Fortress Church - When you were young...

This is the last week. We said that through July we will actually be taking up offerings,

not making up offerings, because normally we don't take up offerings in this church.

But just for this month, in the last 20 years, we have decided, OK, this month we will take

up offerings, not because the church is in need, but because we want to get into the

habit of, why are we even making offerings? So that was the intent. Today, this is a simple

thing we want to remember. When you give, God can be missed in your giving, because

it's so easy to come up and or interact, many of us interact. It's so easy to miss

God when we interact or we just come and throw some money in here. And so when it comes to

giving—and this is the last Sunday of this month, so we won't be doing this after—in

giving, God is missed through laziness. As in when it's just a lazy thing, OK, there's

an offering, maybe just go put something, look at your wallet, see what comes up first.

If it's a brown note, look again and look at the red note or the green note. So God

is missed through laziness. God is missed through indifference, when the attitude is

that of indifference. God is missed through unwillingness. Whenever I operate there, don't

give, man. Don't give. Yeah? Just refuse to give. Say that your giving will be sincere.

And so don't give if those three things is how you feel. Just postpone it to next week.

Just refuse to give. But if God is found in giving, God is found through preparation.

I've got to prepare what I want to give. As in this is what I want to do. You may have

different reasons for doing what you want to do in terms of giving, but this is what

I've decided I'd give. Second, I have to give with freedom. If it's a sob story that causes

you to give it, if it is out of necessity or fear or compulsion, postpone it. It has

to be free. And then the third one is any giving that is not happy giving is not giving.

Yeah? Imagine sharing things with your spouse or with someone you love, but you're unhappy.

My sister, while I was away, went and ate my Dubai Kunafa chocolate. And so she sent

me a text saying, I have a confession to make. I ate half your Dubai chocolate. And I only

had two bars, eh? And so I texted saying, okay, smiley face. That smiley face saves

you so much, eh? Okay, smiley face. And then I said, could you leave the rest alone? So

that's not happy giving, yeah? And her next sentence was, I thought you loved me more.

That makes it worse, but we stop there. But the point is this. Giving, if it's not happy,

is very difficult, yeah? Be it Dubai chocolate, to take anything you do for anybody. Yeah?

So just keep that in mind. So keep these. Where did I get this from? 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 9:6–8

9 verse 6 to 8. That's where you get it from. Sorry?

Cheerful giver. Cheerful giver. Not out of compulsion, not out of necessity, not out

of obligation. Freely, voluntarily, in response to his kindness, give. You're not giving to

him. He doesn't need it. You're giving to needs that there are. Yeah? Just remember

that. So as Sheldon and Mike play this thing, let's give. But before they come up, check

how you want to give. Prepare. As in, what do I really want to give? And if you don't

feel like it, don't. God hates her, I don't feel like a giver. He doesn't hate it. He

doesn't like it. Yeah? So while they go up, you think and you decide. And then you're

going to give. It isn't sounding good. We don't need music for that.

More time to prepare, just... Yeah, I think you guys need more time to prepare. If you

were busking, there wouldn't be much of an offering today. These guys are exceptional

musicians, eh? So...

Hey, so... Hey, can I have some more volume? We've been talking about the Fortress Church.

And we've been going through different parts of the Fortress Church. Last time we dealt

with people that are over the age of 30. How should we be? How should the older ones in

a church be? And we are saying that anybody over 30 kind of falls into that older category.

And today we'll deal with those that are under 30. If you want to build a Fortress Church,

as in a church that has the ability to withstand, prevail, and move outwards, what would it

take? What should its people be like? So we've covered... We've been doing this for the last

four or five weeks. So today we deal with those that are under 30. If you're 32, we'll

put you under 30. Anything younger than when Jesus went to the cross is permissible. So

if you're 33 and under, you're young. If you're 33 and over, too bad you're old, yeah? So

it applies to everyone, but it's being addressed to the 30 and below. And what is at stake?

What is at stake is the strength or the metal of the body that you belong to. And depending

on the strength of the body, its members derive their strength. I know that many of you have

been asked about the strength of the body. And I'll tell you a little bit about that.

We talked about this ages ago, but just as a refresher, we often come to church as individual

Christians thinking that when we gather together, we form the body of Christ. And then when

the service is over, we disband and we go back to our individual Christianity. There's

nothing biblical about it. What we are actually is an ear, a nose, an eye, teeth, mustache,

mouth, and now we come together to form a body. That's what actually happens. And you

can't disband now, because if you disband, you lose your direction, your location, your

function. Hey, that looks a little like me, right? Okay, direction, location, function.

Don't be distracted by my face, yeah? Direction, location, function, significance. Everything

gets lost if I disband. And so the health of the body determines the health of the body

and the health of its parts. If you turn it the other way, it doesn't work. So we've got

to remember that, eh? That the reason we are talking about the fortress church is because

if I can strengthen the body, then the parts in the body are strengthened too. When the

body is whole, the parts do well. Strangely enough, when any part of the body hurts, the

entire body begins to suffer. But when the body is whole, every part prospers. And so

this is how we see ourselves, but individualized Christianity has reduced the church to this.

