Michael Todd - I Don't Love You Like That
Well, as people are taking their seats, I want to welcome everybody who is joining us online right now and all of those who are part of our service that are in the penitentiary system. Can we thank God for everyone that is in church with us right now through the app, YouTube, Facebook, and all the other ways that technology connects us today? I believe that God has something specific He wants to say and do in this place. I just want to take a moment to express how grateful I am for every person that takes what we do at Transformation Church not as a suggestion by a group of people who think this is the best thing for us collectively but as a word from God that you can run through your accountability, your convictions, and the word of God. There were thousands of you who last week decided to step out in another level of faith and gave in the Crazy Fruit Offering. Can we give God praise for that right now?
So many people stepped out, and what it does is allow us, number one, to check our hearts at the end of the year when it is usually about what we can get. Transformation Church says, «What can we give?» We give just to give and not to get. Because of everyone’s diligence and obedience, we’re going to be able to do some unprecedented things in this coming year, and I just want to say thank you. There are those who came today ready to give, and I want you to know it is not too late. Just as if we were doing something else and I said, «Hey, let’s try to do this,» I would say, «Good job,» if you did it and it was good. I want to say that because people get funny around money for some reason. When thousands of us made a decision to give to God, and it’s proven by the fruit of what happened, I just want to say, «Good job, Transformation Church!» Hear me: one day it will be so vibrant in every fiber of every role of every person in every family, and it will be undeniable what God does through the generosity of this house. I wanted to start there.
The second thing I want to tell you is that next week God has given me a word to preach on the last fruit of the Spirit on our last Sunday that we will be gathered together in this building. If you’re watching online, we will still have church next Sunday, but it will be online. So, if you show up here next Sunday, it will just be you and the Holy Spirit in the parking lot—we’re not letting you in. What we want to do is provide you with a time where you can be with your family, enjoy traveling, or doing whatever you do. This is a beautiful evangelistic time where you can gather your family around and say, «Hey, we’re going to church this morning!» If they don’t want to get up, it’s fine; just tell them to come in their jammies to the living room. Make breakfast for everyone, but the only stipulation is that you have to watch church while you eat breakfast.
This gives us the opportunity to represent God to your family. We’ve prepared an amazing experience for everyone, and it will center around many of the things God did here this year. We want that to happen. But next Sunday, I want you to invite two types of people. I want you to invite the person who you know would come if you just said something. Now, everyone listen to me because right now, everybody you could invite to dinner, you could invite to church. You could invite them to the movies; you could invite them to church. There are statistics that say 82% of people would come to church if a friend just invited them. The truth is that a lot of times our own insecurity stands in the way of somebody’s eternity. Did you catch that? Our own insecurity—"What if they say no?» Okay, if they say no, did you lose hair because they said no? Did you gain weight because they said no? What is the loss? But what is the gain? I can’t tell you how many people’s lives have been transformed because somebody said, «Hey, come with me to church.» Next Sunday is going to be a perfect opportunity to do that.
That’s one type of person—the people who would come. The second person is at least three people whom you don’t think would come. We’re going to have to do a whole evangelism series because y’all have become consumer Christians. Did you feel that? Y’all felt that conviction that just ran through the room. That’s like knowing something is on sale for 90% off but you don’t tell anyone, and you don’t have the money to buy all the stuff you could buy. You’re just being greedy. Salvation is free; why wouldn’t you tell somebody?
So, I want you to find three people. I want you to find a person you had to debate with about the election, the one you were like, «No, forget you!» I want you to find the one who you know said something about you; yeah, there are some examples coming to my heart—you know who they are. Invite the family member you say you’re not talking to anymore; send them the link. Maybe the fruits of the Spirit are more about what we do than what we know. I’m going to take my time today. I’m not even preaching yet, but I’m preaching good already. I’m just asking us to catch the heart of Jesus.
What matters to Jesus is that everybody—even the people you don’t like—comes in contact with Him. Until we take up our position, we get to watch this—God’s plan in our sphere of influence. So, next week, I’m asking you to come off the bench and get in the game. I’m asking you not to let this be a one- or two-time-a-year thing. The only reason I’m saying it right now is that you’re going to see immediate impact. What ends up happening is all statistics tell us there are two times that people who don’t attend church often come to church. Y’all know what those times are? What do you think they are? Easter and Christmas. And somebody said Mother’s Day! Mother’s Day—they say, «Mama, I’ll meet you at the restaurant,» but Easter and Christmas. What better opportunity is there to unwrap the gift of Jesus than by inviting someone to meet Him next week? It’s going to be beautiful, and I’m excited for what God is going to do. The team has prepared some special music, and there will be beautiful things.
One more thing: you can come and get your family photos. I know some of y’all are stressing because you haven’t taken a picture with your family in 39 years—your kids have gray hair and beards! Our team has prepared something for you before the service that you’ll be able to use; you can print it off at Kinko’s and give it to everyone as their Christmas gift. We just want to love on you well.
