WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Fathering Cities Publishing Date: 2025-09-28T06:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/fathering-cities/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:18.960 This here, so we can take our own sweet time. So, I taught and prepared notes on Blessed 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:25.160 are the Pure in Heart continuing from last week, but then felt God saying as you leave, 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:29.320 talk about fathering the city you are going to. 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:34.120 Brandon? 00:00:48.120 --> 00:00:50.120 Should I continue Brandon or? 00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:18.120 What happened? 00:01:18.920 --> 00:01:30.920 Okay, so the topic is fathering the city. God functions as a father always. Always God functions as a father. 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:40.120 Remember that in everything God does, He functions as a father. There is nothing He does where He is not functioning like a father. 00:01:40.120 --> 00:01:52.120 So God functions as a father in His nature. God functions as a father in His intentions. God functions as a father in every act. 00:01:52.120 --> 00:02:04.120 And that's how He deals with—can I have the pen back too? Oh yeah. That's how He deals with individuals. 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:16.120 That's how He deals with cities. That's how He deals with nations. Just pause on that for a second because if we don't grasp this, 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:28.120 then we might think this is a heavy or profound or revelatory teaching and that's all it will amount to. But the simplicity is so obvious. 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:36.120 Because why not talk about blessed as pure in heart because that was the next in the series. Why are we going down the road of fathering the city? 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:44.120 We've never talked about stuff like this. But remember next year we'll be around for 20 years. The church started in February 2006. 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:56.120 So things change as we go forward and this is one of those changes. And we begin at this simple point which is God is a father 00:02:56.120 --> 00:03:07.120 and therefore in all His intent, all His approaches in His nature and how He functions, He will always behave like a father. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:17.120 And that's how He deals with individuals like us earlier today. That's how He deals with cities. That's how He deals with nations and we'll see it. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:24.120 He deals with cities, individuals and nations with a fathering spirit. 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:39.120 So when you talk about Jesus' commission to disciple nations, when you talk about Jesus' commission to disciple nations, 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:57.120 again it has to be fathering in nature. Because that's who He is. That's how He behaves. 00:03:57.120 --> 00:04:07.120 So what does that look like for us as we go into another city? So fathering takes God's heart, intent, nature, that of a father. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:16.120 God's heart. It takes God's heart and then it takes your personal attributes or our personal attributes as a church. 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:26.120 And then it takes our passion or your passion for people. This is a mix. 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:46.120 And then He takes your role in the body and He combines all this. Now He gets to translate it physically and spiritually in a city. 00:04:46.120 --> 00:05:08.120 This is how it works. These are the ingredients that go into how He uses you as an individual or we as a church in this very natural approach He has to everything which is that of a father. 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:18.120 Any questions on that? Because this is actually simple. If you don't understand this then everything else becomes just a lot of awe. 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:37.120 So many fathers, even in terms of raising your child, He takes your heart as a father, takes your personal attributes, your passion for your child and your role in the family. 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:53.120 And He begins to translate it physically and spiritually into the life of a child. The same applies to a church. He takes His heart, adds it to my personal attributes and my passion for people and my role in the body. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:06:03.120 And that's how a church is formed. And that's why a church initially takes on the nature of the one who starts it. 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:13.120 And then it's supposed to change over a period of time. But if you were here the first seven years, you would not sing a single song that I didn't like. 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:24.120 So any questions on that? This is why we're talking about fathering a city. We've never talked about this before, but it's great that we get to. 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:36.120 Certain portions of this will apply to the leaders in the church, others will apply to all of us. 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:47.120 God's fathering has always been available. God's fathering over cities and nations has always been available. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:53.120 It's always been available. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:07:05.120 This is why you hear verses like 1 Samuel 8-19 where Samuel is sad because he knows God wants to father Israel and be their king. 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:11.120 But what does Israel demand? We want a king like all the other nations. 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:17.120 And so God says to them, listen, they're not rejecting you, they're rejecting me. That's okay. Give them a king. 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:25.120 And it is the beginning of the downfall of the down, the up and down cycle of Israel starts with that. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:31.120 Another one is in Matthew 23, where Jesus is standing and looking at Jerusalem and he's beginning to say to Jerusalem, 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:36.120 Oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, how I've longed to gather you like a hen gathers its chicks. 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:45.120 It's like a dad or a mom wanting to protect them. But now I leave your house to yourself. 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:54.120 The heart of God for cities, for nations has always been this way, but cultures, peoples, churches and nations rejected. 00:07:54.120 --> 00:08:00.120 But that doesn't change how he behaves with them. Another fascinating verse. 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:08.120 It's so odd. The first two verses I spoke about were spoken by Israel, God's chosen son. 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:14.120 And now you go to Nineveh. Nineveh was a pagan nation. Jonah chapter 4 verse 11. 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:17.120 Again, you see the father's heart. He says to Jonah saying, 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:25.120 You are worried that a plant that grew up in the shade, to cover you from the shade, dried up. 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:31.120 Should I not be concerned about 120,000 people in the city who do not know their right hand from their left? 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:35.120 And these are an evil, wicked people that deserve punishment. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:41.120 But here is the father again behaving like he has always done with the heart of a father towards people. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:45.120 And that was a city and the city is spared. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:52.120 So there are nations that rejected, nations that sometimes in small ways accepted. 00:08:52.120 --> 00:09:01.120 And so cultures, nations, churches have rebelled against it. But God wants to father cities. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:07.120 You know the strange thing is we don't build cities, we inherit them. 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:11.120 This is super important. We don't build cities, we inherit them. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:18.120 The only time people of God have built cities are when they are under bondage to Pharaoh. 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:21.120 That's the only time you build a city. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:24.120 Otherwise cities have never been built by believers. 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:31.120 Every time any famous leader like William Branham and others who went to Kansas and bought land 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:36.120 and decided to build a city for God and called it Zion, it ends in disaster. 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:39.120 We are a people who don't build cities, we inherit cities. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:45.120 And the reason we inherit cities is because there is one who is building an invisible city for us. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.120 We may have started in a garden, we end in a city. 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:51.120 Cities are important to God. 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:58.120 There is one that Moses said in Hebrews 11, he saw, Abraham saw a city that was not built with hands, 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:02.120 that is being prepared and that will one day come down. 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:07.120 That is what we want to build in the midst of brick and mortar. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:10.120 So we inherit a city. 00:10:10.120 --> 00:10:17.120 And a city cannot be inherited unless the Father gives it to you as part of a promise as an inheritance. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.120 And that then begs the second question. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:22.120 Are you convinced in your heart? 