Life in Christ

1 2 ACCORDING TO THE U.S. BUREAU OF STANDARDS • A DENSE FOG COVERING 1.6 ACERS TO A DEPTH OF 100 FEET • IS COMPOSED OF LESS THAT ONE GLASS OF WATER • THAT AMOUNT OF WATER IS DIVIDED INTO ABOUT 60 BILLION TINY DROPLETS. 3 • YET WHEN THOSE MINUTE PARTICLES SETTLE OVER THE COUNTRYSIDE • THEY CAN ALMOST BLOT OUT EVERYTHING FROM YOUR SIGHT. • MANY PEOPLE TODAY LIVE THEIR LIVES IN A FOG. • THEY ALLOW A CUPFUL OF PROBLEMS 4 • TO CLOUD THEIR VISION AND DAMPEN THEIR SPIRIT • SOME FOLKS MISTAKENLY THINK THAT COMING TO CHRIST • MEANS ALL THOSE PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY • THAT COMING TO CHRIST MEANS THE FOG WILL LIFT 5 • IN LIFE WE ARE GONNA FACE PROBLEMS • WE HAD THEM WITHOUT CHRIST, WE WILL HAVE THEM WITH CHRIST • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT COMING TO CHRIST DOES NOT END THE PROBLEMS • BUT IT DOES CHANGE OUR PLANS AND OUR PURPOSE IN THE PROBLEMS • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT SAUL AND SOME PROBLEMS • HE FACED AFTER COMING TO SALVATION IN CHRIST • TURN TO ACTS 9:26 6 7 • AFTER ENCOUNTERING CHRIST ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS • SAUL HAD REGAINED HIS SIGHT AND BEEN BAPTIZED • HE BEGAN TO PROCLAIM CHRIST AND THOSE HEARING WERE AMAZED 8 • GOD INCREASED HIS MINISTRY AND PEOPLE STARTED PLOTTING TO KILL HIM • SO SAUL’S DISCIPLES HELPED HIM ESCAPE • BY LOWERING HIM OVER THE WALL IN A BASKET 9 ACTS 9:26–27 WHEN HE CAME TO JERUSALEM, HE WAS TRYING TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE DISCIPLES; BUT THEY WERE ALL AFRAID OF HIM, NOT BELIEVING THAT HE WAS A DISCIPLE. BUT BARNABAS TOOK HOLD OF HIM AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE APOSTLES 10 AND DESCRIBED TO THEM HOW HE HAD SEEN THE LORD ON THE ROAD, AND THAT HE HAD TALKED TO HIM, AND HOW AT DAMASCUS HE HAD SPOKEN OUT BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS. PROBLEMS STILL EXIST 11 • SAUL HAD LEFT JERUSALEM A FAVORITE OF THE PHARISEES • WHEN HE RETURNS HE IS NOT ONLY A TURNCOAT TO THE LEADERS • HE IS DISTRUSTED BY THE DISCIPLES 12 • HE REPEATEDLY TRIES TO ASSOCIATE WITH BELIEVERS • AND THEY DISTRUST HIM BECAUSE; • “THEY WERE ALL AFRAID OF HIM, NOT BELIEVING THAT HE WAS A DISCIPLE.” • MAYBE THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST SOME KIND OF TRICK 13 • A WAY TO FIND OUT WHO TO PERSECUTE NEXT • WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE WORLD THEY ARE LIVING IN • DAMASCUS IS FAIRLY FAR OFF • SAUL COULD NOT JUST UPDATE HIS FACEBOOK STATUS 14 • TO LET EVERYONE KNOW HE WAS NO LONGER PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS • THEIR FEAR IS UNDERSTANDABLE • IF IT IS A TRICK LETTING HIM IN WOULD MEAN PEOPLE WOULD DIE 15 • I WONDER IF SAUL WAS SHOCKED • WHEN HIS LIFE GOT MORE PROBLEMATIC AFTER JESUS • I KNOW I WAS, I FIGURED IF I TRUSTED CHRIST • CERTAINLY, LIFE WOULD GET EASIER • AND SOME THINGS ABSOLUTELY DID 16 • BUT A WHOLE NEW SET OF THINGS POPPED UP • SEE, COMING TO CHRIST DOES NOT MEAN • ALL YOUR PROBLEMS GO AWAY • AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME OF THE PROBLEMS WE FACE • COME AS A RESULT OF SERVING GOD 1 PETER 3:14 17 BUT EVEN IF YOU SHOULD SUFFER FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, YOU ARE BLESSED. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 18 • SAUL IS SUFFERING HERE FOR THE SAKE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS • HE HAS RETURNED TO JERUSALEM TO PROCLAIM CHRIST • AND HIS FELLOW BELIEVERS WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM 19 • WE NEED TO KNOW WE WILL STILL FACE PROBLEMS • AFTER WE TRUST IN CHRIST • WE NEED TO BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO LET OTHERS HELP US IN THESE TIMES WE NEED PEOPLE IN OUR PROBLEMS 20 • ANANIAS HAD HELPED SAUL IN DAMASCUS • NOW BARNABAS HELPS SAUL IN JERUSALEM • “BUT BARNABAS TOOK HOLD OF HIM AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE APOSTLES” 21 • MANY PEOPLE THINK BARNABAS MAY HAVE ALREADY KNOWN SAUL • THEY COME FROM THE SAME PART OF THE WORLD • THEY BOTH STUDIED UNDER THE SAME TEACHER IN JERUSALEM • IT IS POSSIBLE BARNABAS HAD BEEN TO DAMASCUS 22 • AND PERSONALLY HEARD ABOUT SAUL’S CONVERSION • SO, BARNABAS TAKES SAUL TO THE APOSTLES • WE KNOW SAUL MET WITH PETER AND JAMES • HE TALKS ABOUT THIS IN GALATIANS • IT CAN BE HARD TO LET OTHER PEOPLE HELP YOU • SAUL IS REALLY LEARNING TO LET PEOPLE HELP HIM • FIRST ANANIAS HELPED HIM TO REGAIN HIS SIGHT • THEN HIS DISCIPLES IN DAMASCUS LOWERED HIM IN A BASKET 23 • NOW BARNABAS HELPS HIM WHEN THE CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM • ARE AFRAID AND WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM • WE NEED HELP AND GOD HELPS THE HUMBLE 24 25 JAMES 4:6 BUT HE GIVES A GREATER GRACE. THEREFORE, IT SAYS, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” 26 • SOMETIMES HE GIVES THIS GRACE THROUGH PEOPLE • FOR THIS TO HAPPEN WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW US 27 • BARNABAS COULD NOT HAVE HELPED SAUL • IF HE HAD NOT KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT SAUL • LUKE SAYS BARNABAS TOLD THE APOSTLES HOW SAUL 28 • “HAD SEEN THE LORD ON THE ROAD… AND TALKED TO HIM, AND HOW AT DAMASCUS HE HAD SPOKEN OUT BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF JESUS.” • MAYBE BARNABAS HEARD THESE THINGS IN DAMASCUS • OR MAYBE HE CAME TO SAUL AND ASKED HIM 29 • EITHER WAY SAUL HAD TO BE WILLING TO TALK • ABOUT WHAT HE HAD BEEN THROUGH • HE EITHER TOLD BARNABAS OR HE TOLD THOSE IN DAMASCUS • WHEN WE ARE UNWILLING TO TELL OTHERS ABOUT 30 • OUR WALK WITH CHRIST THIS REDUCES OUR WITNESS • AND MAY MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO • HELP US THROUGH OUR PROBLEMS • PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW US TO HELP US 31 • THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH • THEY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THOUGH • THEY HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT OUR WALK WITH GOD • WE MAY NOT THINK WE NEED THE HELP • BUT THE TRUTH IS; PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE LAURIE WAS ABOUT THREE WHEN ONE NIGHT • SHE REQUESTED HELP IN GETTING UNDRESSED • HER MOTHER WAS DOWNSTAIRS AND LAURIE WAS UPSTAIRS, 32 33 • "YOU KNOW HOW TO UNDRESS YOURSELF," HER MOTHER YELLED UP THE STAIRS • "YES," THE LITTLE GIRL EXPLAINED, • 'BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE ANYWAY, • EVEN IF THEY DO KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS BY THEMSELVES." • WE SOMETIMES THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH OUR PROBLEMS ALONE • AND SOMETIMES WE CAN 34 • BUT DOES GOING THROUGH PROBLEMS ALONE GIVE THE MOST GLORY TO GOD? • WHEN WE LET PEOPLE INTO OUR LIVES AND THEY HELP US • GOD GETS THE GLORY • AND NOTHING GIVES GOD GLORY QUITE LIKE PROCLAIMING CHRIST 35 ACTS 9:28–30 36 AND HE WAS WITH THEM, MOVING ABOUT FREELY IN JERUSALEM, SPEAKING OUT BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. AND HE WAS TALKING AND ARGUING WITH THE HELLENISTIC JEWS; BUT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. BUT WHEN THE BRETHREN LEARNED OF IT, THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CAESAREA AND SENT HIM AWAY TO TARSUS. 