1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Holly, and I wanted to say a special hello to 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: our Etham, our extended family around the world. You. Hey, 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: before we get into the message, let me tell you 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: about available. This is a special season for our church. 5 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: It's a tradition for the people of Elevation. Every year 6 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: we gather, we appreciate and anticipate, and we also give. 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: This is our yearly time for everybody who receives from 8 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: this ministry to give so that the ministry can go forth, 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: and this year we've themed it around the word available. Available. 10 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: That's all God has ever wanted is for us to say, 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: here I am, send me, use me. And you have 12 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: the opportunity to do that. So if you've been blessed 13 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: through the ministry, it's good to receive. It's even better 14 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: to give. If you want to make a donation, a 15 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: one time gift or a recurring gift, just be a 16 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: part of what God is doing here. We so appreciate it. 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 1: You can get all the details at Elevation Church dot org. 18 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: I'mosa sat Elevationworship dot Com. I guess you could go 19 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: there too, but the giving is at Elevation Church. What 20 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: you just did, you have Elevation Worship on your sweatshirt. Hey, 21 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: Elevationchurch dot org and you can select available. And we 22 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: use all of these resources to continue to preach the gospel, 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 1: not only in physical locations like this one, but through 24 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: the amazing opportunity God has given us to impact the 25 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: world through technology. And we want to thank all of 26 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: you who are apart. We couldn't do it without you. 27 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: Thank you for being a part of our family. Thank 28 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: you for being a part of this move of God. 29 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: Go to Elevationchurch dot org dot com if you're not 30 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 1: already there and be a part. This is going to 31 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: be an amazing, amazing season. And Holly and I are 32 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: believing that your best is ahead. Raise the Lord Church. Oh. 33 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: I love singing truth with my church. It feels good 34 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: to declare that this morning. Huh are you ready for 35 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: the word of God? Are you ready to hear from 36 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: God this morning? I've got the privilege of introducing our 37 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: guests preacher this weekend who's going to be delivering that word. 38 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: He is a great friend of our ministry, hailing from Montana. 39 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 1: He's the pastor of Fresh Life Church. Can you put 40 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: your hands together help me welcome Pastor LEVI. Let's go 41 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: to the poor pitch. Well, let's make some noise for 42 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: Jesus and the elevation man. It is a joy, It 43 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: is an honor. It is a privilege for my wife, 44 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: Jenny and my whole family to be here with you 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: at Elevation. We love you like family, honestly, thanks for 46 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: having us. It's a joy to be here. Pastor asked 47 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: me to come preach into the Available series. I was 48 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: excited and humbled by the chance. I got a message 49 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: that God gave me specifically for this this weekend, and 50 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: it's from Acts chapter nine. We've learned about being needers, 51 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: being feeders instead of needers. We've learned about how to 52 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: say the second yes, and we now know why. And 53 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: this weekend we want to try and figure out what 54 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: to do when we're in a holding pattern. How do 55 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: we handle what do we do with? What about the 56 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: holding pattern? Acts chapter nine, And we're going to begin 57 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: in verse thirty six in what I consider one of 58 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: the most important movements in the Book of Acts. I 59 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: realize that's saying a lot, because there's some great stuff 60 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: in the Book of Acts. If you haven't read it, 61 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: the Bible's awesome. You should check it out sometime. It 62 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: is really good. I mean, even just Acts nine opens 63 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: with the saving of the Apostle Paul. Even the Apostle 64 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: Paul at one point didn't know Jesus. So no matter 65 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: who somebody is, no matter how far from God they 66 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 1: seem to be, he hated Jesus more than anybody until 67 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: he met him. And he's like, turns out, I love 68 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: green eggs in him. It's crazy as saying. Love the guy. 69 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: And he spent the rest of his life preaching the Gospel. 70 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: So when I say to you, in a chapter that 71 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: includes the salvation of the guy who wrote thirteen books 72 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: of the New Testament, if in fact he didn't write Hebrews, 73 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: and if he did, it's fourteen. If he didn't it 74 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: is thirteen, that's still a lot of books of the Bible. 75 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: How many books of the Bible have you written? So 76 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: I just said to you that in a chapter that 77 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: includes the saving of the Apostle Paul, we are about 78 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: to read the story that I consider one of the 79 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: most important movements in the Book of Acts. We should 80 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: be giving our endivide attention. When the text says at Joppa, 81 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: could someone say at Joppa, and now the rest of 82 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: you at Joppa, there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, 83 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,920 Speaker 1: which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good 84 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: works and charitable deeds, which she did. But it happened 85 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: in those days that she became sick and died. When 86 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 87 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: And since Lyda was near Joppa and the disciples had 88 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, 89 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: imploring him not to delay in coming to them. Then 90 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, 91 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: they brought him to the upper room, and all the 92 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: widows stood by him him weeping, showing the tunics and garments. 