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:23.120 This is important. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:29.120 And there is nothing we can do about it right now except throw this out and then ask God. 00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:34.120 Are you sure that Richmond is being given to us as an inheritance? 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:39.120 And if you are not, how will you build? 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:41.120 And if you are not, you have two choices. 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:48.120 Either you can sit in the void or you can engage and see. 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.120 Tell me how it is true. 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:56.120 Because if you were given a piece of land, you can build a city. 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:01.120 Because if you were given a piece of land and someone told you there was oil in it, 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:06.120 you would move heaven and earth to get a drill and you would find that oil in it 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:12.120 because that land is of no use to you unless the oil is drawn out. 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:15.120 That's what people do with inheritances. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:23.120 The question though is Jacob, do you really believe that this city was given to you as part of your inheritance? 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:25.120 Is it a promise that has been given to you? 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:30.120 And if that cannot be answered, then work must be done. 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:32.120 One on one. 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:36.120 And every leader has to ask this of themselves too. 00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:43.120 Every leader of every church has to ask this question. 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:50.120 Because otherwise, regardless of whether you are in Northland or in Surrey or in Newton, 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:53.120 that's not true. 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.120 The way the world is today, incarnational living has become a little easier 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:01.120 because you don't have to live in Richmond to be active in Richmond. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.120 Any questions? 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:13.120 Any questions? 00:12:13.120 --> 00:12:15.120 Yep. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:18.120 It's an inheritance that is given corporately. 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:23.120 The strange thing is this guys, unless you're able to handle and work 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:32.120 at the inheritance given to the house, the land allotted to you doesn't prosper as much as it should. 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:36.120 This was what was happening with the tribes of Dan and Gad. 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:40.120 They went and said, you know, we're going to have to do something about this. 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:44.120 This was what was happening with the tribes of Dan and Gad. 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:49.120 They went and said to Moses, you know what, Moses, I know God has promised the land across the Jordan, 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:53.120 but we're going to take this portion here and settle here. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:57.120 Because they had enough livestock, they were agricultural people, they would stay there. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:04.120 And Moses rebukes them saying, haven't you learned? 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:10.120 So sometimes in the process of pursuing personal inheritance, 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:17.120 I can miss out on both the personal inheritance and that which is given to a family as a whole. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:23.120 That's why, you know, in most families where there are more than two brothers, 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:29.120 you usually hire a lawyer, at least in India. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:38.120 Any questions? 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.120 Yeah. 00:13:58.120 --> 00:13:59.120 Yeah. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:00.120 Yeah. 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:04.120 And it's the same thing he does in Matthew 23, where God is saying, 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:08.120 oh, Jerusalem, oh, Jerusalem, how I've longed to take you into my hands. 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:12.120 I can gather the chicks, but you would not have it. 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:14.120 So I leave your house to yourself. 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:16.120 I leave the house to you. 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:20.120 What he's saying there is, listen, this is my house. 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:26.120 But you, because you have continually resisted the prophets, the scribes, and finally the son of man, 00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.120 he then changes it. 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:32.120 It's a saddest sentence, where Jesus is saying now, it's no longer my house. 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.120 It is your house. 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:42.120 And so every time land vomited out Israel, it was because of heinous crimes committed by Israel, 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:51.120 especially with regard to idolatry, Canaanite gods, sexual immorality, and sacrificing their kids to Molech. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:58.120 It would reach a point where the only way to then cleanse the land or bring the land to a place of Sabbath 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:02.120 would be like an intervention that would put you in the Mayo Clinic, 00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:06.120 hoping you would clean up so you could come back and live again. 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:12.120 But the strange thing is, he never takes away the inheritance. 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:15.120 And that's why he instituted Jubilee. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:21.120 The Jubilee was an attempt to give back to people what is theirs, even though they may have messed up. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:24.120 Some of the things that have been given to you. 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:27.120 I've had gods say things like this. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:30.120 I've written down, Jacob, this is your gained place. 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:32.120 You can have it if you want to. 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:35.120 It will not go to anyone else till you die. 00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:38.120 As in, I've given this to you. 00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:39.120 You can do it. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.120 But if you don't do it, I'll not take it away from you. 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.120 But when you die, I'll give it to somebody else. 00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:48.120 But till you die, till the very last day, if you want to do this, you can. 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:03.120 So, examples of... 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:05.120 Here's a beautiful thing. 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:10.120 God wants to raise individuals and churches that can father cities. 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:12.120 God wants to raise... 00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:13.120 That's the beauty of it. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:28.120 God wants to raise individuals and churches that can father, as in approach the city as he would, father cities. 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:33.120 Examples of fathering in the Old Testament and the New Testament. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.120 You should read Job chapter 29. 00:16:36.120 --> 00:16:38.120 It is such a beautiful chapter. 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:40.120 Job 29. 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:42.120 He was a man... 00:16:42.120 --> 00:16:45.120 Here are the things we sometimes don't realize about Job. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:47.120 He... 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:52.120 He was amazing in terms of how the city looked up to him. 00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:56.120 If you go to Job 29, he begins to talk about it. 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:04.120 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, with God's intimate friendship, when the Almighty was still with me, 00:17:04.120 --> 00:17:08.120 When I went to the gate of the city and took my seat in the public square, 00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:10.120 the young men saw me and stepped aside. 00:17:10.120 --> 00:17:12.120 The old men rose to their feet. 00:17:12.120 --> 00:17:16.120 The chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands. 00:17:16.120 --> 00:17:18.120 The voices of the nobles were hushed. 00:17:18.120 --> 00:17:20.120 Their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouth. 00:17:20.120 --> 00:17:22.120 Whoever heard me spoke well of me. 00:17:22.120 --> 00:17:24.120 Those who saw me commended me. 00:17:24.120 --> 00:17:28.120 I rescued the poor who cried for help, the fatherless who had none to assist him. 00:17:28.120 --> 00:17:30.120 The man who was dying blessed me. 00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:32.120 I made the widow's heart sing. 00:17:32.120 --> 00:17:34.120 I put on righteousness as my clothing. 00:17:34.120 --> 00:17:36.120 Justice was my robe and my turban. 