(MUSIC)
- GOOD EVENING LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
GOOD EVENING LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
I SAID GOOD EVENING LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE.
HOW MANY OF YOU ARE GLAD AND REJOICING IN IT?
OH, YOU'RE NOT ACTING LIKE IT. I'M EXCITED ABOUT TODAY.
BECAUSE IT'S ANOTHER DAY THAT HE GAVE.
ANOTHER DAY THAT WE GET TO COME IN WITH THE BODY OF BELIEVERS
AND WORSHIP TOGETHER AND GIVE PRAISE AND GLORY TO THE KING.
LET'S GO.
(UPBEAT MUSIC)
♪ WORSHIP MUSIC ♪
- HALLELUJAH, WE GIVE YOU GLORY IN THIS PLACE LORD.
WE GIVE YOU GLORY TONIGHT. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE.
WE MAGNIFY YOUR HOLY NAME. YOU'RE WORTHY, YOU'RE WORTHY OF
ALL PRAISE. OUR PRAYER, LORD, IS TO FLOOD OUR SOUL WITH YOUR
GLORY. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT, LORD.
MAGNIFICENT, MAGNIFICENT IS YOUR NAME. OH, WE MAGNIFY YOU.
WE MAGNIFY YOU TONIGHT, LORD. WE THINK ABOUT WHAT A
PRIVILEGE IT IS TO KNOW YOU. WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE THAT
WE CAN CHOOSE YOU. WE CAN CHOOSE LIFE. YOU GIVE US A CHOICE.
YOU'VE MADE US FREE WILL CREATURES. WE CAN CHOOSE YOU,
LORD. WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WE COUNT IT AN HONOR AND
A PRIVILEGE TO MAKE A CHOICE TO FOLLOW YOU.
HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WITH YOU AS THE TEAM SANG TONIGHT THROUGH
ETERNITY. THROUGH ETERNITY. PEOPLE WE DON'T HAVE A GRASP
OF WHAT ETERNITY IS. WE HAVE FINITE MINDS.
WE CAN'T REALLY FIGURE IT OUT SOMETIMES.
WHAT IS ETERNITY? IT'S SO IMMENSE.
YOU KNOW, WE THINK A BILLION IS A LOT. AND IT IS. DO YOU
REALIZE THAT, TASHA, IF YOU WERE GOING TO START TONIGHT
COUNTING TO A BILLION, IT WOULD TAKE YOU 31.7 YEARS.
AND THAT'S WITHOUT EATING OR SLEEPING. CONTINUALLY
COUNTING, ONE DIGIT PER SECOND, IT WOULD TAKE YOU 31
YEARS TO COUNT TO A BILLION. WE TALK ABOUT TRILLIONS, YOU
KNOW, OUR GOVERNMENT'S GOT A 40 MILLION, $40 TRILLION
DEBT OR WHATEVER. WE DON'T REALIZE WHAT THAT IS. DO YOU
KNOW, TASHA, IF YOU TRIED TO COUNT TO A TRILLION, IT
WOULD TAKE YOU 31,000 YEARS TO COUNT TO A TRILLION.
THAT'S HOW BIG A TRILLION, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WITH
OUR LORD TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF
YEARS. WE CAN'T GRASP THAT. AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
COIN, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT IS THE
FACT THAT PEOPLE THAT DO NOT KNOW JESUS ARE GOING TO BE
IN HELL FOR ETERNITY. AND THAT'S THE SAD FACT. AND
THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN THIS LITTLE SLIVER OF
TIME THAT WE HAVE ON EARTH, OUR 70, 80, 90, 100, 120
YEARS, WHATEVER IT IS WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO DO ALL WE
CAN TO REACH PEOPLE FOR HIM BECAUSE HE'S WORTHY AND HE'S
GIVEN US A PLAN AND HE'S GIVEN US GRACE. WE COULD ALL
BE DESTINED TO HELL, BUT HE HAS A PLAN FOR US. THANK
YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, JESUS. PRAISE GOD, WE
WORSHIP YOU, LORD. THANK YOU, LORD. HALLELUJAH, WE
GIVE YOU GLORY IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT. WHAT AN HONOR IT IS
TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
WE ARE PRIVILEGED PEOPLE. WE COULD BE OUT IN THE BARS, WE
COULD BE IN A HOSPITAL, WE COULD BE DOING A LOT OF
THINGS, IN A GAMBLING CASINO, BUT YOU FOLKS CHOSE
TO HIRE. BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND WORSHIP HIM.
AND THE SAME FOR YOU THAT ARE WORSHIPPING WITH US
ONLINE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. HALLELUJAH.
THANK YOU, JESUS. WE WORSHIP YOU, LORD. THE LORD SAID TO
ME, "ABSENT." AND I'M TRYING TO- I THINK I KNOW WHAT
THAT- WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO HERE. ABSENT IS THERE'S
SOMEONE EITHER WATCHING ONLINE OR YOU'RE HERE
TONIGHT AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN ABSENCE IN YOUR LIFE
AND THAT COULD BE A RELATIONSHIP CHANGE BECAUSE
SOMEONE BROKE OFF A RELATIONSHIP, MAYBE IT'S
SOMEONE MOVED, MAYBE IT'S A DEATH, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S
BEEN EXTRA HEAVY ON YOU RECENTLY THAT YOU'RE MISSING
THIS PERSON. YOU'RE LONELY AND FEELING SOME GRIEF MAYBE
DUE TO THIS ABSENCE THAT'S HAPPENED. AND GOD SAYS
TONIGHT HE WANTS TO RESTORE YOUR JOY AND HELP YOU TO
MOVE FORWARD IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO. IS
THERE ANYONE HERE AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT FITS MY
DESCRIPTION, I FELT THAT ABSENCE IN MY LIFE BECAUSE
OF A CHANGE IN A RELATIONSHIP, WHATEVER IT
MIGHT BE. IS THAT ANYONE HERE? COME ON OVER HERE AND
WE'RE GOING TO PRAY. I KNOW WHAT IT IS. IN YOUR CASE,
SHE'S OUT OF TOWN. SHE'S AWAY TO SCHOOL, RIGHT?
THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU'RE FEELING
THOSE THINGS, GOD'S CHOOSING TO SAY TO YOU TONIGHT, BOAZ,
THIS IS THE NIGHT THAT HE WANTS TO JUST CALL YOU OUT
AND JUST SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY. I'M
GOING TO RESTORE THAT JOY. YOU MISS HER? THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S NATURAL TO HAVE THAT FEELING. WHEN YOU LOVE
SOMEONE, YOU MISS THEM. YOU DESIRE TO BE WITH THEM. BUT
YOU KNOW WHAT? GOD'S GOT A BIGGER PLAN, AND YOU'RE
GOING TO JUST PATIENTLY GET THROUGH THIS. IT'S GOING TO
MAKE YOU STRONGER. IT'S GOING TO MAKE HER STRONGER.
AND THEN, I'M NOT PROPHESYING MARRIAGE OR
ANYTHING, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, WHATEVER HAPPENS,
YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO BE MUCH MORE POWERFUL. LET'S JUST
SAY IT THAT WAY. IS THAT OKAY, MOM? OKAY, OKAY. LET'S
DO THIS. PASTOR KEITH, WOULD YOU JUST LAY YOUR HANDS ON
HIM AND PRAY FOR GOD TO RESTORE HIS JOY AND HELP HIM
DURING THIS TIME OF SEPARATION. AND IF YOU'RE
WATCHING ONLINE TONIGHT, AND THAT'S YOU THAT I'VE
IDENTIFIED, WE PRAY ALSO IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS
THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE RESTORED, THAT YOU'RE
FULFILLED, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MINISTER TO YOU RIGHT
WHERE YOU'RE AT IN A POWERFUL WAY TO COMFORT YOU,
TO GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO MOVE ON THROUGH THIS
UNDERSTANDING THAT GRIEF AND SEPARATION AND LOSS CAN BE
DIFFICULT BUT GOD CAN RESTORE THAT JOY TO YOU AND
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH AND HE WILL GIVE
THAT TO YOU AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AND PRESS INTO HIM
AND THE BIBLE SAYS AS WE DRAW NEAR TO GOD, HE WILL
DRAW NEAR TO US AND THAT'S YOUR ASSIGNMENT NOW IF
YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE IS TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND THEN HE
WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU AND COMFORT YOU THROUGH THIS
TIME PERIOD AND THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO
OTHERS AND HELP THEM IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU WERE
COMFORTED. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, THAT'S OUR PRAYER.
HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. GLORY TO GOD. PRAISE GOD. THANK
YOU, JESUS. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
IS THERE SOMEONE HERE AND YOU'VE GOT ARM
PAIN? I'M THINKING IN YOUR RIGHT ARM, ARM PAIN, JUST
LIKE IT'S RADIATING DOWN YOUR ARM. IS THAT SOMEONE
HERE TONIGHT? IF IT'S SOMEONE ONLINE, YOU CAN LET
US KNOW. BUT I'M GONNA PRAY FOR THAT. IS THERE SOMEONE
HERE? QUICKLY, I WANT YOU TO JUST RESPOND IF THERE IS
ANYONE HERE. THAT SEEMS TO PERSIST IN YOUR RIGHT ARM IS
WHAT I'M FEELING. OKAY, IT'S PROBABLY SOMEONE ONLINE.
FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE REACH OUT TO THAT
PERSON THAT HAS ARM PAIN, AND IF YOU'RE AT HOME OR
WHEREVER YOU'RE AT, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO TAKE
YOUR LEFT HAND, LAY THAT ON YOUR RIGHT ARM, AND IN THE
NAME OF JESUS, WE COMMAND HEALING BY THE STRIPES OF
JESUS INTO THAT ARM. AND WE SAY, "ARM BE WHOLE, PAIN GO,
DEVIL TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF THIS INDIVIDUAL." WE SAY,
"COMPLETE HEALING," AND THAT THAT ARM IS RESTORED TO
NORMAL IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN, AMEN. PRAISE
GOD. THANK YOU, JESUS. WELL, HALLELUJAH. WHY DON'T YOU DO
THIS TONIGHT? TURN AROUND AND SHAKE HANDS WITH SOMEONE
AND LET THEM KNOW IT'S GOOD TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE
LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
(UPBEAT MUSIC)
- ALL RIGHT, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. WHAT A GREAT
LEAD-IN TO AN OFFERING MESSAGE, ALREADY THINKING
ABOUT TRILLIONS. HOW BIG IS OUR FAITH? I THINK IT JUST
EXPANDED TONIGHT. WELL, IT'S SO POWERFUL WHEN GOD SHOWS
UP. AND BEFORE I GET INTO TONIGHT'S OFFERING MESSAGE,
I WANNA MAKE A QUICK PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. AND
THIS REALLY GOES OUT TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, THE
THOUSANDS OF FRIENDS WE HAVE ONLINE, ABOUT THE ONE VOICE
TV APP. MAKE SURE YOU GO OUT AND MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE
WHETHER YOU'RE ON APPLE OR YOU'RE ON ANDROID. AND THIS
COULD BE FOR THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM TOO, IF YOU USE THE
APP. MAKE SURE YOU GET THAT UPDATED. SO GO TO YOUR APP,
UPDATE IT, MAKE SURE IT'S UPDATED. WE HAVE, AS PASTOR
SHANE HAS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, WE'VE LAUNCHED SOME
NEW CAPABILITIES AND A NEW LOOK AND FEEL TO THE APP AND
THE OVTV WEBSITE. AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU DON'T
MISS ANYTHING BECAUSE IF WE SHUT OFF THE APPS, THE OLD
APPS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON THE NEW APP. AND
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH
OUT TO US. WE LOVE YOU ONLINE VIEWERS AND WE LOVE
EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. YOU KNOW, FOR TONIGHT'S OFFERING MESSAGE,
I WANNA SPEAK TO PEOPLE THAT MIGHT THINK AND FEEL A
LITTLE BIT LIKE I DID AT SOME POINT IN MY LIFE.
