1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Hello and welcome to Logan City Christian Church Podcast. Today we have an impactful 2 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:28,320 teaching by Dr. Reginald Klimanok. Dr. Klimanok's preaching has touched the lives of many, inspiring 3 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:34,080 and challenging audiences with his deep insights into the Bible and Christian theology. Join 4 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:40,620 us as we delve deep into his powerful messages uncovering timeless truth and practical wisdom 5 00:00:40,620 --> 00:00:46,380 that can transform our lives today. Get ready to be inspired, encouraged and equipped as 6 00:00:46,380 --> 00:00:50,920 we journey through the rich tapestry of Dr. Klimanok's preaching. 7 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:59,360 Welcome. Thank you. We're going to come to the Word of God now. I want to give about 8 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:07,480 a dozen titles to this message. One could be What is God Doing with Me? The Elijah 9 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:17,280 Anointing. How God Prepares a Man of God, a Woman, to Take a City or a Nation for God. 10 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:23,600 I'm talking about Elijah this morning. Tonight, as I said, you'll be talking about the coming 11 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:31,160 of Jesus Christ. We're very close to it, closer than we think, very near to the return of 12 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,280 Christ. I know the Church always lived in that light of His coming. But we learned the 13 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:41,680 other day, last week, that we are closer now. We should know something of the times and 14 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:48,760 the seasons. And we're in the midst of seasons that are very close to the coming of Jesus. 15 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:54,240 And I want to be ready. Can everybody say amen in the name of Jesus. 16 00:01:54,240 --> 00:02:04,440 Here we have in 1 Kings Chapter 16 one of the worst conditions that prevailed in Israel. 17 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:13,400 It was a time when King Ahab took the kingdom and became king over the nation. He was Ahab, 18 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:20,720 the son of Omri, verse 29, that reigned for 22 years. He did even the sight of the Lord 19 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:29,480 worse than any of the kings that were before him. He married a woman called Jezebel. She 20 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:37,680 was the daughter of Ephbael, who was king of the Zidonians, or Sidon, as we would say 21 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:46,960 today, where a lot of the worship of Baal originated. And she was able to affect the 22 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:55,040 whole of the nation to the worship of Baal. It's verse 31 tells us that. And Ahab made 23 00:02:55,040 --> 00:03:02,480 the grove and so on provoked the Lord in verse 33 to anger and so on. And chapter 17 verse 24 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:08,040 one, it says, and Elijah the Pishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead said unto 25 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:13,640 Ahab, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be no June or rain 26 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:19,240 these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came on him saying, get 27 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:26,440 thee hence. He had the results of his own prophecy affecting his own situation. To get 28 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:31,160 thee hence, it says, turn eastward and hide thyself by the book of Cherub. That is before 29 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:36,440 Jordan. Thou should drink of the book and I've commanded the ravens to feed you there. 30 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:41,560 So he went and did according to the Lord, verse five, chapter 17 of first Kings and 31 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:46,240 went and dwelt by the book of Cherub. It's before Jordan. And the ravens brought him 32 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,160 bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening drank of the book. And 33 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:54,960 he came to pass after a while, but the book dried because of the drought over Israel. 34 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,920 There'd been no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came on him saying, get thee 35 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:06,640 to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell therefor. I've commanded a widow to 36 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:13,360 sustain thee. So he rose and came to Zarephath and he came to the gate of the city. And behold, 37 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:17,960 the woman was there gathering sticks. And he called her and said, fetch me, I'll put 38 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,680 a little water in the vessel and I may drink. She was going to fetch it, he called and said, 39 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:27,160 bring me, I'll pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. And she said, Lord, I've got 40 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:32,160 liver there. I have not a cake, but a handful of meal and a barrel. And all the crew, as 41 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:38,040 behold, I'm gathering two sticks that I may go and dress it for my son and we may eat 42 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:47,520 and die. And Elijah said unto her, fear not, go and do as thou hast, but make me thereof 43 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:54,440 a little cake first and bring it unto me now for thee and thy sons. For thus said the Lord, 44 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:59,160 the barrel of meal shall not waste me in the course of oil until the day that the Lord 45 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:04,640 sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and 46 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:10,560 she did he. And he in the house did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, and 47 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,640 neither did the crews of oil fail according to the word of the Lord, which is spake by 48 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:18,960 Elijah. And it came to pass these days that the son of the woman, the mistress of the 49 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:24,840 house, fell sick. There was no breath, he died actually. And again, unusual circumstances 50 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:33,560 and God brought him back to life. A godless condition in Israel. They were worshiping 51 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:41,880 the wallach, sacrificing the children to idols under the god, under the bay of worship. 