1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,760 Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message podcast 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:06,160 from St. Augustine, FL. 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:16,800 Now enjoy this message. All right, so if you have your 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,600 Bibles, turn to Matthew 28, Sorry for my rabbit trail there. 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:22,840 Amen. That just identifies my humanity 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,800 in connection with some things happening in the planet. 7 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,320 I saw, I saw the sorrow. He's wearing it. 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,200 He's wearing a sweatshirt. You understand you're having 9 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,960 issues if you're wearing a sweatshirt right now that's got 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,080 Florida State on, he's like, trying to say my team should be 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,640 in. I know how this is right And 12 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,800 Patricia's over there, so you need to repent already because 13 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:46,400 she's like, don't talk to me and my Bulldogs are going to beat 14 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,400 them down. Y'all lost the ACC championship. 15 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,720 How come you can't beat the boys in the SEC Championship? 16 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,320 Because I got a pastor coming Sunday who's from Alabama and 17 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,720 they say Hallelujah and roll Todd at the same time. 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,440 I'm telling you, I went to his church man in Alabama, the one 19 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,760 we went to Moundsville where he said Hallelujah, roll Todd. 20 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:09,880 I'm tell you, I mean if they said that once, they said it 21 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:14,640 five times. So you know when they won, I 22 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:15,920 text him. I said roll Todd. 23 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,720 He said I'm saving this for later, right? 24 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,320 Because he knows I'm a Gator fan and he's praying for me, trying 25 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:26,640 to get me converted, you know, I mean, there it's, it's, it's bad 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:31,640 with us right now. We are in a drought bad. 27 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,680 All right. Matthew, chapter 28, verses 18 28 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,040 to 20. How many want to have some 29 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:39,240 increased power? How many want to get some 30 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,440 increased power? All right. 31 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,880 And Jesus came up and spoke to them saying all authority. 32 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:47,480 How much authority, all authority has been given to me 33 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,640 in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,400 of all the nations, baptizing them the name of the Father, 35 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,480 Son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I 36 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,560 commanded you, And lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of 37 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,200 the age. Now the King James and some 38 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,800 other translations in verse 19 says go therefore and teach all 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:04,800 the nations but the Word. Teach. 40 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,480 Means disciple to make disciples. 41 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,720 So when those translations, when it says go teach. 42 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,880 The problem with the word teach alone, if you don't go into the 43 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,560 Greek, it gives the implication that you're just going in 44 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,640 teaching people about Jesus. And you know, that's really 45 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:23,920 happening a lot. That we are now just teaching 46 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,280 about Jesus. So people have knowledge of 47 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,960 Jesus, or I could say information of Jesus. 48 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,440 Or they're being here. You go educated about Jesus. 49 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,400 But the church was never called to just educate the body. 50 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,880 Because if all you do is educate your body or limited to 51 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:45,880 teaching, the best you can produce in your congregation is 52 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:51,800 a Pharisee. OK, so the New American Standard 53 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:53,120 gets it right and it says there it go. 54 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,600 Therefore, because it defines that word correctly, make 55 00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:00,480 disciples now a disciple of somebody More than just being 56 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,520 taught the word, there's someone who is being a doer of what they 57 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:05,880 taught. They've assimilated that 58 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,280 teaching so that it becomes the lifestyle and behavior of their 59 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,360 life. It governs how they what they 60 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,360 think, say, and do. And so Jesus literally 61 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,720 communicates concerning the Great Commission. 62 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:23,400 Nowhere in the Great Commission did it say go therefore and get 63 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:30,760 people born again. Now you have to be born again to 64 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,280 be a disciple. It's a prerequisite. 65 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,640 But we were in the net were never to leave them at born 66 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,760 again Status, which is all right, a babe in Christ. 67 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,320 As Paul said, I can't even speak to you spiritual, but I have to 68 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:47,000 speak to you as carnal or babes, right? 69 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,160 You should desire the sincere milk of the word that you may 70 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,120 grow. And we have, you know, churches 71 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,880 all over the place that are doing huge events, getting 72 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,440 people saved, but they're not getting plugged into a church. 73 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,560 They're not actually making disciples. 74 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,400 And that's the problem. Jesus never in his Commission 75 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:08,920 says just get people. Born again because all that 76 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:10,560 matters is where they're going to go when they die. 77 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,240 He never said that, OK. And so obviously, you know, 78 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,519 we've kind of watered that down, especially after the Second 79 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:21,760 World War where a lot of this in the United States began to be 80 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,480 taught. And, you know, next thing you 81 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,600 know, we don't disciple because again, you know, I was raised in 82 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,280 the church, you know, a Baptist Church actually that had Sunday 83 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:30,600 school. And I was always like, that's 84 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:32,800 instrumental. So I knew when I started Anchor 85 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:34,640 Bay Church I'm going to do something that. 86 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:39,400 Used to be done, and that is give opportunities for people to 87 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,400 be discipled. That's why we have Anchor Faith 88 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,520 live classes on Sunday morning. That's why we have services here 89 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,840 and we did a midweek, not just one. 90 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,400 And we do have Sunday night service. 91 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,160 It's just for those who want more. 92 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:57,640 Discipleship is called Kingdom Institute and so you can come to 93 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:03,400 service for 3 1/2 hours right? Get three different subjects 94 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,160 taught to you. Because we're creating 95 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:07,760 discipleship. Then we have the 318 class for 96 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,800 men on Monday, which another hour long cast for what? 97 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:15,360 Discipleship? Because God said go therefore 98 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,760 and make so. He didn't send me to Saint 99 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,760 Augustine to convert. Them. 100 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,840 He sent me to make disciples. Now if you're going to be a 101 00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:25,880 disciple, you're going to have to deny yourself. 102 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:28,800 You're going to crucify your flesh. 103 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,440 You're going to have to put your will down and do His. 104 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:36,920 So the ones that just want to be born again, they're not going to 105 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:45,000 stay here because the demand is to grow, is to mature and to be 106 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,160 the church Jesus Christ is coming back for. 107 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:52,040 Are you hearing what I'm saying? So we see then in God's 108 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,240 inception or design He never. When he said I'll build my 109 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:58,720 church, I'm gonna build it through converts, he said. 110 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:02,080 I'll build my church because I'll make disciples 'cause we're 111 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,440 gonna be disciple makers. We're gonna be people who will 112 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,000 enlist as a pupil and be studiers of the word novel 113 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:13,720 thought. Christians read the Bible daily 114 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:23,120 and read it cover to cover Novel thought, OK, and This is why we 115 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:24,680 do what we do. And you know, we only got a 116 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,840 couple more weeks and we going to finish it one more year. 117 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,600 Hallelujah. And then we'll do another year. 118 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,720 We'll start all over again. Genesis 11, Hallelujah. 119 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,120 Because I keep finding stuff in it that I haven't seen before 120 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,520 because he's talking to me. He's talking to you, is he not? 121 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,840 Well, with that being said, you know what it says in Ephesians 122 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:49,480 chapter 4, verse 11 to 13, And we'll jump down to 16, he says. 123 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,480 And he gave some of the apostles, some of his prophets, 124 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,760 some of his evangelists, some of his pastors and teachers just to 125 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,920 tell you what to do. That's not what it says, does 126 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,520 it? So quit taking that thought and 127 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,440 don't ever come to me and say you're just trying to tell me 128 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,800 what to do. I'm being biblical. 