Access Granted

On the 30th of December when we met, I presented the first part of what I felt God is taking

this church into, and that was from Zechariah 6.

And today we talk about another part that God wants us to understand about what 2019

will look like for Acts 29.

And this is not some kind of catchphrase that we're going to put up on our walls.

To begin with, these are not our walls.

But the word Acts is granted is not some kind of cliche 2019 thing, but it's just a statement

or a fact that God wants to make to us.

And so as we go about this, receive it.

Receive it not as something that Jacob has come up with, receive it as something that

God has given us.

Receive it first as a people so that you may be able to receive it then as an individual.

Because whenever God gives anything to a people, then each person benefits.

When he took Israel into the promised land, everybody got land.

Every tribe got land, every family got land.

So as you look at this simple two words, Acts is granted, know that this is something God

wants to do for us.

He's not shaping us into something.

He's saying, I've shaped you into something.

Now I want to grant you our access.

I want to grant you access.

And last week we talked about Zechariah 6, and we'll stitch it all together.

God will stitch it all together.

So Acts is granted.

And what does that mean?

That you will find, and the other thing I want to say is pay attention always every

into the future too, to the first sermon every first Sunday of the year, because you will

get a hang of what the rest of your life for the year is going to look like because you're

attached to a people.

I mean, your elbow will feel what your body feels.

It's surprising how the elbow doesn't say, I don't feel feverish today, or I don't feel

tired today.

When the body feels tired, every part of the body feels tired.

So with the body benefits, it's the same deal.

So last year, I remember the first Sunday we spoke about the walls of Jerusalem being

rebuilt and the entire year was such an amazing year of God reconstructing things for us and

rebuilding us into who we've become.

Now he's saying, now that you've become this, I want to grant you access.

So what's so great about access?

What's so great about access?

What's a big deal if God says, I grant you access?

He doesn't speak like that.

What's a big deal?

Go to Zechariah 3.7.

Zechariah 3.7.

Charlton Heston spoke like that and we think God speaks like that, but God doesn't.

For those of you who don't know who that is, he's still alive and he's a famous actor who

acted in Ten Commandments.

Zechariah 3.7.

Zechariah 3.7.

And it says there, God is speaking to Joshua, who is a high priest, and at one point after

cleaning Joshua up, here's what God says to Joshua.

In verse 6, the angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua.

This is what the Lord Almighty says, if you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements,

and you will govern my house, have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place

among those standing here.

You will govern my house, you will have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place

among those standing here.

The intent of granting access is so that God can say, okay, now you've come to a place

where I can put you in charge of some of the things that I want to do in the universe.

And I deliberately use the word universe.

God is saying that now that you have become what you have become, I want to grant access.

It is the same thing that parents do when their children come to a certain age.

They give them access to sometimes bank accounts, they give them access to their cars, they

give them access to certain things that they would not otherwise give their children.

Why?

Because the child has come to a stage of maturity.

Till you come to a stage of maturity, you're just like a servant.

Galatians chapter 4.

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

When you come to a stage of maturity, then God says, now I grant you access.

They give you the code to your bank, code to the door.

You don't give it to kids.

I remember giving Don the code to my phone, and he shouted it across the corridor.

Remember, Don?

And then I had to change my phone code.

Well, once you come to an age of maturity, then it's...

Sorry, that didn't work out.

The segue didn't work out at all.

So once you come to an age of maturity, then you're able to grant access.

So when God says access granted, think of this, guys.

We may not be able to imagine it fully yet.

We can always imagine things on December 31st, because they've already happened.

But here is what God is saying.

Hey, Acts 29, I would like you to administrate on my behalf things here on earth,

in certain places and things in the universe.

Why do I say universe?

Because one, God is king over the universe.

Two, the demonic realm does occupy the universe.

So it's a very deliberate usage of that word.

So God is saying, hey, Acts 29, I'd like you to administrate on my behalf.

I'd like to give you charge of certain affairs.

I'd like to give you a place at the table in heaven

so that you can be privy to some of the decisions I make.

And if he's saying that, then based on how you rise up to the occasion,

you will get portions allotted to you.

Like let's assume you have five kids and your kids are all 18 years old

because you had pentaplets.

And so they're sitting around the table

and God has given your family something to do on earth.

And now you decide, how am I going to allocate this across the family?

God says to your family, this is what I want you to do on earth.

Out of your five kids, some start jumping saying, me, me, me, me, me, me.

Other kids sit quietly.

Depending on how you want to pursue this,

God will give you assignments, put you in charge, create pathways

so that he can use you to administrate his will, his desire on earth

so that finally, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, may begin to happen.

