- 1 day ago
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00I'm so glad to be here.
00:17Okay, I'll do the preliminary things
00:18because they've told me I'm supposed to stand right here
00:20and show you my shoes.
00:22Okay, so I'm going to stand here so you can see my shoes.
00:24I never wear these shoes.
00:32Somebody gave them to me as a gift.
00:34And you know, you have shoes and you just look at them
00:36and go, those are so pretty.
00:37What am I going to do with those?
00:40Can't just go to the grocery store and sequin shoes.
00:43So when Ms. Joy's team emailed and said,
00:46hey, you need to wear good shoes,
00:47y'all should have seen me in my closet
00:48trying to figure out what do you do with sequin shoes.
00:51But it's fun to have an opportunity to wear them.
00:55So thank you so much, Ms. Joyce, for that.
00:57I appreciate that so much.
00:59It is a privilege to be with you guys.
01:00I want to thank you for being so kind
01:02and receptive to me and just so welcoming.
01:06It's always a privilege to be able to be here.
01:08I'm always excited because I know
01:11that I'm going to be refreshed,
01:14that I'm going to be changed,
01:15that my life is going to be encouraged,
01:17not only in the messages that are shared
01:20from Ms. Joyce and the other members of the team
01:23that are going to be serving as well,
01:24but also just from you, individuals who have been so kind.
01:27I was thinking just about how refreshing
01:30it is to be with all of you.
01:32This week has been a little bit of a tough week for me.
01:34I just had a little situation in my life
01:37that really caused me to just trip up a little bit
01:39with fear and a little bit of intimidation
01:42and just praying about that.
01:43I was just praying, Lord, just help me
01:44to walk in courage and walk in confidence
01:47and not to let fear take root at all in my life.
01:50And sweet woman just came up to me a few moments ago
01:52and just gave me a big hug and said,
01:54I have a gift for you.
01:55And she didn't even know what she was doing.
01:57I just cried a little bit as she just came over
01:59a moment ago because she gave me a gift.
02:01I don't even know what the gift is, y'all.
02:03All I know is that I looked in the packaging
02:05and the title or the packaging itself,
02:09the label on it says, Live Fearlessly.
02:11I don't know if it's hand lotion.
02:18I don't know what it is.
02:19All I saw was live fearlessly
02:20and the Holy Spirit whispered to me,
02:23I got you, I got you.
02:25I'm so grateful.
02:27Miss Joyce, thank you for having me.
02:29I'm very grateful to be here.
02:31Y'all, let's pray.
02:32Lord Jesus, thank you so much for your word.
02:34I thank you that it is living and active
02:36and sharper than any two-edged sword.
02:38Lord, you have come to speak to us.
02:40And so I ask, Father, that you will.
02:42I pray, Lord, that the words of my mouth
02:44and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable.
02:47I love what Miss Joyce prayed last night, Father.
02:49She said, do not let me say anything
02:51that is not exactly what you want your daughters to hear.
02:57Speak, Lord.
02:58In Jesus' name, amen.
03:02As was mentioned, I have the privilege of raising three sons.
03:07Jackson is 16 and then Jerry Jr. is 14.
03:10And then we have Jude.
03:11I've told y'all before, Jude is, he's 10 years old now,
03:14but he's our surprise boy.
03:15We still don't know how Jude made it here.
03:17And we named him Jude on purpose
03:20because that's as close as I could get to Revelation
03:23because, honey, it is finished.
03:25That is the end of the line.
03:27Jackson, Jerry Jr. and Jude.
03:29I took them earlier this year to the movies.
03:31That's one of our things we like to do is go to a movie
03:33when one comes out that's really what we want to see.
03:36And it's kind of our thing.
03:38And so we went to the movies.
03:39We saw it in 3D.
03:40So we sat down.
03:42We are all together at this Disney movie.
03:45And we started the film.
03:48And after the film was already well underway,
03:51I'm talking we're 15, 20 minutes into the movie,
03:54Jude, the youngest, looks over at me
03:56and taps me on the shoulder and says,
03:58Mom, I don't like this movie.
04:00And I said, buddy, why don't you like the movie?
04:02And he said, I cannot see it.
04:04It is blurry.
04:05Why did they make a movie in 3D
04:07but the whole thing is blurry?
04:09Since the beginning of this thing,
04:10I haven't been able to really clearly see anything.
04:13And I looked down at him and I said,
04:15buddy, did you take the glasses?
04:17Did you take the glasses out of the package?
04:20You know, they gave you those little glasses.
04:22And he said, these?
04:23And I said, yes, buddy, those.
04:25Put them on.
04:27He put the glasses on
04:28that he had neglected to put on
04:30at the very beginning.
04:31And he said, this is awesome.
04:33I can see.
04:35I can see.
04:36I love conferences like this one,
04:38opportunities like this one,
04:39because y'all, what it really is about
04:41is fitting you with the spiritual eyewear
04:44that you need to see your life
04:46from the perspective of how God sees you
04:49and the story that he's crafting
04:51through your life and through mine.
04:53The movie that I took them to go see
04:55was Incredibles 2.
04:57Incredibles 2.
04:58I'm not sure if you saw that one,
04:59but it was, man, just as good as the first one.
05:02And I loved the storyline so much.
05:05In this one, Mr. Incredible and his wife, Elastigirl,
05:09you know, they're in the throes of taking care of evil
05:11and sort of coming out of retirement
05:13in order to do that.
05:15But in Incredibles 2, it's Elastigirl
05:17that takes the forefront.
05:19She's the one that's sort of at the helm
05:21of fighting dangers and evil in the society.
05:24And the children end up having to get
05:26much more involved this time.
05:28Man, they are running across powers
05:30that they never knew they had.
05:31They're being set in scenarios
05:33that are a little bit dangerous,
05:34a little bit risky,
05:35lots of adventure that they are called
05:38to sort of be a part of.
05:40And, you know, Elastigirl,
05:42she's got a mama's heart.
05:44And she's watching her three babies
05:46in the throes of all of this.
