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Fifty Eight Twelve

Acts 29 Vancouver

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  1. Hello church, I'm just going to share a few stories that happened this past week through

  2. the lives of some people at Acts 29.

  3. Not all of them are here, so I'm just going to summarize some of them for the church.

  4. Sometime this week in Wally, as people were walking the streets trying to see what God

  5. that day.

  6. They met a man, and this particular person has been homeless for 11 years, and they asked

  7. a question, how have you been doing?

  8. What's going on?

  9. What's your story?

  10. Talked for a bit, and then at the end of it, the people who were walking the streets, they

  11. asked, do you want to stay at a hotel tonight?

  12. And the guy's eyes lit up, and he said, yes, I'd love that.

  13. I'd like to take a shower.

  14. I'd like to change.

  15. I haven't slept like that for years, so would definitely like to do that.

  16. Later on, they found out that that very morning, his sister had met him after years.

  17. And as the conversation proceeded, he ended up saying something along the lines of, looks

  18. like there is a new start for me.

  19. Because after so many years, his sister reached out to him, connected, and then later that

  20. evening, there are guys talking with this person saying, do you want a new start?

  21. And he said, yes, and acknowledged the fact that there is something new happening.

  22. In all these stories, one of the things that stand out is that there is also a proclamation

  23. of who Jesus is and what Jesus can do, that he is the one who binds up brokenhearted,

  24. that he is the one who takes care of you.

  25. When no one needs you, when you feel like you're unwanted, Jesus cares for you.

  26. And in all of the stories that happen, that is the central piece.

  27. So while you take care of the person, while you help in the ways that you can, in all

  28. of the stories, one thing that happens is they come to know about Jesus.

  29. There was this other incident where someone was at a bank and they went there to withdraw

  30. money, but as they withdrew money, what they realized is that there is a lady on the right

  31. hand side and she's crying.

  32. And so asked the lady what's going on and she began to share her story and said she

  33. has been separated from her son who is 15 years old and that she can't bear it.

  34. And after the conversation, this particular person asked the question, why are you homeless

  35. and are you not afraid of the fact that during nighttime you're alone and people can come

  36. harm you?

  37. So how are you living this way?

  38. Are you not afraid?

  39. Do you not want to go to a shelter?

  40. The lady's response was that she's not concerned of the fact that people may come and harm

  41. her because there is no one to talk with her.

  42. Her bigger problem was that day or night, regardless of where she is, there is not a

  43. single person that talks with her.

  44. So she would rather have someone come, not do harm, but at least talk because that is

  45. something that she has missed out in her life.

  46. There is no one that talks with her.

  47. And so the people who were there, they began to pray, began to tell her what Jesus can

  48. do and they're going to meet again and see what God does.

  49. So just a few stories that happened.

  50. I know Jeremy here met someone at Wally the other day and prayed for them, had words

  51. for that person.

  52. And again, people are, it's amazing how God allows us to meet people and then in the process

  53. of meeting, you're actually taking care of the immediate need, but also there is a proclamation

  54. of what Jesus can do.

  55. And if Jesus is the one who initiated it, he's the one who can finish it because he's

  56. very good at that.

  57. So just some stories for us so that we know what's going on.

  58. Thank you, Derek.

  59. Guys, just a couple of quick announcements.

  60. April 18th, we have an AGM.

  61. April 18th, we have an AGM.

  62. And so you're invited Sunday, April 18th.

  63. You'll get an email regarding it.

  64. Don't know if it'll be in person or Zoom.

  65. Don't know whether it'll be in person and Zoom or don't know if it'll be just a live

  66. stream on Zoom.

  67. Don't know.

  68. But April 18th, so there's still time.

  69. Let's see how it goes.

  70. But you'll get emails with regard to this, but I just thought I'd let you know.

  71. So that's one announcement.

  72. The second announcement is sometimes people say to me, we're learning things Saturday

  73. and Sunday and it's hard to keep up sometimes.

