1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:08,680 That is so good to be here. And you know, I was praying 2 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:13,000 about tonight. I don't just turn up and, you 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,120 know, sort of grab a sermon. This will do because your lives 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,840 are too precious to Jesus to mess around with. 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,280 And I take it very seriously. I'm a gift to the body of Christ 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,200 and the Spirit of God is upon me and anointed me to preach good 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:34,040 news to the poor and to set the captive free. 8 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,440 And I was thinking about tonight's service and I wrote 9 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,720 this message out yesterday after yesterday afternoon. 10 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,080 So, Lord, what do you want to say tonight? 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:50,280 And, and, and, and I was asked a question by a young man once. 12 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:57,600 He said, Ray, what would a 75 year old say to his 25 year old? 13 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,960 I'm 75 years of age right now. I've got another 40 years left, 14 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:08,360 Amen. I won't know who I am or where 15 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,960 I'm going, but I'll be alive, Amen. 16 00:01:12,320 --> 00:01:15,800 So it's a good question. What would my 75 year old say to 17 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:20,760 my 25 year old? And I read the start that only 18 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:27,320 one in 10 who start in the ministry in their 20s are still 19 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:32,320 ministering in their 70s. When I read that start, I, I 20 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:37,120 began to realize longevity in the ministry or longevity in 21 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:40,640 serving Jesus is under attack by the enemy. 22 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,880 And I started to think about that start and about that 23 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,400 question. And I started serving God in my 24 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:56,680 20s, and I'm still here in my 70s, still on fire for Jesus, 25 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,360 still passionately in love with Him. 26 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,240 Do I have some friends in the house that love Jesus with all 27 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:06,240 their heart here? I know, I know. 28 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,680 And so I began to think about that question and I began to 29 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:20,240 realize there's 84 reasons #1 just checking if you're awake 30 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,640 out there. But but I, there were three main 31 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:31,520 keys or principles that are on hindsight or operating in my 32 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,080 life. I'm not going to major on the 33 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:34,880 three. I'm just going to major on one. 34 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,080 But let me just mention the first two. 35 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:44,800 One of the main reasons why I'm still serving God in my 70s on 36 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,600 hindsight is because I've learned to negotiate transition. 37 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,560 And in our lives as we serving God, we will experience 38 00:02:54,560 --> 00:03:00,200 transition in three ways. There is what I call sanctifying 39 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,880 transition. That's when the Holy Spirit is 40 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,120 daily changing us into the image of Christ. 41 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,480 Then you have seasonal transition and this is when you 42 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,280 have to transition through seasons. 43 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,720 Relationship could be seasonal, could be geographic, could be 44 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:23,520 ministerial. But when you learn to negotiate 45 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,160 transition in the seasons of your life. 46 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,960 And then if there's what I call sudden transition, when out of 47 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:37,560 the blue tragedy hits and you have to change, your whole world 48 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,560 is turned upside down and you have to transition. 49 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,000 So that's one of the areas I'm not going to go into that 50 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,560 tonight. Just throwing it out there. 51 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,440 Then the second one would be this. 52 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:55,120 I will never allow the river of God in me to turn into a canal 53 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:01,480 out of your innermost being. Jesus said will flow life 54 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:08,600 giving, grace filled, powerful, beautiful living water. 55 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:15,000 And he said, Ray, don't allow anyone or anything to turn that 56 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:20,279 river in you into a canal. And I stand here before you 57 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:22,280 tonight. I'm telling you something. 58 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:26,360 The river in me is widening. It's deepening. 59 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:31,000 It's getting more powerful than it was when I was in my 20s. 60 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,480 Man. I think I'm looking at a bunch 61 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,560 of rivers here tonight. Can I hear name any of this 62 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,480 house right here? And he said, and you know what, 63 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,360 there are a few things I said, Lord, what can turn the canal, 64 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,840 What can turn the river in me into a canal? 