WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Restored: Restoring Justice Publishing Date: 2018-12-02T05:00:44-08:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/restored-restoring-justice/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.000 The foundation of God's throne are righteousness and justice. Psalm 97 verse 2. 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:16.000 Righteousness, we've talked about this before, is right relationship, right relationship. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:33.000 And it exists on four levels mainly, with God, with yourself, with others, and with the environment. 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:54.000 This is how righteousness may be looked at. Righteousness is right relationship with God, right relationship with myself, right relationship with others, and right relationship with the environment. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:04.000 And perhaps in that order, love the Lord your God, love your neighbor as you love yourself, and with the environment too. 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:11.000 So that takes care of righteousness. And God's throne is built on the foundations of righteousness and judgment or justice. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:19.000 And the moment we think of justice, we think of something being judged and then a sentence or punishment being executed. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:32.000 And it's right to think of judgment that way. So when we think of judgment or justice, we think of this fact that it carries judgment and then a sentence has to be executed. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:39.000 And so it was, because if you look at Isaiah 53 verse 3 and 4, what do you think was happening to Jesus? 00:01:39.000 --> 00:02:02.000 So yes, justice does carry in it this sense of judgment and an execution of sentence. That's true. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:12.000 But the thing is, because Jesus was judged for the entire world, what does justice look like now? 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:23.000 Because we as Christians still adopt the old way of looking at justice, which is there must be a day of vengeance. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:33.000 And Jesus, before he goes to the cross, replaces the day of vengeance with the day of favor in Luke chapter 4. 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:37.000 So it's not a day of vengeance that he talks about. He talks about a day of favor. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:45.000 And so we need to shift as Christians from there must be justice, there will be judgment, and once there is judgment, there is an execution of sentence. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:55.000 It is true, but the heart attitude has to be one that is different because Jesus was judged and he was judged for the entire world. 00:02:55.000 --> 00:03:04.000 And therefore, today, if you look at how justice looks like, you'll have to turn to Luke chapter 4, 18 and 19, 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:13.000 Luke chapter 4, 18 and 19, Luke chapter 4, 18 and 19, where Jesus goes into the temple or into the synagogue. 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:18.000 And he goes and it's his turn to read and he picks up a scroll and he opens the scroll. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:25.000 And it so happens that that day's reading falls on Isaiah 61 and he opens it and he begins to read. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:34.000 And he says, The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor, 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:48.000 to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to give sight to the blind, 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:58.000 to set free those that are oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the favor of the Lord. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:10.000 This is what justice looks like. And therefore, a restored community must be a community that so holds Luke 4, 18 and 19 dear to their heart 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:20.000 because it is this that is expected by Jesus Christ of his body, restorers of justice. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 Everywhere, restorers of justice, this is what it will contain. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:31.000 And so when we talk about justice now, we talk about a justice of restoration, things being restored, things being restored. 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:41.000 The strange thing is that when it talks there in Luke 4, 19, it says the acceptable year of favor. 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:46.000 If you look at Isaiah 61, it says, And the day of vengeance. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.000 Same scripture, Jesus quotes scriptures from the Old Testament. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:55.000 In the Old Testament, in Isaiah 61, it says, And the day of vengeance. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.000 Jesus is opening the scroll and he's reading it and he changes the words. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.000 Don't you dare do that, but he could because he is the word. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:10.000 So he is reading through Isaiah 61 instead of reading it as it is supposed to be read, 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:18.000 where it says the day of vengeance of the Lord, he changes it too, and the year of the acceptable year of the favor of the Lord. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:21.000 He changes it. And what is he trying to say? 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:26.000 What was this acceptable year of favor that Jesus is talking about? 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:31.000 There was an acceptable year of favor once every 50 years. 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:33.000 It was the year of Jubilee. 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:45.000 What Jesus is announcing is that, guys, the year of Jubilee has started and it is a perpetual year of Jubilee that has no end. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:48.000 This is what we are called to announce. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:56.000 And if you go to Leviticus chapter 25, verse 9 and 10, it says, 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:04.000 A trumpet would be blown shortly after the day of atonement and it would be the beginning in the 50th year, after 49 years. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:09.000 In the 50th year, a trumpet would be blown after the day of atonement and once the trumpet was blown, 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:17.000 would begin a whole year called the year of Jubilee where lands would be restored, where slaves would be set free, 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:28.000 where debts that needed to be paid would be paid, and the entire land and the people of Israel would enter into this 365-day period of restoration. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:33.000 And Jesus is saying, hey, it's not just one year anymore. It's perpetual. 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:43.000 Today I inaugurate as I open this scroll years and years and years of Jubilee that will only end when I come a second time. 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:47.000 And then it will continue because there will be no restoration needed there. 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:52.000 But till I come, this is what I'm doing. It's a justice of restoration. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:58.000 And you now have to go forth and pronounce the same thing because you are my body. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:06.000 This is what a restored community must engage in. And it is so easy to engage in because none of it is complicated. 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.000 So he goes on to say to proclaim the good news. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:22.000 So there's one word that's so active there and that is proclaim, as in preach, as in announce, as in publish. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:28.000 To proclaim two things. One, good news, and two, the year of favor. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:37.000 What is God saying? First, tell them that I am at present and have been since the beginning of time, 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:45.000 now very evidently bringing back people into a forgiven relationship with me. And that is the good news. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:50.000 There cannot be Jubilee without the pronouncing of the good news to the poor. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.000 And who are the poor? The poor are the bankrupt. Who are the bankrupt? The bankrupt are ones who don't have anything. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:00.000 Who are they? Everybody. Some know it, some don't. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.000 Blessed are the poor is basically blessed are the spiritually bankrupt. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:09.000 Everybody is spiritually bankrupt. Some know it, some don't. 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:14.000 And so part of the good news is to help people understand that they are bankrupt. 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:24.000 Therefore there is the necessity to bring up the whole idea of sin and Jesus must be savior first before he can be Lord. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:30.000 You can't have Jesus as Lord without having him as Jesus as Savior. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:40.000 And so proclaiming both with words and deeds, proclamation and demonstration of what of the fact that, 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:47.000 hey, God has been trying to bring us into a forgiven relationship with himself through Jesus Christ dying 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:53.000 so that all enmity, all alienation, all hostility between God and man because of sin has ceased. 00:08:53.000 --> 00:09:03.000 That in your own way of saying it, stumbling through it clumsily, sluggishly with some error too, you still have to convey it. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:07.000 What it requires is not great theology but great boldness. 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:11.000 So ask the Holy Spirit for boldness. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:21.000 Because if you have been cleansed, washed, sanctified, if you have been filled with the Holy Ghost and water baptized, 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:26.000 then you know enough, as the song says, to convey. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:30.000 If nothing else just burst out in the song and run. 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:38.000 And then it says to proclaim the year of favor. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:40.000 And it says to proclaim the year of favor. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:46.000 Year of favor as in, as soon as you hear the year of favor, understand that God is wanting to restore. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.000 God is wanting to restore. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.000 God is wanting to restore. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.000 And look at the way the restoration takes shape. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.000 By the way, let's start with the first line. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:05.000 On Jesus the Spirit of God was there. 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:06.000 But now look at us. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:08.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.000 You know why the Spirit of the Lord is upon me? 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:15.000 Because the first thing he wants to do in your life and my life is to restore the presence of God. 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:17.000 What was lost in the garden? Presence. 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:21.000 What is restored the moment you get born again? Presence. 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:23.000 That is a beautiful thing. 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:25.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:26.000 Immediately, what does it do? 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:34.000 It brings me back into absolute presence and brings that presence in a way that it abides forever. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:36.000 I will never leave you nor forsake you. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:44.000 We've said that so many times that it sounds like, but really, what an amazing sentence. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.000 I will never leave you nor forsake you. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.000 Therefore go. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:49.000 I've got authority. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:52.000 I will be with you till the end of the times. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:55.000 And so the first thing that's restored is presence. 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:57.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:59.000 Because he has anointed me. 00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:01.000 Because he has anointed me. 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:02.000 Because he has anointed me. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:07.000 Guys, the thing is that if you were to be anointed, you would have to be chosen. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:10.000 If you were chosen, they would pour some oil on your head. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:13.000 And if you were chosen, you would also have a commission. 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:20.000 If you go to Psalm 2 or any of those psalms or any of those scenes where someone was anointed with oil, 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:22.000 you'll find that they were selected or chosen. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:28.000 And after they were selected or chosen, oil was poured upon their head as a mark of them being chosen. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.000 And they were set aside for a commission. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:34.000 Be it Samuel, be it Saul, be it David. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:36.000 It doesn't matter who you picked on. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.000 It was that way. 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:38.000 And here is what God is saying. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.000 I have anointed you. 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:44.000 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has chosen you. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.000 He has set you aside. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:53.000 He has poured the inexhaustible supply of the Holy Spirit on you. 00:11:53.000 --> 00:11:55.000 And he has commissioned you. 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:56.000 Commissioned you to do what? 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:04.000 To bring about here on earth the justice of restoration, to announce Jubilee, which was basically restoration. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:11.000 Everything that has been taken away, everything that has been stolen, everything that you had to give away, 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:16.000 everything that was a result of bondage, everything being restored. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.000 The ultimate restoration is the restoration of life. 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:23.000 But Jesus doesn't say if they don't choose life, you cannot restore. 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:26.000 He says restore anyways and may they choose life too. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:38.000 And later on, Peter bears witness to this in Acts chapter 10, verse 37 and 38, where he talks about Jesus. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:47.000 And he says that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:53.000 And he went about doing good and setting free those that were oppressed. 00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:02.000 It is a fulfillment of Isaiah 61 and Luke chapter 4 that Peter later on testifies of in Acts chapter 10, verse 38. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:12.000 And that is what God now expects of us, where Acts 30, the guys after us, will testify of the Acts 29 generation, 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:19.000 saying, and the Holy Spirit was upon them with power and they went about doing good 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:24.000 and setting free those that were oppressed, the justice of restoration. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:31.000 And nobody is exempt. You're only exempt if the Holy Spirit is not upon you and he has not anointed you, then you're exempt. 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:46.000 I see no exemptions. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:56.000 The next thing he says to proclaim freedom, to proclaim, again, the idea is proclaim freedom in Luke chapter 4, verse 18. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:05.000 Freedom to captives or prisoners. Proclaim freedom. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:15.000 Proclaim freedom, which means it must be spoken. Freedom here, freedom is pardon or the remission of whatever they were sentenced to, 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:21.000 sentenced with. Freedom to captives or prisoners, people who are bound, people who are in some kind of bondage, 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:28.000 people who are unable to escape, people who are suffering the result of things that may be consequences, 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:35.000 may be imposed upon them, actual social justice issues to it, covers the entire gamete. 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:39.000 There's nothing that's left out because God is a God of restoration. 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:46.000 And so he's saying that I need you to proclaim it. Isaiah 49, verse 8, verse 9 gives us another glimpse of it, 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:55.000 where in Isaiah 49 and 9 it says that you may say to the prisoners, go forth, and say to those in darkness, come out into the light. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:15:01.000 We don't realize how important the proclaiming of the saying is. 00:15:01.000 --> 00:15:06.000 You have to say it over your own life and you have to say it for the sake of others. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:13.000 And when you choose to be silent, the accuser continues to speak into their lives. 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:18.000 There will always be a voice that is being spoken into your life and to people's lives. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:27.000 There will always be a voice. Either it will be the voice of the accuser who works directly or through the world, 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:31.000 or it will be the voice of God spoken through his body and the word. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:35.000 One or the other will always be speaking. 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:41.000 This is why it's critical to understand our roles as restorers of justice. 