Character and Nature of a Leader

Who they actually are. Now, let's back it up and

I'm going to take them through a process where they

will be prepared for that.

Isn't that exciting? I mean, it is exciting, but it's

also challenge, Okay, but it is good to know God

as a plant.

So I want to look at a scripture where where

the picture in scripture is the Potter Clay analogy, and

I want to show you how that really relates directly

to how God prepares us.

So, first two of the three tens says this.

Regarding beakins, they must first be tested and then if

there's nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. NLT says,

let them be closely examined and then the amplified, which

always makes seems way bigger. Right, he says, let them

also be tried and investigated and proved first.

Then if they turn out to be a bup approach,

let them serve as deacons. So this process of.

Being true, investigated and proven is the process we all

go through and give us.

I'll break do that. What I'll just give you a

quick review.

So what this Putter play analogy look at is if

we look at the way play is.

Made and here's what happened.

It's then it stretch, it's investigators's further development. I mentioned

and pulled apart and down in order to think of

those steps of playing pottery, right, like the boy goes

through to the point whereuns in low vessel relations.

Are good and the first play is dug from the

ground and separated. Bottom that we were. He was searching

for us, so he found us. So I'm forty. Verse

two says he.

Brought me out out of way, and he set my

feet upon a rock, and he established my steps out

of the mirie clay.

So all of us were dug out of the mire

feet play. Right, we were we were, you know, in

sin we we didn't know God, and he reached down.

And he dug us out, kind of like the clay

being brought out of the ground.

So that's our salvation.

I gave my life to Jesus at six years old,

so my.

Wife was a lot quicker and responding. She was three

years old, which is quite marvelous. Do you think about

three years old.

She was very spiritually mature to understand that at three

and want to give her life to the Lord.

But I was harder of heart.

It took me till I was six, But anyways, I

was six years.

Old, gave my life. My mom led me to the lords.

Do you want to receive?

She didn't do any of that, She just prayed and

left the room. But as a six year old, I thought, please.

She gave back from the room.

Six years old. That was my moment. Then there's the

leader's call.

Second one is the leader's I never more lives under.

Her and I want the holy And he called me

very sly.

I did so, and I.

Thought, I don't know me with them or tease people

want to use it might be preparations never really done right.

Three words though, Now for me, I have to suffered, repeater, raise, glory,

and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

So we have trials. We will go through trials.

But these are these are to prove us actually and

to refine them and related to my own life.

I was about the big lad was twenty five to

thirty five. There's a ten year window that I outed.

That really God forcefully streng valusher of it too, because

you know what God's done.

So leaders preparations. So there's this preparation.

And number four finally, function or maturity, a finished vessel

ready to be fully used for its design purpose.

So for me this was kind of thirty six.

Plus at age thirty six, I became a senior pastor.

Valani took over a church in Medicine hat that was struggling.

We had. We felt we were called to lead a church,

and if it.

Was years of preparation, I despaired I'd ever get there.

It was such a weird journey, it felt like. And

yet God did it, and at thirty six we started.

So since that time in the ministry, but we've gone

through other cycles of preparation, and so there's a journey

that we're on. So let's look at the tests. So

what I want to look at is all of this

preparation of the of the clay and so forth, scriptures

that God no testing like blacks and fail, cares you

have a.

Ten or whatever? Right, So how there looked like how

much a pass or fail show us where rectally we are?

Because kind of does know where we're at, and so

we're open to his streamy sucess. Say, first one is

our health.

God will be to God empowering us when we are

weak and we are strong. Paul said it He said

he would glory this weakness because when he was weak,

then he was strong. So testings from God actually often

show us that we're weak and actually create a greater

dependence which makes us stronger, which is kind of upside

down as to how it would you think?

Right?

You think, no, I actually want to feel strong, like

if I feel stronger in myself, I.

Will do better. And actually God says, no, that's actually

not true.

If you feel stronger yourself, you'll actually focus on yourself

and you will fail. So he has to show us, hey,

I don't have it all together. Second thing is to

purify the leader. To purify the leader, he was talked

to a nine. Our God is a consuming fire. There's

that fire word again. Who needs who wants the fire

of God in their lives? And yet God has to

take us through things so that the impurities of our

hearts are removed. And that's what fire does, right, That's

that's how precious metals are purified.

