Rev. Justin R. Lester July 2016

Version as the deer pants for the streams of water. So my soul, somebody say, my soul pants for you, my God. I want to preach this for a few moments as the spiritual guide with this thought on our minds. Doing the extra thing. Doing the extra thing. You may be seated even in the presence of the Lord. Doing the extra. All through high school, I played sports. Loved playing sports. I played football, I played basketball, I ran track. I was a shot putting disc person in high school. I never will forget my junior year. It was good times because everything is great in high school. I was a geek at heart. Don't judge me, but I was a geek at heart. But you couldn't step to me because I was always bigger than you. But I was a geek at heart. This thing didn't start today. This thing started back when Clinton was president. I was a geek. I've been a geek. Love being a geek, ain't no problem being a geek because geeks make the world go round. Amen, somebody. And so while I played football, while I played basketball, while I ran track, I was also the school's geek. So I showed up early to school one morning at around 6:30 in the morning to get some announcements done for school. Because I've been doing this thing for years. I get to the announcements. And so as I'm finishing up the announcements around 7 o' clock in the morning, I'm walking down the hallway and one of the starters on our basketball team came up to me. And I didn't know, but they shot every Single morning at 6am Starter came up to me, said, hey, Jay. Said, hey, what's up man, how you doing? He said, hey, Jay, why don't you come shoot with us at 6am I said, man, you don't recognize Jesus? Didn't get up till 7. I'm not getting up before 7 o' clock in the morning. And so I'm not coming at 6am to shoot with y'. All. And so he said, hey, Jay, I want you to come shoot with us every morning at 6. You know, I began to be who I was. I told him how I wasn't good enough, how I was a bench warmer, how I didn't do nothing. I look good in my jersey. I ain't coming at 6 o' clock in the morning to shoot with y' all because my jumper is broken. I'm not coming at 6 o' clock in the morning to shoot with all, all these starters. And he looked back at me and said something I'll never forget. He said, justin, I wouldn't have asked you to come shoot with us if I didn't think you fit in with us. He said, justin, I don't ask everybody to shoot at six. He said, you have starter written all over you, but you're so content with sitting on the bench. He sat there, looked at me as he was walking away. He looked back at me and said, justin, when you're ready to get off the bench, I'll see you at 6. And it hit me, deacon, because I believe so many of us come to church every single morning asking God for starter blessings and we give him bench effort. I ain't scared of none of y'. All. This morning we ask God to give us starter miracles. I wish y' all talk to me and we take. We give God starter bench praise. We ask God for starter blessings, we give him bench prayers, we ask God for starter breakthrough and we give God bench effort. And then we wonder why things aren't moving forward in our lives. Because we want starter blessings, but we're giving God bench effort. I wish y' all see, God does desire for every single one of us to walk in an abundant life. God wants us to be starters, but in order for us to get the coach to want us to put us in the game to be a starter, you can't come to church acting like a bench warmer. I was Shaw. What I've learned is that every once in a while, when God sees you've got too much inside of you, but you've gotten too content with bench living, God says, I'll call you out to bring you up. And I believe we're living in a season where God is beyond frustrated with people who've gotten so content with being a bench person. But you got starter qualities. He called you to be the lender and not the borrower, but you acting like a borrower. He called you to be the head and not the tail, but you acting like the tail. And so God looks at you today and says, you're better than that. You become too comfortable with being someone who's sitting on somebody's bench. Okay, so you know, God has called you to be the entrepreneur, the business owner, but you've gotten too content with sitting in your cubicle, getting coffee every Tuesday at 3 o', clock, walking by the same old folk who ain't going nowhere. But you know, God's called you a business owner. God says, today I'm calling you out. I ain't scared of none of y'.

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You know, God has called you to be that husband or that Wife. But you're so content with being somebody's 2. 30am phone call. Somebody's 2. I ain't scared of none of y'.