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:48.000 And the strange thing is in that passage which talks about the restoration of justice, there is such an emphasis on proclamation. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:57.000 You proclaim the good news, you proclaim Jubilee or the whole idea of restoration, you proclaim freedom. 00:15:57.000 --> 00:16:03.000 This is why it's critical that we begin to use words. 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:08.000 And guys, the devil doesn't pay attention to how clumsy your sentences are. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:20.000 He understands when you, when he, he obeys when he realizes that you're obedient and you're figuring it out. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:26.000 I don't know how the devil knows when you're obedient, but he trembles at obedience. 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:34.000 I don't know how the devil knows you have faith because you understand something and sometimes without understanding it, 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:41.000 still have faith in God, but he knows and he trembles. 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:54.000 If you're waiting for full understanding before you speak, we'll speak for you after you die because it ain't going to happen. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:02.000 But say, say it over your lives, say it over the lives of your family, say it over people because part of freedom, Isaiah 49 is so, 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:07.000 and I will say to those that are in darkness, come into the light. 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:13.000 I will say to those that are bound, be free. 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:23.000 It is fascinating how simple words like that pack greater power than all the other drama we see with regard to bondage and deliverance. 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:40.000 And the prayers that I either said out loud or wrote down have way more powers than the ones that I thought in my head. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:50.000 Absolutely. The prayers that are written down or spoken have far greater power than things that you think because we can debate this another day. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:53.000 The devil doesn't read your thoughts. Only God does. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:18:00.000 The devil can introduce thoughts, the devil can predict thoughts because of a pattern that he sees, but the devil cannot read your thoughts. 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:05.000 Therefore, he cannot hear what you're thinking. 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:14.000 Just be aware of that. To proclaim freedom to captives or prisoners. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:21.000 It's a shame that we are a people who live by faith but walk by sight. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:27.000 We are a people who live by faith but walk by sight. Strange combo, huh? 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:33.000 We live by faith but if I don't see evidence for my faith, then I'm not sure my faith is working. 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.000 Faith is the evidence of things. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:40.000 You live by faith and you walk by faith and not by sight. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:51.000 And unfortunately, the church has aided, not the church, leaders have aided the church in living by faith and walking by sight 00:18:51.000 --> 00:19:03.000 By telling you what glory looks like, what favor looks like, what deliverance looks like, what prayers look like, everything you present, a cookie cut, this is what it looks like. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:17.000 And then if God doesn't stay within that cookie cut model, he ain't God at all. What a shame, eh? 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:30.000 Any questions on that statement? If it is contentious, feel free to argue. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:36.000 Hey, Derek. Thanks. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:43.000 But just for future reference, coffee always tastes better in a mug. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:55.000 But I'm deeply grateful. 00:19:55.000 --> 00:20:01.000 Okay. Sorry, guys. It's just not important. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:11.000 Yeah. Then he says to free, to free, because the reason I wasn't drinking it was every time I looked at it, I thought it was coke. 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:14.000 Yeah. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.000 Just moving on to more important things. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:24.000 To set free those that are oppressed. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.000 To set free those that are oppressed. 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:39.000 Oppressed would be battered, bruised, trampled. 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:49.000 It covers everything. Jesus is so interested in everything. And he, when he's interested in something, can do something about it. 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:55.000 To set free or set at liberty the oppressed, the burdened. The burdened is another word, the bruised. 00:20:55.000 --> 00:21:00.000 Guys, is there a lack of opportunity? Definitely not. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:15.000 Is it putting yourself out there in the way of rejection, ridicule, harm, inconvenience, discomfort? Absolutely yes. 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:22.000 Then he says to heal the brokenhearted. To heal the brokenhearted. What a cool sentence, to heal the brokenhearted. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:25.000 To heal the brokenhearted. 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:28.000 Hey, and listen to what he says in the beginning. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:32.000 The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to. 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:39.000 The easiest way to do all these things is to let the Holy Spirit flow through you. 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:44.000 And we'll talk about some of the simple things we can do to let the Holy Spirit flow through us. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.000 This is not complicated. It does not require rewiring. 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:57.000 The Holy Spirit is someone who created. He just has the ability to do things when he flows. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:02.000 And if you are not able to help him flow through you, don't worry. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:08.000 Do your little bit and try better next year because he will use someone else to finish the job. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:14.000 Why is it that we are scared? Because we are scared of the rate of failure. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:20.000 But anything that happens happens because the Spirit of the Lord is upon me and he has anointed me. 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:25.000 And if it ain't happening, it is either the Holy Spirit's fault or he ain't flowing through me. 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:29.000 It can't be his fault because he is faultless and he is God. 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:36.000 So why don't I go with that simple verse which says, hey Jacob, it's really not by your might. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:42.000 It's really not by your method. It's really not by your power, but by my Spirit. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:48.000 And in case you don't know who's saying that, says the Lord. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:53.000 If I can keep that, I'll stop taking the fear of failure on myself. 00:22:53.000 --> 00:23:01.000 And we'll find multiple opportunities during the week to be able to bring to pass the justice of restoration. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:08.000 And then some of us will specialize in areas where justice will become something that stirs our hearts up. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:13.000 That's a specialized area. That's a gifting or an ability or a grace you have. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:20.000 But this is common to all of us. To heal the brokenhearted. How? 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:26.000 Sometimes by talking to them, by crying with them, you guys do it so well. 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:34.000 It's not through method or through some great counsel that people have their broken hearts healed. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:37.000 Because you've got to remember the counsel then. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:48.000 And then one more and then we'll move on. To restore blind eyes. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.000 To restore blind eyes. Spiritual and physical eyes. 00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:54.000 To restore blind eyes. To open blind eyes. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:59.000 To restore is to return to original condition. 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:02.000 Assuming that the original condition is perfect. 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:07.000 To restore blind eyes. This is something God likes doing. 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:13.000 And he wants to do it for you. He wants to do it for others through you. 00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:19.000 To restore blind eyes. Will you boldly embrace this that Jesus embraced? 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:22.000 Will you boldly embrace this that Isaiah prophesied? 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:25.000 Will you boldly embrace this as Peter and Paul did? 