February 14, 2016

There is an amazing amazing lady now speaking of amazing people and I know I know you're going to think things and then they say nice things are the reason I want to say nice things about Pastor Ed. And Angela is because that's the only things I know about them. They're nice people there godly people and they've been precious friends for a long long time. We've known Angela longer than we've known Pastor Ed, but we've known them both as a couple. I just will be 17 years and September and we miss them in Kansas. I said that Friday night. I need to say it again. We missed them in Kansas. But one of our mottos is that I use a lot I refuse to be disappointed in the will of God. But when the Lord open the door for them to come to Racine and leave Kansas, my motto was challenged. But we got over it and we are thrilled to be here and we now know why they love being here so much because of the warmth the kindness and the potential that dwells within this body of Believers. And in this area. Jesus wants to do some great things here. So you're blessed to have pastor and Angela at the helm leading leading the way Happy Valentine's Day. It's a beautiful beautiful. Freezing Valentine's Day. I hope your heart is warm.

February 8th February 11th of 2009 fell on a Friday night and Karen and I as district superintendent and she's our Network development director as in these roles. I tell people we are professional Church hoppers What are the different church every Sunday preaching and teaching and Consulting and such and so I told her on the few days before Valentine's Day which would have fallen on a on a Monday? I said it's going to be so busy this weekend that this you know and took you out for Valentine date on Friday night before. She just rolled it as asking out for a day, you know, I mean just you know, just glad that you get to go out and I and then I kind of put this caveat on purpose I said I'd like to take you to that Pink Panther movie. Can you spell not romantic?

And I still remember she said well, okay. Yeah, that be nice. What she didn't know was it was all a ruse. I had organized with my adult children and had been working at it for over a year-and-a-half that on that particular night that they might help children are adult children and their and their spouse would be waiting for us at a really nice restaurant and they were going to have a video camera playing so that when the maitre d lead Karen and Terry around the corner into a special room, they would capture her responses to that moment. Those three kids were waiting. When we came around the corner, she didn't know that they were anywhere close even to the state, and she was surprised number one that they were there to say. Happy Valentine's Day, Mom and happy 11000 day anniversary. That night marked the 11,000 day of us being married. She found a room filled that there were 11 vases of roses 11 roses in each vase representing 11000 days. There was a book that I created. There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. I understand that but it's awfully hard to come up with the letter words that start with the letter x To describe someone I didn't want to say she was like a xylophone to me. And so I used 25 letters of the 26th and came up with a hundred different words describing what I thought of her and who she was in my life in the life of others. I asked my siblings and her siblings to all send a letter describing what they thought of her and how proud they were of her for putting up with me for 11000 days. And then our kids surprise both of us and had created this rollout chart that was about 6 feet long and it was a timeline of all the big occurrences that it happened for Terry and Karen for the 11,000 days. And then the one of our one of ours two sons and then a daughter but one of them had written a song for the night in he's saying that and that was so cool in and then they did the 11,000 a chart and then the PA state recent storms. The last thing on top of it was that we hand. I handed her a a box of wrapped box and the kids said kind of built a lot of the night around a movie. I've not seen it but I've heard it's funny Planes Trains and Automobiles. And so they said alright Dad it's time for you to do that part. And so I gave her this gift and she opened it up and found the itinerary for it was February so we couldn't go until June but she found tickets to fly to Paris and spend a week in Paris. Now I just I just want to tell you what she has said to me multiple times since February 11th 2009. She said baby you did. So well, you don't ever have to get me another card or gift of any kind.

If I took her up on it.

All I've done a few things since but guys. Just put that in your back pocket you you might you know, you might save yourself some money. So in the long run, so if you're here and you're married and your spouse is with you, they just a second and exercise your license. We have a my wife has a picture of us at the in our bedroom just a picture of a standing in front of some backdrop where we've been preaching and then the other side of the picture that has the statement that says he has a license to kiss me. I want to exercise that license if your married and sitting by your spouse exercise, come on, I'm being serious. Happy Valentine's Day, baby All right.

Oh, oh, come on, baby.

