1 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,880 We welcome you to the Via Zion Sermon podcast. 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,560 We are a church based out of Chennai, India. 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:16,920 We are thrilled that you tuned in today and hope that you will 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:21,200 be refreshed, revived, and energized by what you hear. 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,080 Our desire is that you will live life with a renewed sense of 6 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:28,800 purpose that stems from a vibrant faith in Jesus. 7 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,439 God's Word is Evergreen in power and promise. 8 00:00:32,759 --> 00:00:35,640 The month of November is the Global Bible Month and to 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,240 celebrate the Bible here at church we are going deeper into 10 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,160 what the Bible really is and how we can better spend time in the 11 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:45,320 world so that we are ready for the world. 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:49,720 We hope that you relish knowing more about God's Word and that 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,440 it spurs you on to greater intimacy with God Himself. 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,120 Hi Church, this has a joy and a privilege to be able to bring 15 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,040 God's Word to you today. Even as we take some time, we 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,360 are going to go into the 4th part even as we just saw the 17 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:04,560 bumper. We've been going through this 18 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:06,800 entire topic called alive and active. 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,280 God's Word has been alive. God's Word has been active, and 20 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,600 a couple of the things that I wanted to kind of highlight from 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:17,120 all that we saw is the fact that Bible is still relevant. 22 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:21,040 Bible is still alive and active. It is still powerful. 23 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:24,680 It's still illuminates our lives in dark spaces. 24 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,040 The minute you start reading God's Word, the minute you start 25 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,200 applying it, wherever you go, you are carrying his life, 26 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,280 giving light into all these spaces where there's no hope. 27 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,440 We saw that it's still relevant. We saw history proves as 28 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,280 scholars, as theology, as his people who were influenced by 29 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,960 the Holy Spirit, were literally inspired by the Holy Spirit, 30 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,960 were able to pen this. That's why the book has lasted 31 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,320 all these 2000 years. We see that even right now when 32 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:56,000 we read it, it comes alive because the Spirit of God is 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,120 living. And I believe that even as we 34 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,400 saw last week in the third part, it's a journey. 35 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,520 You and I are called to be on this journey. 36 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,160 It's lifelong for those of us who start early. 37 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,199 When we are in our school, high school, and in our college. 38 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,960 It becomes this companion where we get to read these stories of 39 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,880 people. Many times we contradict it with 40 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,480 our own cultural themes we struggle to understand. 41 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,320 We find those loopholes. We start start justifying it, 42 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,520 but the minute we start living it out to its fullest, we start 43 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,880 seeing it comes with us into our marriages, into our times when 44 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,760 we have our children, into how we deal with us as parents, into 45 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:35,120 US becoming people, being part of His community, overseeing, 46 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,280 helping people, doing things that God's called us to do in 47 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,680 the places that He's kept us. Everything stems from the Word 48 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:44,960 of God. And so today, what we see happen 49 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:49,680 around the world is all impressions of what God's 50 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,000 actually put on people over time. 51 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,080 And for those who've actually sustained it over generations is 52 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,040 because they've been rooted in God's Word. 53 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,480 And so even today, as we take some time today, we're going to 54 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,600 see why the Bible still matters to us. 55 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,280 And I want to challenge us today that even as you hear this 56 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,000 sermon, even as I was preparing, I was personally challenged 57 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,400 because God was really talking to me. 58 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,240 Are you really doing what I'm asking you to do? 59 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,040 Because many a times we can read it. 60 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,000 We can take what feels convenient for us, and we can 61 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,280 say, you know what, this is enough flawed. 62 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,760 But God saying, are you taking it in its fullness? 63 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,600 Are you taking it fully for yourself? 64 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:27,640 Because I believe we are called to take the whole gospel to the 65 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:32,080 whole world and be the whole church so that we'll be able to 66 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,240 address everything that we go through emotionally, 67 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,840 spiritually, physically, everything God cares about. 68 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,960 God doesn't just care about one element of us that's spiritual. 69 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,640 No, He cares about our emotions. He cares about our physical 70 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,800 state. He cares about our well-being. 71 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,280 He cares about where we've been placed today and I want to go 72 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:52,720 back to that first verse we saw in the first series because I 73 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,400 believe that still is going to be the hinge for us to really 74 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,720 see God's word come alive in US. Hebrews chapter 4, verses 12. 75 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,960 And this is what it says. For the word of God is alive and 76 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,520 active, sharper than any double edged sword. 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,360 It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and 78 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,760 marrow. It judges the thoughts and the 79 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:16,519 attitudes of the heart. Even as I read, it says that the 80 00:04:16,519 --> 00:04:19,600 Word of God is alive and active. I started it by saying alive and 81 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:20,920 active. And the reason why I want to 82 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:26,760 emphasize on that is today when you read His Word, are you alive 83 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,160 and active? Or are you alive and inactive? 84 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,640 Or are you dead and active? Because many a times we find all 85 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,160 these combinations. God's asking you, are you alive 86 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,400 and active? Because if you are alive, 87 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,320 inactive, you will be committed to going deep in God's Word. 88 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:45,680 You will be committed to staying in God's Word. 89 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:47,760 One of the things that we see time and again when we start 90 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:52,040 engaging in, in God's Word is the fact that you will be able 91 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,440 to dig deeper. And when you dig deeper, what 92 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,600 happens is it's like an excavation process. 93 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,800 It's like you're digging deep into your into your inner self. 94 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,080 You're digging into your past. You're digging into that sinful 95 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:03,920 nature. You're digging into areas where 96 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:05,040 you see. That's why many times when you 97 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,960 start seeing the very sinful nature in your own lives, you'll 98 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,600 see this is just not with you. It's something that's inherited. 99 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,040 You start seeing, there's a pattern in your family. 100 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,120 You start saying, God, this has to end with me. 101 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,560 God, this can't continue on God, I need freedom from this. 102 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,760 God, We as a generation have to turn to you so that we'll be 103 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,480 able to see things differently. We will have to ask God, God, 104 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:32,080 can you reveal yourself to us in our deep most in our most part. 105 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:34,880 And so today I want to ask you, would you be committed to 106 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:36,760 reading God's word so that it goes deep? 107 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:38,960 It allows you to immediately go deep. 108 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:43,040 Take those time to really dig in and ask God, am I really 109 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,480 peaceful? Am I really joyful? 110 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:47,680 Am I really a carrier of your word? 111 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:50,080 Am I really finding your word alive? 112 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:55,160 Because many a times today in this day and age, we find the 113 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,280 social streams of others alive and active. 114 00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,000 We find the messages of other pastors and people have been 115 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,000 putting their social media content alive. 116 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:04,960 We feel others around are all alive. 117 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,520 God, when I read, I don't find it alive. 118 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,400 But God wants to say, I want to go deep with you. 119 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,520 I want to spend time with you. I want to establish myself with 120 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,200 you. The word which gets through will 121 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,160 allow God to actually be the Potter. 122 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,800 He can shape us. He's ready to say, you know, I 123 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,480 don't want that sinful nature covering you. 124 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,440 I wanted to be dismantled. So can I love you and shape you 125 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,480 so that you'll be formed in the image that I intended you to be 126 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,320 without sin, so that you'll be able to be in that repentance? 127 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,440 We will constantly realize it's not our strength, but it is His 128 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,240 strength. So today I want to ask you, as 129 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,680 you read God's Word, what is your metrics when it comes to 130 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:46,720 engaging in God's Word today? What is your metrics? 