WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Fortress Church - When you were young... Publishing Date: 2025-07-27T06:04:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/fortress-church-when-you-were-young/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.160 This is the last week. We said that through July we will actually be taking up offerings, 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:23.120 not making up offerings, because normally we don't take up offerings in this church. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:28.000 But just for this month, in the last 20 years, we have decided, OK, this month we will take 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.240 up offerings, not because the church is in need, but because we want to get into the 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:39.240 habit of, why are we even making offerings? So that was the intent. Today, this is a simple 00:00:40.080 --> 00:00:46.120 thing we want to remember. When you give, God can be missed in your giving, because 00:00:46.120 --> 00:00:53.040 it's so easy to come up and or interact, many of us interact. It's so easy to miss 00:00:53.080 --> 00:01:00.080 God when we interact or we just come and throw some money in here. And so when it comes to 00:01:00.480 --> 00:01:06.040 giving—and this is the last Sunday of this month, so we won't be doing this after—in 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:13.040 giving, God is missed through laziness. As in when it's just a lazy thing, OK, there's 00:01:13.560 --> 00:01:18.700 an offering, maybe just go put something, look at your wallet, see what comes up first. 00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:24.420 If it's a brown note, look again and look at the red note or the green note. So God 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:28.740 is missed through laziness. God is missed through indifference, when the attitude is 00:01:28.740 --> 00:01:34.260 that of indifference. God is missed through unwillingness. Whenever I operate there, don't 00:01:34.260 --> 00:01:41.260 give, man. Don't give. Yeah? Just refuse to give. Say that your giving will be sincere. 00:01:41.580 --> 00:01:48.580 And so don't give if those three things is how you feel. Just postpone it to next week. 00:01:48.580 --> 00:01:55.580 Just refuse to give. But if God is found in giving, God is found through preparation. 00:01:56.820 --> 00:02:02.900 I've got to prepare what I want to give. As in this is what I want to do. You may have 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:07.180 different reasons for doing what you want to do in terms of giving, but this is what 00:02:07.180 --> 00:02:13.580 I've decided I'd give. Second, I have to give with freedom. If it's a sob story that causes 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:19.980 you to give it, if it is out of necessity or fear or compulsion, postpone it. It has 00:02:19.980 --> 00:02:26.980 to be free. And then the third one is any giving that is not happy giving is not giving. 00:02:26.980 --> 00:02:32.260 Yeah? Imagine sharing things with your spouse or with someone you love, but you're unhappy. 00:02:32.260 --> 00:02:39.260 My sister, while I was away, went and ate my Dubai Kunafa chocolate. And so she sent 00:02:40.260 --> 00:02:47.260 me a text saying, I have a confession to make. I ate half your Dubai chocolate. And I only 00:02:47.620 --> 00:02:53.940 had two bars, eh? And so I texted saying, okay, smiley face. That smiley face saves 00:02:53.940 --> 00:03:00.940 you so much, eh? Okay, smiley face. And then I said, could you leave the rest alone? So 00:03:01.340 --> 00:03:07.500 that's not happy giving, yeah? And her next sentence was, I thought you loved me more. 00:03:07.620 --> 00:03:13.580 That makes it worse, but we stop there. But the point is this. Giving, if it's not happy, 00:03:13.580 --> 00:03:20.580 is very difficult, yeah? Be it Dubai chocolate, to take anything you do for anybody. Yeah? 00:03:20.620 --> 00:03:24.340 So just keep that in mind. So keep these. Where did I get this from? 2 Corinthians 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:30.340 9 verse 6 to 8. That's where you get it from. Sorry? 00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:34.780 Cheerful giver. Cheerful giver. Not out of compulsion, not out of necessity, not out 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:41.780 of obligation. Freely, voluntarily, in response to his kindness, give. You're not giving to 00:03:41.980 --> 00:03:48.980 him. He doesn't need it. You're giving to needs that there are. Yeah? Just remember 00:03:49.700 --> 00:03:56.700 that. So as Sheldon and Mike play this thing, let's give. But before they come up, check 00:03:56.700 --> 00:04:03.700 how you want to give. Prepare. As in, what do I really want to give? And if you don't 00:04:03.700 --> 00:04:10.700 feel like it, don't. God hates her, I don't feel like a giver. He doesn't hate it. He 00:04:10.700 --> 00:04:17.700 doesn't like it. Yeah? So while they go up, you think and you decide. And then you're 00:05:56.700 --> 00:06:04.700 going to give. It isn't sounding good. We don't need music for that. 00:06:56.700 --> 00:07:03.700 More time to prepare, just... Yeah, I think you guys need more time to prepare. If you 00:07:03.700 --> 00:07:10.700 were busking, there wouldn't be much of an offering today. These guys are exceptional 00:07:10.700 --> 00:07:17.700 musicians, eh? So... 00:07:40.700 --> 00:07:47.700 Hey, so... Hey, can I have some more volume? We've been talking about the Fortress Church. 00:07:56.420 --> 00:08:00.140 And we've been going through different parts of the Fortress Church. Last time we dealt 00:08:00.140 --> 00:08:07.140 with people that are over the age of 30. How should we be? How should the older ones in 00:08:08.140 --> 00:08:15.140 a church be? And we are saying that anybody over 30 kind of falls into that older category. 00:08:15.340 --> 00:08:21.980 And today we'll deal with those that are under 30. If you want to build a Fortress Church, 00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:28.980 as in a church that has the ability to withstand, prevail, and move outwards, what would it 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:34.580 take? What should its people be like? So we've covered... We've been doing this for the last 00:08:34.580 --> 00:08:40.180 four or five weeks. So today we deal with those that are under 30. If you're 32, we'll 00:08:40.180 --> 00:08:47.180 put you under 30. Anything younger than when Jesus went to the cross is permissible. So 00:08:47.620 --> 00:08:53.820 if you're 33 and under, you're young. If you're 33 and over, too bad you're old, yeah? So 00:08:53.820 --> 00:09:00.820 it applies to everyone, but it's being addressed to the 30 and below. And what is at stake? 00:09:01.820 --> 00:09:08.820 What is at stake is the strength or the metal of the body that you belong to. And depending 00:09:08.820 --> 00:09:15.820 on the strength of the body, its members derive their strength. I know that many of you have 00:09:23.380 --> 00:09:30.380 been asked about the strength of the body. And I'll tell you a little bit about that. 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:45.820 We talked about this ages ago, but just as a refresher, we often come to church as individual 00:09:48.420 --> 00:09:55.420 Christians thinking that when we gather together, we form the body of Christ. And then when 00:09:58.660 --> 00:10:05.660 the service is over, we disband and we go back to our individual Christianity. There's 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:12.940 nothing biblical about it. What we are actually is an ear, a nose, an eye, teeth, mustache, 00:10:15.740 --> 00:10:22.740 mouth, and now we come together to form a body. That's what actually happens. And you 00:10:27.060 --> 00:10:34.060 can't disband now, because if you disband, you lose your direction, your location, your 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:41.860 function. Hey, that looks a little like me, right? Okay, direction, location, function. 