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[MUSIC]
>> IS THE CULTURE OF YOUR HOME SOMETHING YOU THINK ABOUT?
WHAT ABOUT THE CULTURE OF YOUR LIFE?
IS IT SET BY YOUR FRIENDS? IS IT SET BY YOUR BACKGROUND?
I DO KNOW THAT IF WE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CULTURE
OF OUR LIVES AND IF WE TAKE CERTAIN STEPS TO LIVE OUR LIFE
IN A PARTICULAR WAY, THAT NO MATTER WHAT OUR CIRCUMSTANCE,
NO MATTER HOW EXTREME, THAT WE CAN FIND ANSWERS
AND THAT WE CAN LIVE OUR LIFE IN AN OVERCOMING WAY.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY.
>> WHAT DO YOU GIVE YOUR HEART TO?
BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WILL FRAME THE CULTURE OF YOUR WORLD.
IF YOU'RE GONNA REALLY UNDERSTAND GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S
FAVOUR, A SPIRIT OF BLESSING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT YOURSELF
TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE YOU SEE THE FRUIT OF PASSION AND IF YOU
LIKE ENERGY, YOU KNOW, ZEAL, WILLINGNESS, IF YOU WANT THAT,
THEN YOU GOTTA GIVE YOURSELVES TO IT.
WE SEE SO MANY, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR US AS A PEOPLE
IN TERMS OF GOD'S FAVOUR AND GOD'S BLESSING.
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHO WE WERE WHEN WE GOT STARTED?
AND WHEN THAT SOUND OF THIS HOUSE, YOU KNOW WHO WE WERE
IS NOT GONNA DECIDE TODAY WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THIS HOUSE IS.
IT'S WHO WE BE. WHO YOU BE NOW?
LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S ALREADY GONE
AND WHAT WE'VE LOST, AND LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT IT.
LET'S JUST THINK ABOUT WHO WE BE NOW AND WHAT WE WANT
TO BUILD NOW. AND I PRAY IN OUR OWN LIVES
THAT WE WILL DECIDE THAT WE WILL BE THE CULTURE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BUILD A CULTURE.
WE WILL BE THE CULTURE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE THINGS THAT GOD
HAS CALLED US TO BE A PART OF, THAT WE'LL BE THE CULTURE.
>> AND I BELIEVE WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF, WHEN YOUR HEART
IS IN SOMETHING, NUMBER ONE, YOU GRAVITATE TOWARD
WHERE THE GRACE IS FLOWING. YOU GRAVITATE.
YOU LEAN IN TO WHERE THE GRACE IS FLOWING.
YOU CAN WALK INTO AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE THIS, ATMOSPHERE OF FAITH,
ATMOSPHERE OF PRAISE, BIG PICTURE:
YOUR SPIRIT IS ENLARGED; YOU'RE BEING ENCOURAGED;
THE WORD OF GOD IS BEING PREACHED; THE NAME OF JESUS
BEING DECLARED. WE CAN ALL WALK IN--SOME OF US
HAVE BEEN WALKING IN AND OUT OF HERE SO MANY SERVICES A WEEKEND
THAT WE CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT SERVICE WE'RE UP TO,
LET ALONE--AND YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO IN AND OUT OF THAT.
WE CAN GET INTO THE KING. BUT THE TRUTH IS WE CAN DECIDE
ONE DAY THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT
WE'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING. WE'RE NOT GIVING OF OURSELF.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU PUT IN AN OFFERING.
I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GIVING IN FAITH, WHAT YOU'RE
GIVING IN TERMS OF YOURSELF, WHAT YOU'RE GIVING IN TERMS OF
PASSION AND HEART. BECAUSE WHO WE BE DETERMINES
THE CULTURE OF THIS CHURCH. WHO WE BE.
AND I'M NOT TALKING AT YOU. I'M TALKING TO ME.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
WHO YOU BE? WHO YOU BE?
