you move near us, God, you have things on your mind and things on your heart that you want to do in our lives.

I just want to say to all of us in the house right now, if you have a need in your life that only God can meet, maybe there's a financial need, maybe there's a health issue in your life, maybe you're suffering from some sort of addiction, maybe there are broken relationships, and you know, only God, only God can make a difference in this situation.

If that's you, I want you to just lift your hands to heaven. Whoever you are, wherever you are, just lift your hands to heaven. Father, in the name of Jesus, right now, we're asking for heaven to touch earth. 
((music playing))
 Lord, you said we could pray, "Your kingdom 
[singing]
 come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

And Lord, we're asking right now in these situations, Father, 
((music playing))
 that there'd be healing move from heaven to earth. There'd be addictions broken in Jesus' name. I I pray right now for financial breakthrough. I pray for healing of our mind and our will and our emotions and our bodies.

((music playing))
 God, we ask you right now in the name of Jesus, do what only you can do. Our hands are lifted to you and we receive 
((music playing))
 back from you and let it be done. We declare it in Jesus' name. And everyone said together, 
((music playing))
 "Amen." Let's give God praise one more time.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you for your presence. Thank you for your presence. 
[applause and music]
 Well, I'm going to ask you to be seated for a few minutes. And all of you that are here at the front, you can just sit on the floor for a moment. We're going to dedicate some children to the Lord.

And uh let me as these families come, let me just kind of explain what we mean by that. So, we're not saying by praying over these children that they're 
((music playing))
 finding salvation today. They're too young for that. We're not saying that we're baptizing children. It's nothing like that. But what we're doing is like what was done to the prophet Samuel.

We're dedicating these children to the Lord. And I love what the scripture says in Psalms 92. It says, "Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God." So, here's what we're saying. We're planting 
((music playing))
 these children in the house of the Lord.

And we're going to be praying over these parents that God give them the wisdom and the knowledge to raise these children in a way that would honor God, that they may know the Lord at an early early age. But this is family time, okay? So, I'm going to ask everyone if you would extend your hands toward these children and toward these parents.

And Father, today in the name of Jesus, we dedicate these children to you. Lord, as we call their names out, you know them. You know them well, Father. And we pray the Holy Spirit would come upon them in a fresh way. Lord, we lift up Tara to you and Judah and Julieta.

And Lord, we 
((music playing))
 lift up Collins and Cohen and Chase. Father, we lift up Kinsley and Piper and Blley, Matteo, Beckham, Bennett, Savannah, and Lucy. Lord, we lift up Dean and Sophia and Wayua to you, Father. We lift up Abigail and Ivan to you. And Lord, we pray just like John the Baptist, they'd be filled with the Holy Spirit even from today forward 
((music playing))
 that they would get accustomed even as a child to hearing your voice and filling your presence.

And God, I pray today in the name of Jesus along with our congregation that you would break off of these children generational curses that they would not be the recipient of family curses or family disease, but God, we pray that they'd be protected by you. And Lord, we pray in the name of Jesus, they'd find Jesus at an early age, be born again, 
((music playing))
 and chase after him all the days of their life.

Help them find their destiny in God. And then, Lord, we bless these parents. Lord, give them wisdom and strength and knowledge to raise these children up in the way that they're to go. That when they're old, they'll not depart from the faith 
((music playing))
 in Jesus name. And everyone said, "Amen.

Bless you families. Bless you. Bless you. Bless you." 
((music playing))
 Well, I'm going to ask the rest of you, would you stand with me for just a moment because we are not finished with our family time. Okay? We're 
((music playing))
 so glad you're here this weekend. We have our our sister, our dear sister Lisa Harper with us this weekend.

We can't wait to hear from Lisa. 
((music playing))
 But before she comes, I'm going to ask you, would you turn around and would you greet two or three people around you? We're so glad you're here today. God bless 
((music playing))
 you. Welcome to Gateway Church. 
((music playing))
 Heat. Heat. >> 
((music playing))
 >> There's power when we gather together and go for 
((music playing))
 God.

Cuz when two or three are gathered together in Jesus's name, he's right there in the midst. 
((music playing))
 And nothing's better than being in his presence. 
((music playing))
 
((cheering))
 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Come on. Come on. Come on. Let's go. >> Hey, Gateway family. We're so glad you're here. 
((music playing))
 >> At Gateway, we're all about people because we know that God is all about people.

If you're a guest today, please know that we would love to get to know you. You can meet us in the lobby at connect central after service or text connect to 710. >> We have tons 
((music playing))
 of ways for you to connect with God and with others. >> No matter what stage of life you're in, we believe there's something for you. >> Here are a few things happening we want you to know about.

Giving is at the core of who God is. 
((music playing))
 and we believe that we're called to reflect his heart by being givers oursel. If you'd like to give today, you can give through our website, the mobile app, or in an envelope at any of our campuses. >> Remember to follow us on social media or join your campus Facebook group to stay uptodate with everything that's going on.

Thanks again for joining us. Hey, welcome to church everybody. Oh, come on. Let's put our hands together for Jesus one more time. What a great morning we've had. 
((music playing))
 And we had a fantastic weekend last weekend. Tammy and I got to visit our North Fort Worth campus. And just want you to know God is on the move at Gateway Church.

Uh multiple overflows. They need a bigger building actually. 
((music playing))
 Um just incredible things happening there. We're so excited to be at that location. And um I want you to know last weekend the way you responded in generosity with the food drive to help meet the needs of those who are food insecure in our area was phenomenal. 80,225 pounds of food was collected across the entire church 
((music playing))
 which allowed us to serve 22 drop off locations. meaning 22 different ministries and food pantries 
((music playing))
 where people could come and they can get the food that they need in this season.