00:10:48.660 --> 00:10:55.660 Don't be distracted by my face, yeah? Direction, location, function, significance. Everything 00:10:56.220 --> 00:11:03.220 gets lost if I disband. And so the health of the body determines the health of the body 00:11:04.220 --> 00:11:08.380 and the health of its parts. If you turn it the other way, it doesn't work. So we've got 00:11:08.380 --> 00:11:14.180 to remember that, eh? That the reason we are talking about the fortress church is because 00:11:14.180 --> 00:11:20.460 if I can strengthen the body, then the parts in the body are strengthened too. When the 00:11:20.460 --> 00:11:27.460 body is whole, the parts do well. Strangely enough, when any part of the body hurts, the 00:11:28.460 --> 00:11:35.460 entire body begins to suffer. But when the body is whole, every part prospers. And so 00:11:38.660 --> 00:11:45.660 this is how we see ourselves, but individualized Christianity has reduced the church to this. 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:53.500 And that's an anatomical God. It's not the bride. It's an abomination of sorts. And 00:11:53.500 --> 00:12:00.500 so this is how we really are. So the reason we're talking about the fortress church is 00:12:00.500 --> 00:12:07.500 because if we begin to think like this and build a strong body, then each person grows, 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:18.500 oneness increases, and functionality increases. And so we're talking about the fortress church 00:12:24.180 --> 00:12:31.180 optimizes. These things happen when the body begins to strengthen. Yeah? 00:12:32.020 --> 00:12:39.020 When it comes to the young, when it comes to anyone below the age of 33, Psalm 127, 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:47.580 verse 4 and 5 says, hey, blessed are you. You know, there was a time when this church 00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:54.620 had only old people. And by old people, I mean people above 33. And then this was a 00:12:55.420 --> 00:12:59.960 church where there were no young kids, no little feet running around. Now when I look 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:05.140 at it, it just blesses my heart, eh? Because it says, it got to such a point that Matt 00:13:05.140 --> 00:13:09.260 and Rachel wanted to leave the church because there were no families here. And I recommended 00:13:09.260 --> 00:13:13.420 churches that they could go out and check out. So I could send them to a nice church. 00:13:13.420 --> 00:13:19.460 And thank God they didn't leave, eh? They stayed. Now they got four of their own. And 00:13:19.460 --> 00:13:26.460 so Psalm 127, verse 4 and 5 says that as a man who has arrows in his quiver, so is a 00:13:28.540 --> 00:13:33.940 family that has young. And so a church that gets younger is actually a church that is 00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:40.940 strong. A church that gets younger is a church that is stronger. And so it's something that 00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:48.940 we should desire. And that's Psalm 127, verse 4. Psalm 110, verse 3, it says that to have 00:13:53.580 --> 00:14:00.580 young ones in the church allows you at the dawn to go to the gates and stand with the 00:14:00.580 --> 00:14:07.580 strength of youth. There is a strength that the young have that the older ones don't have. 00:14:07.660 --> 00:14:14.660 It might be bullish at times, but it is still strength, man. And so even though Paul says 00:14:17.020 --> 00:14:24.020 to Timothy, do not let people despise your youth. As ones that are older, we have to 00:14:24.300 --> 00:14:31.300 learn how not to despise youth just because their style, their attitude is sometimes, 00:14:32.300 --> 00:14:39.300 for the lack of a better word, obnoxious and sometimes offensive. Do not get teased off 00:14:40.060 --> 00:14:47.060 by that. The reason young people don't survive in a church is because the older ones who 00:14:49.300 --> 00:14:56.300 usually have positions and power and what they say stays, if they can't tolerate style 00:14:56.300 --> 00:15:03.300 attitude and what they consider respect, if they can't tolerate that, usually the young 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:10.740 will be subdued. So a guy like me who is 60 has to learn how to handle someone sticking 00:15:12.140 --> 00:15:18.140 their tongue out at me like Caleb did when he was a kid or someone doing things or saying 00:15:18.140 --> 00:15:25.140 things that in my world is offensive or my world is not respectful. And I think that 00:15:26.460 --> 00:15:33.460 my world is an attitude. I need to learn how not to be offended by that. And so it's on 00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:39.420 us as ones that are 35 and older not to be put off by that. A generation now is about 00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:46.420 80 years, man. In 80 years, language changes and a subculture develops. And usually you're 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:53.500 out of sync in 80 years. For those of you who are 38 and think you have it, you don't. 00:15:56.660 --> 00:16:03.060 You really don't. You're old. If you're feeling bad about that, listen to the teaching from 00:16:03.060 --> 00:16:10.060 last week. It was all about you. And don't laugh, Crystal. You're going to turn 35 soon. 00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:18.580 No, no. What I meant is in... No, no, no. What I meant... That came out totally wrong. 00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:24.020 What I meant, Crystal, is 10 years from now, when you turn 35, you will look back at this 00:16:24.020 --> 00:16:28.380 teaching and say, if only I had paid more attention. Sorry, I didn't mean that you're 00:16:28.380 --> 00:16:35.380 turning 35 next year. Yeah. I could see a whole bunch of girls there laughing at the 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:44.580 rest of us, yeah? So that's why I thought I'd make a point of that. So, John 21, 18. 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:51.580 So on one hand, do not despise their youth. Do not despise their style. Do not despise 00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:58.580 their attitude. And do not despise what you think is disrespect, because sometimes, unfortunately, 00:16:58.940 --> 00:17:05.940 that's the way they are. And it's not really disrespect. But it feels like disrespect. 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:15.180 John 21, 18. And this is to the young ones here. Here's the odd thing. Jesus says this. 00:17:15.260 --> 00:17:21.460 Jesus says, hey, Peter, John 21, 18, when you were young, you dressed however you want 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:28.460 and you went wherever you wanted. Reminds me of Derek. But now that you're married, 00:17:31.780 --> 00:17:38.220 sorry, but now that you are older, someone will bind you by the hand and take you where 00:17:38.340 --> 00:17:45.340 you don't want to go. And so this is what I hope will happen to the young ones here. 00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:50.700 That even though you're young, you'll be the Timothy kind of young, where even though you're 00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:56.820 below 30 or below 33, you will say, hey, I know I can dress however I want and go wherever 00:17:56.820 --> 00:18:03.820 I want, but here I come at 32, at 29, at 28, bind my hands and take me where I don't want 00:18:03.820 --> 00:18:10.820 to go. Bind my hands and take me where I don't want to go. You know, Isaac could have outrun 00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:17.980 Abraham. Abraham was 99. Oh, actually, not 99. Abraham was 100 and something. Isaac was 00:18:20.820 --> 00:18:25.940 a young kid, 17 or 18. The boy decides that he's okay with his father binding his hands 00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:31.500 and feet and putting him on an altar. Try that with your son or daughter who's 18. Try 00:18:31.500 --> 00:18:37.580 catching them, putting them on an altar saying, I'm going to kill you. See how they react. 00:18:37.580 --> 00:18:44.580 Catch me if you can. Okay, you don't know that song. Okay. And so to be young and to 00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:55.500 come and have your hands bouncing, take me, teach me how to dress. Take me where I don't 00:18:55.500 --> 00:19:02.500 want to go is what we're aiming at. Any questions thus far? Any questions? Okay. Like all the 00:19:05.780 --> 00:19:11.660 other teachings that we've been doing on this series, some of it will hurt, yeah? And at 00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:17.300 times you'll think, oh, is he talking to me? I actually didn't think of any of you. I give 00:19:17.300 --> 00:19:22.220 you my word on that one. Yeah? I'm standing here telling you the truth while I was writing 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:25.860 this. I didn't think of any of you. But as I'm treating you, you'll feel like maybe he's 00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:32.860 talking about me. If the hat fits, wear it. Feel not guilty but convicted and change where 00:19:32.860 --> 00:19:37.100 you need to change, yeah? But this is that kind of a message, yeah? A few hallelujahs, 00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:44.100 a lot of conviction. Cool? Okay. So the first thing is, guys, if you're below 33, please 00:19:44.100 --> 00:19:51.100 enjoy your youth. Please enjoy it. Like live it to the full. Because all these guys who 00:19:51.100 --> 00:19:56.100 are older here actually did the same thing. You just need to go check with their parents. 