Advancing Beyond Limited Reach

Come on now. That was something else right there.

Whoo! Is that the only one you know? Is that

all you got? Is that the only one you got? Huh?

Is that it? I'm going to get you to do another

one. So practice. That makes it easy to preach

right there. Whoo. Well, hallelujah. Amen. Did

I leave my glasses down there? I got a Bible

there, but I don't know what it says. Y 'all

got me tore up, fellas. Hallelujah. So good to

see you in the house of the Lord today. Trusting

that God has richly blessed you this week. Sister

Kathy asked me if I'd give you an update. Several

of you have already asked, but many of you knew,

some may not have, that she had an appointment

at the Pat Summit Clinic on Tuesday. And so we

were up there, and probably one of the most thorough,

I don't know what you call it, it felt like we

was in a carousel. But it was a... Very good

experience. Really have confidence in this doctor.

I know this. We have learned that the steps of

good man are ordered of the Lord. God is sovereign,

and he knows how to get you where you need to

be when you need to be there. The other closed

doors, the memory center in Chattanooga, the

door closed. Hope for Vanderbilt. That door closed,

and so the referral to Knoxville happened in

three days, had the appointment, and I said,

okay, Lord, we could have skipped them other

two if you'd have just told me that's where you

want me to go. And so more testing is what we're

looking at. There's some new blood tests that

are getting some good diagnostic. results from

so one of those they'll be drawing blood for

that tomorrow we go back in April for a PET scan

then we will follow up in May with the doctor

and he gets everything results and it goes through

everything so we'll hopefully by then know exactly

what it is that we're dealing with The term that

we've been given, he said, is like an umbrella.

It's a broad term. And he said, so what we're

wanting to do is pinpoint exactly. I said, well,

I kind of like that. Amen. And then we will go

from there. And when I know something, you'll

know something. Amen. We thank you for walking

with us through this. It's difficult. Amen. But

we feel your prayers. And we know you're praying.

So don't think we don't notice. Because we do.

And we appreciate you so much. And we need your

prayer. Amen. We covet your prayer. We must have

your prayer. We need the Lord's grace daily.

Every day is a brand new day. Amen. And we're

thankful for everyone that the Lord wakes us

up to. Amen. And all that it holds. She needs

more prayer than just, you know, for what's going

on. You have to understand that I am her caregiver.

So she needs even more prayer. Than the average

person dealing with what she's dealing with.

She's got me on top of it. I'd love to say I'm

this passionate, you know. The previous 40 years

has prepared us for this moment. Because she

knows how I am and can be. So she needs prayer.

To have to put up with me sometimes. Patience

has never been that great virtue on my list.

Has it, baby? No. So, we're working on it. Hallelujah.

If you have your Bibles, you can remain seated.

This morning, today, if you're visiting, we've

got any visitors, just shoot a hand up real quick.

Thank you for being here this morning. It's going

to be a little different than kind of normal

because what we're subject today, we're talking

about ministry and mission awareness. If you

took a few moments, if not, take some before

you leave today and just walk around the foyer,

look at all the tables. We're going to leave

that up for a week or so. That's a lot of work

just to take right down. So that you can become

aware. It's ministry awareness. Aware of some

of the things that are going on. None of those

ministries that are represented out there are

just like fine old machines. We're a work in

progress. Amen. We're a work in progress. It's

new every day. It's new all the time. Ministry

evolves with growth. all that good stuff, but

you have to know that ministry is more than two,

three, four people. Ministry in the church is

more than just the pastoral staff, right? Ministry

in the body of Christ is made up of the body

of Christ. Thus the reason Paul would instruct

the Ephesians, you know, to equip the saints.

Anybody know the rest of that verse? Where you

at Bible readers? Equip the saints for The work

of the ministry. Amen. So I want to, however

this comes out today, we're just going to let

it roll and we're going to go with it. But in

2 Corinthians chapter 10, where we want to draw

2 Corinthians 10 · chapter mention

our emphasis and mainly we'll concentrate on

verse 14 and pull from there. But the thought

this morning is... Advancing beyond limited reach.

