(MUSIC)
GOOD EVENING, LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH.
IT IS SO AWESOME TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD THIS EVENING.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO LIFT UP A PRAISE, GIVE GLORY TO
HIS NAME, BECAUSE HE'S GREAT, HE'S AWESOME,
HE'S WONDERFUL, HE'S MAGNIFICENT. HE'S THE KING
OF KINGS, HE'S THE LORD OF LORDS, HE'S THE GOD OF GODS.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GIVE HIM GLORY! WHOO! COME ON!
(MUSIC)
COME ON!
(MUSIC)
(WORSHIP MUSIC)
COME ON, THROW THOSE HANDS UP AND TELL HIM.
HALLELUJAH. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE, FATHER. YOU ARE SO
GREAT. YOU'RE AN AWESOME GOD. WE MAGNIFY YOUR HOLY NAME TONIGHT.
YOU'RE SO GOOD. YOU NOT ONLY CREATED US, BUT YOU SUSTAIN US.
YOU SUSTAIN US, YOU SUSTAIN THIS WORLD. YOU KEEP US MOVING. YOU
KEEP US ALIVE FOR YOU. OH, REIGNITE IN US A FIRE FOR YOU
THAT WE PRAY. THANK YOU, LORD. WE MAGNIFY YOUR NAME TONIGHT. WE
COUNTED AN HONOR TO WORSHIP YOU TO MAGNIFY YOUR NAME AND GIVE
YOU GLORY. OH, HALLELUJAH. YOU GIVE US THE ABILITY TO MOVE AND
BREATHE. HAVE LIFE YOU GIVE US THE ABILITY TO WORK TO DO THINGS
FOR YOU TO REACH OTHERS FOR YOU. WE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. AND
WE GIVE YOU HONOR TONIGHT IN THIS PLACE. WE THANK YOU FOR
YOUR DIVINE PRESENCE. THANK YOU, LORD. THE FACT THAT A HOLY GOD
WOULD INDWELL US WOULD MEET OUR NEEDS WOULD SACRIFICE HIS LIFE
FOR US. WE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. WE WORSHIP YOU TONIGHT,
FATHER. WE WORSHIP YOU. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
PRAY IN YOUR HEAVENLY LANGUAGE. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
THANK YOU, JESUS. OH, HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU,
JESUS. WE WORSHIP YOU IN THIS PLACE. HERE'S WHAT
I'M FEELING IN MY SPIRIT TONIGHT, THAT THERE'S
SOMEONE, YOU MIGHT BE HERE, OR MAYBE WATCHING, BUT
YOU LOVE CHRIST, YOU LOVE THE LORD. YOU LOVE CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS AS WE MOVE INTO THIS SEASON. SO IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT,
BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU FELT THIS MONTH THAT YOU'RE NOT
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CHRISTMAS DAY. AND IT'S NOT
BECAUSE YOU DON'T LOVE GOD AT ALL. IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR
CURRENT SITUATION, YOU FEEL ISOLATED, LONELY, WITHOUT BEING
AROUND THOSE THAT YOU LOVE FOR WHATEVER REASON. MAYBE IT WAS A
LOSS. MAYBE IT'S A SEPARATION. WHO KNOWS WHAT IT COULD BE?
THERE'S SO MANY REASONS FOR THAT. BUT IF THAT'S YOU AND
YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT, GOD HAS SOMETHING HE WANTS TO DO FOR YOU
TONIGHT TO HELP YOU MOVE THROUGH THAT WITH PEACE, BECAUSE HE'S A
GOD OF PEACE. YOU KNOW, JESUS EVEN EXPERIENCED LONELINESS. SO
THAT'S NOT A SIN. THINK ABOUT IT WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS AND HE
WAS DESERTED. THAT HAD TO BE THE LONELIEST TIME OF ANYONE'S LIFE.
THINK ABOUT IT THE NIGHT THAT HE WANTED THE DISCIPLES TO PRAY
WITH HIM AND THEY FELL ASLEEP. I'M SURE HE FELT LONELY AND
DESERTED AT THAT TIME. SO THERE MAY BE, THERE'S SOMEONE HERE AND
I WANT YOU TO RUN UP HERE NOW IF THAT'S YOU AND YOU'RE HERE. IS
THERE ANYONE HERE AND YOU'RE SAYING, "I JUST FEEL LIKE I NEED
A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT TO GET THROUGH THESE HOLIDAYS WITHOUT
WHOEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE MISSING." YOU NEED PRAYER.
ANYONE ELSE? MAYBE YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE. GOD WILL
MINISTER TO YOU IN THAT WAY TOO. THANK YOU, LORD. HALLELUJAH.
THANK YOU, JESUS. THANK YOU, LORD. EILEEN, I'M GOING TO GIVE
YOU THE MIC AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PRAY OVER THESE TWO AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO PRAY FOR THE ONLINE AUDIENCE TOO.
SO WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE AT WORK IN HER
LIFE, THAT YOU'RE MAKING HER WHOLE AND THAT ALL IS
WELL. FATHER, I ASK THAT YOU SURROUND HER WITH YOUR PRESENCE,
WITH PEOPLE WHO LOVE HER. ENCOURAGE HER HEART NOW, I PRAY.
FATHER, YOUR WORD SAYS THAT YOU'LL STICK CLOSER THAN A
BROTHER, AND I THANK YOU AS SHE WALKS THROUGH THIS TIME, YOU ARE
STICKING CLOSE TO HER. SHE IS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, BUT EVEN
MORE THAN THAT, I THANK YOU THAT YOU SURROUND HER WITH PEOPLE
THAT LOVE HER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AND NOW THIS ONE, FATHER,
I THANK YOU THAT YOU'RE AT WORK IN HIS BEHALF AS WELL. IN JESUS'
NAME, (SPEAKING IN TONGUES) I COME AGAINST EVERY PLAN
OF THE ENEMY TO HARM HIM, TO DISCOURAGE HIM.
I SAY NO, THERE IS GREAT JOY IN WALKING WITH YOU
AND IN LOVING YOU, AND SO I THANK YOU. NOT ONLY DOES HE
HAVE THAT JOY BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU, BUT BECAUSE OTHERS SURROUND
HIM THAT LOVE HIM. I THANK YOU FOR IT. I BLESS HIM IN THE NAME
OF JESUS. HALLELUJAH. AMEN. AMEN. AND FOR THOSE WATCHING
ONLINE THAT THAT MIGHT BE YOU, WE EXTEND OUR FAITHS TOWARDS YOU
TONIGHT, AND WE SAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS, BE BLESSED, BE
ENCOURAGED, AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE LORD SPEAKING TO YOU
TONIGHT, THAT THIS WILL BE ONE OF YOUR BETTER HOLIDAYS EVER,
BECAUSE THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU, AND WE PRAY FOR OPEN DOORS,
FOR FRIENDS, RELATIVES, ACQUAINTANCES, THAT YOU CAN BE
WITH TO MINISTER LIFE UNTO YOU, AND THEN THAT YOU ALSO
RECIPROCATE BY MINISTERING TO THEM, AND THEN YOU'LL FIND JOY
AS YOU SHARE CHRIST WITH OTHERS, AND YOU HAVE A MEANINGFUL
CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR CELEBRATING CHRIST. AND WE JUST PRAY IT IN
THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN AND AMEN. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU,
JESUS. PRAISE GOD. ONE OTHER THING QUICKLY. THERE'S SOMEONE
THAT YOU'RE A GIVER TO THIS CHURCH. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A
CALLING TO GIVE. YOU HAVE A MINISTRY OF GIVING. AND YOU
KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT GOD, I BELIEVE, SETS IN THE EARTH THAT
HAVE THAT DESIRE THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE MORE THAN JUST AVERAGE.
THEY WANT TO DO MORE. AND THERE'S SOMEONE HERE, OR MAYBE
WATCHING ONLINE AGAIN, AND YOU'RE IN THAT POSITION WHERE
IT'S YOUR HEART THAT, AS YOU LOOK OVER 2025, WE'RE DRAWING TO
THE CONCLUSION OF IT, AND YOU SAY, "FATHER, I WANTED TO DO
MORE. I WANTED TO GIVE MORE TO THE GOSPEL. I WANTED TO BE A
BETTER STEWARD OF WHAT I HAD, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE
YEAR'S NOT OVER YET, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU HAVEN'T
ACHIEVED WHAT WAS IN YOUR HEART TO DO. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
YOU'RE NOT A TITHER. I'M NOT SINGLING YOU OUT. I'M SAYING
MAYBE YOU HAD IT A GOAL TO GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT THAT WAS EVEN
ABOVE THE TITHE, BUT YOU HAVEN'T ACHIEVED THAT YET, AND YOU'RE
FEELING A LITTLE BIT DISCOURAGED ABOUT THAT, AND YOU SAY,
"FATHER, HOW AM I GONNA DO THAT? BECAUSE I HAD IT IN MY HEART TO
DO THAT FOR GOD." AND SO YOU HAVE A GOOD HEART. YOU JUST
HAVEN'T QUITE GOT TO WHERE YOU BELIEVED IN. MAYBE YOUR GOAL WAS
HIGHER THAN WHAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, OR MAYBE THE DEVIL'S TRIED
TO HOLD YOU BACK FROM ACCOMPLISHING EVERYTHING AND
RECEIVING THE BLESSING. BUT I WANT TO PRAY FOR YOU TONIGHT. SO
IF THAT'S YOU AND I'M TALKING TO SOMEONE HERE, RUN UP HERE RIGHT
NOW. WE'RE GOING TO PRAY FOR YOU. IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE,
THE SAME THING. WE'RE GONNA BELIEVE GOD FOR A MIRACLE
FINANCIAL TURNAROUND IN JESUS' NAME SO THAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH
EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR HEART TO DO FOR HIM. FATHER, I
PRAY FOR THESE TWO. I PRAY FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE.
I PRAY FOR THESE THREE TONIGHT THAT HAVE RESPONDED TO THIS
CALL. AND I SAY, YOUR HAND OF BLESSING IS UPON THEM FOR GOOD.
AND THE SEED THAT THEY HAVE SOWN WOULD MIRACULOUSLY SPROUT, AND
THEY WOULD RECEIVE A DIVINE HARVEST ON IT, AND EVEN
UNEXPECTED BLESSING DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, SO THAT THEY
CAN UPDO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THEY'VE EVEN DONE SO FAR. SO I
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AS I LAY MY HANDS ON THEM TONIGHT, I'M
GONNA ASK FOR A DIVINE IMPARTATION OF GRACE SO THAT
THEY CAN RECEIVE, BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS ARE GOOD AND THEY'RE PURE
FOR YOU, LORD. AND THEY WANT TO DO MORE, AND YOU WILL PROVIDE IN
JESUS' NAME. BE BLESSED. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, BE BLESSED, BE
BLESSED. IN JESUS' NAME, BE BLESSED. THANK YOU, LORD.
HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS. (SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
THANK YOU, LORD. PRAISE GOD. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU, JESUS.
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES) IS THERE SOMEONE HERE, YOU
HAVE A RIGHT FOOT, A RIGHT FOOT THAT'S CAUSING...
MY WIFE JUST SAID, "HOPEFULLY WE ALL HAVE A
RIGHT FOOT." BUT WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY WAS, YOU HAVE A
RIGHT FOOT THAT'S CAUSING YOU PAIN. WHEN YOU STEP ON IT, IT'S
CAUSING YOU PAIN. MAYBE THAT'S SOMEONE THERE AGAIN ONLINE. IS
THAT ANYONE HERE? COME UP HERE, YOUR RIGHT FOOT. THANK YOU,
JESUS. IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I COMMAND THE HEALING POWER OF GOD
INTO THAT FOOT. FATHER TOUCH HER IN JESUS' NAME. MOVE UPON HER.
IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. MOVE UPON HIM LORD. HEALING IN
THAT FOOT. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. MIRACULOUS TOUCH OF GOD.
THANK YOU LORD. HALLELUJAH. YOUR HEALING POWER IS JUST FLOWING
THROUGH YOUR WHOLE BODY. THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE
ADJUSTED AND THEY'RE BEING ADJUSTED RIGHT NOW. JESUS MAKES
WHOLENESS, WHOLENESS IN YOUR ENTIRE BODY. IN JESUS' NAME WE
SAY. HALLELUJAH. OH, HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. THANK
YOU JESUS. WELL, GOD IS GOOD. TURN AROUND, SHAKE HANDS WITH
SOMEONE AND SAY IT'S GOOD TO BE IN THE
HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
(MUSIC)
WELL, GLORY TO GOD. GLORY TO GOD. HALLELUJAH. IT IS OFFERING
TIME. WHAT A GREAT CROWD WE'VE GOT IN HERE TONIGHT. YOU GUYS
ARE EXCITED TO GET AROUND AND SEE EACH OTHER. THAT'S AWESOME.
I WANNA GET RIGHT INTO IT TONIGHT SO WE CAN GET PASTOR
DOUG BACK UP HERE TO PREACH. I KNOW HE'S GOT A POWERFUL WORD TO
SHARE TONIGHT ABOUT THE GREAT HARVEST OF SOULS THAT'S COMING.
AND I BELIEVE HE'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO
BE BOLD IN WITNESSING TO PEOPLE. SO I JUST WANNA SPEAK FOR A
MOMENT ABOUT BEING BOLD ABOUT GIVING. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST
ISSUES, AS WE KNOW, THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OUR GIVING IS
FEAR, NEGATIVE FAITH, FEAR. AND PEOPLE OFTENTIMES DON'T QUITE
FULLY TRUST GOD TO BE THEIR PROVIDER. HE'S JEHOVAH JIREH,
BUT THAT DOESN'T GET DOWN INSIDE OF EVERYONE. AND THEY TRUST MORE
IN THEIR MONEY, MORE IN THE WORLD SYSTEM THAN IN THE KINGDOM
ECONOMY. AND THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS US NOT TO DO THAT. IN FACT, IF
WE LOOK AT TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE, WHICH IS ALREADY UP, HEBREWS 13,
5, AND 6 INSTRUCTS US NOT TO DO THAT. IT SAYS, I'LL READ IT
FIRST IN THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD, IT SAYS, "MAKE SURE
THAT YOUR CHARACTER IS FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY, BEING CONTENT
WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. FOR HE HIMSELF HAS SAID, "I WILL NEVER
DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU." SO THAT WE CAN
CONFIDENTLY SAY, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
"WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?" AND I LIKE THIS A LOT TOO IN THE
AMPLIFIED CLASSIC, IF THEY CAN THROW THAT UP. IT SAYS, "MAKE
SURE THAT YOUR CHARACTER," WELL, LET'S SEE, MAYBE AMPLIFIED
CLASSIC DO WE HAVE? "IF NOT, LET YOUR CHARACTER OR MORAL
DISPOSITION BE FREE FROM LOVE OF MONEY, INCLUDING GREED, AVARICE,
LUST, AND CRAVING FOR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS. AND BE SATISFIED,"
I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN READ THAT ANYWAY, "BE SATISFIED WITH
YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH WHAT YOU HAVE. FOR HE, GOD
HIMSELF, HAS SAID, 'I WILL NOT IN ANY WAY FAIL YOU, NOR GIVE
YOU UP, NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT SUPPORT. I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT,
I WILL NOT IN ANY DEGREE LEAVE YOU HELPLESS NOR FORSAKE NOR LET
YOU DOWN, RELAX MY HOLD ON YOU, ASSUREDLY NOT. SO WE TAKE
COMFORT AND ARE ENCOURAGED AND CONFIDENTLY AND BOLDLY SAY, THE
LORD IS MY HELPER. I WILL NOT BE SEIZED WITH ALARM. I WILL NOT
FEAR OR DREAD OR BE TERRIFIED. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?
INTERESTING QUESTION. SOME YEARS AGO, I WORKED MY WAY INTO A
PRETTY DECENT REMOTE JOB MANAGING NATIONAL SALES FOR A
FAIRLY LARGE CHRISTIAN FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS AND I SOLD
THINGS LIKE OUTDOOR DIGITAL SIGNS, WEBSITE DESIGN, WEBINARS
ON HOW TO GROW THE CHURCH, THIS KIND OF THING. A LOT OF STUFF
THAT WAS NOT IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE WAS GIVEN OVER TO ME. AND WHEN I
WENT REMOTE, WE MOVED ACROSS THREE STATES. BUT ABOUT FOUR
WEEKS INTO THAT REMOTE ASSIGNMENT, HOW MANY KNOW WHEN
YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING FOR THE KINGDOM, YOU GET THE DEVIL'S
ATTENTION AND HE'LL COME FOR YOU. ABOUT FOUR WEEKS INTO THAT
ASSIGNMENT, WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE MAIN ROAD, PEAK TRAVEL TIME,
TOURIST TOWN, AND THE TRANSMISSION QUIT IN THE
AUTOMOBILE. WELL, NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT WAS KIND OF AN
UNTIMELY EVENT. I WASN'T ALL THAT EXCITED ABOUT TAKING ON A
NEW CAR PAYMENT JUST THEN, BUT MY ALTERNATIVE WAS NOT A GOOD
INVESTMENT EITHER TO POUR A LOT OF MONEY INTO THAT OLDER
VEHICLE. SO OFF WE DECIDED TO GO CAR SHOPPING AND DECLARING OUR
TRUST IN THE LORD. WE ARE GIVERS, AND SO WE KNEW THAT THE
LORD WASN'T GOING TO LEAVE US WITHOUT. SO WE WENT TO TRY OUR
HAND. BUT NOW IN THAT TOWN, TO FINANCE A NEW VEHICLE, YOU HAD
TO SHOW LOCAL RESIDENCY FOR AT LEAST A YEAR, AND YOU HAD TO BE
IN YOUR PRESENT POSITION AT WORK FOR AT LEAST A YEAR. THESE WERE
KIND OF SOME PROBLEMATIC CRITERIA AT THAT MOMENT, SINCE
OUR ENTIRE LIVES HAD CHANGED JUST FOUR WEEKS PRIOR. NEW
LOCATION, NEW RESIDENCE, NEW EMPLOYMENT STATUS. ONE OF THE
MAIN ISSUES WAS THAT I BECAME AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AND CAME
OFF THE COMPANY'S PAYROLL. AND SO I KNEW FROM MY EXPERIENCE AND
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY INCOME WAS GOING TO BE PRETTY LEVEL.
BUT YOU CAN'T SAY THAT AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TO A
FINANCE MANAGER IN A AUTO DEALERSHIP TYPICALLY. THEY DON'T
REALLY RECEIVE THAT. SO AS PREDICTABLE AS I THOUGHT IT WAS,
HE SAID WAY TOO MUCH UNCERTAINTY. SO THE ONLY TOOL
THAT I HAD LEFT IN MY TOOLKIT, THE POINT OF THIS, WAS MY
PERSONAL CREDENTIALS. I HAD MY RESUME AND MY PROMISE OF FUTURE
EARNINGS. DIFFICULT OFTENTIMES TO BUY A CAR THAT WAY. WE HAD TO
GO A FEW ROUNDS, BUT AFTER SEVERAL NEGATIVE REACTIONS, AND
WHEN IT JUST SEEMED LIKE I WAS GONNA HAVE TO PULL BACK AND
DEVELOP PLAN B, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE FINANCE MANAGER CAME BACK TO
THE FLOOR, HE TURNED AROUND COMPLETELY FROM HIS PRIOR
STANCE, AND HE SAID, "I'M GONNA DO THIS DEAL." HE SAID, "I DON'T
KNOW WHY, BUT I'M GONNA DO THIS DEAL." WELL, WE KNOW WHY, RIGHT?
HE HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD, WHETHER HE RECOGNIZED IT OR NOT.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT HEBREWS IS SAYING HERE IS WHAT CAN MAN DO
TO ME? WELL, IF I'M A GIVER AND I'M IN COVENANT WITH THE LORD,
IS MAN GONNA STOP ME FROM OBTAINING WHAT GOD HAS FOR ME?
IS HE GONNA STOP GOD'S PROVISION? IS HE GONNA TAKE THAT
AUTOMOBILE AWAY FROM ME WHEN I NEED IT TO GO EARN A LIVING? NO.
AND IN THAT SITUATION, THAT MOMENT, GOD WAS NOT GONNA
ABANDON US. HE WAS NOT GONNA FORSAKE US. HE WAS NOT GONNA
LEAVE US WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT. HE WAS GONNA INTERVENE IN WHATEVER
WAY NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT DEAL OCCUR. AND GUESS WHAT? HE'S NO
RESPECTER OF PERSONS. IF HE'LL DO THAT FOR ME AND MY FAMILY,
HE'LL BLESS YOUR FAMILY. HE'LL BLESS YOUR SOCKS OFF. AND YOU
DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BE PLANNING ON IT. THESE THINGS ARE NEVER
EXPECTED, BUT GOD ISN'T CAUGHT BY SURPRISE. HE'S GONNA PROVIDE
FOR YOU. SO TONIGHT, WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO IS NOT BE
TIMID, NOT GO IN FEAR. DON'T DRAW BACK WHEN IT COMES TO
GIVING, BUT LET'S HONOR THE LORD TONIGHT WITH OUR VERY BEST AND
EXPECT TO RECEIVE UNCOMMON, ASTONISHING, MIRACULOUS
BLESSINGS. CAN WE DO THAT? LET'S PUT THE GIVING INFORMATION ON
THE SCREEN. THERE IT IS. THERE'S MANY WAYS TO GIVE. WE GO OVER
THEM ALL THE TIME. I LIKE THE MOBILE APP, TEXT TO GIVE, A
WEBSITE, SEND YOUR ENVELOPES IN. IF YOU STILL DARE TO DO THAT
WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE, MAY WANNA GO TO ANOTHER COURIER, I
DON'T KNOW. GOT A QR CODE, I THINK I SAID, MAYBE NOT. AND AS
PASTOR BRENDA WAS MENTIONING ON SUNDAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE A
QUICK MENTION OF THIS BEFORE I WELCOME PASTOR DOUG BACK. AS SHE
WAS MENTIONING ON SUNDAY, WE'VE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
THAT ARE WAITING IN THE WINGS. WE WANNA BE PREPARED TO DO THAT.
WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO REPLENISH THAT CAMPUS AND
BUILDING FUND. AND I THINK THEY'VE GOT A SLIDE THAT THEY
CAN SHOW UP. SO IT'S IN THE DROP DOWN MENU THERE. IT'S A LINE
ITEM. SO IF YOU'RE GIVING TONIGHT AND YOU CHOOSE TO DO
THAT, THAT'S FABULOUS. WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE
CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT OUT THERE, ONLINE
AUDIENCE. WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU. YOU ARE AMAZING IN
YOUR RESPONSE TO US AND WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH. NO MATTER WHAT WAY
ANYONE HERE ONLINE CHOOSES TO GIVE OR WHAT FUN YOU'RE GONNA
GIVE INTO, LET'S JUST SOW BIG TONIGHT. LET'S GIVE BOLDLY.
