1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,920 The title of this message today is Shine bright. 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:09,080 Somebody says shine, right? I mean just picture trying to 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,640 find this house in the dark St. and driving down the street and 4 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:16,880 all the houses is dark. How you find this street and 5 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,600 this particular house, It's light is on the porch. 6 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,200 So the porch light is on and the number is glowing. 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,400 Oh yes, there it is. And we pull up. 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,720 That's what the star did for the wise man. 9 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:38,800 The star gave them direction, clear direction for their 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,440 destination. That's what the star did for the 11 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:46,400 wise man. God used a star to guard the 12 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:52,720 wise man, his magi to Jesus. And so today God uses star. 13 00:00:52,920 --> 00:01:00,320 He uses people as stars, men and women of God shining with the 14 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:05,880 light of Jesus. OK, become tribal guides leading 15 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,640 others to the Savior. Oh, somebody's going to get 16 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:10,320 this. Somebody's going to get this 17 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:11,840 drive. Hallelujah. 18 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:17,560 Praise God because he wants your life to be a shining beacon, a 19 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:22,000 light in your community, in your street, just like that house 20 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,480 with the lights on. He wants your life with the 21 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,960 light on so that the lost people can see, or there's hope, or 22 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:31,320 there is peace, or there is torment. 23 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,840 Pointing them to Jesus. Oh, there is Jesus. 24 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:37,080 Hallelujah. Somebody, are you with me? 25 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,280 Why is this going too far? Are you with me? 26 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,880 Because I want you to see how one star changed the direction 27 00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:47,600 of their lives. It changed the direction of 28 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:53,000 these wise men. One star, one person shining 29 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:59,320 with Jesus can change someone's direction for eternity or 30 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,360 somebody give God some praise for that one person shining for 31 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,880 Jesus that is powerful. And so a star. 32 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,639 Listen, this Christmas season, it's your time to shine. 33 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:17,000 It's your time to be a Christmas star, A star that leads people 34 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,520 to the Savior, A star that leads people to Jesus. 35 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:27,080 Now say that would be God. Make me a star that leads people 36 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,160 to Jesus. Go and say to get God. 37 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,520 Make me a star that leads people. 38 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,200 Keep going. Some place in this blood is 39 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,480 somebody very excited. Now let's go to the word. 40 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:44,920 I'm going to read this to you Matthew chapter 2 and so Jesus 41 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:48,680 was born in Bedford Geo during the time of King Herod Magi, 42 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,360 which is the wise man from the East county Jerusalem is where 43 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,560 is the one who has been born king of the Jews. 44 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:58,000 We saw his star, everybody say star when it rose and has to 45 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,200 come to worshipping. Now I want you to see this 46 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,720 because this is very powerful. After they had heard the King, 47 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,600 they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose, 48 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:13,480 when the head of them, and so it stopped over the place where the 49 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:14,960 child was. This is where Jesus. 50 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,720 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 51 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,760 On the coming to the house they saw the child with his mother 52 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,520 Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. 53 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,160 Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts, 54 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,920 gold, Frankenstein's. And having been worn in a dream 55 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,120 not to go back to here, they returned to their country by 56 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,560 another roots. Hallelujah. 57 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,560 Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your 58 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,040 word. Lord, we open our hearts wide. 59 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,120 Speak, Lord. Lord, we pray that you will give 60 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,200 direction through your words and guidance. 61 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:56,560 Lord, let your lights shine in our past and give clear 62 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,480 direction to everyone here and those listening. 63 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,200 And Lord, we thank you in advance what you're about to do. 64 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,840 And Lord, we thank you that no one will leave the same way we 65 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,040 can, but we will go out here in a different way. 66 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,080 Refresh, revive, strengthen, anointed in Jesus mighty name. 67 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,279 Somebody shout a man handed here. 68 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:21,120 Now we live in the world where there's information everywhere. 69 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,000 We've information more than ever, Social media, online, 70 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,960 podcast opinions, so much information, but less direction. 71 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,680 There's a lot of we scrolling. We keep on scrolling. 72 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,120 We've got navigation systems online, everything, so much 73 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:42,600 information, but less direction. And so this year maybe you have 74 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,760 wrestled with some questions about your career. 75 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,600 God, about my job. This is now the end of the year. 76 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:54,560 What about my job about do I stay in this job until next year 77 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:59,720 or is it time for me to move? Job, Lord, what about moving to 78 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:01,800 a different region? I've been living in this real 79 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:03,680 Lord. What about moving to a different 80 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,640 city? What about moving to a different 81 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,320 country? Lord is what do you have for us? 82 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,400 What about the school? What school should we put our 83 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,960 kids in? And so, God, what is it that you 84 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,320 actually have for me to do? What is my job, my assignment 85 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,600 and purpose and the calling that you have for my life? 86 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:26,440 And in our culture, we are surrounded by a lot of 87 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,520 distractions, a lot of noise, a lot of things that's pulling for 88 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,040 our attention, things going on. But a lot of hearts are saying, 89 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:40,600 Lord, I need direction in a world. 90 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,600 A lot is going on. I need direction. 91 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,960 I don't want to mess your world where you want me to be in this 92 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:50,760 time. And I'm here today to to 93 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,600 minister a word that the Lord has given me to bring direction 94 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,000 to his people. And I really believe if you 95 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,320 apply this word and not just be a hero, but actually do apply 96 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,520 this word, there will be direction in your life. 97 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,800 You'll walk out today with a fresh revelation and you'll walk 98 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,800 out of this place because this is what the Lord showed me. 99 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,200 You will walk out of this place. You'll have the best Christmas 100 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,240 ever that you've had with direction. 101 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,800 Come on, somebody with direction. 102 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,040 It's the word of God that changes us and gives us 103 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:22,800 direction and guide us. Hallelujah. 104 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,400 So here's the good news. God is not confused. 105 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,840 God is not walking up and down, left, right and center, pacing 106 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:34,480 up and down heaven and saying, well, I don't really know what 107 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,360 to do with you. No, God is a shepherd, and a 108 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,400 Good Shepherd knows how to lead his sheep. 109 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,840 He knows how to lead the flock. Jesus is the head of the church. 110 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:47,280 He knows how to lead his people. He's a faithful, loving father. 111 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:53,400 And so God knows exactly how to guide his people in a very 112 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,160 confusing world, in a very, very dark worlds. 113 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:01,120 And so the wise men, they didn't understand every detail of their 114 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:05,120 journey, but they made a very, very powerful decision. 115 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:06,960 I want you to see this principle in the word of God. 116 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:11,440 We will follow the star. Somebody say follow the star. 117 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:13,800 So I just love that song of David. 118 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,520 That's one of us. That's amazing. 119 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,040 Follow the light. It's very powerful. 