daily Broadcast

Absolutely Small – The Birthplace of Breakthrough

From the series Breakthrough

A mustard seed is almost microscopic. Nevertheless, it grows into a huge plant. Jesus came to earth as a helpless infant and defeated Satan and death once, for all. Twelve disciples' efforts to spread the gospel live on today as the Church continues to expand generation upon generation. God's method is "Absolutely Small." This seems so unlikely! But He told us that His ways are not our ways. Join Chip as he uncovers the reality of "Absolutely Small is the Birthplace of Breakthrough."

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Message Transcript

I spent about an hour in a car with a good friend, and out of the blue, he turned to me and he goes, “You know, this breakthrough stuff is messing with me, man. You hit me right between the eyes.” I said, “Let’s get this clear. I just talk. If you get hit, it’s God.” He said, “Okay, well, God hit me between the eyes.” I said, “Well, what do you mean?” And for the next hour, he began to very candidly and honestly talk about some issues in his life that he knows: this is right, and this is wrong, and right now, this is wrong, and I know what I need to do.

And then, he had that look on his face, like I was not many brain cells working. “Now, do you understand, if I do what’s right, the implications?” And he started going through relationships, finances, reputation. And I just said, “Man, you believe God is real, or not? Do you believe He can take care of you? You think this is any different than when He said to the disciples, ‘Feed the five thousand, or feed the four thousand?’ You’ve just got to believe.” He goes, “I know. I got it. I got it.” And I had to believe that he’s probably not the only one.

Now, here’s what I want you to get: You’re on the verge of breakthrough. Absolutely small is the birthplace of breakthrough. You can have catalysts, you can be moved, you can step out, you can start, but the birthing of breakthrough happens in what I call “absolutely small.” Look on your notes. Size absolutely matters, only in reverse, to birth and sustain breakthrough.

And you’re just thinking, I just can’t do it. I know I should; I know I want to – I can’t. You need to be in a small group of safe, loving, caring people that say, “Regardless of the implications, whatever happens, we’ll be there with you.”

And what I want to tell you is, that’s the pattern of Scripture. Everyone here believes that God wants to change the city, right? I mean, all through Scripture, isn’t that what He does? I mean, have you ever kind of done a little look at this Bible and realized the names of these books? When God wanted to change the world, He wrote a book to the Corinthians, in the city of... And the Ephesians in the city of... And the Thessalonians in the city of… And to the Romans in the city of…

What are those? Those are the most influential cities in the world! But it always started – what? Jesus, a small group of people, the twelve, the one-twenty, and then, that got multiplied and birthed, here, there, and everywhere.

Well, did you ever wonder how Jesus reached a city, and how He taught His disciples to reach a city? Well, if you didn’t, you should, and here’s your lucky day, because that’s what we’re going to look at. Open your notes, if you will, and let’s look, very specifically, at how Jesus reached a city. And today, He’s doing it in London, and Paris, and Hong Kong.

John chapter 4 – very, very interesting. I think the goal, here, is so the disciples learn, later, when He leaves and gives them the mission, how to pull this off. If you open your Bibles, John chapter 4 – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John – it’s the gospel. The story opens as the Pharisees hear that Jesus is gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, and it’s actually not Jesus baptizing, but His disciples. And so, He chooses to leave Judea, and He goes to Galilee. He’s going to go on the non-Jewish side of the lake.

And He says – verse 4 – “Now we need to go through Samaria. So, He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. And Joseph’s well was there, and Jesus was tired from the journey, and He sat down by the well. And when it was about the sixth hour” – or, it’s noon, and it’s very, very hot. “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give Me a drink?’” Side bar, “(The disciples all had left to go get food in town.)”

And she’s shocked, because Samaritans are a half-breed. The cultural division is absolute. Jews hate Samaritans; Samaritans hate Jews, A. B, men don’t initiate conversations with women. Women were sub-human in that day. And so, she’s wondering, 1, You’re a Jew; I’m a woman. It’s an odd time of day. And the reason she’s out at this time of day is because there’s a little colorful past, and she’s rejected in her community, and so, when all the other women go out and draw water, she doesn’t want to be there, because she’s not accepted. So, she’s out here by herself. “‘You a Jew ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews don’t associate with Samaritans.)”

