1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Holly, and I wanted to say a special hello to 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: our Etham, our extended family around the world. Hey, before 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: we get into the message, let me tell you about available. 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: This is a special season for our church. It's a 5 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: tradition for the people of Elevation. Every year we gather, 6 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: we appreciate and anticipate, and we also give. This is 7 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: our yearly time for everybody who receives from this ministry 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: to give so that the ministry can go forth, and 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: this year we've themed it around the word available. Available. 10 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 1: That's all God has ever wanted is for us to 11 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: say here I am, send me, use me. And you 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: have the opportunity to do that. So if you've been 13 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: blessed through the ministry, it's good to receive. It's even 14 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: better to give. If you want to make a donation, 15 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: a one time gift or a recurring gift, just be 16 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: a part of what God is doing here. We so 17 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: appreciate it. You can get all the details at Elevation 18 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: Church dot org. I'm gonna sat Elevation Worship dot Com. 19 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: I guess you could go there too, but the giving 20 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: is at Elevation Church. What you just did, you have 21 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: Elevation Worship on your sweatshirt. Hey, Elevationchurch dot org and 22 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: you can select available. And we use all of these 23 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: resources to continue to preach the gospel, not only in 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,520 Speaker 1: physical locations like this one, but through the amazing opportunity 25 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: God has given us to impact the world through technology. 26 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: And we want to thank all of you who are apart. 27 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: We couldn't do it without you. Thank you for being 28 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: a part of our family. Thank you for being a 29 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: part of this move of God. Go to Elevationchurch dot 30 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: org dot com if you're not already there and be 31 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 1: a part. This is going to be an amazing, amazing season, 32 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: and Holly and I are believing that your best is ahead. 33 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: We bring you greetings from the greater Charlotte area where 34 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: we broadcast this message. Welcome to this very special weekend 35 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: worship experience at Elevation Church, where today thousands of us 36 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: will not only give God our worship with our mouths 37 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: and with the breadth that He put in our lungs, 38 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: but there are many of us who came today to 39 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: give God an offering from what He has blessed us with. 40 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: And excuse us, but we're excited about it. I know 41 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: it feels funny but we are excited to give back 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: to God because of all that He's done for us. 43 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: And just look at the person next to you and 44 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: tell him, I know I'm good looking, but that's not 45 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: why I'm so blessed. It's because of God's grace and mercy. 46 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: And that's the only way I made it through the year. 47 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: That's the only way I made it through the day. 48 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: That's the only way I got up out of the bed. 49 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 1: Come on, let everything that has spread praise the Lord. 50 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: Welcome Columbia, Melbourne, Florida, Uptown Greensboro, Concord, you see Greenville, 51 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: South Carolina, our EPHAM around the world. Go ahead right now. 52 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: If you're watching on Facebook Live or YouTube live or 53 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: the Elevation app or Elevation Church dot org or Church 54 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: sermons dot com. However you found this just stumbling around 55 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: looking for something on eBay and here we are by accident, 56 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: Go ahead and put where you're watching from and why 57 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: you're believing God for today. Because this is a series 58 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: called Available, and this is the last week. And God 59 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,360 Speaker 1: has made his grace, his love, his mercy, his peace, 60 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: his joy available to each and every one of us. 61 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: And as we make more of ourselves available to him. 62 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: We receive all that he is and we're so excited. 63 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: We're so excited. Here's what we're going to do. Remain 64 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: standing for one moment. I'm going to read you a scripture. 65 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: I'll tell you why I'm reading this scripture. At the 66 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: end of this short er message, we'll worship a little more. 67 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: It'll be really beautiful. Nobody's leaving until the end. Many 68 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: people are here today who flew in just to bring 69 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: their offering because they connect with this ministry all around 70 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: the world. And you don't even have to be in 71 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: the building. There's no distance when it comes to worship, connection, 72 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: prayer community. Thank God for that. So where you're watching 73 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, I just make up places randomly, but somebody's 74 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: watching from Minnesota. It's the law of averages. I promise you, 75 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: I don't want to be in Minnesota this December. How 76 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 1: many just thank God if you don't think of anything 77 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: else that you're not in Minnesota this December. Some of 78 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: y'all are sitting there. You didn't clap the whole time 79 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: till just now. Well, I'll praise him for that. That 80 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: is praiseworthy, Brother Steve. And when we say that, people 81 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: are online all around the world. You will participate as well. 82 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: This will be the weekend that many will go from 83 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: consumer to a contributor where it's like, oh man, I 84 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: just watched this sermons. Love the worship. It's like, then 85 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: you give God worship and it makes all of the 86 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 1: goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ become flesh in 87 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: your life. And we'll have time to do that. Everybody 88 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: who prepared and offering, as well as even those who 89 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: aren't giving. If you never give, you're welcome here. I 90 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: never heard a country club say that. I never heard 91 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: a restaurant say that. Starbucks will kick you out in 92 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: thirty minutes just for the Wi Fi. But this will 93 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: always be a place you could come. But thousands of 94 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: people we love it. We love it, We love what 95 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: God is doing. This is a move of God. It's 96 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: a miracle and we want to get involved. So I 97 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 1: know many of you have your offering prepared, many of 98 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: you will prepare it, you'll give it online. We'll explain 99 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: all of that. Also, we're going to give everybody the 100 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: opportunity to choose a word that represents what you are 101 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 1: believing God for in the coming year. And this is 102 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 1: a little unique because we're setting off a new decade. 