WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.660 So, as Sean invited me to share with you guys a little bit, I thought it would be good for us to look at Psalm 67, 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:21.240 as it's an encouragement for our time of prayer tonight, as it itself is a prayer for God's work among the nations. 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:25.560 And also, we're just very excited to be with you guys. 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:32.780 It's such a joy to worship God together with people who are excited for His glory, and just a blessing to be with you. 00:00:32.879 --> 00:00:39.359 But if you could open with me to Psalm 67, and we'll go ahead and read it together. 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:40.640 It says, 00:00:41.460 --> 00:00:52.899 May God be gracious to us, and bless us, and make His face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 00:00:52.899 --> 00:00:57.460 Let the peoples praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. 00:00:57.979 --> 00:01:04.980 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:09.519 Let the peoples praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. 00:01:10.180 --> 00:01:16.180 The earth has yielded its increase. God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us. 00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:19.219 Let all the ends of the earth fear Him. 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:31.539 And so the first thing that I think we can notice tonight is that this is David crying out for the Lord to act. 00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:33.180 That it's a prayer of his. 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:38.659 May God, all the rest, let the peoples, let the peoples. 00:01:38.659 --> 00:01:43.979 It's David asking God to work on God's people's behalf. 00:01:44.619 --> 00:01:50.679 And so as we enter into a time of prayer later, we're entering into the same kind of act that David is here. 00:01:51.079 --> 00:01:54.780 And we see then the very next words, be gracious to us. 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:58.400 So it's rooted in the mercies of God. 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:01.959 Everything he asks for from here on out that we're going to look at, we know that it's him asking, 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:07.799 and it's foundationally rooted in the mercies of God that he is asking for these things from the Lord. 00:02:08.659 --> 00:02:18.300 And so what I think is probably the most pivotal portion of this short psalm is in verses 1 and 2. 00:02:18.359 --> 00:02:20.960 So we're going to spend most of our time looking in verses 1 and 2. 00:02:21.579 --> 00:02:22.939 So let's read that one more time. 00:02:23.699 --> 00:02:29.479 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.979 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 00:02:34.979 --> 00:02:44.739 And I think there's a part to David's request here in verse 1 that can make us uncomfortable. 00:02:46.679 --> 00:02:50.179 He asked God to bless us, bless his people. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:56.439 And I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel awkward asking God to do good things for me. 00:02:56.439 --> 00:03:00.099 It feels like I'm asking too much. 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:09.800 And I think as we want to come with a heart that's requesting from God to do work among his people, 00:03:09.900 --> 00:03:12.780 we need to remember that God is for us. 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:13.780 God loves us. 00:03:13.860 --> 00:03:15.219 As it says in Romans 8, 00:03:15.219 --> 00:03:33.079 There's this incompatibility in Paul's mind between a God who would give his son to save people 00:03:33.079 --> 00:03:38.419 and a God who would do that and not be willing to give every good thing that we need. 00:03:38.419 --> 00:03:46.239 And so I think as we look at this psalm and the prayerful heart that is asking of God, 00:03:46.339 --> 00:03:55.619 we need to remember that God has already proven his unending faithful love to us in the giving of his son. 00:03:55.699 --> 00:03:59.139 So we can ask with expectation that he really does want to bless us 00:03:59.139 --> 00:04:03.299 and that we don't need to shy away from asking of him. 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:14.080 But then on the other side, we want to sort of tamper our overzealous perhaps at times requests of God 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:22.540 where we might get consumed with the blessing and forget the motivation that we see here in David's prayer. 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:27.379 So if you think about the way that the world might finish David's sentence, 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.900 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us that, 00:04:31.899 --> 00:04:35.079 and there's a lot of things that someone might insert there, 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:38.519 I wrote down a few, but I'm sure there's lots of others, 00:04:38.679 --> 00:04:40.599 that we can have whatever we want. 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:41.839 Like that happens sometimes. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:47.259 I just really want to not be sick or I just really want my kid to go to sleep. 