Bill Johnson continues his series, The Beauty of Wisdom, focusing this sermon on God’s heart for cities and nations. Bill shares his 1979 encounter in Isaiah 61, and his revelation of God’s desire to rebuild ruins and redeem and transform entire cities and nations. The church has been predisposed to the darkness of the end times rather than God’s plan and heart to save and redeem large groups of people. The wisdom of God is attractive, it’s something that people crave and recognize when they see. We are to be salt and light in culture, walking in wisdom and power in such a way that would draw people to the Lord and His goodness. This is the eighth sermon in Bill Johnson’s series, The Beauty of Wisdom. Watch the full series here: 
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Scripture References: Psalm 131: 1 1 Kings 4: 29-34 Isaiah 60: 1-3 John 1 Isaiah 61: 1-6 1 Peter 2: 9 Proverbs 13: 23 Proverbs 24: 3-4 Bill Johnson is a fifth-generation pastor with a rich heritage in the Holy Spirit. He is senior leader of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and is passionate about seeing Revival and God’s Kingdom established and revealed in the lives of individuals, families, communities, and nations. Bill’s teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven, hosting the Presence, and the renewed mind has helped thousands around the world to step into their true identity in Christ, God given purpose, and walk in a supernatural lifestyle displaying both purity and power. #BillJohnson #BethelChurch #Wisdom #Transformation
I had an encounter with the Lord over
this passage it changed my life it
changed me from a person that could only
see the tragedy that happens in the last
days to a person that looked at what God
was wanting to do in the last days for
the Redeeming the transformation of
cities and Nations I have lived since
May of 79 for this one thing to see
cities and Nations transformed by a
people that walk with presence with
wisdom and power
[Music]
um a series I just called it the Solomon
series it’s actually
a series about wisdom its effect in the
people of God and how God can use us to
bring transformation to culture to
society
I do believe it’s the heart of the Lord
I believe uh next in a couple weeks I’ll
bring to you the other side of the
message and that is that we need two
elements two Realms to minister
effectively the first one is wisdom that
I’m dealing with in this series but the
last one that we’ll end with is the
issue of power it’s not one or the other
it’s both in Tandem and I’ll I’ll try to
make that a little clearer in in a
future weeks I believe that the Lord has
some truths hidden in the life of
Solomon in his experiences with God in
his mandate given to him by God that are
appropriate for us to see to learn so
that we can actually be effective in
seeing the world around us change
God loves cities
he loves cities we weren’t saved merely
to himself by ourself
here’s an interesting phrase I just
heard a couple weeks ago this really
left its mark on me
the disciples belonged before they
believed
think about that’s amazing they belonged
they were actually a part of the 12 if
you will Community before they actually
believed in who Jesus was it’s stunning
they follow they had a certain lifestyle
of learning of adapting of being
impacted ministered to and they came to
a place of Faith through that process
but they were not isolated one-on-one
with Jesus in that relationship it was a
community and it doesn’t mean we don’t
have individual relationships with the
Lord we absolutely do but we were saved
unto something we were saved into a
family into a community into the body of
Christ a holy nation if you will and
throughout scripture we have this
concept of being joined together with
other people and so this this idea that
the Lord still loves cities is really
important
the it’s a no-brainer and yet
theologically throughout decades and
perhaps even centuries I I don’t want at
least for the last century or so the
emphasis in the church has been on the
disasters of the last days and not the
victories
and so the church has become acclimated
to defeat to trial to difficulty and has
actually taken on a spirit of the world
in its expectation of what could
actually happen during our lifetime
I believe it’s theologically
irresponsible to take the great Promises
of scripture and put them off into a
period of time for which we have no
responsibility
when we see that Nations will come to
God when we see that cities will cry out
to God when we see that entire people
groups will be harvested brought into
the kingdom we do ourselves and the
people around us a great disservice when
we slot that for a future time it must
be something that baits us it must be
something that hooks us that captures
the affection of our heart so that we
learn to stand before the Lord and