  74. And that's true.

  75. I can't keep up myself.

  76. But if I may use a way to look at this, it's like when you start building a house, all

  77. the trades don't come in together.

  78. They don't come in together and hang out at the house.

  79. No, each one has a time and they come in and they do their part and they leave.

  80. And it's only at the end that they see the finished house.

  81. All the trades don't come in together.

  82. It's the same way with what we're doing.

  83. What we're doing is building this thing that God wants to do on Earth, which is a revival.

  84. Different parts are being brought every week.

  85. We may not be able to remember what happened last week.

  86. I find it difficult, so I don't know how you do it.

  87. And all I know is trades are coming in, building their part, and then they're leaving.

  88. At the end of the day, the house will look complete.

  89. That aside, we're also doing it for future generations so that they don't have to do the

  90. hard work that we are presently engaging in.

  91. So that when they have to continue or launch something like this,

  92. they already have a wealth of information as to how God went about doing it.

  93. Most people, if you look at past revivals, most people chronicled the revival while it is happening.

  94. There's almost no book written or nothing written on how it actually evolved.

  95. What were the steps that led up to? What were the buildups?

  96. What were the layer by layer, brick by brick, line by line, precepts that were put into place

  97. so that this could burst forth across the globe?

  98. It's usually chronicled after it started.

  99. And so that's the way you need to look at this, and it'll really help if you do.

  100. Look at it that way and not worry about, oh, I don't remember what we did last week.

  101. You're in good company.

  102. So let's go with today's teaching.

  103. I know what we did last week. Last week we did the whole thing about keeping.

  104. That was on Sunday. What did we do on Saturday?

  105. I don't remember. Or perhaps you do.

  106. Angel protection. Angelic protection.

  107. That's it. You get one month free pass. If you ever get three month probation, you now only get two.

  108. You can remind Don of it. Don is not here, so he gets another three months on probation.

  109. That boy can spend his entire life on probation, the rate he's going.

  110. So today, let's look at it this way.

  111. So if there was a revival that had already broken out here on Earth, here are some things that you would expect from it.

  112. You would expect darkness to become light. Darkness to become light.

  113. If a revival had broken out across the city, let's not even take the Earth across the city, you would expect darkness to become light.

  114. You would expect an Ezekiel 37 kind of scenario where bones are strengthened and they come together.

  115. Bones are strengthened. Dry bones are strengthened and they come together.

  116. If there was a revival that was washing across the city, you would see the glory of God,

  117. as in his weight, his splendor, his magnificence and his righteousness, as in his right ways,

  118. you would see it shine. You hear about that in Isaiah 60, verse 1-2,

    Isaiah 60:1–2

  119. Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

  120. If the revival had already broken across and was manifest across the city,

  121. you would see Christians being able to continually be guided by the Spirit in where we go, who we speak to, how we speak to and what we do.

  122. You would also find across the city, in really scorched places, desert wastelands, you would find satisfied souls.

  123. You would find satisfied souls even in scorched land.

  124. Scorched land, yeah.

  125. You would find what we've often said God would do in a revival, which is pour water on thirsty ground.

  126. So you would find well-watered gardens or well-watered ground in a revival.

  127. Thirsty ground would no longer be thirsty, it would be a well-watered ground.

  128. And not only would it be a well-watered ground, it would then have springs that flow out.

  129. That's a cool thing with God pouring water on thirsty ground, eh?

  130. That not only will he pour water on thirsty ground, that just waters the ground.

  131. Then it gets to a point where it springs forth, out of you shall flow.

  132. So it's not just slaking thirst, it is now pouring out water after your thirst is slaked.

  133. And perhaps the last thing you would think about in terms of a revival, this word always goes with revival,

  134. you would find that things would be restored and there'd be a new surge of restorers that come out.