00:19:56.100 --> 00:20:03.100 The very things that they tell you not to do are the very things they did. Proverbs 20, 00:20:06.100 --> 00:20:13.100 verse 29, Proverbs 20, verse 29, Proverbs 30, verse 29, Proverbs 30, verse 29, Proverbs 00:20:14.100 --> 00:20:21.100 20, verse 29. The glory of a young man, as in the splendor or the thing that really stands 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:31.420 out about young man, and it says man throughout the Bible but it includes both genders, the 00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:38.420 splendor or the glory of a young man is his strength or vitality. Learn how to live life 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:45.420 to the fullest while you're young. Living life to the fullest is not a reckless life 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:53.460 that just follows its own lusts. No. You're talking about a life lived fully. Zest, space, 00:20:53.460 --> 00:21:00.460 light. Enjoy it. And when they begin to enjoy it, don't try to curb it down because you 00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:07.420 and I are not as active. I mean, I've been going through it with Caleb, and I've been 00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:13.420 going through it with Caleb. He wakes up at eight by nine, he's eaten some strange 00:21:13.420 --> 00:21:18.420 thing, and by ten he's gone, and then he comes back at midnight. A part of me wants to say, 00:21:18.420 --> 00:21:21.420 don't you need to study? Don't you need to pray? Don't you need to do this? When are 00:21:21.420 --> 00:21:25.420 you going to come home? All those parental questions that I never wanted to ask just 00:21:25.420 --> 00:21:29.980 being to rise up because it's almost as if the ones that are older don't like the freedom 00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:36.980 that the young have. There's something odd about it that I think 00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:44.420 as we get older. We do not like the freedom that the young begin to enjoy. We want them 00:21:46.100 --> 00:21:53.100 to be responsible by doing the things that we do. They're not thinking of his kids right 00:21:56.140 --> 00:22:03.140 now. Oh, yes. There's plenty of that coming. 00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:15.420 Just the first passage is about that. The rest is smack down. Yeah. Go ahead. 00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:33.420 Yeah. Yeah. So we're going to talk about that. 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:43.420 Yeah. But we start with the premise that I am supposed to live a life that is full of 00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:50.420 zest, space, light, life. I am supposed to live like that. 00:22:52.420 --> 00:22:59.420 Ecclesiastes 11.9. Ecclesiastes 11.9. Young people, it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy 00:23:01.020 --> 00:23:06.420 every minute of it. So the words that I used were not mine. It's scripture. Young people, 00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:11.260 it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do. Take 00:23:11.260 --> 00:23:18.260 it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. Ecclesiastes 00:23:18.860 --> 00:23:25.860 11.9. So it isn't even me saying this. That's what it says. But you must give account. 00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:33.100 How do you give account to God? You give account to God by being responsible to man and God. 00:23:33.100 --> 00:23:38.100 That's how you give account to God. Account to God is not some invisible thing that happens. 00:23:38.100 --> 00:23:45.100 It is both man and God. But we must start with the premise that there is strength, there 00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:55.660 is joy, there is enjoyment that God wants the young to have. And there is a time coming 00:23:55.980 --> 00:24:02.980 when after the new earth and new heavens come, we will do it together. And that's what it 00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:10.100 says. There will be no young, no old. It will be people with great strength. Imagine that 00:24:12.380 --> 00:24:19.380 too. Once this is over and the new heaven and new earth come, it won't be an old Jacob 00:24:21.860 --> 00:24:28.860 and a young... I can't find any young people. A young Vibi. It won't be an old Jacob and 00:24:28.860 --> 00:24:35.860 a young Vibi. We'll both have the same vigor and same strength. I'll be better looking. 00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:43.980 That's about it. But otherwise, it'll all be the same. Look forward to that time, eh? 00:24:45.780 --> 00:24:52.780 God is a highly energetic, vigorous, youthful, joyful, unquenchable God. And that is a characteristic 00:24:52.780 --> 00:24:59.780 we must try and express because that characteristic is alive and well because Christ lives in 00:25:00.820 --> 00:25:04.900 me. One of the things that must happen to my personality is that there are certain things 00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:09.300 of my personality that need to shed and certain things that I take on so that I express the 00:25:09.300 --> 00:25:16.300 Christ in me. And joy is one of those things. And joy is one of those things. And joy is 00:25:22.780 --> 00:25:29.780 one of those things. There's this... I may have said this many times before. There's 00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:36.940 a Jesus movie called Visual Matthew Jesus. Watch that. With all these other Jesus movies 00:25:38.580 --> 00:25:45.060 that you watch, watch that. You will find a Jesus you will thoroughly enjoy. There are 00:25:45.060 --> 00:25:50.900 scenes where he's racing with Peter, running with Peter, and Peter's winning. And what 00:25:50.900 --> 00:25:55.620 does Jesus do? Gives him a gentle nudge and he falls and Jesus wins the race. I'm thinking 00:25:55.620 --> 00:26:02.620 to myself, that is appealing. Wouldn't you do it? Wouldn't it be funny? I would. I see 00:26:09.260 --> 00:26:16.260 you playing cards and I see you doing that. Anyways, don't get stuck at that point. Do 00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:21.620 not despise the youth. Do not despise their attitude. Do not despise their style. Do not 00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:28.620 get offended by what looks like disrespect. So now let's go on to training and apprenticing. 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:43.500 Training and apprenticing. The second part of raising young men and women. Go to Lamentations 00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:50.500 327. Lamentations 327. It's a book we never read. Lamentations 327. Lamentations 327. 00:26:58.460 --> 00:27:05.460 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Bear the yoke, as in the burden. 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:12.460 It's good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence 00:27:21.020 --> 00:27:28.020 for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust. There may yet be hope. 00:27:28.020 --> 00:27:35.020 Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes it. Let him be filled with disgrace. Then 00:27:49.860 --> 00:27:56.860 it goes on to say, God will show compassion to those who are not in his place. God will 00:27:58.020 --> 00:28:05.020 show compassion to those who are not in his place. This stage will not last forever. 