1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:05,080 We are one church. We love God, love people, love 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,960 His mission, and love His church. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,520 Welcome to the One Church podcast. 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,920 Whenever you could turn with me to Acts chapter one verse 4 to 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,640 8, Acts chapter one verse 4 to 8. 6 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,840 So it'll probably come up behind me or you can flick there on 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,320 your phone or turn there if you have a a hard copy of the Bible 8 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,240 like I do here. I want to say to you, this is a 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,200 significant time in the history of this church. 10 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:46,080 It really is a significant time. I really, before I came here 11 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:52,120 four days ago in prayer, I was so reminded of the day of 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,640 Pentecost being prophesied for hundreds of years. 13 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,720 Of course, it was by the prophet Joel. 14 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,440 God gives a lot of warning before he moves mightily. 15 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,080 And then on the day of Pentecost there was a suddenly, and there 16 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:13,960 are these suddenly moments where God just changes the destiny of 17 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,280 his people. He changes the destiny of cities 18 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,800 and of nations and of people's lives. 19 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,160 And now it's such a time. God is moving in Leicester and 20 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:29,680 God is moving in the one church. Well, you really missed a good 21 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,680 point to say Amen, folks. But I want to say to you that 22 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:38,040 God is up to something here, and I believe he's mocking you in 23 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,160 this day and in this season. He's opening a new door and he's 24 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,880 calling you to go through it, to be volunteers in the day of his 25 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,160 power, the psalmist said. My people will be volunteers in 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,960 the day of my power. And I want you to know that that 27 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,760 as you say yes to Him, He will begin to do extraordinary things 28 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,040 in your life and through your life. 29 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,600 God is always looking for a place of agreement on the earth. 30 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,960 He's looking for a yes from His people. 31 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:11,680 And if you'll say yes, He'll do extraordinary things through 32 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:13,880 you. And you know when the Spirit 33 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:19,600 fell on the day of Pentecost, there was the sound of a mighty 34 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,800 wind and tongues like there's a fire that came to rest on each 35 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,840 one of them. It was an each one account 36 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:35,800 encounter and each one moment where the Spirit came on each 37 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,880 one. The crowds gathered outside as 38 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:44,320 they heard and were moved by the sound of the wind. 39 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:51,760 As the Spirit of God came upon that 120 people, it changed the 40 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:59,280 history of the world. 120 people in an upper room filled with the 41 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,080 power of the Holy Spirit. My goodness, there's more than 42 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,880 120 here this morning. What could God do with such a 43 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,040 people here in Leicester who say yes to him? 44 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:13,840 And you know, they all gathered there. 45 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,320 Peter stood up amongst the 11 and of course and he preached, 46 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:24,680 and as he preached, 3000 came to Christ and then it was spread on 47 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:26,320 from there. It didn't stay in that little 48 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,880 section of Jerusalem, but it went out and it spread out and 49 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,400 they began to proclaim the gospel throughout the city. 50 00:03:34,640 --> 00:03:38,160 It gets to a place where in Acts 5, the Bible says that people 51 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:43,600 came from all over the region and they laid the sick down on 52 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,920 the streets so that even the shadow of Peter passing by might 53 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,320 fall on them. And the Bible says that everyone 54 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,920 was healed. How remarkable and wonderful. 55 00:03:55,680 --> 00:04:00,200 I've in 37 years of travelling around the world, about 57 56 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,400 nations, I've only seen, I've always seen people healed. 57 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:06,600 But to the glory of God, it's only Jesus. 58 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,800 Jesus is the the healer, Amen. He's the only healer, but you 59 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,960 know, there have been some meetings and some large gospel, 60 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,680 open air gospel campaigns with thousands and thousands of 61 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,680 people where Jesus has healed everyone, everyone of 62 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,040 everything. And, and if they weren't 63 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,880 instantly healed in the gathering, they were healed by 64 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,880 the time they crossed the threshold of their home. 65 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:36,000 It's amazing. In Rwanda 2 years ago, that 66 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,280 happened. That happened in the place 67 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:41,440 called Byumba. And actually when we, when we 68 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,120 came back, this one, sorry, that was three years ago, the second 69 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:49,000 year that we went back, I was introduced by the Bishop of 70 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,240 Bayumba to all the leaders there from all the different 71 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,960 denominations as so many more churches came on board for the 72 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:01,120 second year for that city. And as he introduced me, he 73 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:04,760 said, my brothers and sisters, as I introduced Jonathan to you, 74 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,240 I want to say that when he first came to Bayumba we didn't 75 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,320 support him because we thought that he was like some of these 76 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,680 others that we have had who have come and hid people who 77 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:19,400 pretended to be ill in the crowd and then got them to come up and 78 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,680 testify that they were healed. And it brought such disrepute to 79 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,800 the gospel, they said. We felt that we could not honour 80 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,360 any other evangelist coming through who claimed that Jesus 81 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:33,560 healed the sick today, he said. But in the months that followed 82 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,560 the Mission 24 visit to Bayumba last year, I kept bumping into 83 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:43,000 blind people that I knew who was seeing, to friends who were deaf 84 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,160 and we're now hearing to cripple people who I knew in our 85 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,640 congregations who were now walking and didn't need a lift 86 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:49,840 to church. He said. 87 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:54,000 I could not deny the reality of what Jesus had done. 88 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:58,760 So now we are behind you fully. And they stood with us, all of 89 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,520 them. And Jesus did the most 90 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,200 remarkable miracles again in that place. 