Bulletins - Curry's Chapel Church

Psalm 95:7–8 NLT
7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! 8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
INTRODUCTION — EVERYONE HAS “THAT THING”
There’s a moment in every believer’s life when God puts His finger on something specific. Not vague. Not mysterious. Not hidden behind layers of spiritual fog. Something clear. Something simple. Something unmistakable.
And we know exactly what it is.
I call it “that thing.”
“That thing” is the step of obedience God has already told you to take. Not something you need to pray about. Not something you need to research. Not something you need to wait on.
It’s the thing you already know.
For some, “that thing” is forgiving someone who hurt you. For others, it’s apologizing to someone you hurt. For some, it’s stepping into a ministry (and every believer should serve). For others, it’s stepping out of a sin pattern. For some, it’s starting something God told you to start. For others, it’s stopping something God told you to stop.
Everyone in this room has that thing.
And here’s the funny part: Christians are great at pretending we don’t. We act like we’re waiting on God, when in reality, God is waiting on us.
It reminds me of the time I bought a exercise machine. I told myself, “This is it. This is the moment I become a fitness person.” I set it up, plugged it in, admired it… and then used it as a coat rack for six months. I didn’t need more information. I didn’t need a fitness seminar. I didn’t need a YouTube tutorial. I needed to do that thing — step on it and walk.
We laugh because we know it’s true. But spiritually, we do the same thing.
We buy devotionals we never open. We make promises we never keep. We feel conviction we never act on.
And James 1:22 confronts us directly: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
James says the danger isn’t ignorance — it’s inaction. The problem isn’t that we don’t know what God wants. The problem is that we don’t do what God wants.
Today’s message is simple: Identify that thing. Name that thing. Do that thing.
Main Teaching
POINT 1 — GOD HAS ALREADY SHOWN YOU “THAT THING”
In James 1:22–24 James gives us a powerful illustration. He says hearing the Word without doing it is like looking in a mirror and then walking away and forgetting what you saw.
Imagine waking up, looking in the mirror, and seeing your hair sticking up like you lost a fight with a leaf blower. You see it. You know it needs fixing. But instead of doing anything, you shrug and walk away.
That’s what James says spiritual hearing without doing looks like.
The Word shows us what needs attention. The Spirit highlights what needs obedience. Conviction reveals what needs action.
But many believers treat conviction like a suggestion instead of a command.
Let me give you a real life example. Have you ever had someone tell you, “We should get together sometime”? And you both know neither of you will ever schedule it. It’s a polite lie we tell each other.
Christians do that with God. “Lord, we should get together sometime.” “Lord, I should obey You sometime.” “Lord, I should deal with that thing… sometime.”
James says that’s self‑deception.
It’s not Satan deception. Not world deception. Self‑deception.
Because we think hearing the truth is the same as doing the truth.
But hearing is not doing. Knowing is not obeying. Feeling convicted is not the same as taking action.
Everyone has that thing God has already shown them.
ILLUSTRATION — THE SPIRITUAL TO‑DO LIST
Let me give you another picture.
Have you ever made a to‑do list and then added something you already did just so you could check it off? We love the feeling of accomplishment.
Spiritually, we do the opposite. We avoid writing down the thing we haven’t done because we don’t want to face it.
We’ll write down:
Read my Bible
Pray
Go to church
Smile at someone
But we won’t write down:
Forgive my brother
Apologize to my spouse
Stop gossiping
Start serving
Break the habit
Make the phone call
Step into the calling
Because we know— if we write it down, we have to face it.
James says the Word is a mirror — it shows us what needs attention. But many believers walk away from the mirror and pretend they didn’t see anything.
POINT 2 — WHY WE DON’T DO IT
Delay, Distraction, Discouragement
James says we look in the mirror and walk away. Why?
A. Delay — “I’ll do it later.”
Delay is actually disobedience wearing a polite mask.
We tell ourselves: “I’ll forgive them later.” “I’ll start praying later.” “I’ll get serious later.” “I’ll obey later.”
But later is not a day on the calendar. Later is a spiritual graveyard where good intentions go to die.