00:28:10.100 --> 00:28:13.540 This scripture, it isn't even, you know, if it was Solomon saying it, maybe you can take 00:28:13.540 --> 00:28:18.260 it with a pinch of salt. I'm not asking you to. I'm just saying sometimes the things Solomon 00:28:18.260 --> 00:28:23.620 says are a little difficult to handle. But this is Jeremiah saying it. One of the greatest 00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:28.980 prophets that lived besides Isaiah. This is what he says about the young. This is not 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:33.860 what we do. I'm not talking about Acts 29. I'm saying in general, these are the very 00:28:33.860 --> 00:28:40.860 things that we don't allow young people to go through. We coddle them. But look at what 00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:47.860 it says. Let them bear the burden when they're young. Don't remove it from them. Sit alone 00:28:47.860 --> 00:28:54.860 in silence. It's a lost art. Bury their face in the dust. Don't go lift it up immediately. 00:29:02.180 --> 00:29:06.340 Offer the cheek to someone who strikes. Every time you get struck, if you're getting offensive, 00:29:06.340 --> 00:29:13.340 no. Offer the cheek so they get struck again. And then let them be filled with disgrace. 00:29:13.340 --> 00:29:18.740 I'm not saying this is the only scripture. It is matched with other scriptures. We take 00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:25.740 the tapestry of scriptures to build a fortress church. But I'm saying this is a part of it. 00:29:25.860 --> 00:29:30.340 The question that we have to ask, and you have to ask as a young person is, is this 00:29:30.340 --> 00:29:36.780 how I know to live? Because there was someone like this called Christ in 1 Peter 2. You 00:29:36.780 --> 00:29:41.860 should read it. This is the very thing he begins to live at 32 and 33. Go to 1 Peter 00:29:41.860 --> 00:29:45.580 2. Because you don't want to be like Jacob. You don't want to be like me. You don't want 00:29:45.580 --> 00:29:52.580 to be like any of these leaders. But you surely want to be like Christ. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:59.980 2. 00:30:00.540 --> 00:30:07.540 Whereas 20 something. 1 Peter 2. 21 onwards. 00:30:12.060 --> 00:30:17.100 Or worse, 20 onwards. For what credit is it if when you sin you're beaten for it? You 00:30:17.100 --> 00:30:22.900 endure. But if when you do good and suffer for it, and you endure, this is the gracious 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:28.580 thing in the sight of God. To this you have been called because Christ also suffered for 00:30:28.580 --> 00:30:33.180 you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin. 00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:37.540 Neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. 00:30:37.540 --> 00:30:41.660 When he suffered, he did not threaten. But continued entrusting himself to him who judges 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:48.660 justly. That's the kind of example they were looking for. And may you turn that much faster 00:30:49.860 --> 00:30:54.820 than the ones who are teaching you. The ones who are teaching you should show you how to 00:30:54.820 --> 00:31:00.820 do this. But regardless of whether they show you this or not, you do have another model 00:31:00.820 --> 00:31:03.820 called Christ. 00:31:03.820 --> 00:31:10.820 1 Timothy 1.18. This is training and apprenticing. 1 Timothy 1.18. 1 Timothy 1.18. Here's what 00:31:23.060 --> 00:31:29.580 it says. This applies to everybody in the church guys, but I'm just saying we are speaking, 00:31:29.580 --> 00:31:35.660 we are addressing the young, but these scriptures apply to every one of us. This charge I entrust 00:31:35.660 --> 00:31:42.660 you Timothy my child, in accordance with prophecies previously made about you, that by them you 00:31:48.900 --> 00:31:55.900 may wage the good warfare. Holding faith and a good faith, and a good faith, and a good 00:31:59.780 --> 00:32:06.780 conscience. 1 Timothy 4.14, and we'll combine it together. 1 Timothy 4.14. Do not neglect 00:32:10.100 --> 00:32:17.100 the gift you have, which was given to you by prophecy when the elders laid hands on 00:32:17.580 --> 00:32:24.580 you. As a young person in this church, you almost guaranteed have received prophetic 00:32:24.580 --> 00:32:31.580 words from God. And if, and because you have received prophetic words from God, people 00:32:32.340 --> 00:32:39.340 older than you and those that lead you must work in accordance with the words spoken over 00:32:39.340 --> 00:32:46.340 you that you know are from God, instead of serving your present desire. There's nothing 00:32:46.580 --> 00:32:53.580 wrong with your desire, but our primary obligation and responsibility is to bring to pass what 00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:56.740 God has said about your life. That's the primary responsibility. And to neglect that so that 00:32:56.740 --> 00:33:00.740 you can become whatever you want to become at present is actually not a good thing. And 00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:07.740 that's why I'm saying, I'm not saying that you should be a Christian, I'm saying that 00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:13.740 you should be a Christian, I'm saying that you should be a Christian, I'm saying that 00:33:13.740 --> 00:33:20.740 whatever you want to become at present is actually doing you a disfavor, a disservice. 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:28.460 Any questions on that one? Any questions? I love, I mean, what's beautiful about this 00:33:29.700 --> 00:33:34.300 teaching is all I'm going to do is take scriptures from Paul to Timothy. That's all. Nothing 00:33:34.300 --> 00:33:41.300 else. No psychobabble. Just straight, Paul speaks to you. 00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:50.740 Speaking to Timothy. And I'll just write the scriptures. That's it. So let's assume there's 00:33:53.300 --> 00:33:59.060 a prophetic word over Ali and she wants to be a dancer and the prophetic word says, nope, 00:33:59.060 --> 00:34:03.740 you'll be an amazing volleyball player. Then she can go dance, it's up to her. And hip 00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:07.900 and Carmen can decide whether she wants to dance or not. But our job then is to make 00:34:07.900 --> 00:34:12.420 sure that if she is supposed to be a volleyball player that one day plays in the Olympics, 00:34:12.420 --> 00:34:19.420 and we do everything in our power to make her a Christ-like volleyball player. Not a 00:34:21.660 --> 00:34:28.660 Christ-like dancer. And there will be times when she'll come back from volleyball and 00:34:30.100 --> 00:34:35.860 she'd have lost 18 games in a row and she'd be told to sit on the sideline and serve them 00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:40.140 drinks because there's nothing else they wanted to do because she's really bad at volleyball. 00:34:40.940 --> 00:34:44.460 And it'll be really sucky. At that time, don't go and coddle her and say, no, you're the 00:34:44.460 --> 00:34:51.460 best, you know, the coach got it wrong. No, she was sucky. That goes back to Lamentations 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:58.460 327. We must not make it too easy because it's the tendency nowadays. Why tears away? 00:34:58.460 --> 00:35:05.460 But don't put balm where a little rest will cause it to recover and help people go to 00:35:16.860 --> 00:35:23.860 God and recover too. Otherwise, they'll be dependent on you. Any questions? Any pushback? 00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:29.460 Yes? 00:35:29.460 --> 00:35:36.460 How do you know the prophetic word is true? Because you're leaving tomorrow, I'll answer 00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:53.500 that. How do you test the prophetic word is true? Write it down. Transcribe it. See if 00:35:54.500 --> 00:36:01.500 it carries in it a sense of a father speaking to a son in terms of the nature of the word. 00:36:05.260 --> 00:36:09.420 Question whether these things have been said before or is it a brand new direction. If 00:36:09.420 --> 00:36:13.620 it's a brand new direction, begin to talk to God saying, this is what I have received. 