120 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,720 It's one of the soundtracks on the David movie that's coming 121 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,160 out. Follow the light and I was just 122 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:26,400 listening to this whole weekend. It's just like God, like follow 123 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,160 the line. It's like constantly over God. 124 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,200 Just keep on speaking to me in a very Dark World. 125 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,440 What's going on around us? We don't have to. 126 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,080 We just turn on the news and see what's going on. 127 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,360 But Goddess and follow the lines keep on follow because this is 128 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:40,000 what these wise men, they don't understand. 129 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:44,760 And so you don't have to know all the details of God's journey 130 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,040 of where we're going or how and what all that you just need to 131 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,600 do is follow the lines in a dog will just follow the light and 132 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,240 you'll come to the destination. We got us follow the light. 133 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,840 Okay, follow the lights, the Holy Spirit that that Scripture 134 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,400 that what got that direction that God is giving follow the 135 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:04,400 lights. Come on, somebody say follow the 136 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,440 lights. Yeah, because God knows how to 137 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,760 get you to the right destination, to the right place 138 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,360 for your life. Hallelujah. 139 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,760 And so just a few simple observations here from Matthew 140 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,200 chapter 2, which is so powerful when it comes to direction for 141 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,520 our lives. The very first thing that Bible 142 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:27,040 says is that I saw his star and there was something different 143 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:30,040 about the star. There was something, and that 144 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,679 star was ahead of it. So that means it LED. 145 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,320 So that's the leading of the Holy Spirit, the leading of 146 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,679 God's presence. He's he's light. 147 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:43,440 OK. And then it says #3 that it 148 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,320 stopped exactly where Jesus was. God's light will always point to 149 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:51,840 Jesus, 'cause like God's stars, God's word, God's direction will 150 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,920 always point to Jesus, always directing to Jesus. 151 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,160 That's where Jesus was. And they were overjoyed. 152 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,880 The Bible says they bowed down, they worshipped, OK, They said 153 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:04,000 they gave, OK, generosity, which we have an accountable God 154 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,080 generosity, OK. And by the way, gold Franken 155 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,760 season, OK, it wasn't just a little Christmas card. 156 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,160 Sorry to blow the the religious little things. 157 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,840 OK We are talking about wealth. OK We are talking about wealth 158 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,680 so much so that that was a wealth gift that was fit for a 159 00:09:19,680 --> 00:09:21,520 king. We are not talking about towns. 160 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,640 I will never give God leftovers. I'll always give God my very 161 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,880 best. I started tithing when I got 162 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,800 born again when I was 19. I've never stopped since and 163 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:34,320 I've given my first 10,000 when I was 2110 thousand over and 164 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,000 over. I've given my everything I've 165 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,480 over and over and over and about my time. 166 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:43,840 So for me so and I said to God, Lord, I am the most generous 167 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,160 person in this church. I'm the leader and I want to 168 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,000 lead well and I want to set an example of being the most 169 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:56,200 generous giver in this just I've given a lot even recently that 170 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,720 God, we've given everything I said to someone. 171 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,840 I don't even have money on my bank account, but thank God, 172 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,760 God's always provided for us by chicken microwave for us always. 173 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:05,840 I didn't have a problem to give everything away. 174 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,480 I've done it many times. God knows what my wife, I give 175 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,840 it 10 grand. Yeah, I wrote that 10,000 for 176 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,760 the church because that's where God is in this church. 177 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,400 So for me it's not a problem to give like these magi, these wise 178 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,800 men, they did not give a little Christmas little bow to gift. 179 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:29,080 They gave everything load of Jesus, so much so that he went 180 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:34,280 to Egypt and that funded his entire journey and years of 181 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,840 living in Egypt and loaded. They've done studies. 182 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,480 They are talking millions. Listen church, we are not more. 183 00:10:41,680 --> 00:10:48,520 These guys were loaded. I love to give, I love to show 184 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:52,560 and you get somebody, OK, they've got 100,000 in the bank 185 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:55,800 and they give 1000. So that means now I've got, 186 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:01,400 let's say I've got paid like 10,000 in banks and I give 500. 187 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,480 Who's given more, the one that's given 1000 or me 500? 188 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,200 Now in the National, looks like this person that's given 1000 is 189 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,720 given more money. But really out of this 100,000 190 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,560 is given 1000. That means only given 1% when I 191 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:17,040 have like 1000 or 10,000. So I give 500. 192 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,840 That means I've given 50%. So that's why Jesus said the 193 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,440 weather gains more than all the others, but it's so little. 194 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,040 She only gave her a little. No, she gave more than all the 195 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:29,760 others because the others gave out of their wealth. 196 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:30,720 So you've got a millennial power. 197 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,320 You give just 1000. Oh wow, I'm a big church give, 198 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:34,120 but I give. No. 199 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,920 In fact, you're giving lesser the part I'm actually given 200 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,080 more. So when I enter my bank account 201 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,240 and I give everything, I've given God 100%. 202 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,160 When people come and they both post the well, I'll give you 203 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,280 1000, I'll give you this, OK, well, you've got malins in the 204 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:49,440 back. Actually, that's nothing. 205 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,640 It's very little. But if you've got me for God, he 206 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,640 said, God, you've got everything, frankincense, myrrh, 207 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:56,800 everything. I give you everything. 208 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,240 That's the highest giver. That's the highest giver. 209 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,880 And I said to God, as the pastor of this church, I want to be the 210 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,960 most generous, the highest giver in this church. 211 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,760 And that's how it started. It started this church started 212 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:13,600 by two South African people sowing into this church. 213 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:15,360 Great is their reward. 1 is in heaven. 214 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,320 They started this church with funding this church from South 215 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:27,680 Africa, not the UK. Since then we have seen people 216 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:31,120 gave us a car, a house. And you know what's amazing? 217 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,320 The person that gave us a car is not even in this church. 218 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,640 They're not even you see if if we are not giving, God will 219 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,840 raise up somebody else at another church to give to the 220 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,840 man and all because God says so and feed your man and woman of 221 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:47,920 God give. So will you get fed like when 222 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,280 you get your spiritual food. That's where I when I go to 223 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:51,920 McDonald's and I eat I don't need for free. 224 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,320 I when I go to the gym, there's a gym membership. 225 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,480 So I I make sure we pay the gym membership. 226 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,240 I make sure I tithe and I cover everything in God's house so 227 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,040 that there's food in God's house. 228 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,840 Now the star wasn't decorated in the sky. 229 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,000 The star was full direction divine guidance. 230 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,880 Now out of all the stars, God hadn't kicked that stuff. 231 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,080 It wasn't just random. That's also something about God 232 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:24,680 is very intention. Yeah, God chose and he arranges 233 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:29,360 guardians. He arranges direction in your 234 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,000 life. OK. 235 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,520 So he's very, very intentional. And these wise men, they 236 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:39,920 followed the star. And so heaven was saying, follow 237 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,120 the star and you will find the king. 238 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,520 That's what Evan was saying. Just follow the star. 239 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:52,160 Come on the the stars from him I'm leading you to the Savior of 240 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,040 the world. So you just follow the lights 241 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,360 and you will find the king, the Savior of the world. 