131 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,680 Are you just content just hearing it in one year and 132 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,040 leaving it? You know, yes, the Word of God 133 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,000 has become accessible. It's there in front of us, many 134 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,640 times something that's right there in front of us and you see 135 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,760 too much of it. We really don't value it. 136 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,800 But I want to come to a place where we are wanting to know 137 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,600 what is our metrics today when we really see his gods were 138 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,560 alive and active. You know, recently, two weeks 139 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:14,640 back, me and Tina got to travel and our kids were staying back 140 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,480 with both sets of grandparents over 2 weeks. 141 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,400 And one of the conversations that happened, I think 10 days 142 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:24,560 into the trip was that our daughter told us that she really 143 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:26,800 values us and she really misses us. 144 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:31,040 She really, you know, misses everything that she doesn't. 145 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,800 She's feels that she's taken a lot of things for granted. 146 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:39,320 And I believe, you know, when you're farther away, when you're 147 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,360 away like this, your heart tends to grow fonder. 148 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,400 But I want to come to a place like may we not be so used to 149 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,120 God's word that we don't take it that we take it for granted. 150 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,640 May we start engaging it in such a way that we start seeing it 151 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,200 more closely. May may the may the mirror 152 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,880 reflection of us when we see be so much that we say God, I need 153 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,720 more of you. Are we visibly seeing the 154 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,040 maturity of God's word in our lives today? 155 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,720 His growth is the maturity is is handling of issues is is it a 156 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,000 quick turn around when we start seeing God's word? 157 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,120 Are we quick to repent of our ways and say God come through 158 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,160 God have your way God let your will be done. 159 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,480 I remember last week when we were listening to one of the 160 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,680 pastors speech, he said when you're 300 days in the gym, it 161 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,640 shows when you're 300 days following a certain routine, 162 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,600 whether you're putting you're reading a book, it shows in your 163 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,159 speech. If you're reading God's word 300 164 00:08:36,159 --> 00:08:39,360 days, is it really showing in and through your life? 165 00:08:40,159 --> 00:08:44,120 If you're eating fast food 300 days you will definitely show. 166 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,680 But today I want to ask you, are you really showing God's word, 167 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,960 the evidence of it in and through your life? 168 00:08:53,680 --> 00:08:58,440 Because it's very important, because if we do not showcase 169 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:04,000 that it's like the Word of God is falling on hard parts of our 170 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,480 heart, and it's not falling into the fertile part. 171 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,080 It's in the fertile part. When seeds fall in, when God 172 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,200 nourishes with this word, when it starts growing, when we bear 173 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,080 fruit, we get pruned again so that we can bear a richer 174 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:21,040 harvest. That's when it is evident, not 175 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:22,680 just to us, but to the people around. 176 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,800 So today we are all recipients of God's word. 177 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,560 We're consuming it. You're receiving it in some form 178 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:31,960 or the other, either for us in this case, you're probably 179 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,960 watching it or you're listening it to online. 180 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,760 But I want to ask you, as recipients of His Word, is it 181 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,800 alive and active in us? What we do with the Word 182 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,880 matters. What we do with this word that 183 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:50,360 is alive and active matters because whatever is alive and if 184 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:55,000 it's healthy will grow. Whatever is alive and what is 185 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,480 unhealthy will die. So today is the word of God in 186 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,600 an unhealthy environment in your life that it is dying or is it 187 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:04,640 in a healthy environment where it's growing? 188 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,600 What does that look like? Because when it's in an 189 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:12,120 unhealthy environment, because if you're surrounded by fear, if 190 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:16,040 you're surrounded by you know and God, this won't happen for 191 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,200 me with, with not taking control of your thoughts, not taking 192 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,440 control of your emotions, not allowing the healer to heal you. 193 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,360 Whatever deposit gets happened, the minute you remove or you 194 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,760 move yourself from that specific place or where you received it, 195 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:34,000 it just becomes deadened. But God's wanting to know, is it 196 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,280 alive and active? Because if it's alive and 197 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,800 active, I have something to do. And through you, that's where 198 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:41,440 the Holy Spirit comes. But you might be like yeshwum. 199 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,240 The Holy Spirit can work in chaos. 200 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,080 He works in chaos, but he works in chaos when there is a 201 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:51,120 willingness for it to yield itself to the Spirit to work. 202 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,920 I want to read this particular passage from Matthew chapter 10, 203 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,720 verses 5 to 8 because I believe today when we are come to the 204 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,520 last part of this, God is wanting to Commission us. 205 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,840 He's not wanting you and me to just receive the word and stay 206 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,000 put. He's like Geshom, I want you to 207 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,200 be commissioned as you hear this word. 208 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:10,960 Whoever is listening today, whoever is watching today, I 209 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:12,640 want you to come to a place in God. 210 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,520 I want to be commissioned by you and here it's interesting. 211 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:17,960 We all know the commissioning that happens in the new in the 212 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,240 book of Acts where the Holy Spirit comes. 213 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:22,280 We know we celebrate it as a day of Pentecost. 214 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,120 We we know that we are called to fulfill the Great Commission. 215 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,320 But here, right here is where Jesus commissions is 12 and he 216 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:30,800 gives them specific instructions. 217 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,880 And I want us to find ourselves in the same situation because we 218 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,960 have specific instructions. Right where we are at today. 219 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:39,720 The mission field is not somewhere outside. 220 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,240 It's right where you're at today. 221 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,720 Your mission field can be within your family for those of you who 222 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,640 are working from home. For those of you who are at 223 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:48,240 home, it can be with right with your family. 224 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,560 But right where you're at, for those who are in your cities, 225 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,280 it's right in your cities. You and me have a mandate to the 226 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,760 city that we are living in. If we aren't carrying that 227 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,960 mandate, we will not be able to fulfill what God's called us to 228 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:03,560 do. Time and again I've repeated 229 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:05,280 this. A lot of us have love for 230 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,800 another land, but not for the land that God's placed us in. 231 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,040 Till we come to that realization that God, this is the place 232 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,360 you've placed me. This is where my calling is. 233 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:17,400 He cannot enlarge you. Matthew chapter 10 verses 5 to 8 234 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:18,680 and the passions is what it says. 235 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,240 Jesus sent out the 12 with these instructions. 236 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,240 Don't go into any Gentile or Samaritan territory. 237 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,000 Go instead and find the law sheep among the people of 238 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,160 Israel. And as you go, preach this 239 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,240 message. Heaven's Kingdom realm is 240 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,360 accessible, close enough to touch. 241 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,440 You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those 242 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,960 who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic 243 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,480 presence from people and raise the dead back to life freely. 244 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,960 You have received the power of the Kingdom, so freely release 245 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,280 it to others. Jesus talks to his disciples and 246 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:58,880 sends them and he tells them that a principle of what it is 247 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,800 required to be his disciples right where we are placed. 248 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,480 And the reason why I wanted to emphasize this is so that we 249 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:09,200 will be able to do all that He's called us to do right where we 250 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,680 are at. A lot of us get so excited about 251 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:14,080 a mission trip. A lot of us get so excited about 252 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,160 going somewhere else. A lot of us are unable to stand 253 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,120 in the places where God's places and be the testimony. 