91 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,840 And you know, it's, it's all Jesus and it's one of them. 92 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:10,560 But I want to say to you, I believe that in this movie God, 93 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,160 and I believe you're in the early beginnings of it. 94 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,720 I believe you are in the beginnings of it. 95 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,600 Do I have to keep saying that until I get more of an Amen, a 96 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,280 place of agreement from the people of God? 97 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:31,920 I'm serious. God is doing something and he 98 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:37,560 looks for people you know who will listen, who are listening, 99 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,160 who will do what they see the Father doing and will make 100 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,440 themselves fully available. I sometimes say to people, you 101 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:49,600 know, with all of my travelling, I, I often I'm invited to a home 102 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,600 before I go to preach somewhere. And when I walk in the home, if 103 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,600 the lady of the house is cooking up something lovely and tasty, I 104 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,480 walk in the house. And the moment I walk in the 105 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,000 house, there's that lovely smell and aroma coming from the 106 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,400 kitchen. And so everybody knows that 107 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,080 something is cooking. But actually it's only if I'm 108 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,880 cheeky enough to go into the kitchen and lift up the pots and 109 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,360 pans and I look in and then I know what's cooking. 110 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:18,280 And actually, that's like the intercessors, that's like the 111 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,840 people who pray, that's like the people who live close to God in 112 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:25,480 prayer and in worship and in the word of God. 113 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,960 They know, they pick up in advance that God is up to 114 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:31,760 something, that he's doing something. 115 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,840 The, the, the people who are just like church attenders and 116 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,080 they don't do much else. They, they don't get what's 117 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:39,120 going on from day-to-day, to be honest with you. 118 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:46,240 They're a bit backslidden. They're not on fire, or should I 119 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:52,120 say a normal Christian. Now I want to encourage you to 120 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:58,840 be a normal on fire Christian, to live close to God and to be 121 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,560 listening and in prayer because the Spirit is looking for people 122 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,520 who recognise what he's doing, who will recognise his moving 123 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:10,640 and move with him and he will do extraordinary things through 124 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,120 your life. He's welcoming you, He's 125 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,880 summoning you, He's calling you up into his world. 126 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,000 What great days we're living in. So I want to speak to you about 127 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,080 this. The time is now is my theme this 128 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,600 morning. And I just want to say I want to 129 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,080 invite my beautiful wife Elaine to come up for a few moments and 130 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:31,200 share what the Lord showed her because I, I did say something 131 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:35,039 before she comes and it's this. I know your history. 132 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,120 I used to come occasionally over to what was All Nations Church. 133 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:44,000 And so I, I, I knew all about the building and I knew about 134 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,040 the place and I, I, I know what God has done amongst you and how 135 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,000 you've gone from there to where you are today and, and all the 136 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,080 very exciting things actually that God is doing with you at 137 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,680 this time. It's great, it's wonderful. 138 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,040 But my wife Elaine knew absolutely nothing about your 139 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,360 history. And so what's really 140 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,120 interesting, you'll see what it where I'm going when Elaine 141 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,520 tells you what she saw when she walked into this building. 142 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,080 Sweetie, could you just come and just show? 143 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:08,960 Could you give Elaine a a warm welcome? 144 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:09,720 Thank you. OK. 145 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,880 When I walked in the building on Thursday, when we came, I walked 146 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:20,920 through the doors. Just. 147 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,520 Passed here and went on upstairs. 148 00:09:24,560 --> 00:09:29,440 When I was upstairs and we were in prayer, I saw a picture of 149 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:35,400 this sanctuary here. But I saw flags all the way 150 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:41,320 round of different nations. And I saw people from those 151 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:46,480 nations or people that had a heart for that nation gathered, 152 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,920 drawn to those flags that were hanging around the nations and 153 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:56,200 praying for that nation or had a heart for that nation and wanted 154 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,560 to be sent to that nation. And that was what I'd seen. 155 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:09,760 Thank you, sweetie. Yeah, this is a time in your 156 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,600 history where God is turning the church inside out. 157 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,240 This is a time where he's going to visit you in fresh power and 158 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,480 he's going to lay his hand upon different ones of you and he's 159 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,480 going to send you out to the nations. 160 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,360 Individuals from amongst you and teams from amongst you are going 161 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,120 to go into this nation and into other nations. 162 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,760 And when you wells are going to be opened up of the Kingdom of 163 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,720 God, new churches planted, teams going out bringing the power and 164 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,040 the glory of what God will do and is doing amongst you. 165 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,640 And he's going to release it in the nations. 166 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,560 And this is again going to become an Antioch church that's 167 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:52,320 going to send teams, apostles, evangelist, prophets, teachers. 