USHERS, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND STAND IN THE AISLE WITH THE
ENVELOPES, AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE PUT UP THE OFFERING
INFORMATION ON THE BOARD. THESE ARE ALL THE WAYS TO
DONATE INTO THE MINISTRY. THESE ARE ALL THE WAYS THAT
YOU CAN SHARE YOUR TITHES, YOUR GIFTS, AND YOUR
OFFERINGS. YOU KNOW, I HAD A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I GAVE
MY LIFE TO THE LORD, I WAS READING MY BIBLE EVERY DAY,
I WAS PRAYING FREQUENTLY, ATTENDED CHURCH EVERY WEEK,
EXCUSE ME, BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING. SOMETHING WAS
IMPORTANT AND IT WAS MISSING, AND I GUESS I MIGHT
BE LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM, OR
MAYBE SOME OF YOU ONLINE. THE THING THAT WAS MISSING
THAT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT, OR MAYBE EVEN MORE
APPROPRIATELY, I DIDN'T WANNA FIGURE OUT, WAS I
WASN'T TITHING. AND LIKE I SAID, EVEN THOUGH MY LIFE IN
CHRIST WAS THRIVING, SOMETHING WAS MISSING. MY
WIFE AND I, WE GAVE SOME OFFERINGS, WE EVEN GAVE SOME
BIG OFFERINGS. SO I THOUGHT I WAS DOING WHAT SCRIPTURE
TOLD ME TO DO, BUT I WAS STILL MISSING THAT TITHING.
AT THE TIME I HAD A BUDDY AND HIM AND I WERE SUPER
SPIRITUAL. SO WE BELIEVED THAT WHEN JESUS CAME AND
DIED AND WHEN HE ROSE AGAIN, HE FULFILLED THE LAW AND IN
FULFILLING THE LAW, TITHING WENT OUT THE WINDOW. SO WE
WERE EXCITED. WE HAVE MORE MONEY IN OUR POCKET, WE'RE
DOING GOOD. BUT THE REALITY IS OUR CHRISTIAN WALK, AND I
CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR TASHA'S AND MINE, WE REALIZED THE
SOLE REASON WE WERE NOT OVERCOMING, ESPECIALLY IN
FINANCES, WAS BECAUSE WE HADN'T MADE THAT COMMITMENT
YET. LIKE I SAID, THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM, THERE MIGHT EVEN BE SOME PEOPLE ONLINE THAT ARE
IN THAT SAME POSITION. AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU
BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE GOD SHOWED UP. AND IN OUR LIFE,
THERE WERE INCREDIBLE WAYS THAT GOD STEPPED IN. HE
NEVER CONDEMNED US, NEVER TOLD US WE WERE WRONG, BUT
HE WORKED ON MY WIFE'S AND MY HEART TO THE POINT WHERE
WE STARTED TO TITHE. YOU KNOW, MY WIFE AND I BOTH
MADE A GOOD SALARY AND OUR FAMILY WAS IN ORDER. WE WERE
IN A GOOD SPOT IN LIFE, BUT WE LITERALLY WERE STILL
DROWNING IN SOME THINGS. SO AS SOON AS WE STARTED TO
TITHE, AND I'M NOT JUST TRYING TO TELL YOU A NICE
STORY FOR A MESSAGE, I'M SHARING EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED, OUR DEBT LIKE LITERALLY STARTED TO
DISAPPEAR. AND IT WAS OUR FAITHFULNESS AND TITHING
THAT OPENED THAT DOOR. WE WERE ACTUALLY ULTIMATELY
FULFILLING SCRIPTURE. DEBT WAS MIRACULOUSLY PAID OFF,
LIKE I SAID. WE STARTED HAVING MORE MONEY THE MONTH.
SOMETIMES THAT'S A CHALLENGE TO WRAP YOUR BRAIN AROUND.
AND WE ALSO HAD MONEY TO SUPPORT THE THINGS THAT WE'D
NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEFORE. AND LIKE I SAID, THE
BEST PART OF THAT STORY FOR US, THE MOST HEARTFELT PART
IS GOD NEVER CONDEMNED US, HE NEVER PUNISHED US, HE
JUST WALKED US THROUGH IT. SO IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING
IN OUR LIVES TO FINALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE
SURRENDERED TO THE LORD, WE MADE THAT LAST STEP. AND I
WANNA ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY HERE IN THE SOUND OF MY
VOICE, I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE AND PEOPLE
ONLINE THAT MIGHT BE IN THAT SAME POSITION, YOU HAVEN'T
MADE THAT FINAL STEP. I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW TONIGHT,
GOD IS DOING THAT SAME THING FOR YOU. HE'S GIVING YOU
THAT CONFIDENCE AND THAT COURAGE TO STEP OUT IN
FAITH. WHETHER YOU'RE HERE IN THIS ROOM, WHETHER YOU'RE
WATCHING ONLINE, OR WHETHER LONG AFTER THIS SERVICE IS
OVER, YOU'RE HEARING THIS MESSAGE, IT'S FOR YOU. AND I
REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU WITH THAT TONIGHT. I'VE GOT
TWO SCRIPTURES TO SHARE, PROVERBS 3:9-10. IF YOU
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORLD WAS LIKE WHEN SOLOMON PENNED
THESE WORDS, IT WAS AN AGRARIAN CULTURE, SO IT WAS
AGRICULTURE. SO THAT'S WHY THE REFERENCE IS, AS WE GET
INTO VERSE 10, VERSE NINE SAYS, "HONOR THE LORD WITH
YOUR POSSESSIONS "AND WITH THE FIRST FRUITS OF ALL YOUR
INCREASE." VERSE 10, THIS IS WHERE THE AGRARIAN COMES IN,
AND SOMETIMES AS 21ST CENTURY PEOPLE, THIS DOESN'T
MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE. PROVERBS 3:10 SAYS, "SO YOUR
BARNS WILL BE FILLED "WITH PLENTY AND YOUR VATS WILL
OVERFLOW WITH NEW WINE." I KNOW PASTOR HANK SAYS THE
NEW HT, THE NEW RBPT, ROBERT BLACK PETTIGREW TRANSLATION,
MIGHT SAY, "SO YOUR HOUSE WILL BE FILLED WITH PLENTY
"AND SO THAT YOUR ACCOUNTS WILL OVERFLOW "WITH NEW
FINANCES, NEW MONEY." THAT MIGHT BE A CONTEMPORARY WAY
TO LOOK AT THAT. AND IF THAT MAKES SENSE, I WOULDN'T
ENCOURAGE YOU TO REWRITE THE BIBLE AND PLEASE DON'T THINK
I JUST DID THAT. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN MAYBE
SOME MORE REAL TERMS. THE SECOND SCRIPTURE IS ONE
WE'VE HEARD A LOT. IT'S MALACHI 3:10, AND IT'S THE
LATTER PART OF THIS VERSE. AND TRY ME NOW IN THIS.
FIRST PART OF IT SAYS, "BRING ALL THE TITHES INTO
THE STOREHOUSE, "THAT THERE MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE."
AND TRY ME, GOD, TRY GOD NOW IN THIS, SAYS THE LORD OF
HOSTS. "IF I WILL NOT OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF
HEAVEN "AND POUR OUT TO YOU SUCH A BLESSING, "OR FOR YOU
SUCH A BLESSING, "THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH ROOM TO
RECEIVE IT." THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE. AND IF YOU WALK
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BOB AND TASHA PETTIGREW AND YOU GET
TO A POINT IN YOUR FAITH WHERE YOU'RE NOT SURE, OR
MAYBE YOU'VE LISTENED TO SOME TEACHINGS THAT MAY NOT
BE 100% CORRECT ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT VERSUS THE OLD
TESTAMENT, I WANNA CHALLENGE YOU TO GO BACK TO GOD'S
WORD, RELY ON THOSE SCRIPTURES, PRAY THEM,
DECLARE THEM, AND STEP OUT IN FAITH AND BEGIN TO TITHE.
I THINK IT'LL CHANGE YOUR LIFE LIKE IT CHANGED TASHA'S
AND MY LIFE. I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PRAY NOW. IF YOU
CAN PUT BACK UP THE GIVING INFORMATION, GIVE ME A
CHANCE TO PRAY. AND IF YOU CAN JOIN ME IN PRAYER, I
WOULD APPRECIATE IT. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK
YOU, LORD, FOR THIS TIME THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER
AND WE CAN WORSHIP YOU IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. LORD,
WE THANK YOU FOR THE ANOINTING THAT IS ON THIS
HOUSE, THE ANOINTING THAT'S ON OUR PASTORS, AND LORD,
THAT THAT ANOINTING FLOWS TO US. HEAVENLY FATHER, I ASK
FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT CAN HEAR MY VOICE, THE GRACE
AND THE MERCY THAT YOU SHOWED TASHA AND I, TO GIVE
THEM THE CONFIDENCE AND THE COURAGE TO TURN THEIR
FINANCES OVER TO YOU, LORD, AND THEN PUT YOUR WORD TO
THE TEST AND PUT YOU, THE LORD OF HOSTS, TO THE TEST,
THAT YOU WILL OPEN THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR
OUT A BLESSING THAT THEY CANNOT EVEN CONTAIN IT. GOD,
AS I STAND HERE TODAY, I CAN TESTIFY TO YOU IN MAN,
THAT'S WHAT YOU DID FOR US. AND LORD, I PRAY THAT THOSE
WORDS, LORD, WOULD RING IN SOMEONE'S HEART, LORD, AND
THAT THROUGH YOUR MIGHTY POWERFUL HAND, YOU WILL
ENCOURAGE THEM JUST AS YOU'VE ENCOURAGED US. LORD, I ASK THAT
YOU MULTIPLY EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR THAT COMES INTO THIS MINISTRY TO
FULFILL YOUR WILL AND YOUR DESIRE. AND LORD, I THANK YOU
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, AMEN.
THANK YOU. I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO PASTOR DOUG.
- AMEN, THANK YOU, BOB. APPRECIATE THAT
VERY MUCH. YOU CAN NEVER OUT GIVE THE
LORD, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS HE WILL REBUKE THE DEVOURER
ON OUR BEHALF. AND SO THAT'S WHY TITHING IS SO POWERFUL,
BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS THE DEVIL ON YOUR BACK. AND IT'S
WORTH 10% TO GET THE DEVIL OFF YOUR BACK. AMEN. I DON'T
HAVE ANY JOKES TO START WITH TONIGHT. SO I GUESS I'LL
JUST GET RIGHT INTO MY MESSAGE, AND THEN WE CAN GET
YOU OUT OF HERE A LITTLE SOONER MAYBE. I CAN'T
PROMISE I CAN GET YOU OUT BEFORE DARK, BECAUSE IT'S
JUST GETTING DARK TOO QUICKLY ANYMORE, I TELL YOU.
