back to index2016-02-07 Christ, Past, Present, Future
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The area that we went to India is not typically a place that-- 00:00:10.760 |
if somebody says they went to India for missions, 00:00:12.760 |
this is not the typical place that they go to. 00:00:15.400 |
Usually, they'll go to Delhi or Mumbai or maybe even Bangalore, 00:00:18.400 |
but this is about five hours into the countryside. 00:00:21.080 |
So the nearest airport of any kind, local or international, 00:00:33.120 |
I didn't know a single Westerner or any foreigner 00:00:36.520 |
And so when I told this to my Southern Baptist friends, 00:00:43.440 |
and they prayed for us this year throughout the whole trip. 00:00:45.940 |
So I was texting with my wife and a local pastor 00:00:50.280 |
here because they were having prayer meetings for us 00:00:53.960 |
throughout their meetings, and he wanted an update 00:01:00.040 |
be a little bit less anxious because we have experience 00:01:07.040 |
that I've been reading in the last year, the persecution 00:01:09.320 |
going on, is concentrated up in North where we were not, 00:01:16.600 |
And in the Southern area, in that little strip 00:01:18.880 |
where the heaviest concentration of unreached people groups 00:01:31.280 |
is because I met this pastor in one of the earlier trips 00:01:34.480 |
that I went with other pastors to do pastoral training. 00:01:42.060 |
he was sharing with me about his father's testimony. 00:01:44.880 |
And again, the more I heard his father's testimony, 00:01:48.160 |
It's like, wow, there's people actually doing this. 00:02:01.280 |
At the time, he had two kids, a three-year-old 00:02:12.480 |
told me that there was a period when he was so depressed 00:02:17.520 |
And there were times when they would walk into villages, 00:02:28.920 |
They said they remember this when they were little kids, just 00:02:32.800 |
And a lot of times, he didn't have enough food 00:02:37.040 |
And he said there was a period when he was so depressed 00:02:39.440 |
about it that he was thinking about taking his life. 00:02:42.320 |
And he thought that maybe if he wasn't around, 00:02:47.200 |
But because God so burdened him for the gospel, 00:02:52.480 |
And so for the last 40 years, in the midst of all of this, 00:03:00.000 |
eventually, it was linked to this pastor, this one pastor. 00:03:05.560 |
And he said, oh, they came in and shared the gospel. 00:03:08.120 |
And initially, I thought, what's this crazy guy doing? 00:03:21.760 |
And they told me they have about 80 to 85 churches 00:03:30.400 |
And they have over about 2,000 people and growing. 00:03:34.760 |
so each one of these churches have anywhere from 30 00:03:40.600 |
It held over a couple hundred people in that one. 00:03:46.000 |
And they're in the midst of much persecution. 00:03:50.200 |
When we first decided to go in, it was simply an opportunity. 00:04:13.200 |
And that's kind of how we started out in India, 00:04:21.200 |
I was a little bit nervous, because we didn't 00:04:24.360 |
And I think every single one of us who went last year, 00:04:27.440 |
that initial road to get to this place kind of, I think, 00:04:33.380 |
but this was literally the remotest part of the world. 00:04:38.200 |
We broke ground, spent some time with the pastor. 00:04:42.600 |
This year, for me, was a little bit different, 00:04:45.280 |
because already, again, the ground was broken. 00:04:47.920 |
Nothing that we did this year was new or surprising to me. 00:04:51.600 |
And I know a few of the other people that went last year 00:04:56.640 |
The biggest difference for me this year versus last year 00:04:59.080 |
was I felt like I made a lasting connection with these pastors. 00:05:09.400 |
and spending time with them, that they're not just projects. 00:05:17.960 |
And so now the ministry in China is not simply 00:05:29.400 |
I'm thinking specifically about these pastors. 00:05:32.760 |
Pastor Saki, the guy that I had initial contact with, 00:05:36.120 |
last year he kept us away from his little village, 00:05:47.640 |
getting organized to weed out Christians in his area. 00:05:51.120 |
So when I asked him about his place, and he said, 00:05:53.800 |
he deliberately tried to keep us away from there, 00:06:00.760 |
asked him what's the first village we're going to. 00:06:02.840 |
And he said he was going to take us to his hometown. 00:06:06.120 |
I thought you didn't want us to go there last year. 00:06:08.680 |