242 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,440 And so if God did it for them, God will do it for you. 243 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,680 If God, with all that trouble to arrange that star to give 244 00:14:04,680 --> 00:14:09,720 guidance and direction, God cares about guiding and 245 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:12,160 directing your life. And then. 246 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:15,920 And so God knows how to light up the next step in your journey. 247 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:18,320 Yeah. Next steps. 248 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,360 Lord, where are we now? We end of the year, We thank God 249 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:25,080 we are ending on a high. Yeah, we're ending on a high. 250 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:29,160 What's next steps for next year? Because we're going to hit that 251 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,160 ground running now. We're going to go higher. 252 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:32,880 We're going to go from glory to glory. 253 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:35,000 So just get ready for the best Christmas we've had. 254 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,400 Hey, come on. He was ready for a breakfast. 255 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,080 Now we're going to have a great Christmas. 256 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,400 It's going to be a Power Pack Christmas. 257 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:50,440 Now something made that star stand out because you know, it 258 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:55,000 had a different shine to it. And so these wise men then look 259 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,560 in the wow, something about that star. 260 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,280 There's something about we, it stands out. 261 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:07,520 We're going to follow that star, and that is how God's stars work 262 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:12,080 today. God puts a different shine on 263 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,800 His people. He puts His blessing on His 264 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,360 people, His presence, His shining light, His peace on His 265 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,280 people, His favor on His people. It's a different shine of favor 266 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,280 that He put, not to puff us out, not to make us proud, but to 267 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,640 give us purpose so that when others look just like Moses said 268 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:32,160 it, God, how would they know the difference? 269 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,440 If your presence doesn't go with us, how would people know the 270 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,920 difference between us? God says, I'll put my presence 271 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:39,760 on you. So when people look, they're 272 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:44,520 like wow about their life and they look at you and they're 273 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,960 like wow, peace, joy, happiness in a Dark World. 274 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,840 It's shining in a Dark World. I mean, somebody. 275 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,880 Now just remember that this star, because we are talking 276 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,960 about this star, this star did not save the wise men. 277 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:07,280 Jesus did. OK, so but there's Jesus, but 278 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,000 they would never have found Jesus without the star. 279 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,280 Someone, somebody, you're getting this today. 280 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:20,480 So that's how God wants our lives to, for us to shine so 281 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:24,760 that other people, that we can lead others to the Savior. 282 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:30,240 So we are not the Savior. Jesus is the Savior, but we can 283 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:34,160 point people to the Savior. We can point them to the Lord 284 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,680 Jesus. One conversation, one invite 285 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,960 flier at the Peel Center, reaching out to somebody, talk 286 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,680 to somebody, send them an invite. 287 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,400 You know, one act of kindness, one smile, one small prayer. 288 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:53,480 Could be a star that turns somebody's heart towards Jesus. 289 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,600 Yes, Hallelujah. And so you may think, well, you 290 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,960 know, it's just some small little flyer or some little 291 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,920 small conversation. It may seem small, but heaven 292 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:09,599 sees that as a star, as a light shining in their darkness. 293 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,599 You know that one friend on Facebook, keep on posting. 294 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:19,800 The churchlit keep on posting the church services and that 295 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,599 friend on Facebook, keep on posting. 296 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,359 Come to church, It's great to come to church. 297 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,040 The friend on on a, on a WhatsApp group. 298 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,640 Keep on posting the church link on the podcast, spreading it. 299 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,400 Come to church. Church is great. 300 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,400 And so they're like, oh, well, OK, it's a bit annoying. 301 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,080 You know, what's the big deal about church? 302 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,760 Why church? But then all of a sudden they go 303 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:47,200 through something and then the church friend puts again said 304 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,440 text, come to church. I have a seat for you. 305 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,080 And then that person. Oh, OK. 306 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:55,120 Well, maybe this week. Yeah, I'll. 307 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,680 I'll go to church this one day. And God meets them. 308 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:00,800 Come on, somebody. Hallelujah. 309 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,400 Yeah. Glory to God. 310 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,720 And so, you know, do you laugh? And we call them the over king 311 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,760 friend. You know, the over King church 312 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,280 friend. OK. 313 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:19,680 But here we call superstars that might be the other keen church 314 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,360 friend keep on nagging about come to church and inviting. 315 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:26,640 But heaven calls her stars. Yeah, a star that using their 316 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:30,640 little light to pull you into a life changing encounter with 317 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:31,840 Jesus. Yeah. 318 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,360 Now Daniel 12 is amazing. This field says those who are 319 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:37,200 wise. OK, we are talking about some 320 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:38,200 wise people. Yeah, right. 321 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:42,120 So wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and 322 00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:45,760 those who will lead many to righteousness like that. 323 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:52,320 OK, somebody says forever. OK, so who is wise? 324 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,400 OK, somebody with a lot of degrees and and clever and all 325 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,000 that That's all good at the problem with that. 326 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,720 But who's really wise? Who is the stars in today's 327 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:01,280 life? We are the stars. 328 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,400 OK, stars, OK, we're we're not talking about Hollywood stars. 329 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,880 We're talking about Christmas stars stars who is stars stars 330 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,240 is oh, this is amazing. Just grab hold of this, OK? 331 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,720 Because many people, you know, they, it's so simple. 332 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,680 It's helping people to find Jesus in your star. 333 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,840 Any people want to be a Hollywood star one day. 334 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,600 Listen, we are wise when you link people to Jesus, when you 335 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,840 help people find you're a star. We are talking about heaven 336 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,240 stars, OK, the star of Beckham, the first Christmas star. 337 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:36,440 It wasn't just for a nativity scene on a Christmas tree, but 338 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,120 God is giving us a symbolic picture of what God wants to do 339 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:44,640 with people. And so he stole, uses his 340 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:49,200 people. God still lights up stars and 341 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:53,600 puts his presence on his people, ordinary men and women, boys and 342 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,800 girls, everyday life. He puts his presence on us to 343 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:02,960 carry His peace, His joy, His light in a Dark World. 344 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,720 And we shout forth kindness, and we shout forth his light. 345 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,840 And so the wise men followed a *. 346 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:17,000 And I found a savior. They'd follow the star. 347 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,160 They found the savior. People are meant to follow your 348 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,680 light. Yeah. 349 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,720 And find the same savior. Come on, our lives. 350 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,880 You are the light of the world. Yes. 351 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,400 People are made to follow your star and find the same savior. 352 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:38,480 Hallelujah. Let's say it again. 353 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:44,320 God make me a * that leads people to Jesus. 354 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:49,960 Yes, this Christmas, God's not just asking you to look at the 355 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:51,840 Christmas tree, to start on the Christmas tree. 356 00:20:52,120 --> 00:20:57,280 God is inviting you to be a Christmas star, to shine in your 357 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,960 world, your community, your street and family, your 358 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:02,400 workplace, your school. Shine bright. 359 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,440 Be a Christmas star. OK. 360 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:07,360 We're not a Hollywood star. A Christmas star. 361 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:09,960 So you didn't just end up in church today. 362 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,240 Maybe you thought, well, you know, somebody invited me. 363 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,000 I saw something online. I've got a fire appeal sensor. 