00:17:36.120 --> 00:17:38.120 I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. 00:17:38.120 --> 00:17:40.120 Was a father to the needy. 00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:42.120 I took up the case of the stranger. 00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:46.120 I broke the fangs of the wicked and snapped the victims from their teeth. 00:17:46.120 --> 00:17:47.120 Beautifully. 00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:49.120 Job 29. 00:17:49.120 --> 00:17:51.120 Now you know what it looks like. 00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:55.120 When a church begins to take just those verses that I read, 00:17:56.120 --> 00:18:02.120 And somehow, day after day, somehow keeps pressing in to make it happen. 00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:06.120 Affecting maybe two widows, three orphans, four people who were oppressed. 00:18:06.120 --> 00:18:07.120 That's all. 00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:09.120 After a year, that's all you have to show. 00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:14.120 The crazy thing about anything that we should do is simply this. 00:18:14.120 --> 00:18:18.120 You should plant a seed so deep that now it cannot but bear fruit. 00:18:18.120 --> 00:18:20.120 And it cannot be plucked out. 00:18:21.120 --> 00:18:25.120 When Paul says stuff like, I have no more work to do in this region, 00:18:25.120 --> 00:18:27.120 my work here is done, 00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:31.120 he didn't mean that everyone in that region was converted. 00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:32.120 Not a chance. 00:18:32.120 --> 00:18:35.120 What he meant was, I've planted things here deep enough, 00:18:35.120 --> 00:18:38.120 I can move on, because this won't change. 00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:42.120 That's what it means. 00:18:50.120 --> 00:18:53.120 Then there's Elisha in Jericho. 00:18:53.120 --> 00:18:55.120 2 Kings 2.19. 00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:57.120 Elijah has just disappeared. 00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:58.120 Elisha comes along. 00:18:58.120 --> 00:19:00.120 And already the people of Jericho are coming to him. 00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:01.120 With what? 00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:04.120 With problems that will bless the city. 00:19:04.120 --> 00:19:07.120 We have a city, Elisha, where the water is bad, 00:19:07.120 --> 00:19:10.120 and it either kills people or makes people barren. 00:19:10.120 --> 00:19:12.120 Can you do something about it? 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:16.120 You see Elisha intervening. 00:19:16.120 --> 00:19:20.120 Quite often you find it in 2 Kings 2.19, 00:19:20.120 --> 00:19:22.120 you find it again in 5.8, 00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:24.120 you find it again in 6.23. 00:19:24.120 --> 00:19:30.120 In 6.23 he spares the Aramean army from slaughter 00:19:30.120 --> 00:19:33.120 by having them come into the city. 00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:36.120 He gives them a dinner and sends them home. 00:19:36.120 --> 00:19:39.120 And the Arameans never attacked Israel again. 00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:41.120 Then you've got Paul. 00:19:41.120 --> 00:19:43.120 You've got Paul in Ephesus. 00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:45.120 Paul in Ephesus. 00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:49.120 Where Paul and the church began to affect the economy 00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:55.120 and religions of Turkey. 00:19:55.120 --> 00:19:57.120 Present day Turkey. 00:19:57.120 --> 00:20:02.120 You have him again, that's in Acts 19. 00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:08.120 You have him again affecting all of Malta in Acts 28. 00:20:08.120 --> 00:20:12.120 Where the entire island literally turns up 00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:18.120 because Paul begins to work on behalf of God, 00:20:18.120 --> 00:20:20.120 healing that island. 00:20:20.120 --> 00:20:22.120 Then there are churches. 00:20:22.120 --> 00:20:26.120 And sometimes how churches affect cities are strange. 00:20:26.120 --> 00:20:29.120 The way the church affected Jerusalem 00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:32.120 was when an Ananias and Sapphira died. 00:20:32.120 --> 00:20:37.120 When they died, it says, let me read, Acts 5.10. 00:20:37.120 --> 00:20:39.120 Acts 5.10. 00:20:42.120 --> 00:20:47.120 Acts 5.10. 00:20:47.120 --> 00:20:52.120 Starting at verse 10. 00:20:52.120 --> 00:20:55.120 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. 00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:57.120 Then the young man came and finding her dead, 00:20:57.120 --> 00:21:00.120 carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 00:21:00.120 --> 00:21:03.120 Great fear seized the whole church 00:21:03.120 --> 00:21:05.120 and all who heard about these events. 00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:07.120 The apostles performed many miraculous signs 00:21:07.120 --> 00:21:09.120 and wonders among the people. 00:21:09.120 --> 00:21:12.120 All the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:15.120 No one else dared join them 00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:18.120 even though they were highly regarded by the people. 00:21:18.120 --> 00:21:22.120 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord 00:21:22.120 --> 00:21:24.120 and were added to their number. 00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:28.120 There's another situation like that in Acts 19, verse 17. 00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:33.120 Acts 19, 17. 00:21:33.120 --> 00:21:36.120 This follows the seven sons of Skiven, 00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:38.120 what happens to them. 00:21:38.120 --> 00:21:40.120 Acts 19, 17. 00:21:40.120 --> 00:21:44.120 When this became known to the Jews and the Greeks living in Ephesus, 00:21:44.120 --> 00:21:46.120 they were all seized with fear 00:21:46.120 --> 00:21:49.120 and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 00:21:49.120 --> 00:21:53.120 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:56.120 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together 00:21:56.120 --> 00:21:58.120 and burned them publicly. 00:21:58.120 --> 00:22:01.120 In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 00:22:01.120 --> 00:22:06.120 So there are examples of God using people, individuals, and churches 00:22:06.120 --> 00:22:10.120 to father nations that are recorded in the scriptures so that we know them. 00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:14.120 By the way, if you take the last 30 to 50 years, 00:22:14.120 --> 00:22:17.120 you'll find that at different times, 00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:20.120 countries like the United States, countries like South Korea, 00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:24.120 countries like Argentina, countries like South Africa 00:22:24.120 --> 00:22:29.120 were at the front of movements that affected the entire world. 00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:34.120 There was a time when South Korea brought about a revolution 00:22:34.120 --> 00:22:38.120 of prayer across the earth because of one man called Paul Yong Lee Cho. 00:22:38.120 --> 00:22:43.120 Argentina, revivals, charismatic revivals, and Pentecostal revivals 00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:45.120 only started breaking out across the earth 00:22:45.120 --> 00:22:49.120 through Louis Palau, through Anaconda, and a few others 00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:53.120 who began to affect the entire world. 00:22:53.120 --> 00:22:57.120 The U.S. sent missionaries all across the earth, 00:22:57.120 --> 00:23:02.120 not as colonialists or imperialists, but as missionaries. 00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:06.120 South Africa suddenly had this amazing revelation 00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:08.120 of what it is to be apostolic and prophetic, 00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:12.120 and it began to restore the apostolic and prophetic across the earth. 00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:19.120 You must remember though that all these movements did start with one man. 00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:22.120 That is what we forget. 00:23:22.120 --> 00:23:25.120 We look at the end of a wave, 00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:30.120 not realizing that the shift of the plates happened long ago. 00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:35.120 It's like when the Jordan stops flowing. 00:23:35.120 --> 00:23:41.120 It says in the Bible that when the priests set their feet in the waters, 00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:46.120 it's crazy, 80 kilometers away at a place called Adama, 00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:49.120 the water started piling up. 00:23:49.120 --> 00:23:55.120 You can imagine how the priests felt when they stood in the water with the ark 00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:58.120 because it was right up till here. 00:23:58.120 --> 00:24:02.120 Short priests were really scared. 00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:07.120 Because nothing's changing. 00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:14.120 Because 80 kilometers away at a place called Adama, the water started piling up. 00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:19.120 We see the end and we think, wow, if only God would do something like this in our times. 00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:23.120 What we don't realize is the number of people who spent five years, 10 years, 15 years, 00:24:23.120 --> 00:24:26.120 waiting for it to happen, and then 15 years later you see 00:24:26.120 --> 00:24:31.120 the water dry up or you see the tsunami come in. 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:35.120 Blessed are they that persist. 00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:48.120 Satan functions the same way too. 00:24:48.120 --> 00:24:51.120 He raises up sons of disobedience. 00:24:51.120 --> 00:24:54.120 Please understand, both are fathering. 00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:58.120 One is fathering the sons of disobedience. 00:24:58.120 --> 00:25:03.120 They are fathered by the father of life and they're doing well. 00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:07.120 And then there's the fathering by God. 00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:10.120 Both father. 