Advancing beyond limited reach. The 10th chapter

of 2 Corinthians begins thusly. Now I, Paul,

myself, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness

of Christ, who in presence am base among you,

but being absent am bold towards you. But I beseech

you that I may not be bold when I am present

with that confidence wherewith I think to be

bold against some which think of us as if we

walked according to the flesh. Paul is correcting

some things, some attitudes and some false teachers

in the church of Corinth. And this letter has

a lot of corrective nature. And he's letting

them know, here is the water's parallel paraphrased

to verse 1 and 2. Now, when I'm there, I'm kindly

soft -spoken. And when I write these letters

to you, I'm really telling you what you need

to do. I'm bold in it. I'm direct in it. But

I do not wish to have to be bold when I'm before

you. And do not mistake my meekness and gentleness,

my Christ -like character, do not mistake that

for weakness when I'm with you. Hello. You do

remember who Saul was. Saul is the unregenerated

character of the Apostle Paul. You know, the

one who stood there and said, Put your coats

right here, boys. I got them. Kill the Christian.

Stone Stephen. You got it. My permission. Right?

So these Corinthians evidently, I don't know

that Paul's reputation had made it all the way

to Corinth just yet. I don't think they actually

knew who they were messing with. And Paul's kindly,

gently trying to correct them. Don't mistake

my gentleness and meekness for weakness, fellas,

because some of y 'all, when I get there, I will

confront. Look at it. But I beseech you that

I may not be bold when I am present with that

confidence, wherewith I think or I intend to

be bold against some. I like old Paul. He said,

when I come before the whole, I'm going to continue

to be meek. But some of y 'all, we're going to

get in a private room, and we're going to have

ourself a conversation. Hello? And a little bit

of old Paul, old Saul, going to rise up. And

he's going to let them know their position. And

he's going to instruct them in the ways of righteousness

and holiness is what he's saying. And he said,

which think of us as if we walk according to

the flesh. He's letting them know, you know,

we're there under restraint of the spirit. We

might be walking in the flesh, but we're not

walking of the flesh. Yes, there's no other way

for me to walk than on my two feet. So flesh,

I'm coming in, but I do not want to come in among

you of the flesh. Are you following me? He said,

I don't want to tilt my sanctification when I

get there, fellas, but some of y 'all are going

to get a piece of my mind. I'm going to let you

know exactly what is going on. He says, for though

we walk in the flesh, we don't war after the

flesh, right? He said, yeah, that's not this

warfare that we're in. And what he's saying is,

I understand that this is spiritual. When I get

in there, I'm going to take care of it spiritually

because you really don't want me to get in the

flesh. Oh, Lord, but there's a temptation there.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,

but they are mighty through God to the pulling

down of strongholds. When you understand the

whole context of what's going on there, I myself

pull these passages out. I pull them out because

they are very emphatic, aren't they, about the

spiritual warfare that we are up against. But

we don't always understand that the enemy does

exactly the same thing as God does. He uses yielded

vessels. So don't be a vessel. So he's letting

them know what is going on there is spiritual.

We may be walking there in the flesh, but we're

not walking of the flesh because we don't war.

This warfare is not after the flesh. And I know

what I'm dealing with, and I will deal with it

when I get there because we will have under this

wonderful warfare, casting down of imaginations

that exalt themselves against the knowledge of

God, right? And a pulling down of strongholds

to the obedience of Christ. In other words, he

said, You're spreading false teachings. You are

outside the parameters and the bounds of Scripture

and the law of Christ. And when I get there,

some of y 'all are going to get a piece of my

mind, and I'm going to line you up because I

understand what I'm dealing with is a spiritual

conflict, and I know how to deal with that. And

I can pull these things that you're spreading

and this teaching that you're espousing and pouring

out. We're going to take it in captivity by the

Spirit and the law. Christ, amen? And we're going

to bring it under control. He says, for though

we walk, casting down imaginations, he said in

verse 6, and having in a readiness to revenge

all disobedience. Oh, I like that. When your

obedience is fulfilled, he said, I'm coming to

take vengeance on your disobedience. We're going

to bring it under alignment. You will get in

order when we get there. Matter of fact, he was

using Those words we and us. But when he begins

chapter 10, he says I. He's not putting it off

on anybody. You know that we, we get sometimes,

we get a little mouse in our pocket. I've asked

people that. They say we. I say, well, who's

we? You got a mouse in your pocket? We, we, we.

Paul said, let there be no misunderstanding.

