Embracing Spiritual Growth Through Faith and Stretching

**Bible Study Discussion Guide**

**Bible Reading:**
- Mark 3:1-5

**Observation Questions:**
1. What was the condition of the man who encountered Jesus in the synagogue, and how did Jesus respond to him? [39:24]
2. How did the Pharisees react to Jesus healing on the Sabbath, and what does this reveal about their priorities? [39:24]
3. What specific action did Jesus ask the man with the withered hand to take, and what was the result? [49:52]

**Interpretation Questions:**
1. Why might the man with the withered hand have felt ashamed or unworthy, and how does this relate to our own feelings of inadequacy? [45:42]
2. What does the story of the man with the withered hand teach us about the importance of being in the right place at the right time? [44:07]
3. How does the concept of "stretching beyond your limits" apply to our spiritual lives, and what might this look like in practice? [49:52]

**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on a time when you felt stretched beyond your comfort zone. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [35:33]
2. Are there areas in your life where you feel withered or inadequate? How can you bring these areas to God and your community for healing and support? [48:34]
3. What steps can you take to ensure you are in the right place at the right time to experience God's presence and miracles? [44:07]
4. How can you actively participate in stretching your faith, such as joining a life group or attending a night of worship? [53:42]
5. In what ways might you be limiting God by holding onto specific expectations? How can you release these expectations and remain open to His plans? [53:42]
6. Consider the resources and talents God has given you. How can you stretch in faith to use them for His purposes, even if it feels uncomfortable? [55:36]
7. Identify one area in your life where you can take a step of faith this week. What practical action will you take to stretch beyond your current limits? [49:52]

Day 1: Embrace Discomfort for Spiritual Growth
The journey of 21 days of fasting and prayer has been a time of spiritual stretching, pushing individuals beyond their comfort zones. This period is not merely a temporary challenge but a call to adopt a new lifestyle of growth and closeness to God. Embracing discomfort is essential, as it prepares believers for greater things. Just as Mel Fisher persevered for years before finding his treasure, Christians are encouraged to persist in their spiritual journey, trusting that God is preparing them for something significant. The process of stretching is not meant to break them but to build resilience and deepen their faith. [35:33]

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to step out of your comfort zone? How can you embrace this discomfort as a path to spiritual growth today?


Day 2: Position Yourself for Divine Encounters
Being in the right place at the right time can lead to miraculous changes, as illustrated by the man with the withered hand in Mark 3. Despite his shame and fear, he was in the synagogue where Jesus was present, leading to his healing. This story emphasizes the importance of prioritizing being in God's presence and being open to His work in one's life. By positioning themselves in environments where God is present, believers can experience transformative encounters that they might otherwise miss if they are absent or distracted. [44:07]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: Are there specific places or situations where you feel God's presence more strongly? How can you prioritize being in those places this week to position yourself for divine encounters?


Day 3: Vulnerability Leads to Healing
Jesus called the man with the withered hand to step forward and expose his weakness. This act of vulnerability led to his healing. Similarly, believers are encouraged to reveal their weaknesses and struggles within a safe community, trusting that God can bring healing and freedom. By exposing their vulnerabilities, they allow God to work in their lives in ways that bring restoration and wholeness. This requires courage and trust, knowing that God is faithful to heal and transform. [48:34]

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of weakness or struggle that you have been hesitant to share with others? How can you take a step towards vulnerability and seek support from a trusted community this week?


Day 4: Faith Requires Stretching Beyond Limits
When Jesus asked the man to stretch out his hand, it was an act of faith. Believers are called to stretch beyond what they think is possible, trusting in God's word and power to accomplish what they cannot do on their own. This act of stretching is a demonstration of faith, believing that God can do immeasurably more than they ask or imagine. By stepping out in faith, they open themselves to experiencing God's miraculous power in their lives. [49:52]

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to stretch beyond your current limits? How can you take a step of faith in that area today?


