Staying Fresh in your Faith

00:00 - Speaker 1
If you've received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Bible says you are now changed. Your old spirit, the old you on the inside, has been taken away. A brand new spirit has been put inside of you. All of your sins past, present and, yes, future, have been taken out of the way. You have been made a new creature. Then, if that wasn't enough, on top of that, the Bible says you are justified.

00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightNYCcom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you. That he has a real hope and a future for you.

01:05 - Speaker 1
The Bible says in Psalms 92.10, the psalmist. He says my horn. The horn is a symbol of strength. He said my horn will be exalted, my strength will be brought up Like the horn of a wild ox. I will be anointed with fresh oil, fresh oil. I don't want stale oil, I want fresh oil. And when God comes, he comes and he's always the freshest. That's why we're not chasing the coolest new thing. The coolest new thing today changes in a month's time. But whenever the Lord shows up, he chasing the coolest new thing. The coolest new thing today changes in a month's time, but whenever the Lord shows up, he's the coolest new thing. His presence is the freshest thing. And I want to walk in the freshness of the Lord.

01:55
How many of you have heard that saying that Christians are leaky vessels? Stay full, because you know we're leaky vessels. There goes some. You know it sounds cute, but it's not really scriptural. We're not sieves that walk around just dripping, but what we are is lamps that are burning and in order to be burning brightly, you use up oil. So you need more oil. You don't want any kind of oil, you want God's fresh oil.

02:26
Just the other day I'm not bragging or anything but my wife. She made me an egg breakfast. I know some of you couldn't eat eggs this week when I tell you my cup runneth over, I ate eggs Four and I was like Lord For my, my kids too and my wife. Everybody's getting eggs. I think that cost us $600, but we did it and with she doesn't normally do this, she she served these great sauteed potatoes and, as I said, cause she normally doesn't do it, just psychologically I braced for impact, because usually if I'm having potatoes and eggs it's in some greasy spoon diner and that old oil immediately and that just hits your nose, it hits the back of your head right away. And you're doing the calculations Was this 12 hours since they changed it last, or 24 hours? In fact? This is smelling like last week's oil. You know what I'm talking about. But hers, you could taste the little garlic nuances and the little peppers. And because she used fresh oil, god wants you anointed with fresh oil, and we should, because we're in this for the long haul, right?

03:42
I don't want to be a musty, crusty, dusty old Christian. That just the word. But there's no freshness. I remember when I first year in Bible school I had a job at Franklin Templeton. I was straight out of college and went to Bible school and the Bible school was in Tampa, florida, but my job was in St Petersburg. And first day on the job, one of the co-workers asked me hey, you know about my life and I go. Well, I'm in Bible school also at night and I'm studying to be a pastor. Oh, I studied to be a pastor also. I was like I think I have a brother. First question he asked me in this dullness so in Genesis, when Melchizedek appeared to Abraham, do you believe that was a personage or a theophany? I didn't even know. I mean, I can answer that now. I'm like what? And I'm looking at, I mean like the very definition of an egghead dead religious cryptkeeper. You remember the cryptkeeper from back in the day, any of you? What was the name of the show? Tales from the Crypt and the crypt goes and when he talks like bone, dust comes out. There's some Christians like that. I don't want to be that way. I want to be fresh. 2013,.

04:56
I was at a conference, walking through the hotel lobby and there was Reinhard Bonnke, already advanced in his 70s lobby, and there was Reinhard Bunkie, already advanced in his 70s. Reinhard Bunkie, if you don't know, one of, if not the greatest crusade evangelists in the history of the world. Do you guys know him? Africa shall be saved. I see a blood washed. Africa Spoke to hundreds of thousands of peoples later in his ministry to over a million people at one time. And I'm walking by in the lobby and I see him coming and I know that he was also already advanced in years. I know he had a liver condition. And I see him coming and as I walk past him I'm not kidding you it was like walking past a whirlwind and I briefly glanced at his face and it's like his face was shimmering.

05:41
What is that? The freshness of God. He didn't allow himself to get old and stale. I will not allow myself to get old and stale, because I know what that leads to. And again, I plan on living a very long time and I have word for that. The Bible says with long life, he will satisfy you and show you his salvation. Amen, kenneth Hagin. He would keep living and then he would just say Lord, I'm not satisfied. Yet A few more years, and it went on to his late eighties. Hallelujah. I plan on living a long time, but in order to have true quality of life.

06:15
I got to stay fresh. So I want to teach you how to stay fresh, because most of the American church is not designed or conducive to Christians staying fresh. You're not really taught how to be in the deep, abiding presence of God, in daily communion with the Lord. What you're really taught I'm not saying in every place, but in too many places what you're taught is how to chase the next shiny thing and you're just kind of kept distracted from service to service. You know, next week we got X NFL star and then we have a drama production and we got the fog, we got the lasers, we got the LED, and then you have that. And then next you know how? I know this. I know kids who were raised in these kinds of churches, who are now adults living in Manhattan, and they've come here and they'll confess to me they did not know how to walk out their Christianity at all, apart from that system of being distracted from service to service and just chasing the next shiny thing. It will not be so with us, amen, we're going to walk in the freshness of God, hallelujah.

