Scripture reference: John 14:10-13 (AMPC); John 13:4-10, 13-17 (AMPC); Matthew 13:21-30 (TPT)
Hallelujah. I thank You for Your presence and Your anointing that rests upon us in this service. Every praise that is given, every word that is spoken, every ear that is ready to hear, every heart that is ready to receive, Father. I just pray that You will concentrate Your presence, You will concentrate Your anointed presence in this service today. May Your will be done in everything in this service today to glorify the name of Jesus. Thank You, Father. Hallelujah. Glory to God. Thank you, you may be seated. Praise Jesus.
It’s always a good time to be in church. Always, always, always. So if you’ve been, I know sometimes you guys watch, some people watch Morning Moments on Facebook or on Instagram. Sometimes you may or may not watch us on TBN. If you don’t, you should. I don’t want you to show your hands otherwise I might take the whip to some of you. Five o’clock on a Tuesday and a Wednesday. And Brother Jerry’s on the Thursday slot. But what the Lord has had me speaking about on the TBN sessions is about truth. Here we are in church today; good thing. We are in church today and there’s a reason you’re here. So before you came to church, you might have had a decision, you might have had a reason what it was, what purpose you were going to come to church. Some of you might have come to church out of habit and you say, “I’m going to church.” I don’t think too many of you but anyway. Some of you might have come, I’m here because I need to go to church on Sunday. No, I don’t think so much but it’s a reason. Right? Another reason is; I like church, music is good, people are good. We have good conversations before and afterwards and all things are fun at church, you know. And it’s better actually than staying at home by yourself in a Covid related environment. I don’t know what it is that you, why you stay or why you came to church this morning. Maybe you came to church so that when you left church, you would feel good that God had touched you. I pray that happens because it’s important that you feel and experience the touch of God because there is only one God in the universe that can actually touch you. And that’s the living God. Amen.
Most likely, most of us are here today, at least partly because we have to live tomorrow. And I’m sure you want your tomorrow to be better than yesterday. Don’t you? I mean, you might actually have a very good life right now. You might think all is well, and it might be well with you. But how many of you can do with better? For sure. You can definitely do better. Yes? So if I asked you, “What’s the better that you want in your life, tomorrow? What’s the better that you want tomorrow?” Glory? It is a good answer. I certainly want more of His glory. Anything else? Wisdom? Wisdom is pretty important for decision making. Right? That’s probably why you’re looking for wisdom. Hey, Graham? Decision making, because decision making can be the beginning and the end. It can be that kind of make one wrong decision and you can head off into a bad place. Right? Wisdom, fruitfulness? Definitely, I guess you could phrase it some way, another way; you could say productivity. Right? I mean, certainly, you don’t want to live your life with… You don’t want to live your life with a kind of, I’m not sure I know what I’m doing or I don’t know what I’m doing. You need to live your life in a space where; I know what I’m doing, I know why I’m doing it and it’s effective – making a difference. Fruitfulness. Purpose. You want to know why you’re doing it? Hey? For sure. And so I want tomorrow to be better in all of those things than yesterday.
Here’s some news for you, today. If you came to me, as a Christian leader, spiritual leader, you came to me with anyone of these, any one of these questions, any one of these issues – you said to me, “Show me something in the Word of God, give me something that on these, on these topics that we’ve just raised, I want to do better, I want to see His glory, I want to be fruitful, I want to be productive. I want to know what my purpose is. I want to have something meaningful.” You’re going to be, you may expect that I’ve got something to give you or I may not have anything.
What is the thing that becomes essential about a conversation like that? I might have some history that I can impart experience to you that may or may not be valuable to you, because my experience may have nothing to do with what you need. Right? So my experience may or may not be valuable. I might have a knowledge base, a knowledge base in the Word and a knowledge base of knowing God that may or may not be valuable to what you need right now. Okay? But for sure there is something that You can get if you had to come and talk to me. But the only really meaningful thing that you can get when you come and talk to me, is if God is in the moment. Because when God is in the moment, then it doesn’t matter how much experience, how much history, it doesn’t matter what depth of scope of knowledge I have, or what’s going on in my own life that I can share as a testimony – may or may not help you, may or may not be relevant. What’s important is that God’s in the moment. Right? And so, you and I, sitting in church today, have no business living in a moment that God was three weeks ago. Because God was in the moment for us three weeks ago to change us in the moment three weeks ago, so that we can change the way we live because He was in the moment. But when He’s in that moment, and He brings us forward, He’s not looking for us to go back to that moment. He’s expecting us to have walked in the moments that He created so that we can come to a new moment. All other moments become rather irrelevant. Isn’t that right? Hallelujah.
