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 Len and
Ray and I did a conference in Pittsburgh this week. We
had a ballroom filled with pastors and church leaders at
the Sheraton North. It amazes me how God is using this
place to touch people. On the week before we were in
Toronto. The next trip we're going to three cities on the
west coast - Pasadena, Seattle, and Portland. And, San
Diego's the next swing. It amazes me, and it's not
because God needs me.
God doesn't need us. Did
you know that? God didn't make us because he needs us,
God is complete within God's self. God made us because he
loves us. God doesn't need us, we need God. Before I came
out here to speak tonight, I didn't say, "Oh, God, I
can do you a favor tonight." A volunteer mentality
gives the idea that God needs us and we can donate little
bits of time. No, we need God. As a servant, I'm back to
saying, "God, I need you. Help!"
Restored
Our Fortunes
 The influence of what God does
amazes me. God doesn't need me. He's doing this as part
of my restoration. He leads me out and brings me to this
wonderful place. You know what amazes me? Tonight we look
like a small church, but do you know we're in cyberspace?
In the last 30 days, 1500 people have tuned into what we
do in worship. Our Web site, on the Internet, has
received hits from 31 states and three Provinces in
Canada. Listen to where people are listening from--
Australia, Finland, Japan, Belgium, Italy, United
Kingdom, Chili, New Zealand, Sweden.
Can
you believe this? And it's not because God needs me. It's
because God finds this person with broken esteem and he
leads us out to this wonderful place. Isn't that amazing?
You see, the Jews were smart. Whenever they found
themselves in a place of uncertainty or pain, they didn't
focus on the pain. They sang the songs of Zion. They
filled their minds remembering what God had done in the
past.
I
just want to read this one letter to you. This is from
Australia. Listen to this: "Thank you, thank you,
thank you for making the sermons more printable with less
paper waste. Paper costs a fortune here. I was just
reading the latest sermon you have put online. Thanks for
your hard work. I love that I can be so far away from my
church, but still be in touch. I'm really looking forward
to the chat line." This from our sister in Christ,
Sally Bostwick, who moved to Australia. Isn't that neat
that people in Australia call this their church? It's not
because God needs us, Church. It's because we need God.
To Sustain In Difficult Times
It is
part of God's plan of leading us out. Do you remember
where you were when God found you? Do you remember how
God led you out? You see, remembering what God has done
sustains us in the in-between times. Those times of pain
and uncertainty. We all have them. Can you imagine Jesus?
You remember how he was sweating the night before his
crucifixion, but God had told him he would raise him up. |
