Get Set
by Raymond Sloan
October 10, 2021 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: James 4:14, Colossians 3:1-2, John 10:10

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--get-set
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

------------------------------------------------------------
would you pray with me lord today we we want to hear from we want to hear from you there is an anointing in this room right now and eyes are open lord hearts are receiving you right now lord i make myself available to you killer i know god that you have a will and a purpose for today i know jesus that your word speaks to us in the name of jesus we pray hell yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah in the name of jesus we pray yeah come on that's right let's try come on just love jesus yes jesus jesus jesus jesus jesus i love you lord i love you i bless your name jesus somebody say in jesus name hallelujah you can be seated if you feel like you need to a story that's worth telling an account of details that have value in the recounting of what happened there's a series of events that make for a great story possibly even a hollywood movie in some case what i'm talking about this story this account this series of events speaking today about your life everybody say i got a life say i got a life say my parents told me get a life so i did every one of us have a story to tell no doubt right some some some may begin with their store i was born into a poor family with no food no clean restrooms to use at home and had to walk in the snow to school uphill both ways barefoot anybody know what i'm talking about ain't made me know anything about that i don't know that i've been in that much snow before but anyway part of your story everybody on any given day you can talk about the things that are happening in your life and how it's making you the person that you are and the fact of the matter is when you consider the path that has brought you to this particular day your road of your life has been a pretty straight narrow path is that correct probably not we have all had twists and turns in the road haven't we some of us have taken detours here and there in our lives haven't we there have been bumps in the road there have been potholes to navigate occasionally some of us would even say ran out of gas on the journey some would say i ran in into an animal or two on the road we can all spin or we can all look to and try to somehow figure out why is it that we're on the road that we are on why is it that the path that we're walking why am i here today and friend i know that i talk a lot about this but i have to remind us often that truth of the matter is is we all have what is called life we have life it's what makes us agreed it's what decisions and choices and the roads that we've walked the things that we've been through it's what develops and makes us who we are truth is i could tell some some very to me would be very mundane stories of things that's happened in my life but you might consider them to be humorous or funny agreed some of you would try to tell of some things that you've been through and and others would look at you in that same way why because our lives are happening while everyone else's life is happening and we all have choices and decisions that we make the truth is is that we're not really sure what tomorrow holds and some of us even leaving this room today we're not really sure what's going to happen out in the parking lot are we but because of the experiences that we have had to this point there's something that can be said about well i'm not sure about where i am presently or how i got here or what's in store for me now that i'm here but one thing i do know is if i lived through yesterday's situations then there is a very good opportunity and chance that i can live through today's situations and then you can decide day in and day out listen that's why some of you younger folk need to find an elder to get a hold of and just ask them questions about some of the things that they've been through let them explain some things to you yeah i know it's tough sometimes i know it's hard sometimes but if you walk in jesus it's gonna be okay you know what i'm talking about question is this though if i may if you'll give me a moment i'll ask you if you could change something about your life up to this point what would that be that's a simple question if you could change something about your life to this point what would it be some of you are like i don't know others are looking over at the one next to you going some of you are like lord i just i can't look left or right i'll get in so much trouble now as for me if i may because i'm up here today let me say something to you i'm not sure that i'd change anything honestly and i'll tell you why it's not that the road i've been down has been an easy one it's not that the road that i've been able to come through in life hasn't had its challenges difficulties and tasks but one thing i do know is simply this i am sure that i would have missed a lot of things if i have chosen my way instead of the way that i went because see we we as humans we are very one directional aren't we anybody here have a one-track mind some of you don't can't answer that because you're thinking of something else right you're on that track there are so many things that i would have missed in life if i had chosen it myself but god has been so gracious some of the people i've met some of the things that i've been able to see the places that i've been able to visit the church services i've been in the hospital rooms that i've seen the miracles of god the the skid row where nobody had anything really to their name and then the palaces that i've been able to be in the the high places the low places the round the square the oblong all the things that god has allowed to happen in my life has made me who i am today with all of its flaws and all of its mistakes i am thankful for the road and the journey that i've been on it's not over look at your neighbor and say we're still going here's the fact give me just a moment today if you would every action and every activity that has made you who you are there is a purpose for it listen to me carefully sometimes in the day when you felt like you were so far from god all you could do is nod at your neighbor that neighbor needed to hear that for that day josh you can kill this one if you want is it me that's gonna get on somebody's nerves ain't it i'll take that right can kill this one put this one