254 00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:23,200 God is wanting to 1st establish us right here. 255 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:26,520 God is wanting us to 1st establish us right where He's 256 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,160 placed us because our testimony will mean nothing if you've not 257 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,360 established ourselves here. So the first thing he tells his 258 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,520 disciples is He says go and find. 259 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:35,720 Who does He tell? Go and find? 260 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:37,760 He doesn't tell. Go and find those who don't 261 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,120 know. He says go to the very ones who 262 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,240 are lost today. How many of us have lost people 263 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,720 amongst us today? You and I don't have to go 264 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,000 further away. Our immediate family or extended 265 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,960 family friends that we know are like lost sheep. 266 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,800 They either have given up on their ways. 267 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,760 They either up have been so succumbed to the plague of the 268 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,360 city or to the plague that is emotionally draining them around 269 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,680 the city today. What is that looking like in 270 00:14:02,680 --> 00:14:05,680 cities today? The the pressure to survive is 271 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:08,000 very high. The pressure to perform is very 272 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,320 high. The pressure to have enough is 273 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:13,560 very high. The pressure is really high for 274 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:16,520 everything today. What are you and I doing to 275 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,840 those who we are talking to? Are we able to witness to them? 276 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,040 Are we able to tell them that this is the God that we worship? 277 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:26,000 He is relevant, He is real today to you. 278 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,840 The reason why I'm saying that is if we don't go and find, we 279 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,400 will never be able to find those who really need to know Jesus 280 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:34,680 and the love and the power that Jesus has. 281 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,280 If I have to ask you today, you don't have to pack your bags. 282 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:40,120 We are living in cities right now. 283 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,280 Today we are in a, we are in a metropolitan city right here, 284 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:47,280 Taiwan city in India. And there's a research that came 285 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:52,880 out, 43% of Indians living in urban areas experience some form 286 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,200 of loneliness. Loneliness seems to be the 287 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,960 biggest thing, biggest thing in our country, in our cities. 288 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:06,080 And so today, as you and I are placed in the cities, are we 289 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,920 being the companion that we have to be? 290 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,240 Like how Jesus was to the people right there in the city that he 291 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,280 was in. Because today, if we can't give 292 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,920 a hand to those who are lonely, we will enable them to drown in 293 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:22,560 their loneliness. We need to lift them up and say, 294 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:24,840 hey, Jesus is with you. Can we pray with you? 295 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,840 Can you show up? Can we invite them into things, 296 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:33,240 create avenues, create rooms for them to come and sit Today a lot 297 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,440 of us are just caught up in our own kind of feeling. 298 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,280 Rise up. Today the word of God is alive 299 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,560 and active. The second one he tells them is 300 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,920 it's accessible. He says the Kingdom of God has 301 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,160 come. You can go, it's right there. 302 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,160 It's accessible, so close to touch. 303 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,120 Why does it happen? Because today you and I are 304 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,760 carriers of the Kingdom. You and I are carriers of the 305 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,720 expression of Jesus. God is working in and through 306 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:56,920 US. That's why he says your temple 307 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,560 is your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which means 308 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,320 he's residing in US. Wherever we go, Jesus is right 309 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:03,480 there. And so today, when you're going 310 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,640 to those spaces where there's loneliness, you're carrying the 311 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,640 God of all comfort, the God of the God who sees, the God who 312 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:11,680 hears, the God who doesn't discriminate. 313 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:13,800 That is the God who you and I carry. 314 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:16,800 And so when we take him in, we are creating access where we are 315 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,560 bringing hope. Transformation is another thing 316 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,920 that we see. He says when you go there, you 317 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,120 will see that lepers and sickness won't be there anymore. 318 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:27,920 Leprosy and sickness won't be there anymore. 319 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,440 He says because of you going there, what happens? 320 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,760 His power is manifested. And so today you and I, who are 321 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,440 carrying this alive and active, are going into spaces to see 322 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,960 things turn around Church, we need to rise up. 323 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,440 For far too long we've succumbed to the pressure of the fact 324 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,800 that, oh, we cannot see things turn. 325 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,560 No, you and I have the power of prayer. 326 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,720 You and I have the power of bending our knees. 327 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:52,640 You and I have the power of lifting our hands. 328 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,280 You and I have the power of calling on the God of heaven. 329 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,440 You and I have the power of calling on the God who is the 330 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,800 consuming fire. If Elijah could do it amongst 331 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:07,359 the prophets of Baal in such a way where the offering that was 332 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,640 offered was completely drenched with 12 pots of water and he saw 333 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:15,280 consuming fire coming from heaven above and consuming it 334 00:17:15,319 --> 00:17:18,440 everything. I believe you and I have much 335 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,200 more to offer our cities today. You and I have much more to 336 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,200 offer our pin codes today. You and I have much more to 337 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,880 offer the people that we are in place amongst today. 338 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:31,200 We need to see transformation happen. 339 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,920 What is it that is God? What is it that God is breaking 340 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,400 your heart? Because if you're reading his 341 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,440 word, you will soon realize this is breaking God's heart. 342 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:44,080 Injustice breaks God's heart, lies breaks God's heart. 343 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:48,240 You know the, the, the break, collapse of humanity and the, 344 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,400 the very essence and the fabric of humanity breaks God's heart. 345 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:56,680 What is God calling you today? What is God calling you today? 346 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,360 To transform not according to your power, but according to His 347 00:17:59,360 --> 00:18:01,560 power. Because your feet is planted on 348 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:06,000 the rock that will not be shaken on Christ, the solid rock. 349 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,120 I stand. You and I cannot be shaken 350 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:10,960 because we are standing on Christ. 351 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,600 The time is coming when things will seem so bizarre and so 352 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:20,120 shaken up around, but because our feet are planted on the rock 353 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:23,040 to stay, we will stand the test of time. 354 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,400 We will stand the test of time. And the last thing that he tells 355 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,520 them is freely. You have received freely 356 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,960 release. You and I have the gift of 357 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:34,600 salvation, which was freely given to us. 358 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:36,760 We didn't have to work. We didn't have to strive. 359 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,920 We didn't have to, you know, do ABCD be there, do this. 360 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:45,280 No, we just had to call on God, repent of our ways, acknowledge 361 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,520 that he is God, confess our sins, invite him into our heart, 362 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,000 and he's freely available. That free gift of salvation that 363 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,400 you receive, we freely give. And today you and I have this 364 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,680 mandate. Just because it's fully paid and 365 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,000 it's free doesn't mean you don't get to do everything. 366 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,800 You don't get to do anything because it's fully done. 367 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,080 We get to do everything for God. We get to do everything for God. 368 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:12,200 So today I want to ask you, would you rise up? 369 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,560 Is the word of God alive and active? 370 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,800 Because there are two forms here which I wanted to which I've 371 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:23,920 been kind of meditating on over the last couple of weeks. 1 is 372 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:26,360 the word recipient. Today. 373 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:29,360 A lot of us know especially when the start of the hour comes, we 374 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:33,440 have the nominations coming out for Oscars, then you have the 375 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:38,080 Emmy Awards that are coming out. Then you'll have your Grammys 376 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,280 that are coming out, and then you have a whole bunch of other 377 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,720 awards that are coming out. And so these are people who've 378 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,200 really strive in a particular category, under a particular 379 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:51,120 genre and under a particular role that I start getting 380 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:54,040 awarded for. And they're competing against 381 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,720 others who are in the same category with same kind of an 382 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:00,080 framework they're operating out of. 383 00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:02,840 And they all compete. And all of this, a few 384 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,240 panellists who are there out there as humans are the ones who 385 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,640 are choosing, saying this is what is best. 386 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,560 And they highlight that one particular person and they give 387 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,800 them an award. And the person who goes there is 388 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,560 a recipient of this particular award. 