ARE YOU LEANING INTO THE GRACE? ONE FATHER, AND I KNOW HIM WELL,
AND HIS, YOU KNOW, HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE WHO'S RUN
ABOUT THREE MARATHONS THIS YEAR. AND I CAN'T EVEN GIVE MYSELF TO
TWO CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN THE GYM. AND HE'S GOT ABOUT 12,
MAYBE 4 KIDS--4, 12? SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.
AND HE SAID TO ME BETWEEN SERVICES HE SAID, "BRIAN, I
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MY FAMILY, MY CHILDREN AND MY MARRIAGE
AND OUR HOME IS WHAT IT IS BECAUSE WE'VE LEANED INTO
THE GRACE ON THIS PLACE." I JUST REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE
US ALL IN WHATEVER AREA OF OUR LIFE TO KEEP GRAVITATING TO
WHERE THE GRACE IS FLOWING. KEEP LEANING INTO IT.
DON'T LET THINGS BE HAPPENING IN LIFE ALL AROUND AND ABOUT YOU.
DETERMINE THAT YOU'RE GONNA LEAN INTO IT SO THAT WE ALL
HAVE THAT SAME HEART, THAT SAME COOPERATION, THAT SAME PASSION,
THAT SAME SACRIFICE, THAT SAME WILLINGNESS BECAUSE THEN
IF WE BE IT THEN BELIEVE ME THEN WHAT YOU WALK INTO,
WHAT YOUR CHILDREN WALK INTO, IT WILL BE IT.
IS THERE ANYTHING WORSE THAN IN BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF
A FAMILY DISAGREEMENT AND SOMEONE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR.
YOU GO, "HELLO. HOW ARE YOU?
YOU WANT TO COME IN? YOU WANT A CUP OF TEA?"
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE? LET'S NOT EVER LIVE OUR LIVES
WHERE EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LIFE IS, WOOPS, SWITCH IT TO,
"HOW ARE YOU? LOVELY TO SEE YOU.
'SHUT UP AND GET BACK THERE.'" YOU KNOW, I MEAN--
WHAT A MISERABLE WAY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE.
LEAN INTO THE GRACE. YOU GOTTA KEEP GIVING YOURSELF.
YOU GOTTA DECIDE, YES, IT'S ALL BY THE GRACE OF
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THE CORINTHIANS, THEY KNOW--
PAUL SAYS, "YOU KNOW THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS AND THAT BY--"
YOU KNOW, THOUGH HE WERE RICH, HE BECAME POOR SO THAT YOU,
THROUGH HIS POVERTY, MIGHT BE RICH.
BUT YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING THAT OUT,
WATCH THE MACEDONIANS AND LOOK AT THE GRACE BESTOWED ON THEM.
GONNA LEAN INTO IT. LEAN INTO IT.
I GREW UP IN A CITY CALLED WELLINGTON.
GOTTA BE THE WINDIEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
I MEAN, IT'S AN AWESOME PLACE, BUT MAN, DID THE WIND BLOW.
NO JOKE, THEY LITERALLY WOULD PUT UP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
THEY LITERALLY WOULD PUT UP ROPES SO THAT WHEN THE WIND WAS
BLOWING, PEOPLE DIDN'T BLOW OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC AND BLOW OUT
INTO THE STREETS. SO ON THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING,
YOU'D HAVE A RED LIGHT AND YOU'D HAVE A ROPE.
IS THAT TRUE? YOU'D HAVE A ROPE SO THAT, YOU
KNOW, IT WAS SUCH A WINDY PLACE. I CAN REMEMBER GETTING UP
ON A HILL AT YOUTH CAMPS AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING
AND WE WOULD JUST LEAN. YOU CAN LEAN AT ABOUT 45 DEGREES
AND THE WIND WOULD LITERALLY HOLD YOU UP.
YOU COULD DEFY GRAVITY. AND I RECKON IN LIFE, YOU CAN
START DEFYING GRAVITY WHEN YOU LEAN INTO THE GRACE.
[APPLAUDING] THEY GAVE THEMSELVES.