content for that breakthrough In Our
Lifetime and I’ll be honest if it
doesn’t happen in my lifetime I at least
want to create a significant enough
momentum that my children step into that
inheritance and if it doesn’t happen in
their lifetime then their children the
point is there is only one direction to
go and that is for the cities and
nations of the world to be brought into
the kingdom of God but it is it many of
us who have uh you know kind of
revivalist backgrounds the the cry for
the invasion of God the encounter of God
the you know trembling in his presence
and all that stuff we we tend to think
that the transformation will take place
because those meetings were successful
because those encounters are successful
there’s an element of Truth there but
the Lord is actually raising up a
company of people that live
intentionally to bring transformation
from within the system
not through control and manipulation but
through influence and so the Lord is
raising up people that become salt light
and leaven I’ve talked about it before
but we have so many guests I want to
just get us on the same page then we’ll
go into today’s today’s study salt when
the Lord talked about us being the salt
of the earth
the context was the SALT adds flavor
historically you know that salt is how
they use what they used to preserve meat
and so I had taught my entire life that
uh us being the salt of the earth as we
are a preservative from things decaying
around us that’s true but it wasn’t the
point of Jesus the point Jesus made was
when a salt loses its flavor
it’s good for nothing the point is salt
the people of God add flavor are
supposed to make life more enjoyable
make life more enjoy make things worse
not because we have the answer to
everything that I don’t know that God
can trust us by being the the answer to
everything that’s that puts us in a
scary place because we become too
powerful but what I what I believe the
Lord does want to do is for you to have
the same cry that Solomon had the Lord
appeared to him in his dream and he says
what would you like you can have
anything you want he said I want a
hearing ear God says because you didn’t
ask for fame money a long life I’m going
to give you all of that plus I’m going
to give you what you asked for and he
said I will give you wisdom so God’s
interpretation of the hearing ear was
wisdom in other words two sides of the
same coin if you want to have a life of
wisdom you have to have the capacity to
hear from God because that’s where
wisdom comes from all right so what’s
the point is we can get in over our head
not know what’s going on but be
confident because we know the one who
has the answer
somebody can say what do we do in this
situation I don’t know but I’ll have an
answer in the morning
and then we get home go oh God oh God oh
God but but the point is is we know the
one with the answer we know the book
with the solutions
so the Lord speaks to Solomon he says
you can have anything you want and he
chose a hearing ear which the Lord
interpreted as wisdom
salt when it loses its flavor
is worthless
and this cast out good for nothing the
word worthless there actually means
foolish
so it’s as though salt
is representative of the wisdom of God
and its impact on society it’s the
wisdom of the Lord through the believer
that makes life more enjoyable
it’s not the wisdom of God of control
that we want to be in charge of
everything that’s that’s I don’t like
that and we’ve tried that it just
doesn’t work it doesn’t work it’s not
good for us to try to be in charge it’s
good for us to be Servants of everyone
and to add the quality of life it’s like
it’s like you just knowing how to have a
good family life you knowing how to do
business well you knowing how to to
reach out to Broken People Etc the kinds
of things that all of us add to the city
we just make life more enjoyable and
that’s the assignment be salt how do you
do that you live with great wisdom you
allow the nature of God see wisdom
unites the spirit of man with the mind
of a man
wisdom is what links the two the two
that seem to work so independent at
times wisdom is what links the two
because it is the Fulfillment of the Cry
of the intellect of man and the spirit
of the man
because it’s the mind of Christ wisdom
is divine reasoning
salt light in 11 11 excuse me saw a
light you are the light of the world he
says in in the in the gospel of Matthew
light exposes
but that wasn’t how he used it that’s
how I’ve taught it because that’s my
discipleship training
we preserve we expose that’s who we are
[Applause]
anybody else have that kind of
background besides I mean that’s just
the way I was it was my parents weren’t
like that but I was you know
so just yeah we’re here to let you know
how rotten that is
says you’re the light of the world a
city set on a hill can’t be hidden so
the way he used light of the world is
that you’re in a place of visibility