00:25:10.120 --> 00:25:17.120 Cities are being ravaged on that side too. 00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:19.120 That gets the news. 00:25:19.120 --> 00:25:21.120 What God is doing is like a mustard seed. 00:25:21.120 --> 00:25:28.120 It is happening and he, like we sing a hundred times, he is the victor. 00:25:28.120 --> 00:25:32.120 Because he already wears the victor's crown. 00:25:32.120 --> 00:25:36.120 Satan knows his days are numbered. 00:25:43.120 --> 00:25:47.120 So God has been furnishing us for this move. 00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:50.120 And how has he been furnishing us? 00:25:50.120 --> 00:25:52.120 With understanding. 00:25:52.120 --> 00:25:55.120 We've been talking about this for so long. 00:25:55.120 --> 00:26:00.120 Not just Richmond but Hebrides 2.02, which is why young will be affected. 00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:04.120 With understanding, with growth, both numerical and spiritual. 00:26:04.120 --> 00:26:08.120 It's wonderful to see spiritual growth when you see young people maturing 00:26:08.120 --> 00:26:11.120 and taking on things that I wouldn't have when I was their age. 00:26:11.120 --> 00:26:16.120 He's given us resources. 00:26:16.120 --> 00:26:21.120 I mean, guys, I have no idea what people give in this church. 00:26:21.120 --> 00:26:29.120 Partly because Heidi is one of the most trustable, generous people in the world. 00:26:29.120 --> 00:26:34.120 Any church wants to keep money, do not employ Heidi. 00:26:34.120 --> 00:26:36.120 Yeah. 00:26:36.120 --> 00:26:39.120 I remember a year, she came to me at the end of the year and she said, 00:26:39.120 --> 00:26:41.120 Jacob, there's too much money in the church. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:43.120 Let's give some away. 00:26:43.120 --> 00:26:46.120 And I'm thinking to myself, how does a pastor respond to this? 00:26:46.120 --> 00:26:51.120 My inside voice was, no, no, no, no, we can use it. 00:26:51.120 --> 00:26:55.120 But how do you say that to someone you're supposed to shepherd? 00:26:55.120 --> 00:26:58.120 And so we gave a whole lot of money away because there was too much money, I believe, 00:26:58.120 --> 00:27:00.120 at the end of the year. 00:27:00.120 --> 00:27:06.120 The point being this, resources are enough. 00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:11.120 So when we encourage giving here, it's not because suddenly the church is in need. 00:27:11.120 --> 00:27:17.120 It is so that you are not hit with endemic poverty because of a lack of giving. 00:27:17.120 --> 00:27:22.120 And we'll talk about that later. 00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:28.120 With understanding, with growth, with resources, with reach. 00:27:28.120 --> 00:27:34.120 People have been going further and further, reaching out to places that I'd have never thought, 00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:44.120 Vibi, for all you know, will go to Abbotsford with vision, with warring prayer, with worship. 00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:45.120 Our worship has changed. 00:27:45.120 --> 00:27:53.120 I was looking at photographs yesterday and had a little bit of gratefulness to Don for, 00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:56.120 and Kezia for starting the, what did you call them? 00:27:56.120 --> 00:27:57.120 Worship nights. 00:27:57.120 --> 00:28:05.120 It was June last year, and there's been, this church worships differently, like it or not. 00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:12.120 So warring prayer, worship, proclamation. 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:17.120 My God, the way you guys go and talk to people, I don't like going with you 00:28:17.120 --> 00:28:19.120 because it puts the pressure on me. 00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:21.120 And persistence. 00:28:21.120 --> 00:28:25.120 These are things that God has been furnishing us with. 00:28:25.120 --> 00:28:29.120 That aside, there's something called a representative principle, guys. 00:28:29.120 --> 00:28:40.120 And that is, if we can go into the city 00:28:40.120 --> 00:28:51.120 and see it as a city with young people given to us, 00:28:51.120 --> 00:29:01.120 then perhaps it'll stir up other churches. 00:29:01.120 --> 00:29:14.120 And it'll correct or judge some that refuse. 00:29:14.120 --> 00:29:18.120 It takes one person to have the, I always watch, 00:29:18.120 --> 00:29:24.120 once we start singing, I'll wait quite often to see which of the kids 00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:27.120 will make a beeline for the flags first. 00:29:27.120 --> 00:29:29.120 And everyone's waiting for one of them. 00:29:29.120 --> 00:29:33.120 As soon as one does, the others follow. 00:29:33.120 --> 00:29:37.120 The point being, there's something called a representative principle 00:29:37.120 --> 00:29:41.120 where once a church decides that this is what we are called to do in this place 00:29:41.120 --> 00:29:45.120 and do everything in their power to move to a city, though there's no need to, 00:29:46.120 --> 00:29:50.120 and begin to function in that city the way God wants them to, 00:29:50.120 --> 00:29:53.120 it becomes a first fruits, as in, this is what I want. 00:29:53.120 --> 00:29:57.120 It becomes a plumb line that is used to either measure and judge 00:29:57.120 --> 00:30:01.120 or stir up and encourage. 00:30:01.120 --> 00:30:04.120 That's something else God does. 00:30:04.120 --> 00:30:18.120 So, yep, it'll correct those that refuse. 00:30:18.120 --> 00:30:22.120 And this goes back to Acts 15, verse 15 to 17. 00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:27.120 Acts 15, 15 to 17, it's actually borrowed from Amos, 00:30:27.120 --> 00:30:31.120 and it says, I'll rebuild David's ruined house. 00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:34.120 I'll put the pieces together again. 00:30:34.120 --> 00:30:36.120 I'll make it look like new. 00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:39.120 So outsiders who seek will find. 00:30:39.120 --> 00:30:41.120 So they'll have a place to come to. 00:30:41.120 --> 00:30:44.120 All the pagan people included in what I'm doing. 00:30:44.120 --> 00:30:46.120 God said it. Now he's doing it. 00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:49.120 That's from the message, Acts 15, 15 to 17. 00:30:49.120 --> 00:30:56.120 Some of us met a person who is involved with Trinity Western in Richmond. 00:30:57.120 --> 00:31:01.120 And this is just to give you an idea of reach. 00:31:01.120 --> 00:31:05.120 The person works with Senn, then met Tooney, 00:31:05.120 --> 00:31:08.120 and then Tooney introduced me to the person, and we met with the person. 00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:10.120 And here's what the person said. 00:31:10.120 --> 00:31:12.120 There are about 1,300 students at T.W.U. 00:31:12.120 --> 00:31:16.120 Out of the 1,300 students, 90% are not believers. 00:31:16.120 --> 00:31:18.120 And he says, we are looking for a church 00:31:18.120 --> 00:31:21.120 that we can send these young people to. 00:31:21.120 --> 00:31:28.120 But we want to find a church where worship is alive and God's presence is known. 00:31:28.120 --> 00:31:35.120 And the person came to meet with us to interact, to engage. 00:31:35.120 --> 00:31:41.120 And so what if out of the 1,200 that are non-believers, 00:31:41.120 --> 00:31:44.120 100 show up, can we handle it? 00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:46.120 I'm not sure. 00:31:46.120 --> 00:31:50.120 What if out of the 1,200, just 100 show up over a piece of paper? 00:31:50.120 --> 00:31:53.120 I can't handle you. 00:31:53.120 --> 00:31:56.120 So don't count on me. 00:31:56.120 --> 00:31:58.120 What are we going to do? 00:31:58.120 --> 00:32:00.120 Just 100. 00:32:00.120 --> 00:32:03.120 That's one-tenth, just 10% that turn up. 00:32:06.120 --> 00:32:12.120 Which is why we need to look at, so what does it look like to build in that city what God wants? 00:32:12.120 --> 00:32:15.120 The invisible thing that God is building, what does it look like? 00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:16.120 What are the demands? 00:32:16.120 --> 00:32:18.120 I'm so happy that I'm here. 00:32:18.120 --> 00:32:20.120 What are the demands? 00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:22.120 I'm so happy I don't have to rush today. 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:28.120 And it looks like you're not in a rush either. 00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:31.120 Because tomorrow is a working day, but Tuesday is a holiday. 00:32:32.120 --> 00:32:34.120 So here are the demands. 00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:38.120 One, foundations. 00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:41.120 This one's particularly for the leaders in the church. 00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:45.120 Foundations must be continually examined, 00:32:45.120 --> 00:32:48.120 Foundations must be continually examined. 00:32:53.120 --> 00:32:57.120 Foundations must be continually examined because foundations change with revelation. 00:33:09.120 --> 00:33:12.120 As in, not change, foundations get stronger with revelation. 00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:19.120 So the question that needs to ask is, what am I doing wrong? 00:33:19.120 --> 00:33:20.120 Starting from here. 00:33:20.120 --> 00:33:25.120 What am I doing that's old? 00:33:27.120 --> 00:33:33.120 Where have I lost the mandate? 00:33:36.120 --> 00:33:40.120 What is the mandate? 00:33:41.120 --> 00:33:58.120 Have I turned away from apostolic and prophetic foundations? 00:34:00.120 --> 00:34:04.120 Which begs the next question, what does that even mean? 00:34:11.120 --> 00:34:15.120 And so the leaders here, Tuni Anle, 00:34:15.120 --> 00:34:18.120 I'm just speaking on the ones that lead the house here. 00:34:18.120 --> 00:34:25.120 Tuni Anle, Don Kezia, Derek Iris, Chillion, Sheldon Jane. 00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:29.120 Who am I missing? 00:34:29.120 --> 00:34:30.120 May. 00:34:30.120 --> 00:34:31.120 May. 00:34:31.120 --> 00:34:34.120 These guys, Derek Iris, yeah. 00:34:34.120 --> 00:34:37.120 These guys have to ask these questions. 00:34:37.120 --> 00:34:39.120 I have to ask them these questions. 