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:28.000 So that opportunities will not be lacking. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:33.000 And the world will not be short of laborers to go out there in the harvest. 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:36.000 Embrace it. You do not need training for this. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:41.000 You train on the job. You train on the job. 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:43.000 Training for this? Who will you? 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:47.000 How are you going to do this when there's no brokenhearted guy sitting next to you? 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:49.000 It happens on the job. 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:56.000 Otherwise we'll have a few specialized ministers who will have to do it again and again. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:25:00.000 And they only know one or two methods and they'll keep doing the method again and again. 00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:03.000 And they'll have to come to a church or you'll have to go to their house. 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:06.000 But what about out there on the streets, man? 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:10.000 Highways, byways, this is how it happens because it's through normal interaction. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.000 And then do conferences also. 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:22.000 Just think of it. In the last 20 years of your life, 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:28.000 how many non-believers really came to these conferences where people were being healed and all this stuff? 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.000 How many? 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.000 Not many. 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:35.000 Most of them were church people who were not well. 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:38.000 Or church people's friends who were not well. 00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:41.000 Who's to blame? Your pastors. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:47.000 Or in this case, there's just one. 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:55.000 Therefore, as it's written in Acts 29, verse 2, 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:01.000 I had half of my mind to put that scripture in the list of scriptures. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:03.000 I thought, no, that would be sacrilegious. 00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:08.000 So I'll just say just in case someone else finds the paper and later on you leave it here. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.000 And we always knew they were a cult. 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:14.000 Acts 29, verse 2, which says, 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:18.000 They went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the power of the devil 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.000 because God by his Spirit was with them. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:24.000 So how do we go about, I don't know, 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.000 how we go about doing that? 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:29.000 How do we go about making this a reality? 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:33.000 First thing, guys, demonstrate the restoration of the cross 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:37.000 in your life, in your home, in your marriage, at your work. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:40.000 Demonstrate the restoration of the cross 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:45.000 in your life, in your home, in your marriage, at your work. 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:48.000 Demonstrate the restoration of the cross. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.000 How do you do that? 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:52.000 The power of the cross is accessed through faith. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.000 The power of the cross is accessed through faith, 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:59.000 which sees the finished work of what Christ did on the cross 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:03.000 and then contends to release it into your life. 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:06.000 So if you want to demonstrate it, 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:10.000 you will have to access it by faith. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:12.000 And in accessing it by faith, 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:16.000 you will have to contend to release it into your life. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:18.000 It's your life. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:21.000 Contend to release it into your life. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:25.000 It's the only way it works. 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:29.000 So, but I've been trying to access it for the last seven years. 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:32.000 Well, let's go till 14 then. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:34.000 But I've been trying this for ages. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:35.000 I've been contending. 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:37.000 It's been nine months and it's really hard. 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:39.000 Really? Go another nine months. 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:43.000 You've got your lifetime to prove God, 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:44.000 because he is faithful. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:46.000 Contend. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:50.000 Demonstrate the power of the cross in your, 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:54.000 demonstrate the restoration of the cross in your marriage, 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:57.000 in your home, in your work, in your life. 00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:59.000 Demonstrate the restoration of the cross. 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:02.000 First in your life. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.000 And you can only do it by faith, 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:07.000 because all the things on the cross, 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:12.000 the finished works of the cross are only accessed through faith. 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.000 But when you access it through faith, 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:17.000 contend for it to release it into your life, 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:21.000 and then contend for it to release it into other people's lives. 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:22.000 Contend. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:28.000 Contend means taking a stand and fighting it through. 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:32.000 Contention means there is conflict. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:38.000 Contention means there is someone else who's contending for the same lives and souls. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:43.000 Contention means there is someone else who wants things to decelerate, 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:48.000 to break down just as much as you want restoration. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:53.000 But the only difference is there is something called the finished works of Christ 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:57.000 that were accomplished on the cross that you have access to, 00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:01.000 that the devil does not. 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:06.000 And that he was disarmed. 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.000 Contend. 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.000 Anything that at present I can see in your life, 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:14.000 which is the result of the restoration of the cross, 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:18.000 be it in habits, attitudes, gifts, abilities, 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:23.000 has come only as a result of you contending for it, 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:25.000 through faith. 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:29.000 Anything that I see in your life is a result of that. 00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:34.000 You have become what you have become because you took a stance. 00:29:34.000 --> 00:29:39.000 And you said, Christ has done this for me, this quality will be visible in my life. 00:29:39.000 --> 00:29:41.000 And it came through. You contended. 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:45.000 Contended is to stand and say, it will be this way. 00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:55.000 Why? Because Christ said so. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:58.000 Yeah. 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:02.000 Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:04.000 I love what Paul says at one point in 1 Timothy. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:11.000 He says, I am very sure that till that day when I leave the earth, 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:16.000 God who I have trusted will help me accomplish the ministry that he has put me in. 00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:18.000 I was reading it and I was saying to myself, 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:21.000 I don't have to worry about really failing you, oh God. 