00:36:13.620 --> 00:36:18.000 What do you think, Father? Begin to wait and see if there are other people that say something 00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:23.020 similar or whether other people are repeating the same thing again and again every time 00:36:23.020 --> 00:36:28.740 they see you. Begin to see if God creates opportunities for you to begin to explore 00:36:28.740 --> 00:36:35.740 being a volleyball player. It might take 20 years before you hit the Olympic state, but 00:36:37.180 --> 00:36:44.180 during those 20 years, you learn how to endure and stay with it. When someone told me that 00:36:45.180 --> 00:36:50.980 I traveled to the nations, it took me 13 years before it happened. But during those 13 years, 00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:55.220 it wasn't that God couldn't provide money to travel to a nation. But the question is, 00:36:55.220 --> 00:36:58.540 do you want to travel to a nation or do you want to meet a strange group of people who 00:36:58.540 --> 00:37:02.300 you will take care of like they are your own, regardless of whether you're seeing them the 00:37:02.300 --> 00:37:08.020 first time or the 15th time? God is not interested in fulfilling a word so that you can mark 00:37:08.020 --> 00:37:14.020 it off your calendar. He is interested in sending you to take care of people. And that 00:37:14.020 --> 00:37:19.580 is what requires preparation. The volleyball then becomes just a way to stop people to 00:37:19.620 --> 00:37:25.220 look at you. I play good volleyball. Now when I speak, you listen to me. It's like the Rockefeller 00:37:25.220 --> 00:37:29.860 tree in New York. Everybody stops to watch the Rockefeller tree and then they've got 00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:36.860 ads by Rockefeller that sell you everything they want. The volleyball is not the main 00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:43.980 thing. It has actually become Christ-like. Let's take another scripture. 2 Timothy 3, 00:37:49.580 --> 00:37:56.580 10. 2 Timothy 3, 10. 2 Timothy 3, 10. Listen to what it says. It's beautiful. Paul's talking 00:38:00.980 --> 00:38:05.020 to Timothy and he's saying, you've been a good apprentice to me. And what does it look 00:38:05.020 --> 00:38:09.940 like to be a good apprentice? Look at how he explains it. You've been a good apprentice 00:38:09.940 --> 00:38:16.940 to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadfastness, love, 00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:24.500 patience, troubles, suffering. Gosh, man. 2 Timothy 3, 10. This is what apprenticeship 00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:31.500 looked like. This is what it looked like. It's a rarity. Let's cause it to flourish 00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:41.980 again. To apprentice with someone was to follow their teaching, was to follow the way of life, 00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:46.540 follow direction. But Jacob, isn't this scary? This almost sounds like a cult. It could get 00:38:46.540 --> 00:38:53.540 very controlling. Absolutely. The difference between a cult and what Christ asks you to 00:38:53.540 --> 00:39:00.540 do is very thin, guys. Very thin. It's only a matter of a person deciding that he wants 00:39:03.740 --> 00:39:10.740 to be abusive and it can turn nasty. It's not a matter of a person deciding that he 00:39:11.980 --> 00:39:18.980 wants to be abusive. And does it happen? Plenty of times. Every month, every year in different 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:24.700 parts of the world. Are there people here who have suffered abuse at the hand of leaders? 00:39:24.700 --> 00:39:31.240 Absolutely. Does it last a long time? Yes. Is it hard to recover from? Yes. Are you scared 00:39:31.240 --> 00:39:38.240 after something like that happens? Yes. Does that mean we don't do it? No. You don't 00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:43.600 throw out that which is the truth because there are 20 people that are practicing it 00:39:43.600 --> 00:39:50.600 wrong. But you try your best to make it right and then you even have the strength to rise 00:39:54.040 --> 00:40:01.040 up and say, why are you doing this? And then the person has to talk or explain. 00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:14.800 Building a fortress church, that's why these things are hard to talk about, but we have 00:40:14.800 --> 00:40:21.800 to talk about them. Question is, who have you been apprenticing with? Or am I a maverick 00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:33.000 or am I one of those guys who just looks for the next best buffet? Who are you apprenticing 00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:41.000 with? Next one. Young people and old people, but I'm addressing mainly the young, must 00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:50.840 be biblically literate and doctrinally sound. Biblically literate and doctrinally sound. 00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:57.840 Second Timothy 2, just taking scriptures from Second Timothy 2, do your best to present 00:40:58.640 --> 00:41:05.640 yourself to God as one approved in what? In handling the word rightly. 00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:27.840 So that you're not ashamed. Second Timothy 3, 15. You've been acquainted or familiar 00:41:34.040 --> 00:41:41.040 with the sacred scriptures from when you were young. Beautifully. 00:41:51.640 --> 00:41:58.640 This is how we are supposed to be. Isn't it wonderful if someone meets you and they say 00:41:59.320 --> 00:42:06.320 to you, hey, you've been acquainted with the scriptures right from when you were young. 00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:16.880 First Timothy 4, 16 and 15. First Timothy 4, 16 and 15. Oh, 15 and 16. First Timothy 00:42:16.880 --> 00:42:23.880 4, 16 and 15. It says keep a close watch on how you live and on your doctrine and teaching. 00:42:27.320 --> 00:42:32.920 Keep a close watch on how you live. Paul's saying to Timothy, listen Timothy, make sure 00:42:32.920 --> 00:42:39.280 you keep a close watch on how you live and your teaching and doctrine. Here's a question 00:42:39.280 --> 00:42:46.280 again to those that are below 30. If someone were to ask you to be a teacher, 00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:53.880 take 20 minutes and talk about Christ's life or about the body of Christ or about why Christ 00:42:58.080 --> 00:43:05.080 heals or about the Father or about the Holy Spirit or about stewarding money or about 00:43:05.080 --> 00:43:12.080 crucifixion or about resurrection or about heaven or about Christ coming back. Here's 00:43:12.840 --> 00:43:19.840 a question we need to ask and this applies to us as older ones and as younger ones. Will 00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:27.480 you be able to give them a reasonable explanation? What happens in churches like Acts 29 is we 00:43:27.480 --> 00:43:34.480 have a lot of knowledge about topics but we don't have much knowledge about the Bible. 00:43:40.520 --> 00:43:47.520 We become topically literate and biblically illiterate and it's dangerous. And that's 00:43:47.520 --> 00:43:54.520 something that has to start from the leaders on saying how do we make our church biblically 00:43:57.560 --> 00:44:04.560 literate and not just topically literate. Yes? 00:44:06.560 --> 00:44:13.560 What is the difference between a religious leader and a religious leader? 00:44:17.520 --> 00:44:24.520 Yeah, biblically literate is to have an idea of where the stories are, how the stories 00:44:26.560 --> 00:44:32.000 flow into each other, what the stories mean. But can you take that and make it into a doctrine 00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:38.800 or a philosophy that you operate by? It's one thing to know the stories. But what is 00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:45.800 it that I'm supposed to learn from Jonah being swallowed by a fish? 00:44:47.520 --> 00:44:54.520 And so it is how do I take what I have now, know of the word and how do I make it a doctrine 00:44:56.240 --> 00:45:03.240 that I can operate by? In 1 Timothy 4, 16, 15, I'll just read it. Take pains with these 00:45:12.240 --> 00:45:17.080 things. Be absorbed in them so that everyone will see your progress. Guys, this thing of 00:45:17.080 --> 00:45:24.080 taking pains. Taking pains. Now one of the ways, there's two simple steps to taking pains. 00:45:29.720 --> 00:45:36.720 Create time, become consistent. These are the most painful things in the world. Doesn't 00:45:36.720 --> 00:45:43.720 matter whether it's swimming or running or Christ. Take pains. To take pains requires 00:45:44.720 --> 00:45:51.720 two things. Create time and become consistent. The two most painful. Any instrument you practice. 