I have a word for every person in the house today. Is anybody ready for the word of God today? All right, you asked for it! Now, after last week when we talked about self-control, I need to be honest—it took everything in my life not to do a part two today. I was about to take it to a whole other level on self-control. My team will tell you I was like, «I’m doing part two next week; I’m going to bust them over the head with a two-piece!» And then the Holy Spirit told me that we only have two more preaching weeks left in this year, and I had to finish the last two fruits of the Spirit. So today, I’m talking about the first fruit of the Spirit: love. The reason the Holy Spirit wouldn’t let me go crazy on self-control again, I’m just going to make it into a whole series later on, okay? We’re going to just go ahead and do that. But the truth is that all of the fruits of the Spirit without this one ingredient makes everything we produce nasty.
You can literally possess every other fruit of the Spirit, but without—say it with me—love. The truth is that I see a lot of people working in gifts like never before. Everybody’s got a TikTok, everyone’s a prophetic expert, and people are offering righteous judgment every day. But it reeks of a lack of love. It rubs the common person the wrong way. The truth is that it’s the antithesis of what Jesus stood for. If we can’t get love right, we haven’t got anything right. I’m going to say it one more time: if we cannot get love right, we cannot get anything right. I don’t care how you pray. If you don’t love people, today I’m going to say some strong stuff because I’m praying that it reflects the mirror on how we’ve been acting. I could spend a whole year just talking about trying to get this love thing right—a whole two years, a whole decade. The truth is we are struggling to love the people we chose. You chose her; you chose him. You prayed for that child. How can you not be fooling with the people you chose? You can’t forget them. I got one too many times where they don’t know my name in the street!
Today, I feel a burden to let you know how important it is for us to focus forever on trying to love because the Holy Spirit wrecked me with this, and I’m going to try to give it to you so that you can bear—watch this—fruit! This whole year God has given us a theme: this year will be the year of fruit. Look at John 15:4: this is how we get the fruit. «Remain in me,» Jesus says, «and if you decide to remain in me (abide in me in another translation), I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed, cut off, or not attached to the vine.» Just in case the metaphor was too much for you, you cannot be fruitful unless you stay connected to me. I’m going to give you a preview of how your 2025 is going to look without God: fruitless! Everything you build will be in vain. Everything that you post on your Instagram, God will say, «That was not good for you.»
The only way you bear fruit is to stay connected; and the problem with many of us is that we want to find a shortcut to produce fruit, but nobody wants to eat fruit that is not ripe yet. This is why it’s important for all of us to be in the dark, under the soil, in the places where we know it’s real in us, but we haven’t even expressed it like that. They think we actually like them, but under it all, we have jealousy and frustration. I don’t like the way you put on lip gloss, and I don’t like—you know it can be petty stuff like that. It’s little things that we get caught up on that expose the limits of our love because all of us have a limit to our love. The reason I’m trying to bring importance to the fruit of the Spirit in our life, which is produced by a relationship—staying connected to the true vine, which is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit helps us produce that fruit here on Earth—is that fruit is important because it lets you know if you’re getting your Christianity right.
How do you measure your Christianity? By how many scriptures you can quote? By how many «these» and «thous» are in your prayer? Come on! How much money you give? How do you measure your Christianity? You didn’t cuss them out today?! «I’m doing good! Doing so good! God is with me!» Think about the moments where you felt like, «Man, I am doing really well in this walk with God.» Why did you think that? Why did you say that? Why did you believe that? Because any measure outside of the fruits of the Spirit is one that we made up, not one that God gave us. He said, «This is how you know if you’re doing good with me: love comes out!» Joy comes out! Peace is your portion. You have self-control. You have goodness coming out. So, if you were to grade your life spiritually by those nine fruits, what would be your grade? I need us to really think about this because, y’all, this is all just a religious exercise if we don’t get transformed. I know people who have done this for 40 years, still as mean as they were when they got here off the street. Matter of fact, they’re worse because they know scripture.
Now they’ll beat you over the head with all kinds of conjecture and opinions, then talk about you, and then pray for you, fake at the altar: «Lord, touch them because they’re dealing with things. Father, we know they have a thing with Johnny. God, we’re just praying you don’t expose them for all the things that are already out there.» Lord, I cannot live a powerless Christian life; that means I need to change the measure. If I could give you anything at the end of the year, change the measure to see if God is pleased with the way you live, not if man is pleased with it. Where’s your love? Where’s your joy? Where’s your peace? Hold on. Where’s your kindness? Where’s your self-control? Y’all, I preached that message on self-control last week. This week was the hardest week for me not to pull up to fast food restaurants.