that will attract people that need
shelter that need safety
I believe in the go of the Gospel I
believe go into all the world that’s but
that is what we emphasize constantly
there’s another aspect that needs to be
heralded championed and that is
people come to the city set on a hill
people come to the spring and drink
people come to the fruit tree and eat
there’s something about having something
that is attractive
to those who are in need of answers and
breakthrough
and I believe that in this season
as we emphasize this story
that the Lord is highlighting the fact
that his giving
us permission to be fruitful
and then give the fruit away
be fruitful
and then serve people
with what God has added to your life
perhaps one qualifier that might be
important
is it would be foolish for us to wait
until we have every area of our life
figured out
Jesus will probably have returned by
that time
the best thing is you got fruit in one
area share the fruit realizing you’ve
got work to do on another area I really
do believe it’s biblical when when the
Israel was arguing as to who should be
in a leadership as head priests the Lord
said he chose Aaron and that wasn’t that
wasn’t good enough for all the tribes so
God says fine take a dead almond Branch
put the name of each tribe so there’s 12
tribes including the levitical tribe and
Aaron’s name is on that one and so they
put uh or Levi is put on that one and
they put the 12 tribes in before the
presence excuse me the 12 dead branches
before the presence of the Lord and they
get up in the morning and 11 of the
branches are still dead but one of the
branches has Sprouts buds blossoms and
ripe almonds
and it was errands Resurrection Life is
the mark of divine leadership but please
notice it wasn’t all ripe almonds
Resurrection Life means there’s life
doesn’t mean there’s always maturity
all of us better have sprouts and some
bugs we all better have something that’s
constantly developing and does that make
sense all right one last comment on this
and then we’ll actually get back to this
deal here leadership Divine leadership
when it’s correct
makes life better for everyone under
their influence
the Bible talks about when the righteous
are exalted a city rejoices
why
because they just add flavor and if
that’s not the effect then we have to go
back and find out why
because true leadership is alive to make
life better for everybody under their
influence
improper leadership is self-serving
self-promoting
all right
where we went last week and where I I
need to cover a few for a few minutes
today
is Solomon in his encounter with God
he’s sleeping the Lord appears to him in
his sleep says you can have anything you
want
Solomon says I’ll take the hearing ear
wisdom
but his reasoning the place that he
prayed from if you can put it this way
you ever get you ever worried about
something when you go to bed and you
dream about it or you have a nightmare
about it or whatever when you go to
sleep picture of Solomon going to bed
being concerned for his Destiny for his
purpose in life it’s not in the story it
may not be true but I think it’s it’s
reasonable to read into it
Solomon was overwhelmed with his
assignment
and if you’re not overwhelmed by your
assignment you don’t see it clearly
because being overwhelmed is actually
the place from which poor in spirit
comes from
poor in spirit is not self-criticism it
is not self-judgment it is not
self-condemning that is a counterfeit
that gives people the feeling of
humility but it is completely void of
courage and Faith poor in spirit is the
opposite it sees our absolute dependency
in need on God but positions us to take
risks and see the invasion of God
poor in spirit is positioned for
Extraordinary breakthrough because poor
in spirit is not confidence in my
capabilities but absolute confidence in
the promises and purposes of God
so Solomon is sleeping
and he says God I’ll take I’ll take the
wisdom I’ll take the hearing ear but
before he gave the request he made this
statement he says I’m a child
I said I I don’t know how to go out I
don’t know how to come in
now he’s an adult
but but in his mind compared to his
responsibility
he was overwhelmed with his assignment
and he said he said I’m a child
I don’t know how to go out in other
words I don’t I don’t know how to take
the the Regal nature of my assignment
out of the house
and I don’t know how to take what I’ve
discovered out there back into the place
of service I don’t know how to do it
and it was out of that place of
recognition of need being overwhelmed
with the assignment that he prayed the
profound prayer God I need a hearing
here
his father David
has something similar going on in his
heart and I think most likely this is
where Solomon got it we see David as
extremely self-confident extremely
aggressive a mighty warrior a very
sensitive person to the presence he was
