Bethel Church Service | Richard Gordon Sermon | Worship with Brady Voss, Aubree Archibeck

Good morning. Good morning, Bethl online community. We're so happy to be with you today. >> I love getting to do this with you. Me, too. >> Cassie, we normally tell our name. >> Yeah, tell what's your name? >> Well, I'll tell yourselves Cassie Al. You know her. She's phenomenal. >> Sorry, my mic wasn't on. >> But I was saying how we normally say our own names, but I want to introduce this woman.

She is so much joy. you just walk in so much joy and I love that you bring our online family together um as a steady anchor and a steady advocate for community and connection. I love you so much and we love you guys too. Yeah. So this is Cassie Allen, our online pastor. >> Hi guys.

And you know her if you don't know her already. This is Jamila Paige. She is not only a revival group pastor in second year. Some of you might have been her student, but she's also our multicultural pastor at Bethl, right? Is that the right title? >> That is the title. >> And we're super grateful.

We are not only a international I guess we're a global family. We're a global community, a global church, but >> it's it's important for us to have a value for the different nations that are represented within our house and to understand that Jesus made us all uniquely >> Yes. >> different, but so beautiful.

Yes, purposefully, too. Yeah, >> absolutely. So, anyways, I love her. >> We're so happy to be with you today, guys. As we were um praying this morning um individually, but also together, just talking about what we felt the Lord um doing today, what we were sensing him on, our thoughts and how God's been speaking to us actually feel very similar.

It feels very symmetrical. And so, we want to just share this morning, give a little vision for where we're going. Um, if you don't know already, Richard Gordon is preaching this morning. We're excited for Richie to be here. Um, Brady Voss and Aubrey Archec are leading worship. My word, we're about to go into the most beautiful presence of God.

Oh, we thank you, Jesus, that we have access to worship you and to praise you >> and to do it together >> and to do it together as a global family. You know, it's a joy. Um, but when I was driving, um, actually at breakfast this morning, I was sitting at my breakfast table.

Tell me if you love breakfast. If you, it's my favorite, like brunch is my favorite meal. I love it so much. I finally had a chance to make >> pancakes this morning. If you love pancakes, just tell me in the chat. Tell me that you are my people. >> Yes. >> But I'm having breakfast this morning.

And I noticed um in my window I saw this uh massive like bird like a bird of prey um just swooping down over my window. And when I was uh driving um up the hill to get to Bethl. If you've been to Bethl, you know the hill. You know that you start at the bottom and you swerve all the way up and you come up this avenue of the nations where you see all the the beautiful flags of all these wonderful nations that represent our world.

But um when I was at the bottom of the hill, I saw these two like turkey vultures, these big black vultures, and I saw them swooping and there were a couple of them. And >> I just had this wondering. I see some of you breakfast people, bacon and eggs.

Thank you, God, for bacon and eggs. Um and I see some of you said waffles. I know, but today I needed a pancake. I love a pancake. Um anyways, I saw these turkey vultures. And what I was sensing from the Lord was that there were some people where it felt like the enemy was like lurking over you.

It felt like he was like watching you. And I don't know if warfare has been more extreme this week, but I felt like the Lord was coming in as a steady God. He is steady. He is taking care of the things that were um like coming after us.

And I was um being led to Psalm 91. And when I shared this with Jamila, she had a very similar thought. And so I want um I want you to hear that if that's been you and you just feel like you resonate with that. You're like, it's not turkey vultures. you're like, I'm not seeing the actual birds of prey, but it feels like um the enemy is lurking.

It feels like I've been in this warfare or this space where it feels like it's almost like the enemy is trying to like watch you, if that makes sense. Um and I believe that the Lord is trying to show you where he is, >> what he's doing in the midst of what feels difficult.

And so I'm going to have Jamila share what she's been sensing too because it feels like it goes hand in hand. >> Yeah. So Cass talked about uh the the enemy crouching near and I this week read out of Exodus 14 and I just want to read to you a couple verses.

So in Exodus 14:1 the Lord spoke to Moses saying speak to the children of Israel that they turn and camp before these areas I can't um pronounce uh and the sea opposite Belell Zapon. You shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh shall say of the children of Israel, they are bewildered by the land.

The wilderness has closed them in. So the enemy thinks that he's got us cornered. But the Lord says this, then I will harden Pharaoh's heart so that he will pursue them and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army and the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.

This is what the Lord is saying over our battles in this wilderness season. I am the Lord and all of the things that have come against us to come and be um uh distractions to come in overwhelm they will be put in their subjugated place. Let's jump down to verse 19 because after Moses prepares the children the enemy army begins to pursue them and they're stuck at the Red Sea.

They're like we can't move forward but we can't go back. It says, "And the angel of the Lord who went before the camp of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud went before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of the Israelites.

Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one and gave light to by night to the other." So the Lord is going to confuse the enemy and give light to our path that we can move forward. And once uh it was covered, the the dry ground that the Israelites walked through was covered by an a sea of of of water.

But the Lord moved the waters on their behalf that they were able to cross unscathed. And he used that thing that was once an obstacle to destroy the works of the enemy. I'm telling you guys, this is the word of the Lord. He is working on our behalf.

He is fighting for us. He is moving on our behalf. I love how it says he was in one position and then when the enemy came in he moved. He moved to provide a barrier and he not only provided a barrier but he put himself in the way.

It is a picture of Jesus Christ putting himself in the way on our behalf taking our sin bearing our shame dying on the cross and overcoming death in the grave. This is the testimony of those who believe and we are his children because of that sacrifice. So, I am standing firm on the promise of God that he is good, that he's for us, and that as his children, we get to make some declarations.

So, I think that's what we're going to do today, right? Um um and so, let's just start with this. God loves us and he helps us. >> God loves us and he helps us. >> Put it in the chat. Just type it out. Say it out. You need to have this bathing you day in and day out.

God loves us and he helps us. >> He is faithful to us. He's faithful to us. >> He is kind. >> He's kind. >> He is gracious. >> He is gracious. >> He has never failed. >> He has never failed. >> He will not fail. >> He will not fail. >> And he loves us and he helps us. >> And he loves us and he helps us. >> I said me and us at the same time. >> Yes.

That's good. That's good. >> I I just feel like um I know that that that there are those who are praying. Uh Christine, you put the praying about so much your uh your son and your granddaughters. Uh Bella, we ask for breakthrough, Lord. That's who you are. That's what you are about.

We know that you have never come to a battlefield where you walked away um defeated because you are victorious. That is your nature is victory. And so we declare victory over Christine's son and granddaughters. And we thank you for the breakthrough in Bella's life. Father, we honor you for what you're doing. and that we will have a testimony where we'll celebrate your faithfulness. >> Come on.

I saw it for Penny, too. I know Penny, you were asking for prayer. Um, just even over neverending sickness. Um, we just we just say no more in Jesus name, God, that you would put that that barrier. I just saw that picture of whatever is standing between you, your family member, whe whether it's sick, sickness.

I saw Jesus as Jamila was sharing that story just going right in front or going right behind like he's actually putting himself in. He's inserting himself in whatever area of trouble, what area of of need, desperation, illness, whatever it is, he is with you. He is for you.

He is victorious. Before we go into worship, I'm going to ask Jamila to pray. I want us just to get into that posture of being ready to receive from the Lord whatever he wants to do. Before we even go into worship, this is who he is. >> Yes, God.

We thank you that even while our faith struggles, you never struggle. You are seated on your throne. You are righteous and holy. You see us in all of our needs and you provide in abundance greater than we could ever ask, think, or imagine. I pray, Father, as we go into this service that you would be the focus, that you would be the light we seek and we find.

And we ask you, Lord, that you would touch bodies as they worship. That you would touch minds as they hear the word and that you would change hearts as they receive the message today. We love you, God. And we know that you love us and you help us and we thank you for it in Jesus' name.