05:47And at one point,
05:48she turns to her husband, Mr. Incredible,
05:50and she says,
05:51they're just children.
05:54And he says,
05:55they're children,
05:57but they're children with power.
06:00And because they have power,
06:02that makes them special.
06:04And then he said,
06:06whether or not they choose to use the power
06:10is up to them.
06:12But either way,
06:13they've got it.
06:15It occurs to me in a room this size
06:17with women that are actually daughters
06:20that have placed faith in Jesus Christ.
06:22We're children.
06:24But y'all, we ain't just children.
06:25We're children with power.
06:27That the Holy Spirit of God
06:29has given you power
06:30so that whatever place of danger
06:33or risk or adventure
06:34that you may have been called into,
06:36you need to know
06:37that you've got the power
06:39to sustain you into that place
06:40in which you have been called.
06:42But here's the deal.
06:44Whether or not you choose to use it,
06:46now that's up to you.
06:48What I don't want
06:49is to get to the end of my days
06:50only to look back
06:51and realize I had all that power
06:53but never took advantage of it.
06:57It is at least in part
06:58to that end
06:59that I believe
07:00that there is a portion of Scripture
07:02that man,
07:02over the past year,
07:03it has spoken so clearly to me
07:05and been a blessing in my life.
07:07I want to share it with you.
07:08It is in Luke's Gospel.
07:10If you have your Bible
07:11and you want to turn there with me,
07:12you can if you actually still use the Bible
07:14with paper pages like I do
07:16or your iPhone,
07:18your iPad,
07:19any manner of eyeness
07:20will get you to Luke chapter 9.
07:22I think they're going to put it
07:23on the screens as well.
07:24I want to read verse 1 and 2.
07:27Then I'm going to jump over to verse 10.
07:28I'm going to read verse 10 through 17.
07:31Luke chapter 9,
07:33verse 1 and 2 says this.
07:34It says,
07:38And he called the twelve together.
07:40That's Jesus.
07:41He called the twelve together.
07:43He gave them power and authority
07:45over all demons
07:47and to heal diseases.
07:49And then he sent them out
07:50to proclaim the kingdom of God
07:53and perform healing.
07:55Listen to that again.
07:56This is the disciples
07:57going on their adventure.
07:59And Jesus called.
08:01He called.
08:02Somebody say,
08:03He called.
08:04He called the twelve together
08:06and then he gave.
08:07Somebody say,
08:08He gave.
08:09He gave them power
08:11and he gave them authority.
08:15Then verse 2 says,
08:16And then he sent.
08:17Somebody say,
08:18He sent.
08:19He sent them out.
08:23Verse 10 says,
08:25And when the apostles returned,
08:26they gave him an account
08:28of all that they had done.
08:30And taking them with him,
08:32he withdrew by himself
08:34to a city called Bethsaida.
08:36And the multitudes,
08:37verse 11 says,
08:38they were aware of this,
08:39so they followed Jesus.
08:41And welcoming them,
08:43he began speaking to them
08:45about the kingdom of God
08:46and curing those
08:47who had need of healing.
08:48Verse 12 says,
08:49And the day began to decline.
08:51The twelve came and said to him,
08:53Jesus, please send this multitude away.
08:55They need to go into
08:56the surrounding villages
08:57and countryside
08:58and find lodging
08:59and get something to eat
09:00for right here.
09:01I don't know if you've noticed
09:02or not, Jesus,
09:03but here we're in a desolate place.
09:06But Jesus said to them
09:07in verse 13,
09:08he said,
09:08Uh-uh.
09:09You give them something to eat.
09:12They said,
09:12Come on, Jesus.
09:13We have no more than five loaves
09:15and two fish
09:16unless perhaps we go
09:18and we buy food
09:19for all of these people.
09:20Luke wants to make sure you know
09:22that there were 5,000 men there.
09:25I love the physician Luke
09:27because he wants to tell you the details.
09:29He says 5,000 men
09:30because there were women
09:32and children there.
09:33So scholars say
09:34there were likely 15,000 there
09:36on that patch of stony ground that day.
09:39Jesus said,
09:40Have all of them recline
09:41in groups of about 50.
09:43Verse 15 says,
09:43So they did that.
09:44Had them all recline.
09:46And Jesus took the five loaves
09:49and the two fish.
09:50And looking up to heaven,
09:52he blessed them.
09:54And then he broke them.
09:55And he kept giving them
09:56to the disciples
09:57to set before the multitude.
09:59And verse 17 says,
10:00They all ate.
10:02And they were all satisfied.
10:05And then they picked up the leftovers.
10:07And when they did,
10:08they discovered that there were
10:0912 baskets full of leftovers.
10:11In this very familiar story
10:14that many of us probably have heard
10:15or are in some way familiar with,
10:18it is a story of a multitude of people
10:20who are being fed.
10:22They are hungry.
10:23They are empty.
10:23They are in need of nourishment.
10:25And they are more in need
10:27of an encounter with Jesus.
10:28And Jesus gives them both.
10:30But I want us to turn our attention
10:31away from the multitude
10:33and really focus in
10:34on these 12 disciples.
10:37The disciples.
10:38Those who walk with Jesus
10:39and talk with Jesus.
10:41Those who are in relationship
10:42with Jesus.
10:43Those who follow him.
10:44Those who want to learn of Jesus.
10:46The disciples.
10:47The one who fly halfway
10:48across the country
10:49to come to the conference
10:50to learn more about Jesus.
10:53The disciples.
10:54I believe that this story,
10:56this well-loved story
10:58and encounter,
10:59miraculous encounter
11:00that Jesus had
11:00in the scriptures, man.
11:02I believe that it is,
11:03it is starts not just
11:05when the crowd gets hungry.
11:06I really do believe
11:07that it starts in verse 1 and 2.
11:09We find the disciples,
11:11the 12,
11:12have an up-close
11:13personal encounter
11:14with Jesus.
11:15We find more about
11:16this particular encounter
11:18that they had
11:18in Mark chapter 6.