52 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:51,440 But like today, no values upon abortion, upon babies born. And God chooses a man, Elijah, 53 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:58,680 to break through the condition of that day, to destroy the darkness that prevailed until 54 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:07,880 he stood upon Mount Carmel and had an amazing victory. Few people had the anointing that 55 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:15,960 Elijah had. The Bible speaks of the fact that in the last days, Elijah, the spirit of Elijah 56 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:23,760 will come back. John the Baptist, we know it speaks in Matthew, came in that spirit, 57 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:32,160 came in that person. Jesus said that. And yet there's more to come. More of Elijah's 58 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:38,720 anointing or presence or whatever will be with us. Something of that awesome power of 59 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:47,760 that day will be present in the last day. How is that anointing developed? In moments 60 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:57,640 of explosive power, yes and no. Moments of mighty baptism, yes and no. Wonderful prophetic 61 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:03,640 voice, so encouraging to receive something from God. But there are other issues that 62 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:10,760 are often even more significant in the preparation of a person, a man and a woman of God, to 63 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:18,360 become what God wants them to become. Indeed, I am not here just to have a meeting every 64 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:24,960 Sunday with people that are hungry for God and I appreciate that and I will do that. 65 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:31,160 But my ultimate purpose is to prepare you. They say it takes some time, but to prepare 66 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:37,280 you for something effective for God, can you say amen? To let the Lord do something special 67 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:44,960 in your life. And when you read the mighty men of God of old, God always took them through 68 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:53,880 experiences of preparation until they reached the place of divine effectiveness. I think 69 00:07:53,880 --> 00:08:00,040 of John G. Lake, what he went through. I love that man. I've read his books. I've read his 70 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,280 life story. I've read everything that was written about him and what the messages he 71 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:15,480 preached. But he went through horrendous times. When he was in Africa, he was attacked financially 72 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:22,440 and he would not ask for any money. His wife died of malnutrition. He was away and yet 73 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:27,840 he went back to Spokane and built that powerful healing ministry that touched the world for 74 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:35,840 Jesus Christ. Finney, Charles Finney, didn't have it always easy. Many cities he was vilified, 75 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:42,240 attacked, humiliated. He couldn't at times, how do you enter a city? If you read about 76 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:46,720 it, I was up there in New York preaching. I went to that place, that factory where he 77 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:54,840 went to, had that unusual move of God. And yet these men did not have it easy to do the 78 00:08:54,840 --> 00:09:03,320 work of the Lord. In our charismatic frame of mind, we want everything just nice as pie 79 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:11,720 and we will not cry and we will get to heaven one day. But the ways of God are always like 80 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:17,400 this. Even Benny Hinn, I have an interesting story I may have told you before, I don't 81 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:21,520 know. But he joined a certain major movement. He wanted to be part of it. A friend of mine 82 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:26,680 who was at that stage very close to him, was like second in command of him, spent many 83 00:09:26,680 --> 00:09:30,920 hours with me talking about some of these events. So I'm not just, it's not second 84 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:36,720 hand, although some are heard on television. But he went to that movement and they lectured 85 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:43,360 him how he should behave behind the platform. Because Benny Hinn is unusual, so was Elijah 86 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:49,400 and other men. I would not like to tell them what to do. It's not my job, but anyway, 87 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:56,720 he was very irritated by it all. He came out of the room and two young men met him as he 88 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:02,360 was coming out of this place and they said, pray for us. He didn't want to pray for them. 89 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:07,240 He just put his hand on them. He wasn't in the mood for prayer. But they grabbed him 90 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:14,320 and pulled him into the room. One was Triplet, and the other was brother, Lauren Triplet's 91 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:21,080 son actually. And the other one was Steve Hill. He went to the room and prayed for them 92 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:29,520 to regain the power of God, fell within three weeks. Steve Hill started the Pensacola revival. 93 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:37,520 And yet, and then later on, because of his public image, they asked him to resign. And 94 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:42,880 my friend said he went into the bathroom in his home because he was there at that time, 95 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:48,080 and he shone and wept like a baby. Then we go through things at times we don't understand. 96 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:56,840 Hello church, all of us, all of us, whoever we are. And here is the story of a man who 97 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:03,960 went through unusual experiences to get to the place where finally he stood before Mount 98 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:12,760 Carmel and was able to take a nation powerfully for God. I told you Elijah characterized the 99 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:20,720 anointing Jesus likewise. And we are, I remember years ago when I was pastor in Mount Covet, 100 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:25,960 years ago, a couple came into my office, young people, 22 years of age, they were actually 101 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:32,200 related to somebody who was in the church. Beautiful couple, attractive, both graduate 102 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:38,800 from university. I've never forgotten this experience. Brilliant young people. And they 103 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:43,800 were serving a Baptist church in Ipswich, I think at that time. They started to live 104 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:53,440 by faith and they got a support of $10 a week. Those days it wasn't as bad as now, but they 105 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:59,400 decided to live like that. And they're seeing the hand of God working wonderfully for them. 106 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:05,240 And suddenly the scene changed. The baby was born in their home. It brought nervous tension 107 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:10,680 because the baby couldn't sleep properly. The mother couldn't sleep. Financial problems 108 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:17,520 multiplied. Trying to live on 10 days, $10 a week. They began to live on papaya, paw 109 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:26,280 paw in this country. And, and they came to me in distress and they said, does this life 110 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:34,960 of faith work? We gave more and we got less. How does this work? I looked upon my own life 111 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:40,040 and remembered some of the incidents of my own experiences. When God called me to England 112 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:45,640 years ago, I remember this so clearly. He said, I would go and then a man came to me, 113 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:51,320 had a vision to pay our fare. You have to get a vision to pay our fare or whatever it 114 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:56,320 was. And he said, God told him to pay our fare. And he did. And we arrived in London 115 