1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,760 Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly. 2 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:12,520 We pray what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life. 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,360 Enjoy the message. 4 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:17,400 Great to see you all. 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:18,400 I was taking notes. 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:20,600 I was writing down some things. 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,960 If you've not met me before, my name is Steve Swenson. 8 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:28,760 I actually started my life in Logan on this street. 9 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:37,280 1997, the 1st of April 1997, I started as the youth pastor at a church a few buildings 10 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,920 down with Pastor Jim Williams. 11 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,400 My wife and I used to drive. 12 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:43,400 It was here. 13 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,080 Okay, well I don't know where I am then. 14 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:51,560 But I came here from the north side of Brisbane. 15 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:58,600 I left the, what would we call the north side, Egypt and came to the promised land. 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,520 And I've raised my family here since. 17 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,400 I bring greetings from my wife Sherry, my children Jera and Nathan who have both been 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,520 born and raised here in the centre of the universe. 19 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:15,600 And it's a great privilege to be with you today. 20 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:22,920 Pastor Rob and I have known each other for some time but certainly I'd say over the last 21 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:26,560 couple of years we've certainly had our hearts have grown together and been spending some 22 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:33,620 time together over recent months just talking about the goodness of God and encouraging 23 00:01:33,620 --> 00:01:35,520 ourselves in the Lord. 24 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:42,000 And it's good to have a company of faith to stand alongside of you through the good and 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:47,040 we'll call them character building times. 26 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,840 Suffering is the first step on the stairway to hope. 27 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:56,080 Romans says not only so but we also rejoice in our suffering knowing that suffering produces 28 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:59,840 perseverance and perseverance, character and character hope. 29 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:04,120 So if you're going through a time of suffering right now the actual destination you're heading 30 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:05,520 to is hope. 31 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:10,060 So hang on just keep walking up the stairs and believe that God is going to do great 32 00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:11,720 things in your life. 33 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,380 Heavenly Father I pray you'd go beyond the limitations of my ability to share the word 34 00:02:15,380 --> 00:02:16,380 this morning. 35 00:02:16,380 --> 00:02:21,200 May the seeds of the word of God go deep into people's hearts and may the seeds of Steve 36 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,560 just be swept away I pray in Jesus name, Amen. 37 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:31,320 Usually when I'm in a service I keep a blank piece of paper because I really feel God's 38 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,720 he inhabits the praises of his people. 39 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:42,640 Sometimes we talk about the presence of God and we or the anointing you know we almost 40 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:47,080 have to change our voice and shake our hand when we say the word anointing but we tie 41 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,080 anointing to a style. 42 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,040 We say a certain style brings the anointing of God but we wouldn't say that we would just 43 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:59,720 say oh this brings the anointing for me but God inhabits the praises of his people and 44 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:01,720 doesn't matter what style that looks like. 45 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:06,400 I've just come back from a trip to South East Asia last Sunday I was in a church the style 46 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,080 of worship was totally different but the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwelt 47 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,600 there as he dwells here this morning. 48 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,640 And so some of you may have felt really comfortable with the African stuff at the beginning others 49 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:20,220 of you are going oh I can't wait till this is over. 50 00:03:20,220 --> 00:03:23,840 Others of you are going can we go back to the African stuff after we went to the other 51 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,140 stuff but they're just styles. 52 00:03:27,140 --> 00:03:31,840 But God responds to the praises of his people and he inhabits the praises of his people 53 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:37,280 and I declare in faith this morning that God is here in his manifest power to do something 54 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,280 in our lives. 55 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,080 When we talk about the presence of God we talk about the omnipresence of God. 56 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,560 I was in South East Asia he was there while you were worshipping here so he can be everywhere 57 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,000 at once blows my mind that God can be everywhere at once. 58 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,940 But then you know it's actually frightening that he can be everywhere at once and he sees 59 00:03:54,940 --> 00:03:58,320 everything but he's everywhere. 60 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,920 But then we talk about the indwelling presence of God. 61 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:04,300 Pastor Rob has been telling me that there's been people who've walked in here you might 62 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:07,520 be here this morning and in recent weeks you've walked in and you've experienced the love 63 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:12,840 of Jesus Christ and you've submitted your life to him and said Jesus I want you to be 64 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:17,360 the boss of my life the Lord of my life and he has come in and so we talk about his on 65 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:22,000 his omnipresence everywhere but when we submit our life to him we have the indwelling presence 66 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,240 of God. 67 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,280 You might be here this morning and you've never experienced that maybe you've experienced 68 00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:29,520 religion it's not the same. 69 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:35,720 Religion are the practices of men some good many bad that they set up and I'm sure God 70 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:40,360 sits in heaven sometimes going oh that's not what I meant. 71 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,400 I'm sure he does that sometimes when I preach and I read a verse and I explain what I think 72 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,160 it means that's not what I meant Steve but anyway my power is made perfectly in your 73 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:50,520 weakness. 74 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,960 But there's the indwelling presence of God and some of you here today you've experienced 75 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:59,160 religion but in the midst of the praise and worship this morning you felt that there's 76 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,160 something more for you. 77 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,320 This morning if you will just open your heart to Jesus and say Jesus I confess I've sinned 78 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:10,240 I ask you to forgive me and cleanse me of all that stuff I willingly submit to you and 79 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,760 I ask you to be my Lord my boss and I receive you now as my Saviour. 80 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:19,320 He promises that if we confess we've sinned he's faithful and just he'll forgive us and 81 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:25,320 cleanse us of all unrighteousness and so you can become a brand new creation in him this 82 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:26,360 morning. 83 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:30,560 So there's the omnipresence of God there's the indwelling presence of God and then there's 84 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,080 the manifest presence of God. 85 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,200 I've been reading some articles from the 1970s. 86 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:43,680 Remember 1970 you know it's about 50 something years ago and when you say it like that it 87 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,600 seems so long but it just feels like yesterday for me even you know I was a little fella 88 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:51,360 but I remember going to meetings in the 70s and I'll be at a conference next week that 89 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:57,120 will celebrate the start of one of the great movements of the Christian church in our country. 