The Call to Return.

In this powerful first episode of the Base Camp 7 series, Pastor Anthony takes us back to the moment where every journey with God truly begins — the call to return. Drawing from Exodus 3:10, we follow Moses into the wilderness, the place he never expected to be, and discover how God uses seasons of hiding, hurt, and hesitation to prepare us for the purpose ahead. Before Moses ever stood before Pharaoh, God first said, “Come now…” — an invitation that still echoes to every believer today.

Through personal testimony, biblical insight, and the Base Camp 7 metaphor, this episode reminds us that the church is our spiritual base camp — the place where God restores us, equips us, and reignites the calling we thought was out of reach. Whether you’re hungry for God, drifting in your faith, wounded by life, or simply wondering if God can still use you, this message is your burning bush moment. It’s time to return, realign, and step back into the mission God designed for your life.

Join Pastor Anthony as he unpacks how God calls us before He sends us, how the wilderness becomes preparation instead of punishment, and how the invitation to “come now” leads to a renewed sense of purpose, identity, and fire. This episode sets the foundation for the entire Base Camp 7 journey — a journey of awakening, restoration, and rediscovery of the mission God placed in you from the beginning.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Beast Camp 7 series finally here. Ha ha. I have been super pumped waiting to get this one going. I mean, it's we've had a lot of things happening and since you know this we started working towards getting this launched. And you know, and I've been talking about it for you know for several weeks, so hopefully you all ready to go. The title of this first one is The Call to Return. In Exodus 3.10, it says, Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. A divine invitation to begin a journey. And so with that, welcome back to On the Road with Pastor Anthony, and I am your host, Pastor Anthony, and I am super glad that you're here. And as always, before we really dive in, you know, thank you for being here first. But I would like to ask you to subscribe to whatever podcast platform you listen to, or whether you're watching me on YouTube or Rumble. That way you never miss an episode, especially when you hit the little bell and the little like, thumbs up, whatever, you know, notifications. And if you enjoy what you hear, give it a thumbs up, you know, a five-star review, whatever, and share the podcast with your friends. And by joining us each week, you will discover practical ways to live out your faith and to connect with others as we share Jesus in life, one mile a time. Again, I am super excited. Basecamp 7. This is more than just a podcast series, it is an invitation into a journey with God. You know, before Moses ever stood before Pharaoh, before he ever lifted the staff, before he ever led anyone out of bondage, God first called him to return. And that is the entire heartbeat, you know, of this entire series. We are beginning where Moses began, not with action, not with confidence, not with strength, but a divine invitation. You know, God calls us uh before he sends us. And Exodus 3 10, I believe, captures this beautifully. Come now, therefore, and I will send you. The call begins with come long before the sending happens. This series is designed to be inviting, encouraging, challenging, and yes, even fun. It is for the believer who's hungry, the believer who is hurting, the believer who is drifting, the believer who has been wounded by a church. Also for the one who well who hasn't stepped inside of a church for years, and the one who has quietly walked away, and the one who feels like that they've maybe gone too far and can't return to God. Base camp seven is a place where God says, Let's begin again. It's where we regroup and realign our hearts before we head into the highways and byways and compel and compel people to return to the house of God. You know, we're living in a moment where people are, you know, they're disconnected, families are scattered, faith feels optional, and church attendance, well, it's definitely inconsistent. And many have drifted, not because they've stopped believing, but because life, pain, disappointment, or distraction pulled them away. But God is calling his people back, not just to a building, but to a purpose. And there's the practical truth: we cannot compel others to return if we haven't returned ourselves. We cannot call others to a mountain if we haven't stood there. We cannot leave people out of Egypt if we're still hiding in Midian. Base camp seven is where we get our fire back. In episode one established establishes the foundation. Yeah, for everything that follows. God calls us before he sends us. The journey begins not with our strength, but with his invitation. Moses' story becomes our story. God meets us in the wilderness and calls us by name, confronts our excuses, awakens what we thought was dead, and invites us to return to the purpose we walked away from. This is uh an expository truth with a practical application. Moses, well, he was hiding, and many believers today, I believe, are also hiding. Moses was wounded, and many believers today are wounded, and there's nothing like church hurt, and trust me, I've been there, and so I'll tell you, you know, church hurt can you know it can really mess with you. But Moses also felt unqualified, and many believers today, I believe, feel like they too are unqualified. You know, Moses had past, and and many believers today have a past. But God you know still