389 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:22,080 But today you and I are recipients of this gift of life 390 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,280 from Jesus. You and I are recipients of this 391 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,480 word that comes which is alive and active. 392 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,640 You and I are recipients of this every day, every time I open the 393 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,040 word, every day when I have that habit of curing. 394 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,720 Because if you open God's word, you are committed to saying God, 395 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,440 I want you in my life. I want you in my life. 396 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,200 If you are talking to your spouse every day, which means 397 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,440 you're telling her I need you in my life. 398 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,280 If you are present in your home and being a father and you're 399 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,320 talking to your kids every day and they are arguing with you, 400 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:58,600 they are fighting with you, they are playing games with you, it's 401 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:02,600 evident that you are wanting them to be part of your life. 402 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,520 And I ask that if you would open your word, it's an evidence of 403 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,760 you saying Jesus, I want you part of my life. 404 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,000 You might think, you know what I can hear about him through 405 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,440 everywhere, but that doesn't make any sense. 406 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:22,240 So today, as you open this word, would you allow him to really 407 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:26,360 give himself entirely to you? Because what happens when he 408 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:28,640 does that? What happens when he does it? 409 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,920 We, we've, we've received this ultimate price from him. 410 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,320 There's no paying back. We, we, we, we haven't performed 411 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,120 at all yet. He chose us in a sinful state. 412 00:21:39,120 --> 00:21:40,880 He's chosen us and He's given it to us. 413 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,160 And when we allow God to meet us right where we're at, what 414 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:47,240 happens? Our fear. 415 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,080 When we open His word, His strength gets revealed. 416 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:55,560 When we are confused and perplexed, we open His Word. 417 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,480 His peace is evident. We are going through chaos and 418 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,280 turmoil. We open His word and we are able 419 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:05,880 to see that we can trust in Him. And that trust is very evident. 420 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,480 When there's restlessness and uncertainty and we're not able 421 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,480 to see that silver lining at the end, what happens? 422 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:16,920 We are when you open is what we learn what it is to rest in 423 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,560 Jesus when you're going through physical pain and affliction. 424 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,600 What do you see when you open his word that he's a tender God. 425 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,560 He says I understand you, I am with you through this. 426 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,280 He helped us to go through that. He helped us to go through that 427 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:34,560 for those of you for those of you going through prolonged 428 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,680 sickness when you open his word. What do you read? 429 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:41,360 He says by my stripes you are healed and you realize that this 430 00:22:41,360 --> 00:22:45,640 part of a suffering is far to less than what the Son of Man 431 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:48,960 went through. And you're like God, If this is 432 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,920 what the side of eternity is, it's OK because I know when I 433 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,280 meet with you in eternity there will be no pain, there will be 434 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:58,000 no sorrow. Clearly we are a recipient from 435 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,920 Jesus some way or the other. And so today I want to ask you, 436 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,080 when we are recipients, we need to put it to work. 437 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,240 The world talks about it performing, and then you're a 438 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:12,200 recipient of an award. But today God's like saying, I'm 439 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,280 here giving it to you in your own state, in the very state 440 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:18,600 that which is looking hard for you in your sinful state when 441 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,200 you're being condemned a slave, I'm giving you freedom. 442 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,160 And so when we receive this, he's saying, would you put it to 443 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,240 work? When we put it to work in our 444 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,440 lives, we see God change. And because we see God change, 445 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,920 what happens? The word works in and through 446 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:35,880 US. Eventually we're able to testify 447 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,640 about the word that is worked in and through us. 448 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,600 So first thing is recipient. Can you be a recipient of God's 449 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,520 word? You don't have to strive. 450 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,320 You don't have to work on it. Receive it right where you're 451 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:49,560 at. Let it minister to you right 452 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,200 where you're at, and as you receive it, you will see His 453 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,360 glory. The second thing is donor. 454 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,840 Now you receive. A recipient is the person who 455 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,280 receives this reward. We have received eternal life, 456 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:05,160 and in turn, in this side of eternity we receive His grace, 457 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,000 we receive His strength, we receive His love. 458 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,080 So many attributes of it we keep receiving every time we open His 459 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,520 word. There's this other aspect of a 460 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:14,640 donor. When I was thinking through 461 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:16,200 this, there are two kinds of donors. 462 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:20,440 The first donor is that one who truly loves you, who's willing 463 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,520 to give another kidney for you, another lung for you, who's 464 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,360 willing to give his blood for you. 465 00:24:25,360 --> 00:24:27,880 That is the kind of donor that we see. 466 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,640 God is. God is the one who has given 467 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:33,040 entirely. He's saying, you know what? 468 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,160 I'll give myself wholly for this person to live. 469 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:41,160 And so there's this idea of where it's literally part of us 470 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:43,600 today. We are not living this life on 471 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,760 our own. We are living it because He is 472 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,480 in and through US. He is in and through us. 473 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,520 And So what happens is there's this, He is a donor. 474 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,600 We become a recipient of that life giving word. 475 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:01,440 But then also we, our status changes because we've received 476 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,560 it. We now have life and now God's 477 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:05,800 like now you become a donor for someone else. 478 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,600 And So what eventually happens is we start thinking, OK, God, 479 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,720 I'll start giving with regard to my money and resources here. 480 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,480 God, this is what I want to lay at the altar. 481 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,400 And we lay it. God multiplies it. 482 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,640 God uses it for his glory. But God is like, would you be 483 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:24,840 committed to it lifelong? Because that's when 484 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,600 transformation happens. And so today, suddenly you'll 485 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,360 realize God's just not asking of your resources because that's 486 00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:33,040 the easier part, especially for those of you who are in 487 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,800 countries where when you give to a church and when it is when you 488 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,160 can, when it's tax deductible or you can do all that, it becomes 489 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:42,520 part of something, OK? It gets written off as part of 490 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:44,520 my taxes. You can have a different 491 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,760 mindset. But for those of us who are 492 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:49,760 giving, God's like, OK, now I want you to give more. 493 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:51,560 What is that more? I want to give a bit of Fair 494 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,480 time. Would you take some time to 495 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,280 teach Bible study today? Would you take some time to come 496 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,240 and be with these kind of people so that we'll be able to, 497 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,600 they'll be able to receive my word, my grace, my strength. 498 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,720 We start seeing that as we start giving of ourselves, being 499 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,160 donors, in small part, God starts giving us the mantle for 500 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:16,400 certain things that are bigger. You know, the Part 1, I think 501 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,760 Tina spoke about William Tyndale, but before that was 502 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,160 John Wycliffe, who had actually decided to complete the entire 503 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,760 Bible translation from the Latin Vulgate in the 14th century. 504 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,960 William 10 day was a Protestant Reformation. 505 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:34,440 He completed the New Testament, part of the Old Testament in 506 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,880 English directly. And then there was John Rogers 507 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,560 who compiled the entire Bible, which is properly known as the 508 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,280 Matthew Bible. In fact, that is that's what got 509 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,840 published. But if you look at all of them, 510 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,040 because of the word of God that was alive and active and it 511 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,840 worked in and through them, they were recipients from the donor 512 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,240 himself. And when they started going into 513 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:01,240 the state of being a donor, they started realizing that they had 514 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,840 far more to give. And the reason why I wanted to 515 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,640 spend some time here is the three were recipients. 