on on check one two we good how about that everybody good this one messed up still okay we'll do without it for a minute i have to go old school that's fine we'll get it after some of us in the the road that we've walked the activities the actions the challenges you really had no idea of what was transpiring but that simple nod that you gave to somebody on your worst day could have been exactly what that person needed for their worst day that simple smile that you gave to someone across the store that engagement of simply putting eyes on somebody while you sat at a restaurant could have been exactly what that person needed we've all heard the old testimonies of old-timers that actually walked in faith and believed in faith trusted that god was leading them every step they took the one of the old timer who in his prayer time late at night god woke him and stood him up and as he began to pray and intercede for whatever reason god was dealing with the old timer in his prayer time he felt compelled so strong and powerful to go out on his back porch and so he did in his prayer time wee hours of the morning the story goes that he walked out on his back porch and as he got out there he's still praying and just dwelling and thinking of god everybody's asleep the neighborhood's quiet not a whole lot going on tyler he then felt the unction said open your mouth lift it as high as you can i want you to say there is power power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb say it now loud and he's standing in the wee hours of the morning on his back porch in the darkness and the quiet and he says i can't do that and the voice came back to him said do it so he did and the voice came again to him louder and he did it again louder and he did it again and then nothing happened no dogs barking no animals going nothing this is darkness he turns goes back in the house and for whatever reason the lord released him from that he went back to bed early the next morning the sun is up there's a knock on the door he goes to the door the story reveals and as he opens the door it's his neighbor from behind excuse me sir i don't know that i've ever met you and he looks at him he says i don't think so he said last night i heard a voice come from your house and i'm not sure about this voice but it simply said there is power there is power wonder working power in the blood of the lamb the old timer's kind of nervous now i'm so sorry he began to say he said no listen carefully i was in my bathroom with a pistol stuck in my mouth ready to pull the trigger and i said god if you're real i want to know how and this voice came from the outside said there is power there is power wonder working power sir i've come today to ask you tell me about that power see to you and i that sounds foolish to you and i that sounds like a coincidence but every step that god has put you in every journey and every sideways of your path that the lord has leaving in your worst day when you were farthest from god god was still looking at you and reaching for you there is somebody in your life right now that you don't even realize that god is using you to reach to them if you'll simply trust that god's plan is the right plan the simple action that you do come on sometimes a frown can turn into a great blessing anybody know what i'm talking about understanding that truth be known all of our lives are interconnected we all have the ability to make an attitude or an action change how we look at life anybody here ever had a bad attitude hold on you don't have to grab your neighbor leave them alone they know you huh anybody here ever respond to a bad attitude how do you respond to a bad attitude did he just say that did he do does he not know does she not reckon you know what i'm saying in that bad situation something can come out of that besides a war how many had a bad attitude needed checked seth thank you for being honest back there here's my point there's a story in your life and you really don't even know how to tell your story all you know is the twists and the turns the bumps and the road the potholes and all the things that you've come to it is your life and god has blessed you every step of the way you have your likes you have your dislikes you have your good bad up down ugly whatever it is i come today with a simple reminder for somebody in the book of james the author wrote in chapter 4 verse number 14 whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life there's a question there it is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and vanish away what is your life but a vapor a vapor i looked it up what is a vapor it's a visible exhalation as fog or a mist or steam or smoke or a gas but it's diffused through the air it's suspended for a moment then it goes away it's a vapor life is like that for you and i a moment here and then it's gone if you don't believe it turn around look at one of these babies they were just born yesterday and now some of them are this tall i noticed some of them are this tall and makes me mad it was very quickly that life happened i turn around and look and the only remnant in my home right now is when my kids come home once in a while or i get to look at their picture on the wall because they're living their lives they're i know now what my mom was going through and when we left and went to the mission field gone boom out there but prayer was half they didn't know what was going on and then you get back connected to them you realize just how fragile really that life is not long ago i was talking to a dear friend of mine he had a stroke recently and i went i said man you look good and of course his speech has been affected by the stroke and he's having to learn how to speak and go through therapy because of the stroke he had but in his in what i could understand of the conversation looks fine dressed just the same and all but his speech was kind of blurry and i said brother curtis you look good buddy he said raymond let me tell you something what i have learned through all of this is life is fragile one moment it is perfectly fine and within a blink of an eye it can change i'll hang on to pastor for a moment this is not a negative thought this is not a depressing thought for anyone this simply is truth and what we have to learn is that our stories and our lives and the paths that we've walked god is with us every step of the way making us developing us growing us and maturing us to a place why so many sobering thoughts today why why does it seem so glum when somebody begins to talk