And what a blessing that you were. So just so proud of our church. And uh also last week we shared about the love my city year-end offering that's happening on December the 6th and on the 7th that weekend. And uh we're going to give a 100% of that offering away to local ministries that we partner with that are doing the work of the Lord in the name of Jesus, meeting practical needs of people.

And we have been vetting some churches that are in need of some things like carpet and >> 
((music playing))
 >> um and I'll share more in the days ahead, but I don't want to get ahead of oursel. just so many incredible opportunities we can be because we talked about having a generous spirit and uh and we're going to take up an offering that does not benefit Gateway in any way that it benefits everybody outside the walls of our church.

((music playing))
 And so I want you to be praying about that. I told you last week that the scripture says that God loves a cheerful giver that we're to determine within our heart what we're to give. In other words, God likes a predecided giver, not reluctantly or under compulsion. So, I'm I'm not going to 
((music playing))
 we're not going to create a video that that twists your arm and and gets you crying and then all a sudden you're going to No, I want you to seek the Lord.

((music playing))
 Ask him what you should do and then on that weekend you do it and I believe together we'll make a big difference. All right. Um so, if you missed that, go back and look at the message and uh be prepared for that weekend. It's going to be a great time together.

I want to say hello to all of our locations, everyone joining us online. All of our gateway gatherings, they got in on the food pantry and they got in on the Operation Christmas Child. Saw some pictures of that. And of course, our prison locations. You are family to us.

You are not a project to us. You are a part of who we are. We love you and we honor you today. Oh, come on. Let them know it a little bit more. Let them hear your love. There you go. 
((music playing))
 
((applause))
 Well, we are so honored to have not just a 
((music playing))
 friend, but a family member of the house.

Lisa Harper's with us this weekend. And yeah, 
((music playing))
 I said it last night. I want to say it again. We honor you. I wasn't here, but the way that you ran to us in a season where we needed it and was uh you're just you're a wonderful warm hug in the spirit and 
((music playing))
 I think our church felt that in a deep way and so we honor the gift you are to us.

We honor the gift that you are to the body of Christ and uh the teaching gift that is on your life is divine and supernatural 
((music playing))
 and our hearts and minds are open and we're ready to receive from you today. And so I don't know how we did it before, but this is the way I do it.

I think you ought to show crazy love to the gifts of God in the body of Christ. So I'm going to ask you to get up on your feet all across the room, put your hands together, and welcome our friend Lisa Harper. 
((music playing))
 
((applause))
 
((music playing))
 >> You know what? 
((applause))
 Before y'all sit down, before you sit down, let me get you to turn in that direction and grab 
((music playing))
 those shoulders in front of you because your guest is mediocre, but you're getting a massage in the house of God this morning.

There we go. Gentlemen, be careful. If you're massaging a woman, do it in a real holy Leviticus kind of way. And would you just continue to greet the saints around you? This is family. This is the family of God. It should be a safe place, not a country club.

((music playing))
 Y'all can sit down. Uh I um for those of you I haven't had the privilege of meeting yet. I know we've got a lot of new families at Gateway. I claimed y'all as family. 
((music playing))
 Uh the first time I came to Gateway years ago, I just fell hard and I fell fast.

((music playing))
 And so, thank you, uh, Pastor Daniel for saying that 
((music playing))
 very gracious comment. But I need to tell y'all what a gift 
((music playing))
 it's been to get to walk as a cousin the last year and a half. Uh, the stories of redemption that I didn't deserve to walk up close to, but I got to hear the testimonies of what God was doing.

I think anytime you have a church that's 
((music playing))
 stripped back to the studs and you're basically standing in your bathing suit in the middle of Sears and Robook for everybody to see the opportunity for God to be glorified in that kind of restoration, that kind of redemption is 
((music playing))
 is a miracle.

It is it is a legitimate miracle. and to get to see what God has done here in this family. And it was great prior to everything that happened and to me your former 
((music playing))
 days are going to pale next to the days in front of you. I believe it's going to be a Caleb kind of house.

((music playing))
 I um I told our friends last night that we had a a real sweet Ebenezer this past Wednesday in my little family. >> 
((music playing))
 >> Uh those of you I have not yet met, I'm old and I'm not married, but I am a mama. So, I got the baby before the daddy through the um through the miracle of adoption.

And when I started the adoption process with my daughter, she was very, very sick in Haiti. And the doctors in Haiti encouraged me not to start the adoption process. 
((music playing))
 They said she would only live for a couple of months. So, they said there's no sense in beginning the adoptive process.

((music playing))
 It's going to be long and she's not going to live. and we went to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital last Wednesday. My daughter is 16 and we just sat with the doctor. She said, 
((music playing))
 "I've pulled all her tests. We don't really have to do much. Missy is perfectly healthy, is healthy as a horse by the grace of God."

And we just basically we just praise the Lord soberly because a lot of other parents at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, that's not their experience. And so I was very cognizant of the fact that it's just God's 
((music playing))
 goodness that my 16-year-old daughter is healthy and has a long 
((music playing))
 life projected.

That's only God's goodness. But we last Wednesday was just such a red letter day. And then she had hip-hop class that night. And so while she was in hiphop because babies got all the rhythm, old white mama's got none. So, I sit outside so I won't bring my rhythmlessness into the dance studio.

And I'm sitting outside in the parking lot and I just got my favorite drink of the season. I love hot chai. And I get a non-fat chai with extra whipped cream because I feel like the whipped cream and the non-fat milk balance each other out. And it's totally keto if you do it that way.