11:20You don't have to turn there.
11:21But this exact same story
11:22is told in Mark chapter 6.
11:25What I love so much
11:26about the first three books
11:27of the New Testament
11:27is that they're called
11:29the synoptic gospels.
11:31Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
11:32Synoptic meaning
11:33that there's synergy
11:34in the stories that are told,
11:36the tone in which they're told,
11:38the way that the writers
11:40wrote those particular encounters.
11:43And the more you read them,
11:44the more layers of insight
11:45you can gain
11:46about what happened
11:47in that particular story,
11:49in that particular encounter
11:50that Jesus had.
11:51We find this same story
11:53found in Mark chapter 6.
11:55And when we read
11:56Mark chapter 6,
11:57it gives us some texture
11:58to the story.
11:59It's kind of like
12:00if someone offered you
12:01some chocolate cake
12:03and they gave you an option,
12:05you can either have
12:06a one-layer chocolate cake
12:07or a seven-layer chocolate cake.
12:09Well, I don't know
12:10what y'all gonna do,
12:11but I'm gonna choose
12:11the seven-layer chocolate cake
12:13every single time
12:14because the more layers there are,
12:17the more rich and delectable
12:19the experience becomes.
12:21Mark chapter 6
12:22is our layer of chocolate cake.
12:24What we find out
12:25is that this is the occasion
12:26where God called Jesus,
12:28called the disciples together,
12:30and do you remember?
12:30He sent them out in pairs.
12:33He sent them out two by two
12:35to the neighboring towns
12:36and the neighboring communities.
12:38He sent them out
12:39with an assignment.
12:41Their assignment was that
12:42everywhere they went,
12:43every person that they encountered
12:45should walk away
12:47with a more clear picture
12:49in their head
12:50of who Jesus really is.
12:52That they were supposed
12:53to go out in power
12:54and authority
12:55to preach
12:56and to teach
12:57and to perform miracles
12:59for the purpose
13:00of authenticating
13:01that Jesus was
13:02who he said he was
13:04and that Jesus could do
13:05exactly what he had said
13:07that he could do.
13:08The whole point
13:09of the disciples
13:10coming together
13:11and then being dispersed
13:13was so that
13:14the power and authority
13:16with which they would
13:17live their life
13:18would mean that
13:19every person
13:20they encountered,
13:22every interaction
13:23that they had
13:24would leave the people
13:25who they had encountered
13:27knowing that Jesus
13:28must be the real deal.
13:30What's the point
13:31of us coming together
13:33if after we leave
13:34this place
13:35every person
13:36we encounter
13:37does not know
13:38that there must be
13:39a God somewhere
13:40and his name
13:41is Jesus Christ.
13:46So they go out
13:47in pairs
13:47and I mean
13:49they handle
13:50their assignment
13:51with integrity.
13:52They are fully entrenched
13:53Mark chapter 6
13:54tells us
13:55in the task
13:55that is at hand
13:56and after
13:58they finish
13:59the assignment
13:59they come back
14:01to Jesus
14:02and they give
14:04him an account
14:05for how they
14:07handled the assignment
14:08that they had been given.
14:10How they handled
14:11the ministry
14:11that had been
14:12entrusted to them.
14:14I want to make sure
14:14that everybody
14:15in the room knows
14:16that they are
14:17in ministry.
14:18If you have
14:19named the name
14:20of Jesus Christ
14:20you are in ministry.
14:22Don't let someone else
14:24or the enemy
14:24convinced you
14:25that ministry
14:26is relegated
14:27to standing
14:28on a platform
14:29behind a podium
14:30with a little microphone
14:31attached to you.
14:33Ministry is
14:34the place
14:35where you've been
14:35called to serve
14:36and the assignment
14:37that you have been given.
14:39Every one of us
14:40are representatives
14:41of the King of Kings
14:43and the Lord of Lords.
14:44You are in ministry.
14:50So mother of small children
14:51don't let anybody
14:52tell you that you're not
14:53in ministry.
14:54Every single time
14:55you sit around
14:56that dinner table
14:57with the casserole
14:58that you prepared
14:59the new way
15:00that you figured out
15:01to make chicken
15:02for dinner tonight.
15:05And you figure it out
15:06successfully
15:07one more night
15:08and you sit those kids
15:09around the table
15:10and you pray over them
15:11and you teach them
15:12a Bible verse
15:13before they go to bed.
15:14Don't let anybody
15:15tell you that
15:15that ain't ministry.
15:18And high school student
15:19when you're walking
15:20down the corridor
15:21of that high school
15:22that you attend
15:23and you're the one
15:24that stands for righteousness
15:26in the midst
15:27of the darkness.
15:27Don't let anybody
15:28tell you 7th grader,
15:308th grader,
15:31freshman,
15:32sophomore
15:32that you are not
15:33in ministry.
15:36A university student
15:37like Mr. Dave's niece
15:39that he just told us about.
15:41University student
15:42when you are the only one
15:43in the philosophy class
15:45where the professor
15:45is telling you things
15:47and teaching you things
15:48that are left of center
15:49of the truth
15:50of God's word
15:51and you're the only student
15:53in the class of 300
15:54that raises their hands
15:56and takes them to term
15:57and lets them know
15:58that there actually is
16:00a truth,
16:01a standard
16:02that is the word of God.
16:04you are in ministry.
16:10And corporate man
16:11or woman
16:12when you sit around
16:12that boardroom table
16:14and you're the only one
16:15that when they're talking
16:16about their projections
16:17for the future
16:18but they lack
16:19a smidge of integrity
16:20or character
16:21and you're the one
16:22that stands for righteousness
16:24and calls people
16:25back to the truth of God.
16:27Don't let anybody
16:28tell you that
16:28that ain't ministry.
16:32Every single one of us
16:34has an assignment.
16:37And just like the disciples,
16:41the day is coming
16:42where we're going to have
16:43to give an account.