  135. This is the essence I would say, or the manifest evidence of a revival.

  136. Surprisingly, it is also the essence of Isaiah 58 verse 8 to 12.

    Isaiah 58:8–12

  137. It is also the essence of Isaiah 58, 8 to 12. So if you looked at Isaiah 58, 8 to 12, that's what you see.

  138. And if you want a title for today's teaching, it's 58, 12.

  139. 58, 12, that's the title for today's teaching.

  140. So if you go to Isaiah 58 verse 12, and this is the same teaching we'll be continuing tomorrow,

    Isaiah 58:12

  141. Isaiah 58, 8 to 12. Let me just read it from the NIV.

  142. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.

  143. Your righteousness will go before you. The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

  144. You will call, the Lord will answer. You will cry for help, he will say, here am I.

  145. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with a pointing finger and malicious talk,

  146. sorry, not 8 to 12, 11 and 12.

  147. The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land,

  148. and will strengthen your bones or your frame.

  149. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

  150. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins, will raise up the age-old foundations.

  151. You will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings.

  152. So as much as this is the essence or the evidence of a revival,

  153. it is also the essence of Isaiah 58 verse 11 and 12.

    Isaiah 58:11

  154. The title for this teaching is 58, 12.

  155. So for a city to see an Isaiah 58 revival, for a city to see an Isaiah 58 revival,

  156. and we're only talking about Vancouver, and wherever you listen to this teaching,

  157. it applies to your city, Vernon, Bahrain, wherever.

  158. If you want to see an Isaiah 58 revival, you have to engage in an Isaiah 58 fast.

  159. If you want to see an Isaiah 58 revival, you have to engage in an Isaiah 58 fast.

  160. This fasting has two elements to it.

  161. One is an attack on personal sin, an attack on personal sin, as in,

  162. do not allow it, attack it.

  163. And the other one is an attack on injustice in the city, attack on injustice in the city.

  164. These are two essential elements of an Isaiah 58 fast.

  165. And if you want to see an Isaiah 58 revival,

  166. and I would suggest to you that's a good idea to see an Isaiah 58 revival,

  167. because it's the essence of what revivals are.

  168. If you want to see this, then you have to engage in what is called an Isaiah 58 fast.

  169. But if an Isaiah 58 fast has two components, one, it's an attack on personal sin,

  170. as in, Jacob, don't tolerate the things you've tolerated thus far.

  171. And Jacob says, amen.

  172. And it is an attack on injustice in the city.

  173. So today we are going to look at advancing the revival through assaulting injustice,

  174. advancing the revival through assaulting injustice, advancing this revival in your city, in our city,

  175. advancing this revival by assaulting injustice,

  176. advancing this revival by assaulting injustice.

  177. It's very simple, guys. It's a very short message, actually.

  178. So if you want Isaiah 58, 11 and 12 to happen,

  179. if you want Isaiah 58, 11 and 12 to happen, you have to first engage in Isaiah 58, 6 and 7.

  180. Isaiah 58, 6 and 7. So let's look at Isaiah 58, 6 and 7.

  181. Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen?

  182. Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen?

  183. To lose the chains of injustice, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke.

  184. Is it not to share your food with the hungry, to provide the poor wanderer with shelter,

  185. when you see the naked to clothe them and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

  186. Is it not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Let's look at another version.

  187. Let's try the message. Isaiah 58, 6 and 7.

  188. This is the kind of fast day I am after.

  189. To break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts.

  190. What I'm interested in seeing you do is sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes,

  191. putting clothes on the shivering, ill-clad, being available to your own families.

  192. Let's read from the NLC.

  193. No, this is the kind of fasting I want.

  194. Free those who are wrongly imprisoned, lighten the burden of those who work for you.

  195. Let the oppressed go free, remove the chains that bind people, share your food with the hungry,

  196. give shelter to the homeless, give clothes to those who need them.

