Go a little deeper
Pastor Keith Kirkpatrick opens by reflecting on a difficult year and on the conviction that hardship is not wasted with God, pointing to James 1:2-3, where tested faith produces steadfastness. He contrasts a circumstantial pursuit of happiness with a holy, blessed life rooted in the joy of the Lord.
Pastor Kirkpatrick turns to Numbers 20, where God tells Moses to speak to the rock but Moses, frustrated with the people, strikes it twice and is told he will not bring the assembly into the promised land. The sermon names how unfair that feels, then argues that Scripture presents God as faithful and perfect rather than merely fair by human measurement. He connects this to Matthew 17, where Moses and Elijah appear with the transfigured Jesus on a mountain.
Malachi 3 describes God as a refiner's fire and fuller's soap, seated as a refiner and purifier of silver. Pastor Kirkpatrick reads the seated posture as sovereignty and connects purification to the priesthood, extended through 1 Peter to believers as a royal priesthood, and to Exodus 14:14 on the Lord fighting for his people. He turns to Revelation 3's warning to Laodicea about lukewarm faith, then closes with a testimony, generosity invitations, and a call to salvation.
Take this with you
Trials produce steadfastness
James 1:2-3 frames hardship not as wasted pain but as faith being tested into endurance. Pastor Kirkpatrick insists joy in trials is possible because the work is happening inside a person, not merely in circumstances. This is the through-line for the whole message.
God is faithful, not merely fair
In Numbers 20, Moses's exclusion from the promised land feels unfair, and Pastor Kirkpatrick allows that tension. But the sermon argues fairness measured by human sight is limited, while Psalm 31:5 and Matthew 5:48 hold up God's faithfulness and perfection. The call is to thank God for faithfulness rather than audit God's fairness.
The refining is intentional, not chaotic
Malachi 3 pictures a refiner sitting over silver, watching impurities surface under heat. Pastor Kirkpatrick reads "sitting" as sovereignty—God is not panicked. Something is being produced in the heat that cannot form any other way.
Be silent and let God fight
Echoing Exodus 14:14, Pastor Kirkpatrick pairs endurance with restraint: no public retaliation against enemies, prayer and love instead. This is not passivity—the sermon calls it hard work—but it refuses to imitate the enemy.
Warning against lukewarm faith
Revelation 3 records Jesus' words to Laodicea: works and activity without devotion. Pastor Kirkpatrick explains the image of cold and hot water each having purpose while lukewarm does nothing, and reads the counsel to buy refined gold as a call to receive what only Jesus gives rather than going through motions.
The conversation,
in their words.
Transcript from the recording’s captions. Select any timestamp to hear the original audio.
[Applause] all right I want you to get out your Bibles right now I want you to hold it in the air like you care somebody if you brought your Bibles you should be proud this is a good thing because this is no ordinary book this is a living book you got your Bible in the air on the count of three every single person shout word one two three word we're getting into God's word so that God's word will get into us earlier this week I celebrated one more year around the Sun and I want to thank so many of you for the birthday wishes uh it was a good day I had a good week and I had someone ask me on my birthday it was it was a it was a small question but it seemed to hit me hard she just simply asked what was the highlight of your last year what was the highlight of your last year so I just had to replay the last year and I'm going through my year and as I was going through the year I realized I think this
was probably one of the most difficult years of my 47 years and as I thought about it I said this was a year of endurance this is a year where I got strong and I'll tell you you cannot get strong unless you go through something this was a year where I went through stuff that I never saw coming I had slander thrown at me I had people send me vile text messages emails private DMS and I never publicly displayed that to the world I didn't fire back in fact I just kept silent and I pleaded the promise of God's word in Exodus 14:14 which I've done so many times before you're going to to hear it later in today's sermon and that is that I don't have to fight my battles I just need to be silent that sometimes when you're going through something you got to realize that it's not wasted with God
rather God is using it to grow in you something stronger so although I can't think of one certain highlight I can say this I had the highest highs and I had the lowest lows and through it all God was faithful God is always faithful and today I want to encourage you whatever you're going through right now in your life it is not wasted with God in fact what today's message is really about he's doing more through you then you can see right now because you're not on the other side but when you get to the other side what you're going to discover is that our God is a refiner and today's message is all about the Refiner's Fire I want you to see that God is doing a good work and he's going to do it in you what I want you to know is that if you really want to grow in your faith you've got to go through something I don't wish
it upon you I just know it's going to happen because wherever there are people there are problems so you could try to run from people but the problem is you're person you're a problem you need the solution and that is Jesus he's the way the truth and the life you need Jesus somebody we cannot fantasize that somehow the best life is an easy life that's a false fantasy the best life is not an easy life the best life is a believing life in Jesus because Jesus is faithful in the hard times in the most difficult times Jesus is faithful all the time so the best life is a believing life in Jesus because when you believe in him you get to witness God work no matter what and today if you do not believe in Jesus I'm going to give you