about the the fragileness of life the fact of the matter is is with every passing day we get closer and closer though to that glorious day we got to realize today that life really is short it's that vapor but your vapored life has a purpose you matter you are worth something to jesus to the church to the body to your family there is value in who you are look at your neighbor right now would you and tell them you mean so much to me we are all making choices every day did you mean that when you said it or were you simply trying to comply to keep the camera off of you come on look back and i said no i mean it you mean so much to me what you eat with whom you eat it where you go what you do when you go and with whom do you go where you go what you do while you're gone what you do on the journey all of these things they make up our lives and we know that choices are made every single day and with those decisions we have to make the best of each circumstance and we have to realize in the good times in the bad times in the blessings and in the cursing if you will there is simply something that we can establish god if you are truly on the throne then you know where i am and you are making me something to bring honor and glory to you i realize all of us in here we want to live on top of the world if you will we all want to be successful if you will we all want to get to a place that everything matters in life and what we're doing is going to be effective for someone else but listen to me friend god is constantly continuously working on you and i he's making adjustments to us every day that we live if life truly is but a vapor then i'll ask this today to you what are you doing with your life that will make a difference in someone else a story a young man was in his 20s he was sitting on a train with his father headed from one town to another the young man in his 20s is glancing out the window looking at everything as it passed by father yes son look at the trees they are going behind the young man's father smiled at the young fella looked at him said yes son couples around were overhearing what the young man was saying to his dad suddenly the young man again he with excitement he he exclaimed father look look at the clouds yes son they're running with us couples around this father and this son were looking with pity if you will at the young man in his speech and finally one of the young couples couldn't couldn't hold themselves they they simply looked at the father and said listen why don't you take your son to a doctor a good doctor that could probably help him with whatever's going on with him the old father sitting there moment noticing that the couple was he was certain that they meant well he looks over at them and he said please understand we are just coming from the hospital in fact my son was blind from birth but he just got his vision today every person in the world has a story and we are so quick to judge where people are before we truly understand their story some of you today when i say certain things it's words that trigger within your mind and because of past hurts or failures or faults or things that you messed up with it it triggers something and you you get nervous and you wonder but what would it be like if we were to simply say god i thank you for every turn and every twist in the road because i know god that there's a story connected to it see i i stand here today blessed above all of you none of you none of you in here get to claim that you're married to this beautiful lady see there's points drawn see i did good right you can all wonder yeah you can all ask me questions and i may respond yeah she's that in a box of cracker jacks but the truth is is this is my journey she knows my goods and bads and uglies and uglies and uglies and ugly she understands those this is a relationship see i don't know the road you're on do i but i know god knows and i know god's making a way where there seems to be no way hang on to me a moment there's so many wonderful things to know about others but sometimes we fail to look at the journey because we're worried about it we're concerned about it we wonder about it we're we're nervous about it paul wrote to one of the churches in the new testament look what he said he was trying to encourage them he was trying to help them to grow and to mature they had so many trials and so many things going on but notice in the book of colossians he wrote to the church there in chapter three verse number one if ye then be risen with christ seek those things which are above where christ sitteth on the right hand of god set your affection on things above not on things on the earth the explanation here that paul gave to the church was there is authority in the name of jesus that's where he is at the right hand it's power it's authority it is unction it is anointing but then he begins to talk about how they needed to set themselves positioned in themselves see there's a lot of things in our journey that we can fall in love with that we can begin to develop a relationship with some of them are very healthy for us and they make us who we are but some of them are going to destroy us if we hold on to them too long how many here like to go to the dentist me neither what is wrong with you over there ricardo goodness i walk into my dentist office blessing so i don't like you i don't like none of you in here i'm here because my wife made me come and get a cleaning now do what you got to do and let me go there's looking at me herb and i notice you know the file they pull out of the thing at the back and bring up there with your record in it it's got this big old red circle on the top i don't know what that means i'm sure it means watch this guy so they're like well no we'll be gentle and all that's he better be and i'll go sit down and wait on my time and then here it goes there i can hear him in the back drawn i ain't going out there i'm not going to invite him this morning well you know they're in my mouth right so i have one weapon to use against them what's that anyway i'm joking i'm joking stay with me stay with me and all of the things that god is doing in your life you've got to understand friend the journey that you're on and the holy ghost is here we've already felt him some of us have shouted and worshiped and cried listen to me carefully the lord god is trying to help us to realize in this hour that if we will look to him in all of life's situations and everything that transpires in our world he is the one that's alive in us he is the one that