said, Come, come on now, it's time to go. This is an invitation. God's like, I'll send you. And that is the purpose. And so my prayer is that God uses this series to awaken his people and call them home from you know, a wanderer, you know, reignite the weary, restore the broken, and send us out with fresh fire to reach those who have drifted away and those who have not yet heard the gospel or don't fully understand it. So may Base Camp 7 be the place where the journey begins again. And as God moves through this series, it is a perfect time to remember how powerful it can be to share these messages with others who never know who might need that invitation to return. I mean, think about these. This is a perfect way to really start a movement, you know, uh sharing this with others and uh liking it, sharing it, helping that algorithm to turn the wheels and get it going. You know, in the movie Facing the Giants, there was a guy that was talking about, you know, we plant the fields and then we pray for rain. And that's exactly what we're doing here. We're challenging ourselves to get back in the game and get and get the going and get you know doing the things that God has called us to do. But it's also even bigger than that, because once we get back doing what we're supposed to, then we can also lead others into base camp seven, or in that base camp, to be able to get prepared and to understand who God is in their lives. So let's go ahead and pray, and then we'll dive into you know, looking at the call begins in the wilderness. And so let's look at that. Let's pray first. Father God, Lord, I've been so excited to try to get this, you know, be getting this series off the ground. You put it on my heart, you know, a long time ago. And the Base Camp 7 is is just an idea and a concept still of something even bigger that I feel that you're going to do uh at some point down the road. And Lord, as we do this certain this series here, Father, we ask your blessing upon it. Lord, give me the words and uh the energy to really bring it home the way that it needs to be done. Lord, we got a lot that that's been planned through this series. You got a couple guests, and Lord, we just pray that uh your blessing is upon it. We pray that uh hearts are changed, open, you know, lives are changed, and and uh relationships rekindled, and maybe new relationships. You know, people listen to this and and find you for the first time. And Lord, we love you and we thank you for all that you do in our lives. Again, just bless the time together and bless the reading of your word and uh open our understanding and and Father, just you know, let us let us be engaged in this and teach us in Jesus' name, amen. Alright. So before we we meet Moses at the burning bush, we have to understand how he ended up in the the wilderness in the first place. Now maybe some of you listening don't know the story. But Moses didn't start in Midian, he started in Egypt. I mean, if any of you know the story of Moses, you know that you know uh when he was born, the Pharaoh uh put an order out to kill all the the children, you know, all the the boys because he was afraid that they were gonna grow up and then take over his kingdom. And Moses's mom put him in a basket, took him in the reeds to kind of hide him in the river. And well, the Pharaoh's daughter found him and she took him in the castle and and trained him in leadership. I mean, he had all the best stuff. I mean, he uh she raised him as her own. And I think even I mean, to show you how God works, I mean, brought the mom you know in to help breastfeed. I mean, it was the way God works is just beautiful. When we think about Pharaoh's palace, I mean, the opportunities that Moses had growing up, getting trained in that leadership position for influence. But in you know, in Exodus 2 shows us that uh Moses made a devastating mistake. He was out in the field and he seen uh you know an Egyptian, one of the guards abusing one of his people, the Israelites, and he got angry. You know, Moses definitely had an anger issue. You know, if you watch if you go through the Bible, really watching him and stuff, you see this a few times. But he killed the this Egyptian out of anger. And then when the truth was found out, well, he fled. He left because he was afraid of what might happen to him. So he ran from Pharaoh, but he was also running from his past, his failure, and the calling that he didn't yet understand. Exodus 2.15 says, Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian. You know, and that one sentence summarizes 40 years of hiding, and I think many of us can relate to that uh you know more than we like to admit. I know I can. I've been running, you know, from what God has called me to do for a while, uh and trying to figure it out, you know. But uh God's finally, you know, he's really got my attention, he's really focused me in on, you know, instead of what I thought I was supposed to be doing to what I'm actually supposed to be doing. But there are seasons in my own life where I've asked that that question, though. I mean, have I wondered? Am I hiding from the calling? You know, I spent almost 10 years in youth ministry doing what I love, watching God move, I mean, in powerful ways. But after stepping away from that role, you know, my confidence was shaken. My you know, I convinced myself that that a prosperous ministry was out of reach. I told myself church is one of pastors with degrees. You know, I don't I have never gone to seminary, and I've been wrestling with whether or not I should go back to seminary. I really like I don't uh I don't want to say I don't want to, but it's just like I never