WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 Hey, great to be with you this morning, Christ Church. 00:00:04.740 --> 00:00:11.640 I want to talk to you today about the certainty of the unseen as a prerequisite for church planting. 00:00:12.060 --> 00:00:18.480 The certainty of the unseen is a prerequisite for planting a church. 00:00:20.460 --> 00:00:26.080 So today, September 1st, this would mark our four-month birthday as a church. 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.699 So we're four months into this thing called Christ Church. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:40.039 And, you know, spring's not usually a good time to start things because summer is when everybody's doing vacations and all that kind of thing. 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:45.280 So it's an interesting time of a year to do this kind of stuff. 00:00:45.420 --> 00:00:58.159 And it's created its own set of unique circumstances, especially, I think, for my involvement with this church, which I think some of you probably felt in the last month. 00:00:58.599 --> 00:01:05.379 There's four main things we set out to do this year that were pretty big and that you usually wouldn't try to do in one year. 00:01:05.799 --> 00:01:14.340 First one was to start the Workman's Trust, which Adam and Seth and Chris are a part of, trying to raise up more elders and church planters. 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:17.659 Second was to start Christ Church. 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:21.659 Third was to start 24 new missional communities with Bellicose. 00:01:21.659 --> 00:01:24.640 And then fourth was to get Bellicose in their new building. 00:01:24.899 --> 00:01:26.379 And that happened last weekend. 00:01:26.539 --> 00:01:31.019 So all that stuff is done, which is great. 00:01:31.539 --> 00:01:33.420 That's a huge burden lifted off. 00:01:33.459 --> 00:01:34.859 And that's a lot of different things. 00:01:35.759 --> 00:01:37.819 And today is September 1st. 00:01:38.219 --> 00:01:44.319 September is probably one of my favorite months to kind of start kick-starting things, looking forward to things full. 00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:46.539 Such a great time to be on mission. 00:01:46.540 --> 00:01:54.800 It's a great time to, weather-wise, to get outside with neighbors and friends with football season and the holidays and all these different things. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.500 Very good time to do that. 00:01:56.580 --> 00:01:57.800 It's when people have settled down. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:01:58.680 School's starting. 00:01:58.980 --> 00:02:01.040 Not doing vacations as much. 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:07.340 It's a great time to kick-start things and to really just set things into high gear, so to speak. 00:02:07.340 --> 00:02:16.980 But I know that four months into this, all the different things, ups and downs, one of the things that's always challenged is our faith. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:17.960 Okay? 00:02:18.180 --> 00:02:21.280 Maybe some of you came into this church plant really excited. 00:02:21.879 --> 00:02:23.800 Maybe some of you not as much as excited. 00:02:24.599 --> 00:02:26.159 It's good to have a good mix of that anyways. 00:02:26.539 --> 00:02:26.740 Okay? 00:02:27.480 --> 00:02:30.439 Some of you get excited and then others are not excited. 00:02:30.520 --> 00:02:33.759 And then maybe sometimes there's ebbs and flows where a lot of people aren't excited. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.840 And really what ends up happening is a test of our faith. 00:02:39.019 --> 00:02:39.159 Right? 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:40.319 A test of our faith. 00:02:42.179 --> 00:02:48.340 James talks about considering it pure joy when we go through many various trials. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:49.500 And then it says, 00:02:49.620 --> 00:02:54.539 For the testing of your faith develops perseverance, or ESV says steadfastness. 00:02:55.219 --> 00:02:58.620 And perseverance must finish its work so that you might be mature and complete. 00:02:58.620 --> 00:03:06.620 And so, in order to make a mature church and a mature person, God has to test our faith. 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:08.240 Okay? 00:03:08.640 --> 00:03:10.740 The testing of your faith develops perseverance. 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:15.180 And then perseverance must finish its work so that you might be mature and complete. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:17.360 Everybody wants to be mature and complete. 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:18.480 Like, I don't want to be incomplete. 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:19.400 I don't want to be immature. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:20.020 Right? 00:03:20.040 --> 00:03:21.099 We all like to say that. 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:22.800 Of course I don't want to do that. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:32.560 But then when God says that the means by which you get your maturity and completeness is through the testing of your faith through trials, 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:35.740 we're kind of like, I don't know if that's what I want. 00:03:36.320 --> 00:03:39.100 I just kind of want the maturity part, the complete part. 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:41.360 I don't want the way that it comes. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.340 Well, you can't just get the end result without the way that God has set up. 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:51.280 And God has set up a way for individuals and churches to be mature and complete. 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:55.620 And it is the testing of our faith. 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:58.900 Anybody have their faith tested in the last four months? 00:03:59.580 --> 00:04:02.060 Anybody having their faith tested now? 00:04:02.740 --> 00:04:03.659 Of course you are. 00:04:03.719 --> 00:04:04.699 That's by design. 00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:09.280 And sometimes we say, God, would you please remove this test of faith? 00:04:09.819 --> 00:04:11.219 And he's saying, no, no, no. 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.020 I gave you this test of faith. 00:04:13.020 --> 00:04:17.819 This is here so that you would develop perseverance or steadfastness. 00:04:18.460 --> 00:04:23.360 Do you know that sometimes the reason God tests our faith is because we lack perseverance or steadfastness? 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:27.480 And in his loving, gracious kindness, he wants to put it into us. 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:31.139 So he says, hey, I'm going to give you various trials. 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:33.540 These various trials will test your faith. 00:04:33.960 --> 00:04:37.160 But the testing of your faith develops perseverance and steadfastness. 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:43.280 And you need perseverance or steadfastness to finish its work in order to be mature and complete. 00:04:43.420 --> 00:04:54.460 There is no mature or complete person who has not walked through the complete process of learning to be persevering and steadfast. 00:04:55.340 --> 00:04:59.240 One of the hallmarks of an immature person is lack of perseverance. 00:05:00.780 --> 00:05:00.960 Okay? 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.359 Do you understand that from the text here, James 1 verse 2? 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:12.699 One of the hallmarks of immaturity and incompleteness is a lack of perseverance or steadfastness. 00:05:13.659 --> 00:05:16.159 Steadfastness and perseverance are marks of maturity. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.639 And the vehicle by which they come is the testing of your faith. 00:05:21.479 --> 00:05:23.079 So here we are in a church plant. 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:27.379 And when you sign up for a church plant, you signed up for your faith to be tested. 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:29.240 You didn't want your faith to be tested? 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:30.800 Then why did you sign up for a church plant? 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:31.259 I'm sorry. 00:05:33.259 --> 00:05:35.220 That requires faith. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:42.259 To look around at what you see and then say, well, is what I see everything? 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:46.740 Is what I see what I should be putting my hope in? 00:05:47.460 --> 00:05:51.000 This brings us to the main text for this message. 00:05:51.100 --> 00:05:52.379 Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1. 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:55.259 Kind of a famous verse that probably some of us have memorized. 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:56.860 Maybe in different versions. 00:05:56.860 --> 00:06:00.160 Seth memorized it. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:03.560 Probably the old King James that he was praying with this morning. 00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:09.139 I'm going to read it from the ESV and the NIV because I memorized it in the NIV as a young man. 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:11.879 But Hebrews 11 verse 1 in the ESV says, 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:17.580 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 00:06:17.579 --> 00:06:20.300 And the NIV says, 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:25.519 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:26.419 Okay? 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:32.620 So in order to have faith, you have to be sure of what you hope for and certain of what you don't see. 00:06:33.019 --> 00:06:34.759 This means that hope is not faith. 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:37.319 But hope is a part of faith. 00:06:38.279 --> 00:06:38.479 Okay? 00:06:38.919 --> 00:06:41.639 A lot of times we confuse hope and faith. 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:45.139 I have faith when really what you actually have is just hope. 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.000 Hope is a good thing. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:47.000 Hope is not a bad thing. 