And that's an anatomical God. It's not the bride. It's an abomination of sorts. And

so this is how we really are. So the reason we're talking about the fortress church is

because if we begin to think like this and build a strong body, then each person grows,

oneness increases, and functionality increases. And so we're talking about the fortress church

optimizes. These things happen when the body begins to strengthen. Yeah?

When it comes to the young, when it comes to anyone below the age of 33, Psalm 127,

Psalms 127:4

verse 4 and 5 says, hey, blessed are you. You know, there was a time when this church

had only old people. And by old people, I mean people above 33. And then this was a

church where there were no young kids, no little feet running around. Now when I look

at it, it just blesses my heart, eh? Because it says, it got to such a point that Matt

and Rachel wanted to leave the church because there were no families here. And I recommended

churches that they could go out and check out. So I could send them to a nice church.

And thank God they didn't leave, eh? They stayed. Now they got four of their own. And

so Psalm 127, verse 4 and 5 says that as a man who has arrows in his quiver, so is a

Psalms 127:4

family that has young. And so a church that gets younger is actually a church that is

strong. A church that gets younger is a church that is stronger. And so it's something that

we should desire. And that's Psalm 127, verse 4. Psalm 110, verse 3, it says that to have

Psalms 127:4 Psalms 110:3

young ones in the church allows you at the dawn to go to the gates and stand with the

strength of youth. There is a strength that the young have that the older ones don't have.

It might be bullish at times, but it is still strength, man. And so even though Paul says

to Timothy, do not let people despise your youth. As ones that are older, we have to

learn how not to despise youth just because their style, their attitude is sometimes,

for the lack of a better word, obnoxious and sometimes offensive. Do not get teased off

by that. The reason young people don't survive in a church is because the older ones who

usually have positions and power and what they say stays, if they can't tolerate style

attitude and what they consider respect, if they can't tolerate that, usually the young

will be subdued. So a guy like me who is 60 has to learn how to handle someone sticking

their tongue out at me like Caleb did when he was a kid or someone doing things or saying

things that in my world is offensive or my world is not respectful. And I think that

my world is an attitude. I need to learn how not to be offended by that. And so it's on

us as ones that are 35 and older not to be put off by that. A generation now is about

80 years, man. In 80 years, language changes and a subculture develops. And usually you're

out of sync in 80 years. For those of you who are 38 and think you have it, you don't.

You really don't. You're old. If you're feeling bad about that, listen to the teaching from

last week. It was all about you. And don't laugh, Crystal. You're going to turn 35 soon.

No, no. What I meant is in... No, no, no. What I meant... That came out totally wrong.

What I meant, Crystal, is 10 years from now, when you turn 35, you will look back at this

teaching and say, if only I had paid more attention. Sorry, I didn't mean that you're

turning 35 next year. Yeah. I could see a whole bunch of girls there laughing at the

rest of us, yeah? So that's why I thought I'd make a point of that. So, John 21, 18.

So on one hand, do not despise their youth. Do not despise their style. Do not despise

their attitude. And do not despise what you think is disrespect, because sometimes, unfortunately,

that's the way they are. And it's not really disrespect. But it feels like disrespect.

John 21, 18. And this is to the young ones here. Here's the odd thing. Jesus says this.

Jesus says, hey, Peter, John 21, 18, when you were young, you dressed however you want

and you went wherever you wanted. Reminds me of Derek. But now that you're married,

sorry, but now that you are older, someone will bind you by the hand and take you where

you don't want to go. And so this is what I hope will happen to the young ones here.

That even though you're young, you'll be the Timothy kind of young, where even though you're

below 30 or below 33, you will say, hey, I know I can dress however I want and go wherever

I want, but here I come at 32, at 29, at 28, bind my hands and take me where I don't want

to go. Bind my hands and take me where I don't want to go. You know, Isaac could have outrun

Abraham. Abraham was 99. Oh, actually, not 99. Abraham was 100 and something. Isaac was

a young kid, 17 or 18. The boy decides that he's okay with his father binding his hands

and feet and putting him on an altar. Try that with your son or daughter who's 18. Try

catching them, putting them on an altar saying, I'm going to kill you. See how they react.

Catch me if you can. Okay, you don't know that song. Okay. And so to be young and to

come and have your hands bouncing, take me, teach me how to dress. Take me where I don't

want to go is what we're aiming at. Any questions thus far? Any questions? Okay. Like all the

other teachings that we've been doing on this series, some of it will hurt, yeah? And at

times you'll think, oh, is he talking to me? I actually didn't think of any of you. I give

you my word on that one. Yeah? I'm standing here telling you the truth while I was writing

this. I didn't think of any of you. But as I'm treating you, you'll feel like maybe he's

talking about me. If the hat fits, wear it. Feel not guilty but convicted and change where

you need to change, yeah? But this is that kind of a message, yeah? A few hallelujahs,

a lot of conviction. Cool? Okay. So the first thing is, guys, if you're below 33, please

enjoy your youth. Please enjoy it. Like live it to the full. Because all these guys who

are older here actually did the same thing. You just need to go check with their parents.