IT'S LIKE I LOATHE THE DAY THAT WE HAVE TO TURN OUR
CLOCKS BACK ANOTHER HOUR, AND IT'S GOING TO BE DARK AT
5 O'CLOCK. AND I WAS LIKE, OH, NO. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
SPRING IS COMING. SO THAT'S GOOD. WELL, HOW MANY OF YOU
EVER HEARD OF A GUY BY THE NAME OF JOHN NELSON HYDE?
I'LL DIG DEEP INTO YOUR HISTORICAL RESERVOIRS
TONIGHT. BUT HE WAS AN AMERICAN MISSIONARY THAT
WENT TO INDIA. AND HE WAS KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD AS
"PRAYING HYDE." YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE.
BECAUSE OF HIS PERSISTENT PRAYER LIFE, AND IT LED TO
MANY SPIRITUAL REVIVALS, HE WOULD SPEND ENTIRE NIGHTS IN
PRAYER. AND HIS MAIN FOCUS ON PRAYER WAS, "FATHER, GIVE
ME SOULS OR I DIE." THAT WAS WHAT HE WAS KNOWN FOR. AND
HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY INSPIRED THOUSANDS, AND
THERE WAS A GREAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN THE PART OF
INDIA THAT HE WAS CALLED TO, AND IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO HIS
PERSISTENT PRAYER LIFE. AND SOMETIMES AFTER WE'VE BEEN
SAVED, IT'S EASY TO LOSE OUR ZEAL AND FORGET THAT WE NEED
TO BE SHARING CHRIST WITH OTHERS. AND AS CHRISTIANS, I
KNOW IT'S REALLY EASY TO FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND
WE LOVE BEING WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS. AND SOMETIMES IT'S
JUST EASIER TO HANG AROUND OTHER CHRISTIANS THAN IT IS TO LOOK
FOR WAYS TO SHARE CHRIST WITH THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW HIM YET.
AND WE NEED TO ALWAYS BE AWARE. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAINTAIN A VISION AND A ZEAL TO REACH THE LOST. AMEN?
JESUS SPOKE OF THAT CONDITION 2,000 YEARS AGO,
AND IT'S STILL TRUE TODAY. LET'S LOOK AT MATTHEW
9:36-38, FAMILIAR SCRIPTURE, I'M GONNA READ IT OUT OF THE
NEW LIVING. IT SAYS, "WHEN HE SAW THE CROWD," SPEAKING
OF JESUS, "HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM, "BECAUSE THEY WERE
CONFUSED AND HELPLESS, "LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD.
"HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, 'THE HARVEST IS GREAT, BUT
THE WORKERS ARE FEW.' SO PRAY TO THE LORD WHO IS IN
CHARGE OF THE HARVEST. ASK HIM TO SEND MORE WORKERS
INTO THE FIELDS." AMEN. AND IT'S GOOD TO BE REMINDED OF
THE GREAT COMMISSION THAT JESUS ASSIGNED US. IT'S OUR
PRIORITY JOB AS CHRISTIANS TO BRING THE LOST TO JESUS.
AWARENESS IS A BIG PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT. IT'S EASY TO
BECOME WRAPPED UP IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND FORGET ABOUT
THOSE THAT GOD HAS PLACED IN OUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE. AND
THREE POINTS TO DO THAT. WE NEED TO DEVELOP AWARENESS OF
THOSE THAT ARE NOT PART OF GOD'S FAMILY, THOSE THAT
HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED GOD'S GRACE, AND THOSE THAT DO NOT
HAVE THAT ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE. WE TALKED
ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE AND UNDERSTANDING ETERNITY
TONIGHT. WELL, THE TEXT VERSE THAT I HAVE FOR
TONIGHT IS A SHORT ONE. IT COMES OUT OF ACTS 16:9-10.
BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF CONTEXT OF HISTORY
BEFORE WE LOOK AT THAT VERSE. THIS SCRIPTURE
DESCRIBES WHAT BIBLE SCHOLARS REFER TO AS THE
MACEDONIAN CALL. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE,
THE MACEDONIAN CALL? OKAY, IT'S A VISION THAT THE
APOSTLE PAUL RECEIVED IN A DREAM. IN THIS DREAM, PAUL
SEES A MAN FROM MACEDONIA PLEADING WITH PAUL IN THIS
DREAM. HE'S HAVING A DREAM AND THE MAN IS PLEADING WITH
HIM AND HE'S SAYING, "COME OVER TO MACEDONIA AND HELP
US." PAUL BELIEVED THAT THAT DREAM WAS A DIRECT, DIVINE
INSTRUCTION FROM GOD FOR HIS LIFE. AND IT COMPLETELY
TURNED PAUL'S MISSIONARY PLANS UPSIDE DOWN. HE HAD
INTENDED, PAUL HAD INTENDED TO CONTINUE HIS MISSIONARY
WORK IN ASIA MINOR, WHICH IS MODERN DAY TURKEY. AND THE
INSTRUCTION FOR PAUL AT THAT TIME TO TAKE HIS MISSIONARY
WORK TO MACEDONIA WAS A BIG THING BECAUSE THAT WOULD
MEAN HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO EUROPE. HE WAS LEAVING ASIA,
GO TO EUROPE SO THAT HE COULD GO FOLLOW GOD'S
COMMAND TO HELP THIS MAN IN MACEDONIA. THE MACEDONIA
REGION TODAY INCLUDES A LARGE PART OF GREECE. SO
THAT'S WHERE HE HAD TO GO FROM THE AREA THAT WE NOW
CALL TURKEY, HE HAD TO GO TO GREECE. SO THINK ABOUT THIS.
UP TO THAT POINT IN HISTORY, THE GOSPEL MESSAGE HAD BEEN
LIMITED TO ASIA. BECAUSE OF PAUL'S OBEDIENCE TO THE
MACEDONIAN CALL, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WHEN WE READ
THIS SCRIPTURE, THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE AND THE WESTERN
WORLD WERE THEN EXPOSED TO CHRISTIANITY. WHO KNOWS WHEN
THAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF PAUL HADN'T OBEYED. LET'S
READ THE VERSE NOW THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS
ACTS 16:9-10. I'M READING AGAIN OUT OF THE NEW LIVING
TRANSLATION. IT SAYS, "THAT NIGHT, PAUL HAD A VISION. "A
MAN FROM MACEDONIA IN NORTHERN GREECE "WAS
STANDING THERE PLEADING WITH HIM, "COME OVER TO MACEDONIA
AND HELP US." SO, THIS IS PAUL SPEAKING. WE DECIDED TO
LEAVE FOR MACEDONIA AT ONCE, HAVING CONCLUDED THAT GOD
WAS CALLING US TO PREACH THE GOOD NEWS THERE. SO, TONIGHT
MY MESSAGE IS ENTITLED, A VISION FOR THE HARVEST. I'M
BELIEVING TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA BE ENCOURAGED AND
RECHARGED WITH A ZEAL TO REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST. THE
APOSTLE PAUL'S AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF ONE
THAT HAD A VISION, AND THEN HE TOOK ACTION IMMEDIATELY
TO ACCOMPLISH HIS ASSIGNMENT. THE SCRIPTURE
PASSAGE THAT WE JUST READ SAID THAT PAUL HAD A VISION.
WE SEE THAT, THAT FIRST PART OF ACTS, VERSE NINE. THIS
WAS A SUPERNATURAL VISION OF A MAN PLEADING FOR PAUL TO
COME HELP HIM. AND EACH OF US NEED A VISION TODAY. WE
NEED TO KNOW WHAT GOD'S CALLING US TO AS
INDIVIDUALS, SPECIFICALLY WHILE WE'RE HERE ON THIS
EARTH. IN 1983, THE CHRISTIAN BAND PETRA
RELEASED A SONG CALLED NOT OF THIS WORLD. BOB REMEMBERS
THAT SONG. I LOVE THAT SONG BECAUSE IT'S A REMINDER, I
REMEMBER LISTENING TO IT IN THE 80S, IT'S A REMINDER OF
OUR DUTY AND CALLING DURING THE BRIEF PERIOD THAT WE'RE
HERE ON THIS EARTH. AND PART OF THE LYRICS IS AS FOLLOWS,
IT SAYS, "WE ARE STRANGERS, WE ARE ALIENS, "WE ARE NOT
OF THIS WORLD. "WE ARE ENVOYS. "WE MUST TARRY WITH
THIS MESSAGE THAT WE MUST CARRY. "THERE'S SO MUCH TO
DO BEFORE WE LEAVE "WITH SO MANY MORE WHO MAY BELIEVE.
"OUR MISSION HERE CAN NEVER FAIL "AND THE GATES OF HELL
WILL NOT PREVAIL." BOB, MAYBE YOU SHOULD COME UP AND
SING THAT SONG FOR US. I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW IT AND
IT'S LIKE, I CAN'T SING, BUT I CAN REPEAT THE LYRICS.
IT'S REALLY BETTER WHEN YOU HEAR IT WITH THE MUSIC. SO
YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK THAT UP ON YOUTUBE OR SOMETHING
AND LISTEN TO IT. IT'S A GREAT SONG. BUT IT TALKS
ABOUT WE'RE ENVOYS. ENVOYS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE
WOULD MAYBE USE THE WORD AMBASSADOR. IT MEANS THAT
WE'RE A MESSENGER OR A REPRESENTATIVE ON A
DIPLOMATIC MISSION. AND 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20 TELLS US
EXACTLY THAT. IT SAYS WE'RE CHRIST'S AMBASSADORS. GOD'S
MAKING HIS APPEAL THROUGH US WHILE WE'RE ON THIS EARTH.
AND WE'RE JUST HERE FOR THIS SHORT TIME. WE'RE ALIENS,
WE'RE NOT OF THIS WORLD. WE ARE IN THE WORLD, BUT WE'RE
NOT OF IT. WE DON'T PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE
THINGS THAT THE WORLD DOES, BUT WE'RE HERE ON A MISSION,
AREN'T WE? FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND WE HAVE
TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WE CAN WHILE WE'RE HERE. AND
SOMETIMES I THINK WE GET SO INVOLVED IN ALL OF OUR DAILY
DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES, WE LOSE SIGHT OF WHY WE'RE HERE
IN THE GREAT COMMISSION. IT'S OUR MANDATE AS
CHRISTIANS TO WIN SOULS FOR JESUS, BUT EACH OF US HAVE
SPECIFIC GIFTS AND CALLINGS. GOD'S GIVEN US SPECIFIC
EQUIPMENT AND ANOINTINGS SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THE
VISION THAT HE HAS FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES. THE
PERSONAL VISION FROM GOD IS A DIVINE CALLING FOR YOUR
LIFE. IT'S A UNIQUE PLAN OF HOW YOU CAN BEST FULFILL
YOUR PURPOSE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL PLAN OF GOD
FOR MAN. THE VISION THAT GOD GIVES YOU WILL LIKELY
INVOLVE BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST, DEVELOPING NEW
DESIRES THAT ALIGN WITH GOD'S HEART, AND USING YOUR
SPECIFIC GIFTS FOR PURPOSES LIKE WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP
AND DISCIPLESHIP, MINISTRY AND EVANGELISM. LET'S LOOK
AT ROMANS 12:6, I THINK, THROUGH 8. THIS SCRIPTURE
EXPLAINS IT VERY WELL. IT SAYS, "IN HIS GRACE, GOD HAS
GIVEN US DIFFERENT GIFTS FOR DOING CERTAIN THINGS WELL."
