WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: Unstopable II - Representation Publishing Date: 2022-03-13T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/unstopable-ii-representation/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.640 point where it's now unstoppable. That, and we talked about this last week, that 00:00:05.640 --> 00:00:09.840 something has transpired in this life of this, in the life of this church where 00:00:09.840 --> 00:00:19.720 it's no longer stoppable. Even if ten of the leaders from this church disappeared 00:00:19.720 --> 00:00:26.720 tomorrow, this church is unstoppable. And that that unstoppable nature that this 00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:32.920 church has, has permeated deep enough into the life of each person here that 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:37.640 it is not possible to stop the continuance of this church. It'll go on 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:44.780 for years on end. I'm not talking about the Ax 29 entity, I'm talking about what 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:51.600 has started here will not be able to be extinguished. That's a big claim we are 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:56.720 making, a big boast, because even the churches in the book of Revelation, 00:00:56.720 --> 00:01:03.240 chapter 1, 2 and 3, ceased at some point. But this thing will continue because 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:05.920 it's become unstoppable. If you want to listen to the teaching on the 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:10.040 unstoppable nature of this church, leave alone the fact that the church in 00:01:10.040 --> 00:01:14.120 general will prevail. This has become a prevailing unstoppable church. It's nothing 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:19.440 that can now prevent it from flowering. When each seed becomes potent, how can 00:01:19.440 --> 00:01:26.640 you stop? So listen to that from last week's thing. So this time, this week 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:30.280 we talk about, okay if it's unstoppable, what are some of the things that we can 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.560 now begin to focus on? And the first one we want to focus on is the idea of 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:37.400 representation. It is the one thing that God has desired right from the beginning. 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:42.680 When he placed Adam on the earth, he was supposed to represent God. It was 00:01:42.680 --> 00:01:47.600 normal for kings in the ancient Near East to set up images of themselves at 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:51.920 the borders of their nation so that anybody crossing the border would 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:56.280 recognize, aha, that's the image of the king. We have now entered into a different 00:01:56.280 --> 00:02:00.480 territory. And so when Adam was placed on the earth, it was the same thing. He was 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:05.640 made in the Selim, T-S-E-L-E-M, or the image of God. And that was the image. Hey, 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:15.000 you can shut off the monitor. That way there won't be an echo. I think. So he 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:19.280 was put on the earth as a Selim or the image of God and this idea of 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:23.160 representation is very dear to the heart of God. It's the one thing that he's 00:02:23.160 --> 00:02:29.680 always wanted to do from the beginning. And so we have the fearful privilege. And 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:35.800 I want to say fearful because it is not a privilege to be taken lightly. Why am I 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:48.120 still getting an echo, guys? Okay, fearful privilege of representing the king. We 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:52.400 have the fearful privilege of representing the king of glory. The 00:02:52.400 --> 00:03:00.200 fearful privilege. It's not to be taken lightly. The strange thing though is I 00:03:00.200 --> 00:03:10.360 can't represent God. I can't represent God, but I can intentionally, I can 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:24.400 intentionally give myself to him so that he can represent himself through me. So 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:29.600 if you think you can represent God saying, okay, I want to represent you, God, 00:03:29.600 --> 00:03:34.320 it doesn't work that way. It is this idea of, father, you are looking for 00:03:34.320 --> 00:03:38.280 representation here on earth. That's why you created man. When you placed him here 00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:42.800 on earth, you said that, made in my own image and likeness. Go forth, multiply. 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:48.520 You know, the strange thing is the idea of multiplication in the book of Genesis 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:52.720 is only because when God made Adam, he made him after his image and likeness 00:03:52.720 --> 00:04:02.200 and said, you have the right to multiply because you will represent me. And Christ 00:04:02.200 --> 00:04:07.600 coming and buying back to himself, his people is his idea of let me continue the 00:04:07.600 --> 00:04:14.960 representation. And so, the idea of the idea of the idea of the idea of the 00:04:14.960 --> 00:04:24.480 And so, I can't represent God, but I can intentionally give myself to him. The 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:27.800 whole idea of living sacrifice that we were practicing during the time of 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:33.000 worship. I can sacrificially and intentionally give myself to him so that 00:04:33.000 --> 00:04:38.200 he can then represent himself through me. Saying, okay, you're placing yourself on 00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:44.880 the altar Jacob, good, let me in this area use you to represent me. So why does 00:04:44.880 --> 00:04:50.640 God work through representation? One, because he's utterly transcendent. He's 00:04:50.640 --> 00:04:57.440 utterly transcendent. So he likes having representation here on earth. What do you 00:04:57.440 --> 00:05:05.600 think he was doing with Jesus? He sent Jesus to represent him. Take on flesh. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:11.920 Yahweh, unapproachable. Jesus, absolutely approachable. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:20.800 Who lives beyond our present time and our realm. He can enter this realm at 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:28.080 will, but he is transcendent in the sense beyond. This is how Christianity is so 00:05:28.080 --> 00:05:32.880 different from other religions. In all other religions, God can become 00:05:32.880 --> 00:05:41.920 stone and tree and wood. He can become like man. He can polytheism and all those 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.840 religions are based on this idea that God is not transcendent. That he can as 00:05:46.840 --> 00:05:51.920 well fit here as in a stone or a rock or a person or in heaven. But we are talking 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:58.480 about a God who is far beyond. So one of the reasons he likes representation is 00:05:58.640 --> 00:06:08.160 because he's utterly transcendent. Two, because we are his likeness. God thinks 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:13.800 highly of this. So we don't. He likes representation because he actually 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:18.800 thinks I am now restored to his image and likeness. He likes representing 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:25.640 himself through me. Ephesians 4 talks about it. That we have been redeemed and 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:29.960 now our minds are being renewed so that we become his image and likeness. Restored 00:06:29.960 --> 00:06:35.960 to his image and likeness. God desires, likes, yearns representing himself through 00:06:35.960 --> 00:06:41.040 me. And when you and I begin to think like that, that God likes representing 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:48.640 himself through me, you begin to want him to represent himself through you. 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:59.320 Third, this is a very odd one. He trusts. I mean look at Genesis 5 3. God is 00:06:59.320 --> 00:07:06.720 taking us back in a sense. Genesis 5 3 and then look at Genesis 5 1. Genesis 5 3. 00:07:09.320 --> 00:07:13.920 It says when Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:19.520 after his image and named him Seth. Now look at Genesis 1. This is the book of 00:07:19.520 --> 00:07:23.120 generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:28.080 What a difference. There was a fall and now there's a restoration. Adam's son was 00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:32.440 made in his likeness but when God made man, he made him in his own likeness. And 00:07:32.440 --> 00:07:37.080 God is saying, listen, one of the reasons I like having you represent me is because 00:07:37.080 --> 00:07:42.560 I'm restoring you back to my likeness. You no longer carry Adam's likeness. There 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:47.280 is the last Adam that has come and you now belong to that likeness. There was 00:07:47.280 --> 00:07:51.640 once an earthly man, 1st Corinthians 15, but now there is a heavenly man and you 00:07:51.640 --> 00:07:58.120 take after him. The Bible actually says that. One was a living soul, one becomes a 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:09.440 life-giving spirit. One is a living soul, one is a life-giving spirit. This is what 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:14.520 it means for God when you and I step up and say, okay, I'll sacrificially, 00:08:14.520 --> 00:08:21.560 intentionally give myself to you so that you can, if you so choose, O King, 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:32.800 represent yourself through me. That aside, 1st Peter 1.23 says that we have not been 00:08:32.800 --> 00:08:42.640 born again of mortal sperm but of immortal seed. Our genetics is just 00:08:42.640 --> 00:08:58.880 ridiculous, man. Third, I always struggle with this. He trusts us. He trusts us. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:06.200 Faithfulness makes it much easier for God to trust you because faithfulness 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:12.160 develops a pattern in my life. Faithfulness is good habits. At the end 00:09:12.160 --> 00:09:17.680 of the day, faithfulness is good habits continuously. Unfaithfulness is 00:09:17.680 --> 00:09:24.040 succumbing to bad habits and not rising up from it. Faithfulness makes it easier 00:09:24.040 --> 00:09:32.920 for God to expand my dominion. But even though he knows my past and my future, he 00:09:32.920 --> 00:09:39.640 still is willing to trust me at this present moment. You know, he trusts me 00:09:39.640 --> 00:09:48.800 with giving you this word. You know how that helps? As I'm teaching this 00:09:48.800 --> 00:09:52.600 word, things will begin to come that I don't have in my notes and I always 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:55.600 marvel at that. I go back home and I think to myself, where did that come from? 00:09:55.600 --> 00:10:02.320 And I know it's scriptural. He trusts you. But what if you're faithful? If you're 00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:07.280 faithful, then he not just trusts you but he has now the ability to expand your 00:10:07.280 --> 00:10:14.760 dominion or influence. Faithfulness is good habits. Unfaithfulness is bad 00:10:14.760 --> 00:10:19.440 habits that you don't want to fight against because you like them. 00:10:22.600 --> 00:10:29.000 And then fourthly, he can't help be someone who looks for representation 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:32.600 because he named himself 00:10:35.560 --> 00:10:42.640 Emmanuel, God with us. He's forever chosen to dwell with the people and his glory is 00:10:42.640 --> 00:10:47.360 carried by a people. His splendor, his brilliance, his weight, his magnificence is 00:10:47.600 --> 00:10:54.680 displayed by a people. He has chosen this. He doesn't write things in the sky 00:10:54.680 --> 00:11:02.480 anymore. He doesn't use a rainbow anymore. He has surprisingly, I mean think of it, 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:07.760 God's plan is going to succeed. God's plan is going to succeed through man. 00:11:07.760 --> 00:11:14.380 God's plan is going to succeed through his people. Just imagine that. There is 00:11:14.380 --> 00:11:19.060 no way that the biblical plan will not succeed. The biblical plan is only going 00:11:19.060 --> 00:11:23.940 through work through man. The biblical plan is only going to work through God's 00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:31.240 people. That is how confident he is. That is not how confident I am. That is how 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:40.020 confident he is. This whole idea of Emmanuel, God with us, he's decided that 00:11:40.060 --> 00:11:49.560 this is how it's going to work. Plan A, Genesis chapter 1. Ain't going to change. 00:11:51.160 --> 00:11:57.820 That aside, he's the only God and this is where representation gets a little 00:11:57.820 --> 00:12:07.260 scarier. He's a living God. He's a holy God and so that's why I said fearful 00:12:07.900 --> 00:12:14.140 privilege of representing him. Who is he sending us to represent him to? To your 00:12:14.140 --> 00:12:20.900 innocent child, to your cynical neighbor, to an atheist, to a Republican, to a 00:12:20.900 --> 00:12:27.300 Democrat, to a Buddhist, to an Islamist, to a communist, to an academic, to a 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:33.220 colleague. These are the ones he sends us to. Why? Very simple. Why does he need us 00:12:33.300 --> 00:12:42.140 as representatives to go to them? Very simple. Because he is Lord and they 00:12:42.140 --> 00:12:49.220 all belong to him. This is important. They try to wrap your head around it at 00:12:49.220 --> 00:12:54.900 home. One of the reasons he sends us to people is because he is actually the Lord 00:12:54.900 --> 00:13:00.500 of all and they belong to him. They belong to him. They may not know it, they may not 00:13:00.500 --> 00:13:06.340 know him, but he has bought them. He created them. They walked away. He paid 00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:13.220 the price. They belong to him. Therefore, he needs representation here on earth so 00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:18.660 he can send those that are willing to step up as representatives to go to 00:13:18.660 --> 00:13:23.940 them because they belong to him. Any questions? 