1 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,440 So let me tell you a story. So I'm preaching in my church. 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,360 I pastor the same church for 26 years. 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,080 When God called me to plant a Church in Wales, Jonah came from 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:16,480 Wales. What a rubbish joke. 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,080 But never mind. So I'm God called me to plant 6 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,560 this Church in Wales and I had been a youth evangelist for 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,200 seven years. So I said, Lord, I've got 6 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,520 sermons, I'll give you 6 weeks. That's exactly what I said to 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:34,120 him. 26 years later, I was still pastoring the church. 10 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:39,080 I handed the church over eight years ago and the law has been 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,720 opening doors for me. And I remember standing on 12 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:46,080 Sunday morning and I'm preaching a message on, on blind 13 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,640 Bartimaeus. We all know the story where 14 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,560 Jesus came along and Bart was there. 15 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,880 He's blind. And Jesus stopped. 16 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,800 Grace stopped and says, hey, Bart, what do you want me to do 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:02,640 for you? No condition, never tithe, never 18 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,360 went to church. Now he was a taker. 19 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:10,240 He was a user, just a beggar. What do you want me to do for 20 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:11,880 you? And I'm preaching this message. 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,920 And in the middle of the message, a woman stood up at the 22 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,400 back and she stood out in the aisle like this. 23 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,200 And I'm preaching away. She started walking down the 24 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,360 aisle. I thought, oh, she wants to get 25 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,400 saved or blessed. And this is amazing. 26 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,560 And so I keep on preaching. She came to the front, then she 27 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,200 went to the side and I thought, where is security? 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,920 She could be a terrorist here. I she went to the side. 29 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,840 I'm preaching. She got up the steps and she 30 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,080 walked across the platform and I'm here pre and she stood right 31 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,120 here. So I'm preaching. 32 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,320 Hello. Oh, she said hello, I said, 33 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,680 what's your name? She said my name is Joan. 34 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,520 She said, what's your name then? Andre? 35 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,960 I'm trying to preach here tit. I said, Joan, what are you doing 36 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,280 up on the stage? Well, she said, she said we've 37 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,160 got a feeding program in our church. 38 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,040 It's the largest feeding program in our nation. 39 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:17,160 We're feeding 200,000 people a year and it's called Jesus Cares 40 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,520 and we give out 2000 food hampers every month. 41 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:25,200 So she said to me, well, Ray, this is the only second time 42 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,320 I've been in the church. I said, yeah, I gathered that 43 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:32,840 Joan, I said, what are you doing here? 44 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,680 When my friend gave me a food parcel and I'm not a Christian, 45 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,160 I've never been to church in my life, but she gave me this food 46 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,720 parcel and I said to her, who's giving me this food parcel? 47 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,760 And she said, oh, the King's church, Jesus lives there. 48 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:54,400 What a compliment for any church. 49 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,280 Come on, somebody say, Amen, Jesus lives there. 50 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,040 So she said, I had to come to his house to say thank you for 51 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:06,200 my food parcel. I said, that's wonderful, John, 52 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:07,840 but you could have done it down there. 53 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,840 You didn't have to come up here. No, but had. 54 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,960 And then, and then the second week I had another food parcel. 55 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,720 This is only the second time in the church, so I had to come 56 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:23,040 again to say thank you to him. I said, but why are you up here? 57 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,200 She said, well you preaching about this man in the Bible and 58 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,160 Jesus said to him, and he wasn't any He didn't offer anything to 59 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,240 society. He had done nothing for no one. 60 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,960 And yet Jesus said, what do you want me to do for you with no 61 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:42,080 condition? She said, I haven't been able to 62 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,880 walk without my Walker for three years. 63 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,840 So when you sat down, I said, Jesus, thank you for the food 64 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,160 parcel. Could you heal my legs as well? 65 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,840 And she said, I felt this warmth go through my body. 66 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,040 So I I wonder if I could step out into the aisle without my 67 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,440 Walker. So that's what I did. 68 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,400 And then I thought, I wonder if I can walk down there without my 69 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:08,200 Walker. So that's when I and then I 70 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,040 thought, I wonder if I can get up them steps there without my I 71 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,160 got up the steps and I walked across. 72 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,360 I couldn't go any further because you were here. 73 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:22,040 So I just stopped. Get out the way, preacher. 