Oh, look at that. Yeah.

I love that great old song of the church saying especially on the radios back in the late 60s. Come on baby Light My Fire. Glory to God. Well, it's a joy to be here on Valentine's Day. And I know I have just a few minutes. I know that you will only listen so long and so I need to get on with it before 2 gets here.

If you don't mind staying with me and find your Bibles and open to Jonah chapter 1. Jonah the recalcitrant prophet the greatest Mission story and misunderstood story I think in the Bible. Jonah chapter one will read from that chapter a few verses in chapter 3 and a verse in chapter for Jonah chapter 1 verse 1. Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of amittai saying a rice go to Nineveh that great City and cry out against it for their wickedness. Just come up before me. But Jonah arose to flee to tarshish from the presence of the Lord, he went down to Joppa and found a ship going to tarshish. So he paid the fair went down into it to go with them to tarshish from the presence of the Lord the spirit inspired the writer to say three times where he was going. The point is if you track it by air miles, it was just over 2000 miles the far end of the Earth. If you look at where Nineveh sets you would realize that it was about 2500 miles from Nineveh for him to have gone up to Nineveh would have been a lot easier trip. But three times. I'm going to tarshish from the presence of the Lord chapter 3 verse 1 Another word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying rise go to Nineveh that great City and preach to it in the message that I tell you. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. None of it was an exceedingly great City a three-day journey and extent and Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk then he cried out and said yet 40 days and none of us shall be over wrong. chapter 4 verse 11 God speaking.

Should I not pity Nineveh that great City in which are more than 120,000 persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left and much livestock. less bright Father I'm asking in Jesus name. For you to do a miracle in this time of preaching. Lord that you would do a miracle of connecting the words of your mouth to the hearts of all of us who here Lord. I pray you do a miracle in us that our will would submit to you and that we would as Revelation 2 and 3 tells us over and over that we would have ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the church at racing Assembly of God today. Jesus we open our hearts to you not please help me preach speak through me if possible and if need be speak in spite of me, but Speak Lord to us today and change Josh and prepare this body of Believers for the greatest influx and advancement of the Kingdom that it's ever known in all of its existence. I ask it in the strong name of Jesus a man. You may be seated. Never had people call you on the phone. They call you and then they sit silent on the other end. They wait for you to leave the conversation have been awkward. Hi, Dennis, how you doing? Fine?

What's Margaret she's fine.

What you doing today? Nothing awkward? They're just some things in life, but it's just awkward never go to the grocery store and see someone that you've not seen in a long time. You're not particularly buddies, but you told you know their name and they know you but there's not a whole lot in common and you see them for the first time in months at the grocery store. So what are you do you stop standing there by the canned tomatoes and you chat a little bit about nothing See you later. Yeah, I'll see you later. And you take off in about 3 hours later. You run into them again. What do you say?

No good men over by the milk give me them again and and then you run into him at the checkout line. It's just

Anybody that'll be willing to admit have you ever? Seeing someone and congratulated them on the very soon coming birth of their child.

Find out they're not pregnant.

YouTube I just recently did that for one of our pastor's wife

She was so gracious. She said no Pastor. I had the baby about 2 months ago, and she meant it to comfort me, but it just made it worse. It was so. Can you say awkward? I mean

This is Jonah character.

The story itself. It just has so many awkward realities because this this strange incongruence God chooses Jonah a man from the North of Israel. He's ignored some few thousand years later. When when the Israeli Sanhedrin says no Prophet ever comes from the north Jonah did but Jonah was not respected because of what he did. So there's this incongruence the word chooses this guy and and his his unmitigated dysfunction just stands out. Have you ever wondered why God would call such a dysfunctional person to go be his mouthpiece and then about you ever wondered you ever wondered why Jesus called Peter in the New Testament. Peter was prone to cuss. I told him to be a great powerful messenger John and James needed to go to anger control classes because they wanted to call fire down on a village simply because they didn't roll out the red carpet. These are dysfunctions. Why did Jesus call dysfunctional people one one one one one one one simple issue? Because that's the only kind of human beings. There are.