it's one of those irritating things because it's like I've got all this, you know, hands-on to ministry training, and I do have four years of schooling. It's just not it's not a seminary school schooling. Uh more it was more like trade school for pastors, but um, but you know, I just it's one of those I you know you get frustrated because you're like, I've got all this stuff and knowledge in my head, but they want a piece of paper, and it's just like help me understand. But anyway, God has called me, and I've stepped into something, you know, that paid the bills, the RV transport. But somewhere along the way, instead of the focusing on what you know God had called me to do, and that was the podcast, you know, the social media stuff, the the getting out and meeting people, the preaching in the other pulpits, and you know it's like I was doing that stuff, but not like I was supposed to be doing that stuff. I poured more energy into the job of RV transport than the calling. And like Moses, I found myself in a wilderness for a season wondering if God had moved on. Wondering if I missed the moment, wondering if I could ever hear his voice again the way that I used to. Yeah, most days, yeah, I feel like you know, I'm waiting for my own burning bush, you know, going, God, let's come on, just show up and get you know, let's talk. You know, that yeah, I want that where God interrupts you know the ordinary and says, It's time to pay attention, it's time to return what I called you to do. And I've kind of had that. Moses wasn't, I mean, he wasn't on a mountain peak when God called him, he was in a dry, forgotten place. He wasn't leading armies, he was leading sheep. He wasn't confident, he was hiding. And it was exactly where God spoke. The wilderness is often the place where God strips away the noise so that we can hear him. It's where he humbles us, shapes us, and prepares us for what comes next. Then comes the burning bush moment. The moment when God interrupts the ordinary with the extraordinary. And Exodus 3 2 says, The angel of the Lord appeared uh appeared to him in flames from the fire from within the bush. Moses Moses wasn't fasting or seeking a vision, he was just doing his job. He was out there, wasn't even, I mean, I'm the thought probably hadn't even crossed his mind. I mean, what but God stepped into the routine of what he was doing and set a bush on fire. I mean, that'll get your attention, you know, especially just like what in the world? Help me understand what's going on here. Why is this bush on fire? And I believe God still does that today. He uses things, uses conversations, disruptions, unexpected moments, and even long stretches of silence to awaken what has gone dormant inside of us. And then God speaks the words that define the entire series. Come now, therefore, and I will send you. This is the turning point before you know God sends Moses back to Egypt before he gives him a mission, before he places the staff in his hand. God calls him to himself. Come now, that's the invitation. I will send you. That is the purpose. God doesn't start with an assignment, he starts with a relationship. He doesn't begin with a mission, he begins with a man, and he does this, you know, the same with all of us. You know, Moses thought he would he was forgotten, but God knew exactly where he was. God knows exactly where you are, where I am. He knows the job that you're working, the fears that you're carrying, the dreams you have buried, the calling you have questioned. The wilderness is not a sign that God has abandoned you. It's often a place where God is preparing you. Before God calls you forward, he calls you back. Back to Himself, back to identity, back to purpose. The wilderness is not punishment, it's preparation. The place where God strips away the noise, slows us down, and gets our attention. And once God has us in that place, once the wilderness has done its work, the invitation comes. The invitation itself is simple and direct. Come now. No more hiding, no more excuses, no more waiting for God, you know, for the right time. God says, Come now. The invitation itself, come now. When God finally speaks to Moses during the burning bush, the very first thing he gives him is a mission, not a strategy or not a list of instructions. It's an invitation, and after 40 years of silence, after 40 years of hiding, 40 years of believing his calling was over, God breaks through the wilderness with two simple words. Come now. You know that Exodus 310. So before God uh tells Moses where he's going, he calls Moses to himself. Before God sends Moses, he calls Moses in. Before he gives him a task, he gives Moses a moment. A moment to return. This is consistent with the heart of God throughout scripture. Jesus echoed the same invitation in Matthew 11 28 when he said, Come to me all, get that all, you who are who labor and are heavy heart are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. God begins with that come, not go. It's that calling that you draws us to himself, a relationship before assignment, that presence before purpose. Come now, carries weight. Come means God initiates the relationship. Yeah, we can think about Luke 1910, where it says the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost. He can find you right where you're at. Okay. And this is the pattern of scripture from Genesis to Revelation. God came to Adam and Eve in the garden when they were hiding. That's Genesis 3.9. God came to Abraham and Ur and called him into a new future, Genesis 12.1. God came to Jacob in the dream when he was running for his life. Genesis 28, 12 through 13. God came to Saul on the road to Damascus when he was headed in the wrong direction. That's Acts 9, 3 through 5. And Jesus Himself, again, we want to say, I mean, let's get this scripture. That Luke 19, 10. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. From the pages of scripture to the final chapters, the story is the same. God always makes the first move. He seeks, he calls, he initiates, he comes after us long before we come to Him. And then God adds the word now. Not later. Not when Moses feels ready. Not when he has rebuilt his confidence. Not when he has earned the title to proving himself. Yeah, he doesn't say, well, you pray about it for a little while and then you just you let me know and you're ready. No, the word is now. God would mean and so when we see that word now means God sees something in Moses and us that he can't see in himself. Now means the wilderness has done its work. And now means the time for hiding is over. Now means God is ready to awaken what has been dormant. Yeah, I think about uh the that movie Police Academy. I think about that movie Police Academy, Tackleberry. You're ready now, mister. You know that maybe that's what God's doing to us. But uh the come now is God's way of saying, I'm not waiting for you to feel qualified. I'm calling you because I qualify you. God doesn't say come when you feel ready, He says come now. Right in the middle of your doubts, right in the middle of your job, right in the middle of your wilderness, right in the middle of your well, I don't know what's next. And how many of you have said that? You know, I'm raising my hand as well. God calls you as you are, not as you wish you are. And this is the same God who said in Isaiah 118, come now, let us reason together. God invites us into his presence even when we feel unworthy, uncertain, unprepared. And this is where your story connects so powerfully. You know, you know that what feels like you know, we have to wait for the right time. You know what it feels like to question your calling and wonder if God still wants to use you, to feel like you're stuck in your own Midian. You know what it feels like to pour yourself into something that pays the bills while the calling God placed in your heart sits quietly in the background. But God doesn't wait for the perfect conditions, He doesn't wait for degrees or titles or confidence, He simply says, Come now. And maybe this series Base Camp 7 is your burning bush moment. I know preparing it has really opened my eyes quite a bit, you know, but maybe this moment, you know, this is the moment where God interrupts your routine and says, It's time to return what I called you to. The invitation of God is not to a task, it is to a relationship. The call is not to go, but to come. God calls you before he sends you. And when God says, Come now, he's not pointing to a destination, he's pointing to himself. You know, come follow me. The same God who says, Come now, follows it with, and I will send you. You know, after God calls Moses in you know to himself, he immediately reveals the purpose behind the invitation. And Exodus 3 10 continues with the words, come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. This is the moment where Moses learns that God's you know call is never about personal comfort, it's about kingdom purpose. And you can only imagine what Moses might have been feeling at that moment when God's like, hey dude, uh, you're going back to Egypt and you're gonna go to the Pharaoh and you're gonna tell him to let my people go. And you know, and we see Moses is not totally on board with that, he's scared, you know, and it goes to a whole dialogue with between him and and God. Yeah, but God draws Moses close so that he can send him back into the very place that he ran from. He had to give him, you know, he had to take away all the excuses, strip away everything so that he can do that. So that he so that Moses would, you know, listen up, man, you know. Before Moses can stand before Pharaoh, he must stand before that burning bush. This is the pattern throughout scripture. God calls Abraham and sends him in Genesis. God calls Isaiah in Isaiah 6.8. Jesus calls the disciples to himself and then sends him out two by two in Mark 6.7. Even oh, 6-7. Uh sorry about that. Even after the resurrection, Jesus gathers his followers and says, The Father has sent me, and I also send you. It's John 20, 21. The rhythm of the kingdom is always the same. Come to me. Now go for me. God never sends someone he hasn't called close. He never calls someone without you know close without eventually sending them out. You know, I've told you many times, you know, about me telling God, it's like, you know, I know I need to start praying out loud. So whenever you decide you, you know, it's time, then this put me in a position where I have to do it. And God's like, okay, thank you for being obedient and that next step. Now pray the following Tuesday. You know, so he wants us to be open to him, and when we're in that close dialogue with him, he he begins to reveal what he's going to do uh in our lives and the purpose that he has laid out for us. You know, for Moses, this mission, I guarantee you, he felt overwhelmed. I mean, by a lot. He had a past in Egypt, he carried wounds from Egypt. He was tied to his fear, and yet God sends him right back to the place of his greatest failure. You know, and we can ask the question why, but we can also bring this to ourselves. And I'm maybe jumping ahead of you know, my notes here, but how many of us have left churches? How many of us have left churches because of some things in the past or carried wounds you know, after leaving the church and then you haven't been in