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:03,880 and I had spoken to 51 Newton road, the sentence of God. And so before that, I mean, I've spoken, 116 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:11,280 but those days you didn't speak, you wrote letters and I wrote them and so on. And I 117 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:17,560 remember arriving and going there to this office and they said, we have little for you. 118 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:22,480 Very little that was with me because you sound like a Russian that thought a Russian was 119 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:29,160 coming here. And I remember so clearly walking along the Thames as a young man saying, God, 120 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:34,320 what am I doing here? I was walking by faith. I was walking with total trust in God. What 121 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:41,880 is happening, Lord? Did you call us? Have you forgotten us? And I remember we, we, we 122 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:49,280 went to a meeting in East Croydon and somebody gave us a prophecy there that like Elijah 123 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:56,880 was fed by the Ravens, you'll be fed. That was a slightly encouraging, I was waiting 124 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:03,160 for the birth to come. Now, and then I was going to a meeting in WCA at Richard's home, 125 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:08,120 Richard's church. Those days, he had about 350, which was a large church in London in 126 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:13,360 Slough, England in London south out of, out of London. Wends United. And he said, there's 127 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,280 a father here from Australia, brother, come up and share your testimony. Say what God 128 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:22,880 wants. And I did and the power and presence of God came down. By midnight, he had run 129 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:29,080 through the greatest churches of England and opened doors for me supernaturally. Hallelujah. 130 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:34,000 And I was never without ministry yet for a whole year. And halfway through, I was preaching 131 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,720 for Nelson power, the largest church in England, but a thousand members. And I remember we, 132 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:44,560 when we came back from the train, I arrived there. He took me to a restaurant and those 133 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:50,200 days we'd never been to restaurants. It was a life different to these days. I remember 134 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:54,040 these was also nice. And I'm seeing, I still remember this thing. Well, this is marvelous, 135 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:59,640 you know, and we had this Easter convention there. Now I was speaking at the convention 136 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:06,840 speaker because Richard opened the door. And I remember that he said to me, brother, he 137 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:12,120 said, Nelson, do you want to go to Europe? No door had opened. He said, yes, I believe 138 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:18,920 God's calling me there. He said, go for me. I can't go. Take my place. So this great English 139 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:24,960 of that preacher gave me his position and God opened it. I took, I was in Willard Cantillon's 140 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:30,680 tent, which was the great evangelist of the world doing these great crusades in Europe. 141 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,800 Hallelujah. Amen. And then I knew God had called me to the world Pentecostal conference 142 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:41,000 step by step. Amen. No money. Just that Beth was working in London all the time, try to 143 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:47,120 help us put this together. And God knows what he's doing. Can you say, amen? The week that 144 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:55,240 when we were, when somebody came in a meeting gave me a hundred pounds, which was about 145 00:15:55,240 --> 00:16:07,280 these days, $2,000. Well, a birth on a ship from there to Australia cost about what? $170 146 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:14,240 or something. Yeah. You remember that. It wasn't much. It was unusual. So for me to 147 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:20,040 get a hundred pounds was a lot of money. And I was so excited and I called Beth because 148 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,000 at that stage I said, we'd go on to America and if we'd gone to America, we'd have never 149 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,800 come to this country back again. You always would have opened the door of America and 150 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,400 you must, you've got a message from God. You must go to America. And I called her and she 151 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:38,360 said, how did you know? I said, what? So we just had an invitation from a church in Australia. 152 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:46,400 I was a little church to come back. We knew God at work. Come on church. The moment money 153 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:53,160 came, the moment provision came. Hallelujah. So God knows what he's doing. I was able to 154 00:16:53,160 --> 00:17:01,400 assure them that God cannot fail and will not fail. It is impossible for God to fail. 155 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:06,240 If you want to be a real man, a woman of God, you've got to go through something. Come on 156 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:11,640 church. If you want to be anointed, you've got to develop this place of faith. Look at 157 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:17,080 the mighty men of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. See the gallery of men of faith, what 158 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:23,640 they went through. You know, we sort of have a different interpretation, but see what they 159 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:29,520 went through to become the mighty men of God that moved nations for God, that stood against 160 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:36,640 lions that did great things for God. Open the pages of history and you will see that 161 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:42,320 they had a love reading church history, a love reading the story of mighty men of God 162 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:50,600 because you see that God cannot fail and will not fail. Come on church. They took the cross 163 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:59,440 from Notre Dame in Paris that same day. William Carey was sailing up the river. Calcutta, 164 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:07,880 to begin his missionary enterprise. Hallelujah. God cannot fail, but to succeed, to triumph, 165 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:14,280 there are things you have. There's a process that you go through for God to make your mighty 166 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:21,760 powerful man and woman of God. You know, in America, it's only about out of 60, they say 167 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:30,040 about four or five men or women ministers that ever make it to retirement. In other words, 168 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:38,240 out of 60, five or six make it to the end. And the cha, and the car yachts are filled 169 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:47,840 with ex-preachers doing other work than ministering the gospel. You see, there's a price to pay. 170 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:55,120 It's not all easy. Like Charles Hatton's, if you get out of the ministry, get out of 171 00:18:55,120 --> 00:19:02,800 the ministry if you can, because there's a price to pay. Not all easy. Come on church. 