Day 5: Release Expectations and Trust God's Timing
Believers are encouraged to release their expectations and not limit God by expecting Him to work in a specific way. By being open to new and unexpected methods of His intervention, they can trust that His ways are higher and that He can do more than they imagine. This requires surrendering control and trusting in God's timing and methods, knowing that He is faithful to fulfill His promises in His perfect way. [53:42]

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)

Reflection: What is one expectation you have been holding onto that you need to release to God? How can you practice trusting His timing and methods in your life this week?

It's a new lifestyle that we're walking with you, Lord, to draw close to you. Thank you last week for 46 people baptized in water. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you for the spirit of revival that's in this house and worship today, Lord. We thank you. We thank you. [00:36:29] (17 seconds) Edit Clip


And so Jesus was angered at that and grieved, and then he said, stretch forth your hands. So here's some lessons. Number one, get in the right place. Say, get in the right place. Where did the man go? He went to the synagogue. Why did he go to the synagogue? Well, on that day, Jesus came to church. [00:43:40] (18 seconds) Edit Clip


I wonder how many times he came in, sat in the back, his hand hidden, didn't want to expose his weakness, didn't want to show something in his life that was withered, that wasn't what it should be. Are there things in your life where you feel like you just don't measure up? [00:44:07] (17 seconds) Edit Clip


And notice, the man doesn't ask, Jesus, please. Jesus, please. Jesus, please heal me. Nowhere in this story. I wonder why. I wonder if he felt unworthy. I wonder if he felt that he was too shamed. And so he's afraid, and he pulls back. I wonder how long you've been coming to church. [00:45:42] (26 seconds) Edit Clip


Shouldn't the church be the safest place for you to expose your shrivelness in your life? Shouldn't that be the safest place in your life? Now, we don't do that in here, but we do that in small groups, in life groups. And we say what's said in a life group stays in a life group. [00:48:34] (18 seconds) Edit Clip


Jesus said, stretch forth your hand, and it says he stretched it out. Now, he'd tried many times. The hand is atrophied. He couldn't make it go out. He couldn't, and isn't it interesting? Jesus says, stretch out your hand, and he doesn't stretch out the hand that's not withered, but somehow down in his knower, he just knew he's talking about my withered hand. [00:49:52] (29 seconds) Edit Clip


God often gives us something within our reach but beyond our grasp so we have to stretch out in order to obtain it wow let me read that again god often gives us something that is within our reach but beyond our grasp so we have to stretch in order to obtain it. [00:54:16] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

Well, good morning. It's so good to see you today. So glad you're here. Just look around, see all the wonderful faces that are here, some of the greatest smiles. You know, you can go anywhere and find a frown, but you have to come here; you can find smiles because everybody knows the Lord has been good. He's done so many great things.

And as Andrea said, congratulations, fist bump, high five. You did it, 21 days of fasting and praying, whatever level that was for you. And I was just looking online today and see all the wonderful people that we have watching, and we're so glad that you've joined us. Yes, and we are blessed that you are with us today on the online church. If you're ever in this area, we'd sure welcome you to come and hang out with us because I think you'd like this place, all right?

Hey, let me start off. I just want to conduct a little experiment this morning. So would you mind standing, just standing right where you are? You can just put your notebook and Bibles and all that down. And by the way, as you're standing, the last Sunday of February will be International Sunday. And like we did last year, we had people wear the costumes or the clothing from their nationality. And then outside, we had tables set up with food sampling from cuisine from that era. And so we're still looking for people that would like to do that. So if you would like to be part of that, take a connection card and say, "Hey, I'd love to have a table out front," or see the drummer, Mike; he'll help you out with that, okay?

All right. So here's what I'd like you to do. And I don't know if this would be possible. And I know that some of you are standing in front of a chair, so it'd be difficult. But in a minute, I'm going to ask you to bend over and, without bending your knees, touch your hands to the floor. Now, wait, don't do that right now. Now, those of you that are on the front row, you can do that. Now, if your hands are easy, do your elbows. And if your elbows are easy, then do your head. Take your head all the way down, okay?

And so if we could do that. Now, those of you that are in front of a chair, what I'll ask you, just lean over that chair, and you can probably get almost all the way to the bottom there, I think. Now, wait, wait, wait. I should have said this. What I want you to do is bend over until you are somewhat uncomfortable. Would you do that? If you're in a chair, just bend over until you feel somewhat uncomfortable, okay, without bending your knees. Don't hurt yourself now. Don't bounce.

