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[MUSIC]
>> HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF GOD AS A BUILDER?
WHAT TYPE OF BUILDER DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD IS?
CAN GOD TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S RUINED AND DESTROYED AND MAKE
SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL OUT OF IT? DO YOU AGREE THAT GOD IS
A BUILDER OF LIVES AND A BUILDER OF FAMILIES
AND A BUILDER OF CHURCHES? THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT BUILDINGS AND SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
GOD THE MASTER BUILDER. I BELIEVE GOD WANTS TO BUILD
YOUR LIFE, AND HE WANTS US TO BE INVOLVED TOGETHER IN BUILDING
HIS PROMISE AND HIS WORK.
>> I'VE BEEN PREACHING FROM
EZRA CHAPTER 9, VERSE 9, IT SAYS, "NOW WE WERE SLAVES,"
TALKING ABOUT GOD'S OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE.
BUT IT'S VERY APPLICABLE TO US AS WELL BECAUSE
WE ALL WERE SOMETHING. "WE WERE SLAVES.
YET GOD DID NOT FORSAKE US IN OUR BONDAGE; BUT EXTENDED MERCY
TO US IN THE SIGHT OF THE KINGS OF PERSIA," LISTEN TO IT,
"TO REVIVE US, TO REPAIR THE HOUSE OF OUR GOD, TO REBUILD
ITS RUINS, AND TO GIVE US A WALL," OR BUILD A WALL,
"IN JUDAH AND JERUSALEM." TO RELEASE.
"WE WERE SLAVES. BUT GOD DID NOT FORSAKE US
IN OUR BONDAGE; TO REVIVE US, TO REPAIR GOD'S HOUSE
AND TO REBUILD ITS RUINS." THINK ABOUT THIS,
HUMANITY TAKES THINGS THAT ARE GLORIOUS AND RUINS THEM,
EVEN THE ENVIRONMENT AND CREATION ITSELF.
GOD TAKES WHAT IS RUINED AND MAKES IT GLORIOUS.
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IS ABOUT PURSUING
THE PROMISE OF GOD AND SEEING RUINS COME TO LIFE.
OFTENTIMES WE CAN SEE HOW HUMANITY CAN TAKE
WHAT IS GLORIOUS HERE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
IT WAS THE TEMPLE. THE WORD MEANS THE HOUSE
SO IT WAS GOD'S HOUSE AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR, AN EVIL KING,
HAD OVERTAKEN JERUSALEM AND HAD DESTROYED THE TEMPLE.
HE TOOK SOMETHING GLORIOUS. GOD'S HEART WAS IN, HIS EYES
WERE ON IT AND HIS HEART IS IN IT, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS.
IT WAS GLORIOUS, AND NEBUCHADNEZZAR DESTROYED IT,
LEFT IT IN RUINS, SMOKING, CHARRED RUINS.
AND, OF COURSE, THE ATTITUDE AND THE CONDUCT OF THE PEOPLE
HAD ALSO, IN MANY WAYS, IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, TAKEN
WHAT GOD INTENDED TO BE GLORIOUS AND HAD LEFT IT IN RUINS.
YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO LIVES, YOU THINK ABOUT HUMANITY
AND WHAT GOD CREATED. HE CREATED THE GARDEN OF EDEN,
TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH PEOPLE. AND WHAT GOD CREATED WAS
GLORIOUS, PERFECTION, GLORIOUS. AND THROUGH ADAM AND EVE,
YOU KNOW THE STORY, HUMANITY FELL INTO SIN AND SOMETHING
THAT WAS SO PERFECT, SO GLORIOUS WAS LEFT IN RUINS.
YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OWN PERSONAL,
INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND HOW A BABY THAT IS BORN TO A MOM AND DAD AT
LEAST IS PERFECT, IT'S GLORIOUS. TO THE REST OF US, IT MIGHT HAVE
A LITTLE BIT OF A SQUASHED-UP NOSE AND A CROOKED SORT OF HEAD,
BUT TO MOM AND DAD, GLORIOUS. MAY HAVE HAIR THAT JUST SORT OF
STICKS UP ON THE SIDE LIKE THAT BUT GLORIOUS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, LIFE, WE MAKE CHOICES, MAKE DECISIONS,
ENTER INTO LIFESTYLE AND THINGS THAT CAN TAKE WHAT WAS GLORIOUS
AND PEOPLE END UP WITH RUINED CREDIBILITY, RUINED REPUTATION,
PERHAPS, RUINED CHARACTER, RUINED RELATIONSHIPS, MAYBE
FIND THEMSELF IN FINANCIAL RUIN, FEEL LIKE YOUR POTENTIAL
HAS JUST COME TO NAUGHT AND IT'S BEEN DESTROYED
AND IT'S IN RUINS. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S THE WORLD
THAT WE LIVE IN, OFTENTIMES PERFECT OPPORTUNITIES
ARE RUINED. GOD TAKES WHAT IS RUINED
AND MAKES IT GLORIOUS. HE CAN TAKE WHAT IS LEFT
IN ASHES AND HE CAN BRING BEAUTY TO IT.
HE CAN TAKE SOMETHING THAT'S JUST A CAUSE FOR GREAT WEEPING
AND TURN IT INTO A CAUSE FOR A TREMENDOUS JOY.
YOU SEE, GOD TAKES RUINED THINGS AND MAKE THEM GLORIOUS, AND
THE CHURCH OF JESUS IS ABOUT PURSUING THE WILL OF GOD SO
THAT WE CAN SEE PEOPLE'S LIVES CHANGED FOR THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
I FINISHED BIBLE COLLEGE 40 YEARS AGO,
AND I'VE HAD 40 YEARS OF PASTORING AND LEADING
AND BUILDING PEOPLE'S LEAVES AND DOING WHAT WE GET TO DO.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE CHURCH OF JESUS IS SUCH A TREMENDOUS,
TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE RUINED
THINGS AND MAKE THEM GLORIOUS. TONIGHT IN THIS SERVICE, PEOPLE
MAKING CHOICES AND DECISIONS TO SURRENDER OWNERSHIP.
AND WHAT WE BRING TO GOD IS SO BROKEN SOMETIMES, SO DESTROYED
AND SO DEVASTATED AND YET, GOD CAN TAKE US
AND HE CAN CAUSE THE ASHES, RISING UP FROM THE ASHES,
THE GLORY AND THE PROMISE OF AN ALMIGHTY GOD.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE CHURCH IS ABOUT.
AND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT GOD'S HOUSE AND
IT SAYS THAT GOD WOULD REVIVE US AND REPAIR THE HOUSE OF GOD,
THAT WORD "REPAIR," IT DOESN'T JUST MEAN THE LITERAL,
PHYSICAL TEMPLE AND REPAIR THE WALLS AND, YOU KNOW,
FIX THE ROOF. IT MEANS THAT AND MUCH MORE
'CAUSE WITHIN ITS CONTEXT, IT LITERALLY IS TALKING ABOUT
THE GLORY OF GOD'S HOUSE. IT'S LITERALLY TALKING ABOUT ITS
EXALTED STATUS, ITS HIGH STATUS AND IT'S TALKING ABOUT
THE REPAIRING AND THE REBUILDING OF THAT HIGH STATUS,
THAT EXALTED STATUS OR THE GLORY OF THE HOUSE OF GOD.
WE'RE STANDING OR SITTING, RATHER, I'M STANDING, YOU'RE
SITTING, IN A BIG BUILDING AND IT'S AN AWESOME BUILDING.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE BUILDING EVER
THAT'S GLORIOUS. IT'S WHAT THE BUILDING HOLDS
THAT'S GLORIOUS. CHURCH HAS BECOME MUSEUMS
WHEN YOU JUST MAKE IT ABOUT THE BUILDING.
BUT I'M A BELIEVER IN CHURCH BUILDINGS.
YOU SEE, I LOVE BUILDING. I LOVE BUILDING.
I LOVE WHEN BOBBIE AND I BUILT OUR HOUSE, JUST THE WHOLE IDEA
OF SOMETHING RISING UP OUT OF NOTHING, JUST COMING OFF SOME
PLANS SCRIBBLED ON A PAGE AND A ALL OF A SUDDEN--AND WHEN
WE WERE BUILDING OUR HOUSE, I WAS THE BIGGEST PEST FOR
THE BUILDERS 'CAUSE I WAS THERE ALL THE TIME.