93 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: Someone say, tunics and garments which she Dorcas, had made 94 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: while she was with them. But Peter put them all 95 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, 96 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 1: he said, Tabitha, arise, and she opened her eyes, and 97 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: when she saw Peter she sat up. Yeah, that's the 98 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: appropriate response. Really. All weekend long, everyone's been playing it cool, 99 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: like you've seen tons of people get up from the dead, 100 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 1: But that's a big deal. Then he gave her his 101 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: hand and lifted her up, and when he had called 102 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: the saints and widows. He presented her alive, and it 103 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: became known throughout all Joppa. I'll bet it did, and 104 00:05:55,320 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: Minnie believed on the Lord. So it was, yeah, that's 105 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: a bigger miracle, actually believe it or not. So it 106 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon 107 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 1: a Tanner and father. We asked that you would speak 108 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: to us something clear, something special, something powerful, so that 109 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 1: our eyes may be opened, so that we may set up, 110 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: so that, taking you by the hand, we may stand 111 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: up and rise up to do all the things you 112 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 1: called us to do. And we asked that if one 113 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: person watching on YouTube, listening to the podcast, or here 114 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: with us today doesn't know you as savior, you would 115 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: draw them to yourself. And we ask this in Jesus' name, 116 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: and everyone said together. Traveling comes with its fair share 117 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: of unexpected surprises. You don't get to get on the 118 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: metal tube attached to rockets and travel across the country 119 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: without some things occasionally going sideways. And I think we 120 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: live in an era where we now accept as normal 121 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: what at a previous point in history was deemed impossible. 122 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 1: Prior to one hundred and fifteen years ago, there wasn't 123 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: an airplane. Thanks Kitty Hawk. Right, Hey, shout out North Carolina. Right. 124 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: There was never such a thing as air travel before 125 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: nineteen oh three, and so we have grown up all 126 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: our lives with normal what never existed for the vast 127 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: amount of human history. For Abraham Genghis Khan, for Abraham Lincoln, 128 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: never did anybody think about, I want to get from 129 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: Cleveland and I want to go to DC, and I'm 130 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: going to do that by hopping on an airplane. It 131 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 1: didn't exist. It wasn't something you could do. I live 132 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: in an area of the country that was a part 133 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: of the Lewis and Clark expedition. You know, these two 134 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: guys who set out with this band of people to 135 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: go from Saint Louis and end up in Oregon trying 136 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: to find water passage to get first back and forth 137 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: for the trade. And they were sent out by Jefferson, 138 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: and you know that the voyage was pretty great, straightforward 139 00:07:57,760 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: up to Missouri from Saint Louis until they got to 140 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: where I live. And then if you look at the map, 141 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: there's like, right, yeah, welcome to my life, right Montana, 142 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: everything went sideways, and the Continental Divide and the mountains 143 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. So it took them to all 144 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: this time, years and years and years to do what 145 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: we can do in an hour. And we're like, yeah, 146 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: but the flight was delayed on the internet was so 147 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: slow there like, of course things are going to go sideways, right, 148 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: and of course no one likes it. Right. There's there's 149 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: there's things that travel that are hard. It comes with 150 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: this fair share of surprises. I was in Louisiana the 151 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: other day and you know, needed to get somewhere. So 152 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: we called an uber and it's already a funny story, 153 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: West Monroe, Louisiana. It was an F one fifty with 154 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: a gun wreck an uber. My wife and I got 155 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: in this thing thing. We someone we need to text 156 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: a friend, leave a note. They may never find this. 157 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: Dig a do do do do do do right? And 158 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: I said to the guy, how's your day going. He goes, 159 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: I'm tired. I'm tired. I go, I go, yeah, he goes. 160 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 1: I said why. I thought he was gonna sae like 161 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: up all raccoon hunting or something, you know, fought an 162 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: alligator instead, he said, I just got back from London. 163 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: I was not expecting this. That was camo head to 164 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: toe Dirty John deeer hat was not expecting. Just got 165 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: back from England. Said wow, England, that's a long flight. 