When I get there, I'm begging you. I'm entreating

you. I'm requiring of you. Would you please get

in order? Because I know that some of you think

because when I'm there, I am meek and I am Christ's

life that I do not have a backbone. But I'm telling

you right now, Paul is declaring, I have one

and I'm going to reveal it to some of y 'all

when I get there. And then he goes on to tell

why. It's about the ministry. It's about the

mission that he's been sent out on. It's the

mission and the ministry of God through the proclaiming

of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He says, let's

skip on down. Verse 10, for the letters say they

are weighty and powerful, but his boldly presence

is weak and his speech is contentable. He said,

I know what y 'all are saying. I've already heard

what you've said about me. You say in your...

Four letters that when I'm there, I'm meek, and

when I'm away, I feel like I'm some bad dude.

Well, I'm letting you know dude's rolling in,

and you're going to see it for yourself. I'm

coming under the authority and the anointing

of Jesus Christ, and I will set his house in

order. It's what Paul is letting them know. I'm

coming. You just go ahead and get ready. I will

be there. And he says, let such and one think

this. He said, and you just tell them. He said,

let such a one think this. That such as we are

in word by letters when we are absent, such will

we be also indeed when I get there. You think

that I'm bold when I have written to you. You

have asked for it and I am coming. Because you

are not going to destroy the work of Christ.

For though we walk in the flesh, we don't war

after the flesh. And the weapons of our warfare,

they are... not carnal, but they are mighty through

God to the pulling down of strongholds and taking

into captivity thoughts and casting down imaginations

that exalt themselves against the knowledge of

God. He said, I'm coming to take names and forgive

me. I'm coming to take names and kick devil butt.

That's why I'm coming. I am on my way. Okay,

you've made fun of me long enough, me not there

to defend myself. Now, I am on my way. And you

think that I was bold in my letters. I'm coming

now. You done made me mad. I'm on my way. The

devil has risen up. Hello, remember last week

about ignorance? We talked about going beyond

the limits of ignorance. He said, lest the devil

should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant

of his devices. And that's what he's telling

them. I know the devil's behind this, and I'm

coming to take care of the spirit that's driving

this. I'm trying to get, I'm just, this word

text, I'm trying to get to here. I've told myself

I'm not preaching another hour and ten minutes

this week, but I don't know now. They fooled

around and worshipped us right in, so it's not

my fault. Verse 12, for we dare not make ourselves

of the number or compare ourselves with some

that commend themselves. He said, we're not like

those false teachers that are there lifting themselves

up in their pride, talking about what they're

doing, talking about what they've done and all

of this. That's not who we are. That's not where

our boast is. If you look up the word boast,

Paul mentions it over and over and over and over

and over. It's a repetitive thing. We don't boast

in ourselves. We don't boast and commend the

world. that we've done. He said it's all God's

work, right? But they measuring themselves by

themselves and comparing themselves among themselves

are not wise. They said the only parameter they've

got to measure by is themselves. And so if you

measure yourself against yourself, sure, you're

going to feel good about yourself. Hello? You're

going to feel good about the work if all you're

doing is measuring your success by your success.

Right? But when you begin to compare it to others

who are doing the same thing, how successful

are you being? He said, they don't even know

what they're doing. They don't even know how

to measure success. They're measuring against

themselves. We're looking at now, verse, where

are we at, 13? But we will not boast of things

without our measure. We will not boast of what

the Lord is doing without something whereby to

measure it by. But according to the measure of

the rule which God hath distributed to us, a

measure to reach, here we go, I'm trying to get

to our text so I can preach this message, to

reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves

beyond our measure as though we reach not unto

you. For we are come as far as to you in preaching

the gospel of Christ. James and Fawcett and Brown,

the commentary, they write this and kindly paraphrase

this verse. We are not stretching ourselves beyond

our measure as we should be if we did not reach

unto you. But we do. For as far as even to you

have we come in preaching the gospel. Paul has

said this, we ought to be doing more to go beyond

you than we are the ones who came to you under

the unction and the direction of the Holy Spirit.

And that is all that we are measuring by. We

are measuring by the previous work of the glorification

of Christ through the declaration of the gospel

and the kingdom being preached. I don't know

what they're measuring. I don't know what the

false teachers are doing and what they are saying,

but you know, yes, we probably should be doing

more. Yes, we should try to stretch beyond where

you are and where we have come and go further

with the gospel. But we have come as far as you.

In other words, he's saying, where have they

been? Where are they going? What have they done?

Where are their trophies? Where are their measuring

lines? Paul could sit down and talk about Philippi.

He could sit down and talk about Thessalonica.