I'M WATCHING EVERY BIT OF SAND MOVE, EVERY BRICK
THAT MOVES, EVERYTHING. WHEN WE WERE BUILDING THIS
BUILDING, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST HERE ALL THE TIME WITH MY ORANGE
JACKET ON AND MY BIG WORK HAT. AND I MEAN I WAS ALL OVER
THE PLACE CHECKING OUT. IT SEEMED TO GO SLOWER THAN
A SNAIL IN A MARATHON BECAUSE I WAS THERE ALL THE TIME.
I WATCHED THEM PUT BIG, STEEL BEAMS INTO THIS BUILDING THAT,
YOU KNOW, HUGE CRANES AND THEY'RE LIFTING THEM INTO PLACE
AND JUST FITTING THEM PRECISELY ON LITTLE BOLTS AT EACH END.
AND I JUST LOVE THE WHOLE THING 'CAUSE IT'S VISION AND IT'S
PROGRESS AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST INSPIRES ME.
I GUESS I'M MADE IN THE IMAGE OF A MASTER BUILDER.
GOD IS A BUILDER, A MASTER BUILDER.
HE BUILDS PEOPLE'S LIVES, TAKES WHAT IS RUINED
AND HE MAKES IT GLORIOUS. BUILDS FAMILIES.
MARRIAGE IS GOD'S IDEA. FAMILY IS GOD'S IDEA, AND HE
BUILDS FAMILIES AND SOMETIMES WHEN FAMILIES ARE DEVASTATED,
IT'S A MIRACLE WHEN YOU WATCH HOW GOD CAN BRING IT TOGETHER
AND BUILD SOMETHING, 'CAUSE IT TO RISE UP FROM THE ASHES.
THE OLD TESTAMENT, HE BUILT HIS TEMPLE.
THAT WAS CALLED GOD'S HOUSE AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, JESUS
SAID HE WOULD BUILD HIS CHURCH, SOMETHING HE LOVES.
THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS TEACHES, AND GAVE HIS LIFE FOR.
MATTHEW 16:18, JESUS SAID HE WOULD BUILD HIS CHURCH.
HE'S A BUILDER, A MASTER BUILDER.
AND WHEN HE SAID HE WOULD BUILD IT, HE SAID, "THE GATES OF HELL
WILL NOT, SHALL NOT, CANNOT, PREVAIL AGAINST IT."
I LOVE THE RESILIENCE OF THE CHURCH
OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, NOT JUST OUR CHURCH, THE CHURCH.
I LOVE THAT PUNDITS HAVE BEEN PREDICTING ITS DEMISE AND ITS
END FOR DECADES AND YET YOU LOOK AROUND ON A SUNDAY NIGHT, HERE'S
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WORSHIPING GOD, YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM
ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND ALL AGES. IT'S ALIVE, HALLELUJAH.
AND WHAT'S ALIVE AND WHAT'S GLORIOUS IS NOT
THE BUILDING, IT'S SIMPLY WHAT THE BUILDING HOUSES.
THAT'S WHERE THE GLORY IS. THAT'S WHAT GOD WANTS TO BUILD.
THAT'S WHERE HIS PRESENCE IS. IT'S IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS,
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. IT'S AWESOME.
YOU KNOW, I WROTE A TWEET A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I PUT,
"JESUS CHRIST IS A MASTER BUILDER," AND I PROMISE
WITHIN MINUTES I GOT A REPLY, A TWEET BACK FROM
THE MASTER BUILDER'S ASSOCIATION ASKING IS HE LICENSED?
HE BUILDS LIVES, HE BUILDS FAMILIES, HE BUILDS THE CHURCH.
PSALM 127, VERSE 1 SAYS, "UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE, THEY
LABOR IN VAIN THAT BUILD IT." SO YES, I LOVE BUILDING
BUT I'M MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD THE BUILDER.
