Game Plan | Part 8

I was lost in all alone Your presence was where I found home You were there and you're here right now And every heart and every low You never left me without hope You were good and you're good right now Say, I witness your faithfulness I've seen you breathe life within So I pour out my praise again You're worthy Got your worthy of all of it Your promise is never fair I've got stories I'll live to tell So I pour out my praise again You're worthy Got your worthy of all of it Hold you lift the storm You left the throne And chose the cross Lay down your lies You rescue us The Savior then And the Savior now But even death was not the end You conquered her So I could live Resurrecting death Resurrecting Come on, won't you stay Resurrecting death

Resurrecting Now I've witnessed your faithfulness I've seen you breathe life within So I pour out my praise again You're worthy Got your worthy of all of it Your promise is never fair I've got stories I'll live to tell So I pour out my praise again You're worthy Got your worthy of all of it Oh, he's worthy He's the only one who could have saved me Won't you stay Won't you testify, say You're good and I've witnessed it You're strong and I've witnessed it You're constant, I've witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again and again You're loving, I've witnessed it You're healing, I've witnessed it You're staving, I've witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again and again You're good and I've witnessed it Come on You're strong and I've witnessed it You're constant, I've witnessed it

And I'm confident I'll see it Come on, stretch some faith in this room You're loving, I've witnessed it You're healing, I've witnessed it You're staving, I've witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again and again You're good and I've witnessed it You're strong and I've witnessed it You're constant, I've witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again and again You're loving, I've witnessed it All you feel You're staving right now They're in, I'm confident I'll see it again and again Oh I'll see it I'll see your goodness over and over Won't you stay I'll witness your faith for this I'll see you breathe life within So I'll set for my grace You're worthy God, you're worthy of all of it I've got a testimony You're worthy, God, come on what you get To the broken up with this day

To the hurting up with this day To the Lord And I'll tell them this I'll tell them what I've witnessed To my family I've witnessed it To my city I've witnessed it To the nations I've witnessed it And I'll tell them this I'll tell them what I've witnessed Once you lift this door to hand He's worthy, He's worthy I'll tell them what you've witnessed So worthy is your name Jesus You deserve the bread Worthy is your name It's just like that So worthy is your name Jesus You deserve the bread Give somebody shout that Sing it out So worthy is your name Jesus You deserve the bread Do you believe that? With all that you have with everything Worthy is Jesus You deserve

Jesus You deserve Worthy is your name Jesus You deserve the bread Worthy is Worthy is your name Jesus You deserve the bread Worthy is your name It's nothing now in the heavens As your glory fills this place Like you long deserve You're the name above all names We exalt it now As your glory fills this place Like you long deserve all the bread That's it You're the name We exalt it now We exalt it now As your glory fills this Like you long You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread Jesus You deserve the bread That's it You're the name

Jesus You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread As your glory fills this place You are the name You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread That's it You deserve the bread Worthy is Worthy is Worthy is Worthy is Worthy is Worthy is ♪ Who are you? ♪ ♪ Who are these who have met? ♪ ♪ She needs us ♪ ♪ She needs us ♪ ♪ Who are these who have met? ♪ ♪ Who are these who have met? ♪ ♪ Who are these who have met? ♪

♪ Who are these who have met? ♪ ♪ Who are these who have met? ♪ ♪ Come on, what did you say? ♪ ♪ When the king speaks a word ♪ ♪ It cannot be all the time ♪ ♪ It's as good as time ♪ ♪ And when heaven touches earth ♪ ♪ It can never be enough ♪ ♪ It's the king ♪ Some instant free, everybody speaks to me. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. My taste of hope. Go ahead, get some joy in all of heaven today. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. To the one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. To the one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. To the one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. To the one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. To the one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Every time the enemy, they have no power over me. The one who's drawn, who can not be overthrown. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. From the throne to the cross, who would pay such a price? For the sniff of the world is your king.