And he said, last year, specifically because they 00:06:22.920 |
And he told us that in that particular area where he lives, 00:06:27.600 |
the hostility toward Christians is concentrated. 00:06:35.440 |
can't walk around with Bibles in their hands, 00:06:37.320 |
because once they're identified as Christians, 00:06:43.720 |
was he told us about what it's like for their children. 00:06:53.000 |
of the hostility, he said he gave candy or chocolate 00:06:58.080 |
And some of the friends told him that their parents said, 00:07:01.160 |
don't even receive chocolate from these Christians. 00:07:06.680 |
would try to go over to their friend's house. 00:07:08.320 |
And the parents won't allow them to come into the house. 00:07:10.660 |
So he has to stay outside while their Hindu friends go in 00:07:20.380 |
because she's an adult. But he said the hardest part of it 00:07:30.040 |
you know that going to village is not like here, 00:07:32.040 |
where you just hop in a car, go, and then come back. 00:07:34.400 |
Making a commitment to go there is either all day 00:07:36.880 |
or sometimes several day commitment to go and come back. 00:07:44.100 |
So his wife has to work at night to get some support. 00:07:49.740 |
But in the midst of all of this, they're spreading the gospel. 00:07:55.720 |
They're having a hard time feeding their kids. 00:08:02.480 |
but he doesn't have enough money for medication. 00:08:04.720 |
So obviously, we gave him some so that he can buy medication. 00:08:09.520 |
going from village to village, even now, sharing the gospel. 00:08:12.680 |
Oftentimes, people talk about how you had a heart for India, 00:08:21.240 |
And it's great that God gives us heart for certain things. 00:08:24.720 |
But the Great Commission is not a theology to be studied. 00:08:31.320 |
We don't wait for God to stir our hearts to obey. 00:08:43.720 |
God will give you the heart when you obey, not before you obey. 00:08:47.680 |
And there are times when God will stir you up 00:08:56.960 |
How do we pray for people that we don't know? 00:08:59.680 |
How do we have compassion for people we don't know? 00:09:07.520 |
The Great Commission is vital in our personal relationship 00:09:15.920 |
And here is all these other things that I should be doing. 00:09:19.080 |
And if I don't, it doesn't really matter that much. 00:09:29.320 |
to your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:09:33.400 |
The Great Commission is linked to following Jesus. 00:09:50.280 |
what's the first thing that you're going to ask me? 00:10:03.960 |
The first thing you're going to ask is, where are you going? 00:10:07.040 |
When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, 00:10:09.880 |
he specifically said, I will make you fishers of men. 00:10:15.920 |
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." 00:10:22.920 |
1 Timothy 1.15, it says, "It is a trustworthy statement 00:10:25.720 |
deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world 00:10:29.080 |
to save sinners, among whom I am the foremost." 00:10:43.660 |
Ezekiel 34.16, "The Lord says to the nation of Israel, 00:10:54.600 |
See, for a Christian, the Great Commission is not an option. 00:10:59.060 |
If we follow Jesus, meaning if we are genuinely 00:11:03.280 |
following Jesus, we have to be going where he is going. 00:11:20.000 |
That's why Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9.16, 00:11:27.660 |
Because preaching the gospel is directly linked 00:11:33.240 |
You know the Great Commission, the last commandment, 00:11:35.880 |
the Great Commission that Jesus gave to his disciples. 00:11:43.880 |
And he concludes the Great Commission by saying, 00:11:48.960 |
His promise to be with us is linked to the Great Commission. 00:12:06.980 |
taking the gospel to the remotest part of the world, 00:12:26.240 |
Not that God doesn't give us comfort for those things. 00:12:31.160 |
But his primary promise of his presence in our lives, 00:12:39.840 |
For a Christian who is disengaged with the Great Commission 00:12:43.640 |
cannot understand the comfort of his presence in our lives. 00:13:03.160 |
We have a tendency, again, in our generation, 00:13:05.880 |
you know, whenever something becomes difficult, 00:13:12.720 |
That when the challenge of living a Christian life 00:13:15.200 |
becomes too difficult, the easiest thing to do 00:13:31.480 |
But see, Apostle Paul talked about preaching the gospel 00:13:37.520 |