16:45The day is coming
16:46sooner than we think
16:47but we're going to look
16:48our Savior
16:49in His face
16:50and we're going to have
16:51to give an account
16:52for how we used our time
16:54and how we used our talents
16:56and how we used
16:57the gifts
16:58that He entrusted to us
17:00and how we took care
17:01of the assignments
17:02that each and every one of us
17:04have been called to.
17:05He's not going to ask me
17:06about her assignment.
17:08He's going to ask me
17:08about mine.
17:12And He's not going
17:13to be interested
17:13in how many Instagram
17:15followers I had.
17:17He will not be interested
17:18and how many people
17:19where my friends
17:20on Facebook
17:21or liked the tweet
17:22that I put up.
17:23He's only going to ask me
17:25number one,
17:25did I know His Son
17:26Jesus Christ?
17:29And then I'm going to have
17:30to give an account
17:31for the assignment
17:32that He called me to.
17:35And when I look
17:36my Savior in His face,
17:38I want to tell you
17:41that I am looking for
17:43well done.
17:48Anybody interested
17:50in well done?
17:54I want to hear well done,
17:57which means
17:58that my main priority
17:59can't be to please you.
18:03Your main priority
18:04cannot be to please me.
18:06Our priority collectively
18:08cannot be to garner
18:10the applause of people.
18:11Our interest has to be
18:13in garnering the applause
18:14of heaven.
18:16Because the day
18:18is coming
18:19sooner than you think
18:21when we're going to have
18:22to look at our Savior
18:23and give Him an account.
18:27It has been about
18:29two months ago
18:30on July 24th
18:31that I celebrated,
18:32gosh,
18:33my 19th wedding anniversary.
18:34I was out celebrating
18:35with my husband
18:36doing what you do
18:37when you've been married
18:38for almost 20 years.
18:39We were at HomeGoods
18:41just strolling around.
18:47Just enjoying an afternoon,
18:49you know,
18:49with no schedule.
18:50We'd had a little bit
18:51of dinner
18:51and then we just went
18:52and ran a few errands
18:53and just kind of
18:54walking around
18:55in HomeGoods.
18:58I was looking forward
18:58to the whole week.
18:59I had plans the next day
19:00with really my best friend,
19:02one of my best friends,
19:03my cousin,
19:04Winter.
19:05We had plans.
19:05We were going to go
19:06to the movies together.
19:07She was going to drop
19:07her four girls off
19:08at my house
19:10so that my three boys
19:11and the four girls,
19:12their cousins,
19:12they could all kind of
19:13hang out and be together.
19:14We had a plan for the next day.
19:15It was just going to be
19:16a fun week.
19:16So I was strolling
19:18through HomeGoods
19:19on the 24th
19:20just enjoying my time
19:21with my man
19:22and the phone rang
19:23and I saw that
19:24Jonathan Pitts,
19:26Winter's husband,
19:27Jonathan Pitts,
19:28his name popped up
19:29on my phone
19:30and because their last name
19:32is Pitts.
19:33We always kind of tease them
19:34about that.
19:34I always answer the phone
19:36and I say,
19:37you're the Pitts.
19:39So I answered the phone
19:40right there
19:41in an aisleway
19:42between the kitchen towels
19:44and the bath towels
19:45and I said,
19:46you're the Pitts.
19:48What's up?
19:50And I just heard sobs,
19:53sobs.
19:55Jonathan could barely
19:56catch his breath.
19:57I had to calm him down.
19:58Jonathan,
19:59what is happening?
20:00Why are you crying?
20:01Of course,
20:01I was startled
20:02just because of the intensity
20:03of the phone call
20:05as I heard this grown man
20:06wailing and wailing.
20:09Jonathan,
20:09what is going on?
20:10He said,
20:11she's not breathing.
20:13She's not breathing.
20:16I said,
20:16what are you talking about?
20:17Who's not breathing?
20:18He said,
20:18Winter,
20:19she's not breathing.
20:21I said,
20:21Jonathan,
20:22what's happening?
20:22Did you call an ambulance?
20:23Yes,
20:24they're on their way
20:25but Priscilla,
20:25I don't think
20:26she's going to make it.
20:28I've been doing CPR.
20:30It's only been
20:30two or three minutes
20:31since I've called them.
20:32They're on their way
20:33but I can't get her
20:35to respond to me.
20:36She's not breathing.
20:37I said,
20:37Jonathan,
20:38we're on our way.
20:39We jumped in the car.
20:41We were about 30 minutes
20:42from where the ambulance
20:43was taking her.
20:44I called on the way
20:46to talk to him.
20:47He was being driven
20:48in a car
20:48with some friends of ours
20:49that I had immediately
20:50go over.
20:51They were at our house
20:52immediately had
20:52go over to take him.
20:56We arrived
20:57at the hospital
20:58and when I arrived
20:58at the hospital
20:59I ran down
21:00the corridor
21:01and another family member
21:03was standing outside
21:04of the room
21:04already leaned up
21:05against the wall
21:06and I said to her,
21:07is she breathing yet?
21:08And I knew
21:10that when Andrea
21:11looked back at me
21:12and shook her head
21:13no
21:13that if it took me
21:1630 minutes
21:17to get there
21:17if she was not
21:18yet breathing
21:19that means
21:21she probably
21:21wasn't going to
21:22breathe again.