They're heated up and then the impurities are skimmed off

the top.

Right, anybody here into precious metals and you know purifying

pressures probably nobody, But anyway, I thought I does no,

But seriously, that's what they do. And so that's what

God does. He heats up the situation or life and

he takes those impurities off. The third thing is to

separate those who are not truly called from those who are.

So sometimes it's kind of like the whole principle of

being a higher ly river.

Scripture talks about the hireling who who's not really the

shopherd of the sheep. He just does it as a job, right,

and he's just he's being paid, so.

Okay, I'll do it. But then when hard times come,

what does it say? It takes off?

This isn't worth the money I'm being paid, right, That's

how hire them.

And so.

God wants people who are willing to fulfill his purpose

no matter what. They're not doing it for accolades. They're

not doing it because man's going to applause them. They're

not doing it for money. They're doing it because they

love him and they're willing to endure it. So sometimes

I remember it.

Uh.

In college, I remember the first semester was really hard

for everybody. Seemed like the teachers were really hard. They

were loading the papers, like I remember, like, oh, I

was like fucked and obviously like in fact, and I thought,

oh God, I'm.

At and said, oh yeah, equally committed. They're not.

And I remember somebody they were not mister right, because

I think that's the way God. You know, they don't

think I'm not going that way life where he was

following you.

So that in nineteen ninety three, my wife and.

I were in a church and left Bridge, Alberta, Canada,

and we we had what was called prophetic press patreet.

You know what that is that so they bring in

three prophets.

It's people they up and come leaders or they would say,

oh you don't do that.

You a copy of the words of powerful until I've

been out a full in three years.

But oh man of calling you level and so on and

so on. I got all hoping it would be the

well and.

I'm going to go there and then I don't know

about and then don't get kill you And then they said, yeah,

grad school for it's gonna be like hell, I just

can you And she said, and I'm the people we

are gonna have.

And so here's what I said.

To be the God and Father of Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all cover

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we

can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we

ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings

of Christ flow over into our lives.

Anybody love that scripture?

Just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into anybody

liked the sufferings of Christ flowing over into your life?

Not really, we have all had that.

But just as that happens, so also through Christ, our

comfort overflows. If we're distress, it's for your comfort and

salvation we are comforted is for your comfort, which produces

the new patient durance of the same sufferings we suffer.

So here's the point, so Princess, it's in working through

our own tragedies, our own pain, and our own problems

that we're able to help people with their problems.

So God will allow.

Us at times to go through our things that we

have to overcome so that we have some testimonies and

strength for those so that we are comforted, so that

we have comfort for others. In other words, the picture

is that the comfort that I have for other people

is actually born and produced out of the areas where

I've been comforted.

Does that make sense.

So even when something is terrible, if I go to

God and say comfort me, I can be used by him.

Something terrible happens, but I turned to God rather than

turn elsewhere or turn away from God.

Ever. See people go through a really hard thing and

they turned away from God. They got bitter, angry. I

don't understand it.

There's some people understand what I need any because this

is painful.

I don't comfort you, and then you haven't trust money.

So I will allow us to go through these things

so that we are comforted, and we have testimonies for us.

All right, So the word test the for words kadies.

Vala has some illustrations. I have some, I have some.

Examp amples, and hopefully what we can do is close

off so we can hear from you a bit to

dare some thoughts about there's many to this is bears

conjured drinks of the written for God has sense. I

feel like that's aempted to make it gives you that

word as you're after not even mine to bury you.

I you know, saying part of eating bird and all,

and like God, we're not gonna be able to do it.

But by nine in a year you can talk like

you can bet I think because he's.

Joseph is a perfect example of somebody he's interested that.

Now he had two different boys told this Jewish because

God was.

Do you realize that he is between innocently him thirties old?

When you finally so, what is God doing? Why that word?

I mean, wasn't he He's had two dreams, dreams.

The whole as about it.

So he said to man, there his fevers. He was

laid in irons until the time that his word came

to pass. The word of the Lord tested him.

You see that.

Joseph's word tested him. I'm sure he was tempted to

let go of it. Do you ever think he was

forget that word. I wish I'd never gotten that word.