an opportunity to believe no matter who you are no matter what you came in with today you can be saved in the name of Jesus Christ there's no sin so great he can't forgive you and set you on a new trajectory in the Book of James 1: 2 and 3 James says something strange until you actually get it and then you realize this isn't strange at all this is the believing life in Jesus listen to this count it all joy someone shout all joy all joy count it all joy my brothers when you point to your neighbor and say you you come on not somebody else when you count it all joy when you you meet Trials of various kinds let's pause there for a moment not some trials not the easy trials when you go through
something it's time for you to start counting up the joy I don't know about you but I got a pocket full of joy I'm just counting it up all right I'm just looking I'm I can't count that high it doesn't matter what trial you go through you ought to look at this as an opportunity to have joy in your why would you count it Joy when you go through trials well James answers that question in verse three for you point to that same neighbor and say you for you you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness so I don't know what translation you have endurance perseverance but it means you're getting stronger now if you don't have faith you may not find joy in your trials rather all you'll see is the Tribulation in
front of you you'll see the circumstance around you you'll see what happens to you but when you have faith you realize it's not based on what's happening around you it's what's happening in you so many of us want the fairy tale that we've been bought in the western culture and that is the happily ever after life if you find your prince you're going to live happily ever after if you got your Castle you're going to live happily ever after but I'm telling you a happy life is not based on what happens to you a happy life is a holy life see God's not in the business of making you happy see if you tell God I don't like what's happening to me you're telling God that listen your job is to make sure that my life is easy so that I could be
happy but God is not concerned about making you happy God wants you to be holy because he's holy and the word holy means set apart I'm not going to live like the world so my happiness is not based on what happens to me my happiness is something so much deeper which by the way God wants you to be happy and it's called blessed a blessed life is on the inside a blessed life is recognizing that my happiness is not based on any other person my happiness is the joy of the Lord and that is my strength when you surrender to God's will you have a holy happiness and that is a blessed life I heard a reminder this week of Moses and I want to share with you that reminder and it is that Moses did not make it into the promised land as we read about in the Old
Testament scriptures and I don't know about you but when I read that story about Moses it's it's an interesting one you could read Moses in the book of Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy he wrote the first five books of the Bible Moses is an important figure in the Bible he is the great deliverer that led the Israelites out of Egypt he he led them on this journey they wandered for 40 years in the wilderness this is a guy that persevered he endured when the Israelites were stubborn stiff necked people he kept going I look at Moses's life and I say to myself I don't know that I could have done it and these people were grumbling they were complaining they were ungrateful God was doing miracle after Miracle but they kept missing it and it was this Moses that we read about in Numbers Chapter 20
The Bible tells us that the people were thirsty they're they're going through the Wilderness they're not to the promised land they're thirsty I want to pick up in the story in chapter 20:7 work with me here chapter 20:7 I want to read through verse 12 the Lord spoke to Moses saying take the staff and assemble the congregation you and Aaron your brother and tell the rock Before Their Eyes you tell that rock before their eyes to yield its water so you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle come on taras God's going to provide everything we got some cattle ranchers here come on somebody he is the provider he's not just going to provide for you and your
family even the cows are going to get something to drink that's what God says and you need only speak to the Rock are you tracking with me so far well this is what Moses did verse n Moses took that staff from before the Lord as he commanded him then Moses verse 10 tells us and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the Rock and he said to them here now you rebels can you hear the cynicism and his and the tone of his voice you rebels he knows exactly who they are he's frustrated with them he's been traveling with them for nearly 40 years here now you rebels shall we bring water for you out of this rock and Moses lifted up his hand and he struck the
rock with the the staff twice and water came out abundantly and the congregation drank and their livestock come on somebody sounds good until we read the next verse and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron because you did not believe in me to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the Lord of Israel therefore you shall not not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them because you hit the rock I'm not letting you in the land this sounds a little