a while, you've been wandering around the desert, and then all of a sudden God's like, Hello, hey, I need you to pay attention, you need to go back because you're not done. It may not be the same church, but maybe there was no something that happened and it was a big failure on your part. I don't know. Um for whatever reason. But God redeems what we run from. God restores what we regret. God transforms the places that once broke us into the places where he uses us. You know, Moses thought his story in Egypt was over, but God was just, you know, he was just beginning to write the chapter Moses never saw coming. And this is where the mission becomes deeply personal for us. Because God often sends us back into the very areas we feel least qualified to enter. He sends us former addicts to help those who are struggling. And I can tell you, my nephew came to my youth group uh a couple times after and he he was a mess. And uh, you know, he'd stroked out on drugs, he'd been running the streets and selling, and you know, and he finally got himself cleaned, and he's been, I mean, just the turnaround's been a miracle. I mean, just been amazing, and God working through his life. But I had him come talk to my youth group, and and he really related to him and talked to him about things that's going on in in life, and you know, it was just a powerful time, and I really think that it benefited a lot of them. But God does that, he's still running, so he needs to be on a prayer chat and prayer list. I told my wife the other night I wish I'd he'd return back to his calling. And so maybe he'll watch this podcast. If you're listening, Cody, this is your burning bush moment. But anyway. But he also sends people who have walked through divorce to minister to the brokenhearted. He sends those who have battled depression to encourage the weary. He sends those who have been wounded by church to help heal the wounded. And sometimes, like Moses, he sends us back into the calling we walked away from, not because we failed, but because the wilderness was preparing us for a stronger, wiser, and more surrendered version of the mission. And I think wholeheartedly that's what exactly what God did, because I was, you know, in youth ministry, I was complacent. I had my office in the building, and I was doing all the social media stuff, contacting students, taking them on trips. I was doing all the stuff that I was supposed to do in the youth ministry, but I was not uh I didn't feel fulfilled. I didn't feel like I was really making a huge impact. And you know, and then God, you know, flips the script and and move pulls me out of there, so I'm not complacent. And I've been on a in this journey for five years now of you know, a lot more questions and answers, and you know, a lot of me tripping over my own feet and and all that, but you know, to finally for God to to start slowly. It's like, dude, I've been working on you, I've been preparing you. You know, because it used to be whenever I was doing youth ministry, if I was asked to preach, it'd take me a month to get a sermon done because of that. I didn't do it enough. And and so I had to try to study even it was just, you know, it was a mess. But now, you know, yeah, I've been so much closer to to God in that relationship of studying and reading the word and and watching different things and just teaching myself all the time. So I'm not consumed with just what my job was, as now I'm like focused more on the relationship and I mean, you know, speaking with God and just you know, just praying and doing the stuff, and I'm gonna tell you, and so you know, it's like I've my creativity is like back in my head, you know, so like pop this stuff off and just ideas and and so and and God is really, you know, he's kind of like got a hold of the back of my shirt, so I don't you know, because I'm one of those bowling china shops, it's like once I get a you know a focus on something, I just like take off. But God's like, slow down there, you know, Pastor Anthony, just hang on a minute, okay? We're not we're not ready to release release you into the wild, you know, then the running yet. We got work to do. And so, but I've tried I've learned to slow down, but you know, God has fully got my attention. You know, I mean any of you that has followed the channel for a while knows, I mean, it's been hills and valleys, and we know Viper's been, you know, that's why I got more gray, you know, coming around. So, but anyhow, but that's the purpose of this series is because we all can relate somehow. And so sometimes that time in the wilderness is that preparing us for that stronger, wiser, and more surrender version of the mission that God has called us to. And this is where your story connects again. Because you know what it feels like to sense a calling, step into a ministry. I mean, even if it's just helping kids, that's still you're involved in ministry, but then step away and wonder if God could ever use you again. You know what it feels like to question your qualifications, your confidence, and your future. But the same God who said to Moses, Come now, is the same God says, who says, I will send you. God doesn't send the perfect, he sends the willing. He doesn't just send the polished, he sends the prepared. And the wilderness has prepared you for more than you realize. The mission of God is not about ability, it's about availability. It's not about confidence, it's about our obedience. Our obedience will build the confidence because we know that God has gone before us, and it's not about being impressive, it's about being surrendered. When God says, I will send you, he is not asking you to go in