00:13:25.180 --> 00:13:28.740 Any questions, guys? 00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:48.420 No? Okay. Pardon? No. It's just a separate thing. So, to be able to represent well, we 00:13:48.420 --> 00:13:52.340 start with courage, then we go to love, and then we go to signs. So let's start 00:13:52.340 --> 00:14:01.380 with courage. If you want to represent, you must be seen and heard. If you want 00:14:01.380 --> 00:14:04.380 to represent, you must be seen and heard. If you're not seen and heard, you cannot 00:14:04.380 --> 00:14:20.660 represent. And unfortunately, our fear of man is suffocating representation. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:28.820 Suffocating our ability to represent him, our fear of man. Where does our fear of 00:14:28.820 --> 00:14:33.100 man come from? It comes from the spirit of the age. We talked about this about 00:14:33.100 --> 00:14:38.660 two years ago. It comes from the spirit of the age. We'll just touch on it and 00:14:38.660 --> 00:14:45.060 I'll explain it. And what does the spirit of the age do? It fits you into the mold 00:14:45.540 --> 00:14:55.300 of prevalent culture. One of the things we have to realize is just because 00:14:55.300 --> 00:14:58.220 someone rebels doesn't mean he's rebelling against the spirit of the age 00:14:58.220 --> 00:15:03.660 because the spirit of the age is different in different places. It 00:15:03.660 --> 00:15:14.180 fits you into the mold of prevalent culture. It makes sin, makes self, makes 00:15:14.180 --> 00:15:38.300 majority opinion the norm. And it makes God's ways archaic, academic, or opposed 00:15:38.340 --> 00:15:58.740 to progress. And it is political. It is demonic. It is intimidating. It has been 00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:04.340 around for centuries. There's not a century where this hasn't happened. And 00:16:04.340 --> 00:16:19.540 lastly, it castrates the courage to confront. It castrates the courage to 00:16:19.540 --> 00:16:30.820 confront and it forces compliance. Why am I saying all this? Because we've got to 00:16:30.820 --> 00:16:37.820 recognize what we are operating against. Every Christian is born into this. Every 00:16:37.820 --> 00:16:44.340 Christian is born into this. And this is why representation is being suffocated, 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:51.540 distorted, diluted. Because you must realize that if you're a believer and we 00:16:51.540 --> 00:16:57.100 mentioned why God wants us to represent him and why he uses this method, but we 00:16:57.100 --> 00:17:02.500 need to understand the matrix or the petri dish that we are operating in. One, 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:05.940 it is the spirit of the age. And what is the spirit of the age? It doesn't matter 00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:10.940 which nation you take, which era you take. The spirit of the age tries to fit you 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:16.260 into the mold of prevalent culture. Sometimes the spirit of the age works 00:17:16.260 --> 00:17:21.020 through churches, works through religion, but it tries to fit you into the mold of 00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:30.460 culture. It makes sin, self, and majority opinion the norm. It makes God's ways 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:38.180 archaic, academic, or opposed to progress. It is political, it is demonic, it is 00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:46.780 intimidating, and it castrates the courage to confront and it forces 00:17:46.780 --> 00:17:56.740 compliance. This is the environment that you are being sent into. This is the 00:17:56.740 --> 00:18:00.060 environment you're being sent into. 00:18:04.060 --> 00:18:13.980 Yeah, every person is born into this. Yeah, but because we are a different 00:18:13.980 --> 00:18:21.580 kingdom, we are now entering, what's it, M-I-L-I-E-U, milieu, however you pronounce 00:18:21.580 --> 00:18:26.900 that word, you're entering a milieu that is so alien to who you really are. But 00:18:26.900 --> 00:18:32.260 because it has this tremendous power, it actually prevents Christians from 00:18:32.260 --> 00:18:37.860 opening their mouths or doing anything of any damaging significance. It is like 00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:48.900 a wet blanket that is so wet that it is impossible to but suffocate. And if I 00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:57.820 don't decide to either die to this or realize that I must tear through this 00:18:57.820 --> 00:19:01.140 blanket, one or the other, either I must die to it because it doesn't matter 00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:10.100 anymore or I must have the moxie to take an aggressive, abrasive stance against 00:19:10.100 --> 00:19:20.460 it, one or the other. Otherwise, this is smothering representation. This is what 00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:26.500 step into every day, guys. This is why it is war. 00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:44.780 Any questions? Any comments? This is why most of us are not able to breathe what 00:19:44.780 --> 00:19:47.980 we really want to breathe. 00:19:51.460 --> 00:19:57.740 So by dying to it, what I mean is you're willing to lose what is important. That's 00:19:57.740 --> 00:20:02.660 what I mean by dying to it. Or you are willing to take such an aggressive 00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:10.220 stance against it that it frightens the other party. Either die to it because 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:13.420 then you don't care about what you lose or take such an aggressive stand 00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:18.300 against it that it begins to put the enemy on the defense. But we don't take 00:20:18.340 --> 00:20:23.900 either. Most Christians don't. Western Christianity certainly doesn't. I find 00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:27.820 it so, as I was writing this, I was pleading with the Lord, Father, in this 00:20:27.820 --> 00:20:31.540 area, help me to show how this is done because I don't do it well. 00:20:38.300 --> 00:20:44.900 Martin Luther, I love this quote. Such a cool quote. If I profess with the 00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:50.980 loudest voice every portion of the truth of God, except precisely that point 00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:55.700 which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking. I'm not confessing 00:20:55.700 --> 00:21:00.260 Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Let me read that again. 00:21:00.260 --> 00:21:08.020 If I profess with the loudest voice every portion of the truth of God, except 00:21:08.020 --> 00:21:14.820 precisely that point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking. 00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:19.540 Then I'm not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. 00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:25.780 One last time. If I profess with the loudest voice every portion of the truth 00:21:25.780 --> 00:21:30.500 of God, except that point which the world and the devil are at the moment 00:21:30.500 --> 00:21:35.060 attacking. I'm not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. 00:21:40.260 --> 00:21:42.100 So it's easy to speak about love, man. 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:49.380 But then talk about the love of Christ, that's a whole different thing. 