It is as real as that.

It's as real as that.

If you want to simplify, think of your boss trusting you at work.

You and your colleague had joined the work together,

but for some reason, because you have been found trustworthy,

because you have been found mature,

because you have been found as one who wants to make the company better,

because there is an allegiance to the boss that you are showing.

Your boss picks you and says, I will put you in charge of this.

I want you to administrate this on my behalf.

I give you greater access.

You can come now to the 10th floor, and I will give you a table there

so that when I speak to other people, you will hear

and will be privy to the conversations in the company

so that you know what I am doing,

because I no longer call you servant, I call you friend.

Jesus' words.

This is what Acts 29 is being invited into.

And what is Acts 29?

You can't even ask that question, because you have to ask the question,

who is Acts 29, because Acts 29 is a people.

And so the degree you participate in this depends entirely on each of us.

And my job is to try and make sure that all of us participate in it.

That's my job.

Heidi had a dream.

Sounds like Martin Luther had a dream.

It's a little less important.

Heidi had a dream just a couple of nights ago.

And in the dream, she's seeing something in the future, for Acts 29,

and she mentions some of the people she saw in the dream,

and it thrilled my heart, because some of you are there.

I thought to myself, great, so you guys aren't going anywhere.

Some of us.

Some of you were there in the dream, and I thought it was great.

I don't want to mention it, because I'll prejudice you from leaving,

but I'm trusting it's a God dream,

and so I was thrilled to know that some of you will continue being here.

Even when you try to leave, it won't be possible.

Paul put it this way in Ephesians 3.9.

He said, we have been appointed as stewards of the mysteries of Christ.

We have been appointed as stewards of the mysteries of Christ.

Sure, he was talking about his apostolic commission,

but really, all of us have been appointed as stewards of the mysteries of Christ.

At the end of the day, what does it mean to have charge of his courts,

to govern his affairs, to administrate on his behalf?

You still are a steward.

And the thing with stewards is stewards...

Everybody likes being a steward, but what they don't realize

is stewards have to be responsible and accountable,

and when they don't do well, they get cast out into the outer darkness.

So, as enthusiastic as you are about being a steward,

just remember to be as enthusiastic about being accountable and responsible.

So, that's why the whole idea of access is important,

and things in heaven and therefore on earth will be shown to us.

One of the reasons I made you read Revelation 4, verse 1,

Revelation 4:1

is the first line there, which says,

and then I heard a voice from heaven saying,

come here and let me show you what is about to take place.

That is critical to access.

Where... Sorry?

Revelations 4, 1.

Come up here, and I will show you what is to happen.

And once you see what is to happen in heaven,

you will also know what is to happen on earth.

This is not very complicated, guys.

If you are on the 12th floor of your building,

which happens to be the boss's office,

and you see what the boss is doing on the 12th floor,

you also know what's going to happen in all the 11 floors below you.

And that's why God is saying, come up here, access granted.

Apply this to your own lives every day,

and you will find that, ah, shucks,

this actually works for the individual too, for your own lives.

This is almost like open sesame.

Once you have access, guys, you know what you have access to.

It's brilliant. You have access to his ways and thoughts.

You have access to his ways, and you have access to his thoughts.

And when a man has access to the ways of God and the thoughts of God...

Moses craved for this.

I marvel at some of these Old Testament guys,

because I think to myself, how did they figure it out?

Because they did not have the Spirit of God in them.

Moses craved for it.

Give me access to your glory.

Give me access to your glory.

And he had unprecedented access to God's ways and thoughts,

because God called him up first to the burning bush, which was ground level,

and then called him up to the mountain of God.

And the great thing about getting access to God's ways and thoughts

is you never go alone.

Exodus 24, there is this marvelous line in Exodus 24

where after God speaks to Moses and gives him unprecedented access to himself,

he says, go down and get 70 others and bring them with you.

And so he goes down and gets 70 others and Abihu and Eliezer,

and they go up the mountain.

And it says in Exodus 24, verse 10,

Exodus 24:10

that there was a sapphire studded pathway under their feet,

and they ate and drank with God.

One man accessed God.

He was granted access because he desired it,

and he heard the invitation of God, as we should.

But when one man hears and enters,

what happens is he takes with him 72 others,

and they eat and drink with God.

What a privilege, guys.

What a privilege we have to bring the whole world,

not to see God through a telescope like a distant star,

but to see him up front, his feet, his hands, his head,

to have that kind of access and to bring people with you.

Is there a greater privilege or a duty or a responsibility on earth?

The answer would be no.

