In today's gathering, we explored the profound impact of God's work in our lives through the lens of three key prepositions: for, in, and through. These small words carry significant weight in understanding our relationship with God and His purpose for us. We began by reflecting on what God does for us, emphasizing that His kindness and patience have been at work even before we came to faith. Romans 2:4 reminds us that it is His goodness that leads us to repentance, not merely His judgment. This realization should fill us with gratitude and joy, prompting us to ask, "What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me?"

Next, we delved into what God does in us. Psalm 139:24 challenges us to invite God to reveal anything within us that displeases Him. This introspection is crucial because God desires to use us, but sometimes our inner struggles, like selfishness or unforgiveness, can hinder His work. David's prayer for a clean heart in Psalm 51 serves as a model for us to seek transformation from within, allowing God to prepare us for His purposes.

Finally, we discussed what God can do through us. Acts 15:4 and 14:27 illustrate how God works through His people to open doors of faith for others. This partnership between God and His followers is essential for spreading the gospel and impacting nations. We are called to be vessels through which God's power flows, enabling miracles and transformation in the lives of others.

As we look ahead to our upcoming mission trips, we are reminded that these opportunities are not just about what we can do for others but also about how God can work in and through us. Whether it's providing clean water in the Dominican Republic or supporting pastors in Nigeria, each trip is a chance to be part of God's global mission. Let us be willing vessels, ready to be used by God to bring about change and share His love with the world.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **God's Kindness Leads to Repentance:** God's work for us began long before we knew Him, as His kindness and patience drew us to repentance. Reflect on how His goodness has been evident in your life, even before you came to faith. This understanding should inspire gratitude and a desire to offer something back to God. [39:16]

2. **Introspection and Transformation:** Inviting God to reveal what displeases Him within us is a courageous step toward transformation. Like David, we should seek a clean heart, allowing God to prepare us for His purposes. This introspection is vital for becoming effective instruments in His hands. [48:11]

3. **Partnership in God's Work:** God desires to work through us, opening doors of faith for others. This partnership requires our willingness to be used by Him, as seen in the lives of Paul and Barnabas. Our actions, combined with God's power, can lead to miraculous transformations. [51:07]

4. **The Power of Gratitude:** Recognizing and thanking God for His work in our lives is crucial. Like the healed leper who returned to Jesus, we should cultivate a heart of gratitude, acknowledging His blessings and sharing our testimonies with others. [46:42]

5. **Mission as a Life-Changing Opportunity:** Participating in mission trips is not only about helping others but also about allowing God to work in and through us. These experiences can transform our lives and deepen our faith, as we witness God's power in action across the globe. [54:07]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [35:32] - Introduction to Godly Prepositions
- [36:24] - Understanding Prepositions
- [38:20] - Winston Churchill's Humor
- [38:42] - What God Can Do For Us
- [39:16] - God's Kindness and Repentance
- [40:47] - Testimonies of God's Work
- [43:03] - Shouting for Joy
- [44:15] - Offering to the Lord
- [47:57] - What God Can Do In Us
- [48:11] - Introspection and Transformation
- [50:33] - What God Can Do Through Us
- [51:07] - Partnership in God's Work
- [53:10] - Upcoming Mission Trips
- [58:31] - Nigeria Pastors' Conference
- [01:02:35] - Final Thoughts and Prayer

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
1. Romans 2:4 - "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"
2. Psalm 139:24 - "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
3. Acts 14:27 - "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles."

---

**Observation Questions:**
1. According to Romans 2:4, what is the purpose of God's kindness and patience towards us? How does this contrast with the common perception of God's judgment? [39:16]
2. In Psalm 139:24, what does David ask God to do, and why might this be considered a courageous prayer? [48:11]
3. How did Paul and Barnabas describe God's work through them in Acts 14:27, and what was the result of their mission? [51:07]
4. What examples were given in the sermon of God's work in our lives before we came to faith? [40:12]

---

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. How does understanding God's kindness as a path to repentance change one's perspective on their faith journey? [39:16]
2. What might be the significance of asking God to reveal offensive ways within us, and how can this lead to personal transformation? [48:11]
3. In what ways does the partnership between God and His followers, as seen in Acts 14:27, illustrate the concept of being vessels for God's work? [51:07]
4. How can the story of the healed leper who returned to thank Jesus serve as a model for expressing gratitude in our own lives? [46:42]