00:34:39.120 --> 00:34:43.120 And when I hear their answers, I'll know where they are at with this. 00:34:47.120 --> 00:34:53.120 And if it's faulty, then even if it means changing things and it chaps, 00:34:53.120 --> 00:34:58.120 you will have to because Jacob, as the one who leads this house, 00:34:58.120 --> 00:35:03.120 has the resources and the material and the insight and the authority to take care of this. 00:35:03.120 --> 00:35:07.120 First Chronicles 22, 1 and verse 6 talk about it. 00:35:07.120 --> 00:35:10.120 David, when he had to give Solomon to build, 00:35:10.120 --> 00:35:15.120 had to have Solomon come to him, take the charge, take the materials and build. 00:35:18.120 --> 00:35:22.120 So this is specifically for the leaders of the house churches 00:35:22.120 --> 00:35:24.120 and any other thing we are doing here. 00:35:24.120 --> 00:35:26.120 These questions must be answered. 00:35:26.120 --> 00:35:28.120 What am I doing that's old? 00:35:29.120 --> 00:35:32.120 Old as in God spoke it, we've been doing it, 00:35:32.120 --> 00:35:36.120 but it's time to change because it doesn't match up with what we are supposed to do. 00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:39.120 Where have I lost the mandate? 00:35:39.120 --> 00:35:41.120 Which begs the question, what is the mandate? 00:35:42.120 --> 00:35:44.120 I asked this of the leaders recently. 00:35:44.120 --> 00:35:50.120 If I ask leaders here to stand up and tell me the promise that God gave us for Hebrides 2.0, 00:35:50.120 --> 00:35:52.120 would you be able to say it? 00:35:58.120 --> 00:36:04.120 And so if I don't have it in my heart and my mind, how do I produce it? 00:36:05.120 --> 00:36:07.120 Next one. 00:36:07.120 --> 00:36:11.120 Have I turned from the apostolic and prophetic foundations of this church? 00:36:11.120 --> 00:36:16.120 Which then begs the question, what is the apostolic and prophetic foundation? 00:36:16.120 --> 00:36:18.120 And then that leads to another question. 00:36:18.120 --> 00:36:20.120 How come you haven't spoken about that, Jacob? 00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:22.120 I don't know it because you haven't talked about it. 00:36:24.120 --> 00:36:29.120 I love moving into new places because it just unearths so much. 00:36:29.120 --> 00:36:36.120 Every time you have to pull up stakes, you realize there are things faulty in the substructure. 00:36:37.120 --> 00:36:39.120 So I'm kind of looking forward to this. 00:36:44.120 --> 00:36:46.120 Second, discern the change. 00:36:46.120 --> 00:36:48.120 This is for all of us. 00:36:48.120 --> 00:36:50.120 Discern the change. 00:36:50.120 --> 00:37:11.120 As in, do you know how or what you and I are being called to in Richmond? 00:37:12.120 --> 00:37:17.120 If I discern the change, the Spirit stirs me up. 00:37:20.120 --> 00:37:30.120 You know, here's the advantage that we have. 00:37:30.120 --> 00:37:37.120 Each one of the leaders I mentioned is heavily invested in your personal lives, 00:37:37.120 --> 00:37:42.120 in tearing down the idols in your life, in building maturity into your life. 00:37:42.120 --> 00:37:45.120 You may not think of it that way because I know them. 00:37:45.120 --> 00:37:46.120 I can guarantee that. 00:37:46.120 --> 00:37:50.120 They're seriously interested in spending time, resources, money. 00:37:50.120 --> 00:37:53.120 It doesn't matter what happens to them, they keep doing that. 00:37:53.120 --> 00:37:57.120 There might be friction. 00:37:57.120 --> 00:38:00.120 That doesn't determine whether a person is doing their job or not. 00:38:00.120 --> 00:38:06.120 But in being heavily invested into your personal lives, the disadvantages, 00:38:06.120 --> 00:38:11.120 sometimes they can lose the focus of the corporate direction we are heading to. 00:38:11.120 --> 00:38:16.120 Because you're smelling the roses every day so often that you don't get to the top of the mountain. 00:38:16.120 --> 00:38:18.120 And that has to change. 00:38:18.120 --> 00:38:24.120 If that means that dawn takes less care of you or May takes less care of you or Gillian takes less care of you, 00:38:24.120 --> 00:38:25.120 so be it. 00:38:25.120 --> 00:38:28.120 It's a good thing. 00:38:28.120 --> 00:38:32.120 Because I would rather get to the top of the mountain and build a fresh garden there 00:38:32.120 --> 00:38:35.120 than keep smelling roses on the way up. 00:38:35.120 --> 00:38:41.120 There's an edge to what I'm saying and it's deliberate. 00:38:41.120 --> 00:38:42.120 Don't read between the lines. 00:38:42.120 --> 00:38:47.120 If you have any questions about what I'm trying to say between the lines, come and ask me. 00:38:47.120 --> 00:38:50.120 And I'll tell you because don't read between the lines. 00:38:50.120 --> 00:38:53.120 You'll come to weird conclusions. 00:38:53.120 --> 00:38:56.120 So what is the man-made of everything? 00:38:56.120 --> 00:39:04.120 I want to reach out to the question, but because you and I are the same age, I won't. 00:39:04.120 --> 00:39:14.120 God sent a purifying fire that has already begun burning up the entire world. 00:39:14.120 --> 00:39:23.120 And God sent a purifying fire that has already started burning up the entire world. 00:39:23.120 --> 00:39:29.120 God has already begun burning up all religious and all historical junk in our midst. 00:39:29.120 --> 00:39:31.120 It's going. 00:39:31.120 --> 00:39:34.120 People that come from outside see it. 00:39:34.120 --> 00:39:37.120 We are so used to it, we think this is normal. 00:39:37.120 --> 00:39:40.120 This is not normal. 00:39:40.120 --> 00:39:45.120 And then he has entered as the divine warrior. 00:39:45.120 --> 00:39:52.120 When I went and saw you guys in public places waving flags foolishly, unafraid, 00:39:52.120 --> 00:39:58.120 people watching, proclaiming songs, proclaiming the gospel, going up talking to people, 00:39:58.120 --> 00:40:02.120 the entire church, not a group going out for outreach to Wally. 00:40:02.120 --> 00:40:05.120 I'm thinking to myself, how do people even become like this? 00:40:05.120 --> 00:40:09.120 When an entire church begins to behave like that. 00:40:09.120 --> 00:40:13.120 And then he entered as the divine warrior. 00:40:13.120 --> 00:40:15.120 And now what is he doing? 00:40:15.120 --> 00:40:21.120 He is inviting young men and women into freedom. 00:40:21.120 --> 00:40:23.120 Into freedom. 00:40:23.120 --> 00:40:24.120 What kind of freedom? 00:40:24.120 --> 00:40:31.120 Where they get pulled out of nations, pulled out of Asian, South Asian, Caucasian, African. 00:40:31.120 --> 00:40:37.120 They get pulled into the kingdom where culture is secondary. 00:40:37.120 --> 00:40:41.120 Something else called the king and his ways becomes primary in everything. 00:40:41.120 --> 00:40:45.120 It doesn't matter whether it's a form of healing or it doesn't matter whether it's a form of dance. 00:40:45.120 --> 00:40:50.120 Something else now holds first place. 00:40:50.120 --> 00:40:55.120 And so he draws them from kingdoms into the nations. 00:40:55.120 --> 00:40:59.120 And then what's the next one? 00:40:59.120 --> 00:41:01.120 Pardon? 00:41:01.120 --> 00:41:05.120 Yeah, he invites them as sons and daughters. 00:41:05.120 --> 00:41:07.120 He doesn't want them to be followers. 00:41:07.120 --> 00:41:09.120 He doesn't want them to be devotees. 00:41:09.120 --> 00:41:11.120 These young people, the one thing they need to discover. 00:41:11.120 --> 00:41:12.120 I was talking to Jeremy. 00:41:12.120 --> 00:41:19.120 Jeremy said when he was a kid, he's still a kid, but when he was a smaller kid in Toronto, he said, 00:41:19.120 --> 00:41:23.120 Jacob, one of the things I would do in Toronto was he was in uni. 00:41:23.120 --> 00:41:26.120 So and he's a decent student. 00:41:26.120 --> 00:41:28.120 So like it was not like he was shirking work. 00:41:28.120 --> 00:41:37.120 He said every day he would be conducting a Bible study for young people in Toronto because he said young people are hungry. 00:41:37.120 --> 00:41:51.120 Once they get it, they'll bite and they'll hold on so strong that the older ones like Jacob and Abhishek and Ashish and George can't because they're almost wearing dentures now. 00:41:51.120 --> 00:41:54.120 But the point is this. 00:41:54.120 --> 00:41:58.120 Show them later, Abhishek. 00:41:58.120 --> 00:42:05.120 The point is this, that young people, once they know the father, they're finished. 00:42:05.120 --> 00:42:07.120 They are finished. 00:42:07.120 --> 00:42:12.120 And if he could do it in uni every day of the week, too bad. 00:42:12.120 --> 00:42:16.120 Any excuse you have suddenly begins to fall apart. 00:42:16.120 --> 00:42:17.120 I'm not saying you have to do it every week. 00:42:17.120 --> 00:42:21.120 God knows what he was doing every week. 00:42:21.120 --> 00:42:22.120 But the point is this. 00:42:22.120 --> 00:42:24.120 Once you're bitten, you're finished. 00:42:24.120 --> 00:42:34.120 So father, sons and daughters, and then it goes on to say, he will invite them into a circle of dancing, of abundance, of joy. 00:42:34.120 --> 00:42:37.120 Of dancing, abundance and joy. 00:42:37.120 --> 00:42:44.120 Nothing like a good moonwalking party, man. 00:42:44.120 --> 00:42:47.120 Invite them into dancing, abundance and joy. 00:42:47.120 --> 00:42:56.120 And I will raise for myself, says the Lord, a torch bearing generation that will go out and will not come back void. 00:42:56.120 --> 00:43:02.120 Oh, but he has them dancing in a circle of abundance, dancing and joy before the lion and the lamb. 00:43:02.120 --> 00:43:06.120 Both the king and the slain one. 00:43:06.120 --> 00:43:11.120 And he'll raise them up to be a generation that goes out and will not return back void. 00:43:11.120 --> 00:43:15.120 Beautiful. 00:43:15.120 --> 00:43:17.120 Let me give you real life examples. 00:43:17.120 --> 00:43:20.120 I talked about this 100 from TWA, right? 00:43:20.120 --> 00:43:23.120 They're here for one and a half years or 18 months. 00:43:23.120 --> 00:43:25.120 What happens after 18 months? 00:43:25.120 --> 00:43:33.120 They go back to nations that might be conducive or might not be conducive for the practice of Christianity. 00:43:33.120 --> 00:43:37.120 There's another 72 in a northeastern province in India. 00:43:37.120 --> 00:43:48.120 72 of them willing to commit one and a half years to two years of learning the word and being sent out four times a year. 00:43:48.120 --> 00:43:51.120 God only knows what will happen, man. 00:43:52.120 --> 00:44:00.120 What if one of them produces another Tooney, another Jeremy, another Janelle, another May, another Sheldon? 00:44:00.120 --> 00:44:04.120 What if you need just one of them, man? 00:44:04.120 --> 00:44:10.120 That's all. 00:44:10.120 --> 00:44:16.120 So my question then is, is this a mandate that begins to burn in your belly? 00:44:16.120 --> 00:44:20.120 Because if it does, then the Spirit of God can stir it up. 00:44:20.120 --> 00:44:28.120 What then happens is you get to cultivate your patch of land well while... 00:44:28.120 --> 00:44:31.120 You know what God's problem was in Haggai? 00:44:31.120 --> 00:44:34.120 Here's a statement in Haggai chapter 1, verse 10. 