And we have a tendency to think that any talk 00:13:46.240 |
Paul here says, "I am obligated by the gospel 00:13:49.680 |
of Jesus Christ to preach to Greeks and barbarians." 00:13:52.280 |
But immediately, when we think of obligation, 00:13:56.200 |
We think of doing something we don't want to do. 00:13:59.200 |
But Paul says in verse 15, "So because of this obligation, 00:14:10.280 |
comes along with it, the greatest obligation. 00:14:14.000 |
Every parent in this room, the greatest burden 00:14:29.880 |
The greatest obligation in your life is your children. 00:14:32.200 |
There's nothing more important, not your work, 00:14:34.200 |
not even your own health, than your own kids. 00:14:39.200 |
But ask any parent in the room, what is the greatest joy? 00:14:50.000 |
See, obligation and joy are not two exclusive things. 00:14:57.000 |
"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you 00:15:04.520 |
our satisfaction, our joy also comes with him. 00:15:40.640 |
in their dark sin, if you know that if they die, 00:15:47.160 |
and you know the only answer is Jesus Christ, 00:16:06.680 |
that this is the greatest and the most wonderful commandment. 00:16:22.560 |
that we were able to spend even just a week purposefully. 00:16:33.540 |
that you were absolutely spent doing God's work? 00:16:41.720 |
and again, I know many of you have experienced 00:16:45.760 |
that's a whole week's worth of our time, energy, and money 00:16:50.240 |
was spent in a strange place, people we've never met, 00:16:58.240 |
but at the end of the day, fully satisfied, fully joyful, 00:17:10.560 |
See, our greatest joy also comes from our greatest obligation 00:17:15.360 |
and if you continue to neglect your obligation, 00:17:18.440 |
you also continue to push away the greatest source of joy 00:17:23.520 |
Our personal relationship with the Holy Spirit 00:17:30.280 |
Every once in a while, somebody will come in and say, 00:17:31.920 |
"Oh, you know, this church is all about the Bible, 00:17:36.000 |
And when they say that, what they're saying is 00:17:38.520 |
they want more emotion, they wanna see some people 00:17:41.320 |
dancing on the aisle, they want people raising hands 00:17:43.800 |
and crying during worship, and I have nothing against that. 00:17:47.560 |
If you wanna dance, dance quietly in the back, 00:17:50.160 |
you know, like, I have nothing against that, right? 00:17:57.360 |
you know, while you're praising God, awesome! 00:18:00.400 |
We should be emotional in our worship toward God. 00:18:10.720 |
and you know that passage in verse eight when he says, 00:18:12.840 |
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit 00:18:17.200 |
You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, 00:18:26.520 |
are you now going to restore the kingdom to Israel? 00:18:30.440 |
That was the question, because that's what they were 00:18:32.620 |
focused on before he went to the cross, remember? 00:18:35.640 |
He said, "When the kingdom comes, can you let us sit 00:18:38.480 |
"Who's gonna be the greatest when the kingdom comes?" 00:18:59.960 |
We thought it was gonna happen before the cross, 00:19:01.800 |
and we didn't understand where the cross fit into this, 00:19:03.960 |
but now we see that even in death, they cannot contain you. 00:19:08.280 |
So now, is it now are you gonna restore the kingdom? 00:19:11.080 |
And Jesus says to them, "It is not for you to know 00:19:13.480 |
"times or the seasons that the Father has fixed 00:19:29.680 |
than you're not gonna know the specific time or the hour. 00:19:35.160 |
you're focused on making this kingdom your home. 00:19:40.000 |
You're focused, because that's what we're all focused on. 00:19:43.080 |
Your focus is, is it now you're gonna restore the kingdom? 00:19:45.720 |
We've been waiting for this for hundreds and hundreds 00:19:48.120 |
of years, is it now are you going to bring this kingdom 00:20:02.920 |
when Christ comes and he restores his kingdom, 00:20:07.360 |
and he glorifies us, and redeems his church finally 00:20:18.240 |
And you will be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes. 00:20:25.560 |
is not simply comfort us because life is difficult. 00:20:31.400 |
The whole point of the Holy Spirit is not so that 00:20:36.160 |
Although that is a big benefit of the movement 00:20:39.920 |
The primary purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower us 00:20:45.320 |
John 15, 26, but when the helper, the Holy Spirit comes, 00:20:52.400 |
Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, 00:20:59.920 |
Their situation was much worse than even the pastors 00:21:02.800 |
who were preaching the gospel in the villages. 00:21:06.800 |
Taking the gospel to the areas where hostility, 00:21:10.040 |
where people are gonna be stoned, and literally going to die, 00:21:14.200 |
he says, don't worry, the Holy Spirit is going to be 00:21:21.120 |
Again, in John 16, eight, he says, when he comes, 00:21:23.960 |
the Holy Spirit, he will convict the world concerning sin, 00:21:28.800 |
So when we talk about engaging the Holy Spirit, 00:21:36.920 |
we're not simply talking about some mystical inner working 00:21:40.160 |
of emotions and power, we're talking about the power 00:21:48.080 |
So if we're not engaged in the work of the gospel ministry, 00:21:54.480 |
in proclaiming the gospel, the Great Commission, 00:21:59.520 |
It doesn't matter how emotional you get in the service. 00:22:03.160 |
It doesn't matter how passionate you feel inwardly, 00:22:06.200 |
because the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit 00:22:08.520 |
is to move you forward with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:22:11.980 |
Not only is it linked to, directly linked to our relationship 00:22:16.640 |
with Jesus, directly linked to the work of the Holy Spirit, 00:22:20.120 |
proclaiming of the gospel, the Great Commission, 00:22:25.560 |
Every time Christians get together, it isn't fellowship, 00:22:43.940 |
do whatever we do, as long as we're Christians, 00:22:51.160 |
literal translation means to partner together. 00:22:54.160 |
So again, if I say let's partner together, right, 00:23:08.720 |
Paul uses that term in the book of Philippians 00:23:26.800 |
because people are staggering from church to church, 00:23:36.300 |
similar interest in movies, similar interest in travel, 00:23:56.400 |
I don't know how the oldest member of the football team is, 00:23:59.380 |
but from what I hear, probably late 30s, right? 00:24:07.640 |
But late 30s, and I know as young as 18, right? 00:24:15.480 |
Got together and played football for this competition. 00:24:28.720 |
"I want to be in the defensive line with guys my age." 00:24:41.120 |
You know, they're too advanced in their stage in life. 00:24:46.000 |
Nobody says that because the goal of this game is to win. 00:24:50.320 |
And so whoever you are partnering with for this game 00:24:56.440 |
Because what brings them together is not age, 00:25:05.000 |
has nothing to do with your background as a human being. 00:25:28.040 |
spend all their time with people in this economic status? 00:25:35.040 |
with former slaves, Pharisees, and tax collectors. 00:25:40.720 |
Sometimes they didn't even speak the same language, 00:25:47.280 |
What brought them together was the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:25:54.960 |
Fellowship happens in the context of partnering together 00:26:01.200 |
You know that short time that we were there out in India, 00:26:06.080 |
like to me the hardest part of any mission trip 00:26:17.960 |
and then resting and another three and a half hours going. 00:26:20.360 |
And every year I get older it gets harder and harder. 00:26:23.600 |
You know, and even the younger members of our team, 00:26:27.560 |
I mean going out, we didn't go to a comfortable place. 00:26:37.400 |
For some people, I'm not really into Indian food, right. 00:26:41.920 |
I've had enough Indian food for the rest of the year. 00:26:53.600 |
even while we're having fun, at the end of the day, 00:27:00.640 |
And at the end of the day, we don't have to force, 00:27:07.800 |
We're all tired at the end of the day doing the same thing. 00:27:15.280 |
And so when we get together, fellowship happens. 00:27:30.600 |
with this kind of, oh, I can relate to that person 00:27:32.760 |
because we're in the exact same place in life, right? 00:27:48.000 |
And that's no different than the rest of the world, 00:27:51.640 |
looking for a friendship that I can connect with, 00:27:53.920 |
somebody exactly like me, looks like me, smells like me. 00:28:04.540 |
And then we get frustrated when it doesn't happen. 00:28:15.800 |
your language, your culture, your background, 00:28:31.400 |
most of the team are a lot younger than I am, 00:28:38.200 |
And I was encouraged by every single one of them, you know. 00:28:48.560 |
I usually am because they all have particular work to do 00:28:55.160 |
And then when I go there, my work is to make sure 00:29:00.760 |