00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:51.380 Because then you'll have to bring up the cross. 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:59.140 Yeah, it's easy to speak about God. Then you bring up Jesus Christ and it becomes a problem. 00:22:05.300 --> 00:22:09.300 And that was Paul's central creed. First Corinthians 2.2. 00:22:09.300 --> 00:22:13.380 I have decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 00:22:13.380 --> 00:22:18.820 I have decided to know nothing amongst you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:22.420 And so the first thing we want to deal with when we deal with representation, 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:27.780 and this is essential for an unstoppable church, because one of the ways an unstoppable church 00:22:27.780 --> 00:22:34.900 dies is when nobody else is added to it. One of the ways an unstoppable church dies 00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:43.060 is when there is no birth. There's addition through transfers, but there's no real 00:22:43.060 --> 00:22:48.420 birth. That's one of the ways an unstoppable church dies. That's one of the ways that most 00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:54.100 churches in the book of Revelation died. They either were tolerant or they accommodated, 00:22:54.100 --> 00:22:58.820 or they did not go out for it, or they were too Jewish or too ethnic in one area. 00:23:02.020 --> 00:23:04.740 Don, should I move you to another pew or you okay there? 00:23:08.020 --> 00:23:12.740 You're okay there, huh? Okay, if Jeevan's too much of a distraction, let me know. 00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.420 Let me see... 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:22.420 Everything okay there? 00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:24.020 Yeah, I'm okay there bro! 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:29.940 Okay! 00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:34.500 Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:37.960 Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. 00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:41.620 Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. 00:23:41.620 --> 00:23:46.060 I pray God that this church begins to prove their loyalty in the areas where the battle 00:23:46.060 --> 00:23:47.060 rages. 00:23:47.060 --> 00:23:51.580 And one of the areas that in Vancouver the battle rages is in the area of how do we deal 00:23:51.580 --> 00:23:56.380 with the name of Jesus Christ, that He is the only way, that there are things that are 00:23:56.380 --> 00:24:01.620 not biblical, that are not godly, regardless of what Trudeau says. 00:24:01.620 --> 00:24:08.740 Where the battle rages, there the soldier proves his loyalty. 00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:17.460 And the scorn of the world is reserved only for churches that proclaim Christ and repentance. 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:31.820 The scorn of the world is only reserved for churches that proclaim Christ and repentance. 00:24:31.820 --> 00:24:37.620 So don't get co-opted by side shows and don't waste precious social currency taking stances 00:24:37.620 --> 00:24:44.060 for things that maybe protest but don't really matter. 00:24:44.060 --> 00:24:48.260 Don't spend precious social currency on things that don't matter because there's something 00:24:48.260 --> 00:24:57.700 else that matters much more. 00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.700 Any questions? 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:02.900 So that's the courage part of it eh? 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:12.500 So I'm going to ask a couple of people to pray for courage for this church right now. 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:26.580 I'm going to ask someone to pray for courage for me. 00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:38.020 Then someone else can pray for the church. 00:25:38.020 --> 00:25:39.180 I have all the time eh? 00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:46.020 You're the ones who may have to go home. 00:25:46.020 --> 00:26:01.300 So that's for me, then for the church. 00:26:01.300 --> 00:26:03.300 Wow, this could be a late afternoon. 00:26:16.020 --> 00:26:18.020 I'm going to ask people for courage. 00:26:18.020 --> 00:26:20.020 That's pretty daunting for the rest of us. 00:26:20.020 --> 00:26:24.020 I'm going to ask how courageous he is already. 00:26:24.020 --> 00:26:32.020 Father, I pray that you would build his courage to be like Daniel in the line of Dan, where 00:26:32.020 --> 00:26:34.020 he's courageous and totally at peace. 00:26:34.020 --> 00:26:44.020 Where he can take on the tries of the church without any hesitation. 00:26:44.020 --> 00:26:52.020 Father, I pray that when you walk into situations that you blame them in because that's where 00:26:52.020 --> 00:26:58.020 you want them to be, that he would be totally invincible and totally at peace and totally 00:26:58.020 --> 00:27:00.020 courageous. 00:27:00.020 --> 00:27:06.020 There's nothing that he has to take about no cause for him to be hesitating. 00:27:06.020 --> 00:27:10.020 Father, if he hesitates, he would set himself pretty quickly to do this. 00:27:10.020 --> 00:27:14.020 Do this, come and help him get work to do. 00:27:14.020 --> 00:27:16.020 Not encourage him to self-prevention. 00:27:16.020 --> 00:27:20.020 Father, I pray that he would come to the point where he can recognize himself and be able 00:27:20.020 --> 00:27:24.020 to walk forward in the direction of cause. 00:27:24.020 --> 00:27:28.020 And I thank you for your father and I ask that you have a team of staff that may be 00:27:28.020 --> 00:27:32.020 following in kind and ready for it. 00:27:32.020 --> 00:27:34.020 Thank you. 00:27:34.020 --> 00:27:40.020 Father, because I know myself, I just ask to have the courage of Daniel, not in the 00:27:40.020 --> 00:27:46.020 lion's den, some other thing I can manage the lion's den, but I need courage to open 00:27:46.020 --> 00:27:50.020 the doors and pray five times a day. 00:27:50.020 --> 00:27:54.020 That I ask for. 00:27:54.020 --> 00:27:58.020 That I have the courage to open the doors and pray five times a day knowing that the 00:27:58.020 --> 00:28:00.020 lion's den may await. 00:28:00.020 --> 00:28:02.020 That is what I ask for, Father. 00:28:02.020 --> 00:28:06.020 Courage in simpler things too. 00:28:06.020 --> 00:28:10.020 Can someone pray for the church? 00:28:10.020 --> 00:28:14.020 Father, please grant these requests so we got nowhere else to go to. 00:28:14.020 --> 00:28:18.020 So please, when we ask for these things, please do it for your sake. 00:28:18.020 --> 00:28:20.020 It's your representation. 00:28:20.020 --> 00:28:24.020 I'm not irritated, I'm just desperate. 00:28:24.020 --> 00:28:28.020 Someone pray for the church in the same area. 00:28:38.020 --> 00:28:42.020 Father, we ask that you restore courage to the heart of the man who built the church. 00:28:42.020 --> 00:28:48.020 Father, that you would create this hatred for fear. 00:28:48.020 --> 00:28:52.020 Let our voices be released, Father. 00:28:52.020 --> 00:28:56.020 Thank you, Father. 00:28:56.020 --> 00:29:00.020 Yeah, Jesus. 00:29:00.020 --> 00:29:04.020 A hatred for fear. 00:29:04.020 --> 00:29:08.020 We're not tolerated in any form. 00:29:08.020 --> 00:29:10.020 We're banded together. 