YOU KNOW THAT OLD TESTAMENT HOUSE, THIS IS WHAT I LOVE,
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THE BUILDING PROSPERED.
ON THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM TWO PROPHETS, ONE'S CALLED HAGGAI,
ONE'S CALLED ZECHARIAH. IF YOU WANT TO SEE
THE SCRIPTURE, IT'S EZRA CHAPTER 6, VERSE 14.
AND IT SAYS, "THE ELDERS OF THE JEWS BUILT,
AND THEY PROSPERED, PROSPERED IN THE BUILDING,
THROUGH THE PROPHESYING OF HAGGAI THE PROPHET AND ZECHARIAH
WHO WAS THE SON OF IDDO." AND NOT ONLY DID THEY START
BUILDING, BUT THEY FINISHED IT. THEY COMPLETED IT ACCORDING TO
THE COMMANDMENT OF THE GOD OF ISRAEL, IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.
SO THE WORK WAS INSPIRED AND BEGAN TO FLOURISH AND PROSPERED
BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF THE LORD THAT CAME THROUGH
THESE TWO PROPHETS, THE SECOND LAST AND THE THIRD LAST BOOKS
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. SO I LOOK AT THE BOOKS OF HAGGAI
AND ZECHARIAH AND WHAT I SEE THERE IS JUST ALL OF
THIS PROPHETIC WORD ABOUT THE BUILDING OF GOD'S HOUSE.
AND HAGGAI, HE TALKS ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WERE CONCERNED ABOUT
THEIR OWN HOMES AND THEIR OWN HOUSES.
HE ACTUALLY SAID, "YOU BUILD YOUR OWN PANELED HOUSES."
WELL, THE HOUSE OF GOD IS IN RUINS.
REMEMBER, GOD WANTS TO TAKE WHAT'S IN RUINS AND HE
WANTS TO MAKE IT GLORIOUS, AND HE GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY
OF BEING A PART OF IT. AND THE CHALLENGE AND
THE PROBLEM WASN'T SO MUCH, I DON'T THINK,
THAT THEY WERE BUILDING THEIR HOUSES, IT'S JUST THAT
THEY ONLY HAD EYES FOR WHAT WAS THEIRS AND THEY HAD NO REAL
CONCERN FOR WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO GOD.
AND IT'S IN THAT ENVIRONMENT HE ASKED THEM TO START TO LOOK
AT THE HOUSE OF GOD AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEY COULD SEE.
LISTEN TO IT, IT'S HAGGAI CHAPTER 2, VERSE 3.
HE SAID, "WHO IS LEFT AMONG YOU WHO SAW THIS TEMPLE
IN ITS FORMER GLORY?" YOU SAW WHAT IT WAS BEFORE
IT WAS DESTROYED. "AND HOW DO YOU SEE IT NOW?
HE ASKED. HOW DO YOU SEE IT NOW?
IN COMPARISON WITH IT, IS THIS NOT IN YOUR EYES AS NOTHING?"
HE'S ASKING, "DO YOU SEE THE HOUSE OF GOD AND THE RUINS
IT'S IN AND CAN'T YOU SEE THAT COMPARED WITH WHAT IT WAS?"
SEE, GOD TAKES WHAT'S RUINED AND HE MAKES IT GLORIOUS.
IN A FEW VERSES' TIME, HAGGAI CHAPTER 2, VERSE 9, HE SAYS
THE GLORY OF THE LATTER HOUSE WILL BE GREATER THAN THE FORMER.
HE WANTS TO TAKE SOMETHING RUINED AND HE'S GONNA MAKE IT
MORE GLORIOUS THAN EVER BEFORE, JUST LIKE HE DOES WITH PEOPLE'S
LIVES, JUST LIKE HE DOES WITH OUR HOMES, JUST LIKE HE DOES
WHEN WE TRUST HIM AND BELIEVE GOD TO HAVE HIS WAY
IN OUR LIVES. IT'S AWESOME, BUT THE PEOPLE
HE'S SAYING, "CAN'T YOU SEE?" I WONDER HOW YOU SEE
THE HOUSE OF GOD? HOW DO YOU SEE CHURCH?