172 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:09,680 And I want to view this in the life of Elijah. I want you to see how God developed a man 173 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:18,640 to make him a powerful, mighty servant of God. Because supernatural development is progressive. 174 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:25,920 By a process that God changes the human spirit, that God fashions the soul and makes it powerful 175 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:32,720 for his glory, for his praise, for his honor. There's a process that makes us. The first 176 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:41,080 thing that God said to Elijah was, go and hide thyself at the book Cherith. Cherith 177 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:53,200 means trench. Bury yourself from the world. Never easy. Submerge yourself in Jesus Christ. 178 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:58,400 Remember when I arrived here and I did this throughout Australia, I was very strong on 179 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:04,680 the death of the self-life. Because the Bible is filled with scripture in the New Testament, 180 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:11,800 we must die daily. We must give ourselves to God totally. And I used to say as I preached 181 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:18,080 this in Romans 8.13, it says, if we by the spirit mortify the deeds of the body, we shall 182 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:23,680 live. And I used to say there's two ways you can die. Either by the Holy Ghost and by experiences. 183 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:29,400 Which do you want? Everybody said the Holy Ghost. And then one day God reminded me, you're 184 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:36,800 wrong, Rich, because that's not the only way that God led people. You possibly pull one 185 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:43,160 of the mightiest men of God that lived in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 as he talks about 186 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:48,400 this death of self. For example, in verse 10, always being about the body, the dying 187 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:54,120 of the world of Jesus. But the life, remember I said it's never for death, but for what? 188 00:20:54,120 --> 00:20:58,080 Life. Never for destruction, but for resurrection. Come on, Church. I thought my message was 189 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:03,800 always there. I always live unto death. But prior to this, notice there in 1st Corinthians 190 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,120 chapter 4, I'm a Bible man, you have to open your Bible. It says we're troubled, we're 191 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:14,000 distressed, we're perplexed, we're in despair, we're persecuted, hallelujah, but forsaken, 192 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:20,720 cast down, but not destroyed. In the 1st chapter, he talks about a very similar thing in chapter 193 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:28,320 1, and he says, we have this sentence of death, rather than we have to be ignorant, our troubles 194 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:32,800 came to us in Asia, we were oppressed above measure, above strength, and we despaired 195 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:37,680 even of life. We have the sentence of death, and I said that we should not trust in ourselves, 196 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:44,440 but in God which raises, raises the dead. Pour in through things. If we're going to 197 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:51,640 be mighty women of God, are we ready? Are we willing to pay the price? Or do we melt 198 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:57,520 at the vine when something goes wrong? Oh, God, this is not the point. How strong are 199 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:06,440 we to sustain the experiences of life? Not to give up, but to stand firm with God, to 200 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:12,800 keep believing Him, to expect God's presence and miracle power and victories, no matter 201 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:18,880 what we go through. Overcome us means you have to go through something. The promise, 202 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:24,520 the reward is for whom? Overcome us. To overcome, there's something you've got to fight through 203 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:31,000 and fight over to become what God says you can become. Come on, Church. It's not all 204 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:37,480 easy. There's a battle to be fought. If he talks about the spirit of faith in Chapter 205 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:44,320 4 of Corinthians here, he talks about the resurrection pound that he says in verse 17, 206 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:52,600 for our light affliction. He quoted what? Do you quote it that? For our light affliction, 207 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:59,240 I'm preparing this message, and yesterday, Beth has a terrible accident in the car. 208 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:07,480 The Merc is gone for a moment. Come on, Church. And you know, what do we do? Do we go under? 209 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:15,080 Or do we go on? Come on, Church. You can't go under for what? Going over. It's hard for 210 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:30,720 a while. It's painful. The next moment, bang. Not easy. It's tough. But when the going gets 211 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:38,280 tough, sure as says what? The tough get gone. I like that little statement he makes. Sometimes 212 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:45,280 you've got to be isolated totally from the Word of God. Most men in life have had deep 213 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:51,320 trenches. Paul even had a messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be exalted. 214 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:58,200 If you lose everything in the common realm, you'll gain everything in the spiritual realm. 215 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:05,040 Some of the last words of Catherine Kuhlman were these, not some of self and some of thee, 216 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:14,160 but none of self and who of thee. I am convinced that God will continually take us to task 217 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:24,640 to put us in the trench. We may die to self and become what God wants us to become. God 218 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:29,280 wants us to be holy. Can somebody agree with me? God wants us. Paul often lived in the 219 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:36,560 light of the cross. There are strongholds that may still have to be broken in your life. 220 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:41,840 Things that don't reflect. Oh, give me a message of faith. Wait a minute. I want to prepare 221 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:48,800 you for Christ's coming. Can somebody say amen? God be ready for him. Refined by God 222 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:56,080 for his divine purpose. Hallelujah. To the glory of his name. We always understand like 223 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:06,120 when Dr. Cho's son died, you know the story. He got home from an afternoon meeting in Korea 224 00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:13,280 and he started praying for him. He had eaten some food, whatever it was, kimchi or something 225 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:22,280 that they eat over there. He was poisoned. All the other boys, about 18, had all died. 226 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:27,960 Now I see Cho's son lying there and he starts praying. He prays for one hour. It's as dead 227 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:33,800 as anything in that room. Nothing happens. He prays for two hours. It's as dead as anything. 