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2Am text message. God says, I'm calling you out to bring you up. God says, you, you've been so come so content with sitting on the back row of somebody's choir. Well, you know, I put three CDs inside of your bosom that God says today. Am I talking to anybody in the building? I came on assignment this morning. This is the last season that you become with sitting on the bench that God says, I'm calling you up to be the starter inside of you. God says, today, I'm not letting you stay content with where you are. I want to see. Can you do the extra thing? Can you come to shoot with God at six every single morning? How bad do you want what God has called you to be? God says, today, I'm shifting some things to get you where you are. I'm in the text. Here we find ourselves in Psalm 42. David, who's now on the run from his enemy Absalom, has pitched a tent for far out in the country here, David. When the cohort of people, warriors and worshipers, lovers of God and followers of David, had found themselves in a rather difficult quandary. David has been being chased by his son Absalom because he was silent on some family issues. So get the picture. Absalom wants to kill David. And to make matters worse, his enemies and his oppressors are finding David, not trying to kill David, but they're spreading rumors that God has forgotten and forsaken David. So get the picture here. David is David. Imagine the daily struggle of being the leader. Being David, being this worship leader, you're supposed to always have a song, David. Everyone's coming after you with all your folk trying to kill you, folk telling you that God has forgotten about you. So, David, give us a song. David, we gotta shout in the wilderness. David, we gotta sing in the wilderness. David, we know you know the Lord is our shepherd. We shall not want. David, we know you know the Lord is the light of our salvation. Whom shall I fear, David, give us a song, David, why don't you sing a song to us, David? And I love David because. Psalm 42. This time, David looks out in the crowd and says, you sons of Korah, you give God a song. Sons of Korah who wrote Psalm 42, David is surrounded by the sons of Korah, a rather elite group of Levitical worshipers who hung with David every Single day, literally. These people were students of David. These three sons, they knew worship. They watched David worship. They watched David praise. They put together worship plans out of this world. They've watched David write all these psalms. They've watched David do all this worship. And this time, as David is so distraught in his life, David says, I can't sing this time, but I want to see if all the stuff I poured into you is worth anything with its salt. David says, so this time you sing me a song. Because every season is not always a learning season. After the learning season, there has to be a doing season. There has to be a time where you get tired of always learning how to look like something, always learning how to be something. And you get off your blessed assurance and you start doing something. I wish y' all talk to me. I'm tired of folks sitting there saying, I want to lose weight. And you sit there talking about how you learned how to eat correctly, how you learn how to use the machines. Baby, you better get yourself up, get to the gym and start getting on that machine. And stop saying, I wish y' all talk to me. How we sit there, how I'm reading a better book, how to be a husband and wife. I'm reading how to be a better person at home. You better start doing that stuff at home. Because there are times where God says, listen, I put so much inside, inside of you. I've destined you for too much that I'm tired of you sitting there saying how much you're learning. Because God says, I need you to activate and start doing something. There's somebody who will never meet Christ. And so you start doing everything Jesus has already taught you. I wish you. So imagine if you would, like one of us, like these students, look at David. David says, sons of Korah, you sing us a song. And they look back at David, said, david, you know you're David, right? I mean, you David. Hold up, David. You're David. You be Goliath. You be Lions and Bear David. You. You're David. You sing, you shout, you praise, you worship David. I ain't. I ain't you, man. I can't sing like you. I can't preach like you. I can't shout like you. I mean, I'm a student, so I get the student. I really do, because I'm one of the students. Sometimes the three things the students deal with. First of all, the students have lost their identity. So you remember, these students are sons, of course, Korah. So everybody knows they're sons of Korah when they're at the temple. Everybody knows that. Those are the sons of Korah. Those are the worship leaders, in essence. Everybody knows you're a deacon. Everybody knows you sing in the choir. Everybody knows you're an usher. Everybody knows you're important in church. And this time, God says to see how real your worship is. I'm snatching your identity from people, giving you value. Not only did he snatch away their identity, but God also snatched away all of their tools. See, remember in the temple, they had a harp. In the temple, they had incense. I'll get on your street. Right in the temple, they have a CD of their pastor to listen to. In the temple, you got a worship leader to push you into worship. In the temple, you got deacons to pray for you. And God wants to see how real is your worship when I take your identity and I take all of your tools. But not only does God take their identity and he takes their tools, but he takes their place. Before it was called comfortable to sit in the temple, before it was comfortable. You know when to stand and worship. You know when to sit and worship. You know when not to walk in front of the altar. You know when to stop walking when someone's praying. But now God says, I've snatched all of your comfort away. Because real worshipers learn how to shout in some uncomfortable places. I wish y'.