---

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's kindness leading you to repentance. How did this change your relationship with Him? [39:16]
2. What specific inner struggles might be hindering God's work in your life, and how can you invite God to help you overcome them? [48:11]
3. Consider a recent situation where you could have been a vessel for God's work. How did you respond, and what might you do differently next time? [51:07]
4. Identify one area in your life where you have not yet expressed gratitude to God. How can you make a conscious effort to thank Him this week? [46:42]
5. As you think about upcoming mission opportunities, what steps can you take to prepare yourself to be used by God both in your community and globally? [54:07]
6. How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude in your daily life, similar to the healed leper who returned to Jesus? [46:42]
7. What practical actions can you take to ensure that you are open to God's work through you, especially in unexpected situations? [51:07]

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

---

Day 1: God's Kindness as a Pathway to Repentance
God's kindness and patience have been at work in our lives long before we came to faith. Romans 2:4 reminds us that it is His goodness, not merely His judgment, that leads us to repentance. This understanding should inspire a deep sense of gratitude and joy, prompting us to ask, "What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me?" Reflecting on how His goodness has been evident in our lives, even before we knew Him, can transform our perspective and motivate us to live in a way that honors Him. [39:16]

Romans 2:4 (ESV): "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"

Reflection: Think of a specific instance where you experienced God's kindness before you came to faith. How can you express gratitude to God for that moment today?


Day 2: The Courage of Introspection and Transformation
Inviting God to reveal what displeases Him within us is a courageous step toward transformation. Psalm 139:24 challenges us to allow God to search our hearts and reveal any inner struggles that may hinder His work in us. Like David, we should seek a clean heart, allowing God to prepare us for His purposes. This introspection is vital for becoming effective instruments in His hands, as it enables us to align our lives with His will and be ready for His use. [48:11]

Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV): "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense God is calling you to change? How can you invite Him to begin that transformation today?


Day 3: Embracing Partnership in God's Work
God desires to work through us, opening doors of faith for others. This partnership requires our willingness to be used by Him, as seen in the lives of Paul and Barnabas. Our actions, combined with God's power, can lead to miraculous transformations in the lives of others. By being open to His leading, we can become vessels through which His love and power flow, impacting those around us and spreading the gospel. [51:07]

Acts 15:12 (ESV): "And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles."

Reflection: Who in your life might God be calling you to reach out to with His love? What practical step can you take today to begin that process?


Day 4: Cultivating a Heart of Gratitude
Recognizing and thanking God for His work in our lives is crucial. Like the healed leper who returned to Jesus, we should cultivate a heart of gratitude, acknowledging His blessings and sharing our testimonies with others. This attitude of thankfulness not only honors God but also encourages those around us, as they see His faithfulness reflected in our lives. [46:42]

Luke 17:15-16 (ESV): "Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan."

Reflection: What is one specific blessing you can thank God for today? How can you share this testimony with someone else to encourage them?


Day 5: Mission as a Life-Changing Opportunity
Participating in mission trips is not only about helping others but also about allowing God to work in and through us. These experiences can transform our lives and deepen our faith, as we witness God's power in action across the globe. Whether it's providing clean water in the Dominican Republic or supporting pastors in Nigeria, each trip is a chance to be part of God's global mission. Let us be willing vessels, ready to be used by God to bring about change and share His love with the world. [54:07]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: How can you participate in God's mission today, whether locally or globally? What step can you take to prepare yourself for this opportunity?