And I'm drinking my chai and the weather has turned cold in Nashville. And so I had my car on and I had my seat warmers on and I just had that, you know, those moments that just everything in you exhales, not just your lungs. You just 
((music playing))
 go, "This is a good day." when one of the one of your elders called me uh several months ago and said, "Uh, Lisa, I just 
((music playing))
 want you to know before you hear it in the papers that Pastor Daniel and Pastor Tammy have said yes, God has aligned their steps to align with this family and they're going to be 
((music playing))
 the new shepherds of Gateway."

I had that exact feeling. I can tell you exactly where I was in my house and I just sank down in a chair and went, 
[sighs]
 "What a good God. What a good God. What a redeemer. What a restorer." Um, and I'm not 
((music playing))
 just blowing sunshine at the Floyds.

I had the undeserved 
((music playing))
 privilege of meeting Dr. Daniel and Tammy years ago and loved their house in Virginia. 
((music playing))
 And the fact that God has ordered the steps of their lives to to just intersect 
((music playing))
 with the steps of this amazing family as a cousin from the cheap seats. I'm telling you, I go only God could have put that pot with that lid.

You know, that just 
((music playing))
 fits. It's just a good good thing. And so would you just take 15 seconds not to blow sunshine at the Floyds, but to give more praise 
((music playing))
 to God that he knit this together with the way he has. Would you say thank you? Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for where this house is. Thank you for the renewed hope. Thank you for redemption. Thank you that we're excited driving into the parking lot again. Thank you that we smile instead of weep in the house of God this season.

Thank you, God, for what you've done. Thank you, God, for what you've done. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, 
((music playing))
 Jesus. Jesus, thank you that you take broken things that from our human perspective 
((music playing))
 seem almost irreparable. We think, how in the world can you restore this?

And you begin at what seems to be impossible, but with you, all things are possible. Thank you. Thank you for not just 
((music playing))
 uh the redemption in Gateway's story, but but thank you for the care, the specific care 
[snorts]
 you've taken with 
((music playing))
 every detail that you didn't just knit it back together, but that every thread fits, 
((music playing))
 every color blends.

It is a beautiful tapestry that speaks to your merciful restoration. And so Lord, as a guest 
((music playing))
 in this family, I just say I can't wait to see the future. I can't wait to see what is ahead for this family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank 
((music playing))
 you. Thank you. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We give you all the praise this morning. Thank you. Uh Jesus, we confess 
((music playing))
 right now that we can't understand this love letter called the Bible apart from Holy Spirit. So, Holy Spirit, would you continue to have your way 
((music playing))
 in this family this morning? give us bigger eyes to see and bigger ears to hear and more plant hearts, softer hearts, more humble hearts that would be receptive to whatever seed uh you choose 
((music playing))
 to plant in us as a cohesive family this morning.

We love you, Jesus. We can't make it by ourselves. So, we ask all this. We praise you and we prayer prayerfully 
((music playing))
 ask for your help through the authority of your name, King Jesus, the king of all name. King of all kings that one day every knee will bow before Jesus.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Amen. And amen. Um I I've heard a couple of babies hollering and it's probably because of my accent because I know I sound like I was raised in a barn. Do not worry about your babies hollering. I've said this before at Gateway. I became a mom through the miracle of adoption when I was 50 years old.

And I do not deserve to be my daughter's mama. And so when I hear the sound of babies in the house of God, that sounds like music to me. And so when I see saints look over their shoulders and glare at whoever's holding the baby, I'm like, I hope you get hives.

There should be no dirty looks with babies in the house. Now, if your baby cries for like 15 minutes, go out in the lobby and give them some Dramamine. But if it's just a little cry, we we love that it sounds like family, don't you? I always feel uncomfortable in churches where it's like everybody's wearing emotional Spanx.

Everybody's stiff and everybody has it all together and nobody can just be honest. I think that's not church. That's a country club. That's performative. That's not the house of God. We're family. Every age and stage of feeling. Sorry, I've gotten into a whole another sermon here. But when uh when Pastor Daniel told me y'all were in a series on the Proverbs, um I got intimidated because I'm not very good when it come to comes to the Proverbs because discipline has never been my spiritual gift.

But I also smiled because the Proverbs were my father's favorite book. And my family of origin is is pretty Jerry Springer. And my daddy was a hot mess. Three marriages, three divorces. My mama was a second life wife. He left us when I was five years old for one of his secretaries.

Um just messy messy life. He grew up Nazarene, grew up pretty rigid and they kicked him out of the Nazarene church um after a second divorce and then he just fumbled through many other churches until an Assembly of God church in Central Florida where I grew up just enveloped my daddy and he lost everything.

My dad was a contractor, had been real successful as a developer at one point in his life, and he ended up losing everything. And all of my dad's identity was in success, was in money. And the night before he lost everybody, he was losing our ranch. We had a little ranch.

Um, I grew up loving cowboys. I still I'm not attracted to men in skinny jeans. Um, 
[laughter]
 sorry. You know, no offense intended for all of you 40 and unders, but if you just buy a real pair of jeans, I'm just telling you, it'll bless the women in your life.

We just want you to wear real pants. And if you wear short crop pants, those are for children or golfers. Go ahead and wear pants that extend all the way down to your shoes. Anyway, my dad taught me to love cowboys and creassodin fences. And that ranch was was kind of his identity.

It showed he had made it and he lost it. And the night he lost the ranch to foreclosure, he was walking around the property and my tough dad, he was little, 5'7, 150 pounds, soaking wet. Um, he was tough, put himself through Treka Nazarene College, uh, riding in the rodeo.

He rode Bronx in the rodeo. Big old belt buckle. Little man, big belt buckle. And, uh, which is what I've put on my e-harmony profile. Um, I mean, I'd prefer a bigger guy, but if you got the belt buckle and you love Jesus, I'm in like Flynn, baby.