90 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:03,240 They're celebrating 50 years next week as a body of believers but I remember going to 91 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:09,520 services and seeing people set free by the manifest presence of God. 92 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:14,080 Well you know we can hark for those times oh God do it again take me back there well 93 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:20,400 I don't think he wants us to go back there if he did he'd stop time because he can but 94 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:25,760 the same spirit that worked in those days the same spirit that raised Christ from the 95 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:31,680 dead way back then the same spirit that was in the upper room the same spirit that caused 96 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:35,520 people to be risen from the dead the same spirit that was with the disciples in the 97 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:40,520 book of Acts is here today and the manifest presence of God is here to bring transformation 98 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:41,920 to your life. 99 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:46,280 And so my practice is I sit on the front row with a piece of paper and if I feel something 100 00:06:46,280 --> 00:06:50,200 come I'll write it down and then we pray for it and then if I have time to preach we get 101 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:51,200 on with it. 102 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,760 So I want to pray for a couple of things this morning pastor I'm not even going to ask him 103 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,440 if it's all right because he's already told me it is. 104 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:02,720 He said yep do what you want to do we'll even call a public holiday tomorrow if we go too 105 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:03,720 long. 106 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:11,640 I want to pray this morning for people's need but here's some specific things and I just 107 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,920 write it down as I get it I don't understand some of the things. 108 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:20,600 Someone you're suffering with the nerves behind your eyes I know it's optic nerves or whatever 109 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:26,680 but there's nerves behind your eyes and it's causing you to feel feel actually nauseous 110 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,960 at times and sick and you might think well it's not not a big thing God doesn't care 111 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,700 he cares. 112 00:07:32,700 --> 00:07:35,880 He cares and he wants to heal you today. 113 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:40,480 Someone is struggling really badly with ovarian cysts and God wants to heal you this morning. 114 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:45,280 The best way I can explain this next thing though God is it's a lower back condition 115 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:50,080 and it's running when you walk when you walk you feel a pulling from your hamstring all 116 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:55,080 the way up through your lower back and God wants to heal you today. 117 00:07:55,080 --> 00:08:02,960 You know I just wrote this down God wants to restore to you the joy of your salvation. 118 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,720 That could be a number of people you know sometimes we walk through life and we're thankful 119 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,460 to God for his goodness and his salvation and his healing that comes to our life but 120 00:08:12,460 --> 00:08:17,200 sometimes we lose the joy of that through the circumstances of life and what I was writing 121 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:22,860 down was I forgot where the address was of the verse my grace is sufficient for you and 122 00:08:22,860 --> 00:08:27,560 my power is made perfect in your weakness and then you said it from here. 123 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:33,640 I want you this morning to understand if you are in your weakest point you are in the posture 124 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,940 for God's power to be made perfect in your situation. 125 00:08:37,940 --> 00:08:42,680 So if we can before I share about the ministry of open doors and share around the word how 126 00:08:42,680 --> 00:08:44,820 that relates to all of us. 127 00:08:44,820 --> 00:08:49,480 If you have a need in your life either something I mentioned right now or perhaps another need 128 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:56,840 you need God to intervene miraculously whether it's a need for healing a miracle provision 129 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:02,840 you've your bills are here your incomes here or perhaps you've even got a loved one that 130 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,240 you're believing God will bring home. 131 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,240 If you're able would you stand where you are if you're not able to stand just put your 132 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:11,600 hand in the air and let's be a company of faith together. 133 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:16,480 The manifest presence of God is here to do a miracle and if that's you and you need a 134 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:21,680 miracle stand or raise your hand and if you're around somebody who's standing then just put 135 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:26,920 your hand towards them and let's believe for God to intervene in their life right now. 136 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:31,720 Heavenly Father we don't worry our prayers this morning but we pray boldly believingly 137 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:36,760 without any second thought that you are more than able. 138 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:43,840 We declare our faith is not in ourselves our faith is not in a person on a platform our 139 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:54,440 faith is in God who is omnipresent everywhere all powerful able to do anything there is 140 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,840 nothing too hard for you God. 141 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,060 So for these conditions that I've mentioned and others that are represented by people 142 00:10:00,060 --> 00:10:05,920 standing today I pray right now in the name that is above every other name the name of 143 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,840 Jesus therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above 144 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:16,040 every other name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth 145 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,960 and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of 146 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:21,960 the Father. 147 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:28,560 So in that name the name of Jesus Christ we speak healing in Jesus name we speak breakthrough 148 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:38,040 in Jesus name we speak joy in Jesus name we speak provision in Jesus name we speak a whole 149 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:43,200 creative miracle for people who need something created from nothing in their life where there 150 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,560 is void and darkness right now you can send your word and create something you've done 151 00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:53,920 it before you can do it again we receive of your miracle power this morning in Jesus name 152 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:59,160 and everybody said amen amen God bless you. 153 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,060 Alright you can take your seats. 154 00:11:03,060 --> 00:11:07,560 So it's a great privilege for me to be here this morning I want to begin by thanking you 155 00:11:07,560 --> 00:11:14,520 pastor Robin Chantel and the leadership of Logan City Christian Church for the opportunity 156 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:23,020 to preach and to share about the mission and the ministry of Open Doors. 157 00:11:23,020 --> 00:11:32,080 Before I show a video which kind of will give you one aspect of what it is that our partnership 158 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:39,720 together can do for people in persecuted countries I just want to say that Open Doors is not 159 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:46,280 related to a specific denomination it's a ministry on behalf of the whole body of Christ. 160 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:51,480 I was lying last night in bed as I was trying to fall asleep with excitement about coming 161 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:57,600 this morning reflecting on what this journey for me has meant I mean I grew up in the Assemblies 162 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:04,100 of God AOG I now attend an INC church and then we got all these different denominations 163 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:09,520 they're all just badges above the door really but sometimes in my upbringing I have thought 164 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:14,200 that I might be more than somebody else who goes to a church with another badge you know 165 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,080 I've got the full thing and they might not have it all you know I don't know if you're 166 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:27,440 a Christian bigot like I was but you know but I have had such a privileged life in a 167 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:32,400 number of ways God has prepared me for this role in my previous roles where I was with 168 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:38,680 council and I was able to work across the whole community in churches of all different 169 00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:44,320 Christian denominations and see that God turns up wherever his name is lifted up and so you're 170 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:50,440 looking at somebody who's a pig in mud I have found the best opportunity to share the love 171 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:59,480 of God and be a part of the big C church I've been visiting with pastors from Pentecostal 172 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:04,720 churches Baptist churches Anglican churches don't come to me later and tell me about the 173 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:10,200 different theology of them all because I'll pretend to care but like you know sometimes 174 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:15,340 we look for the difference but I'm looking for the power of agreement I walked into a 175 00:13:15,340 --> 00:13:19,840 Catholic church this will mess with some people's theology but I walked into a Catholic church 176 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:24,660 and I didn't get to speak to the priest of the church but I spoke to the administrator 177 00:13:24,660 --> 00:13:29,320 and I said oh good day I'm from open doors and we're just looking for people who connect 178 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:33,880 with us to pray to Jesus for people that are persecuted around the world and he goes I 179 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:42,880 think we can do that how cool is that only three of us think it's cool but you know but 180 