65 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:49,960 And he shared a few things with me. 66 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,920 The first one is religion that will that will shrink you down, 67 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,000 that will manipulate river water. 68 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:00,320 But the second one is the fear of man. 69 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:05,520 He said, Ray, don't allow the fear of people to shrink that 70 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:08,920 river into a canal. And, you know, to look at me, 71 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,280 you know, you think, oh, Ray preaching up there. 72 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,400 But I used to deal with a massive inferiority complex, 73 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,480 especially when it comes to comparison. 74 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,640 And I always wanted to be somebody else. 75 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:25,920 And I think it's the case with many of us here. 76 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:31,120 And I was a young evangelist. And, you know, my hero was 77 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,120 Reinhardt Bunker. Anybody heard of Reinhardt 78 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,200 Bunker? Reiner became a very good friend 79 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,160 of mine in his in in over the years. 80 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,440 But he was my hero. I used to listen to his messages 81 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:48,920 and I wanted to be like him. And one I didn't realize is that 82 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,560 I listened to him so much and wanted to be like him so much. 83 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,840 I started to speak in a German accent. 84 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,880 I'm flipping Welsh. I go down to the shop, Rory 85 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,760 Reiner in my head thinking of Reinhart and I go to the shop. 86 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:13,040 I said I want 4 lbs of potato. The woman would look at me. 87 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,200 What is wrong with you? You need to go to the doctor. 88 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:23,640 And so I, and you know the Lord said to me, Ray, I am not going 89 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:30,840 to anoint who you want to be and I'm not going to anoint who 90 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:34,680 others expect you to be. He said, I like you. 91 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:41,200 I said really, I like you, Ray, and I'm going to anoint who you 92 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,200 are, not who you want to be. And you know what? 93 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,800 I could care less. I mean, Pastor Ray McCauley, 94 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,280 I've preached in his church for over 30 years and in his 95 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:56,360 conferences. And I don't know whether Ray did 96 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:01,480 this on purpose, but twice he put me on to preach after TD. 97 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:06,120 Jakes, are you serious? The guys are walking 98 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,520 concordance. But you know what, with that 99 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,800 revelation, God likes me. God's anointed Ray Bevan just as 100 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,400 he is. And you know what? 101 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,560 I wasn't comparing. I wasn't afraid, just got up 102 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,320 there. I said, Lord, just flow through 103 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,080 me. Let this river flow out of me. 104 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,280 And and that's the you know what? 105 00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:28,680 Listen, celebrate your uniqueness. 106 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,680 God's not going to annoy who you want to be. 107 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:36,000 So when you are fearing men or comparing yourself with others, 108 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:38,400 that river in you will shrink and shrink. 109 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,240 If you're still with me, say Amen here. 110 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,680 Great, I've got another 2 1/2 hours. 111 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,080 Watch this now. So no, but this is the one I 112 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:51,520 want to major on and this is the one. 113 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:57,760 This may not be like a real dynamic message or preach, but 114 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:02,960 the truth is incredible and it really has changed my life. 115 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:09,400 And, and I believe it's kept me in a place where God can use me. 116 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:17,720 And, and it's this principle #3 it's not about the title, it's 117 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:22,720 about the towel. And we know the story. 118 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:27,840 We're in the upper room. The disciples believe in Jesus 119 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:33,200 is about to overthrow the Roman Empire, set up a new Kingdom and 120 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,440 they are going to be the chief said they were going to be the 121 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,880 top knobs in the Kingdom. And they are arguing amongst 122 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:44,080 themselves about titles. I don't know what title I'm 123 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,120 going to have. I wonder what position Jesus is 124 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,240 going to put me in. And Jesus heard them and without 125 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:56,880 saying a word, he picks up a bowl and he picks up a towel. 126 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:01,640 And he said, guys, it's not about the title, it's about the 127 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:06,040 tie, the towel. And if you want to serve me, I 128 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:09,080 think that demonstration, he was showing his love. 129 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,240 He said this is what ministry is all about. 