Do you do you realize that word is what partably

caused his problems? He got a little I mean, he

was young, and he got a little carried away and

told his brothers and you know, and they were like,

they didn't already like him, and now they really don't

like him.

And so I'm sure he was tempted times like I

wish I never got that word.

I wish I never sensed that God had that for me,

because It's almost tormenting because here I am in prison now,

and I wonder how this is going to happen. And

it says in the New Living, it says, until the

time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character.

So all that time was God testing his character. And

then Nivy says, till what the foretold came to pass,

till the word of the Lord proved him true. The

word of God, the word that God gives you will.

Often prove you true. It has a power in itself.

So Joseph was tested, His character was tested and.

Taught with Tarfred's wife. Would he be faithful even in prison?

Would he give glory to God with his dream making

a bility? He was tested all on Why does God

give us prophetic words ahead of time? I'll give you

a thought, because He wants to telegraph his intentions to us.

For our life.

So we give you everything that follows through that lens.

Have you ever found it helpful?

I have?

Where things are uncertain, you're wondering what's going on, But

when you remember what.

God told you and how how He's called you, suddenly

some of the pain and struggles make sense.

You're like, Okay, looking at it through that lens, I

kind of see what he's doing. And I think that's

why it's so important we understand this. That's why Joseph

was able to endure and prosper. He realized that somehow

what he was going.

Through was going to produce greater good. So you know,

we can be soul princess, this be encouraged.

When it takes longer than you expected, that simply means

that God wants to do something measuredly.

More than all you can ask for a match.

I remember when we.

Got married in ninetay six, coming up on forty years we.

Had.

It was Keith Hazel who was there and gave.

Us I was twenty one, Val was nineteen almost twenty,

and Keith, we have we're gonna watch this video this year.

We had watched for a while, but he bought from

aside over me that I all this this whole thing,

and I remember that first then I held on, but

it also was because.

Yeah, okay, yeah, as in my journey was.

A little fit, but I love in a build this

reflective you. Then we got Keith Kaye came in part

because and then and that was the call he me

sid a pathetic worry.

Well, well, he always was pouring me out during my faith,

and this.

Challenged when my mom and dad died right right later,

and a certain way you changed all the wrong.

But I'm so glad even Asians. He has mentioned was

when we got that propetic.

Factory with calls and young wife just found my own

role in it and thinking my goss to be a

woman's own parts of your call.

And you went and had then everything written in scripture,

stories written, we're written and to have enduring listens.

We never teach the memories and tell you starts of

those prophetic works held on con part of a.

Lot of bread.

Say so, think about where you've been given words, So Candia,

it might be you have better start something that God

served there both of that, no matter we'rerap and so

oh quick, what if you didn't give what a hold

on those same trust to work as over?

Neither Bell with the words he'd given us recognize those words?

Did test they how you got? The second thing is

thet in falling in God.

I know that sounds funny to even say that, but

we can become entitled a bit right, We can think, well,

I deserve this or and in fact, to be honest,

is a lot of the main we see leaders, they

deserves those. Whether our motivation is to help those into risks,

help leaded us in jobs and people come to member

especially we had a whole we had a need in

prob They said this, and I remember and that they

really it is hard.

To have theater than have their time.

So when you get the two ways they're proved out

of the schools, do they need this opportunity?

I remember we had people who give deep to be

the youth leader, the chiefest of though we have a

heart for us around all.

Are you real? But people are? It's not them and

and all of us are. So I mean I parted

and left for it.

I was on I was a student, you know, and

uh yeah, anyway.

Too is a direct point that's group says. So I

think we will say.

I think we need always maintain that they're hearing about you, right,

I mean, I'm one of the twice we had a

base near the heart is July two thousand and two

eighty and office and I met him.

I met him in Verney, which was humbli.

I'm not memorable, but he hid like girl moment I

just was like, you know, actually if you're amazing kind

of thing right, and.

He goes, oh, no, you you're just here's what he said.

This was like the best line ever.

And I was like, you know, Cunningham knew who he

was in every in the world. Bass On, there's a

lot of time a servant. The stories I heard about him.

We were once as a still the leader of it.

He'd have the better place, said you know which, I

don't think it was better. It's the worst bot or

go to sleep here. So I just see servant leaders

should I watched Dave Leader? Where when is that impressed?