Cruising fire, seeing the nails in his head. Seeing the wounds inside, seeing the crown with the mark. What is it, from the time that he was not being wiped in tears? From your eyes, seeing the name of God has overcome. He's alive, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive. He's alive, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive. The name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. He's alive, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive. The name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. Some really shout this, the name of God has overcome. We're learning and growing through the game plan, being challenged. Amen? Well, we're in this series called game plan, but I want us to read the verse of scripture, the very first verse of scripture, because this has been the driving point of the game. And being a champion for God and overcoming, walking victorious. Not just a game, but this is a war, this is a real fight for your life, your soul, and for others. But I want you to read with me out loud, this overarching scripture Philippians 3-10. Would you just up on the screen, just join me. and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead." What's the first thing? "I want to keep knowing and pursuing Christ, and as I keep knowing and pursuing, I discover

the mighty power that raised him from the dead will raise your bodies to a glorified body from the dead for those who are believers." But he said, "It's not just the resurrection power that defeats death. This is the power that helps you overcome in the battle of your life to win the game. That is the game plan. Know Jesus and discover that mighty power of his resurrection." Now, how many of you know that when the Detroit Lions play this year, we want them to be super bold champs. Amen? Oh, we're going to need more faith in that. Come on. The rest of you don't be praying for the sick. There's no faith in this room. Amen. We're believing God for them to win the Super Bowl. But let me tell you how I can guarantee the Super Bowl will not be won if this does not occur, if they don't play the away games. And my message to you and me as believers is we will not win, and we are not true champions in our walk with Jesus Christ if you just want to play at home. You have to take what you know about Jesus and take it into territories to people who do not know Jesus Christ. You've got to play the away games. That means simply this, the gospel is never meant to stay in this stadium. What we train for is not to look at each other and say, "Man, you've been really working out. I can see you're losing weight. Boy, you're all pumped up." That's not what this is for. This is spiritually to say the reason you're training is not so we can pat each other on the back and say, "Don't we have a nice church? I like this place. Everybody's just like me. I just like this place. It's so lovely. I get so encouraged. I want you to be encouraged." And I love to hear the cheering of the crowd in the home stadium. But the reality is is Jesus Christ is equipping you and me to take this gospel to touch people. The moment your feet hit the pavement outside this door into every place you go. This is the reason why our missions, how many of you know our mission statement? I mean, you know it. Come on, let's say that loud. It's very simple. This is why we exist. Bringing people to Christ and equipping them to be like Him. That's basically know Him and experience the mighty power by the equipment of Jesus. But here's what God wants us to do. God wants us to take this gospel out of this building and out of your little personal small group and take it to places you never dreamed that you had influenced so they can know Jesus just like you know Jesus. I'm so grateful this past year, church family. This church just keeps on. How do we reach out? How do we reach out? How do we reach out? How do we keep bringing this gospel? Disipaling the believers in reaching, discipling and reaching, discipling and reaching. And this past year we ought to give glory to God that this year we saw 4,279 people say yes, I'm going to start following Jesus Christ. Follow

Jesus Christ in salvation over this past year. And I applaud that and I'm so excited because every soul counts. But I am not going to be satisfied till every single last person knows and has heard about Jesus Christ and you're the one that's going to take the gospel to them. So how do we win the away games? How do you truly make the away game? What does it take to do the away game? And so I'm going to spend some time with you because Paul had to deal with this too. He says the way we win this away game are three simple things and I'm going to go back to our main text. How do we win the away games not just here in the stadium, not just we're all singing together praying with the people we always pray with that's really great. How do we win the away game? Here's the number one thing. You got to know Christ. Everybody shall know Christ. You've got to know Jesus Christ. But here's what I've discovered. You cannot introduce someone to a Jesus that you do not know yourself. Because when Paul says I want to know him it's not an acquired knowledge of just information. If you study that word, that word no, it is a deep relational, it is a deep connecting relationship, a personal deep relationship that I know him. And when you really study that it's as knowing him as deep as you know your own because he knows everything about me." And you know what's interesting? I think some Christians are like some people you meet when they start telling you about somebody, some celebrity, and they say, "Well, you know. You know that they, you know. You know that they, you know." And I'm really going, "Wait a minute. There's a lot of people that just act like they know somebody, but they've never met them." I'm sorry. You may know a whole lot more about Meghan Markle because you're real tight friends, but I don't. What you have are things that you've heard from everybody else. But do you really know them? You know? I see people they always went to tell, "Well, you know. You know. People they've never met." I said, "Well, do you know them? Well, yes, I know them. Well, do they know you?" Well, we haven't gotten that far in our relationship. You have stuff from everybody else, but you know, but that's the way some Christians are right now. They have a knowledge of Jesus. This is probably the turnoff to the rest of the unsaved nations of the world. And America is that we have a lot of people that sit there and talk about a knowledge of Jesus Christ, but have not pursued Him where they actually know Jesus Christ deeply and personally. And this is what it requires to win the away game to be the champion, is you've got to keep pursuing and knowing Jesus Christ. So watch this. This is why Paul starts saying this in Philippians 3.12. Look what he says. Look at the screen. Look what he says. I don't mean