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:49.379 But faith is one step further. 00:06:49.579 --> 00:06:52.319 Faith is when you're sure of what you hope for. 00:06:52.899 --> 00:06:53.500 It's one thing. 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:54.719 I really hope this happens. 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:57.399 I really hope this ends up being this. 00:06:57.539 --> 00:07:00.680 Or I really hope this promise ends up being true. 00:07:01.419 --> 00:07:02.399 But faith says, 00:07:02.659 --> 00:07:05.259 I am sure of what I hope for. 00:07:05.740 --> 00:07:06.360 Let me ask you. 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:07.719 Are you sure of what you hope for? 00:07:08.159 --> 00:07:09.740 A lot of you guys have hopes for this church. 00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:11.759 Do you just hope for this church? 00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:13.160 Are you sure of what you hope for? 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:18.460 Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. 00:07:19.579 --> 00:07:19.800 Okay? 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:27.060 I would assume that every single one of us says certain things that we either had hoped would be here in this church at this point 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:29.740 or do hope will be in the future. 00:07:31.740 --> 00:07:32.939 And we don't see them. 00:07:34.060 --> 00:07:35.240 We haven't seen them. 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:36.199 We don't see them. 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:44.000 But the question is, in regards to the things you do not see but you hope for, are you certain of them? 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:46.920 Are you certain of them? 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:50.300 When your faith is tested, what is being tested? 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.779 The certainty of the unseen is being tested. 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:55.779 You're being sure. 00:07:56.199 --> 00:07:59.879 The assurance of what you hope for is the testing of your faith. 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:03.219 The certainty of what you do not see. 00:08:04.139 --> 00:08:09.199 Some of us don't see things that we believe God wants to bring about in this church or in our lives. 00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:19.399 And when we don't see them, the not seeing them itself tests us and causes us to not be certain. 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:21.219 You ever feel that way? 00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:23.339 Well, I'm just not seeing it. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:24.659 I keep praying for it. 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:25.279 It's not there. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:31.939 You know, we're four months into this and maybe you guys have been praying for things a lot longer than that in different areas of your life. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.259 And you start to wonder, is this really something I can be certain of? 00:08:37.539 --> 00:08:40.019 Well, if you're not certain of what you don't see, then you don't have faith. 00:08:40.740 --> 00:08:41.779 Then you don't have faith. 00:08:42.839 --> 00:08:43.019 Right? 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.699 2 Corinthians 4, 16 to 18. 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:47.799 Paul says, 00:08:47.799 --> 00:09:17.779 So we do not lose heart. 00:09:18.059 --> 00:09:18.219 Okay? 00:09:18.599 --> 00:09:19.779 What are your eyes fixed on? 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:21.799 What are your eyes fixed on? 00:09:22.899 --> 00:09:30.819 You could come up with a lot of reasons to not have faith based on what you see. 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:32.620 You don't need to. 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:33.799 I mean, that's easy. 00:09:34.419 --> 00:09:35.279 You want to do the easy part? 00:09:35.599 --> 00:09:36.699 Take a look around you. 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:38.339 Look around your life. 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:39.819 Look around your church. 00:09:40.599 --> 00:09:43.039 And the devil, man, he'll just feed it right up to you. 00:09:43.079 --> 00:09:44.500 He'll give you right on a silver platter. 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:49.899 Hey, here's a bunch of reasons why you should not be certain of what you don't see. 00:09:50.059 --> 00:09:50.860 You don't see it. 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:53.379 And the reason you don't see it is because it ain't never going to happen. 00:09:54.899 --> 00:09:56.620 That's what the devil loves to tell us. 00:09:57.000 --> 00:09:57.500 And you know what? 00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:00.879 Sometimes we're more sure of it not happening than we are of it happening. 00:10:00.960 --> 00:10:01.720 You know what that's called? 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:02.519 Unbelief. 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:05.299 Unbelief isn't an absence of faith. 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:07.580 Unbelief is faith in the wrong direction. 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:11.139 Some of us have great faith, just not in God. 00:10:11.779 --> 00:10:13.960 We have great faith. 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:16.159 We have great pessimistic powers. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:20.659 We have a lot of faith in things going bad. 00:10:20.980 --> 00:10:22.980 We have a lot of faith in things going wrong. 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:28.839 We have a lot of faith in things not happening, all based on what we've seen. 00:10:29.659 --> 00:10:29.819 Right? 00:10:31.339 --> 00:10:33.519 Faith is the substance of things not seen. 00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:40.220 Faith is accessing a realm that you don't see and having more faith in that than what you see. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:42.579 Who's in for that? 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:44.680 I hope all of us are. 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:46.220 Because guess what? 00:10:46.759 --> 00:10:47.960 That is church planting. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:50.980 Building something out of nothing. 00:10:51.620 --> 00:10:53.180 Building something out of nothing. 00:10:53.680 --> 00:10:57.900 This is the realm of what God does, but it's also the realm of church planting. 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:00.680 You might say, well, you're the church planter, bro. 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:01.800 Don't put that on us. 00:11:02.400 --> 00:11:02.920 Uh-uh-uh. 00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:05.240 Church planters have teams. 00:11:05.740 --> 00:11:06.200 You're it. 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:07.720 Okay? 00:11:07.740 --> 00:11:08.520 We do it together. 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:11.720 We all have to fight for faith. 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:13.259 And the Bible uses that terminology, right? 00:11:13.300 --> 00:11:14.560 It's the fight of faith. 00:11:14.800 --> 00:11:16.019 Why did it say fight of faith? 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:17.139 You know why? 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:19.600 Because it's a fight to have faith. 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:22.019 A lot of times it's very hard to have faith. 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:23.220 You've got to fight for it. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:24.259 Okay? 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:25.720 This is your fight. 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:27.300 This is our fight. 00:11:27.680 --> 00:11:28.399 You up for it? 00:11:28.740 --> 00:11:29.960 You up to fight for faith? 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.460 Are you going to go up and down with your circumstances? 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:34.180 You're going to base things on what you see? 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:37.460 I tell you what, you ain't going to last very long at all. 00:11:37.460 --> 00:11:41.120 Well, there's a reason why most church plants do not last two years. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:45.379 The vast majority of church plants do not last two years. 00:11:45.800 --> 00:11:53.080 You know, when I planted Bellicose in Midtown in 2011, weirdly, and I think sovereignly enough, 00:11:53.180 --> 00:11:57.220 there was a ton of churches being planted in Kansas City at that time. 00:11:58.139 --> 00:12:00.500 And I tell you what, the stats prove true. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:02.759 There's a lot of them that did not make it. 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:04.580 There's a lot of them that didn't make it. 00:12:04.580 --> 00:12:07.020 So that's a stat. 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:08.100 That's something you can see. 00:12:08.800 --> 00:12:09.759 You going to trust in that? 00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:12.200 Oh man, the odds are stacked against us. 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:13.940 Most church plants don't last two years. 00:12:14.400 --> 00:12:15.320 What if that's us? 00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:16.900 What if it's not us? 00:12:16.920 --> 00:12:17.940 What if we believe God? 00:12:18.960 --> 00:12:20.240 What if we trust God? 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:23.600 What if we believe that God is into building his church? 00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:26.780 What if we believe in the only movement that God is behind? 00:12:27.620 --> 00:12:28.560 Building his church. 00:12:29.320 --> 00:12:30.540 What if we believe in that? 00:12:31.160 --> 00:12:32.100 Who's got faith? 00:12:32.100 --> 00:12:36.879 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:41.000 Like I said in St. Corinthians 5.7, we don't walk by sight. 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:42.600 We walk by faith. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:45.279 We walk by faith, not sight. 