00:29:10.020 --> 00:29:14.020 It casts out fear with your perfect love. 00:29:14.020 --> 00:29:18.020 We're not tolerated in any form. 00:29:18.020 --> 00:29:20.020 We're banded together. 00:29:20.020 --> 00:29:22.020 It casts out fear with your perfect love. 00:29:22.020 --> 00:29:24.020 Yeah. 00:29:24.020 --> 00:29:26.020 I'm afraid, Father. 00:29:26.020 --> 00:29:30.020 I'm afraid. 00:29:30.020 --> 00:29:34.020 It would be as gross as David grabbing the lantern back from the mouth of the tree. 00:29:34.020 --> 00:29:38.020 Knock it and break the grip. 00:29:38.020 --> 00:29:42.020 Yeah. 00:29:42.020 --> 00:29:44.020 Let it be strong and courageous. 00:29:44.020 --> 00:29:48.020 And let it be land that you set your foot on, our prayer for you. 00:29:48.020 --> 00:29:50.020 But be strong and courageous. 00:29:50.020 --> 00:29:54.020 So Father, we speak that power and that we put Peter in the state to stand up mighty warrior. 00:29:54.020 --> 00:29:56.020 So let's hope for the Holy Spirit to stand up and say, 00:29:56.020 --> 00:29:58.020 Let it be so, Father, in this church. 00:29:58.020 --> 00:30:00.020 Let it be so, Father, in this church. 00:30:00.020 --> 00:30:02.020 We're carried over by that power of the manufacturer. 00:30:02.020 --> 00:30:04.020 Yeah. 00:30:04.020 --> 00:30:06.020 Yeah, man. 00:30:06.020 --> 00:30:10.020 We pray you that. 00:30:10.020 --> 00:30:14.020 We pray for the power of now in the hands of your spirit. 00:30:14.020 --> 00:30:18.020 We would not be afraid to just die without any thought. 00:30:18.020 --> 00:30:20.020 Without any thought. 00:30:20.020 --> 00:30:22.020 Just because of them we're alive, only God knows. 00:30:22.020 --> 00:30:28.020 Yeah. 00:30:28.020 --> 00:30:30.020 That's how I would pray for the courage to go back. 00:30:30.020 --> 00:30:32.020 And it seems like there's a need of God. 00:30:32.020 --> 00:30:34.020 It's not that it's going to go back. 00:30:34.020 --> 00:30:36.020 It has to go back again, of God. 00:30:36.020 --> 00:30:40.020 We ask for the courage to persevere, the courage to continue, of God. 00:30:40.020 --> 00:30:44.020 The courage to encourage each other and not give up, O Lord. 00:30:44.020 --> 00:30:48.020 O God, you say that the victory is ours. 00:30:48.020 --> 00:30:50.020 The victory is yours, O God. 00:30:50.020 --> 00:30:52.020 And you go before us, O Lord. 00:30:52.020 --> 00:30:54.020 Thank you, O God. 00:30:54.020 --> 00:31:02.020 Father, please answer these prayers, okay? 00:31:02.020 --> 00:31:08.020 Guys, after courage, the next thing if you want to represent well is love. 00:31:08.020 --> 00:31:10.020 And this is a very sad statement. 00:31:10.020 --> 00:31:16.020 If it rings true, then hold on to it and do something about it. 00:31:16.020 --> 00:31:18.020 Lost people are a low priority. 00:31:18.020 --> 00:31:22.020 Lost people are a low priority. 00:31:22.020 --> 00:31:28.020 Lost people are a low priority. 00:31:28.020 --> 00:31:38.020 It's not like I make sacrifices or find intentional time to interact, invite, or intercede. 00:31:38.020 --> 00:31:52.020 It's not like I sacrifice or make intentional time to invite, interact, or intercede. 00:31:52.020 --> 00:31:55.020 Lost people are a low priority. 00:31:55.020 --> 00:32:01.020 It's terrible, eh, when a church gets there? 00:32:01.020 --> 00:32:06.020 Or when a church has that attitude? 00:32:06.020 --> 00:32:12.020 One of the reasons I believe God wants us to hear this today is so that we don't get trapped in it, 00:32:12.020 --> 00:32:15.020 because it's already quicksandish. 00:32:15.020 --> 00:32:22.020 The scary thing about a strong church is that it can be quite happy with itself. 00:32:22.020 --> 00:32:25.020 So on one hand, God is saying, you are unstoppable. 00:32:25.020 --> 00:32:29.020 It's not possible to stop you anymore. 00:32:29.020 --> 00:32:35.020 But unstoppable doesn't mean inevitable somehow, because you can still destroy good seed. 00:32:35.020 --> 00:32:37.020 Or you can hold seed from being planted. 00:32:37.020 --> 00:32:47.020 Then you have a blooming garden that is no use to anybody. 00:32:47.020 --> 00:32:51.020 I don't think, I mean, in the good old days, give me that old time religion. 00:32:51.020 --> 00:32:54.020 There were many things really wrong with the old time religion. 00:32:54.020 --> 00:33:00.020 But one of the things that wasn't wrong with the old time religion was this awareness of 2 Thessalonians 1, 8, and 9, 00:33:00.020 --> 00:33:07.020 where it says that those that refuse Christ or do not obey the message of the gospel will suffer destruction, 00:33:07.020 --> 00:33:10.020 will be cut off from the splendor and the presence of God. 00:33:10.020 --> 00:33:18.020 That is not something that modern day churches necessarily think of. 00:33:18.020 --> 00:33:23.020 It does not bother me much that those who aren't saved will suffer destruction. 00:33:23.020 --> 00:33:26.020 I'm not speaking for you, I'm speaking for myself. 00:33:26.020 --> 00:33:30.020 It does not bother me much, and that is why I don't think about it much, 00:33:30.020 --> 00:33:35.020 that those that refuse to receive the gospel and those that do not obey the message, 00:33:35.020 --> 00:33:37.020 that's how 2 Thessalonians put it, 00:33:37.020 --> 00:33:43.020 but it doesn't bother me much that they will suffer destruction and will not see the presence of the splendor of God. 00:33:43.020 --> 00:33:46.020 And that is bothersome, that it doesn't bother me much. 00:33:46.020 --> 00:33:48.020 It bothers me enough, but not much. 00:33:53.020 --> 00:33:56.020 And if you're not in that boat, man, blessed are you. 00:34:01.020 --> 00:34:05.020 And I'm sure some of you don't have this problem, 00:34:05.020 --> 00:34:09.020 but one of the things that this teaching does is it exposes where you're at, right? 00:34:10.020 --> 00:34:15.020 The other thing is, I don't think, hey, can you make this work, Jeevan? 00:34:19.020 --> 00:34:20.020 It's going away. 00:34:21.020 --> 00:34:22.020 Make this work, no? 00:34:23.020 --> 00:34:25.020 Derek, make it work. 00:34:29.020 --> 00:34:31.020 Hey, someone make it work. 00:34:31.020 --> 00:34:35.020 Guys, so here's the other question I want to ask with regard to love. 00:34:35.020 --> 00:34:38.020 Do you comprehend, do you really comprehend love for sinners? 00:34:40.020 --> 00:34:45.020 I don't comprehend this deep love for sinners that Jesus has. 00:34:45.020 --> 00:34:50.020 Part of the reason I don't comprehend it is because I don't spend enough time thinking about it. 00:34:54.020 --> 00:34:57.020 Paul had the ability to say, love compels me. 00:34:58.020 --> 00:35:00.020 Paul had the ability to say, love compels me. 00:35:00.020 --> 00:35:02.020 I cannot but help it. 00:35:02.020 --> 00:35:05.020 So the question I'm asking you is, is it that way with you? 00:35:05.020 --> 00:35:08.020 Because I'm finding out that it is not that way with me. 00:35:09.020 --> 00:35:15.020 I hate this thing about love because I'm not coming out good, but it is the truth. 00:35:19.020 --> 00:35:20.020 I don't comprehend love for sinners. 00:35:20.020 --> 00:35:24.020 Even though I received it, it doesn't free flow through me. 00:35:24.020 --> 00:35:26.020 I don't comprehend love for sinners. 