Amen. >> Amen. We will see you after worship. I pray that you get radically uh touched by the Lord, that you would hear him, that you would experience his love, and we'll see you soon. Good morning, Bethl Church. Great to see you. Would you go ahead and stand?

We're going to get started. If you would just Yeah. stand up and introduce yourself to the folks around you. You might be next to a new friend or a visitor. Just greet each other in the name of the Lord. We're going to get started in just a minute.

That's terrific. It is great to see you in the house of the Lord. We're going to get started. So, the Lord is good. Always good. Every day good. And the Lord is great. And so today, I'm glad you're up here to worship. Today we've come together in the house of the Lord to worship an incredibly good God and a great God who is worthy of our deepest adoration and praise.

In Galatians chapter 5 it talks about how we walk in the spirit. And um often times I think about that as hey we need to keep pace with the Holy Spirit. We need to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. So today as we've come together the Holy Spirit is at work within us.

He's at work within you individually. Scripture says he's at work both to will and to do according to his good purposes. And so today, we've come together as a family to present ourselves as a living sacrifice. Have you come to present yourself as a living sacrifice? your voice, your your creativity as you speak, you know, words of adoration and affection to the Lord, as you again call out his beauty, as you declare it in song and in times of prayer and adoration.

All this is for the sake of his name, >> right? >> All this is for the sake of his name. >> And so, let's turn our attention to him that he would be adored and and and adoration would be his portion. Holy Spirit, you indwell us. Ah, you know that's true, right?

The Holy Spirit indwells you. Holy Spirit, you indwell us. And again, we have come together to just say you are absolutely beautiful. You are the center of our lives. You are both the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega. We come together and we are resized in your presence.

We again see that our problems are resized, our successes are resized. Everything finds its proper place when we behold you properly. Would you just with the eyes of your heart just behold him? And let's just let uh adoration begin to just tell him how beautiful he is, how much you appreciate him.

Lord Jesus, you've known me from the beginning of my life. Before I was even born, you formed me. Blessed be your name. You know me intimately and yet you still choose me every single day. Every single day. We love you. We adore you. And so, Holy Spirit, we want to keep in step with you, that we would continue to be transformed into the likeness of Christ, and that we would give you praise and adoration at is right, as is right and is just to do.

And the people of God said together, "Amen." Let's worship the Lord with passion. Feel free to come up and fill up the front and um let's get it. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus. Blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest phrase, but holy trust in Jesus name.

Let's sing that again. My hope is built. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood in righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but holy trust in Jesus name. Oh Christ of all cornerstone, weak made strong in the Savior's love and through the stor. He is the Lord.

The Lord alone. You are the Lord. When darkness seems to hide his face. I rest on his unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within. My anchor holds within Christ. Make me strong in the Savior's love through the is Christ. Oh Christ. When he shall when he shall come with trumpet sound.

Oh, may I then in him be found. Dressed in his rightousness alone. Faultless I stand before the throne. Hallelujah. He shall come when he shall come with trumpet sound. Oh may I then in him be found. Dressed in his righteousness alone. Faultless I stand before his throne. I come to you.

Falling to you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. You are in Christ alone corner stone weak made strong in the Savior's love through the storm. He is Lord, Lord of all. Sing it again. Christ alone, cornerstone, the weak strong, the Savior through the storm.

He is the Lord. Lord of all Christ the solid rock I stand. All of the ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. M. Let's tell the Lord together he's worthy and worthy of every song we could ever sing. >> Yes.

Worthy of all the praise we could ever breathe and worthy of every breath we could ever breathe. We live for you Jesus the name above every other name. Jesus, the only one who could ever say, "Worthy of every breath we could ever breathe. We live for you, holy.

There is no one like you. There is none beside you. Open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are. And fill me with your heart. And lead me in your love to those around me. Tell the Lord he's worthy. You are worthy of every song we could ever sing and worthy of all the praise we could ever breathe.

Yes. You're worthy of every breath we could ever breathe. We live for you. Jesus, the name above every other name. Jesus, the only one you could ever say. Oh, you're worthy of every breath we could ever brea. We live for you. Holy. There is no one like you.

There is none beside you. Open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are. Fill me with your heart and lead me in your love to holy, holy, there is no one like you. There is none beside you. Open up my eyes and show me who you are.

And fill me with your heart. Lead me in your love to those around me. On Christ the solid rock I stand on Christ the solid rock I stand yes I will build my life upon your love is a perfect founding I will put my trust in you alone and I will not be shen.

I will live my life. Christ on it all. I will put my trust in you. Thank you, Jesus. Heat. Heat. Heat. It is found. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Lead me in your love. Holy. There is no one like you.

There is none beside you. Open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are and fill me with your heart and lead me. >> Lord, just sing that again. Holy and holy. >> There is no one like you, >> Lord. There is none beside you. >> Open up my heart. >> Open up my eyes.

Show me who you are and fill me >> with your heart and leader. >> There is no one like you, Jesus. There is no one like you. M there is no one like you. Oh, just tell the Lord. Oh, there is no one like you. There is no one like you.

Perfect in all of your ways. There is no one like you. There is no one like you. There is no one like you. Oh magnified. There is no one like you. Oh glorified. There is no like you Jesus. There is no heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Holy, there is no one like you. There is none beside you. Open up my eyes in wonder. Show me who you are and fill me with your heart. >> Oh, one more time. Sing holy and holy. There is no one like you. There is none beside you. Open up my eyes. >> Thank you, Jesus.

Show me who you are and fill me and lead me in your love to those around me. >> Bless you, Jesus. Bless you, Lord. The greatness of the Lord is beyond. on compare. The greatness of the Lord is beyond compare. No splendor and glory forever. He is holy.

The greatness of the Lord is beyond compare. And the friendship of the Lord is beyond compare. The friendship of the Lord is beyond compare. Oh Jesus, you're my treasure. Abide with me forever. The friendship of the Lord is beyond compare. And the faithfulness of God, it will never fail.

The faithfulness of God, it will never fail. My hope is in you, God. You're the rock my life is built on. The faithfulness of God, it will never fail, never fail. The kingdom of our God, it will never end. The kingdom of our God, it will never end.

The great one who was to come. The love of God on the throne eternally and we will see the same Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. The greatness of the Lord is beyond compar. I've never found another like you. I'll never find another like you. worthy to be praised.

Bless you Jesus. You are great. Oh, can we just sing that out? You are great. Oh, we'll never find another like you. Oh. Let's sing in the kingdom of our God. The kingdom of our God, it will never end. The kingdom of our God, it will never end.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. The greatness of the Lord is beyond compare. The greatness of the Lord is beyond compare. Last time, the greatness of our Lord is beyond compare. There's no one like you, Jesus. There's no one like you, Lord. We bless you Jesus. >> Just begin to sing out your own song, church.

Just lift your voice to the Lord. Just tell the Lord, "I bless you, Jesus. I bless you this morning. We bless you. >> Yeah. We bless you, Lord, >> great and glorious. >> Great and glorious one. >> Faithful. You are. >> Yes, you are. >> Bless you, Jesus.

There's no one like you. There's no one like you. >> Yes, Jesus. Love you, Lord. Love you. Love you, Lord. Love you, Lord. We love you, Lord. >> We love you, Lord. >> In spirit and truth, we worship you, oh Lord. and my Jesus my savior. Savior. Lord, there is none like you.

All of my days, I want to praise the wonders of your mighty love. and my comfort, my shelter, tower of reuge straight and let every breath all that I am. Never cease to worship you. Shout to the Lord all the earth. Let us sing in power and majesty.

Praise to the King. And mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name. I sing for joy forever. I love you forever. I'll say nothing compares to the proise. I'll sing my Jesus in my Jesus. >> Tell the Lord my >> and all of my days I the wonders of Yes Jesus.