harsh I mean Moses is a mighty man of God he's been speaking to God Walking with God he he received the Torah the the the Commandments the instructions of God he gave it to the people I mean Moses he made mistakes but but of all of the mistakes that this man made he he gets frustrated and in his frustration he strikes The Rock twice because God said that you must speak to the Rock so the Lord says to Moses an entire generation will not make it into the promised land I don't know about you but when I read this through my own lens I say God that's not fair that's not fair this guy did too much not to make it that far just just give him what he
wants just just come on Lord you see when I read it through this lens I start looking and say Lord there was way worse people than Moses that made it further so why would you do this to Moses for such a time as this that's not fair and what I'm really doing is I'm doing a dialogue to the Lord through the text and I'm trying to apply it to my life when life's difficult when life's hard when I'm not getting what I want and I start to tell the Lord that's not fair and we will say things like this like they didn't deserve that we will say things like this like oh they they should get something greater all their hard work they've served the Lord they've done this they've done that they're nice they're kind and then we we we say this dialogue as if God's going to hear us
that they deserve more and we're simply telling God how he should bless other people's lives including our own don't leave me hanging here we we tell God what a blessed life looks like and we simply say through the lens of our own eyes that's not fair but may I tell you the Bible never says God is fair that's a hard word but God is not fair because if he was fair and he gave you what you deserve it might be worse than you would tell someone else because they don't know your deep dark secrets but you do God who examines our hearts he knows our minds he knows everything that's
been rolled off the tip of your tongue even when you didn't mean it he knows everything he knows every deed that you've done and if life was actually Fair it wouldn't be through the lens of your little eyes it would be through the lens of a perfect God who knows absolutely everything so there's one thing we see in Scripture that it's not that God is fair but we do see in Psalm 31:5 God is faithful he is a faithful God he does not stop being faithful I like how you read in Psalm 108 that his faithfulness his faithfulness reaches to the clouds my faithfulness is about 5'11 and it stops right there but God's faithfulness it just keeps going when you were wondering God have you run out
of faithfulness God are you ever going to give up on me God I've messed up once again or maybe it's not your life you look at someone else and say God it's time to give up on them God they don't deserve your mercy anymore they don't deserve this maybe stop them from experiencing the promised land but his faithfulness is so much greater we shouldn't be looking for God to be fair we ought to be looking for God's faithfulness because he's always faithful and he cannot fail he's never failed God's described as perfect Jesus Jesus said in Matthew 5:48 your heavenly father is perfect he he he will not do something that's wrong he will not mess up he will not do something contrary to his perfect faithful will so when we're going through something and we don't get things the way that we want to get them
when life doesn't happen the way you want it to happen when you didn't end up in the place that you wanted to get instead of telling God what's wrong instead you to thank God for his faithfulness thank him that he's perfect and you're not thank him that you only see limited and he sees everything he sees before you he sees next to you and he knows what's best for you but you got to start believing it so to come back to Moses he did not make it into the promised land he did not make it until nearly 1500 years later nearly 1500 years after his death God incarnate the word wraps himself in the flesh and his name is Jesus fully God fully man is walking on Earth the
very Earth he created Eternal God is walking and we can call him by name is Jesus and he demonstrates who he is and he calls 12 disciples these are students and of these 12 disciples Matthew chapter 17 says Jesus chose three of them why didn't he choose 12 because life's not fair and we see here after six JS Jesus Took with him Peter James and John his brother Jesus Takes the three Peter James and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves now where are they they are in at this time what is the promised land it's now known as Israel and Judah it's the same place today that we declare is still God's holy land Jesus led them up the mount then verse two tells us and he was
transfigured before them and his face Shone like the sun and his clothes became White as light let's take a pause right here Jesus is transfigured this word is is a metamorphosis there was a complete change this is the glory of God in his fullness he's on the mountain and there is no Shadow they get to see the glory of God Matthew cannot come up with words that will help us understand this because we've not seen it yet you've got to use your imagination they're getting to see in front of them the glory of God in his fullness not just man but fully God completely like he is transfigured in that moment so that we would see who
he is now what's tremendous about this story is that we see that this story includes not just Jesus but verse three continues and says and behold everyone Shall Behold behold there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus wow this story is crazy today in Oregon we might say were they taking some psychedelics where they they mushroom like what's going on here this is weird Jesus is converted light is beaming from within out and all of a sudden Peter James and John they look at Jesus and he's talking with two other people he's talking to them what was he talking
