James Greer: 00:00 Good morning Journey Church. You talk about fun, now that’s what I call a holy shift. Hey, let’s welcome the Alexandria campus, Amen. Man, we’re so glad to have you. You know, me and Darrell, we have this thing with shoes, you know. I can tell you, Darrell may have something like this, but he doesn’t have the logo like the Cadillac on the side. We got him brother. I’m so excited, and Alexandria, y’all been rocking the house. Dr Hunter, we’re glad to see that gorgeous daughter of yours with you. Y’all have a great day in Alexandria, Amen.

James Greer: 00:31 Hey man, I’ll tell you it was so fun, we went to Atlanta. Me and Josh, and we got to sit in on the teaching of Dr Sam Chan, which is one of the greatest Christian leaders probably in America today. But I want to read Ecclesiastes 5:18. That’s not what I went there for, but that’s what happened. Ecclesiastes 5:18, “What is the best thing for you to do in your short life?” How long a life? Short life, life is short that God has given you. You know, I think we should enjoy eating, and drinking, and working hard. God wants us to enjoy life, Amen. This is what God’s intent for us to do. Suppose you’re very rich and able to enjoy everything on your own. Go ahead enjoy working hard, this is God’s gift to you. I mean, I think man, then it goes on to say, Hey, “God will keep you so happy.” Wouldn’t you like to just be so happy, so happy that you don’t have time to worry about the next day? I mean so many times we worry more about the next day, then we do enjoying the day that we had.

James Greer: 01:39 I’m telling you, life can go by fast. It can be powerful, but also I want you to know something, God is powerful and he can change your life fast. I mean, things can change for good or bad fast. You can come in here today, you could have been discouraged, you can go out here unbelievably encouraged. You can come in with fear, you can leave with faith. I mean you can come in with a messed up marriage, and leave today with a better marriage. I’m going to say, I almost didn’t ride in the Porsche, I wanted to drive. I went down and said, can I drive it? They said, well, you know, you have two hours of training, this, that and other. We didn’t have time to do that. So I went back to the meeting and I told Josh, I said, man, I sure did want to ride that. He said well go back down, and just talk to them. And so we went back down and said, you know, I really wanted to drive. But he said, man, you got to ride. He said, if you ride, it’ll be one of those exciting drives you’ve ever been on in your life. I never knew it could be so exciting allowing somebody else, especially a professional, to do the driving. In fact, I would have never had so much fun, would’ve never been so excited, would’ve never been able to go that fast. Because really when it goes to 110 miles an hour, right before we get to the curve, he breaks and turns. I probably would’ve hit the curb. Now, it was fun, but I want to go back and drive.

James Greer: 03:04 I want tell you, following Jesus Christ can be fun. I mean, I never knew it could be so exciting to follow Jesus Christ, and allow him to lead and drive my life. The problem in my life is so many times I want to drive, but see what it really gets fun, when it really gets exciting, is when Jesus Christ is driving. You see the first time around the course, I’m going to tell you, you don’t think you’ll be a little afraid, but you will. I got into the car and I told this guy, he’s a professional, I said I got my phone out. He said, what are you going to do with that? I said, I’m going to Facebook live. He says, two things. Number one, we don’t allow it. Number two, you wouldn’t be able to do it. And he goes, (tire screeching sounds) I dropped my phone. I said, well, yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s fun. But at first, at first, it was actually a little fearful. They get up to 110 miles an hour in a really short period of time, then they hit the brakes, and go around the curve. But the second time I had a little more confidence, now, I was still holding on. Let me tell you what I didn’t do, I didn’t reach over and grab the steering wheel not one time, not one. Now I did grab something else, but it wasn’t the steering wheel, and God said, man you’re so…I won’t tell you what he told me. I said, you go through life, and you’re always wanting to grab the daggum steering wheel and drive your life. Now here you are in a car, somebody you don’t even know, and you’re trusting them to drive you at 110 miles an hour around the little circle that you’ve never even been in.