But, um, my dad lost everything. And that night that he was walking around the property, he had kind of a Damascus road experience. There really was a bright light. And my dad was not Pentecostal, was not given to signs of wonders, but there was a bright light. And he heard God's voice.

And God broke my daddy in the most beautiful way. And he was never again uh successful based on the opinion of man. But my dad looked like Jesus by the end of his life. And every single morning from that day forward after he lost everything, my dad spent from 4:30 to 5:30 in God's word.

And then he spent another 30 minutes just praying for my sister and I, his kids that he had abandoned. And then he went and picked up fellas who were not only food insecure, but didn't have a place to live. And those were the guys that he went and did kind of small houses because he had lost his big commercial license as a commercial contractor.

And he mostly did small work, but he did it with men that he met at the homeless shelter just to love on them and talk to them about Jesus. And my dad made me fall in love with the Proverbs because that was his favorite book in the Bible.

He loved the Proverbs. Our our Hebrew scriptures, our Old Testaments, they're divided into three parts. We've got the instruction TRA and then you've got the prophets beginning with major prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah going all the way through the minor prophets. I used to think they were called minor prophets for the because they were little petite fellas um probably with crop pants but that's not what it means.

The minor prophets means that they had shorter prophecies. And so that goes all the way through Malachi. And then there's this third section that includes Proverbs and the Hebrew Bible. The third section goes all the way to the end when we canonized it. It's different in our English Bibles, but the the third the last section in the Hebrew scriptures is the writings.

Dr. Dr. Famro can tell you how to pronounce that in Hebrew, but that includes Proverbs, and that's where we find the most wisdom in the Old Testament. I know Pastor Daniel has explained that wisdom is not just about making ethical decisions. Wisdom is about making faithful decisions. The most God and others honoring decisions, especially when there's a multiplechoice answer. one of the proverbs and we're going to focus on this one this morning that my dad taught me.

He taught me in in just a classic Everett Harper kind of way. My dad didn't use a lot of words. Um I got most of his words because I'm a windbag. He was just kind of more of a quiet guy, pretty gut uh gutural. And if my dad used words, you paid attention to him because not that many fell out of his mouth.

It was a Sunday and well I was 12 years old so it was back when the dinosaurs roamed and we didn't have the internet. It was a long, long time ago. I was 12 years old. The reason I remember I was 12 years old because it was the season of my first really big crush and it was on a fellow.

I won't tell you his last name because of the internet nowadays, but his first name was Jimmy. He now goes by James according to his wife on social media. So anyway, Jimmy was my first big crush. And we went to my dad, the ranch was out in the country, so we went to this little Baptist church and I always sat up front.

How many of y'all are under 40? We sat on pews. They were long wooden benches. We used to have in church when we had revival. They didn't have air conditioning. You were supposed to suffer in the house of God. No cup holders, no coffee. I'm sitting on a pew.

I'm up about a third of the way. And I'm just waiting for the service to start. We didn't have kids church back then, you know. And if you take a picture of me, clearly from the waist down, I'm gonna punch you in the throat. Um, so so she's a friend of mine.

I can tease her. But but I'm sitting about a third of the way up. Service hasn't started yet. You know, all the kids were in church at that point. And then I smell him before I see him because, you know, back in the day, boys would just coat themselves with whatever was pre-ax, pre- polo.

He just was wearing probably aqua velvet. Just he rire of Aqua Velva. So I could smell him before I saw him. And here comes Jimmy. and he saddles into my pew and sits right next to me. I don't remember anything else spiritual from that worship service cuz I was just like it was just glorious except I almost got pury from inhaling all the aquaelva and I was so excited and then during maybe the second hymn remember we had to turn in the himynelss and find the page number.

So whatever hymn it was, we turned to bring in the sheav or something. Jimmy reaches his arms up and he puts his arm around my shoulders and I 
[laughter]
 was like, "Oh, I was thinking thoughts that aren't in the Bible except for Song of Songs." I mean, it was so exciting.

And we sat down after the hymn and then I felt somebody tapped me on the shoulder. Now, this was not a gateway kind of church. This was a wonderful but very rigid, stiff church. We wore panty hoes, honey. I mean, you didn't wiggle in this church. And so I thought, what in the world?

I mean, pastor's walking up just about to preach and somebody is tapping me on the shoulder. So I turn around, it's my dad. And he went, "I shouldn't use you as a prop because you're a man." He went and I was like, "Oh, goodness gracious. I don't know what I've done, but I'm in huge trouble because my dad has interrupted the service." remember how we'd have how many people came to church.

Did you have that, Pastor Daniel? It would be like 126. I'm like, you're counting the dead people. Um, but you know, it was like I don't remember how many people, let's say 200. And I thought in I mean those churches, you don't get up and walk out of church.

There was only one aisle. My dad just goes, I follow my dad out the church. And I thought, I don't know what's happening. This is like Armageddon feeling. I mean, this is a big deal. We get into the the we just had a dirt courtyard outside the the front doors of the church and dad said, "Get in the truck."

And I was like, "Yes, sir." And he said, "I ever see you swapping slobber with that boy and I'll be on you faster than gravy on rice. I don't even like gravy on my rice. I like butter on carbs, rice and mashed potatoes. I prefer prefer butter." But I couldn't follow him.

I thought, "Why is he talking about food? And why did I just get pulled out of church? And he drove to the house completely silent. It's like 10 minutes. And I thought, my father has lost his mind. I thought, he has been out, you know, sniffing creasso too much, doing the fence.

I don't know what's going on with daddy, but he's lost his ever loving mind. We pull in the house and he goes, "I want you to go stand on that picnic table." And I was like, "Yes, sir." I mean, out in the sidey yard, we had a big fire pit. country people, you know, we had, you know, the old, not fancy picnic tables, just the old rough wooden picnic table and we sit out there and we'd have a fire.