Can I be honest with you? It was like I was saying, «Be disciplined; do this thing,» and those golden arches were calling me. I don’t even like McDonald’s, but their fries are straight out of the situation—I ain’t been craving that for years, and there was just a fat attack. No, I used to be fat; I can say that. It was a fat attack, y’all know what I’m talking about. It’s 10:30, and I’m trying to make sure I get there before they close, 'cause you know they’re not 24 hours after the pandemic. How do I know that? I shouldn’t know that, but I’ve pulled up at 11:30 disappointed. I just want to let everyone know I failed three times this week. I’mma be honest—three times. A basket of fries, not even a large, Scott, you already know the basket of fries I got. Yes, Shay, I did it with sweet and sour sauce, and after I finished, in my bed, I felt ashamed. I’m just letting you know that the Spirit was trying to help me, even with fries. He cares about my freedom over fries. See, a lot of times we think it’s just these big things. Fries may not mean anything to you, but it was a stronghold for me.
Some people think it’s trivial, but the same mechanism that works for me to say no to those fries is the same one that helps me say no to that website. Y’all need to hear me. If I need my life to be transformed, I cannot have self-control in some areas and then be loose with it in others, because what I’m doing is working a muscle. I want to actually live a transformed life, and maybe we need to change the measure, 'cause I need to say it to you like this: most of us would rather have our Christianity judged by Scripture, but it’s actually exposed in the streets. It doesn’t matter what you say, and here, some of y’all, finally, after all that praise and worship buildup, are like, «Hallelujah! That’s great. I did it in practice.»
You shot the shot in practice; you gave, you did the drill in practice. The question is, when you’re in the meeting at your job and they blame you instead of the team, do you walk out of that room and say, «Hallelujah, thank you God that you’re with me»? Thank you, Father, that I didn’t just do what came to my mind to do in that room. Thank you, Father, as I compose this email; I’mma breathe first, 'cause your Christianity is authenticated in the streets—not by how much you contribute when they ask you to go to seek love. That’s when we want to see who actually has your allegiance. I couldn’t get up to go to church the next morning; it’s so early to get it. You got home at 4:00 a.m.
Let’s use practical wisdom. I know this is not everybody’s story. What I’m saying is, there are things in our lives that God is requiring you might have to change, so the Scriptures come alive in the streets. Yesterday, I was driving. I don’t know what was happening; I was praising the Lord. I went out to a piece of land that I’m believing God to do a miracle on. I spent time with the Lord, walking the land, praying. On my way back on Highway 75, I needed to turn into another lane. I signaled and did all the different things, and then this truck came up beside me and drove past me. I thought, «Man, he must need to get somewhere.» As he drove past me, turning into another lane, I saw this huge arm come out the window, and he raised one of his fingers, kind of towards the middle of his fist. At that moment, it felt like I went into a small trance, just a little one.
As soon as I came out of it, I was going 90 mph; I don’t even know how. I don’t even drive that fast! But before I knew it, my body was like «Uh, he doesn’t know who’s in this car!» These windows are tinted. He, like that… I just need to be honest; he was playing with his life. He didn’t know if Scott was driving, 'cause if Scott was driving it could have been over! No, no, no. At that moment, when I saw 90, the Holy Spirit said, «What are you about to do?» It was almost like someone saying, «He ain’t gonna do nothing; calm down, he ain’t gonna do anything.» I just felt in my spirit, «What are you about to do?» I was like, «Nothing.» At that moment, the Holy Spirit said, «This was more powerful than a Scripture. What you just did was live out what you have learned.»
This is what it means for us to bear fruit. If you can’t find examples every day where you’re doing something contrary to what is natural, you may need to rethink how we approach the fruits of the Spirit. Many of us try to bring our best to the church, but we give our worst to the world. I’ll say it one more time: Y’all look good today. How you doing? Glory to God; everything’s good! How’s everything been going this week? God is so good. Been blessed! And as soon as you get out of here, that’s not how you act. This is the place where you bring your worst so it can be transformed; out there is the place where we bring our best, so somebody could potentially know about Jesus. Okay, so what are you trying to say, Pastor Mike?
Colossians 3:14: «Put on love.» Put on love. Just like you got dressed today, every day you’re going to have to choose to put on love. Everybody has that piece that is the finisher to your outfit, and I don’t know what it is for you. For some people who are losing their hair, the cap is key. For others, it’s a necklace; for some, it’s their glasses. If you look good but can’t see yourself, do you understand? You might think, «Oh, I think that’s good,» and then realize, «Uh-oh, missed it!» Just like the finishing piece of your outfit, you should never leave your house—or let me say it even stronger—never leave a place where you’re by yourself without love, because there are people you need to love outside the door. Some of y’all just need to sleep in it, 'cause the person next to you put it on. Most of us only put on love when we feel like the person we’re about to interact with has proven to us they’re worth it. That is completely contrary to what the Word of God says.
So, we are going to walk through Galatians 5:22, which says, «But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives.» Let’s say it together: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things. What are you saying, Pastor Mike? You do not need a law if you’re not living close to the line. The reason most of us need somebody to tell us what to do or what not to do in this Christian life is that we live too close to the line. Who can I not love and still do what God said? We’re so close to the line. So, now they’ve 70 times 7—that’s 490. I carry the two. If they do it one time over that, I can cancel them out. At least I’ve got one person I don’t have to love.