00:04:47.339 --> 00:04:49.699 Like there's lots of things that I might ask God for selfishly. 00:04:50.179 --> 00:04:52.919 Or that we can be happy, that no one would be in need. 00:04:52.979 --> 00:04:58.459 There's even noble goals, that God would bless us so that we would have reason to rejoice in God. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:03.560 Like there's great reasons that we might ask along the lines of what David prays here. 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:08.500 But lots of times my heart forgets, and I think our culture tempts us to forget, 00:05:09.239 --> 00:05:10.799 the motivation that we see here. 00:05:11.139 --> 00:05:15.299 We want to be blessed that your way may be known on earth, 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:17.339 your saving power among all nations. 00:05:17.339 --> 00:05:23.759 The reality that God's blessing leads to the spread of his fame, 00:05:23.939 --> 00:05:25.739 and to more people worshiping him, 00:05:26.219 --> 00:05:30.459 is foundational to God's story. 00:05:30.659 --> 00:05:32.179 So I want to back up for just a second, 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:36.759 and like explain perhaps where David was thinking through 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:39.099 as he got to this point in expressing his heart. 00:05:39.159 --> 00:05:40.719 It didn't come out of nowhere. 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:43.660 But if we look back to even the very beginning, 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:45.500 in Genesis 1, 00:05:46.700 --> 00:05:52.640 you can see that when God is making man, 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:54.840 he talks about making them in his image, 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:58.740 and gives him the command to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the whole earth. 00:05:59.540 --> 00:06:02.440 And so we see that God's heart has always been 00:06:02.440 --> 00:06:05.400 that there would be people glorifying him all over the earth. 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:07.080 Great. 00:06:08.620 --> 00:06:09.660 It's a nice flower. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:13.380 And then, 00:06:14.060 --> 00:06:17.140 even more directly related to this passage, 00:06:17.140 --> 00:06:18.900 is probably in Genesis 12, 00:06:19.420 --> 00:06:22.200 which it sounds like you guys might have looked at recently. 00:06:22.700 --> 00:06:24.300 But Genesis 12, 1 through 3, 00:06:24.780 --> 00:06:27.540 where you see that God makes this covenant with Abraham, 00:06:27.780 --> 00:06:29.460 where he's going to bless him, 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:32.420 so that he can be a blessing to all the nations, 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:33.720 all the families of the earth. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:34.940 And so, 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:38.160 David is not inventing something new here. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:42.780 He's simply aligning his prayer with God's heart for what he wants to do. 00:06:44.780 --> 00:06:49.000 His plan has always been to fill the earth with people who bring him glory, 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:51.760 and to do that through blessing his chosen people, 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:52.360 which, 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:53.340 as you know, 00:06:53.400 --> 00:06:55.680 we're now all a part of Abraham's family by faith. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:01.980 And so we're a part of this ongoing blessing of God to bring his name and fame to the ends of the earth. 00:07:01.980 --> 00:07:12.060 And another way that I can end up personally ruining the heart that David has here, 00:07:12.200 --> 00:07:14.259 that perhaps some of you can relate to, 00:07:14.640 --> 00:07:19.840 is just being prideful about the way that I look at God's blessings, 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:27.619 where I forget the relationship that God and I have in his benevolence, 00:07:27.719 --> 00:07:29.479 in the fact that he is worth everything, 00:07:29.659 --> 00:07:31.779 and I can end up thinking I'm worth too much, 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:36.259 and I can end up separating Christ and his benefits. 00:07:37.399 --> 00:07:39.839 So I think this is another thing where our culture, 00:07:40.679 --> 00:07:42.259 or even our Christian culture sometimes, 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:43.500 can portray it as, 00:07:43.899 --> 00:07:44.599 I am here, 00:07:44.739 --> 00:07:47.399 and I have a legal standing problem with God, 00:07:47.459 --> 00:07:48.839 where I've accrued too much debt, 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:50.759 and then I need Christ over there. 00:07:51.239 --> 00:07:52.859 He went and he died a long time ago, 00:07:52.899 --> 00:07:54.159 and he resurrected a long time ago, 00:07:54.179 --> 00:07:55.739 and he paid this debt of mine, 00:07:56.179 --> 00:07:57.060 and now he's raised, 00:07:57.119 --> 00:07:58.319 and one day I'll go be with him. 00:07:58.939 --> 00:07:59.879 But in scripture, 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.560 the way that Paul always talks about it is, 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:04.979 we've died in Christ. 00:08:05.179 --> 00:08:06.859 Like, there's no separation. 