I was waiting.

I was waiting and thought my dad's going to come up with the answer.

OK, so now that we kind of know what's so great about access,

and we'll flesh that out more as God allows us to,

let's look at what grants access.

What grants access?

What needs to happen to grant us access?

What are the conditions for access?

The first one is very simple.

Favor.

Favor.

What grants access?

Favor.

The scepter of favor.

The scepter of favor.

The scepter.

The ego is depending on where you're from.

It goes before or after the hour.

The scepter of favor.

You see this in Esther chapter 5, verse 1 to 3,

Esther 5:1–3

where Esther comes and she's standing outside the king's chambers.

Because no woman could enter the king's chambers.

Queen Vashti, who was the king's first wife,

was refused entry into his chambers forever.

There was an edict that went out,

and Vashti could never see the king's face again.

And here is Esther, who hasn't been invited by the king,

who's standing at the door and knocking.

And guess what?

He stretches out his scepter.

And in stretching out his scepter, he says,

you are favored, come in.

And she touches the tip of the scepter and she says,

king, this is what I want.

One of the things that grants us access is simply favor.

And this favor has been provided for us

through the fleshly slain blood pathway

that God created through his son Jesus

in Hebrews 10, verse 19 and 20,

Hebrews 10:19

where it says that Jesus Christ has been freshly slain

and has provided us a pathway into the Holy of Holies

so that we can approach him with boldness and with confidence.

And so one of the first things that grants us access is favor.

Know that for whatever reason, this is our time of favor.

This is our time of favor.

Take advantage of it.

I intend to take full advantage of this,

not just for myself, but for us.

And you must think like that too.

I will take full advantage of this, not for myself only,

but for us.

What do you do when such favor is given?

What do you do when such favor is given?

What you do is when King Xerxes saw Esther come in

and granted her favor, he said, what can I do for you?

Ask anything up to half the kingdom.

And if God is saying the same thing to us,

I would say, no, father, bad deal.

I don't want half the kingdom.

I want exactly what you offer Jesus in Psalm 2, verse 8.

Psalms 2:8

Ask of me, and I shall give you the nations as your inheritance

and the ends of the earth as your possession.

That is what we want.

That is what we want.

We don't want half kingdoms, a few million dollars.

All that follows after you guys.

Seek first and everything else follows after.

That is what we are asking for.

When favor is shown to you, ask, but ask wisely.

There was a prophetic word over Betty yesterday,

and in the prophetic word, the person who was prophesying said,

God is giving you the same favor that he showed Solomon,

so go ask wisely.

And I knew what it meant because this had happened to me ages ago.

And I knew what it meant because this had happened to me ages ago.

And I hope Betty figures it out because I am telling her.

Once she figures it out, she can check with me.

But it's such a cool word.

Ask for half a kingdom? No way.

Ask for the nations as my inheritance

and the ends of the earth as my possession.

And no man can handle nations and possessions all by himself.

It comes as a group.

And guys, it doesn't matter whether you are actively involved in this pursuit or not,

you will still receive the benefits.

That is the cool thing about a time like this in our lives.

It doesn't matter that you may not be on the forefront.

It may be that you have four children to take care of and don't have enough time.

It may be that you have work and you cannot take time.

Great, we will wait for you till next year,

but this year when we get the reward, you will get an equal share.

That's the great thing about this.

The benefits are distributed equally.

See what happens when I say four children.

Sorry, Dan, I wasn't picking on you.

The four children just came out.

If it is in Vernon, I would have said five.

What grants access?

Right living, right thinking.

Zechariah 3.

Right living, right thinking.

Right living, right thinking.

Go to Zechariah 3.

And look what brought Joshua the high priest to a place where he had access.

Starting Zechariah 3 verse 1.

Zechariah 3:1

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.

The Lord said to Satan,

The Lord rebuke you Satan, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you.

It's not this man of burning sticks snatched from the fire.

Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel.

The angel said to those who were standing before him, take off his filthy clothes.

Then he said to Joshua, see I have taken away your sin and I will put rich garments on you.

Then I said, put a clean turban on his head.

So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him while the angel of the Lord stood by.

The angel of the Lord gave this charge to Joshua.

This is what the Lord Almighty says, if you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements,

then you will go in my house and have charge of my court and I will give you a place among those standing here.

The point is righteous living as a new garments and right thinking as in the new turban are essential to

granting being granted access or to taking advantage of the access that is being granted.

Where else do we see this? Psalm 15.

What does Psalm 15 say?

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

Those that have blameless lives, pure hands, those that do not give themselves to deceit.