How do you say well I'm not dysfunctional right? There's a dysfunction.

lack of self-awareness

This man is unpleasant. He has this recalcitrant attitude. He's prejudiced. He is blinded by nationalism.

He's with the sailors in the end of chapter 1 and through chapter 2 you notice the results of this. He makes verbal declarations in chapter one to the sailors. He says I'm trying to escape the Lord's presence if you want to lead people to Jesus. Probably not the best hack. I don't like the presence of God because what God expects of me. So, can you help me brother Pagan to get away from the presence of God?

Then it takes a gastrointestinal attitude adjustment. He has to ride around three days in the belly of a great fish herbal weight. And then and then only then did it create grudging compliance. It was like okay God. I have no choice. Alright you bleach my body white with the gastric juices in the fish's belly here I go. This is just a weird person. And then and then or lack of compassion. And we've only reached the end of chapter 2 when we play through the book.

In chapter 4 we see the most stunning response. To the character of God that we can see an old or new testament. There's no place in biblical recorded history where and in higher city turns to God. Let me let me tell you something. Let me just put this in context if if all of Racine and Caledonia and Mount Pleasant. Bye bye next Saturday night at midnight head falling on their knees have fasted for 3 days without water and without food and cried out for God have mercy on us. Your pastor would not be sitting here Sunday morning with his head in his hands saying. ewe

Phil got saved Can somebody get me a bucket? I'm going to puke. What was Jonas attitude? Can you say awkward? This is this is weird. It's dysfunctional. then the story is I was talking to Jonah and what does what does Jonah do Friday night? We had rested a little bit about husbands and wife Jonah stonewalls God. He stonewalls God.

the story displays Jonas Jonas, awkward and embarrassing Humanity Jonah picks up or takes up a whole lot of this story, but the Jonah is definitely not the hero. Back if we're not careful, we will think he's the focus, but he isn't. The hero is got the hero in this story is God because God. Is making a point in the story that encourages me for you today, and it encourages me for my state that I'm so burden for the state of Kansas what he has planned for Nineveh he has for your great City. What he had for Nineveh he has for your great county or city this area notice number one. That has an attitude of value toward pagan people Pagan in the Greek era what meant to Country dwellers. It meant Hicks rednecks. I grew up in, Arkansas. Yes, I did. North Central Arkansas in the Hills how many like Jeff Foxworthy most of his material he found in Izard County where I grew up? Rednecks pagans that's what it means people in the countryside Countryside. They're not exposed to a lot. They're a bit provincial in their lives. Pagans God looked at the pagans in his we think of it more. So those who have nothing to do in actual connection with God. Almighty God. Look at this Pagan City and three times says, it's an important place. It's a great City. Not only meaning it was a big place. He means it mattered to him. In 1st John verse 4 chapter 4 verse 8 verse 16 is repeated twice. It says these three words God is love. Valentine's Day. I'm really glad to tell you that that's true. God is love. The spirit could have inspired John to write God Is Power. Are powerful he could have inspired him to write God is Holy because that's true to God is righteous at that's true, but it's interesting that the spirit wanted. John to write God is love and God in his capacity as love is equally present in Cyprus as he is in Calcutta as he is in Calvert as he is in Kansas as he is in Toronto as he is in Tegucigalpa has he is in Topeka as he is here in Racine County. God is love and his love is present in this area. What am I saying to you? God loves people. I was saying yesterday morning with your pastor and leaders that according to hard count hard number count 53% of Racine County has no connection whatsoever with any religious group that means 5 out of every 10 people that you know in this County are not connected to any church. I know we've got a couple of huge Assemblies of God churches north and south of us here and as large as they are they are not getting enough people say As wonderful as you are may I suggest to you that if you look currently right now where you're sitting left and right or left behind and in front of you you will see multiple empty spaces and the love of God compels me to say to you that these Open Spaces are not acceptable for God's economy.

God is love and don't worry. I'm not going to browbeat you that you don't have a guest with you today. That's not what this is about. But I'm saying that if it's true that over 50% of this county is not connected to any kind of religious organization not talk about saved unsafe. It's not true. You have a stunning. opportunity

I'm not talking about so you'll have a big church.