lifts us up he is the one that establishes within us our going and our coming our setting and our rising it is because of him that we have our being and our breathing and our ability to live so that is why paul told the church set your affections on things listen get set in your affections who you're loving what you're spending time with how you're fellowshipping where you're going why because he's alive in you he's helping you he's encouraging you he's opening doors for you he's making a way for you he's putting you in places where you might feel uncomfortable but if you'll trust that he's the one that puts you there you friend can have a victorious life knowing full well i have set myself in the affections of god instead of the affections of this life your story matters to someone every day when you crawl out of bed friend you're going to touch somebody's life every road that you walk every store you go in every job you go do somebody's going to be affected by your life why because you matter to god there's something about your testimony and your witness that tells anybody who will look that god has worked in my life and he continues to do so whether you're a student in school whether you're a parent just trying to make it happen or whether you're in your later years of life you need to know it is his hand that is on your life i would admonish the church in this hour get set let your affections be on the things above and not on the things here on earth every road you walk every trial you go through every test and everything and every obstacle that you find in your life give honor and glory unto the lord god let him have the opportunity to demonstrate himself through you to those around you john wrote it this way the thief cometh not but for to steal kill and to destroy but i'm come that ye may have life and that they might have it how much more abundantly the lord god wants your life to be abundant overflowing superly blessed accommodating to the things of heaven more than the things of this earth you see you can know god serve god love god but if you start making dumb choices and decisions that are selfish and self-centered god's looking at you saying you know what you better set your affections on the things above there's a blessing and an anointing in your life why because god will give you life and abundant life i stand here today simply to tell you if your story is still unfolding which it is this is the day to simply decide lord i don't know how i don't know what i don't know what for but one thing i do know my affections are set on you and that their god i will stand on that god i will establish who i am why because you came to give me life and enough life for all of life as as we are here in this room today as we sit here in the presence of the lord has anybody felt the power of god working do you think that just happened see god is everywhere at all times agreed yeah he's omnipotent he's omnipresent he's omniscient he knows he's there and he's being right but you and i we live today in the here and now and sometimes we have questions concerns wonder why is the journey tough why am i in this road what is going on with this rose block and all the while you need to realize god is well in control and he has given you an abundant life to be able to live to dwell to bring honor and glory to him so i will ask this question once again if you'll let me if there were one thing in your life that you could change what would you decide did not have value what would it be that you would declare you know what that was a waste listen to me if you used to be a drug addict but god delivered you guess what your testimony reflects the power of god to deliver you if you used to be alone and nobody cared about you but then you found jesus and and your life now is full and the family of god has enveloped you you need to declare then you know what i once was lost and and now i'm found and i'm connected to the body that's why every day when we get up we have a story to tell by the way we live and how we live it and who we live it with so on this sunday i've come to declare to somebody it's time to get set lord if my affections are things of here on earth and where my my fellowship is is with things that are very temporal on earth help me god to raise my vision and to look to you my struggles are real god you know that but the lord god said yes but through your struggles i will be there for you how many know him as a peace speaker you don't know him as a peace speaker until what until the storm comes how many know he's a waymaker you don't know him as a waymaker until what you're lost and don't know where to go how many you know he's a savior you don't know that until what you realize that you're lost and need saving you know him as a healer don't you but nobody wants to be sick but unless you're sick you'll never know him as a healer i mean you know that he can do anything he has control and power of all things today i've come to admonish somebody allow your relationship with god to grow to the place where you stop looking at the negative and the nay and you start realizing god i am here at this moment and my testimony is it's true it's been tried it's been reflected because you god are working in my life no matter what circumstance you find nobody's another might gonna get another one no matter what circumstance you find no matter what path you're on no matter the good the bad or the indifferent there is something that you and i need to declare and that is god is still god and he is still on the throne you've got to get set in your affections for the things of god you must establish within you who god will be in you through the good times through the bad times through the ups and the downs and the curves and the potholes and all of life you've got to give god the glory and the honor for each one of them knowing full well that if god is on your side if god is moving in your life then he can move and make a difference in those around you stand to your feet with me please come on lift your hands to heaven right now everybody's looking at the sound man he's trying his best come on come on lift your hands to heaven right now lord i believe in you lord i trust in you lord my faith is in you i don't know how i don't know why i don't know where but god i know that you're in control today every path that i've been down every journey that i've walked every step that i've taken it has been god by your hand it has been lord jesus by your power it has been lord god by your anointing and your unction