Oh my comfort. You are my comfort, my shelter. Reu let all that I am never cease to worship. Shout to the Lord. Power and majesty praise to the king. Mountains bow down and the sea will sound your forever and Heat. Heat. Hey shout. Sh. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Heat. We sing shout to the Lord all the earth >> to you Jesus. Power >> blessing and honor to >> you Jesus the mountains bow out. Oh, at the sound of your name and I sing for joy. How beautiful you are forever. I love you.

Oh, so good. Oh, nothing compares to the world. Yeah. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Oh, heat, heat. Heat. Heat. Come on. We We got to give a shout. We've got to give a shout out. Wow. Wow. If you're able to stand with us, please do.

We're uh we're going to pray together. Wow. Wow. Wow. I don't know if it's ever stood out to you, but there are times reading through the Psalms where it will say, "And all the nations bow down before him." or all the families of the earth will come and worship him.

And there's these phrases that are written all through these songs of worship. And I remember a number of years ago wondering about that and I realized that true worshippers become positioned in the presence to call nations to their destiny. We have the privilege to summons nations to their purpose, their destiny. that all nations.

It's powerful when you say it. It's not just lyrics to a song. It's not just something to make us feel warm and fuzzy, you know, while we're worshiping or something. It's actually a destiny that we have a part in playing a calling people, even nations. Iran, >> you were designed to worship the Lord.

You were created to worship the Lord. You were designed by the Lord. There is no conflict in the earth that is bigger than his purpose, >> that is bigger than his plan. And when we come together like this, my goodness, it's an honor just to be with him.

It's an honor to be together with each other, but it's also an honor to step into that role and say it's it's much bigger than about us. It's much bigger than reading. It's bigger than California. It's bigger than the United States. It's about the peoples of the earth, >> finding their place in Christ. >> Oh, goodness.

Finding their place in Christ. Well, listen. There's a psalm that is uh uh touches me often. I I I love it. It It says, "Lord, bless me." So, I like any any legal prayer that I get to pray for God to bless me. So, it's biblical for me to pray for blessing.

Turn to someone and say, "It's the will of God for you to be blessed. It's the will of God." All right. All right. That's enough. That's enough. So, here's this psalm. Here's this psalm. I should never give you a chance to talk. That's That's it. Here's this psalm.

It says, "Father, bless me. Cause your face to shine upon me." So, that's the the favor of a perfect father. Cause your face to shine upon me. that your way would be known in the earth. So in other words, the pleasure of God on me reveals his nature to the world, that your way would be known on earth and listen to this, your salvation among the nations.

How do you go from a father delighting in a daughter delighting in a son to impacting the destiny of nations? See, the blessing of the Lord is an essential part of our life. It's not always external. Joseph was in prison, not external blessing, but he was elevated to a place of prominence where he was able to rule over and serve effectively all the other prisoners.

It's not money in the bank. It may include that, but it's the fact that the favor of God is on our life bringing about blessing for us and for those around us. So, this is what I want you to do. I want you to put a hand on the shoulder of someone next to you or grab their hand.

Do something. make connection with somebody beside yourself. And I want you just to pray. We're we're take a minute. I want you to pray. And I want you to pray. God, bless them so much that everyone around them takes notice of your goodness, of your kindness. So pray that on them right now.

Just pray that. Pray out loud. Just declare it over them. We bless. We bless. We bless in the name of the Lord. Great favor, great blessing, great increase. Why don't you pray this with me? Say this out loud. >> Father God, >> Father God, >> bless me. my blessing >> and cause your blessing >> cause your blessing >> to bring many to Christ >> to bring many to Christ. >> Amen. >> Amen.

Beautiful. Well, why don't you bless the people around you? Bless them really good. Find your places. Well, good morning again, Bethl Church. Junior Highers, if you're in the room, this is your moment to head across the hall to the junior high class if that's you. We'll give you a second to make your way that direction.

And then, if you've got a seat open next to you, would you raise a a hand? Maybe give our ushers a a number in the air if you've got seats open next to you. If you're on the side or the back, just look for a hand raised. We'll give everybody a second to find their seat and get settled.

So good to worship with you. How many of you guys enjoyed that worship set this morning? Oh man, thank you so much. Amazing team. It was beautiful. Okay, great. You can put your hands down. Looks like people are finding their way. Okay. Well, good morning again, Bethl Church.

So good to be with you today. We love taking an opportunity to recognize anybody that's a guest with us. So, if that's you, would you give us a wave? Who's a guest this morning? Anybody visiting? Yep. Wave at us. Amazing. Okay. If this is your very first time ever to Bethl Church on a Sunday morning, keep your hand up.

Have somebody in your family keep a hand up. We want to recognize you. First- timerrs. Yeah. Good to see you. I see a few hands in the air. Keep your hands up for a moment. Our ushers are handing out something that are that's just for our first time guests.

If you want to take that card, there's some good information there. If you want to take it to the south lobby after service, we've got a team there that would love to pray for you, prophesy over you, and of course, of course, if you're here to stay, it's a really big deal that we help you get connected and plugged in around here.

So, welcome first time guests. It's so good to have you. We have got church news today and then we've got a really special missions update for you. So, enjoy the church news first. Hi Bethl family. Happy Sunday. I'm Jenna Zint and I'm a deacon here at Bethl. And I'm Michelle Thompson, one of our ministry leaders, and we are so glad that you're here.

Here is this week's church news. This spring we will have students, leaders, and alumni sent out to the nations on BSSM missions. So exciting. Michelle leads one every year. I got to go with her to Ecuador. But this year, we have teams from BSSM reaching over 25 different nations, all traveling across the globe to advance his kingdom.

We want to invite you to join us in prayer, believing for radical revival, hearts set ablaze, and the love of God to flow powerfully through these students as they go. I feel it. Thank you for your prayers and support and sewing into these life-changing trips. It's going to be amazing.

Baptisms are happening next Sunday at our 6 p.m. service. If you'd like to get baptized, please join our water baptism class on March 22nd at 5:00 p.m. in the East West Fellowship Room where you'll connect with our team and learn about the significance of being baptized. Remember to wear dark clothes, bring a change of clothes and a towel.

Holy Week is a time where we have the opportunity to join with the global church and meditate on the profound sacrifice and supernatural work that Jesus completed on the cross for all of humanity. On Friday, April 3rd, we will also be gathering with the churches throughout Reading for a Citywide Good Friday service at the Civic Auditorium.

Please check our website or social media platforms for the details on the gathering. We really look forward to seeing you there. If you've never been to our citywide Good Friday service, you do not want to miss it. It is powerful. If you've missed any of these announcements, why weren't you paying attention?

Just kidding. You can find them at bethl.com/urchnews. Have a great week. Good morning. >> Hey, as as you just heard, this week we are launching burning ones all across the world. Here here at Bethl, we believe in the go of the gospel. And I'd like just to show you a visual of uh the globe just to let you know where these teams are going.

Can we have that slide, please? Look at that. five continents represented here. We're we're working next year on Antarctica, but the logistics are a little tough to get down there, but but literally uh North, South, Central America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and even down under uh we are sending teams and and I tell you what, uh our students and our team leaders are just they are ready to go.

What we would love to do is we'd love to honor them and also pray for them as a body this morning. So, if I could have the trip leaders, co-leaders, and students that are going, if you could all please stand up. Uh we also have we have some of our online students that are joining these trips.

Okay, stay standing. Stay standing. Now, those of you that are around them, we're just going to take a few minutes just to surround them. Go get around them if you can and let's pray for these students. And uh and then if you're not able to get around them, if you would just focus your attention on this map up here and pray into these locations.

We would invite our online audience as well uh just to pray into this here on the map. Let's go after this in prayer. Find out where they're going and pray for them. Thank you, Lord, everyone in these church. Thank you, Lord, for what you're going to do. Thank you for the way you're going to move.