00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:47.620 Let me ask you the question. 00:12:47.920 --> 00:12:49.159 What have you been walking by lately? 00:12:50.540 --> 00:12:52.360 What have you been walking by in your individual life? 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.200 What have you been walking by in your marriage? 00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:55.860 What have you been walking by in your single life? 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:57.980 What have you been walking by in your church life? 00:12:58.200 --> 00:12:59.379 What are you walking by? 00:12:59.379 --> 00:13:02.360 I don't want you to think about somebody else. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.019 Don't look at somebody else next to you. 00:13:04.059 --> 00:13:07.679 Don't think of the person in this church that you know has a lot of unbelief. 00:13:07.860 --> 00:13:08.759 I'm talking to you. 00:13:09.939 --> 00:13:10.879 Where are you at? 00:13:11.179 --> 00:13:12.299 Are you walking in faith? 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:18.939 Listen, Christianity is not for the people who are just figuring it all out in their mind. 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:20.980 And I'm not putting down the mind. 00:13:21.299 --> 00:13:23.000 You love the Lord with all your mind. 00:13:23.399 --> 00:13:24.240 That's a command. 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:26.419 But you must have faith. 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:36.220 And faith oftentimes flies in the face of your mind because it's not based on what you see. 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:38.620 It's being sure of what you don't see. 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:41.279 Your mind says, I have to see it. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.840 I have to see it. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:44.379 If I don't see it, I can't believe it. 00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:47.379 Faith says, I never have to see it to believe it. 00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:52.100 And Jesus says, blessed are those who believed even though they haven't seen. 00:13:53.860 --> 00:13:54.299 Okay? 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.279 We've got to fight for faith. 00:13:57.700 --> 00:14:03.220 And listen, if you don't have faith today or you're struggling in faith, I'm not here to condemn you. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:06.960 But I'm not here to pamper you and tell you that it's okay either. 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:10.620 You cannot do a church plant without faith. 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:12.820 You can't do Christianity without faith. 00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:14.340 So that almost goes without saying. 00:14:14.340 --> 00:14:16.840 But if we're going to do a church plant, we've got to be in faith. 00:14:17.280 --> 00:14:17.899 And guess what? 00:14:18.160 --> 00:14:19.740 You're going to be down in faith sometimes. 00:14:20.920 --> 00:14:22.220 But that's why we need each other. 00:14:22.660 --> 00:14:23.740 That's why we've got to fight for each other. 00:14:23.800 --> 00:14:27.700 There's going to be days where one of you or two of you or three of you are really having a hard time in faith. 00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:30.160 Someone else has got to pull you up. 00:14:31.280 --> 00:14:34.399 That's why you can't think, oh, it's no big deal if I don't show up at a meeting. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:36.200 It's no big deal if I'm not really a part. 00:14:36.300 --> 00:14:37.620 It's no big deal if I don't participate. 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:41.860 It's no big deal because the people who are really kind of the power brokers here, 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:44.220 the people who really have the giftings, they're here. 00:14:44.920 --> 00:14:45.899 Don't give me that. 00:14:46.280 --> 00:14:47.540 That's not how the church works. 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.540 That's not how God set things up. 00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:51.480 Everybody has hard days. 00:14:51.660 --> 00:14:52.920 Everybody struggles in faith. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:56.080 Even people with gifts of faith struggle with faith sometimes. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:56.879 Okay? 00:14:58.080 --> 00:14:59.759 We all struggle with unbelief. 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:04.540 There's many times where I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't know about this. 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:06.160 Why? 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:07.120 Because I can't see it. 00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:09.400 What do I need in those moments? 00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:11.120 I need someone with faith to encourage me. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:15.779 You know, when Paul said in the beginning of Romans, he said, I can't wait to get there 00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:17.340 to impart to you some spiritual gift. 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:22.039 And people a lot of times think, well, that means he was going to lay hands on them and 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:23.399 give them an actual spiritual gift. 00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:27.820 But the next line says that we might be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:29.419 Faith. 00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:31.279 You know what's encouraging? 00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.200 Someone's faith. 00:15:32.539 --> 00:15:33.139 You know what's encouraging? 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:39.059 When you're down and someone else says, reminds you of the promise, reminds you of God's ways, 00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:40.460 reminds you of God's character. 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:41.679 Right? 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:44.480 Don't you love that when brothers and sisters do that? 00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:46.159 We have to be that with each other. 00:15:46.259 --> 00:15:51.220 And you cannot count yourself out as if you're not important because you might be the one 00:15:51.220 --> 00:15:55.500 who is walking in faith when a lot of people around you who are normally people walking 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:57.120 in faith are not at the moment. 00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:58.840 And so you're the person to encourage them. 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:01.259 All hands on deck. 00:16:02.800 --> 00:16:05.899 You used to be a part of a bigger church where you could kind of fly under the radar a little 00:16:05.899 --> 00:16:06.060 bit. 00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:09.180 If you didn't have faith, well, maybe there's 20, 30 other people who would. 00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:11.060 Not so here. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:14.519 And you might say, well, that's a bummer. 00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:17.440 I kind of liked it better when there was 20, 30 people who could just encourage me. 00:16:17.800 --> 00:16:21.800 I don't know about you, but I like it better when God just brings it all up and exposes 00:16:21.800 --> 00:16:27.500 everything and says, all right, we either got the real deal or we don't have it, but let's 00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:28.280 have the real deal. 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.280 Okay. 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:34.160 I got five, five points. 00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:38.280 I believe God wants to speak to you this morning of areas where we need to have faith. 00:16:38.420 --> 00:16:38.680 Right. 00:16:39.019 --> 00:16:39.560 Five points. 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:41.860 First one, we need faith in God. 00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:46.600 Hebrews 11, six says without faith, it's impossible to please God. 00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:51.560 Not, well, maybe God won't be pleased or, you know, probably won't be pleased without faith. 00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:54.680 It is impossible to please God. 00:16:54.800 --> 00:16:55.740 This is not optional. 00:16:55.740 --> 00:16:59.659 No, this is not something you can just kind of neglect or think, oh, it's not that big 00:16:59.659 --> 00:16:59.980 of a deal. 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:02.560 No, you cannot please God without faith. 00:17:03.560 --> 00:17:06.980 Forever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.359 seek him. 00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:08.240 Do you believe that? 00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:10.400 You believe that he rewards those who seek him? 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:15.200 Do you believe that if we keep on seeking, we keep on knocking, we keep on asking that 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:16.340 Jesus will answer us? 00:17:17.380 --> 00:17:18.660 You better believe he will. 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:20.980 You better believe he will. 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:28.440 Well, we seek the God who answers and he is pleased when we come to him, expecting, believing, 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:32.360 even, do I go as far as to say demanding that he answer? 00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:34.380 Holding him to his promises? 00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:37.960 God, you said. 00:17:38.300 --> 00:17:39.300 God, you said. 00:17:39.840 --> 00:17:40.940 God, you said. 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:42.640 I think he loves that. 00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:44.100 I think that ravishes his heart. 00:17:44.600 --> 00:17:48.140 Why do you think he said to the centurion, I have not seen, he says he was astonished 00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:48.720 at his faith. 