When his back in the chair. Here's a great day,

leader of that? Your leader of the network.

Oh he's back in chair, right.

Watch greater than right leavers? So people, I'll test that

and he's tested in a tous and then he should

you kind of think you're better than that?

I glorious anyone seen the movie until a number of

BARBASTREI said here he is, of course going down and

arranged marors Sons to have his daughter. She was going

a young man, and of course her lot to.

Be old and to hear in tradition.

And so It's quite a story. Remember how that I

was about ah I felt. I remember my mom and

dad had a ultimating coming to Keith Hazel, and the

eye said on the stairs, a round stations not he

does not just be a smooth but I always seems

the way they promote the word of ground so idle that.

So then when we got married, just for me and me,

Kin had become a stad you know, remember where's my doctor?

What are we?

What are we gonna do?

Kids?

We needed to ass them and I trampled with my

attitude for a while until the Holy snatheart.

He said, listen, did these kids are cycles hearing to

the Lord?

Right?

You're stranger?

And that all helped me out very much. Later on

one he and Econdar we were.

At a women's conference and the sky was rachels sub

dads and and he and I had just been taught

that it.

Was known to me and he didn't meet her from

a PEG network, and it just was such a good

children but provide in different ways.

But first tomorrow.

That was right.

This is where we're led into a materially conspiracy dry place.

For a certain amount of time, a leader feels like

he or she's in a wilderness when there's no fruit

or good coming from his life.

Or ministry, or it feels that way.

You ever been there, we felt like there's not a

lot of fruit coming, but I'm putting in a lot

of effort.

I've been there multiple times.

So this is really important that we understand that God

does lead us into wilderness. Let me just say this,

every time I've gone through a significant increase.

In my ministry life, I've gone through a wilderness. Every time.

If you look at scripture, leaders were often taken through

the desert. Even Jesus so wilderness and desert experiences.

God uses them. What's the purpose of it, Well, it.

Increases a person's appreciation for the good things God's already

given him or earth. Right in the wilderness, there is

an appreciation that grows for what God has done, and

you can determine whether it's really God who sustains you,

or rather.

Your ministry or your functions sustain you. Here's the thing.

We can be easily tempted to attach our worth to

what we do. Anybody ever done.

That, I've done that, right.

I am valuable because I do this, because I function

like that. Sometimes God's had to allow me to go

through a hard time where I don't sense that, so

that I depend on.

Him and realize, Hey, my worth is not in my fruit,

it's not in how successful that. My worth is in

my faithfulness to serve the Lord and love him period.

Faithfulness is key above everything else. Well done, good and

faithful servant, that's what you'll hear.

Not well done, good and successful servant. Faithfulness.

You know, we look at people, you know even what

we'd say, Wow, they re accomplished, but they were did

something really great. So it's about he histories amas and

teaches them the ways of this in your hand increases

the leader's life and.

The study of the word.

Sad to say this, some of my d time in

prayer have come out of destinations where knees crying him

to come, and through the wilderness will often take there

like Moses the wilder. Motion muscles are built in the

wilderness to work good puts a rod of odd strings.

He does it so some Jesus just he had to.

I was thinking about this day.

With Jesus needed and he had.

To fight those temptations of the enemy. Right he used

the word must have been grueling.

Right, and it says at the end, the enemy left

him until an opportune time.

Do you know what the opportune time was?

The garden of Goosemite, right came back the garden of Yosemite.

The garden of Casemite was another tempting moment for Jesus.

He was struggling with his humanity. He was struggling with

this pressure, and I know the enemy was there pressing

him as well.

And he again he overcame. But wilderness moments that we

have to go through. And God will meet us in

those wilderness moments.

Remember Jesus when he overcame and pressed it with the

guard of Cassemite.

What did it say?

The angel came and tended to him, writing he was strengthened.

And so after some time we go through liny, grueling times.

God strengthens us and prepares us to do what He's

called us to do. But He's also tough into suff

those ten years I went through that I mentioned earlier,

they were grueling.

In multiple ways. I mean multiple jobs.

I had two businesses, one failed on one succeeded and

I sold it, and then the second one failed lost

most just bub went broke, four kids, soul provider, straight

commissioned sales, no base salary.