103 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: We're setting off a new decade, and we'll have our 104 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: Christmas message next weekend, and then a Christmas program the 105 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: following weekend, and then our New Year's praise party. And 106 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: I've already heard from God concerning the series that I'm 107 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: going to be teaching. I came invide and I don't 108 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: know who else was in there. Tim Summers i think 109 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: was in there. I told him this is what God 110 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: has given me, and I'll be sharing that with you 111 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: next weekend what I'm going to preach in the new year, 112 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: and I'm excited about it. But today I was selecting God, 113 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 1: what if there was one thing to say. We've talked 114 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: about saying yes to God. We've talked about how I'm 115 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: trying to remember all of them now. Oh, last time 116 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 1: I was up here, I talked about having the right why, 117 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: and I shared with you how I look at a 118 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: picture of my kids when I think about the church 119 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: that I want them to grow up in and the 120 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: God that I want them to know, and that helps 121 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: me as i'm given I'm like, well, I invest in 122 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: them playing baseball. None of them are going pro I 123 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,159 Speaker 1: just figured that out early. But if I can get 124 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: them ready to live this life with the assurance of 125 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:51,799 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, to know their identity and him, that's something. 126 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: And so we talked about that. I have a hard 127 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 1: time often choosing between different messages. I'll usually prepare three 128 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: and then pick one on Saturday. That's how I do it. 129 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: It's probably the dumbest way in the world to do it, 130 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: but that's what I do. I had one on Mary 131 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: because I thought, well, she made herself available and God 132 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: didn't even ask her permission, just showed up, like, you're pregnant, 133 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: congratulations and how She said, how will this be? Since 134 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: I'm a virgin and we often get stuck on how. 135 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: But God didn't tell her how. He said who, the 136 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit will overpower you. And I thought we could 137 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: talk about the Who, which is awesome, and I'll preach 138 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: it one day. But then I moved on. I was 139 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: flipping through I been feeling that one, and I said, 140 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: all right, well, how about this one with the woman 141 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: that had the jars and she needed God to provide 142 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: for her. And she kept saying, next vessel, next vessel. 143 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: You know, we're vessels of the Holy Spirit, And she 144 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: kept saying, next vessel, next vessel, And when there wasn't 145 00:07:56,840 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: another vessel, the oil stopped flowing. More oil was available, 146 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: but the vessels ran out, and I thought we could 147 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: talk about that, are you the next vessel that God 148 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: wants to fill? But then I had this one other 149 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: message that was just kind of I was thinking about 150 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: it and never precied this passage before, and I was 151 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: praying God, I have three which one? This has never 152 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: happened before. Sometimes you'll hear someone say I was reading 153 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: the Bible and the scripture just jumped off the page 154 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: at me. That didn't happen, But something even crazier happened. 155 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: This has never happened. I'm for since I was sixteen 156 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: years old. Instead of the scripture jumping off the page, 157 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: the page came out of the Bible. This Bible has 158 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 1: been put to good use. And this is the first 159 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: page that ever fell out. And look what the scripture was, 160 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 1: Acts ten Because I'm praying which one? Which one? Look 161 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: at Acts ten twenty one is said I'm the one 162 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: you're looking for. I was like, okay, so this one 163 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about. Look at somebody and say 164 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: I'm the one. I'm the one. I'm the one. You 165 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: may be seated, God bless you. I'm the one. More specifically, 166 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: verse twenty one, Peter went down and said to the men, 167 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come? 168 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: Peter went down and said to the men, I'm the 169 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: one you're looking for. Why have you come? And if 170 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: funny how you can have such confidence and uncertainty at 171 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: the same time, I'm the one you're looking for? Why 172 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: have you come? See? The scripture has a lot to 173 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: say about the power of one. I used to hear 174 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: preachers say if we had this whole church and it 175 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: was just for one person to know Christ, it would 176 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: have been worth it. And I do believe that. But 177 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: we probably wouldn't like build this big of a building 178 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: if it was just the one. We could probably meet 179 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: up some a little bit more logically suited to the 180 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: one on one relationship. This is a place where thousands 181 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: get touched, but God is still about the one. I 182 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: can even tell us sometimes when I'm preaching, I can 183 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: look around and go, God probably gave you this part 184 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: of the message for them, and it's weird. Don't be 185 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 1: freaked out about it. I promise you. I don't have 186 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: some kind of spooky powers or anything. You can just 187 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 1: tell sometimes like that's what they needed. Somebody say, I'm 188 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: the one. I'm the one. And Peter, of course, Jesus 189 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: had twelve disciples, eleven after Judas was kind of moved 190 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: on but transitioned, you know, was transferred. But Peter was 191 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: that one. There's always the one. Peter was the one. 192 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: He speak up, you know, he'd be like, you are 193 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: the Christ, the son of the living God. He was 194 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: the one who made the first confession of who Christ was. 195 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:58,080 Speaker 1: He was the one. He was also the one who, 196 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: just a few verses later was telling Jesus, you don't 197 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: need to go to the cross, that's bad for your clout. 