about we don't know but we can speculate Moses is probably saying finally I made it to this mountain come on Lord you knew exactly what you were doing didn't you you knew that at just the right time I would come with the very one that gave me the law the lawgiver would lead me to the very land that you would promis to begin with oh Jesus you're faithful I got to imagine that Moses and Elijah they are looking to Jesus the author the founder the perfector of our faith they get to be on that mountain and be a part of his glory and it's in that moment what we couldn't see in the Book of Numbers Chapter 20 God knew exactly what he would do and there might be a moment right now where you're not on the mountain you're not in the place you want to be I need you to know through
the promise of God's word he's faithful and if he says you can believe it if we stop short and read it through the lens of Our Own Story we make ourselves God but I want to declare over your life you're not a very good God there's one God and you need to trust that God he is God and he will forever be God it's not up to you to tell him what he's done wrong or how to make it right it's time to tell him you've always been God you've always been good you're always faithful he knew what was best for Moses before Moses knew what would be best for him I speak that over your life he knows what's best for you before you know what's best you wonder why did L God let me go through this why did I grow up in poverty why did I grow up in a broken family why did I grow up and let people abuse me why did I grow up and allow
these things to why did I have to have an addiction why did I go through it is not wasted with God at just the right time you'll find yourself on the mountain and all glory goes to Jesus it wasn't about Moses or Elijah both men of God both did great things but there's a greater deliverer and that's Jesus it's in this moment we see that God may not be fair he's so much greater than that he's a god of Mercy he's a god of Grace he's a God that gives us love at just the right time when we need it the most let me turn your attention to Malachi chapter 3 for just a moment Malachi's the last book in the Old Testament is before Jesus comes the Christ the Messiah the anointed chosen one of God Malachi will be the fin final word
before the birth of Jesus and Malachi tells us in the third chapter verse 2 and 3 he says but who can endure the day of his coming who can stand when he appears for he is like a Refiner's Fire and like Fuller soap you see when you become come before the presence of God you realize how holy God is and how Unholy you are you realize what's inside of you that you need to be cleansed John says that you should confess your sins to Jesus because he's faithful and just and will cleanse you from all unrighteousness that you don't have to do it on your own he's a Refiner's Fire he's a fuller soap in fact Malachi goes further and says he will sit someone shout sit he will sit as a refiner and a
purifier of silver he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord just let that sit in your heart for a moment the Lord is sitting doing some refining what's he refining he's refining this metaphoric picture of silver and what he's doing is releasing the impurities impurities by the natural eye you probably could not even see impurities that are there whether you like it or not but when brought to the heat the impurity comes out let that speak to you it says that he the silver smith which
is the Lord in this metaphoric image is sitting you know God's not running around in heaven like a chicken with his head cut off he's not looking saying what's wrong with the world oh it's horrible it's worse than I thought I can't believe they're doing this in America or Oregon or I can't believe this is God's not freaking out the the imagery here of sitting is the image of authority of sovereignty like a king that sits on his throne he knows exactly what he's doing and he dictates and allows what's being done for his purpose even if we can't see it even if it feels like you're going through the fire right now you might be going through the fire with the King sitting on his throne saying you're
becoming exactly who I want you to be we got to get rid of that which is not pure that which is not lasting that which is not righteous and the only way to get that off of you is to go through the fire that if you want an anointing in your life an anointing is the power of God is being who God made you to be anointing is going to come with some heat now if you read this carefully it says that he's going to purify the sons of Levi why just the Levites and not the rest of the 12 tribes well the Levites were the priests they were the ones that pointed people to God in our modern terms we would call them the worship leaders they would sing and Usher people into the presence of God you know who
needs to be purified the most the worshippers you say oh this is Old Testament how does this apply to our lives today because of Jesus the Bible says in the book of First Peter you're a royal priesthood you point people to Jesus you are God's anointed a royal priesthood a chosen Nation God has called upon you to be purified so that you would be who he's called you to be and that cannot happen without going through the fire you've got to be purified you've got to get rid of that which is holding you back these are the impurities that you can call it whatever you will it's stopping you from a greater anointing and there are times that the anointed get attacked and the attacked feels like
the absence of God and it's the opposite it's the opportunity for you to trust in the Lord it's an opportunity to do Moses did in Exodus 14:14 he's speaking out to the people and he says the Lord will fight for you and you only have to be silent God is able to work it out you do not need to act like your enemy you do not need to get Vengeance on your enemy you do not need to publicly display exactly what's happening the Lord will fight for you and he's going to work it out I've seen it in my life time and time again and I believe it over your life that does not mean by the way that you're lazy and don't do anything you've got to pray you've got to love your enemies