James Greer: 04:36 See, that’s the way life is. You know, the first time that life throws you a curve, you know it gets you upset, you get a little fearful. But if you allow Jesus to be with you, and put your confidence in him, every time you should get a little better. I don’t care how bad things are for you right now. if you would put your faith and confidence in Jesus Christ, your life could change, and it could change this morning. I don’t know what you came here with, every one of us came with something different. What my message to you is your life can change, and it can change fast, amen. As a matter of fact, life is just a series of ups and downs. I mean, you’re up one day, and down the next day. You got great new, you got bad news. I mean you’re going in circles. I mean, but who your faith and confidence is in, greatly determines not only how you go through life, but how you enjoy life. In fact, I’d like to say something, how much joy that we have in live will greatly be determined by who’s faith and trust our life is in.

James Greer: 05:33 See, I believe that your life could change today. I believe it can change radically if you just put your situation, if you’d put your problem, if you’d put your decision, your job, your relationship, your finance in the powerful, professional, impossible working name of Jesus Christ. Amen? I mean I went there to learn, but man, I left enjoying. I went there to learn about Jesus, I got to ride and think about Jesus. I mean, it was just great. You know, I had somebody that saw it, and they text me and said, are you crazy? You have been sick. I said, but I am not dead, amen. I want to go out having fun, amen. I mean, I think life all should be enjoyed, it should be exciting, I think life should be an adventure. I think I may take this Ecclesiastes and count it as my verse. I mean, I want to be happy.

James Greer: 06:22 By the way, I’ve learned there’s no more exciting journey and adventure in life than the one Jesus Christ brings us all. I don’t believe there’s one even more exciting than the one I’m on right now. In fact, it would be crazy, this thing it was called a Porsche 911 GT, to get in that thing and trust him, driving me around the course at high speeds, and not put my life and trust in the powerful, loving name of Jesus Christ.

James Greer: 06:55 I want to read a verse to you about when Jesus had already ascended to heaven, and he came back. And he’s telling the disciples about this life that he has for them. It’s the same life, the same purpose he has for me and you. It’s known as the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18. But it took on a new meaning, it started out and said, “Jesus came, and he spoke unto them.” He came and he spoke to Journey Church. You know when you’re reading God’s word, God’s speaking to you. Amen. And he said, he came and spoke unto them. And he said, “All power is given me in heaven and earth.” I’m going to tell you, that’s some kind of power, Amen. What kind of power? All power. I mean that Porsche had power, but it’s nothing compared to the power of Jesus Christ. He said, “I want you to go therefore teaching all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them all things according to how I’ve commanded you.” See, that’s really what we’re there for, we were in Atlanta learning how to live out the Christian life. We were in Atlanta learning how to come back and give teachings, and principles, to Journey Church. I did not go to Atlanta planning on riding in a Porsche. I went to Atlanta, learning to enjoy the journey I have with Jesus. Can I tell you something? Life is a journey, you might as well learn to enjoy the journey. Do you all know how we got our church’s name? We said, hey, church’s name, Life is a Journey. Why don’t we call it Journey Church, and why don’t we journey through life together? Amen.
James Greer: 08:21 But he sums up The Great Commission, then he says this. He said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Jesus speaking. He said, I got all power, I’m the all-powerful one. I got all the power in heaven, all power on earth. I’m going to transfer that power, because I’m going to be with you. He said, in other words, when I’m on a journey with Jesus Christ, the one that he called me to. I’m not only going to enjoy it, I’m with the all-powerful one. And when I’m with the all-powerful one, and he’s always with me, he’s going to be with me till the end of my life. He’s going to be with me until the end of the world. He’s going to be with me when I go to work tomorrow. He’s going to be with me when I go home today. Do you understand, when you’re gone on a journey with Jesus Christ, you’re with the all-powerful one, and he’s with you everywhere you go, Amen. He is a great God. He’s powerful. How’d you get that out Porsche? I don’t know, but it was great.

James Greer: 09:22 That brings us to the going from the Holy shift, to the Holy Land. You know, what can we learn from that? I learned a lot of things. Number one, we’re learning the difference we can make, where we are. Number two, we’re going to learn the difference we can make in a short time, and number three, we’re going to learn that God just uses ordinary people, and does extraordinary things. Because see today, if you came, and your life is an unbelievable mess. Guess what? It can change that fast. You realize you can change into a different person, do your realize sometimes it takes a long time to get discouraged, but do you know in twenty-three minutes you can be encouraged? Do you know that you can realize that God’s got all the power, and the all-powerful one is with you. And he’s going to go wherever you go, whatever you’ve got to face, whatever you’ve got to do, he is with you. Man, I had to face a lot of things these last few weeks, and every morning I got up and said, Hey man, Jesus be with me. Man, it changes your whole outlook, it changes your whole purpose, it changes your whole thinking.