Thank you for what you're going to do in these nations. might launch. Thank you, God. >> All right, just a few more seconds. You're doing great. All right. Now, just stay around them. We're going to commission them uh with the words of Jesus. There's there's one other group.

You may already be standing, but because of the war in the Middle East, we had to pivot or postpone a couple trips. And you can imagine for students who've raised their funds, this is a big disappointment. But you know what? what what naturally is delay or or obstacle often that's God's opportunity.

And so if that's you and you haven't stood up, we want you to stand too because we are partnering with you. God's going to continue to move. Uh if your trip has been either relocated or postponed. All right, let's just stretch our hands again and we're going to commission you with the words of Jesus found in Matthew 10.

He said this. He said, "As you go, preach the gospel, declaring the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. We commission you in the name of Jesus. We launch you out from this house and we declare souls and more souls.

Saved, healed, delivered, set free. And Jesus, we're going to give you all the glory. We're going to lay our crowns at your feet because you are worthy. And all of God's people said, >> "Amen." >> Amen. Blessings as you go. It's going to be awesome. >> Okay, we're not quite finished yet.

Uh, we also want to talk about the fact that the spring missions trips are not the only trips that go out of this house. We also have what's called Bethl Go trips. And those trips are actually for each and everyone of y'all sitting in this room right now.

Online church members, I want to speak to you as well because this is open to you. So, please, please listen up, y'all. This is just an invitation basically to to partner with the Lord and go out on a on a trip with others here in the church body and and see him get the glory in the earth.

This is not um trying to call you into something that's an adventure, a two week like you do it, you check the box and you're finished. No, this is inviting you into a place where you get to partner with the Lord. And who knows where it's going to take you, where it's going to lead, but we we want so much to offer that to each and every one of you here in this house.

And so, uh, please check out this website. Uh, there's the link, there's the code, you'll see a list of the trips. I want you to know that they're actually almost all familyfriendly. So, Preston is a family. Uh, go individually. There's so many great options. Joey Bon, who heads this part, this Bethl go stuff up for us, is actually in the Hebrews lobby.

You can chat with him. Now is the time to apply. Uh especially for trips that are happening in the summer. The application takes like five minutes. And so now's the time to apply and just be praying into it and make sure your passport is up to date. That would be good to check on.

So lean into this. We invite you. We'd love to have you come on a Bethl go trip. So, thank you so much. And I get to pass it off to Jason. How many of you haven't been on a trip in a long time? Yes. And you're thinking about maybe I should go on a trip.

Huh? You down here? I think it's time for y'all to go. Everybody say, "Let's go." >> Come on. Let's go on the trips. It's offering time. Can we stand up? I just felt that like it's time to go. Time to go on a trip. Time to time to uh go give my son just got back from I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to say where, but he just got back from a foreign Southeast Asia.

And the stories are so incredible. I mean, just serving this community that there's no other way that you'd get in there except for you're providing aid and then you're able to minister and love on people and man spreading the gospel, watching God move amongst people and the open doors and it's just this fires me up. >> It fires me up.

Makes me want to take offering. >> We're going to do reading offering number one. Can we do that? And uh today I just I want to focus on God's goodness for us. How much uh he loves us, what he's doing inside of you. And uh as so as we do this, let's just focus on the Lord's goodness.

You ready? >> As we receive today's offering, we are believing the Lord for jobs and better jobs, raises and bonuses, >> sales, settlements, States and inheritances, interest and rebates and returns in the mail, gifts and surprises and moneyless. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Father, we thank you Lord that you are good, >> that you love us, that you care for us, that you take care of us, God.

And I thank you just that you are showering, pouring out blessing your children, God. We just ask that you'd bless our congregation financially. Lord, you'd bless our church. Amen. If you're not from our local church, uh please put your tithe in your own local church. If you want to give above and beyond, go for it.

Otherwise, I have the privilege, you can pass the basket. I have the privilege of welcoming up a man that I am so proud of, a guy that I love working with every single day so much. Richard's just been such a blessing. And could we welcome up Richard Gordon? >> Thank you.

Somebody say glory. Someone say fire. Oh, it's so good. I love this church. I love this place. I've got my daughter on the front row. I got my wife on the front row. Hey, babe. Good to see you. Um, I want to share a testimony with you guys. as I just got back from uh Colorado uh in uh Colorado Springs uh with Andrew WAC and Caris Bible College.

Such an incredible ministry. Such an incredible ministry. Um pinched myself that I was there. And in Colorado Springs, it's 9,000 foot above sea level. Reading is 450 foot above sea level. Do you know it's 25% less oxygen? And so I didn't realize that. And if you guys know me, I love a good glory meeting.

I love a wild, you know, 3 4h hour glory meeting. So I hope you guys packed a lunch for today. And I hit about hour two and I was like, whoa. I didn't realize that it had 25% less oxygen in the air. But man, the miracles, oh, the miracles were so wild.

So, I want to share some testimonies with you and then I want to jump into the word and I'm going to teach on honor. Honor is a highway for glory. But uh so I got they have about a thousand students on their campus about 700 staff and got to minister uh there to them and ministering power of God is moving bodies everywhere and then miracles just start popping.

Someone say pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop and this lady jumps out of a wheelchair and she gets uh uh she couldn't do she couldn't lift her arm more than this and she starts lifting her arm in the air.

She has an issue with her hip that stopped her from walking and suddenly her hip fully gets healed and she's walking and and her leg couldn't straighten and her leg starts to straighten and she does a whole lap around the auditorium. Wow. So I'm like God. And then another lady comes up and she has uh 10 years of pinched nerve.

Couldn't lift her arm more than this. And she said just in the glory and she starts doing this just like that. I'm like Jesus. And then this lady comes up and she was a drug addict for 20 years. And after uh 10 years she lost smell in her right side of her nose.

And so for 10 years she hasn't been able to smell. And just in the glory, she starts to get her smell back 100%. So whenever a miracle is really incredible, I believe it requires a level of credibility. And so I'm like, "Okay, is one of your friends here?"

And is there somebody that has an orange here or a citrus fruit? And so a friend comes up and and someone had an orange and I come and say, "Okay, block your left nostril and let's break that citrus fruit." And blocks the left nostril. We break the citrus fruit and she just starts weeping and weeping uh because she can smell for the first time in 10 years.

So I said to her, "Well, go over there. If there's someone else that has an issue with smell, I want you to run to them to her and she's going to pray for you and Jesus is going to heal you." So this lady runs up to her and she says, "Please pray for me."

And the story is she was also a drug addict, but now she has lost all her smell and has not smelt in eight years. And right there, this lady prays for her. And then they break the citrus fruit and this woman starts weeping because she can smell for the first time in eight years. interviewing her, my favorite thing was she said, "I have told no one about my smell because I was too shameful that this came >> from my drug addiction." >> And you just love when God will meet you even in your shame. >> If you're an unbeliever in the room today, I want to let you know God will meet you >> even if you feel far from him.

One of my favorite ones that happened was their overseer of their thirdyear program. They have a first, second, and third year just like us. So they're Haley Brawn of their program. Haley oversees our third year program at BSSM. She comes up to the front weeping. Now the staff know who she is and uh the staff know that she has cysts and ulcers in her mouth consistently. and she comes up sobbing and she said in the glory every cyst and every ulcer has disappeared. >> So she's crying.

Now again, if a miracle is so incredible, it it does require some level of credibility. So I said, "Let's get some staff here that know and have seen the cysts, have seen the ulcers, and now open your mouth, and I want them to look in and testify." So, one of the staff comes up and she starts looking in the mouth of her overseer and she starts crying because she sees that all the cysts and all the ulcers are gone because of Jesus.

Glory to God. Or if you're from Brazil, glory a day or is that right? >> I get it. Oh, why don't you put a hand on someone next to you and just pray that they would receive a grace for signs and wonders. Miracles, God. Miracles, God. I pray even today as we preach the word that people's bodies would get well.