129 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,760 You're being fleshly. Right. 130 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:11,640 So again, anybody try to tell you that the leadership within 131 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:16,520 the church and it is leadership, I said it is leadership, it's 132 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,920 oversight, OK. And God's given that. 133 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:25,160 Again, Hebrew says obey your leaders, they watch over your 134 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,920 soul says that. OK. 135 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,160 And then. You know again Paul telling the 136 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,240 church at of Ephesus and acts he said listen you. 137 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:42,320 You, you, you guard the flock that that Jesus Christ has given 138 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:47,760 you through His blood by the Holy Spirit as an overseer. 139 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,000 OK, so God appoints these positions. 140 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,320 He gave some who gave some who gave them. 141 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,560 So why are we so mad at God? Then. 142 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,920 Because the minute you don't want to submit to a pastor, 143 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,960 submit to apostle, submit to you know the advantage prophet and 144 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:04,040 teacher. You don't want to get in 145 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:05,720 submission to those fivefold ministry. 146 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,120 Basically you're telling God you're not going to do it his 147 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:13,400 way because God gave them. Now again, I understand humans 148 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,720 can be self-proclaimed and they won't add the title that God 149 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,720 gives them, which is false in front of that. 150 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,800 I understand that. But again, when you're led by 151 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,480 the Holy Ghost and you're a disciple, then you'll be able to 152 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,640 discern which one's false and which one is real. 153 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,360 And I don't care if there's 1000 false ones. 154 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,240 There can be a real one. And you know the Holy Ghost 155 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,120 would direct you to them. You know there could be a there 156 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,919 can be a billion churches that aren't really truly seeking God, 157 00:08:40,039 --> 00:08:43,720 but there is some on the planet that are because Jesus is 158 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,760 building his church, which means they're has to be somebody 159 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,240 obeying him and a group of people want to do it his way and 160 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,560 you know the Holy Ghost will navigate you to it. 161 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,840 You'll be without excuse because if the loss is without excuse in 162 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:02,400 the realm of salvation, how much more the spirit filled Holy 163 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,880 Ghost led by the spirit Christian be without excuse to 164 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,520 tell God you couldn't find a church. 165 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:16,640 Because if you really seek him, he will say, I know a place, I 166 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,120 know a group of people that are walking in love, walking in 167 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:25,400 oneness, walking in unity, that is wanting to grow up, wanting 168 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,960 to throw off the flesh, wanting to serve me and be unified in 169 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,480 that serving, right. Yeah, it happens. 170 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,080 So why did God give some of these? 171 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:39,240 For the equipping of the Saints? Not just education, it involves 172 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,080 educating you, but it goes to equipping for equipping of the 173 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,560 Saints for the work of service to the building up of the body 174 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:46,880 of Christ. I don't have time to explain 175 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,600 equipping, but you can buy our book A Guest Relations called 176 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,360 Equipped verse 13 until we all attain to the unity of the 177 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,960 faith. Unity, say Unity, say unity. 178 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,000 I think Pastor Marcy had y'all doing this exercise on Sunday, 179 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:00,760 say. Unity. 180 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:05,280 So again, it's not your belief. It's not my belief. 181 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,440 It's his word and we believe it and we are to agree on it. 182 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,680 We cannot agree to disagree because somebody's wrong. 183 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,600 I mean, you're not going to stand before Jesus one day at 184 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,840 the great, you know, at the judgment seat and go, well, you 185 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,280 know, now we can agree to disagree on how that went down. 186 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,760 I mean, you think Jesus is going to be like, you're right, we can 187 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:34,360 you see it your way? I see it mine. 188 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,680 It's not going to be like that. So when we go into scripture, 189 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:40,000 you're like, well, I believe this. 190 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,600 Well, you can't hold that unless the Holy Ghost says something 191 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:45,680 else. If the Holy Ghost is not 192 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:48,560 confirming what you're believing, then you might need 193 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:51,600 to abandon it. Hallelujah. 194 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,800 That's why we always say here, because I'm not. 195 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,600 I'm not afraid because at the end of the day, I just want to 196 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,160 be right with the word. You're not obligated to believe 197 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:00,880 anything that I say. Just 'cause I say it, you should 198 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:02,120 shirt the scripture for yourself. 199 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,760 And if there's a challenge of something that's being said and 200 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,680 you're like, man, I don't necessarily agree with that. 201 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,080 Well, don't be argumentative, but at least come to me and say, 202 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,920 hey, I didn't see it that way, Can you help me? 203 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,920 And then then, if I'm hearing what you're saying, you know 204 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:15,120 what? You're actually right. 205 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:19,200 I need to change that 'cause I'm sure not going to stand up here 206 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,400 and try to act like I know more than God for the sake of saving 207 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:28,440 face. That's how you get kicked out of 208 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:33,520 heaven, right? So at the end of the day, it's 209 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:35,440 like, you know, didn't see it that way. 210 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,600 Need to see it that way. You're absolutely right. 211 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,360 Everything's being confirmed by 100 scriptures right now, and 212 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,920 we're going to change the way we think, right? 213 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,200 I mean, I understand two or three, but you know most truths. 214 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,040 When you go in, you'll find it it it'll get so fortified. 215 00:11:49,040 --> 00:11:51,880 It's amazing. Anyway, until we attain to the 216 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,440 unity. Of the faith and of the 217 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:56,480 knowledge of the Son of God. To the mature man, say mature, 218 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,160 say mature, to the measure of the statue which belongs to the 219 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,000 fullness of Christ. Then down to verse 16 says this. 220 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:06,400 From whom? The whole body? 221 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,520 Say whole body, not just my body. 222 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:12,760 When I say my body, I'm just not my. 223 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,840 Part. All of our parts, All of it, 224 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,160 From whom? The whole body being fitted and 225 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:30,280 what separated and come in anytime you want, right. 226 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:35,200 I mean we act like you know, it's held together, it's not 227 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:40,600 loosely passed through by what every joint supplies according 228 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,080 to the proper working of each individual part causes. 229 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,840 Because if these things are taking place, what we just read 230 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:52,080 and you know from 11/12/13, OK, and then we get into 16, you can 231 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,800 set something in 15 if we wanted to. 232 00:12:54,680 --> 00:12:56,800 But if when these things are functioning, guess what, it 233 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,680 causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in 234 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:02,920 love. And I like what Pastor Marcy 235 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,280 said on Sunday. She pulled somebody up out of 236 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,280 the congregation, said How long have you been here, right? 237 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,760 Have you learned anything? Well, they learned something 238 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,720 because somebody greeted them, somebody did their part, which 239 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,320 created the environment for them to be able to come and to grow 240 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,160 in the things of God. It wasn't just our teaching that 241 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,840 changed them, it was your response to them in how you 242 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:28,520 serve the vision that continues to help them grow. 243 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,240 Cause many people go into a place and say man, that's true. 244 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,560 But how come everybody? I'm looking around and getting 245 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:39,280 it. I mean that takes place. 246 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,840 Now at the end of the day, I am not going to tell you Anchor V 247 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,560 Church is perfect because it's not you're here, right? 248 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,120 I mean, we still have things to change, but I would not leave 249 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:55,000 just because someone hadn't got it yet, because if I was having 250 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,360 to grow a bit and someone was being patient with me, well, if 251 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,040 you're so mature, surely you can be patient for somebody else. 252 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,960 But if you noticed a spiritually mature ones can't handle. 253 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:11,000 Well, you know, the church is carnal. 254 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,680 I just can't stay. Oh, well, really. 255 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:15,320 You're carnal and you can't stay. 256 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,600 Amen. Be real, pastor. 