SECOND THING IS THIS, SECOND THING SAYS IN VERSE 2.
IT SAYS, "THAT IN A GREAT TRIAL OF AFFLICTION--" I MEAN,
THEY WERE FACING A GREAT TRIAL, NOT A BABY ONE, A GREAT ONE.
"IN A GREAT TRIAL OF AFFLICTION THE ABUNDANCE OF THEIR JOY
AND THEIR DEEP POVERTY--" WHAT A--HERE'S AN UNCOMFORTABLE
COMBO ALREADY, JOY AND POVERTY. IT'S NOT TWO WORDS
YOU PUT TOGETHER. "ABOUNDED IN THE RICHES AND
THE WEALTH OF THEIR LIBERALITY." SO THEY HAD A LIBERALITY,
THE GRACE BESTOWED ON THEM. THEY HAD A LIBERALITY WHICH WAS
BASICALLY AN INNER WEALTH THAT PUT A JOY INTO THEIR SPIRIT
NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE. DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU LEAN INTO
GRACE, WHEN YOU DECIDE YOU'RE GONNA BE THE CULTURE, I BELIEVE
THAT YOU CAN HAVE A WEALTH ON THE INSIDE THAT WILL TRUMP YOUR
CIRCUMSTANCE, PUT THE ACE CARD ON YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE
AND PUT A HINGE AROUND YOUR JOY. AND WE ALL FACE
TOUGH CIRCUMSTANCES AND THIS IS TALKING TO A CHURCH WHOSE
DIFFICULT TIMES WAS EXTREME, THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES, AND
YET THEY ABOUNDED IN JOY AND... AND POVERTY.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE STOP LEANING IN, THEY STOP GIVING
THEMSELVES, THE FIRST TWO THINGS THAT DISAPPEAR ARE THEIR JOY
AND THEIR GENEROSITY. AND NOTHING MORE MISERABLE
THAN BEING PART OF ANYTHING WHERE JUST, YOUR JOY'S GONE.
AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE OBVIOUS SOMETIMES THAN WHEN SOMEONE,
THEY JUST STOPPED GIVING THEMSELVES.
THEY JUST STOPPED, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY KEEPING
THEIR HEART IN IT. WHATEVER IT IS, WHETHER IT
BE REFLECTED TONIGHT AND THIS MORNING IN CHURCH OR WHETHER IT,
YOU KNOW, BE YOUR HOME. BUT THE TRUTH IS, THE FIRST
TWO THINGS THAT WILL SHRINK WHEN YOU NO LONGER GIVE YOURSELF
IS YOUR JOY AND YOUR GENEROSITY. AND BY GENEROSITY, I'M TALKING
ABOUT THINGS LIKE ENCOURAGEMENT, SPEAKING WORDS OF LIFE.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE KIND OF JOY THAT NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING
ON IN YOUR WORLD, YOU'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE WITH THE FAMILY
AND SO YOU'VE JUST GOT THIS JOY THAT ABOUNDS IN DEEP POVERTY
AND THAT THE TWO OF THEM, THE TWO OF THEM ABOUND IN
THE RICHES OF YOUR LIBERALITY. LIBERALITY AND JOY
SURROUND THE WORD POVERTY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS
IN FAMINE IN YOUR LIFE 'CAUSE IT MIGHT BE FINANCIAL OR IT COULD
BE JUST YOU'RE LACKING LOVE. YOU'RE LACKING APPRECIATION,
YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S JUST A POVERTY.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST-- YOU'RE JUST LONELY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF, THAT YOU
GIVE YOURSELF AND THAT YOU--YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING,
ACTUAL GIVING, OUR CAPACITY CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON
OUR CIRCUMSTANCE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO
WILLINGNESS, WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, LIBERALITY, WHICH IS
A SPIRIT, WHICH IS A HEART, THEN THAT THERE, IT BASICALLY HOLDS
YOU DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCE. DIFFERENT THING ALTOGETHER.