Let me give you a humorous example.
Have you ever told yourself you’ll start eating healthy “on Monday”? And then Monday comes and you say, “Well, I meant next Monday.” And then next Monday comes and you say, “Well, I meant the Monday after that.”
Spiritually, we do the same thing.
We delay obedience until obedience becomes a fantasy.
B. Distraction — “I forgot.”
James says we forget what we saw.
Life gets busy. Schedules get full. Responsibilities pile up. And “that thing” gets buried right under our noise.
Not because it wasn’t important — but because we didn’t prioritize it.
Let me give you an illustration.
Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went there? You stand there confused, looking around like the answer is hiding behind the couch.
Spiritually, we walk into moments God prepared for our obedience… and we forget why we’re there.
We forget the conviction. We forget the calling. We forget the prompting. We forget the Word.
Not because we’re bad Christians — but because we’re distracted Christians.
C. Discouragement — “I tried before and failed.”
This is the big one.
Many people don’t do “that thing” because they feel disqualified by past attempts.
They tried to break the habit… and failed. They tried to restore the relationship… and failed. They tried to start the ministry… and failed. They tried to obey… and failed.
So now they think: “What’s the point? I’ll just fail again.”
This is where Isaiah 43 breaks through the discouragement.
POINT 3 — GOD SAYS, “BEGIN AGAIN.”
In Isaiah 43:18–19 God speaks to His people: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing.”
God says: Stop rehearsing your failures. Stop replaying your mistakes. Stop reliving your past attempts.
Why? Because God is not limited by your past obedience failures.
Your past does not cancel your future. Your failures do not disqualify your calling. Your mistakes do not erase God’s mercy.
God says, “I am doing a new thing.”
Not “I might.” Not “I could.” Not “I’ll think about it.” I am.
Right now. In this moment. In your life.
Let me give you an illustration.
When I was in my Senior year of Highschool. I skipped school a lot. I went for few weeks, missed a week, went back for a day, missed three months, and finally I said, ‘I’m done.’ II didn’t go back until a day or so before graduation.
The longer I missed school the harder it was for me to go back out of embarrassment.
Some Christians think God is like a judgmental teacher or fellow student. But He’s not.
God doesn’t say, “Where have you been?” He says, “Welcome back.”
God doesn’t say, “You failed too many times.” He says, “Let’s begin again.”
God doesn’t say, “You missed your chance.” He says, “I’m doing a new thing.”
Your past obedience failures don’t cancel your future obedience opportunities.
ILLUSTRATION — THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES
Think about Jonah.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah ran the opposite direction. Jonah failed spectacularly. Jonah disobeyed blatantly.
But Scripture says: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” God didn’t say, “Jonah, you blew it.” He said, “Jonah, let’s try again.”
God is the God of second chances. And third chances. And fourth chances. And seventy times seven chances.
If God can give Jonah another chance, He can give you one too.
POINT 4 — THE POWER OF DOING JUST ONE THING
in James 1:25 James says the one who does the Word is blessed.
Not the one who hears. Not the one who intends. Not the one who feels convicted. The one who does.
And here’s the good news: You don’t need to obey in ten areas. You don’t need to fix your whole life. You don’t need to solve every problem.
Just do that thing.
The one thing God has already highlighted. The one thing God has already spoken. The one thing God has already revealed.
Let me give you a simple illustration.
If you’re in a dark room and you light one candle, the whole room changes. Not because the candle is big, but because the darkness is powerless.
One act of obedience can change your entire spiritual atmosphere.
One step can break a chain. One conversation can heal a relationship. One prayer can restart a spiritual fire. One decision can redirect your destiny.
Small obedience creates big blessing.
ILLUSTRATION — THE DOMINO EFFECT
Have you ever seen a domino demonstration? One tiny domino — barely an inch tall — can knock over a domino twice its size. And that domino knocks over a bigger one. And that one knocks over an even bigger one.
By the time you get to the end, a tiny domino has knocked over something massive.
That’s what obedience does.
One small act of obedience can knock over a giant in your life.