257 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,640 I'm not going to preach to you. OK. 258 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:26,800 So there's this connection here of uny and again to these 259 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:28,720 churches. I'm going to you know, when I 260 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:34,640 realized that there's they're not thriving the same, It's not 261 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,320 because it they don't have the spirit. 262 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,480 It's not because they don't have the miracles. 263 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,280 It's not because they don't have prayer. 264 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,000 It's not because they don't have good teaching. 265 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:47,520 It's because the individuals within the body are not unified 266 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,360 around the vision and are passionate to find their part 267 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:57,080 and won't let nobody stop them from doing it in essence. 268 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,680 They've made the church their priority and everything else is 269 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:06,680 secondary because when we get into that church, well, it is 270 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:11,160 community changing. It's community changing. 271 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,600 Cause again, yes. Does God know you have to work? 272 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,880 Well, God wants you to work. God said if a man don't work, a 273 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:20,120 man don't eat, but he doesn't have you working so that you get 274 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,880 money. He has you working so you can be 275 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,960 an ambassador and an influence in that area of which they just 276 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:30,680 happened to pay you. And the minute you change that 277 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,440 perspective, then you'll quit seeing it as a job and you'll 278 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,040 see it as a mission field that God is supporting. 279 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:41,320 God was wise enough to make them pay you so you could influence 280 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:46,840 for him in that workplace. Amen. 281 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,480 And if you're like man, in my workplace, nobody's getting 282 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:50,480 saved. Nobody wants it. 283 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,840 Well, you should be wise enough to say, is this workplace? 284 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:58,720 And have I come to the place where I've done all I can to 285 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:00,920 share? I need to take my shoes off, my 286 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,280 sandals, so to speak. Dust them off and you send me 287 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,240 somewhere else. Because you'll hold them 288 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,640 accountable to the way I lived in front of them. 289 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:11,120 Because it isn't about me getting a check with them. 290 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,440 It's about me trying to make an influence with them. 291 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,960 And I'll stay here as long as you need me to. 292 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,880 But if, if, if, if it's really got you to the point that you 293 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,520 know they're not and I've done the task, I'll leave here 294 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,880 because you can assign me somewhere else and have somebody 295 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,000 else pay for me to be an influence there. 296 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:33,440 I mean, that's totally different concept. 297 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,880 Because again, that's putting the Kingdom 1st instead of 298 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,360 fitting the Kingdom in to your life. 299 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,920 There's a difference, and for most believers, they don't 300 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,800 really seek first the Kingdom. They don't seek it first. 301 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,720 They do everything and then they think of God. 302 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,960 Now again, you can think of God all day long, but if you don't 303 00:16:59,960 --> 00:17:02,520 have a thought about church, then you're missing an element 304 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,280 of Jesus, because how can you separate the head of the church 305 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:09,480 now? That's why we love Jesus on a 306 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:13,079 cross. Because he's not yet. 307 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:20,119 Come back to say church is here. We bout to have church now. 308 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:21,880 Y'all need to tarry till the Holy Ghost come. 309 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:27,000 We bout to have church right? And that's and Jesus said I'll 310 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:27,880 build my. Church. 311 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,880 I'm going to build it. I'm going to build it. 312 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,360 So what work is Jesus doing? His intercessory prayer for the 313 00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:39,480 Saints, not the lost for the Saints, is so that they'll build 314 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,520 his church. They'll unify around the faith. 315 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:50,840 And they'll increase in power so that after they leave this 316 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,960 place, which is the most important place in their life, 317 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:56,640 then the rest of it are just influential places, even though 318 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:57,520 you spend. And you know what? 319 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,880 God has no problem with you spending more time there. 320 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:03,600 This is what's what? Listen, the Bible says this 321 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:09,040 physical exercise profits little, but spiritual exercise. 322 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,160 OK, now is the Bible saying don't work out? 323 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:18,440 No, it's saying in comparison, do you understand spiritual 324 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,760 things you know have greater gains than physical. 325 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,120 So I concluded because you know a lot of times you know well, if 326 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:28,680 you're going to work out for an hour, you got to pray for an 327 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:29,520 hour. Do you understand? 328 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,280 I could pray for 5 minutes and do more than I could in an hour 329 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:36,520 of physical workout because spiritual things are. 330 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:41,600 Greater in less time. Now I'm not saying don't pray 331 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,200 for an hour, nor am I not saying don't pray for eight hours. 332 00:18:44,360 --> 00:18:46,960 I'm not saying you now should only have a 5 minute prayer 333 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:47,800 life. I'm not saying that. 334 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,840 I'm saying when it comes to spiritual things, things that 335 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:56,720 come alive in the spirit grow exponentially quicker than the 336 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,160 application of physical growth. So here's the thing. 337 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:04,160 God can do more for you in two hours in this meeting that can 338 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:08,960 fuel you and empower you for the hours you are out as an 339 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,680 ambassador. But he never intended you to 340 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,920 stay disconnected 'cause this is the place that you come and 341 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:19,800 bring a supply and he refuels you so that you can go out and 342 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:24,680 continue to be alight. Because if the light would 343 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,720 couldn't go out then why do we have the 10 virgins? 344 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:37,280 Cause the light can go out. You have to be constantly 345 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,800 refueled and this is the source that you do it. 346 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,560 This is one of the. Filling stations, so to speak. 347 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:53,200 OK, so with that being said, Acts Chapter 6, Acts Chapter 6, 348 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,120 excuse me. So again, I'm seeing when I go 349 00:19:58,120 --> 00:20:01,800 to these churches, I'm like, man, these pastors so much want 350 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:07,680 to see their community change, but they're one person and the 351 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:12,240 reality is the people love church. 352 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,080 Now when I say that, I say that in the wrong. 353 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,640 Context, 'cause they don't even understand church. 354 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,400 They love to be here, but they don't want to be doing. 355 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,680 They love the concept, but they don't want what takes place. 356 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,960 And again, if you don't get into the serving side and it's we're 357 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:31,680 doing this, I'm just what trying to let you know why you're 358 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:32,800 increasing in? Power. 359 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,160 You're not increasing in power, just 'cause you're born again. 360 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:37,720 You're not increasing power, just 'cause you're praying the 361 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:45,400 Holy Ghost you're not. Increasing in power 'cause you 362 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:49,440 have a personal relationship with Jesus and increasing of 363 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,880 power #1. The growth of the church happens 364 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,680 not because they're having prayer meetings all the time. 365 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:02,840 OK, again, what I'm saying is not to diminish prayer or the 366 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,400 reading and instruction of the word. 367 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,680 No problem. But what did Ephesians just tell 368 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,120 us? That when we come together, 369 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:15,440 bringing our supply, it causes the growth of the body. 370 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:21,040 It helps create the maturity of the man of the whole church. 371 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:26,320 You cannot come to maturity and be disconnected from your 372 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:30,160 serving part of the church. Can't happen. 373 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,320 In fact, the church in power is when all of us are active. 374 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:39,280 Doers. Active doers because it's the 375 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:44,000 supply that's coming back and forth between us because we're 376 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:47,440 hearing from heaven, we get that and then we obviously are 377 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,320 ministering in this context. But then we go out, we come in, 378 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,320 we go out, we come in, we go out because we're like this element 379 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:57,760 is the most important. It's what Jesus is coming back 380 00:21:57,760 --> 00:21:59,120 for. You know he's not coming back 381 00:21:59,120 --> 00:22:02,720 for your business. Your business is not in the 382 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:09,280 catching away program. So no matter how successful your 383 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,080 business is, it's not your business getting caught up. 384 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:21,040 He's not here to catch up your family. 