Now, hold that just a minute. And just go a little lower, okay? Just a little lower. All right? Okay. All right. All right. You can stand up and sit down. Give yourself a hand. You passed the exam. You passed the physical. You passed the physical for what's just happened in the last 21 days.

When you bent over a minute ago, and you did really good. Thank you for class participation. You didn't break. At least I didn't see the medical team rush to anybody who broke. And it's like this 21 days. God's been stretching you, and he's been stretching me, right? But guess what? You didn't break. You've done more than you thought you could do.

Let's pray. Father, we love you today. Thank you as we conclude this series today. And as next week, we move on to the power of the Holy Spirit in our life. And Lord, I pray today as we look at this passage that as we come to the end of this series, the end of the 21 days, that you would help us to know that we can even stretch farther in the Spirit than what we stretched in 21 days. This wasn't just 21 days and it's over, but it's a lifestyle. It's a new lifestyle that we're walking with you, Lord, to draw close to you.

Thank you last week for 46 people baptized in water. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you for the spirit of revival that's in this house and worship today, Lord. We thank you. We thank you. And Lord, Holy Spirit, I need your help today. Help me to say what I should say and don't let me say anything I shouldn't say. At the end of today, Father God, may you be glorified. May the saints be edified and may the enemy be terrified in the name of Jesus.

Well, we've been in this series. Today is the day, and it's inspired by Mel Fisher, who was a famous treasure hunter. For 16 years, he and his team kept looking for a sunken treasure off the coast of Florida. For 16 years, they kept going. He lost a lot during that time, including his son. But he kept saying to his team every day, "Today is the day. Today is the day." And guess what? One day, today was the day, and they found a treasure worth over a half of a billion dollars.

And in this series, we said, why wait till someday? Why wait till someday I'm going to draw closer to God? Someday I'll start tithing. Someday I'll start witnessing. Someday I'll get into growth tracks. Someday I'll get into a life group. Someday I'll act like a Christian. No. Today is the day. Today is the day.

So we said, the sermons were, today is the day to go all in. Pastor Chris did that. And then I did, today's the day to thrive, not just survive. And then last week, wasn't that one of the greatest teachings you ever heard in your life? It's time to, today's the day to live a resurrected life. And today, it's all about today is the day to stretch.

You know, I'm so glad when I looked at the Father's House Facebook page. And if you don't follow the Father's House on Facebook page, I sure would like you to do that. And this week we sent out a questionnaire that said, is God stretching anybody or is it just me? We did something like that. I love some of the responses. Yes, I've been stretched. I feel like a rubber band. Yes, I've been stretched and pulled like taffy. Yes, just call me Gumby.

But how many of you feel like that maybe just a little bit in some way, or maybe a lot, that God stretched you during these 21 days? Would you raise your hand if you feel like God stretched you? Well, I'm sorry, the rest of you, we can pray at the end of the service. Evidently, you didn't participate because if you participated, you would have been stretched in these 21 days.

The problem with the American church, we have got into a comfort zone. And if it's not easy, if it's not wonderful, it doesn't bless me, then we don't get involved. But there is a sacrifice that comes in following the Lord. Can I get an amen?

So where is God stretching you still yet? Where has he stretched you in the last seven days? How many of you, the Lord has been waking you up somewhere between 3 and 5 AM in the morning to pray during this fast? All right. Yeah. It's just phenomenal. Everywhere I see, I see all the posts of people saying between 3 and 5 AM, God's been waking me up because that's a critical hour. That's the hour of the watchman that would watch what was going on and warn the people.

And some of you, you're participating in early morning Bible study more than you've ever. And some of you, it's more of intense prayer, more of it's in confession, but I believe the Lord is stretching us. So today I'd like to share with you, if you'll go with me to Mark chapter 3, some lessons on stretching. Say lessons on stretching.

Mark chapter 3, verses 1 through 5. This miracle is in all of the synoptic Gospels. All four of the synoptic Gospels are seeing together: Matthew, Mark, Luke. Sorry, 3, the synoptic Gospels seeing the same thing. So it's in everyone. So when you see the same miracle reported in all three Gospels, then it's saying there's the emphasis on this, put an exclamation mark on this.