00:17:49.340 --> 00:17:52.640 I would love for Jesus to be astonished with Christ's church faith. 00:17:53.020 --> 00:17:58.500 My theological mind has no grid for even how that works, how God could even be astonished, 00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:00.420 but it said Jesus was astonished. 00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:03.720 I would hope that he would look at our faith and say, look at this little church over here 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.759 in Raytown, their beautiful little carpet squares. 00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:11.100 These guys, they believe God. 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:13.060 They believe God. 00:18:14.800 --> 00:18:16.080 And how do you believe God? 00:18:17.060 --> 00:18:22.140 Well, one of the ways you don't believe God is when you give more credence to what's against 00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:22.560 us. 00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:24.880 Yeah, but this is against us. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:29.039 But we have this dynamic and this dynamic and this thing isn't right and this should be 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:32.299 better and this thing keeps us from doing this and this and this and this. 00:18:32.639 --> 00:18:35.740 And then Romans 8 31 says, if God is for us, who can be against us? 00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:39.319 But we like to talk about all the things that are against us, don't we? 00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.779 You want to have faith? 00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:45.799 Stop exalting so much what is against us and exalt the one who is for us. 00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:48.700 You know what your greatest place of victory in faith is? 00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:51.539 What we were just doing before, worshiping the Lord. 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:54.159 And I'm just not just talking about in song. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.259 Well, that's a huge part. 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:57.139 And it's not just on a Sunday morning. 00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:58.980 It's all days. 00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:04.259 But it is getting into a place of belief in who God is and worshiping him. 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:10.880 Because sometimes we actually, we have this quasi-subtle, we would never call it this, 00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:14.100 but it's almost an idolatrous worship of what's against us. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.620 We give so much credence to it. 00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:20.320 We exalt it so highly that it causes us to be depressed or to not have faith. 00:19:21.060 --> 00:19:21.780 You ever do that? 00:19:21.779 --> 00:19:28.119 You ever do that where you give so much, dare I say even worship, where you just ascribe 00:19:28.119 --> 00:19:30.359 so much greatness to the obstacles? 00:19:30.819 --> 00:19:32.680 Oh, these obstacles are so great. 00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:35.399 Great are thy obstacles. 00:19:36.700 --> 00:19:36.899 Right? 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:39.720 Great are thy obstacles. 00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:41.420 You know? 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:44.680 And we just, we give them so much credence. 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:46.519 But where is the great is thy faithfulness? 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:49.039 We forget that song in those moments. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.420 Who's singing great is thy faithfulness then? 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:52.759 Who's trusting? 00:19:52.879 --> 00:19:53.099 No. 00:19:53.339 --> 00:19:54.960 I don't care how great my obstacles are. 00:19:55.379 --> 00:19:56.059 God is greater. 00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:57.680 God is greater. 00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:58.720 I'm going to believe that. 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:03.940 And the more you worship God and get into that place of worship and say, God, if you're 00:20:03.940 --> 00:20:06.240 for me, who could be against me? 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.240 That's a rhetorical question. 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:07.619 Nobody. 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:10.519 Who could possibly be against you? 00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:13.379 What could possibly be against you if you have faith in God? 00:20:14.399 --> 00:20:15.339 God is for us. 00:20:15.339 --> 00:20:20.980 Some of us need to notify our face that God is for us. 00:20:21.679 --> 00:20:24.419 Our faces sometimes don't look like God is for us. 00:20:25.459 --> 00:20:28.220 Our prayers sometimes don't sound like God is for us. 00:20:28.699 --> 00:20:31.179 Our complaints don't sound like God is for us. 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:35.319 Do we believe God's for us? 00:20:35.740 --> 00:20:38.740 Man, whatever you believe about God is for us, guess what? 00:20:39.199 --> 00:20:40.019 You're off. 00:20:41.919 --> 00:20:42.740 You're off. 00:20:43.139 --> 00:20:44.779 You're falling short in some way. 00:20:45.139 --> 00:20:48.920 He's more for whatever you can think of how for you he is. 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:50.180 He's more than that. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:53.379 He's more for you than you could ever think he's for you. 00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:56.279 So if you get to that point where you think, man, I really believe God's for you. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:56.779 Guess what? 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:57.680 He's more for you. 00:20:59.399 --> 00:21:00.059 He is. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.059 That's the kind of stuff we have to believe. 00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:06.039 And that's the kind of culture that Christchurch needs. 00:21:08.139 --> 00:21:09.740 And don't wait for me to do it. 00:21:09.740 --> 00:21:12.240 And don't wait for the person sitting next to you to do it. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:14.779 But you get into a place of faith. 00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:17.960 Not because you pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:20.960 Not because you're some great Christian who has it all together. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:23.519 No, because you have a great and faithful God. 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:26.099 And he's not just... 00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:27.120 He's your God. 00:21:27.420 --> 00:21:28.400 He's for you. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.820 So you get into a place of faith. 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:33.400 You cry out to him and say, God, forgive me. 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:35.080 I believe, but help me in my unbelief. 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:38.620 I really do believe, but help me in my unbelief. 00:21:39.280 --> 00:21:39.540 Right? 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:41.940 That's the kind of prayer we have to pray. 00:21:42.940 --> 00:21:47.139 And when we pray, James 5.16 says the prayer of a righteous man is what? 00:21:47.619 --> 00:21:50.119 It's powerful and it's effective. 00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:53.559 The old King James says, does it availeth much? 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:53.899 Right? 00:21:54.819 --> 00:21:55.079 Right? 00:21:55.159 --> 00:21:56.000 It avails much. 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:56.599 It's powerful. 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:57.200 It's effective. 00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.480 Do you believe that? 00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:03.279 When you're faced with the lack, when you're faced with not seeing things, where do you go? 00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:09.839 Do you call up someone in the church or kind of elbow them and say, hey, what do you think about this? 00:22:10.120 --> 00:22:11.360 Is that your first place you go? 00:22:11.900 --> 00:22:12.880 Or are you going to the throne? 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:14.799 You go into the King. 00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:18.160 You go into the place where there is power. 00:22:18.579 --> 00:22:21.180 The prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:24.720 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and it's effective. 00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:25.779 It's effective. 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:27.519 You know what's ineffective? 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.039 Complaining. 00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:33.120 Exalting our circumstances and problems. 00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:34.319 You know what's effective? 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:34.700 Prayer. 00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:36.940 Prayer is effective. 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:39.860 How's our prayer life? 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.279 Are we taking, what a privilege it is to carry everything to God in prayer. 00:22:44.360 --> 00:22:45.920 Remember that old hymn? 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:49.599 Oh, what joy we often forfeit. 00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:51.140 Oh, what needless pain we bear. 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:54.420 All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:54.940 Right? 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:57.319 Because we don't carry everything to God in prayer. 