I mean, I don't give a rip or a flip about big church or small church. Are you healthy enough to bring people into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ? Because that's the only hope in the world just changed. So God is love God love people and work. The more people that are standing there. The more manifest the love of God God is love Bible says in Romans that God's kindness leads to repentance his forbearance his gentleness. I would suggest that there is more to it than just his gentleness and kindness, but all what a message of gentleness of kindness that God loved the world so much that he initiated that he gave his son like Pastor Ed was saying to die for Terry NC to die for Karen Yancey to die for Roy to die for Frank to die for you put your name in. So Roman says his kindness leads to repentance but his love will not violate his Holiness that brings us to the thought the second thought. He not only has this sense of value toward people in the Pagan land of Nineveh, but he has a message of righteous judgement. Jonah's message from God I paraphrase it and here it is. God has noticed.

No, thanks. God is offended.

And the destruction sequence is engaged - 40 days and you will be Whiplash with a curly mustache.

What is that on the first day? And he didn't say something different the second day. Since I was a little boy, I heard people preach stuff out of Jonah that wasn't there. They say Jonah came to none of them said repent. No, I didn't you can't find the word in here. Kentucky tell them here's the escape hatch. He says you're going to die. Every last one of you guys going to kill you. That's what he says. It's a message.

and the people from the least in authority to the greatest in Authority start saying wow. M a strip off their nice clothes put on rough clothes and sit down and Ash and they don't drink water and they don't eat food in hopes that maybe this God that this crazy looking Prophet is declaring is mad at them. Maybe he won't kill us all if we just act humble. Guess what happened? He didn't. See, that's what John was afraid of.

This much I know. The god with whom we have to do. He is offended by human Rebellion. He's offended by arrogance. and self-sufficiency this God that we know through his son. Jesus is offended by the plethora of destructive sexual practices applauded and approved by Twisted societies all over the world. heterosexual send homosexual send It offends the Holiness of God. He's offended by the addiction and parental neglect and especially the fatherless realities foisted on children and the Legion of social ills that fatherless reality spawn. He's offended this. He's offended by the violence in the abuse in the poverty that's inflicted upon people because of greed and laziness that spawned from an entitlement mentality.

He's offended because he says you're so much more than that. I designed you for so much more than that. He's offended by the useless worship of everything except him because he's the worthy King. He's the potentate of the of the universe and when we worship an idol X anything that draws our attention more to it than to him when we worship idols. He's saying really

I can say to my wife. What a deal you have. And she would say really she knows my fall. She knows that I am not worthy of absolute adoration and Applause. She knows that and she isn't either we're human beings were flooded. Did I mention the humans are a bit dysfunctional?

But this God. Without floam who is existed in eternity. What we think of is eternity past his father Son and Holy Spirit in perfect Unity never having a fust never having disunity and they like one another father Son and Holy Spirit and they worship each other. That's weird. Not if your God. Not if you're worthy of it. And he says I'm offended. When people treat Idols as more valuable than me.

All of that provided the foundation of Jonah's god-breathed message of righteous judgement. Let me suggest to you today that he's most offended. My lukewarm churches that satisfy themselves with yesterday's methods. Yesterday's victories and they Embrace and inward Focus. while current culture wastes away at risk of divine judgement Let me suggest you make it very clear what I mean when I say an inward focus it it reveals itself and I haven't because I didn't hear any announcements another haven't read the bulletin. So if it if this if the shoe fits wear it, but I don't know that that it fits here, but you know, you're an InFocus church when someone makes an announcement about friends since Women's Conference coming now next Sunday's the deadline be sure and give your money to Joanne because we want you to all go. It's really really worth your while. But I'm in churches that do that. I think two things Joanne must be a really trustworthy person because this person of Princess give money to her and she'll take care of it. That's cool, but my second thought is What? Who's Joanne? I'm not from here. I don't know Joanne. I don't know Billy Bob. I don't I don't know and it's it's an inward focus and it's so easy to get there. That's just the tip of the iceberg when strangers walk in people. You don't know and they walk into the front of the building and you're there and your buddies are there and you don't pay attention to them. That is an inward Focus. I'm a fairly nice person. I know that I'm not perfect but I'm a fairly nice guy and early on when I started traveling, Kansas. I would I would get there early everywhere was going I was getting there early and I stepped into one Church in a very small for you, and I'm dressed nicely. I didn't smell bad. My hair was called. I didn't look like I was packing a big gun under my show up under my armpit. I and when I came in there were two people standing seven or eight feet away at the end of the for your launches you into the small sanctuary.