364 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,320 Mom dragged me to church. Or, you know, a friend from work 365 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,040 invited me. You. 366 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,640 Maybe you just. But really, Heaven was directing 367 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,960 your steps. Heaven was orchestrating us to 368 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,200 be here today through a star person. 369 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,440 Listen, we can all think of at least one star person that 370 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:36,000 brought us closer to Jesus. Yeah, for me, it started with my 371 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,400 parents. My parents brought me when I was 372 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,640 young to church. Now I love this about my mom 373 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,040 because my mom never, never take no for nonce. 374 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:49,640 I brought it funny. See you later. 375 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,440 I'm sleeping on a Sunday morning. 376 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,600 Mom, I'm tired. I'm not going to church. 377 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,400 My mom would never take no for answer. 378 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:57,440 I would argue. OK. 379 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,560 I'm just real honest here today. I'm just honest. 380 00:22:02,360 --> 00:22:03,800 I just argued with her. I complain. 381 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,840 I'm like, mom, I just don't feel like going to church. 382 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:10,680 But my mom kept at it. I put it on his Sonny, you know, 383 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,840 she was just on the phone. My mom, she's like, and I thank 384 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:17,960 God she did. She kept on bringing me, driving 385 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:20,640 me to church. Now that I look like I'm so 386 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,000 thankful for my mom. She was one of the first stars 387 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:27,440 in my life that God used in my life. 388 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,600 And so later when I finished school in Pretoria, I lived 389 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,720 there in Sunnyside. I liked the next Sunnyside or 390 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,440 sunny, but at that time my life wasn't that sunny in my life was 391 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,000 very dark. I was in clubs, partying, drugs, 392 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:43,040 my before Christ's days, very confused, very lost in the 393 00:22:43,040 --> 00:22:45,800 world, no purpose. I was just living there for the 394 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:46,680 world. Better. 395 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,000 Now, what is the direction for my life? 396 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,280 Very, very confused. And then one day this guy from 397 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:59,360 school, we have his house and he puts on gospel music, Michael W. 398 00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:01,040 Smith, and he's on his knees worshipping God. 399 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:05,600 I've never ever in my life heard somebody worship and prayed with 400 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:08,520 that kind of a passion my age because we were bad. 401 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,640 He was one year older than me. And so he was. 402 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:17,040 And so that in that very moment, he became a shining star to me. 403 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,680 And he invited me to a church in Hadfield in Pretoria, the first 404 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,320 spiritual church that I've ever attended, where they clap hands, 405 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,760 praise God, and we are their spirit for for the first time. 406 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,560 I was only 19. And there I am getting fault 407 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,040 with the Holy Ghost. Come on, somebody. 408 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,640 Hallelujah. I'm so thankful. 409 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,000 And after that, after that, many students became stars to me 410 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,280 because I did not have transport to get to church. 411 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,240 I'm like where we're going to get A and so they would travel 412 00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:47,520 all the way from the other side of town, come and pick me up at 413 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:52,640 Sunnyside to take me to church. And so they would pick me up 414 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:57,960 and, and they became stars. And then I got married to my 415 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,840 shining star, Michelle. And when we when we got married, 416 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,600 she started calling me pastor when all I wanted was his career 417 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,400 in sports because that's my, I'm like, I'm having a sports 418 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:08,640 career. And she started calling me 419 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:14,400 pastor. And so she's my star shining * I 420 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,000 will not be here if it wasn't for her. 421 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:22,080 The only reason I am standing here today, it is because of my 422 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,600 shining star, my wife. The only reason because car has 423 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,240 put stars in my life. That's why I am here to die. 424 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,200 Come on, somebody. I have tried to have silent 425 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:33,880 star. She's an amazing. 426 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,120 Come on, let's keep it up for my shining view of my star. 427 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:39,480 She's amazing. She's amazing. 428 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:46,200 I thank God she was badly for God that yes, God used her as a 429 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,040 travel guide. He typed in. 430 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:51,680 That's wrong. That's the honesty. 431 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,040 Yeah. I mean, he might be seated. 432 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,560 And so God used her as a travel guide to my destiny direction. 433 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,440 I mean. And so the same for you. 434 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:10,320 If I would ask you, how did you end up in church? 435 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,960 Yeah, on a Sunday night. You in church. 436 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:14,480 How did you? OK. 437 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:17,800 Who was the stars in your life that brought you closer to 438 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:18,800 Jesus? Oh, my God. 439 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:25,240 Who's the stars in your life? Yeah, Come on. 440 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,760 Let's just be real now, OK? And be honest, because most of 441 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:33,440 us have at least one person we can name. 442 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,360 And I thank God for my mom and my dad, for Michelle, my by for 443 00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:38,880 people, for stars of my life. I thank God for that. 444 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:46,080 At least one person, a star in your life, OK, At least one a 445 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,640 praying mop or dad, a grandfather that's been praying 446 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,440 for you, your star. Come on now, let's be honest. 447 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:55,840 Let's be real now in this place, OK? 448 00:25:56,360 --> 00:25:58,320 A granny that's been praying, that's in heaven now. 449 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,400 And by the way, they are in heaven during us all now and 450 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:08,000 they prays are still working. Yes, someone reached out to you 451 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,280 with a flyer at the Peel Centre. Somebody talked to you. 452 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:16,040 Somebody invited you to church, a friend at work who kept on 453 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,120 inviting you. A youth leader, a pastor that 454 00:26:19,120 --> 00:26:23,400 never have given up on a star in our lives. 455 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,280 And so at that time, it might have just felt like, no, this is 456 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,120 just my mom nagging me to go to church. 457 00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:31,280 Oh, mommy's nagging me. Come to church, come to church. 458 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,360 OK, that's fine. But now we realize, listen, it's 459 00:26:34,360 --> 00:26:36,960 not just another invite. It's not just my mom dragging me 460 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:38,640 to church. She is a heavenly star. 461 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,240 She's a star that has LED me closer to Jesus. 462 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,880 This is this is the thing. We think it's small, but heaven 463 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,680 sees it. The heaven sees the star shining 464 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,920 in your direction. Now, what's this very powerful 465 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:54,920 verse? Philippians 2, verse 15. 466 00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:57,120 Then you will shine. OK? 467 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:00,720 You will shine out. I'm going to take it slow. 468 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,880 I want you all to get this. You will shine. 469 00:27:03,880 --> 00:27:05,920 OK. We talk about shine right among 470 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:10,760 them like stars in the sky. OK, Hallelujah. 471 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:12,800 Have you ever seen the Scripture like that? 472 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,800 Because God is trying. I said you're a star. 473 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:19,240 We are his stars. Yeah, that is our flesh. 474 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:25,440 He's talking about us. We are his stars that shine in a 475 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:30,000 Dark World, in a confusing world, that you are a star and 476 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:33,400 you shine how much your family, in your world, in your school, 477 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,320 in your business, in your workplace. 478 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,640 And I just love that song, this little light of mine. 479 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:44,080 I'm going to let it shine. This little light of mine. 480 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:49,120 I'm going to let it shine. Let's let all out of mine. 481 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:54,040 I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let 482 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:58,160 it shine. Now some of you are awake this 483 00:27:58,160 --> 00:27:59,800 morning I woke up. I'm like, oh, we're out of 484 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,200 coffee. I'm like, where's the coffee? 485 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,760 I'm like, Gee, are we going to preach a lot of coffee? 486 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,120 So my boy says only where's my coffee? 487 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:12,760 And I'm like, OK, well, we'll just have some more. 488 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:14,280 Say that. We'll just pray over it. 489 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:21,000 Well, multiply the one into one, multiply into coffee. 