  197. Do not hide from relatives who need your help.

  198. So if you want Isaiah 58, 11 and 12, and my God, we don't just want it, we need it.

  199. I hope this tiny whisper called Amen rising in your heart when I say that.

  200. So it's very simple. God's already arranged everything.

  201. In just that one chapter, you have what you need for your city.

  202. To see the things I listed in 11 and 12, you have to engage in a fast, an Isaiah 58 fast.

  203. An Isaiah 58 fast has two components.

  204. One, a personal attack on sin.

  205. Two, an attack on injustice.

  206. Today, we are going to look at how do we advance a revival in our city by assaulting injustice in the city.

  207. And we'll continue it tomorrow.

  208. And one of the ways we assault injustice in our city is by practicing Isaiah 58 verse 6 and 7.

    Isaiah 58:6

  209. Let me just put down Isaiah 58, 6 and 7 in ways that we can understand.

  210. One, break bondages.

  211. And I know the word bondages can be very extensive, but let's just leave it at that, breaking bondages.

  212. Two, feeding the hungry.

  213. This is not some kind of social gospel or anything. It's the Jesus gospel.

  214. It is Jesus' way of doing things.

  215. Feeding the hungry.

  216. Three, housing the homeless.

  217. Housing the homeless.

  218. Four, clothing the homeless.

  219. Clothing the naked.

  220. Clothing the naked.

  221. With both dignity and clothes.

  222. Clothing the naked.

  223. Clothing the naked with dignity and clothes.

  224. Five, being sympathetic.

  225. Being sympathetic.

  226. Being sympathetic.

  227. To be sympathetic is to be aware and available.

  228. To be sympathetic is to be aware and to be available.

  229. Both are required.

  230. It is not enough that I'm aware of what you're going through.

  231. It must also be that if I'm aware of what you're going through, I must be available when you need me

  232. and sometimes even when you don't know you need me.

  233. That's how sympathy works. That's how God's sympathy works.

  234. It's both an awareness and an availability.

  235. Six, not disdaining or despising.

  236. Not disdaining or despising others.

  237. Be they from a different ethnicity, be they from a far left leaning group, far right leaning group,

  238. be they from a context where they're addicted, be they from a group that you don't agree with in terms of gender,

  239. preferences, groups of people that may not meet your moral standards or social standards,

  240. groups that have gotten where they have gotten through irresponsibility, sometimes through bad decisions.

  241. It doesn't matter. There's no disdaining or despising.

  242. Groups that may have come in as legitimate immigrants across the wall, across the border, illegitimately.

  243. It doesn't matter.

  244. You see where Christianity is at at times.

  245. They divided down lines where there's great despising and disdain.

  246. Next one, pouring out your resources, pouring out resources, pouring out resources, pouring out yourself, pouring out yourself.

  247. And it happens in two ways.

  248. One, in resources that bring relief, and then relationship that brings relief.

  249. It's two pronged. It's not just resources.

  250. Sometimes signing a check is the easiest way to both placate my guilt and do something good.

  251. If that's the way I want to go, it's still great that I'm writing a check.

  252. But when it comes to pouring out myself, it's both resources that bring relief and relationship with the one I'm resourcing that brings relief.

  253. It's both.

  254. So when are you getting all this from Jacob? Let's go back to Isaiah 58.

  255. Let's read from the NIRV.

  256. Isaiah 58 verse 6 onwards.

    Isaiah 58:6

  257. Here is the way I want you to fast.

  258. Set free those who are being held by chains without any reason.

  259. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves.

  260. Set free those who are crushed.

  261. Break every evil chain. Love it. Love it.

  262. Let me read it again. Set free those who are held by chains without any reason.

  263. Basically it's saying, don't go for a prison break.

  264. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves.