07:27
So let me give you five things. Let me first tell you what I'm not going to talk about is like the basics, the very basics to staying fresh. Of course it's praying to God, just your prayer life, your word life, studying the word worship, which I mentioned when I opened the service very important to staying fresh. I want to give you maybe some nuanced things. You haven't thought about that when you do, you'll stay in the fresh place. Let's begin in 2 Peter, number one. 2 Peter, chapter one, verses five through nine Hallelujah, hallelujah. John Arnott, fresh, 84 years old. Fresh. When you're with him it's like sipping from a cool, refreshing pitcher of water or a nice, gentle, cool breeze. He lives in that fresh place. 2 Peter 1.5.

08:27
But also, for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue to virtue, knowledge to knowledge, self-control to self-control, perseverance to perseverance, godliness to godliness. He's listing these virtues, these wonderful Christian virtues, and to brotherly kindness add love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he who lacks these things is short-sighted even to blindness. Why? Somebody is not experiencing holiness in their life? They're not experiencing the virtues of the Holy Spirit which he produces inside of us, when we're in communion with him, he produces from the inside out. Religion tells you be good, change your behavior, and you struggle real hard and never can. The Holy Spirit does it from the inside out, but he's saying for some of you that's not happening why? You know why he says it.

09:39
You forgot what did you forget? You forgot the essence of the gospel. You forgot what did you forget? You forgot the essence of the gospel. You forgot the finished work of the cross. You forgot grace. You forgot that you were cleansed from your old sins. This may seem like a funny or strange thing to say, especially on a Sunday morning where the majority of you are Christians and you are saved, but I am always amazed at how many Christians aren't actually living in light of their own forgiveness. It's something that they remember, it's something that maybe, intellectually, they can maybe explain to you, but they're not living in light of the finished work of the cross.

10:26
So let me remind some of you if you've received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the Bible says you are now changed. Your old spirit, the old you on the inside, has been taken away. A brand new spirit has been put inside of you, all of your sins past, present and, yes, future have been taken out of the way. You have been made a new creature. Then, if that was enough, on top of that, the Bible says you are justified. That means the heavenly gavel has come down and you've been declared not guilty. Then, on top of that, you've been made to sit in heavenly places in Christ, and the Bible says you're now the very offspring of God. You've been adopted into the family of God, but it's no different. As the natural born, you have all the rights of a natural born heir. That's the gospel. In fact, I felt freshness once again as soon as you start recounting gospel truths.

11:28
You talk about the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit loves that. He comes right away to see who you're talking about and if, what I'm saying, because there's always people. Christians forget this too. They forget there's always people, every single Sunday, who aren't saved. You don't know the Lord. You're curious. I welcome you. I'm so glad you're here. In fact, city Light exists, yes, to build up Christians, but for you, we want to see you experience all that Jesus died for you to have. Hallelujah, in fact, before we close the service today, you'll have an opportunity to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It's by faith. It's a free gift that you appropriate. With your faith We'll help you along in the things of God, hallelujah. Let me just show you Romans. We didn't do this in the first service, but I want you to see Romans 6, 14.

12:27
You know, I got to remember and I do almost every day. This is how I stay fresh. I remember every day that God owes me nothing, he owes me nothing and that, apart from Jesus, I am an absolute hell-bound wretch. I don't deserve him. I don't deserve heaven. I deserve the eternal wrath of God in hell. That's what I deserve. That's what mankind deserves. But in Jesus I've now been taken in.

13:03
The Bible says you, who once were far off, have been brought close and been brought near by the blood of Jesus. The wrath of God that used to abide on me. That's how we were before Jesus. Like you can tell anyone Jesus loves you. You can go through the subways, jesus loves you. That's good, it's true. But there's another truth At the same time. The wrath of God is on you and if you don't receive Jesus' love, you're gonna die in your sins and experience his wrath forever. I feel the anointing saying that. You know why? Because people are stopping to say it. People have become so. They think they're more sensitive than Jesus. Jesus didn't shy away from saying this. They think they're more kind than Jesus.

13:43
So when wokeism came along and political correctness came along, people backed off of an essential gospel truth. Now I have a lot of unsaved friends now that I live in Long Island, and one of the first things I'm not saying friends, but I'm meeting a lot more people and one of the first things they ask me is do you believe in hell? And I go we believe in Jesus, who is our Lord and savior. What do you think he saved us from? Like you have this whole faith of over a billion people it's actually 2 billion and you're asking me if I believe. Well, what did he? He's my savior. He didn't save me from just a bad time on earth, he saved me from hell. He suffered and experienced hell on the cross so that I wouldn't have to amen roman 6, 14 just to remind you to remember grace every day as a side benefit.