kind of like the ultimate in in opposite
areas the sensitivity thing and yet the
the the man’s man kind of approach to
life and yet this guy who had more
responsibility than anyone on the planet
in his day more uh more wealth more you
know more everything
he prays in Psalms 131 verse 1 he says
he says God he says I just don’t involve
myself in great matters
you know that sounds good on paper but
sometimes you’ll read the Psalms and are
just lyrics to a song you don’t realize
where it came from it came out of the
heart of a guy who’s overwhelmed by his
assignment I would like to suggest both
David and Solomon are modeling poor in
spirit
blessed are the merciful for they shall
obtain
Mercy when you’re merciful
you get Mercy in return
but when you’re poor in spirit blessed
to the poor in spirit for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven
when you’re merciful you get Mercy in
return when you pour in spirit you get
the whole Kingdom
the entire Realm of the Dominion of God
is accessible by those who are poor in
spirit
it’s really why Jesus stood at this one
very very profound moment and he said
father he said I thank you that you did
not reveal these things to the wise and
to the Learned but instead you revealed
them to babes
there was there’s something about
awareness of need
that attracts the Lord
Jesus stood before religious leaders
those who are highly trained in
scriptures he stood before them and he
made this statement he said
he said the
it’s the sick that need a physician the
well don’t need a physician of course
referring to himself as one who has come
as an answer and he’s looking if you
picture this he’s looking at the most
spiritually diseased group on the planet
so he wasn’t saying they didn’t need his
help
he was saying because you don’t
recognize your need I’m not here for you
don’t read into it I don’t mean that he
wouldn’t have helped them I’m just
saying the recognition of need is the
qualifier
for that reason you’ve got you’ve got
you’ve got these you know Geniuses in
religious training that are standing
three feet away from the Messiah they’ve
been praying for their entire life and
they don’t know who he is
and you’ve you’ve got a woman caught in
adultery thrown at his feet you’ve got
the man of the Gatherings that is so
demonized you can’t see straight and he
falls before Jesus In Worship you’ve got
a tax collector who’s a thief he’s been
stealing from his from his own the
citizens of his own City for his entire
life he climbs a tree to get a better
view he wants to see this Jesus there’s
something about people that live with an
awareness of need they can see clearly
how many of you have heard of Jonathan
Edwards
how many of you have heard of John
Charles Wesley
how many of you have heard of Charles
Finney
Smith Wigglesworth
can you
can you give me the names of their
critics
[Laughter]
in their day their critic was as
powerful as they were
in their day their critics were as well
known as their they were
but history diminishes the effect of the
critic
[Applause]
John and Carol Arnett are I think
probably the two most poor and spirit
people I’ve ever met in my life
the Lord honored them with a tremendous
outpouring 20 years ago and it’s
building again because they have not
come to the Lord as experts they have
come to the Lord as children once again
the challenge before us
is that childlike heart
that even though I have many years now
of experience in these things
to realize
the need before me is so great
that if you don’t show up I am bound to
fail
I’m thankful but I am so needy
and it’s that combination that they
model so well that I I championed
whenever I get a chance to all right
turn in your bibles if you would and
let’s uh see if we can make the most of
our time here first Kings chapter four
is where I want you to go first Kings
chapter four
you guys all right
everybody alive
you can help us to save help me to save
a little bit of time if you’ll put a
piece of paper in Isaiah 60.
we will go there
next
[Music]
First Kings chapter four
verse 29.
God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly
great understanding
and largeness of Hearts rededicated God
gave Solomon wisdom an exceedingly great
understanding and largeness of heart
like the sand on the seashore I love the
thought
that wisdom
satisfies The Cry of the spirit of men
largeness of heart
thus Solomon verse 30. Solomon’s wisdom
excelled the wisdom of all the men of
the East
and all the wisdom of Egypt he was wiser
than all men than Ethan the as is Right
Ammon the whatever that is Darda and
whoever that is
you know what I like about this verse is
God is acknowledging the wisdom of
people outside of his own Nation
not amazing that the Lord actually
honored these people that were not of
the House of Israel he honored them by
acknowledging they had wisdom verse 32
he spoke three thousand Proverbs his
songs were 1005.