168 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,440 You're going to go to the end of the earth with the good news of 169 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:58,440 Jesus. This is a new time and ascending 170 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,360 time by the Spirit of God, Amen and Amen, glory to God. 171 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:09,000 Acts 1428 says this being assembled together with them, he 172 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,200 commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for 173 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,200 the promise of the Father. Thank God, the Holy Spirit is 174 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:21,240 the promise of the Father. If we don't earn him, we receive 175 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,800 him, which he said you've heard from me. 176 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,440 But John truly baptised with water. 177 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:32,320 But you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days 178 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,240 from now. In the first service, Susan 179 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:37,800 turned over to me and she looked at me. 180 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,680 She said when I was baptised with water I was wearing a white 181 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:44,920 dress. That's a nightie. 182 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:46,960 There you are. OK, a white nightie. 183 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:53,040 Well, I said to her, when I got baptised in water, I was wearing 184 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,120 a denim shirt and denim trousers. 185 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,800 And you know, if you know anything about denim, it can 186 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:01,160 hold a lot of water. I mean, they needed a crown. 187 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:02,800 It really a crane to Get Me Out of there. 188 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,160 But, but, but the thing about it is it's a beautiful 189 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,520 illustration. The word for baptism in the 190 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,080 Greek language is Baptiser. It means to be immersed in, 191 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,800 because we're immersed into Christ, you know, in, in 192 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,760 Christian baptism. And so, you know, but it's, it's 193 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,440 not only that, but when we were baptised in the Holy Spirit, you 194 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:23,640 know, when I came out of those waters, anyone who touched me 195 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,560 would have got wet. When we are immersed in the 196 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:32,840 power of the Holy Spirit, people should feel the influence and 197 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,800 the power of the presence of God around our lives and from us. 198 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,160 That when we touch them to lay hands on them in prayer, when we 199 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,720 speak to them, that they feel that essence of God's power and 200 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,240 presence through our lives. You know, even in the Old 201 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:52,680 Testament, Moses said, said to God, you know, if you don't come 202 00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:54,680 with us, we're not leaving this place. 203 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,360 For it's your presence amongst us that sets us apart from every 204 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:04,960 other people on the face of the earth, that the presence of God 205 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,480 is in US and on us and amongst us. 206 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,320 Amen. Glory to God. 207 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,840 Therefore, when they'd come together, they asked him, 208 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:19,040 saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the Kingdom to 209 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:22,360 Israel? He said to them, It's not for 210 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,960 you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His 211 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,520 own authority. There are times and seasons God 212 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,400 reveals, and there are times and seasons He keeps to Himself. 213 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,760 He's sovereign. That's His own business. 214 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,920 But He does reveal times and seasons. 215 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,760 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon 216 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,920 you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all 217 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,160 Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. 218 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:53,760 Power is always given with purpose. 219 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:59,520 So we find, let's turn over to 2nd Corinthians 6, verse one and 220 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,440 two Second Corinthians chapter 6. 221 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:09,880 The apostle Paul says, we then as workers together with him. 222 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,400 I love that expression. Notice he didn't say workers for 223 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,680 him, but workers together with Him. 224 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,400 My goodness, His ministry is always more exciting than ours, 225 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:26,480 as workers together with Him also plead with you not to 226 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:30,000 receive the grace of God in vain. 227 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,320 Can I just say something to us for a moment about grace? 228 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,160 Grace in New Testament Greek is both a noun and a verb. 229 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,560 It speaks to us of the position that we stand in before God, of 230 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,040 acceptance, of forgiveness, of the gift of righteousness given 231 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,440 to us through faith in Christ, meaning that we are accepted, 232 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,560 we're forgiven, we're sons and daughters of God, and we are 233 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,080 welcomed into his family and into his holy presence. 234 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,440 That's a gift of God through faith in Christ. 235 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,040 It's a noun. It's a done deal. 236 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,640 It's established, it's who you are and where you stand as a 237 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,400 child of God in the grace of God. 238 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,960 But grace is also a verb in Scripture and it's the word that 239 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,320 is used when it talks about the gift of the Holy Spirit, The 240 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,840 Spirit's power, he's enabling, he is given as a gift. 241 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:23,200 The gifts of the Spirit are all given as gifts. 242 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,560 They are grace. They're not earned, they're 243 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,960 received. And that grace is a, is a divine 244 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:33,960 enablement and empowering from the Spirit of God to enable us 245 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,200 to live our lives like Christ and to minister like Christ did. 246 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,120 And that's what we're called to be and to do. 247 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,960 If there's one message that I'm hearing everywhere in every 248 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:49,120 denomination and movement that I'm involved in or minister 249 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:53,400 amongst in the UK today and actually around the world at the 250 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,320 moment, it's the word discipleship. 251 00:15:56,160 --> 00:16:01,040 Jesus is calling his church again to no longer be just 252 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:06,040 consumers and attenders, but calling them to be disciples. 253 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:13,880 If we claim to be people who follow the one who made 254 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:18,560 disciples, but we don't make disciples, it's a contradiction 255 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,920 in terms. I knew that would go quiet 256 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,720 because Jesus really isn't interested in whether you are a 257 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:33,600 conference attender. No one on that day when Jesus 258 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,560 returns is going to be given an award, a reward, and there will 259 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,600 be many rewards on that day, the Bible says. 260 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,760 But no one will be given a reward for how many conferences 261 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:49,680 they attended. It's true, he said. 262 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,120 I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. 