He could sit down and tell them about Thyatira

before he ever got Pamphylia. He could tell them

about all the locations before he ever arrived

at Corinth. That's my measuring line, driven

by the anointing, driven by the power of the

Holy Ghost. That's what brought us here. Well,

hallelujah. Now for the introduction. At the

simplest definition, the word reach can be defined

meaning to stretch forward towards something

or to arrive at a destination or contact someone.

How many say, well, I can't reach them? That's

sniff -holler lingo. If you don't understand

that, it ain't lingo. How many of you understood

that statement? Good. I'm doing better than I

thought. In other words, that means I cannot

reach them by phone or whatever. We just call

it reach them. I ain't been able to reach them.

I have not been able to make contact with whomever

it is you're requiring or desiring a conversation

with. We have not been able to reach them. But

to stretch means to go until you do. To reach

means to continue moving forward until you do.

It means to endeavor. It means to stretch toward

something. And stretch just simply means to go

beyond the limit of your reach. It means to put

out more effort. Right? How many of you stood

on a tiptoe to reach, to stretch, to get a hold

of whatever was just out of your reach? How many

of us would do anything possible to get to whatever

it is that we're wanting to have? have in our

touch and in our grasp. We'll find a stool. Amen.

We'll get a ladder if we can't reach it. We'll

find a chair. We'll get something. We'll get

a box. We'll get a hold of something that enables

us to get within the grasp of what we are reaching

for. Can I tell you that's what we have to do

as a body of Christ? Because when we begin to

think about ministry, ministry is about serving

others and demonstrating God's love and his compassion

and his care. It comes from the Greek word, diakonia,

neo, which means to serve. When we talk about

ministry, every table out there is about serving.

It's not about limelight. It's not about attention.

It's not about focus. It's about service to the

body of Christ. Amen? It's about serving each

other. It's about serving one another. It's about

helping meeting each other's needs and the requirements

that we have that our faith grows. Amen. There's

too many superstars out there. There's too many

televangelists out there. There's too many who

want to relish in the limelight. But there's

only one that can be pointed toward, and that

is Christ and Christ alone. Every ministry points

to the glorification of the divinity of Jesus

Christ. We serve others to point them toward

Christ. That is the sole purpose of ministry.

It is to make disciples so that we may serve

others. The term missions refers to the church's

organized efforts to spread the gospel of Christ

by sharing our Christian faith, by making disciples.

and serving others in need, both locally and

globally. And that is our mission's endeavor

here at Hopewell Church of God. We have one gospel

we want to preach to every man to all points

of this world. To lift them up and to point them

toward Jesus Christ. Whether it's through building

lighthouses where the gospel will be declared.

Or whether it's going on our own and others going

to spread the good news. The point is that the

mission is about spreading the Christian faith.

The faith that we have in Christ who is the son

of the living God. The crucified one but yet

the resurrected one. The one now. the right hand

of the Father. That's what the mission is. And

you cannot separate mission from ministry because

they are connected ever together because mission

is about serving. And if ministry is about serving,

then missions is serving to the heart of God

and the pleasing of Jesus Christ to the edification

of lost humanity in a dying world. Missions becomes

our ministry at whatever level. Locally, ministry,

it's how we teach each other. It's how we come

together in the instruction of the Word of God.

We minister the Word of God. And to be a disciple,

a disciple is one to be disciplined in the faith.

What faith? Well, for us, it's the faith of Jesus

Christ. There are disciples of other faiths,

right? Muhammad has disciples. Buddha has disciples.

Hare Krishna has disciples. It's those who have

bought into the doctrine that is being proclaimed.

What is being ministered to them? They become

disciples. They become disciplined in that teaching.

That's why they would sit on the mountainside.

At Jesus' feet. And be discipled. The Sermon

on the Mount. The Beatitudes. Every parable that

flowed from his lips. Our instruction in the

discipline of serving him. And so when we become

disciples, there's a lot of folks who want to

be Christians but not disciples. It's okay to

know about it, but a disciple has discipline

in the practice of the teaching. They practice

the doctrine that is being declared to them.

That's why at Antioch they were first known as

Christians. Why? Because they were acting Christ

-like. What does that mean? They were discipled

in the behavior and the character and the teaching

and the doctrine of Jesus Christ. And lo and

behold, they begin to live that out. They lived

as little Christs. Isn't that a novel idea? Just

for a point of quandary, if. If, when we stand

before a just and holy God, and the criteria

to get in is that we act, behave like his son,

that'd give one a point to ponder about their

everyday life. Am I a church attender or am I

a disciple? Of Jesus Christ. That we work the

ministry and that we fulfill the ministry of

Christ to a lost and dying world. And that is

why Paul is so upset with these troublemakers

and rebel rousers at Corinth trying to bring

and diminish his role as an apostle. By diminishing

his role as an apostle, they diminish his message

of the gospel. Are you beginning to see this?