490 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:23,200 But thank God. From Starbucks. 491 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:26,400 Starbucks. Yeah. 492 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,240 Oh, you got it. Come on, Somebody shared. 493 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,720 Hallelujah, Starbucks, please be talking about the stars. 494 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:35,600 Oh, my God. We've got the prophet in the 495 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,360 house. She's already pointing out the 496 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,040 direction in this place. Start. 497 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,360 Yeah, the stars of God, the day star. 498 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,280 I'm just super excited. Let it start. 499 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,440 You know, think of, we've had loads of like, load shooting in 500 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,400 South Africa. I think of like a power outage, 501 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,680 power failure. Powers are OK. 502 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,360 TV's off, gone. Wi-Fi gone. 503 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:02,200 All up black darkness. And so you light up 1 little 504 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:08,000 candle and the family gathers around that little light. 505 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:14,560 How everyone all of a sudden gathers around such small one. 506 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,360 That's how it works in your workplace where there is stress 507 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:24,520 and difficulty and challenges in the place, on the boardroom, in 508 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:26,160 the school, in the challenges in the world. 509 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,120 People are drawn even to a little one. 510 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,000 The times we're living it, people are drawn to a little 511 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:35,720 light. Hallelujah. 512 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:40,480 And so when things feel so dark and you turn on the news, a 513 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:45,040 little light, people gather to that little light. 514 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,360 So don't underestimate your small act of kindness. 515 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,200 Smile, greet, talk to somebody to reach out. 516 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,960 Small act of kindness. Same smalls. 517 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,760 Simple pray, but pray, family, pray for that simple pray. 518 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,320 It's brighter than you think. What's this verse in Matthew 5? 519 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,720 Jesus saying you are the light. OK, let's just stop there, OK 520 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:10,400 everybody right? Jesus is saying what you are the 521 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,920 light of the wall. That's how hold on a hill cannot 522 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:15,320 be hidden. Neither do people light a lamb 523 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,880 or put it under a bottle. Instead they put it on its stack 524 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:21,800 and it gives light to everyone in the house the same way. 525 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:26,240 Let your light shine before others that they may see your 526 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:31,560 good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 527 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,360 OK knows when he says you are the light of the world, that 528 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:35,640 doesn't mean you have your own life. 529 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,000 We know that Jesus is the source of light. 530 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,280 So what happens is he's the source of light, but we reflect 531 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:46,120 his light, so he shines his light in us, upon us, His glory, 532 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:50,200 His famous presence in and through our life. 533 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:51,640 So that is what it means by that. 534 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:55,160 You are the light of the world. Because listen, most people in 535 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:58,440 your world never read the Bible yet, but they read your life. 536 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,600 Yes, yes, so true. They see your joy under 537 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:06,520 pressure. They see your peace in 538 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,160 uncertainty. And so you might say, well, you 539 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:10,640 know, possible. I'm not a preacher. 540 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:15,440 But really, your life is a message, You are preaching a 541 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:18,680 message, your pulpit at work, at your place of work with people, 542 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:21,000 that's your pulpit, that's your preaching, that's your sermon. 543 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,600 Your life is a sermon and message with your life. 544 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,960 And so, yes, churches, of course, this is powerful. 545 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,160 We gather, we come together, we worship God, we hear the Word, 546 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,000 we are encouraged. But this is not the assign. 547 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:39,160 The assignment is when we walk out of this church, there is our 548 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:44,200 assignment, there is our place. That's when we reach outside of 549 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:47,000 the four walls of the church when we leave this building. 550 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:50,520 So this is like we fuel up like a fueling station, pulling up 551 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,480 the petal and the fuel in our light. 552 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:56,040 And then we go out into the mission field, our workplace. 553 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,920 Now a little boy had a brand new flashlight. 554 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,920 And so it ran for the flashlight outside into the bright sun. 555 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:06,200 Turn it on. It says Daddy, the flashlight is 556 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,920 not working. The problem is he couldn't see 557 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:13,000 the flashlight because the sun was so bright. 558 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:15,760 And the Daddy says this is my sun. 559 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:20,280 This flashlight is working, but it's not made for the light. 560 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:23,000 The flashlight is made for the dark. 561 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,360 So when you get out at night in the dark, you'll really see what 562 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:34,400 the flashlight could do. So our lights are not just made 563 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:36,440 for church on the. So there's enough light here. 564 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:39,520 It's dark in the world. There's more than enough light. 565 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:45,960 Our light is made for Monday morning out there, out in the 566 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,520 world. That's where our light shines 567 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:51,040 the greatest. Where there's pressure in the 568 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:53,800 office, where there's difficult challenges and decisions to be 569 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,640 made, that's where we are under the we are peaceful under the 570 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,320 pressure. That's where your light shines 571 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:05,800 the best is in the difficult, stressful tension situation out 572 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:09,520 there in the world where it's negative and fearful. 573 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,000 That's where your peace stands out. 574 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,400 And the darker it gets out there, the more obvious our 575 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:17,440 light is. What was somebody? 576 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,480 We don't have to worry about the darkness and worry because it's 577 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,640 gonna get darker and darker in the world, but it will get 578 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:30,040 brighter for the church, for us. Don't get discouraged when we 579 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,240 turn on the news and we get wars and woo rumors of wars and 580 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,920 difficulties and challenges. Don't get discouraged. 581 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:41,200 That is your moment to shine brighter, to shine so bright. 582 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:46,200 And yes, law, that is where your light is more obvious in a dark 583 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:47,600 place. Tell your neighbor it's time to 584 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:54,920 shine, it's time to shine, it's time to shine, it's time to 585 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,720 shine. This is our time to shine, the 586 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:02,480 end of the war. So you're not made to drift and 587 00:34:02,480 --> 00:34:05,880 just go through the motions. Just go through everything. 588 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,480 Just try and survive. There's greatness in you, 589 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,400 there's purpose in you, there's right. 590 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,280 You carry the glory. The glory of God is upon your 591 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,880 life. This is our fight. 592 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,719 This verse, Heziah 16. Watch this arise. 593 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:26,159 Come on, let's read it together. Arise, shine before your light 594 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,600 has come and the body of the law is risen. 595 00:34:29,639 --> 00:34:32,760 I thought, OK, the Bible says that your light has come. 596 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:37,719 Not one day when we are perfect, not one day when we have our 597 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,600 lives shorter than we are a better person. 598 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:44,040 Not one day now, but God. Sometimes they make mistakes. 599 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:47,639 God's like my light has already come past and it's already the 600 00:34:47,639 --> 00:34:52,080 glory of God is already not one day when we get to heaven, when 601 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:55,960 we all perfect right now. God says now the glory of God is 602 00:34:56,239 --> 00:34:58,560 oh, but you know, I feel I've made mistake. 603 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:02,080 I just feel like I've disqualified myself so many 604 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:08,680 times and Lord, you know, I, how can I be a * but God is not 605 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,080 looking for perfect people. He's looking for willing hearts 606 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:16,240 and if God could use that star in the sky, he can use a heart 607 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:20,200 that is openly willing and says, oh God, use me, use me, I'm 608 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:21,400 available. Send me. 609 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:23,880 Let your light shine through my life. 610 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:26,760 Hallelujah. Somebody say use me, Lord, 611 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:29,680 somebody say it's my time to shine. 