It’s important that we live in the moment with God. It is my desire that what God has given me today, to speak to you will bring a moment to you that in this moment, you will live in this moment, and God will bring something to you in this moment, that you can say; God was here today in this moment. And in this moment, He’s changed me. Amen.
Now, there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world around us. Certainly, when I grew up, now bearing in mind, what my experience is, may have nothing to do with your experience. But if you can relate to it, it may help you understand what I’m trying to teach. What my experience is, is not a truth. It’s just an experience. Truth is something that comes because God’s in the moment. Because you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. If you’ve been listening to me on television, you would have heard me say this many time; truth is not what you know. Truth is Who you know because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. So you can’t speak about truth in terms of concepts. You speak of truth in terms of Persons. Jesus, Holy Spirit and the Father; three Persons are truth. Truth is not a concept. Truth is a Person, whatever the living energy of the Godhead is, that’s truth. I don’t mean to get too deep this morning, are you all still with me, though?
Whenever people say, but truth can be this and truth can be this and your truth can be whatever perception you perceive truth to be. Truth is not anything else that is a philosophy, that is an ideology or something that someone else said. Truth is embodied in the Godhead. Well, why would it not be anything else? They started everything. They created the framework and the foundation of everything. If they started everything, then everything that comes from Them is truth. And everything that is not of Them, not truth. Doesn’t matter what people say. It doesn’t matter what they think, it doesn’t matter what they… it doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter. Only what happens in God is true. Are you with me still? So when I’m looking for something in my walk of life, in humanity, in a moment, in school, in church, in business, in every situation we find ourselves in, I need God in the moment to be with me. When God is with me in the moment then in that moment, I can have His truth. In that moment, I need His truth. That truth sets me free from anything that the world has started to create and has created around me. Just bear with me. This is going to get good. If I said to you, come, I’ve got a job for you and I’m going to put you in a high paying job in a corporate world, in a corporate space – it’s your first day, you’ve done this a few times. Your first day you go there and they kind of have this person that’s normally someone from human resources, and they’ll walk you around or some other manager, whatever walk you around and say, this is this department, the head of that department. This is where the canteen is. This is where the toilets are. This is where – right? You settle down and now you know a few people and lunchtime comes and maybe there’s a lunch in the canteen or whatever. You go and sit in the canteen, and you start to talk to people. And what are you listening for now? You are listening to the language they talk, you’re listening to where’s the influences around here, you’re trying to fit into the dynamics of the team. Right?
And so what’s instinctively happening to you? Instinctively happening, you’re assessing, you’re measuring where’s my identity? Where’s my value? Where can I fit here? Right? So fast forward, same scenario, six months later. Now you’re going to the canteen, you don’t sit with those group of people, because you don’t identify with them. You sit with this group of people because you identify with these people. And when this kind of manager walks in the room, you make sure you don’t want to talk to them, because politically he’s a hot potato; don’t go talk to him. Company dynamics. I’m not speaking truth now I’m just speaking facts. These are facts, this is what happened. Right? But now, if I have Jesus with me in every moment, then I become someone that can observe and orientate myself around those dynamics. I can’t, and I should never deny what’s going on in these dynamics. But I have truth inside of me, that is greater than the dynamics. What I need is, I need Jesus to be greater in me in a moment than anybody else that’s around me so that I can respond in the moment with the truth which might mean the hot potato political guy is the very guy I’ve got to go talk to because no one else will talk to him but God wants to change him through me. And this is the moment that he sees your love can fix the problems that he’s dealing with in his life that might be something that nobody can see that’s why he made a bad decision, chose the wrong alliance, or whatever. Your love can change that. Come on. Hallelujah.
Here’s an important thing the Lord wanted me to bring you because we’re still in a series, I’ll take the children. My subheading for today is; Unexpected outcome. Unexpected outcome. So John chapter 14 verse 10 in the Amplified Bible goes like this – you don’t mind if I read a bit of scripture to you this morning? I mean if we read the Bible then God is always in the moment. 10Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in Me? (John 14:10 AMPC) So just understand what I’ve just told you. He’s in a whole bunch of people, cultural issues, mental issues, alliances with the Pharisees or Sadducees, all manner of issues going on. And Jesus comes and He says, “Do you not believe that the Father is in Me and I’m in the Father?” He doesn’t actually care whether anybody understands this truth. He has to speak it because the Father that’s in Him, that He’s in union with – I’ve got to speak this. What I am telling you I do not say on My own authority and of My own accord; but the Father Who lives continually in Me does the (His) works (His own miracles, deeds of power) (John 14:10 AMPC). So the Father is doing it in and through Jesus. Right? Every moment, Jesus opens His mouth, lays His hands is a moment, that’s the next, next moment with God. It’s not the last moment, it’s this moment.
11Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me; or else believe Me for the sake of the [very] works themselves. [If you cannot trust Me, at least let these works that I do in My Father’s name convince you.] 12I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do (John 14:11-12 AMPC). What? If anybody steadfastly believes in Me, he will be able to do the thing that I do. That means you and me – where, where? Anywhere. When? When He’s in the moment. Not because you learned something in Bible school, not just because you have a knowledge base of something – when He’s in the moment. Unless you have those moments with God than actually, you intend to be clouded with the fog of all those other things that begin to matter more than being in the moment. Canteen; I’m sitting in the canteen, I’m aware of the politics here, politics here, the influences here, the cool guys there, the not so cool guys there, the nerdy guys there. Come on, now. And I make choices of where I want to sit but God’s got a moment for me that He wants me to be useful.
Pastor John, you can’t possibly say that I’ve got to be that connected with God? Yes, I can because you can. And I’m going to explain it to you in a minute just how easy it is, it’s not hard. If it was hard He wouldn’t tell us to do it. 12He will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. 13And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son (John 14:12-13 AMPC). This is a very powerful passage of scripture. Don’t you agree? It means anybody, anybody can do this. Anybody can be … It is my heart’s desire that you have your own encounters with God. That you will do whatever God tells you to.
Joshua. How old are you now, Josh? Twelve? Growing so fast, you look like you’re almost 16. So, Josh, we’re going to have a moment together here. I want you to lay hands on me. I want you to just pray for me and I want you to pray the blessing of God and health of God be upon me. It can be just your own words. It can be just three of five words, it doesn’t have to be a lot, just pray for me.
Josh praying for Pastor John:
Thank You, Father, the health of, health, God’s health is on Pastor John, Father, and You bless Him, Lord.
Pastor John:
Thank you. Hallelujah. How powerful do you think these hands are? These hands are no less powerful than these hands because God was in this moment God is in this moment. And here is the thing; I pray that you will remember this moment because God will want to use you like this many times in your life. Hallelujah. There are a few reasons why I wanted Joshua to come and pray for me and not me pray for Joshua. And I’ll explain it. Thank you. I knew him before he could walk. Praise Jesus.
That leads me to John chapter 13 verse four. Jesus,4Got up from supper, took off His garments, and taking a [servant’s] towel, He fastened it around His waist. 5Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the [servant’s] towel with which He was girded. 6When He came to Simon Peter – the chief disciple, the groot Koos, the pastor of the disciples. The groot Koos, Lord, are my feet to be washed by You? [Is it for You to wash my feet?] (John 13:4-6 AMPC). Now, I mean, understand what’s just happened here? He’s just washed all the disciples’ feet but Peter. So if you want to look about it in the natural – just work with me now – in the natural, this is the perfect power play for Peter to become the head-head disciple once and for all. Because Jesus already washed all the other disciples’ feet. But I’m bold enough and I’m close enough to You to ask the question. No one else would ask the question, but I’ll ask the question. So even if I get the answer wrong, and it’s all wrong, at least I asked the question that puts me – I’m number one. Motive about to be exposed.
7Jesus said to him, You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later on (John 13:7 AMPC). He didn’t have to tell that to the other disciples.” So, Peter, you think you can ask the question? I’m going to give you the answer. It’ll put you in your place and you’re the only one that I have to say; you’ll have to understand this later.” People think they can bring politics into church life. They do. They bring politics into church life. They bring self-interest, self-aggrandisement issues into church life. If you live with God in the moment, He resolves them like that. Some people stay in your life, other people leave your life, other people just stay on the periphery because God can’t afford, can’t allow a pure spirit, pure walk with God to be undermined by a political agenda. Come on. I’ve been in church long enough to know this. Truth is much greater than a political agenda. There is no political agenda in church that can undermine a spiritual man who walks in truth. It’s not possible. It may be that the church and the spiritual man separate ways but the spiritual man will always come up on top. A spiritual leader will always find his feet on firm ground. I’ll tell you what – you find a church who uses politics to get rid of a pastor, that church will fail. Because the very essence of what they’ve done is to undermine a spiritual man. But the spiritual man will thrive and flourish because he’s spiritual. God will take care of him.
8Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet! Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with (in) Me [you have no share in companionship with Me] (John 13:8 AMPC). You know, Peter is making a real, a real bold statement here. He’s actually trying to say, “You’re the Master, and I’m the teacher, I must wash your feet.” Jesus is saying, “There is something you don’t understand here and I told you, you’ll understand it later, but because you’re pushing the subject, this is a dividing point. You could have just stopped at; I’ll understand later. But because you push the subject of how important you think you are, if you don’t do this, we are separating ways, Peter. I don’t care what the Father revealed to you about who I am as Christ, the Son of the living God. If you don’t let me wash your feet, we have no companionship, we have no fellowship, we have nothing. So Peter, make your stand, boy. Make your stand.
9Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, [wash] not only my feet, but my hands and my head too! (John 13:9 AMPC). So now the Lord has to correct him again. But at least he’s headed in the right direction this time. Do you understand what I’m trying to show you? When you begin to try and address spiritual things, with a natural response all the time, you’re going to get it wrong every time. Thank God that Peter had a heart that actually, in the end, he could get it right. But if you address spiritual things with natural things, you’ll get it wrong every single time. So, 10Jesus said to him, Anyone who has bathed, or being cleaned, needs only to wash his feet, but is clean all over. And you [My disciples] are clean, but not all of you (John 13:10 AMPC). Because there was someone still in the disciples, namely Judas that had a dirty heart – let’s put it that way. Okay.
So what does Jesus say? You can’t have fellowship with me unless you let Me wash your feet. Right? So this is the Master. This is the God of the universe. This is the One who makes a statement; the Father is in Me and I am in Him and I’vedone everything that the Father has told Me to do, and I’m able to do anything, but it’s not My authority, it’s God’s authority. And He comes into this whole feet washing thing as a servant. Come as a servant. I’m not coming to exercise My authority with you. I’m coming to serve you. So Peter says but there is no authority in serving. You understand what Peter was saying? There is no authority in serving. This thing with what I know in the world, with the Romans, the occupation of Rome and everything; there is no authority in serving. A servant is a nothing. A servant is a nobody. Only when you’re a big man, a teacher, someone who’s important, are you worth something. Jesus says, “You don’t understand. You don’t understand the authority of serving, then you can’t have authority in anything.” And so, what do Pastor Sharon and I do? I’ll tell you what, the Lord has been really speaking to me about many things that He wants to accomplish in our ministry because all of the political things that I’ve spoken about has indeed happened in our church a number of times. We’ve had to go through a period of waiting, growing, restoring, strengthening. But something that we’ve learnt out of all of this time is that the authority that we carry is not based on how much money comes into the ministry. We have learnt that the authority that we carry is not by how many big buildings we can build or how quickly I can be on television or anything that you might actually want to measure success by. Isn’t that what happens when you sit in the canteen in the corporate office; measurement. Yes.
Pastor Sharon and I have learnt that the authority that we carry is to bring you life and to live the life that God places in us in the moment, every day with each other, with you. That’s our authority. We wash your feet every day. Come on. I’m being straight with you today and you need to be straight with me. Do we put ourselves on a pedestal and say we are unaccessible, unavailable because we are so powerful and important? Do we make sure we drive the biggest and the best cars in the ministry because we feel like we’re that important to drive the best cars? Do we take as much money out of the ministry as we can because we need to live well because we are that important? So you, many of you have been with us a long time. You know that everything that we do is because of our faith. It’s not because of what you have done.
It’s an old story, it’s not a story I particularly like to tell that much but the Lord has wanted me to speak about it today – when in a conflict moment we had in the church and a man came to visit me, he and his wife and said they are leaving the church because this church is going down. Lots of people were leaving because they accused me of things I was not guilty of. And so he said to me, “And we’re taking our tithes with us.” I said to him, “I beg you, sir, please don’t leave the church.” I literally said, “I beg you, sir, please, don’t leave the church.” He said, “Why?” I said, “Because your life depends on in and your tithe means nothing to me. I didn’t start this church with your tithe, I don’t run this church with your tithe. This church will not end without your tithe. But I beg you not to leave this church because your life depends on it.” He left the church. I’m just trying to say to you, Pastor Sharon and I don’t have relationship with you, anybody here because someone gives more money to the church that someone else gives. Someone comes and says, “Hey, listen here, you know, I tithed a R100,000 this month into the ministry., so look after me.” You understand? It’s not my job to convince you whether you should tithe or not, that’s between you and God. I can teach you what the Word says but it’s between you and God what you do with it. Isn’t it?
Pastor Sharon and I have reached a stage in our life now – I’ve got other things to say and I will move on now. But I just want you to know we’ve reached the stage in our lives where we do not take a salary out of this ministry. We have not been taking any salary out of this ministry for some time now – almost two years. That’s not because we shouldn’t, it’s because we are sowing a seed every month back into the ministry because we can live without it with our faith. Some of you didn’t know that but we have been living in our faith for two years or more without taking money out of this ministry for income to live with. I’ve been believing to do this for 30 years because I heard Kenneth Copeland say a long time ago, he was up to 90% and he was believing God that he would be able to live on 0%, he would give 100% of his money away. And I said that’s the mark I’m aiming for. So Pastor Sharon and I have hit that mark and we’ve been living that mark for some years now where we don’t take a cent out of the salary, out of the church – it stays in the ministry.