Pastor Mike, why are you putting so much emphasis on love? Because I’ve worked so hard in other areas of my life this year, and I’ve seen so much growth and so much fruit, and people have celebrated me for all the things. I just have trouble loving everybody. I have trouble loving them. If I’m honest with you, I have trouble loving me. The love thing—I’d rather focus on other fruits because I feel like I can get my joy back pretty quickly. I feel like if I just stop talking to them, I’ll have peace. Some of those are true, but without love, this has become very real in my life in the last two years because God has asked me to love people that I know have violated what I call «okay.» There are certain things that have happened and certain things that I’ve said, and it feels like God lets me see them, lets me hear them, and lets me do it. I’m like, «Lord, what do you want me to do about this? What are we about to do about this?» You saw what they said; you saw what they did. He said, «I want you to walk in love.»
Does walking in love include a suplex or at least an ugly text message? Somehow, the enemy has convinced us that if we get some of this venom out of us, it’ll make us feel better. Come on, y’all, there are certain people you aren’t even looking forward to seeing at Christmas. You’re not even looking forward to being around them, let alone buying a gift, let alone acting like we’re cool, let alone looking at your kids who are bad and ruin things in my house. We start adding up and taking away from people that God said are there to authenticate that we really spend time with Him. What if you started looking at all your opposition as an opportunity from God to be like Him? Okay, they’re not ready for this.
So, have you ever had a friend who asked you for $20? Just raise your hand if you have. Okay, we’re in the right book. If that friend asked you for $20 and then came back two weeks later and was like, «Hey, thank you for lending me $20. Since you were so good to lend me $20, can I borrow $20,000?» What would be your response? You’d probably be like, «Whoa, hello!» You would be like, «I love you; I even like you, but I don’t love you like that.» Now, your number may be higher or lower, but usually, when we love someone, we have a limit, and we say, «I love you, but I don’t love you like that.» What if you’re getting in shape and somebody comes to you and says, «All right, for you to reach your summer goals, this is what we’re going to do: from January on, you are not going to eat any sugar from January to July, and you’re going to meet me at this gym at 6 a.m. every morning»?
I really would love to be at the beach without a shirt on this summer, and I would love me like that, but all that’s saying is, «I don’t love it like that.» What about single fellas? You’re dating a girl; she’s a baddie. Shorty knows she’s a 10, and thinks everything’s good. Mama likes her, sends you scriptures in the morning, looks you in your face, and says, «You can do this,» but she decides that you won’t come into unity until she has covenant. I know fellas today who would say, «Baby girl, I love you, but I don’t love you like that.» I know there are other people in here—business people, successful, driven—who really do want to spend time with their kids, but they can’t pass up this deal. «Jesus, I love them—I’d never say it out loud, I’d never really admit it—but I love them, but I don’t love them like that. I’ve had this goal before they were even thought about; this was my dream. I’m not going to sacrifice this for them.»
It makes me wonder about the love of God. It makes me wonder, just for real, y’all, when we get in front of the Father and we’re all at a judgment of what we did in this life, will it be okay with us if God asks us, «Hey, what about the Scripture reading I asked you to do?» And we say, «Well, God, you know what I’m saying—you really blessed me a lot down there, and I did start the Bible plan two days straight; give me some credit.» What we really would be saying is, «God, I love you, but I don’t love you like that.» When He tells you to be consistent in your tithing and your offering, and you tell Him, «But God, I need Starbucks every day. I have to have coffee to go; I’ve got to pay these bills. I’ve got to live in this house; I’ve got to live in this neighborhood.» So, what we’re really saying is, «I love you, but I don’t love you like that.» You want me to really forgive them again? «God, I love you, but I hate them.»
So I just want to let you know I’ll do anything else you ask me to do. «I love you, but…» Say it with me: «I don’t love you like that.» Write that down; it’s my sermon title: «I don’t love you like that.» Because the truth is, when we do not love others, we cannot say that we love God like that; it’s scripture. I’m going to just give you Bible because some of y’all are looking at me like this is not okay. So, let me unify us around the definition of love. I’m talking about agape love. In Greek, that’s the word, and it refers to a type of love—watch this—that is unconditional, selfless, and charitable. Matthew 22:36, a teacher asked, «Which of these is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?»
This is Jesus talking. He said, «All right, that’s easy.» They asked for the most important, but Jesus is a gangster; He always gives you more than you ask for. «You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.» He’s like, «Bet,» then continues, «Hold on, before you believe, I didn’t ask you for all that, but I’m going to give you a second. It’s equally important.» So literally, God said, «You asked for one thing, but I’m going to give you both because they can’t go without the other.» You have to love me, but watch this—love your neighbor as yourself. He said, «If you just get these two things, the entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commands.»