1) "What God can do for us. And this may be my favorite point for you today. That it doesn't, he didn't wait to start that after we came to faith in Christ. God was doing things for us even B.C., before we knew Christ. Romans chapter 2 and verse 4 says, Don't you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you? To give you time to turn from your sin. His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. You know, I think we sometimes in church, we have a tendency to think that the judgment of God moves people to repentance. You know, when bad things come and crisis strikes, they feel like they've got to turn to Jesus. And there may be some truth to that. But this verse says, it's God's kindness. Some translations say his goodness leads you to repentance. In other words, he was good to you even before you knew him." [39:16] (74 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2) "Is there anybody in this room that could testify about physical healings? Maybe the doctor's report and you didn't know if there was any hope, but God came through for you. Whether he's above the name of cancer, whether he's above a heart attack, whether he's above any of the things that you could be diagnosed with. He's the healer. Amen. Or how about... I'll ask for it. If you don't want... If you're too shy, you don't want to admit it. You don't have to raise your hand on this. But I'm going to ask anyway. Is there anybody in this room that could say, you know, there was a period of time where it looked like our marriage was over. We had already talked about divorce papers. I mean, we were just about at the end and didn't see any hope for the future. But somehow or other, God turned it around and we're still together and our marriage is thriving. Is there anybody that could testify to that today?" [41:08] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3) "Sometimes he has to do a work on the inside of us to prepare us to be his instruments in the lives of others. So let's talk. This is the second point. What God can do in us. And I want to share with you Psalm 139 and 24 where David says, Point out anything... What's the next two words? In me. In me. In me. The preposition is in. Point out anything in me that offends you. Boy, that's a dangerous prayer to pray. That's saying, God, if there's anything I'm doing that you're not pleased with, would you show it to me? How many of you know he'll answer that prayer lickety-split? He will answer that prayer. Yes, he will. And lead me along the path to everlasting life. I couldn't help but notice that even on the path to everlasting life, even on this path that we're in, on our way to heaven, there can still be stuff on the inside of us that he's not pleased with." [47:38] (66 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4) "Every work that God does in you is not for you. It's for somebody else. It's for someone else that you can reach. It's for what God can do through, there's the preposition, through us. Acts 15 and 4 says, when they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything that God had done, through them. Interesting. Look at Acts 14, 27 in the message. It says, on arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them. Other translations there, by the way, say God had worked through them, just like Acts 15 and 4 said. The message translation, though, that I wanted you to hear today says that God had used them to throw the door open, the door of faith, wide open, so people of all nations could come streaming in." [50:16] (67 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5) "I've had so many people over the years tell me, you know, Pastor, I thought I was going to go and help these people in their poverty, or I thought I was going to go help them with spreading the gospel, but it seems like they blessed me more than I blessed them. And there is some truth to that. I'll tell you, I've known people that says God worked in me on this trip. On that trip to change my life. But even better than that is he will use you so that people of all nations can be changed by the power of God. The six nations that we're going to impact next year are Senegal from May the 14th to the 20th. It's a women's conference. Pastor Chris will be leading. And it's a conference for the Senegalese women. That takes place May 14th through the 20th. The approximate cost is $2,800." [53:40] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6) "You know, I thought about this. I don't know if you've ever considered it or not, but I thought about this as I was preparing this message as to where we get it, what our money means and where we get it from in the first place. And I think the vast majority of you, if not all of you, you receive income in exchange for time that you spent on a job. You used your talent, your skills, maybe your education to work, maybe for work, 40 hours a week or whatever it was. And in exchange for that period of your life that you gave to that employer, they gave you a paycheck or a direct deposit into your account. And that's an amazing thing because you're not just putting money in an offering box. You're investing time and energy from your job to honor God and enable those 100 pastors to be encouraged and strengthened in their job. And that's what you're doing. You're giving your entire ministry to Muslims who don't yet know Christ. I'm not just giving some money. I'm giving my life." [01:00:00] (72 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7) "The Lord worked through them confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. You know what jumped out at me on that? It wasn't even the through necessarily. What really jumped out at me is it didn't say the apostles and elders because after all, you just kind of expect apostles would be able to do that. Apostles are used to seeing miracles. But these didn't say apostles and elders. It said the disciples. How many disciples we got in the room? Oh, we ought to have... We ought to have more hands even than that. Pastor Brent's been teaching us about disciples. That's what we... That's what... The world's got too many Christians. It needs more disciples. Right? And the disciples went everywhere and the Lord worked through them. And they still experienced miracles today." [01:02:49] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Good morning, CLC. It's great to see all of you in the Lord's house today. And I'm glad to have this opportunity to share with you as we continue this series.

Last week, Pastor Brent talked to us about local outreaches, things that you can do right here in the south suburbs to make a difference in the lives of people. And it's my assignment today to talk about not just in the south suburbs, but beyond, even into the nations. And that's what we're going to share with you.