37 38 PROCLAIMING BRINGS OPPOSITION • SO, BARNABAS TALKS WITH THE APOSTLES • AND THE NEXT THING WE SEE SAUL IS GOING AROUND JERUSALEM WITH THEM, THEM IS THE APOSTLES • “AND HE WAS WITH THEM, MOVING ABOUT FREELY IN JERUSALEM” 39 • THE WAY THIS IS WORDED IMPLIES • HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE ABOUT THE TOWN BEFORE • WITH HIS NEW FREEDOM SAUL GOES AROUND • “SPEAKING OUT BOLDLY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD” 40 • AND OF COURSE, HE RUNS INTO OPPOSITION; • “AND HE WAS TALKING AND ARGUING WITH THE HELLENISTIC JEWS;” • THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE STEVEN DEBATED WITH IN ACTS 6 • SOME PEOPLE THINK SAUL MAY HAVE DEBATED THESE MEN • BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN ONE OF THEM • OTHERS THINK SAUL CONFRONTED THEM BECAUSE • THEY HAD ARRANGED STEPHEN’S TRIAL AND EXECUTION 41 • THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US WHY SAUL DEBATED THEM • BUT IT DOES MAKE IT CLEAR • NO MATTER WHERE WE PROCLAIM CHRIST • THERE WILL BE THOSE THAT OPPOSE US 42 43 JOHN 3:19–20 “THIS IS THE JUDGMENT, THAT THE LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, FOR THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL.” “FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL HATES THE LIGHT, AND DOES NOT COME TO THE LIGHT FOR FEAR THAT HIS DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED.” 44 45 • IF YOU STAND AND PROCLAIM JESUS CHRIST IS LORD AND SAVOIR • BE READY CAUSE SOMEONE WILL OPPOSE IT • FRIENDS, FAMILY, STRANGERS, FOLKS ON THE INTERNET • FOLKS IN THE LINE AT THE GROCERY STORE 46 • YOU COULD BE STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EMPTY FIELD • AND IF YOU YELLED OUT JESUS CHRIST IS KING OF KINGS • AND LORD OF LORDS… BE READY 47 • CAUSE SOME BODY IS GONNA • JUMP OUTTA THE TALL GRASS AND OPPOSE YOU • YA, GOD’S TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE • BUT IT ALSO GETS PEOPLE RILED UP 48 PROCLAIMING RESULTS IN CONFLICT • MANY TIMES, WHEN WE TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS • THEY WILL NOT AGREE WITH US • SOMETIMES THIS DISAGREEMENT WILL RESULT IN REAL CONFLICT • FOR SAUL THIS CONFLICT WAS VERY SERIOUS 49 • “BUT THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO PUT HIM TO DEATH.” • THIS MAY SEEM LIKE AN OVER REACTION TO US • THESE SAME FELLAS HAD THIS SAME REACTION TO DEBATING STEPHEN • AS OVER THE TOP AS THIS SEEMS 50 • IT WAS A FAIRLY STANDARD REACTION IN THAT TIME AND PLACE • TO KILL SOMEONE YOU DISAGREED WITH • IN FACT, EVEN TODAY IN OUR OWN COUNTRY • THIS IS HOW DISAGREEMENTS ARE HANDLED IN CERTAIN PLACES 51 • WHEN YOU HEAR OF DRIVE BY SHOOTING • AND GANG RETALIATIONS THIS IS BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED • THEY DISAGREED OVER SOMETHING AND PLOTTED TO KILL THEM • HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS IN 2018 IT IS NOT TO LIKELY 52 • SOMEONE IS GONNA PLOT TO KILL YOUR FOR DEBATING ABOUT JESUS • BUT THERE ARE PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT TALKING • ABOUT JESUS WILL GET YOU KILLED • WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES • FOR PROCLAIMING JESUS AS CHRIST AND SAVIOR • GENERALLY, THESE CONSEQUENCES WILL NOT BE DEATH • BUT THEY MIGHT BE; LOSING FRIENDS, 53 54 • NOT GETTING INVITED TO FAMILY EVENTS, • GETTING SUED, LOSING YOUR JOB • OR ANY NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS • WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THESE