  265. Set free those that are crushed.

  266. Break every evil chain.

  267. Share your food with the hungry people.

  268. Provide homeless people with a place to stay.

  269. Give naked people clothes to wear.

  270. Provide for the needs of your own family.

  271. Then the light of my blessing will shine on you like the rising sun.

  272. I will heal you quickly.

  273. I will march out ahead of you.

  274. My glory will follow behind you and guard you.

  275. That is because I always do what is right.

  276. You will call out to me for help and I will answer you.

  277. You will cry out and I'll say, here I am.

  278. Then here's the rest that we've written down.

  279. Get rid of the chains you use to hold others down.

  280. Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong.

  281. Stop saying harmful things about them.

  282. Work hard to feed hungry people.

  283. Satisfy the needs of those who are crushed.

  284. Then my blessings will light up your darkness.

  285. The night of your suffering will become as bright as the noonday sun.

  286. I will always guide you.

  287. I will satisfy your needs in a land that is baked by the sun.

  288. I'll make you stronger.

  289. You'll be like a garden that has plenty of water.

  290. You'll be like a spring whose water never runs dry.

  291. Your people will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago.

  292. And you will build again on old foundations.

  293. You will be called the one who repairs broken walls.

  294. You will be called the one who makes city streets new again.

  295. And then I skip verse 13 and I'm going to verse 14.

  296. Then you will find your joy in me.

  297. I'll give you control over the most important places in the land.

  298. And you will enjoy all of the good things in the land I gave your father, Jacob.

  299. The Lord has spoken.

  300. Beautiful.

  301. We cannot address all the ills in a city or even all the ills in a neighborhood.

  302. We cannot address all of it.

  303. Partly because we are a very small group of people.

  304. A larger church may be able to do more.

  305. But we are not able to take care of all the ills in a city or a neighborhood.

  306. But what we need to do is work with what God puts his finger on

  307. and what God puts our hearts and hands to.

  308. We have to work with what God puts his finger on

  309. and what God puts our hearts and our hands to.

  310. His intent is very clear.

  311. His intent is asking Acts 29,

  312. You want a revival in your city?

  313. I'm giving you different means to bring it to pass.

  314. I've already provided you, furnished you with all the answers.

  315. One of the ways you bring this kind of revival in your city

  316. is by following what is so clearly outlined in Isaiah 58.

  317. His intent is, can you break the chains of injustice in the area that I tell you to?

  318. Can you break chains of injustice?

  319. Chains of injustice in the area that I tell you to.

  320. Can you let the oppressed grow free?

  321. Can you let the oppressed go free?

  322. Can you break yokes?

  323. and to take

  324. Line out of Nehemiah

  325. Can you build up the section of the city wall? I'm giving you can you build up? Can you build up the section?

  326. of the city wall

  327. That I'm giving you

  328. I'm appointing you to can you build it up?

  329. at

  330. The end of the day guys, this is the Isaiah 61 cry

  331. It's the Isaiah 61 cry the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to set the captive free to open prison

  332. doors

  333. Basically Isaiah 61 is saying hey acts 29 live to set people free

  334. by my

  335. Spirit

  336. Lift to set people free by my spirit

  337. By the power of my spirit lift to set free people free. That's the cry of Isaiah 61

  338. This is a question that's being asked. Can you break chains of injustice?

  339. Am I answer on your behalf if I may speak for you is yes, oh God

  340. Show us where I'm setting you up, of course

  341. If you have any questions asked because

  342. Okay

  343. So our mandate as far as I know

  344. Based on some of the things we already doing everywhere

  345. Some of the things we're already doing every week, which just stuns me as I hear these stories our mandate is one

  346. care for the homeless

  347. Our mandate is care for the homeless

  348. Which

  349. people

  350. Are already doing it's already in the works through your life story after story proves it every week

  351. Our mandate is one just two things that I believe we are called to do our mandate is care for the homeless

  352. And the second that's already in the works that many of you are engaging in is to rescue

  353. Is to rescue and restore

  354. Rescue and restore

  355. Women in the sex trade

  356. How do we do this one life at a time

  357. Hallelujah

  358. We live all over the place, how do we do this as a people and live where we live? Yep

  359. Tell Diana that that question will be answered in eight minutes and 42 seconds

  360. Yeah, so care for the homeless rescue and restore women women caught in the sex trade

  361. I know that many of you are already not many of you some of you already involved in this

  362. Intent to if nothing else change rules that apply to women caught in the sex trade

  363. Women caught in the sex trade I

  364. Don't claim to know much about it

  365. but I know that this is something God would have as engaged in one life at a time and