385 00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:25,040 I'm not saying your family can't be born and getting caught up. 386 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,560 I'm just saying it's not for your family, it's for the 387 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:31,240 church. Because God's family is not just 388 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:37,680 natural blood related, it is spiritually blood related. 389 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:41,480 But not just spiritually blood related, it is spiritually blood 390 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,320 related who do His word. Because Jesus qualified that. 391 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,760 Now if you're my family. You're going to do my word. 392 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,720 OK, so being born again doesn't mean you're active, although 393 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:56,040 you're technically in the family. 394 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,360 OK, so again. We see then there's this thing 395 00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:05,200 that takes place that causes churches to really thrive in 396 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:10,480 communities is because people are buying in to what Jesus has 397 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:15,560 died for in order to leave. In the earth until he returns. 398 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:18,600 All right. So in Acts chapter 6 starting in 399 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,440 verse one, it says now at the time. 400 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,520 While the disciples were increasing in number, a 401 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:27,200 complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the 402 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,680 native Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the 403 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,760 daily serving of food. This church had a problem. 404 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,640 Let's just tell us all churches are going to have problems, 405 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,360 right? So get rid of mythical thinking. 406 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,440 So if you hear of a problem, that's like, that's normal. 407 00:23:55,480 --> 00:24:00,200 OK, let me go. If you ever hear of a problem in 408 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:05,320 the church, that's normal. It can arise. 409 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:15,200 Now if we go on, we see in the next verse they want to fix the 410 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,000 problem. But you understand, there's many 411 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,320 Saints that aren't problem fixers. 412 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,200 They're problem finders, and all they do is talk about the 413 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,840 problems. Well, you know what? 414 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:30,600 I'm glad you see what everybody else sees. 415 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:37,520 But the difference between a disciple and just a convert is a 416 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:41,720 convert talks about the problem to everybody and complaints 417 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:43,800 about all the problems they keep finding. 418 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,960 Where a disciple says we'll find a solution so that we can 419 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:52,120 continue to unify. So the next time someone comes 420 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:54,360 to you and says, you know what? That you know what I've noticed 421 00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:56,960 about anchor Faith Church, you say, well, is that a real 422 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:58,640 problem? Let's talk about a solution. 423 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:03,160 Now go ahead and move them to solution 'cause if they don't 424 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:10,280 want to talk solution then you can say well you need to mature 425 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:13,840 up a little bit. Quit just looking at problems. 426 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,080 That's what the world does. Say Amen. 427 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:19,920 Anyway, it's fine. So. 428 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:21,200 But you know what I love about this? 429 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,360 Look at this verse two. So the 12 summoned the 430 00:25:24,360 --> 00:25:27,360 congregation of the disciples and said it is not desirable for 431 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:30,400 us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 432 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,000 Now this is what I love about these two verses right here. 433 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:36,040 Where in the world does it say church? 434 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:45,200 Anybody know? It says that when it says the 435 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:48,920 word while the disciples were increasing in number. 436 00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:52,000 Well, listen, you can't be a disciple unless you're born 437 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,080 again. And if you're born again, by all 438 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,000 rights you've been added to the church. 439 00:25:56,360 --> 00:25:59,200 So what are we seeing here? As Jesus said, go therefore and 440 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,800 make disciples. God never intended his church 441 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,880 not to be full of disciples. And verse two says he saw the 442 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,880 12th sum of the congregation. We will call that a church. 443 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,000 But notice what he called the congregation? 444 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:17,040 Congregation of So in the first church, there was no concept 445 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:20,960 that if you're born again, filled with the Holy Ghost, you 446 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,840 wouldn't be a disciple, which you would you would be obviously 447 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:34,960 identified as a disciple, Not a Pew warmer not a casual a tender 448 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:44,160 not. I read the Bible whenever not. 449 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:47,120 I'm more influenced by the world than I am the church. 450 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:54,240 I mean it says they while the now at the time while the 451 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:57,720 disciples were increased was this is the church they were 452 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,400 being added to. It's growing. 453 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,920 It's huge, it's it's developing, it's getting big. 454 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:05,280 All of a sudden now they've got more people. 455 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,560 More people means more problems to solve. 456 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,040 There's going to be problems, but we can solve them. 457 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:15,040 Why? Because we have the answer. 458 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,120 His name's Jesus. He's the head of the church. 459 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:19,680 We get to go to him and say, Lord, how do we solve this 460 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,240 problem in your church? And guess what he'll do? 461 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:26,320 He'll say we'll do this. And then when we do that, 462 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,000 instead of just saying, I just can't believe that happened, 463 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:37,720 some problems are not by design. Some problems are. 464 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:43,120 We didn't realize it was a problem and now we realize, 465 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:45,400 well, this is a problem, so we're going to have to do 466 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,480 something. You know, what I didn't realize 467 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,960 was a problem is that people would bring their dogs to the 468 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,760 mall. I didn't know that. 469 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,080 I didn't know they would bring their dogs to the mall and let 470 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:07,480 them poop inside. Oh yeah, my KDG team has cleaned 471 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:13,400 up dog poop. Yeah, they're not service dogs, 472 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:19,400 they're pets. So I'm like, well, we're going 473 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:23,560 to have to solve this problem. So we went up and found state 474 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:25,560 statue and everything we posted on the front. 475 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,800 Say it got to be a service animal. 476 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:29,680 If it's not a service animal, that can't come in. 477 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:32,840 Because I don't want your fleabag dog up in here getting 478 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,480 fleabag stuff all over my carpet. 479 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,360 Then I got to go and, you know, fumigate my whole thing because 480 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:45,480 you can't be separated from your dog for a few minutes because we 481 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,280 need more. I mean, if it's an emotional 482 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:49,760 deal, I understand that because a lot of people have emotional 483 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:51,280 issues. But I can help solve your 484 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:55,000 emotional problems. His name's Jesus. 485 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,640 You get a new life, He'll renew your mind and then you won't 486 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,560 have anxiety like you have Cause the Lord says be anxious of 487 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:05,920 nothing, right? But I don't have to have your 488 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,720 dog in. So now our people are saying 489 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,800 can't bring in your dog in. It's people like. 490 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:17,640 I mean, who would have thought a father would have brought their 491 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:23,640 child in the mall with their bike to teach them how to ride 492 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,920 inside? This happened in our mall. 493 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,360 Kids riding around in the bike, like what's happening here? 494 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,240 Well, it was cold or raining or something. 495 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,240 I brought him in to no bikes in the mall. 496 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:45,120 We don't ride bikes in here. And then it Where am I supposed 497 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:47,400 to go? That's not my problem. 498 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:59,800 Go to your living room, right? Ha ha ha. 499 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,440 You know how many? Cars drive through our private 500 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,040 property that they think is public. 501 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,720 This is not. Public land. 502 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:12,640 Hallelujah. So I'm I'm praying about some 503 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:16,000 stuff, like do I put up gates so when the malls close, I shut the 504 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:17,240 gates. You can't even drive on the 505 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:21,360 property. I'm thinking, who authorized you 506 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:25,640 to try to paint my parking lot black with your tires? 507 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,440 In don't circles. I mean, if you're going to do 508 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:36,400 it, at least run strips so that we can get an even coat, right? 509 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:38,440 Nobody asks you to do abstract art. 510 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:46,000 I mean, we put our little life for our flagpole and somebody 511 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,400 ran over and tore it down, so we had to put yellow columns. 