to say because he said, "My goal is knowing Christ and experience mighty power of resurrection." And what he's talking about, that's perfection. Knowing the power of resurrection, that means when everything's done, he says, "I don't mean to say that I've already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection." Watch this. "But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me." In other words, Jesus says, "I know that you're fearfully and wonderfully made. You've been made in the image of God. I know the plans for you. God knows it. And God pursued you." And now Paul says, "I'm going to pursue Him because He sees a perfection in me." But he said, "And the only way I can do this is I've got to keep pressing. I've got to keep pressing. I've got to keep pressing." What is this talking about? This is about a guy talking about, "I need to keep growing in Jesus Christ." Because spiritual maturity is in a destination where you stop growing. Well, I got saved. Well, I read the Bible through this year. Well, I speak in tongues. And somehow you don't ever want to need to take a note anymore because you're brilliant, because you've memorized the entire Bible. So you don't need to take a note at all. You've got it all together. I feel the conviction in here right now. Spiritual maturity is realizing that you're always, you are always pursuing Christ. You must always pursue Him. This is the reason why I won't stop. I'm going to start my day with the Word of God. It's not just routine. I want to know Him and I want to hear what He has to say to me about my life and other people's lives and how to respond to life. That's why I read the Word. I want to know Him. The reason why I worship is not just simply because, you know, I want to have me a little pick me up. I want to know Him. Do you know why I like hanging out with other Christians? You know why? It's because I get to know Him by knowing you. You're fearfully and wonderfully made. Even when we disagree, even when we get upset each other, I get to know Him. This is the reason why I give. I get to know Him. Every part of me is a pursuit of knowing Him. This is what Paul is saying to the believer. Don't think that you have arrived because you finally hit this one spiritual threshold and you entered membership. So now you get a pass to heaven. He is simply saying, "You must pursue Him continually." And this is what I love about Paul. I mean, remember, remember, this guy wrote most of the New Testament. This guy had been to the third heaven and saw things in the heavens that he said he can't even tell us that he saw. This guy has had deep revelation. He's been beaten three times for a rod, left at the city for dead.

The shot of a kid, he's going to chop his head off. And you know what this cat says? He says, "I got to keep growing in Jesus Christ." Paul was spiritually mature enough to know that he was still not mature enough. And as a believer, you and I, we got to keep having this humble hunger. I want to know more. I want to know more. And here's what Paul is saying. He says, "As I pursue Him in this, others are following Christ because of my pursuit they want to keep pursuing Jesus Christ." So here's what God has seen. If you want to win the away game, you want to just walk with Jesus, you cannot stop pursuing Him in every issue, in every detail of your life. But here's the outcome of it. When you keep pursuing Him, this is going to be the natural The more you know him, the more you will want to make him known. (audience applauding) If you've lost that pursuit and you've lost that passion for Jesus Christ, I question whether you have stopped pursuing him. I question it. Because the more you know him, you're gonna know what really drives him and really pains him and really pleases him and what the mission is. The more you know him, you will want to make him known. You will be excited about what he's done in your life. You'll go through every mountain, every valley. You'll wanna tell people about Jesus Christ. You'll be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit that he's telling you to start influence and make a friend with this person because the more you know him, you will want to make him known. I just wish I could get some Christians to get as passionate about Jesus Christ as the new restaurant they just discovered in Grand Rapids.

Some of you have talked more about that one stinking restaurant because they served you this great wet burrito, but you have never said one thing about Jesus Christ. You found a new restaurant, but you've forgotten your new life because you stopped pursuing him. Seriously, look at something you get excited about, your car, you got excited about your new hobby, you get excited about your book club, you get excited. Can you have, can that passion translate to Jesus Christ? Because the more you know him, see, you go back to that restaurant because you wanna know more about it. You wanna keep tasting the same flavors, you wanna keep discovering things. But I've got something even better. Go pursue him so much that you wanna start talking to people about Jesus just as much. You wanna talk about that great restaurant in the last meal you had there. You get so excited about it. So you can start telling people, let me show you something that'll really fill you. Oh, taste and see that the Lord, he is really good. Far up, enjoy the restaurant, enjoy your hobbies, but when you know him, you're gonna wanna make him known, period. And if you come to the place where you are not wanting to make him known, then you and I really need to examine have we stopped pursuing him the way we should pursue him