130 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,400 It's not desiring a title or an office. 131 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,960 It's about taking up the towel and washing people's feet. 132 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,920 Come on, somebody say Amen, Kia. And so, and I learned this 133 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,640 lesson early. I mean, I was in a rock band in 134 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:37,800 Wales in, in my little community I was famous with amongst 300 135 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,400 people. They all knew me. 136 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,720 But when I was in the swap and I got saved watching a film, I 137 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:49,840 didn't get saved in the church. I didn't know who Jesus was and 138 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,440 I'm in a movie. How a cinema watching a film 139 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,600 about the life of Jesus and the Holy Spirit said to me in the 140 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:01,600 cinema, 19 year old dope smoking sex symbol, why are you 141 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:06,520 laughing? So there I was and the Holy 142 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,400 Spirit said you see this man in this film, he is the end of your 143 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:14,160 search. And right there I got born again 144 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,640 in the cinema without knowing what born again was. 145 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,560 I went home, ma'am. I found God. 146 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,760 My mother said, I'm taking you to the doctor, Raymond. 147 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:29,200 I got saved. I thought, well, I supposed to 148 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,720 go to church now, I suppose. So I found this small 149 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,240 Pentecostal Church in Wales. It's 80 people. 150 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,760 I went in there and do you know what? 151 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,600 It's weird. So I met this amazing, 152 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:48,960 beautiful, exciting, forgiving, merciful person and then I met 153 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:53,560 his people. It don't make sense to me. 154 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,280 It was like walking into like when Luke Skywalker walked into 155 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:00,280 that bar with all him weird people. 156 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,720 You're going to understand. I, I, no, I didn't know about 157 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,840 this stuff. So I went into the church and, 158 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,640 and everybody got excited. Ray Bevan, he said he got saved. 159 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:15,000 Ray Ray. So I felt a bit special, to be 160 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,480 honest with you. I was used to being, you know, 161 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,080 women screaming my name and wanting to touch my body and 162 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,280 stuff. So I was used to all the fame, 163 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,880 you know what I mean? So I I go in the church and now 164 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:33,040 I'm famous again. And so I Rebeb on the same 165 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,280 wonderful come up puree and give your testimony. 166 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:38,360 I think. What's a testimony? 167 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,040 What is that? Come and tell your story. 168 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,560 So I'm up there 6:20 on the Sunday night giving my testimony 169 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:53,040 people going next Sunday rake 3 months every Sunday I'm up 170 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,280 there. I had to exaggerate. 171 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,920 I'm biting head of bats, I'm drinking poison. 172 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,040 I'm I've got to say something, you know what I mean? 173 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:04,560 So then I'm feeling really important. 174 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:07,680 My God, am I, Sir? Come on, somebody. 175 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:13,520 So one night and there I'm getting ready for my spot. 6:20 176 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,880 and now Mrs. Ivinson is going to come to sin. 177 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,600 And I'm sitting there ho my spot, bro. 178 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,480 Ray Bevan Hello. This was going on in my heart. 179 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:31,760 And then this woman gets up, and since I've never heard anybody 180 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:37,200 sing in three keys at the same time ever, there was blood 181 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,320 coming out of my ears. She had a hat on her head 182 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,200 because you had to wear hats in them days, right? 183 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:47,760 The whole of Africa was on the hat. 184 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,960 There were golf courses, birds flying in there. 185 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,040 And she was singing. I said, somebody stop, shoot the 186 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,320 woman. It's horrible. 187 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,080 But more importantly is what was going on in my heart. 