SO IF GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE ABILITY TO PROPHESY, SPEAK
OUT WITH AS MUCH FAITH AS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU. IF YOUR
GIFT IS SERVING OTHERS, SERVE THEM WELL. IF YOU'RE A
TEACHER, TEACH WELL. IF YOUR GIFT IS TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS,
BE ENCOURAGING. IF IT'S GIVING, GIVE GENEROUSLY. IF
GOD HAS GIVEN YOU LEADERSHIP ABILITY, TAKE THE
RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY. AND IF YOU HAVE A GIFT FOR
SHOWING KINDNESS TO OTHERS, DO IT GLADLY. THAT
ENCOMPASSES A LOT. EVERY ONE OF US CAN FIND SOMETHING IN
THERE THAT WE CAN DO. AS GOD DIRECTS US TO DEVELOP THIS
VISION, WE HAVE AN INCREASED SENSE OF PURPOSE AND
DIRECTION FOR OUR LIVES. CHRISTIANS THAT HAVE NO
CLEAR VISION ARE SOMETIMES JUST ABSORBED IN THEMSELVES,
OR SOMETIMES THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO RUN WITH
SOMEONE ELSE'S VISION, AND THAT USUALLY DOESN'T WORK
OUT. THEN THEY COME TO THE END OF THEIR LIFE REALIZING
THAT THEY DIDN'T ACHIEVE GOD'S PURPOSE OR PLAN FOR
THEIR LIFE. EARL ROBERTS LEARNED EARLY IN HIS
MINISTRY THAT GOD HAD A UNIQUE CALLING FOR HIM AND
IT WAS NOT TO IMITATE OTHERS. IN THE EARLY YEARS
OF HIS MINISTRY, EARL HAD A NOTION THAT HE HAD TO
IMITATE OTHER FAMOUS PREACHERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL
IN HIS OWN PREACHING. AND THERE WERE A LOT OF FIERY
PREACHERS AND EVANGELISTS OF THAT TIME THAT EARL ADMIRED.
BUT HE SOON REALIZED THAT GOD DIDN'T CALL HIM TO
BECOME AN ECHO OF ANOTHER PREACHER. HIS CALLING WAS TO
BE A VOICE FOR GOD, NOT AN ECHO. AND THAT REALIZATION
BROUGHT A SHIFT IN THE STYLE AND THE CONTENT OF EARL'S
PREACHING. ONE DAY, EARL FELT THE LORD DIRECTED HIM
TO READ THROUGH THE FOUR GOSPELS AND THE BOOK OF ACTS
THREE TIMES IN A 30-DAY PERIOD. THE FOUR GOSPELS AND
THE BOOK OF ACTS THREE TIMES IN 30 DAYS. AND HE WAS TO DO
IT ON HIS KNEES. THAT'S WHAT THE LORD DIRECTED HIM TO DO.
AND HE FELT IMPRESSED THAT GOD WOULD SHOW HIM JESUS AND
HIS HEALING POWER IF HE WOULD FOLLOW THAT DIRECTION.
ORAL OBEYED, AND IMMEDIATELY HE FELT A CHANGE AS HE
PREACHED. AT THAT POINT, HE SENSED HE WAS STANDING ON
FIRM GROUND DOING WHAT HE WAS CALLED TO DO. AND THAT
WAS ONE OF GOD'S IMPARTATIONS THAT INFLUENCED
ORAL ROBERTS TO DEVELOP HIS UNIQUE AND AUTHENTIC
MINISTRY STYLE. OUR MISSION IS A GOAL AND A DIRECTION
FOR OUR LIVES. PROVERBS 29:18 SAYS, "WHERE THERE'S
NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH." AND WHEN CHRISTIANS
BECOME INVOLVED WITH A CLEAR VISION, THEY MOVE INTO
ACTION, AND OFTEN THEY CAN SEE GREAT RESULTS IF THEY
HAVE THAT VISION. WHEN THE VISION OR MANDATE IS
LACKING, IT'S EASY TO GET ABSORBED INTO OUR DAILY LIFE
OR DEMANDS AS WE'VE TALKED, AND THEN IT BRINGS US TO A
POINT THAT WE JUST DO NOT PRODUCE FRUIT. NOW, MANY OF
YOU WERE EXCITED TO INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO
BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY. IT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE HAD A
PLAN AND A VISION FOR THAT DAY. IF WE'D NEVER TALKED
ABOUT IT, IF WE'D NEVER GIVEN YOU INVITATIONS, IF
WE'D NEVER PREPARED FOR IT, IF KAMALA HADN'T SET UP THE
FOOD TRUCKS, IF PASTOR MARK HADN'T ORDERED THE PICNIC
TABLES AND THE TENTS, AND WE HADN'T GOT YOU EXCITED ABOUT
INVITING PEOPLE, IT WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. THOSE
HUNDRED GUESTS THAT CAME THAT DAY AND WERE EXPOSED TO
CHRIST WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE PROBABLY, BECAUSE WE
HAD A PLAN. WE UNDERSTOOD THE PURPOSE FOR THE PLAN. WE
USED THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE PEOPLE TO CHURCH. AND
EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP, IF YOU TRIED AND YOU TRIED
TO INVITE PEOPLE, YOU MAY HAVE PLANTED A SEED. I HAVE
A TESTIMONY THAT I CAN SHARE. THIS IS RANDY
NOVOTNY. HE INVITED A COWORKER BY THE NAME OF
JESSE, AND I HAVE PERMISSION TO USE JESSE'S NAME BECAUSE
JESSE'S STILL ATTENDING THIS CHURCH, BY THE WAY, AND
THAT'S GOOD NEWS. BUT RANDY WORKS WITH JESSE, INVITED
HIM TO ATTEND BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY. JESSE CAME THAT
SUNDAY, AND HE BROUGHT TWO OF HIS FOUR CHILDREN, AND HE
ENJOYED THE SERVICE, AND HE STAYED FOR LUNCH OUTSIDE.
THE NOVOTNYS HAD LUNCH WITH HIM. BUT THEN THE SECOND
SUNDAY, JESSE RETURNED AND HE BROUGHT HIS OTHER TWO
CHILDREN. I THINK HE HAS A SITUATION WHERE HE
ALTERNATES TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN WITH HIS EX-WIFE
PROBABLY OR SOMETHING. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE STORY,
BUT ANYWAY, HE BROUGHT THE OTHER TWO, SO ALL FOUR
CHILDREN WERE EXPOSED TO THE CHURCH. HE ENJOYED THE
SERVICE AND HE CAME BACK ON A THIRD SUNDAY. THIS TIME HE
BROUGHT ALL FOUR CHILDREN WITH HIM, SO HE MUST HAVE
HAD FULL ABILITY TO HAVE ALL HIS KIDS THAT WEEKEND. SO
THAT WAS GREAT. AND THEN RANDY HAD A CONVERSATION
WITH JESSE, AND JESSE TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD QUIT
DRINKING BEER THREE SUNDAYS PRIOR. IN OTHER WORDS, ON
BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY, THAT WAS THE DAY THAT HE DECIDED
TO QUIT DRINKING. AMEN. HE SAID HE WOULD USUALLY BUY
BEER ON THE WEEKENDS AND DRINK WHILE THE KIDS WERE AT
HOME WITH HIM. HE SAID HE WAS SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH
MORE TIME HE HAD NOW THAT HE'S NOT DRINKING AND THAT
HE ACTUALLY FEELS GOOD WHEN HE WAKES UP IN THE MORNING.
HE ALSO TOLD US HOW HIS KIDS NOTICED AT THE STORE THE
OTHER DAY THAT SOMEONE HAD BEER IN THEIR CART AND THEY
SAID TO DAD, "LOOK, DAD, THAT'S THE SAME KIND OF BEER
YOU USED TO DRINK." JESSE SAID HE DIDN'T REALIZE HIS
CHILDREN WERE WATCHING HIM. TWO ARE IN SEVENTH GRADE,
ONE IN FIFTH GRADE, AND ONE IN THIRD GRADE. BUT HERE'S
THE CASE. THIS DAD HAS BEEN IMPACTED, PLUS FOUR CHILDREN
WERE IMPACTED, AND THEY'RE STILL ATTENDING. LOOK HOW
ONE INVITATION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOW I HAVE
ANOTHER THING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS STORY. RANDY HAD
INVITED JESSE TO OPEN THE HEAVENS A WEEK BEFORE. JESSE
COULDN'T MAKE THAT. BUT RANDY DIDN'T GIVE UP. HE
SAID HE DIDN'T COME TO OTH, SO I'M GONNA INVITE HIM TO
BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY. SO LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
DON'T GIVE UP AND YOU'RE PERSISTENT. WHAT IF RANDY
HAD SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, HE SAID HE DIDN'T WANNA COME TO
OPEN THE HEAVENS, I DON'T WANNA EMBARRASS MYSELF NOW
AND GO ASK HIM TO COME TO BACK TO CHURCH SUNDAY. YOU
KNOW, I JUST LOOK LIKE A FOOL DOING THAT. IF HE'D
HAVE DONE THAT, JESSE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, HE
WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN UP ALCOHOL, AND HIS CHILDREN
WOULDN'T BE EXPOSED TO THE GOSPEL. THAT'S THE POWER AND
THE IMPACT OF US HAVING ZEAL, ENERGY, AND
PERSISTENCE, AMEN? WELL, THE TRUTH IS THE VAST MAJORITY
OF PEOPLE ALIVE ON EARTH TODAY HAVE NO IDEA THAT GOD
HAS A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THEIR LIVES. THEY'RE LOST
AND WITHOUT HOPE, AND THEY THINK THE ONLY THING THAT
THEY'RE ALIVE FOR IS WHAT THEY ACHIEVE IN THIS
LIFETIME AND WHAT THEY CAN ACCUMULATE AND THE MONEY AND
PLEASURE THAT THEY CAN ENJOY BECAUSE OF THEIR NATURAL
THINKING AND THEIR NATURAL ABILITIES. THAT'S THE
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON THE EARTH. BUT MANY CHRISTIANS
WHO ARE SAVED AND ON THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN STILL HAVE A
LIMITED UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD HAS A PLAN AND A
DIRECTION FOR THEIR LIVES AND THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE DOING SOMETHING WHILE THEY'RE HERE. WHY ARE WE
HERE? WHY DID GOD SPECIFICALLY BRING TOGETHER
LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH AND INCLUDE YOU AS PART OF IT?
WHAT IS YOUR MISSION? IF WE CAN'T ANSWER THOSE
QUESTIONS, THEN WE NEED TO FIND THE ANSWERS SO THAT WE
CAN ACHIEVE GOD'S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES. AT THIS POINT, I
WANT TO ASK CONTROL TO GO AHEAD AND ROLL THAT VIDEO.
TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SCREENS. I WANT YOU TO SEE AN
ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMPACT THAT YOUR LIFE CAN HAVE ON OTHERS.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- THIS IS NATE. NATE BECAME A CHRIST FOLLOWER TWO WEEKS AGO
AND IS STILL A BIT GIDDY ABOUT IT. NOW, HE'S TRYING NOT TO DO
CARTWHEELS IN PUBLIC. NATE BECAME A BELIEVER PARTLY BECAUSE
OF KIM. YET, ODDLY ENOUGH, KIM AND NATE HAVE NEVER MET.