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:26.000 You will somehow bring me through if my desire is to stand and say, I will contend. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:29.000 You will bring me through. You can be trusted. 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:31.000 You have put a good deposit in me. 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:34.000 I will choose you. I will contend and stand. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:43.000 And if I do, I can trust that you will bring to pass what you trusted me with. 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:48.000 Demonstrate the restoration of God in your life, in your home, your marriage, your work. 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:54.000 You can't expect that to happen to your mom, your dad, your husband, your wife, your children. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:57.000 You can only contend for yourself first. 00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:59.000 And after that, you can contend for others. 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:01.000 Because now there's something to demonstrate. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:13.000 Next, desire to give back to people that which sin took from them. 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:15.000 May you burn with this desire. 00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:20.000 Desire to give back to people that which sin took from them. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:25.000 Desire to give back to people that which sin took from them. 00:31:25.000 --> 00:31:33.000 You know, one of the gifts that I excel in, that sounds a little boastful, is the prophetic. 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:35.000 But when I prophesy, my desire is, 00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:38.000 Hint the word that I speak to you from God. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:46.000 May it be returned to you that which the devil hid, stole, took away, sabotaged, aborted. 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:49.000 Desire it. You're not desiring a spiritual gift. 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:52.000 You're desiring that people be given back. 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.000 Why? 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:56.000 Because it's the acceptable year of the favor of the Lord. 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:57.000 It's the year of Jubilee. 00:31:57.000 --> 00:32:03.000 It's time to restore to people what God has been trying to do since Jesus came down. 00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:11.000 Desire to restore to people that which sin has taken away from them. 00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:14.000 Death is at work all around us, guys. 00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.000 Death is at work all around us. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:18.000 We live in a fallen world that is decaying. 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:21.000 Death and decay are all around us. 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:24.000 But it brings to mind what Jesus said when he said, 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:25.000 You are the salt of the earth. 00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:28.000 If salt loses its saltiness, what good is it? 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:31.000 Death and decay are all around us. 00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:34.000 But as it says in 2 Corinthians 2, 00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:43.000 one of the verses, it says there that you though are the fragrance of life. 00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:47.000 You are the fragrance of life. 00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:50.000 You are the fragrance of life. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:51.000 Why? 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:55.000 Because you happen to be the carriers of the Holy Spirit. 00:32:55.000 --> 00:33:00.000 So the Spirit gives life. 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:05.000 Every opportunity, guys. Every opportunity. 00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:09.000 Just think, God has pronounced Jubilee. 00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:11.000 The world doesn't know it. 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:14.000 I have heard of stories where in Japan, 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:20.000 they didn't hear that World War II had ended. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:22.000 And days after the war had ended, 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:25.000 people were still losing their lives fighting 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:29.000 because they didn't hear that war had ended. 00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:33.000 They didn't hear of surrenders and treaties and all this stuff. 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:34.000 They just kept fighting. 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:47.000 Lost their lives for a cause that they should not have paid for. 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:49.000 Isaiah 49 verse 8 says, 00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:51.000 In an acceptable time I have heard you, 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:53.000 I have helped you, and I have preserved you. 00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:54.000 Why? 00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:55.000 The next verse says, 00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:58.000 So that I may give you as a covenant to the people. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:59.000 Why? 00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:01.000 To restore the earth. 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:02.000 To restore the earth. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:06.000 To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages. 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:11.000 To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages. 00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:14.000 That's an Isaiah 49 word. 00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:18.000 I mean, why has God heard us in an acceptable year? 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:20.000 Why has God given us salvation? 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:22.000 Why has he preserved our lives? 00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:26.000 So that we may be given as a covenant to the nations. 00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:31.000 So that desolate heritages may be inherited once again. 00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:32.000 What does that mean? 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:34.000 Go to Isaiah 58-12. 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:35.000 Isaiah 58-12. 00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:37.000 Beautiful scripture. 00:34:37.000 --> 00:34:39.000 Isaiah 58-12. 00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:42.000 And it outlines four things that God expects. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:45.000 Expected of his son and expects of us. 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:50.000 Anything that his son is, the body must be also. 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:54.000 Anything that his son is, the body must be also. 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:58.000 We can't just say we are co-heirs with Christ and stop there. 00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:01.000 We can't just say we are sons of God because he is a son. 00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:04.000 We can't just say we will sit on your throne next to your father, 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:06.000 as it says in the book of Revelation. 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:09.000 There are other things that he is that we must be as the body of Christ. 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:13.000 And here are the things outlined in Isaiah 58-12 which are so awesome. 00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:25.000 He says one of our jobs is to build up the desolate or waste places. 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:30.000 To build up the desolate heritages, the desolate places, 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:38.000 the places that once used to thrive and are no longer that way. 00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:39.000 They are in ruins. 00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:46.000 I know I mentioned this before, but I remember going to a village called Cherrapunji, 00:35:46.000 --> 00:35:50.000 which is the rainiest place on the face of the earth. 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:55.000 And when you go there, there is a Methodist church. 00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:58.000 And the Methodist church has four pillars in front of it. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:05.000 And on the four pillars are the names of every Methodist family and minister 00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:10.000 that died planting the church there. 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:12.000 And there are about 90 names. 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:17.000 It is very difficult to get there even today 00:36:17.000 --> 00:36:20.000 because you have to go through mountains and stuff like that to get there. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:23.000 It takes forever to get there, narrow roads. 00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:24.000 How did they do it then? 