But I'm encouraged by every single one of them. 00:29:02.280 |
Our VBS team, you know, they were out in the sun 00:29:19.920 |
because what happens in India stays in India. 00:29:32.640 |
and you try to artificially create this, like, 00:29:36.520 |
That's no different than anything in the world, right? 00:29:44.600 |
all of it, that's enough to break off, break that off. 00:29:48.120 |
It's so, any friendship outside of Christ is so fragile. 00:29:51.080 |
But it's in the context of partnering together 00:29:54.320 |
and that's why the gospel and the church fellowship, 00:30:09.840 |
it could be other reasons, but maybe the primary reason 00:30:17.060 |
The great commission affects our prayer life. 00:30:21.580 |
The call to pray is directly linked to the great commission. 00:30:38.100 |
"that I may make it clear which is how I ought to speak." 00:30:44.320 |
And if it is any different than a Buddhist prayer, 00:30:48.140 |
or if it is any different than somebody who worships idols, 00:30:53.160 |
because if you listen carefully to their prayers, 00:30:58.960 |
They pray that their God would help their crops to grow, 00:31:19.600 |
different than a prayer of the Buddhists and the Hindus 00:31:28.460 |
He said, "It is not for you to worry about that now, 00:31:36.840 |
"and you will be glorified with Him when He comes in glory. 00:31:42.660 |
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." 00:32:03.740 |
I can get a job in promotion without praying. 00:32:27.560 |
And I love what John Piper says about this in prayer. 00:32:32.380 |
He says, "Prayer primarily is not an intercom 00:32:37.060 |
"but it is like a walkie-talkie in a time of war. 00:32:41.900 |
"is communicating with their commanding officer 00:32:46.260 |
And so if we're not engaged in the Great Commission, 00:32:54.020 |
And eventually it gets old, and there's no urgency. 00:33:03.940 |
"may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you." 00:33:19.680 |
"I will build my church, and the gates of hell 00:33:25.820 |
he's not saying that he's going to build a fortress 00:33:44.820 |
"and I'm gonna protect everyone inside the church." 00:33:55.960 |
One of my favorite quotes from Torrey Tamboon. 00:34:39.920 |
And so they were passing out little bracelets 00:34:56.960 |
and he was probably no more than about 10 years old. 00:34:59.780 |
All the kids are fighting each other to get these beads, 00:35:02.000 |
but he was standing in line, and he wouldn't get it. 00:35:07.800 |
And so we asked him, "How come you don't want it?" 00:35:11.120 |
That's for Christians, "I'm not a Christian." 00:35:15.920 |
that kid didn't come up with that by himself. 00:35:23.240 |
just like Pastor Saki said about his daughter's friends. 00:35:29.600 |
The thought came to me that all of these kids 00:35:39.680 |
because of our presence, they're open to the gospel, 00:35:43.620 |
they're getting eye care, and they're talking to, 00:35:47.040 |
had any kind of interaction with these pastors 00:35:53.200 |
because of the parents' hostility to that one parent, 00:36:01.320 |
Majority of the people there are pretty open. 00:36:11.600 |
all the other people don't get to hear the gospel, 00:36:14.820 |
because one family member in that village says, 00:36:18.060 |
"Don't go," 'cause they're hostile to the gospel. 00:36:21.220 |
And I just kind of thought about that and said, 00:36:24.820 |
for every person that's hostile to the gospel, 00:36:35.620 |
Is that gonna prevent us from taking the gospel there? 00:36:42.340 |
every time I go, you know, I'm a little bit anxious. 00:36:52.560 |
because this is when the Communist Party was very present, 00:36:55.860 |
and prior to that, all I saw was military presence. 00:37:01.300 |
And we went, and then that kind of opened the door, 00:37:03.460 |
and now Pastor Alex and his family's out there 00:37:10.780 |
We're going to an area where we don't have any contact, 00:37:13.100 |
and if anything happens, we're a five-hour drive away. 00:37:24.100 |
And again, we're there to support these pastors, 00:37:30.820 |
But now India is no longer a project, it's very personal. 00:37:43.220 |
I'm thinking about Pastor Matthew, David, Sake, James, 00:37:48.220 |
some of the people, some of the pastors that we met. 00:38:08.580 |
It's very personal now that these are friends of ours 00:38:19.780 |
Paul evaluated everything in his life, in his ministry, 00:38:42.860 |