It says, "Then he," that's Jesus, "entered the synagogue." Say, "Entered the synagogue." He went to church. Say that. He went to church. He went to church again, and the man was there, and that he had a withered hand. Underline that: withered hand. We'll look at that in just a minute.

So they watched—that's the Pharisees, the religious people that are trying to trip up Jesus—to see whether he healed a man on the Sabbath so they might accuse him. They didn't care about the man; they just wanted to accuse him. So he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Underline that: step forward.

Then he said, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save a man's life or kill him?" And they kept silent. And when he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." Say, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and the hand was restored as whole as the other.

So when I look at this, Luke says that it was the man's right hand, his right hand. And it's in the perfect tense in Greek, which means that it's something that had happened in the past. So his right hand, at one time, he was able to use it; he was able to work with it; he was able to have that, but now it has shriveled up. That's what the word "withered" there is: "serano," which means shriveled, dried up, to lose its vitality, to lose its freshness.

In other words, his right hand now is rendered helpless. It's beginning to shrink; it's begun to atrophy, and probably he's hiding it under his robe because he would be so shamed that his hand, his right hand, was like that. Because you see, you worked with your right hand; you raised your hand to worship with your right hand; you greeted people with the right hand; you gave people a blessing with the right hand. You worked with the right hand, but the left hand was used for bodily functions, and you never used your left hand to stretch it out towards somebody because it was a great offense.

So this was your right hand, your hand of authority, your hand of working, your hand of being, knowing that you have something to do, but your left hand only dealt with bodily functions, and you had never reached that; you had never used that. So he comes to church, and he doesn't have a hand that's worthy of raising; all he has is a hand that's withered and atrophied, but the other hand is unclean, so he can't even do that at a time like that.

And he says they watched him. They were watching to see, and some scholars say that they planted this guy right there at the opening where Jesus came in to see if Jesus would heal him on the Sabbath so they could use him. And when Jesus saw how they were, they cared more about keeping the Sabbath than they did to heal a man that had a withered hand.

And so Jesus was angered at that and grieved, and then he said, "Stretch forth your hands." So here's some lessons.

Number one, get in the right place. Say, "Get in the right place." Where did the man go? He went to the synagogue. Why did he go to the synagogue? Well, on that day, Jesus came to church. He was in the right place. He came to church.

I wonder how many times he came to church. I wonder how many times he came in, sat in the back, his hand hidden, didn't want to expose his weakness, didn't want to show something in his life that was withered, that wasn't what it should be. Are there things in your life where you feel like you just don't measure up? Things in your life where you feel like you're not good enough? Things that you shrink back because you wouldn't want anybody to know that you're struggling with that?

Well, this is this guy coming to church week after week. But on this particular day, he didn't leave the same he came because on that day was the same day that Jesus was in the house. And the same principle holds true here today. What if, what if Jesus showed up today in a remarkable way? We know he's everywhere, all right? But what if he manifests his presence in the first three minutes of the service on Sunday morning?

Some of you would miss your miracle because you're still trying to get up. You're still trying to get a cup of coffee. Some people come 30 minutes late. They don't come in the building, but they come to get a cup of coffee. There's probably right now, if I showed you the camera out in the foyer, there's probably people sitting out there right now, standing in the foyer. In fact, let's show that camera shot, can we? Those of you in the foyer, just wave to us. We see you there with your coffee. Why aren't you in here? Come on.

But here's what I'm saying. What if, because it's become a habit with you, that you miss your miracle? Because there was a manifest presence of the Lord in the beginning of the service. This day, the man showed up. I bet he's so glad that he showed up on that day, and he didn't stay home. I'm going to tell you, there's something about you being in the right place on the Lord's day. It's the same principle.

And Jesus, he doesn't look at the crowd, but he sees the man. He sees the man. And notice, the man doesn't ask, "Jesus, please. Jesus, please. Jesus, please heal me." Nowhere in this story. I wonder why. I wonder if he felt unworthy. I wonder if he felt that he was too shamed. And so he's afraid, and he pulls back.