228 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:40,760 Nothing happens. He prays for three hours. It's as dead as anything. And finally he starts 229 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:47,880 confessing all of his sins. He just pours out his heart. That's why Cho these days, 230 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:53,080 you heard him, the past prayer message he preached there at the Gold Coast. He spends 231 00:25:53,080 --> 00:26:00,000 at least three hours an hour every day cleansing himself. He prays about three hours a day. 232 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:06,160 And after about cleansing himself, suddenly he feels divine authority. He commands the 233 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:13,280 life of God to enter the body of his son. And suddenly the son sits up and says, Hello 234 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:20,560 Dad, say hello to Jesus. Cho said, I didn't see Jesus. I just said, Hello Jesus. And he 235 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:28,320 was raised from the dead. But their experiences and he learned the power of cleansing, the 236 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:35,760 refining fire is the power of holiness in the presence of God. The second thing we learned 237 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:43,200 about Elijah was he learned the great power of intercession. In James chapter five, the 238 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:49,040 Bible is very clear. It doesn't tell us so much. He says he stands in God's presence. 239 00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:54,720 But when it talks about the prayer life of our life before God, praying for the sick, 240 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,360 he sent this message throughout the whole of Asia. It wasn't just for one church, for 241 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:05,520 all churches. He tells us how Elijah prayed. He prayed before that it might not rain. He 242 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:14,480 prayed afterward and prevailed in prayer. I believe we must learn today the power of intercession. 243 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:21,520 I choose my words. We must believe in prayer. We must believe in intercession. Like Ray 244 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:28,600 Oakland said, you keep clawing and scratching for the quiet hour all your life. It's the 245 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:37,480 toughest thing that I know. One day in quiet of Lidlson, Sweden years ago on a survey that 246 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:43,560 nobody knew who they were, how much did they pray? It was just minutes every day, minutes 247 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:49,240 every day. Because the key to our life is our prayer life. Can you say amen? You can 248 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:54,640 change the mind of God. You can move the heart of God by prayer. Can you say amen? Remember 249 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:00,000 I told you before, I think maybe not. I'll repeat something to you. I was preaching in 250 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:05,120 Chesterfield Convention when I was over there in England. I was staying in this very old 251 00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:11,640 ladies home, beautiful gray hair. In those days you never went to hotels. You just went 252 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:17,280 to homes. When I woke in the morning and went for breakfast, she said, you slept in the 253 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:22,560 bed that Stephen Jeffries slept when he had the great crusades here years ago. This man 254 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:30,640 that opened blind eyes and saw creative miracles as no one has seen in England. And she said 255 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:35,880 to me this, there was not a night when I went to make his bed that the pillow was not wet 256 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:42,800 with the tears he'd wept all night for the souls of men. There's a price to pay. There's 257 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:50,880 a price to become what God wants you to become. Can you say amen? All the mighty men of God 258 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:56,480 had this power of intercession, learned it somewhere. Moses learned it and moved nations 259 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:06,320 for God and he succeeded on behalf of Abraham. Abraham affected Sodom and Gomorrah, learned 260 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:13,400 to pray. Job finally learned to intercede for his so-called friends. David, when you 261 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:20,040 read the Psalms, his whole life was a life of intercession. Daniel was greatly beloved 262 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:25,800 of God. Three times a day he went to prayer. I don't have time to go into something I want 263 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:30,640 to go into, but the first thing I want to say is he also learned that God was a God 264 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:39,680 of order and discipline. Like clockwork, those ravens came to feed him. Ravens are unclean 265 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:45,960 birds, very selfish birds. They don't give you anything. You've been in a picnic and 266 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:51,880 no one around you. Has anybody ever lost any food because of some of the... Yeah, they 267 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:57,880 come, they swoop down to take that food away. But here they come with bread and meat every 268 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:05,280 day. Amazing things like clockwork. Because God is the God of order and discipline. Can 269 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:14,520 somebody agree with me? Things happen with God in order. For example, the day of Pentecost 270 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:21,360 was at the right place Israel. The whole way Israel was set out in tents. They didn't put 271 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:28,280 the tent anywhere because everything was in perfect, perfect order where they were. The 272 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:34,960 sacrifices were exact. The feasts were exact. God, when the apostles went out, went to the 273 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:41,600 tent, but at the hour of what? Prayer and seemed to keep. Daniel prayed three times 274 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:47,440 a day at special times when an Israeli would pray, a Jew would pray. I'll tell you the 275 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:53,720 life of a man that greatly inspired me. His name was John Wesley. He believed he would 276 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:59,200 someday stand before God and give an account of his life. So he decided to record in 15 277 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:07,000 minutes increments exactly what he did every day of his life. Wow. From his extensive, 278 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:13,200 accurate journal, we have compiled the following facts. He prayed for 60 years. He rose no 279 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:21,720 earlier than 4 a.m. to pray. No later rather than 4 a.m. Often he rose at 3 a.m. to pray. 280 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:32,720 He fasted two or three days a week. He traveled 250,000 miles on horseback. He preached 42,000 281 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:39,600 messages, sermons, five times a day. For 50 years he preached each morning at 5 a.m. to 282 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:45,760 common laborers on the way to work. He often preached to open air crowds of 10 to 20,000 283 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:52,400 without these lovely things we have these days. At the age of 70, thank God he was still 284 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:59,200 gone, there's hope for me, he preached to the crowd of 30,000 without any public address. 