also he spoke of trees from the cedar
tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop the
Springs out of the wall he spoke also of
animals of birds of creeping things and
to fish
and Men of all nations from all the
kings of the earth who had heard of his
wisdom came to hear the wisdom of
Solomon verse 34 is our key verse in
this section
and Men of all nations from all the
kings of the earth who had heard of his
wisdom came to hear
the wisdom of Solomon
Isaiah 60.
verse 1 arise shine
for your light has come the glory of the
Lord
is risen upon you
for behold Darkness will cover the Earth
deep Darkness the people
but his Lord his but the Lord will arise
over you and His glory will be seen upon
you
Gentiles shall come to your light and
Kings to the brightness of your Rising
hold your place there I’ll come back to
it in a moment
in on a Thursday
in May 1979.
I had an encounter with the Lord
over this passage it changed my life
it changed me from a person
That Could Only See the tragedy that
happens in the last days to a people to
a person that looked at what God was
wanting to do in the last days for the
Redeeming the saving the transformation
of cities and Nations I’ll never I could
take you to the spot on the floor where
the Lord spoke to me
I I have lived since May of 79 for this
one thing to see cities and Nations
transformed by a people that walk with
presence with a sense of purpose walk
with wisdom and power
Solomon had such an extraordinary wisdom
the people came from all over the Earth
including Kings
would come to sit at his feet to hear of
his wisdom as he spoke of nature he
spoke of creation he spoke of the
mysteries of life it it doesn’t even
give us the record of what he said it
just says he talked about him it was so
profound that they’d sit there and shake
their head the the common agreement
would have been something like you know
the servants who sit at your feet or
better off than the Kings who rule
outside of out of this this nation this
environment
and so here’s Solomon giving these
extraordinary explanations for life and
problems that would come up and it’s
it’s a profound experience to see how
Solomon impacted culture and Society I
believe he’s the prophetic prototype not
of an individual but of a body of
Believers and this is this is the thing
that I’m I’m most moved over so look at
the picture again people come from all
over the world to sit at Solomon’s feet
to hear wisdom they came to him they
came to the spring they came to the
Garden they came to the fruit tree they
came to the house they came to the city
said on the hill that was the point
Isaiah 65 excuse me 60 verse 1 arise and
shine for your light has come
I believe with absolute confidence that
that verse is talking about you and me
and not a day off into the future why
Jesus John John chapter 1 says Jesus is
the light that enlightens every person
that comes into the world
there isn’t another light coming
when he says arise and shine your light
has come there isn’t another light
there isn’t another light he came so get
up you don’t need another prophetic word
you don’t need another confirming song
you don’t need another confirming open
door just get up
get up and shine
and it says that the resurrected one
will arise over you so you get up he
arises over you I mean it’s a profound
pictures like I’m not going to contain
this I believe in the goodness of God
enough to stand up confident that he
will demonstrate himself in and through
me so get up you get up he says I rise
over you and then he goes on and he says
Nations will come to your light and
Kings to the brightness of your Rising
where have we seen this before
Solomon that’s exactly what happened is
the the men of the Earth the Kings the
leaders the Queen of Sheba they came
from distant parts of the world to sit
at the feet because there was a wisdom
that Drew them listen there is something
in the heart of people that craves the
mind of Christ
it’s why they hung around him
he was not abusive with his knowledge he
didn’t use it to make people feel bad he
didn’t beat them over the head with his
Insight versus their ignorance it was
completely different he was the shade
tree they came and would stand under in
the midst of their grotesque sin and all
the stuff that was wrong with their life
they would seek shade under his tree
they would seek shelter from his City
it’s the picture of the people of God
living with wisdom
Isaiah 60 I think is profoundly relevant
for us in this subject
arise shine
as your light has come
the glory of the Lord
has risen upon you
Darkness covers the earth
deep Darkness to people
but his light
will appear upon you
his glory will arise on you
Nations
will come
see when you get a phrase like that
Nations coming
when the church is so predisposed to see
so few make it and so many condemned we
have no ears for hearing the promise
that shapes the course of history
Nations will come to what your light
and Kings even Kings even those who are
highly exalted in their world will come
to the brightness of your Rising
the story continues Isaiah 60 61 62 are
profound chapters on the purposes of God
In Our Lifetime I want you to look at
61.