NOW, IS THIS POSSIBLE? WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK. KIM LOVED
JESUS FROM AN EARLY AGE, AND IN COLLEGE, SHE HAD A HUGE
IMPACT ON HER FRIENDS. WHILE MOST OF HER PEERS USED THEIR
COLLEGE YEARS TO, WELL, EXPERIMENT, KIM DIDN'T. SHE
REMAINED COMMITTED TO HER FAITH, AND IT SHOWED. IT
ESPECIALLY SHOWED TO LISA, HER ROOMMATE, WHO CONFESSED
TO KIM THAT SHE WANTED WHATEVER IT WAS THAT MADE
KIM SO STRONG. KIM SHARED HER FAITH WITH LISA, AND
LISA BELIEVED. YEARS LATER, AT LISA'S FIRST REAL JOB,
SHE MET THOMAS. THOMAS WAS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHEN
HE WAS 13 AND STILL CARRIED A LOT OF ANGER AND
BITTERNESS. THOMAS AND LISA BECAME FRIENDS, AND IT
WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE STARTED GOING TO CHURCH WITH
LISA AND HER HUSBAND. AFTER A LOT OF STUDYING AND
SEARCHING, THOMAS GAVE HIS LIFE TO CHRIST. FAST FORWARD
A FEW YEARS. THOMAS BECAME A PUBLIC SPEAKER AND WAS OFTEN
ASKED TO SPEAK AT LARGE EVENTS. SEE, WHEN HE BECAME
A BELIEVER, THOMAS DEVELOPED A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE.
HE STOPPED RESENTING WHAT HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM AND
STARTED BEING THANKFUL FOR THE SECOND CHANCE HE HAD
BEEN GIVEN. ON ONE PARTICULAR DAY, THOMAS
SHARED ABOUT OVERCOMING HARDSHIP AND WHAT IT MEANS
TO CHOOSE JOY. HE WAS SO PASSIONATE THAT A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE TO SHARE A LINK TO HIS VIDEO. THE VIDEO OF
THOMAS INSPIRED JAMES TOO. AND IF ANYONE NEEDED
INSPIRATION, IT WAS HIM. JAMES HAD A TON OF ISSUES.
HE SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE AS A PASSIVE HUSBAND, AN ABSENT
FATHER, AND A HORRIBLE FRIEND. THAT SAID, NO ONE
DISLIKED HIM MORE THAN HE DISLIKED HIMSELF. BUT
EVERYTHING CHANGED THE NIGHT HE HAPPENED TO WATCH THOMAS
ONLINE. SOMETHING CLICKED AND HE KNEW WHAT HE HAD TO
DO. HE SURRENDERED HIS MISERABLE LIFE TO SOMEONE
GREATER, AND HE WAS FOREVER CHANGED. JAMES FOUGHT HARD
TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOST YEARS WITH HIS FAMILY. AND
HE ALSO BEGAN WORKING WITH YOUNG MEN WHO WERE IN DANGER
OF THROWING THEIR LIVES AWAY. ONE OF THOSE MEN WAS
NATE. NATE DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HIS OWN DAD, AND HE HAD
NO REAL DIRECTION IN LIFE, ULTIMATELY BOUNCING FROM ONE
BAD DECISION TO ANOTHER. BECAUSE OF THAT, HE OFTEN
FOUND HIMSELF IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. NO ONE HAD
EVER SHOWED HIM WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE TO BE A REAL
MAN. THAT IS, UNTIL HE MET JAMES. JAMES BECAME THE
FIRST FATHER FIGURE NATE EVER HAD. HE LEARNED ABOUT
HONESTY, SELF-CONTROL, HUMILITY AND INTEGRITY, AND
WHERE THOSE TRAITS COME FROM. TWO MONTHS LATER, NATE
PUBLICLY DECLARED HIS BELIEF IN CHRIST. AND OF COURSE,
JAMES WAS THERE. NOW YOU CAN SEE THE CONNECTION. NATE WAS
IMPACTED BY JAMES, WHO WAS INFLUENCED BY THOMAS. THOMAS
SAW AN UNCOMMON JOY IN LISA, WHO LEARNED OF JESUS FROM
KIM. KIM'S RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD EVENTUALLY LED TO NATE'S.
FUNNY HOW THESE TWO PEOPLE HAVE NEVER MET AND NEVER WILL.
- AMEN. GOOD ILLUSTRATION, ISN'T IT, OF HOW THE IMPACT
CAN JUST FLOW FROM ONE TO ANOTHER. WHO
KNOWS WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU REACH ONE PERSON? NOW,
WE HAVE THAT MANDATE TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION
FROM JESUS. FIVE TIMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND
THERE'S PROBABLY MORE, I'M JUST GOING TO MENTION, FIVE
TIMES JESUS GAVE US DIRECTION IN SOME FORM
CONCERNING THE GREAT COMMISSION. I WANT TO READ
THESE FIVE VERSES THAT COME OUT OF THE FOUR GOSPELS AND
THE BOOK OF ACTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO READ THOSE QUICKLY
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON HERE TONIGHT. MATTHEW 28:19-20
SAYS, "GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES
OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, TEACHING
THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.
AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF
THE AGE." AMEN. THAT'S MATTHEW. LET'S GO TO MARK
CHAPTER 16:15. AND HE SAID TO THEM, "GO INTO ALL THE
WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE." LET'S
MOVE TO THE BOOK OF LUKE CHAPTER 24:46-47. AND THEN
LET'S MOVE TO THE BOOK OF JOHN CHAPTER 20:21. SO JESUS
SAID TO THEM AGAIN, "PEACE TO YOU. "AS THE FATHER HAS
SENT ME, I ALSO SEND YOU." AND THEN LET'S MOVE TO THE
BOOK OF ACTS, VERSE ONE, CHAPTER EIGHT, I'M SORRY,
CHAPTER ONE, VERSE EIGHT SAYS, "BUT YOU SHALL RECEIVE
POWER "WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU "AND YOU
SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME IN JERUSALEM "AND IN ALL JUDEA
AND SAMARIA "AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH." AMEN. SO
JESUS BASICALLY SAID THE SAME THING IN FIVE DIFFERENT
PASSAGES IN EACH OF THE GOSPELS AND THE BOOK OF
ACTS. JUST IN A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY, DIDN'T HE?
TOLD US TO GO. AND WHEN GOD SPEAKS SOMETHING ONCE IN THE
BIBLE, DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN? HOW
ABOUT IF HE SAYS IT FIVE TIMES, THOMAS? IT'S PROBABLY
VERY IMPORTANT, ISN'T IT? FIVE TIMES HE SAID THAT. GOD
HAS CALLED US AND ALL OF US AT LORD OF HOSTS AND THOSE
VIEWING ONLINE, YOU'RE INCLUDED TOO TO SHARE THE
GOSPEL OF CHRIST. IT'S OUR JOB TO HELP PEOPLE COME TO
FAITH IN CHRIST AND DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS,
TO BE WATER BAPTIZED AND BE DISCIPLED AND BROUGHT TO
SPIRITUAL MATURITY SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE AND HOW
TO ACT AS A CHRISTIAN, AND THEN TO BE EQUIPPED TO CARRY
ON THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH THEMSELVES. NOW, AS WE
CONTINUE LOOKING AT OUR TEXT SCRIPTURE TONIGHT, ACTS
16:9, WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT REALLY QUICK. WE SEE
THAT THERE WAS A PLEADING VOICE IN THIS. IT SAYS,
"THERE STOOD A MAN OF MACEDONIA AND PRAYED TO HIM,
SAYING, 'COME OVER INTO MACEDONIA AND HELP US.'" HE
WAS PLEADING WITH PAUL AT THAT POINT. "COME HELP US."
AND SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT PEOPLE'S LIVES AND WE
WRONGLY ASSUME THAT THEY ARE HAPPY IN THEIR LOST
CONDITION. THEY'RE NOT. THE WORLD HAS NO ANSWERS FOR
THOSE STRUGGLING WITHOUT DIRECTION OR HOPE. THE
DEVIL'S OUT TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY. THAT'S HIS
MISSION. AND THAT'S WHAT HIS MISSION IS FOR LIFE AND
THROUGH ETERNITY. PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH THEIR
MARRIAGES, WITH SICKNESS AND DISEASE, WITH FINANCIAL
PROBLEMS, WITH FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AND CHILDREN
THAT ARE IN TROUBLE. AND WE COULD GO ON AND ON LISTING
ALL THE THINGS, I DON'T NEED TO DO THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE
INVOLVED IN AND HAVE ISSUES WITH. BUT IN THE OUTWARD
APPEARANCE, PEOPLE CAN APPEAR TO BE COPING OKAY AND
DOING OKAY. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, WE CAN
SEE IT'S NOT SO, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY. LOOK AT THE
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED TO PRESCRIBED
SEDATIVES AND STIMULANT DRUGS. WE SEE PSYCHOLOGIST
OFFICES ARE JAMMED EVERYWHERE. PEOPLE ARE SAD
AND LIVE WITH TRAGEDY AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANSWERS. THE
GOSPEL THAT WE CARRY IS THEIR ONLY HOPE. PEOPLE WILL
NEVER BE FULFILLED WITHOUT GOD IN THEIR LIVES. THERE'S
A VACUUM IN EVERY PERSON'S LIFE WHEN THEY'RE BORN AND
IT ONLY CAN BE FILLED BY GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS IN
ISAIAH 57:20, BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA
WHEN IT CANNOT REST WHOSE WATERS CAST UP MIRE AND
DIRT. THERE IS NO PEACE, SAYS MY GOD FOR THE WICKED.
THERE YOU HAVE IT IN SCRIPTURE. THEY MAY LOOK
IMPRESSIVE. THEY MAY LOOK SUCCESSFUL. THEY MAY LOOK
LIKE THEY HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER. BUT THEY DON'T
HAVE PEACE UNLESS THEY HAVE JESUS. SO YOU'RE NEVER GOING
TO JUST ASSUME THAT SOMEONE, OH, DOESN'T NEED GOD BECAUSE
THEY LOOK SUCCESSFUL ON THE OUTSIDE. NEVER DO THAT.
THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE DEVIL'S TRICKS TO TRY AND
KEEP YOU FROM TALKING TO HIM. WE HAVE THE ANSWER.
PEOPLE ARE HURTING AND ONLY JESUS CAN IMPROVE THEIR
LIVES. WE HAVE TO TELL THEM. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 14, 27,
PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU. MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU, NOT AS
THE WORLD GIVES TO YOU. DO I GIVE TO YOU? LET NOT YOUR
HEART BE TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID. AND GOD'S
PRIMARY FOCUS IS PEOPLE. IT'S HIS CREATION THAT HE'S
CONCERNED ABOUT. NOTICE, AGAIN, ACTS 16:9-10,
PAUL SAW A MAN PLEADING. IT WASN'T AN ANGEL, AND IT
WASN'T A VOICE OF GOD THAT PAUL SAW IN THAT DREAM. HE
SAW A MAN PLEADING TO PAUL, "COME, GIVE ME SOME HELP IN
MACEDONIA." GOD WANTS US TO KNOW THAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD
BE ON PEOPLE. OUR TIME AND ENERGY AND RESOURCES ARE NOT
PRIMARILY INTENDED FOR THE PURSUIT OF FUN AND
ENTERTAINMENT AND PLEASURE. THERE WAS A MISSIONARY THAT
WAS WAITING IN A PASTOR'S OFFICE ONE DAY, AND WHEN THE
PASTOR ENTERED, THE MISSIONARY COMMENTED, "YOU
REALLY HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE LIBRARY." AND THE YOUNG
PREACHER AGREED AND RESPONDED, "YES, IT'S A
GREAT COLLECTION, BUT THE TRUTH IS IT'S ALL GOING TO
BURN UP SOMEDAY." WELL, HERE'S THE POINT OF THAT
STORY FOR US. THE SAME THING CAN BE SAID OF OUR HOMES,
OUR AUTOMOBILES, OUR FURNITURE, OUR COMPUTERS.