188 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,880 I've been overlooked here and the youth pastor could see what 189 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,000 was going on and he came to me after and he said, Ray, last 190 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,200 night, you know, I was watching this programme on open heart 191 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:14,880 surgery. Said what? 192 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:17,840 Really. Yeah. 193 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,480 And he went through the whole operation and the surgeon, he 194 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,280 took up the knife and he ripped out the chest and he put the 195 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,040 scalpel on the table. Then he picked up the other 196 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,000 instrument and pulled the I'm nearly throwing up. 197 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,240 He's going through the whole thing with all instruments. 198 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,280 And then he takes this instrument, he uses it to put it 199 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:36,880 back on. I said, what are you telling me, 200 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,120 bro? He said, I know this way that 201 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:45,520 the instrument didn't lose its value whether it was in the 202 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:51,960 surgeon's hand or on the table. And he said, Ray, it doesn't 203 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,520 matter whether you're in his hand or on the table, Your value 204 00:13:56,520 --> 00:14:00,760 is not connected with what you do, it's with who you are in 205 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,640 Jesus. Come on, somebody say Amen here. 206 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:08,400 You see what Jesus is not impressed with your Jesus is not 207 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,920 impressed with what your gift produces, but how your gift is 208 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,880 used. And I have the privilege of 209 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,160 preaching in South Africa now for over 30 years. 210 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:28,000 And the door to my destiny here was the towel, not the title. 211 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,240 Just a few. Just last week I was at my best 212 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:38,520 friend's funeral, passed away. Macaulay. 213 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,840 And in 1988, Reinhard Bunker was holding a conference in 214 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:51,320 Birmingham. 14,000 people and I was a youth evangelist. 215 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:55,120 My diary was packed. But when I heard that why not 216 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,520 was holding a conference because this man had changed my life so 217 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,960 much. I'm blocked the week out I said 218 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:04,400 I'm not doing anything, I'm going to go to that conference 219 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:06,600 and I just want to serve this man. 220 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,800 So I went up to the conference and I said to the organizer, I'm 221 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,480 here to serve. Where can I serve? 222 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,960 They said, well, if you go over to the headphones, they where 223 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,520 they give out the headphones. If you could do that. 224 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,800 I said, fabulous. I go over to the headphones. 225 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,160 They said, Ray, listen, we've had so many volunteers, we don't 226 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,200 need anybody. Just sit in the conference and 227 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,440 enjoy the conference. OK? 228 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,120 I sat up in the bleachers ready to get blessed. 229 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,400 Just before the conference started, there was a an 230 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,720 announcement over the PA. Would Ray Bevan please come 231 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,080 backstage? And I'm thinking, oh, what have 232 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,280 I done wrong now? Because I'm always thinking that 233 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:46,600 anyway. So I went backstage and the 234 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,280 worship leader said, look, Ray, we need somebody. 235 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,320 We've got a slot in the choir. Someone couldn't make it. 236 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,280 Would you help us? Would you sing in the choir? 237 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,760 I said, of course. So I'm going from headphones to 238 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,480 the choir now. And then a couple of nights 239 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,960 later, he came to me and said, look, Pastor Ray McCauley is 240 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:11,360 preaching on Wednesday night. Would you sing a song before he 241 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,160 preaches? I understand. 242 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,000 I turned up to give out headphones. 243 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,520 Are you understanding when I'm going here? 244 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:22,920 So that night I got, I used to sing this song called this 245 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,560 Little Child. And there's lots of verses in 246 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,000 it. And I tend to get a bit nervous 247 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,440 sometimes. And I, and if it's a lot of 248 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,800 verses, then I, I, I forget the verses. 249 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,960 And it happened on this particular night with 14,000 250 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,000 people. I went home with a thought and 251 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,320 singing away, he came to the third verse. 252 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,640 Blank, nothing. So what do you do? 253 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,480 You can't say, stop the track, start again. 