One step at a time (Making a difference)

We thank you that you've given him a fresh word for us. Help us. Not, Nigeria word. Leticia, Rhema word, give us a perspective that you alive even now and that you're able even now that you are the closest friend you'll ever have even now in Jesus name, amen.

I could do that. Thank you touch. I was promised. The heating was going to be on this morning. It's not. So if you needs to get up and keep yourself, warm moist, I'm preaching and walk around, feel free to do so I'm not going to be offended at all. But you know, when somebody promises you you believe them. You sorry? I'm sorry. We've done all. We can do it. Remotely control from another place. What she shot today. So please try with us this week as well as becoming Underwood. Father, God, I pray that Lord you'd fill us with the warmth of your presents right now. Father, I pray that Lord. You Jewel close to us know. We need you, we need your Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Help us. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. we present to a new season in November, make it make a making a difference, anybody feel that making a difference, Not enough hands up guys. I like guys, cuz sometimes we fail that what we do know, what his sometimes. When we feel we say something, we kind of got. Hello. Did you hear me? Did you catch what I'm saying? And I believe, and I honestly want to encourage you, we are making a difference, you are making a difference with doing it. Where we work, why we live? Where we reside where we do church? We are making a difference in this place. In in Stroud College, I'll give you an example.

We we we we shall see about what we do here until Sunday. Thank you. For those people who join this online from around the world. Have seen some unusual countries joining us this morning. So somebody from Libya joining us this morning. So if you're still with us, welcome. But I'm that everything I'm with touching Nations. Anybody not? How many roughly? How many countries there are in the world about 230-240? Now we got some Flags around the room that represent some of the nation's that we talked. And some of the people that we have in our congregation we are about thirty-five nationalities right now is a church, that means we have to say you. When is this Oh boy. I sure do some of the other things that the welcome sign says on the door. Now, I know we are making a difference because I know God makes a difference in us. So we're going to start with the scripture. You will know. So well, John 3:16 John. 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten. Son, that whosoever believes in Him. Should not perish but have everlasting life. I want to start stuff with the key word in here and in this translation says whoever. But another translation says who so ever. Does that include you? Yes, include Does it include your neighbor's? Does it include the people you work with whosoever God sent his son for whosoever? Whether we acknowledge Him or not, he still sent his son. Whether we think class is Jesus, so why do we declare a savior? He still sent his son to pay the price for you, and for me, that's what we celebrated. As We Gather Round communion. He's only some

I'd like you to think right now about the most precious thing that you have. I'd like you to think about them out and hopefully, it's not things. Maybe it's a daughter or a son, or a brother or sister or husband or a wife for someone who's precious to you. I know what I asked you. The question you wouldn't give them up. You willing to hand them over no desire would be to keep them safe and keep them out yet. God sent his only son so the pay the price for you and for me, in John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this to lay down, one's life for one's friends. Are you a friend of Jesus? Is he your friend? Cuz he laid his life down for you. And I know there are people this week in this congregation who stepped out. I'm done something a bit different. I've heard of people who heard a conversation going on his mind, if I join in.

I'm, I brought the lights of Christ, the love of God, into that conversation, despite the fact that I go to bed, every time I want to encourage you. If you've shed your testimony, if you've spoken, fourth, if you've done something this week, which means you lay down your reputation willing to be school in, just like, Jesus was school and then, well done, well done. Because sometimes we feel we're not making a difference at all. One of my favorite books is cool to have success pyro Parsons and it's a story in that that he was a true story or not pretty. So beautiful Story. Recounts, how a man is walking down the beach on a Sunday evening and I guess in the Indian Ocean not he's walking along the beach. This slide is washing in, I'm watching hundreds of starfish on to the beach but the tide is going out. So they stopped it should getting left on the beach. And I found the bait. She sees this young man, bending down, and picking up a starfish and throwing it into the sea and bending down. And picking up another style Fashions, running to the Sea, How do you say, what are you doing? There are thousands if not millions of starfish on this Beach tonight. You are not making a difference. I'm the young man looks at them and then back down again and said, and I'm making a difference to this one, and I'm making a difference to this one and I'm making a difference to this one doesn't feel like he's making a difference, but you are affecting someone, your smile affect someone, your encouragement, except summon your help and get help lead someone up and encourages them. And we are called to be Sultan lights in the world. Jesus didn't die for us too, so we can straighten up arms and do nothing. He died for us so that we be men and women of action, men and women who would do. So the men and women who would share something in Philippines to buy, site says he humbled himself.