because that isn't at your offload. So here's what Paul says, because I know him, I wanna make him known, so guess what it does? It drives him to leave the comfort of the stadium and leave the Philippians to go deeper to tell the people in the away game. That's what champions do. They just don't keep something, he's gonna go on the away game. So what does that mean? These Philippians got so invested in knowing the Lord that they wanted to make him known, that they literally helped Paul preach the gospel in other places and they not only prayed for him, they paid the way for the gospel to go forward. And this is the part where a lot of people like to bug out because they stop knowing him, but this is what's gonna happen when you know Jesus Christ more. You're not just gonna know Christ, you're gonna wanna sow for Christ. You're gonna wanna begin to invest in the things that you know have eternal, eternal dividends that will never fade away. So let me show you what Paul did. So Paul is getting into his second missionary journey here, okay, so he's doing the away game. He's going to a place to tell people they don't know anything about Jesus and he's gonna go talk to them about Jesus.

And the Philippians who he's been ministering to to get to know Christ, look what he says in Philippians 4, chapter four verse 15. This is really good. He says as you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me finite, you were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the good news. And traveled on from Macedonia. He said, so you just do when I was there in the home team, you sent me to the away games. You sent the gospel. Even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent help more than once. And I'm sure there were people in that church that go, "Well, I'd like to help." But that person over there, I can tell they have money. Do you see the car they drove in? Let's let them help. Let me just give you a little background of these Philippians before we think they're loaded with cash that they could just give, "Oh, I have extra money, I'll just throw it away." Paul actually talks about these people. He talks about them in 2 Corinthians, chapter eight verse two. Now, this is the ones he's talking about. He's talking about these church in Philippi. Look what he says. He said to these believers, he says, "They are being tested the Philippians.

"They are being tested by many troubles." Everybody say, "Many troubles." Many troubles, not one, many. And they are what? No, no, say the words, say the two words. They are what? Very poor. Let me explain that in the context of what was happening they were being financially persecuted. That means their jobs were taken away or they would shortchange them when they did work. They would try to rip off the Christians as much as they could because they were Christians and they used Christians like you and me, like a doormat back then, and cheated them out of jobs, cheated them out of money. There are some places in the world right now. I know there are believing people that are being taxed more in certain parts of the world simply because they are believers. Financial persecution, so now they are not only into these many troubles, but now these Christians, this was destitute poor. Nobody in this room is destitute poor. Nobody in this room is destitute poor. These folks had absolutely nothing and he says, "You are the ones that not only provided for the gospel you preach in your home team, but you sent us on the away game and you are flat broke. You have nothing and still you dig for something to send us again." And read the rest of 2 Corinthians. He said, "These Philippians, they not only gave what they had, he said, "They begged us. They begged us, "Can we give some more?" In all my 20 years of pastor in this church, in all my 20 years of pastor in church, just this pastor is receiving all 4,000 people come to Jesus Christ.

Not one person has ever come to me in this church and said, "Pastor, I beg you. What more money could I give for this? I'm begging you." Never. How in the thunder does that happen to a group of people who are flat broke and not lining up? Well, I got to pay for braces and well, I got to, you know, little Johnny's got hockey starting and soccer and so we're going to take this and to birth this and, you know, we went a little, we splurged on the vacation this summer and so sorry. How did these people become this way? 2 Corinthians 8, 5 tells you why the next two verses down. This is what happens to people. This is what happens. This is what happens to you and me. Watch this. Imagine that they did more than we hoped because they knew their condition. They knew the condition they were in. They did more than we hoped for their first action. Can we say those two words out real loud because that's really critical? For their first action. So whatever you do first determines what you do second. Whatever happens to the priority or the first love that's in your life, the outflow of that first love begins to happen. Jesus for their first action was to give themselves to Jesus. Jesus, we belong to you and everything I possess, I'm going to pursue you. You are the first priority over everything else. Their first priority was to God and then to the mission and to us, the mission that God calls you just as the Lord wanted them to do. Are you following this for a moment, folks? The reason why these folks would do that and so for Christ instead of saying, "Well,