I really want to call it Godly Prepositions. And I can tell that didn't really do anything for you. That's probably because if your education was anything like mine, you do remember that I was born and raised in Arkansas, right? If your education was anything like mine, it probably wasn't. It probably wasn't anything godly about prepositions in your English classes growing up. Is that a fair statement?

Some of you are still saying, "prep a what? Pepperoni?" No, prepositions. How many of you don't really remember what prepositions are? Okay. Boy, you're doing a whole lot better than the first service. Let me just say, prepositions are usually small, but very important. Important words like at, by, from, in, of, to, or with.

Prepositions help make sentences easier to understand unless you're from Arkansas where the toothbrush was invented. You didn't know the toothbrush was invented in Arkansas? Well, think about it. If it had been invented anywhere else in the world, it would be called a teeth brush. It's been a while since I've been up here, so just give me a break, okay?

But in Arkansas, we tended to butcher prepositions. We'd say things like, "Where are you at?" or "Where are you going to?" Which led to, I think it's an unspoken rule, but it's been a long time since I was in a grammar class, so it might not be unspoken. It might be written out. But there was a rule that you should never end a sentence with a preposition, okay?

And I don't want to get sidetracked here. I love reading about Winston Churchill, and some of his quotes can keep me in stitches for days. He was a funny man. But one of my favorite Winston Churchill quotes came after he had written something. I don't know, written an opinion for the newspaper or something. And an editor corrected something that he had written. He had written with the preposition at the end of the sentence.

And when Churchill saw it, he was kind of proud of his style. And so when he saw it, he scribbled a note in reply to that editor. And this is what he said: "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put." I love that.

So what I want to talk to you about today in the time that remains is three prepositions in particular. The first one being for. For what God can do for us. Secondly, in. What God can do in us. And thirdly, through. What God can do through us. Are you ready? All right, let's dive into this.

What God can do for us. And this may be my favorite point for you today. That it doesn't, He didn't wait to start that after we came to faith in Christ. God was doing things for us even B.C., before we knew Christ. Romans chapter 2 and verse 4 says, "Don't you realize how patient He is being with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see that He has been waiting all this time without punishing you? To give you time to turn from your sin. His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance."

You know, I think we sometimes in church, we have a tendency to think that the judgment of God moves people to repentance. You know, when bad things come and crisis strikes, they feel like they've got to turn to Jesus. And there may be some truth to that. But this verse says, it's God's kindness. Some translations say His goodness leads you to repentance.

In other words, He was good to you even before you knew Him. He was. Have you ever looked back now as a believer? Have you ever looked back over your past? And realized that God was orchestrating things and moving the chessboard around to get... He was trying to reach you. And He was doing whatever He needed to do to draw you to Himself.

Am I the only one that can see that? Or do you see that in your life? I'm telling you the truth. He loved you enough that He was willing to reach for you even before you knew Him. Amen.

And then since that time... Oh my goodness. Since that time... Is there anybody in this room that could testify about physical healings? Maybe the doctor's report and you didn't know if there was any hope, but God came through for you. Whether He's above the name of cancer, whether He's above a heart attack, whether He's above any of the things that you could be diagnosed with. He's the healer. Amen.

Or how about... I'll ask for it. If you don't want... If you're too shy, you don't want to admit it. You don't have to raise your hand on this. But I'm going to ask anyway. Is there anybody in this room that could say, you know, there was a period of time where it looked like our marriage was over. We had already talked about divorce papers. I mean, we were just about at the end and didn't see any hope for the future. But somehow or other, God turned it around and we're still together and our marriage is thriving. Is there anybody that could testify to that today?

Anybody in the room? I've got my hand in the air because you may not have known us then. But there was a time... There was a time many years ago where I didn't think Chris and I were going to make it. I thought it's just about over for us. And I have never forgotten the night in Troy, Michigan, which is a suburb of Detroit. And the Holy Spirit showed up in our lives. And we've been together now for 52 years because Jesus is a healer and a restorer of broken marriages.