LET'S TRUST IN THE LORD COMPLETELY FOR EVERYTHING THAT
WE NEED WHENEVER WE NEED IT AND BELIEVE FOR MIRACLES. AND HOW
ARE WE DOING? WE GOT EVERYBODY? IF EVERYBODY'S READY, LET'S HOLD
UP OUR OFFERINGS OR OUR DEVICES, OUR ENVELOPES, DEVICES,
WHATEVER. AND WE'LL PRAY OVER THIS REAL QUICK. FATHER, IN THE
NAME OF JESUS, I SPEAK BLESSING OVER EVERY GIVER AND EVERY GIFT
IN HERE AND ONLINE. AS A PEOPLE PLACE THEIR FAITH ABOVE THEIR
FEAR, WE KNOW THE LORD WILL NEVER DESERT THEM. HE'LL NEVER
ABANDON THEM. HE'LL NEVER LET THEM DOWN. YOU WILL ALWAYS LORD
PRESERVE THEM AND HOLD THEM UP WITH YOUR VICTORIOUS RIGHT HAND
IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE AND IN EVERY TIME OF NEED. AND AS THEY
TRUST IN YOU, LORD, AND SO INTO YOUR WORK, YOU WILL BRING THE
INCREASE AND BLESS THEM IN ASTONISHING WAYS. AND WE AGREE
FOR THIS NOW, AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF
JESUS. AND ALL WHO AGREED SAID, "AMEN." LET'S WELCOME PASTOR
DOUG. THANK YOU, PASTOR MARK. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. HALLELUJAH.
WE'RE ALL MOTIVATED TO GIVE AFTER PASTOR MARK SHARES WHAT HE
DOES WITH US, PRAISE GOD. HALLELUJAH. WELL, IT'S WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND I WON'T KEEP YOU PAST MIDNIGHT, I PROMISE YOU, 'CAUSE
I KNOW YOU HAVE THINGS TO DO. I DID WANT TO JUST KINDA GO BACK
TO SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. THE FIRST PART OF MY
MESSAGE WAS IN OCTOBER AND SOME OF YOU WERE HERE, SOME OF YOU
MIGHT'VE MISSED IT, BUT I JUST WANNA RECAP A COUPLE THINGS AS
WE FLOW INTO WHAT I FELT LIKE THE LORD WANTED ME TO SHARE
TONIGHT. LAST TIME WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE HARVEST, WE SHARED THE
SCRIPTURE OUT OF ACTS CHAPTER 16 VERSE 9, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO
PUT THAT UP TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANT TO RECAP THIS A LITTLE BIT.
IT WAS A STORY ABOUT PAUL HAVING A VISION, AND THIS NIGHT HE HAD
A VISION. A MAN FROM MACEDONIA IN NORTHERN GREECE WAS STANDING
THERE PLEADING WITH PAUL, "COME OVER TO MACEDONIA AND HELP US."
THAT WAS HIS PLEA. SO IT WAS A SUPERNATURAL VISION THAT PAUL
HAD DURING THE NIGHT, AND THIS MAN WAS PLEADING FOR PAUL TO
COME HELP GET THE GOSPEL TO MACEDONIA. AND THEN ACTS 16:10
SAYS, "AFTER PAUL HAD SEEN THE VISION, IMMEDIATELY WE
ENDEAVORED TO GO TO MACEDONIA." AND THAT WAS PAUL'S HEARTBEAT,
TO BE WORKING AND LABORING TO SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME TO
PASS, TO SEE PEOPLE COME TO CHRIST. AND WHEN HE HAD THAT
VISION THAT HE KNEW AND DISCERNED WAS FROM GOD, HE
IMMEDIATELY MADE PLANS TO GO TO MACEDONIA. AND WE MENTIONED THAT
UP TO THAT POINT IN HISTORY, THE GOSPEL MESSAGE HAD BEEN LIMITED
TO THE CONTINENT OF ASIA. AND BECAUSE OF PAUL'S OBEDIENCE TO
GO TO MACEDONIA, THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE AND THE WESTERN WORLD
WERE EXPOSED TO CHRISTIANITY BECAUSE HE WAS OBEDIENT TO THAT.
WELL, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT EACH OF US, AS GOD HAS
PLANTED US, WHEREVER WE'RE AT, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN THE
OMAHA AREA, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU, BUT THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN
OTHER AREAS ACROSS THE NATION OR AROUND THE WORLD, I'M SPEAKING
TO YOU. WHEREVER GOD HAS PLANTED YOU, HE'S GIVEN YOU A VINEYARD.
HE'S GIVEN YOU A PLACE TO REAP THE HARVEST. HE'S GIVEN US ALL A
MISSION FIELD, WHEREVER WE'RE AT. THOSE OF YOU, I SEE SOME
LINCOLN PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT, YOU HAVE A MISSION FIELD WHERE
YOU'RE AT. WHERE YOU'RE AT. HALLELUJAH. NOW, WE DON'T HAVE
THE MACEDONIAN CALL ALONG, PROBABLY, THAT PAUL HAD. NOT ALL
OF US ARE CALLED TO GO TO MACEDONIA, BUT WE'RE CALLED TO
MINISTER TO SOULS WHERE WE'RE AT. AND IF YOU'RE PART OF THIS
CHURCH, YOU HAVE THE LORD OF HOSTS' CALL. AMEN? GOD'S PLANTED
US EACH IN A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE WE CAN MOST EFFECTIVELY SPEAK UP
AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS. YOU'RE NOT IN THE PLACE THAT YOU'RE AT
BY ACCIDENT. IF YOU'RE OUT OF GOD'S WILL, THEN START SEEKING
HIM TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. BUT IF YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE
TO BE HERE, AND YOU'RE BELIEVED TO BE IN OMAHA OR WHEREVER
YOU'RE AT WATCHING ONLINE, THEN BE EFFECTIVE WHERE YOU'RE AT,
BECAUSE TIME GOES TOO FAST TO PLAY GAMES. OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE,
YOU'RE PLANTED WHERE GOD HAS PLACED YOU TO REACH THE PEOPLE
IN YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. YOU'RE NOT OFF THE HOOK JUST
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT IN THIS AUDITORIUM TONIGHT. WHEREVER
YOU'RE AT, YOU CAN INVITE OTHERS TO KNOW CHRIST. MAYBE YOU DO A
SIMPLE THING LIKE HAND THEM AN INVITATION TO WATCH ONLINE AND
JOIN IN ON A SERVICE, OR GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION OF HOW THEY
CAN WATCH AN ARCHIVE OF LORD OF HOSTS. MAYBE YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH THE PERSON THAT YOU CAN INVITE THEM
INTO YOUR HOME AND HAVE THEM OVER FOR COFFEE AND WATCH AN
ARCHIVE SERVICE, OR HAVE THEM COME AT 9 O'CLOCK ON SUNDAY
MORNING AND WATCH THE SERVICE WITH YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR
SITUATION IS. I'M NOT TELLING YOU TO DO THAT, BUT I'M TELLING
YOU TO REACH OUT WHERE YOU'RE AT. BECAUSE WE ALL NEED TO DO
THAT. WE ALL NEED A LITTLE KICK SOMETIMES TO DO WHAT WE'RE
CALLED TO DO. AMEN? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET TONIGHT IS
A LITTLE KICK. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE UP FOR A KICK? DID ANY OF
YOU WEAR STEEL-TOED SHOES? 'CAUSE I MIGHT STEP ON SOME TOES
TONIGHT, SO JUST BE READY. OH, YOU'VE GOT 'EM? OKAY, YOU'RE
GOOD. SOME PEOPLE COME PREPARED, YOU KNOW. SO SAY, "IF PASTOR
DOUG'S PREACHING, "I'M GONNA WEAR STEEL-TOED SHOES." SO
ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK I'D BE ANY HARDER THAN PASTOR HANK WAS LAST
SUNDAY. HE WAS PRETTY STRONG LAST SUNDAY. THAT WAS GOOD
THOUGH. DON'T YOU LOVE BOLD TEACHING? AMEN. HALLELUJAH. WE
WERE AT LUNCH WITH A MAN, EILEEN AND I WENT TO LUNCH WITH A
COUPLE TODAY, NOT TODAY, IT WAS YESTERDAY. I GUESS IT WAS
ACTUALLY BREAKFAST, BUT THE GUY SAID, "I TOLD PASTOR HANK, "IF
YOU EVER STOP PREACHING BOLDLY, I'M OUT OF HERE." BUT ANYWAY,
THERE WAS A CHINESE MAN THAT WAS FOLLOWING THE TEACHINGS OF
CONFUCIUS AND HE WAS CONVERTED TO CHRIST. AND HE EXPLAINED WHY
HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW CHRIST WITH THIS STORY. HE SAID, "A MAN FELL
INTO A DARK, DIRTY, SLIMY PIT "AND HE TRIED TO CLIMB OUT, BUT
HE COULDN'T GET OUT. AND CONFUCIUS CAME ALONG AND SAW THE
MAN IN THE PIT, AND HE SAID TO THE MAN, 'POOR MAN, IF YOU'D
HAVE LISTENED TO ME, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER FALLEN INTO THAT
PIT.' NOW BUDDHA CAME ALONG, BUDDHA SAW THE MAN IN THE PIT,
AND HE SAID, 'POOR MAN, IF YOU COME UP HERE, I'LL HELP YOU.'
THEN JESUS CAME ALONG, HE SAW THE MAN, AND HE SAYS, "POOR
MAN." JESUS JUMPED DOWN INTO THE PIT AND LIFTED HIM OUT. THAT'S
WHAT JESUS DOES FOR US. HE EXCHANGED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS
FOR US, FOR OUR SIN. HE TOOK IT, HE CARRIED IT, DIDN'T HE? AND
THAT'S WHY FALSE RELIGIONS CLAIM TO SAVE US BY OUR GOOD WORKS,
AND IT CAN'T BE DONE. THE TRUTH IS THAT NO ONE BY THEIR GOOD
WORKS. EVERYONE BORN ON THIS EARTH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS A SINNER. ONLY THROUGH JESUS CAN WE BE
SAVED. AND HE BORE OUR SINS AND DIED FOR US ON THE CROSS. AND NO
OTHER PERSON EVER DID THAT FOR US. SO THERE'S NO ATONEMENT, BUT
THROUGH JESUS. IN FACT, JOHN 14:6 SAYS, I REPEAT THIS A LOT
WHEN WE DO AN ALTAR CALL, BUT I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE
LIFE. NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. JESUS
MADE THAT STATEMENT IN THE BIBLE, SO IT'S TRUE. THERE'S NO
OTHER WAY. PEOPLE CAN BE DECEIVED BY FALSE RELIGIONS, BUT
THEY WON'T MAKE IT TO HEAVEN. THEY WON'T RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE
IN HEAVEN UNLESS THEY DO IT THROUGH JESUS. AND BECAUSE WE
HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF THAT TRUTH, IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR EACH OF US TO SPEAK OUT AND REACH SOULS FOR
CHRIST WHILE WE HAVE TIME TO DO IT. IT'S A GREAT TIME OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR US. WE HAVE FREEDOM. WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM
OUR GOVERNMENT AND AUTHORITIES AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE HAVE
COMMUNICATION GREATER THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE. WE HAVE SOCIAL
MEDIA AND WE HAVE SATELLITES TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO WITNESS TO
PEOPLE HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD. YOU KNOW, PASTOR TONY
SURESH SHARED ON OCTOBER 29TH WHEN WE WERE DOING THE RESCUING
A GENERATION EVENING, HOW THE NUMBER OF BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE. AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT OF ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE, THE FACT THAT BIBLE TRANSLATIONS COULD BE
COMPLETED SO MUCH QUICKER. AND NOW MORE PEOPLE ON EARTH THAN
EVER HAVE ACCESS TO THE WORD OF GOD IN THEIR OWN NATIVE LANGUAGE
BECAUSE OF THAT. AND IT'S EXPANDING AND GROWING QUICKLY.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN MORE PEOPLE
BELIEVING, MORE PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTHS OF THE
GOSPEL, AND MORE PEOPLE BEING SAVED. PASTOR ANTHONY SENT ME A
TEXT A MONTH OR TWO AGO, AND IT MADE ME AWARE OF A PEW RESEARCH
POLL. AND I BELIEVE THE POLL RAN FROM FEBRUARY TO MAY OF '25, BUT
IT WAS COMPLETED IN MAY OF '25. SO IT'S A FAIRLY RECENT POLL
THAT WAS DONE BY PEW. AND IN MAY OF '25, THIS SURVEY INDICATED
THAT 31% OF U.S. ADULTS SAID THAT RELIGION WAS GAINING
INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN LIFE. NOW THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE KIND OF A
SMALL FIGURE. 31% OF AMERICANS SAID THAT RELIGION WAS GAINING
INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN LIFE, BUT IT'S THE HIGHEST FIGURE THAT
WE'VE SEEN IN 15 YEARS. JUST A YEAR BEFORE, WHEN THE POLL WAS
DONE IN 2024, IT SHOWED 18% OF ADULTS SAID THAT RELIGION WAS
GAINING INFLUENCE IN AMERICAN LIFE. SO IN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD,
IT WENT FROM 18 TO 31%. THAT'S A BIG JUMP IN A YEAR. IT'S GOING
THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO INCREASE.