Cysts would dissolve. Tumors would dissolve. People watching online would suddenly life would come to their bodies. Jesus, you heal still today. We thank you for the power of God in this place. I feel the Lord right now. I feel the Lord right now. I just give you permission to get healed at any moment.

Any moment. Just just tap someone next to you and say, "You have permission to encounter Jesus. This is the easiest place to preach in the world. The hungriest congregation I've ever been to. This is the best. The kingdom of God runs on a currency most of the world has forgotten.

I believe the world operates on the currency of time and money, but heaven operates on the currency of honor and faith. I believe even right now, honor is absolutely under attack. We live in a cancel culture. We live in a culture that throws stones. But I believe that honor is a highway for the glory of God.

We live in a culture that's built on comparison. Who is the smartest? Who is the most gifted? Who gets the platform? Who gets the credit? But the kingdom works differently. >> In the kingdom, the way up is down. >> The way to receive is to give. >> And the way to see the glory of God in people is through honor.

One of the greatest mysteries of the gospel is this. Christ in people, >> these broken vessels. Surely God, that's a bad idea. Christ in you, not just pastors, not just prophets, not just the person on a stage. No. Colossians says Christ in you the hope of glory. That means every person you you meet is carrying something of heaven.

But here's the question. Why do some people draw it out of others while other people only see dirt? Why do some people walk into a room and miracles start popping off favor, wisdom starts flowing? I'd suggest something really simple but powerful. Honor is the highway that glory travels on.

Uh I'm going to jump around. I'm going to start in Colossians 1:27. I'm going to move to Matthew 10:41 and then we're going to camp out in Acts chapter 10. Uh so you can follow with me as I go. Uh the first truth that I want to deposit in you is that honor sees Christ in people.

In Colossians 1:27, uh the the writer describes a great mystery and it is this Christ in you, the hope of glory. Uh in Genesis 1:27, we see God forming man in his image. So there's this dormant DNA strand of God in every human and then the catalyst if you think of a chemical reaction is Christ and Christ comes in our hope for glory almost like a mentos and a can of coke waiting for the Christ all creation in a state of eager anticipation, waiting for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed and Christ comes in our hope for glory.

If you realize this, you realize that glory is not hovering somewhere. Glory sitting right next to you. right next to you. In the believer next to you, there is the Christ. If you can see it, you can enjoy Jesus. With this mindset and framework, it takes honor to a whole another level.

You're not just honoring the gift on somebody. You're honoring the Christ within someone. >> It's suddenly when you start to honor them, it's like you're loving Jesus. If you go to Matthew chapter 10 verse 41 Jesus is speaking and he says this uh whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive the prophet's reward and whoever Whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.

A lot of the theologians paraphrase it to whoever honors a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. Why do they paraphrase it that way? Because if you receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, what you're doing is saying, "I recognize the call on your life.

I recognize who you are and what you carry. You're not just an ordinary man. It's I honor what's on your life. Uh the second point I want to make is that honor is not just for the person that you're honoring. Honor is for you. It says if you honor a prophet, you receive a prophet's reward.

It says, "If you honor your mother and father, it'll go well with >> you, and you will live long in the land." Hold on. So, you is honor for mom and dad, or is it for me? Yes. You just love the tensions of scripture. So, uh, where's that tissue box?

Right here. Thanks, Bill. You're gonna hold that right there. So, so right as Bill's holding that, there is treasure right here. And as I honor a righteous man, I receive a righteous man's reward. Actually, let me give it to my wife rather bill. Here we go. As I honor, I receive righteous man's reward.

So a flow starts happening in the spirit when you start to honor. A flow of the anointing starts to happen on your life when you start to put kingdom eyes of honor on have someone next to you and say, "I'm going to be the most honoring person in every room I walk into."

Because then a flow happens. You start to step into the flow. Do you know what the counterfeit for honor is? The counterfeit for honor is comparison. >> Why do I say that? So if it is true if I honor a prophet, I receive a prophet's reward. Oh, here we go.

Uh, but if I don't believe that I can receive that reward, if I don't believe I'm worthy to receive that reward, it'll look like this. Wow, Libby is amazing. Libby is incredible. That's my wife. But I could never be like that. And I honor her and it the reward never comes to me.

It looks like honor. It looks so similar, but it is comparison and it separates you from the very gift you long for. >> And what is that gift? When you honor a prophet, it's it's not the gift of a prophet. The gift is Christ. >> Christ in them. >> It's not their favor.

It's not their gifting. No, it's the Christ in them. But comparison says, "Wow, look how incredible they are. I could never ever be like that." And you distance yourself from the very glory that you're longing for. >> Comparison's the greatest killer of the anointing. >> Today, we're going to break up with comparison.

So, turn to Acts chapter 10. You know there's a attack on honor in our culture uh in the world but uh a friend of mine taught me this. You you kind of you get in the glory zone. Have you ever been in a friendship group where that friendship group just laughs at all your jokes?

You know what I mean? And you just you're just like so much funnier. Suddenly Jason Valatin is hilarious because you're with a group of people that just are pulling the gold out of you. You're with these group of people and they think your ideas are amazing. And so more ideas come.

If you've ever had a coach that's like that and they just sees something in you, you may be 10 years old and they're like, "You're the next NBA player and they just pull this greatness out of you." I call it the glory zone. But every relationship goes like this.

Start in that glory zone and then there's a moment of disappointment and then you have a choice to make. Do you honor or do you disconnect and walk away? And when I hire people or when I uh take people on to mentor, I often will ask him this question.

Tell me about your longest friendships. I I have a friend uh I have a few friends here on staff that I've known for 20 years from Durban, South Africa. Why do I ask them, hey, tell me about your longest friendships? Because if somebody has friends that they've kept for 10 years, 5 years, whatever it is, I know that they can do this.

Move from glory to disappointment to confront or honor and bring them back into the glory zone. If somebody uh has um can only hold friendships for 3 months, 12 months, they often will get to a place of disappointment and they don't know what to do and they break connection.

The kingdom the kingdom puts people back in the glory zone. Whenever there's disappointment, the kingdom says, "I don't see the dirt. I see the gold there." Who's been married for more than two months? You know how to do this. Amen. Okay. Acts chapter 10. This is the story of Peter going to Cornelius's house and he preaches to a group of Gentiles.

The apostles are arguing if the Holy Spirit is for the Gentiles. I set this up uh in their day that there was the Jews and the Gentiles. It's a little bit like high school. You have the cool kids, the Jews. You have the Gentiles, the not so cool kids.

I was one of those. I remember being 14, 15, having a sleepover at one of my friends houses. And he said to me, "Man, imagine if one of us had a girlfriend." And I remember saying back to him, imagine if one of us had a girl that was a friend.

I was definitely in the uncool zone. I married Libby. Changed everything for me. First time I preached here, Bill gets up to introduce me. I think, "Wow, what is he going to say?" And he said, "He's a great guy, but the best thing about him is his wife."

Richard, would you come up, please? 100% is true. It is the best part of me. She is the best leader, my muse, my inspiration. She is the queen. Okay. So he Okay, let's let's read. So that's the context. The cool people, the uncool people, and now Jesus is breaking the comparison between the uncool and the cool.

Okay. So at Si Syria, I can't I never say that right, was a man named Cornelius, this is verse one, a centurion in what was known as the Italian regiment. He and all his family were d devote and god-fearing. He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

One day at about 3:00 in the afternoon, he had a vision. Somebody's saying counter. He distinctly saw an angel of God who came to him and said, "Cornelius." Cornelius started uh stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered. "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come as a memorial offering before God."

Let's just pause there. I've always seen that your prayers are like an incense that goes up to the Lord. But it says here that your gifts to the poor >> are an incense >> that moves the heart of God. >> Oh, isn't that gorgeous? >> Verse 5. Now send men to Japa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter.