I wonder how long you've been coming to church. There's a part of you that's withered. I mean, you used to really be on fire for God, but you've let things deteriorate. I hate that. You used to be a faithful giver. You used to be someone who's faithful in their prayer life, but that area's withered in your life. In fact, when we talked about the 21 days, there's a withering in your hand, and you felt embarrassed and ashamed because you didn't participate.

Remember, as Andrew said, no condemnation, conviction, yeah, because why? Maybe that's a withered area in your life. Or maybe it's in your brain, your mind. It's withered. You're no longer expanded. You see, some people study one topic all their life, or one thing all their life. And when they hear something new, they don't receive it because, well, that's new, and I'm set in my comfort zone. What if God is stretching you to do something beyond what you have?

But you need to be, first of all, in the right place. Second of all, get in the right position. He's in church; he's there with everybody else. And so Jesus says to him, verse 3, "Step forward." Luke says about this, he says, "Jesus said, 'Rise and stand in front of everybody.'" This is a miracle by word, not by touch.

Now, would that be—I mean, here you are, you've been coming to church; you're embarrassed because of a shriveled area of your life, and Jesus says in the middle of the church, "I want you to stand up, and I want you to expose the shriveled area of your life." Jesus is saying, "I want to call attention to your area. I want to call attention to what is shriveled in your life." And he says, "But you need to get in the right position. I want you to stand up."

Now, the church service is the last place that he wanted to expose his way of life. I want you to stand up. Let man relax, came out of church, came out of church, list weakness with a bunch of Pharisees, right? I mean, how would you say, "Okay, we have a confession time. We're going to stand and confess your worst sins." And you know that standing beside you is a big old Pharisee, a Sadducee, and a Buc, whatever. I don't know.

And you know that they're going to take what you just said, and they're just going to tell everybody on social media. Now, you wouldn't want to stand and confess, would you? Here's a man, and Jesus says, "I want you to stand up. I want to expose your weakness to everybody." Why? Because Jesus wanted the chains to drop. He wanted that guy to walk out, not under chains, but he wanted to walk out free.

Shouldn't the church be the safest place for you to expose your shrivelness in your life? Shouldn't that be the safest place in your life? Now, we don't do that in here, but we do that in small groups, in life groups. And we say what's said in a life group stays in a life group. And if it gets out of a life group, you need to tell the life group leader and bring that to Pastor Tim, and we'll grab ahold of that Pharisee that's in your life group, and they'll wish they had never shared that with anybody else because what's said in a life group stays in a life group.

But it should be the safest place in the world for you to admit, "I've got a shriveled area of my life. I'm embarrassed about it. I don't like it, but I'm gonna expose it right now because it could be that Jesus is here in this midst, and I won't leave here like I came, amen?"

Number three, stretch beyond your limits. Stretch beyond your limits. Jesus said, "Stretch forth your hand," and it says he stretched it out. Now, he'd tried many times. The hand is atrophied. He couldn't make it go out. And isn't it interesting? Jesus says, "Stretch out your hand," and he doesn't stretch out the hand that's not withered, but somehow down in his knower, he just knew he's talking about my withered hand, and so he stretched out.

I've tried this before. I've tried to stretch, but this time, he was stretching at the word of Jesus, and he was able to do it. See, some of you have been trying to stretch. Some of you have been trying to turn over a new leaf. Some of you have been trying on your own. No, what's the word of the Lord? Stretch out your hand, and he stretched out his hand. He was able. This was a miracle by word, not by touch, and here he stands.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said this, and I love it: "Unless you try something beyond what you've already mastered, you'll never grow." So what's withered in your life?

Number four, release your expectations. Get in the right place, get in the right position, stretch beyond your limits, and release your expectations. Stay open for how God is going to do your miracle. Don't put him in a box and limit him to one way. Well, he did it this way; he did it that way, so if he's going to do it to me, it's got to be either in this box or this box. What if he wants to do something so new and so fresh, and he's just waiting for you to release your expectations?

Be willing to stretch and experience a divine miracle. Remember this verse story in Exodus 14 and 16. God says to Moses, they're right at the Red Sea, and it's an obstacle they're not going to be able to get across. And God says to him, Exodus 14 and 16, "Lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it."