The very things that they tell you not to do are the very things they did. Proverbs 20,

Proverbs 20:29

verse 29, Proverbs 20, verse 29, Proverbs 30, verse 29, Proverbs 30, verse 29, Proverbs

Proverbs 20:29 Proverbs 30:29 Proverbs 30:29 Proverbs 20:29

20, verse 29. The glory of a young man, as in the splendor or the thing that really stands

out about young man, and it says man throughout the Bible but it includes both genders, the

splendor or the glory of a young man is his strength or vitality. Learn how to live life

to the fullest while you're young. Living life to the fullest is not a reckless life

that just follows its own lusts. No. You're talking about a life lived fully. Zest, space,

light. Enjoy it. And when they begin to enjoy it, don't try to curb it down because you

and I are not as active. I mean, I've been going through it with Caleb, and I've been

going through it with Caleb. He wakes up at eight by nine, he's eaten some strange

thing, and by ten he's gone, and then he comes back at midnight. A part of me wants to say,

don't you need to study? Don't you need to pray? Don't you need to do this? When are

you going to come home? All those parental questions that I never wanted to ask just

being to rise up because it's almost as if the ones that are older don't like the freedom

that the young have. There's something odd about it that I think

as we get older. We do not like the freedom that the young begin to enjoy. We want them

to be responsible by doing the things that we do. They're not thinking of his kids right

now. Oh, yes. There's plenty of that coming.

Just the first passage is about that. The rest is smack down. Yeah. Go ahead.

Yeah. Yeah. So we're going to talk about that.

Yeah. But we start with the premise that I am supposed to live a life that is full of

zest, space, light, life. I am supposed to live like that.

Ecclesiastes 11.9. Ecclesiastes 11.9. Young people, it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy

every minute of it. So the words that I used were not mine. It's scripture. Young people,

it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do. Take

it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. Ecclesiastes

11.9. So it isn't even me saying this. That's what it says. But you must give account.

How do you give account to God? You give account to God by being responsible to man and God.

That's how you give account to God. Account to God is not some invisible thing that happens.

It is both man and God. But we must start with the premise that there is strength, there

is joy, there is enjoyment that God wants the young to have. And there is a time coming

when after the new earth and new heavens come, we will do it together. And that's what it

says. There will be no young, no old. It will be people with great strength. Imagine that

too. Once this is over and the new heaven and new earth come, it won't be an old Jacob

and a young... I can't find any young people. A young Vibi. It won't be an old Jacob and

a young Vibi. We'll both have the same vigor and same strength. I'll be better looking.

That's about it. But otherwise, it'll all be the same. Look forward to that time, eh?

God is a highly energetic, vigorous, youthful, joyful, unquenchable God. And that is a characteristic

we must try and express because that characteristic is alive and well because Christ lives in

me. One of the things that must happen to my personality is that there are certain things

of my personality that need to shed and certain things that I take on so that I express the

Christ in me. And joy is one of those things. And joy is one of those things. And joy is

one of those things. There's this... I may have said this many times before. There's

a Jesus movie called Visual Matthew Jesus. Watch that. With all these other Jesus movies

that you watch, watch that. You will find a Jesus you will thoroughly enjoy. There are

scenes where he's racing with Peter, running with Peter, and Peter's winning. And what

does Jesus do? Gives him a gentle nudge and he falls and Jesus wins the race. I'm thinking

to myself, that is appealing. Wouldn't you do it? Wouldn't it be funny? I would. I see

you playing cards and I see you doing that. Anyways, don't get stuck at that point. Do

not despise the youth. Do not despise their attitude. Do not despise their style. Do not

get offended by what looks like disrespect. So now let's go on to training and apprenticing.

Training and apprenticing. The second part of raising young men and women. Go to Lamentations

327. Lamentations 327. It's a book we never read. Lamentations 327. Lamentations 327.

It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Bear the yoke, as in the burden.

It's good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence

for the Lord has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust. There may yet be hope.

Let him offer his cheek to one who strikes it. Let him be filled with disgrace. Then

it goes on to say, God will show compassion to those who are not in his place. God will

show compassion to those who are not in his place. This stage will not last forever.

This scripture, it isn't even, you know, if it was Solomon saying it, maybe you can take

it with a pinch of salt. I'm not asking you to. I'm just saying sometimes the things Solomon

says are a little difficult to handle. But this is Jeremiah saying it. One of the greatest

prophets that lived besides Isaiah. This is what he says about the young. This is not

what we do. I'm not talking about Acts 29. I'm saying in general, these are the very

things that we don't allow young people to go through. We coddle them. But look at what

it says. Let them bear the burden when they're young. Don't remove it from them. Sit alone

in silence. It's a lost art. Bury their face in the dust. Don't go lift it up immediately.