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:49,640 the Bible says that you know they who call on the name of the Lord will be saved you 181 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:55,160 know sometimes I think you know in my upbringing it was you know for God so loved the AOG 182 00:13:55,160 --> 00:14:01,600 that he gave his only begotten son but I've had the privilege of being since I started 183 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:06,600 with open doors in January to be in independent churches Pentecostal churches Baptist churches 184 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:12,040 Anglican churches churches of Christ I've met with pastors of all denominations and 185 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:18,440 one thing I have found that we are in agreement with is that God loves the world and God is 186 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:24,640 building his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it and so you are 187 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:29,100 looking at somebody who's representing a cross denominational ministry where we as the body 188 00:14:29,100 --> 00:14:34,040 of Christ work together to strengthen those who are persecuted so with that in mind take 189 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:40,080 a look at this first video it's a story about a lady called Helen from Eritrea and I'm sure 190 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:51,560 it will move your heart thank you. 191 00:14:51,560 --> 00:15:04,800 Hi it's Helen I'm safe now who can preach the gospel the answer is simple anyone who 192 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:16,360 is not afraid to die I was in that shipping container for 32 months in the heat of desert 193 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:26,960 day the walls would burn our skin in the night we shook from the cold I remember the story 194 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:42,480 of Paul and Silas like them I began to sing the gulps tried to stop me but I keep singing 195 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:51,400 and keep preaching the good news to anyone who would listen they tried everything they 196 00:15:51,400 --> 00:16:02,080 torture me with a tool meant to kill their goal was for me to deny my faith stop saying 197 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:17,160 Jesus all I could answer was I cannot I accept him and to death but your prayers carried 198 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:28,920 me through I would tell the other prisoners people are praying for us I can feel it the 199 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:39,240 name of Jesus is medicine and the war desperately needed our brothers and sisters are still 200 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:52,000 in prison when we eat they have no food when we are free they are in chains we can do more 201 00:16:52,000 --> 00:17:12,400 keep on praying keep on supporting keep on singing your sister in Christ Helen. 202 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,720 It's not illegal to be a Christian in Eritrea it's just illegal to share your faith we are 203 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:22,000 so blessed to live in a country where even though it's not going the way that the church 204 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:31,480 would like right now in many facets of community we still have a freedom that many do not enjoy 205 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:37,000 singing songs on the steps of your church should not banish you to a shipping container 206 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:46,960 locked away for 32 months but in the midst of that God still moves you know it's so powerful 207 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,960 when you hear people's stories of faith. 208 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:57,800 So our ministry at Open Doors is two facets first of all it's to serve the persecuted 209 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:03,440 and it's to strengthen the church and since 1955 when our founder brother Andrew of God 210 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:11,000 smuggler fame anybody read the book or read the comic I read the comic first and have 211 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:17,240 read the book since he used to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain since he started that 212 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:23,240 back in 1955 Open Doors has been helping people follow Jesus all over the world no matter 213 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,080 the cost. 214 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,400 Brother Andrew used to pray this prayer as he would drive towards a border to smuggle 215 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:36,320 Bibles in he'd hide them in his VW and then sometimes he'd even be brazen enough to put 216 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,040 them on the seat and he would pray this prayer. 217 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:45,440 Would you have made blind eyes see now I'm asking you to make seeing eyes blind and God 218 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,680 answered his prayer. 219 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,900 Cars in front of him would be stopped and they'd stop every car stop every car stop 220 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:55,000 every car and then his would just be called through or they would come to the window look 221 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,800 in see nothing and he would drive on and deliver literally tens of thousands of Bibles behind 222 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:05,760 the Iron Curtain to churches that were basically run by government even the ministers of those 223 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,840 churches did not preach from the Bible they would bring propaganda from the government 224 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:14,160 to speak to the people controlled. 225 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:20,240 So when I applied for the role here I was really surprised to find out that we don't 226 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,360 work to end persecution. 227 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:26,280 I thought that you know we would be warriors and we'd be you know like ninjas go in and 228 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:30,360 end persecution but the fact is if we end persecution then we might as well get rid 229 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:32,320 of most of the Bible. 230 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:37,360 Most of the New Testament is written by persecuted people to persecuted people. 231 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:41,080 Read it have a look some of the verses that I hate the most are about persecution in the 232 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,720 Bible consider it a sheer gift when you go through tests and challenges. 233 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:49,320 I wish I could liquid paper that one out but you know there's there's so many verses about 234 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:55,920 trial and persecution in our life but it's part of sharing in the suffering of Christ. 235 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:01,040 Matthew chapter 5 in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus proclaimed blessed are those who are 236 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:02,960 persecuted for righteousness sake. 237 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:06,560 So if we get rid of persecution we're robbing people of blessing. 238 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,760 Later we read that he told his disciples in John 16 33 these things I have spoken to me 239 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:14,520 so that in you so that in me you may have peace. 240 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,280 In this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world 241 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:20,880 amen. 242 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:25,320 So instead our ministry is to strengthen the persecuted church and we do that in a number 243 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:31,880 of ways by providing discipleship emergency relief and community development in over 70 244 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:33,920 countries across the globe. 245 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:42,560 So for over 65 years Open Doors has been partnering with local church and local partners in countries 246 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:47,200 like I said over 70 countries to strengthen them in the face of persecution and also advance 247 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:48,200 the gospel. 248 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,040 I've just come back from a trip and because of security reasons I can't tell you everything 249 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:58,440 yet because it has to go through a whole system because we were with a church the church big 250 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:07,660 C in a communist country and I realise that a lot of this goes to open channels but one 251 00:21:07,660 --> 00:21:13,320 of the things that I am so aware of amidst the background of communism corruption and 252 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:18,800 clan oppression the Church of Jesus Christ still goes on. 253 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,300 The persecution that comes to our brothers and sisters around the world is not something 254 00:21:22,300 --> 00:21:28,400 that destroys the church in fact they say in their own words in their own language that 255 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,760 the persecution is something we live with because it spreads the gospel. 256 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:36,220 So it's the power of God working through their weakness. 257 00:21:36,220 --> 00:21:42,160 For those of you who are a bit statistically minded I just want to open a couple of slides 258 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:45,760 to tell you about what's happening in the world right now. 259 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,500 The number of Christians suffering high to extreme levels of persecution and discrimination 260 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:54,080 for their faith has risen by 5 million in the last 12 months. 261 00:21:54,080 --> 00:22:01,440 It's now up to 365 million across the globe who face severe persecution for their faith. 262 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,240 Not persecution like your neighbour doesn't like the fact that you're playing you know 263 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:09,640 worship music in the morning and shouts out to you turn that down that's not persecution 264 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,720 that I'm talking about it's a form but it's not. 265 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,440 Persecution of severe. 