Now, I may ask you a question: Is Moses able to divide the water? No, he doesn't have the power. That's a shepherd staff. I mean, he's beat the tar out of sheep, and he's lifted sheep up, and he's done everything. He said, "Lift your rod, and I want you to part the waters." But how can I part the waters? Well, first of all, you got to be in the right place; you got to be in the right position, and then you got to do what the Lord has asked you to do: stretch out your hand.

And guess what? When he stretched out his hand, the Lord's hand came upon his hand, and it was the Lord's hand on Moses's hands that parted the waters. Some of you, the Lord has you in an impossible situation this morning, and you're standing there, and he says, "I want you to stretch out your hand. I want you to believe for a miracle."

But God, I've tried before. I've tried before. But leave at his word and stretch out your hand and watch God put his hand on your hand and do what was impossible before. God often gives us something within our reach but beyond our grasp, so we have to stretch out in order to obtain it.

Wow, let me read that again: God often gives us something that is within our reach but beyond our grasp, so we have to stretch in order to obtain it. Are you missing a miracle in your life because you're trying to reason everything out? Can you imagine Moses? "Excuse me, sir, stretch my hand? There's just no way."

But he'd already—there was something about that faith movement that God was there in the midst of the right situation, and when he stretched out his hand, God put his hand on his hand. So my question to you today is, 2025 can be the year of change for man's life. Can you imagine that God hasn't offered his life yet in your lifetime? But he says, "Yes, I can. I can understand that. I can understand your prayer is not different on this day."

Jesus and the apostles speak about it, right? But you have to get out of your comfort zone; you have to stretch. You say, "Well, where do you think God is asking me to stretch?" Well, here's the stretch for some of you: N O W. Say that with me: N O W. What's N O W?

The trick right there. Night of worship, February the 2nd. That's the first Sunday of February. Huh? Next week. 5:30. The doors open at 5. It's a night of worship. Not just music, but a chance for you to express your devotion to God, to encounter Him in a powerful way, and to bring hope and encouragement to your heart.

How many of you does that sound kind of good? So night of worship, stretch. Well, I don't know. It's Sunday evening. Stretch. Well, I don't know. I'm just not really an extrovert. That doesn't have anything to do with it. God wrote the Bible, and He put you in it. It doesn't matter if you're an introvert or extrovert. An extrovert that's an introvert and an introvert that's extroverted. He's worthy of worship.

So it's a night of worship. It's of coming and just being in His presence. So maybe the Lord is saying you need to stretch for growth track. And in growth track, the first, second, third, fourth Sundays of every month at 10:30 in the growth track room, you stretch there and get part of that. Or how about life groups? Join a life group that will be signing up on February 16th. And they're always looking for more leaders that would love to lead a life group.

And then also for the legacy offering. In the chair in front of you, and if you're on the front row, just beg somebody behind you to give you one. Would you get one of the green envelopes that's out? One of the green envelopes, just like this. Would you reach in and take one? Everybody reach in and take one and lift it up. Let me see it. Lift it up high.

Okay. Good. Good. I'm waiting. I'm waiting. Still waiting. I want to see every hand up there. I'm still waiting. Still waiting. Good. Good class participation.

Well, it's a one-time-a-year that we bring a sacrificial offering above our tithes. It's not much higher than regular offerings to benefit the church. We only do it once a year. It's a great worship opportunity like no other worship. Our combined legacy offerings can accelerate the vision of the church. Last year, our goal was $200,000, and you exceeded that by above and beyond to get the new signs out and to give away.

We were believing for $250,000, and we came in believing for $200,000, and we came in at $250,000. This year, we said our goal is $300,000. Well, I believe we're going to go well beyond that. All right. $250,000. I believe this year we're going to go to $300,000.

So one of the lanes we have is mission. And if you can, you can open up in your app at the Father's House slash missions. And you can see where there's over 20-something places that we supply and give to missions monthly or yearly. And I'd like you to look through those. And we have a brochure out in the foyer. We're updating that, so it'll be out there next week.