Offer the cheek to someone who strikes. Every time you get struck, if you're getting offensive,

no. Offer the cheek so they get struck again. And then let them be filled with disgrace.

I'm not saying this is the only scripture. It is matched with other scriptures. We take

the tapestry of scriptures to build a fortress church. But I'm saying this is a part of it.

The question that we have to ask, and you have to ask as a young person is, is this

how I know to live? Because there was someone like this called Christ in 1 Peter 2. You

should read it. This is the very thing he begins to live at 32 and 33. Go to 1 Peter

2. Because you don't want to be like Jacob. You don't want to be like me. You don't want

to be like any of these leaders. But you surely want to be like Christ. 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter

2.

Whereas 20 something. 1 Peter 2. 21 onwards.

Or worse, 20 onwards. For what credit is it if when you sin you're beaten for it? You

endure. But if when you do good and suffer for it, and you endure, this is the gracious

thing in the sight of God. To this you have been called because Christ also suffered for

you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin.

Neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return.

When he suffered, he did not threaten. But continued entrusting himself to him who judges

justly. That's the kind of example they were looking for. And may you turn that much faster

than the ones who are teaching you. The ones who are teaching you should show you how to

do this. But regardless of whether they show you this or not, you do have another model

called Christ.

1 Timothy 1.18. This is training and apprenticing. 1 Timothy 1.18. 1 Timothy 1.18. Here's what

it says. This applies to everybody in the church guys, but I'm just saying we are speaking,

we are addressing the young, but these scriptures apply to every one of us. This charge I entrust

you Timothy my child, in accordance with prophecies previously made about you, that by them you

may wage the good warfare. Holding faith and a good faith, and a good faith, and a good

conscience. 1 Timothy 4.14, and we'll combine it together. 1 Timothy 4.14. Do not neglect

the gift you have, which was given to you by prophecy when the elders laid hands on

you. As a young person in this church, you almost guaranteed have received prophetic

words from God. And if, and because you have received prophetic words from God, people

older than you and those that lead you must work in accordance with the words spoken over

you that you know are from God, instead of serving your present desire. There's nothing

wrong with your desire, but our primary obligation and responsibility is to bring to pass what

God has said about your life. That's the primary responsibility. And to neglect that so that

you can become whatever you want to become at present is actually not a good thing. And

that's why I'm saying, I'm not saying that you should be a Christian, I'm saying that

you should be a Christian, I'm saying that you should be a Christian, I'm saying that

whatever you want to become at present is actually doing you a disfavor, a disservice.

Any questions on that one? Any questions? I love, I mean, what's beautiful about this

teaching is all I'm going to do is take scriptures from Paul to Timothy. That's all. Nothing

else. No psychobabble. Just straight, Paul speaks to you.

Speaking to Timothy. And I'll just write the scriptures. That's it. So let's assume there's

a prophetic word over Ali and she wants to be a dancer and the prophetic word says, nope,

you'll be an amazing volleyball player. Then she can go dance, it's up to her. And hip

and Carmen can decide whether she wants to dance or not. But our job then is to make

sure that if she is supposed to be a volleyball player that one day plays in the Olympics,

and we do everything in our power to make her a Christ-like volleyball player. Not a

Christ-like dancer. And there will be times when she'll come back from volleyball and

she'd have lost 18 games in a row and she'd be told to sit on the sideline and serve them

drinks because there's nothing else they wanted to do because she's really bad at volleyball.

And it'll be really sucky. At that time, don't go and coddle her and say, no, you're the

best, you know, the coach got it wrong. No, she was sucky. That goes back to Lamentations

327. We must not make it too easy because it's the tendency nowadays. Why tears away?

But don't put balm where a little rest will cause it to recover and help people go to

God and recover too. Otherwise, they'll be dependent on you. Any questions? Any pushback?

Yes?

How do you know the prophetic word is true? Because you're leaving tomorrow, I'll answer

that. How do you test the prophetic word is true? Write it down. Transcribe it. See if

it carries in it a sense of a father speaking to a son in terms of the nature of the word.

Question whether these things have been said before or is it a brand new direction. If

it's a brand new direction, begin to talk to God saying, this is what I have received.