516 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:10,760 The three were donors. Wycliffe suffered a stroke and 517 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,920 died. But because of the work that he 518 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:18,040 did, because he was bringing God's Word to common people, the 519 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:21,280 papacy hated him so much that they dug his bone, they burnt 520 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,000 it, they burnt, they hated him so much. 521 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,960 William Tyndale, the same thing. He was imprisoned and they had 522 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:33,960 him strangulated and burnt. They literally when they, they 523 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:37,520 literally didn't realize the minute they burn someone, their 524 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,360 ashes is scattered everywhere, which means the word of God is 525 00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:43,400 getting spread. The minute someone dies for the 526 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:48,520 gospel, there is a hundredfold harvest that happens across the 527 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,160 world. John Rogers was burnt at the 528 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:57,080 stake. And I pray that God is asking, 529 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:01,120 can I raise people today who will rise up like them for a 530 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:04,040 time such as this, for a time such as this? 531 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,800 The word of God, the word that we read, the word that we are 532 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,720 asking you to say, God, this is alive and active, is called to 533 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:16,280 bear witness. And the cost is often times not 534 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:19,960 the highlight cause the cost was ultimately done. 535 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:22,600 It was already paid by Jesus once and for all. 536 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,440 You and I have nothing to raise with regard to the cost. 537 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,400 But we are only called to bear witness. 538 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,320 We are only called to bear witness. 539 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,920 And if you see this time and again, people who have taken up 540 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:38,560 the call of God, who have said it is alive and active, have 541 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:43,480 moved to a place of understanding that that is the 542 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:46,440 least that they can do for Jesus. 543 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:49,680 They can do the least because He's done it all. 544 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,160 A lot of us are unable to bear witness because of the cost 545 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:59,480 involved. But I pray that we will realize 546 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,560 that what we bear is far bigger than the cost that is required 547 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,560 of us today. You know, I wanted to spend some 548 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:10,040 time just looking through one of these characters which I love 549 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:13,640 reading, I love reading and I just wanted to read especially 550 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:15,480 from John chapter 1 verses 6 to 8. 551 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,920 And it says there once was a man, his name was John, sent by 552 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,800 God to point out the way to the life light. 553 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,600 He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. 554 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:31,400 John was not himself the light. He was there to show the way to 555 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,240 the light. You know, one of the part of the 556 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:36,200 things of being alive and active is we need to know who we are in 557 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,600 Christ. We are not the life, we are not 558 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:43,200 the light, but we are the ones like what John was. 559 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,960 We are sent by God. The minute you accept Jesus and 560 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:49,480 allow His word to work in and through you, you are sent by 561 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,160 him. You are sent by Him to the world 562 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:57,080 so that people will be pointed to the life and to the light of 563 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,440 all mankind. And I just wanted to highlight a 564 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:03,200 couple of things that I truly love of John the Baptist. 565 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,360 You know, one of the things which I realized is his life was 566 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:10,560 wholly given by God. That came from a realization 567 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,520 when Hannah and Zechariah were having John the Baptist when he 568 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,920 gets, when the Angel comes and visits Zechariah, right when he 569 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,240 was worshipping him. It it, it happened in the 570 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,120 situation where it was least expected. 571 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,360 They were early into their old age and at this stage they 572 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:29,880 really didn't think of having a kid. 573 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,640 But when, when, when the doubt came in, God shut his mouth and 574 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,800 said, don't talk. You'll be quiet till the baby is 575 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,120 born. And I believe a lot of us many a 576 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:43,280 times have to receive the miracle that God has for us like 577 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,800 that because many a times we speak death. 578 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,560 Many a times we speak things that are not out of our 579 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:53,440 spiritual sense, but are out of a physical, fleshly sense. 580 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:55,360 And that's where Satan has control over. 581 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,680 He causes us to speak death. And so today we you need to come 582 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,240 to realize that this life that you're called to live in Jesus 583 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:08,200 is wholly given by God. So when Satan is throwing a Ono 584 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:12,640 reverse at you to tell you to look back, you have to throw an 585 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,680 Ono reverse to say I am looking at God. 586 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:17,840 This is who God's called me to be. 587 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,120 I am free, I am redeemed, I am set apart. 588 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:23,960 I am here for God's glory. I'm no longer known by my 589 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,200 addiction. I am an overcomer in Christ 590 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:29,120 Jesus. Till you face him head on and 591 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:32,400 tell him that he won't know that because he needs to know that 592 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:34,480 this is what you believe. Because what comes from the 593 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,840 mouth stems from right here and it also stems from right here. 594 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,760 It's ingrained in your head. This is what Jesus says I am. 595 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,120 You believe it with your heart, and you confess it with your 596 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:45,600 mouth. The second thing we see from 597 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:49,880 John the Baptist life is life that was solely forgot. 598 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,120 You know, he was asked not to cut his head. 599 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:57,800 There were certain requirements of him and he was willing to be 600 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,120 to go through that hardship for Jesus. 601 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,160 Today, you and I, are we willing to go through that hardship? 602 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,840 You know, many a times we, we look through a lot of other 603 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:11,800 denominations and other ways in which people have sacrificially 604 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,600 done certain things. Probably in their clothing, they 605 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,000 wear white and white or probably they abstain from certain things 606 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,240 or they do certain things differently. 607 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:23,240 And we always are trying to find the middle ground. 608 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:28,840 They've probably come to a place of taking away their importance. 609 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,840 But the more I realize this, God talks to each and every one of 610 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:35,760 us differently. It's not my right to impose it, 611 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,920 but when I love God's Word to work in and through me, I am 612 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,360 ready to give up certain things for God's sake. 613 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:44,320 If God's going to tell me, Geshum, I don't want you to be 614 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,000 doing this thing, this does not please me. 615 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:51,240 Am I willing to give it up because it does not please God 616 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,840 or am I trying to find a loophole to justify saying this 617 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,480 is OK because this is what God wants me to do? 618 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,560 This is what is allowed. There's a there's the heat 619 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:05,880 contextually and culturally it makes sense that was spoken that 620 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,760 time. No, If God says Gesham, this is 621 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:10,840 not good for you will Are you ready to give it up? 622 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:15,320 Our weaknesses is not the same. So today you and I have separate 623 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:17,560 weaknesses. I might be strong in certain 624 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:18,880 things. You might be weak in that. 625 00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:22,880 And when God speaks to us, God will speak to my weakness. 626 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,800 He will tell me, Ghisham, this is something I want you to 627 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:26,120 avoid. This is something I want you to 628 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,400 stay away from. This is the company I want you 629 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,720 to keep, and this is the company I don't want you to keep. 630 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,960 He sets us apart. Our strengths won't be the same. 631 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:38,960 Our weaknesses are not the same. Our strengths will meet the 632 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:40,760 team. And so setting apart also won't 633 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:42,320 be the same. Today you will be set apart in a 634 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,280 different way. I'll be set apart in a different 635 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:50,120 way, but when we come as a collective body, am I willing to 636 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:55,240 give up certain things just so that his body will be one, Just 637 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,680 so that we'll be able to do all that He's called us to do? 638 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:01,680 You can see here when he was living for God, he didn't make a 639 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:04,760 big deal of what he was wearing, where he was, what he was 640 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:06,680 eating. All those were periphery. 641 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,920 He was identified by that, but that wasn't what he thought he 642 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:12,719 was. I, he knew he was doing it for 643 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:14,400 God. He said, I've come here to 644 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,280 prepare away so that you'll be able to see the Redeemer who 645 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:21,159 will come after me. So we have to operate in the 646 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:24,960 space out of the love that we have for Jesus and his people. 