254 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,400 So I had to make up the verses on my own. 255 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:58,440 It was rubbish. And, and all the shepherds saw 256 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:05,079 the angels singing over the mountain, the sheep, the bed and 257 00:17:05,079 --> 00:17:08,160 all the people. It was rubbish, Rory. 258 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:12,240 But you know what the strange thing is, is all the people who 259 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:18,920 are going like this, Hallelujah. So anyway, so anyway, it's true. 260 00:17:19,839 --> 00:17:24,280 So anyway, you know, like when you messed up and it finished 261 00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:33,720 and I'm walking off like, oh God, I'm not doing this anymore. 262 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,240 I'm not doing this. Anyway, that was 1988. 263 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,240 God called me a Panther. Church started to grow. 264 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,640 I did, you know, started to grow. 265 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:48,840 And the only model I had was was Rhema Cauley's church in Rhema. 266 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:52,600 And I was feeding off the videos for two years. 267 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,760 That's the style. That's what we want here. 268 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:58,320 And it was radical for my country, that style. 269 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:02,160 So two years later, three years later, I'm preaching in a 270 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,880 conference. And Ray McCauley was preaching 271 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:09,480 in the same conference. So, so I, I thought, I'm going 272 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:12,880 to go to his meeting. If I, I said, Lord, please, 10 273 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:15,800 minutes, that's all I need with Ray, just 10 minutes. 274 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:19,720 I go to the meeting, 1000 leaders, I'm sitting at the 275 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:23,680 back. Ray's preaching the Holy Spirit 276 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,840 start to give me a song because sometimes the Lord uses me like 277 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:32,400 a psalmist and he started to give me the song about the fire 278 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,840 of God. And I'm rehearsing this song and 279 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,880 I'm trying to concentrate on Ray's preacher. 280 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,760 I almost said to the Holy Spirit, can you wait a bit while 281 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,200 I listen? But he wouldn't listen and this 282 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:47,760 fire, this song. And then he said to me, in 5 283 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,360 minutes, Ray's going to stop preaching and call you to sing 284 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:57,280 the song. So I was rehearsing and Ray 285 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,240 stops and this is all that happened. 286 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:02,200 Ray. Yeah. 287 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,600 Because that's how Ray used to speak. 288 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:09,520 Very gentle and very compassionate, very sensitive. 289 00:19:10,360 --> 00:19:11,200 Ray. Yeah. 290 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,920 I looked at behind me now. Ray here. 291 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:21,400 OK, I come up, he gives me the mic. 292 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,080 I sing the song. The power of God hit the place. 293 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,360 I give the mic back to Ray. No words were spoken. 294 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,760 I sat down. I thought, well, at least I held 295 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:37,600 the microphone that he held. The leader of the meeting came 296 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,520 up to me after and he said, Ray, would you like to come and have 297 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:44,360 lunch with me and Ray McCauley? I didn't have 10 minutes. 298 00:19:44,360 --> 00:19:48,960 I had three hours watch. We sat down. 299 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,200 Ray looked at me. He said I've been looking for 300 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:58,560 you ever since you sang that wonderful song before I 301 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,400 preached. God has told me you need to come 302 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:07,040 to South Africa, we need your gift and he said I want you to 303 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,400 come and speak. In my conference. 304 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:14,520 I had 80 in my church and I'm preaching one of the main 305 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,160 speakers with all the people with The Jets and everything. 306 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:24,000 I rode down here on my bike. But what I'm trying to say is 307 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:28,520 the reason why I'm here is because I said I'll give out the 308 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:33,280 headphones. It's the tower, not the title. 309 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,760 Come on, somebody say Amen in this house right here. 310 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:38,640 I'm pleased. I'm, I'm pleased. 311 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:39,800 I've got what? Stay with me. 312 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:44,200 It's very much, it's very much like, you know, Rebecca in the 313 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,560 Old Testament, Abraham wanted a wife for his son Isaac. 314 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,920 So he said to his servant, go back to the place where I was 315 00:20:52,120 --> 00:20:55,720 born, and I want you to find a wife for my son Isaac. 316 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:00,480 And as we know from whose genealogy Jesus came, beautiful 317 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:04,400 picture Abraham the father, Isaac the son, the Holy Spirit, 318 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:07,920 the unnamed servant and and seeking a bride. 