So, you want a cheat code to have all of the fruits of the Spirit? Love. What are you saying, Pastor Mike? He said, «If I were to take all of the theology and all of the scripture and all of the major prophets and minor prophets, and if I were to bring everything together, the only two things I would tell you are love me and love your neighbor. You’ll get patience in that; joy will be overflowing in that. There will be things that happen to you that nobody else will be able to take credit for because you understood how to love.»
Pastor Mike, that sounds good, but I’m not sure how to do that. 1 Corinthians 13. This is Jesus talking: «If I could speak all the languages of the earth and of angels but did not love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.» Now, I want you to think about this for one second. This is the God of the universe. He said, «Listen, if you could master all languages spoken on Earth—if somebody knows two languages, we’re impressed; you know Spanish and English, you know French and English. If you find someone who knows like five or six languages, you’re like, 'Savant, genius! ' God is saying if you could speak all of them, and you got a download from heaven and started speaking angelic…» What are you saying? «I’m speaking angel; don’t worry about it.»
I have no idea what angels sound like. He said, «If you could do that, what He’s really saying is if you could impress people with that, it wouldn’t even hit a notice meter in my book; I wouldn’t even notice it because you would not have love.» He said, «Matter of fact, when you try to do all your impressive stuff without love, it’s like a gong or a clanging cymbal.» What He’s saying is, «It’s annoying.» Let me prove it. So today, I want to talk to you about love. I want to tell you how love is such an important part of our everyday life, and I just want to let you know, how are you doing today? I’m good. Do you need anything? No, but this week, everything at my job has been going very well, and everything that I’m trying to get my family to do—it doesn’t matter what I say.
I have a prophetic word for you: God told me that this is going to be your year, and that God’s people are gathering in houses of worship everywhere right now, and people are being turned away. Not because the word is not good; not because God didn’t show up. They’re being turned away because you said, «That’s my seat; that’s my parking space. My kid is going to get in the children’s ministry. Do you know how long I’ve gone to this church? Oh no, no, no, I don’t praise loud like that. I crescendo to hate you. I’m going to let my hate be a crescendo. When you first meet me, it’s going to start off soft, but the longer we get to know each other, I’mma just be real with you.»
Yeah, glory to God! Glory to how long could you listen to that? How long would you invite people to that? «Come to my church; we’re just going to annoy you.» I mean, what if when people walked in here, it was just a bunch of «Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome!» I hope this is making sense because verse 2 says, «If I had the gift of prophecy and understood all of God’s secret plans,"—all of God’s secret plans—"you would know why a snail has a shell.» You know what I’m saying? Like, think about it—secret plans. Why does the snail have a shell? You could be like, «Oh, every 300 years there’s a metamorphosis,» or, «Why do seahorses carry babies? Why do male seahorses carry babies? Why did this happen?»
If you could understand all of that, God said, «But you don’t have love?» I just want to, before the day is over, draw the parallel that it’s not worth it if it’s not covered in, dipped in, surrounded by, wrapped in love. He said, «If you have faith that can move mountains but did not love others, it would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.» Because verse 4 says, «Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous, it is not boastful or proud or rude.» Love is not rude! You’re being mean to the server because your food is not hot? You’re getting an attitude with somebody because you called and made sure they had your side?
It’s Christmas time; somebody came in and asked. They called and thought it was ready, and they gave it to someone else. You’re going to go in there and act a full fool, a full fool—f-u-l-l, f-o-o-l—what is wrong with the English language? You’re going to act a full fool because you didn’t get the sweater your child wanted that they’re not going to wear? Love is not rude. Look at it! Y’all, I need us to take this in. Love does not demand its own way. Love does not demand its own way! Love does not! I’m just needy. If you’re going to be with me, this is what we’re going to have. Hold on, wait. Think. The marriage vows say «better or worse,» right? No. Better or worse—it’s Mercedes or Jaguar for me. No, come on. Y’all, there’s some serious truth. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable. Let’s just sit there for a moment. Say it: «Love, you’re irritated all the time.»
It’s like a low-grade irritation with everything—this food, okay? How I look? I just need to go through this love. That’s a hard one. Y’all keep a record of people doing you wrong—that is real tough love. Watch this: love does not rejoice about injustice. Oh, I could go so deep into this, but love rejoices whenever the truth wins out. So, if your friend is wrong and they don’t get what they want, yet you’re a ride-or-die friend, you’re not actually loving them. Okay, I can’t even go there, no, no, no, because some of y’all are not my bestie, not my day one A1. Y’all have handshakes but actually no loyalty to God. Now hear me: there will come a point in all our relationships where our loyalty will be tested—whether for the person or for God. Wow, wow, wow, yes! Verse seven: love, watch this, never gives up. You’ve been believing for that son or daughter, and they have gone wayward a hundred times.