James Greer: 10:15 So let’s look at number one. Number one, I was amazed when I went to Israel, the difference Jesus made in such a small geographical area. Jesus made a difference, you all ready? Where he was, not where he wanted to be. This is so important, that Jesus made difference where he was, not where he wanted to be. You say, well brother James, how do you get that? Well I can tell you, Jesus wanted to be back in heaven. Jesus came from heaven, he’s wanting to go back to heaven. But he said, I’m going to come to Earth, and while I’m on earth I’m going to do what I’m doing. I’m going to change the world, I’m going to do what my father called me. While I’m where I am, not where I want to be. So what I want you to do, are you willing to help change the world where you’re at, not where you want to be. Do y’all know how small it is? Look at this in the picture. I mean you see that picture United States, that little bitty circle, that’s how small Israel really is. If you look at the next picture, you can see there’s a little yellow circle that surrounds Israel? And the reason they have to put the yellow circle there, is because Israel is so small, you couldn’t find it. The other thing I want you to know, it’s surrounded by the enemies all the way around. And yet they continued to have victory, victory, victory, victory, and I don’t care who you are, and I don’t care where you at. See, when Jesus Christ is around you, he protects you. Amen. God I like this job man. Then I’ll just show you the last picture. It was just, it was a beautiful place. But the scenery wouldn’t so much beautiful, it was the history behind it.

James Greer: 11:42 I’m just amazed, ready? Of how many people are not making a difference, in the small geographical area that God’s given them. I mean, in what area does God have you? What influence are you making? Because the insight is this, if you’re not happy, and you’re not influencing people where you’re at, you’re probably not going to be happy when he sends you somewhere else. I was amazed that Jesus didn’t travel in large geographical area, yet he influenced the entire world, and still is. What small geographical area has God given you, to influence, to help further the Kingdom of God? Is it school? Is it your work? Do you understand? When you understand why we come to church, but we leave trying to be the church, it changes your whole focus. See, when you, when you go to work Monday, you start saying, man, this is my geographical area. It might be small, but some of you might be working with one, some might be working with hundreds. But God doesn’t have you there by accident, you’re there on purpose, with a purpose. To influence that area. Sometimes it’s church, sports, home. Sometimes it’s your children, your mate. Sometimes children, it’s the parents. What I don’t want you to miss, is allowing God to use you, right where you’re at, not where you want to be. Matter of fact, y’all ready? Say, Amen. Y’all ready? Pray this, say Jesus, use me where I am to help further your kingdom, Amen. Because when y’all leave today, I don’t want you to just come to church. I want you to be the church. Amen.

James Greer: 13:31 All right, so number one, I’ll tell you, it’s a small geographical area. Next thing that really amazed me, it was the short amount of time that Jesus spent. I mean Jesus was baptized at about 30 years old, when he began his earthly ministry. And Man, I want you to know something wonderful. When we went to Israel, we got to be baptized in the Jordan. You talking about? Cool. Look at this, let me show you something, is that cool? Can you imagine being right there where Jesus was baptized? And you know what it says, listen, in Luke 3:23 says, “And all the people were being baptized.” I would love it if you’re here, you’re the people. If you have never been baptized since you’ve been saved, let’s get baptized, Amen. And it came to pass, Jesus also was baptized, and while he prayed and Heaven opened up, the Holy Spirit descended into body like a dove upon him, and a voice came. And you’re not going to believe this, now it wasn’t a white dove, and it didn’t come right out of heaven, but when we got baptized, when we came up, do you realize there was actually a dove came and landed by us. I mean, you’re talking about the Bible in 3D, it was happening. And then Jesus said, this is my beloved son, in whom I’m well pleased.

James Greer: 14:55 And Jesus, himself, began his ministry at about thirty years old. Can I tell you something? If Jesus being baptized, pleased the father, and it did. I believe you been baptized would please the father. See, if you’ve never been baptized since you were saved, today’s the day. At the end of the service, man, you just come and say, man, I want to get baptized. I mean, we got up there, and we got certificates man. They said, hey, are you getting baptized for this, or you rededicating? And I said, man, I’m rededicating. I’m saved, but I want to get baptized again, and I got a baptismal certificate out of the Jordan. Wouldn’t you like to get baptized in the Jordan? Amen?