319 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,720 It's a beautiful picture there. But so the servant went and he 320 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,640 had 10 camels with him. And the Bible says he came and 321 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,520 he sat down by a well and he said he said, oh, God, let the 322 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:25,240 woman who offers me a drink and not only that, but offers to 323 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:29,120 water my camels also. Let her be the one. 324 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:34,480 Let her be the choice. I mean, 10 camels, Those humps 325 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:38,080 are not for show. Do you know how much those 326 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,640 suckers drink? I mean, you serious watering 10 327 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,080 camels? So anyway, we know the story. 328 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:46,960 Rebecca came. Oh, I'll do you want to drink, 329 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,920 Sir? And not only that, I'll water 330 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:50,640 your camels. And she was chosen. 331 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,360 And then the servant told her what the whole deal was. 332 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:56,800 But when I thought about the story, watch this, check it out 333 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,840 in Genesis 24. She was young, she was gifted, 334 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,600 She was beautiful. Watch. 335 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:11,120 She was morally pure, but the door to her destiny is Isaac's 336 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:17,720 pride was not her contacts, her charisma, or her morality. 337 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:23,320 It was her servant heart. She wasn't responding to an 338 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:28,640 advertisement in the ER times because that's where Abraham 339 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,120 came from. Imagine coming from a place 340 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:34,200 called ER. Where are you from? 341 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:43,080 No, where you're from where? Anyway, so watch she wasn't 342 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:51,120 responding to an advert saying the PS man looking for a bride, 343 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:57,520 very rich man looking for a bride from whose lying lineage 344 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:01,960 the Messiah will come. No or on PS She must love 345 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:10,400 watering camels, 10 of them, and she must be able to carry 1000 346 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,680 litres of water using A10 litre jug. 347 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,160 It'll probably start at 6:00 AM and it could take her five 348 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:24,840 hours. It will be an an an interruption 349 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:30,960 to her social calendar and it will seriously disrupt her plans 350 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,720 for the day. On top of that, she will have no 351 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,280 encouragement from the servant while she's doing it. 352 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,880 She will have no recognition from anyone and Heaven will be 353 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,560 silent. She will have no idea that 354 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,040 Heaven's gaze is upon her for promotion. 355 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,400 She will not realise she will be standing before a door of 356 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:02,600 destiny that only a servant heart can open, and they will be 357 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,880 disguised. The door of destiny will be 358 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:14,840 disguised as 10 thirsty camels and during the whole process 359 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:19,480 heaven will be silent. In Genesis 2421, it said, and 360 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:26,880 the servant watched in silence. No applause, No. 361 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,960 Come on, Rebecca, you don't know what's at stake here. 362 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:37,240 No pep talk, no indication of the importance of what was 363 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,360 happening right there. And you know what? 364 00:24:40,360 --> 00:24:46,040 I believe and I've learned in my life very often God watches us 365 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,360 in, in silence. He watches. 366 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:55,960 And he hides himself in opportunities to serve the 367 00:24:55,960 --> 00:25:02,920 innkeeper Jesus hid himself in Mary's womb and the innkeeper 368 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:06,600 didn't realize he missed an opportunity to serve the King of 369 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,160 Kings. And sometimes he will hide 370 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,240 himself in opportunities to serve. 371 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:18,200 His gaze is on us. His gaze was on me back there, 372 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,600 offering to give out the headphones. 373 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:27,440 That was that was not the plan. That was just the process to get 374 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:36,760 me here tonight. Very often you just end up turn 375 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,440 up enduring the routine of commitment. 376 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:46,880 When I went to the church, once I got over realizing I'm not on 377 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:49,080 another planet, but these are real people. 378 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,800 That was a joke. But when I got over that, when I 379 00:25:53,800 --> 00:26:00,720 get over that, because this, the love of Jesus just burns in your 380 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,880 heart. And I said, and I just said, 381 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:06,520 where, where can I, where can I serve? 382 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,480 So there was a, there was a slot in the children's church. 383 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,000 I served in the children's church for 10 years. 384 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:18,320 And that's where I learned a lot about communicating the gospel 385 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,840 to kids because they'll tell you straight rubbish, you know what 386 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:24,320 I mean? They, they won't. 387 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,200 And so and I would get the lesson. 