198 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: And then Jesus said, get behind me, Satan. Same one, 199 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: but depending on when you caught him, he was either 200 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: wildly obstinate or obedient, and we just happened to catch 201 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: him at a good time in Acts chapter twelve, because 202 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: he has learned the value of obedience. Have you have 203 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: you learned the value of doing what God says even 204 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: when you don't fully understand it. I think that's really important. 205 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: As we give today, many of us are giving, and 206 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: you start doing the math, and you're like, well, you know, 207 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: I could buy this, or I could buy that or 208 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: And that's probably not God telling you not to give 209 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: to help people. But it's weird because you have to 210 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: you have to learn how to discern. Now, now, in 211 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: this particular passag I'm gonna tell you litt bit about it, 212 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 1: Peter went down and said to the men, I'm the 213 00:11:56,120 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: one you're looking for. Why have you come? I'm the one. 214 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: Why have you come? Who are the men? And why 215 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: have they come? Which takes us back to what Pastor 216 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 1: Levi Lusco was sharing last weekend. He talked about Dorcas. 217 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: That baby name is available, and when he was preaching 218 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: on Dorcas and he left us in Acts chapter ten, 219 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: I realized this is the one. This is what I 220 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: need to preach about when we bring our offerings in 221 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: just a few moments, because the scripture says an X 222 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: chapter ten, verse one at cesarea. Now that's not where 223 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: Peter is. Peter is in Jappa because he just raised 224 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 1: somebody from the dead. You thought you had a good week, 225 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: and Peter had been praying, but so had somebody else. 226 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: And see what God is always doing. He's trying to 227 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: align opportunity with obedience, and there are opportunities that God 228 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 1: will give to someone who has learned to be obedient. 229 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: Now Peter has learned obedience the hard way, but he's 230 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: come to the point where he says, I'm the one. 231 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 1: Now what are we doing? God? You fill in the blank. 232 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 1: I'm the one where we're going? Because he knew this 233 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: was God, but he didn't know the details. I need 234 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: you to write this down. Obedience is letting God set 235 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: the direction even if he doesn't give you the details. 236 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 1: Can I preach like I'm from Monk's Corner, South Carolina. 237 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:27,560 Speaker 1: Monk's Corner has like four stoplights. When I came to Charlotte, 238 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,319 Speaker 1: I was lost all the time. I got a tom 239 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: Tom GPS for my dash. You don't know about the 240 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: tom Tom. This was a prehistoric device, but now they 241 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: have Google maps and maps and ways. But it always 242 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: tells me turn by turn, and then it says, beneath 243 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: that details, if you want to see all of the urns, well, 244 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: I never click on the details because I can't handle 245 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: the details. Look at somebody and say you can't handle 246 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: the details. I promise you can't. So walking with God 247 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: and listening to a Holy Spirit. I've just had to 248 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: learn to let him take me turn by turn. And 249 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 1: some of us will put a location in our GPS 250 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: and trust it on our dash more than we will 251 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: trust our Father in Heaven. Come on, y'all shot me 252 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: down before we give in a minute. It's so important 253 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: that we learn that obedience is walking in a direction 254 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: that God has called you to walk, even when you 255 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: don't understand the details. So there's this man right. What 256 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: had happened was while Peter was praying in Joppa, there 257 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: was this other man who was not a Jew, he 258 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: was not a Christian. He was what is known as 259 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: a God fearer. And he was also a commander of 260 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: a hundred soldiers that's called a centurion. He was posted 261 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 1: in Cesarea, which is a place that the Jews hated. 262 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: Oh they hated Cesarea. It represented Roman oppression to them, 263 00:14:54,920 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: and there was a lot of racism back then. And 264 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: what God is doing in Acts chapter ten, and I 265 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: believe what God is doing in this day is breaking barriers. 266 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 1: Breaking barriers. God, if you need a church to stand 267 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 1: up and show the world what it looks like when 268 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 1: we come together from different backgrounds, different battles, look up 269 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: and down your row. I promise you you will see 270 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: somebody that does not look like you. And I'm glad 271 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: about that because what God is doing in this day 272 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: is killing our categories. So we can't be a black 273 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: church or a white church, or a Hispanic church or 274 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: a Latino church. Is it Baptist? Is it Methodist? Isn't Pentecostal? 275 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: Is it non denominational? Yes to all, we are the one. 276 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: We are the Church. We are the living expression of 277 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: the Body of Christ. We are the Hope, we are 278 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: the light, we are the salt, we are the preservative. 