14:43
Grace is an empowerment against sin. Isn't that crazy? What a flippity flip. Because religion tells you, in order to be a good person, you got to try really hard and it wags its religious index finger at you Don't do this, don't do that, don't. I'm so glad our kids weren't raised in that nonsense. That's how you grow up, resenting God. Grace isn't don't do. It's not a giant sign that says keep off the grass. It comes from the inside out and gives you a love for the sidewalk. And so when you are meditating on grace every day, you'll stay fresh.

15:20
But also look at that verse, for sin shall not have dominion over you. If you're struggling with addictions and when I say addictions, I'm not you'll stay fresh. But also look at that verse, for sin shall not have dominion over you. If you're struggling with addictions and when I say addictions, I'm not just talking about drugs or alcohol. Sometimes we're just addicted to misery, we're addicted to self-sabotage and we keep tripping ourselves up the blood of Jesus and God's grace will break that right off of your life. Sin shall not have dominion over you. Why? Because you're trying really hard to be a good person. No, sin shall not have dominion over you. Why? Because you're trying really hard to be a good person? No, because you are under grace, hallelujah.

15:53
So number one to stay fresh. Remember the gospel. Remember it every day, Think, think about where you would be without him, Think where your eternal destiny would be without him and be grateful and recount what he's done for you and what the cross means to you. It'll keep that fresh oil on you. Number two Pray in the spirit.

16:17
I'm going to give you a lot of synonyms now, because people use a lot of different phrases. They all mean the same thing Pray in the spirit, pray in the spirit, pray in the Holy Spirit, pray in the Holy Ghost, pray in your heavenly language, pray in tongues. It all means the same thing and that's what I'm talking about. It's when you speak in your heavenly language, in tongues, and you pray, you allow God to pray through you to him. Isn't that crazy? God, the Father and his Holy Spirit is inside of you and you're. I just prayed in tongues, hallelujah. I didn't know what I was going to say. He just spoke it right through me. How many of you here are baptized in the Holy Spirit? Wave your hands, so I see you. A lot of hands around, all right, and I always add another 20% for those of you who just now realized I asked you to raise your hands.

17:23
We make it very easy to get baptized in the Holy Spirit at City Light. You can meet the ministry team After service. You can ask for a pastor. I've prayed for hundreds of people one-on-one. You can email the office and request an appointment. I'll give you the white glove concierge service. You can get baptized in the Holy Spirit at a life group.

17:48
My wife you know my wife used to be a member of City Light and I was preaching on faith and faith's confession and she looked at me and she said I believe I receive. It was all a joke, my gosh, the silence that landed, that went over like a lead balloon. Anyway, she heard a message on the Holy Spirit, went to her home, her room, and got baptized in the Holy Spirit. We make it easy. I have those books out there. They're there. I'll meet people at City Light. They walk by those. They never want. It's a mini book. It's like a 20 minute, 10 minute read. Grab it, study it, read.

18:30
Everybody needs to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Why would you not be? In fact, this was so important to Jesus that the last thing he said before he was taken up was you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. It's like flying in coach and you don't know first class is available. And then you find out first class is available and you're still like no, I like coach. Trust me, first class is better. They bring out the salt and pepper shakers and little glass vials Back in Coach. They got the little paper packets you could get everywhere. Makes a difference. Fly first class when it's available.

19:16
But also there's Christians a disproportionate amount who are baptized in the Holy Spirit but they don't pray in tongues. They don't do it on the daily, and praying in tongues is like a life hack from the Lord and some people, too many people, aren't utilizing it. So I investigated this. In fact, I've been investigating it for about 20 years because when I got filled with the Holy Spirit, I spoke in tongues all the time, every day. So I would ask people hey, when was the last time you spoke in tongues? And then I know right away, it's been too long, I want to go. Oh, let me see. Yeah, there was that revival service two years ago and well, you know you can be doing it every day and it helps you to do it every day. So why aren't you doing it?

20:03
I find several things. One of those things is the person never progressed in their prayer language. Before the full prayer language comes, there is a stuttering and stammering phase. That's scriptural. The Old Testament says with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people? And they never progressed that and somebody slapped him on the back and said congratulations, you're filled with the Holy Spirit.

20:28
Meanwhile, all they can say is rikki-tikki-tacky. So they go and they're like oh fullest, and so they don't pray in tongues. You gotta get past rikki-tikki-tacky. And what's keeping you at rikki-tikki-tacky is that you're bound up. I love you, but you're bound. You're not releasing. You gotta get unbound. You're still playing it safe. You gotta actually let go and let the lord pull you up and fill you where your mouth is loosed and released. And it's a whole language and it actually will shift and change and become other languages. It's a heavenly language and it's very, very diverse. Amen. If you've only prayed in tongues for like up to five minutes and that's it, you're only scratching the surface. I never recommend timing your prayers, but go ahead. In this case, set your timer on your phone to half an hour and yield to the Holy Spirit and let it flow out of you. Now, this is so scriptural. We get a lot of people who come and visit and I'm smelling this in the air right now.

