Pastor Gail – Welcome
1. It is the day of Love (Valentine’s Day) Amen. We’re so glad you’re here and we want to give the Lord a blessing and honor. We welcome those of you that are online with us. Hallelujah.
2. It may be cloudy outside, but we have sunshine in our hearts. Amen.
3. Almighty God. Hallelujah. Let’s pray right now for the sick. Whoever is sick, just call right now on the Lord to heal. Father, right now we pray, Lord, for Mary, Lord. We pray for Armand, Lord. Hallelujah. We pray in the name of Jesus. We believe we put our trust in you, God. We put our trust in you, God. Amen. We will put our trust. We’ll put our trust in God.
4. Hallelujah. There is a sense in the room, that the Lord wants to deepen our love for Him. There are moments when His presence is so amazing, I almost think if we can open our eyes a little bigger, we could just see him walking in our midst. He’s here. He is here.
5. He loves us. Oh, he loves us. So, Lord, we just want to say thank you. The world will throw a lot of things at us to hinder us. The enemy, the old devil, he’ll try to stop us. And sometimes even our own thoughts. But right now, we declare, you are here, and you’ve won and you always will. Amen. Always, always.
6. I want you to greet each other in a moment. But, Sarah, wave your hand. She always has a big smile on her face. And she has a teenager that’s been in a wheelchair, how long? Five years, six years, seven years. And she always smiles. The world would say why. But, Sarah, you know, even if he doesn’t walk here, he’s going to walk in heaven, right? Amen.
7. So, we keep praying, believing he’s going to walk here. But if we don’t, Sarah has a smile on her face because one day they’re going to dance together. Amen. So, turn to each other and say He is our Victor. Amen. Praise God, hallelujah.
8. You may be seated. Hallelujah. Praise God, praise God, praise God. We’re glad you’re here today. So, if nobody gave you chocolate yesterday or flowers, well, Jesus tells you today, He loves you. He loves you, amen, praise God. We’re so glad you’re here today, and we’re especially, I’m really blessed. Shushan is with us today, and Shushan is going to share a thought today on prayer.

Shushan – on prayer and adoration
9. And sadly, not probably the last Sunday, I need to go until the next year, no, until December. Many people put glasses to read, and I will take my glasses off to read, so that’s funny, right? So just to remind you a little bit, Pastor Brian, last Sunday mentioned that everything starts and ends with prayer, and that’s very true, and let’s remember that always.
10. And we have been looking for different aspects of prayer, and many people may think that prayer is just asking God for something, and in the best situation, thank God for the answers. But there is another aspect of prayer that Pastor Brian started last Sunday. It’s a prayer of adoration.
11. He gave us, as I can say, the definition of what adoration really is. And putting all together what he said, I can say that adoration is the prayer of acknowledgement of who God really is. Who God the Father, Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is all together.
12. Today I will talk about, or we will talk about the adoration as the posture of the heart. As the posture of the heart. Adoration is not just words. And I would rather say that not primarily words. It is posture, posture of the heart. If we go through the Revelation 4 & 5, which we will not go now, we will find in few places where the living creatures and the 24 elders, fall down in the presence of the Lord, overwhelmed by who he is, and his holiness. But it is not a mere physical act, which just falls down, not physical act.
13. It is a continuous, obedience, and a humble state of being. I would like to mention the word continuous, and I will mention one more time, because it’s not one-time event, or one-month event. We read in the Revelation that they did all the time, and that should reflect on us too continuously, a humble state of being. This posture of heart develops deeper spiritual intimacy and transforms our daily life, again into constant worship and wonder.
14. One day I looked in the dictionary, it simulates synonym, or explanation, or amazement, and admiration. We can say instead of all wonder, we can say admiration instead of the other word, so it is all together. So, this posture of the heart involves aligning our hearts with the Father’s, God’s, which means in one simple word which we are afraid so much, sadly, surrender, aligning our hearts with God, equals surrender, and surrender, equals trust.
15. And I want to go back again to Pastor Brian’s word last Sunday, because he mentions that the anxiety changes into trust when we adore God, and the stress, sorry, and the stress changes into awe. So, for those who were not here to just surrender, so to surrender is very important. And we’re often seeing, ‘I surrender all.’ Do we surrender all? Just a question, do I trust God?
16. And the next one, this posture focuses on inward condition. Which is love, faith, gratitude. So, putting all together, true adoration is expressed through, or involves four critical characteristics, humility, equals humble; wonder, which equals awe; surrender, equals trust; love, equals obedience. Because Jesus said, “if you love me, you will do the Father’s will.”
17. Love is accompanied with obedience. This posture of heart, changes the spiritual life from a duty, into a deep personal and relational experience, develops and deepens the personal relationship with the Father.