00:35:26.020 --> 00:35:30.020 And even though I was one and have received it and thoroughly enjoyed it, 00:35:30.020 --> 00:35:36.020 every time we have a song during worship that reminds me of where I was and where I am, I thrill at it. 00:35:36.020 --> 00:35:42.020 But having received it, I don't comprehend God's love for sinners and it doesn't free flow through me. 00:35:42.020 --> 00:35:45.020 The prophetic free flows through me. 00:35:45.020 --> 00:35:47.020 Teaching free flows through me. 00:35:47.020 --> 00:35:49.020 Other things free flow through me. 00:35:49.020 --> 00:35:52.020 But love for sinners, unfortunately not the same way. 00:35:52.020 --> 00:35:53.020 It's not a free flow. 00:35:53.020 --> 00:35:55.020 It doesn't compel me. 00:35:58.020 --> 00:36:03.020 Representation is hollowed out if courage is missing and then the next thing is this idea of love. 00:36:06.020 --> 00:36:12.020 Any questions, any thoughts, anything you want to add? 00:36:18.020 --> 00:36:21.020 I think one of the ways we do it is we do it together. 00:36:21.020 --> 00:36:22.020 This cannot be. 00:36:22.020 --> 00:36:25.020 You try this on your own, you'll have some success. 00:36:25.020 --> 00:36:27.020 But if you do this together, it'll work. 00:36:27.020 --> 00:36:29.020 And what do I mean by doing it together? 00:36:29.020 --> 00:36:32.020 One of the things is, okay, what if we correct it together? 00:36:32.020 --> 00:36:34.020 In HC, Xani in hubs. 00:36:34.020 --> 00:36:40.020 What if we began to combat gospel amnesia? 00:36:43.020 --> 00:36:47.020 I mean, if I were to just call you up on the spot and say, okay, so what's the gospel? 00:36:47.020 --> 00:36:50.020 You'll be surprised at the number of variations we get. 00:36:50.020 --> 00:36:53.020 And some of them will be distortion, some of them will be true, many of them will be variations. 00:36:53.020 --> 00:36:56.020 Very few will be absolutely essence of the gospel. 00:36:56.020 --> 00:36:59.020 Because that's not part of our equation nowadays, right? 00:36:59.020 --> 00:37:05.020 So what if in our HCs and in our hubs we start combating gospel amnesia? 00:37:05.020 --> 00:37:07.020 What if we recall the gospel? 00:37:07.020 --> 00:37:11.020 And when I say what if, what I'm saying to you Jeevan is better make sure this happens. 00:37:11.020 --> 00:37:16.020 What if we recall the gospel? 00:37:18.020 --> 00:37:21.020 Here's another one that really got me. 00:37:21.020 --> 00:37:24.020 What if we believe in its sufficiency? 00:37:24.020 --> 00:37:33.020 That for some strange reason God will use a naked man hanging on a cross as the foolish way to save the world. 00:37:33.020 --> 00:37:36.020 And that is the power of God unto salvation. 00:37:36.020 --> 00:37:41.020 That anything else you try to sell will not save. 00:37:44.020 --> 00:37:48.020 To believe in its sufficiency. 00:37:49.020 --> 00:37:53.020 To believe in its sufficiency. 00:37:58.020 --> 00:38:06.020 To pray for specifics, to start praying in HCs and hubs for specific areas, neighborhoods, peoples. 00:38:08.020 --> 00:38:13.020 So all you HC and hub leaders and Jeevan better make sure this happens. 00:38:13.020 --> 00:38:16.020 And then to find ways to apply the gospel. 00:38:16.020 --> 00:38:21.020 As in, okay now that we know this, let's try it out for real. 00:38:21.020 --> 00:38:23.020 To apply the gospel boldly. 00:38:23.020 --> 00:38:29.020 It's when we do this that the Spirit of God suddenly translates you to Azotus to meet the Ethiopian eunuch. 00:38:29.020 --> 00:38:38.020 It is then that you end up at Cornelius' house and have what happened with Peter happen. 00:38:38.020 --> 00:38:43.020 It is then that you realize, aha, now I understand what 2 Timothy 1 verse 7 and 8 says. 00:38:43.020 --> 00:38:50.020 That do not be afraid, I have given you a spirit that is not timid but is bold and full of love and has a sober way of approaching things. 00:38:50.020 --> 00:38:53.020 And you don't need to be afraid. Be bold from now on Timothy. 00:38:53.020 --> 00:39:04.020 2 Timothy 1, 7 is quoted so often but is rarely tried out because it can only be tried out and experienced in the context of intimidation and fear. 00:39:06.020 --> 00:39:09.020 I mean when you read it you recognize the context. 00:39:09.020 --> 00:39:13.020 2 Timothy 1, 7 and 8. 00:39:17.020 --> 00:39:22.020 For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power, love and self-control. 00:39:22.020 --> 00:39:25.020 Why is Paul saying it? He goes on to explain in verse 8. 00:39:25.020 --> 00:39:28.020 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord nor me of His prisoner, 00:39:28.020 --> 00:39:33.020 but share in the suffering of the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling. 00:39:33.020 --> 00:39:37.020 It is in that context that the scripture comes alive. 00:39:37.020 --> 00:39:47.020 It is in this context that we will become as cunning as serpents and as innocent as doves and as bold as lions. 00:39:57.020 --> 00:40:02.020 Guys, witnessing is dangerous and difficult frontline work. 00:40:03.020 --> 00:40:06.020 Find a good reason for it. 00:40:06.020 --> 00:40:16.020 One of the best reasons that you can have for it is I want to let you know of the brilliance of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:40:16.020 --> 00:40:22.020 At least for me that is something that makes it easy for me to step out and say to a total stranger, 00:40:22.020 --> 00:40:31.020 Hey, let me tell you about the brilliance of the Son Jesus Christ and the ridiculous way the Father can be and of the Holy Spirit. 00:40:31.020 --> 00:40:38.020 Find a reason because witnessing is frontline, difficult, resisted work. 00:40:41.020 --> 00:40:45.020 Why would the glory of God be a good reason or the brilliance of God be a good reason? 00:40:45.020 --> 00:40:49.020 Because that has been a motivating factor through the Old Testament and the New Testament. 00:40:49.020 --> 00:40:52.020 Jesus came to display the glory of the invisible God. 00:40:52.020 --> 00:40:54.020 That is a good motivating factor. 00:40:54.020 --> 00:41:00.020 This is why I'm willing to step out because I want to tell you about the brilliance of the Father, 00:41:00.020 --> 00:41:04.020 the brilliance of the Son and the brilliance of the Spirit through words and through works. 00:41:06.020 --> 00:41:09.020 Find a reason that you can die for. 00:41:10.020 --> 00:41:15.020 These things, the thing with Christianity is most things work only if you're willing to die for a certain thing. 00:41:16.020 --> 00:41:18.020 Otherwise, you can always withdraw. 00:41:19.020 --> 00:41:20.020 You can always withdraw. 00:41:20.020 --> 00:41:27.020 I know that I will die if necessary for raising a generation or multiple generations. 00:41:27.020 --> 00:41:29.020 I know that I will die for it. 00:41:30.020 --> 00:41:34.020 It has gotten to a place where it is worth giving life up for. 00:41:35.020 --> 00:41:40.020 And when we find things in Christianity that you're willing to lay your life down for, 00:41:40.020 --> 00:41:45.020 it must live because you are willing to die for it. 00:41:47.020 --> 00:41:50.020 If Cain's blood still speaks, you think yours won't? 00:41:56.020 --> 00:41:58.020 It is what brings change, eh? 00:42:04.020 --> 00:42:06.020 Find the plot of land you want to die for. 00:42:06.020 --> 00:42:08.020 And that land will produce crops. 00:42:08.020 --> 00:42:10.020 It will produce such a harvest. 00:42:19.020 --> 00:42:21.020 Derek, you want to share that story? 00:42:37.020 --> 00:42:43.020 So, every week, Manoj and, not Manoj, Pawen and, sorry bro. 00:42:43.020 --> 00:42:46.020 That is prophetic, Manoj. Now you'll have to turn up every week. 00:42:46.020 --> 00:42:50.020 I think so too. I think starting this Thursday, you're up for something in Wally. 00:42:50.020 --> 00:42:55.020 And no excuses like, no Jacob, I have to work at the lab till 5 o'clock. That's gone. Yeah. 00:42:56.020 --> 00:43:04.020 So every Thursday or Friday, Pawen and James and Mark and I meet in Wally 00:43:04.020 --> 00:43:08.020 to continue to do what God has been calling us to do there. 