74 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:28,520 I said, John, that's amazing. I said, that's, that's amazing. 75 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:33,280 I said John, but listen, so, so, so Jesus has given you a food 76 00:04:33,280 --> 00:04:38,040 parcel, healed your legs. Joan, can I ask you a question? 77 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,520 She said, yeah, would you like Jesus to go home with you? 78 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:44,840 Jesus doesn't live in the building. 79 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,080 He lives in the hearts of the people who come here. 80 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:50,760 I said, would you like Jesus to go home with you? 81 00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:55,840 She said never a letter to the Lord right there. 82 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,000 She give a life to Jesus right there on the platform. 83 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,880 Now the whole conversation you can remind the congregation were 84 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,040 like were like this. What's happening here? 85 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,320 Then I said, are you OK, Joan? Yes, she said, can I say 86 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,080 something to the people? I said, OK, I'll give her the 87 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,960 microphone, saying Jesus, if she cusses, it's not my fault. 88 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:20,000 OK. So I gave her the microphone. 89 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,960 She said, hey everybody, I'm like that man there that in the 90 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,440 Bible I I've done nothing for no one. 91 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:33,160 I've lived a horrible life, never been to church, don't know 92 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:38,400 what it's all about, but Jesus gave me a food hamper, healed my 93 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,360 legs, and now he's coming home with me. 94 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,320 She said, why don't you lot do the same? 95 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:52,120 Come on somebody, hey, why don't you lot do the same? 96 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:59,560 And I thought to myself, I could have spent six weeks teaching 97 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,680 how to receive from the grace of God. 98 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:09,080 And God used Joan, an unbeliever, to demonstrate to us 99 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:16,680 in a practical way how simple and wonderful and easy it is to 100 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,400 receive from Jesus whatever your need is. 101 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:23,600 I mean, we were stunned to silence. 102 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:30,320 You see, the church is good at repenting, but not very good at 103 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,560 receiving. And when I contemplated on on 104 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,920 Joan, I believe this, this is not a time for the church to 105 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,320 repent. This is a time for the church to 106 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,200 receive. You see, religion, if religion 107 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,240 had stood in front of Bart, religion would have said, this 108 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:57,080 is what you have to do for me before I'm satisfied to bless 109 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,080 you. This is what you must do for me. 110 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,920 But Grace turns up and says, no, no, no. 111 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:07,160 This is what Grace says, What do you want me to do for you? 112 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,120 And you're in a church where religion doesn't stand here. 113 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,000 Grace stands here this morning and he appeals to you when he 114 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:18,560 reaches out to you and speaks to you and says, what do you want 115 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:23,560 me to do for you? And when I was thinking about 116 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:29,440 this message this morning, he said, Ray, I'm standing before 117 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:34,760 the people asking them, what do you want me to do for you? 118 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,680 Because he wants to give you something this morning. 119 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:43,520 There are many people in need of an aspect of the character of 120 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,960 God this morning that actually you're desperate for, but you 121 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:53,000 don't know how to get it. And Jesus stands here and he, 122 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,040 he, he said to me this week, Ray, because I was going to 123 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:01,880 preach on something else. But he says, Ray, tell them that 124 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:05,120 grace stands here asking them, what do you want me to do for 125 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,000 you? And he stands here. 126 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,640 And this is because he wants to give you something that will 127 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:18,200 change your life forever. He wants to dispense a peace 128 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:22,920 that makes no sense. In other words, the Bible calls 129 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:27,120 it the peace that passes understanding. 130 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,920 And there are many of you this morning and God gave me a very 131 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:39,240 simple key on how to release the peace that makes no sense into 132 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,159 your life. Philippians chapter 4, we all 133 00:08:41,159 --> 00:08:43,039 know it. Verse six and seven. 134 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:48,280 Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. 135 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:54,120 Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He's already done. 136 00:08:54,320 --> 00:09:02,080 Watch, then you will experience God's peace which exceeds 137 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:11,720 anything we can understand. His peace, His peace that makes 138 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:17,320 no sense, will guard your hearts and your minds as you live in 139 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,080 Christ Jesus. It's not a great scripture. 