266 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:22,280 Let's put a broader spectrum on it in 2014 so just 10 years ago there was about a hundred 267 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:26,440 million people that were persecuted for their faith across the world. 268 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,320 It's more than tripled in the last 10 years. 269 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:35,440 That means that one in seven Christians worldwide will suffer high to extreme levels of persecution 270 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,320 and discrimination for their faith in Jesus Christ. 271 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:45,320 In the last reporting period 4,998 Christians were killed worldwide for their faith. 272 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:50,080 And faith related attacks yet the extent of the loss remains largely unreported. 273 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,760 They're just the ones that have been reported. 274 00:22:54,760 --> 00:23:00,120 In 2023 there was a seven-fold increase in attacks on churches, Christian schools and 275 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:02,360 hospitals. 276 00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:10,520 Went up from 2,111 in the previous reporting period to now over 14,500 reported attacks 277 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,040 and they are the ones that are reported. 278 00:23:13,040 --> 00:23:17,060 Just want to tell you another story about a lady named Nina that might inspire your 279 00:23:17,060 --> 00:23:24,360 faith of the people that we are wanting to as believers support across the world. 280 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:27,760 Nina has given her life to sharing the love of Jesus in some of the darkest villages in 281 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:29,960 Egypt. 282 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:34,680 After reading the Bible and hearing Jesus call to make disciples she felt the conviction 283 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:39,760 to share Jesus with those who live in places most Christians would fear to tread. 284 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:44,400 Though in rural middle Egypt radical Islam, drug addiction and witchcraft are unrampant 285 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,960 this has often led to violent attacks on her and the people that she meets with daily. 286 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,480 Fully aware of the risks Nina is committed to seeing the little of the body of Christ 287 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,640 which remains strengthened in these rural villages. 288 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,680 She knows that any Christian in this area, in these areas have no access to church buildings 289 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:05,640 or a pastor and they suffer trauma from persecution they have faced in this very hostile region. 290 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:10,440 On top of this many cannot read the Bible due to low literacy levels. 291 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,120 Out of love for these people she continues to visit these regions daily even at immense 292 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:16,180 risk for her own safety. 293 00:24:16,180 --> 00:24:20,000 In a heavily Islamic region Nina stands out because she is a woman travelling alone for 294 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,240 one thing and as a Christian she is also unveiled. 295 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:29,020 Because of this she runs the risk of assault, abuse, kidnapping and temps on her life. 296 00:24:29,020 --> 00:24:34,920 On her first visit, get this, on her first visit to one of these villages Nina was greeted 297 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,720 by a family and welcomed into their humble home. 298 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,000 She politely accepted a cup of tea which is an Egyptian custom, it's a custom all around 299 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,320 the world but the tea was poisoned. 300 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:51,640 She woke up a few hours later, dazed, confused and grateful to have survived. 301 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,200 Despite the scary first encounter she felt compelled to return and has been visiting 302 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,240 these villages daily for several years. 303 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,640 I don't know about you but if I felt I'd heard the call of the Lord to do this in the 304 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,040 first place I go they poison me I'd think I didn't hear the word of the Lord I had 305 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:10,120 a bad pizza the night before and so you know I'll pray again Disneyland yes Lord but she 306 00:25:10,120 --> 00:25:12,400 continues to go back. 307 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:17,260 When asked if she's ever scared Nina laughed and replied I've been adopted by these people. 308 00:25:17,260 --> 00:25:20,680 If there's no bullets flying around my head something is wrong. 309 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,400 I've become so used to hearing bullets. 310 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:28,520 Because of Nina's love for the people in these regions many both Muslim and Christian backgrounds 311 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,440 are being introduced to the love of Jesus and the truth of the gospel. 312 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:36,880 Even though many villages have no church building and no pastors believers meet in homes to 313 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:41,320 tell Bible stories they memorize scripture and pray and worship. 314 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:45,280 Nina and her team also lead literacy programs to help believers and non-believers read and 315 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,720 write so they can read the Bible together. 316 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,080 They've opened two homes for young women to recover from drug and alcohol addiction and 317 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:56,820 now they have over a hundred girls in each home being rehabilitated. 318 00:25:56,820 --> 00:25:59,520 So Nina asked for prayer. 319 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,440 Prayer that she would have the energy to keep going and not burn out. 320 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:06,760 Her family are also becoming quite concerned for her safety because she's in danger every 321 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:07,840 day. 322 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,680 We need to thank God for people like Nina who are working in rural Egypt and pray that 323 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:15,480 God will continue to guide her and protect her and give her strength she needs to continue 324 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:20,360 this important and exceedingly difficult work. 325 00:26:20,360 --> 00:26:25,200 I wasn't on the trip the trip to Egypt was two years ago. 326 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:32,560 Our team met Nina and just the love of Jesus that flows from her. 327 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:37,600 Can I just say this though I'm very aware that there are people we live in a very culturally 328 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,120 enhanced society here in Logan. 329 00:26:40,120 --> 00:26:44,400 There's 217 ethnicities represented in our city. 330 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:49,720 It's almost like we are the United Nations of Australia here and I when I was in council 331 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:54,000 I used to get up and I'd look across the crowd and I'd say I don't know what you people think 332 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,240 but I think Logan looks like heaven and you know people go oh yeah sure mate you don't 333 00:26:58,240 --> 00:26:59,240 live in my street. 334 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:04,600 But the Bible says every tribe, every tongue, every nation will be represented in heaven. 335 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:12,240 And so I tell these stories as stories of great faith of people who are persecuted but 336 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:18,660 remain but I'm also thankful to God for the stories of those who have been in persecuted 337 00:27:18,660 --> 00:27:23,200 countries and have left to come to Australia. 338 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:25,560 You are no less brave. 339 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:29,720 God has a plan for you and I believe that you are here to help disciple the Western 340 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:36,720 Church to be a part of us being one body together and we thank you for what you do and what 341 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,400 you bring to our country here. 342 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:46,200 I'm so thankful for the cultural enhancement our city has of people who have come across 343 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,920 the sea to be a part of the body of Christ here in Australia. 344 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:55,920 You are heroes also. 345 00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:01,240 Because we may never know the persecution that you have suffered but our heart is with 346 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:05,920 you as God uses you in our nation and your new nation. 347 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:09,600 The persecution of the kind that I've read about with Nina and we saw on the screen from 348 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,560 Helen in Eritrea may never seem what we experience. 349 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,080 In fact it can be far removed from our churches here in Australia. 350 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,480 We are all part of the body of Christ. 351 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:25,800 John Corinthians 12 verse 12 to 13 says the human body has many parts but the many parts 352 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,120 make up one whole body and so it is with the body of Christ. 353 00:28:29,120 --> 00:28:33,280 I'm using terminology that's not theologically sound here this morning talking about the 354 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:39,000 Western Church and the persecuted church because we are one body. 355 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:40,360 And so this is the way I look at it. 356 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:45,340 On the screen behind me I'm thinking that if my PowerPoint presentation worked there 357 00:28:45,340 --> 00:28:47,400 should be a picture of an x-ray. 358 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:48,880 You seeing that? 359 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:54,120 If you look at the little toe it's broken right across. 