00:45:51.960 --> 00:45:58.960 Ask Sheldon, ask Mike Barnes. They'll tell you. I was surprised when I talked to Mike 00:45:58.960 --> 00:46:05.960 once and he says he practices every week. He plays every week. There's a consistency 00:46:05.960 --> 00:46:12.960 that begins to develop. And when you don't do this and you expect to be successful, you 00:46:13.720 --> 00:46:20.720 expect the world to make you who you are and you expect God to make you who you are. 00:46:21.640 --> 00:46:28.640 It's not fair. Next one. Disallow divisions. Disallow divisions. And try to avoid putting 00:46:28.640 --> 00:46:35.640 any stumbling block in the path of people. So in 1 Corinthians 11, 18, I just need to 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:47.000 say this before I go on. Guys, you actually know what I mean. You actually know what I 00:46:49.040 --> 00:46:56.040 mean. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going 00:46:59.040 --> 00:47:00.860 to lie. 00:47:00.860 --> 00:47:07.860 You know how your leaders and I actually value you as young people. You know that. You've 00:47:09.400 --> 00:47:16.400 had personal experience of that. You know that it doesn't matter what is happening yesterday 00:47:17.440 --> 00:47:23.920 or day before that today the ones that try and lead you will have your back regardless 00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:27.360 are how upset you are, not upset you are, happy you are, not happy you are. That you 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:32.860 know. So when you listen to a teaching like this, there might be this sense of, gosh, 00:47:32.860 --> 00:47:39.480 this is like a heavy on us. Yeah, but that's exactly what it's supposed to do. So just 00:47:39.480 --> 00:47:44.000 straighten out your shoulders and bear it, yeah? 00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:48.840 So 1 Corinthians 11, 18, Paul is talking to the Corinthian church and he says, listen, 00:47:48.840 --> 00:47:53.160 I've heard that there are cliques among you, that there are divisions and groups among 00:47:53.200 --> 00:47:58.280 you. And this isn't good, but somehow I'm not surprised. He wasn't surprised at the 00:47:58.280 --> 00:48:05.100 Corinthian church. We need to be aware that it's easy as a church grows big for division 00:48:05.100 --> 00:48:10.760 to happen and it's very easy to avoid it too. Is it possible at Acts 29, is it possible 00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:27.880 at Acts 29 that you can form subcultures because of a common language? Because you are a certain, 00:48:28.080 --> 00:48:37.080 you and others are a certain type. And God forbid because you're from a certain country 00:48:37.120 --> 00:48:48.120 or a certain geographical location. Is it possible that subcultures develop? Just like 00:48:50.440 --> 00:49:01.440 you have cool kids in school, is it possible that minority groups or newbies or relatively 00:49:02.280 --> 00:49:13.280 shy people get pushed out to the fringe and will need to jump through the hoops before 00:49:14.120 --> 00:49:21.120 they get an in? Is it possible? Just be aware of it, eh? Just be aware of it. Don't let 00:49:23.200 --> 00:49:29.200 it happen. Don't let it happen. As the church grows bigger, here's another thing that we'll 00:49:29.200 --> 00:49:36.200 have to somehow learn how to manage. It is not possible to invite everyone to every party. 00:49:39.240 --> 00:49:45.200 Sometimes because of space restrictions, sometimes because it is exclusive. I must learn how 00:49:45.200 --> 00:49:50.960 not to hurt when you don't invite me to your party. And if I do hurt, I must learn how 00:49:50.960 --> 00:49:56.960 to recover too. But you must try your best to see if there's a way to accommodate. But 00:49:56.960 --> 00:50:03.440 it is absolutely possible as the church grows bigger that I won't be invited. It's give 00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:08.400 and take. It's both ways, eh? But we have to be aware of it because we're getting to 00:50:08.400 --> 00:50:15.400 that place now. Do you know that I hear at least one hurt a week? And I'm not exaggerating. 00:50:15.640 --> 00:50:22.640 I hear at least one hurt a week because someone missed out on something. We're getting there, 00:50:23.640 --> 00:50:29.640 guys. As we grow bigger, it's only going to get more difficult. Let's just do our best. 00:50:29.640 --> 00:50:36.640 When the church was smaller, it was so easy. We could all sit in Ann and Kamal's house. 00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:44.480 We did all our Christmas birthdays at their home. Just had to have 20 chairs. Any questions? 00:50:52.720 --> 00:50:56.920 If you're a guest here and this is your first Sunday, you just turned up for the wrong teaching, 00:50:56.920 --> 00:51:03.320 yeah? But enjoy it. Usually we also talk about faith and joy and love and stuff like that. 00:51:03.320 --> 00:51:10.320 But come back next week. Yeah. We should. But what if you can only invite 20 people to your 00:51:10.320 --> 00:51:17.320 dad's baptism? Yeah. And then your 20 people shouldn't fall into these categories. And 00:51:31.040 --> 00:51:38.040 it's very easy to leave someone out. I mean, this terrible thing happened. Every New Year's, 00:51:39.040 --> 00:51:46.040 I've invited Derek for my New Year's thingies. All I do is just have a few people sit and 00:51:47.880 --> 00:51:54.880 worship and then disappear. Two years ago, I forgot Derek and Iris. Everyone else in 00:51:56.720 --> 00:52:03.040 terms of who were in the leaders group was there. Derek and Iris I didn't invite. Don 00:52:03.040 --> 00:52:08.360 turned up. At least exclude both brothers. Unfortunately, I called Don. I forgot to call 00:52:08.360 --> 00:52:14.880 Derek. Derek went home and he's wondering why is it that Jacob has not invited Derek 00:52:14.880 --> 00:52:19.640 and Iris to the New Year's thing that he's been doing since he landed in Vancouver. And 00:52:19.640 --> 00:52:26.080 he was hurt. And when I realized it, not hurt in the sense, not hurt to a point of I'll 00:52:26.080 --> 00:52:30.920 never be your friend again, but it was a question in his mind. I felt so embarrassed, so ashamed 00:52:30.920 --> 00:52:36.560 at what I've done, but I didn't have a good excuse. And if it happens to Derek who knows 00:52:36.560 --> 00:52:41.160 me, then trust me, it's much easier when it's somebody else. You've got to prevent this 00:52:41.160 --> 00:52:48.160 from happening. Division enters very easily. Yep. Perceived offense? I don't know. I don't 00:53:00.920 --> 00:53:07.920 know. Yeah. It's best not to try to fix offense in one shot. Take time. Jesus didn't say fix 00:53:17.520 --> 00:53:22.760 your problems before the sun goes down. He was basically telling start the process before 00:53:22.760 --> 00:53:27.840 the sun goes down. And then it might take time. If I break someone's trust, I cannot 00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:34.840 regain it in a day. It will take time. And you have to work at it. It's just the nature 00:53:36.920 --> 00:53:43.920 of trust. Once it's broken, it takes time. But that's how it should work. And we have 00:53:48.160 --> 00:53:55.160 time. Other than Chava, nobody else is leaving. Caleb and Chava. 00:53:58.400 --> 00:54:04.440 You should ask Chava how I regained his trust. I'm saying it now because there's very little 00:54:04.440 --> 00:54:09.720 time left. They won't be able to talk to you. But you should ask Chava how I regained his 00:54:09.720 --> 00:54:16.400 trust. And then there are peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers. One of the guys who's 00:54:16.400 --> 00:54:23.400 a real peacemaker in this church is that guy sitting behind Vibi in a white t-shirt. Nick 00:54:23.400 --> 00:54:30.400 is a peacemaker. He'll do it with bok choy, but he'll do it. Desist from creating subgroups. 00:54:39.240 --> 00:54:46.240 Yeah? Desist from creating it. In a public setting. Do it privately. You want to invite 00:54:46.600 --> 00:54:53.600 someone for your bar mitzvah or whatever, feel free. No, that doesn't apply to us. You 00:54:56.320 --> 00:55:00.200 want to invite someone to a private thing, feel free. But in a public setting, avoid 00:55:00.200 --> 00:55:05.720 it because someone will get left out. Another thing, guys, when this is again to the young. 00:55:05.720 --> 00:55:12.720 When new folk come, check if what is permissive is permissible. If it's permissible, check 00:55:17.120 --> 00:55:24.120 if what is permissive for you is beneficial for them. Check if what is permissive for 00:55:28.840 --> 00:55:35.840 you is beneficial for them. Let's assume dawn comes from a traditional Pentecostal church 00:55:37.640 --> 00:55:43.920 where watching movies is not a good idea. In fact, they frown upon it. And there are 00:55:44.120 --> 00:55:48.320 many Pentecostal churches that do. I'm not here to discuss whether it's right or wrong. 