612 00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:32,560 Yeah, yeah, that's right. Just come on, put challenge 613 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:35,520 together. That's that's how I'm doing. 614 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:40,920 OK. And so how do we shine? 615 00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:45,080 How possible, you know, how do we practically live this out? 616 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:50,360 OK, the closer and I want you to give us, the closer you get to 617 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,080 Jesus, the more brighter you shine. 618 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,520 Titus, if you look at the galaxies in the space, 619 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,040 scientists will tell you that it's star because there's so 620 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:04,920 many galaxies and stars. You see some some are you them 621 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:06,840 and some shine brighter than others. 622 00:36:07,320 --> 00:36:10,760 It's because it's a star does not have its own light. 623 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,760 If you look at it, it only gets light from the sun. 624 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,560 So the star reflects this this light from the sun. 625 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:25,320 So the brighter the star shines depend on the proximity, the 626 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:28,720 position of the star. Now somebody is going to get us 627 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:31,480 today, OK? That's what scientists tell us. 628 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:33,560 The closer the person, the brighter they shine. 629 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:37,800 So stars don't shine because they try hard. 630 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,840 They shine because you're close to Jesus. 631 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:47,440 That's why you shine, because the closer you stay to Jesus, 632 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:51,960 the brighter you shine. So stars you are. 633 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:57,960 It's not about acting religious, acting all spiritual. 634 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,320 That's stars don't show. We don't show about acting 635 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,480 religious. Try to to be good, OK? 636 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:05,400 We shy by staying close to Jesus. 637 00:37:05,720 --> 00:37:07,680 This is right. It's the closer. 638 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:12,360 It's by your position, your proximity to Jesus. 639 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:16,800 That's how bright you shine. Come on, somebody, somebody is 640 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,960 going to get this. Yeah. 641 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:23,440 That's why you shy. It's because of where you are 642 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:25,760 positioned. That's why you brought. 643 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:30,760 It's not trying harder, it's not performance, it's proximity. 644 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,680 You shine brighter of where you are close to Jesus. 645 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:38,360 So, Pastor, how do we stay close to Jesus? 646 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,480 OK, Jesus said something very powerful here in John 15. 647 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:42,720 I have the vine, you are the bronzes. 648 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:45,640 If you remain in me and I and you, you will bear much fruit. 649 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:47,000 Apart from me you can do nothing. 650 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,840 So the bronze don't stray to produce fruit. 651 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:55,880 It doesn't try harder. The bronze stays connected, it 652 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,840 remains in it. How do we remain in the Lord? 653 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:03,240 We spend time in his prisons, yes, but we talk to the Lord. 654 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:06,600 Oh, come on, If I don't have communication with my wife, 655 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:08,480 okay, Our marriage is going to be distant. 656 00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:11,800 If I don't talk to my wife, if there's no open communication, 657 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:13,760 Love you, how are you today? How's the kids? 658 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:14,920 Love you. You're amazing. 659 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:16,960 I mean, we have upper communication. 660 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,160 That's why we are close. That's why we have a bliss 661 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:20,120 matter. I've just given you some 662 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:23,080 marriage, OK. You know, can I give some 663 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:24,400 counselling? Yes, it's OK. 664 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:28,560 I mean, you know, it's like the guy who is like, oh, he's just 665 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,640 been married for six months. I want to write a book on 666 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:32,360 marriage. OK. 667 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:35,000 You want to write a book on marriage? 668 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:36,160 OK. You've been married for six 669 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:36,720 months. OK. 670 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:41,680 You know, we've married for 620 years, you know, 30 years. 671 00:38:41,680 --> 00:38:44,840 OK, You know, then we'll write a book on marriage. 672 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:47,360 When you've had some experience where you know some principles 673 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:48,720 in life where you talk to your wife. 674 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:50,080 The iceberg wives talk to each other. 675 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:52,680 Same principle with our relationship with the law. 676 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:58,480 Talk to the law in Prague. It's so simple. 677 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:01,600 It's a relationship. It's like, oh, you know, we want 678 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,240 to shine. I had a conversation with the 679 00:39:04,240 --> 00:39:07,840 Lord and like one last, you had a nice chat with the Lord. 680 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:10,760 I mean, last night, I love my chat with the Lord. 681 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,040 I mean, Saturday night, this is my highlight. 682 00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:16,320 And then Sunday mornings, you know, I'm barely 4:00 in the 683 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,720 morning talking to the Lord. I mean, my God, talking to the 684 00:39:19,720 --> 00:39:21,840 creator of the entire, you know, what a privilege. 685 00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:26,160 I love it because with prime ministers and big president, you 686 00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:27,600 have to make an appointment to go and see. 687 00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:30,200 And I don't even know if you could go and see people standing 688 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,720 queues to actually go and see a big Prime Minister. 689 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:35,520 I mean, who who's going to? But yeah, I have. 690 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:37,760 I'll put that. I don't even have to dial us. 691 00:39:37,800 --> 00:39:41,160 I'm like, God, you know, you want me to You mean I can. 692 00:39:41,160 --> 00:39:43,320 I don't have to book an appointment to come and see you, 693 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:45,560 God. I'm like God, can I, when can I 694 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:47,880 come and see you? Are you not too busy? 695 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:49,440 You are. You've got the entire hot 696 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,480 universe. Well, it's like anytime. 697 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:56,720 So Jesus, Mike, what type of God do they serve? 698 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:00,640 Who's open like that? My children can come to me 699 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:02,840 anytime, Daddy. I can be busy with something. 700 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:05,720 They walk in like, here's my son, that's our father. 701 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:07,720 He stops. I'm like, why do you stop the 702 00:40:07,720 --> 00:40:09,120 whole universe to just listen to me? 703 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,880 Whoa. My God, that's a mystery. 704 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:14,600 That's a mystery. And so, yeah, we just stay close 705 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:16,080 to the Lord. We just had that up of 706 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:18,720 conversation, those natures, those from this, we obey the 707 00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:20,000 Lord. We say yes, Lord. 708 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:24,200 And so the closer you live to him, it's the more you shine 709 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:28,280 bright. Now think about the star people 710 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:32,840 in your life that God has used you, bring you close to the 711 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:35,280 Lord. Now those people, those stars in 712 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,960 your life, how many? Come on, who's the star people 713 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:41,360 in your life? Yeah, come on. 714 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:42,240 I see it all. Library. 715 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,280 It's stopping Jesus. I feel that. 716 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:51,040 When did you go to church? I live, Jesus. 717 00:40:53,720 --> 00:40:57,200 Why did I feel that wanting now? And he said ever now. 718 00:40:57,200 --> 00:41:03,880 Hey, same with Paul. Was your dad also a star person 719 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:06,040 in your life? Yeah. 720 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:08,840 And so the dad's now in heaven cheering us on. 721 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:13,840 Yeah. I just feel we need to give some 722 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:16,840 honor to our parents. And the Bible says honor your 723 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:17,960 parents. Just come on now. 724 00:41:25,190 --> 00:41:30,910 Who's been a star person? You're not talking about you. 725 00:41:30,950 --> 00:41:38,510 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Star people. 726 00:41:39,670 --> 00:41:44,680 You uncle. Your uncle since young or when 727 00:41:44,680 --> 00:41:52,680 the team and he he told you about the yeah he's in heaven as 728 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:55,640 well. They're looking over the balcony 729 00:41:55,640 --> 00:42:01,720 cheering us on. The press are still working you 730 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:05,600 also I'll call Craig Howson that meet you at all. 731 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:24,160 Craig Howson When was that 19731973 * So many stars in my 732 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:26,000 life. People picking me up to take you 733 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:31,840 to church young student. I remember that I'll remember 734 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:37,640 and heaven records it against every single one. 735 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:39,800 Next time somebody follows this and I'm going to pay all your 736 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:44,680 rent for you because star people yours. 