He is staying with Simon the Tanner, whose house is by the sea. When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Japa.

About noon the following day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat. And while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. Oh, I love that. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being br let down to earth by its four corners.

It contained all kinds of fourfooted animals as well as reptiles and birds. And then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat. This is for the vegetarians in the room. We will pray for you afterwards for radical deliverance. So now the Jews, this would be shocking to Peter uh to uh to Peter because he was a Jew and the Jews didn't eat these creatures.

He didn't eat these ones that he just saw. And so why is God showing me to eat unclean animals? And so verse 14, we understand why he's so shocked. Surely not, Lord, Peter replied. I've never eaten anything impure or unclean. Okay. Now, verse 15. I wanted to punch you in the gut.

This is the scripture that should destroy comparison in your life. The voice spoke to him a second time. Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. >> Isn't that so good? You look at someone, you honor them, you're like, "Wow, look at this this righteous man's life, man.

Oh, if I honor a righteous man, I receive a righteous man's reward." But many people disqualify themselves saying no I am too impure. I am too disqualified to ever receive anything. This this delivers you of that religious thinking. Do not call anything impure that has uh been made clean. when you got saved, uh Jesus came and you did you received his righteousness.

If you're an unbeliever in the room, you are not saved by your works, by what you do. You're saved by accepting Jesus Christ. And when Jesus when God looks at you, he doesn't look at your righteousness. He looks at Christ's righteousness. Amen. >> So I ask you the most controversial question.

Who is more righteous, Christ or you? Do not call anything impure that God has made clean. I don't care what accusation is hanging over your head, what people are trying to disqualify you from. Do not call anything. Someone needs to hear that today. You've been locked in a prison and it's been religion and God says, "I see a great man.

I see a great woman." Verse 16. This happened three times and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. While Peter was wondering about the meeting, uh the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate. They called out asking if Simon, who was known as Peter, was staying there.

Verse 19, I love it. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the spirit said to him, did you love that? His encounter kept speaking to him. He started thinking back to that encounter and God spoke again. 18 years ago, I got touched by the Holy Spirit and for seven days, I shook under the power of God on the ground.

I got up and I preached the same messages. I prayed the same prayers. But now people are getting miraculously healed and people are getting touched by the fire. For the last 18 years, I've shared the same story and thousands have been touched. But I think back to the encounter and he still speaks to me today.

I love encounters because they're so layered. I don't if you've ever God spoke to you one word, but it's like he said a thousand things in that one word. Okay, I'm going to skip down a little bit. Uh verses 23 all the way to verses 26. They talk about how Peter then goes to Cornelius's house where there's a large gathering of Gentiles.

Okay, let's go from verse 26. But Peter made him get up. Stand up. He said, "I'm only a man." That's when he walks into the house. Cornelius drops to his feet and Peter does not claim uh to carry something. He they they were looking to receive from a man.

He wanted to give them the son of man. And in verse 27, while talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large a large gathering of people. Verse 28, he said to them, "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a gentile."

This is talking about that comparison culture. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. Oh, I love it. So, when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why are you sent for me? I want you to jump down to verse 34.

I'll read from 33. 34 should just punch you in the stomach, too. Verse 33. So, I sent for you immediately. This is Cornelius speaking. And it was good for you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.

Then Peter began to speak. I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism. The best. This is such good news. This breaks the divide between the cool kids and the not so cool kids. This means the 15-year-old me can be in the cool camp now.

God does not show favoritism. What do you mean, Rich? Well, when I had Moses, our firstborn, I was worried that my love was going to be divided from Libby and Moses. And what I found when Moses was born, all my love went to Moses and all my love went to Libby. >> And then when Ella Rose, who's on the front row, she was born, I thought, "No, my love's going to get divided."

No, but all my love went to Libby, to Moses, and all my love went to Ella. And then when Joshua, a four-month-old, was born, I thought, "No, it's going to get divided." But a miracle happened. All my love went to Joshua. All my love went to Ella. And all my love went to Moses.

And all my love went to Libby. It makes no mathematical sense, but that's the heart of a father. That's the heart of a father. This is what he's talking about when he says, "I don't show favoritism." The same love, the same love that was for the chosen is now for the non-chosen.

How could that be? We live in a world of status, ranking, but God says, "All my love is for my son, my daughter, for you." To have someone next to you and say, "He's talking about you." He's talking about you. I'm going to skip all the way down to verse 44 because it's my life verse.

It's my goal of my ministry. Verse 44 says, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message." Wouldn't that be so cool? Like just when you speak, people just start getting touched by the fire. They're the best. Peter's my hero.

But now, these aren't just anyone. This is the Gentiles. word gets back to the apostles who are arguing if the Gentiles, the the non-cool people should receive this wild Holy Spirit. And it says this in verse uh 11:18. When they heard this, they had no further objections. Praise God, saying, "So then, even the Gentiles, God has granted repentance that leads to life.

You have no business comparing. It was settled many many years ago. Oh, surely not. Surely not rich. M maybe there's more a portion for them and less. You have no it argument was biblically settled. This is not a good opinion. This is a biblical precedent. God does not show favoritism.

Okay. So, I remember uh going to a conference and um I I used to compare for a living. comparison was my friend. If I was in rooms with people that I thought maybe I had bigger stories than, I I found myself being louder. If I was in rooms with people with higher status than me, I found myself to be smaller.

I thought comparison was my friend, but it was my enemy. I remember going to this conference. It was the second conference I ever did in in America. And I would do this thing. I'm just going to be honest. It was about 12 years ago. I would look at the conference speakers and I would think, "Oh man, I wonder if I've got what it takes and I would compare myself to them."

So, I was feeling really nervous before the one night and I didn't know who these speakers were and I I looked them up and and I looked up the first one and the first speaker was Mark Francie who now leads a church in Southern California, Oceans Church. and uh I didn't know who he was and I read and he had led the largest college ministry in Boise and with thousands of students and I felt my stomach go so I thought surely the person next would uh how I would be better than or bigger than I don't know and I didn't know their name and I looked them up and they turned out to be Ronald Bonnkey's understudy and they'd seen 80,000 people saved the year before and I I thought I was going to throw up and then I thought surely the person after me in the last day surely maybe I could save my best stuff for then and I looked up the person and the guy's name was Tim Story you guys some of you know him and I was like I don't know who this guy was I looked he had like millions of followers on Instagram he'd been on Oprah multiple times or Roberts had said he was one of the most anointed young men that he'd ever seen.

And I literally thought that I was going to go to the bathroom right there and then. And so I started making my way to the bathroom at the of the hotel and as I walked into the bathroom, there was this massive demon that filled the entire bathroom. And the Lord said, "This is the spirit of comparison.

And uh you have been friends for too long, but today you break up." And I dropped to my knees and I started to weep as God set me free from comparison. >> It will rob the glory. >> It will rob the flow of the spirit. And it will turn your honor into something counterfeit.

I want you to close your eyes. If you know that you've struggled with comparison, the Lord wants to deliver you today because he wants you to honor. I want you to say this after me. God, I repent >> for partnering >> with comparison. God deliver me today >> and give me kingdom eyes >> to honor those around me. >> If you reverse the scripture in Matthew 10:41, it says that reward comes out of the prophet when you honor him.

Okay, how crazy is that thought that your honor can unlock the destiny in someone next to you? Jesus did this. Jesus came in front of Simon the fisherman and said, "That's an apostle." What? He pulled the glory out of this fisherman. He looks at Saul and he says that Christian killer, he's going to write most of the New Testament.

The way Jesus honors is so offensive. God, are you looking at the same person I'm looking at? Bill Johnson took an F at public speaking. But God saw something. Isn't that crazy? He saw something in you that you probably don't see. And you've called yourself unclean, but God says, "Do not do that."

And Jesus's honor takes these 12 mly crew and he turns them into the most incredible worldchanging team because of the way he sees them, loves them. You know, Jesus, the way he looks at me and speaks to me, I'm like, "Do do you even know me?" I had a stammer and a stutter growing up.

