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**Written by Cowboy Evangelist Rev. Joseph Holmes** **Produced by Horsemen Of Christ "HC Cowboy Ministries"** --- **Opening Prayer:** Lord, we come before You this morning just as we are—dusty boots, calloused hands, and hearts that sometimes wander. Meet us here in this place. Speak to us through Your Word. Amen. --- **Scripture Reading:** *"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:10* --- **The Story:** Let me tell you about Jake Brennan. The dust hadn't settled yet when Jake hit the arena dirt hard, his ribs screaming as the bull thundered past. Eight seconds—he'd made it six. Again. By midnight, his prize money and entry fees for the next show had disappeared into whiskey glasses at the Silver Spur Saloon. A bar fight over some girl whose name he'd already forgotten left him with a split lip to match his bruised ribs. The motel was cheap—stained carpet, flickering neon sign. Jake threw his gear bag against the wall and collapsed onto the bed. He was broke, broken, and thirty-five years old with nothing but belt buckles that didn't pay the bills and a reputation wearing thin. That's when he saw it. A black leather Bible on the nightstand. Jake stared at it like it was a rattlesnake. He'd grown up knowing about God, but somewhere between the bright lights and the chase for glory, he'd left all that behind. His hand trembled as he picked up the book. It fell open to Luke 19:10: *"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."* Lost. The word hit him harder than any bull ever had. His knees buckled, and suddenly Jake was on that threadbare carpet, Bible clutched to his chest, tears cutting tracks through the arena dust on his face. "Jesus," he whispered. "I'm lost. I don't know how to find my way back. But if You're really out there... if You really came for people like me... I'm Yours. I'm done running." The peace that washed over him was like nothing he'd ever experienced—not the rush of a perfect ride, not the burn of whiskey, not the hollow thrill of victory. It was being found. --- **The Message:** Brothers and sisters, how many of us have been Jake Brennan? Maybe not in a rodeo arena, but in the arena of life. Chasing something—success, money, pleasure, approval—thinking the next buckle, the next achievement, the next whatever will finally fill that empty space inside. But here's the truth that changed Jake's life and can change ours: Jesus didn't come for people who have it all together. He came specifically for the lost. He came for the broken-down cowboy in the cheap motel. He came for the person who's spent their last dollar on all the wrong things. He came for you, right where you are. Notice the verse doesn't say Jesus came to wait for the lost to find Him. It says He came *to seek* the lost. That means He's the one doing the pursuing. He's the one tracking us down. He's the one who makes sure a Bible shows up on a nightstand exactly when a broken man needs it. Maybe this morning you feel like Jake—beat up, broke, lost. Maybe you've been running the circuit of life, trying to prove something, win something, be something, and you're exhausted. Maybe you're sitting here thinking, "I'm too far gone. I've made too many mistakes." Let me tell you what Jake learned that night: You're never too lost for Jesus to find you. That's why He came. That's His specialty. --- **The Application:** Jake Brennan still goes to rodeos. They call him the Rodeo Preacher now. He sits on hay bales in the back pens with young cowboys walking the same broken road he once traveled, and he reminds them: no matter how far you've run, how hard you've fallen, or how lost you feel—there's a Savior who came looking for you. The question this morning isn't whether Jesus can find you. He already knows exactly where you are. The question is: Are you ready to stop running? Are you ready to let yourself be found? --- **Closing Prayer:** Heavenly Father, thank You that You specialize in finding lost sheep, lost coins, and lost cowboys. Thank You that no matter where we've been or what we've done, Your Son came to seek and save us. For anyone here this morning who feels lost, broken, or far from home—meet them right now. Give them the courage to fall to their knees and say, "I'm Yours." We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. --- **Reflection Question:** What are you chasing that keeps you running from the One who's been chasing you? --- **Go in Peace:** Remember, cowboys and cowgirls—the greatest ride of your life doesn't happen in an arena. It happens when you finally let go and let yourself be found. --- **A Word from Rev. Joseph Holmes:** "Listen up, cowboys and cowgirls—life's gonna buck you off. It's gonna leave you face-down in the dirt wondering if you've got another ride left in you. But here's what I know for certain: The same God who calms the storm can calm the chaos in your heart. You might feel broken, but you ain't too broken for Jesus. He specializes in taking busted-up cowboys and turning them into champions for the Kingdom. So dust yourself off, grab hold of His grace, and get back in the saddle. Your best ride is still ahead of you—not because of what you can do, but because of what He's already done. Now ride for Him, and ride hard." — *Rev. Joseph Holmes, Cowboy Evangelist*