let somebody else do it," watch this. They're actually saying, "Jesus, because we're getting a hold of you, what more can we do? Jesus, how can we do this? Would Paul show us what we can do? We're going to look to our resources, tell us what we can do. What was happening, their first action, what was what was happening? It was pursuing Jesus Christ. And here we go again. The more you know Him, the more you will want to make Him known. It's about first love, is first actions. So today, listen, so whenever we come to your church on Sunday, we do the worship of our giving. Let me just let me tell you, friends, first of all, whether I'm giving it, you're giving it, Pastor Brenda's giving it, whatever it is, we're not trying to raise money for an organization so we can survive. I'm not trying to have this church survive. I know that everything I do with my life, my breath, my time, my words, my first action is to pursue you, Jesus, help me keep following you to know how to handle every asset I have in my life, including my own breath. And what am I going to use it for? Because I know Him so well, I want everybody else to know what I know about what He's doing in me. He can do in them. How do you believe, folks, sending the gospel is the highest priority that you can ever do as a follower of Jesus Christ is to send so others can know. So that's what GR... That's what Grand Rapids first is. Some of you are here for the very first time. don't know that some of you've heard it, but I'm telling you, we need That's why we have not only people do their tightening, their regular giving to help us

minister to the body of believers, this city, these things that we do to raise kids up for Jesus, adults for Jesus, young adults for Jesus. But one of our arms that we have is called GR1 global. I've never heard of GR1 global. That's what we do. Everything that goes outside of this house that we release so that others can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. It might be through preaching the gospel or maybe come through a compassion ministry, but we keep sending and keep sending because we know the more you know Him, the more you want to sow for Him. Last year, GR1 global just releasing funds to go help ministries around the world and in the United States. We released over $2,134,257 to reach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ to make Him known. Some of you don't know this. In that amount, part of that amount helped us supply for 121 missionaries and ministries every single month. There's 121 ministries and missionaries that are waiting for us, releasing them, empowering them to preach the gospel here and around the world. How many believe you want to see the day that this church is doing $5 million to give away and say, "God, let's keep in power of someone for Jesus Christ." The day we can see $5 million to say, "We're releasing it to empower to send." We want to make... We just don't want to know Him. We want to make Him known. One of the things that GR1 global does is it empowers a ministry we started back in October 2021 called Go Serve. How many have ever heard of Go Serve? Oh, a lot of you haven't heard of Go Serve. Well, Go Serve, what it does is it takes products like what you see up here that we put in the hands of believers within churches and ministries. And in turn, they use this gift to build a relationship with somebody so it opens the door so that at one time they can... That sometime they can introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. And all these gifts that we allow believers in this church and other churches, all these gifts are procured from big box retailers. That's what they're from. And then they're distributed to what we call points of distribution. They're called pods, points of distributions. Our church is one of them. We started the ministry Go Serve, but our church is one of them under GR1 Serve, which does all of our outreach from this church. It's because we really believe Proverbs 18 16, a gift can open doors. It can open doors. So we started Go Serve, we started in October, we stir-star releasing product in October of 2021. And we started getting these products from big box retailers. From that time, so it's what, like five years? Yeah, five-year threshold here this October. We have given away through all these points of distribution, and this is the total fair

market value inventory, 17,510,381.72 worth of product to put in people's hands. Because when you see the product that becomes a gift that you can get in your own hands to give to somebody, what it becomes is this is not a bad, this is a soul. This helps you build a relationship with somebody. So all of these products up here, this is what this does. It helps us use these products to do something to touch somebody with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through Go Serve, the organization that this church started, through Go Serve, we have seen 82,107 people served so far since 2021. Those folks have prayed with over 19,228 people have been prayed with people that were in need, and they said, "I'd like to have prayer." But here's the biggest thing out of Go Serve. Through all these products, I tell you their souls, we have seen 3,348 people come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior because of a relationship built through a product. And I want you to be one. Anybody in this church can be one. We're appointed to GR1 Serve as our ministry that reaches out from here. You can be one under GR1 Serve called a hero. You can be a hero to someone where you're looking, and then you see the products we have and use that product to connect in a relationship with somebody, whereby you can start building a friendship that that friendship actually starts leading Jesus Christ. And this is no cost to you. You don't have to give any money. I'm not asking you for money. This will cost you no cost to you. It just needs to be some care that comes from you. No cost from you. Just care that actually comes out of you as a believer. And there's all kinds of products that... I mean, just blow your mind. I mean, swim and pool over here, blow for the kiddos. You see some of your neighbor's kids sitting there running out in the little sprinkler just running. Go be a friend to them and get their kid when these pools blow it up and bring it over to them and say, "Our church wouldn't let you know we'd love you." And if you ever need something, would you please let us know? If I could ever pray for you, in fact, why don't you bring your kids to our kids church?