I couldn't speak in front of more than five people. I struggled with suicide for like 10 years, but he touched me. This is so wild. The way Jesus honors is so offensive. He pulls glory out of these mounds of dirt. He finds gold underground. That's my Jesus. But now Jesus isn't just walking next to us.

Jesus is inside of you and me. So if Jesus was in your team, imagine what your team would become like after one year. Okay, now let's just switch around. You're leading your team. What does your team look like after one year? You have the ability through your words, through your love, through the way you look to take them and keep them in the glory zone. >> But some of you are hanging out in the disappointment zone way too long. >> And God's like, "Let's go.

Let's go." It's like and and so you can sit with someone and look at them and you can pull out this gold inside of them until they suddenly start to step into their destiny. You have the ability to unlock glory in one another. What does it look like when someone sits under your mentorship for one year, for three years? says in Proverbs that kind words are like uh honey to the soul and healing to the bones.

If that's true, is your family starving or are they feasting? If that's true, is your team starving or are they feasting? If that's true, is your boss or your leader starving or they're feasting? If Christ is the hope of glory is in the person left and right of you, you have the ability to bring that glory to the earth by the way you honor.

That flow starts to happen. You have the ability to unlock your leader. You have the ability to unlock your spouse. You have the ability to unlock your daughter and son. your ability to unlock your team members by the way you look at them with eyes like Jesus would look at them where Jesus says I don't see dirt I see gold >> even if I have to dig a little bit some of you know what kind of leader are you what kind of husband are you what kind of wife are you what kind parents are you?

I tell you, if Jesus was in the family, that 5-year-old, my goodness, to have someone next to you and say, "I'm going to be the most honoring person every room I walk into. I got two more thoughts and then I'll end this. Uh the root word for glory and the root word for honor.

Surprise. Same thing. The first time glory appears in the scriptures is Exodus 33. Oh God, show me your glory. The first time honor appears honor your mother and father and it will go well with you live long in the land. The same root word it whispers this that honor reveals the glory.

Honor reveals the glory of God. It's I um I got the honor of helping builds Bethl School of Technology. We had a thousand students that came through and we would train them on kingdom culture and then I'd survey them and we had 80% placement in the workplace and I'd survey them when they're in the workplace.

What was the thing that we taught you that carried the most glory in the workplace? And they would all say this kingdom honor brought the glory of God into my workplace. You can release the glory of God by the way you honor somebody. I'll end on this. In Philippians chapter 2, Paul flips the script on what status is.

What do you do with honor? How crazy is this? in Rome because Philippi was a Roman colony. It was all set up like this. What's your status? What's your rank? How how how uh important are you? Applause was hoarded. A status made you separated from the mass. But what God does with status is so otherworldly. what God does with honor.

How crazy is this? Verse Philippians 2:3. Do not do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Selfish ambition is status seeking. Vain conceit is empty glory. Titles that mean nothing in heaven. And then he flips the script and he says in your relation verse 5 in your relationship with one another uh have the same mindset as Christ Jesus who being in the very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage but rather he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in an appearance of a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross.

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. This is, you know, if if you're a powerful person in the world, you dominate. Think of the most powerful person that you can think of right now. They're probably a dominator.

Shakazulu in South African culture in Koala Nutell, he was known as the greatest Zulu king, tribal warrior because of his dominance. Status equals dominance in the world. But in the kingdom, >> status, honor says Jesus who had the highest status of deity. >> He had the status of deity, the highest ranking you could get.

He comes and he makes himself nothing. >> Even becoming a servant, >> a servant unto death. Not just any death, death by the cross, which was the most humiliating death you can get in Roman culture. Where Roman culture says climb the ladder of status. Jesus says it's not about a ladder.

It's about a cross. >> I'm not trying to get up in status through my honor. Status looks like coming low. The more honor, the more status, the more authority you have, the more you're required to serve, the more you're required to prefer others. I want to be honored.

Well, come low. And then this is so wild. When he gets right down low, what does God do? He exalts him. This is so crazy. He flips the script where a Roman culture was about climbing a ladder of status, a ladder of honor. This kingdom culture, what honor looks like, is I pour it out.

If I have it, I pour it out. If I have it, I give it away. If I've got it, I serve. I come so low. If you have any ranking in your corporate business, any ranking in your family, there's a requirement on you >> to be the servant.

That's what kingdom looks like. >> If you would say to me, hey Rich, I want to step into a greater degree of kingdom honor. When I count to three, I want you to stand to your feet. One, two, and three. Just open your hands right now. Jesus, give me eyes to see people like you saw Mary, the one who was a filled with demons, a prostitute, but you said this woman I will reveal the resurrected Christ to first.

Give me eyes to see people like the fisherman that is he's just a fisherman. No, that's an apostle. If you're an unbeliever here and you're standing, God is saying, "You're not dirt. There is gold in you. Come to me. Come to me." Oh Jesus, make us the most honoring people in every room we go into.

God, would we pull the gold out of the people on our left and right? And would we keep people in the glory zone? Would we keep the vulnerable? Would we keep our leaders? Would you keep our peers? where we keep those we lead in that glory zone. Give us your eyes, Jesus.

Make us like Jesus Christ. If you're standing right now and you don't know Jesus or you're far from God, God wants to come so close to you. I'm going to give you an opportunity just to raise your hand. If that's you, you're like, I need God. When I count to three, I want you to just raise your hand saying, I need Jesus.

H I'm far from him and I can hear this is a good gospel. This is a gospel not of condemnation but of affirmation. My son with whom I love and I'm well pleased. If that's you and you want to give your life to Jesus or you're far from God, when I count to three, just raise your hand as high as you can.

One, two, and three. God, I bless every person in this room and I bless our community. God, would you make our house a house that honors all in the name of Jesus? Amen. >> Oh, well. Oh, man. What a good word. A little bit bigger crowd. We need to give a little bigger clap to this man.

Uh yeah, he's I'm one of those 20-year-old friends. Um, I've known him for 20. I know you thought I was 20. No. Uh, I've known Richie for 20 years, and I've lived under the benefits of that message. And I want to tell you that he has he has not just preached it, but he lives it.

Um, I want to welcome our, uh, ministry team up to the front. Chan, before we go, uh, I want you to know these guys are probably hot and ready to pray for the nations as they go. So, we got the our students come forward. Come forward. Come forward, please.

Quickly. And I'll exhort you before we go. Uh why don't we take this word and implement it straight away. Um you've got the the people you love the most around you probably right now, your kids, your spouse, and uh you might think, "Oh, they know what I think about them."

Uh and what I've realized is that unless you tell them, they don't know. And I would encourage you that everything's a secret until you share it. And um you want to make sure that you actively sit them down and tell them who they are and more vulnerably who they've been to you.

And uh so I want to pray for you. I'm actually going to pray for some courage. Is that good? >> I'm going to pray for some courage that we will change our language from today. Lord Jesus, thank you for this word. We receive it not just with our minds, but we receive it in our spirits and in our hearts.

And Lord, I ask for a grace to come upon this congregation, but every person you have for courage to speak the truth of in love and to begin to honor, honor, honor. And everybody said, >> "Amen." >> Amen. We love you. Thank you for being with us. >> Yeah.

And if you raised your hand, gave your life to the Lord, you can come to this banner. That will >> Hello. Hello online community. What a word. >> Yeah. Such a beautiful service today from worship through to the benediction, which I don't know if people say benediction anymore, but I just showed my age. >> We like it.

Some people on here are going to say that's exactly what it is to me. >> Some of you are like, "What? Not even sure what that means." >> The closing. >> Yeah, the closing >> where the the pastor blesses the room. >> It's good. I I love what Brad is saying right now, and I'd love for us to respond.