And I glanced up at me. Turn back to each other and slightly turn their back to me.

They were good. They're good people. I can tell you who it was not mean. I know them because of travel the state all these years and they're good guys. They were afraid of me because stranger danger. stranger danger So high the dirt a little while that can you say awkward?

yeah, and And then I decided well, you're not going to Great me. I guess I just as well become the greeter. And so I walk to them and shook hands and broke the ice in and they were kind of nice and and then and then someone else blocked my direction from the sanctuary I started walking, but hi, I'm Terry Yancey and you would think that I had a gun in my hand.

Now I'm being a little bit over exaggerated if I make an appoint. And we're focused. You got to be careful dear friends. It's easy to become comfortable in these areas. Korean word Focus doesn't necessarily mean lukewarm. But what I'm here to say to you this morning is this culture is wasting away and Peter asked the question if the righteous scarcely be saved where will the Sinner and the ungodly stand? This is an era of unprecedented opportunity for the church in America of all the continents forget about Antarctica. I know it's a continent but since it's really not exactly inhabited forget Antarctica, but in every other continent on the globe, the Church of Jesus is growing every continent except North America.

We buy for third and fourth place of the largest unevangelized country on the face of the Earth. We buy with Indonesia and the us back and forth. Racine County is needing a church. multiple churches that are hot or cold but not lukewarm Thankfully thankfully God has more for this city and more for this County than just his righteous indignation. Third. He has a soft heart for this area. Cuz I said Jonah was afraid of the soft side of God when God responded to the sackcloth and Ashes to the fasting above water and food and stuff. Crying out. Oh God, please don't do this when God responded favorably and said, okay. I'm back it up. Jonah stomp his feet and snubbed up and said

I don't like your soft side. God. Well if it's me and my kids I really like your soft side. But if it's those crazy Isis Fighters that chop off heads of Christians got I just killed it. Would you please just just

Jesus says while you were still a sinner.

I know I didn't ever kill. Anybody said I'll handle that. But he said that my sin deserve death.

While we were still sinners. nacho cheese sauce said while you were still a sinner are you were soaked up and high as a kite when you love Budweiser more than you love your babies.

He said I like this one. I like I love it actually. Can't fix himself.

God showed his soft side to the ninevites and he wants to show his soft side to all of the unsaved unclaimed people in Racine County. He wants to show his soft side to all the Catholics that might not actually be safe to all the lutherans that might not actually be safe to all of the Assemblies of God attenders to that might not actually be saved in a relationship.

What he has for this city. I told you there's a judgment side. Yes, absolutely and we can't forget it. But maybe we need to hear the Apostle Paul say to the Corinthians. I know what it is to fear the lord therefore I persuade people.

You still with me? Can you take just a little more? Alright, I'm almost done.

self, Hartford City He says ready to respond to repentance it begins here in the house of God that's been his character ever since the Garden of Eden from the Garden of Eden to know was floating Zoo from Sodom to Wichita from Beijing to Racine. God has a soft side and he responds with Grace when people give all they know of themselves to all they know of him. I was seven-years-old quite honestly, I really have no idea what I was repenting of but I remember walking a short aisle in a small little Church Plant in Independence, Missouri and going to the front at the invitation some evangelist name Samuel caulk and on my left was a man named on darty on my right was a man named Billy Joe yet. See my dad and it's 7 years old. I encountered Jesus. I encountered the Son of God. I'm telling you. I met Jesus. I didn't Embrace a theological constructed 7 years of age. I didn't embrace the idea that there was this great philosopher that live 2000 years ago and that I should probably Embrace his teaching I met Jesus. I hope you've met him I recommend coming to Jesus. I recommend in Calgary Jesus. I responded with everything I knew to give him and it's 7 years old. There wasn't a whole lot inside me to give but I gave all I understood of me to what I understood of him. And I've never truly regretted ever turn into him. He see Jesus starts with us at our point of confession and no one no one no one is too far gone.