00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:58.279 God is for us. 00:22:58.860 --> 00:23:01.079 The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:02.599 Are we taking advantage of that? 00:23:03.039 --> 00:23:04.099 We need faith in God. 00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:07.759 Number two, we need faith in who God has made us. 00:23:08.579 --> 00:23:08.759 Okay? 00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:11.539 Ephesians 4, 15 to 16. 00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:15.900 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, 00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:21.380 into Christ, from whom the whole body joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:23.500 when each part is working properly, 00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:27.520 makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 00:23:28.300 --> 00:23:28.700 Okay? 00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:30.140 When each part is working properly, 00:23:31.260 --> 00:23:35.620 it makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:37.319 We want to see this church grow. 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:40.519 Healthy churches, healthy things grow. 00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:41.479 Okay? 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:43.319 How does the church grow? 00:23:44.179 --> 00:23:46.899 How does the church grow when each part is working properly? 00:23:47.719 --> 00:23:50.639 Some of us don't have faith in the part of the body that we are. 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:58.500 Some of us are underestimating or selling short that which God has created in you to be used for his body to build it up. 00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:02.759 Maybe we say, well, I don't have that part, so I'm not important. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:05.360 You know, it's literally 1 Corinthians 12 kind of language, right? 00:24:06.020 --> 00:24:08.300 Well, I don't have that gift, so that must not be important. 00:24:08.860 --> 00:24:12.100 Each part is required and necessary for the building of the body. 00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:17.340 And when we lose faith in our part that God has given us to play, a God-given part, 00:24:17.780 --> 00:24:18.500 guess what happens? 00:24:18.800 --> 00:24:19.880 The church isn't built up. 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:21.700 The church isn't strengthened. 00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:24.980 You each have a very important part. 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.360 Now, some of us are more gifted than others. 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:29.080 Some of us have different degrees of gifting. 00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:34.060 But there is no less importance on any of our gifts for the building up of the body. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:36.360 The question is, do you believe that? 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:43.040 Or are you lacking faith in the God-given gift that you are to the body? 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:47.660 Some of us have maybe wavered in that, not really trusting in that. 00:24:47.660 --> 00:24:49.720 1 Corinthians 12, verse 7 says, 00:24:49.800 --> 00:24:53.019 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 00:24:53.259 --> 00:24:55.820 Your gift, your part is for the common good. 00:24:55.819 --> 00:25:03.059 And when we neglect to use it, or we don't believe that it is, we neglect the common good. 00:25:03.059 --> 00:25:08.500 Number three, we need faith in God's leadership. 00:25:09.159 --> 00:25:15.139 Ephesians 4, 11-14, he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:20.600 to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:24.780 to we all attain to the unity of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, 00:25:25.360 --> 00:25:28.780 to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:36.259 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, 00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:39.560 by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes. 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:40.119 Okay? 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:44.200 So God gives gifts to the church. 00:25:44.359 --> 00:25:45.940 He ascended and he gave gifts to men. 00:25:46.279 --> 00:25:49.399 There's people who are gifts to the church to equip the saints. 00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:54.379 Not to do all the ministry, not to hog the ministry, but to equip the saints for ministry. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:55.440 Okay? 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.480 So the body is built up. 00:25:58.019 --> 00:26:00.500 Do we have faith in God's gifts that he's given to the body? 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:04.480 Do we have faith in apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists? 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:13.700 Do we have faith in the unique abilities of each one? 00:26:15.620 --> 00:26:21.960 That when those are working correctly, we attain unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:26.620 Mature manhood, the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so we're no longer children. 00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:28.720 Again, this comes back to that maturity thing. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:35.420 I know when we even started Christ Church, we talked a lot about maturity and having maturity as a core value of our church. 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.980 We want to be mature. 00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:48.500 Part of the way that the church is mature is when it responds rightly and connects rightly and has faith in the gifts that God has given to the church to build it up and to equip it. 00:26:48.819 --> 00:26:53.700 And apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers are five of those gifts that he has given to do that. 00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:57.840 But the devil would love to shake our faith in that. 00:26:58.340 --> 00:27:00.160 Shake our faith in God's leadership. 00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:11.259 And listen, I know that some of the ways I lead this church, you're not familiar with, some of you. 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:13.660 Some of you are very familiar with it, some of you aren't. 00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:17.700 Some of the ways I lead in this church, you're uncomfortable with. 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.960 Totally get that. 00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:24.460 Some of the ways I lead this church, you may be questioned, say, I don't know about this. 00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:25.640 I don't know if this is the best. 00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:27.860 I don't know if what he's doing is the best. 00:27:27.940 --> 00:27:30.120 I don't know if the amount of time he's spending is the best. 00:27:31.340 --> 00:27:31.700 Right? 00:27:31.779 --> 00:27:33.940 We have conversations about this kind of stuff. 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:35.799 And I welcome all those conversations. 00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:36.920 Right? 00:27:37.539 --> 00:27:38.440 I understand. 00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:41.440 And here's another thing I understand. 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:42.840 I'm not a perfect leader. 00:27:43.460 --> 00:27:44.539 I make mistakes. 00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.500 I screw up. 00:27:45.500 --> 00:27:51.740 And so some things might be harder to follow, but some things are harder to follow because you've never seen them before. 00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:55.279 And when you haven't seen things before, what does it require? 00:27:56.079 --> 00:27:56.519 Faith. 00:27:57.299 --> 00:27:58.220 Requires faith. 00:27:58.859 --> 00:28:05.480 And so part of what I'm trying to lead us into is I am going to, and already have, because I hear people's feedback, 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:09.579 I am leading people into things that you've never seen before. 00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:11.420 And I know that that's difficult. 00:28:12.059 --> 00:28:12.720 I know that's hard. 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:15.220 I don't like being led into things that I've never seen before. 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.319 Okay? 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:17.460 I get that. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:22.460 And I hope I'm compassionate on that. 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:24.299 And if I'm not, please confront me on that. 00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:25.559 Okay? 00:28:26.380 --> 00:28:28.980 But what I'm asking you is for faith in that. 00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:37.460 I'm asking you to trust that God has given certain gifts to the body to build in a certain way so that the church is what he wants it to be. 00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:39.960 One of those gifts is an apostolic gifting. 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:44.299 And so there's sometimes I'm going to do things as a leader. 00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:49.120 You're going to think, I don't know about that, or I've never seen that before, or that's really hard to follow. 00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:52.079 And I always want to talk about that. 00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:54.240 If you want to talk about it, always do. 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:57.920 But it's going to require faith. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.440 It's going to require faith. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:03.099 And one of the ways that we can do that is Hebrews 13 verse 7 says, 00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:06.220 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you. 00:29:06.620 --> 00:29:09.359 Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.140 Okay? 00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:13.059 So part of what I'm asking you is two things. 00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:18.039 Consider the outcome of the way of life that there's already track record of. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:18.779 Okay? 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:20.200 Many of you are a part of Bellicose. 00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:21.279 You can see Bellicose. 00:29:21.639 --> 00:29:24.460 Some of you have known Gene and I and our family for a while. 00:29:24.980 --> 00:29:27.079 There's a lot of things that we could do better. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:29.420 There's a lot of ways that we could lead better. 00:29:30.019 --> 00:29:35.420 But there is a way of life that you can look at and say, okay, look at the fruit. 00:29:36.339 --> 00:29:37.980 And if I don't like it, well, that's fine. 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.079 That's fine. 00:29:39.899 --> 00:29:43.279 But we should examine the outcome of people's way of life. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:44.139 And then what should we do? 00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:45.339 Imitate their faith. 00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:47.220 Imitate faith. 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:51.600 I have a lot of faith that God wants to do great things in this church. 00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:55.480 Even though my eyes don't see it right in front of me right now. 00:29:55.740 --> 00:29:57.720 I see parts of it. 00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.640 What I can see is in the spirit. 00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:04.819 One of my favorite stories about Walt Disney is, you know, Walt Disney had this, I don't 00:30:04.819 --> 00:30:08.620 know if you know much about Walt Disney, but he had this grand vision for Disney World, 00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:09.380 right? 00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:11.900 In Orlando, it's sprawling incredible acreage. 00:30:12.380 --> 00:30:14.160 He had all these great plans for it. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:18.660 And he died before it was built. 00:30:18.660 --> 00:30:24.279 And after it was built, one of the guys who was in charge of Disneyland after the death 00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:29.640 of Walt Disney said to one of the other guys who was these upper leadership guys, they were 00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:33.500 kind of looking over this whole sprawl of acreage of all the things that Disney World 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:39.360 had become and said, man, wouldn't it have been great if Walt could have seen this? 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:41.960 Wouldn't it have been great if Walt could have seen this? 00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:46.400 And the guy looked at him and said, if Walt didn't see this, it would have never existed. 00:30:49.460 --> 00:30:51.220 But he was speaking of his vision. 00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:53.279 He was speaking of his seeing things. 00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:56.319 There are people that God has given in the body of Christ. 00:30:56.620 --> 00:31:00.000 They see things and they see certain things that other people don't see and they see them 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:00.480 in faith. 00:31:01.180 --> 00:31:03.180 And if you don't see them, that's okay. 00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:05.740 If you're not gifted that way, that is okay. 00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:08.240 But God says then imitate their faith. 00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:10.279 Imitate their faith. 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.839 Look at the faith they have and imitate it. 00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:16.079 Say, all right, I'm going for this. 00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.480 We're going to believe God for this. 00:31:17.940 --> 00:31:19.259 I'm going to take this journey together. 00:31:19.920 --> 00:31:24.500 And so part of what I'm saying is, hey, some of it might be hard, but I'm asking you, 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:29.019 imitate the faith that you see. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:31.839 And let's believe God together for that, right? 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:35.879 Number four, faith in God's church. 00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.619 Faith in God's church. 00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:39.500 And I said, I need faith in God's church. 00:31:40.099 --> 00:31:40.899 I think so. 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:42.139 Why? 00:31:43.199 --> 00:31:48.839 Because sometimes you might think, is this church thing really going to, you know, you 00:31:48.839 --> 00:31:50.279 sit in a room like this sometimes. 00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:51.379 I think this all the time. 00:31:51.459 --> 00:31:52.459 I don't care how big the room is. 00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:57.759 Last week, sitting in Bellicose, the first service in the new building. 00:31:57.819 --> 00:32:01.480 And I know some of you kind of wish you might have been able to be there because you were 00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:03.079 a part of that in the past. 00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:06.000 First of all, I'll say the grass is always greener. 00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:10.920 There's always something to overwhelm you when you're sitting in those services. 00:32:11.380 --> 00:32:13.339 I get overwhelmed sometimes at Bellicose. 00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:15.000 I get overwhelmed sometimes here. 00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:19.819 But I've always hit with the foolishness of the church every time I'm sitting in a church 00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.259 service. 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:24.140 Whether it's Bellicose or Christ Church or some other church. 00:32:24.620 --> 00:32:26.700 By the world standard, the church is so foolish. 00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:30.539 It doesn't make any sense. 00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:32.559 It doesn't have any sense to make impact. 00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:38.620 How would a bunch of broken people who have, sometimes who have nothing in common other 00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:43.279 than Christ, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, different experiences, different 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:48.900 family backgrounds, different ages, different life experiences, different jobs, different 00:32:48.900 --> 00:32:49.600 personalities. 00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:54.719 How does those people come together and do anything worthwhile that makes any impact in 00:32:54.719 --> 00:32:55.099 the world? 00:32:55.679 --> 00:33:02.339 By singing songs in a building to a God they can't see, listening to guys preach, praying 00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:06.719 together in homes and in buildings all across the world. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:07.599 This happens all the time. 00:33:07.699 --> 00:33:10.919 You know how foolish that is by the world's eyes to say, what are you guys doing? 00:33:11.899 --> 00:33:13.000 Why would you do that? 00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:15.079 Is this ever going to amount to anything? 00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:16.839 Are we ever going to see any impact? 00:33:16.839 --> 00:33:24.879 And yet, Jesus said, said it to Peter, he said, on this rock I will build my church and 00:33:24.879 --> 00:33:27.240 the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:32.859 The church, listen to me, the church that God is building shall not be prevailed against. 00:33:33.720 --> 00:33:34.579 Do you hear me? 00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:38.079 The church that God is building shall not be prevailed against. 00:33:38.159 --> 00:33:38.839 Do you believe that? 00:33:38.839 --> 00:33:48.779 Sometimes, you know, we look at our church and we think, I can think of a lot of reasons 00:33:48.779 --> 00:33:50.339 why this is going to be prevailed against. 00:33:51.419 --> 00:33:57.099 I think that so many times sometimes when I'm looking at all the different dynamics of 00:33:57.099 --> 00:33:58.139 church life. 00:33:58.140 --> 00:34:02.000 And yet, I just always remember Matthew 16, 18. 00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:05.700 He said, I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:07.820 The gates of hell look pretty formidable. 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:09.820 Hell sometimes looks very formidable. 00:34:10.180 --> 00:34:11.099 It shall not prevail. 00:34:12.340 --> 00:34:13.280 What do you believe? 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:17.180 Do you believe that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church? 00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:19.119 Are you having your doubts? 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:24.000 If you're having your doubts, confess them. 00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:29.480 But get back into a place of faith and believe that we are actually a part of co-laboring with 00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:33.539 Christ to build the one thing on earth that is invincible. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:38.099 The gates of hell cannot prevail against it. 00:34:38.460 --> 00:34:42.119 It will advance into hell and depopulate it. 00:34:43.339 --> 00:34:43.400 Right? 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:48.019 Gates, you know, when you're walking on a sidewalk, a gate doesn't jump up and attack you. 00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:50.659 The gate is not an offensive thing. 00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:51.739 It's a defensive thing. 00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:56.960 We are supposed to literally go through the gates of hell and plunder souls. 00:34:57.299 --> 00:35:01.219 Hating even the clothing corrupted by sinful flesh, it says in Jude. 00:35:01.539 --> 00:35:01.799 Right? 