CONSEQUENCES PREPARED TO SERVE AS GOD SEES FIT 55 • FROM WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT SAUL, • WHOSE NAME GETS CHANGED TO PAUL • I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE • STAYING IN JERUSALEM AND CONFRONTING 56 • THOSE WHO WERE PLOTTING TO KILL HIM • BUT HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS FIND OUT ABOUT THE PLOT • “BUT WHEN THE BRETHREN LEARNED OF IT,” • DID YOU NOTICE THE SAME ONES THAT USED TO FEAR HIM • ARE NOW CALLED HIS BRETHREN 57 • AND THEY CARE ENOUGH ABOUT HIM THAT; • “THEY BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO CAESAREA AND SENT HIM AWAY TO TARSUS.” • THEY DID NOT JUST SEND HIM AWAY • THEY WENT WITH HIM TO KEEP HIM SAFE • WHAT A CHANGE GOD BRING INTO OUR LIVES (PAUSE) • SEE I THINK SAUL WOULD HAVE BEEN OK STAYING • AND FACING THESE MEN WHO OPPOSED HIM • BUT GOD HAD OTHER PLANS FOR SAUL 58 ACTS 22:17–21 59 “IT HAPPENED WHEN I RETURNED TO JERUSALEM AND WAS PRAYING IN THE TEMPLE, THAT I FELL INTO A TRANCE, AND I SAW HIM SAYING TO ME, ‘MAKE HASTE, AND GET OUT OF JERUSALEM QUICKLY, 60 BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR TESTIMONY ABOUT ME.’ “AND I SAID, ‘LORD, THEY THEMSELVES UNDERSTAND THAT IN ONE SYNAGOGUE AFTER ANOTHER I USED TO IMPRISON AND BEAT THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN YOU. 61 ‘AND WHEN THE BLOOD OF YOUR WITNESS STEPHEN WAS BEING SHED, I ALSO WAS STANDING BY APPROVING, AND WATCHING OUT FOR THE COATS OF THOSE WHO WERE SLAYING HIM.’ “AND HE SAID TO ME, ‘GO! FOR I WILL SEND YOU FAR AWAY TO THE GENTILES.’ ” 62 • SEE, SAUL DID NOT LEAVE BECAUSE THEY WERE PLOTTING TO KILL HIM. • THE BRETHREN HELPED SAUL WHEN THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE PLOT • BUT SAUL LEFT JERUSALEM BECAUSE • CHRIST SENT HIM TO THE GENTILES 63 • SOMETIMES WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO • WE NEED TO BE READY TO MOVE ON IF GOD WANTS US TO MOVE ON • MAYBE WE WOULD RATHER JUST STAY WHERE WE ARE • EVEN IF GOD HAS A GOOD REASON FOR US TO MOVE 64 A HOUND WAS SITTING IN A COUNTRY STORE • HE WAS HOWLING AS HOUNDS DO • A STRANGER COMES IN AND SPENDS SOME TIME LOOKING AROUND THE STORE • AND THE HOUND JUST KEEPS ON HOWLING 65 • AFTER AWHILE THE STRANGER ASKS THE FELLA BEHIND THE COUNTER • "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE DOG?" • “OH, I RECKON HE'S SITTING ON A COCKLEBUR AGAIN” • REPLIES THE SHOPKEEPER • THE STRANGER ASKED "WHY DOESN'T HE GET OFF?" • "HE'D RATHER HOLLER THAN MOVE" • SOMETIMES WE WOULD RATHER HOLLER ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS THAN MOVE 66 67 • SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY WE CAN SERVE GOD IS TO JUST MOVE ON (PAUSE) • A CHRISTIAN LIFE • SHOULD REALLY BE ABOUT SERVING GOD’S PURPOSE NOT OUR OWN ACTS 9:31 68 SO THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA AND GALILEE AND SAMARIA ENJOYED PEACE, BEING BUILT UP; AND GOING ON IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT CONTINUED TO INCREASE. 69 GOD PROVIDES TIMES OF PEACE • DID YOU NOTICE, SAUL LEAVES AND THE CHURCH ENTERS A TIME OF PEACE • NOT JUST IN CHURCH IN JERUSALEM BUT; • “THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA AND GALILEE AND SAMARIA ENJOYED PEACE,” • THERE ARE TIMES OF PEACE AND TIMES OF CONFLICT • THE TIME OF CONFLICT BEGAN AT STEPHEN’S DEATH • A PERSECUTION CAME UPON THE CHURCH • AND THE CONFLICT ENDED, AND A TIME OF PEACE BEGAN 70 71 • WHEN SAUL LEFT AND WENT TO HIS HOME LAND TARSUS • SAUL WAS A VERY CONTROVERSIAL PERSON • HE HAD BEEN PART OF THE CONFLICT FROM