So there is a thing called right living and right thinking that allows you

to ascend to access what God is giving.

And therefore, wouldn't it be right then that when

I or you deviate from right thinking and right living this year

that we have a responsibility to abrade, admonish, correct, strengthen those that are leaving right thinking and right living.

Don't you think I have that right as a pastor and don't you think you have the right as a member of the body?

You do. So expect it.

Yeah.

Since right thinking and right living is what will give this access.

If I as one who shepherds this church under Christ find that your thinking is not right and your living is not right.

I then have a responsibility to upbraid you, admonish you, correct you because your right thinking and right living is critical to our progress.

And you by the same token have the right to call me on it if you find that I'm not walking that way. Only you'll have to do it gentler.

Yes.

Do unto others as you would like done unto you.

But expect it. As I was thinking of this, I was thinking, yeah, if I do not do this,

I am I'm being highly responsible and I'll be held accountable.

So expect it a little more than you expected it in 2018.

Yeah, you still want to continue coming to acts 29 James?

Cool.

Thank God you brought no friends today.

What grants access the key of authority?

Key of authority.

Key of authority.

Some sorry, Isaiah 22 22.

Isaiah 22.

Isaiah 22.

I'm checking to see if any of the young adults are falling asleep.

Now they'll all look awake.

Where's Jeevan?

Oh, he's there.

Okay.

Isaiah 22.

Was 20.

In that day, I will summon my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.

I will close him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him.

He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David.

What he opens no one can shut.

What he shuts no one can open access is granted when you are given the key of authority.

Just think of that.

I just think of what it means guys just for an just for a moment.

Imagine that everything I'm saying is actually God.

Just for a moment.

Think my name is Isaiah John.

Jeremiah John that I'm actually a prophet sent from God.

Yeah, think of that for a second.

Rachel is actually thinking that.

And so if that is the case and what I'm saying is to listen to what God is saying.

God is saying that listen guys.

I am giving you a key of authority so that when you open things, they can stay open when you shut things.

You can they can stay shut and I'll give you the places that you must go to to use this.

Think of think of what an amazing responsibility that is think of a key being placed on your shoulder.

Because this is being given to a church and therefore in the process of giving it a church is giving it to a people.

Thing is to receive the key of authority.

You have to be willing to receive revelation.

Any key of authority is only released not only releases almost always released through revelation.

As in through things that God reveals through his word through things that God reveals through his word.

But Jacob where you coming up with this from Matthew 16 16 to 19.

What does it say?

Has a Jesus with Peter and you I know you've heard me say this before but it I need to say it again because to illustrate the point.

Matthew 16 verse 16 to 19.

Matthew 16:16–19

Who did they say?

You are Jesus Christ the son of the living God Peter response even though the question is asked to everybody and Jesus turns and says hey Peter just so you know this did not come from any book.

This did not come from any fleshly source.

This thing that you just said was a revelation that came directly from the father and on this that you have just said and on you I will build my church.

And by the way Peter I also want you to know that I'm giving you the keys of the kingdom.

I give it to you.

Whatever you open will stay open.

Whatever you shut will be stay shut.

Whatever you forbid will be forbidden.

Whatever you lose will be lose.

And so Peter wasn't given any real key.

He was given this Jesus is only saying words as he's saying it to Acts 29 today fast forward Acts chapter 1 Acts chapter 2 verse 14 Peter stands up.

Acts 1 · chapter mention Acts 2:14

Because he's just facing this audience that is jeering him.

Some are saying what's what's happening here?

These guys sound drunk.

They're joking.

They're laughing at them.

And then Peter stands up Peter begins to speak and from Acts chapter 2 14 to Acts chapter 2 40.

Acts 2 · chapter mention Acts 2 · chapter mention

He speaks he speaks he speaks and as he speaks things begin to happen in the lives of the people and then in Acts chapter 2 verse 41 something strange happens.

Acts 2:41

Three thousand people who were listening to him because the wind of the Holy Spirit has shaken the building.

He had an audience of about three thousand four thousand five thousand people who had gathered around at Pentecost.

What kind of square was that?

What kind of shaking was that that shook a building that four thousand five thousand people gathered around and he finishes speaking and out of those four thousand or five thousand three thousand immediately give their lives to the Lord and get baptized.

And for the first time in his life Peter understands what it means when Jesus chapters ago had said I give you the keys of the kingdom and Peter for the first time in the history of mankind opens the kingdom.

How people enter this is the reality of access being granted when a church is granted the keys of authority because the church has been willing to receive revelation but receiving revelation is not enough.