AND SINCE THEN, SINCE THAT'S HAPPENED, SINCE THAT PEW
RESEARCH POLL, CHARLIE KIRK'S MURDER HAS HAD A NATIONAL IMPACT
ON AMERICA, AND EVEN AROUND THE WORLD IN SOME CASES, TO BRING
PEOPLE TO CHRIST AND TO BRING THEM TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF
MORAL VALUES. AND I BELIEVE THE HUNGER FOR THE GOSPEL WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE. TODAY WE WERE VISITING WITH PASTOR BARB
DEAN OF LIVING WORD CHURCH IN SPENCER, IOWA. AND SOME OF YOU
WILL REMEMBER THAT LORD OF HOSTS DONATED $50,000, AND YOU WERE
PART OF HELPING US TO DO THAT SO THAT THEY COULD BUY AN ADJACENT
LOT TO THEIR CHURCH THAT THEY REALLY NEEDED TO EXPAND. IF YOU
REMEMBER THAT, THAT'S THE CHURCH I'M TALKING ABOUT. BUT ANYWAY,
THIS WAS REALLY EXCITING. SHE SHARED HOW REVIVAL AND INCREASE
HAD HIT THEIR CHURCH OVER THE LAST YEAR. IN FACT, WE HAVE A
PICTURE OF LIVING WORD NOW. THEY JUST WENT THROUGH A MAJOR
EXPANSION. AND IN, I THINK, JUNE OR JULY, I WAS UP THERE FOR THE
DEDICATION OF THAT. THEY BUILT ON IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE CHURCH, THAT WAS A NEW FOYER, AN OVERHANG DROP OFF.
THEY'VE HAD LIKE 16 INCHES OF SNOW IN SPENCER. IT'S COLDER
THAN IT EVEN IS IN OMAHA. AND SO THEY NEEDED A DROP OFF AREA FOR
PEOPLE. SO THEY HAVE THAT OVERHANG DROP OFF, A NICE BIG
FOYER. AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CHURCH BUILDING NOW. BUT ANYWAY,
I WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU. SPENCER, IOWA IS A TOWN OF ABOUT
11,000 PEOPLE. IT'S NOT A LARGE TOWN. BUT A YEAR AGO, THEY HAD
APPROXIMATELY 110 AVERAGE ATTENDANTS AT THEIR SUNDAY
MORNING SERVICES. 110 PEOPLE. NOW, A YEAR LATER, THEY ARE
AVERAGING 190 PEOPLE. THAT'S A 70% GROWTH OVER A YEAR. AND I
ASKED PASTOR BARBARA, I SAID, WAS IT MAINLY YOU THINK DUE TO
YOU DID THE BUILDING AND PEOPLE WANTED TO COME SEE IT AND CHECK
YOU OUT. SHE SAYS, I THINK IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE A HOLY GHOST
CHURCH. THAT WAS HER ANSWER. BUT ANYWAY, IT'S EXCITING TO SEE
THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPENING WHERE PEOPLE ARE BEING TOUCHED WITH
THE GOSPEL. AND THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THAT, AND I HAVE
NOTHING AGAINST OLDER PEOPLE WITH WHITE HAIR. YOU KNOW, YOU
MIGHT HAVE THAT, FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. BUT THE NICE THING
ABOUT, THE EXCITING THING ABOUT WHAT SHE TOLD US WAS THE
MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN ARE YOUNG PEOPLE,
YOUNGER COUPLES, TEENS. THEIR YOUTH GROUP NOW IS AVERAGING 45,
AND I BELIEVE THE YOUTH PASTOR HAD SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, A YEAR
AGO THEY WERE RUNNING IN THE 20S OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO
THEY'VE ALMOST DOUBLED IN THEIR YOUTH MINISTRY ALSO. SO SEEING
THE YOUNG PEOPLE COME TO CHRIST LIKE THAT, YOUNG FAMILIES, YOUNG
ADULTS, YOUNG COUPLES, THAT'S EXCITING BECAUSE THAT'S THE
FUTURE OF THE MINISTRY. AMEN. WELL, JUST THIS PAST MONDAY, I
SAW SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS KIND OF EXCITING TO ME AND I WANTED
TO SHARE THIS. I WASN'T EVEN GONNA INCLUDE IT IN THE MESSAGE,
BUT I SAW IT IN THE NEWS ON MONDAY AND I THOUGHT, I'VE GOTTA
TALK ABOUT THIS. IT HAPPENED IN TEXAS AND I THINK A FEW YEARS
BACK, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT
VOWED TO EXPAND CLUB AMERICA CHAPTERS INTO EVERY TEXAS HIGH
SCHOOL. TPUSA, WHICH IS CHARLIE KIRK'S ORGANIZATION THAT HE
FOUNDED, CALLS ITS HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS CLUB AMERICA. THE CLUB
AMERICA CHAPTERS TEACH AND PROMOTE CONSERVATIVE, POLITICAL
AND MORAL VALUES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THEY SET THESE
UP IN HIGH SCHOOLS. BUT ANYWAY, TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT VOWED
MONDAY TO EXPAND TURNING POINT USA'S HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS INTO
EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE. THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING THAT A
GOVERNOR WOULD STAND FOR THAT. NOW THIS WAS JUST REPORTED.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO THINK I WAS MISLEADING YOU, SO I PUT IT UP
THERE. GREG WEHNER FROM FOX NEWS PUBLISHED THIS ON DECEMBER
8, 2025 AT 3:45 PM. SO IF YOU WANT TO CHECK, MAKE SURE THAT
I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP, PASTOR MARK,
JUST VERIFY THAT I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH. BUT ANYWAY, GOVERNOR
ABBOTT AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK SPOKE OF THE TPUSA
CLUB AMERICA CHAPTERS AS AN IMPORTANT VALUES-DRIVEN EFFORT
TO SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION. THE GOVERNOR SAID THE GROWTH OF
CLUB AMERICA REFLECTS WHAT HE SEES AS A REVIVAL
OF FOUNDATIONAL VALUES ON HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES.
THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING, THAT'S REALLY NEAT.
AND THEN HE FOLLOWED THAT MESSAGE WITH A FORCEFUL WARNING
THAT SCHOOL OFFICIALS WHO PUSH BACK AGAINST
CLUB AMERICA CHAPTERS RISK STATE INTERVENTION.
HE SAID ANY SCHOOL THAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF A CLUB
AMERICA PROGRAM IN THEIR SCHOOL SHOULD BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY
TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY. I EXPECT MEANINGFUL DISCIPLINARY
ACTION TO BE TAKEN FOR ANY STOPPAGE OF TPUSA IN THE GREAT
STATE OF TEXAS. THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING. WE NEED MORE GOVERNORS
LIKE THAT. THAT'S A STRONG STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
I REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT HE DID SOME THINGS AND I
THOUGHT THAT REALLY WASN'T THAT GREAT OF A DECISION. BUT MAN,
I'M GAINING MORE RESPECT FOR THAT MAN AS TIME GOES ON. AND WE
NEED MORE GOVERNORS LIKE THIS. WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A GOVERNOR
ABBOTT OR A TIM WALZ? I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, THAT'S WHY LOCAL
POLITICS ARE SO IMPORTANT. THAT WE DO NOT NEGLECT. JUST BECAUSE
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND PASTOR HANK HAVE SAID THIS, I DON'T WANT TO
JUST TAKE A LOT OF TIME ON THAT, BUT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN OFFICE DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO GET
THINGS FIXED LOCALLY. WE HAVE TO DO OUR SHARE. AND BY THE WAY, I
WILL MENTION THIS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT FITS. A FEW, I DON'T
KNOW, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE HAD PEOPLE COME FORWARD THAT
WANTED TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND OUR
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. AND WE HAVE A HAMMER AND SWORD TRAINING
MEETING SET UP NOW FOR JANUARY 6TH FOR THE, WE'VE HAD LIKE 20
SOME PEOPLE FROM THIS CONGREGATION THAT WANTS TO BE
INVOLVED AND LEARN HOW TO DO THAT. HOW TO GO SPEAK AT A CITY
COUNCIL MEETING. HOW TO GO SPEAK AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND
LOOK PROFESSIONAL, LOOK ARTICULATE, SOUND ARTICULATE, I
GUESS IS BETTER THAN LOOK ARTICULATE, BUT WHATEVER. YOU
UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING. TO DO IT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY THAT
WOULD REPRESENT THE BODY OF CHRIST WELL, BUT ALSO MAKE A
STAND FOR MORAL VALUES. IF YOU DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THAT AND
YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT TRAINING, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT
ARE EXPERIENCED IN GOING OUT AND DOING THIS, YOU CAN GO TO THE
INFORMATION CENTER TONIGHT OR EVEN SUNDAY, AND THERE'S A SIGN
UP SHEET AT THIS CENTRAL INFORMATION CENTER RIGHT OUTSIDE
THE DOORS HERE, AND YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT. AND THAT DOESN'T
MEAN YOU'RE COMMITTED TO GO EVERY MONDAY NIGHT OR EVERY
MONTH OR WHATEVER. IT'S GET SOME TRAINING AND LET'S SEE WHERE YOU
GO WITH IT. TAKE ONE STEP. AND THE TRAINING WON'T HURT YOU EVEN
IF YOU NEVER DO IT. IT'S GOING TO HELP YOU. SO JANUARY 6TH FROM
6:30 TO 8PM WE'VE GOT THAT TRAINING. AND IT'S PASTOR HANK'S
HEART THAT THIS CHURCH GET MORE INVOLVED WITH LOCAL POLITICS. WE
NEED TO DO IT, WE NEED TO STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE, AMEN? OKAY,
LET'S GET ON WITH OUR MESSAGE TONIGHT 'CAUSE I WANNA GET YOU
OUT OF HERE FAIRLY SOON. IT'S ENCOURAGING TO SEE LEADERSHIP
TAKING A STAND FOR CHRISTIANITY. AND MY WHOLE POINT IN BRINGING
THIS UP WAS WE HAVE PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENTAL OFFICES SPEAKING
OUT FOR CHRIST, BOLDLY NOW, ACROSS THIS NATION IN SO MANY
AREAS, THAT IT JUST OPENS UP THINGS EVEN EASIER FOR THE BODY
OF CHRIST TO BE VOCAL. WE CAN FAN THE FLAMES OF REVIVAL. OUR
TEXT VERSE FOR TONIGHT COMES FROM MATTHEW CHAPTER 9, VERSES
35 THROUGH 38, AND THEN CONTINUES ON WITH MATTHEW
CHAPTER 10, VERSE 1. I WANT TO READ THAT TO YOU QUICKLY. JESUS
TRAVELED THROUGH ALL THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF THAT AREA,
TEACHING IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND ANNOUNCING THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT
THE KINGDOM. AND HE HEALED EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND ILLNESS.