It's incredible, the environment that we've created for kids. Just little ways of reaching them. Somebody has a baby. We have diapers in there. You can get ahold of diapers. Come on, come on. Spider-man. (audience laughs) Spider-man, Spider-man. You've got the kids going back to school. You see, their kids don't have a backpack. Say, "Hey, I just wanted to pray." I was thinking about you. Our church is thinking about you. We want to let you know your family's loved. And I was thinking of you, and I want to get your kids a backpack. We even have, I mean, it's all kinds of products. Bad, we have a couple in this church that have a company, and they've been giving us beds. We've distributed beds to families. We don't even, children don't have a bed to sleep on, and we find about it. And through the love and the compassion of this couple out of our church that gives bed, we're able to get beds to kids out of this church. People, God just speaking to people. Some people, just, I mean, look at this lazy bird recliner. This is one that, it's got a little plug-in, and you can stretch out the legs.

Brenda wants this one for church every Sunday, yes. (audience laughs) Look, Christmas is coming. There's Christmas lights over here. Christmas is coming. This is crazy. Kayaks for crying out loud. I mean, it's just crazy. So here's one of the things that I want to tell you all about. I mean, you just look at all the products, golfing. I mean, you might find a way to connect with them. Maybe they like to go kayaking. It's a kayak we have. These are all products. I'm telling you, there's no cost to you. There just needs to be some care that comes from you in the name of Jesus. It doesn't cost you a dime, not a dime. How many thank God for that kind of a ministry that empowers you with something to build a relationship? (audience applauds) So here's something I want to make you aware of. Right now we have these food boxes. Got spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, cheese, it's jolly ranchers. Whoo, we have Twinkies. Okay, if I go into overtime, everybody gets a Twinkie. Here we go, all right. Granola, I mean, just look at all these items. So there's food boxes that are cereal that's back there.

Kids are getting ready to go back to school. So this is a food box. You just get a food box. It's got all these products in it. You know, some of it, you know, just going through a tough time. It's no cost to you, just some care from you. And say our church wouldn't know that we're thinking about you, we'd love you. Anything we do, hey, once y'all come, I'll ride with us to church. How many of you love just something, this simple, yet very powerful, to build a relationship with somebody? It's incredible. We got another box over here. This is full of household goods. I mean, glad, max strength bags, eliminates food and odors. No. See our church is thinking of you. Don't, it's, all the product comes in one deal. It's got bleach and wipes and some Hawaiian, gardenia soap, mouthwash. Please don't, don't just give them the mouthwash and say, hey, our church was thinking about you, okay? Let's not do that, okay? Be smart, be smart. Be smart. This is a little splash pad.

You fill it up and water shoots up out of it. Are you seeing the Holy Spirit can start speaking to some of you right now? You think of somebody right now that you know, I'm trying to connect with this guy next door, man, and he's an outdoors guy. It could be kayak. It could be, it could be a life jacket that's down there. It could be something up here, but that's what the Holy Spirit's doing through this, is that you just start thinking about someone. You say, well, Pastor, how do I do this? You'll see this up on the screen, this be a hero. It's up through jail once there be a hero up there. All you have to do is just go to that app. There's a tutorial on there. It explains everything. I mean, it's an easy tutorial. Gives you step by step how to become a hero. It's on there. And there's a PDF you can print out if you want better yet. You say, well, I'm not really good at doing this kind of stuff loading up the app. Can somebody help me? We got you covered. After the service out by the go serve, you'll see a big go serve display out there and one up by the hub by the kids ministry. Just stop right in there, get in there, and somebody will show you, hey, I'll help you set it up.