He humbled himself, and he found in parents, is a man. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death. He went to the ultimate price, he paid the ultimate sacrifice even death on the cross. Not even a nice that not even a comfortable, that he paid the price for you and me a woody. Are we willing to take up our cross? Are we willing to take up our cross to die to self and die to reputation? Mother Teresa was also asked about the similar kind of situation of so much needed. And so little And she was all she's questioning and the description most. How can you make the difference in this ocean of need? And she looked at the interview and said to him. An ocean is made up of many drops. We can make a difference. Now we can make a difference to die. We can make, hopefully we made a difference yesterday cuz God has a plan for us. It says that in Jeremiah 29 verse 11, God has a plan for you. And for me, I'm not sure he wants to encourage us to walk in that plan and he walks in encouraged us to walk in that plants cuz he has a plan for you and for me and then pressing into that he shares it with power and authority. So, how competently do you work today? I want to encourage you. We got Jeremiah 29:11, thank you for. I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm. You plans to give you hope and a future.

I've sat down with probably hundreds. Maybe maybe even thousands possibly of young students and say. Where are you going? What you got to do, off the university, when you finish your dissertation. What's next? I don't know whether some of you in the room and some of the you want to go online to fill that kind of question. For those, the jeans you'll probably thinking exactly about that kind of thing is flying for jobs. Have you a little boxes back inside? While I want to do this or if you open up the boxes that go left, what do you want me to do? I sent that all people in this room who will not be in this country this time next year. There's nothing negative thing. That's a positive thing cuz God sends us into the world. It doesn't just kind of couple. Get on with your life. He has a plan in the gifts and talents Anybody not see some new people on the way she explained it, like right to Seaver Boehner out that sharing life in fashion.

You caught once once rubbing against something Stars, Bush opinion, you know? It's like she's going to spring inside her. Now that that is something I don't want to see somebody going for in price. So, little bit more and I just, I just think it's great to have people around us who are going for Ingo. I'm probably not. So, I think it was almost a perfect moment to the beginning of the worship team that when one of your children painting was sitting there on the phone that will happen, that will happen. They will be popping that. What plans do you have? No, sometimes I showed up to the plans, I have I've written them out and I'm thinking about something. I'm going to be doing and he just goes haha because he's realizing how small I'm thinking.

Let me ask you a question when you came to church this morning, but will you be leaving out for this morning? As you walked in there, when you believe in God, that somebody came to Christ for the first time. Will you believe in God for someone to be held? Are you come here with a with a Kawhi sign? Lord, I need to hear you speak to me. And lots of Us come with different names in different situations, but I think we put God into a box that he's far too small. Yes. Can you walk in this way? In this particular moment right now, I have a plan for you for the next I'm not planning a big plant and it requires the other people walk in that prophetic Destiny. 2. The fascinating thing about Jeremiah 29:11 is that it means that our lives are intertwined. These are not separate plans running on separate tracks. All independent lives are intertwined. Some of the things you do hate to die will echo in eternity. Any mathematicians in the room with side the odds, on this particular group of people, exactly this group of people ever meeting again, in one place is millions to one of you to be somewhere else, and it's a different, if it's a different Gathering. So the odds of being in this place at this time are unique and you are unique. I was fascinated to see a 20 year old story. I came back on Sunday and some of our young people who paint a while on holiday in Serbia. I'm thinking I'm think, I'm never been to Serbia.

Like, I brought a picture to me. There's somebody that looks almost like me, it wasn't me. But I said, I am using my fingerprints a different to this person that you have been called you, the plan in the purpose of you, and you need to walk in your destiny. I need to walk in my destiny because my destiny is intertwined with yours and mine. That will be people who come into the kingdom of God, because of your work so well and woke her up. If it's well-lit. But those people that have difficulties walking in the dark, you don't like driving in the dark maybe then you would like some scriptures to Psalm. 119 105 says, bring a light to my path. We haven't tried walking around the dock for those parents, you why you leave Lego on the floor in the dark and then you step on a piece of, like, I've now sent to you then suddenly walk differently instead of comfort in the walking across the room thinking. There's nothing here you now start to walk completely differently and you're trying to feel your way through the floor, you've lost all confidence. I mean losing your confidence right side, light my path where it says. In Psalm 119 105 is your word is a lamp unto my feet.