00:44:34.120 --> 00:44:42.120 He says, Jacob, you are so interested in building your own paneled houses while my temple lies in ruins. 00:44:42.120 --> 00:44:46.120 I want to take that and say something to us as we move to Richmond. 00:44:46.120 --> 00:44:51.120 Our interest in Richmond is not Acts 29. 00:44:51.120 --> 00:45:00.120 If we focus on increasing the numbers of Acts 29, if we focus on increasing the reputation or the fame of Acts 29, 00:45:00.120 --> 00:45:06.120 then we will be building a paneled house while his temple lies in ruins. 00:45:06.120 --> 00:45:10.120 Thus far, it was fine to build up Acts 29. We needed it. 00:45:10.120 --> 00:45:12.120 Children need to be strengthened in homes that are secure. 00:45:12.120 --> 00:45:19.120 But now a time has come where the interest must be, we will do this for you so that you can go back to wherever you want to 00:45:19.120 --> 00:45:23.120 and build a temple because we're not interested in building our paneled houses. 00:45:23.120 --> 00:45:34.120 Because if we focus on revival, on quest, on pursuit on Acts 29, then blight and mildew will strike what we are doing. 00:45:34.120 --> 00:45:39.120 That's a shift, eh? 00:45:39.120 --> 00:45:47.120 The 72 that are in Northeast India, they're not signing any charter with Acts 29. 00:45:47.120 --> 00:45:56.120 The groups that are coming up in New York every month, they're not becoming part of the church in New York. 00:45:56.120 --> 00:46:00.120 We've got something precious, guys. You know what it is? Seed. Good seed. 00:46:00.120 --> 00:46:06.120 That has been cultivated in your lives and it shows. It shows. 00:46:06.120 --> 00:46:15.120 It shows in your life, now we have the right to go seed others. 00:46:15.120 --> 00:46:18.120 We must realize where God has brought us. 00:46:18.120 --> 00:46:26.120 There's an average in this church which is higher than when we came here. 00:46:26.120 --> 00:46:30.120 That is beautiful. 00:46:30.120 --> 00:46:33.120 There was a time in this church where there would be a few brilliant people. 00:46:33.120 --> 00:46:35.120 That's not the case anymore. 00:46:35.120 --> 00:46:48.120 There's an average that is higher. Sure, every so often we have a collapse, but in general, 00:46:48.120 --> 00:46:55.120 it's much nicer than it used to be. 00:46:55.120 --> 00:47:02.120 We won't finish this. I'd have to keep you here till tomorrow morning. 00:47:02.120 --> 00:47:07.120 If you do not have the burden, you will cause problems in the building of the temple. 00:47:07.120 --> 00:47:11.120 To those who are not here, please listen online. 00:47:11.120 --> 00:47:19.120 If you do not have a burden for this, the Spirit of God is unable to stir the absence of seed or substance. 00:47:19.120 --> 00:47:21.120 It will have to be sowed first. 00:47:21.120 --> 00:47:28.120 If you do not carry this burden as a leader or as a person or as the pastor here, 00:47:28.120 --> 00:47:37.120 it is impossible to stir it up. It has to be first sown, and then it will cause problems in the future. 00:47:37.120 --> 00:47:40.120 God has this thing about stirring up. You see it in Ezra. 00:47:40.120 --> 00:47:44.120 Ezra chapter 1, verse 1. What does he do? Stirs up Cyrus. 00:47:44.120 --> 00:47:47.120 Then what does he do? He goes and stirs up Ezra. 00:47:47.120 --> 00:47:51.120 Then what does he do? He goes and stirs up the nobles of Israel. 00:47:51.120 --> 00:47:54.120 Why? Because something has to be built. 00:48:07.120 --> 00:48:11.120 Let's assume that... Let me just pick on Dilna. 00:48:11.120 --> 00:48:16.120 I really don't believe this of Dilna. I'm just picking on him. 00:48:16.120 --> 00:48:22.120 Let's assume that Dilna does not have this burden, does not have an understanding of this mandate. 00:48:22.120 --> 00:48:24.120 He's just not interested. 00:48:24.120 --> 00:48:29.120 Well then, one month down the line, when I want him to do something in Richmond, 00:48:29.120 --> 00:48:32.120 he might do it like he did it in Wall-E, which is fine, 00:48:32.120 --> 00:48:37.120 but not with something that cries out for what we want to do in Richmond. 00:48:37.120 --> 00:48:42.120 And so, he'll have to sit and he'll have to be sown that this is what we're doing here. 00:48:42.120 --> 00:48:46.120 And then the Spirit of God can come and stir it up. 00:48:46.120 --> 00:48:49.120 It has to be sown first. 00:48:49.120 --> 00:48:54.120 And therefore, if you find yourself devoid of this understanding, 00:48:54.120 --> 00:48:59.120 take the effort and the time to come and say, 00:48:59.120 --> 00:49:02.120 I've dug up my soil, can you plant the seed? 00:49:02.120 --> 00:49:06.120 You don't have to come to me, you can come to others. I'll tell you who to go to. 00:49:12.120 --> 00:49:17.120 Everything we do will have to be, we haven't talked about this for a while, 00:49:17.120 --> 00:49:24.120 but will have to be based on the father-son model. 00:49:24.120 --> 00:49:29.120 That's how this church was first founded. 00:49:29.120 --> 00:49:36.120 This is a dynamic that always culminates. 00:49:36.120 --> 00:49:40.120 That ends in the building of the temple. 00:49:40.120 --> 00:49:43.120 It doesn't matter who you take. 00:49:43.120 --> 00:49:50.120 You take David Solomon, you take the Father Jesus, you take Paul Timothy. 00:49:50.120 --> 00:49:54.120 It's in this relationship that God furnishes building blocks 00:49:54.120 --> 00:49:58.120 that are used in the construction of the temple. 00:49:58.120 --> 00:50:02.120 And so, as leaders, we have to be very careful. 00:50:02.120 --> 00:50:07.120 And so, as leaders, this is critical to you that you treat 00:50:07.120 --> 00:50:11.120 and begin to do everything in your power to raise those under you 00:50:11.120 --> 00:50:15.120 as fathers and mothers would raise their sons and daughters. 00:50:15.120 --> 00:50:20.120 And whenever you find it difficult, go back to it, go back to it, go back to it. 00:50:20.120 --> 00:50:25.120 Because it's the one dynamic that God insists we take into Richmond. 00:50:25.120 --> 00:50:29.120 Because like it or not, both discipling and disciplining 00:50:29.120 --> 00:50:32.120 have the DNA of fathering in it. 00:50:32.120 --> 00:50:42.120 Hear me again. Discipline and disciplining both have fathering written into its very DNA. 00:50:42.120 --> 00:50:51.120 Any father that disciplines his child without being a father will harm the child. 00:50:51.120 --> 00:50:56.120 And any disciple that you raise, there are two things to disciples, guys. 00:50:56.120 --> 00:51:00.120 We've talked about this before. Divine ownership, divine sonship. 00:51:00.120 --> 00:51:02.120 These are the two things that make up discipleship. 00:51:02.120 --> 00:51:09.120 How do you define discipleship? 00:51:09.120 --> 00:51:18.120 How do you define discipleship? Divine sonship and divine sonship. 00:51:18.120 --> 00:51:23.120 Sonship and divine ownership. 00:51:23.120 --> 00:51:28.120 That is what discipleship must aim for. 00:51:28.120 --> 00:51:31.120 If you have a program that does that, let's do it. 00:51:31.120 --> 00:51:33.120 But if you don't have a program that does that, 00:51:33.120 --> 00:51:38.120 then the only basic construct for doing this is what I just said. 00:51:38.120 --> 00:51:40.120 There's nothing else. 00:51:40.120 --> 00:51:42.120 And discipline? 00:51:42.120 --> 00:51:52.120 Anytime I try discipline on you without having the heart of a father, I will hurt you. 00:51:52.120 --> 00:51:56.120 Because it's now coming out of a place of irritation, frustration, anger. 00:51:56.120 --> 00:51:59.120 Recently someone wrote to me just three weeks ago, 00:51:59.120 --> 00:52:05.120 and they said, Jacob, every time I talk to you, I felt like you're frustrated with where I'm at. 00:52:05.120 --> 00:52:08.120 And I looked at what he said, and then I'd write back to him saying, 00:52:08.120 --> 00:52:12.120 I'm sorry that my frustration showed. 00:52:12.120 --> 00:52:14.120 My initial reaction was, no, no, no, I'm not frustrated with you. 00:52:14.120 --> 00:52:16.120 You're wonderful. You're doing... 00:52:16.120 --> 00:52:20.120 Then I realized, no, I was frustrated, but my frustration showed. 00:52:20.120 --> 00:52:24.120 And in frustration showing, it did not encourage him. 00:52:24.120 --> 00:52:27.120 It began to destroy him. 00:52:27.120 --> 00:52:29.120 And so what's the choice then? 00:52:29.120 --> 00:52:34.120 All you can do is apologize and tell him that next time I'm frustrated, it will not show. 00:52:34.120 --> 00:52:37.120 Because I cannot guarantee that I will not be frustrated 00:52:37.120 --> 00:52:41.120 because all parents get frustrated. 00:52:41.120 --> 00:52:50.120 Jesus was frustrated many times. 00:52:50.120 --> 00:52:53.120 Please don't write me an email saying, me too, me too, me too, 00:52:53.120 --> 00:52:58.120 because it could well be possible that there are others, and I'm sorry. 00:52:58.120 --> 00:53:05.120 I will just have a standard, I apologize, I apologize, I apologize email you. 00:53:05.120 --> 00:53:13.120 Could you set that up for me, Matt, so that anything that comes like that has a... 00:53:13.120 --> 00:53:16.120 God always builds the individual. 00:53:16.120 --> 00:53:32.120 God builds the individual before the individual builds anything for him. 00:53:32.120 --> 00:53:35.120 And how long does that take? 00:53:35.120 --> 00:53:41.120 One and a half generations. 00:53:41.120 --> 00:53:46.120 Some of you will be here that long, you've already been here 20 years. 00:53:46.120 --> 00:53:49.120 One and a half generations. 00:53:49.120 --> 00:53:52.120 How long did it take for David to train Solomon? 00:53:52.120 --> 00:53:56.120 How long did it take for David to collect all the resources for Solomon? 00:53:56.120 --> 00:53:59.120 How long did it take for Solomon to now collect the resources, 00:53:59.120 --> 00:54:04.120 find the blueprint that David saw on the mountain from God and discharge it? 00:54:04.120 --> 00:54:06.120 Takes time. 00:54:06.120 --> 00:54:11.120 If you want ministry, this is the wrong place. 00:54:11.120 --> 00:54:16.120 One of the things that's happened in this church is in our desire to hear God 00:54:16.120 --> 00:54:24.120 say a few prophetic words and do ministry, we're losing out on the bigger picture. 00:54:24.120 --> 00:54:29.120 Like Bob Newhart used to say, stop it. 00:54:29.120 --> 00:54:32.120 That didn't... 00:54:32.120 --> 00:54:34.120 Yeah, don't worry about it. 00:54:34.120 --> 00:54:37.120 Does anyone know who Bob Newhart is? 00:54:37.120 --> 00:54:39.120 Praise the Lord. 00:54:39.120 --> 00:54:46.120 Okay. 00:54:46.120 --> 00:54:50.120 God builds the individual and then the individual builds things 00:54:50.120 --> 00:54:54.120 and it takes one and a half generations. 00:54:54.120 --> 00:54:56.120 Next. 00:54:56.120 --> 00:54:58.120 We'll go till 6.30. 