512 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:52,800 Yeah, it's crazy. But you know what? 513 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:56,120 We just keep fixing problems, right? 514 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,720 And why is it that there's all kind of problems at your work 515 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:01,920 and you'll stay at work, but when a problem comes at church, 516 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,280 you'll 'cause you're not a disciple. 517 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:09,320 Now you can stay here and be a complainer. 518 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:14,920 It may be just best you go, 'cause if all you're going to do 519 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,760 is complain, then really you're like cancer. 520 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:24,160 No, you're supposed to change your thinking. 521 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:25,280 You're supposed to love the Brethren. 522 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,280 You're supposed to love being. I'm just be honest with you. 523 00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:30,240 I'd be very candid about it. Because again, we're going to 524 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:31,520 have the church. That's mature. 525 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,880 If you really don't like being here, you literally have my 526 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,560 permission to go somewhere else. Not that you needed it, but if 527 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:41,920 you want me to say it so you can hear it, go. 528 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:48,200 I want you to grow, not to feel like you're getting nothing. 529 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,560 Because I know the ones that are hungry, they getting a lot. 530 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,000 And I don't understand why you're not opening your mouth 531 00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:00,560 and being anorexic. Because I you'd have to 532 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,160 conclude, if you've been here long enough that someone to hear 533 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,320 what we're preaching and not be growing, that means they're 534 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,800 getting it in their ear mouths, right? 535 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:11,600 Their mouths are eating it up, your ears are eating it up, but 536 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:17,040 the minute they go, they throw it up because they're not being 537 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,080 a doer of it. So you're giving this appearance 538 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,080 that you're eating it, but you're throwing up and you're 539 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,880 being spiritually anorexic. You need to get delivered from 540 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,600 that the most of that's because you know you have your own 541 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,800 mindset of your own issues, that God's like, you're awesome and 542 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,080 you just need to believe God, what he says about you, instead 543 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:36,560 of what you think about yourself. 544 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,040 Because let me just tell you what you think some other person 545 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:41,840 is thinking about you. They're not. 546 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:44,840 They're not. And you're wasting a lot of 547 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,960 time. You're wasting a lot of time 548 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:53,520 because God's not saying that to you, but the devil is. 549 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,720 So if you're spiritually mature, you should discern that's the 550 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:01,560 devil talking to you. Because if God's building a 551 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,160 church that's unified, then God is not saying. 552 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:05,760 You know what? They're talking about you here 553 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:11,000 at your church. Now why would he say that? 554 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:14,600 If he's trying to unify, that can't be the voice of God. 555 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,720 So the 12th some of the congregation of disciples, 556 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:23,520 right? He said it's not desire for us 557 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,680 to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 558 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,160 This word, desirable, means this, he said. 559 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,640 It's not right for us to neglect or it's not proper. 560 00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:37,160 Now again, it's not. That the apostles here could not 561 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,600 serve tables. But you understand. 562 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:44,360 The emphasis here in verse one is now the disciples were 563 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:49,920 increasing in number. It is mythical thinking to think 564 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:57,520 the FIFO ministry. Should have to do everything and 565 00:33:57,520 --> 00:33:59,640 is the only ones who are supposed to do. 566 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,440 And if you don't see them doing it, then they're really not 567 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:09,360 serving because at certain sizes you will be involved. 568 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:13,480 And I know we were heavily involved, we're still involved. 569 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:18,239 But could there come a day that I'm never involved but still 570 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:21,600 serving the body and doing my part? 571 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,560 Not because we're too good. It's that we've increased and 572 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,960 God wants everyone to get involved. 573 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,639 Everyone. So again, the minute an 574 00:34:34,639 --> 00:34:40,440 opportunity comes, we should rejoice because it's God saying 575 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:44,639 I got something for you. Amen. 576 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,440 Hallelujah. So he goes. 577 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:51,040 On and says this, then, therefore, brethren, select from 578 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:55,679 us from among you seven men. Notice of good reputation, full 579 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:59,320 of the spirit and Wisdom whom we may put in charge of this task. 580 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,760 Now this is pretty powerful, you know. 581 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:06,080 And I think we may have, you know technically dumbed down 582 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:11,360 church serving because in order just to serve a table with. 583 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:13,800 Food. You had to have a good 584 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,000 reputation. Now you can't even have a good 585 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,920 reputation and only be here a month. 586 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,000 You don't build reputation in a week. 587 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:29,000 We know I came to that church. I've been there a month and 588 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,120 ain't using me at all. Well, what's your reputation? 589 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,960 We're building it because again, if you've come to serve, then 590 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,640 you want your reputation to show up. 591 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,320 You know what you want your reputation to be? 592 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:44,880 That you're faithful. I mean if I look out and only 593 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,600 see you, you know every other month and then you want to serve 594 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:54,560 Flip man they have enough time to come to church and then we're 595 00:35:54,560 --> 00:35:56,360 going to task them with the responsibility and 596 00:35:56,360 --> 00:36:04,040 accountability of serving your reputation has said because you 597 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:07,920 don't understand a reputation is Speaking of you without 598 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:16,000 speaking. Yeah being born again is is just 599 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,520 entry. You understand Being born again 600 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,080 is the door. Jesus said I'm the door to get 601 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,000 born again. You just walked in the door. 602 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:25,680 I don't let nobody just walk in the door and come up here and 603 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,680 preach. No. 604 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,520 And the Bible even says this since we talking about doors, 605 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:34,600 Paul said. Do not put a novice in 606 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:39,200 leadership position 'cause they will incur the same sin that the 607 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:41,560 devil had and they'll get lifted up in pride. 608 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,640 So if you've just been born again, I don't care how zealous 609 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:52,920 you are, you need to develop a reputation because if I give it 610 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:57,000 to you too fast, it will destroy you. 611 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:05,920 So the way the table you got to have good reputation, but not 612 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,560 just that, you've got to be full of the spirit. 613 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,080 And we're not talking about a spirit bearing witness with your 614 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,280 spirit, your child of God. We're talking about ton talk and 615 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,800 stuff, yielding to that truth, to be baptized in the Spirit of 616 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:20,720 God. Amen. 617 00:37:20,720 --> 00:37:23,640 Now, I understand we've had people serve that have not been 618 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:26,040 baptized in the Holy Ghost. I've recognized that. 619 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:30,160 But you know, we keep pressing and you understand at the end of 620 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:32,720 the day, you should press to want everything God has for you, 621 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:37,720 should be unacceptable for you to let go of something God has 622 00:37:37,720 --> 00:37:40,320 promised you, just because you don't understand. 623 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:43,680 Well, then seek it out. Because there was a day I didn't 624 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:45,320 know about the baptism of the Holy Ghost. 625 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:48,080 And the pastor preached on it and he came to me and he thought 626 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:50,520 maybe he scared me off. And I like, I'm not scared. 627 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:54,920 I mean, I just want truth. So show me. 628 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,680 Well, it took him a few months. When I say that it didn't take 629 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:02,160 him a few months to to show me. It took me a few months to get 630 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:08,360 the revelation I had to let go of whatever it was that I was 631 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,440 trying to let go of and and receive what I needed to 632 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,480 receive. Good news is, I wasn't taught 633 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:15,680 that it was of the devil, so I didn't have to rewire that 634 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:19,040 garbage, you know? But at the end of the day, I 635 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:21,960 mean, it became very convinced, obvious. 