The picture begins to unfold just a little bit.

And no wonder Paul becomes so upset. I'll take

care of you when I get there. Because it's an

affront to the gospel. It's not an affront to

Paul. It's an affront to the furtherance of the

gospel. When we quit. When we get over our offenses,

when people don't accept us, do you not understand

it's not you they are rejecting? If you are being

a minister of Jesus Christ, they are rejecting

the message of the glorious gospel, the love,

the compassion, the care of Jesus Christ. It's

not you they are rejecting. So rise up, be more

bold, and proclaim the name of Christ. Ministry,

how it couples with mission. Mission is both

locally and globally. It's how we act out the

ministry. We act out, we live out, we perform

the work of the ministry through the mission.

Christ is the greatest example of missionary.

He came from a great place. Did he not? He came

from heaven, submitted himself to flesh and become

a man to declare the ministry. With his mission

thesis statement of his ministry in Luke 4, 18.

For the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. And he

has anointed me to preach the gospel. And let

me tell you who I'm going to minister to. I'm

going to minister to the blind. I'm going to

minister to the deaf, to the lame. You won't

believe this if I tell you now, but I'll go ahead.

I'm going to minister to the dead, and they're

going to live. I've come for the bruised. I've

come for the brokenhearted. I've come for the

imprisoned. That is my mission, and it is my

ministry. Hallelujah. And that's the mandate

that we've been given. When he declares in Matthew

28, go ye into all the world and preach. Make

disciples. Baptize them. In the name of the Father

and the Son and the Holy Ghost. And teach them

to be disciples. The difference between, I read

a great illustration, it made a lot of sense

to me. The difference between mission and ministry.

Ministry happens a lot within the local confines

of the local church. We minister to each other.

Sometimes we may do projects. We may go help

one another. Some of you are very good at this,

and I don't even know half of what goes on. You

show up to help one another out. That's ministry.

You know, when it turns to mission, when the

neighbor to that brother or sister that you're

ministering to, who is lost, has a need, and

you cross the property line, And you minister

to them in their need and tell them that Jesus

loves them. It's just turned to missions. Well,

how does that make sense? Because you begin to

minister outside the confines of the brotherhood.

You have actually done a good deed toward one

who is outside the covenant relationship with

God. And in so doing, you have sown the seed.

of compassion, of care. Are you hearing me? Of

redemption. When you step outside, it's ministry

when we do for each other. But it's mission when

we do it for those who's not part of the family

of God. It is a mission. That's the reason you

can do it locally. That's the reason we can do

it statewide or nationwide. But then when we

go to places that we'll never go, however, in

Nambia or wherever that place is at, wherever

we go there, that is mission. Amen. We're sending

the good deed. We're sending the good work forward.

That becomes mission. mission and the glorious

light because there are those there who do not

know and the ministry's just turned in to mission.

So what we do as we are going that go into all

the world it literally means as you go into the

world. We look for places to minister but as

we are ministering we ought to be mindful. of

the mission. And seize every opportunity to turn

the ministry into fulfilling the mission. Everything

we do, every event, everything that happens on

this property is ministry. It's ministry. Every

crappie we fry. Every Boston butt that gets smoked.

Every stick of bologna that gets devoured. We

do so through ministry. But when there's leftover

and it's loaded up and took down to the homeless

shelters, it's transformed into mission. Where

did this come from? Well, that church over on

Eureka, Hopewell Church of God sent it all in

here for y 'all to eat. Ministry just turned

into mission. But the difference is when we become

to do it intentionally. When the mission becomes

the ministry. Why? Because we become such. dedicated,

devoted disciples of Jesus Christ, that we love

him so much that really we don't have to show

that much care for each other because we are

cared for. We watch for needs. We look for needs.

We listen with a discerning ear to the Spirit

and let the Holy Spirit direct us. How many of

you have had that happen? Just show of hands.

Say, hey, you need to do this for so -and -so.

Right? And you're thinking, well, what do they

think if I do that? See, that's the devil right

there. His main objective is to abort the ministry

and the mission. Trying to talk you out, trying

to talk us out of doing ministry and mission.