21:23They let me
21:24in that little room
21:25to see my
21:2738 year old
21:29best friend
21:31and cousin
21:31with four
21:32small children
21:33ages 13
21:36and under
21:36four girls
21:38she went
21:39from being fine
21:40and planning
21:41a movie with me
21:42and a play date
21:42with the kids
21:43one minute
21:44the last message
21:45I have is from
21:45her is at 5pm
21:46and at 6.15pm
21:50God said
21:52it's time
21:54and she stepped
21:57out of history
21:59into eternity
22:01and in
22:04a moment
22:05she had
22:06to give
22:07an account
22:07I want to say
22:10to all of you
22:11who are in the room
22:12that you do not
22:14know the day
22:15nor the hour
22:15and that if
22:19because you're 35
22:20or because you're 25
22:21you think you're
22:22pretty young
22:23so you have
22:23a whole lot
22:24of time ahead
22:25of you
22:25would you listen
22:26to me
22:26and listen
22:27to me clearly
22:27that you cannot
22:29judge whether
22:30or not you're
22:31old or young
22:31based on your
22:32birth date
22:33it has to be
22:34judged based
22:35on your death
22:36date
22:36because if you're
22:3825 but you
22:39only have
22:39till you're 36
22:40you're pretty
22:41old
22:41if you're 50
22:43but you've got
22:44until you're 95
22:45you're pretty
22:46young
22:46but for all
22:48of us
22:49since we do
22:49not know
22:50when he will
22:51call us home
22:52since we do
22:53not know
22:54when we'll have
22:54to look at
22:55our Savior
22:55in his face
22:56and give him
22:56an account
22:57we better
22:57get busy
22:58living fully
22:59the adventure
23:00to which he
23:01has called
23:01us
23:02and when these
23:11disciples came
23:12to Jesus
23:13the reality
23:14is that he
23:14said to them
23:15basically well
23:16done
23:16he acknowledged
23:17that they had
23:17exhausted themselves
23:18fully engaged
23:19in the task
23:20at hand
23:20Mark chapter 6
23:21says that he
23:22recognized
23:22that they had
23:24done the thing
23:25that they had
23:25been busy
23:26following hard
23:27after the assignment
23:29to which they
23:29had been called
23:30they had done
23:31the thing
23:32would you look
23:32at the woman
23:33next to you
23:33and say girl
23:34do the thing
23:35they had
23:41effective
23:42ministry
23:43so I wondered
23:44really quickly
23:45if you don't
23:45mind
23:46I wondered
23:47if I could
23:48just take a
23:48rabbit trail
23:49for a second
23:49because I found
23:51in this story
23:51a recipe
23:53for effective
23:53ministry
23:54I just want
23:54to open up
23:55a parenthesis
23:56here
23:56to tell anybody
23:57who's interested
23:58what the recipe
23:59is for effective
24:01ministry
24:01anybody interested
24:02there's a recipe
24:05here
24:05the recipe
24:06is in those
24:06first two verses
24:07there are three
24:08ingredients to the
24:09recipe
24:10it says
24:11first ingredient
24:12he called
24:13them
24:14he called
24:16them
24:16oh there are
24:17so many
24:17beautiful layers
24:18here in this
24:19first ingredient
24:19in the recipe
24:20I love so much
24:22that God
24:23the father
24:24the glory
24:25of all
24:25of God
24:26almighty
24:27that he was
24:28willing to
24:28clothe himself
24:29to encase
24:30himself
24:31in flesh
24:31the purpose
24:32was so that
24:33the word
24:34John writes
24:35could become
24:36flesh
24:36and dwell
24:37among us
24:38so that we
24:38could behold
24:39his glory
24:40the glory
24:41of the only
24:42begotten
24:42of the father
24:43Jesus made
24:44it so that
24:45he condescended
24:46to humans
24:47so that when
24:48he spoke
24:49the disciples
24:50could actually
24:51hear the voice
24:52of God
24:53the father
24:53in the person
24:54of Jesus Christ
24:55all that deity
24:56clothed in humanity
24:58so that he could
24:59meet us
25:00where we are
25:00he made it
25:02so that humans
25:02could hear him
25:03and what he did
25:04in the first century
25:06is exactly
25:07what he does
25:07in this century
25:08through the person
25:09of the Holy Spirit
25:10that just like
25:11they could hear
25:12the call of God
25:14on their life
25:14through Jesus Christ
25:15you get the privilege
25:17to hear the call
25:18of God
25:19for your life
25:20through the person
25:20of the Holy Spirit
25:22God calls
25:24he convicts
25:25he compels
25:25he challenges
25:26throughout this conference
25:28you're gonna feel
25:29a pain
25:29in your gut
25:30it will be
25:31the Holy Spirit
25:32saying go
25:33and here's the thing
25:36about these disciples
25:37when they heard
25:38the call of Jesus
25:39when Jesus said
25:40you go out
25:41in pairs
25:42and authenticate
25:43who I am
25:43through the deeds
25:44that I'm giving you
25:45power and authority
25:46to carry out
25:47when they heard
25:48the call of Jesus
25:49there was no other
25:51earthly ambition
25:52that they had
25:53that superseded
25:55the calling of Jesus
25:56on their lives
25:57when they heard
25:58the call of Jesus
25:59they laid everything
26:00else down
26:01to pursue
26:02what it was
26:03that Jesus
26:03had asked them
26:04to do
26:05may it never be
26:07that we have
26:08ambitions
26:08that are higher
26:10than the ambitions
26:11of God's calling
26:12for us
26:13may we always
26:15be willing
26:16to lay down
26:17our nets
26:17to leave behind
26:19prior ambitions
26:20to do
26:21what it is
26:21that God
26:22God has called
26:23us to do
26:24may his calling
26:25in your ears
26:26and in your heart
26:27be like fire
26:28shut up in your bones
26:30to where you
26:31can't not do
26:32what God
26:32has called you
26:33to do
26:33Lord forgive us
26:38when because of
26:38hubris
26:39or pride
26:40or arrogance
26:41we have left
26:42your calling
26:42to pursue
26:43a calling
26:43that was never
26:44ours to pursue
26:45forgive us
26:47father
26:47when we have
26:48tried to walk
26:49in shoes
26:49that were
26:50somebody else's
26:51shoes to wear
26:52forgive us