00:55:48.320 --> 00:55:51.960 And so he comes and he joins the young people's group and the first thing they do is, hey, 00:55:51.960 --> 00:55:56.280 you've got to come for a movie. And he will go because he wants to be accepted. But inside, 00:55:56.280 --> 00:56:03.280 there's this continuous feeling of guilt. So try and find out what may be permissive 00:56:06.800 --> 00:56:13.800 and completely okay for you may not be beneficial for someone else. Just be aware. Just be aware. 00:56:14.440 --> 00:56:20.600 Here's another thing with young people. Fellowships are not an end in themselves. Fellowships are 00:56:20.600 --> 00:56:27.600 not an end in themselves. If fellowships don't lead to maturity in Christ, then fellowships 00:56:29.160 --> 00:56:36.160 are not an end in itself. Because it's something that happens, where you just meet aimlessly 00:56:36.160 --> 00:56:43.160 day after day, week after week. It's a lot of fun to hang out with people who have the 00:56:44.560 --> 00:56:50.040 same feathers, but there's no end to it. It'll get to a point where it'll be jungle book. 00:56:50.040 --> 00:56:53.120 What do you want to do? I don't know. What do you want to do? I don't know. What do you 00:56:53.120 --> 00:57:00.120 want to do? You guys don't have in what jungle book? That's the other thing about young people. 00:57:01.120 --> 00:57:08.120 They're a deprived generation. They haven't watched jungle book. Okay. We might have to 00:57:16.440 --> 00:57:23.440 stop after this because we don't have time. Walk worthy of your calling. It's in Ephesians 00:57:23.440 --> 00:57:30.440 4.1. As in, Paul says, hey, Timothy, can you pay attention to your conduct? Can you pay 00:57:32.720 --> 00:57:39.720 attention to your conduct? I love what he says in 1 Timothy 4.12. He says, let no one 00:57:41.120 --> 00:57:45.640 despise you for your youth. He could stop there saying, Timothy, just make sure nobody 00:57:45.640 --> 00:57:50.640 frowns at you and says he's too young, he's just messed up. He goes further to say, hey, 00:57:50.640 --> 00:57:56.160 he's too young, he's just messed up. He goes further to say, let no one despise you for 00:57:56.160 --> 00:58:03.160 your youth. And then he says, but set the believers an example in speech, conduct, love, 00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:14.960 faith, purity. Can I ask that of you? Can I turn to you and say, hey, Caleb, it's not 00:58:14.960 --> 00:58:21.960 enough that you behave in a way that no one despises you. I want you to be an example 00:58:25.800 --> 00:58:32.800 in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Hey, Pawan, hey, Vibi, hey, Crystal, 00:58:35.320 --> 00:58:42.000 hey, Davina, can I ask of you that you not only make sure that nobody despises you, but 00:58:42.200 --> 00:58:49.200 you example to the ones that are older than you. What it is to be someone who is an example 00:58:50.460 --> 00:58:57.460 in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. What a demand, man. And why not? 00:59:00.340 --> 00:59:07.340 You have advantages that we never had. You're growing up in a church where this is being 00:59:08.340 --> 00:59:14.740 even taught. People around you lift you up. None of your leaders had that. This must be 00:59:14.740 --> 00:59:20.220 demanded of you, and you must show us how this has worked. Example it to us, to the 00:59:20.220 --> 00:59:27.220 older and to the young. And when I say speech, I'm talking about speech on WhatsApp, speech 00:59:31.140 --> 00:59:35.660 on all kinds of social media too. It's not just what you speak. Most of our speaking 00:59:35.740 --> 00:59:42.740 is done out there. When it talks about purity, it is talking about purity of motives and 00:59:43.820 --> 00:59:50.820 sexual purity. Aren't you glad Christ demands this of you? Aren't you glad that the ones 00:59:58.060 --> 01:00:03.140 that lead you, and one day you will be leading, you know that for a fact, the ones that lead 01:00:03.140 --> 01:00:08.420 you will demand this of you? One of the things a church should never be afraid of is losing 01:00:08.420 --> 01:00:15.420 people. As we go about doing this, it's okay if one who is young cannot bear the yoke. 01:00:26.340 --> 01:00:31.740 Then Paul urges Timothy to become an example to believers so that nobody can profile young 01:00:31.740 --> 01:00:38.740 people as this is how they are. And then he says that, listen, I'm sending you on my 01:00:39.220 --> 01:00:46.220 behalf. So here's the question. If Acts 29, let's take it this way. If Acts 29, if God 01:00:49.220 --> 01:00:56.220 or if I sent you out on our behalf, what would they say about you? In speech, in conduct, 01:00:57.220 --> 01:01:04.220 in love, in faith, in purity. It applies to all of us. We'll be addressing the young. 01:01:16.620 --> 01:01:23.620 May you be an example, eh? 01:01:26.220 --> 01:01:33.220 Does your speech and behavior represent God, represent the church, represent the teaching 01:01:35.020 --> 01:01:40.100 that you're learning, and represent me or whoever leads you? Can I also apply it to 01:01:40.100 --> 01:01:46.740 your WhatsApp chats and your jokes, or will you have to create subchats to circumvent 01:01:46.740 --> 01:01:52.380 the oversight of the leaders? Straight question, eh? Because I know there are subchats. Enjoy 01:01:52.380 --> 01:01:59.380 your subchats. But if the subchats are a means to over circumvent oversight, then it's not 01:02:00.620 --> 01:02:07.620 a good idea. At the end of the day, I must live my life as transparently as possible. 01:02:09.460 --> 01:02:16.460 Any questions? Okay. 01:02:22.380 --> 01:02:28.500 To speech and behavior, Paul adds faith and then love. What is love? Love is basically 01:02:28.500 --> 01:02:35.500 the outworking of faith in service. Love is the outworking of faith in service. Love is 01:02:35.660 --> 01:02:42.660 the outworking of faith in service. And purity, sexual purity. We'll have to stop in three 01:02:44.380 --> 01:02:51.380 minutes. So let me end with this. Actually, it's here. 01:02:52.380 --> 01:02:59.380 As much as possible as young people, avoid giving a ride to a person of the opposite 01:03:06.420 --> 01:03:11.940 sex if you can avoid it. If it's just you and that person alone. Avoid it. There are 01:03:11.940 --> 01:03:18.500 times when it's unavoidable. Then it's fine. But if you have the option or the choice or 01:03:18.500 --> 01:03:25.500 the room, then try to avoid giving another person of the opposite sex a ride, especially 01:03:26.420 --> 01:03:32.980 – I mean, why are you putting a curfew on it, Jacob? Because curfews are good. Especially 01:03:32.980 --> 01:03:38.420 after 11 p.m., don't even bother. Pay out of your pocket and get an Uber. Or pay an 01:03:38.420 --> 01:03:42.580 Uber to get Betty to come there and pay an Uber for taking Betty and the girl back. Do 01:03:42.580 --> 01:03:46.660 whatever. Do the monkey giraffe and the lion went into a boat and tried to cross the thing. 01:03:46.820 --> 01:03:51.020 Oh yeah, you guys wouldn't know about that either. Only the ones older would know about 01:03:51.020 --> 01:03:58.020 that. But here's the thing. Avoid it. Unless you're engaged and you're getting married. 01:04:00.580 --> 01:04:03.940 Unless you're getting married and you're engaged. Then it's different. But otherwise 01:04:03.940 --> 01:04:10.940 avoid it. As much as possible, do not even ask. If someone turns to you and asks you 01:04:11.300 --> 01:04:16.620 after 11 p.m., someone from the opposite sex asks you, saying, hey, can you give me a ride? 01:04:17.100 --> 01:04:24.100 Put on your pleasanter smile and say, read my lips. Yeah, it doesn't happen. Why, Jacob? 01:04:29.500 --> 01:04:36.500 Our intents are pure. I agree. But there's a way that our conduct must exemplify who 01:04:38.300 --> 01:04:44.260 we belong to. We are a counterculture. But there will be times when it's unavoidable, 01:04:44.260 --> 01:04:51.260 okay? And at those times, be able not to compromise, but be able to say, this is one 01:04:52.860 --> 01:04:59.860 of those situations where I have to. There's grace upon that. We have to end. I guess I 01:05:03.220 --> 01:05:10.220 better end on a slightly better note. 01:05:14.260 --> 01:05:21.260 Let's end with Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. 