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:28.000 How did they come all the way from Scotland to India 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:30.000 and then go up to this place called Shillong, 00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:32.000 which is very hard to get to today, 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:35.000 and then travel from Shillong to Cherrapunji when there are no roads? 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:36.000 How did they get there? 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:38.000 Ninety of them gave their lives. 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:41.000 But you go there and you find these pillars now 00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:46.000 and you find that the church is no longer thriving. 00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:50.000 And you look at it and you realize here is a desolate heritage. 00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:53.000 Here is a place that lies in ruins. 00:36:53.000 --> 00:36:57.000 All it has to show of the past are these four pillars with the names 00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:02.000 of 90 ministers and their families who died there for the sake of the gospel. 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:06.000 And your heart cries out, your heart cries out for these guys 00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:11.000 who are willing to pay a high price for some nation that they had no connection with. 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:13.000 And then your heart cries out saying, 00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:18.000 But the blood of these men must speak again. 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:19.000 This is what you mean when you say, 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:23.000 to build up again the waste places, the desolate heritage. 00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:25.000 Who does this belong to? It belongs to us. 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:30.000 We must not think that it belongs to missionaries or pastors. 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:35.000 Because there are few missionaries and pastors. 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:37.000 There are far too many of us. 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.000 It belongs to us guys. 00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:40.000 You don't have to go to Shillong to discover this. 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:42.000 You will discover it tomorrow at work. 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:44.000 Desolate heritages. 00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:46.000 I remember another family. 00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:50.000 The father had died, the mother has five kids, again in Shillong. 00:37:50.000 --> 00:37:56.000 And they are from, they are a Dalit family. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.000 I hate using the word Dalit. 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:03.000 And so she didn't have any way to raise her children. 00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:09.000 And do you know how easy it was to rebuild the waste place that her family was? 00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:14.000 The ladies in Richmond Pentecostal Church and some from Acts 29 00:38:14.000 --> 00:38:20.000 gave $700 to help her set up a shop. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:24.000 And that shop provided for the rest of the family. 00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:29.000 Sometimes restoring desolate heritage takes only $700. 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:33.000 You think we don't have opportunities? 00:38:33.000 --> 00:38:36.000 Restoration is a beautiful word. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:39.000 And it started with God. 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:44.000 It ends with God. 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:46.000 But this must become dear to us. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:50.000 To undo the decay of sin that has affected people around us. 00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:56.000 To a desire to return to those that sin has robbed from. 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:58.000 Hey, it's our turn as the body of Christ to say, 00:38:58.000 --> 00:39:05.000 Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, but we have come to give you. 00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:16.000 The next one he talks about is, beautiful. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:18.000 Raise the foundations of generations. 00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:24.000 Raise the foundations of generations. 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:27.000 So beautiful. 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:35.000 Raise the foundations for generations. 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:41.000 Where you have such a burning desire to build four generations forward. 00:39:41.000 --> 00:39:44.000 Everything you do, you don't do for just your peer group. 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:49.000 You do it for your children and your children's children and their children. 00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:53.000 I remember once, it applies to Acts 29 for sure, 00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:56.000 but I remember once standing in Bahrain with Eddie. 00:39:56.000 --> 00:40:02.000 And at one point we were standing in front and there was Eddie, there was me, 00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:05.000 there was Dano and Blessy and there was a guy called Stephen. 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:09.000 And as you looked at the four, at these guys standing in front, 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:15.000 you suddenly realized that there were four generations and then there was a fifth one rising. 00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:18.000 Raising the foundations of generations. 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:21.000 What we build, we build forward. 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:33.000 We build so far forward that Shiloh is in the center of our plans. 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:36.000 See, the devil takes the word and uses it. 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:39.000 He builds generations forward. 00:40:39.000 --> 00:40:41.000 Why do you think the world is where it is? 00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:49.000 Because he started three generations ago. 00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:51.000 In Isaiah 59, 18, there's a terrible verse. 00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:55.000 It says, God is looking for someone and he goes to the town square 00:40:55.000 --> 00:40:59.000 and he finds that in the town square there's only lies and deception 00:40:59.000 --> 00:41:02.000 and honesty cannot even enter in. 00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:04.000 It reminds me of present-day conditioning. 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:09.000 You turn on CNN or you turn on Fox and you hear just one thing in the town square, 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:16.000 deception and lies, deception and lies, and truth cannot enter in. 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:17.000 And I'm not talking about Fox and CNN. 00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:20.000 They are just sound waves. 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:23.000 I'm talking about the people behind the sound waves. 00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:33.000 And who are people? All of us. 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:37.000 Raise the foundations of generations. 00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:39.000 It's a beautiful thing. 00:41:39.000 --> 00:41:43.000 I was telling someone this two days ago. 00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:44.000 I don't remember his name. 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:46.000 I can't find his name. 00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:48.000 This guy used to live in Oxford. 00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:53.000 Every summer he would go and he would invite people who used to study in Oxford, 00:41:53.000 --> 00:41:58.000 but were from the U.S. or far off towns in the U.K. 00:41:58.000 --> 00:42:01.000 He would invite them home during summer break. 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:03.000 So these guys would not have to travel. 00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:08.000 He and his wife would have a little cottage in a forest kind of area. 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:09.000 He would let them stay there. 00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:10.000 He would feed them. 00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:11.000 He would take care of them. 00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:12.000 He would mentor them. 00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:17.000 And in the process, this man mentored guys like Nicky Gumbel, 00:42:17.000 --> 00:42:21.000 like David Pawson or something who ran Vyvam for a while. 00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:27.000 In the list of people he mentored are four or five guys who presently run 00:42:27.000 --> 00:42:31.000 some of the largest organizations in Christendom. 00:42:31.000 --> 00:42:32.000 Nobody knows his name. 00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:33.000 I can't find his name. 00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:35.000 I read it once and I lost it. 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:41.000 But I think to myself, man, he is responsible for so much. 00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:46.000 You never know who you are raising. 