360 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,280 That's not something I got off Google. 361 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,120 That is an x-ray of one of my family members who was walking out of a room one day and 362 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:05,380 kicked their toe and it bent out at right angles and snapped right across. 363 00:29:05,380 --> 00:29:11,320 If you've ever broken your toe or even just kicked your toe you realise how when one part 364 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:15,440 of the body hurts the rest of the body is affected. 365 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:22,400 This person had to wear a boot for nine months until they found healing in that one part. 366 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:27,840 And so it is when one part of the body suffers the rest of the body compensates to adjust 367 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,840 and adjust to bring comfort, strength and healing. 368 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:36,320 This person in my family I'm saying it like that because they don't want to be named 369 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:37,320 but they would walk around. 370 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:41,560 The rest of their body was compensating for those nine months until strength and healing 371 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:42,960 came. 372 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:47,720 We are all one part of the entire body of Christ. 373 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:52,320 Today there are people being beaten for their faith in countries all across the world. 374 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:59,200 They do not even have the social fabric that stops domestic violence or tries to stamp 375 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,200 out domestic violence like we have in Australia. 376 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,720 A system that seems so broken here is so strong when you visit countries that don't. 377 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:10,840 Last week I asked somebody what happens when a woman goes home from church and her husband 378 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:16,080 beats her because she has chosen to follow Jesus Christ. 379 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:17,080 What do the police do? 380 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,000 The police go that's your home stuff we don't worry about that. 381 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,040 So there's not even the society fabric or framework set up to support people going through 382 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:29,240 domestic violence because of their faith. 383 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:34,960 So when they hurt we hurt and we must then compensate to strengthen them through these 384 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:42,480 times because God is working in those nations in incredible ways. 385 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,160 I want to talk about because when I hear these stories of faith I think God how do these 386 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:48,000 people survive? 387 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:52,200 You know I wake up with a cold sometimes and think like you know Jesus doesn't love me 388 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:53,200 anymore. 389 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:58,520 How do these people survive in the midst of such shocking persecution? 390 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:04,000 And I think the answer is therefore I want to share just some simple thoughts this morning 391 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:05,360 before I wrap this up. 392 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:10,840 But you know obviously that verse that I read earlier my grace is sufficient for you and 393 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:15,440 my power is made perfect in your weakness is such a powerful verse when we are going 394 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:20,760 through trials and persecution of our own here in the west and in other countries. 395 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:26,200 God's strength floods into these beautiful people in a miraculous way and when you sit 396 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:30,400 across the table from them and as they tell a story with tears running down their face 397 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:36,200 they are not looking for sympathy they are crying yes some of it is through pain but 398 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:42,880 some of it is through them sharing the revelation of the love of Jesus in their life and the 399 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,200 strength that he has brought to them. 400 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:50,400 They don't ask for money they ask for prayer they ask for presence. 401 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:55,860 I met a man who lives in a tent he has been living in a tent with his parents and his 402 00:31:55,860 --> 00:32:02,040 family for over 11 years behind his brother in laws house who would beat him because he 403 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,040 was a believer in Jesus Christ. 404 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:11,080 He was so angry with him he cut off the power to the tent and so he would seek God God God 405 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:17,760 please provide for our family for our believers and so he got provision in the wherewithal 406 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:22,960 to get a house so instead of making the house where his family moved into and they live 407 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:27,760 in a tent there's no walls. 408 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,520 The church is the house and he still lives in the tent. 409 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:36,160 We had the opportunity to pray with him and the power of God came upon him in a manifest 410 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:42,400 way where he's jumping up and down and just laughing and his hands raised and we asked 411 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:48,280 him through an interpreter what was happening and for me I would be laughing with joy because 412 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:56,000 God had dealt with my brother in law or God had built me a mansion and he got up and while 413 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:00,840 God was speaking to him he didn't see a house for himself he saw stadiums full of people 414 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,440 giving their heart to Jesus. 415 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:06,400 So how do people live like that? 416 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:08,400 How do we live better? 417 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:12,800 And it's found in probably the evidence is found in that verse but also three quick verses 418 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,280 I want to share with you. 419 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:19,720 The first is found in Acts 1 verse 8 one of my favourite verses but you shall receive 420 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:24,240 power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea 421 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,880 and Samaria and to the outermost parts of the earth. 422 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:32,000 That word power is the word dunamis or dynamis which is where we get the word dynamite you 423 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,160 shall receive dynamite from heaven when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. 424 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:41,500 You know it also can be translated as you will receive the ability of heaven, the efficiency 425 00:33:41,500 --> 00:33:46,680 of heaven and the might of heaven when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. 426 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:51,200 Acts chapter 2 this is almost like you know a boy growing up in an AOG church you have 427 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:55,880 to memorise the scriptures from the book of Acts and it says they were all together in 428 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,600 one place in one accord when suddenly the sound of a mighty rushing wind filled the 429 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,440 building where they were and tongues of fire divided tongues of fire sat upon their head 430 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,560 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues. 431 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:10,080 They were filled with the Holy Spirit the power of the Holy Spirit. 432 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:14,620 In Acts 10 38 when I was the youth pastor in the church that I started at here it became 433 00:34:14,620 --> 00:34:20,440 the verse for our youth ministry we were called high voltage youth and it says how God anointed 434 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:25,400 Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power and how we went around doing good and 435 00:34:25,400 --> 00:34:29,680 healing all who were oppressed to the devil because God was with him. 436 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:34,600 The key to our lives having the strength to endure through persecution and trials whether 437 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:40,000 it's over in another country or whether it's here is the infilling of the Holy Spirit. 438 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,840 And so three simple things that we as the church the body of Christ not just in Australia 439 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:49,120 but across the world need to seek God for is these three things. 440 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,600 First of all to be spirit filled. 441 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:55,600 We need to be filled with the spirit the Bible says to be filled with the spirit but it's 442 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,800 an ongoing thing it's a be being filled it's not something that happened in a crusade in 443 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:04,780 1970 it's not something that happened at a massive crusade like the hat on the Gold Coast 444 00:35:04,780 --> 00:35:08,940 last night and we live in the glory of those one moment experiences but it's a daily thing 445 00:35:08,940 --> 00:35:12,440 of being filled with the spirit. 