Like the pressure was huge. I look back now, I

mean now at my age thinking about it, I almost

want to start hyperventilating. He thinks about how how did

I do that?

Like?

How did I stay sane?

I mean the pressure without a steady income selling, trying

to be faithful in ministry as well, Like I look back,

it was.

The grace of God. But he taught us something. He

taughts to depend on him. He taught us, you know,

and then out of that he was like the phoenix.

He brought us up out of a terrible place with

those ten years were a wilderness, but God met us.

And honestly, without that wilderness, we wouldn't be.

Doing what we're doing to they mean all that fell

share and then we'll jump to the fourth root, just

really quick.

All I wanted to say about this particular point was

that prophetic word that Ian had talked about in ninety three.

Some of you might have known money dated laundering.

I don't know, but anyway, he he's the one actually

said bad words that you wanted him hear.

That's about you take walking?

Where do you live?

He said? Going to go through the school thing you're

gonna go through.

The financi birth.

And so as.

And we chose him the means of watching him, waiting

for God to and to the press, and we prayed, pray,

when we pray and p people love miracles, but you do,

you have to.

And but that we went times and we were.

I remember standing in line for rosies, praying to do

the grading be had one off in the account.

And yet all of those those.

Miracles, all those goddas and seek things that the aunt

of money.

So we just needed that day. All the book stories

that build such a diffy in the est.

Time begin alsoutely that's you.

Has a gifting and ability, a calling, but doesn't find

the need, the demand, the opportunity or invitation to use it.

And so this is a test.

Often this is the term used for this is put

on the shelf. Someone who has been put on the shelf.

So print in the book so Print, he says, it's

the time we spend on the sidelines that prepares.

Us for the frontlines. It's a really good statement. Why

does he do this?

Sometimes he'll bench us from active service in an area

to show us where too dependent on that service rather

than on himself for our fulfillment. He says, you know,

you kind of are wrapped up in what you do,

so I'm going to show you that I'm your source.

He'll humble us at times, and he'll purify our motives.

You know.

I look back at those ten years where I was,

you know, in the wilderness, and you know, here's right.

So I had we had a youth group, and I

was really ambitious and I had it all figured out.

I remember sitting in my office at the church that

when you know, one time, and thinking what my future.

Would be, and I thought, I know what's gonna happen.

I'll be associate pastor here and someday I'll be the

lead pastor. I's had it all figured out. I was like,

not even close. You have no idea what I have

in mind for you. But I remember thinking, I think

it's pretty clear. And but but I was really it

was about me.

So, you know, with that, with that youth.

Group, we changed today we called it Solid Rock Youth.

And then I got.

Room on the local cable channel and I was going

to have a show called Solid Rock Videos and I

got all the At the time, Word Records was a

big deal I got all these videos from Word Records,

and I was going to show music videos and I

was going to be the star.

I say that because I think that was honestly part

of the motive. I was going to be the star

of this show that would win many many people.

For Jesus, We're gonna have you know, like phone phones

at our at our church and solid rock youths, and

people would call and we would you know, and.

The group would grow and I would be a hero.

Now I wouldn't have said that at the time. I

wouldn't have said that was the case, but that was

kind of the case. And so I even built the

set and all this stuff and I had it booked

and blah blah blah, and then they said.

We're laying you off, and that was kind of crushing. Dream. Well,

God said, yeah, I'm stucking you right here. You need

a bit of wilderness because you're a little stuckers.

Like seriously, I had insecurities and I was trying to

prove something, and so really was it all about God?

Yeah, there's a lot of me there. He said. Now

I'm gott to prune your motives a little bit. We

gotta So we did, and honestly that that never someone

else actually took the very idea and bridge they even

called me.

I remember I was an insurance agent and they called

me and said, this was your idea.

Do you want to be with me and be the

co host on this?

And I remember from omen I thought, oh maybe, And

then I quickly realized the Lord saying no, no.

No, it's not for you. So I let it go

and they did do it. They went on and did it.

But it's interesting that that vision never came up again

after I've been purified.

And all that, that all kind of died.

But he had to show me that right, he had to.

He had to bench me.

The other time I remember him doing this was around

that same period. I've always enjoyed preaching. I've always found

it decently easy. If I could say that, I just

really like it.