Talk to somebody in the lobby before service about this one that maybe you can testify about. A wayward child that you tried to bring them upright. You tried to teach them the right way to go. And yet they strayed from that. Maybe they've still wandered away from that. But I'm talking especially about those that you've been able to see them turn around. And today that child is serving Jesus, walking with the Lord, loving you, loving their family. Nobody would have guessed that it could happen, but it did happen.

The lady that I talked to in the lobby said, "Mine is still wayward. But I'm believing that God's going to turn her around too." Amen. Amen.

Psalm 92, verses 4 and 5 in the message translation said, "You made me so happy, God. I saw your work and I shouted for joy. How magnificent your work, God. How profound your thoughts. Dullards never notice what you do. Fools never do get it."

But He's among those that shouts for joy. Let me tell you. That word fool there doesn't necessarily mean what we sometimes think it does. It has nothing to do with your IQ. It has nothing to do with how smart you are. But a fool in scripture is someone who's wise in their own eyes. Someone who's reckless and not teachable. Someone who can't learn from their own mistakes. And they can't receive wisdom from anybody else. That's a fool.

And there are fools that never see what God is doing. But I'm among some people today that are testifying of what He will do for us. And because He will do things for us, we need to shout for joy. That's what David said. You make me happy, God. And I shout for joy when I see what you've done.

So when God does something for you, shout for joy. And then ask the same question that King David asked in Psalm 116 when he said, "What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me?" He's expecting you to do something for Him in return. Because when He does something for you, you now have a debt of gratitude. Amen.

You know what? It's not always in the big things, the restored marriages, the healed cancer, and all of those things. We sang it this morning. It's your breath in my lungs. If you woke up this morning, it's because God woke you up. Amen. If you've got breath to sing that song... It's His breath that's in your lungs.

You've got a roof over your head. You've got food in your fridge. I mean, we don't always remember to be thankful for what God has done. But He's done a whole lot of little things for us that we couldn't make it without them. Amen.

There was a time in Jesus' ministry, the scripture tells us, that ten lepers came to Him and begged Him that He would heal them. They were outcasts from society. They were forbidden to approach Him. And they cried out to Him. And Jesus simply said, "Go to the priest. Go show yourself to the priest."

Well, that... If you're not familiar with the law of Moses, or you haven't studied that in scripture, that would sound like a funny thing to say. Just go show yourself to the priest. What good is that going to do? But the reality is, according to the Old Testament, if you were healed of leprosy, you had to go to the priest. He was the only one that could pronounce you clean. You had to have his approval before you could rejoin society.

And so Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priest. And get this. The Bible says, as they were going, while they were walking on their way to the priest, they noticed that their leprosy was disappearing. The healing took place while they were in action.

And one of them, a Samaritan, who saw that he was now healed, didn't continue. He didn't continue with the rest of them. He turned back and went to where Jesus was and fell down at His feet in gratitude that Jesus had healed him. And Jesus said, "How many did I... Didn't I heal ten? But I only count one. Where's the nine?"

Because the nine were fools. They couldn't see what God had done. And even though God was good to them, they didn't know about it. But the one man had gratitude and he turned around to acknowledge what Jesus had done.

Let me ask you. What's the last thing Jesus did for you that you forgot to thank Him for? Hello? Can you think of... Let me ask it that way. Can you think of something that Jesus has done for you but you realize that you didn't go back and thank Him for it? What are you waiting on? I mean right now. What are you waiting on? Can you give Him thanks for what He's done? Hallelujah. Amen.

Sometimes He has to do a work on the inside of us to prepare us to be His instruments in the lives of others. So let's talk. This is the second point: What God can do in us.

And I want to share with you Psalm 139 and 24 where David says, "Point out anything... What's the next two words? In me." The preposition is in. "Point out anything in me that offends you." Boy, that's a dangerous prayer to pray. That's saying, "God, if there's anything I'm doing that you're not pleased with, would you show it to me?"

How many of you know He'll answer that prayer lickety-split? He will answer that prayer. Yes, He will. "And lead me along the path to everlasting life." I couldn't help but notice that even on the path to everlasting life, even on this path that we're in, on our way to heaven, there can still be stuff on the inside of us that He's not pleased with.

In fact, God wants to use you. But sometimes there's stuff inside us that make it difficult. It hinders Him from being able to use us. Things like selfishness. Do you ever catch yourself at the end of the day and feel like, "Man, I'm so ashamed." To think that I was acting that way or that I was thinking that way. Maybe it's pride. Maybe it's greed.