Jesus’ response: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.’ ‘Sir,’ the woman replied , ‘You have nothing to draw with and the well is very deep. Where will You get this living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, and also his sons and his flocks and his herd?’ And Jesus said, ‘Everyone who drinks this physical water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

Now, here’s the woman’s response – I love this! – “Sir, give me this water so I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming back to draw water.” Boy, if You’ve got this, it sounds great!

And so, He throws out a little test, like many of you are in right now, like my friend is in right now. He says, “Oh, you want water? You’re thirsty? You want Me to meet your need? You want to spring up in you eternal life? Why don’t you go get your husband, and we’ll talk about it further?”

Her reply: “‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said, ‘You’re right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is quite true.’” And contrary to how I think most of us would read this text, I think He was affirming her honesty and vulnerability, not condemning her, as we will see.

“‘Sir,’ she said, ‘I can see that You’re a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim the place we worship is in Jerusalem.’” So, I guess, man, anybody that knows this, you’re reading my mail, there’s no way you could know this. You must be a prophet. I guess we’re going to talk religion; let’s change the subject. You say this mountain. And Jesus says, “Sweetheart” – that’s sort of my reading into the text – “it’s way bigger than what mountain, or where.”

Jesus – verse 21 – says, “Believe Me, woman, the time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; but we Jews worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet,” – new dispensation, new truth – “a time is coming and has now come when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

You might, in your Bibles, circle – or highlight in your mobile device – seeks. Literally, it’s pursues. The Father is pursuing and seeking and running after people that don’t know Him, that they might turn and worship Him, not in some external form, but in Spirit and in truth.

“The woman said, ‘I know’” – okay? We’re getting down to pay dirt. “‘Well, I know that the Messiah’ (the Christ) ‘is coming. And when He comes, He’ll explain everything.’”

Now, this next line is absolutely amazing, because the Pharisees can’t figure out who He is, the disciples have been foggy on who He is, and after He heals people, He says, “Don’t tell anyone,” because of all the mushrooming of crowds. But here is an immoral woman, who’s a half-breed, who’s despised, who’s rejected, and she gets honest. And here’s the truth she gets: “Then Jesus declared, ‘I who speak to you am He. I’m the Messiah.’ Just then His disciples returned and were surprised finding Him talking to a woman.” That is an understatement.

“But no one asked, ‘What do you want?’ or ‘Why are You talking with her?’ Then, leaving her water jar” – here’s her response: She leaves her jars there – “the woman went back into the town and said to the people, ‘Come, and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could He be the Christ?’ And they came out of the town and they made their way toward Him. Meanwhile” – the camera lens, as the people are starting, hubbub, they’re coming out of the town. Camera lens goes back – it’s Jesus and the disciples.

“Meanwhile the disciples urged Jesus to get something to eat.” “By the way, that’s why we went to town. It was a to-go order. We got it; we brought it back. You’ve got to be hungry. Rabbi.” “But He said, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing of.’ Then His disciples said to one another, ‘Could someone have brought Him food?’”

Come on, guys, I mean, think about where this is at. “‘My food,’ Jesus said, ‘is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work. Do you not say, “There are four months and yet then comes the harvest”?’”

Do you think that the work of God, or when things are really going to happen, and breakthrough, and things like you’ve never seen – you guys say it’s in the future – someday, some way, when God intervenes. “But I say to you, lift up your eyes.”

And I imagine there are some people coming out of that town, led by an immoral woman, who was disrespected and despised, who thought she was unworthy. “See, the fields are white for harvest.”

And then, notice His explanation: “Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ‘One sows another reaps’ it’s true. I sent you to reap where you haven’t worked. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits for their labor.”

And in just a few moments, we’re going to learn that they come, they believe, based on her testimony, and they’re Samaritans, and He’s a Jew, and they say, “Do You think You could stick around for another couple days?” So, He does a two-day seminar, and then, they turn to the woman, and they say, “We have come and believed, based on your word and your testimony, but after two days of hearing His Word” – look in your texts. What’s it say? “Now we believe and know that You are the Savior of the world.”

Now, I want to have you look at your notes, if you would, and I want to show you something about how Jesus, very intentionally, reached a city. And I’m going to suggest that He didn’t just reach a city, but He’s wanting to teach His disciples about how to reach cities, and then, we’re going to learn from the disciples how to reach a city.

Where did the breakthrough begin? Answer: with Jesus. Jesus cared. Jesus had compassion on that city, and He had very specific compassion on that woman.

Whom did Jesus choose? This is always a stumper for us religious people. He chose an immoral, socially rejected woman, in a culturally despised town. That’s just for all of us that think we’re not qualified.