James Greer: 15:39 Well, by the way, if anyone wants to go next September, there’ll probably may be a trip and it’s about $2,500 plus the airfare. And there’s some packets in the back at the next step, if you want to look at it. It was a great time.

James Greer: 15:52 But anyway, what I wanted you to learn, is that Jesus began his earthly ministry at thirty, but that’s not when he began to learn and teach in his ministry. In Luke chapter two, verse forty-one it says this, it says, “And his parents, they went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover, and when he was…” How old? Twelve years old. How old was Jesus? Twelve years old. God can use you when you’re twelve, or one hundred and twelve, right? “And he went to Jerusalem, according to the custom.” He was baptized at thirty, but God was using him at twelve. Verse 43. “And when they had finished the days, as they returned, the boy, Jesus lingered behind.” Hmm? Don’t those kids do that in Jerusalem? And Joseph and his mother, they didn’t even know it. They didn’t know where he was, but supposing him to be in the company. They went a day’s journey, and sought him among the relatives and acquaintances. They went all day and they looked for him, so when they couldn’t find him, they returned to where? Jerusalem. And did what? Seeking him. Listen when you can’t find Jesus, one of the things do is return to where you had him, and start seeking him again, right? Now, so it was after how many days? Three days. I mean a lot can happen in three days, Amen. I mean the death, the burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ happened in three days. And they went there for three days, and they found him there. Where? In the temple, sitting there and he was in the midst of the teachers, both listening and he was learning too, and he was asking questions. By the way, that’s how you learn. You listen, you learn, and you ask questions. What did Jesus parents do? They begin to seek him in 45, and I’m going to tell you, when you can’t find Jesus, the thing for you to do is seek him. Jeremiah 29:11, says, “When you search for me with all your heart, you shall find me.” The truth is Jesus isn’t from us, we’re not playing some kind of game. You’re going to find that Jesus said, where was I? You’ll find a little while he said, I was about my father’s business. See, Jesus is not hiding from me and you, he’s going about his father’s business. And if you can’t find him, you go where he’s working, and you’ll find him. Because whether you’re with him or not, Jesus is going to be about the father’s business.

James Greer: 18:08 That’s one of the things I love about Journey Church. You can come to Journey Church, because Jesus is about his business every single Sunday. We’re preaching the word, lives are being changed, that’s what his business is all about. He wants you to be part of his business. That’s what Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit when it comes upon you. You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and the outer most parts of the world.” When you’re about his business, not only do you find him, you experience a new power from him. Well, Jesus is always about it. Verse 47 says this, “And all who heard him, they were astonished at his understanding and answers.” I don’t know how old you are, doesn’t matter if you’re eighteen, eight, thirty, sixty, ninety, don’t ever stop learning, and don’t ever stop being used by God. Verse 48 said, “When they saw him, they were amazed, and his mother said to him, son, why have you done this to us?” I love that because in a minute, his mother says, Jesus, why’d you do that. In a minute, Jesus says, why are you looking for me? I mean she was amazed at what was going on, and so when they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said to him, son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I, we’ve sought you anxiously. And it goes on, it says, and he said to them, why? She was saying, why’d you do this? He said, why’d you look for me, why are you seeking me? Why didn’t know that I would be about what? My father’s business. What was Jesus about? His father’s business. What’s the great commission about? His father’s business. What’s Acts 8:1 about? His father’s business? What’s our purpose in life? Going about his father’s business? But you know, she didn’t understand the statements which he had spoken to them. A lot of times we just don’t understand what the fathers business is. Jesus is about the father’s business, and he wants us to be about the father’s business.