01:05:21.260 --> 01:05:28.260 We have been tasked with raising an army of young men and women. I don't know if you 01:05:28.260 --> 01:05:35.260 remember Hebrides 2.0 and the word that God gave us in Stone of Eight three years ago. 01:05:35.260 --> 01:05:40.260 Let me read it to you and then we'll end. 01:05:40.260 --> 01:05:47.260 Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. We have been tasked with raising an army of 01:05:49.260 --> 01:05:56.260 young men and women. I don't know if you remember Hebrides 2.0 and the word that God gave us 01:05:56.260 --> 01:06:03.260 in Stone of Eight three years ago. Let me read it to you and then we'll read Jeremiah 01:06:03.260 --> 01:06:10.260 1, 6 and 7 and then here's what it said. I don't know if you have it with you, Brandon, 01:06:11.260 --> 01:06:18.260 but if you don't, that's fine. Hebrides revival happened 75 years ago, thereabouts. Does 01:06:18.260 --> 01:06:25.260 anyone have it? 01:06:48.260 --> 01:07:03.940 Okay, here it is, I'm reading it out. 01:07:03.940 --> 01:07:08.980 I pray that the Spirit of God will give us as a church years to listen. 01:07:08.980 --> 01:07:14.620 I also pray, Spirit of God, that as I read this, the young ones in this church will have 01:07:14.620 --> 01:07:17.220 their ears opened even deeper. 01:07:17.220 --> 01:07:25.420 So here is the word that was given in Stronoway, the island of Hebrides, three years ago, to 01:07:25.420 --> 01:07:26.420 this church. 01:07:26.420 --> 01:07:28.220 And here's what God was saying. 01:07:28.220 --> 01:07:37.860 I am sending a purifying fire from heaven that will burn up all religious and historical 01:07:37.860 --> 01:07:39.820 junk. 01:07:39.820 --> 01:07:43.700 And then I will enter as the divine warrior. 01:07:44.700 --> 01:07:52.700 And I will deliver or set free young men and women from nations into the kingdom. 01:07:52.700 --> 01:07:57.260 And I will call them my sons and daughters. 01:07:57.260 --> 01:08:04.260 And I will ask them or invite them into the circle of dancing of abundance and joy before 01:08:04.260 --> 01:08:05.700 the lion and the lamb. 01:08:05.700 --> 01:08:12.620 And I will raise for myself a torch bearing army or generation that goes forth and will 01:08:12.620 --> 01:08:13.620 not return empty. 01:08:13.620 --> 01:08:15.260 I'll read it one more time. 01:08:15.260 --> 01:08:21.940 I, God, am sending a purifying fire from heaven that burns up all religious and historical 01:08:21.940 --> 01:08:23.300 junk. 01:08:23.300 --> 01:08:31.940 I will then enter as the divine warrior, setting free young men and women from nations into 01:08:31.940 --> 01:08:33.140 the kingdom. 01:08:33.140 --> 01:08:40.260 I will call them my sons and daughters and invite them into a circle of dancing of abundance 01:08:40.380 --> 01:08:43.820 and joy before the lion and the lamb. 01:08:43.820 --> 01:08:50.340 And I will raise for myself a torch bearing army or generation that goes forth and will 01:08:50.340 --> 01:08:56.340 not return empty. 01:08:56.340 --> 01:08:57.340 That's what we are after. 01:08:57.340 --> 01:08:59.660 If it takes three years, there'll be three years. 01:08:59.660 --> 01:09:01.700 If it takes ten, there'll be ten. 01:09:01.700 --> 01:09:03.660 But it'll come to pass. 01:09:03.660 --> 01:09:07.660 And let's end with Jeremiah one, six and seven. 01:09:11.260 --> 01:09:17.260 Then I said, Ah, Lord God, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. 01:09:17.260 --> 01:09:24.060 But the Lord said to me, Do not say I'm only a youth, for to all whom I send you to, you 01:09:24.060 --> 01:09:25.060 shall go. 01:09:25.060 --> 01:09:28.060 And whatever I command you to, you shall speak. 01:09:28.060 --> 01:09:32.980 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you. 01:09:32.980 --> 01:09:34.900 Then the Lord put his hand and touched my mouth. 01:09:34.900 --> 01:09:39.060 And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 01:09:39.060 --> 01:09:44.060 See, I have set you this day over nations, over kingdoms, to pluck and to break down, 01:09:44.060 --> 01:09:47.060 to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant. 01:09:47.060 --> 01:09:48.060 One last time. 01:09:48.060 --> 01:09:53.060 Then I said, Ah, Lord God, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth. 01:09:53.060 --> 01:09:58.580 But the Lord said to me, Do not say I'm only a youth, for to all to whom I send you, you 01:09:58.580 --> 01:09:59.580 shall go. 01:09:59.580 --> 01:10:01.980 Whatever I command you, you shall speak. 01:10:01.980 --> 01:10:05.860 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. 01:10:05.860 --> 01:10:08.380 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. 01:10:08.700 --> 01:10:11.700 Then the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my word in your mouth. 01:10:11.700 --> 01:10:16.340 See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break 01:10:16.340 --> 01:10:20.700 down, to destroy and to overthrow, and to build and to plant. 01:10:20.700 --> 01:10:23.380 Will everybody under 33 just get up? 01:10:23.380 --> 01:10:25.380 Just rise up. 01:10:32.380 --> 01:10:34.380 Ooh, that's too many of you. 01:10:34.380 --> 01:10:37.380 Well, everybody under 30, rise up. 01:10:39.380 --> 01:10:40.380 Okay. 01:10:49.380 --> 01:10:51.380 Dawn, you must be really old. 01:10:52.380 --> 01:10:53.380 Okay. 01:10:53.380 --> 01:10:58.380 Now that you have seen them rising up, could the rest of us who are older just begin to 01:10:58.380 --> 01:11:01.380 pray first quietly for them, yeah? 01:11:01.380 --> 01:11:03.380 Just begin to pray quietly. 01:11:03.380 --> 01:11:09.380 Just pray quietly as in, start quietly, but if you want to groan and moan and lament or 01:11:09.380 --> 01:11:11.380 cry out, feel free. 01:11:11.380 --> 01:11:13.380 But just begin to pray for them. 01:11:33.380 --> 01:11:34.380 Okay. 01:12:03.380 --> 01:12:05.380 Okay. 01:12:33.380 --> 01:12:40.380 How to pray. 01:12:48.380 --> 01:12:49.380 Father, this is what I pray. 01:12:49.380 --> 01:12:51.380 Let not one of them fall away. 01:12:53.380 --> 01:12:55.380 Let not one of them fall away. 01:12:59.380 --> 01:13:01.380 Let them bear the yoke. 01:13:04.380 --> 01:13:08.380 Let them suffer disgrace where they were needed. 01:13:12.380 --> 01:13:15.380 Let them allow their cheek to be struck. 01:13:19.380 --> 01:13:21.380 May they learn to apprentice. 01:13:23.380 --> 01:13:29.380 May the shafts of their arrow be straight so that the arrow flies straight. 01:13:30.380 --> 01:13:37.380 May the arrowhead be pointed so that this tremendous strength when it hits anything, 01:13:37.380 --> 01:13:39.380 when you shoot them out of your bow. 01:13:44.380 --> 01:13:49.380 Father, I receive in this church, we receive these Caleb's and Joshua's. 01:13:49.380 --> 01:13:53.380 They have the ability to look at giants and come up with a good report. 01:13:54.380 --> 01:14:03.380 I pray that these men and women that I have named, be men and women that are able 40 years 01:14:03.380 --> 01:14:09.380 from now to say, but this was promised and I still want those hills where the anach dwell. 01:14:10.380 --> 01:14:18.380 I pray, Father, that they example speech, conduct, love, faith and purity to us that are older. 01:14:18.380 --> 01:14:20.380 We cry out for this, O God. 01:14:20.380 --> 01:14:28.380 You said a church that has its quiver full of young people is a church that can meet its enemies at the door. 01:14:28.380 --> 01:14:30.380 And we say thank you for these men and women. 01:14:34.380 --> 01:14:37.380 Father, there are people here who came here 20 years ago. 01:14:37.380 --> 01:14:40.380 And we want to say what Simeon and Anna said. 01:14:40.380 --> 01:14:42.380 Our eyes have longed to see this day. 01:14:42.380 --> 01:14:45.380 And we thank you, Father, that you have been faithful. 01:14:45.380 --> 01:14:47.380 And so we bless the Isaba. 01:14:47.380 --> 01:14:49.380 And we say to you, you make us proud. 01:14:49.380 --> 01:14:51.380 Look up, look up, look up. 01:14:51.380 --> 01:14:53.380 You make us proud. 01:14:53.380 --> 01:14:58.380 I know there are faults in all of you, but you make us proud. 01:15:01.380 --> 01:15:03.380 Wouldn't exchange you for anybody. 01:15:09.380 --> 01:15:10.380 So we bless you. 01:15:10.380 --> 01:15:11.380 So we bless you. 01:15:11.380 --> 01:15:13.380 We bless you. 01:15:13.380 --> 01:15:15.380 May you take advantage of us. 01:15:15.380 --> 01:15:16.380 May you exploit us. 01:15:16.380 --> 01:15:17.380 May you take advantage of us. 01:15:17.380 --> 01:15:18.380 May you prove our love to you. 01:15:18.380 --> 01:15:20.380 May you prove our faithfulness to you. 01:15:20.380 --> 01:15:22.380 Take advantage. 01:15:24.380 --> 01:15:25.380 Take advantage. 01:15:26.380 --> 01:15:28.380 Exploit what you have. 01:15:32.380 --> 01:15:36.380 And if you see that our lives are not open, come and say your life is not open. 01:15:36.380 --> 01:15:37.380 I want to take more. 01:15:37.380 --> 01:15:38.380 Yeah? 01:15:41.380 --> 01:15:42.380 Bless you guys. 01:15:42.380 --> 01:15:43.380 Peace be with you.