Third, how did she make room for breakthrough? She recognized that she had thirst. A lot of us do a lot of stuff: A lot of us eat, sex addictions, shop, work – we have thirst for fulfillment and meaning. She recognized she had thirst, and she was open to realize, maybe there’s a different way to quench your thirst.

Second, when confronted with the truth, she was just honest: “I don’t have it all together. I have a checkered past.” But she had the guts enough to say, “Yep, that’s me.” And then, she made room. When she heard about the truth, she left her jars – step of faith – and she said, “I’ve got to share this with someone else.” It’s a pattern.

What courageous step did she take? Can you imagine her reputation, and the fear of rejection of going to a whole town that thinks you’re the most immoral person in the whole town, and you say, “I believe that I may have just met the Messiah. You should come and see.”

What do you think was going on in her heart when she was walking from where her jar and the well was, to the town? No one’s ever going to believe me. No one’s ever going to – I’ve got to tell them. No one’s ever going to believe me. I’ve got to tell them. I’ve got to tell them. Anybody here in the labor pains of potentiality, but your fear of being rejected is keeping you from launching?

What did Jesus want His disciples to learn about Himself? His love and compassion is for all people, regardless of where they’ve been, what they look like, or what they’ve done, or what they’re presently doing. He wanted them to understand that His personal satisfaction is rooted, not in what you can achieve, not in how you look, not in what you own. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”

I saw on 60 Minutes a brief little interview with a man in New York City, and his name is Tudor Jones II, Paul Tudor Jones II. He’s a hedge fund guy. I have no idea his spiritual background, other than he mentioned his mom wanted him to be a preacher. He started eighty charter schools in New York City. And in the interview, this one line captured me. He turned to the interviewer, he says, “Well, you need to understand that the only real purpose and significance in life is making sacrifices to meet the needs of other people. That’s what life’s all about.”

The rest of the world’s trying to make a lot less than 3.6 billion dollars, but someone with 3.6 million dollars understands there’s not enough steak, there are not enough jets, there are not enough houses, there are not enough vacations. What life is about is sacrificially giving up time and energy and money to meet the needs of other people. That’s where fulfillment is. I think he got that from somewhere. I wonder if we do.

And finally, what about breakthrough? I think Jesus wanted them to learn that breakthroughs start small. A man and a woman having a conversation. It’s like a mustard seed. It starts small. And then, a few people come out. And then, it multiplies.

The other thing He wanted them to learn about breakthroughs is, they’re not something that are going to happen someday, someway, out there. You say – disciples – your mindset, your paradigm is, in four months, then comes the harvest. In other words, someday, someway, God’s going to do something.

You know, there’ve been things in the Old Testament, and – from their world. For us, there was a great – the First Awakening, the Second Awakening, and there’s the Layman’s Prayer Revival, and the Wesleys did things. We’ve heard about things in Korea, and these movements in Africa, and breakouts in Latin America. I bet, just mystically, somehow, someway, God does that, and Jesus would say – rmmmm! – no. God is already working.

Breakthroughs are not about someday, someway, if we do X, Y, Z, F, G, M, and God mystically blows on it. God is already working. He’s looking for regular, ordinary people to just believe.

In fact, notice the timeless axiom I put on the bottom of your notes: “Unlikely supernatural breakthroughs are not dependent on a future work of God, but a present work of one.” See, the difference? I believe He’s working in the Muslim community in our area, and the Chinese community, and the Korean community. I think the Spirit of God is working everywhere.

He’s looking for an unlikely person, like you or me, who’s ordinary, who feels unworthy, like this woman, to say, “I’m going to just go tell them. I’m going to take a step, and I might get rejected. But what I’ll probably find is, He’s already been working, and He has hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of people who are struggling in their marriage, and hurting, and have health issues, and unresolved issues with their parents and kids, and they’re confused, and the work, and the money – and all that stuff really isn’t delivering.

And God just is looking for a messenger – a man, a woman, or a student – who would just do what an immoral woman did to a group of people far-away from God, and He’ll break through.
And finally, what about breakthrough? I think Jesus wanted them to learn that breakthroughs start small. A man and a woman having a conversation. It’s like a mustard seed. It starts small. And then, a few people come out. And then, it multiplies.

The other thing He wanted them to learn about breakthroughs is, they’re not something that are going to happen someday, someway, out there. You say – disciples – your mindset, your paradigm is, in four months, then comes the harvest. In other words, someday, someway, God’s going to do something.