00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.699 Do you believe in that? 00:35:03.759 --> 00:35:07.119 In that power that is behind God's church? 00:35:08.179 --> 00:35:09.480 His holy bride? 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:11.819 What a powerful entity. 00:35:12.299 --> 00:35:13.539 That's why church isn't optional. 00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:17.839 That's why you can't say, well, the church is just people and it's just, you know, it's not 00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:20.240 this kind of organized stuff. 00:35:21.140 --> 00:35:23.760 That is the goofiest thing in the world if you read the New Testament. 00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:26.820 Like, I don't know how you could ever read the New Testament and believe that. 00:35:28.240 --> 00:35:30.160 Clearly they met often, regularly. 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:32.900 Clearly they had specific things they did as a church. 00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:36.000 Even to the point of determining what widows were supported. 00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:38.820 And it's specific elders that led the church. 00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:40.920 And it's specific things that they were supposed to do. 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:45.519 The church is not some willy-nilly, just people here and there doing good things for Jesus, 00:35:45.940 --> 00:35:49.460 loving Jesus in their own way, doing what they want, how they want, the way they want. 00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:53.659 The church is a group of people united in a specific way. 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:56.099 And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:57.300 Do you believe that? 00:35:58.360 --> 00:36:00.260 Are you rallying each other to believe that? 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:05.559 Say, hey, what a privilege that we get to be a part of seeing the infant stages 00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:08.740 of one of the most powerful things on the planet. 00:36:08.739 --> 00:36:11.619 Like, do you believe that when you think about that? 00:36:13.779 --> 00:36:15.339 I want you to look around right now. 00:36:15.419 --> 00:36:15.859 Just look around. 00:36:15.939 --> 00:36:16.739 Look at all these people. 00:36:17.679 --> 00:36:18.479 Take a look around. 00:36:20.459 --> 00:36:23.939 And you probably could think of a lot of things you don't see yet that you'd love to see. 00:36:24.299 --> 00:36:26.699 And this people, this thing called Christ Church. 00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:27.679 Is that true? 00:36:28.459 --> 00:36:28.919 Is that fair? 00:36:29.079 --> 00:36:31.199 There's a lot of things you'd like to see that aren't here yet. 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:36.399 There's a lot of empty chairs that you'd like to see filled with lost souls come to Christ, right? 00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:40.180 There's a lot of growth you'd like to see, a lot of great things you'd like to see. 00:36:40.400 --> 00:36:41.300 It's not here yet. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:42.619 What are you going to fix your eyes on? 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:45.460 What you don't see or what you see? 00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:51.360 Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you don't see. 00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:57.039 If you're not seeing his church prevailing against the gates of hell, 00:36:57.480 --> 00:36:58.900 you're not seeing his kingdom advancing, 00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:00.480 what are you going to trust in? 00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:03.820 What you see with your eyes or what you trust in your heart? 00:37:03.820 --> 00:37:08.620 And last one, number five, faith in God's gospel. 00:37:09.860 --> 00:37:11.100 Faith in God's gospel. 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:20.240 Now I know Matthew 7 says that the path is wide that leads to destruction, right? 00:37:20.519 --> 00:37:24.860 And then it says that the path is narrow that leads to life. 00:37:24.900 --> 00:37:26.000 And it says few find it. 00:37:26.000 --> 00:37:31.780 So we know that not a lot of people are going to get saved ratio-wise in the whole world. 00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:33.940 It's few that find it. 00:37:35.219 --> 00:37:37.039 But there are people that find it. 00:37:37.860 --> 00:37:43.739 And guess what is the thing that causes them to find it? 00:37:44.219 --> 00:37:46.260 This thing that Jesus called the gospel. 00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:47.860 The good news. 00:37:47.860 --> 00:37:51.280 It's that verse that Martin Luther got so excited about, right? 00:37:52.180 --> 00:37:54.280 Romans chapter 1, verse 16. 00:37:54.680 --> 00:37:57.300 He says, Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:58.620 Why is he not ashamed? 00:37:58.720 --> 00:38:01.400 For it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe. 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:03.480 Now I love that we pray for power. 00:38:03.579 --> 00:38:04.620 It's good to pray for power. 00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:07.740 But sometimes we forget that even if we don't pray for power, 00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:09.559 if you have the gospel, you already have power. 00:38:09.559 --> 00:38:17.320 When you share the gospel, so when you're preaching the gospel, so do you ever doubt sometimes it's powerful? 00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:18.599 I do. 00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:23.259 Do we sometimes have more faith in it not working than it working? 00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:27.119 But the Bible says the gospel is the power of God. 00:38:27.219 --> 00:38:27.579 For what? 00:38:27.639 --> 00:38:29.699 For the salvation of all who believe. 00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:31.199 The gospel is power. 00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:33.460 But what if you present it in an unpowerful way? 00:38:33.739 --> 00:38:34.400 So what? 00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:45.240 But it doesn't say that the presentation of the gospel in the right, perfect, powerful way by a charismatic personality who knows everything about it is powerful. 00:38:45.840 --> 00:38:47.599 It says the gospel is powerful. 00:38:49.500 --> 00:38:51.500 Some of us need a reminder of that this morning. 00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:55.720 I appreciate the faithfulness of this church to preach the gospel. 00:38:56.400 --> 00:38:57.139 It's awesome. 00:38:57.240 --> 00:38:57.700 I love it. 00:38:58.240 --> 00:38:58.980 Keep doing it. 00:38:59.300 --> 00:39:00.480 Don't ever get tired of it. 00:39:00.660 --> 00:39:01.539 Don't ever stop. 00:39:01.539 --> 00:39:10.699 Don't ever stop coming up with new ways to preach the gospel, to find new people to preach the gospel, to find new people and ways to get lost people in front of you to hear the gospel. 00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:13.199 Don't ever, ever, ever, ever, ever stop that. 00:39:13.779 --> 00:39:16.400 But please, for Christ's sake, believe that it is power. 00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:23.500 That every time you open your mouth in your frail and weak ways and in the ways you're fumbling over your words and you think, 00:39:23.500 --> 00:39:24.940 Oh, I could have done that way better. 00:39:25.179 --> 00:39:27.000 Or why did I say it that way? 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:31.739 I felt like I thought it in my head way better than it came out of my mouth. 00:39:31.800 --> 00:39:32.579 You ever feel that way? 00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:34.079 I felt that way so many times. 00:39:35.139 --> 00:39:44.659 But to believe that the reason I'm not ashamed is because the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of those who believe. 00:39:45.599 --> 00:39:50.900 That you hold within your hands every time you're in front of them there. 00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:52.019 I have power. 00:39:52.400 --> 00:39:53.139 I have the gospel. 00:39:53.139 --> 00:39:55.699 I have the good news of the kingdom of God. 00:39:56.199 --> 00:39:57.480 And I can give it to them. 00:39:58.839 --> 00:40:00.099 But what if I don't do it right? 00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:02.599 What if I don't do it as good as so-and-so does it? 00:40:03.799 --> 00:40:05.019 Just read the text. 00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:08.299 Stop making all these weird excuses to not believe. 00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:10.079 It is the power of God. 00:40:11.579 --> 00:40:15.400 God has used the worst presentations of the gospel ever to save people. 00:40:16.099 --> 00:40:18.400 That's not saying you don't need to present it right. 00:40:18.659 --> 00:40:18.839 Okay? 00:40:19.480 --> 00:40:20.839 Do your best to do that. 00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:23.460 But God is faithful even when we are faithless. 00:40:23.579 --> 00:40:26.260 God is faithful even in our weak attempts. 00:40:27.559 --> 00:40:31.920 We need to believe that people are going to get saved as a result of this church. 00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:32.579 Do you hear me? 00:40:33.260 --> 00:40:34.700 We need to talk like that. 00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:37.800 And when we don't believe, let's confess it. 00:40:38.380 --> 00:40:39.559 Let's not be ashamed to confess. 00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:40.900 Hey, you know what? 00:40:41.440 --> 00:40:43.539 I'm having a hard time believing for souls right now. 00:40:43.780 --> 00:40:46.180 I'm having a hard time people are going to get saved at Christchurch. 00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:49.120 We're four months in and I'm thinking, how is this going to work? 00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:58.119 Hopefully a brother or sister can say to you, hey man, substance, things hoped for, being sure of what you do not see. 00:40:58.259 --> 00:40:59.199 You don't see it now. 00:40:59.440 --> 00:41:00.000 You don't see it now. 00:41:00.039 --> 00:41:00.779 But this is faith. 