It's come very easy to me. And so.

I went through a whole year in our church and

tabor that I didn't preach at all for various reasons.

I didn't preach it all. I found it really hard.

In fact, I remember one time sitting in the back row.

Sitting in the back row doesn't mean that you're back slidden.

But in my case, I had a bit of a

grumpy attitude. And I was sitting in the back row

and I was watching somebody preach in this church, and

I remember inside I went, I can do better than that.

And I heard the Lord right away and goes, that's

exactly why you're sitting your attitudes. It's just repeat me,

he goes. You need to.

Remember and learn that any gift you have is from me,

and I will use it at my pleasure.

It's not your gift, so get in line, because I'll

use you if I choose to. That is not your gift,

that is not your.

Ability, that's mine. Oh my goodness, whole year. It's hard,

and it taught me something even to this day. It's you,

it's your ministry, Lord, whatever you choose to do or

not to do.

I don't have rights. So Assam Sienty five says this

six and seven. No one from the east or the west,

or from the desert can exalt a man. It is

God judges. I learned not to promote myself, learned to

wait for God. Self. Promotion is really poor.

And I tried it a few times, and I won't

get into the examples, but the Lord is the one

who raises us up.

We need to wait for him, all right, now, do

you have something to share on that?

And then we have the final final tech?

Yeah, really quick.

I well, so much of this, as you can imagine,

has been about perspective, right, having the mind of Christ.

And the situation.

And I remember being at a pasture's retreat once and

I remember thinking, you know, when you and I got

called into ministry to lead a church, we were thirty

three and thirty five, and when we got called to

plan to church.

We were more like, I think, forty three and forty

five forty five.

And I remember just being feeling like late blue. To

be honest, so many of our friends had been in

leadership right out.

Of Bible School and all the rest of it.

And and I I remember it a prairie treat, just

somebody praying for me, and I expressed that, I said

that I feel like a late lumor.

And one of the things that.

Somebody prayed over me is they said value have been

blooming in every season. And I think that that was

something that really spoke to my heart was that.

I I thought success or, I thought God's calm.

Looked a certain way.

And yet the Lord said, all through it because we

kept looking to humble him, humble ourselves before him, do

whatever was in front of us.

That that's what he was looking at. And he said,

that's what was blooming. So that's how I experienced that

seeing pieces into.

Okay, the last test, the success test. Doesn't this sound

like a good one? Mm? Lord, I would like the

success test right, give me that all day?

Well, I yes, we want success, but this is actually

it can be a really challenging moment when long awaited

success or fruitfulness comes, will the person remain humble and

give God the glory? Or will pride season it? And

again we see ministries where suddenly they're.

Not humble anymore. They somehow think they have it all together.

Some examples are Solomon and has a kaya look at Solomon,

terrible example, humble man.

God asks them in a dream, what do you want?

I'll give it to you whatever it is, and he says,

I want wisdom so I can rule your people well.

And God's impressed. God's like, you could have asked for

the death.

Of your enemies.

You could ask for money, you could ask for a

long life, you could ask for anything and wealth.

But you ask for wisdom. Therefore I'm going to give

you everything. Isn't that incredible?

God says, I'll give you the wisdom, you'll be like

the wisest guy ever, and I'll give everything else. Sounds

like a good thing. Wow, God was so impressive. But

how did Solomon handle success?

Forty Right?

He forgot God literally embraced other idols and other gods.

With his wives, and he had like nine other wives.

That's successive in our culture, that's accessive. But the bottom

line is he forgot God. The other guy that is

a clear example of this is Hezekiah.

Interesting.

Hezekiah goes through a really tough time, right, He's almost

wiped out.

They defeat the enemy.

God comes through, he died, he almost dies. God gives

him fifteen years. Remember all this, and so it says,

here's what it says about Hezekiah, and let's see where

is it now? Second Chronicles thirty two, thirty and thirty one.

It says this, it was Hezekiah thirty who blocked the

upper outlet of the Gihon Spring and channeled the water

down to the west side of the city of David.

He succeeded, and everything he undertook verse thirty one. But

when envoys or envoys were sent by the rulers of

Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign had occurred

in the land, God left him.

To test him and to know everything that was in

his heart.