140 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,840 And I, I was thinking of the time when in his resurrected 141 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:34,000 body, Jesus walks into a room filled with failed, fearful, 142 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:38,080 flawed people. And in spite of the 143 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:43,680 unfaithfulness, in spite of the disloyalty, he was about to use 144 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:49,160 this bunch to change the world. Wow, there's hope for everybody 145 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:53,760 else in this house. And he walks into this room. 146 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,040 The Bible says the room was locked, the windows were locked, 147 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,680 the doors were locked. And this bunch, this material 148 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:07,120 God was about to change the world with, were huddled in a 149 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:11,360 fearful huddle. Nothing powerful about them, 150 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,720 nothing awesome about them. In fact, let me read it in John 151 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:19,600 20 verse 19 to 22. Then the same day and evening 152 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:24,320 being the first day of the week, when the doors were still shut, 153 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:29,320 the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews. 154 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:34,560 Now watch this. This was not a prayer meeting. 155 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,920 This was not a meeting full of faith. 156 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,560 This was a bunch of guys terrified to die. 157 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,840 They are just deserted. Jesus failed in their commitment 158 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,920 to him. And here they were huddled, but 159 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:54,000 Jesus still walked through the wall because he wanted to be 160 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,120 with them. Come on, somebody say Amen, 161 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,520 right? I don't care what wall you put 162 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:04,920 up, Jesus will just walk through that wall to get to you because 163 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,520 of his incredible unconditional love. 164 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,920 Oh man, this just blesses me and watch this. 165 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,440 And Jesus stood there in the midst of them. 166 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,640 And I can imagine the first thing if I was there after what 167 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:27,640 I did when he walked to the wall, I'd be like, give it to 168 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,800 us, Jesus. And Jesus walked to the wall to 169 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:37,520 these failed, flawed, fearful disciples and he said, you bunch 170 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:46,920 of wazaks, you, you bunch of lo you, three years invested into 171 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,680 your life and look at you dear, what a waste of time. 172 00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:55,760 I should have got another 12. And now he walks into the room 173 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,080 and he doesn't say, listen, I'm going to bless you and 174 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:03,160 Commission you, but I want to see some repentance here before 175 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:05,040 I dispense what I'm going to dispense. 176 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,360 I want to see some repentance here. 177 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,480 Now he walked into the room of these failed people and this is 178 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,600 what he said. First thing he said, peace to 179 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:21,120 you guys, settle down, peace to you. 180 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:26,560 Watch this. As imperfect as we are, this is 181 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:29,840 not the time to grovel before God. 182 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:34,600 This is the time to receive and when, what this And when he said 183 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,080 this, he showed them his hands on his side. 184 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,920 In other words, he says it's finished. 185 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,880 It's no longer about your faithfulness, it's all about 186 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:50,800 mine now it's no longer about your behaviour, it's all about 187 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,960 mine for you. Come on, somebody say Amen. 188 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,400 So he said peace to you. Watch. 189 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:00,960 And then he showed them his grace, his finished work. 190 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:05,280 And then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 191 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:11,760 So again Jesus said to them, Peace to you, as the Father has 192 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:16,800 sent me, I also send you. And when he said this, he 193 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:23,120 breathed on them. See gifting came last, anointing 194 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,280 came last. Then he breathed on them and 195 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,920 said, receive the Holy Spirit. You see what I noticed about 196 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,640 this before he sent them out? His priority for them was not 197 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,400 his power. It was not his gifting, it was 198 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:44,880 his grace and his peace. Come on, somebody say Amen here. 199 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,280 And when I look at the life of the apostle Paul and I'm reading 200 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:55,600 this and I said, Lord, how do I receive this peace? 201 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,720 How do I live in it? How do I live in this peace? 202 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:06,680 That makes no sense. Your priority for the disciples 203 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:10,440 was not anointing and power and gifting, but but grace and 204 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,080 peace. That's the foundation you want 205 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,160 us to have in our lives before anything. 206 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,560 But how do I release it? And then he began to show me the 207 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:23,000 life of the apostle Paul. I mean, this turbulent, 208 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,680 traumatic life that that that any man could live. 209 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,360 And in 2nd Corinthians 11, you know it well. 210 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:38,360 He lists all the joys of his life. 211 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:43,240 He lists all the stuff that he had to go through. 212 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,280 He says, you talk about having a bad day. 213 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,560 Listen, I've had stripes above measure. 