like Jesus said you've got to learn how to obey Jesus and abide in him so that his word will abide in you it's actually just you know really hard work but the best things in life are hard and if you're willing to endure and be steadfast your faith will be tested and you're going to come out on the other side more value able you're going to see that God created you for this purpose that what you thought was killing you was actually making you into the precious piece of silver that God called you to be he's refining you in ways that you didn't know were possible and if you were honest with your own heart you don't even want because it hurts until you've been through it enough times and I speak this over you you mature you grow in wisdom your faith increases and so now when the hardships
come you don't turn away away from God you keep trusting God even greater there's a story all over the Internet so it's got to be true it's of a guy that was studying his Bible and he wanted to see how silver smith actually did what they did after reading the book of Malachi he makes an appointment with the silver smith and on the appointed day if I can share the story he watched the silver smith hold a piece of silver over the fire to heat it to refine the silver the silver smith said one must place the silver in the middle of the fire where it's hottest and allow the heat to burn away all the impurities this man suddenly understood that this is how god holds his followers
in the hot pots exactly like Malachi that talks about how God sits as a refiner and a purifier of silver he then asked the silver smith if it was true that he had to stay with the piece of silver in front of the fire the whole time it was in the flame the silver smith answered emphatically yes he told him there was more to his job than just sitting and waiting he said he had to monitor the silver the entire time it was in the fire never taking his eyes off of it if the silver is left in the flame even a second too long it would be impaired if it was in the flame if it was not in the flame long enough the impurities would remain in it the man listened intently and then a
moment later asked how do you know the exact moment when the silver is completely refined the silver smith smiled at him and said this is a good question with an easy answer the silver is fully refined when I see my image in it could it be what you're going through is to make you more like Jesus that it might be hard right now but God is just getting rid of that which does not matter most in the Book of Revelation it is the most intense book in all the Bible and in chapter one it says you're blessed if you read these words and you read them aloud Jesus speaks to the church in Chapter 2 and three and the last church he speaks to is most like the church that we're
living through right now the name of the church at the time of the writing was the Church of leoda and Jesus Jesus is speaking to the church hear these words and I'm going to conclude with these words before we watch a video together he says I know your works you know God knows exactly what you're doing you could serve at church you can give a church you might be showing up to church and Jesus says I know your works but you're neither hot you're neither cold nor hot would you either be cold or hot so because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth now this has been miss interpreted by the reader if you come up with your own opinion Jesus wants you to believe or not believe hot or cold that's not the point here the point at the cultural context is cold water has purpose hot
water has purpose but lukewarm is just blah cold water heals hot water uh you you can cook with there there's there's so many elements to either of those but lukewarm really does nothing and Jesus says you're not doing what you're created to do and it makes me want to vomit for you say here's the Church of today I am rich I have prospered I need nothing not realizing you are wretched pable poor blind and naked Jesus said I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich and white garments that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen and salv to anoint your eyes so that you may see
those whom I love and God loves you my friend Those whom I love I reprove and discipline so be zealous and repent behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and eat with him and he with me Jesus is speaking to the church and says you can go through all the motions and miss it you can say we have healings and Jesus says I still do not know you you don't get the gift of eternal life you can say that you've preached the name of Jesus and Jesus says I don't know you is not enough to go through the motions the rituals or even experience the acts of what it means to follow Jesus it's to receive the greater gift a gold that's been refined by fire there is a gift that
cannot be taken away there is a robe that no one else can tarnish oh there is a salv that can heal anyone I'm talking about Jesus Jesus see when you believe in Jesus he does a greater healing see if you had nothing and you had Jesus you have everything you need this is not about wealth this is not about health this is about your soul do you know Jesus today and when you do you see he actually uses your troubles and he doesn't turn you away you ought not turn from him you ought to trust in him I believe that I want you to watch a testimony a story that we can trust God even when we're tested as Dave and Janet get to share their story and we get to see God's faithfulness let's
watch this together [Music] I'm Dave Gibson I'm Janet Gibson so we came to Journey we fell in love with the church we fell in love with the message the worship everything it just seemed like a perfect fit we got connected in a small group where we could totally see