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Am I talking to anybody in the building? Your best praise didn't come when things were great, but it came when God made you uncomfortable. Because when you got in some uncomfortable places, you began to testify. It is no sin. I will show what my God can do. Am I talking to anybody in the building who can testify? I've learned to shout in the wilderness. Because if I can shout in the wilderness. You just wait till I get back to the temple. You just wait till I get that organ behind me. You just wait till somebody pushes me to praise. You Just wait till somebody says my song. Because when I think back over my life and see how God brought me over, I can shout in the wilderness. I wish that's. That's where we find Psalm. Psalm 42. I love the challenge of this text, this unnamed psalter. The student responds with a psalm of lament. Now to get psalms. They say psalms. It's like a good mixture of the gospel and the blues. Because we always. A lot of psalms that we shout on are really these psalms of lament. What is lament? Lament are these psalms of pain and frustration. These immense psalms are ones where I'm telling God how upset I Am how much fear I have. Because, notice I. God is not always looking for your shout. God is looking for your honesty. Because if you give God your honesty, he'll find your shout. I wish y' all. So God has snatched away the salter, as usual. He snatched away his identity. He snatched away his tools. He snatched away his comfort. God has snatched everything away from him. And with everything that God snatched from him, all of that, the Psalter sits there and says, what can I say unto God? And he gives God a song. He gives God something extra. He says, I really don't want to do it. I really don't have to do it because David could do it, but I'm gonna give God something extra. So my question to you this morning, when God puts you in some wildernesses and you don't know what to do and you have nothing to practice with, you have lost your identity, you've lost your tools, and you've lost your place. My question to you this morning. How will you respond when God says, will you still give me glory? Let me suggest. Your future is not bound in you doing what's normal. It's in your willingness to do the extra. The extra prayer, the extra song, the extra piece of worship. It's bound in the extra success is in your willingness to do 1% more. The impossible is always accomplished when you give God 1% more. Could it be the reason we're not experiencing abundance in our lives? It's not because God is incapable. He's able. But we're not constantly consistently giving God our abundance. And I know, right? Y' all saying, justin, whatever. I'm saved, I'm sanctified. I'm filled with the Holy Ghost. I come to church on Sunday. I sit in the right pew at the right time. I usher, I greet. I'm in the choir, Justin. I do everything that you're supposed to do when you're saved, if you're so saved. Let me ask you a question. Why is it that if God is so big, our prayers are so small? God keep my relationship. God keep my money. God let me keep my job. When do you know a God that lets you stay someplace? When God says, I rest in places eyes have never seen. I wish y' all ears. I've never heard, if your God is so big, why are you. Are you willing to get uncomfortable and be willing to give God the extra praise, the extra song, the extra thing? Because you don't really know how God is going to do it. But all you know is, if I want the supernatural I have to be willing to do the unusual. Truthfully, to be honest. Truthfully, it ain't really, really doing extra stuff. It's really doing the normal stuff. But we got to call it extra because we don't do the normal. Okay, let me. I'll get you right. I got you. God says, I want 10%. God says, give me 10%. God, you don't know how much of a struggle it is for me to give you 10%. God, that's supposed to be normal. We got to call it extra because we don't do it. God says, give me 2.4 hours a day. 10%. That's normal. That's required. But we don't. God says, love your neighbor as yourself. Some of y' all only talk to the person sitting next to you all service long. Because God says, love your neighbor as yourself. And that's normal. I ain't scared of none of y'. All. But we don't. We don't do it. God says, worship me in spirit and truth. But it took the praise and worship leader to beat you over the head to stand on your feet and give God praise because that's normal and we don't do it. And God speaks to us through this poet and says, it wasn't until I was in my most uncomfortable place that I realized my way out was recognizing how God already gave me what I needed to get out of this situation. If I just give God the extra. See, our homes are changed when we give God the extra. In a city where 2.7 million people don't go to church on Sunday morning, God needs some disciples to do the extra. Extra. When divorce rates are higher than marriage rates, God needs some disciples to do the extra. When love has been misdefined and redefined without the love that Jesus shows us, God needs some disciples that will do the extra. And God says in Olive Branch this morning, I need some people who are not asking me to keep them someplace, but say, God, take me someplace extra. Where eyes have never seen and ears have never heard. I'm done. How can I give God extra? I got one and a half thing to share with you very quickly. How can I develop an appetite to give God more? Am I talking to anybody in this building? How can I develop an appetite to give God more? First of all, if I want to do more. If I want to give God the extra thing, first of all, I have to learn to see God in everything. Somebody say, see God in everything. Every day, God is challenging us to walk into some uncertain and uncomfortable Places only