So remember the Babylonians come and they say to Hezekiah,

we've heard some great things about you, and God's waiting

to see.

What will he do? What will he say?

Will he say, oh, yes, it's because we serve God

and I want to honor God.

Or will he honor himself? You know what Hezekiah did?

He honored himself. It says he showed the Babylonians everything

he owned.

Now, why would he do that? Because he wanted to

be impressive. Hey, do you want to see our storehouses?

Come?

Look at the amount of we have. Hey listen, right,

it's not glorifying God. He's kind of caught up in

his success.

And as a result, God comes to him and says, hey,

what did the Babylonian see?

Do you remember that when God asked you a question,

does he usually know the answer? Does usually ask you

because he wants you to know the answer. What did

they see? Everything? I showed them.

Everything, and then God says, well, time will come, they're

going to have everything.

It won't be in your lifetime. And you know how

short sighted Hezeki is. Think about this. You know I'm

short sighted and stuck on himself.

He is sorry as kaya He says, well, that's good

because it won't happen in my lifetime.

Well, that's a little short sighted and unkind.

It'd be like us saying, well, at least in my

lifetime everything will be okay. I know that after I'm gone,

this world is going to get terrible for my kids

and grandkids.

But at least while I'm alive, it'll be okay.

Yeah.

So Azekai's heart wasn't the best, and it's because he

didn't handle as successful.

I would encourage you.

A lot of the leaders that have fallen today is

because they could have handled their successful.

Success is a test.

So when you become successful or fruitful, whatever it is,

just remember always why.

And you know what I do personally, here's what I do.

I like to remember back to when I was nowhere.

I like to remember when I was so off grid

that I felt like no one even saw me.

I would have no opportunity to do anything. In fact,

I didn't. In fact, I didn't have a passport for

many years.

I didn't go anywhere, and I was stuck in this

little town and I just felt invisible, like I wasn't

going anywhere. And I like to go back and remember

that and then remember why I am doing what I'm

doing today.

Oh yeah, it's the grace of God. I don't deserve anything.

Thank you Lord, I'd get to do these things. I

feel honored, and I just want to continue to serve you.

So success well, last word, and then we're gonna be there.

I was thinking about this.

When we took over Medicine Hat, where we finally were

able to be the pastors that we felt God and

called us to be.

The first five years were building, right. It was a

lot of clean up and then a rebuilding, and then

we got the joy of raising up some young adults.

Ian got to marry most of them.

They ended up being on our leadership team and we

called it the Dream Team, and it really was. And

I remember having started with a handful of people on

worship and God in his mercy, I was a reluctant

leader building that team up.

And when I turned it over. There was about twenty

five people on the team were leaders.

And bands, and all the rest of it over to

a gal that Dave came to our church and prophesied

that she was the next one.

And I thought she was.

I was hoping she was, and she was another pastoring

and leading the church itself. But I remember, for me,

I'm a ruder, like as in, when I'm place somewhere,

I think I'm.

Going to stay here. I'm going to really stay here.

This is my home. I don't think this is the

next step to the next place.

I just didn't.

I just thought this is this is where home is

going to be.

So then when the call came to leave and to

go plant another church, it was handing over to God

all the things that were going.

Well, everything that was good, everything that I loved.

And I feel like one of the success tests is

that just because we get to build something, just because

we get.

To experience the good that God has done, sometimes God.

Will say can I have that.

I don't think we're ever done getting over to the

Lord the things that He's given to us and of

what we listen to. And so the making of a

leader is true.

Jesus comes.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So the last picture I want to give you here

of this whole thing is that life is often like

a tapestry. You know, we've probably heard this analogy before,

but have you've ever seen a really nice tapestry that

you hang on a wall. It's beautiful, right, it's colors

and the way the picture is formed and everything. But

if you turn over that tapestry, you don't look like

on the back, all these loose threads like fit.

There's not unnecessary. It's like a mess. What can all

these pieces men? It doesn't mean you're like this doesn't

feel like it's connected.

Anything is happening, and it isn't even lungs like's sometimes

things are happening.

Is if you and I audience, that's no souls that

will an us though you actually rose and he'll be

together for good your way.

Then you flipper, sure you'll go, oh, I see, I

see how to schedule lighter here, which I deduce for

twenty years.