263 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:57,200 I was hungry and you fed me. I was in prison and you visited 264 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:00,560 me. It's not that we're saved by 265 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,800 those things, but when we're saved by grace, the grace of God 266 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,560 works in our lives to activate us. 267 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,240 If we will yield to Him and be those volunteers in the day of 268 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:14,839 His power, and then go out to carry the message and to carry 269 00:17:14,839 --> 00:17:18,359 the love and to carry the demonstration of His Spirit to a 270 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,359 hurting world, and all of that flows. 271 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,680 We are God's workmanship. Ephesians 210 says created in 272 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:31,120 you, in Christ Jesus for good works that he is before ordained 273 00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:34,840 that we should walk in them. My brother, my sister, there are 274 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,320 good plans that God has for your life. 275 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,920 There are good works, good deeds that he is already for ordained 276 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,640 before you were even born for you to walk in. 277 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,200 But you know what, it's not automatic. 278 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:52,120 You have to step into it and the rewards of the Lord come for 279 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:54,640 those who are willing to take those steps. 280 00:17:57,120 --> 00:18:02,120 You know, I've read many times and I'm sure you have Matthew 281 00:18:02,120 --> 00:18:06,680 chapter 13 where it has the account of Jesus calling Peter. 282 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,240 And Peter is there and they're in the middle of a storm and 283 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,560 they're in the middle of the storm and they're all terrified 284 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,880 that they're going to die. Jesus suddenly comes walking on 285 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,400 the water. As he's walking on the water, 286 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,080 Peter asked him a remarkable question. 287 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:27,160 He says, Lord, if it's you, tell me to come on the water to where 288 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:29,400 you are to walk with you on the water. 289 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,040 I don't know about you. I that seems crazy to me. 290 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,040 I if it was me, I would have said Jesus, if that's you, just 291 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,440 get us out of here. You know, I just but actually 292 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:43,600 Jesus says, come, come, and Peter does a remarkable that he 293 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,480 steps out of the boat and he starts walking on the water and 294 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,880 does exactly the same as Jesus until of course, we know the 295 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,760 story till he takes his eyes off Jesus. 296 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,200 But here's the thing. Why did Peter ask that question? 297 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,560 Look, I've not heard this anymore, but as I read it, I get 298 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:10,880 this impression in my spirit. Peter had gone through by the 299 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:15,800 the timing of the Gospels. He has been around Jesus for 18 300 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:20,040 months at least, and in those eighteen months he's been 301 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,800 personally discipled by Jesus. Let me explain to you biblical 302 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:28,360 discipleship one O 1. It's not sitting in the 303 00:19:28,360 --> 00:19:32,240 classroom by itself. That has its part, but it's not 304 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,040 it. And if that's all it is, it 305 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:38,040 isn't biblical discipleship. This is biblical discipleship. 306 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:44,760 Watch me do it. Do it with me, do it yourself. 307 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:53,080 Peter was so used to watching Jesus step out and do miraculous 308 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:58,920 things and then doing them with Jesus and then being sent out by 309 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:03,240 Jesus to do miraculous things that when Jesus comes walking on 310 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,120 the water, he's basically he's turning to the guy and saying, 311 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,480 listen, if this is the Jesus we know and have followed for 18 312 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,040 months, he's going to tell us to do what he's doing. 313 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,280 So he says Jesus. If it's you, let's get with the 314 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:19,800 programme, let's do what we're doing. 315 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:26,120 Tell me to come and I'm going to come and do what you did because 316 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,920 you've taught us that we can do what you do. 317 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:36,800 If only we believe Jesus is calling you up into true 318 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,560 discipleship. All of us, All of us to do what 319 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,960 he's doing, to be a great army of volunteers in the Kingdom. 320 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,120 And I want to say to you, the time is now. 321 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,120 He goes on. He said, look, don't receive the 322 00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:54,880 grace of God in vain. He wants to make you productive 323 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,600 and fruitful in the Kingdom of God. 324 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,320 He says in an acceptable time, I've heard you in the day of 325 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,160 salvation, I've helped you. Behold, now is the accepted 326 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,520 time. Behold, now is the day of 327 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,240 salvation. There's one thing that's 328 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,360 peculiar about the time now. What is it? 329 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:16,920 It's, it's now, it's not tomorrow, it's now. 330 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:19,720 When I used to work with the great evangelist on double many 331 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,880 years ago, I can remember him going to a trip to preach in the 332 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,240 church in America. And he got up from the hotel in 333 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,680 the morning and he had heard from people in the hotel. 334 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,360 There was an amazing coffee house just down the road. 335 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,600 And he wanted us to try the coffee. 336 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:38,960 And when he got to the coffee house, he saw a big a sign 337 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:44,440 outside that said this free coffee served here tomorrow. 338 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:50,000 He was a bit disappointed, but he went the next day for his 339 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:51,520 free coffee. But you know what? 340 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:54,880 It was still being served tomorrow. 341 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,000 And the trouble is, tomorrow is tomorrow is tomorrow. 342 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,480 But God's time is now and God is calling you now. 343 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,120 Amen. You know, Billy Graham, who 344 00:22:09,120 --> 00:22:12,240 lived to be 99 years old, great evangelist, probably preached to 345 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,280 more people than anyone else in the history of the world. 