So that's lane one. That'll be the big one. That'll be the big one. And we want to give again over $200,000. And so if we're going to do that, then I'm looking if, okay, if we only bring another 50, and we're never going to get to these projects that I'm looking at here. So I got to up my faith.

Okay. I did hear somebody once say somebody's going to walk up, and they're going to give a million dollars to this church. What they're going to do that they better hurry. All right. Time's ticking. Lane two is improvements. One of the areas that we're working on and improving is our production of what you see on the online church and what you see on the screens.

Part of the problem is some of our lights, even though we've been able to change these out, thanks to Steven, he found a good deal. We changed those out, and they're LED; they're colored. So we can do a lot of things, but our cameras are shot. So those of you that are a part of the online church, this is a great opportunity for you to participate in leaving a legacy.

So we need these three cameras that will help us to be able to facilitate and show a better thing. We need to have a mix and be able to mix a good sound. Is that good? Yeah. So we need to have a mix and be able to mix a good sound. Is that good? Yeah.

So I told the production team, give me some must-haves. What are some of the must-haves that'll take us to the place of excellence? And they said, "Well, if we had changed the lights out, that would be really important," or the cameras because they're not uniform. They have issues with color grading. The roaming camera is put together with duct tape and wires and has broken ports and Elmer's glue. Trust me, but we need to go to the state of the art.

We need to go to the—and do those. And so I asked them to give me a ballpark figure of that, and they said, "Well, for about $26,000, we could do that." So that's a good area for those of you that are all part of the online church. And those of you that are here would love to see a greater presentation.

And next door, the board needs to be replaced next door. And because what we want to do is that we want to train young people over here, over there on the board so that we can bring them here on this board. And if something happens, the soundboard and all those things, the lights, we can do that because we want to raise up the next generation.

So I think they found a soundboard for about $2,500. It cost us five grand. So we're looking towards that. That's another project. Another project is that we want to do some sort of covering over our door here and over our door next week. And so I've had the guys, project managers looking at that this week. We've looked at the coverings. We've looked at the coverings. We've looked at the coverings. We've looked at a couple of churches in different places. And it's expensive. It's about $70,000 to put a little covered walkway there.

Probably won't go all the way out, but at least it'll give some protection from the rain and from the sun that's beating down. And then also for the learning center next door, there's no covering. So when parents or those of you on a Sunday morning are standing there, there's no protection from the sun as you're trying to get in. And there's no protection from the rain.

So we want to do the same thing over there. And I said, beyond that, I'm just dreaming big. I'd love to see the awnings on this building replaced because they're dirty and ugly. Out front, you see mulch there that people kick up, move around. Anita said we could move out that mulch and put in beautiful brick there and make the front of the walkway even better.

Upstairs, if you went into Maggie's office or Anita's, they've been there since we started this church. And people have spilled coffee, grape juice, like I did this morning from my thing, and fruit. And so it looks like a mess. In fact, I get depressed when I walk up there. And so they say, "Well, we can replace those carpet squares, probably around $5,000."

So when I look at all that, you say, I gave you those numbers because some of you may say, "You know what? I don't want to see those kids next door not have that. I'll write you a check for $70,000 with the Leave a Legacy. I'll help take care of that." Or maybe somebody says, "You know what? I want to get the carpet spruced up before Maggie comes back to work. And so I'll give the $5,000 for that."

And so maybe some of those projects will speak to your heart. And I'd like for you to take this envelope home. Anita and I have been praying about what are you asking us to sacrifice? Not to give. What are you asking us to sacrifice? This is a sacrifice. This is a seed in our hand. You see, if you stretch out your hand, God will bless what's from your hand.

Remember, listen to this, remember that your future is a seed. Your past is your mind. Your future is in your hand. So, so for it. 2 Corinthians 9, 6 through 8. Look at this. Read it with me out loud, will you?

"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. And he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity. For God loves a what? He loves a cheerful giver, but he'll take from any old."

They go to a different church. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you always, having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. He who sows sparingly, reaps sparingly. He who sows bountifully, so is each one purposes in his heart.