One must receive revelation and must be changed by the revelation any revelation that leaves you holding it without being changed by it is sheer knowledge and knowledge puffs up and your end will be worse off than had you not been.

Had you not heard it.

So this year cock your ears tune your ears to receive what God is saying from his word my my God shut your ears if you have no intent of doing what God has is clearly revealing shut your ears blessed are you if you have not heard for you will be less guilty but having heard what the word of God is freshly bringing out to not walk in it.

Will be worse off.

I'm not saying it angrily I'm just saying it with strong warning.

Emphatically.

What grants access gifts.

It everything I say to you applies to me and I will be held twice as responsible if I don't fulfill this because the teacher is twice held twice as responsible and he's disciplined twice as much do not think that I take this lightly when I say to you.

What gives access gifts gifts.

I mean I invited a couple home recently and they brought a whole box of birdies chocolates you think I won't invite them again.

What have you done for me lately.

At least on the recording they won't know who I'm speaking to Sheldon.

The point is this guy's problems 18 problems 18 verse 16 says that gifts bring you before.

Great men gifts bring you your gifts create room for you and they bring you before great men what grants access gifts grant access.

And they bring you before great men what grants access gifts grant access gifts grant access your gifts gifts create room.

What gifts are we talking about your spiritual gifts your business acumen your talents your skills certain aspects of your personality that are God given create room for you.

Not in the church in the church you already have room.

I'm saying out there in the world.

So whether you're getting old whether you're retired whether you're semi retired whether you're not retired use your gifts.

It creates room for you and you bring and bring to you before great men.

So what's the big deal bit being bought before brought before great men guys great men with the stroke of a pen can open doors for you that you would have to struggle to open otherwise.

Daniel found this out Joseph found this out that all that it took was for Nebuchadnezzar to say from this day on God Almighty will be God of this nation.

That's it you can't worship any idol from now on.

When when Dano and I went to Bhutan many many many many moons ago the king of Bhutan on the day we were arriving or a day before that because that it's going to be a whole month of vegetarian food.

You have no idea how difficult it was for the next four days had I known that I'd have postponed the mission trip.

But for four days we got nothing man just plain vegetarian food, but the king had the right to decree it.

Your gifts will bring you before great men expected this year expect access through your gifts.

If you're working at a job begin to think a little bigger begin to think a little bigger because you have gifts that go far beyond anything your boss can use because if they start using your gifts they'll have to pay you more.

So think a little bigger your business skills will bring you before men your spiritual gifts will bring you before people.

Your business skills will bring you before men.

Your spiritual gifts will bring you before people the gift of prophecy that I have acting working in my life has brought me into places that there would be no way I could have access.

What grants you access?

Obedience.

Obedience.

Obedience.

Immediate obedience regardless of personal cost.

Brings you great access immediate obedience regardless of personal cost or effort or outcome brings you great access immediate obedience without thought for personal cost personal effort or outcome brings you great access.

Genesis 15 18 God says to Abraham listen I want you to bring me a sacrifice.

I'm going to do something amazing in your life.

So Abraham brings a sacrifice and he lays it that this is in the morning.

Nothing happens.

Nothing happens.

Nothing happens.

It's getting dark.

Nothing happens vultures and birds of prey are coming.

Nothing happens.

Abraham has a towel in his hand and is running around up and down up and down this old man at 75 chasing these birds away.

Nothing happens.

And then a deep darkness falls over Abraham and then finally as a deep darkness falls over Abraham a torch from heaven comes and the torch goes right through the sacrifice separating it.

And then God says to Abraham that Eliezer will not be the one who continues your line for I will give you a son.

Immediate obedience regardless of outcome cost or effort will grant tremendous access.

Matthew 3 16 Jesus John says it's not a good idea Jesus that I baptize you and Jesus says nope want to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

He steps into the water.

This is the son of God and as he steps into the water the heavens open heavens always open access is always granted when obedience is immediate.

Acts chapter 1 4.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

When obedience is immediate.

Acts chapter 1 4 Jesus says to them listen you guys need to hang around for a while more and you need to hang around in Jerusalem because the father is going to send the promise these men who were scared.

Acts 1 · chapter mention

And Jesus is leaving them shortly after he says this huddle around in Jerusalem and then Acts chapter 1 verse 4 is where he tells him that Acts chapter 2 verse 2 the promise arrives of the Holy Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4 Acts 2:2

Act 16 verse 6 to 10 Paul does not know what to do.

He's been sent out.

He goes to Phrygia the Holy Spirit tells him not to enter.

He won't enter he goes to Mycia the Holy Spirit forbids him.

He does not go he goes to sleep a dream occurs.