26:53father
26:53when we try
26:54to walk
26:54down a lane
26:55that was never
26:56our lane
26:57to walk down
26:58when he calls
27:00accept
27:01and celebrate
27:02your calling
27:04and then I love
27:08that when he called
27:09them he didn't
27:10just jump
27:10to the third
27:10ingredient
27:11he didn't
27:11call them
27:12and then send
27:12them
27:12I love that
27:13before he sent
27:14them the second
27:15ingredient in the
27:15recipe
27:16is that he
27:17gave them
27:19power
27:21come on
27:22somebody say
27:22power
27:23and he gave
27:25them authority
27:26which means
27:27they did not
27:28have to be
27:29afraid that they
27:30were not equipped
27:31for the calling
27:31because even if
27:33as Miss Joyce
27:34taught us last
27:35night
27:35they did not
27:36have the natural
27:37capacity to sustain
27:38them in the calling
27:39he entrusted
27:41them supernaturally
27:42with the power
27:43and authority
27:43they would need
27:44to succeed
27:45in the assignment
27:46that he gave
27:46them
27:46in other words
27:47he does not
27:48call you
27:49because you are
27:49already equipped
27:50he calls you
27:53and then for those
27:54that will say
27:54yes sir
27:55he will equip you
27:56with exactly
27:57what you need
27:58to sustain you
27:59in the calling
28:00that you have
28:01been given
28:01can I tell you
28:04that there is
28:05a very real
28:06enemy
28:07and the enemy
28:07hopes you will
28:09go in your
28:09own power
28:10he hopes that
28:11you will go
28:12in your own
28:13authority
28:13he hopes you
28:14will think
28:15and I will
28:15think that we
28:16are gifted
28:17enough
28:17or talented
28:18enough
28:18or savvy
28:19enough
28:19or impressive
28:20enough
28:21what he does
28:21not want
28:22is a woman
28:23who has chosen
28:24to rest
28:25not in her
28:25laurels
28:26but in the
28:27power and the
28:27authority that
28:28has been trusted
28:29her by almighty
28:30God
28:31it is
28:32the anointing
28:33and the favor
28:33of God
28:34on your life
28:34that will sustain
28:35you
28:36in the calling
28:37to which you
28:37have been sent
28:38and called
28:39it is his
28:41supernatural
28:42endowment
28:44his entrusting
28:45of power
28:46and authority
28:46in you
28:47that will make
28:48you the mother
28:48that you're
28:49supposed to be
28:50the wife
28:50that you're
28:51supposed to be
28:51the single woman
28:52that you're
28:53supposed to be
28:54the career woman
28:55that you're
28:55supposed to be
28:56the entrepreneur
28:57that you're
28:57supposed to be
28:58the woman
28:59in ministry
28:59that you're
29:00supposed to be
29:00whatever it is
29:02that he has
29:02called you
29:03to do
29:03he will give
29:04you exactly
29:05what you need
29:06to be victorious
29:07and successful
29:08in that task
29:09it's not by power
29:12and it's not by might
29:14it is by the spirit
29:15of God
29:16and some trust
29:18in horses
29:18some trust
29:19in chariots
29:20but we trust
29:21in the name
29:22of the Lord
29:22our God
29:23so he called
29:31them there's the
29:32first ingredient
29:33then he entrusted
29:34them with power
29:35and authority
29:35oh y'all the power
29:36is there
29:37whether or not
29:38you choose to use
29:38it is up to you
29:39and then third ingredient
29:42he sent them
29:44listen
29:46he's the one
29:48that did the sending
29:49resist the urge
29:52to send yourself
29:54to do an assignment
29:58that it is not yet
30:00time for
30:00because just as
30:02important as your
30:03calling is
30:04itself
30:05so too
30:06is the timing
30:07in which that assignment
30:08is outworked
30:09in your life
30:10because if you
30:11give birth
30:12too soon
30:12to an assignment
30:13that it is not yet
30:14time for
30:15you will abort
30:16the character
30:16that he was trying
30:17to build in you
30:18you will abort
30:19the spiritual
30:20backbone
30:21the maturity
30:22that was going
30:22to be necessary
30:23to sustain you
30:24in the assignment
30:25to which you
30:26have been called
30:27because listen
30:28the spotlight
30:29that you may be
30:30craving
30:31if that spotlight
30:32hits you
30:32and you have
30:33no character
30:34that light
30:35will burn you
30:36to a crisp
30:37so wait
30:41until God
30:43says go
30:44Lord make us
30:45patient enough
30:46to wait
30:47for the time
30:49and the season
30:50that you have
30:51called us
30:52to do
30:52what you have
30:53asked us to do
30:54so the disciples
30:55after being called
30:56after being entrusted
30:58with power and authority
30:59after being sent
31:00in the timing
31:00of Jesus
31:01they go
31:01they give it
31:02their best
31:02they give it
31:03their all
31:04they handle well
31:05the assignment
31:05as disciples
31:06that they have
31:07been called
31:07to handle
31:08they come back
31:09and they give
31:10them an account
31:10Jesus says
31:11man y'all
31:12done well
31:13and you're tired
31:15he acknowledges
31:18that they are
31:19plain old
31:20flat out
31:21tired
31:22any disciples
31:24in the house
31:25tired
31:25because man
31:28you haven't been
31:29doing the thing
31:29perfectly
31:30but you've been
31:30doing it purposefully
31:32your marriage
31:32your children
31:33your job
31:34the ministry
31:35man you've been
31:35trying your best
31:36you've been doing
31:37it diligently
31:37you've come
31:38to this conference
31:39and you are
31:39plain old
31:40flat out
31:40tired
31:41you're so glad
31:44that all of
31:45these sessions
31:45are going to
31:46happen today
31:46but you're
31:47you're debating
31:48because you just
31:48you know
31:48that you could
31:49take a nap
31:49because you're
31:54tired
31:55anybody
31:55come on now
31:56Jesus recognizes
32:01their exhaustion
32:01here's what I love
32:02about this whole
32:03encounter Jesus
32:04has with these
32:04exhausted
32:05depleted disciples
32:06who by the way
32:07Jesus recognizes
32:08in Mark chapter 6