What do you think, Father? Begin to wait and see if there are other people that say something

similar or whether other people are repeating the same thing again and again every time

they see you. Begin to see if God creates opportunities for you to begin to explore

being a volleyball player. It might take 20 years before you hit the Olympic state, but

during those 20 years, you learn how to endure and stay with it. When someone told me that

I traveled to the nations, it took me 13 years before it happened. But during those 13 years,

it wasn't that God couldn't provide money to travel to a nation. But the question is,

do you want to travel to a nation or do you want to meet a strange group of people who

you will take care of like they are your own, regardless of whether you're seeing them the

first time or the 15th time? God is not interested in fulfilling a word so that you can mark

it off your calendar. He is interested in sending you to take care of people. And that

is what requires preparation. The volleyball then becomes just a way to stop people to

look at you. I play good volleyball. Now when I speak, you listen to me. It's like the Rockefeller

tree in New York. Everybody stops to watch the Rockefeller tree and then they've got

ads by Rockefeller that sell you everything they want. The volleyball is not the main

thing. It has actually become Christ-like. Let's take another scripture. 2 Timothy 3,

10. 2 Timothy 3, 10. 2 Timothy 3, 10. Listen to what it says. It's beautiful. Paul's talking

to Timothy and he's saying, you've been a good apprentice to me. And what does it look

like to be a good apprentice? Look at how he explains it. You've been a good apprentice

to me, a part of my teaching, my manner of life, direction, faith, steadfastness, love,

patience, troubles, suffering. Gosh, man. 2 Timothy 3, 10. This is what apprenticeship

looked like. This is what it looked like. It's a rarity. Let's cause it to flourish

again. To apprentice with someone was to follow their teaching, was to follow the way of life,

follow direction. But Jacob, isn't this scary? This almost sounds like a cult. It could get

very controlling. Absolutely. The difference between a cult and what Christ asks you to

do is very thin, guys. Very thin. It's only a matter of a person deciding that he wants

to be abusive and it can turn nasty. It's not a matter of a person deciding that he

wants to be abusive. And does it happen? Plenty of times. Every month, every year in different

parts of the world. Are there people here who have suffered abuse at the hand of leaders?

Absolutely. Does it last a long time? Yes. Is it hard to recover from? Yes. Are you scared

after something like that happens? Yes. Does that mean we don't do it? No. You don't

throw out that which is the truth because there are 20 people that are practicing it

wrong. But you try your best to make it right and then you even have the strength to rise

up and say, why are you doing this? And then the person has to talk or explain.

Building a fortress church, that's why these things are hard to talk about, but we have

to talk about them. Question is, who have you been apprenticing with? Or am I a maverick

or am I one of those guys who just looks for the next best buffet? Who are you apprenticing

with? Next one. Young people and old people, but I'm addressing mainly the young, must

be biblically literate and doctrinally sound. Biblically literate and doctrinally sound.

Second Timothy 2, just taking scriptures from Second Timothy 2, do your best to present

yourself to God as one approved in what? In handling the word rightly.

So that you're not ashamed. Second Timothy 3, 15. You've been acquainted or familiar

with the sacred scriptures from when you were young. Beautifully.

This is how we are supposed to be. Isn't it wonderful if someone meets you and they say

to you, hey, you've been acquainted with the scriptures right from when you were young.

First Timothy 4, 16 and 15. First Timothy 4, 16 and 15. Oh, 15 and 16. First Timothy

4, 16 and 15. It says keep a close watch on how you live and on your doctrine and teaching.

Keep a close watch on how you live. Paul's saying to Timothy, listen Timothy, make sure

you keep a close watch on how you live and your teaching and doctrine. Here's a question

again to those that are below 30. If someone were to ask you to be a teacher,

take 20 minutes and talk about Christ's life or about the body of Christ or about why Christ

heals or about the Father or about the Holy Spirit or about stewarding money or about

crucifixion or about resurrection or about heaven or about Christ coming back. Here's

a question we need to ask and this applies to us as older ones and as younger ones. Will

you be able to give them a reasonable explanation? What happens in churches like Acts 29 is we

have a lot of knowledge about topics but we don't have much knowledge about the Bible.

We become topically literate and biblically illiterate and it's dangerous. And that's

something that has to start from the leaders on saying how do we make our church biblically

literate and not just topically literate. Yes?

What is the difference between a religious leader and a religious leader?

Yeah, biblically literate is to have an idea of where the stories are, how the stories

flow into each other, what the stories mean. But can you take that and make it into a doctrine

or a philosophy that you operate by? It's one thing to know the stories. But what is

it that I'm supposed to learn from Jonah being swallowed by a fish?

And so it is how do I take what I have now, know of the word and how do I make it a doctrine

that I can operate by? In 1 Timothy 4, 16, 15, I'll just read it. Take pains with these

things. Be absorbed in them so that everyone will see your progress. Guys, this thing of

taking pains. Taking pains. Now one of the ways, there's two simple steps to taking pains.

Create time, become consistent. These are the most painful things in the world. Doesn't

matter whether it's swimming or running or Christ. Take pains. To take pains requires

two things. Create time and become consistent. The two most painful. Any instrument you practice.

Ask Sheldon, ask Mike Barnes. They'll tell you. I was surprised when I talked to Mike

once and he says he practices every week. He plays every week. There's a consistency

that begins to develop. And when you don't do this and you expect to be successful, you

expect the world to make you who you are and you expect God to make you who you are.