NOT JUST OUR CHURCH BUT THE CHURCH?
A LOT OF ARMCHAIR CRITICS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHURCH.
A LOT OF PEOPLE SIT BACK AND TELL THE CHURCH WHAT
IT SHOULD BE DOING. "OH, THE CHURCH SHOULD BE THIS
AND THE CHURCH SHOULD BE THAT. ALL THESE BUILDINGS THE CHURCH
BUILDS AND THEY'VE GOT ALL THESE BUILDINGS, AND
THEY SHOULD BE GIVING THE MONEY TO HELPING THE POOR."
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT
FOR A MINUTE. JESUS, HE CARED TREMENDOUSLY
ABOUT THE POOR, AND HE CHALLENGES US
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND TO HELP THE POOR
AND THE HURTING AND THE BROKEN. BUT I WONDER IF WHEN PEOPLE SAY
THAT THEY'RE REALLY CARING SO MUCH ABOUT THE POOR OR WHETHER
THEY'RE JUST POINTING THE FINGER AT THE CHURCH.
THEY ACTUALLY SAID THE SAME THING TO JESUS.
MARY, SHE CARED ABOUT WHAT WAS IMPORTANT SPIRITUALLY.
MARY IN THE BOOK OF MARK, THE GOSPEL OF MARK, SHE TOOK
THIS INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE PERFUME WORTH 300 DENARIUS,
OR A WHOLE YEAR'S WAGES. I MEAN, IT'S EXPENSIVE.
A WHOLE YEAR'S WAGES, THAT IS SERIOUS.
AND SHE USES IT TO ANOINT JESUS. SHE CARED ABOUT SPIRITUAL VALUE.
AND PEOPLE, THIS IS HOW THEY RESPONDED.
MARK 14, VERSE 5, PEOPLE BEGAN TO SAY, "LOOK,
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOLD AND SOLD FOR MORE HUNDRED DENARII,"
WHICH IS CURRENCY, "AND GIVEN TO THE POOR."
SAME THING. "AND THEY CRITICIZED HER
SHARPLY. BUT JESUS SAID,
'LEAVE HER ALONE. WHY DO YOU TROUBLE HER?
SHE HAS DONE A GOOD WORK FOR ME.'"
THEN HE SAYS, "THE POOR YOU HAVE WITH YOU ALWAYS."
THE REASON WE HAVE THE POOR WITH US ALWAYS IS BECAUSE, WELL, MANY
REASONS AND SOME ARE JUST FALLEN HUMANITY AND THE POVERTY
IT BRINGS AND THE DEFEAT IT BRINGS AND SO ON.
BUT IT'S NOT AS THOUGH JESUS WAS AGAINST THE POOR,
QUITE THE OPPOSITE. HE SAID, "THE SPIRIT OF
THE LORD IS UPON ME." PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
HE CARED TREMENDOUSLY ABOUT THE POOR, BUT HEY, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE, THEY TALK ABOUT THE POOR BECAUSE
THEY LIMIT JESUS AND THINK THAT THAT'S ALL THAT HE'S ABOUT
AND ALL THAT THE CHURCH IS ABOUT IS ONLY HELPING THE POOR.
BUT JESUS SAID, "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL." I WONDER HOW MUCH PEOPLE REALLY
CARE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH ABOUT THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL,
ABOUT RUINS COMING TO LIFE, ABOUT PEOPLE BEING SAVED,
ABOUT LIVES BEING TURNED AROUND, ABOUT FAMILIES BEING BUILT,
ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE BEING TAKEN OFF THE STREETS AND MAYBE TURNED
AROUND SO THAT YOUTH SUICIDE ISN'T AN OPTION FOR THEM, AND SO
THAT DRUGS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT BECOMES PART OF THEIR WORLD.
I WONDER HOW MUCH SOMETIMES PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CHILDREN
WHO ARE INVESTED INTO WITH BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL,
BEAUTIFUL PRINCIPLES AND TRUTH ON WHICH THEY CAN BUILD A LIFE
AND GROW AND FACE THE WORLD AND ITS REALITIES AND ITS HARNESS
WITH SOMETHING ON THE INSIDE THAT CAUSES THEM TO BE BUILDING
THEIR LIVES ON A ROCK AND NOT UPON THE SAND.