God's hand we were getting excited and finding ways we could you know kind of start to participate and one of the ways we knew we needed to do it was financially we decided that we were going to change our whole perspective on how we were going to handle the Tiding and it just so happened to coincide with the more campaign we had not been um committed givers we decided to trust God and to make a commitment to not only tithe but then we both came up with a number that we were going to use for our more campaign [Music] Edition the big fear was of course just the bottom line we were going to truly trust God we weren't going to put God to
the test for a month or two and if things didn't work out back out we were going to go all in but we were worried about how we were going to make make ends meet it was very stressful the numbers were clearly not balancing correctly and God was going to have to come through I grew up in the church all my life and so I trusted and so I just kind of felt I had to let him do what he needed to do to understand and how God works God blew our socks off with everything that was going to happen after that October we made the commitment um and we we we've followed through come the 1 of January I got an email through Linkedin it was a recruiter telling me about a local job here in Ben went through the interviews um they went
incredible ended up getting a new job we were in a deficit after we started tithing with my past salary my new salary was going to cover the tithe cover the more campaign and leave I think about $100 extra a month I'm far less stressed I'm in a wonderful company I have amazing people that I'm working with I enjoy going to work we just found out last night that unexpectedly our company's going to give us a pretty sizable um bonus money is no longer a stressor for us we recognize that God's going to meet the need and then we here we have grandchildren coming traveling down to Southern California was going to happen a lot more of so now we were going to be down in that area to visit our
grandkids all we had to do was trust God with our tithe and then he blessed us beyond all [Music] belief it shifted our mindset now we are almost looking for ways that we can give we can really apply our money here here and here and we still have extra money so we're able to bless people at church that need something it's like so cool to be able to you know have some extra money to be able to bless people now all I can do is think about gosh what if I had done this so much sooner and so much earlier I mean how much would life have been different trust it from somebody who's constantly put God in a box and often times had blers on for what God was
capable of he is capable of so much more than you can even begin to imagine so much more let's go thank you Dave and Janet for your testimony of God's faithfulness this is just a time I want to give you a few invitations one is that you would be a part of this this is a more refresh we started this one year ago it's a two-year generosity initiative believing God's best that we're going to see God continue to do more a part of that is expanding uh our reach here we've got 10,000 squ ft behind us that building out we need you to pray those permits get finalized through the city they're in everybody but we need you to pray they get expedited so we can finish that up we're going to expand this Auditorium get all new kids spaces and you get to
help create that space we're also going to see God and witness God do more we are a generous church not only we supporting Uganda but you see we're supporting reaching college students right here in the Pacific Northwest we're doing that together as God put on my heart even to share with you about the name Yeshua the Hebrew name of Jesus we're reaching those in Israel y'all we are helping transform the world and you get to be a part of that so I want to just challenge you in two specific areas as we just are doing this refresh for the next year we continue to see stories of people who are coming to church for the first time and people who are getting saved because you are taking this seriously if you haven't filled out an impact card there's a card out at the lobby table that just simply says impact card you open it up and it has our mission at the top and then there's lines for you to fill in the names of people who are not saved and not going
to church the last line simply says my long shot this is a person that says I'll never go to church this is a person that says I'm the last person you'll ever see me you put that there I guarantee you my God can do the impossible H we're going to pray over each of those and we continue to see God be faithful there there's also a commitment card here we would love for you to partner with us on this journey we have 38 acres we're believing God's best over it's the only debt we have as a church is 38 acres on the Southeast side of town which is the fastest part of Journey or part of Bend right now but we're contining to see God work and we want you to partner with us if you're not giving this is your invitation to start giving if you are giving this is your invitation to do what you just heard today to test God in the Book of Malachi he actually says this test me in
financial giving and see if I won't open up the the floodgates of Heaven God wants you to test him in this because money might be the very obstacle that's stopping you from experiencing the full blessing of God I know for some here you might say well that sounds manipulative I'm not sure I want to do that you know the Bible is very clear God does not want you to give because you're manipulated God loves a cheerful Giver so if your heart is not in it to give we are not asking you to give if you're visiting with us for the first time or maybe you're just still checking out Journey Church we want you to have a heart for this house and that's why you give this is God's house we believe Jesus is the head of this house and at the end of the day that's why we want you give so please know this there's no respon like there's no financial obligation to be a part of Journey Church we're just inviting you