And you know what the number one reason he gives?

You can't afford it. That's the reason he talks

so many people out of being faithful tithers

and givers in their local body. You can't afford

to do that. I have learned that I can't afford

not to. I'll do that whether I do anything else

or not. I remember back in the really, really

lean days. We'd cash the old check. Put the Lord's

money up here, then everybody else went like

this. One for you, one for you, one for you,

one for you, one for you. Then I'd start back

over, put them from the highest down to the least.

Another one for you, another one for you, and

you're out of luck. Put it in an envelope and

send it. But this stack up here, it was always

correct. And a little bit more if I could. Because

I understand why all this got took care of. It's

because of that. And when you take care of the

ministry and God's mission, he will take care

of you. Every church, I've never seen a church,

no matter its size, large or small or anywhere

in between, that was committed to missions ever

not have what they needed. I've never seen it.

I'm talking about a small church of 25, 30, 40

people that struggle sometimes or would struggle

just to make the ends meet. But the pastor had

a heart to lead his people. The pastor had a

heart to lead his people and teach them and disciple

them in the importance of the overall mission.

It's not about us. We've got a house of worship.

It may not be all that we want it to be, but

we're cool and we're warm. We're dry. And we

can worship without fear of reparation from any

governmental force. But there are others over.

And I have learned a long time ago, it's not

the amount that matters. Are you hearing me?

It's not the amount that matters. I'm telling

you right now, the seed that we sowed to the

state of Illinois when I first got here was small.

We had to make it in three or four payments.

And it's just a couple thousand dollars that

the overseer asked the state council if we could

help him give to his ministers. to do something

for the ministers of his state. And sitting around

that table, the Holy Ghost gripped my heart and

squeezed it like a sponge until water ran out

of my eyes at the table. And I said, Bishop,

Hopewell Church of God will take care of that.

And in the back of my mind, the devil said, how

are you going to do that? You don't even know

if you're going to get paid next week. And to

that I responded, it does not matter. There were

two weeks before that I didn't get paid, so it

didn't matter then, and it will not matter now

because of the work and the heart of God. Respond

to the moving and the wooing of the spirit. And

you begin to sow. God will take care of it all.

Why? Because he'll touch your heart. He'll touch

your hearts as he has in the past. And continues

to do so now. And he'll bring things about. That's

the reason I pray over you for inheritance and

things like that. When those tragic things do

happen, the Lord can still honor in those moments.

And we just have to be reminded to honor him.

Not be so overwhelmed with the grief that our

heart is still pliable. And through some of those

gifts like that, before I knew it, before I knew

it, We're debt free. And do you think we're going

to stop sowing into ministry and missions now?

No. No, no, no, no. Wouldn't it be wonderful

if we sowed $100 ,000 into the mission field

this year? Oh, my Lord. Our goal was 50, but

I think we can do more than that. I really think.

If I had 99 other people to commit it with me.

By the end of this year, to give 1 ,000 to missions,

we'd do it. We'll need 99 more. There's one,

there's two, 98 more. We can get it. We're going

to put a list up. And the Lord may bless you

enough, 1 ,000 isn't enough. You know I don't

talk a lot about finances, about receiving it.

It's always about blessing you, right? And that's

my philosophy. Always has been. If God blesses

you, you'll bless the Lord because you understand

the principle. But I honestly think we can do

that. We can do this. And it was not my plan

to ask for that until about 36 seconds ago. But

it's like, well, you're talking the talk. Are

you ready to walk it? Let's walk it. Let's walk

over. Well, where are we going to spend it to?

Well, there's plenty of need out there. All we've

got to do is just pinpoint it. We've got two

great accesses to world missions, and I'm sure

if word gets out on 25th and Keith that Hopewell's

wanting to give 100, we'll have them standing

in line. Amen. Why? Because the need is great.

The mission is great. It exceeds. I know somebody's

scratching their head. Did he say 100 ,000? Yes,

that's what he said. It can be done. Some of

you got a 5 ,000. Some of you got 10 that you

can give. If you got it next week, we'll take

it. If you don't, we'll take it a little bit

alone. Take 1 ,000 here, 1 ,000 there. 500 here,

500 there, right? You pray and see what God asks

you to do. And here's, if we don't get the 100,

whatever we get is going to be more than we have.