So, does that sound like we are serving you because God called us or because we need money? Pastor Lynn and I used to have this conversation and he used to fuss with me about it many years ago because I used to do this many years ago. I used to say”, Pastor Lynn I don’t want a salary.” And he would say, “No, we must pay you a salary.” And he would fuss with me about it, “No, we must pay you a salary.” And then because of what he’s doing with the Bible school, someone else became a financial manager of the ministry and so I didn’t have to fight with an elder in my life. You know, I don’t want to correct an elder in my life. And so because I don’t have to fight with him, I could, okay, here I go. Me and Pastor Sharon, here we go. Hallelujah.
John chapter 13 verse 13. 13You call Me the Teacher (Master) and the Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you. 16I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, A servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed and happy and to be envied are you if you practice them [if you act accordingly and really do them] (John 13:13-17 AMPC). So that doesn’t mean walk around like a groot Koos. So just let me say this; the spiritual gift of God that rests upon me in my calling is of such a nature that many times I can look at people’s lives and I can see in the spirit what’s going on, where things are not happening and where things are happening. I would actually not be spiritual if I didn’t see these things. Uh-huh? But it is not my business to speak about them unless the Lord tells me to. Why not? Because sometimes people are not ready to hear them. Sometimes I have to speak when they are ready to hear them. Hallelujah. And so I have something to say, you must remind me because I must talk to you about walking in the rain.
I’m going to read another passage of scripture and I’m going to talk about walking in the rain. You must remind me, don’t let me forget because I’ve got many things to say. Hallelujah. I’m going to Matthew chapter 19 verse one. And this is The Passion Translation, it reads easy so let’s read it together. Jesus said to him – this is rich, young ruler – has got lots of money, very wealthy. 21Jesus said to him, “If you really want to be perfect, go immediately and sell everything you own. Give all your money to the poor and your treasure will be transferred into heaven. It’s a nice way this translation says it, and your treasure will be transferred to heaven. Then come back and follow me for the rest of your life.” (Matthew 13:21 TPT). In other words, this gift on you that’s making money is subservient to the gift of God’s immediate calling in the moment. You understand what just happened here? Here is a man who’s gifted and he’s a very, very faithful, loyal believer. He comes and he has an encounter with Jesus and Jesus says to him, “This gift of making money that you have, you say, you’ve done everything, everything you can to actually be a covenant man. Okay, take all this money that you’ve made from the gift that I gave you, take it, sell it, take all the money, give it to the poor, and your wealth will be transferred to heaven, and come follow Me.” Which gifting, which calling was most important? It wasn’t the one he’d been living with for 20 years. In the moment God said; I’m changing what you were ordered originally to do and I’m on and I’m calling you to do something that is completely different. You see, only in moments like that, can you have these encounters with God.
22When the young man heard these words, he walked away angry, for he was extremely wealthy. 23Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “Listen. Do you understand how difficult it is for the rich to enter into heaven’s kingdom realm? 24In fact, it’s easier to stuff a heavy rope through the eye of a needle than it is for the wealthy to enter into God’s kingdom realm!” 25Stunned and bewildered, his disciples asked, “Then who in the world can possibly be saved?” 26Looking straight into their eyes, Jesus replied, “Humanly speaking, no one, because no one can save himself. But what seems impossible to you is never impossible to God!” 27Then Peter blurted out, “Here we are. We’ve given up everything to follow you. What reward will there be for us?” (Matthew 13:22-27 TPT). Peter, what’s with the questions always? Always he has a question. Always he has got some kind of, you know, “You can’t tell me this when I’ve given up everything. You can’t tell me this when I’ve done that and You can’t do that to me and I’ve got to do this to You. What’s with Peter? And God even with Peter, God’s got mercy and grace. It’s a wonderful thing. What’s in it for me? I guess most of us Christians come to God with; what’s in it for us. God says, “Okay, I know, I understand where you come from. I’ll answer your question.