285 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:06,000 He preached to common poor laborers. He studied, he knew 10 languages. He was a university 286 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:13,720 scholar. He constantly read when he was driving on horseback from town to town. He knew classical 287 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:21,500 and Christian authors by heart. He was a renowned theologian, logician, linguistic and scholar. 288 00:32:21,500 --> 00:32:31,760 He wrote over 400 books including a whole medical textbook called The Primitive Physique 289 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:38,120 that went through 20 editions plus an English dictionary, countless pamphlets, letters, 290 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:45,480 sermons, tracts and so on. He cared tirelessly for prison reform, for mental hospital reform, 291 00:32:45,480 --> 00:32:52,320 for abolish slavery. I get tired of just reading this stuff. For orphans and orphanages and 292 00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:59,640 so on. He trained himself 550 preachers, was personally trained by John Wesley. He organized 293 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:05,360 and developed a discipline system that included accountability among believers, small groups 294 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:13,440 sharing caring, highly methodical training leadership. He went on his death to 153,000 295 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:22,920 Methodists that was big in those days. Then by 1850 there was 1.5 million Methodists and 296 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:28,000 there were very much a lot of supernatural powers present. He was to fall from trees. 297 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,080 I think it was the other woodcliff was the other preacher wasn't it? Woodcliff or wood 298 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:36,600 field. The preacher when he heard this he was very upset because people would sit in 299 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:44,680 trees and the power of God would hit them and they would come down. At the age of 85 300 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:53,760 he was ashamed that he was not able to preach more than twice a day. He had an increasing 301 00:33:53,760 --> 00:34:02,640 tendency to lie in until 5.30 in the morning. At the age of 88 the saint went to be with 302 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:12,000 Jesus. His last words were, there is no way to the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The 303 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:20,040 best is yet to come. Oh hallelujah. I am moved by men like that. I am moved by their devotion 304 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:28,280 to God. I have read many of these lives and I tell you we are on clover compared, we are 305 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:38,400 blessed with the easy life we have. Two more things I have tried. He learned that the unexpected 306 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:46,960 can become the perfect. A number of times it happened in his life that the unexpected 307 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:58,240 became the perfect. He the raven, the unexpected became the perfect. Then the widow of Zarathustra 308 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:04,200 became the perfect. Why did he get a rich millionaire to look after him? The unexpected 309 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:14,000 became the perfect. Even when he was running away from Jezebel and felt he wanted to die, 310 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:21,320 he was finished. The unexpected became the perfect. I want to take you for a few minutes 311 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:30,720 in the life of another woman of God in the Bible who so wonderfully typifies this where 312 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:39,360 the unexpected becomes the perfect. Her name is Ruth. A whole book is written about Ruth. 313 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:48,600 Ruth was not a Jewess. She was a Moabite. She was from a nation that Israel despised 314 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:58,960 and especially there were so tight those days that you could not get in. It was totally 315 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:06,240 impossible to mingle the Jews with others because God wanted a pure nation and they 316 00:36:06,240 --> 00:36:19,800 took it to extreme. Ruth married a Jew, an Israeli Jew. Her mother-in-law's name was 317 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:27,480 Naomi and they are living outside of Israel. They are both married and both of the husbands 318 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:35,960 died. Remember then you have these amazing words that Ruth says because Naomi says, ìI'm 319 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:44,400 going back home to my people.î Ruth said, ìWhether you go, I will go. Your people shall 320 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:52,040 be my people. Your God shall be my God.î Wonderful words. I have used them in marriage 321 00:36:52,040 --> 00:37:04,200 very often. But then she is home. She is really in a mess because they are widows and widows 322 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:09,360 didn't have any pension those days, didn't have any real provisions for what they were 323 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:16,280 going through. But they had a plan in Israel to look after them. That was that when they 324 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:23,960 would reap the harvest, the women, the certain girls that would bind them together would 325 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:32,040 leave stuff on the ground so that the widows, the orphans could come and pick up food so 326 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:38,120 that they would not die but live. It says, and I want you to turn to this if it is up 327 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:44,880 to you but I want to assure you there is wonderful scripture in Ruth. In Ruth chapter 2 and verse 328 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:52,360 3 it says, ìShe was gleaning in the fields then and she went and came and gleamed in 329 00:37:52,360 --> 00:38:00,080 the field after we were and her hapî that is an unusual word but ìhapp was to light 330 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:09,440 on the fields of Boazî or a better translation, ìit just happenedî. Are you with me? ìIt 331 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:19,640 just happened that she was gleaning in the fields ofî what? ìBoazî hallelujah. And 332 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:29,280 she was in a survival mode. She came to an area that was an unknown place. She was sparring 333 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:35,320 downwards. She was devoted to know her, to look after this but she was a widow herself. 334 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:44,560 She was a young woman. She had lost her husband. She had left her home, impoverished, frustrated, 335 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:52,000 confused, weeping forlorn. She was not particularly welcome in this place. She was a second class 336 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:59,840 citizen. What are you interested in a Moabite woman? Would she be accepted socially? She 337 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:05,200 was not part of them. She didnít belong to them. She was in a survival mode. Her faith 338 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:14,080 was in trial. Can God bless a woman like that? My answer is yes. Can God bless a second class 339 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:21,320 citizen? My answer is yes. When everything is stacked against you, can God still do something? 