Seven of us believe that I'm telling you. No one is too far gone. We were passed during the great church in Monett, Missouri $0.01 and that there was a man named Jean Michaels his wife Margie attended our church and I became friends with Gina visiting his home and and would hang out with him and I like cheese. I like cheese. I called him and he he love me. We were actually really buddy and he had a couple of mules and he love to hook him up to his little wagon and I just I just love be no, but Gino said I can't get say Pastor Terry that I've Wayback I committed the unpardonable sin and I can't get saved. Kid crying I'd say yes, you can Genies. Wish I could believe you. I know you think that's true, but I can't. We bombarded heaven for the conviction of God to get a hold of Gene. And on one Saturday night almost 3 years later. Karen and I Junior and Dorothy's widely her mom and dad Carlin Geraldine Jake's. We're the only ones that the Saturday night prayer meeting, but we were crying out to cheese. We are crying out to Jesus and then came Margie his YG's wife. She came in and she said I'm sorry I'm late. But she said the gene wasn't feeling good and he couldn't get me here on time. I said what's wrong with Gene? And she said I don't know. He's got a bad headache and I said the Carl lead Deacon. I said Carl, will you go with me? Let's go pray for Gino. And he said let's go cuz Carla been working on Gino for about 30 years.

Walked out you sitting there on that hot night window down eyes closed cuz his head was hurting and I said, you know where we're going to pray for you. Jesus going to touch you we prayed for in Jesus touched him. I said you think you think if he cares about your headache do you think you really isn't willing to forgive your since he said maybe he is nice to get out of the car and come on in here. He got out of the car he came and we walked him to the front not because it was holier than sitting in the car with just a lot more comfortable in the air conditioning and so we brought him inside and we laid hands on him and Gino cried out to God and Jesus came and changed his life. I'm telling you. Nobody is too far gone.

Think of who you think of when you think too far gone. They are not too far gone.

He has a soft heart for people God's Universal standard of Hope is Jesus Christ. The righteous one came to Earth to save Sinners of whom we all are prime prime examples. I still need his grace. I've been serving this king for a long time. And I'm still in the middle of my sanctification. I'm still in the middle of him working on me. And if you think you aren't she's unique unrepentant Pride really quick. The Bible says God God stands against the proud but gives grace to the humble. I want his grace. I don't want God doing this to me funny doing this to me. finally not only has a soft side but he has a messenger for the city he has a messenger. Racine Assembly of God

rag rag

you're it. You are the messenger. for the city now, I know these big AG churches north and south of the current they're going to do a good job. God bless them. I pray they double in the next 5 years or quadruple years. but you the messenger to these people in this County That was some. shy the thought of speaking to a group in public calls her knees nearly to beat together in fear. She was going through extreme symptoms associated with menopause. her nerves were on edge

had back in the day what they call a couple of nervous breakdowns all associated with menopause and hormones out of whack and back in that day. There wasn't nearly as much help as there is now in some of you ladies could have test if they're still not a whole lot of help.

Actually, I wouldn't mean it as a joke, but it was kind of funny.

Married women do not go through menopause alone.

I'll just leave it there.

At least fellas if the wife of your youth is there. Don't let her go through it alone.

That was

to say retiring in personality is about right.

But where she lived? There were tons of little boys and girls that played with her sons and daughters. She saw those boys and girls and knew their home lies and knew they needed to encounter Jesus. so. Took material from Sunday school at church and invited little boys and girls gather them on the sidewalk in front of her house. And taught little boys and girls didn't go to church anywhere totem about Jesus. Gave an opportunity to turn their hearts to Jesus and many did we know many did because my wife was there to see it happen is. Dorothy her mother. Just simply became a messenger. Dark City She never had her name up in lights. She never had her name on a screen and never stood in front of a crowd like I'm doing today. She was a messenger.