I WONDER HOW MUCH PEOPLE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE COUNSEL AND
THE MINISTRY AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND THE WORSHIP AND
THE POWER GOD IN PEOPLE'S LIVES. I WONDER HOW MUCH
PEOPLE REALLY CARE. AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE BUILDINGS
FOR ONE REASON AND THAT'S BECAUSE, WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO
IN PEOPLE'S LIVES IS IMPORTANT.
>> WELL, OF COURSE, IT'S TRUE
THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE ALL SORTS OF ATTITUDES ABOUT CHURCHES AND
BUILDINGS AND WHETHER OR NOT CHURCHES SHOULD HAVE BUILDINGS.
SOME PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, WHY WOULD THE CHURCH SPEND
ALL THE MONEY ON THAT BUILDING? THEY COULD BE HELPING PEOPLE."
BUT, OF COURSE, IF THE CHURCH DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO MEET,
THEN THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY KIND OF GATHERING.
THERE ACTUALLY WOULDN'T BE ANY CHURCH AND THAT ULTIMATELY
MEANT THE CHURCH WOULDN'T BE HELPING ANYBODY.
OFTENTIMES, REALLY WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IS DIMINISHING
THE SPIRITUAL WORK OF A CHURCH AND JUST THE PEOPLE IT HELPS.
AND MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO ME NOW, MAYBE
YOU'VE CONNECTED WITH JESUS CHRIST IN A CHURCH
OR MAYBE YOU WENT TO A SUNDAY SCHOOL
OR PERHAPS YOU WERE MARRIED IN A CHURCH OR A LOVED ONE OF
YOURS WAS BURIED AND FUNERAL WAS IN A CHURCH.
THE TRUTH IS CHURCHES PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART
OF THE COMMUNITY, HELPING PEOPLE, COUNSELING
PEOPLE, FEEDING PEOPLE, AND I'M ALL FOR SEEING THE CHURCH
HAVE THE FACILITIES IT NEEDS TO DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY
AND HELPING PEOPLE. AND I PRAY THAT YOU'LL LIVE
YOUR LIFE WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE, NOT MAKING SURFACE JUDGMENTS,
BUT WANTING TO SEE ALL OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD THROUGH
HIS CHURCH IN CITIES AND IN COMMUNITIES AND VILLAGES,
IN THIRD-WORLD AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, RIGHT THROUGH TO
THE GREAT CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND MANHATTAN TO SEE THEM
HAVE THE KIND OF FACILITIES WHERE CHURCHES HAVE
THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACE IN THE CENTER OF TOWN MAKING
A DIFFERENCE TO COMMUNITIES.
>> WHEN I SAID TO DEBORAH
THAT I DIDN'T LOVE HER ANYMORE, IT WAS PROBABLY THE DARKEST DAY
OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. AND SOMEHOW IN SOME CRAZY WAY
I WAS ABLE TO JUSTIFY THE FACT THAT I WAS WALKING OUT
ON MY WIFE AND MY TWO GIRLS. >> I LOOK BACK AT THE TIME OF
OUR SEPARATION AND HOW FAR MARK WAS AWAY FROM THE LORD,
HOW HARD HIS HEART WAS. IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE MARK
WOULD EVER COME HOME. THE PASTORAL TEAM AT CHURCH
WERE REALLY IMPORTANT IN AGREEING WITH ME IN PRAYER
'CAUSE I KNEW THAT PRAYER WAS THE WAY THAT
MARK WOULD COME BACK. >> I'D BE DRIVING OUT TO OPEN
MY SHOP UP AT THE TIME AND THEN I'D JUST BREAK DOWN IN TEARS,
YOU KNOW? AND I'M GOING,
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? AND GOD WAS HOT ON MY HEELS.
HE WAS PURSUING ME. >> THE WAY THAT I SAW GOD
REBUILDING WAS THE SOFTENING IN MARK.