21:47
Solid Christians You're Christian, but you've not heard much about this and if you have, it was in a very, very negative light. Yet it's all throughout the scriptures. Jesus in Mark 16, as part of the signs of believers, he said they will speak in new tongues. He said all believers will speak in new tongues. Look at Romans 8, verses 26 through 28. Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, and then it identifies that we all have this common weakness.

22:23
What's the weakness For? We do not know what we should pray for as we ought. Can't you agree with that? Like I got a big week coming up. I'm praying into it, but I'm limited with my understanding on how I can pray into it. So then sometimes it has to be more generic or general.

22:42
Got a big week, lord, I thank you. You're going to be with me. I thank you. Give me good success. All that's good and right and appropriate and legal.

22:49
But the Lord knows much more. The Lord knows the end from the beginning. He knows exactly where I should be, he knows who I should be talking to, what I should be doing. So look what happens when you speak in tongues. We don't know our weaknesses, we don't know what we should pray for, as we ought, but the Spirit himself, the Holy Spirit inside of me, the Spirit himself makes intercession for me, for you, with groanings which cannot be uttered. It's talking about speaking in tongues. And then, by the way, the next verse, which is like the most quoted verse in the book of Romans and we know, say it with me. And we know, oh, that messed me up it's the verse after that Hold on Now, he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the spirit is. That's the Holy Spirit inside of you, searching the mind of God, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God, the perfect will of God. So when you're praying in tongues, you're praying the perfect will of God. Why would you not want to do that every day? I don't know what this whole week holds. Sometimes there's surprises, but when, every day, I'm Hallelujah, jesus, and I'm just talking to him in my heavenly language, I'm praying God's perfect will Over my life, over my day, over the future, hallelujah, I don't think it's an exaggeration to call this first class, compared to somebody just stabbing in the dark. And then, by the way, is verse 28, which we all quote, but notice, it's after those first two verses, in other words, when you've yielded to the Holy Spirit and you're allowing him to pray in tongues through you. And that's how we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose.

24:52
Now, when I teach this, usually there's several people who come up to me after service and this is what they'll say yeah, but I'm skittish. They don't say I'm skittish, but I see they're skittish. This is what they say yeah, but I don't know what I'm saying. Great First Corinthians, 14, 14.

25:16
You don't know what you're saying. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. You're not supposed to know. You're not supposed to know God knows. If you knew, it would blow your mind, it might even scare you. You would cover your own mouth up as you're praying the bold things that God wants to do in your life in a heavenly language. So don't let that keep you away. That's why, by the way, why faith comes in.

25:50
I have no clue what I just said, but here's something I see fruit in my life. That's one thing. Also, you have to. Here's the thing you know. I just asked how many of you are baptized, and the whole speak in tongues and all these people wave their hands.

26:09
I speak in tongues. If it's not of God, then we are all mentally insane, which is an option. I'm not discounting that. But you just but then just call it that. You can't say, oh, that's not for me. No, if we're all mentally insane, you need to find another church. I've never heard anyone say it like this before, but I've always thought you know, you can't be middle of the road with this. Either this is God. If I'm going into my office and for an hour speaking in another language, I'm either demonically possessed, insane, or it's God. Hang around a little bit longer, and then you tell me which one of those I am. Amen, amen.

26:56
Corinthians 14, verses two through four. What a blessing and a benefit it is to pray in tongues. You should see how like I have three pages of notes, but you know how much I preach outside of my notes. You know why. That is Because I pray in tongues, and so while I'm praying in tongues, I'm praying for the service, I'm praying for you, I'm strengthening, I'm edifying myself, and then the Lord can pull things out of me that maybe just one person needs, but he'll pull it out of me, by the way. That's why, wherever Christianity is now, there's some people pulling stuff out of me. First service, you know, everybody's like yeah. Second service, hmm, if you look, just look where Christianity is spreading, look at Africa, look at Latin America it's all spirit-filled, tongue-talking preachers that are leading the charge over and over and over again.

27:54
The biggest crusade, spirit-filled, the biggest churches, spirit-filled, speaking in tongues. Because people want the real and they want power. You think somewhere in Africa, where it's actually your life depends on it, people are going to church for somebody. Domini homini, homini. No, I need healing, I need breakthrough, I need God's power. Amen, amen. That's some guy in a toga walking around sending smoke signals. Jude, oh, did we even do this? No, we didn't.

28:33
Verse 2 of Corinthians 14. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. By the way, another problem people have they're cessationists. There might be a few here. I love you. I love you enough to tell you you're wrong. Here's what cessationists believe. They believe all that miracle, holy Spirit stuff was for the first century, but then, after the last apostle, it all stopped. Can you imagine Like John was like the last apostle? Could you imagine? He's getting old, he's dying and people are like we got a few more sick folk. Just hang on there, lay hands on them, because if you die, the gift of healings goes with you. And here's what they say about speaking in tongues they go well. No, it's not for today.