279 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: So at Sasarea, there was a man named Cornelius, a 280 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He 281 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: and his family were devout and god fary. It means 282 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 1: that they they were attracted to the Jewish ethic and 283 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 1: even embraced some of the practices like giving alms and 284 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: praying it at nine am or actually at sunrise and 285 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: then at three pm and then at sunset. But they 286 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: weren't Jews genetically, and so it gives us that background 287 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: to let us know that they were devout, God fearing. 288 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: He gave generously to those in need and prayed to 289 00:16:52,200 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 1: God occasionally. He showed up for E Kids every week, 290 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: and the color of the E Kids shirt didn't even 291 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: look good with his skin complexion. He showed up to 292 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: serve every week, even when the temperature hit under forty five. 293 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 1: He showed up and served every week in a chat 294 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: room online, had to wake up in a different time zone. 295 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: He was devout, and he was regular, and he was routine. 296 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: You could say he was like the Tithers who get 297 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: at this church, who just do it now one day. Yeah, 298 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 1: he was a regular, good, good good who said that 299 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,479 Speaker 1: he was a regular? Touch somebody say, I'm a regular. 300 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 1: I come to church on the good weeks and the 301 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: bad weeks. I bless him when I forgot the joy, 302 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: and I bless him when I need some more. I'm 303 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:52,959 Speaker 1: a regular. Ask somebody, are you a regular? So when 304 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: you show up regularly like that one day and you 305 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: never know when this is going to be skinner? One day, 306 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: at about three in the afternoon, he had a vision. 307 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to 308 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 1: him and said Cornelius, and Cornelius stared at him in fear, 309 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:17,159 Speaker 1: and so would you. When God speaks, usually your first 310 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: response is going to be fear not me. I walk 311 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: by faith, perfect glove, cast out fear. Well, you never 312 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: really heard God tell you to do anything. When He 313 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: shows you something to do and it's really him, it'll 314 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: be so big. You will be praying a prayer of 315 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 1: acid reflux and indigestion. I always say that I love 316 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:50,960 Speaker 1: this giving series, and I do when it's over. But 317 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: when I'm doing it, I'm sitting down and I'm going, 318 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: all right, God, what should we give now? Elijah. We've 319 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: been given in this offering since you were a baby, 320 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: and in some years God has really stretched us to 321 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: give in ways that were sacrificial. And then you come 322 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: to another year and you're like, well, I did that already. 323 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 1: It's time for somebody else to do it. You're the 324 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: one this time. I was the one back in twenty eleven. 325 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 1: But then you keep on wanting to say, Okay, God, 326 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 1: I'm available. You can use me, you can use me, 327 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: And you come to this point and you feel fear. 328 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: But the Angel answered your prayers and gifts to the 329 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 330 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: This is sacrificial terminology like the Jewish cult system would 331 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,719 Speaker 1: have had it rises before the Lord, and the Angel 332 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: answered your prayers and gifts to the poor has come 333 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: up as a memorial offering before God. All right, now, 334 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: you know how I said. God doesn't give the details, 335 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: He just sets the direction. Listen how little Cornelius knew. 336 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: And this will make you feel good. If you don't 337 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: know how to raise your kids, you don't know how 338 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: to be a good husband, You don't know what you're 339 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: going to do next in your business, your career, your life, 340 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: your college, anything like that. All he said was this, Now, 341 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: send men to Joppa to bring back a man named 342 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:08,479 Speaker 1: Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon, 343 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:12,199 Speaker 1: the Tanner, whose house is by the sea. This is 344 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: so confusing. Don't even get me started. It's a man 345 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 1: called imagine this conversation. Go get a man named Simon, 346 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: but they call him Peter. He's staying with Simon. Simon's 347 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: a Tanner. I know that Jews normally don't stay with 348 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: tanner's because they touch dead things and it is considered 349 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: ceremonially unclean and tanners and kept on the outskirts of town. 350 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: So he's going to be out of the way. But 351 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: go get him in the out of the way. Place 352 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 1: because he's staying at the house of Simon the Tanner. Okay, see, 353 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 1: you want me to go get Simon the Tanner. Don't 354 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: want you to go get Simon Peter. You're gonna get 355 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:35,199 Speaker 1: Simon near you get Peter. It's the same guy, but 356 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 1: he had this thing or Jesus told him. You are Simon, 357 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: but I call you Peter because you're the rock im Bill. 358 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 1: They're on Church On. You're gonna be the one. I'm 359 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: gonna use you even though you've had some shakiness. I'm 360 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:45,439 Speaker 1: gonna use you, even though you've had some trumple. I'm 361 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: gonna use you, even though you got it wrong. Sometimes 362 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: somebody shout I'm the one. I'm the one, So he 363 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: tells him who to go get, but he doesn't tell 364 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: him why. The only way you find out why is 365 00:20:56,680 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: to respond. God doesn't show you the until you respond, 366 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:06,600 Speaker 1: and then you understand in reverse why God did what 367 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:09,560 Speaker 1: he did. And then you get to help somebody out 368 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: of your own pain and you realize maybe that was why. 369 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: Or you're stronger and you find out that you have 370 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: character you didn't even know until the storm shook away 371 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: all that shaky stuff, and now you know why I 372 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: had to go through it so I could see that 373 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: my foundation was on the rock. But you do not 374 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: know why God does not give reasons to people who 375 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: do not respond. So when the angel who had spoke 376 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: to him had gone verse seven, Notice it is not 377 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: what God says to you that sets the direction for 378 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:47,680 Speaker 1: your life. It is what you do with what God 379 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: says to you. After the angel who spoke to him 380 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:54,199 Speaker 1: had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and an 381 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: avout soldier who was one of his attendants, and he 382 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: told them everything that had happened. I saw an angel, 383 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: I promise, y'all, I know why I didn't smoke nothing. 