It's not fair. Next one. Disallow divisions. Disallow divisions. And try to avoid putting

any stumbling block in the path of people. So in 1 Corinthians 11, 18, I just need to

say this before I go on. Guys, you actually know what I mean. You actually know what I

mean. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going

to lie.

You know how your leaders and I actually value you as young people. You know that. You've

had personal experience of that. You know that it doesn't matter what is happening yesterday

or day before that today the ones that try and lead you will have your back regardless

are how upset you are, not upset you are, happy you are, not happy you are. That you

know. So when you listen to a teaching like this, there might be this sense of, gosh,

this is like a heavy on us. Yeah, but that's exactly what it's supposed to do. So just

straighten out your shoulders and bear it, yeah?

So 1 Corinthians 11, 18, Paul is talking to the Corinthian church and he says, listen,

I've heard that there are cliques among you, that there are divisions and groups among

you. And this isn't good, but somehow I'm not surprised. He wasn't surprised at the

Corinthian church. We need to be aware that it's easy as a church grows big for division

to happen and it's very easy to avoid it too. Is it possible at Acts 29, is it possible

at Acts 29 that you can form subcultures because of a common language? Because you are a certain,

you and others are a certain type. And God forbid because you're from a certain country

or a certain geographical location. Is it possible that subcultures develop? Just like

you have cool kids in school, is it possible that minority groups or newbies or relatively

shy people get pushed out to the fringe and will need to jump through the hoops before

they get an in? Is it possible? Just be aware of it, eh? Just be aware of it. Don't let

it happen. Don't let it happen. As the church grows bigger, here's another thing that we'll

have to somehow learn how to manage. It is not possible to invite everyone to every party.

Sometimes because of space restrictions, sometimes because it is exclusive. I must learn how

not to hurt when you don't invite me to your party. And if I do hurt, I must learn how

to recover too. But you must try your best to see if there's a way to accommodate. But

it is absolutely possible as the church grows bigger that I won't be invited. It's give

and take. It's both ways, eh? But we have to be aware of it because we're getting to

that place now. Do you know that I hear at least one hurt a week? And I'm not exaggerating.

I hear at least one hurt a week because someone missed out on something. We're getting there,

guys. As we grow bigger, it's only going to get more difficult. Let's just do our best.

When the church was smaller, it was so easy. We could all sit in Ann and Kamal's house.

We did all our Christmas birthdays at their home. Just had to have 20 chairs. Any questions?

If you're a guest here and this is your first Sunday, you just turned up for the wrong teaching,

yeah? But enjoy it. Usually we also talk about faith and joy and love and stuff like that.

But come back next week. Yeah. We should. But what if you can only invite 20 people to your

dad's baptism? Yeah. And then your 20 people shouldn't fall into these categories. And

it's very easy to leave someone out. I mean, this terrible thing happened. Every New Year's,

I've invited Derek for my New Year's thingies. All I do is just have a few people sit and

worship and then disappear. Two years ago, I forgot Derek and Iris. Everyone else in

terms of who were in the leaders group was there. Derek and Iris I didn't invite. Don

turned up. At least exclude both brothers. Unfortunately, I called Don. I forgot to call

Derek. Derek went home and he's wondering why is it that Jacob has not invited Derek

and Iris to the New Year's thing that he's been doing since he landed in Vancouver. And

he was hurt. And when I realized it, not hurt in the sense, not hurt to a point of I'll

never be your friend again, but it was a question in his mind. I felt so embarrassed, so ashamed

at what I've done, but I didn't have a good excuse. And if it happens to Derek who knows

me, then trust me, it's much easier when it's somebody else. You've got to prevent this

from happening. Division enters very easily. Yep. Perceived offense? I don't know. I don't

know. Yeah. It's best not to try to fix offense in one shot. Take time. Jesus didn't say fix

your problems before the sun goes down. He was basically telling start the process before

the sun goes down. And then it might take time. If I break someone's trust, I cannot

regain it in a day. It will take time. And you have to work at it. It's just the nature

of trust. Once it's broken, it takes time. But that's how it should work. And we have

time. Other than Chava, nobody else is leaving. Caleb and Chava.

You should ask Chava how I regained his trust. I'm saying it now because there's very little

time left. They won't be able to talk to you. But you should ask Chava how I regained his

trust. And then there are peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers. One of the guys who's

a real peacemaker in this church is that guy sitting behind Vibi in a white t-shirt. Nick

is a peacemaker. He'll do it with bok choy, but he'll do it. Desist from creating subgroups.

Yeah? Desist from creating it. In a public setting. Do it privately. You want to invite

someone for your bar mitzvah or whatever, feel free. No, that doesn't apply to us. You

want to invite someone to a private thing, feel free. But in a public setting, avoid

it because someone will get left out. Another thing, guys, when this is again to the young.