He says come to Macedonia the next morning.

He wakes up immediate obedience immediate obedience.

I was saying this to the young adults yesterday guys this year.

Try not to keep all your options open.

Try not to keep all your options open.

It's the way we work.

We keep all our options open so that we can choose what may be the best.

We juggle the options which one would work which one would work as long as you keep all the options open.

You always have the choice not to obey.

Secondly do not choose the cheapest most recommended most popular option because it still may not be gone.

We have a tendency to do that.

Take the cheapest option or take the most recommended option.

Booking.com ain't got.

So we choose based on what is most popular and God may have an entirely different plan.

And then thirdly as you follow God or decide for God do not examine all the various scenarios that can play out to your benefit or to your disadvantage.

Because all we're doing when we play out those scenarios is saying if God doesn't do this I can do this.

If God doesn't do this I can do this.

And it really messes up things in terms of immediate obedience.

Say I'm speaking from experience guys.

I quoted this line long ago the obedient believe the believing obey.

The obedient believe the believing obey.

The obedient believe the believing obey.

We sometimes want to believe before we will obey.

We want to understand before we will obey.

Really?

When how did that work out when you were growing up with your parents?

Really dad you want me to do that but could you help me understand this before I obey you?

What happened?

This was ages ago.

And then you immediately obeyed.

Somebody's going to get hurt tonight.

That is not how it used to work in the good old days.

I mean you obeyed first and then you sometimes still didn't understand.

But biblically it's very simple.

The obedient believe the believing obey.

Next one.

What grants access?

Sunship.

Beautiful.

What grants access?

Sunship.

What grants access?

Sunship.

Sunship.

Such a beautiful thing.

Galatians 4 verse 6 and 7.

Galatians 4:6

Galatians 4, 6 and 7.

Here's what it says.

Because you are sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts.

The spirit who calls out our father.

So you're no longer a slave but a son.

And since you're a son, God has also made you an heir.

What does an heir get?

He gets access to what the father has.

Sunship.

Sunship grants access.

And to enjoy sunship you must choose fatherhood.

As in you must choose the aspect of God in terms of fatherhood.

Sunship is never realized through lordship.

Sunship is realized through fatherhood.

Servanthood is realized through lordship.

Sunship is realized through fatherhood.

Choose fatherhood.

Make an effort.

He's a good father.

Make an effort to press into know him as father.

Make an effort.

Servants don't have access.

Servants have duties and responsibilities.

And it's an essential part of Christianity.

But sunship comes first.

Sunship before servanthood.

Sunship on earth because you have an inheritance.

So there are two sunships I'm talking about here.

One is sunship in terms of God.

Second is sunship in terms of being connected as sons here on earth

so that you can access your inheritance.

Now what do I mean by that?

Connect as sons in this house.

So who would the father be?

At present me.

And then there are others that are in charge of your house churches

that you're beginning to relate to.

Connect to this house as sons.

Not as guests.

Not as visitors.

But as sons.

And you will get your inheritance.

Guys, here's the thing.

An inheritance never needs to be worked for.

An inheritance is always received.

It is received sheerly by virtue of your relationship.

Not because of anything you have done.

But sheerly by virtue of relationship.

You do not work for it.

Someone else works for it and gives it to you.

Inheritances are received.

Inheritances are never earned.

And God gives his inheritance here on earth through people.

Connect to this house of sunship.

Connect to this house of sons.

And even if you do not connect to me as a spiritual father,

you will still receive your inheritance.

Crazy, huh?

Crazy.

You can...

Let's assume I had three sons.

One, two, three.

Let's take her also.

Four sons.

Let's assume I had four sons.

And three of them actually connect to me and recognize me as father.

And the fourth one doesn't.

When I...

distribute my inheritance,

if she's the oldest one, she gets double.

Because that was a scriptural principle.

But the others, regardless of how they connect,

a good father would still give it equally.

He would not base it on affinity.

It's here on earth that we do things by affinity.

Always have a lawyer in our pocket.

My fourth son is not doing well.

Let's scratch him out.

It doesn't work like that with God.

As long as you're connected to a house,

you will get your inheritance.

When you are connected to the father,

you get the inheritance that is in the house

and you get everything else that is in the father.

It's a really great principle, guys.

Otherwise, you will strive to earn it as elder brothers

or compete for it as orphans.

Luke 15.31

The father is almost clueless.

The older brother comes and says,

but you know, the younger brother has been squandering all his wealth,

and then he'll come back and throw something away.

But you've always been here.

Everything I have is yours.

That's his response.