to join us so that when we celebrate you celebrate too because you were a part of that and I'll tell you there are so many people doing that right over here at this box if you do a commit uh commitment card would you just put that in that box so that we can keep track of that and see what God's doing our giving is up right now 44% uh which is absolutely awesome but we got some big bills coming everybody and so we want you to and when I say 44% I'm talking about the previous year which is absolutely awesome because last year uh we did a lot of great things but this year we're already doing more we've had 310 baptisms we're continuing to see more people get saved in just a moment I'm going to ask you if you want to get saved you're financially investing in that that we're believing God to do more so pick up one of these commitment cars before you leave on the way out and you pray and ask God see how he would stretch you and by the way is not just giving through a traditional means like
a check you know you can give stock you you can give uh real estate you can give uh dafs if you know a trust fund or something like that there's there's multiple areas you can believe God's best as you do that and we'd be glad to partner with you as well we want to witness what God will do in your life my last invitation and this is the most important thing we're doing I don't want to rush this but as we're running out of time I just got to ask you are you saved have you believed in the Lord Jesus because once you have faith you can trust God in anything and everything being saved is not just saying a prayer it's not showing up to church it's taking God at his word it's being known by Jesus and it's knowing Jesus and I want to ask you do you want to do that today and if you want to do that I'll
pray over you I'm believing God's best your next step will be to get baptized which next month we're having baptisms you just keep taking a step of faith and next thing you know you'll realize how far you've come you don't take all the steps at one time but the first one is believing and if you want to believe on the Lord Jesus today and be saved you can this is your moment why don't we just close our eyes and take the seriousness of this moment if that's you today God's put it on your heart you showed up just today you heard this word at just the right moment that you would believe in Jesus the Bible says if you believe in Jesus that he died on the cross for your sins and you're willing to confess with your mouth that he rose from the grave you will be saved if that's you you're willing to believe would you just throw up your hand right now with eyes closed just throw your hand up and just keep it up in the air I want to see who is it that's Crossing from Death To Life praise God keep your hand up if your hand is up you can look
up at me I want you to know that you're seen I'm going to pray over you I see a hand right over here praise God anyone else if your heart's beating right now and you're uncertain of your salvation you could be sure right now take that step of Faith just boldly publicly raise your hand right where you are this is the moment of changing from Death to life from Brokenness to Healing this is the place of being refined anybody else just throw your hands up right in the air let me pray over those of you that want to believe For the First Time Lord I Thank you for those that said yes to you I thank you for those that raised their hands and said yes I am forgiven of my sins Because of You Jesus I am forever changed Lord I ask you'd bless those that from this day forward are
saying I'm going to trust you I'm going to follow you God may your favor be upon their lives may they continue to trust you even in the hardest times holy Spirit fill them up with all of who you are and I ask in Jesus name that you would remind them of the hope of Salvation that this world is not our home that through you Jesus we have the hope of eternal life so God we celebrate you we thank you for those hands we celebrate you and thank you for what you're doing at journey and all I could ask for is more Lord because you are faithful you are good and what we can't see you can so we trust you just like you did to Moses you're going to do it again God we want to see you in all your glory we thank you and praise you in Jesus name name all God's people say come on Amen and amen if you made that decision today we celebrate your life come on this is it can you celebrate
Jesus today like you believe it we've got a savior in Jesus well as you're dismissed today I'm inviting the prayer team to come forward if you need prayer for absolutely anything come forward and receive that prayer they're going to be coming up to this platform we have Pursuit nights at 6:00 p.m. right here in this Auditorium we love you God bless you we'll see you Thursday at Pursuit at 6: p.m. come forward if you want to receive prayer today
Read · talk · practice
Keep growing.
Together.
Going through something
The message begins with Pastor Kirkpatrick naming a very hard year and choosing silence over retaliation. That shapes how the whole sermon reads trial: as an opportunity for formation and endurance. The passage in view is James 1:2-3, alongside the Exodus 14:14 appeal he cites about the Lord fighting for his people.
James 1:2-3 · Exodus 14:14
- Pastor Kirkpatrick distinguishes joy rooted in faith from happiness that depends on circumstances. How does he describe that difference, and where does it land in your own life?
- Exodus 14:14 speaks of being silent while the Lord fights. What would faithful silence look like in a conflict you're currently in?