NUMBER THREE IS WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF, WHEN YOUR HEART
IS IN IT, I GENUINELY BELIEVE YOU CAN HAVE AN ENTHUSIASM
THAT EXCEEDS YOUR ABILITY. I'M GONNA GO QUICK WITH
THIS ONE 'CAUSE I'VE MENTIONED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES,
BUT I MUST CONFESS I REALLY LIKE THE THOUGHT AS WELL.
I WAS TALKING TO OUR YOUTH PASTOR
OF DAYS GONE BY NOW, THE PASTOR OF OUR CHURCH IN
CAPE TOWN AND HE'S TOLD ME HOW MANY YEARS AGO, HE AND ANOTHER
GUY CAME UP WITH AN EQUATION, THEIR OWN EQUATION
AND IT WENT LIKE THIS: ENTHUSIASM GREATER THAN ABILITY
EQUALS INJURY. AND SO THEN FROM THAT THEY HAD
WHAT WAS CALLED THE PUMP THEORY, AND THE PUMP THEORY WAS TO TRY
TO GET SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS RIGHT OUT OF
THEIR DEPTH. WE HAD A PRAYER MEETING
THE OTHER DAY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS THE PUMP THEORY.
I DON'T KNOW, 'CAUSE IT WAS LIKE AN OLD-SCHOOL PRAYER MEETING
AT 6 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING BUT MY ENTHUSIASM,
IT WENT OUT BEYOND MY ABILITY. AND YOU KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE
A WORSHIP LEADER THERE, SO I JUST TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO
BEGIN TO LEAD, "I EXALT THEE!" AND FOR THAT ONE HORRIBLE
MOMENT, IT WAS LIKE THAT AWFUL FEELING SUSPENDED WHEN YOU'RE
OUT THERE, WHERE THIS COULD BE A DISASTER.
BUT THANK GOD FOR SO MANY GENEROUS PEOPLE AROUND
AND ABOUT ME WHO THOUGHT, "WE GOTTA HELP THIS GUY OUT."
THANK GOD FOR THEM. DO YOU KNOW HONESTLY, I REALLY
BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO GOD'S GRACE AND WHEN IT COMES TO
THE GRACE AND THE FAVOUR THAT GOD WANTS TO PUT ON YOU, THAT WHEN
YOU DECIDE THAT YOU ARE GONNA LIVE WITH A ZEAL
AND A WILLINGNESS, THAT YOUR ENTHUSIASM, WHICH CAN BE GREATER
THAN YOUR ABILITY, WILL ACTUALLY LEAD TO OPPORTUNITY,
BUT YOU GOTTA GIVE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR HEART
IN IT. THEY GAVE THEMSELVES.
AND DO YOU KNOW GIVING THEMSELVES ULTIMATELY
HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH AN OFFERING PLATE.
THAT'S JUST OUT-WORKING. IT'S AN OUT-WORKING.
IT'S LIKE THEY HAD THIS UNCOMMON GRACE THAT THEY SHARED
IN COMMON, AND IT WAS BECAUSE THEY GAVE THEMSELVES.
NUMBER FOUR IS, TO ME, JUST A REALLY POWERFUL THING.
WHEN YOUR HEART IS IN SOMETHING, WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF,
YOU'RE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES AND YOUR LOYALTIES.
APOSTLE PAUL TALKS ABOUT THOSE MACEDONIANS THE GRACE BESTOWED
ON THEM AND SAID, "THEY IMPLORED US WITH MUCH URGENCY" TO RECEIVE
BOTH THE GIFT--" THE GIFT WAS ABOUT HELPING POOR PEOPLE,
HELPING POOR CHRISTIANS-- TO RECEIVE BOTH "THE GIFT
AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MINISTERING TO THE SAINTS."
YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? THE GIFT, YOUR PRIORITIES, AND
THE FELLOWSHIP, YOUR LOYALTIES. WE OFTEN--WE UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING AND IN LIFE WE LIKE TO GIVE AND GIVING
MEANS YOU DIE TO YOUR OPTIONS WITH THAT FINANCE OR YOU DIE,
YOU GIVE SOMETHING OF YOURSELF, WHICH IS PRIORITY AND IT
INVOLVES FINANCE OR MONEY, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GIVING.