I read a statement one time that said, aim for

the moon. If you land in the stars, you're still

higher than you were. You either drink milk or

buttermilk. That reach stretches. You have to

stretch it. See, that's what I'm talking about,

stretching. That's a stretch. You say, well,

you said it awful easy. I may have said it easy,

but in my mind, I know it's a stretch. But I

do know if we're faithful to God, he'll be faithful

to us. He'll be faithful to you. That's the reason

I say pray. Some of you, the Lord's probably

just a question. Don't raise your hand if you

don't want to. In that last five minutes, has

the Lord dropped a number in somebody's heart?

Anybody? He just spoke just real quick. Yeah.

That's the way he works. Now, how many of you

that didn't raise your hand are still arguing

with the number? Be honest. You're in the Lord's

house. To see the kingdom, the work of the ministry.

To fulfill the mission until the Lord Jesus comes.

That's our desire. So we reach up. We reach up

through worship. Like we did this morning, engaged

in worship. The time will come, but the time

now is, according to John. When the Father is

seeking such to worship Him, and He's seeking

those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth,

we reach up. For some, it's a greater length

to stretch to show outward displays of worship.

It is a stretch. How many times do you struggle

with those outward things? In worship, in a corporate

setting. You do good at home, but somehow or

another you get a little shy when you get around

a bunch of other folk. Stretch yourself. We reach

in through service. We serve each other. We serve

one another. We stretch. We listen through a

discerning ear. Lord, how can I help my brothers

and sisters? Lay somebody on my heart. Lord,

how can I engage in the mission? The mission

of ministry. How can I reach outside? Who? How?

You'd be amazed what a number one Chick -fil

-A meal will do for somebody who don't have one.

When you do it in the name of Christ. Right?

When you hand it to them and say, hey, Jesus

loves you. Or you ask them, say, have you had

lunch today? No. Hey, Jesus loves you. Let me

buy you lunch. What do you want? You just stepped

into the mission. It went from ministry to mission

just like that. There are people all around us.

Right? We reach in through service. Up through

worship. Out through deed. We reach out through

deeds. Things we do. Things we do. How we engage

each other. How we engage those in whom the Lord

puts around us. Amen. Stand with me this morning.

Brother Mills, you make your way down. He's going

to close us out with a... a missions prayer,

and there'll be a copy of it out. I hope you're

praying those daily prayers. I got so wound up

last week in where I was going and what I was

going to be preaching that I failed to have Brother

Milton Carter close us out with his prayer, so

we've got him back on the schedule. He'll be

praying that prayer over us and a prayer that

you can engage. Take these prayers and keep them.

When you don't know anything else to pray, take

one of these out. And pray this prayer. Pray

the prayers. And also, I failed to mention it

was good to have Sister Sandra back in the house

last week. Amen. I apologized and repented to

her this morning for that oversight. We did miss

her in the weeks that she was out and in recovery.

And so I repented. And I had to repent to Brother

Milton. Forgetting him. That's the reason Pastor

Brian does so much of the announcements and all

that stuff. Because when I hit that seat right

there, my mind's on one thing. And nothing else

is as important as that. But it's all important.

But my mind is wrapped around what thus saith

the Lord today. What's he saying to us today?

You know, a church grows. As the people engage

the ministry of the mission. That's how the church

grows. That's how it grows. When you tell people,

hey, the Lord's at work at our church. If you

don't have a place, come on down here, Sister

Courtney. You did well. You heard me, Tom. We're

going to pray for Sister Becca, who's in the

hospital with double pneumonia now, both lungs.

And needs a touch from the Lord, needs a healing

from the Lord. Anybody else? If you need a healing

today, you need the Lord to touch your body,

just come and join us down there. We're going

to pray and ask the Lord to do a great work.

Baby, come on down here. We need one. The Lord

is able. If I didn't believe he's able, we would

not take time for this. And if he's not able

to do this, then what about the rest? If I believe

he can cleanse me of my sin, forgive me of my

sin, this ain't nothing to that. This is just

healing what he's already created, right? He's

able. Stretch your hand this way. If you have

an unspoken request, lift your other hand toward

heaven, and we're going to pray over your needs

as well. Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus

today, we pray, we ask for a healing touch this

morning. Lord, touch our sister this morning.

You know exactly where she's at, what room she's

in, and you know what's going on in her body.

Lord, she's fought sickness long enough, long

enough. So, Father, we pray right now that you

heal that pneumonia. You dry it up. Lord, you

strengthen the vessel. You strengthen her body.