James Greer: 20:06 Jesus listened, he learned, and he followed, before he led. This is an important premise, he learned, and he followed, before he led. The seeds that you sow while following, will be the harvest you reap while you’re leading. If you can’t get under your authority, don’t be surprised if you never get to be above one. Let me give you a few insights. Jesus was being used at how old? Twelve. When was he baptized? Thirty. When did he die? Three years later, and he died for our sins. So let me ask you something. Are you allowing Jesus’ death, to cover your past sins, where you’re no longer feel discouraged and in defeated? Instead you’re a Romans 4:6 person, happy are those who sins are forgiven, and those wrongs are pardoned. God said you should be happy when your sins are forgiven. Jesus rose on the third day, he’s sitting at the father’s right hand, to help me and you. Jesus’s short time, three years of ministry, changed the world. Are you allowing God to use you to help change the world? I believe the last three years of Journey Church have been some of the greatest years, but I don’t believe that’s the end, I think the next three years are going to be better than the previous three years, Amen. That’s the way I want you to look at your life. I don’t care how the last three years have been, I want the next three years, to be the best of your life. I want the last half of my life, to be the best of my life. I want the last quarter of my life, to be the best of my life, Amen.

James Greer: 21:44 Man, get excited about what God…I want you to come to church, and I want you to leave this way. Isaiah 6:8 says, “I heard the voice of the Lord.” I want you to hear God’s voice. “Who shall I send, and who will go for us? And he answered, he said, here I am, send me.” See, that’s what I want. I want that, I want that for me, I want that for you. I want you to be in the most exciting, powerful journey of your life.

James Greer: 22:19 Then third and last, I want to know that God’s just uses ordinary people. See they were ordinary, but God used them in this unbelievable, extraordinary way. And I don’t care how ordinary you are, God wants to use you in extraordinary ways.

James Greer: 22:32 So as we get ready to close. First of all, I was amazed in the small geographical area that Jesus ministered in, and Jesus said, use me where I’m at, not where I want to be. And that’s what I want you to do. This morning I want him to use you in your home, on your job, wherever you’re at. Where you’re at, not just where you want to be. In fact, if God wants to move you, he can open the doors and move you. You’re right where God wants you right now. Make the best of the marriage you’re in, make the best of the job you’re in, and by all means, enjoy the church that you’re in. Second, I was amazed at the short amount of time. Three, three and a half years, and Jesus changed the world, and he’s still changing the world. So you may have come this morning, and your life was in a mess, your family’s in a mess, your relationship’s, your finance’s are in a mess, I want you to know it can begin to change today. You don’t have to wait to leave here. Why don’t you ask God today? God, why don’t you began to change my life, you’re the all-powerful one. You’re the one who said you’d be with me, that you would never leave me. This is the problem, you ready? Most of us keep trying to drive a car, most of us keep trying to drive our life. Most of us keep trying to be in control of our life. The more we try to be in control, and I know because I’m a control freak, the more life gets out of control.

James Greer: 24:05 So some of y’all, as I give you an invitation in just a minute. Your invitation is this, God, I just want you to control my life, I want you to be the driver. I want to learn to sit back, and follow, and ride, and have the most exciting life journey I’ve ever had in my life. The journey with Jesus is not only powerful, it’s probably the safest place that you can ever go in your entire life. So listen, some of you need to come and make Jesus the lord of your life. Some of you made Jesus the Lord of your life as a savior, but not controller. In just a minute when I give the invitation, you want to come and say, Hey God, I want you to control my life, I want you control my marriage, I want you to control my finances. Today Jesus, I want you to guide me. I want you to direct me. Many times the more control we try to do, the more out of control things become.

James Greer: 25:06 So if you would stand and let me pray with you, and just pray for you. It’s going to be a real quiet time at first. I don’t want you to be worrying about anybody, and everybody, but you. God, we just thank you for today. Man, I thank you that life can be powerful, that it can be exciting. God, I thank you that things can change in a moment for good or bad. But God today I pray that everyone here, God if they’re in a mess, that they would go from discouragement, to be an encouraged. See, faith comes by hearing, and they just hear, they know what God can do in their life. Maybe you’ve never followed through in being biblically, and publicly baptized. My goodness, today is the day. Maybe God called you to join this church, and you’ve been putting it off. Every one of us. every one of us, tries to control too much. And so when we’re trying to control it, we can’t, and it brings stress, and anxiety, and pressure. And today God, for a little while anyway, for today, for this moment, we’re going to let you guide, we’re going to let you control. We’re going to just kind of put it on the altar, God. And we’re just going to enjoy being in your presence, and your power. It’s in Christs’ name I pray. Amen.

Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.