WHEN HE SAW THE CROWDS, HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM BECAUSE THEY
WERE CONFUSED AND HELPLESS, LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. HE
SAID TO THE 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 HIS FIELDS. AND
LET'S CONTINUE ON WITH MATTHEW 10:1. JESUS CALLED HIS 12
DISCIPLES TOGETHER AND GAVE THEM AUTHORITY TO CAST OUT EVIL
SPIRITS AND TO HEAL EVERY KIND OF DISEASE AND ILLNESS. SO WHEN
JESUS SAW THE MULTITUDES, HE WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION ON THEM.
HE HAD DEEP CONCERN FOR THEM. HE WASN'T INDIFFERENT AND
UNCONCERNED FOR THEM. HE HAD GENUINE LOVE, NOT CONDEMNATION.
AND JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE. WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME COMPASSION
FOR THE LOST THAT JESUS SHOWED. I WANNA TALK ABOUT FIVE THINGS
THAT JESUS SAID ABOUT THE LOST TONIGHT. NUMBER ONE, I WANNA
EXAMINE, THERE ARE MULTITUDES OF THEM. NUMBER TWO, THERE'S AN
INFINITE VALUE IN THEM. NUMBER THREE, THEY ARE IN DANGER OF NOT
BEING HARVESTED. AND THE MULTITUDES ARE ACCESSIBLE. AND
THEN FIFTHLY, WE ARE EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED TO REACH THE LOST.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE FIVE POINTS TONIGHT. JESUS MADE
A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE LOST AND A GIANT FIELD OF GRAIN AWAITING
HARVEST. HE TOLD US THERE WERE MULTITUDES THAT ARE WAITING TO
BE SAVED. THERE'S MULTITUDES OF THEM. THE LORD JESUS SEES THE
BILLIONS THAT NEED SALVATION AROUND THIS WORLD AS A GREAT
FIELD OF GRAIN WAITING TO BE HARVESTED. JUST LIKE THE PICTURE
THAT SHOULD BE UP THERE NOW, THERE'S A BILLIONS OF PEOPLE OUT
THERE, JUST LIKE YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT FIELD OF GRAIN AND
YOU THINK HOW MANY PLANTS ARE THERE? HOW MUCH IS TO BE
HARVESTED? THAT'S WHAT JESUS WAS DESCRIBING. THEY'RE OUT THERE
WAITING. THESE PEOPLE MUST BE REACHED OR THEY WILL PERISH. THE
TITANIC WAS A LUXURIOUS BRITISH PASSENGER SHIP THAT SANK IN THE
NORTH ATLANTIC ON APRIL 15TH OF 1912. HOW MANY OF YOU WERE ALIVE
AND REMEMBER THE TITANIC SINKING? PASTOR MARK, WEREN'T
YOU AROUND WHEN... I GOT HERE IN TIME FOR THE MOVIE. OH, THE
MOVIE. HE SAW THE MOVIE ABOUT THE TITANIC AND THAT'S ALL HE
SAW. OKAY. SO NONE OF YOU WERE AROUND WHEN THE TITANIC WENT
DOWN. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HEARD OF THE TITANIC? OKAY. MOST
OF YOU HAVE HEARD OF THE TITANIC. WELL, IT'S NOT A
LAUGHING MATTER BECAUSE 1,500 PEOPLE DROWNED THAT NIGHT. THE
GOOD NEWS IS THAT 700 DID SURVIVE. ALTHOUGH 20 LIFEBOATS
WERE LAUNCHED FROM THE TITANIC AS IT WAS SINKING, THESE
LIFEBOATS TRAGICALLY ENDED UP ONLY PARTIALLY FILLED WITH
PASSENGERS. MOST OF THE LIFEBOATS PADDLED AWAY FROM THE
SINKING SHIP, TRYING TO GET TO SAFETY, AS PEOPLE WERE IN THE
WATER SCREAMING. AND THE PEOPLE IN THE BOATS WERE AFRAID THAT A
BUNCH OF SURVIVORS THAT WERE REMAINING IN THE WATER WOULD
SWAMP THE LIFEBOATS AND CAPSIZE THEM. SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO
SAVE THEM, THEY ESCAPED FURTHER OUT INTO WHAT THEY FELT WAS
SAFETY TO SAVE THEMSELVES. ANOTHER INTERESTING FACT ABOUT
THE TITANIC IS THAT EVERY LIFEBOAT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A
WINDPROOF LANTERN. AND INVESTIGATIONS DETERMINED THAT
MOST OF THE BOATS EXTINGUISHED THOSE LANTERNS SO THAT THE
DESPERATE PEOPLE COULDN'T FIND THESE LIFEBOATS. THEY DIDN'T
WANT THEIR BOATS TO BE FOUND. THEY WERE ALIVE, AND THEY DIDN'T
CARE IF THE OTHERS DROWNED. THAT'S LIKE CHRISTIANS WHO SAY,
I'M IN THE BOAT GOING TO HEAVEN, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I CARE
ABOUT. GOD, HELP US TO HAVE COMPASSION THAT JESUS HAS FOR
THE LOST. IT'S SELFISH OF US TO HIDE OUR LIGHT WHEN PEOPLE ARE
DROWNING ALL AROUND US. IT'S AN INSULT TO JESUS WHEN HE GAVE HIS
LIFE AND SUFFERED SO MUCH FOR THE SALVATION OF MANKIND. NUMBER
TWO, THERE'S INFINITE VALUE IN THE LOST. THINK OF THE VALUE OF
A SOUL. THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS ETERNAL. IT'S NOT CAPABLE OF
EXTINCTION. OUR BODIES ARE GONNA GROW OLD, WE'LL EVENTUALLY GET
WHITE HAIR, EVENTUALLY THE BODY DIES. THAT'S JUST A FACT OF
LIFE. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT. IT'S APPOINTED UNTO MAN ONCE TO
DIE, RIGHT? UNLESS WE GO IN THE RAPTURE BEFORE, SOMEDAY THIS
PHYSICAL BODY WILL DIE. THAT'S FACT. BUT MAN'S ETERNAL
EXISTENCE WILL EITHER BE IN HEAVEN SERVING CHRIST, OR IT
WILL BE THE OTHER OPTION, WHICH IS ETERNAL DAMNATION IN HELL.
PAUL SPEAKING TO CHRISTIANS, PAUL SPEAKING TO CHRISTIANS
AGAIN, HE SAYS, "TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT
WITH THE LORD." IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:8. SO IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN
AND YOU KNOW YOU'VE ACCEPTED JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR, YOU'RE
SERVING HIM, WHEN YOU LEAVE THIS EARTH, WHEN THIS BODY DIES, YOU
ARE NOW PRESENT WITH THE LORD. IT'S AUTOMATIC. THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENS. IT'S A TRANSFERENCE OF YOUR SPIRIT. AND JESUS ALSO SAID
IN MARK 8:36, "WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE
WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL?" WHICH IS ANOTHER TERM FOR
SPIRIT. AND HE POINTS OUT THAT OUR ETERNAL HUMAN SPIRITS ARE
MORE VALUABLE THAN THE RICHES OF THIS WORLD. THE REAL MEASURE OF
OUR WORTH IS MEASURED BY THE HIGH PRICE THAT GOD ALLOWED
JESUS TO PAY TO REDEEM US. JESUS WAS TORTURED, BEATEN,
HUMILIATED, AND DIED FOR US. GOD THOUGHT WE WERE THAT VALUABLE.
AND WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES, DO WE LOOK AT PEOPLE AROUND US AS
WORTH THAT MUCH? DO WE SEE PEOPLE AS VALUABLE AS GOD SEES
THEM? WE NEED TO HAVE THE EYES. IF YOU DON'T, THEN PRAY FOR
THAT. GOD, HELP ME TO SEE OTHERS AS VALUABLE. BECAUSE I
UNDERSTAND, I DEAL WITH PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, PROBABLY MORE THAN
SOME OF YOU DO. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN RUB YOU THE WRONG
WAY, SOMETIMES THEY CAN IRRITATE YOU, SOMETIMES THEIR MANNERISMS,
THEIR CHARACTER, THEIR APPEARANCE, WHATEVER IT IS, CAN
JUST BE A LITTLE BIT OBNOXIOUS OR WHATEVER. BUT GOD SEES
THROUGH THAT AND HE SEES SOULS, ETERNAL SOULS THAT NEED HIM. AND
THE TRUTH IS PEOPLE CAN CHANGE IF THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
RECEIVE CHRIST AND CHRIST WORKS WITHIN THEM. THERE'S A BAPTIST
PREACHER, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ADRIAN ROGERS, HE
PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS BACK, I BELIEVE, BUT HE SAID SOMETHING
VERY POWERFUL. HE SAID, "YOUR SOUL WILL BE IN EXISTENCE
SOMEWHERE WHEN THE SUN, THE MOON, THE STARS HAVE GROWN COLD,
EITHER IN HEAVEN OR IN HELL. YOU COULD NEVER CEASE TO EXIST ANY
MORE THAN GOD HIMSELF COULD CEASE TO EXIST. "THEREFORE, WE
MUST BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH OUR SOULS. "TO EXCHANGE THEM FOR
THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD "WOULD BE A FOOLISH TRANSACTION." THOSE
ARE POWERFUL WORDS. PEOPLE EXCHANGE THEIR SOULS FOR A
LITTLE SPECK OF TIME ON THIS EARTH. COMPARED TO ETERNITY,
IT'S NOTHING, BUT THEY EXCHANGE THAT FOR SOME MONETARY GAIN OR
FOR SOME PLEASURE ON THIS EARTH AND SAY, "OH, I DON'T WANNA
SERVE CHRIST. OR I DON'T WANNA BE RELIGIOUS," OR WHATEVER THEIR
REASON IS, BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE MISSING.
THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE SACRIFICING FOR THAT LITTLE
SPECK OF TIME ON THE EARTH OF PLEASURE, OR WHAT THEY CONSIDER
PLEASURE. THEY'VE NEVER ENTERED INTO THE ABUNDANT LIFE ON THIS
EARTH THAT WE CAN HAVE WITH JESUS, PLUS THE BENEFIT OF
ETERNITY WITH HIM. THE TRUTH IS THAT AFTER DEATH, WE DON'T GET A
SECOND CHANCE, AND TO LOSE OUR SOUL IS A TRAGIC, IRREVERSIBLE
LOSS. NUMBER THREE, THE LOST ARE IN DANGER OF NOT BEING
HARVESTED, JESUS SAID. IMAGINE THAT NEBRASKA CORN FARMER WITH
1,000 ACRES OF CORN READY TO HARVEST, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
HE'S READY TO HARVEST AND HIS COMBINE BREAKS. HE'S UNABLE TO
GET THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE COMBINE. MAYBE IT WAS DURING
COVID, YOU KNOW, AND HE COULDN'T GET PARTS. BUT HE SEARCHED
AROUND AND EVERY FARMER IN THE AREA HAD THEIR COMBINES HARD AT
WORK. THERE WAS NONE AVAILABLE FOR HIM TO BORROW. A THOUSAND
ACRES OF CORN, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO HARVEST IT. AND DOING IT
BY HAND IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. WHERE ARE YOU GONNA FIND THE
LABORERS TO HARVEST A THOUSAND ACRES TODAY? THIS FARMER WOULD
BE IN A DESPERATE SITUATION. THAT'S AN ILLUSTRATION OF SOUL
WINNERS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF EVANGELISM. THE JESUS FILM PROJECT CONDUCTED A
SURVEY ON EVANGELISM, AND THEY ASKED OVER 1,600 CHRISTIANS THIS
PARTICULAR QUESTION. WHAT PREVENTS YOU FROM TALKING ABOUT
SPIRITUAL MATTERS WITH OTHER PEOPLE? 30% OF THE RESPONDENTS
SAID FEAR OR FEAR OF REJECTION KEPT THEM FROM SHARING THEIR
FAITH. WHEN IT CAME TO TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE
GOSPEL, FEAR WAS BY FAR THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DETERRENT. THEY WERE
AFRAID OF LOSING RELATIONSHIPS AND WANTED TO AVOID THE TENSION
THAT IT MIGHT BRING IF THEY TALKED ABOUT JESUS OR THE GOSPEL
OR WHATEVER. MANY PEOPLE RESPONDED, SAID, "I'M AFRAID
THAT I'LL COME ACROSS AS PUSHY, OR I'M SCARED TO START AN
ARGUMENT." AND SOMETIMES THESE FEARS EVAPORATE WHEN WE REALIZE
THAT A PERSON'S SALVATION ISN'T DEPENDENT UPON OUR PERFORMANCE.
GOD'S AT WORK IN EVERYONE'S LIFE, WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT.
HE'S LOVING, HE'S REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE, HE'S DRAWING THEM TO
HIM. AND OUR SMALL CONVERSATIONS ARE PART OF A PROCESS. YOU MIGHT
INITIATE THE FINAL WORDS THAT GOD USES TO ENCOURAGE A PERSON
TO TRUST IN JESUS. OR MAYBE YOUR CONVERSATION IS ONE THAT THE
HOLY SPIRIT USES TO SOFTEN THEIR HEART SO THAT THE NEXT PERSON
THAT TALKS TO THEM FINDS THAT THEY'RE READY TO MAKE A DECISION
FOR CHRIST. YOU MIGHT BE WATERING. MAYBE YOU'RE JUST
PLANTING A SEED. AND MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA REAP THE
HARVEST. THAT'S OKAY, GOD SEES IT ALL, IT'S ALL PART OF HIS
PLAN. PAUL ADDRESSES THIS IN 1 CORINTHIANS 3, VERSES 6 AND 7.
I'M NOT GONNA PUT THE SCRIPTURE UP TONIGHT, BUT HE SAID TO THE
CORINTHIAN CHURCH, "I PLANTED THE SEED, APOLLOS WATERED IT,
"BUT GOD HAS BEEN MAKING IT GROW. "SO NEITHER THE ONE WHO
PLANTS NOR THE ONE WHO WATERS "IS ANYTHING BUT ONLY GOD WHO
MAKES THINGS GROW." AND EXPLAINS THAT WE HAVE A PART. YOU MIGHT
WATER WITH YOUR ACTION OR YOUR WORDS. YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT
INVITES THEM TO CHURCH. YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT LEADS THEM
TO CHRIST AND PRAYS THE SINNER'S PRAYER WITH THEM. EVERY PART OF
THE PROCESS IS KEY, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. DEALING
WITH REJECTION IS PART OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. WE JUST
NEED TO ACCEPT THAT AND REALIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE WE TALK TO IS
GOING TO JUST SAY, "OH, SURE, "I'LL COME TO CHURCH WITH YOU,"
OR, "OH, SURE, "LET'S JUST PRAY THE SINNER'S PRAYER TOGETHER
RIGHT NOW." THEY AREN'T ALL GOING TO SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S
OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. YOU ARE DOING YOUR PART BY SHARING. DEALING
WITH REJECTION IS PART OF THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. SAY THIS
WITH ME. DEALING WITH REJECTION IS PART OF THE CHRISTIAN
EXPERIENCE. I WANT YOU TO GET IT IN YOURSELF, IN YOUR SOUL, IN
YOUR BRAIN, THAT IT'S OKAY TO BE REJECTED. THEY'RE NOT GONNA KILL
YOU. THEY'RE NOT GONNA CUT YOUR HEAD OFF. NOW MAYBE IN SOME
COUNTRIES THEY WOULD. BUT RIGHT NOW IN AMERICA, I CAN ALMOST
GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT GET YOUR HEAD CUT OFF IF YOU SHARE THE
GOSPEL WITH SOMEONE. SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE? ISAIAH
PROPHESIED, ISAIAH 53:3, THAT THE COMING MESSIAH WOULD BE
DESPISED AND REJECTED BY MANKIND, A MAN OF SUFFERING AND
FAMILIAR WITH PAIN, LIKE ONE FROM WHOM PEOPLE HIDE THEIR
FACES, HE WAS DESPISED AND WE HELD HIM IN LOW ESTEEM. JESUS
PROMISED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS WOULD EXPERIENCE REJECTION TOO.
WE JUST NEED TO REALIZE THAT. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS JESUS
ENCOURAGED US TO FOCUS ON THE REWARDS. MATTHEW 19:29, HE SAID,
"EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP HOUSES, OR BROTHERS, "OR
SISTERS, OR FATHERS, OR MOTHERS, OR CHILDREN, "OR PROPERTY FOR MY
SAKE, "WILL RECEIVE A HUNDRED TIMES AS MUCH IN RETURN, "AND
WILL INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE." MY WIFE LIKES THAT SCRIPTURE.
EILEEN QUOTES THAT ONCE IN A WHILE, BECAUSE SOME OF HER
SISTERS DO NOT BELIEVE LIKE SHE DOES, IT'S CAUSED SOME, I DON'T
KNOW, SHOULD I EVEN SAY THAT? PROBABLY NOT, SHE SAYS. WELL,
BUT SHE'S GOT FAMILY MEMBERS THAT DON'T BELIEVE EXACTLY LIKE
YOU BELIEVE. THEY MIGHT BE WATCHING, BUT HEY, I'M BOLD. YOU
KNOW WHAT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA CUT MY HEAD OFF, EILEEN. THEY'VE
HEARD IT BEFORE. MY POINT IS, YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE MEMBERS OF
YOUR FAMILY THAT SAY, I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU, I REJECT YOU,
THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU, MAYBE THEY'RE WOKE, MAYBE
THEY'RE LIBERAL, MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY
CONVERSATION ABOUT CHRIST, I DON'T KNOW. WHATEVER THE CASE,
YOU STILL HAVE TO SHARE TRUTH WITH THEM. YOU STILL HAVE TO BE
BOLD FOR THEM. WE DON'T WANT THEIR BLOOD ON OUR HANDS. AND IF
YOU DO YOUR PART, THEN YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR CHRIST.
IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO RECEIVE IT, THAT IS THEIR CHOICE. THAT'S
THEIR CHOICE. SOMETIMES FOLLOWING IN JESUS' FOOTSTEPS
MEANS TAKING A CHANCE THAT OTHERS COULD TURN AWAY FROM US
OR REJECT US. JESUS TOLD US IN LUKE 10:16, "WHOEVER LISTENS TO
YOU LISTENS TO ME. "WHOEVER REJECTS YOU REJECTS ME." SO
THAT'S ANOTHER COMFORTING SCRIPTURE. IF YOU GIVE OUT THE
GOSPEL, YOU SHARE SOMETHING WITH PEOPLE AND THEY REJECT IT,
THEY'RE REALLY REJECTING JESUS, THEY'RE NOT REJECTING YOU. IF
YOU JUST TOOK THEM A PLATE OF CUPCAKES AND TOLD THEM HOW NICE
THEY WERE, THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T REJECT YOU. THEY'D JUST
SAY, "OH, THAT'S REALLY NICE "THAT YOU DID THAT FOR ME." BUT
THEN YOU SPEAK GOSPEL, MAYBE THEY WILL REJECT YOU, BUT
THEY'RE REALLY REJECTING JESUS. SO REMEMBER THAT AS YOU DO THAT.
IF YOU PRESENT THE GOSPEL AND THEY REJECT IT, THEY'RE NOT
REJECTING YOU. WE NEED TO BE REMINDED TO NOT BE PREOCCUPIED
WITH THE TEMPORARY THINGS OF THIS EARTH. SO WHAT IF THEY
REJECT YOU FOR THE SHORT TIME THAT WE'RE ON THIS EARTH? WE
HAVE ETERNITY TO THINK ABOUT. WE ARE DRIVEN BY ETERNITY. ARE WE
CHOOSING THINGS OVER SOULS? ARE WE CHOOSING THE TEMPORARY OVER
THE ETERNAL? THE LOST ARE IN DANGER OF NOT BEING HARVESTED.
THE DEVIL IS THE ENEMY OF THE HARVEST. THE DEVIL WILL DO
ANYTHING HE CAN TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY. HE'S OUR ENEMY, AND
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN ENEMY FIGHTING AGAINST
WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO. SATAN IS USING EVERY MEANS TO
DECEIVE, TO SIDETRACK, TO MISLEAD, AND LIE TO THE IGNORANT
MASSES. THINK HOW MIXED UP PEOPLE ARE TODAY. HOW MANY
MENTALLY DISTURBED PEOPLE, CONFUSED PEOPLE, HELPLESS
PEOPLE, ADDICTED PEOPLE THERE ARE. AND THAT'S SATAN'S PLAN, TO
GET THEM OFF TRACK AND TAKE THEM TO HELL. THERE'S ONLY ONE HOPE
FOR THEM AND ONLY ONE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, AND THAT'S JESUS
CHRIST. THAT'S THEIR ONLY ESCAPE. ONLY HE CAN SET THEIR
HEARTS AND THEIR MINDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER AND SHOW THEM THEIR
PURPOSE FOR LIFE. THE MULTITUDES ARE ACCESSIBLE, NUMBER FOUR.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 4.35, "YOU KNOW THE SAYING, FOUR MONTHS
BETWEEN PLANTING AND HARVEST, BUT I SAY, WAKE UP AND LOOK
AROUND. THE FIELDS ARE READY, ALREADY RIPE FOR HARVEST." WE'RE
IN THE REDEMPTION BUSINESS. NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
RESCUING PEOPLE FROM A DESTINY OF HELL. REACHING PEOPLE FOR
CHRIST IS A VITAL MINISTRY OF EVERY CHRISTIAN. IF WE MISS OUR
OPPORTUNITIES, SOMETIMES THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITY FOR A DO-OVER.