to realize that God has already met us there. The uncomfortable place is not always the people we want to define as the people we need to reach, but it's the people, the places that we're already at. On your job, in your office, in your cubicle, in your house, on that boat that you got, when you go out and play basketball with your friends. And God says, are you willing to bring me where you already are so I can show you the blessing that's waiting for you right there? God says, I want you to see me in everything. Because let me tell you this. The good news of the gospel is not that we can get to God, but every day God through Christ Jesus shows that he's right here next to us. And so that's what we call in theology the panentheism of God, that God is in everything, because everything is in God. Because the good news of the gospel is not that we can get to God, but that God through Christ Jesus comes to us. Meaning Jesus is everywhere you already are. And if you simply look for him, he's waiting there to show you. I'm trying to give you showers of blessings. Because the good news of the the gospel is not that you can get to God, but that God through Christ Jesus, comes to us. So get this Psalter right here. This Psalter is in the middle of nowhere. He's chased by enemies. He's far away from any type of temple. He's scared out of the air. And in all of that fear and all of that fright, that Psalter says, you know what I remember? A couple of days ago, I saw this little old deer running down the street. That deer was running for water. I remember how that deer was fearing nothing. I remember how that deer was running after everything. I remember how that deer darted through through the fields. I remember that deer would not stop until that deer got the water. That deer was so dirt thirsty, that stupid little meaningless deer. And he says, my way out is when I learned to shout over the fact that when I was dealing with something, God let me see a stupid little meaningless deer, that if I can shout over the deer, I can get my freedom from this wilderness. Because I told you the good news of the gospel I wish y' all is not that you can get to God, but that every single day God shows himself to us. God has a funny way of showing up in everything around you. God does not wait until you get into a wilderness to show you how to get out of the wilderness. Every single day, God is showing you how to get out of the storm you ain't even been in yet. The question becomes, are you looking for God every single day? Because whenever God shows up, something special happens. Even if it's nothing but a deer panning after water. I mean, if it's nothing but a child laughing when you see them walking down the street. Even if it's nothing but the sun rising over the horizon. Because the good news of the gospel. Gospel, I hope y' all get that it's not that I can get to God, but that God shows himself in something stupid like a deer every single day. God is showing us something. He's sharing something in every single encounter. The question becomes, are you willing to look for God everywhere? Because God will give meaning to pointless stuff. A simple deer running after a stream of water. Because if you can shout over the deer, you can get yourself out of your own wilderness. And I know you're saying, justin, I get it. I got a lot of deer in my life. I drive by deer every single day. I make fun of deer all the time. Justin, I'm not called to shout about deer. I'm too anointed to talk about deer. Justin, that's not in the radio, Justin. I don't talk about deer. That deer is simple deer. That deer is a pointless little deer. That's a pointless little sun rising over the horizon. But God wants to see if you can see me in that thing. If you can see me in the deer. God says, wait till you get back to the temple and you can really learn how to shout over the stuff in there. Maybe the reason we get so lost in our struggling seasons, it's not because God isn't moving, but it's because we've neglected shouting over the deer he puts in front of us every single day. In essence, God is showing you your freedom every day, and you overlook it. What is the. What is the deer pant for the water story in your life? What is the thing that God has been showing you every single day? That God says, if you simply see me in that, that's the freedom that you're looking for. And see, maybe the reason that God keeps us in some of the cycles that we're in is because we don't see God in the cycle. See, the reason God has to keep Absalom on our backs is because we don't see God in Absalom. The reason God has to keep us fighting in Egypt is because we don't know how to stand up with the gospel we already have. The reason God always puts you in front of dry bones is because God knows if I don't make you preach in front of dry bones, if I don't make you struggle in the wilderness, I'll lose your way worship. But if you see God in everything, you're able to shout over the wilderness experiences in your life. And I'm not talking to anybody in this building. I know I'm dealing with some wildernesses right now, but I've learned to give God praise over everything next time I see the sun rising. Thank you God for the sun rising. Because when I get in my storm. Because here's the shout, y'. All. If you get the power in your story, it takes the devil's power away from your story. If you define your story, the devil can't define your story. So instead of you talking about the co worker on your job, you begin to praise God for a peace that surpasses all understanding. Instead of you talking about the money you don't have, you begin to thank God for the abundance that you do have. Because I see God in everything. Because what you don't know is when I get to the wilderness, I'm going to shout in the wilderness. I'm going to scream in the wilderness.