647 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:29,159 Are we willing to give up so that Jesus is complete in US? 648 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:33,560 He completes everything in US. And the third thing we see from 649 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:38,159 John the Baptist life is he points everyone to the way. 650 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:40,600 He clearly tells them I am not the way. 651 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:45,239 But because I'm here, I'm pointing you to this direction 652 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:47,600 that this is the person who can save you. 653 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:50,760 This is the person who will baptize you with not just with 654 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,960 water, but with fire. The Holy Spirit will come upon 655 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:58,080 and I pray that we will be able to point people to Jesus. 656 00:34:58,720 --> 00:35:02,640 Our conversations will be so in tune that we'll know what to 657 00:35:02,640 --> 00:35:05,880 speak. As we were coming, I was sitting 658 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:11,440 next to a gentleman and as I was talking with him, I started 659 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:15,480 sharing what I was doing. And as we were talking, God gave 660 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:19,520 me the the clarity of to talk with regard to data sets and 661 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:21,440 data points and all that. And I was just talking to him 662 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:24,000 about that. And that resonated with him 663 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:26,520 immediately. That resonated with him 664 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:28,520 immediately. And he immediately said, you 665 00:35:28,520 --> 00:35:30,000 know what? I've started this habit of 666 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,480 reading and I would love to read what is there on the You Version 667 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,320 Bible. And so today you and I have to 668 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:39,200 rely on the Holy Spirit to tell what is it I need to tell them 669 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:43,120 so that they will be able to see the light because many a times 670 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:48,880 the light will blind them. And if we are talking so much 671 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,160 about the light, what will happen is we will sometimes try 672 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:57,680 mirroring ourselves to be Jesus. We will deflect the light back 673 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,560 to us. We will start absorbing it. 674 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,760 But a mirror, what does it do? A mirror just reflects it back 675 00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:08,120 to Jesus, saying, hey, this shame that you're going through, 676 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:11,360 I understand, but Jesus is the one who can set you free. 677 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:15,440 This guilt that you're going through, this unloving nature 678 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,960 that is present within you because you haven't felt it from 679 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,960 your parents or your circumstances, but Jesus is 680 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:25,560 there who will love you. Maybe point them back to Jesus. 681 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,520 Today you and I are commissioned, like John the 682 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:33,320 Baptist, to be to take this word which is alive and active 683 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:38,880 outside, not to keep it inside as you read, as you meditate, as 684 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:42,000 you repent, as you heal, as you strengthen. 685 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:45,640 I pray that the world will work in and through you, and I pray 686 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:49,640 that it will take itself out. How is it going to be taken out? 687 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,680 Through whatever form, whatever form God's placed you in. 688 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,800 Is it through tech? Is it through media? 689 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:56,520 Is it through art? Is it through print? 690 00:36:56,720 --> 00:36:59,000 Is it through design? Is it through storytelling? 691 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:01,840 Is it through teaching? Is it through serving the least? 692 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:05,280 Is it through cooking? Is it through doing business? 693 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:11,400 What is it? Because every aspect can be an 694 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:17,640 Ave. for God's Word to be alive and active, alive and active. 695 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:23,440 So today, as we conclude, I want to go back to this chapter in 696 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:27,800 John chapter 17. And Jesus commissions his 697 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:31,440 disciples. You know, and I believe, as I 698 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,760 mentioned earlier, a lot of us love the commissioning that 699 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:38,360 happens in Acts 18 or we read in Matthew chapter 28, or we read 700 00:37:38,720 --> 00:37:42,240 in Mark, and we sometimes think that is the commissioning. 701 00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:44,680 But I feel this is the commissioning that we as people 702 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:47,960 who are established in a church, who are part of a growing 703 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:52,200 community need to have. And in John chapter 17, we see a 704 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,560 prayer that Jesus makes, and I believe this is a good way for 705 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:58,840 us to be commissioned so that we'll be able to know that we 706 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:02,720 are carriers of his word, which is alive and active today. 707 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:06,560 And I ask that even as I read the Scripture passages over you, 708 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,680 and I mean, as we just look through these key themes and as 709 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:14,480 we conclude, I want to have you have the way that Jesus is 710 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,280 talking this over to you. So if you can turn with me and 711 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:21,720 if you see this on the screen or listen, listen like Jesus is 712 00:38:21,720 --> 00:38:25,120 reading this over you. John chapter 17 verses 6 to 10, 713 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:31,640 it says I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of 714 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:33,600 the world. They were yours. 715 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,160 You gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 716 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:40,320 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from 717 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:44,640 you, for I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted 718 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,560 them. They knew with certainty that I 719 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:51,400 came from you and they believed that you sent me. 720 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,880 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, 721 00:38:54,880 --> 00:38:59,040 but for those who have given me, for they are yours. 722 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:05,320 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine, and glory has come 723 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,760 to me through them. The first thing I want us to 724 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:12,640 realize is Jesus is saying that we are all been given. 725 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:17,320 We've all come into this fold because we believe Jesus Christ 726 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:19,920 is Lord, because we acknowledge that he is the Savior. 727 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,800 And so he's telling them I'm come, You've given them to me, 728 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:27,400 and I'm releasing them back to what you're calling them to do 729 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:30,560 in this world. And as we read this passage, the 730 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:33,800 first thing that I wanted to highlight is that we are called 731 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:37,800 to be 1. Anything that we do today is for 732 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:40,800 the bride that is going to become that Jesus coming back 733 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,240 for his bride. And the bride is that one big 734 00:39:43,240 --> 00:39:47,040 body. You and I have called to work 735 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:51,520 towards this one big body. There's no separate kingdoms. 736 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:54,720 There's no separate ministries. There's no separate trusts. 737 00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:57,760 There's no separate societies. There's no separate church. 738 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:03,120 It's one big body. And So what does that look like? 739 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:06,720 We when we read from John 17 verses 11 to 12, This is what 740 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:09,200 Jesus says. I will remain in the world no 741 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:12,440 longer, but they are still in the world and I'm coming to you. 742 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:16,720 Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you 743 00:40:16,720 --> 00:40:19,680 gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 744 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:22,480 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them 745 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:24,320 safe. By that name you gave me. 746 00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:28,720 None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so 747 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:30,560 that scripture would be fulfilled. 748 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:35,760 How beautiful is this that Jesus says that so that they may be 749 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:39,440 one as we are one. So today you and I have this 750 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:46,240 mandate to strive for unity. We are not going to do things to 751 00:40:46,240 --> 00:40:49,520 disengage and cause disunity. No, we are going to do something 752 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,600 that will build the bride. And so everything that is alive 753 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:55,280 and active that God is calling you to step into. 754 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:58,600 As I said, whatever those areas look like that He's ministering 755 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,360 to you as you open the Word every day, as you read it, as 756 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:05,280 you wait on His presence, as you listen to Him, as you obey and 757 00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:09,080 as you allow it to transform you inside out, as He works in 758 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,760 making you whole, you will realize you're all moving 759 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:16,840 towards this one body. Why? 760 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:19,920 Because he tells that we are one. 761 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:22,400 That is the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one. 762 00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:29,080 They have different functions, the Father, the Son, Jesus, the 763 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,360 Holy Spirit, yet they operate together as one. 764 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,760 We believe that today when Jesus comes back, he's coming back for 765 00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:40,880 his bride, which to us looks very faulty. 766 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:43,400 To us in our human nature, we look man. 767 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:47,120 This looks like the most disjoined part, but you know one 768 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:49,600 of the beautiful things is when you gather around and when you 769 00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:53,000 start worshipping and you exalt the one who's truly to be 770 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:57,320 exalted. Jesus is evident. 