00:08:07.099 --> 00:08:08.799 It's not that he was over there doing an act, 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:09.519 and I was over here. 00:08:09.599 --> 00:08:10.419 It's that together, 00:08:10.659 --> 00:08:11.419 we died, 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:12.120 we resurrected, 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:13.319 and we rose. 00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:13.779 And so, 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.319 when I lose sight of that link between Christ, 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:19.500 and the benefits of the gospel, 00:08:19.899 --> 00:08:21.959 I'll end up with a heart of pride, 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:24.920 expecting God to benefit me without that connection. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.659 So I think that's something that at least helps me, 00:08:28.339 --> 00:08:30.620 and I think helps us to pray, 00:08:30.740 --> 00:08:31.819 as David prayed here, 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.740 to remember the unification of us in Christ, 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:36.960 being the source of our blessing. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:39.820 As it says in Ephesians 1, 00:08:41.500 --> 00:08:44.300 we've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:45.460 in Christ Jesus. 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:47.900 So we receive all these blessings, 00:08:47.980 --> 00:08:49.320 that we share to the ends of the earth, 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:51.660 through what Christ has done, 00:08:51.700 --> 00:08:52.940 and you being united with him. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:54.700 And so, 00:08:54.940 --> 00:08:56.900 just in summary, 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:00.600 what we can get out of this psalm, 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:03.320 we can see God's heart, 00:09:03.680 --> 00:09:04.800 being prayed through David, 00:09:05.560 --> 00:09:07.940 that his people would be blessed, 00:09:08.040 --> 00:09:10.720 so that his glory could go to the ends of the earth, 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:11.700 and all people, 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:13.019 all people would praise him. 00:09:13.420 --> 00:09:15.879 And we can pray for God's blessing, 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:17.680 remembering that he loves us, 00:09:17.779 --> 00:09:18.759 he's our heavenly father, 00:09:18.820 --> 00:09:19.980 who's proven that he loves us, 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:20.860 and wants to bless us. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.040 We can humbly pray for God's heart, 00:09:24.139 --> 00:09:26.600 which is that the whole earth would be filled with his glory. 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:29.060 And we can even pray expectantly, 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.680 knowing that he's going to do it, 00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:33.800 because we see in Revelation 5 and 7, 00:09:33.920 --> 00:09:35.860 that there are people from every tribe, 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:36.480 tongue, and nation, 00:09:36.620 --> 00:09:37.620 worshiping the Lord. 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:40.279 And it says in Habakkuk 2.14, 00:09:40.560 --> 00:09:44.159 that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, 00:09:44.220 --> 00:09:45.340 as the waters cover the sea. 00:09:45.680 --> 00:09:46.600 It's going to be everywhere. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.180 We know that God is going to do this, 00:09:48.259 --> 00:09:49.399 so as we pray tonight, 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:51.019 we can pray expectantly, 00:09:51.580 --> 00:09:54.160 knowing that God is going to cover the earth in his glory. 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:01.159 Did you want to tell us about the mission? 00:10:01.379 --> 00:10:02.740 Yeah, yeah, so if that's all right, 00:10:02.980 --> 00:10:04.399 I can, or if there's a better way, 00:10:04.460 --> 00:10:05.180 we can do it later. 00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:07.180 Do you like, can you, 00:10:07.580 --> 00:10:08.420 can you actually, yeah, 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:10.600 let's sing a song and then you can hear it. 00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:11.100 Okay. 00:10:13.320 --> 00:10:15.659 So there's like a typo of machines, 00:10:15.920 --> 00:10:18.720 but rather than reprints of the trees, 00:10:19.680 --> 00:10:20.899 and I think like for the trees, 00:10:21.240 --> 00:10:23.300 so from the depths of the sea, 00:10:23.460 --> 00:10:24.460 from the heights of the heavens. 00:10:24.460 --> 00:10:25.420 Let me grab one. 00:10:25.419 --> 00:10:28.339 I've got quick little cards here 00:10:28.339 --> 00:10:30.979 that kind of summarize the main points 00:10:30.979 --> 00:10:33.019 so you can see a little bit 00:10:33.019 --> 00:10:34.379 as we're going through this, 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:37.620 but it's all Mandy. 00:10:37.860 --> 00:10:38.299 It's all Mandy. 00:10:38.399 --> 00:10:39.620 She does all the good stuff. 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:40.039 Hi, Mandy. 00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:41.679 Very pictorial. 