384 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: I saw an angel. I'm a good god fear and 385 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: I saw an angel, and he said to go to Joppa. Now, 386 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: at the time that the men got there to Joppa, 387 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: Peter was praying when opportunity meets obedience. Remember, up until 388 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: this point, the Gospel has only been for the people 389 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: who are within the Jewish community, But that was never 390 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: God's full intention. When God called Abraham, he said, go 391 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,239 Speaker 1: to the land. I will show you. I'm gonna give 392 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:37,719 Speaker 1: you the direction, not the details, and I'm gonna bless you. 393 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: But the reason I'm gonna bless you is so you 394 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: can be a blessing. That's why God gave you your gifts, 395 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: your intellect, your capacity, so you could be a blessing. 396 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 1: That's the real reason. That's the why. But it takes 397 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: time to realize why. At first you think it's for you, 398 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: and then you realize that God really just made you 399 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 1: a vessel for what he wants to bring into the world. 400 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: But Peter, look at this how God aligns things. As 401 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: the men are coming to Joppa verse nine, about noon 402 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: the following day, that's not even a schedule time of prayer. 403 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 1: His sun rise three pm and then sunset. Peter's getting 404 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 1: in a little extra prayer. He wants to get in 405 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 1: a little extra prayer. And he's preying on the roof 406 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: so he can catch the breeze. It's a good place 407 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,239 Speaker 1: to pray, so he can get altitude. He goes up 408 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: to Simon the Tanner's roof in Joppa, and they were 409 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: on their journey, and he went up on the roof 410 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: to pray, and he became hungry and wanted something to eat. 411 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: And while the meal was being prepared, he fell into 412 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 1: a trance, and he saw heaven open and something like 413 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: a large sheet being let down to earth by its 414 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 1: four corners. It contained all kinds of four footed animals, 415 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of 416 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: the air. Then a voice told him when he was 417 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,959 Speaker 1: in the position to pray was when he was set apart, 418 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 1: when he was above just you know, the everyday affairs 419 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: of life and just seeking God, like like we came 420 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: to see God today. And he was up there and 421 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: he saw something and it looked crazy to him, didn't 422 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 1: make sense to him because it had reptiles, birds, pigs. 423 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: Peter's a good jew and he's not eating pork chops 424 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: for lunch because he's not supposed to. But he hears 425 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: the voice from heaven say something in verse thirteen. Get up, Peter, 426 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 1: kill and eat. And then Peter's still kind of stubborn. 427 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: You know, surely not, Lord, Peter replied, how are you 428 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 1: going to tell him no and call him lord? I'm 429 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 1: no Lord. No to your will and to your ways. 430 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: That's the remix. That's the Peter remix. No, Lord, I 431 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: know better what I'm supposed to do than you do. 432 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 1: Never eaten anything impure or unclean. The voice spoke to him, 433 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: a second time. How many are grateful? God will give 434 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: you a second chance? Yeah, third chance? Any fourth chance? People, 435 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: fifth chance, sixth chance. Do I have a seventh chance? 436 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,680 Speaker 1: Go ahead and praise him if he gave you an 437 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: everlasting chance. And every time you need to me speaks, 438 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: and every time you needed me, he comes. He said, 439 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,440 Speaker 1: do not call anything impure that God has made clean. 440 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 1: Stop thinking you know better than God. Stop trying to 441 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 1: live your life by reason, and receive the revelation because 442 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: God's trying to show him. I'm a barrier breaker. I 443 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 1: want to break the barriers of what you thought was possible. 444 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: This is a barrier breaking weekend, so that everything that 445 00:25:55,359 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 1: God is can get into your house and your life 446 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: and our community. The literal translation here is stop considering 447 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: it common. Peter thought certain animals were clean, certain were unclean, 448 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: certain people were common. The Jewish people were uncommon. God said, 449 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: I want to bless the whole earth through you. I 450 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 1: want to do something bigger then your little mind can comprehend. 451 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: This happened three times verse sixteen, and immediately the sheep 452 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about 453 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius 454 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. 