28Jesus responded, “Listen to the truth: In the age of the restoration of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will have twelve thrones of your own, and you will govern the twelve tribes of Israel. Wow, okay, Peter, good question. 29For anyone who has left behind their home and property, leaving family—brothers or sisters, mothers or fathers, or children—for my sake, they will be repaid a hundred times over and will inherit eternal life. 30But many who push themselves to be first will find themselves last. And those who are willing to be last will find themselves to be first.” (Matthew 13:28-30 TPT). God is speaking to us as a church and He’s saying, “I will take the children.” If we as parents say we must push our children to be first, they could very well end up finding themselves last. But if we allow them to come in the moments of God, and they decide that they want to put God first, then He has the power, He has the authority to transfer into their lives moments with Him, glorious moments of encounters with Him that don’t just change this thing of whether I should go here or go there or go to this place or that place. But their encounter establishes them on a foundation of truth in the moments of God that when they enter into wherever God chooses to show them that they must flow in the future of their life, He is always with them every moment and never will they be wanting ones to push themselves into the first place. They will always take the last place and God will put them in the first place. Hallelujah.
This is not a moment where we have to decide for ourselves – I think I’ll listen to this message a little bit, and I’ll take bits out of it that I like. I’m not sorry for you; this is a moment where God is talking to you like Peter. “You don’t let Me wash your feet, we have no fellowship here. We can’t be part of each other.” Am I preaching good this morning? You know, the way that the Rabbi’s teach tithing, Malachai 3:10; I will open up the windows of heaven. And I will pour out a blessing upon you, that there is not room enough to contain it – comes on the back of a whole lot of teaching on, your words have been against Me, you have stolen from Me, you have said about everybody that is wealthy, and that doesn’t tithe, “Look, they don’t tithe and they are wealthy, and they get away with all manner of evil.” And so God says, “Your words have been against Me, so therefore I’m against you. But now bring your tithing to My storehouse, and watch if I will open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessing upon you that you cannot contain.” That blessing is not just money. That blessing is all of your life. Does that conversation in Malachai sound like the conversations Peter had with Jesus? It’s like, so I’ve got to wash Your feet. You can’t wash my feet. You know? And what’s the point of this? How can this happen? And how can that and who’s going to be first and who’s… There is another passage of scripture which I’m not going to read today where there’s an argument going on between the disciples, and they’re having a conversation, “Who’s going to be the first and who’s going to be the greatest and who’s going to sit on Jesus’s right hand and who’s going to sit on His left hand.” Jesus answers, “It’s not about that. It’s about what we do and serve.”
You know, what the Rabbi’s, the way they interpret that scripture of opening up the windows of heaven and pouring out blessing that they cannot have room enough to contain it – it’s like if it starts to rain out here now – apparently there is rain predicted today – but if you went outside in the rain, and if the rain is not so cold, put on some clothing that can get wet and just go walk in the rain. Let it make you wet. But I’ll ask you to put on some tekkies with socks in them and just go walk in the rain and stand there for half an hour while it’s bucketing. Maybe it’s too cold today. Maybe you’ve got to wait until it’s a bit more summertime. See if you can handle it a little bit later. Right? Go walk in the rain. You can’t get out of the rain. When it’s raining on you, it’s raining. When it’s making you wet, you are wet. Right? And you get so wet that actually your clothes, nothing is dry on your clothes, and it’s just soaking your bones. Right? When it’s into your shoes and your socks you go; shloesh, shloesh, Right? I mean, it doesn’t matter whether you’re walking through puddles of it or you’re walking anywhere, you’re just wet. You don’t even want to take a towel to try and dry yourself down because there’s no point.
That’s what Jesus talks about when He says; I’ll open up the windows of heaven and pour out blessings upon you that there is not room enough to contain it. He says, “Go walk in the rain, child because it’s just going to keep raining and raining and raining upon you; My favour, My blessing, My riches, My wealth, My health, My divine connections, My favour, opportunities, things that just no one else can make happen just keep happening, keep happening, keep happening. It just keeps pouring upon you. And this has got nothing to do with how good you are, how much you’ve got to repent from, how bad you’ve been. You know me already, I preach on this. God’s grace is so great that it doesn’t matter what you even did yesterday. If you just say, “Sorry, Lord,” carry on and let it keep on raining. Because it’s about the condition of your heart – I want Him, I want to be in Him, I want to be with Him, I want to be there. I can’t be perfect. I’ve got scripture that says you can’t save yourself. But with God, it’s possible. With God, it’s possible. Hallelujah.
I want to sing that song now, please. Hallelujah. Won’t you all stand with me, please? This is a moment. Right now this is a moment that you’re having with God. God orchestrated this for me to happen this day. I’ll tell you, from early this morning I already was speaking with Pastor Sharon and I was fussing because I wanted Brynn to come and bring me through and then I didn’t want him because I needed to have time alone in the car. I wanted to come here, I wanted to be in His presence because I sensed from early this morning that the message that God had placed in my heart was significant. God was going to use this in a mighty way. God is here. God is here. God is here. This is a moment right now, the power of the Word of God, the power that’s in His Word, has made it so that the words have touched your heart. The words of God have touched your heart. This is a moment where you need to be in a place where you can just touch God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus.