- James says testing produces steadfastness. What might God be building in you that circumstances alone cannot build?
Fairness and faithfulness
Moses is denied entry to the promised land after striking the rock twice instead of speaking to it. Pastor Kirkpatrick openly names this as feeling unfair, then turns to God's faithfulness and perfection, citing Psalm 31:5 and Matthew 5:48. The move is from measuring God by our sight to trusting God's fuller sight.
Numbers 20:7-12 · Psalm 31:5 · Matthew 5:48
- When have you told God "that's not fair"? What was behind that complaint—loss, comparison, or exhaustion?
- Pastor Kirkpatrick says we sometimes prescribe to God how he should bless other people. What does that reveal about our assumptions?
- How does the limit of your sight change the way you interpret an outcome you don't understand?
The refining picture
Malachi 3 is read as the final Old Testament word before Jesus, describing God as a refiner's fire who sits and purifies silver. Pastor Kirkpatrick treats the seated posture as sovereignty and connects purification to the priests, extended through 1 Peter to all believers as a royal priesthood.
Malachi 3:2-3 · 1 Peter 2
- Pastor Kirkpatrick explains that heat brings out impurities that were not obvious before. How does that picture shape the way you understand a difficult season you have walked through?
- If refining is for the priesthood, what does it mean that God purifies people who are meant to point others to him?
- How does the image of a seated God challenge your picture of what God is doing when life feels out of control?
Warning to the lukewarm church
Pastor Kirkpatrick reads Revelation 3, where Jesus addresses the church at Laodicea about works without devotion. He explains that cold and hot water each served a purpose in that culture while lukewarm water did nothing, and that Jesus counsels the church to receive refined gold, white garments, and salve for their eyes. The passage closes with Jesus standing at the door and knocking, and with his words that he reproves and disciplines those he loves.
Revelation 3
- Where in your own life has faith become motion without attention—attendance, serving, or giving without relationship?
- Pastor Kirkpatrick explains Jesus' counsel to buy gold refined by fire as receiving what only Jesus gives. What might that mean for someone who has been coasting?
- Jesus says he reproves and disciplines those he loves and calls them to repent. How does that shape the way you hear correction from God?
Answers from this recording
Start a conversation.
Why does Pastor Kirkpatrick say God isn't fair?+
Pastor Kirkpatrick argues that fairness measured by our limited perspective would actually be unsettling, because a perfectly informed God knows what a truly fair outcome would be—and it would likely look different than we assume. In Numbers 20, Moses's exclusion from the promised land feels unjust to the reader, yet the sermon insists God's wisdom exceeds human measurement. Instead of demanding fairness, he points to Psalm 31:5 and Matthew 5:48, where God is described as faithful and perfect rather than merely fair.
What does it mean that God is a refiner's fire?+
Pastor Kirkpatrick draws on Malachi 3, where God is pictured as a refiner and purifier of silver who sits and purifies. The heat surfaces impurities invisible to the naked eye. The sitting posture conveys authority and calm rather than panic. The refining is not random suffering but intentional purification, aimed especially at those who point others toward God—extended through 1 Peter to every believer as a royal priesthood. The goal is character, not destruction.
How does Moses end up in the promised land after all?+
In Matthew 17's transfiguration, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain and is transfigured, and Moses and Elijah appear talking with him. Pastor Kirkpatrick pictures Moses marveling that he finally reached that mountain. The point is that roughly 1,500 years after Moses's death, God brings him onto the land he never entered—evidence that God's purposes aren't derailed by human failure or apparent unfairness.
What was wrong with the Laodicean church?+
In the message's reading of Revelation 3, Laodicea had works and activity but was lukewarm—neither cold nor hot—and Jesus threatened to spit them out. Pastor Kirkpatrick explains that cold and hot water each serve purposes in that culture while lukewarm does nothing, so the warning is about losing function and purpose. They say they are rich and need nothing while being blind and naked; Jesus counsels them to buy gold refined by fire, white garments, and salve for their eyes.
How does the message describe the response to God?+
Pastor Kirkpatrick reads Revelation 3, where Jesus says he reproves and disciplines those he loves, calls the church to repent, and stands at the door knocking. The sermon stresses that going through religious motions is not enough—being saved is being known by Jesus and knowing him, receiving the gift that cannot be taken away. The response is to trust God in trials rather than turn away, and to take a next step of faith such as baptism.