166 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: He goes, yeah, but they had beer on the plane, 167 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: so I drank till I fell asleep, and shoot, when 168 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: I woke up, we were there. I said. It's fantastic, 169 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 1: but one of the worst things that can happen on 170 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: a plane. You can feel it before you even hear 171 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: about it, because the captain will come on and tell 172 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: you about it. But I can almost always feel it 173 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: before I hear it. And that is the holding pattern, 174 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: because what happens is I'll be dead asleep and you know, 175 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: like Spider Man's got that what did his aunt may 176 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 1: call it a Peter tingle. It's like, hey, you embarrassing 177 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: me from my friends. It's a spidy sense, uh Peter tingle. 178 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: I'll feel it. I'll feel that whoo. And for four 179 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: minutes you're in that loop. It's a minute in the 180 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: straight and a minute two hundred and eight degree turns, 181 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:00,959 Speaker 1: and another minute in the that's right. And I'll say, 182 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: my wife, this is not good to go. What we're delayed? 183 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: What do you mean? Do you feel that? It's the 184 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: holding pattern? And you look out the window, and sure 185 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: enough you're there, but you can't get there. A holding 186 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: pattern is when you're at your destination, you just can't 187 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: get to where you desperately need to be. I could 188 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: see it out the window. How many of you understand 189 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: there's some things in our life we can see it. 190 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: I just don't know how to get there. I'll come 191 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: all this way and I see right there where I 192 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: need to be. But it's that last ten percent. I 193 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: just can't seem to get down into the kind of 194 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: mother I want to be. I see what God called 195 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: me to do. I just don't know how to feel stuck. 196 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: I'm in a holding pattern. A holding pattern is full 197 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: of delays and full of disappointment, and we fear missed connections. 198 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: That's what we equate holding patterns with. I'm in this 199 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: holding pattern, and I'm in my head doing the math 200 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: on how long it's going to take me to get 201 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: to my gate, how much time I have to eat 202 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 1: up at a certain point. I'm on the Wi Fi 203 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: with United or with Delta, trying to get on another 204 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: fire right, and you missed your connection, You'll know I'm rebooked. 205 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: I'm missing that connection. I'm missing the night I'm afraid 206 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna get to where I need to be 207 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 1: because of the I'm in a holding pattern. Is that 208 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: not the mood in Acts nine, all of the dreams 209 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: about this life suddenly cut short by illness. As Dorcas 210 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: has died. Her name is Tabitha. It's the Hebrew equivalent, 211 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:33,359 Speaker 1: but it's the same meaning Dorcas Tabitha. They both mean Gazelle. 212 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: Now that, believe it or not, was a compliment. Just 213 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 1: like I call my wife Jenny, my brown eyed girl. 214 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: I when she calls my phone, the ringtone is my girl. Right. 215 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: That was what Gazelle meant in that day. It was 216 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 1: to say, you're fleet footed, You're beautiful, you're you're you're 217 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: you're quick. This this this compliment, this praise. That her 218 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: parents chose to call her a deer. And in the 219 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: Book of Proverbs, a wife has to be praised, is 220 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 1: beautiful and graceful as a deer. So to think of 221 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: this woman who not only had that name but lived 222 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 1: that life, what does the text say, I can't remember. 223 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: She was full of good works and charitable deeds. That's 224 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: the one that's gonna get sick unfairly and die. The 225 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: one who's blessing everybody, the one who's going about doing good, 226 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: full of good works, full of charitable deeds, which, believe 227 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: it or not, is true of every single one of you, 228 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: Every Christian, every person is full of good works. God 229 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 1: has planned for it to be so. In the Book 230 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: of Ephesians, we're told that we are all his workmanship, masterpiece, poem, painting, 231 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 1: and He has crammed us full of good works which 232 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 1: God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. So 233 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: if you could see God, imagine God in his factory 234 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: planning you before the world was framed. He was grabbing 235 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: stuff off the shelf, pouring it in and on all 236 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: sorts of different kinds and varieties and shape and styles. 237 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:07,800 Speaker 1: But he crammed your destiny full of good works that 238 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 1: He has been dreaming about since before you were ever born. Now, 239 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: let me ask you this question, why is it if 240 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: every Christian has been crammed full in their destiny of 241 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: good works, why is it that not every Christian is 242 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: living a beautiful life and changing the world like Dorcas did, 243 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: Because so many of us stopped there, but Dorcas did not. 244 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: Dorcas was not just full of charitable deeds and full 245 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: of good works. But the text says she's full of 246 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: these things which she If we don't do the things 247 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: that God has planned for us, we end up full 248 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: of it. A lot of Christians are just full of it. 249 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: Come on, che your neighbors, are you full of it? 250 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: Don't be full of it? You see? The problem with 251 00:13:55,360 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: spiritual constipation is if you take in but you never 252 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: give out, you just are stuff and bloated and sick. 253 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: So God doesn't just give us the strength for willing, 254 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 1: He gives us the strength for doing. We must not 255 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 1: stop at good intentions. Being willing is not enough. You 256 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: can say I'm willing and able, But in the event 257 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: of a water evacuation, someone's got to open that door 258 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: of someone's got to extend the slide out. Someone's gotta 259 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: be there. You gotta do the things He planned for 260 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: you to do. How long are you going to talk 261 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: about that business? How long are you going to talk 262 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: about serving? How long are you to talk about one day? 263 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give one Nay, I'm gonna do this one Nay, 264 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: I'm gonna write this up. One day, IM gonna write 265 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: this book. Come on, don't be full of it? You 266 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: gotta do it. You gotta rise up and take action. 