"whether people do it out of pretense or good purpose, 00:38:51.260 |
"even though it was one person going around village to village 00:38:55.700 |
"and all these other people became more bold. 00:39:21.020 |
"We have so many people that love one another." 00:39:26.500 |
Buddhist organizations where they love each other. 00:39:28.960 |
I don't know about you, but I've been to places, 00:39:53.540 |
You know, Pastor Sake is the guy that I had contact with. 00:39:56.180 |
And so I've been emailing back and forth with him 00:39:59.820 |
actually, last two years, we were able to go. 00:40:04.680 |
But Pastor Sake is kind of like the middle child 00:40:07.140 |
of three children, and I think maybe that's why 00:40:08.940 |
it's easier for me to connect with him, right? 00:40:11.660 |
And it was so funny, 'cause I asked him, like, 00:40:13.540 |
"Did your older brother beat you when you were young?" 00:40:18.620 |
And I said, "Did you torture your younger brother?" 00:40:21.620 |
Which is Pastor David, and he just says, "Of course." 00:40:32.660 |
and the reason why I like talking to Pastor David, 00:40:36.040 |
Pastor Sake is the mouthpiece of this family. 00:40:39.240 |
Whenever there's a presentation, he's the one translating. 00:40:42.200 |
But Pastor David is the one, the younger brother, 00:40:59.680 |
He doesn't think about, like, how is this gonna come across? 00:41:03.760 |
And so I think one of the guys asked him, like, 00:41:09.160 |
And he said, "Oh, you know, we run into cobras." 00:41:20.240 |
And, you know, and usually he's just very matter of fact. 00:41:24.340 |
So he doesn't talk about the hardship and persecution, 00:41:35.280 |
You know, usually that's how the conversation goes. 00:41:37.400 |
But one thing that, in the context of talking to him, 00:41:39.780 |
that he said to me, again, he said it just in passing, 00:41:44.040 |
I asked him about the hardship of persecution. 00:41:50.580 |
And he mentioned a specific incident that happened 00:41:54.280 |
It's not near his home, but it's maybe about the distance 00:41:56.480 |
between here and NorCal, but it's in that same state. 00:42:00.720 |
And he said, "A Christian got beaten and killed. 00:42:07.680 |
"asking us to pray for them, because two of their pastors 00:42:11.280 |
"going into the village basically got jumped, 00:42:27.520 |
Again, it's about five hours drive from where they are. 00:42:30.200 |
And he said, "Yeah, it wasn't reported in the media, 00:42:39.760 |
And where Pastor Sake lives is the next hotbed 00:42:49.160 |
and beating them, because they're already experiencing 00:42:52.760 |
When he says persecution, he's talking about death. 00:42:56.360 |
And again, like I said, he says it very matter of fact. 00:43:01.400 |
"We see persecution coming, but we're not afraid. 00:43:14.200 |
I was just thinking, "Wow, this is real to them." 00:43:24.680 |
And they're living in the context of this every day, 00:43:37.520 |
with the Christians who are already Christians, 00:43:39.200 |
and just encourage each other to stay faithful. 00:43:43.000 |
All they have to do is stop going to these villages. 00:43:46.760 |
But just as a matter of fact, we see persecution coming, 00:44:00.280 |
Last year, we didn't know who they were until the last day, 00:44:06.860 |
Their interaction was no different than the way we interact. 00:44:11.720 |
I was with Pastor Alex and we're joking around, having fun. 00:44:15.200 |
And it's typically like that when all the coworkers 00:44:22.720 |
And we saw their interactions as a bunch of friends. 00:44:26.040 |
These pastors risking everything to go to the villages, 00:44:34.920 |
but they're risking everything to get the gospel out. 00:44:38.280 |
So I come back this trip and I ask you to pray 00:44:42.340 |
that God would make it clear to us how to proceed. 00:44:45.040 |
And to me, it seems clear that these are people 00:45:03.840 |
that we would not simply onlookers and just clap hands 00:45:10.560 |
But that you and I would also heed the commandment 00:45:15.600 |
And that God would give us a heart as we obey. 00:45:18.720 |
So can you take some time to pray with me this morning 00:45:23.160 |
Just take a minute, I know a lot of time has already gone. 00:45:32.920 |
how much of that is related to what I said this morning? 00:45:36.460 |
That you feel a disconnect in your walk with God. 00:45:40.280 |
you're in the midst of fellowship around the church, 00:45:42.500 |
you're serving the church even, but there's a disconnect.