He said, "You go stand on the top of that picnic table." I was like, "Yes, sir." And so I go stand on the top of the picnic table and I thought, "What? I I don't know where we're going." My dad stood below me and he said, "Give me your hands, Lisa."

And I said, "Yes, sir." And I extended my hands and he real gently pulled. And when he pulled, I fell off the picnic table into his arms. And he said, 'Now, I want you to sit right there. And I said, 'Yes, sir.' And he said, 'Lisa, I want you to learn this now.

If you choose the wrong friends, they will easily be able to pull you down to their level every time. But it's almost impossible for you to lift someone with bad character up to your level as a young woman of God. I want you to be careful about the company you keep.

I didn't know my dad was exaging straight from scripture when he did that. But I'm telling you that picnic table incident has come back to me so many times in my life because it is a biblical truism about wisdom. It is almost impossible for us to make good decisions if we have let people pull us off the picnic table of biblical faithfulness.

And Proverbs has that truth all throughout this book. This this proverbial father who's giving advice to his son says over and over again, be careful. Be careful about the company you keep. Choose wisely when it comes to friendship. Proverbs 13 verse 20 says it this way. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Ain't that interesting? The the proverbs don't denote harm to too much cable or too much caffeine. The proverbs says you will not have a christoologgical life. You won't be shaped like Jesus if you choose poorly in your friendships. Conversely, in Proverbs, it denotes choosing good friends. Turn to uh I don't know where we're turning.

Proverbs 17:17. Turn to Proverbs 17:17 and 18:24. Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times." And a better translation of that Hebrew is a friend loves in all kinds of times. >> He's not explaining there that it's 247. Frankly, if you have a 247 friend, sometimes that can be codependent.

But to have a friend who's with you through thick and thin in all kinds of times, that's the kind of friendship that leads to wisdom. Because once again, wisdom isn't just about making moral decisions. Wisdom is about making God and others honoring decisions. So are you choosing friends?

Are you choosing relationships where that person has got your back at all times? Proverbs said those are the kind of friends that you want to choose. There is a friend he says who sticks closer than a brother. We always attribute that to Jesus. But actually in Proverbs it's talking about a peer relationship.

There are friends who will love you and that love is a different type of love than a familial love. CS Lewis talked about that. CS Lewis is my pretend theological boyfriend. And in one of his classic books, the four loves. This is what CS Lewis writes. To the ancients, friendship seemed the happiest and most fully human of all loves, the crown of life and the school of virtue.

The modern world in comparison ignores it. Affection and aeros, romantic love, were too obviously connected to the brutes. You could feel these tugging at your guts and fluttering in your diaphragm. But in friendship, in that luminous, tranquil, rational world of relationships freely chosen. Stop there for just a minute.

Put a pin in that. Relationships freely chosen. I love my family, but my family, we have got some hot messes. There is a lot of tangled threads in my family. And so sometimes with regards to my family, there's a whole lot of duty. My mom is in the early stages of dementia.

We've got some addiction in my family of origin. And if you know what it is to care for an aging parent and you've got some messy stuff in that family, I'm telling you, sometimes I'll get off the phone with my family and I just have to weep because it is hard.

And I know God will ultimately work everything out for our good and his glory. But sometimes family, it's suffocating and it's hard and it's almost like we're too close to it. But a friendship freely chosen. CS Lewis says there's grace in that. That's a different kind of grace.

He doesn't put it on a hierarchical scale. He doesn't say friends are better than family. He says you need friends who don't share your DNA because there's a freedom in that. And if they're walking with God, they'll help you walk closer to God. friendships, relationships, freely chosen. I want you to think about the people who you have freely chosen to walk alongside you this season.

Who would be your ride or dies? My counselor said, "Friends are kind of like a really good pair of shoes." She said, "Every single woman needs at least two pair of good shoes. One pair of heels and one pair of flats." Can I get an amen? It doesn't matter if you have 50 pair of shoes.

We'll all go back to one pair that we know are comfortable if we've got to walk a long way. They got to be kind of cute, but one pair that are comfortable, one pair that are dressy because that makes our calves look more attractive. But those have to be comfortable, too.

Men, you do the same thing. You've got a pair of casual shoes. And then if you have to go to a wedding or a funeral or your wife is mad at you because you didn't dress up for your anniversary, you got one good pair of dress shoes. And you probably cheat and have soft soul dress shoes.

Those are not dress shoes in the south. You have to have a hard soul for it to be an official dress shoe. Can I get an amen from the wives? Right. And they pick those cushy shoes. I'm like, that is not a dress shoe. That is just in between.

But she said, "You need at least two." And she said, "If you have two, you're blessed." She said, "Very few people in modern culture where we are more connected digitally than we have ever been, very few people have two real true friends. People that you could call at 1:00 in the morning.

People who know where all the bodies are buried. people who know your real weight, not the one we used to list on our driver's license. She said, "Seek two friends who walk with God." And then another one of my pretend theological boyfriends, Dr. Tim Keller, he passed a couple of years ago.

I can't wait to see him again in glory. I got to meet with him a couple of times. Godly, godly, godly man. He breaks down those true friendships in four characteristics, four C's so they're easy to remember. He says, "A true friend based on the parameters of Proverbs, those relationships that help us not be pulled off the picnic table of of Christlikkeness.

The four Cs are constancy, carefulness, cander, and counsel." Let me break those down just a little bit. Constancy. And that goes back to Proverbs 17:17. A friend who loves in all kinds of times. All kinds of times. I used to work for a ministry called Focus on the Family.