18. When we adore God, we are shaped into His likeness. We become one with Him. And so, a simple prayer, in one sentence, that I will be for myself and for you as my family, would be Lord Jesus, Father God, have mercy on us, have mercy on me and His mercies are new every morning.
19. And because of His mercy and grace, we can approach His throne with adoration. Short prayer, but pure adoration, why? Because when we say, ‘God, have mercy on me,’ we acknowledge who He is, who Jesus is. And then what He has done. But primarily who He is, and He is a great God, and an awesome Father, whose love endures forever, whose mercies endures forever.
20. So, I hope I passed on something, and it will remain with you the whole week, but every single day too. And this is one of the songs that I believe we will sing, that had been for many years and until now, one of my expressions of adoration. And it has changed my life, I promise you. God bless you.

Pastor Gail
21. Before we sing it, all of you may not know that Shushan is on the island of Santorini by herself, worshiping, months, many months, but every year, many months, every year, and praying a lot. So, she lives what she spoke of this day.
22. I want you to pray for her. Will you reach your hands out for her? This is her last Sunday. Father, we pray peace. We pray strength. We pray she will know your presence in every way she goes. We pray for health. And we pray, Lord, the island of Santorini, will come to know the glory of You because of the prayers that Shushan prays and pours into that island every day in the name of Jesus.
23. Oh, this is her 30th year with us in Greece, wow, in the church, 30th year in the church with us. She’s, our family. We love you. We love you. Some of you don’t know it. She’s Armenian. She’s not really Greek. She’s Armenian. Be sure, yeah, be sure you kiss her today.
24. I heard somebody say this week, if you only come for Jesus on Sunday, you’re just dating. You’re not married to him. But when he’s with you every day, you’re married to him. He’s your bridegroom.
25. You may not always like your bridegroom. I used to fight with my bridegroom (husband) sometimes. But I wanted it to work out. So, we talked and we got through it. Because He has word. His word kept us together. I stand in awe of you, Lord. I love you. Today, the Lord is here, Pastor Brian. He’s here in such a beautiful way.
26. And I know Pastor Brian has a word. But I feel like he’s inviting us. To leave the hurt now. Let go of the past. My father stayed out of church for years. Because he got hurt in church. By some people that loved, said they loved God, but they hurt him. But he had his eyes on them. He had his eyes on them.
27. But one day, he got his eyes on Jesus. And the awe of that love. The awe of that love. Hallelujah. It made him know. We can hurt each other. But his arms of love. Hallelujah. His arms of love, always reach out and grab us. Hallelujah. He says, ‘I’m here. I’ll take care of the hurt. I’m here. Don’t let the hurt stop you. Let me love you. Let me love you.’
28. I just met him. His name’s John. Hallelujah. I love Jesus. I love Jesus. I don’t know. I don’t know how much longer I have to live. But I know as long as I live. I know I’m loved. I know I’m loved. He loves me. He loves me. You may not always, but he does. Today, let him love you. Let him love you more than ever before. Just tell him. Brian, just go ahead and sing that verse.
29. Amen. We want to dismiss our children now. Amen. We’re going to go right into the word. We’ll take our offering of them later. We’re going to go right into the word.

Pastor Brian – Main Message
30. Cecilia, Leto, anybody who doesn’t have a Bible with them today, if you could find one in your row or if you don’t have one, I want you to raise your hand. I want to make sure that everybody has a Bible in their hand. I won’t even make you open it. I just want you to have it in your hand.
31. But if you do have your Bible, I would invite you to turn with me to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, page 951 in my Bible. It is on the screen, but I want everybody to have a Bible in your hand, please. Not a phone, not an iPad. I want you to have a Bible.
32. Remember these? They used to print these and bind them in leather and all that kind of stuff. So, if you don’t have one, raise your hand so that they can get you one. It doesn’t matter the version or nothing. Just make sure everybody has a Bible in their hand. Eva-Lena stole Pastor Gail’s because she didn’t bring her own. That’s called shaming. It’s okay. I didn’t bring mine either. I have one here all the time.
33. We’re talking about having a worldview that is not just, I don’t want to use the word Christian, it is Christ-centered. So, we’re going through the English alphabet, sorry Greeks, and Greek speakers. So, we’re going through the English alphabet, A, B, C, D, E, F, and today we’re finally on B.
34. And so, I was tasked to talk to you today about the Bible itself. The best-selling book of all time, all of history. And that’s not just because Christians have dominated literature, we haven’t. There are over 2 – 2.5 billion Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists in the world, actually 3 billion who outnumber us greatly. But this book has changed history like no other.