Because I can shout.

Am I talking to anybody in this building this week? I'm going to praise God for that messed up co worker because it taught me how to praise him. I'm going to praise him, God for that jacked up money because it taught me how to shout. Am I talking to anybody in the building who can then praise God? So please be patient with me. God is literally working on me so when I get to my wilderness, I can shout over the deer that's in front of me. I'm finished. I gotta see God in everything. I'm done. Not only do I see God in everything, I'm done. But then I learned to want God for everything. I see God in everything. I want God for everything. I see God in everything. I want God for everything. So notice the psalter, he says, so I saw God in the deer. I saw God in that pointless, meaningless, stupid little deer. So notice I don't want the deer. I don't want that story. I don't want the deer. I want the deer's passion. He says, as the deer pants for the water, notice the text. So my soul pants for you. It's beautiful poetry. It scratches the itch of our own humanity. He says he's chasing for the water, but I don't want the water. I'm chasing for what my soul wants. He says, I want what makes my soul full. I want what makes my soul fully dependent on God. He says, I'm driven by soul matters because Reverend Brinjo doing the extra thing for God is not about what makes you popular. It's about what makes you so full that it's only something that God can provide. See, that's the difference between presidents and vice presidents, cubicles and corner offices, singleness and marriage, part time and full time jobs. Are you driven by what your soul wants? He says, as the deer pants for the water, so my soul pants for you. The salter says, what my. So the salter says, I'm in pain, I'm in frustration. I'm in my lament. But I'm driven by what my soul wants. I'm not driven by getting delivered. I want what my soul wants. I'm not driven by breakthrough. I'm what my soul wants. I'm not driven by money. I'm driven by what my soul wants. I'm not driven by how popular I am. I'm driven by what my soul wants. And if you really want to see the fullness of God in your life, stop being driven by your flesh and start being driven by what your soul wants. Brother, you don't talk to that girl because she fine. You don't talk to that girl because she looked like what you saw in the movies. You talk to that girl because your soul said that's the eve in your life. Brother, sister, girl, you don't talk to that brother because he looks like all your dreams. You took your. You talk to that brother because that's what your soul says. That's your atom. You don't apply for that job because that's more money for you. You apply for that job because that's where your soul says. So my question is, are you at a place where your soul drives your decisions? See, too many of us are so driven by our flesh. But God says, I want people who are driven by their souls. Because if I'm driven by God results, I'll get God results. See, that's discipleship. Discipleship is not driven by how popular I am. Discipleship is not driven by folk knowing my name. But discipleship says I'm driven by baptisms. I'm driven by the unconverted meeting Jesus. I'm driven by people running down this aisle and saying, what must I do to be saved? And God says, I'm raising up a generation and raising up a standard of people who say, I want God results. I want to See what God can do in my community. And see, that's the difference, y'. All. The difference between today's social movement and yesterday's social movements. See, the difference between today's social movements is that we're driven by what our flesh wants. But in the 1950s and 1960s, my grandma didn't die so I could vote. So that she was driven by what her flesh wants. My grandma said before, I'll be a slave. I wish y' all I'll be buried in my grave. Because my soul says, I want my grandchildren to be free. Am I talking to anybody in this building? I'm not driven by what my body wants. I'm not driven, driven by how popular I'll get. But God needs some people who can testify. I'm driven by what my soul wants. I want to see folk get saved at a ridiculous rate. What my soul wants. And I see the reason we don't shout over this because y' all saying, justin, give me something new. Give me something crazy. This is an old school shout, but I need some crazy old school people who. I need some deacons who can say, I'm praying for my church, that my soul gets driven. I'm praying for baptisms so my soul matters. Because when I'm driven by God results, I get God results. Am I talking to anybody in this building? I don't want what I want. I want God results. I don't want what I need. I want God results. Because when I get God results, I can testify. It doesn't yet appear what we shall be. When I get God results, I can testify now unto him who can do exceedingly and abundantly. Am I talking to anybody in this building? I want God results. Because when I shout over God results. I need some deacons who can praise.