346 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:18,680 When he was 99 years old, just actually a couple of years 347 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:22,320 before then, he was interviewed on American television and he 348 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,240 was asked this question. He said, Mr Graham, you've been 349 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,600 the friend of presidents. You've spoken to governments, to 350 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,760 millions of people face to face all over the world. 351 00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:37,400 You've had, by any account, a remarkable life. 352 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:42,040 But as you look back over your life, may I ask you, Doctor 353 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:47,320 Graham, in all the years that you have lived, what has been 354 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:51,480 your greatest surprise? That's an interesting question, 355 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,400 isn't it? Well, he answered with typical 356 00:22:55,400 --> 00:23:01,480 Billy Graham clarity. My greatest surprise in at that 357 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:08,360 stage 97 years of life has been the brevity of life. 358 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,600 How short life is. Is it? 359 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,920 It only seems like yesterday I was on my parents farm and then 360 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:21,160 all these years that I've preached to all these millions 361 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,000 of people, I never set out to do it. 362 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,920 God called me to do it and here I am and I'm 97 years old and 363 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,560 looking forward to that day when I see my Saviour face to face. 364 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:36,320 How fast life goes. It's come and gone in a moment. 365 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,960 No wonder the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 366 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,320 16. Redeem the time for the days are 367 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:50,720 evil or as the NIV says, make the most of every opportunity. 368 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,520 I want to say to you catch the wave. 369 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:58,000 God wants to use you, some of you who's going to shake your 370 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:02,600 life up a bit and so that you're willing to to be flexible and to 371 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,600 leave your comfort zone. You know, that's really what 372 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:09,960 Jesus said when he he he said it both in John chapter 4 and I 373 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,600 believe it's around verse 35 somewhere around there and 374 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:18,600 Matthew 935 to 37. He said in both passages, the 375 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:24,720 fields are white unto harvest. They need to be reached right 376 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,640 now or they're going to be lost. He says pray the Lord of the 377 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:34,120 harvest that he will thrust out labourers into his harvest. 378 00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:38,520 You know, labourers are those who bear the heat of the sun. 379 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:40,640 They don't. They're not just momentarily 380 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,320 inspired, but they're willing to work. 381 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,920 And Jesus is looking for workers in our day. 382 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,760 He will say, yes, I'm going to work for the Kingdom of God. 383 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,960 I'm going to get out there and share the gospel. 384 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,120 The body of Christ has many people who are momentarily 385 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:58,200 inspired and and you know, it's OK, but actually what the Lord 386 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,520 is looking for is faithful workers who will work with him 387 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,480 in in his harvest fields. Amen. 388 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,840 That word thrust out, it's quite a word. 389 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,320 You know, it's not the kind of wooing that we hear about 390 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:14,120 sometimes in church. What is the Spirit of God 391 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,240 drawing you to do? The Greek language is much 392 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,480 stronger than that. It literally means to be 393 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:24,400 forcibly compelled out, pushed out, kicked out, even from one 394 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:27,840 position to another. The Lord will disturb your 395 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,640 comfort zone if you will just listen to Him and allow Him. 396 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,200 But I tell you what, on the other side of that are the most 397 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,040 remarkable miracles that Jesus does. 398 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,760 I can tell you so many stories from all around the world. 399 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,280 You know, it's one thing to preach in an organised meeting, 400 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:49,040 but, and, and I love organised gospel campaigns. 401 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,560 I love it when Jesus does miracles in those sort of 402 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,880 settings. But I have many, many, many 403 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:58,200 stories where Jesus has told me to do things that were very 404 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,520 uncomfortable at the moment. But you know, I'm just going to 405 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,600 tell you very quickly. I remember in South America 406 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:09,480 being on a ferry, you know, and I'm on this ferry and as I, as 407 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,240 we're going through the waters is right down the southern parts 408 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,800 of southern tip of Chile. And so it's very cold. 409 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:16,720 There's icebergs around and all kinds of stuff. 410 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:20,560 But I'm on this ferry. I've just finished the gospel 411 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,360 campaign on the little island of Chilli Chico. 412 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:27,320 Amazing miracles happened and many came to Christ. 413 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:30,760 Anyway, here I am. I'm very tired. 414 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:33,600 I'm looking forward to a rest. I'm on my way. 415 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,880 I'm minding my own business. But as I'm sitting there, the 416 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:40,240 Holy Spirit suddenly speaks to me and says, get up and preach 417 00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:46,080 the gospel to the fairy. It was the furthest thought from 418 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:47,920 my mind. I got to be honest with you. 419 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,120 He said, get up and preach the gospel to the fairy. 420 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:55,240 So I I turned to my interpreter who happened to be with me, and 421 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:59,640 I said, I hope you're ready for this. 422 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,120 He said, what do you mean, John? I said in a few moments, I'm 423 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:06,440 going to get up and I'm going to preach the gospel to the fairy. 424 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,200 He said, you're going to what? I said, look, Jesus is telling 425 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,400 me to do this, there isn't an option. 