771 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:01,480 He's glorified over everything. Jesus prayer was that we'll be 772 00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:07,600 similar to how the Trinity is. We put aside anything that can 773 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:12,360 bring differences, and he also gives us a word of caution that 774 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:15,160 he says for those who are working against, they are doomed 775 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,240 to destruction. Any fruit of the enemy that is 776 00:42:18,240 --> 00:42:21,240 taken up by any one of us when we give in room to jealousy, 777 00:42:21,240 --> 00:42:25,760 malice and greed and anything is selfishness and all that. 778 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:31,600 That's between US and God. God deals with it and God knows 779 00:42:31,600 --> 00:42:34,040 how to handle it. If we are underpentant in that 780 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:36,560 way, we live in that same condition. 781 00:42:36,760 --> 00:42:40,800 We start rotting inside out. We in fact start speaking so 782 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:43,680 much death that inside dies so quickly. 783 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:48,520 So today, what I do not understand, I leave it at the 784 00:42:48,520 --> 00:42:51,040 feet of Jesus. Today, whenever it comes 785 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:54,280 especially to in an area like this, what I do not understand, 786 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,480 I say, Lord let you, I do not understand this, but I give it 787 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,520 to you. I do not understand this big 788 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:00,520 issue, Lord, but I give it to you. 789 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:02,880 I'm not here to please people. I give it to you. 790 00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:04,720 I'm not here to take a side. I give it to you. 791 00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:07,960 I leave it at the feet of Jesus. What I'm uncomfortable about, 792 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:12,080 I'm praying for God of justice to intervene today when you are 793 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:14,640 striving towards unity. All these are prayers that we 794 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:19,320 will have to make today. You and I have to be careful 795 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:22,920 that we do not, we do not exhibit or even share the fruit 796 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:27,480 of division, but we share the one the, the but we share the 797 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:32,480 fruit of being one in Jesus. So a couple of questions for us 798 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:35,360 to think and ponder. Am I hindering the body in any 799 00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:38,760 way? Are my views and my thought 800 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:41,400 processes is it building the church or is it breaking the 801 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:44,680 body? What am I working towards the 802 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:47,520 world really? Is it going forth today or is it 803 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:50,520 falling down? And am I the one who's killing 804 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:54,280 the world in my own life? The second thing he says is the 805 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:56,440 first thing. He says we will all be 1. 806 00:43:56,440 --> 00:43:59,040 He wants us to be 1. The second thing he says in that 807 00:43:59,040 --> 00:44:02,280 when he commissions them is be joyful because he says this 808 00:44:02,280 --> 00:44:05,800 journey that you're taking will entail tough times, but you will 809 00:44:05,800 --> 00:44:09,480 have to have joy. John 17 verses 13 to 14. 810 00:44:09,480 --> 00:44:13,240 I'm coming to you now, but I say these things while I'm still in 811 00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:16,400 the world so that they may have the full measure of my joy 812 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:19,560 within them. I have given them your word and 813 00:44:19,560 --> 00:44:22,480 the world has hated them, for they are not of the world 814 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:27,680 anymore than I am of the world. Jesus commissions his disciples 815 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:31,120 and tells them that we will have the full measure of joy. 816 00:44:31,360 --> 00:44:35,560 Talks about a calm delight. It's not this joy that is 817 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:41,320 exuberant. It's this one of knowing who we 818 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:46,080 are and whose we are. The awareness of God's grace and 819 00:44:46,080 --> 00:44:49,720 favor in our lives will automatically bring joy. 820 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:53,760 And so whatever else is hindering around, whatever is 821 00:44:53,760 --> 00:44:57,840 looking like on shaky ground, will just dismantle in front of 822 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:00,120 us. It will be hard because this 823 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:03,200 journey entails us going through hardship. 824 00:45:03,760 --> 00:45:06,640 Jesus went through hearts. When as we read it says that 825 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:09,240 that this world rejected me, which means there will be 826 00:45:09,240 --> 00:45:11,440 rejection. There will be hard things, but 827 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:15,240 maybe find joy in the everyday that God's calling us. 828 00:45:15,240 --> 00:45:19,120 So if I don't open God's word, I won't realize that there is joy 829 00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:22,320 sitting right there and God wants me to take that joy and 830 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:26,880 apply it into my life every day. It has to be alive and active. 831 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:32,560 Lamentations chapter 2, verse 22 to 23 says is it is because of 832 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:36,440 the Lord's loving kindness that we are not consumed, because His 833 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:40,560 tender compassions never fail. They are new every morning. 834 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:43,840 Great and beyond measure is your faithfulness. 835 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:49,880 So today you and I need to go back into the cabinet of joy 836 00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:54,640 every day, which is His word, take joy out, take that purpose 837 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:58,960 out, take that fulfillment that comes from Him, and then go out 838 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:04,040 into the world that is asking us to bring hope and light. 839 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:08,680 The third thing that we see is Jesus tells them that they they 840 00:46:08,840 --> 00:46:11,280 should not cave in, that we will not cave in. 841 00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:14,720 Cave in to our cultural norms, to the pressures of this world. 842 00:46:15,280 --> 00:46:17,360 John 17. Let's continue reading verse 15 843 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:21,320 and 16 says my prayer is not that you take them out of the 844 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:23,960 world, but then you protect them from the evil one. 845 00:46:24,320 --> 00:46:27,520 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 846 00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:30,640 The minute we accept Jesus Christ into the our lives, we 847 00:46:30,640 --> 00:46:35,520 are not of this world because we internally our clockwork, 848 00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:39,720 everything is set to Kingdom mindset, to one of heaven to 1 849 00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:42,600 of what God wants. And So what happens internally, 850 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:47,640 we are reset inside, but we are still in the world and we are 851 00:46:47,640 --> 00:46:50,240 dependent on the Holy Spirit. We are dependent on God. 852 00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:53,680 And so today, many of us are striving to leave a footprint 853 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:55,680 here. Many of us are striving to leave 854 00:46:55,680 --> 00:46:58,720 a legacy here. But our truth is, when I said 855 00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:01,840 earlier, when we are recipients of His salvation, we are also 856 00:47:01,840 --> 00:47:04,120 recipients of the eternal life that comes from Him. 857 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:07,640 And what God is saying is your eternity is secure. 858 00:47:08,240 --> 00:47:10,080 There's nothing much more that you can do. 859 00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:11,520 All you have to do is run your race. 860 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:15,800 Well, all you have to do is with that internal clock, reset to 861 00:47:15,800 --> 00:47:18,160 Kingdom values. Now live that Kingdom values in 862 00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:20,360 the world so that they know that you're mine. 863 00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:22,080 So that they know that you're mine. 864 00:47:22,080 --> 00:47:24,840 A lot of us are striving to leave legacies. 865 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:28,400 A lot of us are striving to leave when we are championing 866 00:47:28,400 --> 00:47:30,840 Jesus, when we are living out His word. 867 00:47:31,400 --> 00:47:35,200 All we are called to be is real. Live out what God's called us to 868 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:38,520 live out. One of the things that the evil 869 00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:41,240 1 the Satan would do is he'd use pride. 870 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:44,080 Pride in any form is destructive. 871 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:49,000 Pride in any form will confuse our inner clockwork. 872 00:47:49,240 --> 00:47:52,120 It will suddenly tell we can do things far bigger. 873 00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:55,120 We can trust our resources. We can trust our planning. 874 00:47:55,280 --> 00:47:57,840 We can trust in our own abilities. 875 00:47:57,840 --> 00:48:00,520 That is what God wants to demolish. 876 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:03,680 He wants us to be wholly dependent on Him so that we'll 877 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:06,560 be able to build things that are wholly dependent on Him. 878 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:11,920 Just imagine when God came down and confused the language of the 879 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:14,360 people who were building the Tower of Babel. 880 00:48:14,520 --> 00:48:17,440 What was it? They were all one and they 881 00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:19,040 thought they can reach the heavens. 882 00:48:19,040 --> 00:48:20,160 They thought that they can be God. 883 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:25,640 And today God is saying I will gather the nations around and 884 00:48:25,640 --> 00:48:28,160 they'll all worship me in their own tongue. 885 00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:35,320 Just imagine God causes every person, every language, tribe, 886 00:48:35,320 --> 00:48:39,680 nation to come to his throne room and say Jesus, you are God, 887 00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:42,520 you are Lord O everything. We get to be part of that in 888 00:48:42,520 --> 00:48:45,680 eternity. Hebrews 6 verses 10 to tell 12 889 00:48:45,720 --> 00:48:49,280 says is God is not unjust, He'll not forget your work and the 890 00:48:49,280 --> 00:48:51,960 love you have shown him as you have helped his people and 891 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:54,520 continue to help him. We want each of you to show the 892 00:48:54,520 --> 00:49:00,000 same diligence to the very end so that you hope for me be fully 893 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:02,080 realized. We do not want you to become 894 00:49:02,080 --> 00:49:05,800 lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience 895 00:49:06,040 --> 00:49:12,040 inherit what has been promised. So we don't chase prominence, we 896 00:49:12,040 --> 00:49:15,080 just do what God does. And in due time, when God 897 00:49:15,080 --> 00:49:19,520 exalts, he exalts. Even if God doesn't exalt, I am 898 00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:22,520 loved, I am cherished, I belong to God. 899 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:27,960 We're not looking for the best seat, rather we're just looking 900 00:49:27,960 --> 00:49:29,680 that we can partake of the banquet. 901 00:49:30,360 --> 00:49:35,760 I would be all the more glad to be honored when God honors us. 902 00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:40,720 The fourth thing, the last thing which I want, we will be set 903 00:49:40,720 --> 00:49:44,240 apart in His truth, and I believe this is very important. 904 00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:48,120 John 17 verses 1719. They sanctify them in the truth. 905 00:49:48,480 --> 00:49:50,360 Set them apart for Your purposes. 906 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:52,240 Make them holy. Your Word is truth. 