267 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: Now you say to me, well, how do you asking 268 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: for a friend? How do you how do you do that? 269 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: How do you do what you're full of the answer 270 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: is in your hand. It's in your hand. The answer 271 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: to doing what's in your heart is using what's in 272 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: your hand. It's in the text. Did you notice it? Tabitha, 273 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: change the world, Dorcas, even a Dorcas can change the 274 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: world right through using what's in her hand. We learned 275 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: week one in the series that the big movement for 276 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: being available to availing ourself to a God who's able. 277 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: He's endlessly able. God is able to make all grace 278 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: abound towards you. But why do so many not walk 279 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: in that grace that he's able to make a bound 280 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: towards you. So many don't avail themselves to that power 281 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: because we get stuck on me me me, me, me, me me, me, me, me, me, 282 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: me me, and they never get to sew. So the 283 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: movement to availing yourself to the power that God's able 284 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: to give to you is the movement from me to sow. 285 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: And that's what Dorcas did, because the text says she 286 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: made what tunics and garments. She was a seamstress. Our 287 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: sister had a passion for fashion. And when she had 288 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: all these dreams in her heart of changing the world, 289 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: she looked down and she saw a needle around her 290 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: neck was a measuring tape, and she said, I wonder 291 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: if and so listen to me. To get from me 292 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: to sow, she used a needle pulling thread. Come on, 293 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: don't live your life focused on me, unnamed, I call myself. 294 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: Use what's in your hand. If it's a needle pulling thread, fine, 295 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: whatever God has given you in your hand, he wants 296 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 1: to use that to unlock and unleash what's in your heart. 297 00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: At least that's what Doe Ad, a female deer. Dorcas 298 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: teaches us. Hey, it's a sound of music all up 299 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: in here, all right. So in Dorcas, we have a 300 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:17,719 Speaker 1: holding pattern, a pattern for how to hold. And you 301 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: can't sew a complicated project if you don't have a pattern. 302 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: How many of you know you got to go down 303 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: to joe An Fabrics, and you got to go to 304 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: Hobby Lobby. You got to get you to Michael's Arts 305 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: and Crafts Supply and buy a pattern and a pattern 306 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: is what you lay out on top of your fabric, 307 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: so you know the shape that you'll cut out before 308 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: you use your thread to sew. So I believe in 309 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: Dorcas we're given a different way of looking at our 310 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: holding patterns by making sure we understand that we have 311 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: a pattern, a pattern for how to hold, a pattern 312 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: for how to hold what's in our hand, so God 313 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,880 Speaker 1: can unlock what's in our heart, for that is God's desire. 314 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: The problem and the disconnect us, there's so many of 315 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: us look at what is in our hand, and we 316 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: see no connection to what's in our heart, so we 317 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: do nothing. Think about a crowd of people and you 318 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:12,159 Speaker 1: need to you need to feed them. What's in your hand? 319 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: Five of those and new visies? Well, this can't do 320 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: anything for that, Therefore I'll do nothing. What's in your hand? Well, 321 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: freedom for God's people from the Egyptians. What's what's in 322 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: your heart? Rather freedom from God's people from the Egyptians. 323 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: What's in your hand? A staff? If you give God 324 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: what's in your hand a staff, he'll unlock what's in 325 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: your heart. If you give God your loaves, he'll feed 326 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: the craft. What's it? What's in your hand? A cup, 327 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: what's in your heart, rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. Use 328 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: your cup, Nehemiah, use what's in your hand, you give 329 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 1: it to God. Don't stop, don't stop believing just because 330 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: you don't understand how it's connected. Use what's in your hand, 331 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: Use your needle, use your cup, use your staff, use 332 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: your resources. It doesn't feel like it's enough, But God 333 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: is able to make all grace a bound towards you. 334 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: You just got to get under his plan, get under 335 00:18:55,520 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: his authority, get under his his reiin and so that's 336 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: that's what Dorcas did. So in her we find a pattern, 337 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: a pattern for how to hold, a pattern for how 338 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: to have a light