426 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:15,800 So he said, well, how are you going to do it? 427 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:17,720 I said, well, I don't know. That's what we're going to find 428 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:19,640 out. I said, actually what I'm going 429 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,680 to do is I'm going to pray like Paul said, I'm going to pray for 430 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,200 a door of grace. I asked the Lord to open the 431 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:27,080 door and let's see what Jesus does. 432 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:28,800 She's OK. So I said, Lord, would you 433 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,400 please just open the door. Suddenly after that prayer, 2 434 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,160 minutes later a guy walks across from the other side of the 435 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:35,880 ferry. He walks up to my interpreter 436 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,240 and says, please tell Jonathan I was the first man who got healed 437 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,600 in his Chilli Chico crusade. I had a major stomach condition. 438 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,120 I was on my way. He says I'm supposed to be going 439 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:48,120 to concession. It's a South American city in in 440 00:27:48,120 --> 00:27:51,000 Chile where I was going to have an operation, but he laid hands 441 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:52,880 on me and I was completely and totally healed. 442 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:55,800 I'm on my way. He says to cancel the operation 443 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,240 and confirm with the doctors I'm medically healed. 444 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,800 And I said, that's a wonderful testimony. 445 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,760 Tell him that I'm going to introduce him to the ferry. 446 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:07,040 He's going to give his testimony and then I'm going to preach on 447 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,720 the back of it. And that's what I did. 448 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:12,600 So I clapped to everybody. I stood up and said, Hello 449 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,920 everybody, wonderful to be on this ferry with you today. 450 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:18,680 I said, You can tell I'm not from round here, I'm an 451 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:22,320 Englishman, I said, visiting the beautiful island of Chile, 452 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:26,120 Chico, I said, But on the island of Chile, Chico, this gentleman 453 00:28:26,120 --> 00:28:30,400 here had a terrible condition. He was on his way to the doctors 454 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,800 to be healed, but he met with Jesus Christ as we prayed for 455 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:35,640 him and he was miraculously healed. 456 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,080 I wonder if you'd give him a few moments of respect to let him 457 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:44,000 tell you his story. Everybody look, So he gave his 458 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,240 account of how he was miraculously healed. 459 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:49,480 So I then get up and said to her, let's give him a clap. 460 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,360 So everybody clap. I said, isn't that a wonderful 461 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,160 thing? Well, nobody could deny it. 462 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,200 So everybody clapped and I said to them all guys, now I want to 463 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,560 tell you an even greater miracle because the Jesus who healed 464 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:05,240 that man also died on the cross to pay the penalty for all of 465 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:06,920 our sins. We've all committed them. 466 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,280 No, it's not the end of the story. 3 days later, God raised 467 00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:11,960 him back to life. He's alive. 468 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,080 He's on this ferry by the Holy Spirit, and if you'll call on 469 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,640 him, he'll save you right now. Is there anyone here who wants 470 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:21,280 Jesus Christ in their life? Do you know what? 471 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,880 Everybody looked at each other for a moment and then a very 472 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,920 forthright lady suddenly said, Jonathan, we all need the Lord. 473 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:33,880 And suddenly every hand in the fairy went up and everyone got 474 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:37,560 bored again and we ministered to the sick in the way into the 475 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:45,200 ferry. You know, I through the years 476 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,480 the Lord's had me do stuff like that in the Czech Republic. 477 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:55,280 He had me walk into a factory, a factory of all places. 478 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,920 They thought I was an English businessman coming to do a, a 479 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,360 contract. I said I have come to do 480 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:06,560 business. I said my father's business 481 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:09,520 said, what's that? They said, well here's the deal. 482 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,960 I said, Jesus told me you have many workers in your factory who 483 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:14,680 have bad backs and he wants to heal them. 484 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:20,120 And she looked at her associate and went and I said, listen, 485 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,960 with all due respect to you, I know this seems a bit crazy, but 486 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,160 the fact about it is that, you know, I'm a pastor. 487 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,200 I never say evangelist. I don't know what that is. 488 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:31,240 I said, I'm a pastor and Jesus speaks to me. 489 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:33,120 And from time to time when he tells me to do something like 490 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:35,520 this, amazing things happen. And look, here's here's the 491 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,040 deal. If you let me pray for your 492 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:42,640 workers, I said, and they get healed, they're going to stop 493 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,320 complaining. They're going to, they're not 494 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:46,760 going to take so much time off work. 495 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,040 So that's going to increase your profit margins, your 496 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,160 productivity. And so she looked at me. 497 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,400 She says, here's the thing. She says, how much does it cost? 498 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:56,120 I said, this is where the good news really kicks in. 499 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,440 I said, because actually it cost God everything. 500 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,000 He gave his Son Jesus who bled and died for our sins on the 501 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,160 cross outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago. 502 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,520 And he also carried our sicknesses and diseases. 503 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,720 It cost him everything. But to you and me, it's free. 504 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,280 How about it? She looked and she said, I have 505 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,040 a terrible chronic neck condition. 506 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,000 I have to go to the hospital every week. 507 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:18,960 Do you think that prayer could help me? 508 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,560 I said Jesus certainly could. Want to make a Long story short, 509 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,480 she let me pray for her. She was instantly healed. 510 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,640 Then she gave her life to Christ. 511 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,600 Then she took me and stopped the whole factory. 512 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:33,440 All the workers had to stop and she introduced me like this. 513 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,760 Everybody listen to me. You will know about my neck 514 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:39,000 condition. This man is a pastor from 515 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:40,800 England. God sent him here. 516 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,280 I am now healed and I've become a Christian. 