One small step can create a chain reaction of blessing.
One small decision can open a door God has been waiting to open.
POINT 5 — IDENTIFY IT. NAME IT. DO IT.
Now we move from preaching to practice.
I want you to take a moment — right now — and ask the Holy Spirit to help :
Repeat after me: “Lord, what is that thing You want me to do? Amen.”
You already know it. He already showed it. It’s already in your heart.
Maybe it’s forgiving someone. Maybe it’s apologizing. Maybe it’s giving something. Maybe it’s serving somewhere. Maybe it’s restarting your prayer life. Maybe it’s stepping away from a sin. Maybe it’s stepping into a calling. Maybe it’s to read your Bible.
Whatever it is… name it.
Because unnamed obedience becomes forgotten obedience.
Now here’s the challenge:
Before the sun sets tonight, take one step toward doing that thing.
Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not “when life slows down.” Tonight.
One step. One action. One move.
Obedience delayed is obedience denied.
POINT 6 — WHEN A CHURCH DOES “THAT THING”
Imagine what happens when an entire congregation obeys God in one area each.
Marriages heal. Addictions break. Ministries fill. Evangelism rises. Prayer deepens. Faith grows. The community feels the impact. People are drawn to us, because they see the difference.
A church that does “that thing” becomes a church God can use for anything.
Because God doesn’t bless intentions — He blesses obedience.
CLOSING APPEAL — TODAY IS YOUR NEW BEGINNING
As we close, hear the voice of God through Isaiah: “Behold, I am doing a new thing.”
Not “you are doing a new thing.” Not “your strength is doing a new thing.” Not “your discipline is doing a new thing.”
God is doing a new thing.
Your job is simple: Do that thing He already told you do.
Not perfectly. Not flawlessly. Not impressively. Just faithfully.
Because obedience is not about talent — it’s about trust. It’s not about ability — it’s about surrender. It’s not about strength — it’s about willingness.
Today is your day to begin again. Today is your day to obey again. Today is your day to step into the blessing God has prepared.
So I ask you: What is that thing? And will you do it?
Now let’s pray.
Altar‑Call Prayer — “Lord, We Bring You That Thing”
Lord… We come before You now in this holy moment. A moment You have carved out of time, a moment You have prepared long before we walked through these doors, a moment where heaven leans close and Your Spirit whispers to every heart.
Father, You have spoken today. You have touched places in us we’ve avoided, You have stirred things we’ve buried, You have awakened callings we’ve neglected, and You have brought that thing to the surface.
Lord… some of us are trembling inside. Some of us are scared. Some of us feel unworthy. Some of us feel too broken, too late, too far gone. But You are the God who says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing.”
So right now, Father, we bring You that thing. We bring the wound we’ve carried. We bring the sin we’ve hidden. We bring the fear that has chained us. We bring the calling we’ve run from. We bring the obedience we’ve delayed.
Lord, we lay it at Your feet. We surrender it. We release it. We give it to You.
Holy Spirit… fall on Your people. Break the hesitation. Break the excuses. Break the fear. Break the shame. Break the lie that says we cannot begin again.
Give us courage to step forward. Give us humility to bow low. Give us strength to obey. Give us faith to move. Give us boldness to do that thing You have placed on our hearts.
Lord, let this altar become a place of new beginnings. Let this moment become a turning point. Let this step become the start of healing, the start of freedom, the start of restoration, the start of obedience that unlocks blessing.
Father, we say yes. Yes to Your voice. Yes to Your call. Yes to Your will. Yes to that thing.
And as we step forward to this altar, meet us with mercy, cover us with grace, and surround us with Your presence.
Today, Lord… we choose obedience. We choose surrender. We choose You.
In Jesus’ powerful name, Amen.
- - Psalm 95:7–8NLT

INTRODUCTION — EVERYONE HAS “THAT THING”

Main Teaching

POINT 1 — GOD HAS ALREADY SHOWN YOU “THAT THING”

POINT 2 — WHY WE DON’T DO IT

A. Delay — “I’ll do it later.”

B. Distraction — “I forgot.”

C. Discouragement — “I tried before and failed.”

POINT 3 — GOD SAYS, “BEGIN AGAIN.”

POINT 4 — THE POWER OF DOING JUST ONE THING

POINT 5 — IDENTIFY IT. NAME IT. DO IT.

POINT 6 — WHEN A CHURCH DOES “THAT THING”

CLOSING APPEAL — TODAY IS YOUR NEW BEGINNING

Altar‑Call Prayer — “Lord, We Bring You That Thing”

Psalm 95:7–8NLT