636 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,200 And then a couple months later, I got filled with the holy good 637 00:38:24,240 --> 00:38:28,720 and my life was way better. I've lived on the side of just 638 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:31,960 being born again, and I'm on the side of being baptized in the 639 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:37,320 Spirit, and it's way better. It's way better because when I 640 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:40,400 was on this side I had this. Little nagging thing that kept 641 00:38:40,400 --> 00:38:43,480 saying there's got to be more. And you know what that nagging 642 00:38:43,480 --> 00:38:45,240 thing was? It was the spirit of God saying 643 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:47,520 there's bro, there's more. There's got to be more than 644 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:49,280 this. What you're doing right now, and 645 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,160 there is, if you will let me teach you, 'cause you just, you 646 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:54,960 just you just know you're right with God. 647 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,000 But I got way more for you than just this. 648 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:01,040 And I don't have to take you through a big seminar to get it 649 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:02,240 to you. You can get it as soon as you 650 00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:06,080 got born again. So they need to be full of 651 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:10,360 spirit and of what wisdom, which means they had to have become 652 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:14,280 some type of studying and they had to have been doing something 653 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,520 within their reputation for us to realize, You know what, when 654 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,200 this person is put in these situations, wisdom, they have an 655 00:39:21,240 --> 00:39:23,760 answer. So in essence, he didn't put 656 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:28,080 seven problem finders, complainers, or whiners. 657 00:39:29,720 --> 00:39:32,200 And this is where pastors miss it the most. 658 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:37,840 Is they need a position filled so they'll fill them with a warm 659 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:42,760 body. Their breathing is what I mean. 660 00:39:43,240 --> 00:39:44,720 Well, you're alive. Come on and do it. 661 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:46,400 But the. Problem is, they may make it 662 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,800 worse. It'd be better to not even do 663 00:39:48,800 --> 00:39:52,880 it, 'cause here's the thing that I did. 664 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:55,560 I made demands on stuff. First of all, I want you to know 665 00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,560 that you are a byproduct of my faith. 666 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:04,320 Well, what do I mean by that? My faith in doing before you 667 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,200 ever met me. Before I ever showed up to 668 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:12,760 Anchor Faith Church, I served in another body and I was acting, 669 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:17,680 enacting the law of sowing and reaping in my mind, 'cause I 670 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:19,760 already knew I was going to pastor one day. 671 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:25,680 I said I know the type of people that I know should be serving in 672 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:27,920 the church. I'm going to be that person for 673 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:34,040 this guy. So I'm going to eat, breathe and 674 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:38,640 drink his vision When I walked around Sand Springs, OK, They 675 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:42,040 didn't even know my name. They knew me this. 676 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,520 Oh, that's the youth pastor of the depot at War Life 677 00:40:44,520 --> 00:40:47,080 Fellowship. Oh, that's the youth pastor of 678 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:50,320 the depot. They saw the building. 679 00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:55,440 They saw the building on the hill. 680 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,200 They didn't see the man or know the man. 681 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:03,680 They saw the building. It is more of a compliment for 682 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:07,000 someone to say you go to anchor Faith. 683 00:41:07,400 --> 00:41:11,160 That is way more of a compliment than they know your name because 684 00:41:11,160 --> 00:41:14,520 now they see the vision. And that's how I was. 685 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:17,560 Is it not true, Pastor Marcus, This is how I lived, I mean, and 686 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:21,800 I was apparel wearer. I mean, I had Depot everywhere. 687 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:24,200 I was always advertising that vision. 688 00:41:25,720 --> 00:41:27,280 I was man. I had apparel. 689 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:29,360 I mean, I was everywhere doing it. 690 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:31,600 I would wear it. I wanted everybody to know, 691 00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:35,120 which means then I had to act away while I'm wearing. 692 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:38,400 And if I wasn't wearing, I'd still act the same way because 693 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:40,680 I'm the same person, because again, that's the type of 694 00:41:40,680 --> 00:41:45,440 people. So I made a demand just like now 695 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,080 you know, the Lord's talking told us about calling a 696 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:52,000 particular number of adults in and I add to it, Lord, I want 697 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:55,320 these many people you told me to believe for this many people, 698 00:41:55,760 --> 00:41:57,960 but she's never asked me to do a number before, but he did. 699 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:00,680 So I do. And I said that are submitted 700 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:05,360 and committed to the vision. I don't want the number. 701 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,920 I want the submitted, committed people that can make the number. 702 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:12,680 Because at the end of the day you can have the number and have 703 00:42:12,680 --> 00:42:15,720 nobody submitted and committed and then you just have problems 704 00:42:15,720 --> 00:42:17,480 that when you try to solve the problems, they don't want to 705 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,480 solve the problem, they just want to be a problem. 706 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:22,720 The only way to solve that problem is to get rid of the 707 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:28,760 person. Are y'all doing all right Again, 708 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:32,080 I'm saying this because we have been talking about community 709 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,360 mobilization. We talked about what's the 710 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:36,000 catch? Pastor Marcy talked about 711 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:38,120 Oneness, and it seemed right with me and the Holy Ghost to 712 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:41,880 bring this thought process up one more time to the Wednesday 713 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:47,240 crew. You know, there was a time when 714 00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:48,800 we started Anchor Faith. Church. 715 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,680 That the number difference between a Sunday morning and a 716 00:42:52,680 --> 00:42:58,200 Wednesday night was five people. I held that for like 3 years and 717 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:05,560 then it fell off, which means I got a bunch of uncommitted 718 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:07,720 people. I think, you know, they just 719 00:43:07,720 --> 00:43:10,880 heard about us and they wanted to see what was going on. 720 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,240 But in the beginning I had. I had people that were hungry, 721 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:19,560 and when I say I had people, I have people today. 722 00:43:19,560 --> 00:43:22,400 I understand that, you know, 'cause our Wednesday's probably 723 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:26,160 larger than most people's Sundays, but we're still not the 724 00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:28,520 largest church, and I'm not trying to be the largest church. 725 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,200 Whether or not we're the largest church, not see relevant to me, 726 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:34,840 are we the a congregation of disciples? 727 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:41,560 That's what we're going after. Because a true disciple the only 728 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:45,240 thing about. Being in it long term. 729 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:49,000 Is that everybody can look at your life and see the 730 00:43:49,000 --> 00:43:52,640 faithfulness of God. Not you're owed something 731 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:55,280 because the Kingdom is not a union. 732 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:01,800 The. Kingdom is what whoever God 733 00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:06,640 wants to do something with, and he can do it with somebody that 734 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:09,520 you know has developed a good reputation full of the spirit 735 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:12,080 and wisdom, and you've done it so long. 736 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:15,240 But the Lord's like, I'm using this person right now and you 737 00:44:15,240 --> 00:44:19,440 should be a champion of that person, not trying to compete 738 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,920 with that person. So he goes on and says, but we 739 00:44:21,920 --> 00:44:24,360 will devote ourselves to prayer, to the ministering of the word. 740 00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:26,880 This is our task. We've grown so much. 741 00:44:27,120 --> 00:44:30,240 I have to be in this task because if I'm not in this task, 742 00:44:30,240 --> 00:44:34,720 there may be more conflict because there's more people that 743 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:37,480 we have to minister to that we need to be hooked up in the 744 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:39,480 spirit to know what they need to hear. 745 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:43,080 Because again, when I preach, I can preach generally, but a lot 746 00:44:43,080 --> 00:44:45,480 of times, and many of you have come to me at some point, said 747 00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:46,800 Pastor. You were speaking right to me. 748 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:48,440 Well, I don't know that I'm speaking right to you, but the 749 00:44:48,440 --> 00:44:51,960 Holy Ghost knew what you needed. But that takes time because 750 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:55,640 you're in prayer and you're thinking about the Ministry of 751 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:58,080 the Word. The thing that I do not like the 752 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:02,840 most is when I have to become administrative in service. 753 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:07,520 I don't like it at all because it takes away from me. 754 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:09,800 Here's the thing, I can be hooked up with the. 755 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:11,160 Spirit and I can have conversation. 756 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:14,840 I'm not this guy that has to sit out in the back of my office and 757 00:45:14,840 --> 00:45:17,160 then come in and can't talk to nobody because you'll mess up my 758 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:19,000 anointing. I'm not that Jesus could walk 759 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:20,520 around, not mess up his anointing, OK? 760 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,960 I, I, I, I'm of the same cloth, but I don't want to get into 761 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:28,800 admin. I want to be able to stay hooked 762 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,960 up to that. So thank God we've been able to 763 00:45:31,960 --> 00:45:35,440 delegate certain things out so that we do not have to do that. 764 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:37,200 I don't want to have to get. What are we going to do this? 765 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:40,240 Most of the time things are happening administratively. 766 00:45:40,240 --> 00:45:43,040 And I don't, I don't even have a clue about it till Monday 767 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:48,080 because I know leave pastor alone, We'll take care of that, 768 00:45:48,840 --> 00:45:51,480 OK? And so as it grows, you have to 769 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:53,560 be able to take care of things differently. 