touch, a pattern for how to 339 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 1: have a longer vision, and a reason to no longer 340 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 1: give into the excuses that fill our heart when we 341 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: look at what's in our hand and we barely see 342 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: enough for ourselves, much less for for how God could 343 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: do anything else. We get talked out of using our 344 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: resources to do God's work, don't we We say stupid stuff, 345 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: well like will I give my time so I don't 346 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: need to give my money? You know what I say 347 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: to that? I say, a vela bull, avela bull, aren't 348 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: you glad that Jesus didn't just give us his time, 349 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,679 Speaker 1: but he gave us his blood as money. Come on, 350 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,639 Speaker 1: blood money more precious than gold or silver. He didn't 351 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: come just to give us his time. You know. Margaret Thatcher, 352 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: she used to be the Prime Minister of England in 353 00:19:57,600 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 1: the eighties. She said, no one would be talking about 354 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 1: the Good Samaritan if he only gave time. But he 355 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,880 Speaker 1: had money too. Someone had to pay the bill at 356 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: the end. Someone had to buy the bandages. Someone had 357 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 1: to give the oil and the wine. Hey listen, if 358 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna reach Orlando, if we're gonna reach this country, 359 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: it's gonna take money. Ministry takes money. We need to 360 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: have resources, not just time. Don't don't fall into available. 361 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,480 Speaker 1: I got I got another one. How about how about this? 362 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 1: How about Well, God doesn't need my money, This church 363 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: certainly doesn't need my money. Look at all this fancy everything, boveyla, 364 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: stay with me, bull. Yeah, God doesn't need your money, 365 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: but you need his blessing. Warren Whersby said, you know, 366 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 1: a God who paves the streets of his heaven with 367 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: gold does not ever fear going broke. If you don't 368 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 1: give but you might go broke if you don't, because 369 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: he has promised to bless you as you lean into 370 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 1: his work. Bless you, he said, I'll open up the 371 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: heavens over you. Just participate. Just trust me. Put me 372 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,960 Speaker 1: to the test. See if I'm not able to make 373 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: all grace abound towards you. You just gotta get from 374 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: me to So come on, don't just live your life 375 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: out for a name you call yourself. Use your needle, 376 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,199 Speaker 1: pull some thread, give it to God, trust him, give it, 377 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: put him to the test. Available bull about how about 378 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: this one? Other people have more, so if I had more, 379 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: I would give more. Availabull You'd be exactly as generous 380 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: with a million dollars as you are with ten thousand dollars. 381 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: You'd be exactly as generous with a thousand as you 382 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 1: are with the hundreds. It's a hard issue. If it 383 00:21:41,680 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: don't start small, it's never going to get bigger. I 384 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: wonder if you thought I would take my wife on 385 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,000 Speaker 1: a date, but I don't have enough money. Look, you 386 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,160 Speaker 1: can make your wife feel like a princess at Costco 387 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: getting the samples girl, anything you want Aisle twelve, fourteen 388 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 1: and nineteen and then you could work your way up 389 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: to a hot dog and twenty out soda combo. It's 390 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: a heart thing. There's a lot of people who can 391 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: afford file at minn and wrapped in bacon, who treat 392 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: their wives like a dog. It's a heart issue. It's 393 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: a romance issue. The most important thing is to give 394 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 1: her you, and so that's really where it begins. And generosity, 395 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: like romance works on any level, and that's why the 396 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,679 Speaker 1: tithe is so fair and generosity is all over Tabitha's story. 397 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: Three things. Jot them down. She gave what she could, 398 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: which was a lot tunics and garments, but that's misleading 399 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: because tunics and garments actually means cloaks and capes. My 400 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,360 Speaker 1: wife and I just got invited to a black tie event, 401 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 1: had never been invited to a black tie event before. 402 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: We live in Montana, you guys, and we were like, 403 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 1: what do you do? We had to of course google it? 404 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: What does that even mean? And can't a lot about 405 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: things that I know I don't want to know about 406 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: cocktail dress versus a formal gown. My wife and I 407 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: went to this store called Rent the Runway where you 408 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: can rent address. You don't have to buy it, and 409 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:13,480 Speaker 1: I sat to thank god they had a coffee shop. 410 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: You know, I don't know if I would have survived, 411 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 1: But all these dresses, there's a lot to it. And 412 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: that's the stuff that Dorcas was given out, the stuff 413 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 1: that would cause a widow to have dignity walking through town, 414 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: because uncovered by a cape, without a cloak, everyone could see. 415 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 1: No one took care of them. But you take a 416 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: widow and you give her a cloak and a cape, 417 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: she's able to walk through town and feel it just 418 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,640 Speaker 1: as special as everybody else. That was Dorcas's passion. I'm 419 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: going to give every woman dignity. I'm going to give 420 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: every woman the chance to walk through town without anybody 421 