We wouldn't acknowledge that. We wouldn't say, "I'm a greedy person." But sometimes we live like that. Oh, here's a big one. Unforgiveness. That'll put a block that Jesus won't trespass. Amen.

David said it like this, Psalm 19. "How can I know all the sins? The sins lurking in my heart. The sins are hiding on the inside of me. Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Create in me a clean heart, oh God." He wrote that after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah murdered.

But when he was confronted with his sin, David said, "Create in me a clean heart, oh God. And renew a right spirit within me." Because every work, every work that God does in you is not for you. It's for somebody else.

It's for what God can do through, there's the preposition, through us. Acts 15 and 4 says, "When they arrived in Jerusalem, Barnabas and Paul were welcomed by the whole church, including the apostles and elders. They reported everything that God had done through them."

Interesting. Look at Acts 14, 27 in the message. It says, "On arrival, they got the church together and reported on their trip, telling in detail how God had used them." Other translations there, by the way, say God had worked through them, just like Acts 15 and 4 said.

The message translation, though, that I wanted you to hear today says that God had used them to throw the door open, the door of faith, wide open, so people of all nations could come streaming in.

Let me ask you a question. Did God open the door, or did they open the door? You sure? I think the answer to that question is yes. Did God open the door, or did they open the door? Yes. Yes. Because God worked through them.

God would not have opened the door without them, and the apostles and elders could not open the door without God. It was them working together. It was God working through them.

But you notice there was one other thing that really caught my eye, not initially, but after I read it a few times. Did you notice that both of those verses started out with arrived or arrival? How many of you saw that? How many of you can look at it right now in your Bible and see it?

When they arrived in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas, on arrival, they got the church together. And so it's not a mystery, and it's not a trick question, but when it says that they arrived, what's it talking about? What are the circumstances surrounding that?

Well, I'm not going to embarrass you and make you wait, but it was because Paul and Barnabas had been on a missionary tour. Paul's missionary journeys we hear about in Scripture. And this was at the end of one of those journeys. He had been out preaching the gospel in other places, and he had been out preaching the gospel in other places, and people turning to Jesus.

And now he comes back home and reports what God had done through them. All right? And I thought that was interesting because one of my assignments today is to unveil our 2025 mission trips from CLC. So if you've been waiting to hear about them, this is your opportunity.

We're going to put it on the screen if you want to take notes. It wouldn't hurt. Six different trips that we're going to take from CLC next year. And let me tell you this. When it comes to a missions trip, I've had so many people over the years tell me, "You know, Pastor, I thought I was going to go and help these people in their poverty, or I thought I was going to go help them with spreading the gospel, but it seems like they blessed me more than I blessed them."

And there is some truth to that. I'll tell you, I've known people that say God worked in me on this trip. On that trip to change my life. But even better than that is He will use you so that people of all nations can be changed by the power of God.

The six nations that we're going to impact next year are Senegal from May the 14th to the 20th. It's a women's conference. Pastor Chris will be leading. And it's a conference for the Senegalese women. That takes place May 14th through the 20th. The approximate cost is $2,800.

We aimed high at every one of these. We'd rather come back and say, "Hey, it's not going to cost as much. Here's some money back," than to say, "Hey, we need everybody to kick in another $100." Okay, so about $2,800 for Senegal.

The second nation is Panama. This is a youth outreach with our youth ministry here, our student ministry. And that team is going to Panama. It will take place during the summer months. We have a lot of people there. We haven't landed on the exact week, but it will be June, July, or August. And the approximate cost for that is $1,200.

The next one may be the most important one on the list, and that's the Dominican Republic, where sometimes people die from the lack of clean water. It's one of those places where little children go blind by the age of four or five because they've been drinking water that was polluted.

But we're going to go and literally do the work of drilling a clean water well. We're going to go and literally do the work of drilling a clean water well. We've got the ministry we work with has all the equipment. In fact, they said, to my surprise, they said, "Your women can do this, your men can do this. Even your children and youth can be a part of this trip. You get to dig the well, and then the ladies are teaching the women of the village about sanitation and how to keep that water precious."