455 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: They called out, asking if Simon, who was known as Peter, 456 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: was staying there. Simon there, Yeah, this is his house. No, 457 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: not that one, the one they called Peter. Oh, yeah, 458 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: he's on the roof. They don't know. He's on the 459 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 1: verge of hallucination. He is somewhere between losing his mind 460 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: and hearing from God, and he doesn't know which one yet. 461 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:03,639 Speaker 1: While Peter verse nineteen, was still thinking about the vision, 462 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: the spirit said to him, Simon, three men are looking 463 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: for you, so get up, go downstairs. Do not hesitate 464 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:17,880 Speaker 1: to go with them, for I have sent them. Verse 465 00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: twenty one This one that came out my Bible, so 466 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,199 Speaker 1: I can preach it to you. Peter went down and 467 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 1: said to the man, I'm the one you're looking for. 468 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: Why have you come? Well, he's about to find out why, 469 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: because he's going to go back with these men to 470 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:42,200 Speaker 1: Cornelius's house. Cornelius has a watch party gathered in cesarea, 471 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:47,159 Speaker 1: and when Peter gets there, Cornelius has enough faith to 472 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: be like, say whatever you want. Peter did not know 473 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,359 Speaker 1: that until he went and here's what I want you 474 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 1: to know the gospel went to the gentiles. How many 475 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: gentiles we got in the house. The gospel came to 476 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: you because Peter obeyed the voice from God. But you 477 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: don't know why. Until you respond, you don't know why. 478 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,879 Speaker 1: And knowing that God has chosen you is difficult because 479 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 1: you have to know that you're chosen even when you're uncertain. 480 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: You have to know that you're chosen, even when you 481 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: feel incompetent. You got to know that you're chosen even 482 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: when you don't like how God has u said you. 483 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: Never Lord, I will never eat unclean animals. It's not 484 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: about the animal's dummy. It's about the gospel. It's not 485 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 1: about the bacon. It's about the barriers that God wants 486 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:51,479 Speaker 1: to break. Can I tell you something about the offering. 487 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: It's not about the money. It's about your heart. It's 488 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: about what God wants to do through you. That's why 489 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: y'all come on up here. We got to do this quick. 490 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: But clap your hands. These are these are five? Uh, 491 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:17,480 Speaker 1: there's five. I think I like how much I'll trust me. 492 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: I'll just clap for people before you even know they 493 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: are There's there's five. I set this up earlier this week, 494 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: I said, I want before we give our offering, I 495 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: want five whys, uh five people or families to say, 496 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: here's my why. When you find the why, the what 497 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,479 Speaker 1: is no problem. When you find the why, you can 498 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: trust God with the how and the where and the when. 499 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 1: When you find the why. And I held up that 500 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: little picture frame a couple of weeks ago and I 501 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:55,080 Speaker 1: shared with you a little bit about my why. But 502 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: there are thousands of people, including these behind me, that 503 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: represent so many of you in the room, who give 504 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 1: like this regularly, weekly, monthly, yearly, in this offering, and 505 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 1: I just want them to take a moment and share 506 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: one minute each. It's going to be a showtime at 507 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: the Apollo hook bring you off the stage if you 508 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 1: go over a minute, hector. But this is just in 509 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: one minute why I give. And I think your faith 510 00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: will be built as you find your why and think 511 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: about your act of worship today. I know you can't 512 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: tell all of it, but just give one minute of 513 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: your why. In twenty thirteen, we were living in California 514 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 1: and came across Elevation online and we were instantly drawn 515 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 1: to the ministry and the impact it was having on 516 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: people all over. A couple of years later, we came 517 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: to a crossroads in our marriage and we were both 518 00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: sure our marriage was over, but we both agreed if 519 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 1: our marriage had a chance to survive, we knew we 520 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: needed to get to Charlotte. We both grew up as pKas, 521 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: but that didn't make us immune to the struggles we 522 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 1: faced in our marriage. Once we arrived in Charlotte with 523 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 1: our four kids, we immediately felt God prompting us to 524 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: not just tithe like we've done in the past, but 525 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 1: to give above and beyond to God in this new season. 526 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: If we wanted to experience something new in our lives 527 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: and in our marriage, God stretched us financially and personally. 528 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: It wasn't easy. There were times our finances were down 529 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: and we questioned if we would move past the difficult days, 530 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 1: but God challenged us to keep the sacrifice high. We 531 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: learned that the more obedient we were, the more we 532 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: saw God blessing us. God has blessed my career finances, 533 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,720 Speaker 1: but above that, we have seen God's blessings by renewing 534 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:07,400 Speaker 1: our marriage, seeing seeing our kids experience God in the 535 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 1: new and more personal way, and watching lives transformed right 536 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: in front of us every week. This past April, we 537 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: celebrated twenty years of marriage. Oh you're done. I wanted 538 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: you to keep going, he said. We moved to Charlotte 539 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: to be a part You know, that's just amazing. People 540 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: will move to a city for a job, moved to 541 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: a city for a climate, but to really prioritize God 542 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: in that way, and now not just people moving anyway. 543 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: I gotta shut up, All right, Let's move on to 544 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: Jason and Susan elevision. Church felt so big back in 545 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight when we visited Providence for the 546 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: first time, but we loved it. We soon found ourselves 547 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: there every weekend. Initially thought it was so big that 548 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: our little contributions would make a difference. Then one Sunday 549 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: and December, a group of people came out on stage 550 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 1: holding cards. One side had a word representing a struggle 551 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: or pain they had gone through, the other word representing 552 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:15,440 Speaker 1: how God had overcome that battle. When I remember, in particular, 553 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 1: is a woman that had written infertility and then the 554 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 1: name of her child. That one moment impacted me so 555 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: much because I had miscarried the previous December and was 556 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 1: struggling with infertility. That year. As a result of that moment, 557 00:33:28,600 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 1: we then realized how God is changing people's lives at 558 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: our church, and we wanted to give. We believe God 559 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: was just getting started and have been tithing ever since. However, 560 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 1: the same time, we still had a private pain of 561 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 1: infertility after our miscarriage and many failed infertility treatments. We 562 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: still had faith in God, but when I turned forty three, 563 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: we then started to lose hope. After trying for six years, 564 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,360 Speaker 1: we had finally stopped believing we'd ever have a child 565 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: of our own and had started trying to accept this. 566 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: It was then at reflect that same time here in 567 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: twenty eighteen, that God broke me down to start believing 568 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: for our family again. Then, in December, a game changer. 