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: looking at him. Funny, and so Dorcas had, of course 422 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 1: to have a lot of money to spend money on 423 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: the materials to make such things, and to be able 424 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: to do that on top of whatever else she was doing, 425 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: bove and beyond how she would give at church, above 426 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: and beyond anything else she was doing. And so I 427 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 1: would just say to you, you might go, I can't 428 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: afford to give like that. Well, God's not calling you 429 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: to do what she could do. God's calling to do 430 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: what you can do. The great danger on December seventh 431 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: and eighth is not that you won't do what someone 432 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: else can do. It's that you won't do what you 433 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: can do. He's called you to use what's in your hand, 434 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: not your neighbor's hand. He's called you to use the 435 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: resource he's entrusted to you. God never looks at the 436 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: portion of a gift. He will not be looking next 437 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: week and going just the size of the gift. He 438 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 1: would be looking at the proportion of the total that 439 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: you've been entrusted with that it represents. He looks at 440 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: our contribution and measures it against our capacity. You could 441 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: give one hundred thousand dollars next Sunday, and some of 442 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: you should. Some of you should give more than that 443 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: because the heart and the trust of this ministry over 444 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 1: the years. Some of you should just really say yes 445 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 1: to accelerating the vision. But you could give one hundred 446 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 1: thousand dollars gift next weekend, and God not be impressed 447 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 1: with it. If it's not something that's going to cost you. 448 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 1: If it's not if it's like, well, that's what I'll 449 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 1: spend on landscaping next year. To think of someone who 450 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,480 Speaker 1: could give a seven hundred dollars gift, and it could 451 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: cause God to be pushing the angels over because he 452 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: says that's going to cost them something that was a 453 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 1: difficult yes, out of what they've been entrusted. That means something. 454 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 1: So my encouragement to you would be to say, I'm 455 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 1: going to use what's in my hand to have this 456 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: be weighty. Make sure when you hold that check that 457 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:19,119 Speaker 1: it's weighty to you, that it's not flippant to you, 458 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: that it's not something you can easily do. Make sure 459 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 1: it's something that causes you to stretch. I believe so 460 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: much in the stretch. And if this church was going 461 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: to do nothing of the good things they're going to 462 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,879 Speaker 1: do with this outreach, if it was ten twelve percent 463 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: going to outreach, if it wasn't going to be a 464 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: million dollars plus given to charity that is not run 465 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 1: by the church, Hello homelessness and giving food out and 466 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: beds for the home, all that stuff. If it was, 467 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: it would be worth it, probably just for the stretch 468 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 1: in our own lives. Because there's a text that troubles me, 469 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: and it says this in the time of the year 470 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,400 Speaker 1: that the Kings went out to battle. David stayed home. 471 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: King David stayed home. He should have gone out to battle. 472 00:25:57,720 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: Every year there was a time of the year that 473 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 1: a king was supposed to go fight, go to battle, 474 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: live on the field, not in the palace, live in 475 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: a tent, be hungry, go through difficulty, and that kept 476 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: him on his edge. That kept him, That kept him scrappy, 477 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: that kept him from getting fat and lazy, that kept 478 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: him from getting complacent. In the time of listen, in 479 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 1: the time of the year that the kings was supposed 480 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 1: to go to battle, Davids stay home. Do you know 481 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: what happened next? Her name is Bathsheba. Kings become fools 482 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: when they stop going out to war, and we must 483 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,359 Speaker 1: every year stretch ourselves and stay on our edge. Come on, 484 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: it's just just just a sentim what God's calling us 485 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 1: once again to go all in once again, once again, 486 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 1: to fight once again. I believe so much in the 487 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: heart for this, this this offering, which is to say, 488 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:43,200 Speaker 1: let's fight. Let's let's not get into cruise control, let's 489 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,040 Speaker 1: not believe this thing's so big it'll take care of 490 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: itself if no one gives Come on, what if everybody 491 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: thought that way, Let's stretch, Let's fight. Let's go to 492 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: war with the enemy. Let's go to war with with 493 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: with young people being lost to heroin. Let's go to 494 00:26:57,560 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: war with the generation that's cutting it cell just to 495 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: feel something and reach them with the love of Jesus Christ. 496 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: She gave what she could. She gave while she could. 497 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: Second point, while she could. Did Tabitha know when she 498 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 1: went to work in her workshop that she was going 499 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: to get sick soon? Did Tabitha have any idea that 500 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: she was in the final stretch of her life? Do 501 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: any of us? Death is a lot of things that 502 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: comes to us a lot of ways, but tragically often 503 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 1: it's a surprise, and we always must live with an 504 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 1: awareness of our mortality and therefore the preciousness of whatever 505 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: time is in front of us. What if she had said, 506 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, I've got some things happening with my business. 