00:43:09.020 --> 00:43:14.020 Two weeks ago, when we met, we prayed for a bit and we split in two groups. 00:43:14.020 --> 00:43:22.020 So, Pawen and Mark went to one side of Wally and then James and I went to the other side. 00:43:22.020 --> 00:43:26.020 We, Mohini had given us sandwiches that she had prepared. 00:43:26.020 --> 00:43:30.020 So we had bottles of water and sandwiches with us. 00:43:30.020 --> 00:43:37.020 Our intent is to walk the streets and to see what God has for us, for the people that we are to meet. 00:43:37.020 --> 00:43:42.020 So as we were walking, the first couple of people that Bishop and I met, 00:43:42.020 --> 00:43:46.020 we sat down with them or talked with them and there was much resistance. 00:43:46.020 --> 00:43:49.020 There was this one person that we talked to. 00:43:49.020 --> 00:43:53.020 He wasn't really interested in hearing anything that we had for him. 00:43:53.020 --> 00:43:58.020 We even offered him a sandwich and he took that, but he was like, just get going from here. 00:43:58.020 --> 00:44:02.020 So we moved on and we felt that we should go and sit down somewhere. 00:44:02.020 --> 00:44:06.020 So we sat down again and we started praying. 00:44:06.020 --> 00:44:13.020 And as we were praying, one of the things that God had said a few months ago is that for Wally, 00:44:13.020 --> 00:44:17.020 one of the things that he has is a message of hope. 00:44:17.020 --> 00:44:20.020 Three words, message of hope. 00:44:20.020 --> 00:44:24.020 And so we started going back to that and we said, Father, this is what you've asked us. 00:44:25.020 --> 00:44:29.020 There is a message of hope for Wally and we are here. 00:44:29.020 --> 00:44:31.020 Where do you want us to go? 00:44:31.020 --> 00:44:35.020 And so God said, I'm bringing you back to what I said a few months ago. 00:44:35.020 --> 00:44:36.020 Keep this in mind. 00:44:36.020 --> 00:44:41.020 And now as you go, you're going to meet someone and all you have to carry with you is this message of hope. 00:44:41.020 --> 00:44:44.020 And when you're there, you'll know what to do. 00:44:44.020 --> 00:44:46.020 And that's all that needs to happen. 00:44:46.020 --> 00:44:48.020 So Bishop and I, we started walking again. 00:44:48.020 --> 00:44:51.020 And as we were walking, we see a man sitting down. 00:44:51.020 --> 00:44:53.020 He's not a homeless person. 00:44:53.020 --> 00:44:54.020 He's just sitting down doing his thing. 00:44:54.020 --> 00:44:55.020 He's reading his book. 00:44:55.020 --> 00:44:57.020 Am I taking too much time? 00:44:57.020 --> 00:44:58.020 No. 00:44:58.020 --> 00:44:59.020 Okay. 00:44:59.020 --> 00:45:04.020 So he's reading his book and we felt that's the person we are supposed to go and talk with. 00:45:04.020 --> 00:45:07.020 So we go there and we, it's like bodyguards. 00:45:07.020 --> 00:45:11.020 I sit on one side and Bishop sits on the other side. 00:45:11.020 --> 00:45:14.020 And we just look at him and we say, hey, how are you doing? 00:45:14.020 --> 00:45:16.020 So Bishop starts the conversation. 00:45:16.020 --> 00:45:21.020 We start talking with him only to realize that he is absolutely not interested in talking with us. 00:45:21.020 --> 00:45:26.020 He's reading his book and it's an ICBC test thing that he's reading. 00:45:26.020 --> 00:45:28.020 And he's not interested in talking. 00:45:28.020 --> 00:45:31.020 So we know though that God has sent us to him. 00:45:31.020 --> 00:45:32.020 We know that. 00:45:32.020 --> 00:45:33.020 And we know what we carry. 00:45:33.020 --> 00:45:36.020 We carry the message of hope that God has given us. 00:45:36.020 --> 00:45:40.020 So we work through the first two very awkward minutes. 00:45:40.020 --> 00:45:43.020 And we look at him and he's reading his book. 00:45:43.020 --> 00:45:46.020 And then we start conversing with him again. 00:45:46.020 --> 00:45:49.020 And as we begin to converse with him, he is now attending. 00:45:49.020 --> 00:45:57.020 So all of a sudden, the man who was absolutely not interested in hearing us or seeing us begins to open up. 00:45:57.020 --> 00:46:00.020 And now we know what we carry, the message. 00:46:00.020 --> 00:46:04.020 So we start talking to him and we tell him, God sent us your way. 00:46:04.020 --> 00:46:07.020 And we know we are absolute strangers and we carry this message. 00:46:07.020 --> 00:46:12.020 God told us very specifically that he has a message of hope for you. 00:46:12.020 --> 00:46:14.020 So he now opens up. 00:46:14.020 --> 00:46:16.020 He's interested in listening. 00:46:16.020 --> 00:46:21.020 And all of a sudden, God told me, talk about the prodigal son. 00:46:21.020 --> 00:46:22.020 So I stood up. 00:46:22.020 --> 00:46:25.020 I just felt like I should stand up because we were sitting down. 00:46:25.020 --> 00:46:27.020 And I stood up and I started talking about this. 00:46:27.020 --> 00:46:29.020 I told him there is a story I want to share with you. 00:46:29.020 --> 00:46:31.020 I didn't tell him what. 00:46:31.020 --> 00:46:33.020 Start talking about the prodigal son story. 00:46:33.020 --> 00:46:41.020 And towards the end, Bishop and I realized that this person was born in a Christian family. 00:46:41.020 --> 00:46:45.020 And everything that we said is what had happened to him. 00:46:45.020 --> 00:46:49.020 And he ended up praying to God. 00:46:49.020 --> 00:47:00.020 And in his prayer to God, one of the lines he said is, you sent these two guys to me so that I can see a new start for me. 00:47:00.020 --> 00:47:03.020 And that's what happened. 00:47:03.020 --> 00:47:06.020 We now have his name, his phone number. 00:47:06.020 --> 00:47:08.020 We will be in touch with him. 00:47:08.020 --> 00:47:10.020 But that's how God works. 00:47:10.020 --> 00:47:11.020 Thank you, Derek. 00:47:11.020 --> 00:47:19.020 Guys, one of the things we need to do is start perhaps calling Derek up and saying, hey, this week can I come? 00:47:19.020 --> 00:47:24.020 Begin to experience this in a place that you're not familiar. 00:47:24.020 --> 00:47:28.020 And then perhaps you can begin to experience it in a place that you're familiar. 00:47:28.020 --> 00:47:31.020 But there is something happening every week. 00:47:31.020 --> 00:47:38.020 If this must have feet, this is something you have to do. 00:47:38.020 --> 00:47:41.020 If 20 of us turn up, people will run. 00:47:41.020 --> 00:47:44.020 But let him schedule you. 00:47:44.020 --> 00:47:48.020 But this is something that we need to do. 00:47:48.020 --> 00:47:52.020 I'm sure some of us are doing it on our own. 00:47:52.020 --> 00:47:56.020 But let's try this together and see if this thing will give me. 00:47:56.020 --> 00:48:00.020 I want to read out another story from someone called Anne in Bahrain. 00:48:00.020 --> 00:48:06.020 She sent me this one because they began doing the same thing there. 00:48:06.020 --> 00:48:07.020 And listen to this story. 00:48:07.020 --> 00:48:08.020 This is so cool. 00:48:08.020 --> 00:48:12.020 So this she's got pictures and all this. 00:48:12.020 --> 00:48:19.020 So they actually painted cards like hand painted cards. 00:48:19.020 --> 00:48:24.020 And so we went out a couple of days ago. 00:48:24.020 --> 00:48:26.020 We went to a place called Rifa. 00:48:26.020 --> 00:48:29.020 We've never gone to the mall there, never needed to. 00:48:29.020 --> 00:48:30.020 We went to the mall. 00:48:30.020 --> 00:48:34.020 We walked around for a bit looking for people we could just talk to. 00:48:34.020 --> 00:48:35.020 Most of them were Arabs. 00:48:35.020 --> 00:48:38.020 I went up to one almost and she walked into the cinema. 