  366. I remember asking God about this two weeks ago saying father. Is this something that acts very and should get into I understand caring for the

  367. Homeless, but is this something that you really want us to get into and I'd left a question and then I

  368. I

  369. Think the next morning or the morning after I get up and I'm

  370. I'm humming this tune to a song that I don't know. I

  371. Just know it says three wooden crosses. It's a Randy Randy Travis song. I don't know the rest of the words day and so

  372. Something say three word and crosses

  373. And I don't know the rest of the word so I can't even have it properly because I don't remember the tune

  374. But I knew that soon as I woke up gonna sing go check out the words. So I check out the words and

  375. Obviously, this is anecdotal, but I just want you to hear the words and I don't know why it moved me like crazy

  376. I felt God saying yep, go ahead with

  377. What I have set out for you as a church

  378. And so here are the words to the three wooden crosses by

  379. Randy Travis and it uses a word it uses words that perhaps

  380. Songwriter can have license for so don't get offended by it

  381. It says a farmer a teacher a hooker and a preacher riding on a midnight bus bound for Mexico

  382. One's headed for vacation one for higher education and two of them were searching for lost souls

  383. the driver never ever saw the stop sign and

  384. 18 wheelers can't stop on a dime

  385. There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway

  386. Why there's not four of them heaven only knows I

  387. Guess it's not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It's what you leave behind when you go

  388. The farmer left a harvest a home and 80 acres the faith and love for growing things in his young son's heart

  389. The teacher left her wisdom in the minds of lots of children did her best to give them all a better start and

  390. That preacher he whispered can't you see the promised land as he laid his blood-stained Bible in that hookers hand

  391. That's the story that our preacher told last Sunday as he held that blood-stained the Bible up

  392. For all of us to see he said bless the farmer and the teacher and the preacher who gave this Bible to my mama

  393. Who read it out to me?

  394. There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway why there's not four of them now

  395. I guess I know it's not what we take when you leave this world behind you

  396. It's what we leave behind when you go there are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway. I

  397. Believe that you will I

  398. Believe that your children will be blessed because of what we will engage in

  399. I believe that they will reap the rewards of what we will do

  400. I'm talking about your actual children leave alone spiritual children

  401. Doesn't matter whether it's a woman by the well whether it's a woman caught in adultery

  402. Whether it's a woman who was a slave to the spirit of divination and brought her master's great game

  403. There is something to what God is asking us to do

  404. That will bless your children's children

  405. Because of what you do

  406. It's already in the works guys through your lives

  407. And we will see story after story unfold in the days ahead a

  408. Day

  409. It's odd how this thing works on one hand we're doing what Jesus would have done because you would find him in the center of most

  410. Cities and he's already there ahead of us

  411. to in doing this we are already

  412. Creating an environment that is just so special for a revival

  413. Because if a revival only touches Christians for revival only touches

  414. The ones who can understand if a revival only touches the ones you come to come in contact with the revival doesn't touch