00:41:01.359 --> 00:41:03.639 Faith is being sure that souls will be here. 00:41:04.819 --> 00:41:06.659 Faith is being sure that souls will be here. 00:41:06.659 --> 00:41:11.199 I don't know about you, but that's the kind of stuff that gets me excited. 00:41:13.799 --> 00:41:18.899 You know, some of you might think, oh man, it would have been exciting to be in that new building with all those people at Bellicose last week. 00:41:19.219 --> 00:41:20.299 You know what I think is exciting? 00:41:20.639 --> 00:41:28.839 Being in this little building with way less people and then seeing the people who aren't here in my mind's eyes through faith and believing that they're coming. 00:41:28.840 --> 00:41:33.380 And knowing that you guys are believing with me too. 00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:39.720 And that these are my brothers and sisters who are co-laboring with me to see souls come into the kingdom. 00:41:40.220 --> 00:41:41.700 Because what else are you going to live for? 00:41:42.539 --> 00:41:43.980 You're going to live for a paycheck and a weekend? 00:41:44.640 --> 00:41:47.519 You're going to live for a vacation and some new experience? 00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:51.420 You're going to live for pleasure and entertainment? 00:41:51.820 --> 00:41:52.900 You're going to live for all those things? 00:41:52.900 --> 00:41:54.420 Those things are all fun. 00:41:55.300 --> 00:41:58.960 But man, they are such low-level reasons to exist. 00:42:00.539 --> 00:42:02.320 You were made for so much more. 00:42:02.619 --> 00:42:04.500 That is never going to satisfy you. 00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:06.660 Oh, it feels good for a little while. 00:42:07.180 --> 00:42:08.119 It'll keep you going. 00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:10.300 It'll lull you to sleep is what it'll do. 00:42:10.519 --> 00:42:11.660 But you know what awakens you? 00:42:12.280 --> 00:42:16.460 Every time you share the gospel with a lost person, you think, this could be the time. 00:42:16.900 --> 00:42:19.240 This person could go from darkness to light. 00:42:19.239 --> 00:42:26.199 This person could go from heading to hell to heading to life eternal with Jesus Christ and all the saints. 00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:28.459 And living in a new heaven and a new earth. 00:42:29.479 --> 00:42:32.299 Like every time I open my mouth to preach the gospel, that's possible. 00:42:33.759 --> 00:42:35.079 And you know why it's possible? 00:42:35.459 --> 00:42:39.179 Because a church exists to send people out to do it. 00:42:39.739 --> 00:42:42.359 And that church right now is this church right here, Christ Church. 00:42:42.939 --> 00:42:46.779 So I'm asking you, I'm commanding you, I'm exhorting you. 00:42:47.099 --> 00:42:47.739 Have faith. 00:42:47.739 --> 00:42:49.859 Have faith, beloved. 00:42:50.599 --> 00:42:51.859 I know it's not easy. 00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:54.019 I know some days it's harder than others. 00:42:54.419 --> 00:42:55.039 I get it. 00:42:57.319 --> 00:42:59.079 I struggle with it many times. 00:43:00.379 --> 00:43:02.459 But think of all the things you don't see right now. 00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:04.259 And let's fix our eyes on the unseen. 00:43:04.619 --> 00:43:05.739 You don't see converts? 00:43:06.379 --> 00:43:10.519 Can you just even envision right now as we close this message, I want you just to think and believe. 00:43:10.919 --> 00:43:14.279 God, there are souls out there that are going to get saved in this church. 00:43:14.359 --> 00:43:14.959 Do you believe that? 00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:16.500 That God is already drawing. 00:43:18.199 --> 00:43:19.659 God's already drawing them right now. 00:43:19.740 --> 00:43:20.539 We don't know who they are. 00:43:20.619 --> 00:43:21.139 We don't know where they are. 00:43:21.179 --> 00:43:24.099 We don't know those men and women of peace are going to put us in contact with them. 00:43:24.840 --> 00:43:25.900 They're out there somewhere. 00:43:26.619 --> 00:43:28.159 God's drawing them as we speak. 00:43:28.920 --> 00:43:29.860 You don't see them. 00:43:29.860 --> 00:43:30.559 I don't see them. 00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:31.300 I don't know who they are. 00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:32.059 I don't know their names. 00:43:33.880 --> 00:43:36.059 But are we certain of what we do not see? 00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:41.120 Are you certain of the souls that are coming into the kingdom through this church, even though you don't see them? 00:43:41.119 --> 00:43:49.400 I know some of you are hoping for some young people to become a part of this church and really want to see some young people to be able to pour into. 00:43:50.380 --> 00:43:50.659 Okay? 00:43:50.839 --> 00:43:51.900 But you don't see them. 00:43:52.739 --> 00:43:53.659 You don't see them. 00:43:54.679 --> 00:43:57.719 Are you going to be certain of what you don't see and believe God? 00:43:57.719 --> 00:44:05.559 I know some of you are hoping for friends for your kids and some of you young cats are hoping for friends your age. 00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:06.759 Right, guys? 00:44:07.419 --> 00:44:09.500 You know what we used to do when we started Bellicose? 00:44:10.259 --> 00:44:12.399 Every single night before we went to bed, I told our kids. 00:44:12.459 --> 00:44:16.639 I remember one night, I think our kids were shedding a couple tears because they were saying, 00:44:16.859 --> 00:44:19.919 you know, we wish there were more kids our age at Bellicose. 00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:22.399 And so I said to Gina and I said to the kids, 00:44:22.399 --> 00:44:25.099 Okay, every night we're going to pray before we go to bed. 00:44:25.419 --> 00:44:26.819 We're going to pray for friends. 00:44:26.820 --> 00:44:29.680 For you guys, your age in this church. 00:44:30.160 --> 00:44:33.100 Because when we started, there was no kids our kids' age. 00:44:34.600 --> 00:44:36.880 And we just said, every night we just started praying it. 00:44:37.360 --> 00:44:39.880 And there was no... 00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:43.100 You know, we say like, how are we going to get kids their age? 00:44:43.160 --> 00:44:44.000 I had no clue. 00:44:44.660 --> 00:44:47.000 Like if the kids would ask me, Dad, how's this going to happen? 00:44:48.019 --> 00:44:48.900 I don't know. 00:44:49.400 --> 00:44:50.740 But I believe it's going to, kids. 00:44:51.400 --> 00:44:52.980 Somehow you're not going to be lonely. 00:44:53.100 --> 00:44:54.059 We're not going to be lonely. 00:44:54.180 --> 00:44:55.380 We're all going to have people. 00:44:55.380 --> 00:44:58.500 But when we started, we were lonely and our kids were lonely. 00:44:59.140 --> 00:45:01.019 And all we had was the unseen. 00:45:02.160 --> 00:45:08.180 We just had the unseen and a God who brings the unseen into the seen realm through prayer. 00:45:08.720 --> 00:45:09.960 And so we prayed every single... 00:45:09.960 --> 00:45:11.160 We would pray most nights. 00:45:11.720 --> 00:45:12.720 Probably not every single night. 00:45:12.800 --> 00:45:13.720 We prayed most nights. 00:45:14.300 --> 00:45:16.140 God, give us those friends our kids' age. 00:45:16.139 --> 00:45:19.519 And then what happened? 00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:20.940 Did God answer that prayer? 00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:23.739 He answered that prayer. 00:45:24.539 --> 00:45:27.739 Okay, you young kids who are praying for kids your age, keep praying. 00:45:27.879 --> 00:45:28.500 Don't give up. 00:45:28.759 --> 00:45:29.219 You hear me? 00:45:29.779 --> 00:45:30.940 You keep praying for that. 00:45:31.319 --> 00:45:32.420 God wants to answer that. 00:45:33.019 --> 00:45:33.879 You know what would be really awesome? 00:45:33.880 --> 00:45:38.140 If the answer didn't give you some lost kids who are your age who he wants to save. 00:45:38.960 --> 00:45:40.180 We can believe for that. 00:45:40.280 --> 00:45:41.019 He does that. 00:45:41.599 --> 00:45:42.519 He has done that. 00:45:43.579 --> 00:45:49.280 Some of us are wishing we had a little bit more fellowship or a little more familial atmosphere in this church. 00:45:50.099 --> 00:45:52.140 A little bit, maybe some closer friendships. 00:45:53.000 --> 00:45:56.640 Maybe some of us left some closer friendships in the church we were at before. 00:45:57.099 --> 00:45:59.000 And now we're here and we don't have as close of friendships. 00:45:59.359 --> 00:46:02.019 And we don't see how it could be possible here. 00:46:02.900 --> 00:46:03.619 You ever think that? 00:46:04.579 --> 00:46:05.539 It's not seen. 00:46:06.759 --> 00:46:07.699 So what are you going to do? 00:46:08.519 --> 00:46:09.839 You're going to believe for what's unseen? 00:46:09.940 --> 00:46:13.139 You're going to be certain that even though I don't see it, it's going to come? 00:46:13.400 --> 00:46:14.259 Because God wants it. 00:46:15.039 --> 00:46:18.940 It's God's will for us to have close friendships and fellowship in a familial atmosphere. 00:46:19.819 --> 00:46:21.480 But it doesn't happen overnight either. 00:46:22.079 --> 00:46:24.960 And so some of the stuff we're not seeing, you're thinking, oh, how's this going to happen? 00:46:24.960 --> 00:46:29.519 I don't have answers to you in the specifics, but I do have an answer in the way. 00:46:29.960 --> 00:46:31.860 It's through God and through faith in Him. 00:46:33.159 --> 00:46:34.900 Being certain of what you don't see. 00:46:36.139 --> 00:46:38.900 Some of us are looking, and lastly, to close, 00:46:39.260 --> 00:46:42.800 some of us are looking at some of the methods that we're taking to do this church, 00:46:43.260 --> 00:46:47.699 to plant this church, how we do partnership, how we do church planting. 00:46:48.260 --> 00:46:51.280 And sometimes some of the methods and the results are unseen. 00:46:51.280 --> 00:46:56.320 And so we have to say, okay, am I going to walk in faith? 00:46:56.840 --> 00:47:00.580 Am I going to believe in the things I don't see right now and be certain of them? 00:47:01.400 --> 00:47:02.580 Am I going to trust God? 00:47:02.640 --> 00:47:03.540 Am I going to believe God? 00:47:04.360 --> 00:47:05.820 We all have to do this. 00:47:07.200 --> 00:47:11.500 Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see. 00:47:11.700 --> 00:47:12.740 Where's your faith this morning? 00:47:13.580 --> 00:47:14.700 Where's your faith this morning? 00:47:15.700 --> 00:47:16.380 Let's stand. 00:47:16.519 --> 00:47:17.280 I want to pray together. 00:47:17.440 --> 00:47:18.060 Can you guys stand? 00:47:18.059 --> 00:47:48.039 Let's stand.