737 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:48,240 But my dad and I've met your dad as well. 738 00:42:48,240 --> 00:42:53,680 Nice down there. What minister? 739 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:56,800 My dad was like a preacher there. 740 00:42:56,800 --> 00:43:00,960 We go dance the preacher Jay, come on somebody. 741 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:05,880 And he's a neighbor now. Oh fly kind of film with you. 742 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:09,640 He's cheering you on and look at your transformed life. 743 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:13,240 I'm sure he's very proud of you. There's some stars that's very 744 00:43:13,240 --> 00:43:15,520 proud of you. Oh, my God. 745 00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:19,800 Come on, Ted. And it's so simple. 746 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:21,960 That was it. Asking us to be stars to others. 747 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:28,480 They weren't perfect. There's those people. 748 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:30,760 They weren't perfect, but there was something different. 749 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:32,800 The way they love, the way they care. 750 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:35,360 They believed in you when others walked away. 751 00:43:37,080 --> 00:43:38,920 Those stars in our lives. Parents. 752 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:46,880 Yeah, because of their closeness to the sun, they shot, right? 753 00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:50,720 That's the kind of star that God is calling you to be. 754 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:55,200 Some of you thinking, well, poster, you know, I've made so 755 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:57,880 many mistakes. I've made so many failures. 756 00:43:58,120 --> 00:44:00,280 I don't feel qualified. Now, let me tell you, the other 757 00:44:00,280 --> 00:44:03,280 day I gave my son some glow sticks. 758 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:07,440 Now kids love these glow sticks, but just the thing about a glow 759 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:12,080 stick is that they don't shine until with the glow stick until 760 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:13,960 you snap, yeah, until you bend it right. 761 00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:17,200 But the glow sticks you until they bend and and snap. 762 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,840 They all of a sudden, oh, is this bright colours glowing and 763 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:23,160 shining. Now some of you have felt baked, 764 00:44:23,840 --> 00:44:27,560 some of you felt shaken, and you have felt broken this year, and 765 00:44:27,560 --> 00:44:31,080 you feel that that has disqualified you with God. 766 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:35,360 Those broken places, that's where his light shines the 767 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:37,600 brightest. It's true that difficulty 768 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:41,200 challenges those hard places where it felt you've been bedded 769 00:44:41,200 --> 00:44:43,760 and broken and stuff. That's where His light shines 770 00:44:43,760 --> 00:44:46,160 the brightest. That's where your testimony 771 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:51,520 shines and glows in the somebody shall give God surprise in this 772 00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:54,200 place. He said that. 773 00:44:54,200 --> 00:44:59,240 He said listen to it, let your light shine before people. 774 00:44:59,240 --> 00:45:01,880 So that means you have got an assignment, you have got a 775 00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:06,600 purpose and a call on your life to shine amongst your people, 776 00:45:06,600 --> 00:45:10,240 amongst your family at home. Speak life, play together, bless 777 00:45:10,240 --> 00:45:14,160 your home at work, bring encouragement, bring solutions, 778 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:16,240 bring hub, reach out to somebody. 779 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:19,440 It's often the small acts that open the big doors like just buy 780 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:21,000 coffee for a struggling Co worker. 781 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:26,120 Just a small act of kindness, reaching out kind words to it. 782 00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:30,160 I but one little beam of light can lead someone to Jesus. 783 00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:34,440 Now let me show you something powerful again in Daniel Chapter 784 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:37,480 11. God has got big things in mind, 785 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:41,560 but the people who know that God shall be strong and carry out 786 00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:43,960 great exploits. God has got great things. 787 00:45:43,960 --> 00:45:48,880 He wants to do big, great exploits through your life. 788 00:45:49,240 --> 00:45:53,160 Now think about a dream in your heart that feels too big. 789 00:45:54,320 --> 00:46:00,040 OK, now that dream that feels to be is actually what if it's it's 790 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,520 so big? But it is one of these great 791 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:05,800 exploits. It's one of these awe inspiring 792 00:46:05,800 --> 00:46:08,160 stories that God wants to do through your life. 793 00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:13,560 Like someone who just decides I'm going to help, Let's say, 794 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:17,120 for example, help out the church at the kids church. 795 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:23,160 And she decides to get involved with the craft cutting, teaching 796 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:29,240 children memory verses. And that child years later grow 797 00:46:29,240 --> 00:46:34,600 up to become the next pastor or the next Billy Gray or Arnold 798 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:38,200 Bonky or Catherine Cullman or Benny Hinn. 799 00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:44,000 OK, now she never preaches on a stage. 800 00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:46,960 She never preaches on front of crowds like Billy Graham. 801 00:46:46,960 --> 00:46:54,760 She never, but heaven records every part as part of every 802 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:58,760 sermon that child ever preaches. She's part of it. 803 00:46:58,960 --> 00:47:02,960 Heaven records, Heaven records the people that picked me up and 804 00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:06,720 transported me to church, Heaven record those stars. 805 00:47:06,720 --> 00:47:11,160 Those people in our lives is part of these sermons that I'm 806 00:47:11,160 --> 00:47:13,920 preaching right now. Those people, the one person, 807 00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:16,800 one of the biggest stars in the beginning of the ministry, he 808 00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:20,360 found out, he said God spoke to me, I'm going to wire money from 809 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:22,440 South Africa. He didn't even know anything 810 00:47:22,440 --> 00:47:25,360 what was going on. He said I, God spoke to me to 811 00:47:25,360 --> 00:47:27,280 sell off a property and give you all the money. 812 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:32,040 So we had for one or two years, not money coming in from the 813 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:34,200 congregation because we had a small congregation. 814 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:37,320 Nobody was tithing at that point, but we had somebody that 815 00:47:37,320 --> 00:47:40,240 got raised up in South Africa, funded this job. 816 00:47:40,400 --> 00:47:43,440 Now that person is in heaven right now and he's got a great 817 00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:47,640 reward. It's recorded somebody now, yes, 818 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:50,600 I'm twitching you behind the pulpit, but he's got the reward 819 00:47:50,600 --> 00:47:53,080 as well. It is together. 820 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:57,280 Who is the stars? Somebody's funding, somebody's 821 00:47:57,280 --> 00:48:00,280 sorry somebody's doing. It seems so small to help out a 822 00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:03,320 kid at church, but that kid might be the next Billy Graham. 823 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:08,000 Yeah, it just feels like I'm sure I'm small. 824 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:10,960 It's like, oh, I'm just serving a church or I'm sowing a seed or 825 00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:13,160 I'm helping to transport somebody or set up the sound 826 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:16,920 system or help with the money or finances, whichever way. 827 00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:19,680 Like come and worship and try be part of the choir. 828 00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:24,040 It seems like all little small things handing out Flyers at the 829 00:48:24,040 --> 00:48:27,400 Peel Centre. But in heaven this is doing 830 00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:30,160 great and mighty exploits before mine. 831 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:35,160 Come on somebody this flight and spawns. 832 00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:39,000 Now let's bring this message to a close where we started with a 833 00:48:39,000 --> 00:48:46,200 wise man because there was a clear before and after before 834 00:48:46,280 --> 00:48:54,800 the star stopped over Jesus. The wise man was searching that 835 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:58,160 were last direction, searching asking questions. 836 00:48:58,280 --> 00:48:59,880 Where is Jesus? Where is the one? 837 00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:01,880 This is now before the star stops. 838 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:07,320 I want you to see a clear before and after they're searching, 839 00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:11,360 they're answering questions. The stars that uncomfortable the 840 00:49:11,360 --> 00:49:15,600 Bible talks about joyous, they bow down, they worship, they 841 00:49:15,600 --> 00:49:18,840 gave they everything. Now when you apply that, because 842 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:22,880 when I've given money into God's Kingdom, my life's always 843 00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:26,840 changed. Always when I gave offerings, 844 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:30,000 ties and offerings, I come away from that a changed person. 845 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:33,200 I've seen it again now with Rodney old Brown when I gave 846 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:35,240 everything and then somebody walked up and they gave some 847 00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:37,440 more dollars. So I said, Lord, I I actually 848 00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:39,920 want a more seat, so I put that seat in as well. 849 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:43,000 Every time I've given an offering, I've antifa bank 850 00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:44,640 account. I had zero in my bank account. 851 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:49,480 Zero. I walk out a change person, but 852 00:49:49,480 --> 00:49:53,560 possible you can buy heaven. No, what this is Bible. 853 00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:58,760 God gave his son. He gave everything I've got 854 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:03,080 worth holding nothing back. It's easy to show a seed now. 855 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:05,560 There's still savings in the account I'm talking about 856 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:09,280 nothing worth of family past the world, but that is it. 857 00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:12,400 Listen, I'm asking you, you ask God what to do. 858 00:50:13,240 --> 00:50:15,880 You do what you say, the Holy Spirit, what do you want me to 859 00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:17,200 do? What do you want me to give? 860 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:22,880 This Christmas, please don't leave this place without sowing 861 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:25,560 what God tells you. Say God, what do you want me to 862 00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:27,240 show? What do you want me to give? 863 00:50:27,240 --> 00:50:28,760 God is the one He will direct you. 864 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:35,400 And so I want you to see because they walked out different, the 865 00:50:35,400 --> 00:50:39,920 Bible says they went out a different route, a different 866 00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:42,800 direction. After all of that, those 867 00:50:42,960 --> 00:50:47,280 principles that I've mentioned, all of them, a new direction. 