29:28
If you notice, in the book of Pentecost, a book of Acts on Pentecost, acts chapter two, when they spoke in tongues, other people heard them and understood them. So what you're saying can't be that. And they're right. It's not that, it's something different. In Acts, chapter two, it was a known tongue. It was a sign. People in Jerusalem understood them. You don't see that happening again. So don't be surprised when you start speaking in tongues. You're not speaking in Japanese. And a Japanese tourist on Steinway hears you and goes oh, you just told me the gospel. You're not speaking in Japanese. And a Japanese tourist on Steinway hears you and goes you just told me the gospel. You're not speaking to men. That's what I'm saying.

30:07
Read the verse. You are not speaking to men, you are speaking to God. You're not speaking to men, you're speaking to God In his language, in a heavenly language, for no one understands him. See, some people are like you just spoke in tongues. I didn't understand you. I know you're not supposed to. No one understands him. However, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

30:34
But he who prophesies speaks edification. Verse three edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue strengthens himself. This is why, to stay fresh and not stale and not be a christian crypt keeper, you speak in tongues, you edify yourself, you strengthen yourself, you build yourself up and you stay fresh. But he who prophesies edifies the church and, by the way, he's not picking sides here. You're going to draw some stuff out of me I didn't talk about in the first service, but people get all bent out of shape.

31:18
In Corinthians 14, like Paul is saying don't speak in tongues. In fact, he ends the very chapter saying don't forbid the speaking in tongues. What he's saying here is in the context of a church service. People need to understand what you're saying. Like if I got up here and my message was all in tongues, could you imagine if I just kept going and I went for 45 minutes and then I went amen, blessed, to see you next Sunday. You'd walk out of here going huh. I went amen, bless you, see you next Sunday. You'd walk out of here going huh. I didn't really get edified. So he's saying when you're prophesying?

31:54
By the way, another translation for that word prophesy. It means to bubble forth, tumble forth or to teach, to teach under the anointing. You think prophesying is always telling the future? It's speaking under the anointing. You think prophesying is always telling the future? It's speaking under the anointing. I'm speaking the common tongue, english, so you can be edified. That's why we actually don't have much speaking in tongues in the service. I mean, people are free to do it, like the Bible says in Corinthians 14, do it to yourself, people do it under their breath. But you're not going to see hundreds of people speaking in tongues at the same time. That's for a believer's meeting. Do that at home, because someone else is going to come in and go. They're all crazy, and I'm not making that up. Paul said don't all be speaking in tongues because the unlearned from the outside will come in. And will he not say you have all gone mad? And yes, he would. And yes, they have.

32:46
I've been in services where I brought unsaved people. One lady once from work. I brought her While I was in Bible school. She ran out of the church, ran out. I don't blame her, she didn't know a thing about it. I was just working on Jesus died on the cross. I didn't get to that part yet, literally no, ran out of the church. I chased her into the parking lot. That didn't help. I was like where are you going? She's like I can't. I just can't really. Uh, jew 20.

33:15
Some might be saying so you, it's a fair question to say well then, how come you just spoke in tongues, pastor, as an example? Well then, how come you just spoke in tongues faster, as an example? And I also wanted you to know that you can speak in tongues and it'd be under control. And you get to control how you speak in tongues. You can whisper in tongues, you can sing in tongues, you can rap in tongues. You can rap in tongues. But a lot of people think the only way you can speak in tongues is at the top of your lungs, decibel level like a runaway freight train, and you're turned off. I'm turned off too by that. Doesn't have to come out that way. You get to decide. But you know what it is.

34:07
Some people, they wait for God. They don't speak in tongues every day. You can always tell who doesn't, because they only speak in tongues when quote-unquote God attacks them, like when he overwhelms them. So they're there and the presence of God is all over them and they're like, and they're working. They're resisting, we're working them. Finally, they yield, and it's like a shaken Coca-Cola bottle. You know, maybe if you yielded better, chilled out and just flowed, it wouldn't come out that way. Amen. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, speaking and praying in tongues is an ingredient, a major ingredient, into walking in the freshness of God. Amen.

34:57
Number three whisper to God, specifically there. Whisper to God, specifically there. Whisper to him. Whispering, it denotes intimacy, denotes friendship, these things that Jesus has called you to. Psalm 91 talks about the secret place of the most high.

35:27
That word for secret, very interesting word in the hebrew. It's where the term masad comes from, the israeli no, not messiah masad, the israeli agency. It means something clandestine, something secretive. In another place in the Bible it says the secret of the Lord is with those who fear him. What does that word secret mean? It means friendship. In Psalm 91, the secret place is the friendship place, the intimacy place, and whispering denotes intimacy. That's why I never see another man whispering with my wife. Thank God for that man. My wife won't see me whispering with another woman, but we can whisper to each other. There's an intimacy, there's something powerful and special about whispering to God throughout the day, In fact pouring out your complaints before him.