32:09he says
32:09y'all haven't
32:10even had time
32:11to eat
32:11he says
32:12you're hungry
32:12too
32:13you haven't
32:13even had time
32:14to eat
32:16I have never
32:17been that busy
32:18anybody ever
32:18I just
32:19I don't get
32:21that busy
32:22I'm the kind
32:22of girl
32:23that I'm not
32:23going to order
32:24a salad
32:24and have
32:25a little water
32:25to be cute
32:26I'm going to
32:27order the biggest
32:27plate of nachos
32:28they got
32:29and then
32:29when I'm finished
32:30I'm going to
32:30scan your plate
32:31for any leftovers
32:32but the disciples
32:37had not even
32:38had time
32:39to eat
32:40here's what I love
32:42about Jesus
32:43encounter
32:43with the tired
32:44depleted
32:45exhausted
32:46the disciples
32:46he does not
32:47say to them
32:48y'all go away
32:49from me
32:50take a nap
32:50get yourselves
32:51together
32:51then come back
32:52and I'll use you
32:53he says
32:55come away
32:58because you do
32:58need rest
32:59but come away
33:01with me
33:02don't go away
33:05from me
33:05come away
33:07with me
33:08in other words
33:09the cure
33:10for your exhaustion
33:12is intimacy
33:13with Jesus
33:14that's the cure
33:16you're looking for
33:17so take a holiday
33:18take a sabbatical
33:19take a vacation
33:20step back
33:21for a little while
33:22so you can get
33:22yourself together
33:23from the ministry
33:24or your job
33:25or that endeavor
33:26but when you
33:27take a holiday
33:28don't take a holiday
33:29from Jesus
33:29the actual
33:32refreshing
33:33that you're looking
33:34for cannot
33:34be found
33:35apart from
33:36an intimate
33:37fervent
33:38close up
33:39relationship
33:40with the lover
33:41of your soul
33:42intimacy
33:42with him
33:43is the cure
33:44for your exhaustion
33:45so he says
33:47to them
33:47come away
33:48with me
33:49he takes them
33:50across the northern
33:51tip of the sea
33:52of Galilee
33:53to a little patch
33:54of stony ground
33:55that is right
33:55outside of a town
33:56called Bethsaida
33:57he takes the
33:58disciples
33:59on a retreat
34:00so they can be
34:01replenished
34:02and refueled
34:03he's taking them
34:04on a holiday
34:05so when they arrive
34:07on the little patch
34:08of stony ground
34:09outside of the town
34:10of Bethsaida
34:11and there are
34:1315,000 people
34:15waiting for them
34:16you can imagine
34:18how perplexed
34:19the disciples
34:20must have been
34:21Jesus
34:23Jesus you said
34:24for us to come
34:25away with you
34:25you said there
34:26was going to be
34:26something in us
34:27for us
34:28you said
34:28we were going
34:29to be replenished
34:30and refueled
34:31here
34:31and Jesus
34:32of course
34:33in his sovereignty
34:34sovereignty means
34:35he's seen the end
34:36from the beginning
34:37sovereignty means
34:38he stood in
34:39eternity past
34:41and he has seen
34:41all of time
34:42from its beginning
34:43all the way
34:44to the end
34:45of the spectrum
34:46of time
34:46which we have
34:47not yet seen
34:47and he has seen
34:48into eternity future
34:50sovereignty means
34:51not only that
34:52he's seen
34:52the whole spectrum
34:54of time
34:55and eternity
34:55sovereignty means
34:56he's got the whole
34:57thing in the palm
34:58of his hands
34:59which means
35:01your life and mine
35:02which is a blip
35:03on the radar screen
35:04of the spectrum
35:04of time and eternity
35:05is also in the palm
35:07of his hand
35:07if you believe
35:09in the sovereignty
35:09of God
35:10it's what allows
35:11you to do
35:12what Psalm 46 10
35:14says
35:14be still
35:16cease to strive
35:19chill out
35:21and know
35:24that I am God
35:25so he knew
35:29what the disciples
35:30could have never
35:30known
35:30in his sovereignty
35:32Jesus knew
35:33that he was taking
35:35the tired disciples
35:36to a place
35:37where there was
35:38going to be
35:39a multitude
35:39waiting on them
35:40when they got there
35:41it was not a mistake
35:44it was of the
35:45sovereign design
35:47of God
35:47which means
35:49there must have
35:51been something
35:51in that multitude
35:52that was going
35:54to be refreshing
35:54for the disciples
35:55it tells us
35:57that this
35:58well-loved
35:59biblical encounter
36:00is not just
36:02about the multitudes
36:03getting fed
36:03it's about the
36:04disciples getting fed
36:05it tells us
36:07that the five loaves
36:08and the two fish
36:09was the gift
36:09to the multitude
36:10but it's that multitude
36:12that is the gift
36:14to the disciples
36:14there's something
36:16about that multitude
36:17placing a demand
36:19on them
36:20something that is
36:21out of their control
36:22and beyond their capacity
36:23something that they
36:24do not feel like
36:25they have the capacity
36:26to handle
36:26it's that multitude
36:28that is actually
36:29going to enable
36:30the disciples
36:31to finally pull out
36:33the treasure
36:33that they've been
36:34ignoring
36:34and acting like
36:36it's completely
36:36insignificant
36:37it's the multitude
36:38that is going to
36:39have them see
36:40what it looks like
36:41to place
36:41their little bit
36:42into the hands
36:43of a multiplying master
36:45and watch him
36:46perform a miracle
36:47that is going to
36:48blow their minds
36:49it's the multitude
36:50that's going to
36:51have them access
36:52the power and authority
36:53that has been given
36:54to them
36:55by Jesus
36:56and see what it looks
36:57like to operate
36:58in the power
36:59and authority
37:00that is rightfully theirs
37:01without the multitude
37:03they would never
37:04have the opportunity
37:05to experience
37:07the power of God
37:08that has been
37:08entrusted to them
37:09I'm talking to anybody
37:11that's got a multitude
37:12in your life
37:13that there is something
37:14pressing on you
37:15that is wearing you out
37:17there is a struggle
37:19in your marriage
37:20or in your finances
37:21or in your health