God for God results in your church.

I need some mothers who can praise.

God for God results in your family. I need some children who can praise God for God results in your home. Because when you praise God for God.

Results, you get a God that walks.

With you and he'll talk with you. I ain't scared of nobody.

I wish I had some crazy people.

Who can say, I want God results in my money. God results on my job, God results in my church, God results in my finances. Because eyes have been seen, I wish and ears haven't heard. I want God result.

I get it. Okay, fine. So, y', all, I really wonder, this my last time preaching at obc, I sit there and said, how can I close this thing and take it to shut it Down, Phil. So I called on God. I said, God, how can I shut this thing down so everybody remembers Justin. How can I stream this thing down so everybody remembers Justin? And God called me back and said, justin, do you want your results or do you want God results? I wish y'.

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I said, God. I said, do the doggone thing, God. I said, God, how do you want me to close this thing? He said, justin, the only way to get God results is when you start telling the same old story. I said, God, what do I need to do? He said, open up your hymnal. I said, God, ain't nobody want to hear him. It's my last time preaching at obc. I want them to know Justin. God said, justin, do you want your results or do you want God results? I said, God will preach to me. Then he said, justin, this is all you got to do to close it. He said, it ain't up to you to shout. It's all on you to make sure they know the story. I said, all right, God, what do you want me to say? God said, justin, tell them this. If they need to tell the story, simply tell them to do this. How to reach the masses. Men of every birth. I wish y' all for an answer. Jesus gave the key.

God said, just lift me higher. Because if you lift Jesus up, he'll.

Draw men unto me.

So then the songwriter got happy.

He said, so lift the Savior.

For.

For all the sea.

And somebody saying, justin, I need some strength in my journey. My grandma put it like this. She said, ask the Savior to help you come for strengthen and lead you. He's willing to aid you. He's willing to carry you through. Anybody in the building can help your boy close this sermon. Stand on your feet and give God an extra praise. I need. I need somebody that can open up your mouth. I want God results. I want to see folks saved. I want God results. I want to see my money increase. I want God results.

I want to see my church in eight locations.

I want God results. I want my church debt free. I want God results. I want to see ministries out of the eight. I want God results. And I came to tell somebody. I serve a God who give you results. Oh, my God. Cause one Friday, they tested my God. They hung him high and they stretched him wide. He. He hung his head and he died. But he did the extra thing. Cause three days later, he got up early for me. And if he could do it, he can do it for you. Oh, shush. Won't he do it? I said, won't he do it if you know he will toss the and head back, open up your mouth, lift up your hands and give God an extra praise. Give him an extra praise. Give him an extra praise. Get uncomfortable right now. Come on, get uncomfortable right now. Now I need some uncomfortable people. Give God an extra praise.

I was talking to a couple a couple of weeks ago. A couple said, we're going on a fast, Justin, Love them to life. And as we're talking about going on a fast, I looked at him in the eyes. And in the spirit of that moment, God said something to me I had to share with him. I said, maybe what God wants is not for you to give up something. Maybe God is asking for you to give him an extra 15 minutes a day. Because if you give God that 15 minutes, you begin to get rid of some stuff that you really don't need. So my challenge to every person in this room today, this week, it's busy as you are. I know whatever you give God, give that to God. But every single day, I challenge you, give God an extra 15 minutes. See the stuff that God will take away from you. Begin to see the deer that he'll put in front of your face. Begin to see the deers he'll let run in front of you. Begin to see the things he'll put in front of you. Because in that 15 minutes, God will say, I'll give you the freedom for the next storm you didn't even know you were going to encounter. Who am I talking to in this room today? Who am I talking to?

God.

I need something. Every head is bowed, every eye is closed. Asking God one question. Holy Spirit, what do you say? Saying to me, what is the extra thing God needs you to do? I want you praying right now, Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me? And I want you to listen.