00:54:58.120 --> 00:55:00.120 I'm being generous. 00:55:00.120 --> 00:55:03.120 Requires a people... 00:55:03.120 --> 00:55:06.120 I like the feeling of you guys sitting in the top. 00:55:06.120 --> 00:55:10.120 It's like, if you can hear me in the overflow room. 00:55:10.120 --> 00:55:13.120 Yeah. 00:55:13.120 --> 00:55:27.120 It requires a people of generosity and then prosperity. 00:55:27.120 --> 00:55:33.120 It requires a people of generosity and then prosperity to build enrichment. 00:55:33.120 --> 00:55:42.120 And I want to say to you that you are so generous and God is continually prospering you. 00:55:42.120 --> 00:55:46.120 I'm just always blown away by stories I hear. 00:55:46.120 --> 00:55:51.120 I have though one... 00:55:51.120 --> 00:55:52.120 Not suggestion. 00:55:52.120 --> 00:55:53.120 An opinion. 00:55:53.120 --> 00:56:11.120 I believe that YA 2.0 should learn to give out of the little things that we have. 00:56:11.120 --> 00:56:40.120 You have consistently not at dinners but to Acts 29 even if it is $5 in October and $6 in November. 00:56:40.120 --> 00:56:47.120 I believe that YA 2.0, particularly if you're picking up a group of people, you're being discriminatory. 00:56:47.120 --> 00:56:49.120 Absolutely. 00:56:49.120 --> 00:56:53.120 So YA 2.0, I realize that you don't have much. 00:56:53.120 --> 00:56:56.120 I realize that sometimes jobs are not there. 00:56:56.120 --> 00:57:04.120 I realize how difficult it is after paying rent and paying things to put aside money for offering. 00:57:04.120 --> 00:57:09.120 But I'm saying to you, for your own good, learn how to do this even if it's $2. 00:57:09.120 --> 00:57:14.120 It is not a money grab but it is so essential. 00:57:14.120 --> 00:57:18.120 You asked the ones sitting here today that went through what you went through. 00:57:18.120 --> 00:57:20.120 Derek went through it. 00:57:20.120 --> 00:57:21.120 Don went through it. 00:57:21.120 --> 00:57:22.120 Sade went through it. 00:57:22.120 --> 00:57:23.120 Remy went through it. 00:57:23.120 --> 00:57:24.120 He went through it. 00:57:24.120 --> 00:57:25.120 Sheldon and Jane went through it. 00:57:25.120 --> 00:57:27.120 I've been through it. 00:57:27.120 --> 00:57:31.120 There's nobody here who hasn't been through what you've been through. 00:57:31.120 --> 00:57:33.120 But here's the truth. 00:57:33.120 --> 00:57:40.120 Didn't matter how much we got, we put $2, $3, $5. 00:57:40.120 --> 00:57:44.120 My monthly income was $550 when I started. 00:57:44.120 --> 00:57:45.120 My rent was more than that. 00:57:45.120 --> 00:57:52.120 But somehow I'd find the ability in the beginning of the month to put $2, $3, $4. 00:57:52.120 --> 00:57:55.120 And then the next month my intent was only this. 00:57:55.120 --> 00:57:57.120 Lord, I'd like to give $5. 00:58:03.120 --> 00:58:06.120 It's not a rebuke. 00:58:06.120 --> 00:58:11.120 It's a strong opinion for your good. 00:58:11.120 --> 00:58:28.120 Cool? 00:58:28.120 --> 00:58:30.120 We already spoke about this. 00:58:30.120 --> 00:58:33.120 It requires the people of peace. 00:58:33.120 --> 00:58:39.120 Richmond requires a people of peace. 00:58:39.120 --> 00:58:41.120 What do you mean by people of peace? 00:58:41.120 --> 00:58:50.120 People that aren't building their house, 00:58:50.120 --> 00:59:03.120 but the temple as in other people's houses. 00:59:03.120 --> 00:59:07.120 It will deliver us from making our local church our idol. 00:59:07.120 --> 00:59:13.120 It will deliver us from making our local church our idol. 00:59:13.120 --> 00:59:25.120 I'll have to use the word saying Act 29 will not be the idol that everyone has to bow to. 00:59:25.120 --> 00:59:28.120 People of peace seek the welfare of Nineveh. 00:59:28.120 --> 00:59:33.120 People of peace seek the welfare of Nineveh, a pagan city. 00:59:33.120 --> 00:59:37.120 It has to have a heart different from Jonah's. 00:59:37.120 --> 00:59:40.120 People of peace seek the welfare of Nineveh. 00:59:40.120 --> 00:59:45.120 Jonah did not seek the welfare of Nineveh. 00:59:45.120 --> 00:59:48.120 People of peace seek the welfare of Nineveh. 00:59:48.120 --> 00:59:51.120 Seek the welfare of its kings, its leaders. 00:59:51.120 --> 00:59:55.120 Next one. 00:59:55.120 --> 01:00:04.120 It requires a people of obedience and courage. 01:00:04.120 --> 01:00:06.120 Obedience and courage. 01:00:06.120 --> 01:00:08.120 I'm going to quote two guys. 01:00:08.120 --> 01:00:13.120 One guy I admire, one guy I don't admire. 01:00:13.120 --> 01:00:15.120 One guy I admire. 01:00:15.120 --> 01:00:20.120 The first quote is by Charles Spurgeon. 01:00:20.120 --> 01:00:22.120 I love this quote. 01:00:22.120 --> 01:00:33.120 Obedience is the highest practical courage. 01:00:33.120 --> 01:00:37.120 You know, hanging out with Tooni, I'm beginning to quote people. 01:00:37.120 --> 01:00:39.120 I've noticed a change. 01:00:39.120 --> 01:00:41.120 Yeah. 01:00:41.120 --> 01:00:45.120 So obedience is the highest practical courage. 01:00:45.120 --> 01:00:53.120 At the end of the day, courage and obedience are linked so closely linked that obedience is the highest practical courage. 01:00:53.120 --> 01:00:56.120 Obedience requires me doing something. 01:00:56.120 --> 01:01:00.120 And the other quote is quite good. 01:01:00.120 --> 01:01:03.120 Here's the other quote. 01:01:03.120 --> 01:01:07.120 Great moves of God. 01:01:07.120 --> 01:01:22.120 Great moves of God are preceded by simple acts of obedience. 01:01:22.120 --> 01:01:26.120 Great moves of God are preceded by simple acts of obedience. 01:01:26.120 --> 01:01:28.120 Joshua chapter one, verse seven. 01:01:28.120 --> 01:01:30.120 Be obedient and be courageous. 01:01:30.120 --> 01:01:35.120 So many of us want to be obedient. 01:01:35.120 --> 01:01:37.120 We say we'll be obedient. 01:01:37.120 --> 01:01:41.120 We desire to be obedient. 01:01:41.120 --> 01:01:42.120 That's one part. 01:01:42.120 --> 01:01:44.120 Courage and obedience are always together. 01:01:44.120 --> 01:01:46.120 They cannot be separated. 01:01:46.120 --> 01:01:50.120 Obedience is the highest practical courage. 01:01:50.120 --> 01:01:53.120 Great moves of God are preceded by simple acts of obedience. 01:01:54.120 --> 01:02:18.120 You know, one of the things that I've realized is every time any momentum shift has had to happen in my life or through my life, I've always had to let go not of who I am but everything I have. 01:02:18.120 --> 01:02:21.120 You'll notice these patterns in your life. 01:02:21.120 --> 01:02:28.120 When Acts 29 had to be started, I had a decent job with a decent pay and decent benefits. 01:02:28.120 --> 01:02:32.120 Like I'd never had benefits in my life, decent benefits and all that. 01:02:32.120 --> 01:02:40.120 But I knew that if Acts 29 had to be started, then there needed to be a letting go of not who I am. 01:02:40.120 --> 01:02:44.120 God makes you who you are till this body get a point so you can step into the next. 01:02:44.120 --> 01:02:49.120 But everything you have has to be shed before you can move on into the next one. 01:02:49.120 --> 01:02:50.120 And that is where this comes. 01:02:50.120 --> 01:02:57.120 Do I have the obedience to step into that? 01:02:57.120 --> 01:03:00.120 Stay tuned. 01:03:00.120 --> 01:03:04.120 Not today. 01:03:04.120 --> 01:03:09.120 Any questions before we conclude? 01:03:09.120 --> 01:03:14.120 Okay. 01:03:14.120 --> 01:03:24.120 The other statements that I would have made would be requires worshipers. 01:03:24.120 --> 01:03:36.120 And I bless you for changing this church into a church that enjoys worship, steps into worship without effort, doesn't need someone to drive you into worship. 01:03:36.120 --> 01:03:37.120 It's contagious. 01:03:37.120 --> 01:03:40.120 People will come in and they'll know God is here. 01:03:40.120 --> 01:03:42.120 Worship does that. 01:03:42.120 --> 01:03:45.120 It requires worshipers who seek him in spirit and truth. 01:03:45.120 --> 01:03:53.120 The only thing I'd encourage us to do is to get more and more biblically literate, biblically literate. 01:03:53.120 --> 01:03:57.120 The more we know the word, the greater our true view of God is. 01:03:57.120 --> 01:04:00.120 And all worship hinges on the true view of God. 01:04:00.120 --> 01:04:08.120 When John 4 says worship him in spirit and truth, what he means is get to know him better. 01:04:08.120 --> 01:04:12.120 The better you know him, the greater your worship. 01:04:12.120 --> 01:04:16.120 And so we can't be biblically illiterate. 01:04:16.120 --> 01:04:19.120 And so this church can always grow in biblical literacy. 01:04:19.120 --> 01:04:21.120 I'm talking about all of us, see? 01:04:21.120 --> 01:04:22.120 All of us. 01:04:22.120 --> 01:04:28.120 This is not some YA 1.0, 2.0, under 50s, everybody. 01:04:28.120 --> 01:04:33.120 It changes our view of who he is and makes it easier to worship. 01:04:33.120 --> 01:04:43.120 The other one requires manifest presence. 01:04:43.120 --> 01:04:47.120 And that we've been striving. 01:04:47.120 --> 01:04:51.120 In our gathering, in our going, it's the one thing that we keep expecting, keep expecting. 01:04:51.120 --> 01:04:59.120 And it's only a matter of time before it will trigger extraordinary signs, healings, and miracles like your T-shirt says. 01:04:59.120 --> 01:05:05.120 This is something we strive to demonstrate in our gatherings and in our going out. 01:05:05.120 --> 01:05:12.120 And that was another thing that I hope will break Fort Richmond. 01:05:12.120 --> 01:05:14.120 I just want to announce some good news. 01:05:15.120 --> 01:05:20.120 One of the promises God gave us was that it would be a summer of baptisms. 01:05:20.120 --> 01:05:25.120 And guess who's getting baptized? 01:05:25.120 --> 01:05:29.120 One of the first people to get baptized in this new church. 01:05:29.120 --> 01:05:35.120 Mia. 01:05:35.120 --> 01:05:37.120 I mean, I am so thrilled. 01:05:37.120 --> 01:05:41.120 My heart is so blessed. 01:05:41.120 --> 01:05:45.120 When I said 20s and 30s, I didn't expect 10s and 20s. 01:05:45.120 --> 01:05:47.120 Is she even 10? 01:05:47.120 --> 01:05:49.120 Seven. 01:05:49.120 --> 01:05:52.120 There was a word on her at one of the Quest meetings. 01:05:52.120 --> 01:05:55.120 God said, this woman will preach with fire. 01:05:55.120 --> 01:05:57.120 And she wants to get baptized. 01:05:57.120 --> 01:06:03.120 So I don't know whether it will be next Sunday or the Sunday after, but hey, looking forward to it. 01:06:03.120 --> 01:06:06.120 Vivek and Vizica must have done something right here. 01:06:06.120 --> 01:06:08.120 Vivek, you can take a bow. 01:06:08.120 --> 01:06:13.120 So some of the things I want, I'm looking forward to next Sunday is one, Mia's baptism. 01:06:13.120 --> 01:06:18.120 Another one is Kesan, Don's story of Eliakim. 01:06:18.120 --> 01:06:21.120 He asked for eight minutes. 