JARED, OUR COMPUTERS ARE GONNA BURN UP SOMEDAY. AND
ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE IN THE BANK. JARED SAYS,
"HALLELUJAH, I WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM ANYMORE." WE
LOVE COMPUTERS AROUND HERE. WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM. BUT IT
HELPS US GET THE GOSPEL OUT, DOESN'T IT? THAT'S RIGHT.
BUT IT IS ALL GOING TO BURN UP SOMEDAY. AND WHEN WE USE
THOSE MATERIAL POSSESSIONS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US, OUR
HOMES, OUR VEHICLES, OUR MONEY, TO PROMOTE THE GOSPEL
AND HELP OTHERS, THEN WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR HEAVENLY
BANK ACCOUNT. WE'RE STORING UP INVESTMENTS FOR THE
FUTURE OF ETERNITY AND BRINGING PEOPLE WITH US TO
HEAVEN. AND DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME. I'M NOT
SAYING THAT GOD DOESN'T WANT US TO HAVE FUN OR TO SAVE
FOR OUR FUTURE OR TO HAVE NICE THINGS. THAT'S NOT THE
POINT OF MY MESSAGE. I'M SAYING WE CAN'T FOCUS
OURSELVES ENTIRELY ON THAT. WE HAVE TO REALIZE WE'RE
STEWARDS IN WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ACCOMPLISH. WE'RE NOT OF
THIS WORLD, BOB. WE'RE ALIENS. WE'RE ENVOYS. WE'RE
AMBASSADORS. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS OUR PRIMARY
FOCUS? OUR PRIMARY FOCUS SHOULD BE ON GOD AND HIS
KINGDOM AND ON REACHING PEOPLE. WHY? BECAUSE WE CAN
TAKE PEOPLE TO HEAVEN WHEN WE GO. BECAUSE GOD'S FOCUS
IS ON PEOPLE. AND BECAUSE JESUS DIED FOR PEOPLE. GOD
GAVE US A HEART OF LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE IS MY
PRAYER. GOD GIVE US A HEART OF COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR
PEOPLE. OLIVER CROMWELL WAS SERVING AS THE LORD
PROTECTOR OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND BACK
IN THE EARLY 1600S. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HE
FACED DURING THIS TIME WAS A SEVERE SHORTAGE OF SILVER.
AND WITHOUT THAT PRECIOUS METAL, THE NATION RAN INTO
THE PROSPECT OF BEING UNABLE TO MAKE COINS. AND CROMWELL
ORDERED HIS ADVISORS TO SCOUR THE COUNTRY, LOOKING
FOR ANY SOURCE OF SILVER THAT THEY COULD FIND. AND
AFTER THE SEARCH OF A LOCAL CATHEDRAL, HIS MEN REPORTED,
"THE ONLY SILVER THAT WE CAN FIND IS IN THE STATUES OF
THE SAINTS STANDING IN THE CORNERS OF THE CATHEDRAL."
SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER, CROMWELL RESPONDED, "GOOD.
THEN WE'LL MELT DOWN THE SAINTS AND PUT THEM IN
CIRCULATION." WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE AMERICAN CHURCH
NEEDS TODAY, ISN'T IT? WE NEED TO BE PUT BACK INTO
CIRCULATION. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF REVIVAL AND
REFORMATION. PEOPLE ARE RIPE FOR HARVEST, AND WE NEED TO
BE IN CIRCULATION, JUST LIKE THOSE COINS. CIRCULATE AMONG
PEOPLE AND TOUCH LIVES AND HEARTS WITH OUR LOVE AND
TESTIMONY OF HOW GOD'S WORKED IN OUR LIVES. WHEN
THE HOLY SPIRIT POINTED PAUL TO HIS NEXT ASSIGNMENT, THE
PLACE THAT PAUL WAS TO SERVE, HE IMMEDIATELY
ENDEAVORED TO GO THERE. HE DIDN'T SAY, WELL, GOD, I'M
GOING TO PRAY ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE. AND MAYBE IN 30
DAYS OR 60 DAYS, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO
MACEDONIA. HE IMMEDIATELY EMBARKED ON THE JOURNEY, IT
SAID. AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY IN THOSE DAYS. HE
HAD TO TAKE A SHIP TO ONE PLACE AND THEN GO...
I DON'T EVEN KNOW. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE STORY
ABOUT HOW DO YOU GET TO- MAYBE YOU KNOW THAT ONE,
DAN. YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT SOME TO ME. BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T HAVE PLANES BACK IN THAT DAY. THEY COULDN'T FLY
LIKE YOU COULD, BUT THEY HAD TO GET THERE SOMEHOW. AND
TAKING SHIPS WAS ABOUT THE ONLY WAY. SO ACTS 16.10, IT
SAYS, "AFTER HE'D SEEN THE VISION, IMMEDIATELY WE
ENDEAVORED TO GO TO MACEDONIA." SO HE DIDN'T
WAIT. THAT WAS PAUL'S HEARTBEAT, TO BE WORKING,
LABORING, AND SEE A GREAT INGATHERING OF PEOPLE TO
CHRIST'S KINGDOM. HE WENT IMMEDIATELY. EACH OF US HAVE
A VINEYARD, A PLACE TO REAP, AND A MISSION FIELD IN OUR
LIVES. GOD'S PLANTED EACH OF US IN A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE
WE CAN MOST EFFECTIVELY SPEAK UP AND SHARE THE GOOD
NEWS. AND THOSE OF YOU IN THE TABERNACLE TONIGHT WERE
PLACED IN THE OMAHA METRO AREA TO WITNESS FOR CHRIST.
THIS IS WHERE GOD HAS PLANTED YOU, FOR NOW. FOR
THOSE OF YOU JOINING US ONLINE AND AROUND THE
NATION, WHEREVER GOD HAS PLANTED YOU IS YOUR
TERRITORY. THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO OCCUPY AND REAP A
HARVEST, UNLESS GOD UPRICH YOU AND DECIDES TO MOVE YOU
TO OMAHA TO BE PART OF THIS CHURCH, AND THAT'S FINE,
TOO. BUT FOR NOW, BE FAITHFUL WHERE YOU'RE AT.
GOD PUTS YOU WHERE YOU ARE SO YOUR NEIGHBORS CAN FIND
GOD'S FORGIVENESS, SO YOUR CO-WORKERS CAN SEE THE
LIGHT, SO YOUR FRIENDS CAN HEAR THE GOSPEL. GOD IS VERY
SERIOUS ABOUT US BEING FRUITFUL WHERE WE ARE
PLANTED. MANY OF US GET ALONG GREAT WITH OUR FRIENDS
AND NEIGHBORS AND CO-WORKERS. WE TALK SPORTS
WITH THEM, OR WE MAYBE TALK ABOUT OUR HOME OR OUR KIDS,
OR WE DISCUSS THE WEATHER OR POLITICS. BUT THE MAIN
QUESTION IS, HAVE WE EVER SHARED OUR FAITH WITH THEM?
SOMETIMES A SIMPLE INVITATION TO CHURCH CAN
OPEN THE DOOR OR LEAD TO A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR
FAITH. IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY, IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHO IS GOING TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL, OR WHAT THE BEST
RECIPE IS FOR APPLE CAKE, OR HOW GOOD YOUR GOLF GAME IS.
THE VISION THAT PAUL AND HIS TEAM DESCRIBES IN ACTS
16:9-10 IS REFERRED TO, LIKE I MENTIONED, AS THE
MACEDONIAN CALL. WE HAVE THE LORD OF HOSTS CALL. IT
DOESN'T QUITE HAVE THE SAME RING TO IT, BUT GOD HELPED
US TO ANSWER THE CALL. EVERYONE HERE IS EITHER A
MISSION FIELD OR A MISSIONARY. THINK ABOUT
THAT. EVERY ONE OF YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU WATCHING
CAN BE IN ONE OF TWO CATEGORIES. YOU'RE EITHER A
MISSIONARY OR YOU'RE A MISSION FIELD. THAT MEANS
YOU'RE SAVED AND ON YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN OR YOU NEED
CHRIST, ONE OF THE TWO. AND IF YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY TO
HEAVEN, YOU'RE PART OF GOD'S ARMY, WE NEED TO BE IN THE
MISSION FIELD WORKING THE FIELD, WORKING OUR VINEYARD.
YOU SAY, "WOW, I'M NOT SURE I KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO
DO." OKAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE WAYS THAT YOU CAN
EASILY WORK YOUR HARVEST FIELD OR YOUR VINEYARD AT
LORD OF HOSTS OR WHEREVER YOU LIVE IN THE NATION.
NUMBER ONE, SIMPLY INVITE FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES TO
CHURCH OR TO WATCH ONLINE. IF YOU'RE LIVING SOMEWHERE
AND YOU'RE WATCHING, YOU'RE TUNING IN TONIGHT, YOU CAN
DO THAT. YOU CAN INVITE SOMEONE TO TUNE IN JUST LIKE
YOU ARE DOING, OR MAYBE INVITE THEM OVER TO YOUR
HOME TO WATCH WITH YOU. BUT SEND THEM A TEXT AND REMIND
THEM HOW TO GET TUNED IN TO OUR- GIVE THEM OUR WEBSITE
ADDRESS. GIVE THEM OVM INFORMATION, WHATEVER YOU
NEED TO DO TO HELP THEM TO TUNE IN. JOIN OUR EVANGELISM
TEAM. ONE SATURDAY A MONTH, ONLY ONE SATURDAY A MONTH,
WE ASK PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN EVANGELISM. THEY MEET IN
OUR CENTRAL MAINTENANCE BUILDING. I THINK IT'S THE
SECOND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IS THAT RIGHT, RANDY?
WHAT TIME, NINE O'CLOCK? NINE O'CLOCK. AND THEY GO
OUT, THEY TRAIN YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING.
YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP. AND THEY'LL TRAIN YOU TO GO OUT.