I love Focus. They had crazy dress code. This was back in the late 90s and I couldn't wear open toed shoes because if you were a woman on staff at this ministry, somebody had told Dr. Dobson that the line between a woman's big toe and her second toe is reminiscent of cleavage.

And so we couldn't wear open toed shoes. Now I wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. But I thought if some man is struggling because of my sandals, I think there's a bigger issue than my footwear. But super super serious dress code. And one day I was walking out of the bathroom and a gentleman came walking toward me.

A lot of employees at that point about 1,200 people was walking toward me and I just love love love this guy. Godly man was with the ministry. Walked through the Bible before he came to focus on the family. Speaks Hebrew. I mean, just a godly saint. And at that point, I was going to work for another ministry and he knew it.

And he stopped and he said, "Leiss, I want to speak a blessing over you." And I was like, "Oh, this is just awesome." And he begins to speak this blessing over me there in the hallway outside the restroom. And it was amazing. Except he wouldn't look at me.

The whole time he's blessing me, he just kept kind of looking off over the sea of cubicles. And I'm real relational. My friends will tell you I'm just all up in their business. And so I wanted him to make eye contact, you know. So as he's kind of shifting, I kept kind of scooting trying to get into his line of vision.

And he just would he was resolute. He would not look at me. And I thought, well, he's just pondering something, you know, in Hebrew or Greek, something deep. And and so he said goodbye. Wonderful blessing, just not very personal because he wouldn't look at me. He turns and walks away.

I turned to walk away. When I did, I felt this little draft. So, not only did we have to wear closed toed shoes, I had to wear a dress every day unless it was snowing or below 32. And we had to wear hoes. And I hate panty hoes.

I think the devil manufactures panty hoes. So, I would cheat and wear thigh highs. Gentlemen, don't Google it. You won't be able to unsee it, but they're faker hoes. And they have a real tight band at the top so they won't roll down. Um, well, I I had evidently gotten a little enthusiastic in the restroom and had accidentally tucked my skirt into my nether regions.

And so there I am standing in the hallway of what was at the time the largest parurch ministry in the world in my thigh house as Stan Kelner talks about holiness. Just stand there. I am not an easy woman to be friends with because sometimes I'm an absolute But I have friends who stick by me.

Carrie Job called me when I was hospitalized a couple of years ago and it looked like I might not make it out of the hospital. And Carrie called me and she said, "I just found out you're sick. I couldn't speak. The congestion in my lungs had crystallized and it was shredding my lungs."

And so I the phone was open on my hospital bed, but I couldn't speak at all. And Carrie said, "We're praying for you, Lisa, and we want to sing healing over you." And Carrie began to sing and I began to cry. And I thought, "Oh, no." Because if I ever cried during that stint in the hospital, my numbers would just go berserk because it would cause me to not be able to breathe and I was already on all kinds of oxygen.

And there was a guy who would take care of me. I had a real serious case of COVID. And he wore, remember Dustin Hoffman outro He'd come into my hospital room with a full-on hazmat suit and a hat thing and a rebreather and gloves. I thought, "He's going to kill me.

He's going to press the wrong button." I was like, "Please don't let him come in." So, I started crying. I panicked because I thought all the bells are going to go off. But nothing went off. Tears dripped onto the sheets because Carrie prayed healing, saying healing over me.

And that was the beginning of turn. That's the beginning of when my lungs began to work again. a friend who is a constant friend, >> not a fair weather friend. >> That's all throughout scripture. Jesus models it. Constancy is so important in friendships. And then the Proverbs say that carefulness are critical when it comes to choosing those few ride or dies.

Carefulness. Proverbs 16:28 says this, "A perverse person stirs up conflict and a gossip separates close friends." >> There's a difference between secrecy and privacy, y'all. If you have a friend who doesn't honor the private things in your life and instead disguises those private things as prayer requests and tells people, that person doesn't yet have the emotional maturity to be a a wise friend, as Proverbs denotes, wise friendship.

I I'm going to be your auntie for a minute. And this doesn't apply to most of y'all, but as I've prayed for Gateway, I've notice some of y'all have a hard time disciplining your thumbs. And there's some trash on social media. That's not wisdom. That is not wisdom.

Proverbs talks about confrontation. So there is an appropriate place to say I believe this is out of line. There's an appropriate place to bring conflict. There's an appropriate place for confront confrontation. It's not Instagram. >> It's not X Y or Z or whatever they call it now. Be careful >> with privacy. >> Secrets are rooted in shame.

Secrets that's unhealthy in the family of God. Privacy is rooted in wisdom. >> There are things that you speak about in a private way for reconciliation that you don't heir for all the world to read. I I'm telling you, I know I'm old as dirt, but I think social media is ruining wise friendships. >> And I'm not antisocial media.

It's in inanimate. But the the hearts we bring to social media, when you're lonely and you've got your iPad, please exchange your iPad for a Bible. Amen. >> Please just begin to look at the life of Jesus Christ before you go on and post something that doesn't honor your neighbors and it doesn't honor God.

Carefulness. See the hearts of the people you get to walk with as being worthy of being protected. Not coddled, but protected. Irene Reie knows things about me that would get me fired. I disqualify myself for ministry on a regular basis because I'm human and I'm not perfectly sanctified and sometimes I think words that aren't in the Bible.

Sometimes I say them in Dallas traffic, but I'm sorry, Pastor Daniel. I will repent after this. I I love Jesus >> and my aim is to be more Jesus shaped in every every area of my life, including my mouth. But Irene has been Irene has been with me when I have not looked like Jesus and she hasn't told a soul because she loves me.

She doesn't love the sin in me. And that's why there are times that the third characteristic cander is key. Proverbs says, "The kisses of an enemy are not nearly as valuable as the wounds of a friend." I was driving with a friend not too long ago and I was talking about how another friend had hurt my feelings and I was just talking smack and she quoted from Proverbs and she said, "Lisa, when words are many, sin is not absent."