00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:48.139 So the short version is that the Essan people 00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:52.659 are 22 million people in northeastern Thailand. 00:10:53.659 --> 00:10:56.059 It's over 98% Buddhist 00:10:56.059 --> 00:11:01.139 and less than like 0.2% evangelical Christians. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.219 That's like one or two people in a thousand. 00:11:03.220 --> 00:11:05.700 And there's large regions 00:11:05.700 --> 00:11:08.519 where there aren't any known believers. 00:11:09.340 --> 00:11:11.920 So like the area that we are going to 00:11:11.920 --> 00:11:15.340 is the southern part of Nekampanom province. 00:11:15.779 --> 00:11:17.920 And it's like 300,000 people 00:11:17.920 --> 00:11:19.340 where there aren't any known Christians 00:11:19.340 --> 00:11:21.160 or any churches or anything like that. 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:25.899 And so how did we end up involved in this? 00:11:26.199 --> 00:11:28.679 I got to share those guys just a tiny bit. 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:29.600 But basically, 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:34.860 we were doing life in Charleston, South Carolina, 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:36.579 part of a sovereign race church there 00:11:36.579 --> 00:11:38.179 for a little while. 00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:41.279 And we had felt God stirring our hearts 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:42.259 to something more, 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.199 but weren't really sure what that was 00:11:44.199 --> 00:11:45.839 for quite some time. 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:48.759 And we're earnestly asking him what it was. 00:11:48.819 --> 00:11:49.479 And then one day, 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:50.639 the Wendell Myers, 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:52.399 which I think you guys are all familiar with, 00:11:52.739 --> 00:11:54.039 came to visit us. 00:11:54.899 --> 00:11:57.019 And on Saturday night, 00:11:57.079 --> 00:11:59.639 we went over to Mike, our pastor's house, 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.079 and had a time of prayer. 00:12:02.419 --> 00:12:03.559 And we left that time. 00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:04.059 We're like, wow, 00:12:04.099 --> 00:12:05.199 they're doing something really great. 00:12:05.199 --> 00:12:06.899 We will definitely pray for them 00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:07.939 and encourage them. 00:12:08.179 --> 00:12:12.359 And then Sunday morning rolls around 00:12:12.359 --> 00:12:15.359 and Fred is on stage preaching. 00:12:15.859 --> 00:12:17.259 Mandy is out. 00:12:17.959 --> 00:12:19.459 She's not able to hear him. 00:12:19.620 --> 00:12:23.059 She's hanging out with the baby we had before this one. 00:12:23.979 --> 00:12:26.479 But Fred's preaching and I'm sitting there 00:12:26.479 --> 00:12:29.819 and he's describing the 1040 window 00:12:29.819 --> 00:12:31.399 and the billions of people 00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:33.319 who have little to no opportunity 00:12:33.319 --> 00:12:36.299 to ever hear about how awesome God is. 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:40.759 And it was just the voice in the Lord saying, 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.379 you have to go be a part of solving this problem. 00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:46.199 So I was like, oh, okay. 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:48.620 I guess I got to go home and tell Mandy 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:52.139 we're moving somewhere way over there in that big box. 00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:58.419 And Mandy is not by nature an adventurous person. 00:12:58.939 --> 00:13:02.939 I mean, she was like a grilled, 00:13:03.460 --> 00:13:05.019 or sorry, like a fried chicken fingers, 00:13:05.139 --> 00:13:07.059 a grilled cheese sandwich kind of person when we met. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.120 And had never left the country. 00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:12.319 You know, so not like a big, 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:15.299 let's go on an adventure on the other side of the world type person. 00:13:15.299 --> 00:13:17.079 But as she was going home, 00:13:17.139 --> 00:13:17.979 we were going to have the Wendell Myers 00:13:17.979 --> 00:13:19.659 and a few families over for lunch. 00:13:19.819 --> 00:13:20.539 And she was driving 00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:25.519 and she starts thinking about lunch and the Wendell Myers. 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:26.839 And all of a sudden she just says out loud, 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.179 I guess I'm moving to Thailand. 00:13:29.339 --> 00:13:31.039 And it was kind of a shock to her. 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:35.899 And so she started sort of asking God what was going on 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:38.039 and felt like he confirmed like, 00:13:38.099 --> 00:13:39.899 oh, that was me telling you you're going to Thailand. 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:43.240 And so when everyone left at the end of lunch, 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:44.399 we looked at each other. 