It's nothing, but it's nothing better than I can say to you this morning. So I, whenever you're in doubt, driving to God's word, Sprite, ask going to say, help me, I need, I need light. Sometimes described my Bible, as my guide book for life. Imma have to prove it. If you're taking assemblies in the number of our local schools including Minecraft. And I remember going in that one particular Tuesday morning and as I walked into the school ready to do in assembly, a young gentleman came up to me and said, young child. Is it to religious assembly today? I didn't really understand the question if if I want to sing some songs. And yes, I'm going to tell you a bible stories at all, certain sex. So I actually, if they have to, so I made the decision in my heart, I said I'm going to be sold and lights in these moments. So, the next time I kind of do an assembly, I woke in, I said I'm not doing a religious assembly. I'm a talk to about the Bible but it was my guide book for life, my handbook, for the journey and my map to find my wife and that's the way I referred you. I said that, but I said it for life. Sometimes if we saying in a meeting with say to somebody the Bible says because people don't know what the Bible is. They do not understand. It's the Living Word of God. They rejected it immediately. So that I wouldn't pay any attention to the most living a fantasy book that we can have a diving suit and sales of the Bible. All right now not down there going up. That's right thing as me. Yes, absolutely. And I'm and if you want to buy Bible,

Light my path Shine. Your Light that you'll a word to my face. Let me not walk in Darkness. Darkness can often be ignorant of the ignorance can lead us to do things unintended results. I didn't mean that. Sorry.

Psalm 37 verses, 23 and 24 Thursday. The Lord's up houses. The Lord makes firm. The steps of the one who Delights in him. That he may stumble. He will not fool.

for the Lord, uphold him with his hand, anybody need to studying arm

And sometimes we need one another. We need one another to help us. Stopping by so that we could do. So I can I help you this morning. Somebody said can I help you? I did not know right, thank you very much and the pride in me you know I'm doing okay. We don't like to admit we need help to E. We certainly don't like to admit, we need help from the one who created us. I'm sure he's looking down sometimes so I can type going to help you and now I got to go help.

And go see Told You. So and he doesn't want to say that kind of thing. He doesn't want to think those kind of things. But I want to encourage you this morning to be bold in your journey. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to be bowls and boldness is not something that comes with some people. You walk on the stage, you walk in front of people that you've got amazing confidence. That comes almost out of nowhere but you know what? I want you and couches in a particular area in Hebrews 4:16. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in time of need. I am so tomorrow at some point this week, you will have a moment of need

I want to encourage you ask for help. A listing price.

I've had the privilege of being a primary school teacher for a number of years and sometimes I'll be sitting in my classroom and I see a child playing something. Maybe like I break something doing a jigsaw puzzle and I can see that struggling. Now, it will be very easy for me to reach down and do it for them.

You know what? It's it makes you feel different when somebody comes out. Nanny Grandpa. Grandad, teacher. Can you help me?

And now instead of you to get full them, you'll doing it, with them doesn't want to do it for us. He wants to do it with us.

God doesn't have a plan, B is plan, a is the church, God sent his one and only son, the bride, and the bridegroom talks about night in Scripture. Christ will return for his bride, the church. So we can boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence. I mean, Daddy, I'm here. I'm here in your presence. I need your help.

Sometimes we do create some pretty significant Messi's that way anybody created a mess this year. I have no proud of it, but God helps us, these moments are Nae. So we need his grace because if we don't receive his grace, then we're going to struggle to make a difference.

And Joshua 1 chapter 9. It says they sent my place for it is I have I not commanded, you be strong and courageous

No fussy, and as telling you to do something, you would you mind if it's telling you to call me. My Simon says, if I don't do it.

I put your hands on your head. Okay, Jesus says, put your right hand on your right shoulder. Take it off again.

Jesus, I stand up. Okay, you can sit down now. Okay, you got the idea. I don't need to get my assistant again. Please do sit down. The point. Is that firstly? It's it's a comes with a command for the command. On Jesus says Jesus, have I not commanded you and then he says to be strong and courageous. We can go to the gym and we can build up muscle, we could become stronger. How do we build up courage? How do you build up, courage? We build up Courage by taking steps to fight. Why having to go through it again? And then we catch courage from other people. When we do it together, we more comfortable, we step into the presence of God for, he says, do not be afraid. Remember that story I told you mentioned a dear and you step on a piece of like it on the floor suddenly you walk completely differently. If you bring someone before and you've got her something, something, something scheduled. You walk into that street differently, some people take down that street anymore, it's dark and dangerous.

Ashley gotenkara just to be able to be strong. To be courageous. Do not be afraid for the Lord will be with you wherever you go.

I believe that also includes places that we make bad choices around. I don't think I'll believe this behind because we make bad choices. He tries to not just back on track. That's why he lights off. Haha, he wants us to walk his wife cuz that's the best way for me to make bad choices. Don't we? I don't think I'll jump off and goes, I'll say you made the wrong choice. I'm leaving you to yourself. Psalm 139 snow in my Supply, Selma David, right. Where can I go from your presence? Where can I sleep? Even if I go to the even though your hand will guide me, even when I've made a mess, you are still there. Cuz I'm going to wrap this up as we've celebrated communion as we pressed into this. I want to encourage everyone of us to be bored this week to take a slightly different and sometimes that means that we need to take a different perspective. We need to look differently.