569 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,239 Speaker 1: We both felt we should write the word miracle. On 570 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: January first, for no real reason, I took a pregnancy 571 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:25,080 Speaker 1: test and was shocked it was positive. So Savannah Faith 572 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 1: was born September fourth, twenty nineteen. We are forever grateful 573 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: to God for our game changer miracle, which we call 574 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 1: her game changer miracle. We give to God an elevation 575 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: because we know God is changing lives at our church 576 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:50,839 Speaker 1: and does perform miracles unbelievable. You got to give flow 577 00:34:50,840 --> 00:35:11,520 Speaker 1: of the mic. Now, y'all know flow I give because 578 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: two years ago I lost my husband due to a 579 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: heart attack, and my church was there for me. The 580 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: news that my husband was gone was paralyzing, and all 581 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: I could remember is just sitting in the hospital parking 582 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 1: lot and I didn't know how to drive back home 583 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: to a place where I would never see him again. 584 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:35,279 Speaker 1: It was in that moment that guy used our very 585 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:39,279 Speaker 1: own pastor Stephen his sermon about GPS to give me 586 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 1: enough strength to put the car in drive. He said, 587 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: wherever you go, God has gone before you. And every 588 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 1: day since I've experienced that truth, and He has done 589 00:35:51,640 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: so much of it through my UC family. You see, 590 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: the support I received was overwhelming. They not only showed 591 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 1: up emotionally and spiritually, but financially as well. Probably the 592 00:36:08,960 --> 00:36:12,359 Speaker 1: area where God has shown up the most has been 593 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:21,760 Speaker 1: in my son, Little Omar. The summer after my husband's passing, 594 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 1: I sent Little to Youth X, thinking that being with 595 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 1: his friends would help him to process the loss of 596 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: his father. But God did so much more than that, 597 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:34,600 Speaker 1: because he came home with an orange Bible after giving 598 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:45,279 Speaker 1: his life to Christ and even more than that. He 599 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:52,279 Speaker 1: made a decision to get baptized in September. So I 600 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 1: give to my church so that we can continue to 601 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: give hopes to families who are going through the same 602 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: unbearable pain. Amazing, she said the Orange Bible. I don't 603 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: know if you know this. We just crossed over for 604 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: people who have raised their hands to give their life 605 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: to Christ, just in our physical locations. Over one hundred 606 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:16,680 Speaker 1: thousand of those Bibles that we've given out in the 607 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 1: lifetime of the ministry. Amazing. You better keep living for 608 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 1: Jesus Omar. I'm gonna come chop you down and taller 609 00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:35,959 Speaker 1: than me, but I can binge press you, man of God. 610 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:42,239 Speaker 1: They got one person on Skype from the United Kingdom. 611 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: I have no idea how to pronounce her name. I'm 612 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,319 Speaker 1: gonna let her do that. But I thought you needed 613 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,439 Speaker 1: to see. It's just beyond the walls of what God 614 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 1: is doing. But go ahead and introduce yourself in Share 615 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:58,600 Speaker 1: and Share. Why no, not the United Kings. Everybody my 616 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: name is in a bouquet the United Kingdom. But from Ghana. 617 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 1: Oh that's so confusing. I must tell you ya. Stretch 618 00:38:12,680 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: your hand towards the sky. My name is I think 619 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: I'm on, Now You're on? Okay, my name is Dubuquet. 620 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 1: I've struggled in my life to feel like I had 621 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: a real connection to God. It was a constant searching 622 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: for someone who in theory I knew was real, but 623 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:35,120 Speaker 1: couldn't feel in a lot of the spaces I was in. 624 00:38:35,719 --> 00:38:38,319 Speaker 1: More So, I longed for a community to share it with. 625 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:41,319 Speaker 1: So when a friend shared a sermon link with me 626 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 1: in college, I didn't know it would be one of 627 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: the most important cliques of my life. The sermons were 628 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: amazing and the worship had me in tears, but it 629 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: was the online community that kept me coming back each week. 630 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: To think I could be a part of elevation from 631 00:38:54,719 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 1: the UK was crazy, but it was actually happening. I 632 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 1: started tithing and decided to lead an e group, and 633 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:03,880 Speaker 1: that's when it really flipped. God showed me that the 634 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:07,480 Speaker 1: thing I longed for, community, I'd actually create for myself 635 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:10,360 Speaker 1: by being that for someone else. I give because this 636 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: is my family and I want people around the world 637 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:16,959 Speaker 1: to find their home just like I did. No book 638 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:26,640 Speaker 1: Now Bookayo Bouquet scale one to ten? How did I 639 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:39,800 Speaker 1: do a terrible one? Let's get it right. New book, 640 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:50,280 Speaker 1: new bouquet, yes, k new book, new boo kay, now, okay, 641 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 1: come on, let's give her how far he fail? We 642 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,520 Speaker 1: love you. I'll see you in a couple of hours 643 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:02,800 Speaker 1: when we do this again. All right, Jim and Olivia 644 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: have been with me forever. What do you give? Having 645 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 1: moved over twenty times with Jim's career since being married, 646 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:13,000 