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:46.379 She said, I think we need to go to Thailand. 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:48.659 I said, okay, we're definitely going to go to Thailand. 00:13:49.459 --> 00:13:50.519 God has spoken. 00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:51.579 He's the king. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:52.819 We're going to start marching. 00:13:53.579 --> 00:13:56.579 And so that was kind of how we got drawn into this. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:00.159 And that was early March of 2015. 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:02.579 So it's been a little while. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.159 And it was a little bit of a process 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.039 of first to figure out what that looked like, 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:09.879 to sort out going with the organization Pioneers 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:11.399 that we're going with, 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:12.919 to sort out what the team looks like. 00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:17.100 And eventually in November of the following year, 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:18.620 we went on a survey trip 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:22.620 to spend a couple weeks in Thailand and in Kisan. 00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:25.320 And it was really eye-opening. 00:14:25.460 --> 00:14:27.919 It knit our hearts even more to the people 00:14:27.919 --> 00:14:30.059 and to the mission 00:14:30.059 --> 00:14:32.879 and to just recognize very clearly 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.860 that while God absolutely deserves 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:36.940 the worship of those people, 00:14:37.059 --> 00:14:38.539 he's not receiving it. 00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:40.860 And it's very sad 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.980 that he is not getting the worship due his name. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:45.799 And it's just, 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:46.839 it's very prevalent 00:14:46.839 --> 00:14:48.539 that the type of idolatry 00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:51.179 that you don't see as much of here 00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:52.539 is just everywhere there. 00:14:52.699 --> 00:14:54.719 I mean, there's spirit houses on every corner. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.000 There's temples with golden images, 00:14:58.000 --> 00:14:59.799 like a church in the South. 00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:00.860 I know it's different up here, 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:02.599 but back in Charleston where we're from, 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:03.899 there's a church on every corner. 00:15:04.019 --> 00:15:04.959 It's like that there too. 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:07.220 There's a Buddhist temple on every corner. 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:11.160 And, you know, Psalm 135 comes to mind. 00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:13.700 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.160 the work of human hands. 00:15:15.560 --> 00:15:17.060 They have mouths but do not speak. 00:15:17.180 --> 00:15:18.680 They have eyes but do not see. 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:20.240 They have ears but do not hear. 00:15:20.400 --> 00:15:22.000 Nor is there any breath in their mouths. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:24.879 Those who make them become like them. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.960 So do all who trust in them. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:30.620 And our hearts break for the people over there. 00:15:32.139 --> 00:15:35.100 There was one time as we prayer walked through the city 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:37.400 that we think we'll be living in for a while. 00:15:38.379 --> 00:15:39.740 And we went to the temple 00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:41.440 to kind of see what it was like. 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:43.940 And as you enter into the temple space, 00:15:44.040 --> 00:15:45.940 there's this little stand off to the left. 00:15:46.160 --> 00:15:48.259 And they've got things you can purchase 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:49.820 to make offerings with. 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:50.620 And one of them is like 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:53.000 kind of little woven flowers and stuff. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.000 And so you'll watch people go. 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:55.679 They'll buy the flower. 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:58.840 And they'll go over to the temple area. 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:02.000 And they'll do some prayers and some... 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:04.059 I'm not quite sure what they're doing yet. 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:05.340 We're still trying to understand more. 