Some sundays you get mad, but because married here, Oh

I get it. The foresight this thing took me through,

or that kind of training, or but now I understand. Sure,

I like where you're of that I'm.

Sure, but the but when you're common decades to count you,

you'll oh wow, tough season.

But understand I heard you with all the takers through

your creating hands and God. Bill comments, what do we

can do to the upper side.

They are the warp and the move. They are the

deep identity and destiny. They are the colors of the

market defining moments. They are the frames that help us

expider experiences. They are the shuttles that refine us and

define us. And if you will simply put yourself in

the loop, God will weave a masterpiece. You finally connect

the dots between past experiences and present circumstances in a

way that reveals the favor of God displayed in your life.

All right, comments questions? I know we're over time.

You're sorry, I really am apologize, but you have some

questions comments? What stood out to you? Because there's some

things that just really resonated.

You know.

I always think if there's one or two things out

of everything that was just said that stood out.

To you, it's a wind.

Seriously, that's how I like.

I mean, I'm the kind of guy that can barely

remember what I preached two days later. Seriously, but ans

like that.

Maybe so anyway, and you online share it with Jesus

whatever whatever.

Else spoke to you about or who else is city

with you share with them.

I think for me it's really comforting just to hear

the whole thing about the movement. It's it's like, yeah,

when you're in the midst of a wilderness, when you're

the midst of the test, it's the last place you

wanna be, and you don't wanna even hear somebody say

told you side see. But on the other hand, when

you look back, you think, wow, I'm no longer where

I used to live.

You know where you don't why anything good?

That's m.

M. You're welcome. Any of the tests stand out to you.

I mean the wilderness tests obviously, it's any other the

other tests that you'd say, yeah.

I remember that, or I've seen that, or I mean

I mean that.

You think most of you were home compatin the other

way around in some says did you ever se that house?

If it doesn't this while you were up right, so.

So many you should be of this folk sided you

should have.

Say, and some many you were inns yeah, and we

watched you wouldn't have no guess you're strange if you

did anyhow.

I supposed to church for what it at. So a

little of uh workings experience. What times are you?

God?

What why those kinds? Yeah? Many years about Yeah that's

a light, Yeah, yeah, that's foot.

Yeah yeah, it's kind kind of like putting that you

kind of like putting the metal on the plane when

you've already taken over.

Yes, you don't do any.

Ye if it fits you think it's something, it's just.

A different journey.

Yeah, you want something, will do.

That?

Felt like?

Yeah?

Yeah, yeah, I think like you said, there's no where God. No, No,

I'm not always the same pattern.

I'm saying to somebody, answer to the junior.

Now our generation, our part is to get sometimes to

get to others the sense jos.

But we in now right so that Lord will you

don't be worried and often how.

It goes right, it's okay. M.

I quickly started up with him from the soul print

and says we're if you excited, don't want and where

everywhere cross primate can says, I get you where if

he wants you to know, if you be coompany, you

want to play m manifesting the question that we so

regularly asked, are we there?

Ye, that's right, I should am I God holds me

to be the thought. Yes, it's a munch alchia question.

It is.

Yeah, that's a good point. Yeah, yeah, we focus on

the wrong thing. I think.

I think it's like saying, you know, when it comes

to growth, helping things grow, right, Yeah, it's like us

healthy people grow, healthy people.

Lean and bless and help. Right, So us being connected

to the Lord and receiving his strength and growing, we

will also be be fruitful. Anyway, I hope that was helpful.

And if it's not helpful right now, you know, do

what I did as a twenty year old. And remember

because even just five years later I remember, I remember,

I think I read a book on that. The fact

it was mister Walker Stories.

It was you know as well, something good will.

But to.

Thank you for sharing what you're showing, you quite up

the brown till Monday morning.

So we've got thank you, we learned. Thank you are

in the way.

I'll help us to encourage one another to quit another,

help one another.

Part of we are the faith and to be people

help to be generated and we'll pass it on to another.

Is a great tagstry and I prayed with us to

us Sells chalked, come and you will be thous.

Everybody's been about it with us on come early. If

you were like the don't, they'll be there. We've got

to have a few to share with anybody. We could

do that.

I have a gradua thing everybody than.

Any think.

It's say we were streaming about something, not adding ye