This is in my heart. This is in my heart that as the song sings you may feel that – I know this is not Covid, whatever, whatever – you may feel you want to kneel by your chair, you may feel like to do this, don’t take up too much space, just be observant. I don’t want to really upset anybody because of what we’re doing. This is a holy moment before God and I feel like as the song is played, in your heart I want you to sing along and make this moment with God. This is the day, church, this is the day. The anointing of God has been all over me since… to the point that, you know, I said to the Lord as I was coming in the car, as I was worshipping Him to our music, that Garth has, the worship team has made, I started to weep in the car. You can’t do that too much otherwise you can’t drive. But I felt the call of God, the cry of God. This is a moment that He is establishing for us as a ministry. It’s time to choose. It’s time to choose, let God wash your feet today. If He doesn’t wash your feet today you can’t have a part of Him, you can’t have a part of what God wants. This is your day.
Let’s play that song. If you want to you can come and kneel on the front here. You can kneel where you are. We’re just going to take a few moments to have your own encounter with God. Please.
[I Enter Boldly plays]
The Lord wants me to do this, this morning; I want to be clear that this is not about your future decisions. This is about a walk for God. So, there are some things that God wants me to do and I’m doing this here because I’m being honourable and respectful. I’m putting stuff on my hands [Pastor John sanitises his hands] and I’m going to put this on my face [Pastor John puts on his mask]. Praise the Lord. I’m just going to be obedient to God, what God told me to do today. Okay, and if you want to be part of this, you can but God has told me to start this this way. You’re ready for this, church? Come, Luke. If your brothers want to join you, they can. Come, Daniela. Come stand here. Hallelujah. I need you to stand in front of me. I’m going to take your hands. Luke, this is a moment God is speaking, speaking to your heart. It’s time to choose. Ja, are you ready for it? This is the day you can look back for the rest of your life, you can look back at this day and say this day I chose Jesus. Doesn’t matter what you do, doesn’t matter where you go – this day I chose Jesus.
This is cool, hey. How about you? Today you want to choose Jesus? You choose Him? You know what the Lord said to me? He said, “Let big boet come first.” He did because there’s an anointing that’s come on big brother in this season of his life. You guys need to be watching. How about you? You choose Jesus? I pray that He will give you wisdom and understanding as you go through the rest of your school time together. You still got school years ahead and all the things I talked about; the politics and ID stuff and all that, you know. Strength and that He helps you. Yes, because of this choice you made today. Hallelujah. What about you, Daniela? You choose Jesus today? You want to follow Him with all your heart? Yes? This is a day you’re going to look back on where you can say; this is the day I chose. Know that it’s in your heart already. But this is a day that God has orchestrated me to do it this way. Hallelujah. Stand here with me, just keep standing. Who else wants to come? God told me to call them by name but there are others here that should come.
Come, Mia, you should come. Who else? Any other young people, I’m calling the young people, especially the young people this morning. Hallelujah. This is a day Mia, that you’re choosing Jesus. I know it’s in your heart. But the Lord told me to do this that I must make this a day that you can look at and you can remember, you can say; this day, on this Sunday of October, I chose to put Jesus first place. Hallelujah. Do you make Him first place? Are you here because you’re choosing Jesus?
You know what happens when you choose Jesus yourself? You’re saying all of you, I choose to be last so that He can make me first. Not; I choose to be first and then I become last – this is a big, big moment in your life. You choose? You choose? You choose? The rest are here too, the little one too small to come. Hallelujah. I’m just going to pray for all of you. You choose? Yes? Hallelujah. We choose Jesus today. We choose Jesus today. Amen. Hallelujah. What about you? You choose Jesus today? You’re about to start your life and there’s a lot of things God wants to do in you and through you and for you. I know that your mother has done an awesome job in bringing you to this place. And I feel like I have to say, the Apostle Paul was talking about Timothy and he says; because of your mother’s faith because of the things that she taught you, you stand here before me today. Hallelujah. And you choose Him. You choose whatever He’s got for you. Hallelujah.
You’re the young one, hey? You’re here for yourself too because you know in your heart that God’s calling you. Yes, you choose Jesus today for your future, for everything? Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Praise Jesus. Y’all can go sit down. Yes. Hold on, hold on. Pastor Lynn wants to say… The what? Adult children? Children that are grown up that are not in church, you want to represent the adult grown-up children? Yes. Thank you, Jesus, that all of the adult children that have not made a decision to follow Jesus, wherever they may be in the world., Pastor Lynn stands as an intercessor today. We ask You, Father, to encounter them. Send angels to sit on the edge of their bed, send angels to meet them in a subway somewhere, somewhere where they will know they’ve encountered Jesus, the Most High God. Bring them into that space of encountering You, Father, in Jesus’ name. In Jesus’ name. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You can go and sit down. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord.