35. I think the reason for that is simple. It’s the word, it’s the letter, it is the writing, it is the thoughts of God. As I prepared this, sorry, I was personally convicted in the fact that maybe somehow, I’ve stopped treasuring this as I should. I don’t like it.
36. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training righteousness.” You and I, in all cases, I need to be taught. Sometimes I need to be rebuked. I certainly need to be corrected. And the Lord knows I need to be trained. But not in just anything, but in righteousness. And what it means to live right. And not just action, what it means to be right.
37. So that if I am a servant of God and I trust that I am, if I can ever say anything about my life that would be the one thing, ‘let me be a servant of God.’ Put whatever else title you want on that, it doesn’t matter? Servant of God. Pastor, teacher, trainer, janitor, bus driver, I don’t care whatever else title goes there, ‘servant of God.’ And that in that I can be equipped, I can be made ready, I can be given the tools to do every good work.
38. That could end right there. That is the prayer. God, teach me. Rebuke me, correct me, train me so that I can do every good work. And where does that come from? Put it in your hand. It comes from there (the Bible).
39. So, I’m going to go through this pretty quickly this morning. But we’re talking in this year, this series about seeing the world through the lens of the Bible. Because that is the only lens that makes it true.
40. You can turn on your TV stations. You can buy your books. You can listen to your podcasts. You can have conversations with your friends and family. None of that equals truth. Only God’s Word equals truth. Did I say that loud enough? This book, not the physical book, the voice of God, the Holy Spirit that comes through this, it has to shape how we see God. Start there. There is a God. You are not him. Your neighbor is not him. Only He is him.
41. I watch a lot of basketball. And when basketball players play really well, they like to point at themselves and say, I am him. No, you are not him. Look at your neighbor and say, you’re not him. This shapes how we see who he is. What it says He is, He is. What it says He is not, He is not.
42. Get it in there. God is not ‘hate.’ He is ‘love.’ I love that song which sometimes I am who he says I am. But it’s more important. He is who He says He is. That means don’t think anything about God that is not written in this book. Because the world is trying to tell you a lot about who God is and it’s not the God of the book. Stop listening.
43. So, it tells you about who he is. Then it tells us about who we are, humanity. Come here, Angelo. Angelo is better looking than I am, I know. But I am taller. That counts for something. This guy, not just a Filipino friend of mine who happens to live in Greece. This is the image and likeness of God. He is my friend so I am friendly to him. We hug, we laugh, but it’s not as important that he is my friend, as it is that every time I see him, I see the image and likeness of God.
44. Now there are other people that I don’t like as much as I like Angelo. Come here Billy. I am kidding. Every person I ever encounter at any stoplight that ever bothers me, that person is the image and likeness of God. That person who gets on the metro beside me and I can’t stand there, they may not smell like God, but they look like him because he made them.
45. And if there is anybody you ever look at, and hold in less regard. People we live in racist societies, if you see anybody who in your eyes does not look like God, get on your knees and pray, until you see the image of God, because that’s who the book says they are.
46. So, it shapes how we see God. It shapes how we see each other in the world. It should shape our morality. I’m stepping on my own feet. I should behave the way I behave. Because it’s how the book tells me to behave. Whatever I allow that is outside of those boundaries, is not God.
47. And I know I’m not perfect. Victor, I can’t be as perfect as you. I’m sorry. But at every moment, at every moment that I cross the line and I know it, I only have one place to go. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I acted stupid. I’m sorry I said what I said. I’m sorry I did what I did. Because I know it’s not in the book. And so, I know what breaks your heart.
48. God, why do I keep breaking your heart? Why is it in me to keep breaking your heart? Like the Apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am,” forgive me. And I’ll move on. But please forgive me. And let me know that forgiveness is in me.
49. Because I confess to you sometimes, I just pray and move on, relying on the grace of God. And thank God that his mercies are new every morning. Thank God that his love is everlasting. I rely on that, I admit it, but today I’m telling you, we need to stop at some times and say, God, let me know. I don’t just need it here.
50. Last Wednesday, Pastor Gail talked about the fact that there’s two organs in your body that share the same type of cells. You know what they are? Your brain and your heart. Your heart actually has brain cells. God made you that way. Because you’re not just supposed to think it. You’re supposed to feel it.
51. If I meet people who say they’ve come to the Lord, but they’ve never cried a tear of repentance, it’s not for me to judge them, but I will challenge them. Because when I know, that I have violated the heart of God, it hurts. It doesn’t just make me go, oh, I was bad. It goes, oh. I was bad. I was wrong. Forgive me.
52. So, it shapes how we see God. Pastor Gail must skip through all my notes here and go right to the end, so get ready. Shapes how we see God. It shapes how we see each other. It shapes how we view morality. And it shapes how we see our destiny. It’s very popular to talk in church about the fact that you have a purpose. God has given you a purpose. That’s a good message because we need to know it. God has purposed you.