340 00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:28,560 My answer is yes. God can take you from nothing, from hopelessness and despair and do something 341 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:39,360 great for you. Come on church. He can suddenly come. It just happened. And in most cases, 342 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:51,760 these just happenings come out of tragedies. Here is Elijah going to the widow of...tell 343 00:39:51,760 --> 00:40:01,920 me who? Thank you. The widow of Zarech. I just want you to be listening. It just happened. 344 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:12,520 It just happened. God can do it. And when she touched that realm, the unexpected became 345 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:21,240 the perfect. Say with me, the unexpected can become the perfect. Say it again. The unexpected 346 00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:29,600 can become the perfect. Hallelujah. Come on church. You just didnít stumble into that. 347 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:35,840 God was there. Suddenly a job opened that you thought would never open. Suddenly the 348 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:40,920 healing power of Christ came. I am reminded in all the scriptures, the steps of a good 349 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:47,360 man are what? Ordered by the Lord. In Proverbs 3 it says, ìTrust me with all thine heart, 350 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:53,640 in all thy ways.î How many ways? ìAll thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct 351 00:40:53,640 --> 00:41:02,800 thy path.î Donít be too stubborn, but wait. The unexpected can come what? The perfect. 352 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:07,760 God can intervene. Somebody say amen. My cheerleaders arenít here today. I wish they were here. 353 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:15,120 They normally help us along. Amen. I think of Reinhard Bonnke. He was having a crusade 354 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:22,600 in Nigeria years ago and he had a lot of Muslim rioting in opposition because he was saying, 355 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:26,280 ìIíve been to Nigeria, itís one of these places where you stay like that.î Staying 356 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:33,240 in this compound, he was safe. They tried to kill him and he got out in time, but he 357 00:41:33,240 --> 00:41:40,400 lost his visa, his part, whatever it was, and he could never go back to Nigeria. But 358 00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:51,240 it just happened. He was preaching in Benin in Cottenew, I think the capital city is. 359 00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:58,280 There was a general staying in the same hotel as he was. The general heard that Reinhard 360 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:04,240 Bonnke was staying and said, ìI want to meet this man that he may lead me to Christ.î 361 00:42:04,240 --> 00:42:11,160 Reinhard Bonnke meets with him and leads him to Jesus Christ. This general said, ìI give 362 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:19,640 you my mobile phone. If you need anything, call me.î Months later, he hears that this 363 00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:32,600 general has become the president of Nigeria. So he calls him on the phone. He told him 364 00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:39,440 who he was. By private plane he got in and started this great crusade and heís had about 365 00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:53,960 13 million decision cards for Christ in Nigeria. It just happened. The unexpected can become 366 00:42:53,960 --> 00:43:04,960 the perfect. Let faith arise. Let God arise. Letís expect that the unexpected can become 367 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:14,560 the perfect. One more point and weíll let you go. The widow of Zarathoth, God says to 368 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:22,360 him, ìI command the widow to sustain you.î First in Zarathoth was a godless place. It 369 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:28,240 was the center of idol worship, the very place he was fleeing from. God takes him right back 370 00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:35,760 there and she wasnít even a Jew. She was a Gentile. Remember when Jesus in Luke chapter 371 00:43:35,760 --> 00:43:43,960 4 meets us back to his own town of Nazareth. You might remember that he had been preaching 372 00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:48,160 throughout Galilee before. This was not his first message in Luke 4, 18. He was already 373 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:51,560 preaching throughout Galilee. Some Jesuits spent a year there before he went back to 374 00:43:51,560 --> 00:43:57,360 Nazareth. He stands at temple and it was the exact message for the exact hour, for the 375 00:43:57,360 --> 00:44:04,040 exact time, the exact reading rather in the synagogue of Nazareth. In Isaiah 61 he says, 376 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:08,240 ìThe Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Heís anointed me.î Finally he says, ìThis day 377 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:16,080 is the scripture fulfilled in your ears.î Theyíre sitting there and fairly critical 378 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:21,120 of him. But the one that the gracious word that says, ìI am going to preach to youî 379 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:25,680 and then he said this, ìSurely you will say to me this perfect position,î verse 23 of 380 00:44:25,680 --> 00:44:31,400 Luke 4, ìHeal thyself. Whatever youíve done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.î 381 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:36,680 In other words, ìCome on, show yourself.î Thatís how some people respond to God. 382 00:44:36,680 --> 00:44:42,680 Then he says, ìI tell you, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah. But when 383 00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:46,920 the heavens were shut for three years and six months when great famine was throughout 384 00:44:46,920 --> 00:44:52,680 all land,î heís just talking, ìbut unto none was Elijah sent, but unto Zarepta, a 385 00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:58,520 city of Zion, a woman, she was a widow.î Then he talked about the healing of Naaman, 386 00:44:58,520 --> 00:45:06,920 another Gentile. These people got furious. They got offended. Remember? They tried to 387 00:45:06,920 --> 00:45:11,680 throw him out over the hill and Jesus passed through them. 388 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:19,760 Here is the incident where Jesus, where this prophet is led to this woman, to this woman, 389 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:26,440 to Zarephath, ìI commanded a widow to feed you.î I donít know what he expected to happen 390 00:45:26,440 --> 00:45:34,480 there. But he got there and widows in those days were the lowest of society. Forgive me, 391 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:39,480 but I must tell you what happened. A very poor woman, this woman was literally facing 392 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:45,960 death. She had nothing left in the house. She went out to gather some sticks. This was 393 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:55,520 the last meal she was going to prepare. An unusual thing developed. He had the test of 394 00:45:55,520 --> 00:46:03,080 provision upon him. You might remember God chooses to provide for us in sometimes unusual 395 00:46:03,080 --> 00:46:09,520 ways. When we got married, it was a widow. We didnít have enough money to get married. 