36:25
There's a scripture in the Psalms. It says to pour out your complaints before him. It's good, it's healthy and you'll also notice I do that a lot, but I notice that when I start and I'll start, very Lord, here's what's overwhelming me, slash, stressing me, slash concerning me. Here's how I'm seeing the battlefield of life right now. Here's what's overwhelming me, slash, stressing me, slash concerning me. Here's how I'm seeing the battlefield of life right now. Here's what's overwhelming me, and I'll let him have it. He can take it, but I'll find, usually after around 90 seconds, I feel absolutely ridiculous and foolish because his presence has come and I realize how trivial those things are and how he is already boots on the ground in those areas. He's already at work in those areas. That's why so many of the Psalms they begin with complaining.

37:11
You read a lot of the Psalms. That's why so many people like Psalms. By the way, I've been reading the Psalms this week. Yeah, they're emotional and you're emotional. We're all emotional creatures and they usually begin with like this whiny complainy, but do you ever notice? There's like a complete turnaround, usually a third of the way in. He's like oh, what was me? I'm nothing, I'm broke, I'm hungry. My tears are my food day and night. And then, whoo, all of a sudden he's like oh, I will praise the Lord, because the moment you start talking to the Lord, his anointing comes upon you and he shows you the reality of the situation Hallelujah. So whisper to the Lord, share your life with him, pour out your complaints to him.

37:54
This is especially pertinent to people who only pray one way. I'm also trying to get you out of a rut, because too many people pray in only one way and, by the way, paul said praying with all manner of prayer, all kinds of prayer. Like some people, their favorite verse in the Bible is shout to the Lord with the voice of triumph. Love that. And if you only pray quiet prayers, you need to shout. And if all you do is shout, you need to shout. And if all you do is shout, you need to learn how to pray quiet prayers. You need to pray medium prayers. You need to pray on your knees, pray laying down on the floor, pray when you walk your dog. Pray when you drive your car. Pray all different ways, but whispering to God, I find when I'm talking to him.

38:40
Lord Jesus, I know that you're with me. Lord, I ask that you continue to be with me. Go before me as the good shepherd oh yeah, good shepherd. That reminds me of Psalm 23. Lord, I thank you. You're taking me to fresh, tender, green pastures. Lord, you're bringing me to still water. Hallelujah. You're the greatest, you're the best, you're my God.

38:58
Lord, I can't fail with you. In fact, in the word you said, I will not fail. You promised me good success, hallelujah, and whisper to the Lord, and his freshness will be upon you, hallelujah. So what's number one Remember grace. Remember the finished work of the cross. Number two pray in the spirit. Remember the finished work of the cross. Number two pray in the spirit. Number three whisper to God. Here's number four Don't go to church. Be the church. What's the difference? In order to stay fresh, you have to pick a side, and in every church, city Light included there's two kinds of Christians there's consumers and there's producers. And the consumer just takes by the way. We all come in as consumers.

39:56
I did not get saved and think I can't wait. What can I do for you, lord? I was like what are you going to do for me? I need help. I messed up and you've asked me to like forsake my whole past life. Wifm radio what's in it for me? Radio All of us want to know. But eventually you got to come to that place where you have now been patched up, made whole. You know who you are in Christ. Your cup is overflowing. You can continue to be a giant leech. That's just like feed me. And in this consumer-driven society, more and more people act like consumers in a church and as soon as there's another product, a shinier product, a more popular product, they switch. Just like they change phone plans, they just change churches and then change it again and change it again.

40:45 - Speaker 2
You don't just go to church.

40:47 - Speaker 1
You be the church. What does that mean? It means that you have actually really received Jesus' commission in Matthew 28, where he says go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. That wasn't just for the 12 disciples, that's for all of us. We're all called to be pouring out.

41:08
I'm speaking about evangelism, winning souls. You show me somebody who's a soul winner. I'll show you somebody who's fresh. I've never met a dry, musty soul winner ever. Somebody who's fresh. I've never met a dry, musty soul winner ever.

41:23
But those who are engaging, engaging people and winning them to the Lord, they're always. Their face is like the noonday sun and the frightening statistic. I think there's a lot of dead religious churches making this statistic extra low. But here's the statistic that only 2% of churchgoers are actively involved in any kind of evangelism. So is it any wonder why they're lukewarm, backslidden, dry, complaining, when you have been brought by Jesus to him and there's people in your life, you're the only Jesus they may ever see.

42:01
You're not responsible for the whole world. Get that burden off your shoulders, but you are responsible for your circle of influence and the people that God has placed around you and you can begin sharing. Begin talking and you'll get better at it and better and better. And remember, inviting someone to church is an evangelism. It's good, invite people to church, but they may not hear the gospel from me. In fact, if they do, they can't ask questions, they can't interrupt a service. You got to have a lot of coffees, have a lot of brunches, people over your house I needed that. When I was first being witness to, I had a thousand and one questions, stupid questions. What about the dinosaurs? I really that was one. That was my big hang up when I was 16 the dinosaurs, amen.