I’m going to close this meeting now. My job is done. But I want to say to the adults and the parents here; God had me spring the children because He’s taking the children. I want to just make the statement so that you know, I am the pastor of the children, even though you may be parents on the children. There’s a big difference; if they’re in this church, I am their spiritual shepherd, their leader. So the Lord has instructed me to do this today. He is saying; I will take the children. Hallelujah.
I wanted to talk so much about Danie, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, where the system of the world wanted to just control them, use all their talent, use all of their strength and use all of their smarts. And all they did was they made a simple choice that related to food and then they had favour. It ultimately ended up actually causing God to be so demonstrated that they actually began to put aside time to make praise and glory to God, the only living God because of the stand the children took not because of the stand of their parents. Hallelujah.
So that’s why my message this morning was; I will take the children, but there’ll be surprising results, you know, surprising things in the way that He does it. But to you, adults, and parents, this is the day – and I thank you Holy Spirit, You reminded me. I really must let you go, but I had an encounter with God when I was 32 years old. I was earning a lot of money in the corporate world, a lot of money. I was a senior executive, had a lot of influence. One could say that I had already made my mark in the computer business to such an extent that, you know, the next move would have… I mean, I didn’t have to do anything more to prove myself to actually get anywhere more. You understand what I’m saying? I was already at such a senior point that it was just a matter of, I could choose the next move that I wanted to make. Are you with me? But God chose my move and He said, “I called you from the foundation of the earth and so I’m telling you, your time in the corporate world is over. It’s time to come follow me, son. Since I’ve called you from the foundation of the earth. It’s time to come follow Me.” So I said, “I’m really, Lord.” So then, you know the story, Pastor Sharon and I, we’ve got to serve Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and Creflo Dollar and Jerry Savelle and Jesse Duplantis. We were taking care of them for 10 days while they were in South Africa. When I’m in there, the Lord says, “You are connected to Jerry Savelle.” I couldn’t wait a week to make up my mind. When the Lord put that in me and He said, “Now’s the time,” I couldn’t wait a week. If I had waited a week I would have missed God. But the very next morning, I couldn’t sleep that night, the next morning I went in front of Brother Jerry and I said, “Brother Jerry, I believe that our lives are connected.” The rest is history; 24 years later we are still connected. By the way, he wants to talk to all of you on satellite but that’s a different story. We’ll get to that another day. We spoke about it this week. Hallelujah. Praise Jesus.
Today is a day – I don’t care what you do with today, but today is a whole day. There are 24 hours in this day. But if you go into the afternoon and you do keep doing things and you forget about what’s happened now, you may never come back to this moment. I’m saying use the moment. Say, “I’m here, Lord. I’m making a choice for You.” Hallelujah.
I don’t want to offend anybody because I don’t know you, young man. Would it be okay – mom and dad I assume – your parents? Would it be okay if I pray for him, sir? Are they your friends? What’s your name? Marco? What do you say about Jesus, Marco? You love Him? That’s cool, hey. You want to make a choice for Jesus today? Come stand here in front of me. Hallelujah. Give me your hands. Father, I pray that this day is a day that Marco will understand that this day is a defining moment in his life; this day. Hallelujah. This is a daily that changes everything for him. This is a day that every moment of his life is directed by You. Hallelujah. Praise You, Jesus. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. And so, Father, these footsteps and these footpaths that You’ve ordained for His life, that you won’t permit me to speak out right now, but merely just to bless him in it. I pray that they all come to pass because of this decision today. In Jesus’ name, Jesus’ name. Amen. Can I hug you? Cool. [Ps John hugs him, and his Dad shouts whoohoo] I think you have a happy dad, Marco. [Laughs] Praise Jesus. Praise Jesus. Hallelujah. Glory to God. God has established a moment of reverence and order and spiritual life here you can take away with you for the rest of your life. Hallelujah.
Please, stand with me. Please, put your hand on your shoulder, on your heart. I’m a son of God. And I thank You, Lord, that all of my past doesn’t stop me from my great future. I walk into my future, with boldness, with confidence, with joy, in Jesus’ name. Hallelujah. Praise You, Lord. Father, I pray that your people are blessed that You direct them and guide them. No weapon formed against them will prosper, that You prevent them from all sickness and disease, that You watch over them and that all the things that You have planned for their lives come to pass, in Jesus’ name. Thank You, Lord. Amen. God bless y’all. Thank you for coming.
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