Add your grace. Add your strength. Lord, we pray

you touch for the Sean and the family, Lord.

Strengthen them as they pray. Lord, as we look

for answers to come from glory. Strengthen today

and heal. We know it's by your stripes that we

receive healing. And you took them all in your

body. And, Lord, we accept that today. And, Lord,

our faith is in you and the work of Calvary.

Do a healing work today, Father. Do a healing

work this morning, Father, in the name of Jesus.

Lord, we just pray for divine healing. We pray

for continued divine healing today, Father, in

the name of Jesus. Lord, take authority over

sickness and disease today. By your stripes,

again we declare healing. Healing in Jesus' name.

Father, touch Sister Barbara today. Touch Sister

Dean this morning. Lord, they need healing. They

have family that need healing. They need a touch.

Touch Brother Gary today, Lord. He needs a touch

in his shoulder this morning. Touch and heal

this morning, Father God, in the name of Jesus.

Do a mighty work, Lord. Do a mighty work today,

Father God, in the name of Jesus. Do your healing

work today, Father. Do your healing work today,

Father. Father, in the name of Jesus, take authority.

Lord, you said you'd take down every tongue that

rises up against us. You said no weapon formed

against us will prosper. And every tongue that

rises up against us, you would cast it down.

So take authority over this today, Lord. Add

a boldness to your child of faith this morning,

Lord. Strengthen today. Lord, we take authority

over the voices of the enemy. And we know that

greater are you that's in us than he that is

in this world. So, Father God, do a healing work

today, a delivering work, Lord, for you are our

deliverer. You said you'd prepare a table before

us and a presence. of our enemies. Hallelujah.

Let God arise and our enemies be scattered in

Jesus' holy name. Hallelujah. Supply. Reach out

and touch the Lord as he. Father, in the name

of Jesus, Lord. I pray a healing today, healing

in body. Lord, touch this cough this morning.

Touch winter today. Lord, she stands believing,

knowing that you're able. Lord, you said we all

should have childlike faith and to come and stand.

So, Lord, you touch her today in the name of

Jesus. Father, we pray for Brother David's mom

this morning. Lord, you know what the diagnosis

has been given. But we know that you are the

great physician. You are healer. So, Father,

we just bring her before you today. We lift her

up to you today. We believe. We believe. We trust

you, Lord. Lord, reach down and touch and heal

the liver today. Do a work, Lord. Do a great

and mighty work, God, that your name be glorified,

that you be praised. Do a healing work, Father,

in the name of Jesus. Lord, we thank you for

hearing us as we pray. In Jesus' name. Hallelujah.

Brother David, come on. Brother David's going

to pray this prayer over us. Thank you for being

here this morning. When he's finished, you'll

be dismissed. There should be a copy of this

out in the foyer on the table. Take it, take

one of the others, and pray daily. Praise the

Lord. When you pick up this paper, would you

just write on it the name of the country of Niger,

N -I -G -E -R, and the countries of Namibia,

N -A -M -I -B -I -A. Those are the two places

that we're looking for to raise this money. and

to build these churches. Let us pray. I come

before you, Father, in the name of Jesus, our

Lord and Savior. Thank you for this privilege.

In our quest for intimate worship and personal

spiritual growth, let us not forget Jesus' last

instructions to his church. Go into all the world.

We know that it is important to win those closest

to us, but we must never forget those around

the world that may never have a chance to hear

the wonderful good news that Jesus saves. First

of all, Lord, what is our part as a corporate

body, the Hopewell Church of God, in the Great

Commission? Lead our pastor in the vision that

you have for us in the fulfillment of reaching

the world for you. As he reveals the vision,

let each of us catch that vision in our hearts

and let it become an integral part of our lives.

Second of all, Lord, lead each one of us to the

place that we have in this commission. We are

aware that all of us cannot do the going, but

what is our part? Are we to pray for those that

are sent? Are we to encourage with words and

deeds? Are we to support with our finances? Or

is it obvious that we are to be involved to some

degree in all of these? Next, Lord. May we be

sensitive to the fact that you may call one or

more of us to do the going. Help us to get to

that place of willingness to heed the speaking

of the Holy Spirit. We commit ourselves to being

ever vigilant to keep the world in our conscience

and in our prayers as we strive to fulfill your

command, realizing that it is not a suggestion.

but a command. We ask these things in the name

of Jesus. And the church said, amen.