42:57
2nd Corinthians, 5, 17. You want to stay fresh? Tell some people about Jesus. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. And then this verse Now, all things are of God, who has reconciled us. All things have become new. And then this verse Now, all things are of God, who has reconciled us. What a beautiful verse, that previous verse, verse 17,.

43:26
One of my favorite verses, because it's only one Bible verse that encapsulates the entirety of the gospel message God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. That means, in a sense, we're all called to ministry, we're all already. If you're a Christian in ministry, what's the ministry? It's the ministry of reconciliation. What does that mean? It means that a person who doesn't know Jesus, they don't know it, but they're fundamentally at war with God. This is the sad truth. It's the truth.

44:02
Though, before I came to Jesus, my existence was diametrically opposed to everything that God stands for. I had original sin. People would look at me and go what a good boy. No, I wasn't Not according to God's standards. Look at me and go what a good boy. No, I wasn't Not according to God's standards. But Jesus died on the cross and the punishment that I deserved fell upon him and he was punished in my place. That's the greatest love story ever told. And now the wrath of God doesn't abide on me. But I need to realize that and accept that.

44:40
So Christian's job is, you know, let's just say here's the Christian, I'm the Christian, this is an unbeliever, and over, here is God. And I take them and I link their hands and I go hey, you unbeliever, come here. God's not mad at you anymore. For Jesus' sake, your sins have already been forgiven. You, through Jesus, have been reconciled to God, come, come back to God and I lead them in the things of God. That's the ministry of reconciliation, that's what we've all been called to and if you practice that endeavor, to practice that as the Lord leads you, it can happen every day. Watch that, the freshness level, and that's when Christianity becomes real.

45:22
If you're just a consumer and a taker, I don't know how you're not going to make it. I don't want to say that over you, but I'm concerned for you because you cannot be just taking and not pouring out, which leads into my fifth point. Really they're kind of related, but four points. It didn't sound good. So this is a five-point message, but there is a difference. Number four I'm talking about winning souls, sharing the gospel, evangelism. Point number five in how to live in freshness, not be an old religious, fuddy-duddy deadhead, a dusty cryptkeeper. Number five give, say, give what? Anything, yourself, your love, your mercy, your time, your money, something. But for the love of God, give, pour, pour into others. The Bible says pour, pour into others. The Bible says the liberal, the generous soul shall be made prosperous and he that waters shall be watered also himself.

46:32
Do you know why the Dead Sea is called the Dead Sea? If you're like me and you went to a Queens public school, you were told it's because of the high salt content. How many of you heard that it's so salty it's dead. But there are living fish in the dead sea, fish that have acclimated to the saltiness. So why is it called a dead sea? Because it has no outlet, and you know what it's. The dead sea is too big to be a swamp, but if it was smaller, you know what. The Dead Sea is too big to be a swamp, but if it was smaller, you know what's something. A river with no outlet becomes a swamp.

47:07
I don't want to be a swamp. In fact, I'm very much in favor of draining the swamp. Drain the swamp in Jesus' name and let the river of God flow. Amen, hallelujah, let's all say it together Drain. No, I'm kidding. Thank you, jesus. I'm determined to have fun up here, no matter what. First Kings 17, 8 through 6. 1 Kings 17, 8 through 6. And, by the way, when you're pouring out, the kind of giving that may be the most important when it comes to staying fresh is forgiving. You got to walk in forgiveness. The people that I respect that are always fresh my pastor, one of them in 2020, I was privileged.

48:06
I spent several days, all day, with him in his office. It was the end of 20, right before Christmas of 2020. And he was under tremendous fire. He's usually under tremendous fire from people criticizing Look, if you're doing something for God, people will hate you, people will criticize you. In fact, I feel a little sad right now that there's not enough people who hate me. I mean, I'm getting. There's just not. I need more people to hate me because that's how I know that I'm actually doing something of value for God. Is this thing on? Hey Jesus, they crucified him because he was doing something of value for God. So I'm in his office and I mentioned another pastor because I know the other pastor. I'm like, hey, what about him? What's going on with him? Is he all right? He goes? Oh yeah, he called me a buffoon just yesterday and I was like because when he said it, he just chuckled. In other words, he didn't let that hurtful phrase enter his spirit, he didn't let it hurt him. He walked in forgiveness.

49:09
You know there's people they'll latch on to anything you say and claim offense. You got to walk around like you're on eggshells. You can say I hope you have a nice day. And the response is what kind of day should I have other than a nice day? You know, everything is World War III for them.

49:19
And then there's people who have a soft and pliable heart and they're almost unoffendable. You know why? Because the Bible says don't take offense. So you know what? They don't take it. People go oh I got offended. No, you didn't get offended, it didn't hit you like an arrow out of the sky. You took.