your own strength, he's promising to go with you in his. Remember that Philippians 4 13? I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. That means everything that we do, we do it from his strength. Everything. And that's why he tells Moses in Exodus 3 12, I will certainly be with you. The mission is never carried by the one who is sent, it's carried by the one who sins. And then God told Moses to come now, therefore I will send you. Again, that references back to this main scripture of Exodus 3 10. He wasn't just giving Moses a task, he was revealing his heart from Genesis to Revelation. God always, you know, the one who comes looking for us first. He sought Adam and Eve in the garden. Again, we want to look at that, you know, thinking about that. How he he went looking for them in Genesis 3.9. He called Abraham out of Europe, uh, Genesis 12 1, and he met Jacob in a dream in 28 12. You know, and then we can keep going on and on and on. You know, the people, I mean, you think about David, I mean, you know, uh just you know, the disciples uh he after the resurrection. I mean, he went and found them, he sought them out. They were in an upper room hiding under the tables, hoping nobody would find them there, and Jesus disappeared and showed up to the the God, the mission that God has always begun with seeking us, you know, to call us to do what he's called us to do. You know, it it doesn't matter what you're like, well, I wasn't called to be a pastor, well, you're called to be a minister because you're supposed to share the gospel, and then you know we look at that in the Great Commission, and and then again in Acts is like, hey, listen, you know uh the Holy Spirit's gonna come on you, and you know, then you're gonna be my witnesses and everywhere. And so, you know, if you're involved in a church, you know, at some point, you know, unless you just run in and run out and don't even engage with anybody, which that's not even what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to be there for fellowship. And so if you're there, you're gonna get asked to help. Hey, we're gonna be doing a dinner. Would you help do da-da-da-da? You know, hey, we need some people to help with the kids. Would you be willing just to come and and just help play with them? Yep. Mm-hmm. Um, it's it can be as simple as that up to the very top of being called to be the shepherd of uh this particular flock. And God has a purpose and a plan for all of us to serve inside the church. And also, you know, we have to you know do the stuff outside. But once he calls us, you know, close, once you know we're saved, once we are we are you know now children and heirs to the kingdom of God, God's like, okay, now it's time to get you ready because I want to send you back out and let you tell other people. And for us today, that mission begins with putting Christ first, returning to his house, returning to worship, returning to community, and returning to spiritual growth. Dust off the Bible, get it out, start reading it, and not on your phone because then you'll just get distracted. But we gather with other believers, not just to be comforted. This is why we need to be in church, but to be strengthened. We come to church to be fed so that we can go out and feed others. We grow in Christ so that we can carry Christ into the world. The rhythm hasn't changed. We become filled and then go out to be poured out. And Moses was sent to deliver Israel, and we were carried to or we were sent to carry Jesus into our homes, our workplaces, our communities, and every mile on the road. The mission is simple. Put Christ first, grow in his presence, walk with his people, and then step into the calling he has placed on your life. You know, that call begins with return. And I hope that you're encouraged and excited for this journey we're stepping in together. This series is going to lift you up, challenge you, and at times it's going to convict you. It's going to feel like you know, and somebody always gets me. People like, you stepped on my toes with that message, Pastor. Well, I missed because I was aiming for your heart. Yeah. And this message, and hopefully, these episodes was going to do just that. And I hope that you will stick around and listen and take it in and really start to begin to reflect because you know, this message series is going to teach me. I mean, there's several, you know, episodes that I haven't even begun to study. I have them all laid out of kind of what I want to talk about, but doesn't mean God ain't going to tweak them and change them and you know to fit what is needed. God already knows how this is going to go. He already knows what he's going to have me to say. And, you know, and I'm super excited about it, and I hope that you are too. And even though some of these messages might feel like it, you know, it's like speaking directly at you, it's never to condemn you. You know, conviction is just a gentle hand of God pulling us back into alignment. It's not pushing us away. And if there's ever been a time for the church to return to what we are called to be, it is definitely now in which the time we live in. I say it all the time. The disciples or the apostles would absolutely love our modern day because they'd be like, it's time to get to work, boys and girls. You know, you know, we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, and people who worship faithfully, grow deeply, love boldly, and go courageously into the world with the hope of Jesus. Moses' story reminds us that God calls us back before he sends us forward. The same is true today. God is calling his church to return to his presence, return to