They'll set you up. Now, if you place an order today, it'll be ready for next Sunday. But you need to realize God can use you. Now, here's something I want to do for everybody in here. Okay, right after the service, you go out the exits, you're gonna see box as big old, I mean tubs of light bulbs. We've got brand new light bulbs, all kinds. Refresh 60 watt, see all these light bulbs? Thousands and thousands of dollars worth of light bulbs. Here's what I want you to do. I wanna give you a gift. You may see something, oh, hey, we use those kind of lights at our house, there's variety of them. I want you to take one for you. But then I don't want you to just take one for you. I want you to take one that comes from you. One is for you, but one comes from you. You don't have to be a hero, you don't need to sign up, just grab it. One for you, one from you. Say that with me, one for you, one from you. And on the front of it, you just give it to your friend, say, our church was just thinking about blessing you. And you're my friend, I love you, you've been my neighbor. And I just thought about you'd like to have this. And on the front of it says, visit GR first. It's got a guy with a little light bulb over his head, it's a great idea. (audience laughs)

That was my idea. (audience applauds) Techcom made it happen, but it tells them our service times. So would you just start today? One for you and just some care from you. Not asking you for a dime. Didn't ask you to give an offering. I'm just asking you to care, it's all. You said, pastor, how in the world does our church do stuff like this? Well, it's people that just are faithful. And I know when you walked in, some of you got an envelope when you walked in. And I want you to see it says, you're a one global on it. I've already prepared mine. But folks go, well, how does this happen? It's just like the Philippians. Where some of you go, I know him and I want to empower this church to keep doing this. At the end of the service, just as the Holy Spirit speaks to some of you, I want you to help us help gero and global to keep empowering, go serve. And it costs us annually just for our church to keep it going on our side. It costs us $230,644. I don't think that's very bad for millions of dollars with a product that has helped people get touched

and connected and lead them to Jesus Christ. Do you? I think it's pretty cost effective. But at this service, I want you to begin to pray. Some of you have companies and businesses and you have the power to keep helping empower other churches and this church through go serve, through GR1 serve, through being a hero. And I'm gonna ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. And some folks say, well, pastor, how in the world are we able to do this? How does this happen? How does this happen? It's just simply people like the Philippians listening to God. At the end of the service, we're just gonna take an opportunity to pass the bags or you wanna give online, you can give online, but I want us to empower, go serve, so we can keep reaching people for Jesus Christ. How many believe that's a good idea today to keep empowering the gospel through this method, amen? (congregation applauding) And here's what I know about the gospel, Jesus Christ. Here's what I know. You will reap for whatever you plant or sow, whether it's worship, witness, or even your resources to make things like this happen. I promise you, you will reap. I love what he says here. He says, Paul says on this to about those Philippians.

Look what he says in verse 17. He says, I don't say this because I want, he said, you're the ones that did this Philippians and you're in very poor. You were poverty-stricken and you did something. You didn't pass the buck while I don't, you didn't do that. You started really looking and say, God, I know you, you show me and God's kept on providing me. He says, here's what I know. He said, I don't do this because I want the gift from you. He said, rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. It literally means in the Greek that fruit, souls, will abound your account. In other words, there's an account that you have that you will stand before God. And he says, here's what's happening. All the people that have been reached through all of this, guess what? When you stand before God, all the people saved are going to your account when you stand before God. Some of you don't even know them, but every dime you have planted in the kingdom of God, you have won a soul through it, friends, and you're going to see that account when you see people knowing Jesus Christ because of what you've done. How many believe that's the most important thing you could do with any resource that God has ever given you? It really is.

And then this is what he goes on to say. He says, and this same God, this is what he's telling these Philippians who have given out of poverty. He said, and this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his riches glory. Those of you in poverty stricken, You didn't pass the buck. He said, "This God will supply all your needs "from his glory's riches, "which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Those Philippians, when they did that, God just kept supplying them to do it all over again, and they kept beckoning to do more. Something's happening here. See, I don't do this like Paul. I say like Paul, I don't do this because I need your gift. The reason I do this is when you start knowing Jesus Christ and pursuing Him, you have such this abandon and trust that as you start doing things so other people can know Jesus Christ, you are gonna actually start experiencing something so profound and abundant joy that comes out of you. You're gonna see such a blessing of God come out of you and such a revelation of Jesus. When you stand before Him, you're really gonna have the joy. I want you to see that and experience. This is what Paul's talking about.