37:22or on your job
37:23and it's more
37:24than you can handle
37:25the multitude
37:26is beyond
37:27your natural capacity
37:28the good news
37:29is when you come
37:30face to face
37:31with a sovereignly
37:33ordained multitude
37:34that means
37:35the multitude
37:36is your gift
37:37because the multitude
37:40is going to have you
37:41start accessing power
37:42and authority
37:43and treasure
37:44that you would have
37:45discounted before
37:46it's going to have you
37:47look at the five loaves
37:48and the two fish
37:50that little gift
37:51that little talent
37:52that little finance
37:53that little energy
37:54that little patience
37:55that little idea
37:56that little creativity
37:57that you thought
37:58was so useless before
37:59you're going to pull it out
38:01the multitude
38:01is going to make you
38:02pull it out
38:03you're going to place it
38:04in the hands of Jesus
38:05and he's going to perform
38:07a miracle
38:07that's going to blow your mind
38:09the multitude
38:14is your gift
38:15did you notice
38:17that in verse 12
38:17the disciples say
38:18Jesus
38:19send the multitude away
38:21and we don't just say it
38:27we pray it
38:29in Jesus name
38:33and by the power
38:34of almighty God
38:35I speak to the multitude
38:38Lord take this multitude
38:42away
38:43and we don't even know
38:46that we're praying away
38:47the thing
38:48that is our gift
38:49in verse 12
38:51the disciples
38:52are praying away
38:53if you look
38:54they are praying away
38:55at what in verse 11
38:57Jesus just welcomed
38:59it says in verse 11
39:00he welcomed the multitude
39:01one verse later
39:03the disciples
39:03are praying away
39:04what they don't even know
39:05is their gift
39:05resist the urge
39:07to wish away
39:09what God has welcomed
39:11into your experience
39:12instead
39:13say Lord
39:14don't take it away
39:16if there's something
39:18in it for me
39:18Lord instead
39:20fit me with the right eyewear
39:22the right spiritual eyewear
39:24that will help me
39:25to see this 3D picture right
39:27Lord
39:28don't let this multitude
39:29be taken away
39:30until I say
39:31see
39:32and mine from it
39:33every single treasure
39:34every single gift
39:36every single nuance
39:37that's gonna build my life
39:39Lord
39:39that's gonna help me
39:40to access this power
39:42and authority
39:42Lord
39:43don't let this multitude
39:44leave my life
39:45until I milk it
39:47for every single thing
39:48you brought him here
39:49to give
39:49Jesus
39:56said to the disciples
39:58the exact same thing
40:00I wanna say to you today
40:01he said
40:03verse 13
40:04you give them
40:06something to eat
40:07everything
40:11your multitude
40:12needs
40:13is already
40:15in your hand
40:16you don't need
40:19something else
40:20something more
40:20something different
40:21what you need
40:23you've already got
40:24pull it out
40:26tap into the power
40:29and authority
40:29of the Holy Spirit
40:30of God
40:31that is already
40:32on the inside
40:33of you
40:33so finally
40:35the disciples
40:35they take
40:37their little bit
40:37and they place
40:40it in the hands
40:41of Jesus
40:42listen
40:47they place it
40:49in the hands
40:49of Jesus
40:50you need to know
40:51that everything
40:51changes
40:52when you take
40:54your little bit
40:55and give it
40:57back to God
40:57Jesus
41:00took
41:00the little
41:01meager gifts
41:02of man
41:03thank you Lord
41:04he took
41:05the little bit
41:06that they had
41:07and looking
41:09up to heaven
41:10he blessed
41:12it
41:12you don't need
41:15more
41:15you just need
41:17God's blessing
41:18on the five loaves
41:19and the two fish
41:20you've already got
41:21you don't need
41:23more talent
41:24you don't need
41:25more skill
41:26you don't need
41:26necessarily
41:27more resource
41:28all that you need
41:30is God's blessing
41:31his favor
41:32his anointing
41:33his hand
41:34listen
41:34God's favor
41:35is what opens up doors
41:37that no man can shut
41:38God's favor
41:39is what takes you places
41:41nobody
41:41can take away from you
41:43God's favor
41:44is what sets you
41:45in positions
41:46you know
41:47you're not qualified for
41:49God's favor
41:50is what makes
41:51the scales
41:51balance out
41:52in your favor
41:53God blessed
41:57the five loaves
41:58and the two fish
41:59and then he broke it
41:59and then he kept
42:00handing it out
42:00to the disciples
42:01and it kept going
42:04and it kept going
42:07and it kept going
42:09and going
42:10and they had no idea
42:12the disciples
42:13couldn't figure out
42:13where all of this
42:14resource was coming from
42:16they just had this
42:17and now it keeps going
42:18and going
42:20their patience
42:21just exponentially
42:23their resources
42:24their ideas
42:25their creativity
42:26their gifts
42:27their talent
42:28everything that they need
42:29was already in their hands
42:31they just
42:31they just had to give it to Jesus
42:33and now the entire multitude
42:35is sustained
42:36and verse 17 says
42:37that when everybody ate
42:39and just in case
42:41you're not clear
42:41on what kind of meal this is
42:43they want you to know
42:43everybody ate
42:44to the point of satisfaction
42:46they were filled up
42:48to overflowing
42:49and after everybody
42:50got a good old
42:51Sunday afternoon
42:52kind of meal
42:53they picked up
42:56the leftovers
42:56and there were
42:5812 baskets full
42:5912 baskets
43:02there was one basket
43:05for each disciple
43:06to take home
43:07as a reminder
43:09of the great
43:10power
43:11of God
43:13to multiply
43:14the resources
43:14in your life
43:15Lord Jesus
43:16multiply our resources
43:18do it for your glory
43:20it is in Jesus name
43:21that we pray
43:22amen
43:23you
43:26we pray
43:26we pray
43:28we pray
43:31we pray
43:31we pray
43:32for you
43:32we pray
43:33we pray
43:33yes
43:34we pray
Be the first to comment