When new folk come, check if what is permissive is permissible. If it's permissible, check

if what is permissive for you is beneficial for them. Check if what is permissive for

you is beneficial for them. Let's assume dawn comes from a traditional Pentecostal church

where watching movies is not a good idea. In fact, they frown upon it. And there are

many Pentecostal churches that do. I'm not here to discuss whether it's right or wrong.

And so he comes and he joins the young people's group and the first thing they do is, hey,

you've got to come for a movie. And he will go because he wants to be accepted. But inside,

there's this continuous feeling of guilt. So try and find out what may be permissive

and completely okay for you may not be beneficial for someone else. Just be aware. Just be aware.

Here's another thing with young people. Fellowships are not an end in themselves. Fellowships are

not an end in themselves. If fellowships don't lead to maturity in Christ, then fellowships

are not an end in itself. Because it's something that happens, where you just meet aimlessly

day after day, week after week. It's a lot of fun to hang out with people who have the

same feathers, but there's no end to it. It'll get to a point where it'll be jungle book.

What do you want to do? I don't know. What do you want to do? I don't know. What do you

want to do? You guys don't have in what jungle book? That's the other thing about young people.

They're a deprived generation. They haven't watched jungle book. Okay. We might have to

stop after this because we don't have time. Walk worthy of your calling. It's in Ephesians

4.1. As in, Paul says, hey, Timothy, can you pay attention to your conduct? Can you pay

attention to your conduct? I love what he says in 1 Timothy 4.12. He says, let no one

despise you for your youth. He could stop there saying, Timothy, just make sure nobody

frowns at you and says he's too young, he's just messed up. He goes further to say, hey,

he's too young, he's just messed up. He goes further to say, let no one despise you for

your youth. And then he says, but set the believers an example in speech, conduct, love,

faith, purity. Can I ask that of you? Can I turn to you and say, hey, Caleb, it's not

enough that you behave in a way that no one despises you. I want you to be an example

in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Hey, Pawan, hey, Vibi, hey, Crystal,

hey, Davina, can I ask of you that you not only make sure that nobody despises you, but

you example to the ones that are older than you. What it is to be someone who is an example

in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. What a demand, man. And why not?

You have advantages that we never had. You're growing up in a church where this is being

even taught. People around you lift you up. None of your leaders had that. This must be

demanded of you, and you must show us how this has worked. Example it to us, to the

older and to the young. And when I say speech, I'm talking about speech on WhatsApp, speech

on all kinds of social media too. It's not just what you speak. Most of our speaking

is done out there. When it talks about purity, it is talking about purity of motives and

sexual purity. Aren't you glad Christ demands this of you? Aren't you glad that the ones

that lead you, and one day you will be leading, you know that for a fact, the ones that lead

you will demand this of you? One of the things a church should never be afraid of is losing

people. As we go about doing this, it's okay if one who is young cannot bear the yoke.

Then Paul urges Timothy to become an example to believers so that nobody can profile young

people as this is how they are. And then he says that, listen, I'm sending you on my

behalf. So here's the question. If Acts 29, let's take it this way. If Acts 29, if God

or if I sent you out on our behalf, what would they say about you? In speech, in conduct,

in love, in faith, in purity. It applies to all of us. We'll be addressing the young.

May you be an example, eh?

Does your speech and behavior represent God, represent the church, represent the teaching

that you're learning, and represent me or whoever leads you? Can I also apply it to

your WhatsApp chats and your jokes, or will you have to create subchats to circumvent

the oversight of the leaders? Straight question, eh? Because I know there are subchats. Enjoy

your subchats. But if the subchats are a means to over circumvent oversight, then it's not

a good idea. At the end of the day, I must live my life as transparently as possible.

Any questions? Okay.

To speech and behavior, Paul adds faith and then love. What is love? Love is basically

the outworking of faith in service. Love is the outworking of faith in service. Love is

the outworking of faith in service. And purity, sexual purity. We'll have to stop in three

minutes. So let me end with this. Actually, it's here.

As much as possible as young people, avoid giving a ride to a person of the opposite

sex if you can avoid it. If it's just you and that person alone. Avoid it. There are

times when it's unavoidable. Then it's fine. But if you have the option or the choice or

the room, then try to avoid giving another person of the opposite sex a ride, especially

– I mean, why are you putting a curfew on it, Jacob? Because curfews are good. Especially

after 11 p.m., don't even bother. Pay out of your pocket and get an Uber. Or pay an

Uber to get Betty to come there and pay an Uber for taking Betty and the girl back. Do

whatever. Do the monkey giraffe and the lion went into a boat and tried to cross the thing.

Oh yeah, you guys wouldn't know about that either. Only the ones older would know about

that. But here's the thing. Avoid it. Unless you're engaged and you're getting married.

Unless you're getting married and you're engaged. Then it's different. But otherwise

avoid it. As much as possible, do not even ask. If someone turns to you and asks you

after 11 p.m., someone from the opposite sex asks you, saying, hey, can you give me a ride?