517 00:31:43,440 --> 00:31:46,280 And what God has done for me, I am sure he will do for you too. 518 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:53,320 I thought, wow, I thought she's an evangelist. 519 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,960 And you know what the power of God for? 520 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:00,840 I've learned this through the years when you listen to the 521 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:04,280 Holy Spirit and just follow that impression, follow that inner 522 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:08,280 voice, follow that leading that He gives, amazing things happen 523 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,360 on the inside of it. Do you know what happened? 524 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,480 Everyone in the factory was healed. 525 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:16,520 Everyone and 2/3 of them gave their lives to Christ. 526 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,680 Just glorious. And the pastor was really happy 527 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,440 because suddenly he turned up to collect me. 528 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:24,880 And when he did, the lady was so happy. 529 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,040 They gave him a big check to help His church. 530 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,120 So glory to gone, guys. Look, I didn't want to say there 531 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:35,000 is a life of adventure that the Lord is calling you to. 532 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:37,640 We're all called with divine purpose. 533 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:43,160 Psalm 139, verse 13 to 16 tells us that actually we were knit 534 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:48,000 together by God in our mother's womb, and all the days that he 535 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,720 ordained for us were written in his book before there was one of 536 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,360 them. That's amazing. 537 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,120 But God has a plan for our lives. 538 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,560 You find in Acts chapter 8, verse 4 to 8, after the great 539 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:04,640 persecution that arose against the church in Jerusalem, that 540 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,800 all of the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, but the rest of the 541 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:10,760 church was scattered everywhere, and they went everywhere 542 00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:14,480 preaching the gospel. And Philip, who we later know 543 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,240 became known as an evangelist, but at this time he was just an 544 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,120 ordinary guy, was a server of tables. 545 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,720 And he goes to Samaria and preaches the gospel. 546 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:28,160 And there's great joy in the city, the signs and wonders, 547 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:33,600 healings and deliverances as this ordinary server of tables 548 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,600 goes and proclaims Christ. Let me tell you, God does 549 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:42,320 extraordinary works of power to ordinary believers who are 550 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:45,200 willing to say yes to him. Amen. 551 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:50,040 Glory to God right now. Bonky says that God's harvest 552 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,960 feels ripen at different times. And I want to say to you, this 553 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:59,600 is Lester's time. This is Lester's time, this is 1 554 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,280 church's time. God is going to do an amazing 555 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,040 thing amongst you and through you. 556 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:10,800 And when we obey him, we can expect God to breakthrough in 557 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:16,199 remarkable and wonderful ways. There's always a certain cost to 558 00:34:16,199 --> 00:34:20,960 this. Luke chapter 923 to 26, just 559 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,639 after Jesus made known to his disciples that he was going to 560 00:34:24,639 --> 00:34:29,080 go to the cross and die and be raised back to life again. 561 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:33,440 Do you remember this? It's a remarkable feature of 562 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,880 Jesus's life before he went to the cross. 563 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:41,560 He prophesied his own death and his own resurrection 3 times 564 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:46,920 before he went to the cross. It was the plan of God that he 565 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,760 would die for us and pay the price for the sins of the whole 566 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:51,639 world. And then he turns to his 567 00:34:51,639 --> 00:34:53,400 disciples and says this to them all. 568 00:34:53,800 --> 00:35:00,320 If anyone that's any of us would be my disciple, let him deny 569 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:04,480 himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 570 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:10,320 He who tries to save his life will lose it, but he who loses 571 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:14,800 his life for my sake and the Gospels will find it. 572 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:19,680 You know, there are some of us that the Lord may call one day 573 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:26,600 to actually be martyrs for Christ physically, but that may 574 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:31,160 not be many of us here. But the reality is that there is 575 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:37,920 a certain dying to self that has to happen in all of our lives if 576 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,040 we're going to really live for God. 577 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:46,200 But what we find is that when we die to ourselves and say yes to 578 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:50,680 Jesus, to whatever he wants us to do, and no matter what anyone 579 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:55,040 says about us or thinks about us, but we're willing just to be 580 00:35:55,040 --> 00:36:00,000 obedient when we do it. We find a higher life than we 581 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,760 ever thought was possible. We find a greater and more 582 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:08,000 exciting purpose to live for than anything that we could ever 583 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:11,840 find in this life is in its normal way of jobs or whatever 584 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:14,480 else I want to say. Are you willing? 585 00:36:16,120 --> 00:36:22,680 Hebrews chapter 12 one and two starting to come into land, says 586 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:28,960 this after the amazing chapter. Hebrews 11 The great heroes of 587 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:35,160 faith, the writers of the Hebrew says, Therefore we also, since 588 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:41,200 we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses to the life 589 00:36:41,240 --> 00:36:47,040 of faith, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so 590 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:52,640 easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that 591 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:57,320 is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the Author 592 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,360 and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set 593 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:07,000 before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat 594 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:10,680 down at the right hand of the throne of God. 595 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:14,600 There is a race that the Lord has for you to run. 596 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:18,040 He has a great purpose for your life. 597 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:25,880 He's calling you to lay aside the sin, the weights, the things 598 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:30,760 that hold you back from His purpose, to fix your eyes on the 599 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,480 One who loves you, who knows you. 600 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:39,720 He's called you by name, Jesus, the Saviour, the Son of God, the 601 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:44,360 Lord, and he's calling you. You can't do it without him. 602 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:47,200 He knows that. But that's why he gives us a 603 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,920 helper, the Holy Spirit, to empower us to live our lives for 604 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:58,200 Christ, to shine his light in this needy and Dark World, to 605 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:02,560 run the race and to call others to follow him too. 606 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:07,280 Say yes to Jesus. It's an all hands on deck time 607 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:10,640 brothers and sisters. It really is at all hands on 608 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:18,160 deck time. I'm very privileged to minister 609 00:38:18,680 --> 00:38:21,960 every year for the last 6-7 years in Argentina. 