You know, there’ve been things in the Old Testament, and – from their world. For us, there was a great – the First Awakening, the Second Awakening, and there’s the Layman’s Prayer Revival, and the Wesleys did things. We’ve heard about things in Korea, and these movements in Africa, and breakouts in Latin America. I bet, just mystically, somehow, someway, God does that, and Jesus would say – rmmmm! – no. God is already working.

Breakthroughs are not about someday, someway, if we do X, Y, Z, F, G, M, and God mystically blows on it. God is already working. He’s looking for regular, ordinary people to just believe.

In fact, notice the timeless axiom I put on the bottom of your notes: “Unlikely supernatural breakthroughs are not dependent on a future work of God, but a present work of one.” See, the difference? I believe He’s working in the Muslim community in our area, and the Chinese community, and the Korean community. I think the Spirit of God is working everywhere.

He’s looking for an unlikely person, like you or me, who’s ordinary, who feels unworthy, like this woman, to say, “I’m going to just go tell them. I’m going to take a step, and I might get rejected. But what I’ll probably find is, He’s already been working, and He has hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of people who are struggling in their marriage, and hurting, and have health issues, and unresolved issues with their parents and kids, and they’re confused, and the work, and the money – and all that stuff really isn’t delivering.

And God just is looking for a messenger – a man, a woman, or a student – who would just do what an immoral woman did to a group of people far-away from God, and He’ll break through.

But here’s the deal: It takes a small group for breakthrough to happen. Because that dream will die in your heart in a New York minute, and you’ll be afraid to take the step, unless there are three or four people praying with you. And then, when you take the first one, it gets harder before it gets better, and you’re ready to quit – you need a group of people to say, “Let’s hang in there.”

Or, you’re thinking, you know, I – Chip, you know, you’re, like, on – rounding third; I’m coming out of the batter’s box. In fact, I’m not sure I’m up at the plate. I have a sexual addiction. I’ve got a problem in my marriage. Actually, I have a problem that I’m not married, because of how I’m living, or, I’ve got this problem over here, or, you know, No one knows. I’ve already, I mean, cheating on your taxes is just what I do. How could God ever use someone like me?

Well, I need a group of people that will help me go through the journey, and love me the way Jesus loved this woman, and realize, no one has it together, and I can be real. It’s God’s plan.

Breakthroughs, in us, have always been, and always will be, designed for breakouts through us. So, let’s shift. That’s how Jesus did it. Let’s see if the disciples learned anything about how breakthroughs happen. How did His followers reach the world? And what I would say to you is, if you would turn to the book of Acts for just a minute, I would encourage you to kind of relax, maybe later this afternoon, and read the book of Acts, or at least the first six or seven chapters very quickly. Let me give you an overview, and I think you’re going to see that everything they saw Jesus do, they began to do the same thing. And then, there’s a timeless, axiomatic principle that we learn from them.

As you open Acts 1, Jesus is in a resurrected body. He’s going to say goodbye to His disciples. You can open the text there, and just follow along. I’m going to give you the thumbnail sketch. And He tells them that, “I want you to hang around, because for forty days, I’ve been explaining the kingdom of God. I’ve been teaching you about the mission to go into all the world, that every ethnic people needs to hear that I am God, I’ve paid for their sin, I’ve risen from the dead. And the power isn’t in you; the power’s in the Gospel, the announcement of the good news. And you will be My witnesses, beginning here in Jerusalem, then Judea and Samaria, into the uttermost parts of the world, and you’ll be given power.”

The word is dunamis – we get our word dynamite. “You will have dynamite, supernatural power inside of you. All you do is, you don’t convince anybody. You don’t twist their arms. You don’t have to tell them how terrible they are. Here’s what you do: You just testify to what I’ve done in you. But here’s what I want you to do: I want you to hang out here, and the Spirit’s going to come. He’ll give you power, and you’ll get it.”

And then, He goes up into the sky – literally, He ascends. They’re looking up in the sky. A couple angels say, “Hey, guys, why are you looking up there? This same Jesus who is ascending is going to come back. So, take what He said seriously.”

So, they do what good disciples do. They’re checking the Old Testament and realize, Well, we don’t know what to do while we’re waiting, but we know that the Old Testament says, clearly, that one is going to go south, and we need to replace that person. So, they just obey what they know, and Matthias becomes one of the Twelve.