214 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,560 I've been flogged more than any of you, he says. 215 00:14:54,560 --> 00:15:01,120 I've been in prison often. I've been facing death often. 216 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:09,240 Five times I've received 40 lashes 5 * 3 times. 217 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:14,200 I've been beaten with rods once. I've been stoned. 218 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,200 Not, not stoned, stoned. I'm just letting people know 219 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,600 because you know, I don't know who's here or you know what I'm 220 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,920 saying. Three times I've been 221 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,320 shipwrecked. I've been in peril with drowning 222 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,360 robbers, false brethren, wild animals. 223 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:34,360 I've been weary. I've been cold. 224 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,800 I've been toiling. Sometimes I've been desperately 225 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:39,840 hungry. I've been thirsty. 226 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,680 Sometimes I've been totally naked. 227 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,040 I've had sleepless nights like you couldn't imagine. 228 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:51,360 And on top of that, I've had the care of the churches. 229 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,520 And yet he stood up and he could say this wasn't a list to say, 230 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:01,440 please feel sorry for me. He was declaring something, he 231 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:02,600 says. But you know what? 232 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:08,880 In all that, I have learned to be content. 233 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,400 Come on, somebody. In other words, he was saying, I 234 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,960 have learned to receive and live in the peace. 235 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:23,480 That makes no sense. And I read that and I've got a 236 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,200 headache and I think the devil's attacking me. 237 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,240 You know what I'm saying? I think, I think. 238 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:37,680 And then I said, Lord, how? How can a man who's experiencing 239 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:42,640 all that can live in a peace that passes understanding? 240 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,440 I said, Lord, Lord, how did Paul access that peace? 241 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,760 And the answer was very simple. And this I've said all that to 242 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,440 say this today, because this is what many of you are going to do 243 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,280 this morning. And you're going to find the 244 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:03,000 peace that makes no sense rushing into your life, flooding 245 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,280 your heart and your mind. And here's the key. 246 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,640 I said, Lord, what's the key? And this is what he said. 247 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:16,240 Paul learned to be content because he surrendered his 248 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:24,000 desire to know why. He surrendered his desire to 249 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,040 know why. I sense the anointing of God 250 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:30,880 here because there are people, you've been fasting, you've been 251 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,240 praying, you've been reading the Bible, you've had people pray 252 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:40,320 for you, you've had 16 demons cast down to you and it's still 253 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,280 not working and you're here and he's in law. 254 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,800 Ray, keep preaching because you're scratching what I'm 255 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,760 itching. The the answer is simple. 256 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:56,320 You need to surrender your desire to know why Rock'n'roll, 257 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,360 yabba, dabba Doo, Alibaba, and whatever else you want to say. 258 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:05,880 Come on, somebody say Amen right here in Romans chapter 8, he 259 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:10,560 says at the beginning, he says, I know that the whole of 260 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:15,320 creation is groaning. I know why all these earthquakes 261 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:17,880 are happening on the earth is the way it is because I know 262 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,320 awaiting the redemption of the sons of men. 263 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:26,320 And at the end of Romans 8, he says, I know all things work 264 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:30,040 together for good. But in the middle of Romans 8, 265 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:34,280 he says, I don't know. There are some things I don't 266 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,400 know. Everything is great on 267 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,760 hindsight. At the beginning, we pumped 268 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,720 because of the dream. But when you get to the middle 269 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,080 and some of you are in the middle and you just don't know, 270 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:49,000 watch, that's when the grace of God kicks in. 271 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:51,480 Come on somebody. That's when the grace of God 272 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,960 kicks in. That's when the Spirit of God 273 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:55,960 kicks in. Paul says, I get to a place 274 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,560 where I don't know. I surrender my desire to know 275 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:00,640 why and I just let the Spirit pray. 276 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,720 Pray through me. Come on, somebody say Amen in 277 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,520 this house right here. I'm going somewhere with this 278 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:13,080 because this is so powerful. Sometimes you will find yourself 279 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:17,360 in a situation where you just don't know. 280 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:23,560 I put it like this. Some of you have found yourself 281 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:31,320 right now in an unplanned place of destiny, A place you never 282 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,360 planned to be. You never planned to be 283 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:39,680 divorced. You never planned to be sick. 284 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:46,640 You never planned to be in debt. But here you are, in an 285 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:52,440 unplanned place of destiny and the enemy is running rampant in 286 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,320 your mind. Worry is your friend. 