00:42:46.000 --> 00:42:51.000 Do not look at them as they presently are. 00:42:51.000 --> 00:42:57.000 You look at them according to the flesh and you will either treat them with more 00:42:57.000 --> 00:43:02.000 favor than they need or shun them because of their present appearance. 00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:07.000 But we no longer consider each other according to the flesh, 00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:10.000 but we consider each other according to the spirit. 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:17.000 Paul says, you have no idea who you might be raising because he may not amount to 00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:21.000 much in this generation, but he learned everything from you and is raising up 00:43:21.000 --> 00:43:24.000 someone in the generation to come. 00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:26.000 My God, it is. 00:43:26.000 --> 00:43:28.000 Trust me, man. 00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:35.000 When a pastor realizes the treasure he has, and may you all be pastors of that 00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:41.000 sort, when you realize the treasure you have, you will treat it with so much 00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:47.000 care because you do not know what this can explode into. 00:43:47.000 --> 00:43:49.000 Hold it dearly. 00:43:49.000 --> 00:43:55.000 Guys, we have an opportunity to restore the earth and run after Christ who is 00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:56.000 the restorer. 00:43:56.000 --> 00:43:59.000 It is a marvelous privilege. 00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:01.000 We don't have to think about this, study it. 00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:04.000 We are ready for it. 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:05.000 We will learn on the job. 00:44:05.000 --> 00:44:11.000 We will make mistakes and be ready to be corrected. 00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:15.000 But this is what your Savior and Lord is doing and this is what he actively wants 00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:17.000 you to participate in. 00:44:17.000 --> 00:44:19.000 And it is simple and easy. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:21.000 It is not difficult. 00:44:21.000 --> 00:44:23.000 It is not difficult. 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:25.000 It doesn't matter how old you are. 00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:31.000 These opportunities come your way every day. 00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:36.000 Third one, repair the breach. 00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:38.000 Repair the breach. 00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:46.000 The breach is when something breaks and what is not good can rush in. 00:44:46.000 --> 00:44:47.000 That is breach. 00:44:47.000 --> 00:44:49.000 Repair the breach. 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:55.000 The first Sunday this year, the sermon that I preached was on repairing the 00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:56.000 breach. 00:44:56.000 --> 00:45:02.000 It was on Nehemiah and the gates he built on the walls around Jerusalem. 00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:07.000 That is the first sermon that I preached this year and I am glad that we are 00:45:07.000 --> 00:45:11.000 preaching this at the end of the year because one of the things God will use 00:45:11.000 --> 00:45:16.000 us powerfully in is to repair the breach. 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:19.000 He is called the repairer of the breach. 00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:22.000 Why should the body be called any other name? 00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:28.000 Why do we take on names that he is called instead of calling ourselves acts 29 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:34.000 and Pilgrim and Immanuel, much nicer names like repairer of the breach? 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:37.000 I know it would be a little complicated for people. 00:45:37.000 --> 00:45:41.000 But then it is not like acts 29 has been much of a help. 00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:45.000 That means that we are not going to be able to repair the breach. 00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:47.000 Repair the breach. 00:45:47.000 --> 00:45:49.000 Repair the breach. 00:45:49.000 --> 00:45:52.000 As in repair the walls. 00:45:52.000 --> 00:46:00.000 If you go and listen to the first sermon this year and then the last one is 00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:10.000 repair the breach, restore paths or tracks to run in and restore the 00:46:10.000 --> 00:46:16.000 to run in and dwell. 00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:21.000 Restore the tracks or the paths that one needs to run in and dwell. 00:46:21.000 --> 00:46:24.000 What does that mean guys? 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:27.000 Jeremiah 18. 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:29.000 I think it is in your page. 00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:30.000 Verse 15 or so. 00:46:30.000 --> 00:46:35.000 It says, hey, go back and discover the ancient paths. 00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:36.000 Christ did this. 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:37.000 Paul did this. 00:46:37.000 --> 00:46:40.000 He says, go back and discover the ancient paths. 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:46.000 Discover the ancient doors that God is waiting to open. 00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:50.000 The way God opens ancient doors is in the fullness of time, 00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:52.000 in every situation that he wants to open a door in, 00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:56.000 in the fullness of time he will go and look for a people. 00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:59.000 And if he can find a people he will use those people saying, 00:46:59.000 --> 00:47:01.000 ah, through them I will open this door. 00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:04.000 Or if he can't find a people he will go and look for one person. 00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:07.000 And that one person he will pick on and say, I will open the door through them. 00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:09.000 Ancient doors are still waiting to be opened. 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:14.000 Things that have to be ushered into the earth. 00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:16.000 Like healing you have never seen. 00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:19.000 Like money you have never seen for the sake of the kingdom. 00:47:19.000 --> 00:47:24.000 Like service you have never seen. 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:30.000 Like mercy you have never seen. 00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:35.000 And so the last one there is restore tracks for people to run in. 00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:39.000 Tracks that were ancient. 00:47:39.000 --> 00:47:44.000 That's one of the things Acts 29 is doing. 00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:47.000 One of the things we are doing guys is going back to the way of Christ 00:47:47.000 --> 00:47:50.000 and going back to the way of the apostles and going back to the teachings 00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:52.000 and finding what is the good way of God. 00:47:52.000 --> 00:47:57.000 What is the good way that you set in place before Constantinople. 00:47:57.000 --> 00:47:58.000 What is the good way of God? 00:47:58.000 --> 00:48:03.000 And once we discover the good way to manufacture it here. 00:48:03.000 --> 00:48:05.000 To set it up so that we can walk in it. 00:48:05.000 --> 00:48:07.000 And then to multiply. 00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:13.000 Seven years from now if we have nine places in Vancouver. 00:48:13.000 --> 00:48:25.000 Cardiff, South Paulo, Nairobi, Hong Kong, Delhi or Chennai, Bahrain and Auckland. 00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:34.000 And yeah we leave the Antarctica alone for now. 00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:36.000 Yeah different places. 00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:40.000 Eight or nine different places that can multiply and take this forward. 00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:43.000 You realize what will happen no one will know us. 00:48:43.000 --> 00:48:47.000 Today was the first day that the church in Cardiff met. 00:48:47.000 --> 00:48:51.000 Yeah today was the first day they met. 00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:54.000 They had today 22 people. 00:48:54.000 --> 00:48:59.000 We took three years to get there. 00:48:59.000 --> 00:49:01.000 So they had 22 people including the kids. 00:49:01.000 --> 00:49:04.000 So maybe 14 grown ups or 15 grown ups and seven kids. 00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:07.000 But here's the thing. 00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:13.000 They said that many of these ways we learned from Acts 29. 00:49:13.000 --> 00:49:15.000 This was Ralph. You know Ralph. 00:49:15.000 --> 00:49:17.000 Many of you had breakfast with him. 00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:18.000 And so we will never be known. 00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:19.000 Who wants to be known? Who cares? 00:49:19.000 --> 00:49:21.000 Who wants to be known? 00:49:21.000 --> 00:49:23.000 Derek? 00:49:23.000 --> 00:49:25.000 You said yes? 00:49:25.000 --> 00:49:27.000 Oh okay. 00:49:27.000 --> 00:49:31.000 So at the end of the day guys let this happen. 00:49:31.000 --> 00:49:34.000 We must guys at the end of the day. 00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:35.000 Here's the thing. 00:49:35.000 --> 00:49:39.000 If there is no model to show people cannot learn. 