Put on your pleasanter smile and say, read my lips. Yeah, it doesn't happen. Why, Jacob?

Our intents are pure. I agree. But there's a way that our conduct must exemplify who

we belong to. We are a counterculture. But there will be times when it's unavoidable,

okay? And at those times, be able not to compromise, but be able to say, this is one

of those situations where I have to. There's grace upon that. We have to end. I guess I

better end on a slightly better note.

Let's end with Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7.

We have been tasked with raising an army of young men and women. I don't know if you

remember Hebrides 2.0 and the word that God gave us in Stone of Eight three years ago.

Let me read it to you and then we'll end.

Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. Jeremiah 1, 6 and 7. We have been tasked with raising an army of

young men and women. I don't know if you remember Hebrides 2.0 and the word that God gave us

in Stone of Eight three years ago. Let me read it to you and then we'll read Jeremiah

1, 6 and 7 and then here's what it said. I don't know if you have it with you, Brandon,

but if you don't, that's fine. Hebrides revival happened 75 years ago, thereabouts. Does

anyone have it?

Okay, here it is, I'm reading it out.

I pray that the Spirit of God will give us as a church years to listen.

I also pray, Spirit of God, that as I read this, the young ones in this church will have

their ears opened even deeper.

So here is the word that was given in Stronoway, the island of Hebrides, three years ago, to

this church.

And here's what God was saying.

I am sending a purifying fire from heaven that will burn up all religious and historical

junk.

And then I will enter as the divine warrior.

And I will deliver or set free young men and women from nations into the kingdom.

And I will call them my sons and daughters.

And I will ask them or invite them into the circle of dancing of abundance and joy before

the lion and the lamb.

And I will raise for myself a torch bearing army or generation that goes forth and will

not return empty.

I'll read it one more time.

I, God, am sending a purifying fire from heaven that burns up all religious and historical

junk.

I will then enter as the divine warrior, setting free young men and women from nations into

the kingdom.

I will call them my sons and daughters and invite them into a circle of dancing of abundance

and joy before the lion and the lamb.

And I will raise for myself a torch bearing army or generation that goes forth and will

not return empty.

That's what we are after.

If it takes three years, there'll be three years.

If it takes ten, there'll be ten.

But it'll come to pass.

And let's end with Jeremiah one, six and seven.

Then I said, Ah, Lord God, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.

But the Lord said to me, Do not say I'm only a youth, for to all whom I send you to, you

shall go.

And whatever I command you to, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.

Then the Lord put his hand and touched my mouth.

And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

See, I have set you this day over nations, over kingdoms, to pluck and to break down,

to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

One last time.

Then I said, Ah, Lord God, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.

But the Lord said to me, Do not say I'm only a youth, for to all to whom I send you, you

shall go.

Whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.

Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth.

Then the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my word in your mouth.

See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break

down, to destroy and to overthrow, and to build and to plant.

Will everybody under 33 just get up?

Just rise up.

Ooh, that's too many of you.

Well, everybody under 30, rise up.

Okay.

Dawn, you must be really old.

Okay.

Now that you have seen them rising up, could the rest of us who are older just begin to

pray first quietly for them, yeah?

Just begin to pray quietly.

Just pray quietly as in, start quietly, but if you want to groan and moan and lament or

cry out, feel free.

But just begin to pray for them.

Okay.

Okay.

How to pray.

Father, this is what I pray.

Let not one of them fall away.

Let not one of them fall away.

Let them bear the yoke.

Let them suffer disgrace where they were needed.

Let them allow their cheek to be struck.

May they learn to apprentice.

May the shafts of their arrow be straight so that the arrow flies straight.

May the arrowhead be pointed so that this tremendous strength when it hits anything,

when you shoot them out of your bow.

Father, I receive in this church, we receive these Caleb's and Joshua's.

They have the ability to look at giants and come up with a good report.

I pray that these men and women that I have named, be men and women that are able 40 years

from now to say, but this was promised and I still want those hills where the anach dwell.

I pray, Father, that they example speech, conduct, love, faith and purity to us that are older.

We cry out for this, O God.

You said a church that has its quiver full of young people is a church that can meet its enemies at the door.

And we say thank you for these men and women.

Father, there are people here who came here 20 years ago.

And we want to say what Simeon and Anna said.

Our eyes have longed to see this day.

And we thank you, Father, that you have been faithful.

And so we bless the Isaba.

And we say to you, you make us proud.

Look up, look up, look up.

You make us proud.

I know there are faults in all of you, but you make us proud.

Wouldn't exchange you for anybody.

So we bless you.

So we bless you.

We bless you.

May you take advantage of us.

May you exploit us.

May you take advantage of us.

May you prove our love to you.

May you prove our faithfulness to you.

Take advantage.

Take advantage.

Exploit what you have.

And if you see that our lives are not open, come and say your life is not open.

I want to take more.

Yeah?

Bless you guys.

Peace be with you.