610 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:28,120 The revival that happened there was quite spontaneous and 611 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:34,120 powerful. 30,000 a day coming to Christ. 612 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,560 Before the revival came, the largest churches in Argentina 613 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:45,160 were 43 to 46 people. When Carla son Anaconda came to 614 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:48,400 them as a businessman recently converted and filled with the 615 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:52,120 Spirit and came to the pastors of Buenos Aires and said to 616 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:56,280 them, God has told me he's sending a great revival to 617 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:59,000 Argentina. The pastors looked at him and 618 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,440 said, who are you? We have our theological degrees 619 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:03,960 with the leaders of the churches. 620 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,800 Who do you think you are? You're an unknown businessman. 621 00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:13,880 No one would listen to him. Being a wealthy businessman. 622 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:19,320 He bought a 20,000 seater tent of his own and set it up the 623 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:21,040 next week. It was in the middle of the 624 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:24,920 Falklands War. The Belgrana was sunk and when 625 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:27,800 they look back at it today, they say the pride of the Argentinian 626 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:31,360 people was broken and people began to turn to God. 627 00:39:32,720 --> 00:39:37,000 Carlos set up a tent in the outskirts of Buenos Aires and 628 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:41,640 started to preach the gospel and in six weeks 30,000 people had 629 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:45,120 given their lives to Christ. The pastors came to him and 630 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:46,960 said, what do you have that we don't? 631 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:50,120 He said you have your recognition in this realm, I 632 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:56,480 have mine in another. He was praying, he was fasting, 633 00:39:57,160 --> 00:40:00,480 he was going. He didn't keep it in here, he 634 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:04,040 took it out there. There's a thirst in the hearts 635 00:40:04,040 --> 00:40:07,240 of the people of Leicester, there's a thirst in the hearts 636 00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:10,760 of the people of our nation, there's a thirst in the world 637 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,160 for the waters of eternal life and only you and I can bring it 638 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:18,880 to them. But Jesus is saying, say yes, 639 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:23,840 he's accelerating his work in the earth, He's coming soon. 640 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:27,400 There's a great harvest to be reaped, and he's accelerating 641 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:30,480 his work in the one church. I tell you this by the word of 642 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:33,200 the Lord, I'm not just saying it because I want it and I do want 643 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:36,120 it, but because I've heard it. And I want to say to you, he 644 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:40,720 needs many more people to be volunteers in the life of his 645 00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:45,680 church to be ready. Carlos says when the move of God 646 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,360 came, it came in one wave and the church wasn't ready for it. 647 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:54,320 So many people feel the churches, the leaders were 648 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:57,720 overwhelmed and many of the churches ended up emptying 649 00:40:57,720 --> 00:41:01,520 eventually because they couldn't contain what God did. 650 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:07,080 But then in His grace He came again and this time they were 651 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:10,360 ready. Will we take seriously what the 652 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:12,040 Lord is saying and doing in our day? 653 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:17,000 Do say yes to Him. I want to close with a a 654 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:20,280 testimony, a story that is not a Christian one, but it's very 655 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:24,840 poignant. Many of us will be familiar with 656 00:41:24,840 --> 00:41:30,440 the Nobel Peace Prize, but many of us are not familiar with 657 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:35,560 where it came from. Alfred Nobel, who lived between 658 00:41:35,920 --> 00:41:43,480 1833 to 1896, is best known for the Nobel Peace Prize. 659 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:49,040 Less well known is the fact that Alfred Nobel also invented 660 00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:53,240 dynamite. As well as a chemist, an 661 00:41:53,240 --> 00:41:58,520 engineer and an innovator. He was a weapons manufacturer. 662 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:06,600 But in 1888, Alfred's brother Ludwig died, and a French 663 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:11,760 newspaper mistakenly published Alfred's obituary. 664 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:18,560 It condemned him for his invention of dynamite, stating 665 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:25,360 the merchant of death is dead. Doctor Alfred Nobel, who became 666 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,880 rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever 667 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:36,560 before, died yesterday. Alfred Nobel was devastated by 668 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:39,360 the foretaste of how he would be remembered. 669 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:45,760 His last will and testament set aside the bulk of his estate to 670 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:50,880 establish the Nobel Prizes. He gave the equivalent of 250 671 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:54,280 million U.S. dollars to fund such prizes. 672 00:42:55,320 --> 00:43:01,000 Alfred Nobel had the rare opportunity to evaluate his life 673 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:07,560 near to its end and to live long enough to change its assessment. 674 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:13,440 Have you ever wondered what difference your life might make? 675 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:19,520 How can your life bring blessing to other people? 676 00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:23,120 How can you change the world for the better? 677 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:28,400 And how your life can be of ultimate lasting value in the 678 00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:32,640 Kingdom of God? I want to say to you that today 679 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:36,280 the Lord put this word on my heart to share with you because 680 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,600 He's looking for a people who are willing in the day of His 681 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:43,000 power to be ready, to be prepared. 682 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:46,480 Perhaps you're one of those who's going to catch one of 683 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:51,600 those flags and He's going to send you to another nation to 684 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,680 bring the good news of Jesus to a dying people. 685 00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:00,920 He is the hope of the world. He is our life. 686 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:05,560 The Lord bless you. And keep you. 687 00:44:05,720 --> 00:44:09,400 The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 688 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:13,280 The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.