I don't know if people look at us, they say, "Pastor, you told us over $2 million that we give away "through GR1 global. "You see, $17 million with the products, "we're helping other churches. "How in the world does this church do this?" Can I let you in a little revelation? If you just let me just be honest with you for a moment. I asked Pastor Doug to do something for me. I said, "Pastor Doug, could you see?" 'Cause I don't ever look at people's giving records. I don't look at anybody's giving records around here. I don't do it. That's between them and God. But I said, "Could you see who gives 80% "of the investment to win souls "through this church in giving?" And this is what I discovered. 80% of the giving from this church only comes from 17.4% of this church. That's solid number. The national number is about 20% in most churches. And this is why it shocks me. I'm not shocked because only 17.4% do it. I'm shocked what we have accomplished with 74%. I am absolutely dumbfounded. I'm serious. As God, how are we doing this? He says, "Here's the reason why." And the same God who supplied for Paul

is the same God who supplies for Grand Bips first and all those folks who just obediently want to seek Jesus, find him and keep doing stuff for him. That's my emo, Sam. That's how I work. Well, how did we do it? And I keep asking God these questions in the recession. Man, we were hit so hard financially. I mean, I was going, "How are we going to pay the bills?" I thought, "We're going to have to lay anybody off. "What's going to happen here, God?" I remember there was a giant sucking sound and money coming at some of you experienced the same thing. Can I tell you, during that time, during that time, do you know that we paid off the debt of this church in one of the deepest recessions that have ever hit Michigan and this city? We paid off our debt. How does that happen? I'll tell you how it happens. And my God shall supply all your needs. Just like I supplied for Paul, I supply all the needs, according to my riches and glory, for you even in the deepest poverty and the deepest recession I am there, don't be afraid, keep walking forward. In the middle of that recession, now you see sitting over here, students from North Point,

we're almost 15 years now that we have been in North Point Bible College and now we're sending ministry people trained in this college around the world and into cities and urban places and rural places, training them in the ministry, trying to get them out of this school debt free with the highest academics. And we started that school not only when we paid off the recessions, but we started this school in the middle of the recession. How in the thunder do you start something new when there's no money there? My God shall supply all of your needs according to riches and glory. (audience applauding) When I went through that time, I was sitting there, we're gonna have to tell missionaries, we can't give them monthly support. The 100 plus mission of time, we're not gonna be able to give them a dime. We're just gonna tell them, we're gonna have to hold off this recession is hitting us. Do you know we never stop supporting not one missionary during that whole time? Do you know why? The same God that supplied for the Apostle Paul is the same God that will supply all of your needs according to his riches and glory.

That's how it gets done, friends, right there. (audience applauding) During that time, we didn't have to lay one person off from employment in this church, not one person. How in the word you do it? I'm sitting there looking at the money. I'm looking at it, just dropping like a rock. How in the thunder did that happen? I'll tell you it happens. The same God who supplied Paul all of his needs is the same God that will supply all of your needs according to his riches and glory. It didn't change what Paul doesn't change what Pastor Sam is, it doesn't change with you. I can promise you, it didn't change with the Philippians. If you'll get to know God more, you will trust him more and you'll say, God, you own it all anyway. I'm trusting you, God. You'll give me the wisdom to steward it. You'll show me how to send it, God, and to bring your gospel to the little of Jesus Christ to those who need to know you. How many thank God? He is the God that-- Jesus, I'm telling you, friends, I'm praying for the greatest revival in this church. We are praying this whole month for revival in the hearts of God's people, and he's going to do it. And he's going to supply in supernatural ways. When I see 80% done by 17/4, I remember one time in a board meeting. I don't know if any of our board members are here from that time when I had it.

I remember it was getting really tight, really tight. And we did things. I took a cut, just, you know, we just did what we had to do, just what we had to do. But I remember saying this, and I thought I was being a little cavalier, little cocky. But I said, if all we have is a dollar, we will win this city with a dollar to Jesus Christ. And I've watched him multiply the same God that can take a few loaves of bread and a few fish and turn a whole, just a few fish into an ocean. And turn two, just a couple loaves of bread into a Kansas wheat field, is the same God that took care of the Philippians, and he's the same God will take care of you. But here's what happens. It doesn't come because of somebody guilting you. It comes from knowing him, because the more you get to him, you'll want to make him known. You'll be a part of anything that makes him known. And you know what? He's going to use you to start telling people about Jesus, not just pastor Sam up here on Sunday morning. He said, "What are you talking about, pastor Sam? Some of you getting saved, you got saved a day. Some of you got saved a day. You got your gold card." You go, "I don't know nothing about the Bible. You may not know everything about the Bible, but you know everything about what just happened to you about 30 minutes ago. And all you need to do is tell your story. This is what I was. This is what turned me. And this is who I am today because of Jesus Christ. It's that simple.

We're going to show Christ, and we're going to tell every single person, tell our last breath in our body, who's with me, who's with me. We're going to play the away game, everybody. (audience clapping)