. mom's Wadley I miss her. Miss the fact that she prays for Terry Garren everyday anymore. She's too busy worshiping Jesus. She's not interceding for us anymore. She's done. She love people. GJ close married to Bob hard-working insurance, man And that was concerned for jeans soul and Bob and jeans marriage. She taught it started talking to Jean jaquess. Before long mom's wobbly let Jean the Jesus. They start coming to church with Dad mom's Wadley. I love the story.

They were attending a church that have been planted not that many years before and the pastor was a man named Pastor Waldron.

Pastor Walter was a church planter. He can stay at a place for 5 years. And after that he was itchy. He had to get on with it it still plan to another church. So he went about 8 or 10 miles further away and Independence, Missouri, and and he planted a church that they call Central Assembly of God in Independence, Missouri was about 19. 65

and Jean and Bob Jake was with him to be a part of the core team getting that church up and going. About 1966 when that little church group was a year, maybe two years old. Couple Hillbillies from Arkansas and I'm Bill and Carol. Ganci. Came knocking on that front door that church building and they hadn't. Oh, they're $0.03. My brothers and I were born in 1957 1958 and 1959. Mom and dad found perfection in 1959. Stop having children

So Mom and Dad and these three stair-step little boys dressed in our little suits and we all had a little hat on our head think of, you know, 1960s think about we come walking in. Who's at the front door? scanning Bob jaquess Bob Jacob says, hello. How are you? Folks doing mom and dad said they were fine and what they didn't say is they were scared to death to show up at this big church. Don't know we were Hillbillies a big church it never maybe 40 people in that church. That was a big church to us and we didn't know anybody. We don't know anybody but my dad felt like they need to get their boys in church and Mom and Dad needs a place they could grow in Jesus and they tried out Central Assembly and Bob Jake's Jake was Bob. Jake was said to them hi and hello, and then he looked at us and he knelt down and he said what fine boys. Any paid attention to Donnie Joe and the Stevie G9 to Terri Lynn and then when we were leaving that day dad and mom told us these years later, they said that Bob Jake was said I sure hope you folks will come back. These are on these are just fine Boyz. I would love to see them again for sure. Yo where we with? Back to Central Assembly, you know why we went back because Bob Jake was was kind to us. You know why Bob jaquess was kind to us because Dorothy's wobbly head LED his wife Jane to Jesus a few years before and they cared about people like Dorothy cared about people and I didn't meet Dorothy's baby girl until September 10th of 1978 have never laid eyes on that girl, but I met her and it was years later that I found out that my family have to stay connected to the kingdom of God because God hits you to Messenger. To the city of Independence, Missouri and had reached a couple of strategic people. And I wouldn't be in front of you today if Dorothy had not been a message.

to her City

you I'm telling you. There's not a more unlikely messenger the mom Swaddlers price.

But I'm telling you you are a messenger to your city.

I'm honestly a little surprised how passionate I am about this. I I really, you know, I don't put in my notes cry here.

Straighten Angela. Jesus didn't take you from Manhattan and bring you here to just manage a nice sweet group of people at these are nice sweet people if you not noticed.

He brought you here to lead them to be more than they ever in their past. And I know you got some good history. Listen. I know you can some good history, but it is his strength. You can't live there. What about today? If the Lord Jesus doesn't come back first. What about the next 5 years?

You are the mouthpiece of God to this great City, and I'm going to ask you to start by inviting Fran to come to church with you. You know friend everybody knows friend. It's an acronym Fran those people in leadership. No up from yesterday. It means friends relatives Associates and Neighbors. Say it with me friends. Associates come on again friends relatives Associates neighborhood if they don't know Jesus. Nothing know Jesus and they're connected to a good solid Baptist Church or another Assemblies of God church or Presbyterian Church that preaches the gospel if they're connected and oh Jesus don't bother them.

If I get hungry for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They don't know how to get over here. but if your friends I don't know Jesus. If you don't become the messenger.