I was, I was touched by a few people who have taken some of the Disposable Cutlery that would giving and giving it to people in in London, I never thought about thinking about that kind of thing that you have something that you could eat and be healthy. I was thinking we don't need to hold onto stuff and go get your stuff and give you a lie.

What has anybody? Remember us a program called Cracker Jack. 5:00 on a Friday and I played a game for cabbages and kings. And whether I'm getting some blank looks now it's okay. Let me describe it. It was a game where a child had to stand on a pedestal and I will ask the question if they got the question right. They would give Enterprise a game or something and I thought if I dropped anything they were out and they anything that they had still hold up a 1. So you can ask a question, they be giving a guy when they got the question wrong then they were given a cabbage. I'll be stopping soon. So now they're holding a guy with the cabbage and then they will get another question right now. They got got even a cabbage of the guy. In the old becomes very awkward and difficult to hold. I think, Austin all life can be full of things that God does not want us to carry the cabbages of life if you'll excuse the phrase. The things that he doesn't want us to carry, but they're all things. He doesn't want us to carry cuz he wants us to use them. And sometimes we need to give stuff away. We need to share the part that we need to show the love of God, we need to live and work for the love of God because he wants us to be bold and courageous. It's reading week this week on campus, I think, is that right? Yes. Well, I have some of you will be doing some reading this week. Some of you might be going home, some of you might be doing something out but he's awake, but you can step out and be bold and courageous. Why not sit down and have a coffee. I used to work for a big American Supply Company many many years ago. And whenever I came to the conclusion, that had a big ten saying, when it came for lunch time, I get my try of my food and I walk around like I'm saying, I'm always looking for someone who's sitting on their own, who I did not know. And I would just say, do you mind if I join you? Most of the time they went not, that's fine. Thank you. And I would just sit the stuff and then eventually come to say she would stop when I left the company. After two and a half years as I was walking out of, how do, you know? So many people? I said, well, I sat down and had lunch with many of them. And it's not a British thing to do. It's not a ranger nationalities in the room, AC maybe it'd be no more for you to do that. I just want encouraging out with courage and with confidence and just see what God will do. See, what will happen? What I believe you and I are making a difference and more importantly God is making a difference through. So be bold, be courageous, make a difference one step at a time. Let me pray.

Father. God, we thank you for your presence today. We thank you for your Holy Spirit. Father, I pray that we'd carry something of you into all week, Lord, we know that you'll die with us everyday, every moment. Father, sometimes we ignore you, sometimes we step aside and do it our own way. Father, forgive us when we do that. Father, help us to listen to the heartbeat of the father, help us to listen to your instructions into your words. And as we ride, that's why I have commanded, you be bold and courageous. Father, I pray that you help us to step into new situations and to new circumstances with confidence and boldness. Father I pray that whether he's dark, you'd help us to bring light where there is no hope I pray that you help with to bring hope and hopelessness of Bounce.

Father, we pray a Bible that we share the most important message of all. Jesus Christ, sent his one and only son that whosoever believes in Him. Should not perish but have everlasting life.

And I do want to put the position to place in prayer and so I'm going to ask you to think about the week I had that you've got whatever that contains the some of us that will be something that you've never done before something. That actually, you may be quite concerned about. I'm going to ask you to stand if I see you. I'm going to ask you what it is that's between you and God. But if it's something that you can return for the first time, is it something you need courage? And boldness for this week I'm going to pray that God give you that

If I see you, would you stand it? If you do get a home, please also stand at home is good time, just as, as the father looks or not. He just acknowledges and says, just wanted to ask some water.

I'm just looking ahead into that week. I might be something you want to happen. Something that is going to be completely in your hands. Again, if you need boldness, and courage, stand up right now, let's step into purposes step into Destiny in Jesus name. So I probably got a thank you for everyone standing in the room listening now online and I was listing like the father, I pray that you'd release to us. Power of your presence. Father, I pray that you pull us and fill us with your Holy Spirit. Ludacris full of you and there's less of ourselves to get in the way. We pray in, Jesus name, the last load and I've lost father, I pray that you'd help us put on glasses, that allow us to see something of what you see. So instead of it being a season 5th, Wellness. Father, I pray, it will be a season of sight. Fullness father, instead of it being a season or a moment of overwhelming. Father, I pray, it will be underwhelming. No. Because you will lift us to a different perspective. You will give us a different perspective on things, a different view. I want me to say it. The way you said it'll be realize that the mountains have become old is the situations are different and you've lifted us up. And so now you didn't Paul courage and boldness competence and Faith to my brothers and sisters. Who is standing with me. God help us in these days. I had father, give us the word. Give us a word logout that would carry us through Lord Commander if we need that direction in Jesus, mighty name.