Isaiah 61.
is the passage that Jesus quoted in Luke
4 at his in his inaugural address if you
will as he’s announcing the beginning of
his ministry he stands up in the
synagogue in Nazareth
and it was his turn to read he’s just
one of the guys he didn’t stand out to
anybody he stood up to read and as he
read he read out of Isaiah 61 verse 1
and he said these words and when he
spoke these words the environment of the
room changed then people sat there
absolutely stunned that they just had
this moment a moment that nobody else
had ever had in all of history and he
read these words the spirit of the Lord
God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me to
preach Good Tidings to the poor
he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted
Proclaim Liberty to the captives the
opening of the prison to those who are
abound to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord the day of Vengeance of our
God to comfort all who mourn to console
those who mourn in Zion giving them
Beauty for Ashes the oil of joy for
mourning the Garment of Praise for the
spirit of heaviness that they may be
called Trees of Righteousness the
planting of the Lord that he might be
glorified what is he saying here
says the spirit of the Lord Came Upon me
why because there’s a reason because
there’s broken people all over the place
some don’t see some are in prison some
are held captive by this and by that
some have shattered shattered Minds
shattered Hearts from the experiences of
life some of them are just in such deep
mourning they need the mantle of Praise
some of them need consoling some of them
their life has been reduced to ashes
I’ve come to give Beauty in the place of
Asher I don’t like any any religious
system that does not have value for
beauty and excellence
valuable to God
it is valuable to God this whole thing
that is carnal listen stop it it’s what
illustrates his Wonder his own Glory he
creates the world he stands back and he
says
wow
it’s good
trust me I know good and it’s good and
he he pronounces goodness of his own
creation because he is a god of
excellence and a god of beauty and we
have the privilege in everything we do
the way we treat people the way we talk
the the way we handle different parts of
life it’s not a money issue it’s not if
I throw a million dollars into the
problem then it’ll look better it’s not
that it’s can I approach my life with
Excellence can I can I bring the best
out of me for this situation can can I
work towards Beauty
these things are valuable to Jesus and
he makes this profound
analogy of what the anointing is for
but look at this verse 4
and they shall rebuild the old runes
who’s they
it’s only you if you are mentioned in
verses one through three
it’s the people of verses one through
three so were you broken
yep okay then you qualify
the whole point is is that Jesus builds
with the broken
[Applause]
he doesn’t build with those who break
things
[Laughter]
that’s why he couldn’t build with David
he had to build with Solomon
and they
shall rebuild the old ruins they will
raise up former devastations they will
repair ruined cities the desolations of
many generations
I realize everybody in this room if
you’ve been born again you’ve been born
again because you were broken and you
recognized need and you called on the
name of the Lord and he changed your
life forever
that’s absolutely true but listen
carefully to me a city is only restored
when we value the most broken in the
city because they are the building teams
[Applause]
I believe in ministering to the wealthy
and to the influential and the mount the
Mind molders I believe in all of that
that’s part of the assignment that we
have but if there’s not a value for the
derelict
for the most for the addict the one who
sells her body so that she has food to
feed her children
without a value for those broken of the
most broken
there is no healing of the city because
they are the primary builders
and that folks is the wisdom of God
[Applause]
let’s read it again verse 4.