770 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:55,520 It says. The statement found approval of 771 00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:57,960 the whole congregation. They chose Stephen, a man full 772 00:45:57,960 --> 00:46:00,840 of faith and of the Holy Ghost. And then here's these other 773 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:03,400 guys, these six other guys. Now look what it says in verse 774 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:06,800 six. Then these they brought before 775 00:46:06,800 --> 00:46:09,800 the apostles and after praying they laid hands on them. 776 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:14,200 Now that's why we do the laying on of hands after you do your 777 00:46:14,200 --> 00:46:20,280 elevate orientation, because again, we don't want your talent 778 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:23,840 in the position. We want the anointing associated 779 00:46:23,840 --> 00:46:27,920 with the vision and we want you to want the anointing associated 780 00:46:27,920 --> 00:46:29,840 with the vision. Because when you have the 781 00:46:29,840 --> 00:46:33,240 anointing associated with the vision that comes from the head, 782 00:46:33,240 --> 00:46:39,360 his name's Jesus, through the pastor that overseas the church 783 00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:42,800 into the congregation. Then when you're in the 784 00:46:42,800 --> 00:46:46,360 assignment, you'll start pulling on that same anointing to be 785 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:50,560 able to have wisdom to problem solve when things occur. 786 00:46:51,760 --> 00:46:56,400 And when it happens, you'll just have the idea and it and it will 787 00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:58,280 seem like you just thought of it. 788 00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,080 But if you're really in tune, you'll realize, wow, it's 789 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:06,560 amazing how I hear so clear from the Holy Ghost, because that was 790 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:10,280 a brilliant answer to handle that. 791 00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:13,440 Because don't you think the head of the church wants to take care 792 00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:16,040 of any problem? Sure he does. 793 00:47:16,920 --> 00:47:21,080 So they laid hands on them. Verse 7, The Word of God kept on 794 00:47:21,080 --> 00:47:22,080 what? Spreading. 795 00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:25,560 Now why does the word keep on spreading? 796 00:47:30,440 --> 00:47:33,160 And the number of the disciples continue to increase greatly in 797 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:36,040 Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming 798 00:47:36,040 --> 00:47:38,920 obedient to the faith. Why is this happening? 799 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:43,000 Because seven guys got in their fit. 800 00:47:47,360 --> 00:47:52,600 I mean the churches I go to, I know they want to grow, but one 801 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:57,160 of their greatest hindrances is the lack of participation of the 802 00:47:57,160 --> 00:48:00,640 Saints. So. 803 00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:04,840 They'll do a 21 day fast for growth, 21 day fast for miracle 804 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:06,600 signs and wonders. And by the way, we're going to 805 00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:08,560 do a 21 day fast that begin this year. 806 00:48:09,120 --> 00:48:11,360 We have a living faith conference coming with pastor 807 00:48:11,680 --> 00:48:14,360 and what I know we're preaching. Next year. 808 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:20,120 You're going to need to start it out in prayer and fasting, OK? 809 00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:21,880 Because things are going to get real. 810 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:28,120 I mean real where you can pull back a veil and see stuff real. 811 00:48:28,680 --> 00:48:33,560 OK, we're going to be in tune. In the realm of the spirit, all 812 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:37,280 right. And so the minute the if these 813 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:40,280 individuals would just get involved with their pastor's 814 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:42,480 vision. Now I have to admit too 815 00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:44,680 someplace I go, pastor don't have a vision. 816 00:48:45,160 --> 00:48:48,040 And I understand that. And that's tough because they 817 00:48:48,040 --> 00:48:51,320 don't know how to get involved. But if there is a vision and the 818 00:48:51,320 --> 00:48:54,600 pastor's, you know, doing it, when they're saying, hey, let's 819 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:58,760 get involved here, it's not because there's not a need. 820 00:48:59,120 --> 00:49:01,160 Let me ask this question. How many problems do you think 821 00:49:01,160 --> 00:49:06,240 there are in Saint Johns County? Yeah, you're already going. 822 00:49:06,240 --> 00:49:11,000 Oh, there's so many, right. Well, God is already sending 823 00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:14,080 people to us and asking us how to fix those problems. 824 00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:17,560 Well, you understand. I can't go do it all. 825 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:22,360 In fact, what's my assignment, pastor? 826 00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:27,400 And what's that assignment? Praying and the ministering of 827 00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:37,280 the word is my #1 assignment #1. But I'm having to engage these 828 00:49:37,280 --> 00:49:40,280 sectors of society. Why? 829 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:44,680 So that I can say they just came to me about this. 830 00:49:45,160 --> 00:49:55,970 Who wants to get involved here? Because as we are involved in 831 00:49:55,970 --> 00:49:59,080 this, it gives us involvement out there. 832 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:03,760 And the more we're doing because we see the church 1st and God 833 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:06,920 works out all the other stuff, then guess what? 834 00:50:07,000 --> 00:50:11,880 Increase, but not just increase. Look at verse 8 and Stephen, 835 00:50:12,080 --> 00:50:16,080 full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and 836 00:50:16,080 --> 00:50:21,720 signs among the people. Because he was willing to serve 837 00:50:21,720 --> 00:50:25,680 a table, it actually increased the miraculous ministry in his 838 00:50:25,680 --> 00:50:33,760 life. And some of you are serving a a 839 00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:39,800 a serving assignment away from being able to hear God clear 840 00:50:39,800 --> 00:50:43,880 enough to perform some pretty amazing signs in Publix, 841 00:50:44,520 --> 00:50:49,480 Walmart, your place of business. Because again, God's not 842 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:52,800 impressed if you go lay hands on somebody in a wheelchair and 843 00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:56,800 they stand up and walk if you're not passionate about where they 844 00:50:56,800 --> 00:51:00,920 need to go to become a disciple. Because this is about you coming 845 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:03,360 back and say, man, I lay hands to somebody in public and they 846 00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:06,880 got, we're walking around and it was crazy in there, right? 847 00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:11,960 Well, you didn't do that because you don't have that kind of 848 00:51:11,960 --> 00:51:14,560 power. But you have that kind of power 849 00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:18,120 through his name and he's authorized you to do it and it's 850 00:51:18,120 --> 00:51:23,920 him doing it through you because Jesus wants them to know, right? 851 00:51:24,600 --> 00:51:28,520 And because there's when we get involved with the church, then 852 00:51:28,520 --> 00:51:30,840 where's an increase of power that takes place? 853 00:51:30,840 --> 00:51:34,520 We saw it in Ephesians that when we all bring our supply it 854 00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:37,960 causes growth. So increase comes because of 855 00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:42,280 that internal serving. But also when we are tasked with 856 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:44,520 a task, whatever it may be. In this case it was food 857 00:51:44,520 --> 00:51:50,400 distribution, then guess what? It brought increase to the 858 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:53,760 church and then when the church is increased, then obviously 859 00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:56,960 individually you're going to increase because how can the 860 00:51:56,960 --> 00:51:58,640 church get more powerful if you're not? 861 00:51:59,800 --> 00:52:03,920 So you're a byproduct of the church getting more powerful. 862 00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:08,760 So again, when you know Rick's family, Christmas comes to us 863 00:52:08,760 --> 00:52:11,520 and say we want you to tell. I mean, this guy's been doing 864 00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:14,600 for 22 years, right? 22 years. 865 00:52:14,720 --> 00:52:16,520 Do you know how many churches have helped him? 866 00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:21,480 How many years have we been helping him? 867 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:31,480 So he has 20 years of every Christmas feeding the homeless 868 00:52:32,160 --> 00:52:35,200 and churches and people from the community helping. 869 00:52:35,400 --> 00:52:40,360 We show up in two years. And out of 20 years of serving 870 00:52:40,360 --> 00:52:45,160 with other people, he says you should take it. 871 00:52:47,400 --> 00:52:53,560 What did he see in Anchor Faith Church people that he didn't see 872 00:52:53,560 --> 00:53:04,440 in any of the other ones, right? I mean, surely? 873 00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:08,600 There's 20 years of relationship that he could have said, you 874 00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:10,520 know, you've been doing this for five years with me, you've been 875 00:53:10,640 --> 00:53:19,440 that he could have said I trust you to carry it on, but here we 876 00:53:19,440 --> 00:53:21,800 are. I said, here we are. 877 00:53:22,520 --> 00:53:24,720 And how many people? We got set up for that. 878 00:53:24,720 --> 00:53:28,720 To help with it. Yeah, from our church. 879 00:53:28,880 --> 00:53:33,160 How about 505040 to 50 that are happening on Christmas Day? 880 00:53:33,160 --> 00:53:36,080 Yes, Sir. See what I'm saying? 881 00:53:36,080 --> 00:53:38,920 Let me tell you what that mean. This is why this church is so 882 00:53:38,920 --> 00:53:42,200 amazing. That is the epitome of 883 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:46,600 selflessness, because Christmas is not about you sitting under a 884 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:50,560 tree. I'm going to come by and just 885 00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:54,440 let you know. But again, I don't have to. 886 00:53:56,720 --> 00:53:59,800 That's the point. I don't have to come by. 887 00:53:59,960 --> 00:54:03,160 I shouldn't be obligated to show up, although I'm coming. 888 00:54:03,880 --> 00:54:10,120 But you understand. You see what I'm saying? 889 00:54:10,120 --> 00:54:12,120 I mean, This is why we've become powerful. 890 00:54:12,280 --> 00:54:15,000 And every time I come in, I'm like, God, I love this, you 891 00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:17,520 know, I'm not afraid. I'll lose it because I don't 892 00:54:17,520 --> 00:54:21,760 have fear, because the devil's a defeat, a foe. 893 00:54:22,560 --> 00:54:25,360 And at the end of the day, if somebody can't stay with the 894 00:54:25,360 --> 00:54:26,720 vision, got to bring somebody up. 895 00:54:26,960 --> 00:54:29,680 I had this phrase that I've said for years with our staff and I'm 896 00:54:29,680 --> 00:54:31,640 going to give you a few pull up points and we'll close. 897 00:54:33,120 --> 00:54:37,280 I said if you can't continue to grow with the vision, if you 898 00:54:37,280 --> 00:54:39,280 can't continue to grow as the vision grows, I'll be forced to 899 00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:42,480 replace you. It's nothing personal, but the 900 00:54:42,480 --> 00:54:45,400 vision must go on. Now that can sound callous. 901 00:54:45,400 --> 00:54:47,720 And there's a few leaders that said I hated when you said that, 902 00:54:48,160 --> 00:54:50,200 but when they got revelation of it, they realized that's what 903 00:54:50,240 --> 00:54:52,760 Jesus did. Jesus said it to Peter just 904 00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:55,640 sounded different. He said, guys, I'm going to die, 905 00:54:55,640 --> 00:54:56,960 but on the third day I'm going to raise up. 906 00:54:56,960 --> 00:54:59,120 Peter doesn't listen to the Raisin up and he pulls him to 907 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:00,240 the side. May it never be, you're not 908 00:55:00,240 --> 00:55:01,920 going to die, he said. Get thee behind me, Satan. 909 00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:05,160 In essence, if you can't continue to grow as the vision 910 00:55:05,160 --> 00:55:08,240 of my life, then I'll be forced to replace you. 911 00:55:10,280 --> 00:55:13,600 Judas, you go ahead and do what you got to do because you failed 912 00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:16,320 to continue to grow. And I'll be forced to replace 913 00:55:16,320 --> 00:55:19,080 you. And did he replace him now? 914 00:55:19,080 --> 00:55:21,320 Did he love Judas? You bet he did. 915 00:55:21,320 --> 00:55:23,960 Does he love Peter? But don't you mess with his 916 00:55:23,960 --> 00:55:27,640 vision because he'll put somebody else in it. 917 00:55:27,640 --> 00:55:29,520 Do. You think he loved Moses? 