446 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:18,880 There was if we go to and I'll whip through these really quickly but the story of the 447 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,680 life of Stephen in the Bible what a great name. 448 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,240 He was known for being full of the spirit when he was chosen as one of the seven to 449 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:30,240 help distribute food it was because the Bible says he was a man full of faith and of the 450 00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:35,600 Holy Spirit in Acts 6 verse 5 and Acts 6 verse 8 goes on to say his spirit filled life was 451 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:40,360 well it tells us that his spirit filled life was evident in his powerful witness and the 452 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,960 miraculous signs that he did among the people. 453 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,360 I'll just stick with Stephen I've got some illustrations of Paul that you can check later 454 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:52,400 on but so he was spirit filled we need to be spirit filled. 455 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,920 Second thing he was spirit led when Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin he boldly declared 456 00:35:56,920 --> 00:35:59,360 the truth guided by the Holy Spirit. 457 00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:04,040 His speech in Acts verse 7 recounts Israel's history and culminates in a powerful rebuke 458 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:08,840 of the religious leaders showing that he was led by the spirit to speak God's truth even 459 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,480 at great personal risk. 460 00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:17,760 Paul was also led by the spirit Paul's missionary journeys were directed by the Holy Spirit 461 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,680 in Acts chapter 16 the Holy Spirit prevented Paul and his companions from preaching in 462 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,620 Asia and guided them instead to Macedonia through a vision. 463 00:36:26,620 --> 00:36:31,080 This guidance was pivotal in spreading the gospel to new regions so they were spirit 464 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:38,400 filled spirit led we need to be spirit led and then finally they were spirit strong. 465 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:42,560 Stephen's strength in the face of persecution which ultimately led to his martyrdom was 466 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:45,400 a testament of his spiritual fortitude. 467 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:51,000 How does someone in the midst of that who's being stoned stay strong in spirit praying 468 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:55,860 for his attackers and commending his spirit to Jesus saying Lord receive my spirit. 469 00:36:55,860 --> 00:37:03,600 How does Paul endure through trials and persecution despite beatings imprisonment and numerous 470 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:06,400 hardship Paul remained unwavering in his mission. 471 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:10,720 In Acts chapter 14 after being stoned and left for dead Paul got up and instead of leaving 472 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:14,720 the city that stoned him and left for dead he thought haven't killed me yet I'm going 473 00:37:14,720 --> 00:37:18,380 back spirit strong. 474 00:37:18,380 --> 00:37:24,120 He showed remarkable resilience and strength through the power of the Holy Spirit and as 475 00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:29,360 we were praying and reflecting before the manifest presence of God in our lives embodies 476 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:35,360 our lifestyle of being spirit filled spirit led and spirit strong. 477 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:40,180 My encouragement to you today is that the trials that you face right now are no less 478 00:37:40,180 --> 00:37:44,560 important to the ones that I am highlighting this morning and we've seen in video and we'll 479 00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:48,440 see another video shortly they're no less important to God. 480 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,800 You need to be spirit filled. 481 00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:55,320 You need to be spirit led and you need to be spirit strong. 482 00:37:55,320 --> 00:38:00,440 I've been praying that God would make me more brave don't pray that prayer. 483 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:02,800 He's putting me in situations where I need to be brave. 484 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:08,040 I was down in Sydney recently and I got into an Uber. 485 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:11,640 Anybody could have picked me up I had a 50 minute drive from the airport to where I was 486 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:16,880 going for some training and I could have taken three trains but I didn't know how the train 487 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:20,200 system worked down there so I thought I'll get an Uber. 488 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:24,480 So I don't know if you've used Uber before but basically you go onto an app and any car 489 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:28,360 that's close to you can come and pick you up the closest one if you're an Uber driver 490 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:34,080 you'll explain it to me better later but basically this guy comes to pick me up and so I've been 491 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,480 praying this prayer for months now God I want to be more brave I want to be open to your 492 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:40,360 spirit I want to be spirit led. 493 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:45,200 So a man from Islamic background picks me up of all the people that could have picked 494 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:47,880 me up this guy does. 495 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:52,360 We get talking about he's from Pakistan we get talking about the Pakistan cricket team 496 00:38:52,360 --> 00:38:56,560 you know I'm building a bridge I love cricket and so we're talking about cricket start talking 497 00:38:56,560 --> 00:39:00,800 about his family he tells me a little bit about his family he goes oh but I told him 498 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:05,440 where I was from he goes oh I'm moving to Brisbane in a few weeks time. 499 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:09,440 I said oh where he goes over to the north side to a place called Jim Boomba. 500 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:15,200 I said mate that's not over the north side that's in the centre of the universe that's 501 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,800 Logan City. 502 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:21,560 I said let me tell you all about it I found out that he is married and he's got a six 503 00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,520 year old and he's wanting to know about the schools and he's wanting to know about the 504 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:28,680 area so I told him about the development that's happening from Browns Plains all the way out 505 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:32,400 to Versdale I'm telling him all the schools that are available to him I'm telling him 506 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:37,240 about the the lie of the land he wanted to know about Yarra Bilba and Flagstone and all 507 00:39:37,240 --> 00:39:40,400 I was able to tell him all of that. 508 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:44,480 Spirit led and so I'm thinking to myself okay what can I do here God I just want to get 509 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:46,680 some of the gospel into this fella. 510 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:51,360 He told me that he is raised Muslim and his wife is raised Hindu I said how does that 511 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:55,040 even work you wouldn't be able to go back home he goes oh no what a plan to go back 512 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:59,880 home he goes we're not practicing he goes we practice all the festivals where we can 513 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:02,760 have a drink. 514 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:08,800 So he's obviously not a practicing Muslim right so I said well long story short you're 515 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:12,380 not a practicing Muslim your wife's not a practicing Hindu why don't you just split 516 00:40:12,380 --> 00:40:15,600 the difference and become a Christian. 517 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:20,720 I know it's not theologically sound but you weren't in the car. 518 00:40:20,720 --> 00:40:26,280 So I'm just chatting to the dude we get to the and and and so I walk him through because 519 00:40:26,280 --> 00:40:31,080 I said what happens to you after this life he goes oh well if you're good enough you 520 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,760 go to paradise and if you don't you go to hell. 521 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:38,900 He says it's like all the religions I said not my religion mate I said you're looking 522 00:40:38,900 --> 00:40:45,800 at a guy that can't be good enough but God in his grace sent a gift of his son Jesus 523 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,120 Christ to die to pay the price for all of my sins. 524 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:53,400 I'm talking to him like this and then I walked him through the Roman road to salvation you 525 00:40:53,400 --> 00:41:00,640 know Romans 3 10 there is none righteous not one only the women no no no man is righteous 526 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:05,440 just the women and then I walked him through five verses in the book of Romans that talked 527 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:10,680 about the journey to salvation and I said it's simple mate why don't you do this because 528 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:17,240 I'm not as educated as you he's got three degrees that never transferred over from Pakistan 529 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:23,680 to here so he drives an Uber and I said you're a very intelligent man someone more intelligent 530 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:28,200 than you and I could get in the car and talk you out of me talking you into Christianity 531 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:32,400 so I'm not even going to argue with you but I just said to him why don't you ask God if 532 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:38,560 you are real like Steve says you are prove yourself to me. 533 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,540 I said you can do it just like you're talking to me you don't have to get on your knees 534 00:41:41,540 --> 00:41:45,720 or anything you just say God if you're real like Steve says you are I'm here I'm open 535 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:46,720 show yourself to me. 536 00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:50,720 I said you can do it now in the car but that might be awkward and then we just continued 537 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:55,200 to talk about life cricket and all the important things. 