[Applause]
makes me happy whenever I get to it
they shall rebuild old runes
they will raise up former desolations
wow
they will repair ruined cities
the desolations of many generations how
many know as a nation I realize we have
people from all over the world but how
many of you know from the U.S we have
desolations in our nation that are the
result of many generations
undermining the purposes of God
and this is saying
the key to the building
is the one that would be the easiest for
you to reject
the easiest one to ignore is the key to
the building
first five strangers will stand and feed
your flocks sons of a foreigner Should
Be Your Plum and your Vine dresser
you’ll be named Priests of the Lord they
will call you Servants of our God you’ll
eat the riches of Gentiles in their
Glory you will boasts go back to the
first phrase or verse six you shall be
named or called Priests of the Lord
another reason I don’t know if this is
needful for you but it’s important for
me to say another reason I believe this
passage is prophetically dealing with
the people of God in this hour it’s
because of that phrase and you will be
called Priests of the Lord
you see in Exodus 19 Verse 6 this idea
of the priesthood of every believer was
introduced God introduced it gave it to
Moses picture now we’ve got 12 tribes in
Israel and God is telling Moses all of
my people are going to be priests not
just the one religious tribe the tribe
of Levi all of them are going to be
priests what does it mean to be a priest
doesn’t mean to wear a backward caller
doesn’t mean that you have an office in
a cathedral somewhere it means that you
are one who ministers to God you
Minister two Believers and you minister
to pre-believers
to God and to and to people
we represent in an into to reverse the
the uh the definition would be this is
that not only do you minister to God and
minister to people but you actually
represent people before God and you
represent God before people
there is that role as well
that’s what Jesus did when he said what
the father was saying is he was
representing the father to humanity and
when he prayed
is his father
and he in John 17 he begins to pray
about what he had done he was
representing Humanity saying God I gave
them my glory that them they might be
one he was representing Humanity before
the father
so in Exodus 19 he introduces the
concept and he points forward and he
says you shall be Priests of the Lord
in Isaiah you shall be Priests of the
Lord what is that Moses the law Isaiah
the prophets pointing to the Future
there’s a day coming when you shall be
Priests of the Lord
first Peter 2 verse 9 he stands and he
says you are
you are
a royal priesthood a holy nation a
people for God’s Own possession that you
may proclaim the excellencies of him
who’ve called you out of Darkness Into
His Marvelous Light you are
you shall be said the law you shall be
said the prophets you are
said the Apostle Peter because it’s now
this passage
I’m not ready to deal with this very
well so I’m going to open up a can of
worms and I’ll let you figure it out
which is actually a great pleasure for
me
I’ve I’ve never minded confusing people
there is a transfer of wealth and
resources
coming to the people of God
but it’s for the purpose of being
empowered to serve effectively
I believe there’s a benevolence movement
that is not only going to attend to the
needs of the poor but will break the
cycle of poverty
the Lord is is giving us wisdom I’ve
been crying out for this for a number of
years giving us wisdom to know how to
break the cycle of poverty property I
mean you know throwing money at a
problem doesn’t always fix the problem
so it’s not the answer and yet you still
have to have the resources
we have passages like this of the
resources of the Gentiles what is he
saying I believe he’s just saying listen
I’m going to put the wealth of the
Nations at your disposal why because
you’ve discovered who you are you are
there as a formerly broken person that
is to see other broken people healed
unto the rebuilding of cities and to do
it we’ll need resources to do it right
the challenge that is before us right
now is that the world around us
um are looking for three things it’s how
well we Steward resources favor and
Authority
resources favor an authority how well do
we Steward what’s been put in our hands
I I believe there’s a message if you
will just through the actions of
benevolence there’s a message if you
will just through the care that we give
you guys are known for uh for your
generosity and your kindness to broken
and poor people I remember when my
brother moved here
um from the bay area he moved up up here
uh runs a minister great ministry all
over the world but he moved up here just
to be a help to me and he moved here and
as soon as he got here went down to the
grocery store to buy some food and there
was somebody outside that was in need so
he stopped to help them and the person
said no somebody’s already inside
getting me food and he goes in to find
out somebody from here was already in
there shopping to buy this person food
he says I can’t even give food away you
know it’s really frustrating because
somebody already got there first the
point is you’re known for that but let’s
go bigger let’s think bigger let’s think