And they wait, and then, we have a big breakthrough – woom! Right? Acts 2 – the Holy Spirit comes. They’re hanging out, praying, just doing what they know to do. The Spirit comes, and, unbeknownst to them, they start speaking in multiple different known dialects and languages, because it’s Pentecost, and Pentecost is a religious holiday, when people have come from all over the world, and people from all over that known world hear about Jesus, the Messiah, and the praising of God, in their own language.

And they think – some people think they’re crazy and drunk, and Peter says, “We’re not drunk, gang.” And this cowardly Peter steps up and becomes bold Peter, with God’s supernatural, unleashed power and breakthrough, and he gives a great sermon, and three thousand people come to Christ.

And then, after three thousand people come to Christ, they say, “Oh, what are we going to do with them?” And they don’t have a game plan; they don’t have a lot of programs, and, “Well, let’s just do two things for sure: Let’s keep meeting at the Temple, and we’ll keep teaching the people God’s Word, and then, let’s have people meet in homes, house to house. We’ll break bread together, the apostles teaching. We’ll share life, we’ll help people that are hurting, we’ll love one another in homes, and let’s each one of us go out of our homes and where we’re at with other people.” And so, they start doing that.

Well, then, it’s a normal day; chapter 3 opens up, and Peter’s going, “So, what do we do?” “Well, we used to go to prayer meetings every day; I guess we should go; it’s time to pray.” He’s on his way to the Temple, and there’s a lame guy that, ever since he was a little boy – you learn he’s been there a long time. Peter has walked by him; everybody walks by him, a little – he – and Peter realizes, you know – there were no venture capitalists back then, to say, “You know what? We believe in this mission. We think this Jesus thing’s going to go. We think it’s a good idea. We think it can really work, so we’re going to fund it.”

God said, “I will fund whatever you need. Just trust Me.” So, Peter says to a lame guy, “Silver and gold have I none” – because he didn’t have any – “but what I have, I give to you. In the name of Jesus, be healed.”

Supernaturally, he’s healed – God authenticating. It’s an act of compassion, like Jesus was compassionate. He gets up, leaping and praising God, and comes into the Temple, and all of a sudden, oh, my lands, what’s happening? This little Jewish sect, who believes in this risen Lord, it’s going nuts. So, they threaten them: “Don’t you ever do this again.”

And then, they go back, and what do they do? They pray. And they don’t pray, “Oh, God, it’s so difficult, and we’re being persecuted.” It’s, “Oh, wow! This is awesome! How in the world could we be so privileged to get persecuted for You?”

And after their prayer meeting, it says – like God’s saying, “Amen” – the room starts –  and there’s an earthquake! And the prayer they prayed wasn’t, “Protect us.” It says, “Make us bold. Make us strong. Give us power. Allow us to proclaim Your name, and accompany it with signs and wonders, and with all that You want to do, God.”

And so, you just see this pattern: Compassion. Breakthrough. Compassion. God’s Spirit. God’s provision. So much so, that no one has need. They love one another. They keep meeting in these homes. Ethnic groups, by chapter 8, are added – the Samaritans. By chapter 10, the Gentiles are added. By chapter 28, the known world – Paul is in that strategic city called Rome, and declaring the whole future of all the rest of history. And so, city after city after city after city, starting in these little, small groups.

And notice the lessons. The lessons are very similar to the ones that we’ve learned. Where did the breakthrough begin? With God. They always do. He loves the world, so much that He sent His Son. Whom did Jesus choose? Eleven unlikely candidates – all Galileans. How did they make room? They obeyed what they knew. I mean, they were conflicted: If we do this…

They just obeyed what they knew. And they waited, and they prayed. What courageous step did they take? They identified with what God was doing, even in the face of persecution, they radically shared their resources with one another, and they kept their focus on external acts of compassion: meeting the needs of others.

After the persecution, chapter 4, before it opens in chapter 5, the apostles, people were coming from everywhere, like they did to Jesus. Needs are met. People are healed. God is working.

What did Jesus want them to learn? “I love the world. This mission I gave you is not an option. And all the power that you will ever need, to do everything I call you to do, you already have.” What did He want them to learn about themselves? “You can’t let your lack of faith, and your prejudice, and your view of the world to keep you from doing what I want you to do. You can’t let your little agenda about “my world and my stuff and my family and my future and my money” – if you do that, you’ll seek to save your life, and you’ll lose it. You need to lose your life for Me,” and then, we often leave out the second part of that passage – “and the Gospel.”