396 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:14,920 That gave us, I think, $40 to help us get married. Brother Ted built the rest of the 397 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:22,040 church there. A man promised me $50,000. He never gave it to us. I was so excited to get 398 00:46:22,040 --> 00:46:28,560 that $50,000. The ordinary people that gave the money, ìCome on, church,î and provided 399 00:46:28,560 --> 00:46:34,840 for the building that happened there. It was the unusual. You expect the rich to do it 400 00:46:34,840 --> 00:46:40,080 all. Not always the rich. Hello, church. Many have been deceived by thinking that which 401 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:45,960 person would give us $100,000 and we would be right. But it doesnít happen like that. 402 00:46:45,960 --> 00:46:53,920 Itís common people. Amen, church. Amen. But notice here, God says to this woman, ìGive 403 00:46:53,920 --> 00:47:01,960 me first.î I wonder what the newspaper would do with that today. You know, God expects, 404 00:47:01,960 --> 00:47:13,160 may I just say this from our life, the first fruits. Tithing is a principle of first fruits. 405 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:18,760 Notice in Leviticus 20, Chapter 26, just for a minute. I wonít be long. Leviticus. Where 406 00:47:18,760 --> 00:47:29,800 am I? I am in Leviticus? Where should I be? Geronimo. Chapter 26. When God talks about 407 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:36,080 giving, he says in verse 2, books of Israel, he says, ìThe harvest offerings thou shalt 408 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:42,200 take of the first of all fruits of the earth. Thou shalt bring to the land that the Lord 409 00:47:42,200 --> 00:47:50,160 hath given thee in the basket and sown.î I often wondered why God didnít accept Cainís 410 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:57,480 offering and accepted Abelís offering. Letís go back and have a look. Very clear. Very 411 00:47:57,480 --> 00:48:06,240 clear. Go to Chapter 4. It says, verse 2 of Chapter 4, ìAnd she bare his brother Abel, 412 00:48:06,240 --> 00:48:11,480 and Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was the till of the ground. In the process of 413 00:48:11,480 --> 00:48:15,640 time it came to pass that Cain brought up the fruit of the ground an offering.î An offering. 414 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:26,800 Say an offering. ìAnd Abel also brought theî what does it say? ìFirst sling of his flock. 415 00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:34,760 The Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering, but unto Cain he had no respect.î Because 416 00:48:34,760 --> 00:48:42,640 why? He brought the first fruit, the first of the flock. See the difference? Look at 417 00:48:42,640 --> 00:48:51,400 it carefully. The something all through the Bible they gave of the first fruits to God. 418 00:48:51,400 --> 00:49:00,440 Off the top, first. Not handouts. When you give your offering here, make it spiritual. 419 00:49:00,440 --> 00:49:06,280 Make it a divine appointment. Wherever you give it, make it in a way whereby itís first 420 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:14,800 to God. Amen, Church. Itís important. Itís important. That brings the blessing of God. 421 00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:21,200 Remember what happened to this woman? Amazing things happened. She did this. She didnít 422 00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:28,240 give it all to Elijah, but gave first to him the principle of first fruits. God then provided 423 00:49:28,240 --> 00:49:35,320 for her for the rest of her time. Yet even after that you might remember that her son 424 00:49:35,320 --> 00:49:43,160 died. There are always mysteries. Come on. There are always mysteries. Hereís Elijah 425 00:49:43,160 --> 00:49:49,440 praying his heart out to get this boy back again. He says, ìGod heard his prayer and 426 00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:56,760 God gave him the son back.î Weíll never understand the world of God until we get there. 427 00:49:56,760 --> 00:50:03,920 But what we do with our experiences are crucial. How we handle them, what they become in our 428 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:13,000 life and also most of all, let the unexpected become the perfect. How many agree with me? 429 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:21,080 Let God come into the unexpected moments of your life. Let them become the perfect moments 430 00:50:21,080 --> 00:50:29,920 of the works of God. If youíre going through things, donít let go of God. Donít set him 431 00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:37,440 aside. Donít think that God cannot fail. Come on, Church. God cannot fail. Weíre missing 432 00:50:37,440 --> 00:50:44,520 in Bible college. He cannot fail for He is God. He cannot fail. I donít understand it 433 00:50:44,520 --> 00:50:53,280 at times. I mean the last two weeks have been horrific in our life, but God cannot fail. 434 00:50:53,280 --> 00:51:02,200 We must rejoice. We must keep what? Praising Him. Come on, Church. We must ever glorify 435 00:51:02,200 --> 00:51:12,600 His name. And donít let go because God is with you. If God be for us, who can be against 436 00:51:12,600 --> 00:51:22,720 us? God always finally leads us into triumph. Can somebody say amen? Always. Always. Always. 437 00:51:22,720 --> 00:51:32,800 Come on, Church. Hallelujah. And He will be with us. And the unexpected will become the 438 00:51:32,800 --> 00:51:39,480 perfect in Godís divine moment, in Godís gracious plan and purpose. Shall we stand 439 00:51:39,480 --> 00:51:45,640 please together? Weíve come a bit earlier today to the end of the journey. Thatís a 440 00:51:45,640 --> 00:51:53,120 good thing. Praise God. Amen. I donít know if I should. I just want to keep ministering 441 00:51:53,120 --> 00:51:57,760 to people. If some of you are going through difficult times, you need prayer, Iíll be 442 00:51:57,760 --> 00:52:02,720 delighted to pray with you. I will sing the Lordís prayer together. We havenít sang 443 00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:07,720 it for a few weeks. Please sing the Lordís prayer. Itís such a blessing to us. People 444 00:52:07,720 --> 00:52:14,560 love it, so weíre going to sing it unto the Lord. Amen, Church. And if there is some but 445 00:52:14,560 --> 00:52:20,120 one prayer, I pray. Otherwise, I go to the door and greet the friends, the people. But 446 00:52:20,120 --> 00:52:25,600 if you feel you are going through difficult times, you need prayer. Some of you need maybe 447 00:52:25,600 --> 00:52:32,600 prayer because the way is hard at the moment. You need the strength of God in your life. 448 00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:48,720 But take somebodyís hand and letís sing the Lordís prayer. 449 00:52:48,720 --> 00:53:04,840 Letís sing the Lordís prayer. 450 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:20,960 Letís sing the Lordís prayer. 451 00:53:20,960 --> 00:53:48,480 Come on, Christ, letís sing. 452 00:53:48,480 --> 00:54:04,600 Come on, Christ, letís sing. 453 00:54:04,600 --> 00:54:20,160 Come on, Christ, letís sing. 454 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:27,160 Father, teach us your ways. Bring us to the place of effectiveness. A time the way is 455 00:54:27,160 --> 00:54:33,760 not easy for people, but youíre always faithful. Hallelujah. Let the unexpected become the 456 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:40,280 perfect. Perform miracles for your people this week. Let them step into the unexpected 457 00:54:40,280 --> 00:54:48,320 and see the supernatural workings of God. We pray in jobs, in circumstances, in finances, 458 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:56,120 in physical needs, whatever Lord, you step in. You step in, Master, because youíre the 459 00:54:56,120 --> 00:55:10,680 living God if He is an answers prayer. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the 460 00:55:10,680 --> 00:55:26,800 glory forever. Amen. 461 00:55:26,800 --> 00:55:53,920 Thank you again for tuning in to todayís powerful message from Dr. Reginald Climinop. 462 00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:58,160 We hope this has touched your heart and inspired your spirit. Stay connected with Logan City 463 00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:02,840 Christian Church for more uplifting sermons and spiritual guidance. Follow us on social 464 00:56:02,840 --> 00:56:09,180 media to join our community and stay updated on all our latest happenings. Remember, together 465 00:56:09,180 --> 00:56:24,180 we grow in faith and love. Until next time, may Godís blessing be with you always.