AND THIS IS OUR FINEST HOUR. THERE'S OPENNESS NOW, LIKE I
MENTIONED. AMERICA IS READY FOR THE HARVEST. PEOPLE ARE MORE
OPEN TO THE GOSPEL THAN THEY'VE BEEN IN TWO GENERATIONS. WE HAVE
TO BE AWARE THAT THE HARVEST IS ALL AROUND US. AND NUMBER FIVE,
WE ARE EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED TO REACH THE LOST. AS WE LOOK AT
VERSE 38 OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 9, AND THEN ALSO VERSE 1 OF CHAPTER
10 THAT WE READ, I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT JESUS MOVES
DIRECTLY FROM THE DISCUSSION OF WINNING THE LOST INTO MAKING
SURE THAT THE DISCIPLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTHORITY TO
DO MIRACLES. HE WENT RIGHT FROM THE HARVEST IS RIPE, IT'S TIME
FOR YOU TO REAP THE HARVEST, IT'S TIME TO MAKE DISCIPLES, HE
WENT FROM THAT RIGHT INTO I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AUTHORITY
TO DO MIRACLES. MIRACLES ARE A TANGIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF
SPIRITUAL TRUTH. JESUS USED EARTHLY MIRACLES TO DEMONSTRATE
SPIRITUAL REALITIES. WHEN JESUS HEALED THE PARALYZED MAN, HE
FIRST SAID, "YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN." JESUS LINKED THE
SPIRITUAL FORGIVENESS OF SINS TO PHYSICAL HEALING. JESUS
DEMONSTRATED THIS AND HIS AUTHORITY AS THE LORD OF THE
HARVEST. HE DID THIS WITH MIRACLES AND SIGNS AND WONDERS.
MIRACLES ARE A SIGN OF THE HARVEST. THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
WERE A GREAT PART OF WHY THE PEOPLE WERE A RIPE HARVEST. YOU
KNOW, YOU LOOK AT, I JUST THOUGHT OF THIS RIGHT NOW, I
HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE, BUT LIKE WHEN REINHARD BONNKE
MINISTERED SO POWERFULLY OVERSEAS, THERE WERE SO MANY
MIRACLES THAT HAPPENED AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD COME TO CHRIST.
MIRACLES ARE THE SIGN OF THE HARVEST. THE MIRACLES OF JESUS
WERE A GREAT PART OF WHY THE PEOPLE WERE A RIPE HARVEST. THEY
WERE SEEING GOD'S POWER AND ACTION, MAKING THEM MORE OPEN TO
HIS MESSAGE. AND THAT'S WHY THE DISCIPLES WERE EMPOWERED WITH
THE AUTHORITY TO HEAL THE SICK AND TO CAST OUT DEVILS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY WERE GIVEN THE COMMISSION TO GO AFTER
THE HARVEST AND MAKE DISCIPLES. AND LET'S FACE IT, INDIVIDUALS
ARE MORE OPEN TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF
MIRACLES. AS WE SEE, THE CHURCH HAD BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY FROM
CHRIST TO GET THE SICK HEALED AND THE DEVIL CAST OUT OF
INDIVIDUALS' LIVES. IT'S ALL PART OF THE HARVEST. JESUS
EMPOWERS LABORERS FOR THE HARVEST. THE LORD OF THE HARVEST
EQUIPS US WITH EVERYTHING NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE
MINISTRY. HE EMPOWERS HIS WORKERS WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
ACTS 1:8 SAYS, "BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY
SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU, AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES, TELLING
PEOPLE ABOUT ME EVERYWHERE IN JERUSALEM, THROUGHOUT JUDEA, IN
SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." MIRACLES GO HAND IN HAND
WITH WITNESSING AND REACHING THE LOST. EVANGELISM WITHOUT THE
HOLY SPIRIT IS POWERLESS. THE SPIRIT GIVES BOLDNESS,
CONVICTION, AND SUPERNATURAL RESULTS. AND AS WE SHARE THE
GOOD NEWS OF JESUS, WE SHOULD EXPECT SIGNS, WONDERS, AND
MIRACLES TO FOLLOW YOU. YOU ARE EMPOWERED FROM HEAVEN. BELIEVE
THAT GOD WILL MOVE AS YOU STEP OUT IN FAITH AND PRAY FOR
OTHERS. SOMETIMES IF YOU JUST OFFER TO PRAY FOR OTHERS AND
THEY RECEIVE A TOUCH, THAT WILL MAKE THEM OPEN TO ASK, "WHY DID
YOU PRAY FOR ME LIKE THAT?" "HOW DID YOU PRAY FOR ME LIKE THAT?"
OR "HOW COULD I GET WHAT YOU HAVE?" OR WHATEVER. IT CAN OPEN
THE DOOR FOR IT. IT'S A GOOD WAY TO INTRODUCE OTHERS TO CHRIST. I
REMEMBER PEOPLE SHARING IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW THEY'VE BEEN IN A
LINE AT A GROCERY STORE AND THEY'VE HEARD SOMEONE TALKING
ABOUT MAYBE A FINANCIAL NEED AS THEY WERE PAYING FOR THEIR
GROCERIES, OR MAYBE THEY WERE HAVING A PHYSICAL NEED, OR
SOMEONE STANDING THERE WITH A CANE OR A WALKER, OR WHATEVER.
YOU JUST OBSERVE AND OFFER TO PRAY FOR THEM. AND IF THEY SAY,
"NO, I DON'T WANT PRAYER," YOU DIDN'T LOSE YOUR HEAD. IT'S
OKAY. BUT OFFER TO PRAY WITH THEM. ASK GOD FOR OPPORTUNITIES
AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAILY LIFE. DON'T MISS OPPORTUNITIES THAT
GOD HAS FOR YOU. YOU MIGHT BE IN A RESTAURANT AND YOU HAVE A
LITTLE DISCUSSION WITH THE WAITRESS AND ASK HER HOW HER
DAY'S GOING AND THEN SHE STARTS OPENING UP TO YOU, WELL, I'VE
GOT A PROBLEM WITH MY BOYFRIEND. WELL, THERE'S AN OPENING RIGHT
THERE, WHATEVER IT IS. JUST MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE HER A TIP IF
YOU'RE GONNA WITNESS TO HER, BE A GOOD WITNESS. BUT ASK GOD FOR
OPPORTUNITIES EVERY DAY. JESUS OPENS DOORS FOR MINISTRY AND
GRANTS HIS SERVICE THE RIGHT WORDS TO SPEAK AT THE RIGHT
TIME. AND BY THE WAY, I'M NOT GONNA TEACH ON THIS TONIGHT, WE
DON'T HAVE TIME, BUT EVERY TIME THAT I FIND IN SCRIPTURE, OPEN
DOORS MENTIONED, PEOPLE PRAYING FOR AN OPEN DOOR, IT WAS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PRESENTING THE GOSPEL. NOW, I'M NOT SAYING YOU
CAN'T PRAY FOR AN OPEN DOOR FOR A JOB, OR YOU CAN'T PRAY FOR
FAVOR, YOU CAN'T PRAY FOR AN OPEN DOOR TO DO SOMETHING THAT
YOU NEED TO DO OR THAT YOU FEEL GOD'S DIRECTED YOU TO DO. I AM
JUST SIMPLY STATING, BIBLICALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, EVERY TIME I
FIND A PRAYER FOR AN OPEN DOOR, IT WAS IN REGARDS TO SHARING THE
GOSPEL MESSAGE. SO TAKE THAT FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH. IT'S JUST A
LITTLE EXTRA THAT I'M THROWING IN TONIGHT. SO IT DOESN'T MEAN
YOU CAN'T PRAY FOR AN OPEN DOOR IN YOUR LIFE. I'M NOT SAYING
THAT. GOD CAN HONOR THAT PRAYER. I'M JUST SAYING, IF WE'RE USING
THE BIBLE AS AN EXAMPLE FOR US, THAT'S ALL I SEE IN THE BIBLE.
OKAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. COLOSSIANS 4:3, AMPLIFIED
BIBLE. AT THE SAME TIME, PRAY FOR US TOO, THAT GOD WILL OPEN A
DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US, OR EXCUSE ME, TO US, FOR THE WORD,
TO PROCLAIM THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST. WELL, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE
FOR YOU, ISN'T IT? IT WASN'T ASKING FOR AN OPEN DOOR FOR A
NEW CADILLAC. NOT THAT YOU CAN'T ASK GOD FOR A CADILLAC. DON'T
SAY, PASTOR DOUG SAID, DON'T ASK FOR A CADILLAC. I'M JUST SAYING
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. TO PROCLAIM THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST, FOR WHICH
I'VE BEEN IMPRISONED. GOD STRENGTHENS US AS WE WALK OUT
HIS PLAN FOR US TO REACH SOULS. JESUS RENEWS STRENGTH AND KEEPS
HIS SERVANTS GOING WITH DIVINE ENERGY. LET'S KIND OF CONCLUDE
HERE TONIGHT. ISAIAH 49:29, EXCUSE ME, 40:29-31. GOD WILL
GIVE US STRENGTH TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO. HE'S NOT LEAVING US
POWERLESS TO DO WHAT HE'S CALLED TO DO. THE BIBLE SAYS IN ISAIAH
40, HE GIVES POWER TO THE WEAK AND STRENGTH TO THE POWERLESS.
EVEN YOUTHS WILL BECOME WEAK AND TIRED AND YOUNG MEN WILL FALL IN
EXHAUSTION, BUT THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD WILL FIND NEW
STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR HIGH ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES. THEY WILL RUN
AND NOT GO WEARY AND THEY'LL WALK AND NOT FAINT, AMEN? AND
THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE AND I DECLARE OVER YOU TONIGHT AND YOU
WATCHING ONLINE TONIGHT. BRANDON, YOU CAN COME ON. OH,
YOU'RE HERE, THANK YOU, BRANDON. BOY, YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE, YOU'RE
EVEN FASTER THAN EDDIE. THAT'S FUN. BUT EDDIE DOES A GREAT JOB.