It's just a great opportunity in the Dominican Republic. That's August the 10th through the 16th. It costs approximately $2,800. There are only six slots open for that trip. And I found out during the interim between services today that three CLCers have already decided they're going. So that only leaves three. It's first come, first serve. If you want to get on that one, really move quickly.

And then the fourth trip is the Philippines, what they call PhilCon. We don't talk about this often enough. Some of you may not realize. But in the Philippines, there are almost 30 churches now, or almost 40, almost 40 churches. I knew that didn't sound right. Almost 40 churches that consider Christian Life Center their mother church.

It's Mama Chris and Papa Jerry every time we go there. They love us, and we love them, and they are growing like nobody's business. That church started when we first started working with them. They were a church of maybe 100 people, and today they have more than 3,000 in their main campus. And then all of these other churches that have sprung up.

And that conference is just a joy to be a part of. And there's no language barrier because they speak English. So that's September the 29th through October the 7th. Approximately costs $2,600. I highly recommend that trip. But of course, I'm highly recommending all of these trips, including Kenya.

The longest standing missionaries that we have anywhere in the world were David and Jennifer Hatley. David passed away. He passed away a few years, about two or three years ago. His wife Jennifer continues that work with the nationals in Kenya where they have a tremendous ministry of education and serving orphanages. It's just a great, compassionate ministry.

We've taken several trips there. This one will be from October the 23rd through November the 3rd. Approximate cost is $3,000. And then the last trip next year is the same as it was this year, going back to Japan. Helping our friends who are planting a church in Nagayo. And that's going to take place in the fall. We don't have the exact dates landed for that. Approximate cost, $3,000.

All of that, all of those opportunities are life-changing. That's what I can promise you. This November, in fact, just two weeks from today, Chris and I will be leading a pastor's conference in Abuja, Nigeria. You probably know. We've got so many Nigerians in our congregation. And you know, and maybe all of us know, that some of the largest churches in the world are in Nigeria.

In fact, the three largest church buildings in the world, all three of them are in Nigeria. There are several of those churches that are more than 100,000 people in attendance. And that's southern Nigeria. What you don't know, probably, is that northern Nigeria, it's almost the opposite. It's the opposite situation.

In northern Nigeria, the pastors that we work with are known for the kidnappings by Boko Haram. If you remember a few years ago when those girls, a large group of girls were kidnapped, some of them were killed. Churches being burned on a regular basis and pastors facing daily persecution from radical Muslims who are the majority population there.

We've been assigned by Global Advance to lead those precious pastors. But we need your help because this was not a part of our budget for this year. And because God can do stuff through us, we know that He can. We're looking forward to the trip. But we must provide willing vessels.

Specifically, we need to raise about $15,000 to help with travel and food and lodging for those pastors. They couldn't gather. They couldn't afford to stay in a hotel or eat the restaurant food or whatever. And so we need to help with all of that. And I'm asking you if you would be a part of that.

You know, I thought about this. I don't know if you've ever considered it or not, but I thought about this as I was preparing this message as to where we get it, what our money means and where we get it from in the first place. And I think the vast majority of you, if not all of you, you receive income in exchange for time that you spent on a job.

You used your talent, your skills, maybe your education to work, maybe for work, 40 hours a week or whatever it was. And in exchange for that period of your life that you gave to that employer, they gave you a paycheck or a direct deposit into your account. And that's an amazing thing because you're not just putting money in an offering box.

You're investing time and energy from your job to honor God and enable those 100 pastors to be encouraged and strengthened in their job. And that's what you're doing. You're giving your entire ministry to Muslims who don't yet know Christ. I'm not just giving some money. I'm giving my life. Do you see that?

Because that money wouldn't have come to you if you hadn't given that time on the job. In fact, I prophesy that if your boss decided tomorrow that you're not gonna get paid anymore but we want you still to come to work, I prophesy every one of you would walk away. Right?

Some of you are thinking about walking away even with the paycheck. But, you know, $15,000 sounds like a lot to me but it's not a lot to us. If 150 of those 800 or 1,000 CLCers that Pastor Asa talked about, if 150 of us would give $100, that's $15,000 right there. And some of us can do more.