BUT YOU KNOW THE FELLOWSHIP ALSO INVOLVES SACRIFICE BECAUSE YOU
HAVE TO DIE OFTENTIMES TO PERSONAL AGENDA OR YOU HAVE
TO DIE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTROL. YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK ABOUT
THAT, I THINK MANY PEOPLE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
OF GIVING, BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE
OF LOYALTY. VERSE 5 GOES ON WITH THE SAME
SORT OF PARALLEL AFTER IN VERSE 4 SAYS, THEY WERE URGENT
ABOUT BOTH THE GIFT AND THE FELLOWSHIP, THE FELLOWSHIP
MEANING TAKING A PART IN SOMETHING BIGGER.
AND SO NOT ONLY WERE THEY URGENT ABOUT THE GIFT
AND THE FELLOWSHIP. THEN PAUL SAYS NOT ONLY
AS WE HOPED, BUT THEY FIRST GAVE THEMSELVES TO THE LORD,
AND THEN TO US." SO THEY UNDERSTOOD THEIR
PRIORITY AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THEIR LOYALTIES.
IT'S SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND PRIORITY, AND WE'RE GENEROUS
WITH OUR TIME OR WITH OUR-- BUT YOU GOTTA BE GENEROUS.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE ALL GOTTA BE GENEROUS ALSO
WITH OUR LOYALTIES. YOU NEED TO DETERMINE
IN HONOURING GOD, WHEN IT COMES TO THE LORD AND THE WORK
OF THE LORD, LET'S NOT EVER JUST BE--YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF GOD FIRST. BUT LET'S ALSO VALUE
THE WORK OF THE LORD AND DECIDE WHO OUR PEOPLE ARE.
YOU KNOW, IN A FAMILY IF YOU DON'T DECIDE WHO YOUR PEOPLE
ARE, IF YOU'RE LIKE "OH, YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW I'M NOT GONNA
COME HOME 7 DAYS 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE INVOLVED
IN THIS AND I--" I MEAN, YOU GOTTA--
YOU KNOW WHO YOUR PEOPLE ARE. AND WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THAT
SAME SPIRIT ABOUT OUR LIVES. WE'RE INTENTIONAL,
INTENTIONAL IS A GOOD WORD. WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT
THE GIFT AND THE FELLOWSHIP. WE'RE INTENTIONAL ABOUT
FIRST THE LORD AND THEN THE WORK OF THE LORD.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU LEAN IN, IF YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO
ANYTHING, OBVIOUSLY AS HILLSONG CHURCH PASTOR AND I'M TALKING TO
HILLSONG CHURCH PEOPLE, THEN I PRAY IF THIS IS WHERE GOD'S
CALLED YOU TO BE, YOU'LL BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR LOYALTY
AS WELL AS INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR PRIORITY, 'CAUSE I'M
TELLING YOU NOW, THAT MEANS WE WILL START TO BE WHAT WE'RE
BELIEVING TO BE PART OF. SO IF YOU DON'T GIVE YOURSELF,
ULTIMATELY ANY ATMOSPHERE, ANY SPIRIT WILL COME DOWN TO
WHO WE ARE PERSONALLY AND IT'LL NEVER EVER JUST BE ABOUT
WHAT WE'RE PART OF. THE GRACE BESTOWED ON
THE CHURCHES OF MACEDONIA. "SO WE URGED TITUS, THAT AS HE
BEGAN, THAT HE WOULD COMPLETE THIS GRACE IN YOU ALSO."
WASN'T A MATTER OF TITUS JUST SAYING, "OKAY,
LEAVE YOU GUYS TO IT. KEEP GOING THE WAY YOU STARTED."
NO, HE--HE WOULD STILL. THEY GAVE THEMSELVES.