And I thought, I hate that verse cuz I'm a big talker. when words or many sin is not absent. And I thought, I'm gonna say something to her. I'm gonna say something where she's just trashy. And it was something along the lines of your mama. And so I turned to make a retort to her cuz she had hurt my feelings, saying my mouth wasn't holy.

And when I turned to say something to her, I saw the tears streaming down her face. And I didn't say anything snarky. I realized, man, she has paid a high price to confront me. She wasn't trying to point out a shortcoming. She was trying to shorten the distance that I had created between me and my creator, redeemer, by being a yahoo. >> She was saying, "Lisa, he loves you, but your mouth doesn't look like Jesus right now." >> Cander.

The very last characteristic of the kind of friends Proverbs encourages us to be and to develop is counsel. Proverbs 27:9 says, "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." One of my mentors at Denver Seminary, he likens that kind of friend to a pinball machine.

He said that in biblical friendship, wise friendship, as Proverbs talks about the relationships that keep us moving toward Jesus, keep us on the table of Christlikkeness, if 
((music playing))
 you will. He said those those friendships you'll have authenticity. You don't have to wear Spanx with each other. And and you'll have some level of reciprocity. you will both recognize I need your counsel 
((music playing))
 and if you ask it I will give you counsel.

There's a there's a reciprocity. And he said, "Let me explain it to y'all." He was talking to our doctoral class. He said, "Let me explain it to y'all in the context of a pinball machine." He said, "Some people in your life are drainers. The ball of your heart will bounce over to them because there's a lot of lights and a lot of noise, especially at the beginning of friendship, but your heart will inevitably drain through.

You know those people that don't hesitate to call you at 1:00 in the morning with their emergency, but they wouldn't receive your phone call at 6:00 in the afternoon. I'm not saying don't love those people. Well, I'm saying they're drainers. So, that's 
((music playing))
 not your two godly, wise friends.

They may grow into that, but if you've got a 1:00 am caller who's not a 1:00 a.m. call, those people don't need to be in the innermost circle of your life friends, but those are not your ride or dies. He says, "There's a few people who are flippers, and when the ball of your heart bounces to 
((music playing))
 them, they extend your playing time.

They're with you." you as Proverbs 17:17 says, "Through all kinds of times, 
((music playing))
 high times, low times, those are the friends who look like Jesus." And that's how we learn to be flippers. The very last moment of friendship 
((music playing))
 we see in his incarnate life. He's gathered the 12, his closest friends.

((music playing))
 He's got his inner circle of Peter, James, and John. And then he's got the 11. Those are the nine. and those are his closest friends. And they were not constant and they were not careful and they did not have wise cander and they certainly didn't offer good counsel at this point of their friendship with Jesus.

He already knew 
((music playing))
 Jesus Judas was going to betray him. Peter had already been all dramatic. He probably drank a bang. Wash all of me. I'll never betray you. I mean yahoos. big old yeus, all of his his friends. And instead of turning and walking away, do you remember what Jesus did?

He got down on his knees. The king of all kings condescended 
((music playing))
 to the floor and washed their feet. And then he handed Judas communion, knowing Judas was going to betray him. And then he said, "In the future, 
((music playing))
 I want y'all to recognize that to be close to me and to be like me, there's a new commandment.

I want you to love people well. I want you to love 
((music playing))
 people like this." So, absolutely choose people wisely. But if you want to have true friends, you need to be a true friend. And the only way we can be true friends is to marinate in the life and the love of Jesus and then try to at some human level model the way he lived.

He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Let me ask y'all to stand up as we close this family meeting. And I apologize. I've gone over. I already confessed I 
((music playing))
 was a windbag. But I still think it would be good as a family to do something tactile because my gut says, as a mama in the house, I'm 62 years old and I have a lot of shortcomings.

But what God has fertilized in my life is empathy. I think because I've been such a I recognize when there's fellow morons in the room. I got really wounded when I was a young woman. A lot of abuse, a lot of abandonment. And so I made some inner vows.

I decided as a little girl, nobody's ever going to get close enough to me to abuse 
((music playing))
 me again. And I'm never giving my heart to anybody else because everybody who is supposed to been safe with my heart has eviscerated it. What I didn't know as a young woman is that unhealed wounds become idols.

And so for years I tried to be in Christian community and and have relationships, but I wouldn't let anybody pass 
((music playing))
 the fence I built around my heart. I came up with godly phrases to to justify having a fence 
((music playing))
 around my heart. I didn't have true friends. I had a whole mess of acquaintances, but I didn't have true friends because I wouldn't let anybody in.

And my gut says there's some of y'all here this morning and you you know what that feels like. Maybe you're a caregiver. You give a lot of yourself away, but you feel like there's nobody you could call if you needed caring for. Maybe you've been really wounded by someone who called themselves a Christian and you're just kind of afraid to give your heart away 
((music playing))
 again.

And so even a message from a guest on friendship and how scripture says it, this isn't from Oprah, y'all. This is from God's word, that may kind of step on a bruise in your heart because you don't know that you can point out a real friend right now, somebody 
((music playing))
 you could call at 1:00 in the morning.

And so I'm going to ask those of you who are lonely this season, I'm just going to ask you to come to the altar. That's not a pitiful thing. That's an extraordinary courageous thing to say. Holy Spirit has poked me and I want to confess in family. 
((music playing))
 I need some people to pick up the corner of my mat and carry me to the roof and lower me to Jesus because I'm lonely 
((music playing))
 and I actually need some real friends.