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:06.820 And then they'll offer the flower. 00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:09.139 And they'll go. 00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:10.639 And then a few minutes later, 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:11.480 one of the monks will come by 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:12.580 and scoop up all the flowers. 00:16:12.779 --> 00:16:14.080 And he'll take them right back 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.299 to the place where they sell them. 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:21.559 And seeing that just immediately came to mind 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:23.039 in Hebrews 10, 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:24.819 where it talks about how 00:16:24.819 --> 00:16:26.879 the priest had to make sacrifice 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:28.059 every year, 00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.539 and it never was enough. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:31.360 It was never going to finish the work 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:32.339 until Christ came, 00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:33.219 and he finished it, 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:33.899 and it was done, 00:16:33.959 --> 00:16:35.120 and there was no more to be done. 00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:37.099 And to just recognize 00:16:37.099 --> 00:16:38.120 that the people there 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:40.599 don't have that hope. 00:16:40.740 --> 00:16:43.240 There is no version of their lives 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:45.699 apart from God bringing Christ to them 00:16:45.699 --> 00:16:46.839 where they'll be done 00:16:46.839 --> 00:16:48.019 with their merit making. 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:49.600 They'll have to come over and over, 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:51.139 offer the same flower over and over, 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:54.840 make the same merit over and over, 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:56.100 and there's never assurance. 00:16:56.299 --> 00:16:58.439 So we long for God 00:16:58.439 --> 00:17:00.120 to receive the worship that he's due, 00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:02.579 and for the people there to have light, 00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:04.700 because it's a dark place. 00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:07.660 And we have many stories 00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.440 that we'd love to share with you 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:11.559 about experiencing some of the darkness there. 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:14.319 And it was very palpable to us, 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:15.619 even in the short time we were there. 00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:17.659 And we were encouraged by the fact 00:17:17.659 --> 00:17:20.039 that God had many people praying for us. 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:21.899 Some folks sent us texts 00:17:21.899 --> 00:17:22.639 at just the moment 00:17:22.639 --> 00:17:24.240 that Satan was attacking. 00:17:24.659 --> 00:17:26.460 And just to encourage you 00:17:26.460 --> 00:17:27.599 that as you pray for the Wendemeyers, 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:28.679 as you might pray for us, 00:17:29.240 --> 00:17:30.779 it's working. 00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:33.099 God is listening to the cries of his people 00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:33.679 and answering, 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:35.980 and so please fight that fight 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:37.200 for the folks overseas 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:39.980 that are in some tough places. 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:42.180 And so just real quick, 00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:44.759 what are we trying to do? 00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:47.000 So it's a big need, 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:48.200 hundreds of thousands of people 00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:49.599 with no believers. 00:17:50.140 --> 00:17:51.440 So our goal is 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:53.759 an indigenous church planting movement. 00:17:54.460 --> 00:17:58.279 So what we want is to enter the space, 00:17:58.420 --> 00:17:59.360 pray earnestly, 00:17:59.500 --> 00:18:01.440 and wait for God to bring about people 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.720 that he's drawing to himself, 00:18:03.360 --> 00:18:08.640 people that receive faith and believe, 00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:10.380 and then to work with those people 00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:11.200 to disciple them, 00:18:11.300 --> 00:18:12.380 to encourage them to build 00:18:12.380 --> 00:18:14.020 whatever network they already have, 00:18:14.120 --> 00:18:16.180 family or work relationships, 00:18:16.280 --> 00:18:16.900 whatever it is, 00:18:17.300 --> 00:18:19.360 and to start walking through Scripture together 00:18:19.360 --> 00:18:21.140 until eventually they build a church. 