THE DAY OF STEPHEN’S DEATH • EVEN AFTER HIS CONVERSION, HIS MINISTRY HAD GENERATED CONFLICT • IN DAMASCUS THEY HAD PLOTTED TO KILL HIM • IN JERUSALEM CHRISTIANS FEARED HIM • AND HELLENISTIC JEWS WANTED HIM DEAD • AND WHEN HE LEAVES A TIME OF PEACE COMES OVER THE CHURCH 72 • IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND SOMETHING • GOD USES BOTH TIMES OF CONFLICT AND TIMES OF PEACE • GOD DID AMAZING THINGS IN THE TIME OF CONFLICT 73 74 • MIRACLES, HEALINGS, GREAT WITNESSES COME OUT OF CONFLICT • BUT GOD PROVIDES TIMES OF PEACE AS WELL 75 GOD PROVIDES PEACE, SO WE CAN MATURE • WE ARE CALLED TO GROW THE CHURCH • BUT THERE ARE MANY WAYS A CHURCH NEEDS TO GROW • IT NEEDS TO GROW IN LOVE • IT GROWS IN SERVICE 76 • IT CAN GROW IN OBEDIENCE • IT SHOULD CERTAINLY GROW IN MATURITY • WHEN IT SAYS HERE; • “BEING BUILT UP; AND GOING ON IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,” • I THINK THIS IS A DESCRIPTION OF • THE CHURCH GROWING IN MATURITY • “BEING BUILT UP” • IS THE IDEA OF AN INCREASE OF INNER STRENGTH • IT IS A PHRASE USED IN ARCHITECTURE 77 • IT MEANS TO MAKE A STRUCTURE STRONGER • BY FORTIFYING AND REINFORCING THE WALLS • “GOING ON IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD” • IS TALKING ABOUT A MATURE ATTITUDE 78 • THE RIGHT KIND OF RESPECT AND AWE OF GOD • “IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,” • DESCRIBES WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO LIVE 79 • IN THE PEACE OF GOD, SOMETHING THAT ONLY COMES • WHEN WE MATURE AS CHRISTIANS (PAUSE) • GOD PROVIDES TIMES OF PEACE, SO WE CAN MATURE 80 GOD PROVIDES PEACE, SO WE CAN GROW IN NUMBER 81 • LUKE CONCLUDES THIS ACCOUNT BY SAYING THE CHURCH • “CONTINUED TO INCREASE” • A TIME OF PEACE DOES NOT MEAN • A TIME OF INACTIVITY 82 • THE CHURCH GREW MORE MATURE • BUT IT ALSO GREW IN NUMBER • THE WORD INCREASE CAN ALSO BE TRANSLATED MULTIPLIED • IT IS DIRECTLY TALKING ABOUT MORE PEOPLE 83 • SHOWING UP TO CHURCH • SOME PEOPLE THINK IT IS BAD • TO TRY TO GROW THE SIZE OF YOUR CHURCH • AND WE DO NEED TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE DO THIS 84 • BUT PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO GROW GOD’S CHURCH • IS GETTING MORE PEOPLE IN THE PEWS (PAUSE) • WE SHOULD NEVER CHANGE GODS WORD • JUST TO FILL PEWS, NO PROSPERITY GOSPEL • TO EASY BELEIVISM, NO EVERYBODY GOES TO HEAVEN • BUT WE SHOULD BE STRIVING TO GROW GOD’S CHURCH • IN MATURITY, IN LOVE, IN SERVICE, OBEDIENCE • AND YES, IN NUMBERS. 85 86 • WHEN WE DO THIS, WE WILL FACE PROBLEMS • WE CAN START FEELING LIKE WE ARE • WALKING THROUGH A FIELD OF FOG • SO MANY LITTLE PROBLEMS WE FACE 87 • PILING ON TILL WE CAN’T SEE WHERE WE ARE GOING • WHEN WE COME TO CHRIST AND START SERVING GOD • TRYING TO GROW HIS CHURCH • IT DOES NOT MEAN ALL THE PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY 88 • SOME WILL, BUT NEW ONES WILL COME FOR THE • VERY FACT THAT WE ARE SERVING GOD, GROWING HIS CHURCH • JUST LIKE SAUL NEEDED BARNABAS • WE ARE GONNA NEED PEOPLE • TO HELP US THROUGH OUR PROBLEMS • FOR THEM TO HELP US THEY HAVE TO KNOW US • AND WE HAVE TO BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO LET THEM HELP • WE NEED TO BE READY TO SERVE GOD 89 90 • IN WHATEVER WAY HE DESIRES US TO SERVE • EVEN IF THAT MEANS MOVING ON • WE NEED TO KNOW GOD WILL PROVIDE • TIMES OF PEACE FOR US TO GROW THE CHURCH 91 • GROW BOTH IN MATURITY AND IN NUMBER (PAUSE) • PART OF GROWING THE CHURCH IS PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL • THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH US… 92