And I'm willing to at least open the gate in the fence that I've erected around my heart. Would y'all 
((music playing))
 respond to God's wooing, saying, "First, I want you to lean into me. I will be the friend that loves you 
((music playing))
 at all times. You will never see my back.

You will never see my brows furrowed in disappointment at you. I will never ever ever 
((music playing))
 unfriend you. Would you come forward and just recommmit? He is the friend that I need more than any other friend. But also come forward and we've got prayer counselors want to pray with you.

If 
((music playing))
 you go, you know what? Maybe I'm new to Dallas. Or I'm a new Christian. I've got some friends who are Helens. I I don't have anybody to do life with who loves Jesus. I I'd love to be in a Bible study, but I still smell 
((music playing))
 like cigarette smoke and I don't know how to crossstitch Habachic.

So, I come to Gateway, but I come by myself and I slip out before it's over because I don't want to be embarrassed. I don't have anybody to go to lunch with. Please, please, please. This church is uh it's family. 
((music playing))
 We want to wrap our arms around you.

So sorry, I've talked long enough. Let's open the altar. Anybody who's lonely, come. Anybody who needs more of Jesus, come. 
((music playing))
 Anybody who's been betrayed in friendship and right now you're going, I I'm going to I'm going to risk again. I'm going to risk giving my heart away to another image bear.

((music playing))
 Come to the altar right now. If there's any other reason you need healing in your body, you need healing in your marriage, 
((music playing))
 come to the altar. We're going to pray for a minute as family. And then Pastor Mark or Pastor Daniel, Pastor Mark is going to is going to dismiss us 
((music playing))
 to chips and queso.

[laughter]
 >> Feel like we've really heard the Holy Spirit today and we're going to open the altar and here's what the way we're going to do it. I'm going to ask our prayer team to come and just 
((music playing))
 here's here's what I sense. Some of you need someone to pray for you.

Some of you just need to kneel 
((music playing))
 and pray. And the altar is open for both of those. We want to give a few minutes for those who feel that. If you're in the balcony, you can come down to the front if you'd like and and kneel and pray or have someone pray for you.

Or there 
((music playing))
 are prayer counselors at each door. You can have them pray for you there. But loneliness is a real thing. So many people go through the holidays battling loneliness. 
((music playing))
 And the Holy Spirit has really zeroed in this morning on loneliness. 
((music playing))
 And we want you to be freed from that.

And while these are coming, let me just say to the rest of you in the building, 
((music playing))
 the scripture says that Jesus will be a friend to you that'll stick closer than a brother. But if Jesus isn't close to you today and you don't feel his presence, maybe you've never given your heart to Christ.

Maybe you've never said, "Jesus, forgive me of my sin and 
((music playing))
 come into my life and change me." I remember when I was a teenager and I prayed that prayer and my relationship that was distant from God became close. That was when the Lord removed the loneliness from my life and he gave me his 
((music playing))
 presence.

And the Bible calls it being saved or being born again. We want to we want that for you. If you're here today and you've never prayed that prayer, we want to help you pray that prayer. It would basically be just a prayer saying, "Jesus, forgive me of my sin 
((music playing))
 and come into my life and save me."

And that will break that loneliness off of you. If that's you and you'd say, "Pastor 
((music playing))
 Mark, I'd like to pray that prayer with you." Would you just slip your hand up all over the auditorium? I'd like to know who I'm praying 
((music playing))
 with. And in just a moment, we're going to pray that prayer out loud with every one of you.

But you'd say, "I've never 
((music playing))
 prayed the prayer to ask Jesus to come into my life and I want to." Would you just slip your hand up? I see several 
((music playing))
 hands in the room before we pray. Anyone else that would say include me in this prayer? All right. I'm 
((music playing))
 going to ask us to pray this prayer out loud together right now.

We all need it. We all need to say, "Forgive me of my sin." We all need to say, "Jesus, be my Lord." Right? So, let's pray this together. Repeat this after me. Just say, "Lord Jesus, thank you for your love for me. Thank you for dying on the cross 
((music playing))
 to forgive my sin.

Today, I give my heart and life to you. I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me. And I declare right now that Jesus Christ be my Lord. Be my savior. Come into my heart. Take away my loneliness and give me eternal life. I give my life to you.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Can we thank the 
((music playing))
 Lord for those who've prayed that for the very first time? And if you did pray that for the very first time, we'd love 
((music playing))
 to help you with next steps. And you can either text the name Jesus to 710 
((music playing))
 and that will activate a pastor contacting you.

Or you can come forward at the close of the service and let us know that you prayed that prayer. We'd love to give you a Bible and 
((music playing))
 help you with next steps. Two things before I dismiss you. Uh this coming Wednesday night is our final community night here at South 
((music playing))
 Lake for this year.

And it's this Wednesday night starting at 6 PM right here at the South Lake campus. We start with dinner and then we break off into classes. 
((music playing))
 And if you wondered what's the best way to get connected here, that would be an easy way. That's coming up this Wednesday night at 6 PM.

((music playing))
 And then also today is the last day to turn in the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. And I know some of you are thinking, I forgot mine. You can drop it by the church offices in the morning if you'd like and we'll include them with the delivery that'll go out to to Samaritan's Purse.

So the Operation Christmas Child 
((music playing))
 boxes, this is the final day to turn those in. All right. Well, Father, we thank you for all that you're doing in our hearts and our lives. Thank you for this wonderful word today. Thank you, Father, for the newfound friendships that we're 
((music playing))
 all finding in in Jesus in this place.

Thank you for community. Thank you for groups. Thank you for all that you're doing. Lord, 
((music playing))
 we give you praise in Jesus name. If you need prayer, come forward. Otherwise, you're dismissed. God bless you. Thank you for coming this weekend. >> 
((music playing))