AND THEY WON'T EVEN PUT YOU ON THE SPOT AND MAKE YOU
WITNESS THE FIRST TIME. YOU CAN JUST GO WATCH. OR EVEN
THE SECOND TIME. BUT GO, GET INVOLVED WITH THAT. YOU
KNOW, GIVE UP A SATURDAY MORNING FOR CHRIST TO GET
INVOLVED. RANDY WOULD LOVE IT IF HE HAD 100 PEOPLE SHOW
UP AND GO OUT AND DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT
TRAINING. JUST TO EVEN GO ONE TIME AND WITNESS LIKE
THEY DO AND EXPERIENCE THAT AND LEARN TO DO IT WOULD
JUST BE GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE IT HELPS
YOU THEN WHEN YOU'RE JUST IN YOUR NORMAL CIRCLE OF
INFLUENCE, MEETING AND GREETING PEOPLE, YOU'LL KNOW
HOW TO DO IT. YOU HAVE A PROCEDURE, A PLAN. THIRDLY,
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS THAT CAN OPEN
DOORS OF EVANGELISM. ONE OF OUR MEMBERS HERE TOLD ME
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THIS WAS JUST A SIMPLE THING SHE DID,
BUT I THOUGHT, WHAT A NEAT IDEA. AND IT'S GETTING
ALMOST TO THE TIME OF YEAR, YOU PROBABLY CAN'T DO IT A
WHOLE LOT MORE THIS YEAR, BUT THINK ABOUT IT FOR NEXT
SPRING OR NEXT SUMMER. WHAT SHE DID WAS DEVELOPED A
LITTLE FLYER SHE TOOK TO ABOUT 10 OF HER NEIGHBORHOOD
HOUSEHOLDS. AND SHE INVITED THEM TO COME ON A, I DON'T
KNOW IF IT WAS A SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR A SUNDAY
AFTERNOON, AND HAVE ICE CREAM IN HER DRIVEWAY. SHE
SET OUT FOLDING CHAIRS, SHE BOUGHT THE ICE CREAM, AND
SHE TOLD THEM TO BRING THE TOPPINGS. AND SHE BROUGHT
NEIGHBORS IN FROM ALL AROUND HER, AND THEY JUST HAD A
LITTLE SOCIAL GATHERING. SHE PROVIDED ICE CREAM, DID IT.
AND THEN SHE GOT TO KNOW HER NEIGHBORS. IT'S DEVELOPING
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS SO THAT YOU KNOW THEIR NAMES AT
LEAST, AND THEN YOU CAN START HAVING A CONVERSATION.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING? OR WHERE DO YOU GO
TO CHURCH OR WHATEVER? AND THAT'S THE START. YOU KNOW,
MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE
ANYMORE. LET'S MOVE ON. I HIT A SORE SPOT THERE, I
THINK. SO WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT ONE ANYMORE.
LEARN HOW TO TAKE THE BIBLE AND LEAD SOMEONE TO CHRIST.
IF YOU GO TO OUR INFORMATION CENTER, I'VE GOT THEM HERE,
WE HAVE BOOKLETS THAT YOU CAN PICK UP. ONE NEW BOOK
THAT WAS JUST WRITTEN BY PASTOR BRENDA IS CALLED
BIBLE BASICS. IT'S A GREAT ONE TO HAND OUT TO PEOPLE.
AND THE LAST PAGE OF IT HAS A PRAYER FOR SALVATION. SO
YOU CAN JUST READ THIS PRAYER WITH THEM AND GET
THEM SAVED. BUT YOU'RE GIVEN THE BIBLE BASICS OF HOW TO
UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE. THIS IS A GREAT ONE. IF YOU WANT
TO GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE, THERE'S ANOTHER BOOKLET THAT
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF. IT'S CALLED THE NEW BIRTH,
WRITTEN BY KENNETH HAGEN. AND IT EXPLAINS WHAT THE NEW
BIRTH IS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE BORN AGAIN.
SO THOSE ARE FREE. YOU CAN PICK THEM UP RIGHT AT OUR
INFORMATION CENTER. AND LASTLY, EVERY BELIEVER
SHOULD GIVE MONETARILY TO FINANCE THE GOSPEL TO THE
REST OF THE WORLD. WE HAVE A DROP DOWN ON OUR GIVING HERE
AT LORD OF HOSTS. IT'S CALLED MEDIA OUTREACH AND
MISSIONS. AND WHEN YOU GIVE TO THAT, IT EITHER GOES INTO
REACHING PEOPLE THROUGH MEDIA OR INTO THE
MISSIONARIES THAT WE SUPPORT THAT HAVE WORK IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE WORLD, AND SOME IN THE UNITED STATES, TO WIN
PEOPLE, WIN THE LOST. SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT
YOU CAN DO IS SUPPORT MISSIONS. MY PRAYER TONIGHT
IS THAT GOD WILL HELP EACH OF US TO ANSWER THE CALL TO
REACH THE HARVEST THAT HE'S ASSIGNED TO US. AMEN. IN
CONCLUSION, CHAPLAIN JEFF CONGDON TELLS A STORY THAT'S
WORTH SHARING. WHEN JEFF WAS IN BIBLE COLLEGE, HE WAS
ASSIGNED BY A PROFESSOR TO WITNESS THREE TIMES AND THEN
WRITE A REPORT ON EACH WITNESSING ENCOUNTER AND
TURN THEM IN BY A CERTAIN DATE. AND THE DUE DATE
ARRIVED AND JEFF REALIZED THAT HE WAS STILL SHORT ONE
OF HIS WITNESSING ENCOUNTERS. HE HADN'T DONE
THE THIRD ONE AND HE NEEDED TO DO IT. AND HE SAID,
"WHERE COULD I FIND SOME PEOPLE TO WITNESS TO?" HE
ASKED HIMSELF, AND THEN HE REMEMBERED THAT THE PIER ON
LAKE MICHIGAN ALWAYS HAD MANY PEOPLE JUST HANGING
AROUND, STROLLING AROUND THAT TIME OF DAY. SO HE WENT
DOWN TO THE MICHIGAN PIER AND THERE WAS A MARRIED
COUPLE SITTING ON THE BENCH. HE WALKED UP TO THEM AND HE
TOLD THEM ABOUT HIS ASSIGNMENT AND HE ASKED THEM
IF THEY COULD HELP OUT BY LISTENING TO HIS
PRESENTATION. AND THEY AGREED TO. AND THEN HE WENT
THROUGH THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS TRACT. HOW MANY EVER
REMEMBER THOSE LITTLE TRACTS THAT WERE THE FOUR SPIRITUAL
LAWS? SOME OF YOU DO REMEMBER THOSE. AND, WELL,
WE WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT IT JUST EXPLAINED HOW TO
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. IF I CAN REMEMBER IT,
I THINK IT WAS GOD LOVES YOU AND HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR
LIFE. ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF GOD'S GLORY. JESUS IS
GOD'S PROVISION FOR US, AND YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE JESUS
CHRIST AS , FOURTHLY, TO GO TO HEAVEN.THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT
THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS WERE. SO, HE GAVE THAT TRACK TO THEM
AND ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH IT. AND SHE SAID, THE LADY GOT TEARS
IN HER EYES, SHE SAYS "I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS ALL MY LIFE.
I GO TO CHURCH SOMETIMES, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD THE STEPS TO
SALVATION." AND JEFF CONCLUDED IN PRAYER
WITH THIS LADY, AND SHE WEPT AS SHE CONFESSED JESUS AS
HER SAVIOR. HER NAME WAS WRITTEN IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE,
AND HER DESTINATION THAT DAY WAS CHANGED FROM HELL TO HEAVEN. AND
ALL OF THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE JEFF WAS REQUIRED TO FULFILL AN
ASSIGNMENT FOR A CLASS. THERE AGAIN, HE WAS
DIRECTED, HE WAS ON A MISSION. AS WE CONCLUDE
TONIGHT, I WANT TO MENTION THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU SHOULD
HAVE RECEIVED ONE OF THESE AGAIN. YOU THINK I'M TRYING
TO GET RID OF THESE CARDS THE WAY WE'RE HANDING THEM
OUT ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW. SO WE ARE TRYING TO GET RID
OF THEM BECAUSE THERE'S A PURPOSE BEHIND THEM. THERE'S
DIRECTION FOR THEM. BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ONE OF
THESE AS YOU CAME IN. AND IF YOU DIDN'T, THERE'S MORE AT
THE INFORMATION CENTERS FOR YOU TO PICK UP. EVERY ONE OF
YOU SHOULD HAVE THESE IN YOUR WALLET, IN YOUR PURSE,
IN YOUR POCKETS, OR WHATEVER. AND I WANNA
CHALLENGE YOU TONIGHT. WE'VE GOT IT UP HERE ON THE SCREEN
SO YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. BUT I'M GONNA
CHALLENGE YOU TO DO THIS. PERSONALLY INVITE ONE PERSON
TO CHURCH DURING THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS. CARRY A CARD
WITH YOU. AND IF YOU HAPPEN TO RUN INTO SOMEONE AT THE
BARBERSHOP, THE GROCERY STORE, YOUR NEIGHBOR WHEN
YOU'RE OUT WALKING THE DOG OR GETTING THE MAIL, MAYBE
YOU GO TO THE GAS STATION AND THERE'S SOMEONE GETTING
GAS NEXT TO YOU, YOU CAN INVITE HIM TO CHURCH. WHO
KNOWS? BUT EVERY ONE OF US, UNLESS YOU'RE ISOLATED IN
YOUR HOME AND SHUT IN YOUR HOME FOR SEVEN DAYS SOLID
AND NEVER LEAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO MEET SOMEONE OR SEE SOMEONE. MAYBE YOU'RE AT A
RESTAURANT AND THE WAITRESS, WHEN YOU GIVE HER THE TIP,
YOU CAN SAY, "BY THE WAY, DO YOU HAVE A CHURCH?" THINK
OUTSIDE OF THE WALLS OF YOUR NORMAL LIFE. WE JUST GO
THROUGH LIFE LIKE ROBOTS, MEETING AND DEALING WITH
PEOPLE, BUT NEVER THINKING ABOUT THEIR SOULS. AND I'M
GONNA CHALLENGE YOU THIS WEEK, USE THIS CARD FOR ONE
PERSON. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'LL COME. IT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT THEY'LL NECESSARILY GET SAVED, BUT
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT A SEED CAN
DO IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. MAYBE THEY'RE SEARCHING. MAYBE
THEY'RE SEARCHING RIGHT AT THIS POINT, AND YOU'LL BE
THE ONE THAT GOD SENDS TO GIVE THEM AN ANSWER. AMEN?
AMEN. WELL, I WANT EILEEN TO COME RIGHT NOW. SHE'S GOING
TO LEAD US IN A PRAYER FOR THE LOST. I THINK THAT'S A
GOOD WAY TO CONCLUDE TONIGHT. AND LET'S ALL PRAY
FOR A BURNING ZEAL AND URGENCY TO REACH THE LOST
THAT ARE IN OUR CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE. AMEN. EILEEN,
YOU'RE HERE. GOOD. - WELL, AFTER THAT LITTLE- THAT
MESSAGE AND THAT LITTLE VIDEO CLIP, HOW MANY OF US
ARE GOING TO HAVE A STORY LIKE WHAT WE SAW IN THAT
VIDEO? THAT'S A CHALLENGE. AND WE PROBABLY ALREADY DO
SOME, BUT LET'S DO IT. SO DOUG ASKED ME TO PRAY FOR
THE HARVEST. AND THEN THERE'S A COUPLE AREAS I'M
GOING TO HIT. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO PRAY FOR US AS THE
ANSWER TO GO OUT INTO THE HARVEST. SO JUST RIGHT NOW,
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON, OR MAYBE THERE'S A
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
THAT YOU KNOW NEED CHRIST. SO WE'RE GONNA BE PRAYING
FOR THOSE PEOPLE. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO BE PRAYING THAT
GOD WOULD TURN THE HEARTS OF ALL PEOPLE ON EARTH. YOU
KNOW, I THOUGHT OF THE SCRIPTURE AS PASTOR DOUG WAS
PREACHING, THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, "APOLLOS WATERED." I
PLANTED THE SEED, "APOLLOS WATERED," I THINK IS HOW IT
GOES, BUT IT IS GOD WHO GIVES THE INCREASE. SO HE'S
RESPONSIBLE. WE'RE JUST RESPONSIBLE TO OBEY AND TO
PLANT SEED AND TO WATER AND TO BE ENCOURAGEMENT. WE
CAN'T FORCE ANYBODY, BUT WE ARE COMMANDED TO SHARE AND
TO GIVE OF OURSELVES. SO THINK ABOUT THAT PERSON. AND
ALSO, IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE, JOIN US AS WE ARE
PRAYING FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE
THAT YOU KNOW NEED TO COME TO FAITH IN CHRIST. SO
FIRST, THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS WE'RE GOING
TO HIT. AND I'M ONLY GOING TO PRAY A FEW MINUTES.