If you say you love them, I’m not saying don’t create any boundaries because there’s abuse that can come with trying to love somebody, especially when they’re not making any effort. But pray for them: «Lord, I thank You that in the middle of this, wherever they are right now, God, I don’t know where they’re at or what they’re doing, but Father, would You allow Your grace to reach out there and get them?» Well, let somebody be able to speak something. Don’t give up; love never loses faith. It’s always hopeful and endures through every circumstance. I want you to go home and read that whole thing because when you get love, it’ll change the way your life becomes music to other people instead of just an annoying clanging cymbal. Because I have to say this: there are times we must tell the truth in love. I’m not saying take the symbols away because there are many believers who are like, «No, no, no; it’s my… the Word says we’re supposed to.»
But if all you’re doing is correcting, what good is it if all you’re doing is righteous judgment with no relationship? How are you judging somebody you’ve never spoken to, or even tried to speak to? God says, «I don’t want you to take this away; I want the fruits of the Spirit to work in concert.» Let me show you what this looks like: follow me back here. Instead of just having a symbol, okay? What I’m going to do is get on the drum set that has all the fruits of the Spirit. It feels like some joy, some peace, some goodness. Yeah, it feels like I might have some kindness. It feels like I may be able to make some music if I let self-control be a part of this and if love is the heartbeat of everything I do.
Now look, I just told the truth, but I don’t stay there. And so many of us are out here with all these fruits available, yet nobody can follow the rhythm of just clanging symbols. This whole room and everybody at home can actually clap if we put love in it. Everybody, everybody clap, everybody! This is what it looks like when we walk in the hole. If we bear all, if I set up a drum on a corner and said no words but just started playing this beat right here: «We will, we will,» we’re making a beat, and all I’m giving you is love. The kick drum represents love, and I was able to go on. The music of our life should be depicted. If you can’t play anything else, I can still play love. I don’t have joy yet, I don’t have peace yet, but if I can get this love, we can make music.
We can right the wrongs that have happened in society. We can actually be a church that stands up in the middle of division and actually sees unity. I’m not saying take away the symbols; I’m just saying God calls it annoying if that’s all we ever do—show up without love. For God so loved the world that He did what? So, I just need everybody to know that our love requires action. Don’t tell me what you love; show me how you love it. So, there are people right now that the Holy Spirit is convicting you to show them my love because I know it’s hard for you to do that. And then you say, «What do you want me to do? Do you want me to go in there with a kick drum?»
They’re not going to know what to do with that, guys! I just saw somebody coming into their workplace and setting a kick drum down—that’s not going to work. You don’t get it. No, I love our church. What I’m asking you to do is do something. There’s a card you could give them that would encourage them. They do 98 things wrong, but there are two things you know they’re good at—highlight the two and don’t put in there the other 98 that you’re forgetting. There’s a neighbor you haven’t spoken to because of a little parking rift last year. It’s been a year; you don’t even see them outside. You wait. Y’all know how it is. I don’t even want to connect eyes. I don’t, and God said, «Maybe you should take them a tin of cookies.»
Why don’t you do something that goes beyond yourself? You got to do something. Yeah, for God so loved the world. So last week, I was asking the Holy Spirit how we do something as a church, and if I’m honest with you, a lot of people think Transformation Church has everything in the world. They were like, «They don’t need anything; they don’t need me to participate; they don’t need this; they don’t need my little $20.» They don’t realize that what we do takes a lot of resources, a lot of manpower, a lot of commitment. There are so many faithful people, but we are in a season where, for all that God has asked us to do, we’re in a season where there are things I’m believing God for, and I want to be honest with you.
There are things we are believing God for as a church—in resources, human resources, and all kinds of different things. This is a season where the Holy Spirit said, «I want you to sew into what you believe I’m going to do.» I was like, «Lord, I did last week in a crazy fruit offering; what are you talking about?» He said that was personal. He said, «I want this church to end the year sewing seed for the fruit that you want to see in 2025.» Then God asked me this question: «Do you love my bride?» And I was like, «Yeah.» He said, «No, no, no, no. Not the one that comes and participates here; do you love my bride, the capital-C Church?» I said, «Yeah, Lord, we always give and do stuff.» He said, «I want you to listen and listen clearly. I want you to end this year by proving your love for me by obeying me and giving what I tell you to give.» I said, «Holy Spirit, what is this going to do?» He said, «This is a practical example that I can’t just say I love the capital-C Church. We love everybody doing mission work; we love the penitentiary system; we love God Behind Bars. God bless God Behind Bars. He said, 'I don’t want your prayer; do something! '»
So today, we are going to give, and I’m not asking you for an offering because the beautiful thing about this moment is that because of all the thousands of faithful people who have already committed to this, we could do so much more if everybody got involved. Let me just say this real quick: if everybody really did get involved in this, Transformation Church is one of the best giving, generous churches in the world. But let’s be honest: we have less than 50% of the people participating consistently in being a part of what happens here, and it’s less than 50%. We could do all of this; what if in 2025—not even asking for everybody, but what if 80% or 75% of people would say, «God, I’m going to return 10%—if I get a million dollars or if I get $10, I’m going to return it. I’m going to trust You with it. I’m going to obey You when You say it.»