00:18:21.780 --> 00:18:24.420 And then we want to equip them 00:18:24.420 --> 00:18:26.180 with the types of practices 00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:28.020 and the DNA, 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.680 the culture of people 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:30.920 who want to replicate them 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:32.520 so that their church would replicate 00:18:32.520 --> 00:18:33.900 and those churches would replicate 00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:35.640 until we have a movement of house churches 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:37.840 that can then spread throughout the area. 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.700 And so for us, 00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:42.040 that looks like going with two other families, 00:18:42.520 --> 00:18:43.540 the Winnemars who you know 00:18:43.540 --> 00:18:45.020 and the Snyders who you might not know 00:18:45.020 --> 00:18:47.080 who are from the Atlanta, Georgia area. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.720 So our three families 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:50.380 will first spend a little bit of time 00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:52.460 in Chiang Mai learning the language, 00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:53.800 learning the Thai language. 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:55.100 Isan has its own language, 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:57.240 which is another hurdle we'll cross eventually. 00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:59.380 But we'll learn Thai first, 00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:01.080 and then after a year or two, 00:19:01.080 --> 00:19:03.080 we'll head out to southern Nkampanam, 00:19:04.080 --> 00:19:07.420 which is on the very far eastern 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:10.520 and right up against the border with Laos of Thailand. 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:13.700 And we'll probably live in a city called Thapanam, 00:19:13.800 --> 00:19:15.520 which is like the hub of the region. 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.220 And we'll live there for a few years 00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:19.280 trying to build relationships, 00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.540 understand the culture, 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.360 be able to describe the gospel 00:19:22.360 --> 00:19:23.900 in a culturally authentic way 00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:27.080 until God raises up his church. 00:19:27.079 --> 00:19:31.240 And so we hope to leave at the end of the year, 00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:33.299 December, maybe through February, 00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:34.000 somewhere in there. 00:19:34.099 --> 00:19:34.960 Our lease ends in December, 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.839 and we're hoping we won't have to sign another one. 00:19:37.819 --> 00:19:39.839 And so I'm still working right now 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:41.039 as a software engineer, 00:19:41.179 --> 00:19:43.359 but we'll hopefully be able to stop that soon. 00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:46.159 And some things that have to line up for us to go, 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:48.859 we still need more financial support to be able to go. 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:51.059 God has blessed us immensely. 00:19:51.199 --> 00:19:52.119 We have everything we need 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:54.419 in terms of deploying one time, 00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:56.179 but monthly committed partnership. 00:19:56.180 --> 00:19:58.160 We plan to be there for at least 10 years. 00:19:58.580 --> 00:20:00.039 So you can't raise it all up front. 00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:03.279 And so yeah, we still need that. 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:07.620 And once we have sufficient financial partnership lined up, 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:10.980 then we'll get approval from Pioneers, our organization. 00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:12.180 Then we can buy a plane ticket. 00:20:12.620 --> 00:20:13.460 And once we have the plane ticket, 00:20:13.560 --> 00:20:14.880 then we can fill out the visa paperwork 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.140 and try to get the visa set up. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:16.900 And then we can go. 00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:19.680 So those are kind of the steps between here and leaving. 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.100 But Lord willing, we'll head out at the end of the year. 00:20:22.099 --> 00:20:23.099 Thank you. 00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.459 That's very exciting. 00:20:27.199 --> 00:20:28.219 Maybe we could do this. 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:29.199 Maybe we could pray. 00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:30.139 Let's pray first. 00:20:30.639 --> 00:20:31.599 And then maybe at the end, 00:20:31.699 --> 00:20:32.099 maybe we could...