THEY GAVE THEMSELVES. "I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG
TIME NOW, BRIAN, AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE PUT A LOT IN AND, YOU KNOW,
I'VE GIVEN OF MY TIME, AND WE LED A CONNECT GROUP FOR YEARS."
AND PLEASE TAKE THIS IN THE SPIRIT I'M GIVING IT, 'CAUSE
PEOPLE'S CIRCUMSTANCE CHANGE AND, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY CHANGES
WITH TIME JUST LIKE IT DOES ANYTHING ELSE.
AND I SIMPLY KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA LIVE IN A BIG
WORLD, IF YOU WANT TO RELEASE THEM INTO IT, THEN YOU CAN'T
BASICALLY HOLD THEM, BIND THEM INTO A SMALL MINDSET,
INTO A SMALL COMMITMENT LEVEL. YOU JUST GOTTA SOMETIMES
UNDERSTAND HEART AND PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY, IT'S WILLINGNESS
THAT NEVER CHANGES. THEIR WILLINGNESS NEVER CHANGES.
THEY DON'T DRAW BACK AND THEY DON'T USE ANYTHING
AND SIT BEHIND IT. THEY HAVE A SPIRIT
WHERE THEY WANT TO GIVE. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN WILL NEVER DETERMINE WHO WE ARE TODAY.
THE SPIRIT OF OUR CHURCH WILL BE WHO WE ARE NOW.
WE'VE GOTTA GIVE OF OURSELVES. WE'VE GOTTA UNDERSTAND
IT'S WHO WE BE. AND PERHAPS IT'S TIME
THAT PEOPLE STOP TRYING TO BUILD CULTURE IN CHURCHES
ACROSS THE GLOBE AND THEY DECIDED TO SIMPLY BE THE CULTURE
BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING. I COULD SIT DOWN AND SAY,
"OKAY, HERE'S SEVEN THINGS THAT WILL BUILD A CULTURE," BUT
THE TRUTH IS IT'S WHO WE BE. I WAS SPEAKING TO A DENOMINATION
ONCE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD AND THEY WERE SAYING,
"WELL, WE WANT TO CHANGE. WE WANT TO CHANGE."
AND SO I SAT AROUND WITH THE LEADERS AND I SAID, "OKAY,
WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO CHANGE?"
AND YOU KNOW, YOU BRING IT DOWN, YOU BRING IT DOWN AND YOU BRING
IT DOWN AND BRING IT DOWN. WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING
THEY WERE ACTUALLY PREPARED TO CHANGE, ABOUT THE WAY THEY
CONDUCTED THEIR ORGANIZATION, THE WAY THAT THEY LED.
WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING THEY ACTUALLY WANTED TO CHANGE.
SO THE ORGANIZATION, NO PROBLEM WITH GOD.
GOD IS GOD AND THE GRACE OF GOD IS SUFFICIENT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, THE ORGANIZATION WILL NEVER BE ANYTHING GREATER
THAN WHO THEY BE. FATHER, I PRAY IN JESUS' NAME
WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE BRISBANE CAMPUS TODAY OR IN THE SOUTHWEST
OR IN THE CITY, OR RIGHT HERE IN OUR HILLS CAMPUS OR WHETHER
THEY'RE WATCHING THIS MESSAGE ON THE TELEVISION, I PRAY IN
JESUS' NAME THAT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES, LORD, THAT WE WILL
PUT OUR HEART IN WHATEVER IT IS IN LIFE YOU'VE CALLED US TO,
THAT WE WILL LEAN INTO THE GRACE AND SIMPLY BE
WHO YOU'VE CALLED US TO BE. AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE
OUR STRENGTH, THAT OUR HOPE IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
AND FATHER, WHEN IT COMES TO STRIVING,
WE WILL ALWAYS FALL SHORT. BUT WHEN IT COMES RESTING AND WE
UNDERSTAND THAT ULTIMATELY OUR EXAMPLE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
BECAUSE WE KNOW THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO THOUGH
HE WERE RICH BECAME POOR SO THAT WE, THROUGH HIS POVERTY,
MIGHT BE RICH. AND LORD, I PRAY THAT WE WILL BE
PEOPLE WHO WILL ALWAYS BUILD OUR FUTURE ON THE SACRIFICE THAT
JESUS HAS MADE AND UNDERSTAND THAT BY THE GRACE OF GOD,
WHERE ARE WE? BUT HELP US, LORD, IN THE WAY
THAT GRACE DISPLAYS ITSELF IN OUR LIVES TO BE...