287 00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,760 You don't know how to face the day. 288 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,120 And this is where you are large again, the apostle Paul. 289 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:11,040 I love his example because he gets on a ship in Acts 27 and 290 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,320 he's pumped. I'm finally going to stand 291 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,480 before Caesar. God's going to fulfill his 292 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,440 promise. I'm going to stand before Caesar 293 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:24,520 and preach the gospel. He's in change with 270 other 294 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,080 prisoners, but he doesn't care. His spirit isn't changed. 295 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,120 His mind isn't changed. He's free as a bird. 296 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:33,840 He's excited. Come on, let's do this. 297 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:38,600 And we all know what happened. The ship goes down. 298 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,200 He's floating on a plank in an open sea. 299 00:20:44,360 --> 00:20:47,680 And I can imagine the devil is saying, where's your God now? 300 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,120 Then where's this prosperity stuff? 301 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:57,880 Now I can imagine Paul's in, well, I got a plank, I'm still 302 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,360 alive. And then you get watch this. 303 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,080 I saw you can check this out in Acts 27. 304 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:10,680 He ended up his destiny. Was Rome the planned place? 305 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:20,240 Malta wasn't in his diary, but here he was on Malta, a place he 306 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,560 never planned to be. Watch the shipwreck. 307 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:28,360 You talk about having a bad day. The shipwreck, then the guards 308 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:33,040 tried to kill him. Then the sea tried to drown him. 309 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,440 Then he arrives on land, soaking wet and cold, lights a fire and 310 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:43,080 a snake tries to poison him. It's getting better by the 311 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:44,680 moment, isn't it, ladies and gentlemen? 312 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:50,160 And then this is what got me. The whole island had dysentery. 313 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,840 Thank you, God, I can handle the snake bite. 314 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:55,680 But the runs. No thank you. 315 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:01,920 So here he was. So how's Paul going to handle 316 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,520 this? How is he going to deal? 317 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:10,840 How did he sustain a spirit of contentment in a place he never 318 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:16,160 planned to be? I believe he says, well, I don't 319 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:18,560 know why I'm here, but you know what? 320 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:22,160 I I, I can't understand anything. 321 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,880 I don't know why I'm in this place. 322 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:28,320 But some things never change. His love for me will never 323 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,000 change His, His mercy for me never changes. 324 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,600 His grace for me will alter. And and more than that, nothing 325 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,240 can change who I am. The devil can do what he wants, 326 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:44,400 say what he wants, places Mary want, but nothing can change the 327 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,680 fact that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the 328 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,560 world. I am a new creation in Christ 329 00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:55,160 Jesus. Nothing can separate me from the 330 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,280 love of God. So here I am. 331 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,680 I don't know what's going on. Lord, I surrender my desire to 332 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,720 know why Now let's have revival. Come on, somebody say Amen in 333 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,600 this place. Man, I'm preaching. 334 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,800 Must have happy here. Are you still out there? 335 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:16,120 You see, Paul knew ultimately it was God who called him and it 336 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:18,160 was God who was going to finish what he started. 337 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:23,720 You know, one of the nicest ladies I've ever met is on my 338 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:28,600 GPS in the car. She's amazing. 339 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,720 You know, I'm travelling to London and there's an accident 340 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,160 that I don't know about. So she says take the next exit. 341 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,160 I go. No, love, you don't know what 342 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,640 you're talking about. I've done this one many times, 343 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:45,360 right? I'm listen, I'm staying on the 344 00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:48,000 M4. So I go, go, go. 345 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:51,520 And then the next, please take the next exit. 346 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:58,000 Not like you, idiot. You know what, Rory? 347 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,440 If someone, if someone invented Agps like that, you'd sell 348 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:07,160 millions on the Saigon. You Welsh was a cute idiot. 349 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,280 Go back to the Shire you Hobbit. I'm not helping you again. 350 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:16,680 No, no matter how many bad turns I take. 351 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:20,040 You know what she says? Turn around when possible. 352 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,520 Beautiful. He's fantastic. 353 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,680 Listen, the Holy Spirit is your GPS. 354 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,640 He lives in you 24/7 and I don't get how many times you don't 355 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:35,720 listen to him. I don't know how many times you 356 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,120 make bad decisions. I don't know how many wrong 357 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:41,400 takes you take. He will always say come on, come 358 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,880 on, what I started in you, I will finish. 