507 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 1: You know, I've got this guy, Ralph Lauren, who's going 508 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: to be buying some stuff down the road, and eventually 509 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: I'll have more than I'll do something for the widow. 510 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: Though she did it when God struck her with the idea, 511 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: She did it when God prompted her. She did it 512 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: when God called her. She realized, God's going to clothe 513 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: these widows, whether he uses me or not. Like Mordecai 514 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 1: said to esther, God's going to do his thing, whether 515 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,879 Speaker 1: without you. Honey, come on, so pony the courage and 516 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: get you before the king. God will raise up another 517 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: church to bless. If elevation won't fight, he'll do his 518 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: work in the earth. He's not dependent on any one 519 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: of us. So there is no question God's going to 520 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: do it. But why not you? Why not me? Why not? Now? 521 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,399 Speaker 1: We have been brought into the kingdom for such a 522 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: time as this last week we learned that Mary poured 523 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: out the oil and Judas said, wey this waste, and 524 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 1: Jesus said, stop it. She knows what others don't know. 525 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 1: I'm about to die, and she did this in light 526 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 1: of my burial. How did she know that because she 527 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 1: always sat at his feet, and those who sit at 528 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: his feet know things other people don't know. And she 529 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: was paying attention while the disciples were fighting about who's 530 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: greatest in the kingdom, to Jesus saying I'm about to die, 531 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: and she goes, well, if a king's gonna die, he's 532 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: got to be anointed. For burial. So she poured this 533 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:51,760 Speaker 1: out and anointed his feet. Listen to me, when Jesus 534 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: Christ hung on that cross, his feet smelled like mirth 535 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: because of her. It was the only anointing his body 536 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: ever got. What about his The women came, didn't they? Yeah, 537 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: but he was already risen. So had she not acted 538 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: when she did, he would have gone to the grave 539 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: unannointed for burial. So let me ask you this question. 540 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: Are you going to miss the opportunity of a lifetime 541 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 1: that's passing in front of you? Because it's only good 542 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 1: for the lifetime of the opportunity. Come on, let's not 543 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: miss our moment. We were born for this, brought into 544 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: the kingdom for such a time as this. She gave 545 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: while she could. Thirdly, and finally she received more than 546 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: she gave. And so it always is because God will 547 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 1: not be outgiven. It's just he's too competitive for that. 548 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: I can't put it any other way than that. We 549 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: think we can bless God and we walk away with 550 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: more than what we gave to him. Is that not 551 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: in the story you looked at last week where Owin 552 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: poured out oil on his feet and wiped it up 553 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: with her and walked away saying goodbye. But what was 554 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: in her hair still she smelled like what she poured out, 555 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: and everywhere she went she was able to shift the 556 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: atmosphere and change the smell of the room because of 557 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: what she thought was no longer in her life, but 558 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: now was more a part of her than ever before. 559 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: And so it will be for you. You will give 560 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: saying goodbye to your gift. But things we send to 561 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: heaven because that's what you're gonna do. We don't give 562 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 1: to the local church. We give through the local church. 563 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:27,440 Speaker 1: And just like Dorcas's soul went to heaven, and so 564 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: would come back. Because when death interests the equation in 565 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: God's hands, a soul that we say goodbye to, it's 566 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: always see you later. It's always until next time. And 567 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:42,160 Speaker 1: what's true of a soul is true of a seed. 568 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: They thought it was goodbye to Dorcas, but it was 569 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: until next time. And that's always true with every believer, 570 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: whether God raises us from the dead on this side 571 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: of eternity or not, it's always until next time. You 572 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: might write rip rest in peace on a grave, but 573 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: I'm telling you something in Jesus' name, It's always raised 574 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: in Power's that's what's gonna happen. And when God gets 575 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 1: his last word. So she received more than she that 576 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: gave because she gave these dresses out. But what does 577 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: she get? I count three things? Number one she got resurrection. 578 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 1: Would the widows have sent for Peter if they would 579 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: not have been clothed by Dorcas? It says when Peter came, 580 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: they stood there holding these saying, you got a raiser 581 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: from the dead. Look what she did. Who's going to 582 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: weep when you die? How will you live? Like Mark 583 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: Twain said, so that when you die, even the undertecker, sorry, 584 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 1: you're dead, How will you live a life so big 585 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 1: and so massive that because of you, while you were alive, 586 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: hungry people were fed, Naked people were clothed. The gospel 587 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: was preached to the imprisoned and to the poor. We 588 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 1: can live in Jesus' name, such a big, beautiful life, 589 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: that there will be people on this earth who are 590 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: sorry that we died. And she was brought back. And 591 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: how surprised she must have been, because normally you die 592 00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: and go to the pearly gates, and who do you see, Peter? 