388 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:29,000 We had a prepared lesson every week. 389 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,560 And I'd get the lesson and I would rewrite the lesson because 390 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,560 it wasn't suiting the kids. It was like an American thing. 391 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:40,200 So I rewrote it. I wrote it, spent hours 392 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,720 rewriting. And I'd be fired up and I'd turn 393 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,040 up to the children's church and sometimes there'd be one kid 394 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:55,200 there, but I'd be as passionate teaching that one kid about the 395 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,680 love of Jesus. And I tell you this because 396 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:02,320 again, in Africa, I'm standing on a platform and I make an 397 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,240 appeal for salvation. And I think 500 people were 398 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:07,680 standing in the front receiving Jesus. 399 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:09,720 I said, Lord, how can you trust me with this? 400 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,040 He said, I saw you turn up for the one kid. 401 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,600 Come on, somebody, you got to get this. 402 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,120 You got this is not rocket science, but this is the key to 403 00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:24,120 the door of your destiny. If you're still with me, say 404 00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:27,920 Amen. Man, There's so much I could I 405 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:29,880 could say, but let me just say this, OK? 406 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,120 You know, so many young people, you, you're worrying about the 407 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:38,920 call of God and you're worrying about missing it. 408 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,640 Will I get it right? Let me tell you and let me give 409 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,320 you a bit of advice. Stop worrying about missing the 410 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:52,240 will of God. Live with a towel wrapped around 411 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,360 your waist and the will of God will find you. 412 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:02,600 The call of God normally comes in the form of an ambush. 413 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:09,240 You don't chase the call of God. The call of God chases you. 414 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:14,280 And my life has been one of a series of ambushes. 415 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:21,040 Proverbs 69, God says, go ahead and make your plans, but 416 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,280 ultimately I will order your steps. 417 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,040 We can make our plans. You don't have to lock yourself 418 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:33,280 up in a room for 16 years saying, God, I'm available. 419 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:37,320 Get on with life. Make your plans. 420 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:42,480 God says it's permissible. You're not disobeying God or 421 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:46,120 sabotaging your destiny by making your plans because 422 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:50,160 ultimately, when God wants you, he knows where you live, He 423 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,720 knows where you are, and he will come and get you. 424 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:59,480 Moses, Gideon, Rebecca, Saul, Mary, the disciples were all 425 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,680 ambushed while making their plans. 426 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:07,920 Moses was tending sheep in the desert, dealing with failure, 427 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,960 and God ambushed him. Gideon was threshing wheat, 428 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:17,640 dealing with an inferiority complex, and God ambushed him. 429 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:24,960 David was bringing sandwiches to his brothers, he had a towel 430 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:29,560 around his waist, and God ambushed him. 431 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,760 King Saul was looking for his father's donkeys. 432 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,520 He wasn't looking for kingship and God ambushed him. 433 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:44,200 What about this one? Jonah was running away. 434 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,400 Jonah, I want you to do this. No, I'm going this way. 435 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,600 Listen to me. I'm telling you, when God's got 436 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,280 His hand on you, when God's got His purposes ready to work out 437 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:59,560 on you, He will find you. The Script. 438 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:04,240 This scripture has become one of the bedrocks of my life as I've 439 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:09,200 served God for over 50 years. And the reason why you need to 440 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:13,680 have this revelation in your heart is because this scripture 441 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:16,000 will deliver you from the fear of failing. 442 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:21,080 It will deliver you from the fear of all the hesitancy of 443 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:24,400 making plans. Watch, Mary and Joseph were 444 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:31,520 planning to have Jesus born in Nazareth, but God turned the 445 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:37,600 whole world upside down to get them to the place of birthing. 446 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:43,800 I'm telling you, God can turn your whole world upside down to 447 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,640 get you to the place where he wants you to be. 448 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:53,880 Well, you know, I hope that's helped tonight. 