TO BE WHO YOU CALLED US TO BE. AND FATHER, I ASK IT NOW
IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
>> THESE PEOPLE FROM MACEDONIA, NEW TESTAMENT TIMES LIVED IN
A TERRIBLE, DIFFICULT SITUATION. I MEAN, THEIR FINANCIAL PLIGHT
WAS EXTREME. BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT,
THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THEIR JOY. HOW CAN JOY AND POVERTY
WORK TOGETHER LIKE THAT? IT'S A FUNNY THING ACTUALLY.
BEEN TO MANY, MANY IMPOVERISHED NATIONS AND SEEN PEOPLE
IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT YOU SOON LEARN THAT THERE'S
A MORE OFTEN UNHAPPY PEOPLE IN AFFLUENCE
THAN THERE ARE IN DIFFICULTY. SO HAPPINESS HAS NOT TOO MUCH
TO DO WITH OUR CIRCUMSTANCE. AND JOY, WELL,
THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING. THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT
ABOUNDS ON THE INSIDE AND IT CAN BE DESPITE OUR CIRCUMSTANCE.
THAT'S WHAT THESE PEOPLE HAD AND WHAT A QUALITY THAT IS.
AND IF WE DON'T ALLOW OUR ENVIRONMENT AND CIRCUMSTANCES
TO SET THE CULTURE OF OUR LIVES, BUT WE HAVE THE WORD OF GOD
SETTING THE CULTURE OF OUR LIVES, THEN WE HAVE A PLATFORM
TO BE GENEROUS IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, GENEROUS WITH
OUR WORDS, GENEROUS WITH OUR THINKING AS WELL AS GENEROUS
WITH WHATEVER SMALL WE HAVE. THAT'S THE WAY THESE PEOPLE
LIVED. AND DO YOU KNOW, I FIND THIS;
I FIND THAT WHERE PEOPLE'S HEART IS NOT IN WHAT THEY DO ANY
LONGER, THE FIRST TWO THINGS THAT DISAPPEAR OR DRY UP ARE
THEIR JOY AND THEIR GENEROSITY. EVEN IN A MARRIAGE, WHEN WE'RE
NO LONGER HAPPY IN OUR MARRIAGE, WELL, ALL THE JOY GOES OUT OF
IT AND WORDS BECOME FAR LESS GENEROUS AND IT ALL RELATES TO
CONNECTING CULTURE TO WHO WE ARE AND
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. AND I THINK THAT IF WE ALLOW GOD
TO BE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR LIFE, THEN THINGS LIKE JOY AND
GENEROSITY CAN EVEN GO BEYOND WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S
CONFRONTING US AT THE TIME. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF
GOD TO SET THE KIND OF CULTURE WITH OUR COOPERATION THAT
GIVES US A PLATFORM FOR LIVING NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE.
>> ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR GOOD FRIENDS, SHE
FOUND OUT THAT SHE HAD CANCER. I MEAN, JUST OUT OF NOWHERE IT
WAS JUST LIKE SHE GOT DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA AND WITHIN,
I DON'T KNOW, 3 MONTHS HER CONDITION GOT EXTREMELY
WORSE AND SHE, UM, EVENTUALLY JUST PASSED AWAY.
WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, JUST A KID
AND GROWING UP IN THE CHURCH, YOU BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW,
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING AND HE CAN FIX ANY SITUATION.
AND I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS: WHY?
WHY WOULD YOU NOT HEAL HER? WHY WOULD YOU NOT LET SOMEONE
WHO'S ONLY 16 YEARS OLD LIVE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE?