  415. the oppressed the deprived the downtrodden the sin

  416. The sin-ridden

  417. Then it's not a real revival

  418. Yeah

  419. You should count this as a privilege guys why us

  420. I'm marvel at this

  421. To be part of history it never will be be known in history, but to be part of history

  422. Where God is writing? I know it sounds so cliched, but God is writing his story across the earth

  423. Through a move that will affect hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and that it'll go and touch

  424. Mary out of whom seven demons had to be cost cast out on a woman with an alabaster flask

  425. Who no one would allow into their homes?

  426. Or someone who just hasn't experienced what it is to jump on a bed with clean sheets and take a warm bath

  427. Not trying to move you. I'm just moved. That's all

  428. So how does this work given that we're in different places and it's a vast city

  429. It's almost like this idea of me taking this

  430. Duster and dropping it and then there's this beautiful progression that is enacted as I go to pick up that dust

  431. I'm not trying to romanticize picking up a duster

  432. I just imagine it as I go to pick it up the head gives the order

  433. The body goes to work different parts acting individually or in tandem

  434. Sometimes some of the fingers have to act individually other times an entire hand has to act in tandem

  435. But it is this beautiful progression where the head gives an order the body goes to work different parts acting individually or in tandem

  436. to marshal a collective response

  437. Hallelujah. So as I go to pick up the duster, I don't know how the body works

  438. All I know is my body goes to work

  439. I don't know how the body works

  440. All I know is my head says go pick it up and different parts of my body some working in tandem as it together

  441. Some working individually, but the entire body responding so that there's a collective response

  442. That's how this works

  443. And so God only knows how many bones muscles tendons and ligaments just went into picking this simple thing up

  444. how many thousands of nerves how many and

  445. And

  446. Flashes across my neurons and my synapses who knows whether I'm even saying the right thing

  447. actually

  448. Went into effect and just picking up a simple duster from the ground and that's how this works as opposed to a program

  449. And you must remember something else

  450. That part of the reason God is able to do this through us is because as a church over the last 16 years

  451. We've understood what it is to function as a body

  452. That a program does not bring the body together

  453. That the body has been brought together by the Spirit of God where we understand that our significance comes from what we are a part of

  454. Now that God has brought us and he worked really hard on it for 16 years now that he's brought us there as opposed to a program

  455. We have multiple hearts and hands in ones in twos in households and in churches like an orchestra with a percussion

  456. Area and a wind instrument area and a string instrument and voice

  457. Sections all playing the same composition. So how does it work? And how does it work across a big city?

  458. It works just like this where there is a common spirit that we draw from

  459. And we understand the simple mandate given to us care for the homeless

  460. rescue and restore women caught in the sex trade and

  461. As God begins to put ones and twos and households and churches together

  462. Suddenly the simple mandate begins to actually happen through an entire group of people

  463. But not through a program being imposed on them

  464. But it happening spontaneously

  465. So then

  466. Yeah, and occasionally there'll be things that happen

  467. Yeah, and occasionally there'll be things you'll find that you're doing exactly the same thing someone else was doing other times

  468. It'll be different this way the number of people met are not just in a Wally or a new Westminster or a downtown

  469. Core or Richmond it is all across

  470. This is what the church was meant to be that the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the seas how?

  471. through the

  472. People of God who don't gather together in one place plan a program and then go out and do it

  473. Nothing wrong with that, but it ain't the way it ain't the perfect way to do it the perfect way to do it

  474. It's just spontaneously combust

  475. Under the power of the ignition of the Holy Spirit in different places you are in

  476. But you suddenly see someone coming out of your building and you realize that

  477. This person doesn't look like they are caught in a trade

  478. But you realize that this person is caught in a trade even though the person looks very different or it could be someone else caught

  479. Downtown or in different parts and now each person becomes an extension of the hand or the leg of the feet of the mouth or the