If everybody just played the game, do you know how many things we could do? When I said on the north side of Tulsa, when Bishop handed me the baton, our first crazy offering wasn’t even called that—I don’t even think we had a name for it. I just had a heart for the kingdom; that’s what it was, «Heart for the Kingdom.» I told the church, «Y’all, I want to do something that changes the trajectory of this church forever, and we’re going to raise an offering; we’re going to keep no dollars, we’re going to give it all away.» $8,300 came in that day, and we gave it to churches—not away from us, not overseas. I thank God for missions far away; we give to that, but some of us are skipping our neighbors. No, y’all don’t hear me; you think that because it’s going to that country, God counts it more. There are people who are supposed to give; we give to all kinds of stuff, but there are people right next to you who can be considered your competition in the world, but God says in the kingdom we all wear the same jersey.
So, I’m just going to give you four places we’re going to give to today, and I want you to know it’s because God so loved and because we want to be like Him. Today, we’re going to give. There’s an organization we talk about all year called God Behind Bars. We have seen over 11,000 salvations from Transformation Church. Y’all got—hey! I said 11,000 plus! And today, we have a person—I think his name is Keante. Keante, where you at? Come here, bro; where you at? Bring your notepad; bring receipts! I’ve never met him, but I was told that my man just transitioned out of a correctional facility, and he came from Arkansas today to come to Transformation Church. And you brought a friend? Yeah. What’s going on, bro?
Let me come down here. No, no, no, she didn’t say anything. So he told me you were watching in prison on the P app, on the Panda app? Yes, sir! You were watching all the time, the whole time. Man, this is from cuffing season? From cuffing season, yeah! I know what you’re talking about—the gluttony. Okay, this is gluttony cuffing season. This man has notes—worship on the word. Here are all of his notes—here is Holy? You went back and watched? Here is Holy? And yeah, that boy easy money to get my money. Can we celebrate life transformation? Hold on, hey, hey, hey! This my mama right here? This your mama right here? This Big Mama? Hey, Big Mama, how you doing? I’m here with your mans; I love you so much! You in bed? She got a bonnet on, she said. Don’t do that! Listen, that boy—listen!
So this is what I want to say to you: I want to let you know, and I need you to let your people over at God Behind Bars know there’s a check for $100,000 coming today so more people can hear about that. And then the Holy Spirit told me, «If you were here to put this in your hands, this is for me and Pastor Natalie so you can get started back on your journey.» Okay? Hey, I want to shout out Corinth Baptist Church. They helped me get a job—Arkansas in Nashville, Arkansas—and they have not judged me for any of my past walk or anything. So, it’s kingdom! Can we give God praise in this place? Help him get his notes! He messed up, y’all! Help him get his stuff! He about to hug everybody—okay? He don’t know what to do. Help him get his stuff, and we’ll talk after church, okay? Hey, this is why we celebrate—it’s transformation in Christ! For God so loved. That’s how God will set it up!
There’s a church in Tampa, Florida called Courageous Church. If anybody’s in Tampa, Florida, could you tell that pastor $100,000 is on the way to Courageous Church? Y’all better get ready to celebrate with me! You may as well stay on your feet! Right in North Tulsa, Pastor Ray Owens at The Met Church, $100,000 is coming to you from Transformation Church. Keep planting, keep sewing, keep loving, keep changing people’s lives! Two more. There’s a church in Orlando, Florida called Journey Church. Pastor JJ Vasquez, I want to let you know, on behalf of Transformation Church, man of God, I heard that God is doing some amazing things, and y’all are almost at the end of closing out a huge campaign. I hope this pushes you over. We’re sending $200,000. Oh yeah! Oh, Transformation Church, come on Journey Church! $200,000! For God so loved, He—can I be honest with you?
This is the point in our giving when I went to the team, and they said, «All right, it’s done, it’s over. We spent the budget for this.» The Holy Spirit convicted me; He said, «Now it turns into a sacrificial gift. This isn’t just 10% of everything that’s coming. Now it turns into a sacrifice; now you’ve got to believe Me.» It’s not designated; I’m asking you for it, Jesus. I said, «God, at the end of the year, where are we at? What’s going on?» He said, «Trust Me; you’re going to sow a seed now that’s going to produce much fruit.» I want everybody to hear me say this: we are sowing these seeds. Hear me say this: this is not Pastor Mike giving away money. First off, just to clarify, we can only give to nonprofits.
Some of y’all think this money could go to my house, but there are legal requirements. No, no, no! We get people all the time trying to be like, «Well, the church just gives to other churches.» Hold on, wait! We have to do things decent and in order because these are all people I don’t have a relationship with like that. This is because we want God’s blessing, okay? Does everybody hear what I’m saying? So, if you filled out a benevolence request or did something like that and it got denied because you asked for $177,000 for something frivolous, and then you see us give $100,000, wait! I’m just trying to make it easy for our whole team. We can’t give you that money legally.