49:40
I'm sorry for what you went through, I really am. I feel you've been hurt, you're in agony. Life's been cruel and now you're just mean and bitter and you've sharpened your elbows and you're always looking for who's going to stab you next. You need the balm of Gilead. Jesus, the balm of Gilead will come on your soul, on your heart. Heal the old hurts, heal the pains of yesterday, so you can actually release people, because if you're not walking in forgiveness, you're not hurting them, you're only hurting you. The only one who's in bondage is you yourself. Hallelujah, 1 Kings, 17, 8.

50:14
But make it a point to give every day. The more you give, the more he then pours into you to give. Then the word of the Lord came to him, the prophet Elijah saying Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. So he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the city, indeed, a widow was there gathering sticks, and he called to her and said please bring me a little water in a cup that I may drink. Now it's a time of drought, so water is scarce, and it's a time of famine, so food is scarce. God sends the prophet Elijah to this widow. Before this, the prophet was getting fed by ravens. Ravens were bringing him hamburgers, meat and bread.

51:10
The Bible says Supernatural Uber Eats. Every day his delivery service came, uber Eats, every day his delivery service came. The Lord could have kept that going. Why did he switch it now? It wasn't for the benefit of the prophet, it was for the benefit of the widow.

51:29
This widow was alone, time of drought, time of famine, and she has no future. How do we know she has no future? When he asked her to bring a morsel of bread. Look what she says as the Lord, your God, lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin and a little oil in a jar. And see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.

51:58
So God sends the prophet Elijah to her house to provoke her into breakthrough, to get her to just put some seed in the ground, to get her to be a giver, a poor outer I'm not just obsessed with myself and own problems-er, but I'm going to look out and I'm going to bless someone else and that'll activate the miracle power of God, verse 13,. And Elijah said to her Do not fear, go, do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first and bring it to me. See, god wants your first, by the way, he's being really pushy here. Time of drought, time of famine. He asks for water and he it to me. See, god wants your first, by the way, he's being really pushy here. Time of drought, time of famine, he asks for water and he asks for bread. Bring me a cake first, and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, god of Israel, this is the miracle. The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth. So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and her household ate for many days. You want to eat for many days.

53:14
Live in the freshness of God. Be a giver, be a giver, be a giver. So many different ways to give. Right now it's March. You know what's going to go on? A crazy sale Winter coats, gloves. Be the kind of wacky person who just says you know what? I'm going to go online. I'm going to buy 10 really warm gloves and I'm going to hand them out to people that are needy in the subways. You're not going to hand them out to people that are needy in the subways. You're not going to get something you never had before until you do something you've never done before. So get together with God and collaborate with him on some crazy ways that you can be a giver and then stand back and watch what the Lord does in your life. It's going to be glorious to behold.

53:54
Amen, let's receive communion. Worship team. Come on up. What was point number one in staying fresh? Remember grace. What about number two? Pray in the spirit. Speak in tongues. Pray in tongues. Number three Whisper, whisper, whisper to the Lord, hallelujah. Just thought, as I said, that I remember that old Jason Upton song Whisper in your will. Oh, it was Whistle in your will, but he has a lot of whispering type stuff in his music. Sorry, luke, I messed up. There can't all be dimes. Number four Be the church, don't just go to church. Be the church. And number five just give, just pour. Don't be a Dead Sea. You can pass out communion at any time. Go for it. Thank you all. Hallelujah. Hang on to the communion elements, please, and we'll all receive communion together. Thank you.

55:07
If you find your mind drifting as you wait for everybody to be served communion, I invite you to stare at the matzah. Yeah, because in the matzah is the gospel message. You know, this is this. This is why I insist on matzah is the gospel message. You know, this is why I insist on matzah. Somehow the Christian church is eating, like you know, loaves of bread or what is it? The little wafers? Yeah, no, jesus had unleavened bread. Listen now, jesus had unleavened bread, he had matzah. So you go to a nice local Jewish deli, get real matzah. And if you look at this matzah. So you go to a nice local Jewish deli, get real matzah. And if you look at this matzah, you'll see three things about it it's pierced, it's burnt and it's striped, because he was pierced for our transgressions. The fire of God's wrath was upon Jesus at the cross cross. He was burnt with the wrath of God, pierced on the cross and striped by the Roman soldiers.

56:16
I want to pray with everybody before we partake of communion. I want to ask you a question right now. If you were to die today, do you know for certain that you'd go to heaven? Do you know for certain? If you can't answer that with certainty, with assurance of salvation, you need to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You need to come to him and give your entire life to him. You say I don't know.

56:38
What will that look like? I can't really tell you. I mean, it worked great for me. I've seen it work great for others. What's it going to look like for you? I can tell you this it's going to be awesome, it's going to be glorious, and you don't have to see the whole thing from start to finish, but take his hand and begin walking with him. And I want to begin that journey with you by having you say this prayer with me. We're all going to say it together, hold the elements in your hand and just say this Lord Jesus, I believe you died on the cross in my place. You were burnt, you were pierced and you were striped. You suffered so I wouldn't have to. Because of you, my sins are gone. Because of you, I'm a friend of God. Because of you, I'm heaven. Bound In Jesus' name, amen.

57:29 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church Podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.