449 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:03,640 It's a pastoral, but I see a lot of young people here tonight and 450 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,520 it's beautiful, beautiful. You have the most amazing church 451 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:11,040 here. And I've lived with that. 452 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:16,680 I've tried to live with that principle of living with the 453 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:22,360 tower and not chasing the title. And I remember not so long ago, 454 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:30,040 in a short space of time, people were coming up to me in airports 455 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:36,440 and in restaurants and. And just say, Ray, thank you for 456 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,720 coming to my school when I was 13. 457 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:43,880 I am now in the ministry serving God because of that. 458 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,120 And the depressing thing is there were now 50. 459 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:50,920 Do you know what I'm saying? And then I'd be in the airport. 460 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:52,280 Are you Ray Bevan? Yeah. 461 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,840 Thank you for coming to pray for my mum. 462 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,400 She was dying, and you came and you prayed for her and I, and 463 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,000 there was many, many, many in a short space of time. 464 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:07,400 And I couldn't remember most of most of them. 465 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:10,680 And I'm sitting in a conference on the front row. 466 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:15,840 There was a young man preaching, and he stopped and he said, Ray, 467 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:20,120 you've been asking Jesus why all these people are coming to say 468 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:22,320 thank you. I said, yeah. 469 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:25,800 He said Jesus is trying to say thank you. 470 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:32,720 Do you know the hairs went up in my arm and I thought to myself, 471 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:37,880 that one thank you from Jesus will be OK for me for the rest 472 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,400 of my life. Even if I don't have any title, 473 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:45,400 even if I don't have any position to hear that word, 474 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,880 Jesus saying thank you is enough for me. 475 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,560 And you know what? And then as I started to think 476 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:55,440 about it and I'll, I'll pray in a minute, I started to think 477 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:58,040 about it. And the Lord said to me, see 478 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:01,480 where there are two types of people in the church. 479 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,960 The we have people and the when did we people? 480 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:14,160 The we have people, Hey, Jesus, we've done this, we've cast out 481 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:15,800 demons. We've done this. 482 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:17,760 Look, we've been there. We have this. 483 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,840 And Jesus says that didn't really know you. 484 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,760 And then he comes to somebody else and he says, thanks for 485 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:30,360 going into the prison. Thanks for giving a cup of cold 486 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:35,360 water to that person. And it was like all these people 487 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,600 coming up and I didn't know. And, and, and, and, and my 488 00:33:38,600 --> 00:33:41,120 response was, when did I do that? 489 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:47,600 When did we do that? I believe that God is raising up 490 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:53,200 hundreds and hundreds of young people in this house and you are 491 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:58,840 going to become when did we people not we have people you're 492 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:01,520 going to pick up the towel and you're going to serve. 493 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:05,680 See, I didn't know that Rory was going to call all them people up 494 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:10,320 on the stage. This the Holy Spirit has 495 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:15,480 orchestrated this whole service. You've demonstrated. 496 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:20,600 See the young lady crying, just wanting to serve, just wanting 497 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,760 to serve. Holy Spirit, thank you for this 498 00:34:24,760 --> 00:34:28,360 message tonight. Thank you for helping me to 499 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:32,639 preach your word. Thank you for helping me to 500 00:34:32,639 --> 00:34:37,960 share the wonderful things that you've done in my life, the way 501 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,120 you've led me, the way you've blessed me. 502 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:45,639 And I pray, Father, that out of this river, as the river has has 503 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:53,480 poured out of me, I thank you that there are people that have 504 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:58,200 been hearing it and are ready to apply it in their life. 505 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:07,640 So, Father, I commend them to your grace and to your mercy. 506 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:12,360 I pray that they will seek the tower and not the title. 507 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:19,400 Lord help us to serve one another, help us to love one 508 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:25,720 another that all may all men may see and know that Jesus is in 509 00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:29,760 this house. We give you thanks and everybody 510 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,120 said God bless you. Thank you.