Speaker 1: we knew all along it was God's hand guiding our 647 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,800 Speaker 1: steps in each place He let us. We placed ourselves 648 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 1: in the local church where we could be fed and 649 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 1: also serve. Although I always felt inclined in my heart 650 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:27,480 Speaker 1: towards living generously, I didn't grow up with a biblical 651 00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:32,040 Speaker 1: understanding of the tithe But everything we have belongs to 652 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:35,719 Speaker 1: God already, and that we are called to get back 653 00:40:35,800 --> 00:40:39,560 Speaker 1: to Him through the church. Early on in our marriage 654 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: we made the decision that we would give in whatever 655 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:45,920 Speaker 1: way God enabled us, to the church that we were 656 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:49,040 Speaker 1: a part of. We've been so blessed to be a 657 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,600 Speaker 1: part of many churches around the world, each of which 658 00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 1: God has used in our lives. When we retired, and 659 00:40:57,120 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 1: I like to say, Jim says that words not in 660 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:04,520 Speaker 1: the Bible, we moved to Charlotte. We had no idea 661 00:41:04,680 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: that we would end up in a church like Elevation. Elevation, though, 662 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:15,200 Speaker 1: has been our church home since twenty ten, and it's 663 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:19,080 Speaker 1: been a privilege for us to continue to give towards 664 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,799 Speaker 1: the work that God is doing here. We never grow 665 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:26,400 Speaker 1: tired of seeing people fall in love with Jesus and 666 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,000 Speaker 1: being a part of helping them grow in their faith. 667 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: So I don if you remember telling me this, Livy 668 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:44,840 Speaker 1: one time she told me, if you ever see me 669 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: in my in your sermon and I look like I'm 670 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:52,160 Speaker 1: not paying attention, I'm praying for you, she says. Sometimes 671 00:41:52,200 --> 00:41:53,840 Speaker 1: I just pray for you. Do you remember telling me that? 672 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:57,680 Speaker 1: She is like, just want to make sure you don't 673 00:41:57,680 --> 00:42:01,440 Speaker 1: think I'm bored sleeping. I'm praying for you, that God 674 00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:05,600 Speaker 1: would use you as a vessel. And yet, the crazy 675 00:42:05,680 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 1: thing about it is it's not lectures or music that 676 00:42:10,560 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: God uses to touch lives. It is the faithfulness of 677 00:42:16,640 --> 00:42:21,160 Speaker 1: thousands of people who now believe that I'm the one. 678 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:24,719 Speaker 1: I'm the one God. If you want to use me, 679 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:29,880 Speaker 1: you can use me. I'm the one, and each of 680 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: you shared beautifully why you give from your perspective, But 681 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:36,439 Speaker 1: I want to give you one more perspective, real quick 682 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:41,360 Speaker 1: of why you give something that you can't fit in 683 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 1: a picture frame. If you either came to faith in 684 00:42:46,600 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 1: Christ through this ministry or reconnected your faith in Christ 685 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:54,200 Speaker 1: through this ministry, at every location, I want you to 686 00:42:54,239 --> 00:43:04,839 Speaker 1: stand for a moment. So I want you to see 687 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:15,200 Speaker 1: why you see that Omar, Stay standing, Stay standing. If 688 00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:19,000 Speaker 1: somebody in your family or somebody that you love came 689 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: to Christ or came back to Christ through this ministry, 690 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:35,520 Speaker 1: joined them on your feet. That's why if you were 691 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:39,160 Speaker 1: ever going through a season of depression that was dark 692 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,440 Speaker 1: in your life and God used the ministry of this 693 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:46,520 Speaker 1: church to get you through that season like oxygen for 694 00:43:46,680 --> 00:43:51,680 Speaker 1: your soul, stand up on your feet. And that's why 695 00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:58,359 Speaker 1: it's not for some building. We build buildings. But that's 696 00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:07,839 Speaker 1: why that's why I think that's everybody in the whole 697 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:12,800 Speaker 1: church standing. But if if you want to be the 698 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,160 Speaker 1: one that God is looking for, somebody shot I'm the one. 699 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:20,160 Speaker 1: Shout back at these people who gave to this ministry, 700 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 1: Say I'm the one you were given for. Say I'm 701 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:27,800 Speaker 1: the one. I'm the one. And now, in a beautiful 702 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:30,200 Speaker 1: turn of events, God allows you to be the one 703 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:36,600 Speaker 1: who gets to give to invest into His kingdom. I'm 704 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 1: the one. Now. As a church family, we get to 705 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:45,200 Speaker 1: be a part of what God is doing right here 706 00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:47,680 Speaker 1: through our expansion offering. The very first thing we would 707 00:44:47,719 --> 00:44:49,759 Speaker 1: love for you to do is share the word that 708 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:52,200 Speaker 1: God's put on your heart with us. We would love 709 00:44:52,280 --> 00:44:54,200 Speaker 1: to be able to come alongside you and pray and 710 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:56,759 Speaker 1: believe with you for what God's laid on your heart. 711 00:44:57,160 --> 00:45:00,960 Speaker 1: Head to myword dot Elevation Church dot com. Write your 712 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:03,640 Speaker 1: word on that side there and download a background that 713 00:45:03,719 --> 00:45:05,759 Speaker 1: you can put on your phone or your computer to 714 00:45:05,840 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 1: serve as a reminder to you to keep in front 715 00:45:08,080 --> 00:45:10,480 Speaker 1: of you every single day what it is that you're believing, 716 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:13,600 Speaker 1: maybe personally for or as a family for the next 717 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:15,360 Speaker 1: thing is as we'd love for you to give and 718 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:19,200 Speaker 1: participate in the offering itself. Head to Elevationchurch dot org 719 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 1: and then on that page you can give at the 720 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 1: top of the page and find the options available to 721 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 1: be a part of this offering. Make sure you select 722 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:29,080 Speaker 1: your campus. If you do attend a physical location, select 723 00:45:29,120 --> 00:45:31,640 Speaker 1: that campus, and for all of our efam our extended 724 00:45:31,719 --> 00:45:35,160 Speaker 1: family online, select online as your campus. You can write 725 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,759 Speaker 1: in the amount that you'd like to give to participate 726 00:45:37,840 --> 00:45:39,920 Speaker 1: in this year and offering, and make sure you designate 727 00:45:40,000 --> 00:45:43,480 Speaker 1: available year end expansion offering as the type of offering 728 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:46,919 Speaker 1: whether you're bringing your very first hive or you're giving 729 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:49,399 Speaker 1: an offering above and beyond. We can't wait to see 730 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:52,160 Speaker 1: what God does through you as we join together with 731 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:55,520 Speaker 1: locations and family all around the world to continue pushing 732 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:57,719 Speaker 1: forward the message of Jesus. Thank you for being a 733 00:45:57,760 --> 00:46:01,040 Speaker 1: part of Elevation Church, and we believe the best is ahead.