538 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:58,640 He gets to the place where he had to drop me off and he said I was hoping I'd get red 539 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:04,880 lights listen to this because your words were like honey to my soul. 540 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:09,880 I said my wife doesn't even say that to me. 541 00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:15,520 He said I was hoping it would take longer because your words were like honey to my soul 542 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:19,920 and he gets my bag out of the boot and he says what were those words I have to say to 543 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:26,600 God again? 544 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:35,440 I said I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I'm available so God use me. 545 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:43,160 So I said look give me your phone number I will go up to my room and I'll text you data 546 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:47,600 harvester I'll text you what you need to say. 547 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:51,080 So I get up to my room I rang my wife straight away I told her what happened and then I sent 548 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:57,880 her a message and I said it was such a privilege to spend time with you today I had a great 549 00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:03,520 time feel free to call me anytime on this number but if you're talking to God just talk 550 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:11,440 like we were talking in the car and say these words God if you are real please show yourself 551 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:20,400 to me I am here I am open and I'm listening and then I said and when you move give me 552 00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:27,840 a call I'd like to come out and visit you and then I text him the next few days and 553 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:31,600 I said to do that for the next three days pray that prayer for the next three days and 554 00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:35,240 let's see what happens I'd like to tell you that on the third day my phone burst into 555 00:43:35,240 --> 00:43:41,280 flame and I knew that he was saved. 556 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:49,240 I haven't got that call yet but I've had interaction with him since he wants to meet me via zoom 557 00:43:49,240 --> 00:43:56,920 to talk to me again he rang me and said the job that I was going to in my new house where 558 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:03,480 I was going to has I have two options I can do real estate or I can work for LD can you 559 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:08,840 give me some wisdom on what I should do how cool is that he obviously doesn't know me 560 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:14,200 because he wouldn't be asking for wisdom from me but like he's asking for wisdom from the 561 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:21,120 Lord and I'm just believing that when he finally gets here because his move has been delayed 562 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:26,160 that he will find a Christian church I'll introduce him to a Christian community out 563 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:34,680 near his home and that he and his Hindu born wife and his six-year-old boy oh no Jesus 564 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:42,400 Christ how cool is that you say well that's all good for you Steve you were a pastor for 565 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:50,240 20 years you know all the Bible no I don't it's not about what you know it's about being 566 00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:57,360 spirit-filled spirit-led so that you can impart strength to people but be strong yourself 567 00:44:57,360 --> 00:45:02,920 I'll leave that there and we'll move on you okay anyone if you need to leave and put your 568 00:45:02,920 --> 00:45:08,680 roast on feel free to go here's how we work we'll land the plane really quickly at open 569 00:45:08,680 --> 00:45:13,960 doors we work four ways we provide Bibles we still provide Bibles to countries all across 570 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:20,640 the world in four formats and languages that they understand it's no not not useful to 571 00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:25,560 us to send English Bibles to a non-english-speaking country nor even a physical Bible like this 572 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:31,040 sometimes because if they're found with it it could mean the end so we provide Bibles 573 00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:35,640 in a format sometimes they look like a device that they can listen to through earphones 574 00:45:35,640 --> 00:45:41,400 that everyone's listening to music and they can share so we do that we provide training 575 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:47,880 I heard of some training programs firsthand this week that were training for people to 576 00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:53,760 be salt and light in the community and through good works in the community you know that 577 00:45:53,760 --> 00:45:58,360 verse Acts 10 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power and 578 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:03,800 how he went around running crusades doesn't say that how he went around doing good these 579 00:46:03,800 --> 00:46:10,200 Christians believers are are being discipled in ways to be good in their community and 580 00:46:10,200 --> 00:46:14,800 the government of the time that would want to eradicate what they're believing is giving 581 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:23,080 them awards training people to be prepared for persecution training people to train others 582 00:46:23,080 --> 00:46:31,080 training people to learn medical treatment training people in the Bible and and all sorts 583 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:38,040 of things so we do training practical support to go in and help people rebuild their community 584 00:46:38,040 --> 00:46:43,080 when they have been devastated when whether it's either government or other faiths have 585 00:46:43,080 --> 00:46:48,200 come in and decimated the Christian community and then also presence ministry which what 586 00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:53,240 I is what I and some of my colleagues did for the last nine days throughout Southeast 587 00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:57,680 Asia going and sitting across the table and holding hands with and praying with believers 588 00:46:57,680 --> 00:47:03,520 together our heart to heart loving one another but not just us qualified people as well that 589 00:47:03,520 --> 00:47:07,720 come in for trauma counselling after they have been through intense trauma they're just 590 00:47:07,720 --> 00:47:12,560 a few things but for the sake of time we'll finish there so there's been 1.7 million bibles 591 00:47:12,560 --> 00:47:18,480 or Christian literature or discipleship materials being delivered 3.2 million Christians have 592 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:23,160 received discipleship training pastoral support and theological training 600,000 Christians 593 00:47:23,160 --> 00:47:28,200 have been helped with socio-economic development including aid microloans and trauma care and 594 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:34,160 one and a half million in-person visits care prayer and counselling across the world for 595 00:47:34,160 --> 00:47:41,760 people that's the work that Open Doors is partnering with local churches and local partners 596 00:47:41,760 --> 00:47:46,180 in countries to strengthen them so what does it look like for you as a church congregation 597 00:47:46,180 --> 00:47:54,440 to partner first of all I make this offer and I've made this offer to your pastor that 598 00:47:54,440 --> 00:48:01,240 I we as a ministry can provide for you dossiers on countries and and videos like I've shown 599 00:48:01,240 --> 00:48:07,080 you this morning that that will inform you about what God is doing across the world to 600 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:11,920 strengthen this church and how you can pray so that's one way you can be involved but 601 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:16,440 first of all I want to ask you unashamedly this morning if you would commit to pray for 602 00:48:16,440 --> 00:48:22,360 our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world up on the back table I have and 603 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:27,500 under the table if we run out I have this little book it's called the world watch list 604 00:48:27,500 --> 00:48:33,060 used to be provided in an A4 format but we needed to make it more useful for you to put 605 00:48:33,060 --> 00:48:39,440 in your Bible and it's got number 1 through 50 of the most persecuted places on the planet 606 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:47,720 today to be a believer in Jesus Christ it's measured through smash and squeeze smash is 607 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:55,640 the violence that happens to a believer squeezes the pressure for example I met somebody in 608 00:48:55,640 --> 00:49:03,760 the last six months that I've been with Open Doors who served in the armed forces was a 609 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:12,400 decorated war veteran he had lost a limb in his service for his country and they had set 610 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:18,760 him up for life with a pension his medical all of that taken care of when he decided 611 00:49:18,760 --> 00:49:25,840 to follow Jesus that was all taken away there is no NDIS or social security in his country 612 00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:31,080 that's the pressure that comes I was talking to a pastor who supports missions in India 613 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:37,140 and to decide to follow Jesus in the northern part of India where they support people means 614 00:49:37,140 --> 00:49:42,360 that you no longer have access to healthcare your children no longer have access to schooling 615 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:47,080 your children no longer have access to employment like other children do so it's not just a 616 00:49:47,080 --> 00:49:50,600 matter of I can decide to follow Jesus and my neighbours might not ask me for a barbecue 617 00:49:50,600 --> 00:49:55,680 anymore it's the pressure so we take those two measures put them