00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:43.000 There must be a visible tangible model people can copy. 00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:46.000 So it doesn't matter whether you're a kingdom businessman. 00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:47.000 A kingdom employee. 00:49:47.000 --> 00:49:48.000 A kingdom pastor. 00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:50.000 A kingdom whatever. 00:49:50.000 --> 00:49:52.000 Show them how it works. 00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:55.000 Show them how it works and show them the track they can run in. 00:49:55.000 --> 00:50:00.000 So that they after you die will do better than you. 00:50:00.000 --> 00:50:03.000 That's the whole purpose. 00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:09.000 Let me conclude. 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:12.000 Be aware that there is resistance to this. 00:50:12.000 --> 00:50:14.000 And the resistance will come. 00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:19.000 Because the gospel is veiled to some. 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:23.000 Second Corinthians says that the gospel is veiled to some. 00:50:23.000 --> 00:50:26.000 That the god of this age blinds people. 00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:28.000 It is veiled to those who are perishing. 00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:37.000 So there is the absolute possibility that people will reject and not want to be restored. 00:50:37.000 --> 00:50:40.000 Second be aware that you have an active enemy. 00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:43.000 Be aware that you have an active enemy. 00:50:43.000 --> 00:50:45.000 Who wants to steal, kill and destroy. 00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:47.000 But he has been disarmed. 00:50:47.000 --> 00:50:50.000 And he has been paraded as a prisoner. 00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:53.000 In the triumphant procession of Christ. 00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:58.000 All it means is when a conquering king would return to his city. 00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:01.000 He would be riding in a chariot. 00:51:01.000 --> 00:51:06.000 And it would usually be the chariot of the enemy king who had been conquered. 00:51:06.000 --> 00:51:10.000 And he would be riding in that chariot and behind him in chains. 00:51:10.000 --> 00:51:15.000 Would be the enemy king who would now be disarmed, disrobed, stripped naked. 00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:19.000 Paraded in the triumphant procession of the returning conqueror. 00:51:19.000 --> 00:51:23.000 And that is the picture that is presented in Colossians 2.15. 00:51:23.000 --> 00:51:27.000 Be aware of an enemy who likes to steal, kill and destroy. 00:51:27.000 --> 00:51:29.000 Though disarmed on the cross. 00:51:29.000 --> 00:51:34.000 And then be aware that we do live in a fallen world that is groaning in decay. 00:51:34.000 --> 00:51:38.000 And that is waiting to be made new with us. 00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:41.000 Romans 8 verse 14 or 16. 00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:46.000 So what are the requirements of you? 00:51:46.000 --> 00:51:48.000 Very simple guys. It's not complicated. 00:51:48.000 --> 00:51:52.000 I'm so grateful that this is one of those messages that isn't complicated. 00:51:52.000 --> 00:51:57.000 First, live an everyday life. 00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:00.000 Not a God is here and I did not know it life. 00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:04.000 What I mean by that is in Genesis 28 verse 16. 00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:06.000 Jacob goes to sleep. 00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:09.000 God turns up in a dream vision. 00:52:09.000 --> 00:52:12.000 Jacob wakes up and his statement in verse 16 is, 00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:16.000 This is the house of God. God is here, but I did not even know it. 00:52:18.000 --> 00:52:20.000 It's our condition. 00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:22.000 God is here. 00:52:22.000 --> 00:52:24.000 God is here. God is here. God is here. 00:52:24.000 --> 00:52:27.000 God is there tomorrow. God is here. 00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:30.000 But I did not even know it. 00:52:30.000 --> 00:52:36.000 It is this lack of awareness which then prevents us from being restorers. 00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:41.000 Because to be restorers you have to stir up yourself to be restorers. 00:52:41.000 --> 00:52:45.000 When by our very nature we are restorers. 00:52:45.000 --> 00:52:48.000 God is here and I did not even know it. 00:52:48.000 --> 00:52:57.000 The amount of time that if we collected this week the man hours that the people in this room will spend this week not aware of God. 00:52:57.000 --> 00:52:59.000 You will be surprised at how colossal it is. 00:52:59.000 --> 00:53:02.000 It will be more than the time you spend sleeping. 00:53:09.000 --> 00:53:11.000 We sleep quite a lot. 00:53:11.000 --> 00:53:14.000 At least the ones who don't have four kids. 00:53:14.000 --> 00:53:16.000 Or one kid. 00:53:18.000 --> 00:53:20.000 Or Don. 00:53:20.000 --> 00:53:22.000 That's hot. 00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:28.000 So it requires diligence and time. 00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:32.000 To be aware of God requires diligence and time. 00:53:32.000 --> 00:53:35.000 To be aware of God requires diligence and time. 00:53:35.000 --> 00:53:38.000 To be aware of God requires diligence and time. 00:53:38.000 --> 00:53:40.000 Time is an easy thing to understand. 00:53:40.000 --> 00:53:46.000 Diligence is to continuously go back to doing what you didn't do and to make it a habit. 00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:52.000 Diligence is creating a habit of being aware of God till it becomes an unconscious thing. 00:53:55.000 --> 00:53:57.000 You're not conscious of it. 00:53:57.000 --> 00:54:00.000 You become conscious of it and then you become unconscious of it. 00:54:00.000 --> 00:54:02.000 You're not conscious of it. 00:54:02.000 --> 00:54:04.000 Then you become conscious of it. 00:54:04.000 --> 00:54:06.000 Then you become unconscious of it. 00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:08.000 It becomes so natural. 00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:10.000 Second. 00:54:10.000 --> 00:54:15.000 An everyday life of enforcing restoration on his behalf. 00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:20.000 Do not be afraid of you not being able to do this. 00:54:20.000 --> 00:54:24.000 Because it's a false fear you are not able to do this. 00:54:26.000 --> 00:54:29.000 Do not be afraid of you not being able to do this. 00:54:29.000 --> 00:54:31.000 Because you're absolutely right. 00:54:31.000 --> 00:54:33.000 You're not able to do this. 00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:38.000 Therefore the failure rate is on God. 00:54:39.000 --> 00:54:42.000 Therefore the failure rate is on God. 00:54:46.000 --> 00:54:51.000 An everyday life of enforcing restoration on his behalf. 00:54:51.000 --> 00:54:55.000 An everyday life of enforcing restoration on his behalf. 00:54:55.000 --> 00:55:01.000 Guys, whatever you get an opportunity to do in the limited time you have to do it, do it. 00:55:02.000 --> 00:55:04.000 It doesn't have to be... 00:55:04.000 --> 00:55:06.000 Results are not in your hands. 00:55:06.000 --> 00:55:08.000 Outcome is not in your hands. 00:55:10.000 --> 00:55:12.000 And then the last one. 00:55:15.000 --> 00:55:17.000 Do justly. 00:55:17.000 --> 00:55:19.000 This allows the flow of the spirit through you. 00:55:19.000 --> 00:55:22.000 That's why I'm throwing this in as the last one. 00:55:22.000 --> 00:55:28.000 For the uninterrupted flow of the spirit through me, Micah 6.8. 00:55:28.000 --> 00:55:30.000 Do justly. 00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:32.000 Love mercy. 00:55:33.000 --> 00:55:34.000 Walk humbly. 00:55:34.000 --> 00:55:38.000 It is very conducive to being a restorer. 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:39.000 Do justly. 00:55:39.000 --> 00:55:44.000 As in love the whole idea of the justice of restoration in your actions. 00:55:44.000 --> 00:55:45.000 Do justly. 00:55:45.000 --> 00:55:49.000 And there's a world that is in the throes of death around you. 00:55:49.000 --> 00:55:52.000 Death is at work all around us. 00:55:52.000 --> 00:55:56.000 Desire to give back to people that which sin took from them. 00:55:56.000 --> 00:55:57.000 Do justly. 00:55:57.000 --> 00:55:59.000 Love mercy. 00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:01.000 Love mercy. 00:56:01.000 --> 00:56:02.000 Not show mercy. 00:56:02.000 --> 00:56:03.000 Show mercy. 00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:05.000 Love mercy. 00:56:05.000 --> 00:56:07.000 Love mercy. 00:56:08.000 --> 00:56:11.000 Christians lack that unfortunately. 00:56:11.000 --> 00:56:13.000 Love mercy. 00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:18.000 Walk humbly. 00:56:18.000 --> 00:56:20.000 Walk humbly. 00:56:23.000 --> 00:56:24.000 Walk humbly. 00:56:24.000 --> 00:56:29.000 And part of walking humbly is to give up your right to yourself and your independence. 00:56:29.000 --> 00:56:32.000 Giving up your right to yourself and your independence. 00:56:32.000 --> 00:56:39.000 You don't decide what you can do or can't do when it comes to serving God or serving his people. 00:56:39.000 --> 00:56:41.000 You do not decide that. 00:56:41.000 --> 00:56:44.000 You say we are unprofitable servants. 00:56:44.000 --> 00:56:46.000 Do as you will Jesus. 00:56:47.000 --> 00:56:49.000 Any questions guys? 00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:56.000 No? 00:56:57.000 --> 00:56:59.000 Good teaching right? 00:56:59.000 --> 00:57:01.000 Very practical teaching. 00:57:01.000 --> 00:57:03.000 Something that we can all go and be. 00:57:03.000 --> 00:57:05.000 Something that we can all go and be. 00:57:05.000 --> 00:57:07.000 So I'm going to ask Anne to come up. 00:57:07.000 --> 00:57:09.000 Anne Mebs to come up. 00:57:09.000 --> 00:57:12.000 And just pray quickly that we...