918 00:55:30,680 --> 00:55:32,840 In fact, he said Moses was the meekest man. 919 00:55:33,720 --> 00:55:36,760 He said, I ain't like the rest. I speak to this guy face to 920 00:55:36,760 --> 00:55:38,920 face. But when Moses hits a rock 921 00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:41,600 twice, what'd he say? You violated my vision. 922 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:43,640 You dishonored me. You're not taking them in. 923 00:55:43,760 --> 00:55:49,720 Joshua's got the assignment. When Barnabas says bro, we're 924 00:55:49,720 --> 00:55:52,000 going to take John Marker. I'm not going with you, Paul, 925 00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:55,080 even though we're the ones that God separate unto me, Barnabas 926 00:55:55,080 --> 00:55:57,680 and Saul, which is Paul for the work that I've sent them to do. 927 00:55:57,880 --> 00:56:00,760 And Paul's like he's not going And they argue so much. 928 00:56:00,760 --> 00:56:02,760 He said fine, I'll take him and do my own thing. 929 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:05,080 We never hear him again. You know what God says? 930 00:56:05,560 --> 00:56:10,240 I'll give you Silas cause the vision will go on. 931 00:56:11,640 --> 00:56:15,840 So don't think that Anchor Fay Church won't go on. 932 00:56:19,640 --> 00:56:25,240 'Cause it's going to go, 'cause it's God ordained it's going to 933 00:56:25,240 --> 00:56:28,520 go. The sad part would be me 934 00:56:28,520 --> 00:56:32,200 watching you at the judgment seat and God say, well, I had 935 00:56:32,200 --> 00:56:34,520 all these rewards when you were at Anchor Fay Church, but then 936 00:56:34,520 --> 00:56:38,120 you left. Now the rest of your 937 00:56:38,120 --> 00:56:41,200 accomplishments are burnt up 'cause they you were never 938 00:56:41,200 --> 00:56:42,000 assigned. There. 939 00:56:47,560 --> 00:56:49,120 Hallelujah. So the church was always 940 00:56:49,120 --> 00:56:50,960 supposed to be a congregation of disciples. 941 00:56:51,640 --> 00:56:54,840 Are you hearing me? See, there's a misconception. 942 00:56:54,840 --> 00:56:56,960 Unless you pray and study all the time, you can't operate in 943 00:56:56,960 --> 00:57:00,840 the miraculous regularly. And that's not true, because the 944 00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:04,520 seven men were picked and they were people who prayed, and they 945 00:57:04,520 --> 00:57:08,160 were people who stayed with the word, but they also serve 946 00:57:08,160 --> 00:57:10,960 faithfully, the miraculous increased. 947 00:57:11,080 --> 00:57:14,440 And I believe many believers are missing the miraculous because 948 00:57:14,440 --> 00:57:17,040 they're only using two out of the three processes. 949 00:57:17,760 --> 00:57:21,160 They're praying, they're studying, but they're not 950 00:57:21,160 --> 00:57:30,760 serving. They're not serving because if 951 00:57:30,760 --> 00:57:34,800 all you want to do is pray and study, then you're already 952 00:57:34,800 --> 00:57:39,680 selfish in your relationship with Jesus because Jesus says 953 00:57:39,680 --> 00:57:44,520 freely you've received, but you're holding it and keeping it 954 00:57:44,520 --> 00:57:53,240 in the closet with him. OK, when the church increases, 955 00:57:53,240 --> 00:57:56,000 complaints will come, but that's all right. 956 00:57:56,000 --> 00:57:58,880 Disciples are the answer to the problems we encounter within the 957 00:57:58,880 --> 00:58:01,080 church. The disciples are the answer. 958 00:58:02,280 --> 00:58:06,400 I'd like to go outside and get consultation, which is another 959 00:58:06,400 --> 00:58:08,440 thing that blows me away, that there are churches that are 960 00:58:08,440 --> 00:58:19,600 bringing in outsiders for consultants and they're they're 961 00:58:19,600 --> 00:58:23,520 putting systems together because these consultants tell them how 962 00:58:23,520 --> 00:58:25,560 they can grow and they're not growing disciples, they're 963 00:58:25,560 --> 00:58:32,920 growing processes. Now they can grow in numbers of 964 00:58:32,920 --> 00:58:35,160 people, but that doesn't mean the church is growing 965 00:58:38,960 --> 00:58:41,080 day-to-day. Duties are not menial. 966 00:58:41,080 --> 00:58:46,600 Tasks, he said. Man, we got to feed these 967 00:58:46,600 --> 00:58:48,720 people. We're going to do it daily. 968 00:58:49,840 --> 00:58:54,520 You know how important this is? Find me good reputation, full of 969 00:58:54,520 --> 00:58:57,120 the spirit, full of wisdom, because this is not a menial 970 00:58:57,120 --> 00:58:59,280 task. So let me tell you. 971 00:58:59,280 --> 00:59:02,720 Dining with dignity helpers, it's not a menial task. 972 00:59:02,720 --> 00:59:06,760 Let me tell you, parking lot, it's not a menial task. 973 00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:11,560 Any area that we serve within the church is not menial. 974 00:59:13,360 --> 00:59:15,440 It actually helps you increase in power. 975 00:59:17,360 --> 00:59:18,920 When someone says I just don't want to. 976 00:59:19,280 --> 00:59:21,240 They don't value the Body of Christ properly. 977 00:59:22,840 --> 00:59:26,440 Oversight within the church requires identifiable character, 978 00:59:26,800 --> 00:59:32,280 again, even for the day-to-day duties, even for the day-to-day 979 00:59:32,280 --> 00:59:34,560 duties. Now, with that being said, it 980 00:59:34,560 --> 00:59:38,400 doesn't mean you can't get an opportunity because we're always 981 00:59:38,400 --> 00:59:43,760 trying to pull on potential. Maybe you hadn't arrived yet, 982 00:59:44,800 --> 00:59:47,200 but we think you could be there. But if you don't assimilate, 983 00:59:48,160 --> 00:59:52,840 you're not going to make it. Any task you are put in charge 984 00:59:52,840 --> 00:59:56,400 of there will be grace and power and the power of God added to 985 00:59:56,400 --> 01:00:00,520 your life again. You're praying, You're reading. 986 01:00:00,520 --> 01:00:03,960 You want to be with God, but yet he wants to empower the grace in 987 01:00:03,960 --> 01:00:12,520 your serving. The anointing comes to those who 988 01:00:12,520 --> 01:00:15,480 have the character to serve. And do serve. 989 01:00:18,040 --> 01:00:22,760 And do serve. OK, you have to have the 990 01:00:22,760 --> 01:00:26,280 character to serve. Because again, again, if if 991 01:00:26,280 --> 01:00:30,640 somebody's playing our guitar and then they fornicate, we 992 01:00:30,640 --> 01:00:34,200 can't keep them on the platform. They're going to be set down, 993 01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:44,400 and we got to restore them. We're just not going to put a 994 01:00:44,400 --> 01:00:49,920 body up here, 'cause we need it. I mean, you know how many people 995 01:00:49,920 --> 01:00:53,200 are on the platforms now and they live like the rest of the 996 01:00:53,200 --> 01:00:57,800 world, And then I'll hold it. Well, we, but we need somebody. 997 01:00:58,720 --> 01:01:03,120 I mean, pastors are actually paying worship teams that aren't 998 01:01:03,120 --> 01:01:06,440 even a part of their church, and they're saying they're having 999 01:01:06,440 --> 01:01:10,040 worship. No, you're having a band play 1000 01:01:10,200 --> 01:01:18,760 songs, and I feel for the ones that are actually doing it 1001 01:01:19,080 --> 01:01:21,440 because many of them are traveling from church to church. 1002 01:01:21,760 --> 01:01:25,200 I mean, basically you've become a secular artist that your gigs 1003 01:01:25,200 --> 01:01:34,820 are within the church body. Now any task you put, you are 1004 01:01:34,820 --> 01:01:36,940 put in charge. Again there will be grace and. 1005 01:01:36,940 --> 01:01:39,300 Power of God added to your life. The anointing comes to those who 1006 01:01:39,300 --> 01:01:41,300 have the character to serve and do serve. 1007 01:01:42,300 --> 01:01:46,220 The anointing reaches out to all who come in contact to the ones 1008 01:01:46,220 --> 01:01:50,240 serving. You have an anointing. 1009 01:01:50,640 --> 01:01:53,440 That's why I say many people should get healed long before 1010 01:01:53,440 --> 01:01:56,160 they even get in service, because how could they get past 1011 01:01:56,160 --> 01:01:58,800 somebody in a parking lot that they wouldn't lay hands on the 1012 01:01:58,800 --> 01:02:03,360 sick? Or a greeter, or an usher, or 1013 01:02:03,360 --> 01:02:05,720 whatever the case may be. Right? 1014 01:02:05,720 --> 01:02:09,080 And what happened? The word spread among the church 1015 01:02:09,280 --> 01:02:13,400 and it grew as a result of what 7 people doing their part in 1016 01:02:13,400 --> 01:02:17,320 ministering to the brethren. Whether they increased was, 1017 01:02:17,320 --> 01:02:19,080 guess what, They probably had another problem they didn't 1018 01:02:19,080 --> 01:02:21,400 write about. And he said we got to find some 1019 01:02:21,400 --> 01:02:29,520 more people because the early church, which is not a Western 1020 01:02:29,520 --> 01:02:35,480 thinking, they knew this is the center of our life and 1021 01:02:35,480 --> 01:02:37,560 everything else revolves around it. 1022 01:02:39,760 --> 01:02:44,720 But in our Western society, our jobs. 1023 01:02:45,240 --> 01:02:48,760 Our families is our center of our lives that we say God's 1024 01:02:48,760 --> 01:02:53,560 there, and church is around that. 1025 01:02:56,920 --> 01:02:58,560 But that's not the Church of the Bible. 1026 01:02:59,800 --> 01:03:01,720 Because here's the thing, you can do a lot of stuff with your 1027 01:03:01,720 --> 01:03:03,200 family. You can get involved in all 1028 01:03:03,200 --> 01:03:06,760 kinds of stuff, but when the church is the center, then those 1029 01:03:06,760 --> 01:03:09,880 things are going to be way more prosperous. 1030 01:03:10,320 --> 01:03:13,160 And you can have a layer of prosperity, or it seems like 1031 01:03:13,160 --> 01:03:15,840 you're getting ahead in those areas, but not at the level when 1032 01:03:15,840 --> 01:03:18,840 the church is the center of your focus. 1033 01:03:21,440 --> 01:03:25,600 Because here's the thing. I didn't ask you to come. 1034 01:03:28,640 --> 01:03:34,000 I didn't ask you to come here. I didn't ask you to come. 1035 01:03:34,600 --> 01:03:37,200 In fact, I didn't even show up on my own accord. 1036 01:03:38,480 --> 01:03:45,320 I was sent. I'm here by direct obedience to 1037 01:03:45,320 --> 01:03:51,160 the Lord, and I'm helping him plant his church here and in 1038 01:03:51,160 --> 01:03:52,960 other parts of the world now. Right? 1039 01:03:54,040 --> 01:03:57,280 And then he's drawn you here. And if he drew you here, then 1040 01:03:57,280 --> 01:04:01,360 he's like, you got a gift, you got a gift, you got a gift. 1041 01:04:03,080 --> 01:04:07,760 And it's his job in the earth to pull it out and deploy you. 1042 01:04:09,520 --> 01:04:16,480 And once we do it, your prayer and your word life strengthens 1043 01:04:16,480 --> 01:04:19,000 your serving life and we increase in power. 1044 01:04:23,600 --> 01:04:27,480 And I'm just going to be honest with you, We are rare. 1045 01:04:29,320 --> 01:04:33,160 I know that we're rare. And some of y'all who's just 1046 01:04:33,160 --> 01:04:35,840 been hooked up not too long ago been you, you know, Some of 1047 01:04:35,840 --> 01:04:37,600 y'all been with us so long, so you've forgotten. 1048 01:04:39,080 --> 01:04:41,520 So I gave you permission to go to another church this Sunday. 1049 01:04:42,840 --> 01:04:50,920 Go ahead, go sit in another congregation again. 1050 01:04:50,920 --> 01:04:53,240 I'm not scared. Well, you think, what if they 1051 01:04:53,240 --> 01:04:56,560 want to go, they can go. Because God's going to have 1052 01:04:56,560 --> 01:04:58,840 people here to do this vision and not the city. 1053 01:04:58,840 --> 01:05:00,560 Impact the nation. Influence the world with 1054 01:05:00,560 --> 01:05:02,800 passion. Say I see myself. 1055 01:05:02,800 --> 01:05:04,560 Where else could I go? They're going to be the Peters. 1056 01:05:04,680 --> 01:05:06,440 Where else are we going to go? You have words a lot. 1057 01:05:06,440 --> 01:05:09,120 Where else are we going to go? My whole life exists in here. 1058 01:05:09,280 --> 01:05:12,120 I found myself in this vision. How am I going to go somewhere? 1059 01:05:14,640 --> 01:05:18,120 Because my life's not my own. And that's what's cultivated 1060 01:05:18,120 --> 01:05:21,600 here. And man, it can't be stopped. 1061 01:05:22,960 --> 01:05:25,880 And man, when I go to these other churches, I'm like, man, 1062 01:05:27,640 --> 01:05:36,120 if they they don't have what we have, they they don't have what 1063 01:05:36,120 --> 01:05:39,880 we have. Because I'm, I'm in front of 1064 01:05:39,880 --> 01:05:45,360 some of the most passionate people for Jesus because you're 1065 01:05:45,360 --> 01:05:51,440 serving is what does it. And you know what? 1066 01:05:51,440 --> 01:05:53,200 There's a lot of people out there that need the Lord. 1067 01:05:55,240 --> 01:05:58,760 So God's calling us. I said he's calling us. 1068 01:05:59,920 --> 01:06:03,200 You're not too old to continue to serve. 1069 01:06:05,080 --> 01:06:08,480 You're not too old. And we use a lot of young people 1070 01:06:08,480 --> 01:06:11,240 too, just to let you know, right? 1071 01:06:11,560 --> 01:06:17,920 I got teenagers serving because we're cultivating. 1072 01:06:18,880 --> 01:06:29,120 I said we're cultivating Amen. Thank you so much for listening 1073 01:06:29,120 --> 01:06:31,600 to this message. If you want more, subscribe to 1074 01:06:31,600 --> 01:06:35,000 our Message podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and 1075 01:06:35,000 --> 01:06:37,000 SoundCloud. Rating and leaving a comment 1076 01:06:37,000 --> 01:06:39,160 will go a long way with helping our messages get better 1077 01:06:39,160 --> 01:06:41,440 circulation. If you'd enjoyed watching our 1078 01:06:41,440 --> 01:06:44,760 weekend messages, visit youtube.com/anchor Faith. 1079 01:06:45,440 --> 01:06:46,720 We'd love it. If you'd subscribe. 1080 01:06:46,720 --> 01:06:49,600 Leave a comment or a like on the messages if you'd like to find 1081 01:06:49,600 --> 01:06:51,920 out more information about us and how we're influencing the 1082 01:06:51,920 --> 01:06:54,680 world and help support the work we're doing by giving, just 1083 01:06:54,680 --> 01:06:56,200 visit anchorfaith.com.