I put a check in from Chris and me for $500 today and I'll add to that even before the conference because I believe in what we're doing. And if you can do something, I think everybody can do something, we'll raise that money without delay. It's in the online menu. Just drop down to Nigeria if you're using a check or an envelope. Just write Nigeria on it.

Last verse I want to share with you from Mark chapter 16 and verse 20. It says, "As the disciples went everywhere and preached and the Lord worked..." What's the preposition? The Lord... The Lord... The Lord worked through them confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

You know what jumped out at me on that? It wasn't even the through necessarily. What really jumped out at me is it didn't say the apostles and elders because after all, you just kind of expect apostles would be able to do that. Apostles are used to seeing miracles. But these didn't say apostles and elders. It said the disciples.

How many disciples we got in the room? Oh, we ought to have... We ought to have more hands even than that. Pastor Brent's been teaching us about disciples. That's what we... That's what... The world's got too many Christians. It needs more disciples. Right?

And the disciples went everywhere and the Lord worked through them. And they still experienced miracles today. When we got back from the Philippines, this latest trip, the next day after we got back, I was teaching in Life University and I thought, you know what? Everybody's going to ask questions. They're going to ask questions about the trip.

And I don't want to repeat it 20 times. So what I'm going to do is just tell it to the whole class at the beginning and then I'll be done. So I told them. And one of the things that I mentioned to them is that the very first night of the conference this year, Pastor Joel Montes, when he finished preaching, he asked, he said, "If there's anyone here that would like to receive your prayer language, you want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, please come up to the front. We want to pray for you."

And to my surprise, because this is not an evangelistic meeting. This is a church conference where you got pastors and leaders that were training. And so I was surprised. There must have been 50 or 75 people that came to the front to pray for the Holy Spirit. And 50 of them received the Holy Spirit that night.

And I mentioned, "Yeah, I guess we ought to all praise Him if we're going to do it." And after the class had ended that night, two of the ladies in the class came up to where I was and just waited. And they didn't wait in line until they had a chance to talk to me. And they said, "Pastor, when you said that 50 people received the Holy Spirit, you weren't talking about just that one service, were you?"

And I said, "Yeah, that one service, the first night." And they both, their mouths dropped. They said, "I've never seen more than maybe two or three people baptized in the Holy Spirit. I can't imagine seeing 50 people across the auditorium all receiving the Holy Spirit."

Well, that's why you need to go on a mission trip. No, God pours out the Holy Spirit even in America, too. And I've seen more than the 50 as well. But my point is, He wants to work through us to accomplish great things, including miracles.

There's a widow in the Old Testament. Her husband had died and the debtors were coming to get her sons. And she asked the prophet, "What can I do? Help me, what can I do?" And he said, "What do you have in the house?" God always starts with where you are and what you've got. He doesn't expect you to give something you don't have. He just asks you to give what you've got.

And he said, "What do you have in the house?" She said, "All I've got is one jar of oil, olive oil. That's all I've got left." And he said, "Well, take that, but ask your sons to go to all your neighbors and borrow vessels." Vessels are jars or glasses or whatever. You know, it's just borrow.

In the King James Version, I love this, he said, "Go and borrow vessels. Not a few." Not a few. You know what the opposite of not a few is? Or what it means? A bunch. Get a whole lot. And so his disciples, or her children, excuse me, her sons, gathered all of those borrowed vessels. She was able to sell the oil in those vessels and get enough money to pay off her debt and her son's debt and they continued to live in peace.

I'm telling you, God wants us to reach out and let Him work through us like He did those sons. And the more of us, see, the Holy Spirit is the oil. You know, that's the miracle source. That's where the power is. But it's the vessels that are being worked through them to accomplish the miracle. And the more of us there are, the more miracles there will be. Amen.

Pastor Brent went through it last week about local outreaches. He shared with us about the Hope Center, about sharing your faith with people here, about being a part of the Homewood-Flossmoor campus that will open this fall. All of that can happen through you.

I want to pray that God will use you so that the nations will be changed. Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that you speak to every person in this room. Lord, there are people here that have never thought about making a missions trip. There are people here whose lives will be changed because that changes. And they go in 2025. And you use them by working through them. Speak to their hearts. Help us to be obedient. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Let's worship the Lord together.