AS MARK PROGRESSED ALONG, I SAW THE RESTORING WORK OF GOD
REALLY ACTIVE. I REMEMBER SO CLEARLY
THE GIRLS JUST SQUEALING WITH DELIGHT WHEN MARK PULLED UP
IN THE DRIVEWAY AND IN THE CAR AND HAVING HIS BAGS IN THE BACK.
>> REBUILDING OUR MARRIAGE WAS BASICALLY PURSUING GOD,
WHICH IS COMPLETELY CONTRARY TO WHAT I'D BEEN DOING.
IT WAS ALL ABOUT NOT ME TRYING TO GET DEBORAH TO CHANGE, NOT
HER TRYING TO GET ME TO CHANGE, BUT US BOTH CHANGING
INTO THE PEOPLE THAT GOD WANTS US TO BE.
NO MATTER HOW FAR APART YOU ARE, HE'LL NATURALLY
BRING YOU TOGETHER. IF YOUR FOCUS IS ON CHRIST AND
HE'S HERE, DEBORAH'S OVER HERE, I'M OVER HERE, JUST KEPT
OUR FOCUS, JUST NATURALLY COME BACK TOGETHER.
>> WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR 30 YEARS THIS YEAR.
THE REAL BEAUTY FOR US IN GOING THROUGH WHAT WE ACTUALLY WENT
THROUGH WAS REALLY VALUING WHAT GOD BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
IT'S AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
>> I JUST KNOW FROM WHERE WE COME FROM TO WHERE WE ARE NOW,
GIVEN TWO WILLING HEARTS, GOD CAN RESTORE ANYTHING,
ANY MARRIAGE, HE CAN BRING IT BACK TOGETHER
AND WE'RE A TESTAMENT TO THAT.
[MUSIC]
>>MAN OF SORROWS LAMB OF GOD BY HIS OWN BETRAYED
THE SIN OF MAN AND WRATH OF GOD
HAS BEEN ON JESUS LAID SILENT AS HE STOOD ACCUSED
BEATEN MOCKED AND SCORNED BOWING TO THE FATHER'S WILL
HE TOOK A CROWN OF THORNS OH THAT RUGGED CROSS
MY SALVATION WHERE YOUR LOVE
POURED OUT OVER ME NOW MY SOUL CRIES OUT
HALLELUJAH PRAISE AND HONOUR UNTO THEE
SENT OF HEAVEN GOD'S OWN SON TO PURCHASE AND REDEEM
AND RECONCILE THE VERY ONES WHO NAILED HIM TO THAT TREE
OH THAT RUGGED CROSS MY SALVATION
WHERE YOUR LOVE POURED OUT OVER ME
NOW MY SOUL CRIES OUT HALLELUJAH
PRAISE AND HONOUR UNTO THEE NOW MY DEBT IS PAID
IT IS PAID IN FULL BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD
THAT MY JESUS SPILLED NOW THE CURSE OF SIN
HAS NO HOLD ON ME WHOM THE SON SETS FREE
OH IS FREE INDEED NOW MY DEBT IS PAID
IT IS PAID IN FULL BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD
THAT MY JESUS SPILLED NOW THE CURSE OF SIN
HAS NO HOLD ON ME WHOM THE SON SETS FREE
OH IS FREE INDEED OH THAT RUGGED CROSS
MY SALVATION WHERE YOUR LOVE
POURED OUT OVER ME NOW MY SOUL CRIES OUT
HALLELUJAH PRAISE AND HONOUR UNTO THEE
>> WELL, THANK GOD THAT WE GET THE CHANCE TO PARTNER WITH HIM
IN THE BUILDING OF HIS WORK AND IN THE BUILDING OF HIS CHURCH.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE HOW IMPORTANT THE PART YOU PLAY.
ALL OF US NEED TO BE ALIVE FOR SOMETHING SO MUCH BIGGER
THAN OURSELVES. WHEN WE SERVE GOD AND
WE MAKE OUR LIVES ABOUT HIM AND HIS PROMISE AND HIS PURPOSE,
WE CARE ABOUT HUMANITY AND THE WORLD AROUND AND ABOUT US,
IT MAKES SUCH A DIFFERENCE. THANKS SO MUCH.
SEE YA NEXT TIME.