Maybe there's some people in your life where you actually need to begin to activate this word >> and to turn honor on. It doesn't have to be someone on this chat, but maybe maybe this is a way to actually say, "God, I'm going to do this today. I'm going to reach out to somebody.

I'm going to honor them. I'm going to pull out. I'm going to dig for that gold, and I'm going to tell them what it is I think about them, how how their life affects me or impacts me." and actually allow yourself to put this into practice. >> Is there someone um that you're thinking of Jamila?

Maybe we could even say like, "Hey, this is where I'm gonna uh either honor someone, not because anything is is necessarily weird, but actually I want to bring this into practice. I want to I want to make this real for my life." And you guys can write it in the chat.

Maybe there's someone that you're like, "Ah, I want to I want to do this with my husband or I want to do this with my mom or I want to do this with my friend." Whatever it looks like. But how do you activate this today? >> I feel like I'd love to do this more with my friends.

I think my friendships look a lot like us laughing together and things like that, but um I often tell myself it's a cheesy >> that they'll think I'm weird or you know, but I think about my friends way more than I reach out to them sometimes. And I think what I I want to do this week is make it an intentional effort to when they come to mind and I'm just like, "Wow, they're so fun or they're so great or I'm really grateful for them to just reach out and say that." >> So good. >> It's good.

I think I'm thinking about even family. >> Sometimes when you're so busy and family gets bigger and bigger, it can feel like, "Oh, do I have time?" And responding back and I'm like, "Oh, actually, I don't want to hold anything in. How do I release honor? How do I love them?

How do I speak into their lives? I think it's super important for us. I think those are some practical ways for us to actually partner with what God's doing. I felt so much um uh of just the Lord as Richie was going after comparison. It felt so needed.

If you were responding to that, maybe let us know. I I I felt like this was >> and I actually feel like maybe maybe there are some cleansing conversations to be had with people that you've not been able to. you're in that disappointment space and you actually need to bring uh restoration or reconciliation to those.

So, um I think one of the things that I would love to pray for before we go is that the Lord would help you in those conversations. Yeah. Um last year I had an encounter with the Lord where he brought to mind those people in at that time that I needed to have those conversations with and it really transformed our relationships.

I can remember uh one of them was my boss and I um I actually had to sit with him and and confess that man I've been holding some resentment for some things and I realized that it's not the Lord's will for me to walk with that resentment and I got to ask the questions that my heart was making stories up about.

Um, so I I I'm in a very transparent way, you know, I asked him, I said, "Is it true that you don't think I'm the right person for this job? Is it true that you don't feel that I'm uh the person you would have chosen um because I felt like I was inherited by him on the team?"

And man, the revelation that came from that honesty, the revelation and the reconciliation that came from that honesty, it transformed our relationship. and he is the best leader. I love him so so much. I get to see um the Lord expanding him and growing him uh growing his influence in our environment.

And I'm just honored to be under him. Honored to be learning from him in this season, which I would not have been able to do if I didn't move from that disappointment space into reconciliation back to glory. It was >> so good, >> very practical message today. And so I do I want to pray for those real quick before you say something.

Um Jamaa bringing her story, bringing her vulnerability, her actually letting you into an area of life where this has actually become practical. Um in these places where we have breakthrough like she's actually stepped into this. We actually carry authority. So right now even as she prays, some of you may feel that shift or you might feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

It's because she's carrying authority in this area. She's gone after it. the Lord has done something in her life where she's actually activated, step outside of those places where resentment could have built, bitterness could have built, all the other things that come with that. And so, even as she prays, if you feel um the presence of the Holy Spirit, if you feel even the weightiness of his covering inviting you into places, that's not shame or condemnation.

And I pray that we would not experience the shame or condemnation of you are or this is, but actually you would be led by the conviction of the Holy Spirit towards breakthrough towards that that breakthrough even in relationship and even having that that further trust. And so J, I would love for you to pray, but I just want to make sure they understand like you're receiving from someone who's actually gone after this um with Yes, Richie with what he just preached, but also from what she's about to pray. >> Yes.

So Lord, I thank you, Father, for revealing truth. Thank you, God, that it's your opinion that matters the most. And what you said about us, it actually animates us. We live by every word that comes from your mouth. And your word over us is life. Your word over us is love.

Your word over us is truth. And so, Father, I pray that you would reveal truth to the hearts of your people who need to have these cleansing conversations. and that from the love that you pour into us, Father, that we would be able to have those vulnerable conversations and allow your truth to lit to light the way in those dark spaces in us.

God, I pray, Father, that you would remind us that it's your idea of us that helps us, that grows us, that keeps us. And so, Father, help us to be uh more more aware of your voice than of the enemies. And then in the place where the enemy is lying to us, Father, give us those that we are surrounded by who will impart the truth back to us when we need help, expand our um our community to uh embody your voice and to speak life into us in Jesus' name.

And I also pray for courage, God. I pray for courage to speak on those things that we've been harboring or hiding in love. in love. In love, Father, knowing that we come from love, that we would be able to in love confess, hey, I need to tell you that I've been thinking these ideas.

I need to tell you that I've been feeling these feelings. And will you help restore me in love? Yeah. In the name of Jesus, the Lord goes before you. He prepares the hearts of those you have to have those conversations with, and he's going to prepare you with the words to say as well.

Yeah. >> Come on. >> Come on. And as Jamila you were you were praying that um I was reminded of one of my very best friends. Our relationship uh formed because she confessed that she had been feeling um jealousy of of the way that I was leading a small group.

And in that I was she was like would you forgive me? I've been harboring these feelings towards you and I was like I would forgive you. And she's one of my very best friends still today 12 years later. And I'm super grateful for the way that God can actually build relationship.

Sometimes the enemy is trying to twist or to get people to compare or even just dislike one another and say, "Well, because of what they carry, we can't be friends or or I, you know, there can't be two of us in this area." And I'm like, there is more than enough room at the table of God, >> right?

There's more than enough room. And so, if those um if there are people out there who are just struggling in that way, you're thinking, I need the courage. I need courage to ask for forgiveness. I need courage to actually bring honor into places where comparison is stolen. Remember the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

John 10:10. But Jesus came for life and life abundantly. Abundant life looks like community. Abundant life looks like walking in family. Abundant life looks like there's no comparison, but there's space for all of us. Um before we go today, I know there's a couple of you who are asking for prayer.

We would love to pray for you. We're also going to have ministry rooms available after this so our teams can pray for you. But Jamila, if there's anything else that you're sensing, feeling, praying, I'd love for you just to release that before we go. >> Yeah. Lord, you are God of all. >> Yeah. >> And Father, there are those on this call.

They need healing in their body. They need reconciliation in their families. They need a peace in their mind and in their heart. Father, be with your people today. Let them sense your presence in tangible ways. Lord, where there is a lack, Father, you be the abundant God. Where there is illness, Father, you be the healer.

Father, where there is a need, um, you fill in and be the provider, Father. We honor you and we trust you. I pray, Lord, for Rita right now. She's asking for prayer and she's asking you to be with her, Father. So, I'm asking you to touch her in the way that she needs it.

Lord God, we're also praying for Henrik. Lord, I thank you that his dad, you are touching him. You are the healer and you're touching his body. protect him in every area that is affecting his ankles and his stomach. Father, heal in the name of Jesus. And we thank you, God, for Vivian, for her throat.

We thank you, Lord, that you are blessing us with these testimonies of your faithfulness and of your power going forth and embodying um uh actually in filling the bodies of your people. We honor you and we thank you for your goodness. And we praise you, Lord, that even in the midst of storms, Father, you are faithful.

You are good. And you are God. We trust you. We trust you, Lord. >> We trust you, Lord. Why don't you say that with us? >> God helps us and he loves us. And we trust you, Lord. >> God helps us and he loves us and we trust you, Lord.

Guys, we love you. Have the most blessed week. We'll see you next week. Bye guys.