PASTOR DOUG SAID NO MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES. SO WHEN
IT'S FIVE MINUTES, LET ME KNOW. ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO
PRAY THAT GOD SOFTENS THEIR HEARTS AND THAT THEY WOULD
TURN TO JESUS FOR SALVATION, THAT THIS IS THE PEOPLE OF
THE WORLD, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR ACQUAINTANCES, AND ALL
PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. EZEKIEL 11:19 SAYS, "I WILL GIVE
THEM A NEW HEART, AND I WILL PUT A NEW SPIRIT WITHIN
THEM. I WILL TAKE THE HEART OF STONE, THE HARDENED
HEART, OUT OF THEM, AND WILL GIVE THEM A HEART THAT IS
SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE TOUCH OF THEIR GOD." SO,
FATHER GOD, WE ASK YOU NOW, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, TO
REMOVE THE STONY HEARTS FROM PEOPLE. WE GIVE THEM, GIVE
PEOPLE A NEW HEART THAT IS RECEPTIVE TO YOU. FATHER, I
PRAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE EARS TO HEAR. WE BIND UP THE
DEVIL AND THE LIES THAT ARE SPOKEN TO PEOPLE THAT HAVE
KEPT THEM IN BONDAGE. WE BIND SATAN FROM CAUSING
BLINDNESS IN PEOPLE. FATHER, I ASK YOU TO MOVE AND WORK
IN BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE AND CARE ABOUT AND
THAT ARE AROUND US AND ALL THE PEOPLE AROUND THIS
EARTH. OH FATHER, WE ASK FOR THAT GREAT, GREAT HARVEST,
THAT GREAT HARVEST NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AND IT
STARTS BY SOFTENING HEARTS. AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE
BEGUN THAT WORK IN THIS NATION AND AROUND THIS
WORLD. FATHER, WE'RE SEEING HARVEST ALREADY, BUT I'M NOT
SATISFIED. WE HAVE NOT SEEN ENOUGH, AND SO WE PRAY THAT
YOU SOFTEN HEARTS, THAT YOU WOO PEOPLE, THAT YOU DRAW
THEM IN, FATHER. I THANK YOU. PLACE A LONGING IN
PEOPLE'S HEARTS FOR A RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS
MEANING, THAT GIVES THEM PURPOSE AND HAS ETERNITY IN
HEAVEN WITH YOU. I THANK YOU THAT YOU SNATCH PEOPLE OUT
OF THE JAWS OF THE DEVIL. I THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE
MOVING IN BEHALF OF PEOPLE'S LIVES AND MAKING THEM OPEN
TO YOU. I THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT THEIR HEARTS ARE
SOFTENED TO HEAR YOUR GOSPEL, TO HEAR YOUR WORD.
POUR OUT YOUR SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH, O GOD. FATHER,
LIKE YOU DID IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, YOU POURED OUT YOUR
SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH. AND YOU SAID THAT IN THE LAST DAYS,
OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS WOULD PROPHESY. WE WOULD SEE SIGNS
AND MIRACLES AND WONDERS. FATHER, I AM NOT SATISFIED.
I HAVE NOT SEEN ENOUGH. AND I WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT.
SO I THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE MOVING IN BEHALF OF PEOPLE'S
LIVES. I THANK YOU, FATHER. ALSO, SECOND, WE ASK THAT
YOU SEND A SPIRIT OF CONVICTION. FATHER, WE PRAY
FOR THE SPIRIT OF CONVICTION TO BE RELEASED INTO THE
HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE PRAYING FOR. ACCORDING
TO JOHN 16:8, YOU SAID YOU WOULD CONVICT THE WORLD OF
SIN AND ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT AND THE JUDGMENT THAT IS TO
COME. SO WE ASK YOU, FATHER GOD, THAT YOU POUR OUT YOUR
CONVICTION, YOUR CONVICTING SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH, AND
THAT THERE WOULD BE A REPENTANCE AND A TURNING TO
YOU. LET PEOPLE SEE, THE PEOPLE WE SEE, LET THEM SEE,
THE PEOPLE THAT WE MEET, LET THEM SEE YOU IN US. SEE YOUR
LOVING KINDNESS AND YOUR TENDER MERCIES THROUGH US.
[SPEAKING IN TONGUES] MAY THERE BE A CONVICTION, A
CONVINCING OF ETERNITY AND THE TRUTH CONCERNING HEAVEN
AND HELL AND OF THE REALITIES OF THOSE. FATHER,
I THANK YOU THAT PEOPLE COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
AND THIRD, FATHER, WE ASK YOU, GOD, TO SEND A SPIRIT
OF WISDOM AND REVELATION TO THOSE WHO NEED JESUS. OPEN
THEIR MINDS AND THEIR HEARTS TO THE REVELATION THAT THEY
NEED A SAVIOR, AND IT IS JESUS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR. FATHER, WE PRAY ACCORDING TO EPHESIANS 1,
THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND
REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOU, THAT THE EYES OF
THEIR HEARTS, THAT THEIR UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE
ENLIGHTENED, SO THAT THEY WILL KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE
OF YOUR CALLING, WHAT ARE THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF
YOUR INHERITANCE, AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREATNESS
OF YOUR POWER TOWARDS THOSE THAT BELIEVE. I THANK YOU,
FATHER, THAT YOU SEND A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND
REVELATION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH DREAMS OR VISIONS,
ANGELIC VISITATIONS, OR AS IN JOB 3:33, IN A DREAM IN
THE NIGHTTIME, YOU, I FORGET HOW THE SCRIPTURE GOES
EXACTLY, BUT YOU OPEN PEOPLE'S EARS AND YOU SEAL
THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. ACCORDING, THAT'S WHAT YOU
SAID IN JOB 33, AND I THANK YOU, YOU MOVE UPON PEOPLE,
WHETHER IT'S A DREAM, A VISITATION THROUGH SOMEONE.
FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE REAPING YOUR HARVEST AND
PULLING PEOPLE INTO YOUR KINGDOM. FATHER, I ALSO
FOURTHLY PRAY FOR A REVELATION OF YOUR LOVE FOR
EACH PERSON. FATHER, WE ASK THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL BE
OVERWHELMED WITH YOUR LOVE. ROMANS 2:4, "IT IS THE
GOODNESS OF GOD THAT DRAWS MEN TO REPENTANCE." FATHER,
I THANK YOU THAT THEY ARE DRAWN BY YOUR GOODNESS. THAT
THEY WOULD GET THEIR EYES OFF OF WHAT THEY THINK IS
GOOD IN THIS WORLD AND REALIZE THERE IS MORE TO IT.
FATHER, I THANK YOU THERE IS A DISSATISFACTION WITH THE
THINGS OF LIFE. PEOPLE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THINGS ON
THIS EARTH. FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU PLACED INSIDE
EACH PERSON THIS VACUUM THAT CAN ONLY BE FILLED WITH YOU.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I PRAY THAT THE EYES OF THEIR
UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED. THAT THEY WOULD
UNDERSTAND THAT SATAN IS THEIR ENEMY, BUT YOU, JESUS,
YOU CAME TO GIVE THEM LIFE AND TO GIVE IT TO THEM
ABUNDANTLY ACCORDING TO JOHN 10. I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND NOW, LASTLY, LORD, I PRAY ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
938. WE ASK YOU, THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, TO SEND US AND
SEND ALL CHRISTIANS AS WORKERS INTO YOUR HARVEST
FIELD. FATHER, WE ASK YOU, THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, TO
SEND LABORERS INTO THE FIELD. THIS COUNTRY IS A
RIPE FIELD FOR THE HARVEST. THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS
AT WORK, WATCHING OVER YOUR WORD AS IT GOES OUT AND YOU
DRAW PEOPLE TO YOURSELF. AND FATHER, WE ASK YOU,
ACCORDING TO ISAIAH 6, ISAIAH SAID, "WHO SHALL I
SEND?" YOU ASKED THE QUESTION OF ISAIAH, "WHO
SHALL I SEND AND WHO WILL SPEAK FOR ME? WHO WILL GO
FOR ME?" AND ISAIAH SAID, "HERE AM I, LORD, SEND ME."
SO FATHER, I ASK YOU TO RAISE UP EACH OF US IN THIS
AS A SPIRIT OF THE EVANGELIST TO GO AFTER THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING AND HURTING. I THANK YOU THAT
YOU COMMISSION US NOW FOR THE HARVEST FIELD. AND WE
SAY, "HERE AM I, LORD, SEND ME." HALLELUJAH. I THANK YOU
FOR IT. SAY THIS WITH ME. "HERE AM I, LORD..." NOW SAY
IT AND THEN LET'S REPEAT IT TOGETHER. HERE AM I, LORD,
SEND ME. HERE AM I, LORD, SEND ME. THANK YOU, FATHER.
[APPLAUSE] - HOW ABOUT THAT?
AM I ON? OK. GOOD JOB. POWERFUL PRAYER, EILEEN, AND
YOU DID IT IN FIVE MINUTES, SO THAT'S GREAT. SHE'S NOT
EVEN RESPONDING. OKAY, WELL, HEY, I'M GOING TO GET YOU
OUT OF HERE TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR
ONLINE AUDIENCE IN A MINUTE. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, WE
DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS COMING SUNDAY, JOHN
AMAKUCHU, AMACHUKWU, WHATEVER, I'LL GET IT
EVENTUALLY. I'M WORKING ON IT. THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME
THERE, BOB. BUT HE'LL BE HERE, AND HE IS WORTH COMING
TO HEAR. HE'S BOLD AS A LION, AND HE HAS A GREAT
MESSAGE FOR THIS CHURCH. SO DON'T MISS SUNDAY. BRING A
FRIEND IF YOU CAN. DON'T FORGET RESCUING A
GENERATION, OCTOBER 29TH, INTERCEDING FOR CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES. THAT'S GOING ON. IT'LL BE AN ONLINE-ONLY
BROADCAST, BUT YOU'LL WANT TO TAKE PART IN THAT. AND
THEN DON'T FORGET THE OMAHA VICTORY CAMPAIGN, NOVEMBER 6
THROUGH THE 8TH WITH BROTHER KENNETH COPELAND AND SEVERAL
OTHER GUEST SPEAKERS. IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME HERE. AND
WE WANT TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT BROTHER COPELAND. SO GOD BLESS
YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. AND DON'T FORGET, YOU
HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS. AMEN? WE'RE
GOING TO GET SOME MORE PEOPLE SAVED IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN.
GOD BLESS YOU. HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU SUNDAY.