i'm not lost walking around lord in darkness but i know in whom i believe in and whom i trust i know your blood lord was shed for me therefore i'm going to trust in you in all of life situations in all of life's circumstances i'm gonna believe you lord i will set my affections on the things of heaven and not the things of earth it's prayer time in the church house somebody needs a realignment today priorities jesus i'm trusting you lord that if i set my affections on you that i know abundant life is in my view it's in my future come on israel somebody will pray today this altar is open right now would you come come on maybe you feel like your life is a mess and it's just a box full of junk and you don't know what to do with it bring it to the lord let him show you through every circumstance he's been there come on it might be that you're confused you've got questions your doubt your fear and all the stuff come on bring all that with you to the altar lord can you help me understand and make some sense of this and god will begin to work in you the work in you he can reveal to you his word and his power and his anointing and his unction come on church it's prayer time lord i need you today come on lift your voice to him would you come home the thief comes to steal kill and destroy but the lord jesus comes to bring life abundant life oh that's right come on think of the goodness of the lord remember the blessings of god and give him honor for it right now yeah yeah yeah that's right pray lord you know where i am you know the road that i walk you know the path that i'm on i see your hand working lord i see there's intervention lord in the spirit god i see lord your mercy and grace working in my heart and in my life come on that's right pray lord i trust you lord i need you jesus i magnify you life is short lord it's a vapor so i will set my affections upon you i will reach to you jesus i will hold on to you jesus christ i will see you god every step that i take come on that's right pray truth prayer time church pray lord i honor you right now and i know god that things are working lord god because your plan is working in me oh that's right come on set your affections on him determine within yourself lord in everything i will thank you i will love you i will trust you i will follow you i will hunger for you god i will thirst i'll run after you every day jesus that's right come on let the glory of the lord work in your life right now jesus come on you need the holy ghost reach for him today pray god i need you in my life i need order in my life lord i need you to work in my heart and my mind jesus only you god can satisfy the heart of man come on that's right jesus i trust in you still jesus i trust that's right yes jesus i believe you i honor you i can see you working my life i can see your hand working in my heart oh god you're opening doors you're making a way life is from you lord hope comes from you jesus truth comes in you jesus come on that's right pray jesus the things of this earth won't matter god but loving you lord matters relationship with you matters jesus the church lord it's my home it's my family it's where i can go it's who i can run to i can connect to come on that's right in the name of jesus oh god i love you would you reach over and pray for somebody come on can you can you reach over and get a hold of someone pray with them come on it's all about perspective lord i know you're on my side i know god that you're working i know lord that you're moving i know jesus your will is accomplished lord as we love you and as we serve you yeah that's right that's right that's right jesus we trust in you see jesus we believe in you in the name of jesus that's right come on in the name of jesus you know lord god where i am every step lord god you know where i am hallelujah come on the lord's on your side he's working for your ghost he's moving in your life the journey is in his hands step move step move forward in him in jesus name come on let the affection of your heart reflect him lord i'm loving you every day serving you every day trusting you god and the good and the bad lord i'm running to you today oh that's right that's right in jesus name i know you're real jesus i thank you lord i thank you jesus oh come on pray get ahold of somebody close by you oh god anoint today feel today lord touch and change lives today jesus let your will be accomplished for jesus jesus jesus jesus oh yes yes yes yes come on the lord's real the lord's right his will is right he's perfect in all of his ways fall in love with him that's right let your relationship with him grow daily god i set my affections on you aren't you thankful today for the blood of the lamb thankful that he's not left you but he's with you every step you're taking come on would you thank him for that all over the room come on lift your voice to him give him praise for that lord i'm so glad for your faithfulness so thankful lord for your faithfulness in all of life's journey in all of life situations know that he loves you doesn't mean it's always easy and you can skip through life it means challenges come difficulties things that you don't even understand but you got to know he's there every step you've taken set your affections on those things lord i gain strength every day knowing that whatever's going on your god and whatever challenges i face you're god whatever difficulties come my way your god you are god i love you i'm looking for you pray with me church lord we thank you for our time together today we are so thankful lord that you allowed us another opportunity to come together with your family to love and to worship and lift you up thank you lord god for the confirmation daily that you are with us you're leading us you're guiding us you're in the journey with us god you're making a way you're always always god i pray lord for the church family lord go with us as we leave from this place let us find you lord in every turn and everything in life help us god to constantly always look to you pray lord for a good week this week keep us safe bring us back lord every day hungry and thirsty for you we'll love you for it help us god to be a witness and a testimony to your loving power and your grace and your mercy in the name of jesus hallelujah somebody say in jesus name thank you all so much for being out today don't forget check the app for the announcements a lot of things going on at cornerstone be involved let god bless you i love you all shake hands be friendly greet one another go with god in jesus name