I don't I don't want Racine Assembly of God people to stand in front of God someday and him say what about Fran? You don't want that either. What about Fran? You see the messenger to Nineveh second-guessed the propriety of delivering the message. You won't make that same mistake. You will not be.

That you realized. Thought with me a little bit today about the reality of judgement and the relief available in Jesus.

I'm going to ask you to make a simple response. And I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand. Because anybody can raise their hand today and say all invite friend all invite unsafe friends relatives Associates and neighbors anybody raise their hand say, I'll be a witness. I'll be up invite her. Here's the response.

If you have a pen write it down in your Bible or on palm of your hand or something.

Who? Will I invite? Come to church with me.

Second question. When will I invite them?

Who will I invite? When will I invite them? And how many weeks will I give in between the invitation until they come?

Not talking about beating on my over the head and I thought about where they start seeing you come down the the aisle at work and they're they're going to run the other way because it'll you're just being a jerk about it. Who when and how long in between and I'll close with this Joe gertler is the superintendent of the Assemblies of God in, Kentucky. The early eighties Joe is in college and he describes himself as an of at that time still in a long haired hippie love drugs. La music and he was in a band class at college and there's a safe kid a guy that went to an Assembly of God Church and he like Joe Hill like them. Okay, they didn't hang out together and his band buddy said Hey, Joe come with me to church next Sunday night and Joe wasn't me, but he said nah, I'm good.

About three weeks later his buddy asked him again. He Joe don't you come to church with me Sunday night, Joe said no. I don't want to

A month later. He said Hey Joe, we're going to have this cool service Sunday night. I think you'd enjoy it. Would you come Joe said man, I want to go. Now you would think that this guy would get the hint, right? But he doesn't. Forget it. You don't have it. She actually cared so much about Joe that he was willing to keep. Pushing just a little.

Two weeks later. He said Hey, Joe, would you come with me next Sunday night to church and Joe said no. That week is Sunday was approaching. Something together kind of stir up Joe's heart. He didn't know what to call it then. He can tell you now that the spirit of God.

Send tractor beam on his heart. Easy tagging just hugging just so slightly Joe begin to think now. Maybe I'll go check it out. Maybe got to leave me alone. and he went Brooke Kentucky, but that night for the first time in his life of almost 23 years for the first time in his life. He heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Joe girdler left where he was sitting sitting sitting in the back and went to the front and cried out to Jesus and Jesus forgave him of all of his sins put joy in his heart gave him a direction for life.

And also after service met this girl. the pastor's daughter

and I think the holy spirit inside him when he looked at her said hubba hubba. You realize why that's a nice looking girl in and she seems to love God. No, they fell in love eventually and they're married and serving God. He doesn't Kentucky what I do in, Kansas.

Because God had a messenger for the city. I said Fran matters the people I rub elbows with that don't know Jesus. I may not be able to have a spiritual conversation with them there by the copy machine. When were stripping wires as fellow electricians, but I can say you know, I wish you'd come to service with me next Sunday. Our pastor is going to be preaching is kind of a different thing. I don't I don't know what he's doing. But it listen it'll be good.

Fran will thank you forever.

if you will be What Jonah reluctantly was but Dorothy reluctantly was even if you're reluctant who will you invite? When will you start? How long in between will you wait before you ask them again? And again?

Maybe you're here this morning. Still morning.

Maybe you stumbled in here today because a friend did invite you. Maybe like one of the eye to talk to a lady by the coffee pot this morning said how long you been attending here in how come you started coming in that she recalled that she said her her aunt had to come to this church and that was kind of the connection a relative see so maybe you're here and it's a friend or a relative make an associate you work with or a neighbor that you live by whatever reason you're here. But if you're here and you've not Said yes to Jesus being the Lord of your life. You not said to Jesus. Look, I can't fix myself. I will look to I need to look to you for my hope. I don't have it without you if you not turned your heart to Jesus. Tell you this you're one of the safest places you can be to even think about doing that because the people in this place I figured out real quick they care about people. No help you the help you.