together and come up 618 00:49:55,680 --> 00:50:00,000 with a list of the top 50 there's other countries that are not on this list yet but these are 619 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:07,960 the top 50 and each page will have a little paragraph of how you can pray for that country 620 00:50:07,960 --> 00:50:12,400 so if you're praying on the 1st of July you can pray for number one which is North Korea 621 00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:16,800 the next slide that we have is the top 10 places in the world right now in 2024 to be 622 00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:22,160 a Christian that the most pressure and persecution comes North Korea is number one Somalia Libya 623 00:50:22,160 --> 00:50:25,960 Eritrea on that video you would have seen that it was number six if you remember that 624 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:31,080 was last year's figures when that video was made it's now moved up to number four Yemen 625 00:50:31,080 --> 00:50:38,440 Nigeria Pakistan Sudan Iran Afghanistan that's the top 10 you can pray for those and 40 others 626 00:50:38,440 --> 00:50:44,960 of them and that would really be great we'd love to engage you and join our hearts together 627 00:50:44,960 --> 00:50:50,120 to pray for these countries and if you could do that that would be fantastic the second 628 00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:55,920 thing that you can do as a church to partner with open doors and again unashamedly I present 629 00:50:55,920 --> 00:51:01,080 this to you is to give financially we are not all able to get on a boat or a plane and 630 00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:05,800 go to those countries but we are all called to go in Matthew 28 and we can go by giving 631 00:51:05,800 --> 00:51:10,400 financially I know you'll say well Steve they don't want money no they don't want money 632 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:16,600 but they want materials that they can disciple people they want you know I want to tell you 633 00:51:16,600 --> 00:51:23,400 I met somebody in the last six months from a country that it's not legal to be Christian 634 00:51:23,400 --> 00:51:30,920 and they build a church a gathering of believers they get to a point of about 60 to 100 and 635 00:51:30,920 --> 00:51:36,000 they ask 60 the pastor gets up and asks 60 people is there 60 people that will give one 636 00:51:36,000 --> 00:51:44,680 day's wages a week to buy land for the next two years and they do on top of tithes and 637 00:51:44,680 --> 00:51:50,840 then they do that for two years they buy the land and then they say right we need another 638 00:51:50,840 --> 00:51:55,200 60 that will sponsor the volunteers who are going to give their time and not go to work 639 00:51:55,200 --> 00:52:02,440 to build the building and in five years they've built eight churches land and building so 640 00:52:02,440 --> 00:52:07,480 we want to be able to help resource that and you can do that because what what 50 or 100 641 00:52:07,480 --> 00:52:12,600 dollars does in Australia you can't even take your family out for dinner probably unless 642 00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:17,840 you go like me and go to Maccas but you know but that can do a whole lot in another country 643 00:52:17,840 --> 00:52:25,440 so we're asking today if you would pray and I will never want to guilt you into that right 644 00:52:25,440 --> 00:52:30,160 I'm not going to stand here and say if you would just stop drinking a coffee drink your 645 00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:36,160 coffee it's God who provides seed for the sower and if if Holy Spirit moves on your 646 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,120 heart I want to give 20 dollars or I want to give a hundred dollars or I want to give 647 00:52:39,120 --> 00:52:43,240 a monthly gift do that but do it because the Lord lead you to not because Steve told you 648 00:52:43,240 --> 00:52:52,560 a sad story right and generosity starts in this house so don't give to open doors if 649 00:52:52,560 --> 00:52:58,600 you're not first sowing here if that's okay because you know generosity starts in your 650 00:52:58,600 --> 00:53:02,960 own church household and I know that the church sows generously to missions but we have given 651 00:53:02,960 --> 00:53:08,520 you the opportunity there is a QR code that will appear on the screen I know your QR code 652 00:53:08,520 --> 00:53:13,840 literate because I see that you already use them but we've also put this card on the seat 653 00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:17,360 so pray and ask God what would you have me give and I know that pastor Rob is going to 654 00:53:17,360 --> 00:53:22,680 receive an offering later of cash but I do have a card facility at the back that you 655 00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:27,640 can tap at the end of the service if you would like to give if you didn't come prepared to 656 00:53:27,640 --> 00:53:37,520 give today let's watch one more video and then I'll close and hand to pastor Rob from 657 00:53:37,520 --> 00:53:44,720 the moment I decided to follow Jesus I knew that I would face persecution my name is found 658 00:53:44,720 --> 00:53:53,120 on the radicals wanted list sometimes they watch me going from place to place my brother 659 00:53:53,120 --> 00:54:01,000 and I decided to start a whole church in Yemen we are very careful about the meetings we 660 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:09,920 gather in closed spaces to prevent outsiders from hearing us we had new believers in need 661 00:54:09,920 --> 00:54:17,360 of training and baptizing so my brothers and I sat down to take a decision they eventually 662 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:25,000 decided that I should not accompany them because I was no I posed a bigger risk to them when 663 00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:30,520 they finished the training they decided to move to another location for baptizing so 664 00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:37,040 they took a bus and started on the journey they were texting me for a while but after 665 00:54:37,040 --> 00:54:48,320 that I lost contact with them I sensed that something had happened to them I remember 666 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:55,880 that evening I received information that they had been captured and put in prison I was 667 00:54:55,880 --> 00:55:06,960 sad I was crying I felt guilty because I had allowed them to go to that place my family 668 00:55:06,960 --> 00:55:15,160 was scared for me they told me to flee the country a lot of thoughts ran through my head 669 00:55:15,160 --> 00:55:27,560 would I stay or leave I decided to hide in my home during this time I encouraged the 670 00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:34,360 rest of the brothers in my church I would go secretly to meet them and pray with them 671 00:55:34,360 --> 00:55:42,200 then return home into hiding I would always remind them that when we decided to follow 672 00:55:42,200 --> 00:56:00,280 Christ we were aware that things like this would happen 673 00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:06,520 your prayers are crucial to us because they lead to miracles 674 00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:15,280 Yemen needs brave servants to go out in society and proclaim the message of God I could stay 675 00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:24,000 safe I could remain at home and face no persecution but what good is my Christianity for them 676 00:56:24,000 --> 00:56:40,800 what good is my faith if I don't go out and deliver the message of God to others 677 00:56:40,800 --> 00:56:47,880 what good is my faith if I don't go and deliver the message of God to others would you join 678 00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:55,360 me in praying heavenly father we thank you for the precious gift of your son Jesus Christ 679 00:56:55,360 --> 00:57:03,160 the gift of grace to our lives saved us from our sin paid the price for my wickedness that 680 00:57:03,160 --> 00:57:16,160 I might have relationship with God the good news bringing life where I had none eternal 681 00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:23,760 life so God I pray today that for these nations that I hold in my hand that are represented 682 00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:28,520 by this book for our brothers and sisters that are persecuted in those countries that 683 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:35,380 you would manifest your presence there right now as we join in prayer here in this room 684 00:57:35,380 --> 00:57:43,640 in Logan that an unprecedented move of God would take place in each of those nations 685 00:57:43,640 --> 00:57:49,040 we sing songs and pray prayers about revival but God I just pray for an unprecedented avalanche 686 00:57:49,040 --> 00:57:54,640 of souls to be swept into the kingdom in these countries I pray that you would strengthen 687 00:57:54,640 --> 00:58:01,000 our persecuted brothers and sisters as they stand strong for you may they be spirit-filled 688 00:58:01,000 --> 00:58:13,160 may they be spirit-led and may they be spirit-strong and we pray for the persecutors those regimes 689 00:58:13,160 --> 00:58:21,480 those political bodies those family members who feel that they are doing the work of the 690 00:58:21,480 --> 00:58:29,920 God that they serve or the godless nation philosophy that they serve to rid their to 691 00:58:29,920 --> 00:58:36,520 do their best to rid their city of followers of Christ I pray that they would have like 692 00:58:36,520 --> 00:58:44,960 the Apostle Paul when he was Saul had a vision that transformed his life in an instant we 693 00:58:44,960 --> 00:58:52,560 pray for persecutors to be swept into the kingdom turn them around to become followers 694 00:58:52,560 --> 00:58:58,400 of Jesus Christ and not just followers of Jesus Christ but proponents of the gospel 695 00:58:58,400 --> 00:59:03,680 people who share the gospel in their nation may they also be filled with the spirit may 696 00:59:03,680 --> 00:59:09,520 they also be led by the spirit may they also be spirit-strong God we commit ourselves to 697 00:59:09,520 --> 00:59:17,640 the simple thing as Christians to listen and obey to listen to you and obey give us opportunities 698 00:59:17,640 --> 00:59:23,520 to see people the way you see them give us your eyes and heart to see people in our own 699 00:59:23,520 --> 00:59:31,440 Jerusalem here that need to know the love of Jesus Christ we give you thanks honor glory 700 00:59:31,440 --> 00:59:38,520 and praise in Jesus name amen so I want to thank you in advance for partnering with open 701 00:59:38,520 --> 00:59:45,800 doors because it's individuals like you and churches like yours that make a difference 702 00:59:45,800 --> 00:59:51,560 across the world where people will be strengthened as they follow Jesus Christ no matter the 703 00:59:51,560 --> 00:59:56,280 cost even in the face of persecution I'm going to hand back to Pastor Rob God bless you folks 704 00:59:56,280 --> 01:00:06,440 thank you so much for your time today thank you for joining us we pray God's richest blessing 705 01:00:06,440 --> 01:00:12,260 on your life if you haven't already make sure to join us on Facebook Instagram and YouTube 706 01:00:12,260 --> 01:00:26,800 you can also find us at Logan City Christian Church dot com see you next week