It didn't occur to him that there was a need to give his older son an inheritance

because the father thought the older son had him.

If you have the father, you don't look for your inheritance.

If you don't connect to a father, you will still get your inheritance,

but you look for your inheritance.

Selah. Really. Leave it at that.

Fathers and sons on earth are built through relationships.

It takes time.

And this church is blessed in having one who is trying hard to reflect

the father's heart is a father by heart to this church.

I'm talking about myself.

And it's raising other sons who are stepping into the place of fatherhood.

Young guys and older guys who are some are 24 and some are 54.

Blessed are we that we have generations that are rising up this way.

And I'm constantly trying to reflect the father's heart to you,

to be like a father to this house.

I say it with absolute modesty and much pride.

And I'm the richest father on earth.

Man, whoever said you needed to be married and have kids,

which is a wonderful, great, blessed thing.

But it's a wonderful thing to have a quiver full of sons.

It's a wonderful thing to have a quiver full of sons.

And it's a gender free term.

What grants access?

Two more things and we're done.

Faith.

What grants access?

Faith.

What grants access?

Faith.

With eyes of faith, Isaac looked far into the future while invoking blessings on Jacob and Esau.

Eyes of faith.

There's a version in the Bible, many of the Bibles,

there's one version called the Amplified Classic Edition.

Amplified Bible Classic Edition.

I'm not recommending it.

I'm just saying the words, Hebrews chapter 11, verse 20,

Hebrews 11:20

is it says, with eyes of faith, Isaac looking far into the future,

invoked blessings upon Jacob and Esau.

I liked it because it gives access.

How does faith give access?

It sees into a place that is invisible in God

so that you have an idea of what lies ahead.

But that is the nature of faith.

Because of faith, Joshua saw that the walls of Jericho would fall.

There's a very strange verse in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 24, or thereabouts,

Hebrews 11:24

where it says, Moses set aside the pleasures of Egypt

and suffered because he wanted to take on the sufferings of Christ.

Really?

Is that Paul coming to the conclusion,

or the writer of Hebrews coming to the conclusion,

or did Moses actually see something?

He says he wanted to share in the sufferings of Christ.

Moses.

Moses did talk about a prophet that would come after him,

but did he really see as much?

And if he saw it, how could he have seen it except with eyes of faith?

Eyes of faith give you access, man.

Some received their debt back.

Some obtained freedom.

Some conquered enemies.

Some quenched fires.

It goes on to talk about what is access through faith.

It's a strong thing in this church, eh, faith?

But when I was going through the notes on faith over the last few days,

I realized, gosh, I've forgotten some of it.

We might have to revisit it every now and then.

Teleos that we did many years ago actually was pretty good in hindsight.

And the video quality was really great, as long as Derek was behind the camera.

Just wanted to give a shout out to you, Derek.

And last one.

What grants access?

This is not the last one.

This is the last one that I could come up with.

There might be more.

The last one is access is granted through covenant.

Access is granted through covenant.

What do you mean?

Psalm 133.

Psalm 133.

It says that if you want to access what flows down from the head,

you have to be part of the one body in which you are united.

Psalm 133 is beautiful.

It says, how blessed are they that dwell together in unity.

The oil that is poured upon the head now flows down the beard and flows down the garments.

We cannot receive anything from the head if you are not connected to the body.

When you cut your nails and they sometimes slip from your hands and fall on the floor,

that nail doesn't receive anything from your body after that.

It's discarded.

The idea is be connected to the head.

And it doesn't matter how small a part you are, you will receive from the head.

And so one of the things that allows us to access God and access the things of God is to be connected to the body.

And connected to the body, please remember, connecting to the body is not turning up on Sundays.

That is just turning up on Sundays.

Connecting to the body is to be vitally connected where it's difficult to not want to be together.

I think when Emily went to Lethbridge, one of the text messages she sent was,

like she's going home and she still misses us.

That's a good thing, eh?

Yes.

Oh well, I didn't...

That was not my response, but I'm glad that some of you think so.

But the point is, vitally connected whereas Sunday won't do.

And so when you access, when you're a part of the body, you can access the head.

And if you can access the head, look at what you can access.

You can access the mandate God has.

You can access the traits God has for that body.

You can access the rewards God has for the body.

You can access the benefits God has for the body.

You can access the gifts God has for the body.

Did you just hear that?

There are three different categories and all three are very different.

One is rewards, one is benefits, one is gifts.

It's amazing, eh, how your kids actually get rewards, benefits, gifts.

Rewards are for what they do that you want to reward them for.

Benefits are what they get because they are your children.

Gifts are what they get because you love them.