Well, I saw you give away houses a long time ago and other stuff. You haven’t seen us do that since then. I just need you to know some things—you think you can do it, and then the IRS says, «No!» When you know better, you do better. There are organizations that help with housing, and we give to those things. There are organizations that help with food, and we give to those! So, y’all get what I’m saying, right? I just want you to know it’s all-inclusive, okay? Because some people get their feelings hurt when money starts getting handed out, and then they get mad. You want us to go to jail? Stop! I had to be a pastor just for one second to let y’all know.
So, this is where we are. Everybody stand up. We’re going home. I just wanted to make sure you know if we don’t get love right, everything else doesn’t matter. So, watch! No, this is not the time to leave, y’all! You’re about to miss it! This is the moment—we’re about to be gone! But I need you to hear what I’m saying to you right now: for God so loved that He did what? What will be your sacrifice that proves that you’re actually loving? When we were done, and the team said it was over, the Holy Spirit said, «But I’m not!» Now you have to trust Me, Mike. I said, «What do you want me to do?» He said, «There’s this church in Las Vegas, um, called City Light Church. Pastor Jabin Chavez and his beautiful wife—we’re supposed to do something very significant. Our largest gift this year—if anybody’s in Las Vegas right now, you got his number or know someone that goes to the church—let them know there is a sacrificial gift coming from Transformation Church of $1 million!» Y’all didn’t hear what I said—I said $1 million going to City Light Church! Can we give God praise? We will see God do miracles because of love! Somebody say, «Because of love!»
Because of love! Pastor Michael, how in the world could you do that? Why would we do that? Because there was a time that I prayed at 1519, «God, if You would ever bless us to be able to lift the burden off of other people who are sowing, crying, and praying, if You say it, we will obey.» And today, I could end my ministry career if it was God’s will because He has done exceedingly, abundantly, above all we could ask, think, or imagine. But the reason we can move in an action of love is that we remember how much God loved us. Hear me say this to you: you can’t give what you have not received. What force kept Jesus on the cross after He had been scourged, spat on, and mocked? The Scripture says, «While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.» What would keep Him in that position? The only thing strong enough to keep Him up there? Yeah, love! Today, if you need to receive God’s love at a deeper level so you can give it at a consistent level, would you lift your hands all over? I’m not going to do an altar call because we’d all be packed up here, but if you need to receive God’s love at a different level so you can give it at a different level, I just want to pray for you.
Father, in the name of Jesus, yeah, I’m the first one that needs this. God, I’m asking that You would do something in my heart that would allow me to absorb what You’ve already done for me—not me working more, doing more, being more. Father, just let me receive all that You’ve done. When I receive more, I can release more. When I receive Your love, I can release Your love. When I receive Your forgiveness, I can release Your forgiveness. When I receive, Father God, that You still love me when I mess up, I can release love to others when they mess up. So, Father, today the message is not about doing more; it’s about recognizing what You’ve already done. We receive Your love. I receive Your love today. Father, I thank You that there is nothing that can separate us from Your love. Father, somebody’s in a very bad situation right now, and they feel unlovable. I rebuke that lie in the name of Jesus. I thank You that right now, in this moment, You will never love them more than You love them right now. Yes, things can change; yes, they can get better in certain areas, but, Father, I thank You that Your love will never change for them today. I thank You that somebody receives Your love in that posture.
As God is ministering to people right now, if you’ve never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, today I want you to know He loves you, and He loves you enough to have gone to the cross to die just for you—for every person you would sleep with, for everything you would do, every lie you would tell. He says, «I knew it already, so I came to pay the penalty.» And today, all you have to do is receive. I’m about to pray, and if you know that today is the day of salvation for you, and you’re tired of running or you need to rededicate your life back to God before this year ends, you’re saying, «God, I’m going to be serious. I’m going all in with You. I want to make You my priority.»
If that’s you, on the count of three, I just want you to lift your hands. You don’t have to come to the front; we’re about to pray together. But God knows if it’s a real thing for you. Even if you’re at home, if you’re watching on rebroadcast, if this is playing faintly in the background, but your heart is tugging you to the screen, this is the moment that God tries everything and gets you into this moment so your life can be transformed. One, you’re making the greatest decision of your life. Two, your name is going to be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and your eternity is going to be secured. Three, if that’s you, would you lift your hands all over this room and all over this place? I see you, I see you, I see you! I see you, my brother. I see you, sister. I see you, my brother. I see you. I see you. Come on, Transformation Church, let’s thank God! I see you, and more than I see you, God sees you. Hey, Transformation Church is a family—nobody prays alone. Would you just close your eyes and say:
God, thank You for loving me—for me. Thank You for sending Jesus just for me. Today, I ask You to be my Lord and Savior, and I believe You lived, You died, and You rose again with all power so I could live a victorious life. Change me. Renew me. Transform me. I’m Yours. In Jesus' name, amen.