bigger as the Lord and trusts more and
more of the resources of the world
system around us into our charge what
are we going to to do with it how can we
how can we initiate a benevolence
movement I believe there’s a movement
started let me just throw it out with
Norway I believe there’s a benevolence
movement with the resources of Norway
with the state of California and with
Hong Kong I believe those are three key
places where a benevolence movement will
start that will impact the course of
history and in many cases break the
cycle of poverty even over entire
nations
it’s important because wisdom is seen
wisdom is seen by our stewardship of
what God puts in our charge it’s it’s
like it’s like we become obsessed or
possessed with this vision of what could
happen in our lifetime and then all of a
sudden God’s put God puts resources a
favor of open doors of money whatever it
might be he puts that into your charge
and you’re already ready to invest it
because you you know what God has put in
your heart to do
that’s good
you have to stay away from the lottery
mentality
that says when the big day comes it has
to be
already practiced with what’s in my
I’ll tell you what it starts before you
have the money do I have hope to make a
difference
do I have hope is it possible we know
the individual can be saved we know the
family I’m thinking cities and Nations
now
one of the things that we’re being
challenged in is how well will we handle
resources how well will we handle favor
how well will we handle Authority
Authority is used to manifest and
demonstrate righteousness and to
demonstrate Justice
I’ll end with this
the Bible says that there is wealth
hidden in the soil of the poor
but Injustice keeps it from them
what does that mean
that means in this man I I haven’t dealt
with this ever before except in this
session like this but this benevolence
movement is connected to our ability to
demonstrate the justice of God not aimed
at people but aimed at the powers of
Darkness that have been feeding lies to
the church for decades lies that says
you’re going to be rescued and that’s
your only hope
instead of having a confidence and
inborn confidence and the power and the
Beauty and The Wonder of the Gospel
it says there’s wealth in the soil of
the poor Injustice keeps it from them so
picture this it’s like resources that
break them out of poverty are this far
away but Injustice stands in between so
how well do we use Authority it means we
stand on their behalf and intercede and
pray for the breaking of that Spirit of
Injustice and finally people don’t want
to be fed stuff all their lives they
want to work and be rewarded for their
labor it’s in the desire of people’s
it’s in their hearts and and it’s it’s
being able to speak to that and give
opportunity give rise to that it’s the
people of God that have a plan that have
a vision
and I believe living intentionally with
wisdom to bring I’ve gone past my time
I’m sorry we just we just gotta we just
gotta end this thing but why don’t you
stand and I’ll end while you’re standing
that then I have to end see then I have
to I can’t keep going
so good come on
it’s bigger than you it’s bigger than me
it’s bigger than Bethel and buildings
and all the stuff that we do I believe
in it I believe in it believe me
probably be more than anybody in this
room but it’s not about any of that
it’s about let’s just have the tools
that we need
to plant the people into the system
to be a blessing
to be a blessing to add flavor
to make life better
any leader that’s worth
their place
is to make life better for everybody
around them
I want to read this passage too I’ve
read it already in this series but I
will end with this I most likely promise
this is close to promise as I can get
without making a vow
I’ve read it to you before it’s that
passage in Proverbs it says by wisdom a
house is built in the Bible house
very seldom especially in Proverbs and
prophetic passages verse seldom was
actually referring to a building
House of David was his lineage it’s his
family line House of Israel was the
nation it was the culture that they
lived in
so think this this translation is good
at extracting that all right wise people
are builders
they build families businesses
communities and through intelligence and
insight their Enterprises are
established and endured because of their
skilled leadership the hearts of people
are filled with the treasures of wisdom
and the pleasures of spiritual wealth
man this makes me happy
put your hand on your heart let’s pray
father we just we do Embrace this call
this
this identity shift
of being a people that add flavor
people that provide safety in
a safe place
and Lord I do ask that you would give us
such Insight on just how we maneuver how
we navigate in this particular privilege
and assignment in life
and that everybody in this room everyone
who listens on podcasts and Bethel TV
there’d be this shift in hearts
this is God we want to Steward what you
give us well
from the resources to the favor to the
authority I pray it so that the
Injustice would be broken and that
cities and nations would be presented to
you
as those who love you well
we pray this for the honor of the name
Jesus
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