AND WHY WOULDN'T GOD HEAL IF HE IS THERE THEN
WHY WOULDN'T HE HEAR US AND WHY WOULDN'T HE ANSWER US?
THE WEEK AFTER THE FUNERAL, JUST THAT'S THE NEXT SUNDAY,
I WAS ASKED TO SING THIS SONG.
AS MUCH AS I WAS SINGING TO HIM, HE WAS SPEAKING TO ME
IN THAT MOMENT. I GUESS HE JUST FELT LIKE
A FRIEND AT THAT MOMENT, LIKE HE JUST WAS THERE FOR ME AND
ALLOWED ME TO POINT THE FINGER AT HIM, AND HE WAS STILL
BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE THAT AND THEN STILL BIG ENOUGH TO
COME BACK AND SHOW ME LOVE AND TO ACTUALLY CHANGE
MY PERSPECTIVE DURING WORSHIP. GOD, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T
UNDERSTAND AND I CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING RIGHT HERE AND
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE'S NOT HERE WITH US, BUT OPEN MY EYES
TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT ME TO SEE, OPEN MY EYES.
THAT MOMENT I JUST, I KNEW THAT GOD WAS THERE.
>>WE WALK ON THIS NARROW ROAD NOW RESTORED AS ONE WE WALK
IN YOUR HOPE AND THOUGH
DARKNESS FILLS OUR PATH FEAR WONT FIX ITS HOLD ON US
FOR WE KNOW AND LOVE WILL SHINE BEFORE US ON OUR PATH
AND GUIDE OUR EVERY STEP WITHIN THE DARK AND WE BEAR TIDINGS OF YOUR HOPE
FREEDOM FROM THE SINNER'S PLIGHT THROUGH YOUR LOVE
OUR EYES SET UPON THIS TASK TRUTH IN HAND AS ONE WE WALK
WE ADVANCE AND LOVE WILL SHINE
BEFORE US ON OUR PATH AND GUIDE OUR EVERY STEP
WITHIN THE DARK TO KNOW YOU IS OUR ONLY CRY
KNOWING YOU OUR ONLY CRY OUR GOD
SO LORD HERE WE ARE WITH HUMBLED HEARTS
TO SEE YOUR WILL BE DONE LET LOVE SHAPE US
TO YOUR OWN DESIGN TO BEAR OUR MAKER'S SIGN
YEAH AND LORD HERE WE ARE
WITH HUMBLED HEARTS TO SEE YOUR WILL BE DONE
OH LORD AND LET LOVE SHAPE US
TO YOUR OWN DESIGN TO BEAR OUR MAKER'S SIGN
AND LOVE WILL SHINE BEFORE US ON OUR PATH
TO GUIDE OUR EVERY STEP WITHIN THE DARK
C'MON. TO KNOW YOU IS OUR ONLY CRY
KNOWING YOU OUR ONLY CRY KNOWING YOU OUR ONLY CRY
AND LORD HERE WE ARE WITH HUMBLED HEARTS
TO SEE YOUR WILL BE DONE LET LOVE SHAPE US
TO YOUR OWN DESIGN TO BEAR OUR MAKER'S SIGN
>> WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME, AND I'M GLAD
THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME TO DO SO. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME ACTUALLY
BECAUSE WELL, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK LIFE INTO PEOPLE,
NO MATTER WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND AND ABOUT THEM,
IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. AND I PRAY I CAN ALWAYS BRING
A MESSAGE OF HOPE NO MATTER HOW HOPELESS LIFE FEELS.
THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, HE
GIVES US A FOUNDATION FOR HOPE. AND IF YOU'VE NEVER PRAYED,
NEVER ASKED GOD ABOUT THE SITUATION OF YOUR LIFE, THIS
WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO DO IT. A PRAYER DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
ELOQUENT; JUST HAS TO BE GENUINE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING ME AND WISH YOU
THE BEST AND REMEMBER ALWAYS, THE BEST IS YET TO COME.