We give our lives to announce the good news to other people.

And sometimes, our lives is our reputation, and sometimes it’s risky, and sometimes it’s very, very hard, and sometimes we’re persecuted, and that’s normal. And it’s also awesome. It’s like holding that new baby. As my old coach used to say, no pain, no gain.

About breakthrough – they start in absolutely small groups. It was with the three, then the twelve, then the one-twenty, then Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, global. And that’s how it always happens.

Two and a half, three years ago, three people had a dream: to reach an apartment complex for young professionals. They put on a DVD and invited their neighbors, who they didn’t know. Three or four came. The next week, twelve came. Pretty soon, they were filling a house. Pretty soon, it was three, four, five, six houses. And pretty soon, a young, professional ministry was built. It’s just how God works.

Notice what it says. Timeless axiom: Breakthroughs are fueled by compassion and birthed in biblical community. Breakthroughs are birthed in biblical community. They’re fueled. Acts of compassion fuel it, followed by biblical community to figure out, What are we going to do? How are we going to do it? I’m afraid. I’ve got to deal with my own stuff.

See, some of you are pregnant with an idea, and the rapid pace of life – you’ve thought multiple times about your neighborhood or workplace; you just haven’t taken the step. I want you to know, the Spirit of God is working in your neighborhood.

I have a meeting this week with two couples who believe that, both pretty recent in their faith and really walking with God. And we’re meeting together, and we’re going to launch a Bible study for non-Christians in our neighborhood. And they’re a little uptight about it, and honestly – you know, they think I’m not. “You know, you’re a pastor. You really get this, right?” Yeah, I’m a little uptight about it.

But here’s what I know: God is working in the families in our community.

I have another neighbor that I’ve built a relationship with that, I love him. I love him and his wife. They’ve never been in our home yet. To that, I say, “Shame on you, Chip.” I mean, maybe they won’t come. But you know what? Someone ought to say, “Hey, you want to come over and just have coffee? Tell us your story. How long you lived here?” I mean, I’ve talked in the driveway forever with them.

What about you? The potentiality is, God wants to do something in you first, because you’re conflicted. And it’s like, Oh, man, I need to, I need to, I need to, I know what’s right, but…

And, you know, right about after a week after this series is over, a year from now, I could interview you. If you don’t act, you’ll be in the exact same spot, except you always reap what you sow.

And so, you think how it is, is going to stay how it is. No, no, no, no. When we know what to do, and don’t obey, things don’t get easier, or the same. They get worse. Because God, in His great love, doesn’t allow us to stay the same. The velvet vise of His discipline, you know? He’s bringing truth to your heart and your life, because He wants to do good. Remember? He’s good; He’s a good Shepherd. He can take care of you. He’ll provide for you. He’ll lead you, even through the valley of the shadow of death, even when it’s hard, even if you don’t know what to do, He’ll guide you. Remember all that?

Well, if we don’t listen to His voice, sometimes we get to feel His hand. But His heart is not to – He’s not trying to mess over your life. He’s just doing with you what we do with our kids: “Here are some consequences, honey. You didn’t listen the first eleven times.”

Can I give you some very specific action? Pray, fervently and desperately. Can I ask you – because it doesn’t happen all at once, and as you pray, you’ll find He’ll start speaking to you, probably, more than He does anything else. But pray. For thirty days. Fervently. “Unleash Your power, Lord, in my situation.”

Second, extend God’s compassion to someone or a group in need this week. A lot of it – just get the ball rolling. I mean, do something. Love someone. It’s legal. I mean, just – new eyes. Just love someone! If you’re in a small group right now, say, “You know what? We’re having a great time. What should we do? Could we love somebody?” Every time you just go out and extend compassion, the Spirit of God begins to explode.

And then, finally, join or start – and I like to call them, not just a small group, a life action group. Join or start a life action group – what? – to pursue breakthrough in you and through you. And what you need to do is prioritize, and say, “I need to get in a group, to get loving, healing, encouragement.” And if there are people you already know, say, “Hey, can we do a group?” There are others of you, and you’re thinking, If I could just find two or three other people, or I’ve talked casually, or – I mean, I think Bob would do this, or Mary would do this, or there are these two people at our company, and they’re Christians that go to different churches. Great!

Absolutely small, everything new, everything birthed, any innovation, any cultural good, any movement of God gets birthed in a small group.