907 00:49:52,720 --> 00:49:55,920 Just as You commissioned and sent me into this world, I have 908 00:49:56,000 --> 00:49:59,240 also commissioned and sent them believers into this world for 909 00:49:59,240 --> 00:50:03,520 their sake. I sanctify myself to do Your 910 00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:07,000 will so that they also may be sanctified, set apart, 911 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:13,800 dedicated, made holy in Your truth, in God's truth, not in my 912 00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:15,720 truth. And so today, whatever culture 913 00:50:15,720 --> 00:50:18,880 is telling, we'll be set apart in God's truth. 914 00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:23,480 Jesus tells us that He's the truth, His life giving word. 915 00:50:24,720 --> 00:50:29,520 And I pray that holiness will be something that we desire. 916 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:32,560 You know, last week we were listening to the sermon and the 917 00:50:32,560 --> 00:50:35,200 pastor talked about this. Holiness is not to please God. 918 00:50:35,640 --> 00:50:40,080 He's already pleased with us. His Holiness is so that your 919 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:44,760 lack of character doesn't damage the potency of your testimony. 920 00:50:45,880 --> 00:50:51,200 So I pray today that as we look to God, His Word, which is alive 921 00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:53,480 and active, will be a fuelling agent. 922 00:50:53,920 --> 00:50:57,920 It'll constantly fuel us to the mission that God has exclusively 923 00:50:57,920 --> 00:51:01,600 called you and me to do. It'll it'll give us the power 924 00:51:01,600 --> 00:51:04,600 that we need when we say it's alive and active. 925 00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:08,440 That is power. You and I are so comfortable 926 00:51:08,440 --> 00:51:12,360 coming within these four walls, worshipping, being around people 927 00:51:12,360 --> 00:51:15,600 who know Jesus. But he's saying I will give you 928 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:19,760 power to go out to those who don't know because that is where 929 00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:22,680 I will be evident. That's where His light will be 930 00:51:22,680 --> 00:51:25,520 seen. That's where we will be able to 931 00:51:25,520 --> 00:51:31,120 see God do His work. His Word is the one which will 932 00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:34,480 give us validation. His Word will set us apart 933 00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:39,120 always to see the big picture. It'll set us apart to see the 934 00:51:39,120 --> 00:51:44,200 big picture. You and I are called today to 935 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:48,040 take that which is alive and active into the world. 936 00:51:48,960 --> 00:51:50,480 And that's the message I wanted to give you. 937 00:51:51,040 --> 00:51:52,440 You and I have called to do that. 938 00:51:52,680 --> 00:51:55,360 However, that looks like how this looks again. 939 00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:57,720 So today I want to ask you, what is God placing in your hands? 940 00:51:57,960 --> 00:51:59,480 What is God placed in your hands? 941 00:51:59,520 --> 00:52:02,680 When we ask God, I give you permission to sanctify it. 942 00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:06,320 If Jesus who walked on this earth told the Father, sanctify 943 00:52:06,320 --> 00:52:08,240 me. We are here to say, Lord, 944 00:52:08,240 --> 00:52:11,200 sanctify us. We are set apart and we are 945 00:52:11,200 --> 00:52:13,520 commissioned. I pray that, Lord, the world 946 00:52:13,520 --> 00:52:16,280 will take shape. Lord Jesus, in our lives, I pray 947 00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:18,240 that Lord, art forms will take shape. 948 00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:21,040 I pray, Lord, every kind of medium will take shape. 949 00:52:21,320 --> 00:52:24,120 Tech will take shape, Lord, design will take shape. 950 00:52:24,760 --> 00:52:27,760 I pray that Lord, you will enable us to see things far 951 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:29,960 bigger than what you've called us to see. 952 00:52:30,480 --> 00:52:32,880 You and I are asking what it looks like. 953 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:40,120 I pray that we'll be commissioned that as we do this, 954 00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:43,040 even though we won't know what will happen next, we will still 955 00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:45,080 do it because that's where faith is exhibited. 956 00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:48,560 Our vision will always be bigger than the resources that we have 957 00:52:48,560 --> 00:52:50,840 because the vision is given by God. 958 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,360 It's rooted in God's Word. We will always trust with the 959 00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:58,400 provision that He will provide because He will move His people 960 00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:01,000 to give for the work to continue on. 961 00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:06,040 And I pray He will continue to cause the Spirit to keep 962 00:53:06,040 --> 00:53:10,440 birthing in us the power that we need to take it into this 963 00:53:10,440 --> 00:53:12,920 hurting world, into this hurting world. 964 00:53:13,320 --> 00:53:19,200 Wherever God has placed you and me, we will be one. 965 00:53:19,840 --> 00:53:23,880 We will be joyful. We will not cave in to what the 966 00:53:23,880 --> 00:53:26,480 world has. We will be set apart, 967 00:53:26,760 --> 00:53:31,720 consecrated, holy for Him in power so that we'll be able to 968 00:53:31,720 --> 00:53:33,440 do all that God's called us to do. 969 00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:37,800 And I want to ask you today, Are you ready to bear witness? 970 00:53:38,560 --> 00:53:44,480 Are you ready to bear witness as the recipients and as a donor? 971 00:53:47,640 --> 00:53:50,400 So Church, I don't know what what what God's been talking to 972 00:53:50,400 --> 00:53:54,320 you, but I believe God's been talking to us specifically of 973 00:53:54,640 --> 00:53:57,880 moving in power in the areas that he's called us. 974 00:53:58,120 --> 00:54:01,760 And we're excited about it because when he calls us to move 975 00:54:01,760 --> 00:54:04,400 in power, we believe he's glorified. 976 00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:07,080 He's honored. So can I just pray with you, our 977 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:08,680 loving heavenly Father? Lord, we thank you, Lord, for 978 00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:10,560 this time. Thank you, Lord, for all that 979 00:54:10,560 --> 00:54:11,840 you've been doing in and through our lives. 980 00:54:11,840 --> 00:54:14,320 Lord Jesus, thank you, Lord for your glory. 981 00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:16,080 Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for your power. 982 00:54:16,080 --> 00:54:17,280 Thank you Lord, for your strength. 983 00:54:17,600 --> 00:54:19,480 Thank you, Lord, for all that you've been doing. 984 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:20,920 Lord Jesus. Lord, we thank you. 985 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:23,560 Lord, we thank you, Lord, for your word, which is alive and 986 00:54:23,560 --> 00:54:26,040 active. Lord Jesus, I believe, Lord, as 987 00:54:26,040 --> 00:54:28,400 it works in others, is also working in us. 988 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:30,520 We thank you for it's a double edged sword. 989 00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:32,760 Lord Jesus. Every time we use it, we 990 00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:36,800 believe, Lord Jesus, that Lord, the enemy is shaken, the enemy 991 00:54:36,800 --> 00:54:39,240 is put to shame. Lord Jesus, we thank you and I 992 00:54:39,240 --> 00:54:41,840 just pray right now for each and everyone who's watching this or 993 00:54:41,840 --> 00:54:43,960 listening to this. I pray that Lord, whatever 994 00:54:43,960 --> 00:54:46,280 you're birthing in them, I pray, Lord, if they've not been able 995 00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:50,400 to have a commune, a time to have communion with you in your 996 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:52,760 word, I pray they'll have that time right now where they'll be 997 00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:55,080 able to open your word. It'll come alive to them. 998 00:54:55,080 --> 00:54:56,840 It'll speak to them, it'll minister to them. 999 00:54:56,840 --> 00:54:59,760 It'll set them in a place, Lord Jesus, where they'll be able to 1000 00:54:59,760 --> 00:55:02,560 say this is what God does. I pray they'll be able to 1001 00:55:02,560 --> 00:55:06,040 glorify you in everything. Lord Jesus, strengthen them, be 1002 00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:07,320 with them. I pray even right now, Lord 1003 00:55:07,320 --> 00:55:10,240 Jesus, for those who already have started the journey and 1004 00:55:10,240 --> 00:55:11,920 given up. I pray they'll have extra 1005 00:55:11,920 --> 00:55:15,160 portion of grace and strength to restart it with a renewed 1006 00:55:15,160 --> 00:55:18,200 strength and a dependency on you and not on our strength. 1007 00:55:18,200 --> 00:55:21,600 Lord Jesus, I pray for those who have been constantly going 1008 00:55:21,600 --> 00:55:24,600 through this but yet lack the faith and the courage to be the 1009 00:55:24,600 --> 00:55:26,880 light. I pray that your power will be 1010 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:29,760 infused in them, that they'll be able to go into the spaces that 1011 00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:32,720 you're calling them so they'll be able to be the light today. 1012 00:55:32,720 --> 00:55:35,560 Lord Jesus, we thank you. I pray, Lord, for those. 1013 00:55:35,560 --> 00:55:38,760 Lord Jesus, you're calling us to step into areas and start 1014 00:55:38,760 --> 00:55:41,040 something. Lord, of taking your word, Lord 1015 00:55:41,040 --> 00:55:42,760 Jesus, so that it reaches to many. 1016 00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:48,120 I pray that Lord, we will put that clearly down to see it come 1017 00:55:48,120 --> 00:55:50,360 alive. Lord Jesus, we thank you that 1018 00:55:50,360 --> 00:55:52,680 Lord, we won't take the glory. Lord, we'll give the glory to 1019 00:55:52,680 --> 00:55:56,240 you, but we'll be sold out to the fact that this is what 1020 00:55:56,240 --> 00:55:59,480 you're calling us to do Be glorified, be honored. 1021 00:55:59,480 --> 00:56:02,120 Lord Jesus, take charge. I thank you for all that you're 1022 00:56:02,120 --> 00:56:07,000 doing, Lord, being small, significant and significant. 1023 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:10,040 I pray we won't be running for prominence, Lord, but we'll 1024 00:56:10,040 --> 00:56:13,360 always learn to abide under the shadow of your being slot. 1025 00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:16,360 Go before us, be with us. I pray especially for those who 1026 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:19,080 are heading out this week. I pray the God of breakthrough 1027 00:56:19,080 --> 00:56:21,560 would go before them. Strength, Lord, will come, Lord, 1028 00:56:21,560 --> 00:56:24,600 as they wait, they'll find strength, healing, restoration 1029 00:56:24,880 --> 00:56:29,080 in you, Lord Jesus, be glorified, be honored, take 1030 00:56:29,080 --> 00:56:31,680 charge, Lord. Lord, I want to give all glory 1031 00:56:31,680 --> 00:56:33,800 and honor to your name, Lord, even as you receive this word, 1032 00:56:33,800 --> 00:56:37,760 as we complete the series, I pray a word will be alive and 1033 00:56:37,760 --> 00:56:40,880 active in and through us. In your most holy name we pray, 1034 00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:44,880 Amen, Amen, Amen. May the love of the Father, the 1035 00:56:44,880 --> 00:56:47,800 grace of his only Son, Jesus Christ, and the sweet fellowship 1036 00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:50,400 of the Holy Spirit rest and abide this now and forever. 1037 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:53,240 And all God's people said, Amen, Amen. 1038 00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:56,600 Pray that even as you step out this week that God will be with 1039 00:56:56,600 --> 00:56:59,880 you guys, that He'll He'll be able to His word will come 1040 00:56:59,880 --> 00:57:02,840 alive. That you won't for a second even 1041 00:57:02,840 --> 00:57:04,720 have a doubt of what His word says. 1042 00:57:05,040 --> 00:57:07,560 That you'll be able to see Him for all His glory. 1043 00:57:08,280 --> 00:57:12,960 Be real with Him because when the minute you open His word, I 1044 00:57:12,960 --> 00:57:16,600 believe He wants to reveal Himself to each and everyone of 1045 00:57:16,600 --> 00:57:19,120 us in a unique way. I pray that you will have a 1046 00:57:19,120 --> 00:57:21,480 blessed week, that He will strengthen your knees. 1047 00:57:21,840 --> 00:57:25,320 You'll be able to lift up your hands and glorify Him every day. 1048 00:57:26,080 --> 00:57:30,280 Take charge of the day so that He'll be able to guide you into 1049 00:57:30,280 --> 00:57:34,080 all that He's called you to do. Speak life in every situation. 1050 00:57:34,760 --> 00:57:37,640 I pray that you'll have the words that are written down in 1051 00:57:37,640 --> 00:57:40,680 His word in your mouth so that you will speak it out into every 1052 00:57:40,680 --> 00:57:43,680 situation. Have a blessed week and remember 1053 00:57:43,680 --> 00:57:46,000 that whoever finds Jesus finds life. 1054 00:57:46,080 --> 00:57:49,680 God bless you all. Thanks for listening to this 1055 00:57:49,680 --> 00:57:52,800 message. We hope you were blessed to hear 1056 00:57:52,800 --> 00:57:56,520 more messages like this. Make sure to subscribe and check 1057 00:57:56,520 --> 00:57:59,200 out our podcast channel for past episodes. 1058 00:57:59,760 --> 00:58:02,960 If you like what you are hearing, consider rating us, 1059 00:58:03,120 --> 00:58:06,120 subscribing and even sharing it with friends. 1060 00:58:06,480 --> 00:58:10,840 That would really help us. For more content from Via Zion 1061 00:58:11,160 --> 00:58:15,320 and to connect with us, go to Via Zion dot in. 1062 00:58:15,880 --> 00:58:19,480 Remember, whoever finds Jesus finds life.