868 00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:51,920 Somebody's walking out of this place today with new direction. 869 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:55,640 New direction in your marriage, your finances, your family, your 870 00:50:55,640 --> 00:50:58,080 career. You're walking out this place 871 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:01,720 and calling. Come on, free up. 872 00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:05,200 We've got preachers here, people that's going to have churches, 873 00:51:05,200 --> 00:51:07,280 ministries. We've got people in business 874 00:51:07,400 --> 00:51:09,040 here. We've got stars in this place. 875 00:51:09,240 --> 00:51:13,120 You can walk out of it. You can shake the UK, You can 876 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:15,960 shake garnish one. What star? 877 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:18,880 What if I could find one star in this place? 878 00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:22,480 It was 14 in history. One person, one person, one 879 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:26,920 person that will shine. You can shake it, You can shake 880 00:51:26,920 --> 00:51:28,040 it. You can be the next Pilgrim. 881 00:51:28,560 --> 00:51:32,960 The sky is the limits. You just come close to Jesus. 882 00:51:33,720 --> 00:51:37,960 Nothing's going to stop you. Oh, I feel the wanting in this 883 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:40,200 place. Somebody, somebody's going home 884 00:51:40,200 --> 00:51:43,360 with direction today. But there should be a clear 885 00:51:43,360 --> 00:51:47,760 dividing light in your life. And I know when I've encountered 886 00:51:47,760 --> 00:51:49,520 the Lord, I was like this before. 887 00:51:49,600 --> 00:51:51,320 I was poaching. I was in the world. 888 00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:53,440 I was doing that when I encountered Jesus. 889 00:51:53,440 --> 00:51:58,360 I'm different. There has to be a line everybody 890 00:51:58,360 --> 00:51:59,720 could see. Oh, whoa. 891 00:51:59,840 --> 00:52:04,480 His life has changed everybody in my high school end of his 892 00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:06,080 inventory of their time. Time. 893 00:52:06,480 --> 00:52:07,960 Have you heard what happened to whoa? 894 00:52:08,160 --> 00:52:11,040 Listen, the days of secret enclosure. 895 00:52:11,280 --> 00:52:13,400 Christianity is over. I am not. 896 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:20,160 I am not saying no family names of nothing that always hoping 897 00:52:20,200 --> 00:52:22,360 true has lost its rookies. This guy's crazy. 898 00:52:22,560 --> 00:52:24,840 Years later. Now, who is it to become a 899 00:52:24,840 --> 00:52:27,640 preacher? I'm not ashamed. 900 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:28,840 I'm not. We are. 901 00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:32,840 We're not ashamed of the gospel we associate with Jesus in 902 00:52:32,840 --> 00:52:37,640 public. There's No Fear. 903 00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:43,760 There's No Fear. I don't care what they want to 904 00:52:43,760 --> 00:52:46,520 do in the political arena. We will stand for Jesus. 905 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:52,280 He will stand until the death. When our time comes, we'll be in 906 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:56,200 heaven. Like Rodney said, we've got 36 907 00:52:56,200 --> 00:53:01,240 months to get this thing sorted very quickly in this country. 36 908 00:53:01,240 --> 00:53:04,640 months, Judge, We cannot delay. We've got to act now. 909 00:53:04,640 --> 00:53:08,040 We've got to shine right now. We've got to stand for 910 00:53:08,040 --> 00:53:10,000 Christmas. We've got to stand for these 911 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:13,960 things. And so before and after Christ 912 00:53:15,280 --> 00:53:17,320 there has to be a direction of the Christ. 913 00:53:17,320 --> 00:53:20,440 Now God is with us, there's purpose. 914 00:53:20,840 --> 00:53:24,360 God flows through us. Now I want you to see this in 915 00:53:24,360 --> 00:53:27,160 2nd Corinthians 570 because this keeps it very, very clearly 916 00:53:27,160 --> 00:53:29,520 about this living with new direction. 917 00:53:29,600 --> 00:53:32,920 It says, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has 918 00:53:32,920 --> 00:53:35,080 come, the old has gone, the new mesio. 919 00:53:35,080 --> 00:53:39,040 That means there's a clear dividing line before and when 920 00:53:39,040 --> 00:53:41,280 I've encountered Jesus, there must be a chance. 921 00:53:41,560 --> 00:53:43,520 So I'm not walking out of this place. 922 00:53:43,600 --> 00:53:46,400 It's just another Sunday. The same way going back to the 923 00:53:46,400 --> 00:53:49,160 same motions, the same. I'm walking out of this place. 924 00:53:49,160 --> 00:53:51,680 I'm meaning business with God, You meaning business with God. 925 00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:53,600 And we're walking out of this place different. 926 00:53:53,680 --> 00:53:56,720 Shining bright. Come on, there's about just 927 00:53:56,720 --> 00:54:03,920 another Sunday. Because what happens is that we 928 00:54:03,920 --> 00:54:06,680 are not supposed to bleed in with the wolf. 929 00:54:08,040 --> 00:54:11,960 We are not supposed to act in like the world. 930 00:54:13,760 --> 00:54:20,120 We are supposed to shine, right? OK, the Bible talks about do not 931 00:54:20,120 --> 00:54:23,720 be conformed like the culture of the world and be like everyone 932 00:54:23,720 --> 00:54:24,440 else. OK? 933 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:29,000 So that if we just act like the world, talk like the world, live 934 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:35,800 like the world exactly blending in, then our stars get them fade 935 00:54:36,800 --> 00:54:41,440 and it fades and the world doesn't need faded Christians. 936 00:54:41,560 --> 00:54:45,240 The world doesn't need them Christians. 937 00:54:45,480 --> 00:54:50,640 The world needs shining Christians shining like hey, 938 00:54:50,720 --> 00:54:53,720 that that person is something amazing about that person. 939 00:54:54,120 --> 00:54:56,560 That act of kindness, that peace in the store. 940 00:54:56,680 --> 00:54:59,560 There's something amazing about the praises of God is upon that 941 00:54:59,560 --> 00:55:01,400 person. That person has been changed. 942 00:55:01,880 --> 00:55:05,920 He was 1 like this, struggling with drugs in the world. 943 00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:09,720 But now that addiction is broken, Now it's different. 944 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:12,560 I'm walking a different way. I'm talking that person is 945 00:55:12,560 --> 00:55:15,960 marked with Jesus. There has to be a dividing line. 946 00:55:18,800 --> 00:55:21,360 We can, I cannot live like I'm used to live and do the same 947 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:23,560 things. There has to be a change. 948 00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:25,640 And so there should be a clear dividing line. 949 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:28,160 And some of us would say, well, yeah, poster, you know, that 950 00:55:28,160 --> 00:55:30,360 line used to be clear. I used to be. 951 00:55:30,360 --> 00:55:33,960 But because of disappointment and compromise and busyness of 952 00:55:33,960 --> 00:55:37,520 life, now it's faded and it's dumped my life. 953 00:55:37,520 --> 00:55:40,360 But the good news is Jesus is not yet to condemn you. 954 00:55:40,560 --> 00:55:44,680 He's yet to invite you to come back and draw nearer because the 955 00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:48,440 Bible says draw near to God and go go near to you God, trust you 956 00:55:48,440 --> 00:55:51,040 to Jesus. Oh my goodness, and he will 957 00:55:51,120 --> 00:55:52,680 shine you. You'll shine. 958 00:55:52,680 --> 00:55:56,120 He will let the Lord is like, let me brighten your stock. 959 00:55:57,240 --> 00:56:00,120 Let me redraw that line. So in closing, we talked about 960 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:03,320 the stars, the best them star the stars in your life and the 961 00:56:03,320 --> 00:56:06,000 call to shine. Now I want to show you something 962 00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:12,280 that also shines in heaven, the scars of Jesus. 963 00:56:13,600 --> 00:56:19,680 Now Jesus after his resurrection appear to Thomas and he says in 964 00:56:19,680 --> 00:56:23,880 the book of John chapter 20, Thomas, that's what feel see the 965 00:56:23,880 --> 00:56:30,120 scarf now resurrected body. OK, so resurrected now in his 966 00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:37,240 glorified body, what I keep the scarf so that he can forever 967 00:56:37,240 --> 00:56:41,200 stretch out his hand and say, I know your pattern. 968 00:56:42,720 --> 00:56:47,760 I understand what you are going through in your life, the 969 00:56:47,760 --> 00:56:50,680 struggles, the difficulties, the challenges in this world. 970 00:56:50,880 --> 00:56:55,480 I'd go, I feel, I know the pain, look at the scars. 971 00:56:55,920 --> 00:56:58,800 I know what it is to be rejected, to feel misunderstood. 972 00:57:00,160 --> 00:57:05,880 And that's what the Bible says. Hebrews 415 For we do not have a 973 00:57:05,880 --> 00:57:09,040 high priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our 974 00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:14,320 weaknesses and temptations. He understands our pain. 975 00:57:15,200 --> 00:57:19,320 He knows he feels our pain. All the difficulties that we're 976 00:57:19,320 --> 00:57:22,760 having in this war, this challenges the storms of life, 977 00:57:23,360 --> 00:57:27,640 the force, addiction, depression, the loss, the shame, 978 00:57:27,920 --> 00:57:31,400 the betrayal, the rejection. He knows the pain. 979 00:57:31,720 --> 00:57:36,400 He feels the pain, the scars. He still had the scars. 980 00:57:36,400 --> 00:57:41,160 It's shining, he shows. And so those scars says you were 981 00:57:41,160 --> 00:57:47,080 loved, your sins are paid for, you are forgiven, you are 982 00:57:47,080 --> 00:57:53,680 forgiven, your shame and your pain washed away. 983 00:57:55,720 --> 00:58:05,080 And so the reason he's is so glad how that we as stars can 984 00:58:05,080 --> 00:58:12,440 shine, he's scarred made it possible that our stars can 985 00:58:12,440 --> 00:58:20,680 shine because he took our darkness so that we can carry 986 00:58:20,920 --> 00:58:25,840 light and shine and bright. Come on, let's all start. 987 00:58:25,880 --> 00:58:29,400 Let's invite some fight something more image to God. 988 00:58:29,680 --> 00:58:32,480 So as we get ready to pray, I believe God speaking today. 989 00:58:32,960 --> 00:58:35,320 Maybe you're here today and your light is dimmed. 990 00:58:35,720 --> 00:58:40,840 You love Jesus, but I said don't shine like I used to pass them. 991 00:58:40,840 --> 00:58:44,600 My passion is cooled and my life between my before half does blur 992 00:58:44,920 --> 00:58:48,400 business disappointment, offence, compromise. 993 00:58:48,760 --> 00:58:52,200 He's saying draw near again, come closer. 994 00:58:52,720 --> 00:58:56,200 Let me brighten your stone. So if you want to shine brighten 995 00:58:56,200 --> 00:58:59,560 for Jesus today that you put your hand on your heart. 996 00:59:00,160 --> 00:59:03,840 Pray this with me. Lord Jesus, thank you for the 997 00:59:03,840 --> 00:59:09,600 stars that you use to guide me to you. 998 00:59:11,280 --> 00:59:18,120 Thank you for the scars in your body that show you understand my 999 00:59:18,120 --> 00:59:24,080 pain today. Lord draw a clear line in my 1000 00:59:24,080 --> 00:59:29,440 life. I before and after give me new 1001 00:59:29,440 --> 00:59:37,080 direction that use my life. Make me a * that change for you 1002 00:59:38,200 --> 00:59:41,680 and leads others to you in Jesus name. 1003 00:59:42,040 --> 00:59:44,000 Come on somebody give God some praise. 1004 00:59:48,680 --> 00:59:51,360 So who is ready to be a Christmas star for Jesus? 1005 00:59:51,360 --> 00:59:55,360 Come on somebody shout yes, shout yes, shout yes if that is 1006 00:59:55,360 --> 00:59:58,080 you. Now declare I will be a star for 1007 00:59:58,080 --> 01:00:00,080 Jesus. Come on say it again. 1008 01:00:00,080 --> 01:00:04,200 I will be a star for Jesus. Come on you guys of phrase. 1009 01:00:04,800 --> 01:00:07,720 Now lift your hands and just see if a good Father let your face 1010 01:00:07,720 --> 01:00:10,440 shine upon them. Let the light shine with the 1011 01:00:10,440 --> 01:00:14,440 light of Jesus. Use them this week as stars in a 1012 01:00:14,440 --> 01:00:17,720 Dark World to guide many to the Saviour. 1013 01:00:17,840 --> 01:00:21,880 In Jesus mighty name we pray and everybody said Amen. 1014 01:00:22,360 --> 01:00:26,400 So this we go and shine brights for Jesus.