So take this envelope home. If you're married, you and your spouse pray over it. God, what you have us to sacrifice? There's a place there for you. There's a place for you. There's a place for you. There's a for lane one, lane two.

Philippians chapter three, look at this. "Yet my brothers, I do not consider myself to have arrived spiritually, nor do I consider myself already perfect, but I keep going on grasping ever more firmly that purpose for which Christ grasped me. I do not consider myself to have fully grasped it, but I do concentrate on this." Read it out loud with me. "I leave the past behind with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead. I go straight for the goal."

How many of you, when you came in today, somebody gave you a rubber band? They gave you a rubber band. Hold it up. Let me see it. Did he? Would you just slip that on your wrist? Just slip that on your wrist. Would you wear it maybe for this week or so? And every time you look down at that rubber band, would it remind you?

In the last 21 days, God has stretched me. He's stretched me. He's asked me to do things, things I thought I would never do. I mean, for a month now, I've been waking up every morning between three and five. And I don't like to get up at three or five. Seven sounds like a good number for me. Six, if I'm really sacrificing.

But God started waking me up, and I know he's been waking up Tim and some of the others. And he said to me, "This is my time. I'm going to stretch you out of your comfort zone." You know what? You can sleep less. Anita made the comment the other day. She said, "You know what? You don't even get tired in the afternoons, like wanting to take a nap. It's amazing. You have less, but you're doing more."

Isn't that the same way with tithe and offering and giving? You may have less in your hands, but you have more in your bank account, more in your things, because you've sacrificed. So you can see a rubber band is useless unless it's stretched.

And you say, "But I feel like I've been stretched to the limits. I don't know how much more that the Lord could stretch me than what he's already stretched me." But can I remind you that he will stretch you no farther than what needs to be for the destiny and the purpose that you have?

You see, when you take new territory, and there's new seasons in your life, it's going to require a new stretch. When we moved into this building from a little building across over on the boulevard, I mean, it's like 90 people, 100 people. We sacrifice and stretch. People took off their wedding bands, sold their wedding bands to buy the chairs to pay for this building or get us in this building. Sacrifice.

When we went from one service to two services, sacrifice. As we look around, as we are growing, we may soon be going to three sacrifices or three services or another campus. We don't know. We're looking. We're playing. We're not planning to be safe. We're not saying, "Well, we've arrived." We haven't arrived. This church is going to long grow after I leave. This church is not about me. It's not about Anita, but it's about you.

It's about the covenant that we have with him. You're a group of people that have been called out to offer hope to our community. So it's going to be ongoing. So we can't ever get to the place that we're not willing to be stretched. Get into a life group and start. And look at this as what God would say for the leave of legacy.

But let me share with some of you today that you've never surrendered your heart to Jesus. Today's the day to do that. You know why you can do that? Because he stretched out himself between the nails on the cross to purchase your salvation.

Would you bow your heads with me today? Father, I thank you today for your presence. I thank you for being here with us. For reminding us, Lord, that we're not alone. And for speaking to us today that, yeah, you've stretched some of us, but we didn't break. So you're still saying, "Get out of your comfort zone. Do something you've never done before."

As Travis said a few minutes ago, 20 years ago. Go. Go. The Lord said, "Get out of your comfort zone. Start tithing. Start giving." It's just the best change of his life. So where is it? God is saying that for you today. Maybe in the area he's saying is to surrender your heart to him.

If you're here and you've never invited Jesus into your heart, you've never believed on him. Would you raise your hand this morning and say, "Terry, would you pray for me? I want to be sure today that I'm ready to be with him." Thank you in the back. Thank you there in the front. Thank you. Others today, just lift your hands. Say, "That's me." Online, just lift your hands and just type in there, "I'm raising my hands now."

Raising my hand now. Believing right now in the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. Would you pray this prayer with me? Let's pray it together.

Father God, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins. I admit that I'm a sinner in need of a savior. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my life. Fill me with your spirit. In Jesus' name, I pray.

Church, would you celebrate with me with those three who prayed that prayer today? If you prayed that prayer, we have some materials here on First Step Here and First Step Here. If it's your first time to be here, if I've never met you, I need it, and I'll be out before you, and I'd love to meet you today. God bless you.