01:06:21.120 --> 01:06:22.120 I'm going to give him 15. 01:06:22.120 --> 01:06:25.120 And so he can take 15 minutes to talk about it. 01:06:25.120 --> 01:06:28.120 And it's a fascinating story of healing and power. 01:06:28.120 --> 01:06:31.120 That's how we in the church are going to get baptized. 01:06:31.120 --> 01:06:34.120 And I'm going to give you a little bit of a story. 01:06:34.120 --> 01:06:37.120 It's a fascinating story of healing and power. 01:06:37.120 --> 01:06:43.120 That's how we start our tenure there. 01:06:43.120 --> 01:06:45.120 That this is the God we serve. 01:06:45.120 --> 01:06:47.120 Let it be announced. 01:06:47.120 --> 01:06:48.120 Yeah. 01:06:48.120 --> 01:06:50.120 Looking forward to it. 01:06:50.120 --> 01:06:57.120 What time do we start in Richmond? 01:06:57.120 --> 01:07:06.120 Next one was requires being slaves of God, being slaves of God. 01:07:06.120 --> 01:07:08.120 I use deliberately use the word slaves. 01:07:08.120 --> 01:07:13.120 I didn't want to use the word servants because servants is never the word used in the Bible. 01:07:13.120 --> 01:07:14.120 It's always slave. 01:07:14.120 --> 01:07:19.120 Servants is our kosher word. 01:07:19.120 --> 01:07:26.120 We won't talk about it today, but we'll touch on it some other time. 01:07:26.120 --> 01:07:29.120 I just want to talk about one last thing and we're done. 01:07:29.120 --> 01:07:36.120 And that is requires the people of wisdom and skill. 01:07:36.120 --> 01:07:39.120 Wisdom and skill. 01:07:39.120 --> 01:07:53.120 I hope that guys like Subin, guys like Siddhi, guys like John can do stuff for Richmond that touches on things that have to do with tech and coding and stuff like that. 01:07:53.120 --> 01:07:58.120 And they can pull in Matt and Remy and a whole lot of other people. 01:07:58.120 --> 01:08:02.120 What does it look like for wisdom and skill to be part of what we do in Richmond? 01:08:02.120 --> 01:08:09.120 Maybe at the end of two years, two people will be affected. 01:08:09.120 --> 01:08:16.120 What if Vibi does something in Abbotsford and starts a coffee importing business in Abbotsford? 01:08:16.120 --> 01:08:18.120 Where's Vibi? 01:08:18.120 --> 01:08:23.120 Thank God he's not listening to this. 01:08:23.120 --> 01:08:29.120 So here's a definition of divine wisdom. 01:08:29.120 --> 01:08:31.120 Divine wisdom. 01:08:31.120 --> 01:08:32.120 That's not dashalty. 01:08:32.120 --> 01:08:34.120 It's just divine wisdom. 01:08:34.120 --> 01:08:42.120 Divine wisdom is factual knowledge. 01:08:42.120 --> 01:09:03.120 It's factual knowledge plus divine situational insight plus God backed resolve. 01:09:03.120 --> 01:09:09.120 If any of this is missing, it's not divine wisdom. 01:09:09.120 --> 01:09:19.120 And the intent is to achieve righteous ends. 01:09:19.120 --> 01:09:20.120 Beautiful, eh? 01:09:20.120 --> 01:09:21.120 It's factual knowledge. 01:09:21.120 --> 01:09:26.120 You're confronted with a situation where what you face is factual. 01:09:26.120 --> 01:09:33.120 And then into that, you ask the one who gives without grudging, who says, listen, you can trust me on this. 01:09:33.120 --> 01:09:39.120 You ask him for wisdom, which is divine situational insight. 01:09:39.120 --> 01:09:49.120 As in pertaining to that situation, he injects insight, sometimes through the word, sometimes just in your spirit, sometimes through someone. 01:09:49.120 --> 01:09:52.120 That's followed by God backed resolve. 01:09:52.120 --> 01:09:56.120 It is not enough to know that wisdom now needs to be applied. 01:09:56.120 --> 01:09:58.120 Show me how you applied. 01:09:58.120 --> 01:10:01.120 Wisdom that is not applied is not wisdom. 01:10:01.120 --> 01:10:05.120 And finally, it must achieve righteous ends. 01:10:05.120 --> 01:10:18.120 This is why in Genesis 41, Pharaoh looks at Joseph and he says, is there any doubt in our minds that this is the man to whom wisdom has been given? 01:10:18.120 --> 01:10:27.120 Shouldn't he be placed in charge of taking the wisdom that he has now spoken and bringing to pass all that is necessary so that Egypt will be fed? 01:10:27.120 --> 01:10:32.120 All four things immediately into it. 01:10:32.120 --> 01:10:35.120 Same as said of Joshua. 01:10:35.120 --> 01:10:37.120 And then wisdom and skill. 01:10:37.120 --> 01:10:40.120 You go to Exodus. 01:10:40.120 --> 01:10:42.120 I don't remember where I'll check. 01:10:42.120 --> 01:10:45.120 Exodus, it talks about a guy called Bezalel. 01:10:45.120 --> 01:10:50.120 That guy had skill and wisdom combined together. 01:10:50.120 --> 01:10:53.120 Ask for this. 01:10:53.120 --> 01:11:01.120 Because this is how cities are fathered. 01:11:01.120 --> 01:11:11.120 You know, sometimes when I write these notes down or I preach these notes and I learn it with you, I think to myself, why, oh God? 01:11:11.120 --> 01:11:16.120 Why can't you just go ordinary stuff? 01:11:16.120 --> 01:11:21.120 Why are you placing stuff on us that we have to wrap our hearts and minds and spirits around? 01:11:21.120 --> 01:11:27.120 Why? 01:11:27.120 --> 01:11:38.120 But he looks at us like maybe Don will look at Eliakim, see him wiggling his toes and start imagining him playing for real Madrid. 01:11:38.120 --> 01:11:40.120 Cas, Cas, he's wiggling his toes. 01:11:40.120 --> 01:11:42.120 He'll be a skilled dribbler. 01:11:42.120 --> 01:11:45.120 And then Eliakim dribbles a little. 01:11:45.120 --> 01:11:47.120 And Cas says, yeah, yeah, I can see him dribble. 01:11:47.120 --> 01:11:49.120 He says, no, no, no, that's not what I meant. 01:11:49.120 --> 01:11:52.120 Like actual nutmegging. 01:11:52.120 --> 01:11:53.120 That's how the father thinks. 01:11:53.120 --> 01:11:59.120 He doesn't want you to just, he doesn't want us kicking balls around. 01:11:59.120 --> 01:12:07.120 He wants us to play for Barcelona. 01:12:07.120 --> 01:12:13.120 On that sweet note, we shall end. 01:12:13.120 --> 01:12:18.120 Try not to dilute this as you take it forward. 01:12:18.120 --> 01:12:24.120 Some of those questions that you need to ask, you'll have to ask if you want this to be known. 01:12:24.120 --> 01:12:32.120 Otherwise, you will come into a location without your grasp of the inheritance. 01:12:32.120 --> 01:12:35.120 And if you stay quiet, you will not trouble things. 01:12:35.120 --> 01:12:39.120 But if you don't stay quiet, you'll even trouble things. 01:12:39.120 --> 01:12:41.120 Yeah. 01:12:41.120 --> 01:12:45.120 Let's pray. 01:12:45.120 --> 01:12:48.120 Jesus, we love obeying. 01:12:48.120 --> 01:12:50.120 We love obeying. 01:12:50.120 --> 01:12:54.120 It's one of our favorite things to do and obedience has to come with courage. 01:12:54.120 --> 01:12:55.120 We love obeying. 01:12:55.120 --> 01:13:00.120 When we obey, you take care of everything else. 01:13:00.120 --> 01:13:03.120 Isn't that true, Church? 01:13:03.120 --> 01:13:08.120 Isn't that your experience? 01:13:08.120 --> 01:13:11.120 James, don't you love obeying? 01:13:11.120 --> 01:13:14.120 Isn't it thrilling to obey Christ? 01:13:14.120 --> 01:13:17.120 Hannah, isn't it awesome to obey God? 01:13:17.120 --> 01:13:19.120 There's nothing as precious as obeying Him. 01:13:19.120 --> 01:13:23.120 Subin, is there any other desire you have? 01:13:23.120 --> 01:13:25.120 Is there any other desire your wife has? 01:13:25.120 --> 01:13:29.120 This room is full of people who want to obey. 01:13:29.120 --> 01:13:35.120 And God, having seen that, is saying, let me give you something challenging to obey 01:13:35.120 --> 01:13:39.120 so that I can show you that I am the doer. 01:13:39.120 --> 01:13:42.120 Deuteronomy 9, verse 1 to 3. 01:13:42.120 --> 01:13:48.120 I'm sending you into a land which has walls that are really high. 01:13:48.120 --> 01:13:52.120 They have chariots with iron spokes. 01:13:52.120 --> 01:13:55.120 They are built like giants. 01:13:55.120 --> 01:13:56.120 They are much greater than you. 01:13:56.120 --> 01:13:58.120 You have heard of them. 01:13:58.120 --> 01:14:00.120 It was said of them that they are powerful. 01:14:00.120 --> 01:14:01.120 No one can vanquish them. 01:14:01.120 --> 01:14:03.120 To them I'm sending you. 01:14:03.120 --> 01:14:06.120 But do not be afraid, for I will send hornets before you. 01:14:06.120 --> 01:14:09.120 I will drive them away. 01:14:09.120 --> 01:14:13.120 That's the kind of God this Church serves. 01:14:13.120 --> 01:14:17.120 That is the kind of God we are inviting young men and women to serve, 01:14:17.120 --> 01:14:18.120 because they need it. 01:14:18.120 --> 01:14:22.120 They need someone who can be followed. 01:14:22.120 --> 01:14:24.120 And Christ is that someone. 01:14:24.120 --> 01:14:30.120 Ours is not an idly-pidly tamed domesticated cat. 01:14:30.120 --> 01:14:32.120 We're talking about the Lion of Judah. 01:14:32.120 --> 01:14:36.120 And I didn't mean that at all in a negative way about cats. 01:14:36.120 --> 01:14:40.120 I'm just saying that we serve the Lion of Judah. 01:14:40.120 --> 01:14:42.120 That's who we serve. 01:14:42.120 --> 01:14:44.120 I want you to sing an old song with me. 01:14:44.120 --> 01:14:46.120 If you don't know it, fake it. 01:14:54.120 --> 01:14:55.120 I'm not going to sing it. 01:14:55.120 --> 01:14:56.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:14:56.120 --> 01:14:57.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:14:57.120 --> 01:14:58.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:14:58.120 --> 01:14:59.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:14:59.120 --> 01:15:00.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:00.120 --> 01:15:01.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:01.120 --> 01:15:02.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:02.120 --> 01:15:03.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:03.120 --> 01:15:04.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:04.120 --> 01:15:05.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:05.120 --> 01:15:06.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:06.120 --> 01:15:07.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:07.120 --> 01:15:08.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:08.120 --> 01:15:09.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:09.120 --> 01:15:10.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:10.120 --> 01:15:11.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:11.120 --> 01:15:12.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:12.120 --> 01:15:13.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:13.120 --> 01:15:14.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:14.120 --> 01:15:15.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:15.120 --> 01:15:16.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:16.120 --> 01:15:17.120 I'm going to sing it. 01:15:17.120 --> 01:15:18.120 I'm going to sing it.