I'M GETTING IN TROUBLE TONIGHT. I'M IN TROUBLE WITH MY WIFE, I'M
IN TROUBLE WITH EDDIE. I DON'T KNOW, I BETTER JUST GO TO THE
DOGHOUSE. BUT OUR OBEDIENCE DOES MATTER. WALTER KNIGHT WROTE A
BOOK ENTITLED, "CHANGED BY A DREAM." A MAN HAD A DREAM, AND
IN THIS DREAM, THE MAN ENTERED HEAVEN. AND THE BRIGHTNESS AND
THE ANGELS AND THE SINGING AND REJOICING AND THE HAPPINESS THAT
HE FELT, AND MOST OF ALL, SEEING GOD IN ALL OF HIS GLORY, JUST
FILLED THIS MAN WITH WONDER AND JOY. AND DURING THIS DREAM THAT
HE HAD, AN ANGEL CAME UP TO THE MAN AND SAID, "COME, I WANT TO
SHOW YOU SOMETHING." AND HE LED HIM TO ONE OF THE BALCONIES OF
HEAVEN. AND HE SAID, "LOOK DOWN THERE." AND THE MAN SAW A DARK
WORLD. AND HE EXCLAIMED, "THAT'S THE EARTH. THAT'S WHERE I CAME
FROM." THE ANGEL SAID, "WHAT DO YOU SEE?" AND THE MAN SAID, "I
SEE MULTITUDES OF BLINDFOLDED PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM GOING OVER
A CLIFF TO THEIR DESTRUCTION." AND THE ANGEL ASKED, "WILL YOU
STAY HERE AND ENJOY HEAVEN? OR WILL YOU RETURN TO EARTH FOR A
LITTLE LONGER AND TELL THEM ABOUT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE
CALLED HEAVEN? AND ON THIS EARTH, THE MAN HAD BEEN A
DISCOURAGED CHRISTIAN, NOT WANTING TO SHARE HIS FAITH. BUT
THE MAN AWOKE FROM HIS DREAM, AND HE SAID, "I'VE NEVER WISHED
THAT I WAS DEAD SINCE." AND HE BECAME AN ARDENT WITNESS TO THE
LOST. JESUS, THE LORD OF THE HARVEST, CALLS US TO BE INVOLVED
WITH THE GREATEST ASSIGNMENT ON EARTH, AND THAT'S THE HARVEST OF
SOULS. THE HARVEST IS VAST, THE NEED IS URGENT, AND THE FIELDS
ARE RIPE. HE INVITES US TO SEE AS HE SEES, SEE WITH HIS EYES,
TO FEEL AS HE FEELS, AND TO LABOR AS HE EMPOWERS US TO DO
IT. AND OUR RESPONSE DETERMINES THE DESTINY OF THE MULTITUDES
THAT ARE WAITING TO HEAR THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION. AS WE
YIELD OURSELVES TO HIS CALL, HE WILL STRENGTHEN US. HE'LL GIVE
US DIVINE POWER. HE'LL GIVE US WISDOM AND COMPASSION. AND THIS
IS THE HOUR TO PRAY AND TO GO AND TO REAP THE HARVEST WITH
JOY. THE LORD OF THE HARVEST IS CALLING US TO ACTION, AND IT'S
UP TO US TO RESPOND. AND AS WE CONCLUDE TONIGHT, I WANT TO
MENTION THAT AS YOU CAME IN, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER
LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH INVITATION CARD JUST TO HAVE IN YOUR
POCKET. I THINK THOSE ARE HANDY. WE SHOULD HAVE ONE. I GUESS
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANTED. BUT DID YOU GET ONE AS YOU CAME IN
THE DOOR TONIGHT? THAT'S THE BACK SIDE. OK. THAT'S THE BACK
SIDE. ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT SAYS YOU'RE INVITED TO BE OUR SPECIAL
GUEST. DID YOU GET ONE OF THOSE? IF YOU DIDN'T GET ONE, YOU CAN
GO TO THE INFORMATION CENTER RIGHT OUTSIDE THE DOOR AND GET
AS MANY AS YOU WANT TO CARRY WITH YOU. THEY'RE GREAT TO HAVE
AS A WITNESSING TOOL WHEN YOU INVITE SOMEONE TO CHURCH. YOU
MIGHT JUST SIMPLY INVITE THEM TO CHURCH. CHRISTMAS SUNDAY IS
COMING UP DECEMBER 21ST. PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES THINK, "MAYBE I
SHOULD GO TO CHURCH AT EASTER AND CHRISTMAS." THEY'LL HAVE
THAT MENTALITY. WELL, INVITE THEM TO LORD OF HOSTS. DECEMBER
21ST, I GUARANTEE YOU, THEY'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE
CHRIST. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GET THEM HERE. AND IF THE HOLY
SPIRIT MOVES IN THEIR LIVES, THEY'LL GET SAVED. MAYBE YOUR
INVITATION WILL ACTUALLY OPEN A DOOR FOR YOU TO WITNESS AND PRAY
WITH THEM RIGHT ON THE SPOT. BUT IF NOTHING ELSE, MAYBE IT CAN
GET THEM TO CHURCH. AND TONIGHT I WANT TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE
DIFFERENT. WE'RE GOING TO, IT'S 8:20. I'M GOING TO GET YOU OUT
OF HERE IN ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MINUTES. BUT IF YOU FELT NUDGED
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TONIGHT, YOU FELT LIKE, I NEED TO DO MORE. I
NEED TO BE EMPOWERED BY GOD TO TOUCH SOME LIVES. I NEED TO
REACH SOME PEOPLE. I NEED TO START THINKING MORE ABOUT MY
HARVEST FIELD. I NEED TO THINK MORE ABOUT WHAT GOD'S CALLED ME
TO DO IN THAT AREA. IT'S SO EASY TO GET PREOCCUPIED. EVEN THOSE
OF US IN THE MINISTRY, THE PASTORS HERE WILL ALL TELL YOU,
WE GET SO PREOCCUPIED WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CALLED TO
DO, THAT OUR MINISTRY AND OUR SO GOOD, THAT SOMETIMES WE FORGET
ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WE RUN INTO THAT NEED CHRIST, THAT WE NEED
TO BE A STRONGER WITNESS. SO I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I DON'T DO
EVERYTHING I SHOULD DO IN REACHING PEOPLE FOR THE LORD IN
MY SPEAR OF INFLUENCE. SO WE ALL CAN HAVE A NEED FOR THAT. BUT
WHAT I'M GONNA ASK TONIGHT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I'M GONNA
ASK IF YOU WERE NUDGED, IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S AN AREA, MAYBE
YOU NEED TO REPENT TO GOD AND SAY, "GOD, FORGIVE ME, I HAVEN'T
DONE MORE." OR MAYBE YOU JUST FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO MAKE A
COMMITMENT TO GOD TONIGHT TO SAY, "I'M GONNA DO MORE "DURING
THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS OR THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER "TO TRY
AND BE A BETTER WITNESS." DO WHAT YOU CAN. FIRST PLACE WOULD
BE START BY PRAYING AND ASKING GOD TO OPEN A DOOR FOR YOU TO
SHARE. THAT'S BIBLICAL. WE ESTABLISHED THAT TONIGHT, DIDN'T
WE, JANET? IT'S BIBLICAL TO ASK FOR AN OPEN DOOR TO PRESENT THE
GOSPEL. SO ASK FOR THAT. AND BELIEVE ME, AND I BELIEVE THAT
GOD WILL GIVE YOU AN OPEN DOOR TO DO THAT. YOU'LL FIND SOMEONE
IN A GROCERY STORE, YOU'RE OUT SHOPPING AT WALMART, YOU'RE AT
THE GAS STATION PUMPING GAS, AND THE GUY NEXT TO YOU IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS. YOU'RE AT A RESTAURANT, YOU'RE AT YOUR
NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME, YOU'RE AT
CHRISTMAS DINNER WITH YOUR RELATIVES. I COULD GO ON AND ON
AND ON, BUT THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU PRAY AND
ASK GOD. SO WHAT I'M GONNA ASK TONIGHT, EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT
FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN NUDGED TO DO THAT, TO MAKE A COMMITMENT,
TO REPENT FOR NOT DOING MORE, OR TO JUST BE A BETTER WITNESS, I
WANT YOU TO RUN UP HERE NOW AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRAYER FOR
THOSE OF YOU THAT COMMIT TO THAT TONIGHT. I BELIEVE THERE'S
SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING OUT OF YOUR SEAT, COMING FORWARD AND
COMMITTING THAT WILL SOLIDIFY IT IN YOUR HEART SO THAT YOU'LL
REMEMBER IT BETTER AND YOU'LL KNOW THAT ON DECEMBER, WHAT IS
THIS? THE 10TH, DECEMBER 10TH, WEDNESDAY NIGHT, YOU MADE A
DECISION TO DO MORE FOR CHRIST. AND AS YOU PLAY, BREN, I'M GONNA
GIVE PEOPLE A COUPLE MINUTES TO COME FORWARD AND THEN WE'RE
GONNA HAVE A CLOSING PRAYER. IF THAT'S YOU TONIGHT, YOU SAY, "I
WANNA DO MORE FOR CHRIST. "I WANNA REACH MORE PEOPLE. "I
WANNA BE A WITNESS FOR YOU, LORD. "AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN
DOING IT, BUT I WANNA DO MORE. "I WANNA MAKE A COMMITMENT. "I
WANNA REPENT FOR NOT SHARING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST "WITH MY
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND ACQUAINTANCES." WHATEVER IT
MIGHT BE, IF THAT'S YOU, COME FORWARD. IF YOU FEEL CONFIDENT
THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING WHAT YOU CAN DO, THAT'S FINE, JUST REMAIN
SEATED. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EVERYONE HERE. SOME OF YOU ARE
DOING ALL YOU CAN DO FOR CHRIST RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE REACHING
PEOPLE CONTINUOUSLY, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT. BUT
THERE'S SOME OF US THAT NEED TO JUST REFOCUS. REFOCUS ON IT IN
JESUS' NAME. THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING THIS WAY. PRAISE GOD.
DO YOU KNOW A GROUP OF THIS SIZE, IF YOU JUST EACH WERE TO
REACH ONE PERSON, AND THEY ACTUALLY GOT TO CHURCH HERE,
WHAT THAT WOULD DO TO OUR NUMBERS? LESS YOU'D HAVE TO ADD
A COUPLE MORE ROWS OF CHAIRS. IF PEOPLE WANT TO SIT ON THE FLOOR.
I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE ROOM IN THE STADIUM SEATS, BUT IF YOU
WANT TO BE ON THE FLOOR, WE'D HAVE TO ADD ANOTHER ROW. IF YOU
JUST REACHED ONE, WHAT AN IMPACT. AND THEN JUST TO THINK,
IF YOU WERE TO REACH SOMEONE THAT HAD A DESTINY OF HELL FOR
ETERNITY, AND YOU TURNED THAT AROUND BECAUSE OF THE WORDS THAT
YOU SPOKE, DAN, AND DAN'S A WITNESS FOR CHRIST. HE'S OUT
THERE TALKING TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. AND HERE HE IS UP FRONT
HERE. HE'D BE THE LEAST LIKELY PERSON THAT I'D THINK WOULD BE
UP FRONT BECAUSE HE'S GOT BOOKS AND TRACKS AND IS TALKING TO
PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. BUT WE CAN ALL DO A LITTLE MORE. LET'S
PRAY. FATHER IN HEAVEN, IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE TONIGHT,
I FORGOT TO MENTION, YOU CAN JOIN US WITH THIS PRAYER, AND I
PRAY THAT YOU WILL REACH YOUR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE WHEREVER IT
MAY BE FOR CHRIST, AND THAT YOU HAVE A VINEYARD, AND YOU CAN
JUST BE INCLUDED IN THIS PRAYER JUST AS I'M PRAYING FOR THESE.
FATHER, I PRAY FOR THESE THAT HAVE COME FORWARD TONIGHT, THAT
THIS BE A TURNING POINT IN OUR LIVES, THAT THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EVALUATE OURSELVES AND SAY, "FATHER, I
WANT TO BE A BETTER WITNESS FOR YOU. I WANT TO HAVE THE
COMPASSION OF JESUS. I WANT TO HAVE THE EYES OF JESUS. I WANT
TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOVE AND DISCERN PEOPLE THAT NEED YOU.
LORD, OPEN THE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO WITNESS
FOR YOU." I PRAY FOR OPEN DOORS FOR EVERY PERSON HERE WATCHING
ONLINE AND EVERY PERSON THAT'S COME FORWARD HERE AND THOSE THAT
DIDN'T COME FORWARD THAT ARE ALREADY DOING WHAT YOU'VE CALLED
THEM TO DO. I SAY, LORD, DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY OPEN. THEY CAN BE
A WITNESS FOR YOU IN STRONG, POWERFUL WAYS TO SEE PEOPLE COME
TO CHRIST. AND THEY MIGHT PLANT A SEED, THEY MIGHT WATER A SEED,
THEY MIGHT EVEN REAP THE HARVEST, LORD, BUT THEY'RE DOING
THEIR PART TO SHARE THE GOODNESS OF GOD, THE ABUNDANCE OF GOD
WITH OTHERS. SO WE BLESS THEM TONIGHT. I THANK YOU FOR THEM.
AND WE DECLARE THAT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD, YOU WILL EMPOWER THEM
WITH SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT YOU'VE
CALLED US TO DO IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN AND AMEN.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK
YOU, ONLINE AUDIENCE, FOR WATCHING TONIGHT AND JOINING US.
I PRAY YOU WERE BLESSED AND HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK AND DON'T
FORGET TO BE BACK IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. I KNOW PASTOR HANK HAS A
MORE POWERFUL MESSAGE SET FOR SUNDAY. IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.
SO GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING.
(MUSIC)