359 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,680 I will get you to where I planned you to be. 360 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,080 Come on man, I think it's fantastic. 361 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:53,080 Give the Lord a big clap in this out. 362 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:58,040 I'm nearly finished. I'm nearly through and you 363 00:24:58,040 --> 00:24:59,560 received the word of God this morning. 364 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,880 You see, you may not you may be in an unplanned place of destiny 365 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,320 as a result of a number of things, maybe your own choices, 366 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:13,040 the decisions of others, tragic circumstances, satanic attack. 367 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,520 But you know, I've learned contentment involves 368 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:20,080 surrendering to a master plan that sometimes makes no sense. 369 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,240 Abraham arrived there, said why this sacrifice? 370 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,000 David arrived there, why this delay? 371 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:28,480 Paul arrived there. Why this thorn? 372 00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:31,760 Even Jesus arrived there. Why this rejection? 373 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:37,040 But the one for me, and I'll close with this, is that very 374 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:38,400 often, do you know what I've learned? 375 00:25:40,120 --> 00:25:45,520 How many of you serious I I know all of us, but how many of us 376 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:49,280 seriously would love to be used by God? 377 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:54,200 We all do. But have you ever thought that 378 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,960 God would sometimes allow you to be in an unplanned place of 379 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,480 destiny for the blessing of others? 380 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,160 And you know, I was thinking about this. 381 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,560 See, watch, Paul was in Malta. Watch. 382 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:14,920 I've learned that sometimes what's what seems to be going 383 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:19,160 wrong for you, God is using it to make it right for somebody 384 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,960 else. Paul was in Malta. 385 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:31,400 Not good for Paul, great for Malta with his stripes, not good 386 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,280 for Jesus. Friday we are healed. 387 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,000 And I'm thinking particularly, I'll finish with this. 388 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,760 I'm, I'm thinking particularly of Joseph in the Old Testament, 389 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,640 you know the story, his brothers tried to kill him, sold him into 390 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:50,600 slavery, sold him down into Egypt. 391 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:53,840 He became Prime Minister. His brothers were grovelling 392 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,440 before him. He knew who they were. 393 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,840 They didn't know he, oh, he was. And here he was having the 394 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:04,960 perfect opportunity to get his revenge. 12 years, living under 395 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:09,400 a silent heaven, having a dream given to him by God, seemed to 396 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:14,040 be going into reverse, accused of rape, in prison, forgotten, 397 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:19,600 you know the deal. 12 years and then God took him out and now he 398 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:25,200 sees the whole picture and and the cause of his problem was 399 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,400 standing before him. The Bible says he went he wept 400 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:30,920 privately. Then he came out to his 401 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,080 brothers. He revealed himself to his 402 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:37,080 brothers and I can imagine they're thinking, oh, we are in 403 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:46,720 deep yoghurt now. Genesis 45 Joseph to his 404 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:50,760 brothers watch he had the revelation bad for me. 405 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:59,760 Now I see it, don't be upset or angry with yourselves. 406 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,400 I know what I would have said. I know what a Rory would have 407 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:09,320 said. Anyways, watch, don't be upset 408 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,560 or angry with yourselves for giving me all this rubbish in my 409 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,960 life. Don't be upset or angry with 410 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,120 yourself for selling me to the this place. 411 00:28:20,120 --> 00:28:29,560 Watch, it was God who sent me here ahead of you watch to 412 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:36,480 preserve your life. Let that sink in and I, I, you 413 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:41,960 know, when I saw that I thought it wasn't about me. 414 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:49,280 It was about him all the time allowing stuff to go bad for me 415 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:57,160 to make it good for you. So I'm getting up in the morning 416 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:02,040 to go to preach or sing and speak to 1000 young people in 417 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,360 Wales. My equipment was in my car. 418 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,880 I was up early, 5:00. I walked out to the car. 419 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:15,240 There was glass everywhere. Someone had broken into my car 420 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:19,320 and stolen all my equipment and I'm angry. 421 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,240 I said, God, why didn't you stop the thief? 422 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:27,120 Why didn't you kill him? I have an opportunity to speak 423 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:31,480 to 1000 young people and you allow this plonker to come and 424 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:35,360 steal my equipment and I'm ranting at God like this. 425 00:29:36,080 --> 00:29:39,560 So I had to cancel the school. I phoned the police, reported 426 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,080 the crime and the policeman came up to my house, took all the 427 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:46,720 details and for some reason at the end of the interview I said 428 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,760 to the policeman, do you like gospel music? 