  480. money purse of Jesus Christ

  481. Think I've explained it

  482. So while Derek was explaining the things that were happening Wally I

  483. Met a man here just down the road who?

  484. Needed help and Sheldon met a man

  485. In his part of town and heaven meets a man where he's working

  486. And no one's keeping tabs. Oh my god. The spirit of God is percolating and throughout the entire city

  487. When I hear the stories that I'm hearing

  488. I think

  489. It doesn't shame me, but it encourages me to to to do exactly what the rest of the body is doing I

  490. Love being outdone by the church. I

  491. Love being outdone by the church. Thank God

  492. Pastors being out down out done by miles a

  493. Day

  494. Diana's question is why can't we do both the individual and the bigger stuff?

  495. I agree, but let's start with the individual thing

  496. Let it be something that weighs so heavily on your heart that if you were the only believer left

  497. In your part of town you would still not be able to hold yourself back

  498. We'll talk more about that tomorrow where I have to identify and weep with the city as Jesus did so that

  499. my feet move a

  500. Program is not what should move me so I agree we should do it both individually and together

  501. But may it start with me as an individual

  502. Meeting up with you or three others and saying let's go do this together

  503. Let it begin that way

  504. Let it begin that way when it begins that way because it's something that God is giving the entire body and it trickles down

  505. Every part of the body knows what it is supposed to do every part of my body knew that I had to pick up the duster

  506. It was now only a matter of when

  507. Every part is ready saying let's pick it up

  508. And so it's not individual or corporate. It's both, but let's begin this way

  509. So

  510. Let me end with these statements that I read from an IRV then we'll sing that song or we might pray and then sing that song

  511. from

  512. What's the song?

  513. What it what does it say

  514. Let it out a dad a dad a dad a

  515. I

  516. Haven't

  517. May our homes be filled with dancing may our streets be filled with joy

  518. May injustice bow to Jesus as your people turn to pray we'll sing that one. Yeah, so let me read these verses out

  519. once more and

  520. Then I'd like to commit us towards this task today

  521. And I'm looking forward to

  522. In-person meetings they I've had so many requests from people at Axman saying can I come for today's live stream?

  523. And I hate saying no

  524. I'd love to say yes, but we can't

  525. but

  526. I'm up till here with

  527. livestream

  528. And if I'm feeling that way I can't imagine what it is to sit and watch things on a screen man. It must be

  529. Terrible and difficult and one of the things we'll do as soon as in-person services is allowed is we'll

  530. We'll thin down the

  531. Sound and live stream crew to bare minimum because these guys have been pretty good at it

  532. They can do it in their sleep now, so we'll have bare minimum staff so that more people can attend the actual service

  533. So most of you guys are on notice. They will be losing your jobs

  534. Yeah

  535. Okay, so

  536. Let's read these scriptures

  537. Yep, this is verse 12 and 14 from Isaiah 58

  538. from the NIRV and

  539. This is what God would like to say to us your people will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago

  540. And you will build again on old foundations

  541. You will be called the one who repairs broken walls

  542. You will be called the one who makes the city streets like new again

  543. Then you will find your joy in me. I will give you control over the most important places in the land

  544. And you will enjoy all of the good things in the land. I gave your father Jacob

  545. The Lord has spoken one more time and then Betty will come up and pray

  546. Your people will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago

  547. Your people as in you guys will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago

  548. You will build again on old foundations. You will be called the one who repairs broken walls

  549. You will be called the one who makes city streets like new again

  550. Then you will find your joy in me

  551. I will give you control over the most important places in the land

  552. You will enjoy all of the good things in the land. I gave your father Jacob the Lord has spoken

  553. After Betty prays we'll sing that song

  554. The intent of this prayer is to commit us to this task. Yeah

  555. I

  556. Just want to first and foremost. Thank you for this mandate

  557. Thank you for the privilege of being able to be restored

  558. Just as Jesus was also mandated to come to earth to restore all the earth

  559. And so it's in this privilege that we were able to walk with you of us. So I pray for

  560. Your heart your heart

  561. Yeah

  562. That you replace our hearts of stone with your hearts of flesh. So yeah as we walk about we walk with

  563. With your spirit. Yeah

  564. and we have your eyes Jesus, Hallelujah and

  565. As we go forth of a

  566. We always have you before us knowing that as you walk before us, you'll always tell us where to go. You don't need to worry

  567. About

  568. What to say because your words are upon our lips

  569. Yeah, so we just want to thank you again for this privilege and I pray all these things in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you, Betty