Be connected to a body and you get rewards, gifts, benefits.

You get the mandate of God.

You get the traits of the family.

T-R-A-I-T-S.

Traits of the family.

You get your inheritance.

You get revelation that God wants to give you.

You get his presence.

All because you chose to be connected to the body.

So what does covenant entail?

Abiding relationship.

We talked about this ages ago.

Covenant entails abiding relationship.

Covenant entails abiding relationship.

It's not about absence or presence.

It's not about how many times you attend.

Covenant requires abiding.

I mean, look at that lady sitting there behind Jillian.

Some of you have forgotten her name.

But she's a vibrant part of this body even though she's not able to turn up every Sunday.

What's your name, sister?

Rhonda.

Yeah.

So it's not about attendance.

It's about being vitally connected.

And she is vitally connected.

Yeah.

So covenant requires abiding relationship.

Where do we find this?

We find this in the words of a woman who had no reason to say these words.

And her words were, wherever you lodge, I will lodge.

Wherever you lodge, I will lodge.

And no, we're not talking about Rhonda anymore.

We're talking about Ruth.

Where's Ruth?

There.

So wherever you lodge, I will lodge.

So it's abiding relationship.

Secondly, it's relational ownership.

Relational ownership.

This one, when I first heard about this, I thought of myself, my God, this is so God.

And it is so difficult if we avoid it.

Relational ownership.

And what is relational ownership?

It says, your people shall be my people.

And we are flesh of your flesh and bone of your bone.

This is relational ownership.

Where you actually own me and I actually own you.

Only I first offer myself to be owned.

Relational ownership.

Your people shall be my people and my people shall be your people.

And better, what Judah said to David at Hebron, the tribe of Judah, you are flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone.

This is relational ownership.

Where you offer yourself saying, I'm your man Friday or your girl Friday and I want to serve you.

Crazy, eh?

What demands are we supposed to make in this body?

Meaning not what demands.

What offer are we supposed to make in this body?

Forget the demand.

If I did that and you did that, then there would be no demand.

There would only be mutual service.

Only God could come up with this man.

Relational ownership.

And this is a woman who's not even in the commonwealth of Israel.

She's a pagan.

Thirdly, divine ownership.

Divine ownership.

This is what covenant looks like, guys.

And it gives you access like nothing else.

Everything that flows down from the head can only be accessed by the body, not by a prosthetic limb, but a vibrant part of the body.

Divine ownership.

And she said, your God will be my God.

Fourth one.

Lifelong relationship.

Lifelong relationship.

Lifelong relationship.

Doesn't mean you have to stay in Vancouver, guys, but here is what your intent is till you are in Vancouver, till God moves you on.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.

Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.

My God, I would so desire these relationships in my life.

I pray God that you desire it and that our desires come to pass this year to an extent that we have not yet known.

Lifelong relationship.

Where you die, I will die.

And the last one is uninvited pursuit.

Uninvited pursuit.

Uninvited pursuit where she says this, saying, and treat me not to leave you or to turn back from following after you.

She didn't say, so do you really want me to come along, Naomi?

Really?

Like, are you sure?

What's in it for me?

Like, you didn't wave at me last time I was here.

I mean, nobody even came and said hello to me.

No, no, she's saying, and treat me not to leave you.

Please let me follow you.

It goes so against the grain of I didn't feel welcome.

And treat me not to turn back from you.

Treat me not to leave you or turn back from following after you.

This is what covenant looks like.

And this kind of covenant causes the weight of his glory and the anointing oil to flow.

It provokes God.

Because you know what Psalm 133 verse 4 says?

Where this is present, I will command a blessing.

Did you hear that?

Very rarely does it put it that way.

Where this is present, I will command a blessing.

Psalm 133 verse 4.

The weight of God's glory and the oil of anointing begins to flow unstopped when covenants like this are increasingly built in the body.

This is not an overnight thing because everything here talks about relationship.

But it is possible, guys.

It is possible.

The strange thing is because of these statements, Ruth, who was someone who lost her husband, who was childless, who was an outsider, who was a pagan, now has her adversity dismantled.

Not only is her adversity dismantled, her legacy is reconstructed.

From being an outsider, she ends up being the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of Jesus.

Not in a physical sense because Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit, was conceived in the womb of Mary by the act of the Spirit of God, not through human sperm or egg.

But the fact remains that Ruth was an ancestor of Jesus.

Because of the covenant she made, she has her adversity dismantled and she has her legacy reconstructed.

This is what can happen to us.

This is the kind of access that is granted.

Any questions? I'm done.

Any questions?

Go ahead, Nisha.