his house, return to community, and return to the mission that God has placed on us from the very beginning. And that'll be ladies, you know, leads us straight into next week because God is calling us back, and the question is simple. What will it take to get the church moving again? What will it take for believers to rise up, shake off spiritual apathy, and step boldly into the mission that God has given us? Next week we're going to look at that. And we're going to look at what it means for the church to wake up and stand up and move again with purpose and passion. And yes, I believe it may be just time to release the squirrels. To stir things up, disrupt routine, and to shake the branches a little so the church stops sitting still and starts running after the heart of God again. Next week's episode we'll dive into spiritual uh spark, holy disruption, and the practical steps needed to get the body of Christ moving with fresh fire. You don't want to miss it, so make sure that you're subscribed and following the podcast because it's going to be some great times. But I hope this has got you encouraged. Hopefully it's it's got you um excited for what we're going to be talking about over the next few weeks. Hopefully it's got you fired up to want to get your Bible out. You know, I know some of you listen to podcasts, you know, you're just doing it while you're driving, you know, down the road, you're at the gym or you know, places. But if you're, you know, but if you're listening at home and you're, you know, you got, I mean, you're grab your Bible and follow along. Write and take notes, and you know, if you got questions, put them in there and we'll answer them the best we can. And um, but I really hope that this is kind of begin to stir your spirit just a little bit. This was just an introductory, kind of set this the pace and the and show you what the plan and the purpose is that God has for us during the series. So let's go ahead and pray. Father God, Lord, again, we just thank you for coming and just you know, that burning bush moment, and going, look, we got a plan, we got a purpose, and I need you to pay attention. And so, and that's for all of us. But Lord, we thank you for the series that you've placed on my heart to to do. And uh, Father, we ask again you continue to teach us and guide us along the way, and you know, and let us stay engaged. And um, all those who are listening, Father, we ask that you just open their hearts and minds to what you have for them, you know, speaking through me. And Lord, um, again, we just we thank you for all that you do in our lives, and Father, just so much. Just it's just you know, rocking on. Father, we just I I love watching you work and I love seeing you know how things just fall together. And Lord, I'm excited for what's coming next. So let's go. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, so if this message has encouraged you, don't forget to like it and share it with a friend and subscribe so you don't miss what is next. And if you want to help others find this message, you know, on the podcast platforms, leaving a five-star review, you know, really helps us reach more and more people with the gospel. And on, you know, the videos, the YouTube and Rumble, make sure you like it and share it, and and uh make sure you, you know, and comments help. And so, you know, you can leave those. And I like that, and I'll I try to respond to everyone uh that does comment. And if you feel like you'd like to stay connected and be part of what God's doing with through this ministry, all the links are below. And if you feel led to support the ministry, whether through prayer or sharing an episode or uh giving to Busprout, uh has a gift page there, and also that buy me a coffee. Yeah, I really thank you. And uh there'll be more on this coming later, but uh the merch, um, I have been working hours you know through Canva and finally got finally got some stuff. I mean, it's looking great. Um, I got some stuff coming to kind of model off for you. That you know, y'all seen the one where it's got the big old white square. You know, that was always the test shirt. And um through Printful, uh the uh link is in below. My brain is not, it's like sharing Jesus in life dot printful dot me dot me. I can't remember. I'm sorry. Um I have to look at it. You know, now that I'm gonna be using it, I'll remember it because I have to memorize it so I can keep sharing it with you guys. But anyway, in the link in the description, you can go there, check out the merch that I've uh got going. If you would like to help support the ministry that way, you know, I you know be so greatly appreciated. The uh printful, just a real quick, is that merchandise is a print on demand. So when you go order your shirt, it's not been sitting around for months and months in a warehouse somewhere. It's you're I mean, it's like a you know, they take the new shirt out, whatever, do the stuff, and then ship it straight to you. And so uh it's really cool. Uh, we got some embroidery stuff now. We got you know the logo without that big ugly white box, and you know, and then I've been doing some other stuff too. So go check that out. But anyhow, I appreciate all the support, the prayers, you know, me more than you know, and you know, your generosity will help stay on the road sharing the the gospel and reaching more people with uh with you know just hope, just sharing Christ again. All the links are in the description, and again, thank you for being a part of this journey and keep sharing Jesus and life one mile at a time, and we will see you on the next one.

unknown 51:22

Making new friends on the way.