53. Before you were born, he gave you a name. I don’t know if Brian was the name in God’s mind. It was the name in my mom’s mind because she liked the actor, Keith. So, she intended to name me Brian Keith. But two months before I was born, her best friend had a child and named him Brian Keith. So, I became Brian Lee because my mom’s second favorite actor was Lee Majors.
54. Therefore, I am the six-million-dollar man. I don’t know what God’s name for me was, is. But I know he spoke it. And I am who he says I am. You are who God says you are. And any label that anybody else will ever put on you does not matter.
55. I am who he says I am. And I will be. Oh God help me empower me. I will be who He says I will be. And when I get to the gates of heaven, God help me. ‘Well done, my good and my faithful servant.’ Because I did what he said. And I am who he says.
56. So, this word put it in your hand again. It shapes what you think about God. It shapes what you believe about other people. It shapes how you act and live in your life. And it shapes what you understand about your destiny.
57. I could point to every one of you. I think I know pretty much everybody here. I can’t tell the absolute condition of your heart. But I think I could point to everybody in this room today, and say ‘my destiny is eternity with you. I’m going to be with you and you and you and you and you. I’m going to be with you forever. And I’m going to be with you forever in the presence of my Savior.’
58. My destiny is perfect. I might worry about how to pay my bills next month, but my destiny is perfect. My lungs struggle. My legs hurt. Angelo, I became an old man somewhere along the way. My life has its ups and its downs. My relationships have their ups and their downs. But my destiny is perfect. And I know that because He told me. And what He says? A biblical, no, a Christ centered worldview. It provides your whole framework for understanding life.
59. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the beginning and the end. All things were created by me. All things were created for me. And all things will return to me. Thus, sayeth the Lord. And if you allow yourself to live outside of that framework, I beg you, join me today, and say, ‘Lord, teach me, rebuke me, correct me, train me so that I can do e very good work.’
60. That’s the Bible. Not just a book of words, it’s the book of life. Put it (the Bible) in your hand again. ‘Lord, we hold this today, simply as a symbol.’ We spoke earlier of surrendering all. We sang about our confidence being in You and You alone. We have prayed prayers, with spoken words, but Lord, thy Word, Your Word is not a lamp, it is the lamp for my feet and it is the light for my path. You are who You say You are. I am who You say I am. We are who You say we are, and we strive to do what You ask, to live as You desire, and one day Lord, to join You forever. In Jesus’ name.

Pastor Gail
61. I want to go back to your Bible very quickly. Go to the last page, the very last part of the book. This is the last part of Revelation 22:20. These words are written in red in my Bible, because they are the words of Jesus. “He who testifies to these things says,” and English speakers read out loud with me, “Yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Yes, I am coming soon.” It’s in the book. The grace of the Lord Jesus, be with God’s people. Amen.
62. We’re going to take an offering in a moment, but before we do, we’re going to sing this. I want to invite you, for 30 seconds, to kneel before the Lord. When I grew up in church, we always kneeled in church. In Brazil, did you kneel in church? It was part of church. You went to church and you knelt. At altar time, at the altar, we just kneeled.
63. I’m going to ask you, and if you don’t want to, it’s okay. But to tell the Lord, ‘Lord, let me live by Your Word. Lord, let me live by Your Word. Lord, any way I failed You. Create me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within. I want to surrender today. You are God in heaven. Here is Your Word to us today. Let Your Word live in my life. Let Your Word forgive me. Lord, I’m still just a human, and I fail a lot. But thank you, even now, right this minute, I say forgive me, and it’s already done. It’s already done. Your love covers every sin, and lifts us up.
64. You know what’s amazing about that, too? If today is your day, to go to heaven, because you love Him. You’re ready. You just walk right out of here, through a door, where there’s no tears. I can dance forever. When you know His love, amen.
65. I want to challenge all of us this week. I want to challenge our mission team that’s going to be here, and Victor, and Benjamin, and Emmanuel, and Nicholas, and Felicia, if she’s here. And Laura, you’re pretty young, too. I don’t think you are teenagers, still. Are you teenagers? They need this. They need to know when no one else loves them. Yes, they need to know. His love never fails, never gives up. His love is always there.
66. Father, we declare a revival and awakening of love of God in grace. We pray and believe for the love of God to cover this land in the name of Jesus. Let it begin with us. Let us go out and show that love, amen, amen. Praise God.
67. Next Sunday, I just got to tell you this real quick. We’re staying in heaven, church lunch, amen. So, sign up and bring something because you love us, amen, amen. Let’s finish with, you’re dismissed. You can go up where you like, but we’re going to see our confidence is in the Lord.
68. Amen, amen, amen.