593 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 1: She left the pearlygates came back to earth, and there 594 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 1: he was. But it wouldn't have happened had she not given. 595 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: She also participated in revival, the text says verse forty two, 596 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: and many believed all around Jappa her gift occasioned, her death, 597 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: occasioned her resurrection, occasioned the salvation of a city, many 598 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: of them. But that's not it, because there's a third r. 599 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: It's resurrection, it's revival and its relocation. God, it seems, 600 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 1: was doing something bigger than anyone could understand, as this 601 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: all was a part of a bigger plan to get 602 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: Peter to Joppa, because the text ends with verse forty three, 603 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: So it was that he stayed there in Japa with 604 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: Simon a Tanner many days now. Japa is an interesting 605 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: word because you hear it, you go, wait, that sounds 606 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 1: so familiar. Why does it sound familiar? Well, if you 607 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: read the Old Testament, you find that it was in 608 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: Joppa that Jonah said, no, God has this thing. Pastor 609 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: mentioned it last weekend about wanting to reach the Gentiles. 610 00:33:05,160 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 1: It was never meant to stay Jewish, It was never 611 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 1: meant to stay in one sect, and never meant to 612 00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: stay in one country. He was always intending to get 613 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: it to the whole world, always intending to go global 614 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: with it. I wrote this sermon without knowing that Pastor 615 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: had simultaneously been writing a sermon about getting a message 616 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 1: to the gentiles, and suddenly God changed him and shifted 617 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 1: him to Mary, not knowing that this weekend God was 618 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 1: going to send me to speak about getting the gospel 619 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: of the gentiles. But how did God do something so 620 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: big through a woman who pulled thread with a needle 621 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: in her Listen to me saying yes, she said yes 622 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: to the dress. She undid what Jonah had done, And 623 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: you better say yes, or you'll find yourself like Jonah 624 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: in a different kind of holy pattern, stuck at sea world. 625 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: In her saying yes, she unwittingly played part in a 626 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 1: plan to get Peter. You keep saying that why was 627 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 1: it so important to get Peter to Joppa? Oh, you 628 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: don't know about Acts ten. There was gonna be a 629 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:18,880 Speaker 1: guy named Cornelius, a commander in the Roman army, and 630 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: he was going to be praying, believing for salvation, but 631 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 1: not knowing if God would have him a gentile. And 632 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,359 Speaker 1: in the middle of his prayer session, an angel would 633 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: show up and the Angel would say, your prayers, Cornelius, 634 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,360 Speaker 1: and your alms have come up. Your alms, your prayers, 635 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 1: your gifts have come up before God. He has seen you, 636 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 1: and so now send men. Say it with me to 637 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: Joppa and send for Simon, whose surname is Peter. It 638 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: was all about getting Peter to Joppa. You see, we're 639 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: afraid when we find ourselves in a holding pattern, not knowing. 640 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 1: I see where I want to be, but I don't 641 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: know how to get there. We think it's about misconnections. 642 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: I came to tell you it's about making connections in 643 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,360 Speaker 1: your holding pattern. God is preparing you for what you know. 644 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: Not come on, we gotta get Peter to Joppa because 645 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: Peter's got the keys, and the guy with the keys 646 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:12,320 Speaker 1: needs to get brought to the city to meet the 647 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:14,800 Speaker 1: guy that by the angel. You feel like God doesn't 648 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: see you. You feel like God doesn't know you. But 649 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 1: you are a certain disciple to him. You are loved 650 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: by him. He's got plans for you. So use what's 651 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 1: in your hand to unlocke what's in your heart. At 652 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:28,919 Speaker 1: the death of Tabitha, they saw only death, they saw 653 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 1: only a grave. But our godsaw garden a garden that 654 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,560 Speaker 1: would extend to Charlotte, a garden that would extend all 655 00:35:34,640 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 1: across North Carolina and all across the United States, to 656 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: every tide, every time, every language. So let's lean in, 657 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:46,360 Speaker 1: let's not miss out, let's participate, let's make ourselves available. 658 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 1: Come on singing out all across the church. Thank you 659 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 1: for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who 660 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:57,120 Speaker 1: give generously to this ministry. Is because of you that 661 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:00,120 Speaker 1: this ministry is possible. You can click the link in 662 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: the description to give now or visit Elevationchurch dot org 663 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: slash podcast for more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, 664 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:10,920 Speaker 1: you can subscribe. You can share it with your friends. 665 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 666 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:15,680 Speaker 1: share it on your social stories and tag us at 667 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,279 Speaker 1: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.