429 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,360 He said, yeah, I do, actually. I said, do you want to, do you 430 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:55,080 want to take one of my albums? I can't seem to sell them, so 431 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,960 I'm just giving them away now. And he looked at me, Ron, he 432 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:02,800 looked at me and he said I got all your albums. 433 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:09,120 I thought you actually bought them now. 434 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:11,600 He said, I got all your I recognized you as soon as you 435 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,000 came in. I came in here. 436 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,880 I've sat under your ministry, Ray. 437 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:19,680 So I said, why are you telling me this? 438 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,160 He said last night I shouldn't be here. 439 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:27,320 The guy that should have been here sick, I had to cover his, 440 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:30,200 cover his this thing to come up here. 441 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:38,040 He said last night, I've been away from God for years doing 442 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,360 stuff and said, last night I threw myself on the bedroom 443 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:48,520 floor and I said, God, if you still really love me, please 444 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:52,360 show me. And here I am. 445 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,080 And you know the Lord said to me, never tell my people who 446 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:02,320 have failed to come back to me. He said, tell them I never left. 447 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:08,000 I said, Peter, he never left, bro. 448 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:10,880 And right there the tears were flowing. 449 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:14,600 And then like Joseph, I thought I was so embarrassed at the 450 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,320 goodness of God. And I was so embarrassed how 451 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,560 many times Lord use me? And then when I get used, I 452 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:23,360 said, Lord, why am I being used like this? 453 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:30,920 But watch bad for me, good for Peter. 454 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,600 Three years later, I'm preaching in the church, many people 455 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,320 coming forward to receive salvation. 456 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,640 I prayed the prayer. Young man looked up at me and 457 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,640 said, Pastor, can you please forgive me? 458 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,960 I said, of course. I said Jesus has forgiven you, 459 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,960 why should I not forgive you? Well, he said, do you remember 3 460 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:54,360 years ago? What? 461 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,440 What? My birthday? 462 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:03,360 What? What, what? 463 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:07,400 He said, do you remember 3 years ago someone broke into your car 464 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:17,400 and stole your equipment? You know the guy, I am the guy, 465 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,560 I said. You still have my equipment. 466 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:28,960 See now I sold it pasta for a good price. 467 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:40,280 Actually, the thief got saved. Bad for me, but good for them. 468 00:32:41,680 --> 00:32:45,040 Holy Spirit, thank you for this message today. 469 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,360 Thank you for this simple revelation, but yet profound and 470 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,960 life changing. There are people that find 471 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:59,040 themselves right here, right now, in a place they never 472 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:00,600 planned to be. But perhaps they've never 473 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:07,880 thought of this perspective that all things, good or bad, truly 474 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:14,040 work together under the Master Potter's hand. 475 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:20,600 Lord, thank you that our destiny is not a patch, it's a quilt. 476 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:24,840 And sometimes we get stuck in a patch. 477 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,760 Lord, I pray that people will step back this morning and see 478 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,360 that you can take the good patches, the bad patches, the up 479 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:36,880 patches, the painful patches, and you can soul them into a 480 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:42,320 tapestry called their destiny. And Lord, many are going to 481 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:46,280 surrender their desire to know why. 482 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:50,760 And your peace that makes no sense is going to flood their 483 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,920 heart and their mind. Now what I'm going to ask you to 484 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,080 do, I'm just going to take one minute, but you're sitting here. 485 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:04,560 The Holy Spirit has taken what I've been saying and applying it 486 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:10,239 to your heart. And if this morning, and I know 487 00:34:10,239 --> 00:34:13,960 for some of you it's tough, but this morning you were going to 488 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:20,080 say to God, Lord, I don't know why I'm here, but I'm going to 489 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:28,080 surrender my desire to know why. And I receive the peace that 490 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:32,600 passes understanding. You just receive it just like 491 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,040 John. So what I'm going to ask you to 492 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:40,280 do, if that is you place your hand over your heart, I'm not 493 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:43,440 going to ask you to stand or raise your hand. 494 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:47,960 I'm I'm going to ask you to put your hand over your heart. 495 00:34:52,639 --> 00:35:06,600 Father, in Jesus name, right now we surrender our desire to know 496 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:15,720 why and we receive the peace that passes understanding, the 497 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:22,880 peace that makes no sense. Lord, we receive it just like 498 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:29,760 Joan received from you right now. 499 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:36,640 I receive no conditions and I thank you.