00:48:38.020 --> 00:48:44.020 All the while I'm realizing how scared I am, worried that they might think I'm cuckoo. 00:48:44.020 --> 00:48:46.020 We saw a Starbucks on the ground floor. 00:48:46.020 --> 00:48:48.020 So we thought, okay, let's go there. 00:48:48.020 --> 00:48:50.020 I saw a girl walking towards the Starbucks. 00:48:50.020 --> 00:48:53.020 So I told Jaren, I sense I need to talk to her. 00:48:53.020 --> 00:48:56.020 She comes in, is waiting in line for her order. 00:48:56.020 --> 00:49:00.020 And I take these two card paintings that we had made with specific words. 00:49:00.020 --> 00:49:03.020 And I sensed God saying, they are for her. 00:49:03.020 --> 00:49:07.020 I go up to her and ask her, are you doing takeaway or are you going to be here? 00:49:07.020 --> 00:49:13.020 She gives me the most bewildered look, almost about to come at me asking, why are you asking? 00:49:13.020 --> 00:49:14.020 Why do you care? 00:49:14.020 --> 00:49:15.020 What do you need? 00:49:15.020 --> 00:49:24.020 I told her that my husband and me thought that we'd drive by Rifa and step into this mall and give these cards away. 00:49:24.020 --> 00:49:27.020 I told her that these words that I've written on the card, I believe, 00:49:27.020 --> 00:49:30.020 will speak to us, present situation that you're going through. 00:49:31.020 --> 00:49:34.020 I told her that God is here and he's listening. 00:49:34.020 --> 00:49:36.020 She looked at the cards. 00:49:36.020 --> 00:49:37.020 She paused, stunned. 00:49:37.020 --> 00:49:39.020 And then she breaks down, Jacob. 00:49:39.020 --> 00:49:41.020 She starts crying inconsolably. 00:49:41.020 --> 00:49:44.020 I ask her if there is anything I can pray for her. 00:49:44.020 --> 00:49:47.020 And she says, yes, yesterday she had a really bad fight with her husband. 00:49:47.020 --> 00:49:49.020 She's still dealing with it. 00:49:49.020 --> 00:49:51.020 She says she wants to talk more. 00:49:51.020 --> 00:49:52.020 We grab a seat. 00:49:52.020 --> 00:49:54.020 I pray for her. 00:49:54.020 --> 00:49:59.020 She records me praying and then asks me if I can make a video so she can share it with her friends. 00:49:59.020 --> 00:50:00.020 I say, yeah, sure. 00:50:00.020 --> 00:50:03.020 Scary face. Emoji. 00:50:03.020 --> 00:50:08.020 And Jacob, I asked her about her kids and they are at the same school I work at. 00:50:08.020 --> 00:50:10.020 So now she wants to catch up. 00:50:10.020 --> 00:50:20.020 A local lady from Bahrain was so cool, Jacob, had asked God to give us a people as a sign of the first fruits of the revival. 00:50:20.020 --> 00:50:22.020 I'm so glad God honored that, Jacob. 00:50:22.020 --> 00:50:23.020 So thrilled. 00:50:23.020 --> 00:50:24.020 So encouraged. 00:50:25.020 --> 00:50:28.020 Let these stories begin to come in, guys. 00:50:28.020 --> 00:50:32.020 Let these stories begin to come in. 00:50:32.020 --> 00:50:36.020 So, Father, we just pause right now and we give you praise, Aba. 00:50:36.020 --> 00:50:39.020 We just give you praise, Father. 00:50:39.020 --> 00:50:44.020 Some of these stories are revealing your heart, Father. 00:50:44.020 --> 00:50:49.020 And your heart being revealed always touches our hearts. 00:50:49.020 --> 00:50:51.020 We live for you, Father. 00:50:51.020 --> 00:50:54.020 You lived and died for the rest. 00:50:54.020 --> 00:50:58.020 You said, I've got more sheep that I need to bring into the flock. 00:50:58.020 --> 00:51:02.020 Representation. 00:51:02.020 --> 00:51:06.020 Jesus, let me not go away leaving this feeling behind. 00:51:06.020 --> 00:51:10.020 Let me take this feeling, turn it into truth and walk it. 00:51:10.020 --> 00:51:13.020 Keep revealing your heart to us, Father, with regard to people. 00:51:13.020 --> 00:51:18.020 With this Arab lady, with this man, a prodigal who came back. 00:51:18.020 --> 00:51:23.020 Keep revealing your heart for people so that my heart is affected. 00:51:23.020 --> 00:51:30.020 And I begin to experience what Paul says when he said, his love compels me, Father. 00:51:30.020 --> 00:51:33.020 I want your love to compel us. 00:51:33.020 --> 00:51:38.020 That it becomes an ache I cannot avoid. 00:51:38.020 --> 00:51:43.020 It's 1.06, man. 00:51:43.020 --> 00:51:45.020 I won't be able to finish what I had. 00:51:45.020 --> 00:51:47.020 But that's the way to go. 00:51:47.020 --> 00:51:52.020 That's the way to go. 00:51:52.020 --> 00:51:57.020 And now we wait for the life. 00:51:57.020 --> 00:52:02.020 And we wait for the life. 00:52:02.020 --> 00:52:09.020 It's 1.06, man. I won't be able to finish what I had, but that's okay. 00:52:09.020 --> 00:52:13.020 This one I touched on the last one, I won't finish it. We'll do it some other time. 00:52:13.020 --> 00:52:20.020 The third thing for representation is signs. The first one was love. Sorry, the first one was courage. 00:52:20.020 --> 00:52:24.020 The second one is love. The third one is signs. 00:52:24.020 --> 00:52:33.020 The Gospel cannot be preached without signs and wonders. 00:52:33.020 --> 00:52:47.020 You take Acts chapter 6 verse 7, you take Acts chapter 12 verse 24, you take Acts chapter 13 verse 49, you take Acts chapter 19 verse 20, 00:52:47.020 --> 00:52:52.020 and you find the same thing being said, that the word of God increased. 00:52:52.020 --> 00:53:00.020 The word of God increased. And in three of those cases, signs would happen. 00:53:01.020 --> 00:53:19.020 And so signs are basically God's, signs are God's way, signs are God's way, God's work of restoring broken creation. 00:53:19.020 --> 00:53:30.020 So begin to dare, we'll talk about it next time, begin to dare to think of God's absolute desire to restore in Superstore, 00:53:30.020 --> 00:53:45.020 or at Best Buy, or by the side of the street. Begin to dare to think of God's desire to restore through signs and miracles and wonders, broken creation. 00:53:50.020 --> 00:54:00.020 Walk with an expectation, because once this expectation grabs your heart, it'll trigger, once this expectation grabs your heart, 00:54:00.020 --> 00:54:16.020 it'll trigger unsolicited action, as in you won't ask, you won't wait to be asked. 00:54:19.020 --> 00:54:27.020 You won't wait to be asked by the person. It triggers unsolicited action. 00:54:33.020 --> 00:54:37.020 I said I won't go into it, so I can't, because we'll run out of time. 00:54:37.020 --> 00:54:44.020 But John 14-12, I'm on my way to the Father, I'm giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. 00:54:44.020 --> 00:54:50.020 John 14-11, if you can't believe me, that the Father is in me, believe what you see. 00:54:50.020 --> 00:54:56.020 Signs and wonders are God's witness to his word, but we'll deal with that another time. 00:54:57.020 --> 00:55:01.020 Any questions? These three have to combine for representation. 00:55:01.020 --> 00:55:09.020 First one, courage. Second one, love. Third one, signs. It must be an expectation. 00:55:09.020 --> 00:55:13.020 That kind of expectation triggers unsolicited action. 00:55:15.020 --> 00:55:27.020 And usually it has thus far centered around a person or a ministry, but when 20-30 people have this expectation, then something breaks. 00:55:27.020 --> 00:55:54.020 So being to cultivate this expectation so that in Superstore, on the side of the road, you will take the most foolish action of praying for someone who's lame, crippled, blind, sick, coughing, fever, headache, and you won't be able to help them anyways. 00:55:57.020 --> 00:55:59.020 Anyways, you're not going to be able to help them. 00:56:02.020 --> 00:56:06.020 But representation can. Yeah? Tate, you want to come up?