As I was preparing for this message tonight, God reminded me
of something that happened 4 years ago and I'm standing in
this event in the North of Tasmania place called Devonport
and I'm standing at the back and there are hundreds and hundreds
of people in this service youth kids young adults. All sorts and
they were in the middle of worship and on right at the back
and I'm just worshipping and I'm in the middle of this an right
in the middle of that worship.
The Holy Spirit said to me is clear as day, he repeated the
words of Jesus to his disciples. He said, Blessid are your eyes
for they will see what no other generation? What Kings and
prophets didn't get to see blessid your ears for you will
hear there were people. That long to hear what you're about
to hear and they didn't and I felt like God was saying that
this generation. Our generation that we're going to experience
things that previous generations, they long to.
Experience that they look forward to it, but they didn't
get there, but it's this generation. That's actually
going to witness it. This generation, they're going to see
and hear and experience things that previous generations didn't
get too. So I want you to just keep that in mind as I shared
tonight because I believe that just as we are standing tonight.
So today is June. The 30th today is the last day of the first
half. Of the year.
Tomorrow is the 1st of July it is. It is the beginning of the
second part and I felt like it doesn't matter how you started
this first six months. It doesn't matter what you've gone
through. But I believe that God wants to do something in your
life so you can step over into the second half of this year
better bigger and do even more than you could have accomplished
or maybe you thought you would have accomplished in that first
half and sometimes we go
through. The motions of feeling stuck you know what I mean, it's
like being stuck in neutral and and you know you're spinning the
wheels. But you're not getting far you know you're sort of
thinking Lord. I thought by now would be in a relationship. You
know, I thought by now at this age. I had graduated and finish.
My studies or I would have gotten that job and and it feels
like you're sort of doing a lot of activity. There's a lot of
movement. But there's no actual traction to move forward and I
believe that God has.
A moment for you tonight, where he's going to do something in
your life so that you can step across into the second part of
this year and do great things more than you could have ever
imagined. I don't know if you remember where you were 6 months
ago knew year's Eve. December 31st 2018 and maybe you had some
big plans and maybe you had those big plans in January but
found it by February, it had all
gone. Well, I believe that tonight. You have another
opportunity and you can finish this year better than the way
you started it. So I just want to read a scripture give you
my title pray. We're going to dismiss the band and then
we're going to get into it. So if you have your bibles. I'm
reading from the book of Hebrews Chapter 12.
Hebrews, 12.
Verse 28 and 29 it says this therefore since we are receiving
a Kingdom, which cannot be shaken. Let us have grace by
which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and
Godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.
The title of my message is let the fire fall.
Let the fire fall.
And I believe there are moments when we need to, we need to just
come back to God and we need him to re sensitize our hearts.
You know in the parable of the prodigal son. You know the story
about a man who had two sons and one of his sons. The younger one
comes to him and takes his inheritance. He blows it and
then he comes back and is embraced with Grace and the
father does all these amazing things celebrating he throws a
party and as this celebrating the older brother has been
working in the field and he comes towards the house and he
says. What's this commotion? What's going on and one of the
servant says your brother. That was gone, he's come back in
your? Father is throwing him a party and you know what the
Bible is it says that the Bible says that the older brother. He
refused to go inside to join in he was so cut at the thought
that his younger brother would
be celebrated. And I feel like the Holy Spirit was saying to me
about you know, some of us that have been in church. We've been
in the father's house, but we've lost the father's heart.
You know you can live in the far this house like the older
brother, but you can actually lose his heart and we can go
through a lot of the process is we can go to the conference is
the services and we can do a lot of things. But we forget our
first lab. We forget what it was like to be losten to be found to
be dead in our sins and then to be redeemed and alive again and
I feel like God is wanting to breathe again on us and maybe
through the fire of God.
Rekindle that flame that might have dimmed down.
You know in revelations. It says Jesus is talking to a church. He
says you forgotten your first
love. Come back come back.
And also in the same area, he thought he talks about the fact
that there were a group of Christians and he says. You know
you're not hot or cold you're
lukewarm. And because you look warm. I'm going to spew you out
of my mouth is strong language,
but. Sometimes our Christian faith thought I know it's icy
being a Christian, it's a little
bit like coffee. You know hot coffee is awesome, flat, White
Doubleshot Fantastic. Cold coffee ice cold coffee is
amazing. But Have you ever had a coffee that you've made and
you've left it on the kitchen counter forgotten about it come
back an hour later seen it don't wanna waste it and had a little
bit of it and you think that's disgusting. Warm coffee is
absolutely disgusting. I feel like sometimes. I'm convicted
that sometimes I allow my Christian walk to become like
that that I'm need a horrible cold. But I get a little bit
warm. I get a little bit indifferent and apathetic to the
things of God. And I feel like
God is saying tonight. I just want to blow again on that
little flame and I want you to. I want to set you ablaze again.
So let's pray and let's get into
it, but father. I just thank you
Lord God. I thank you for tonight and I believe Lord God
that tonight. It's not just an ordinary night where we come
together to hear another message into sing. Another song, but
farther we want to encounter
you. We want to encounter you again? So I pray Lord God. If we
have become desensitized to the things of God.
We repent Lord, we ask that you forgive us and we pray father.
That you would set us ablaze again sit us. Our hearts on fire
again. Not just cliches and nice religious platitudes, but
inexperience an encounter with the Living God.
Father we need you we are so desperate for you.
We are so hungry for you
tonight, Lord God. And so I pray Lord that this would not
just be the title of a message. But it would be the
cry of our hearts that your fire would fall on every
single person here tonight and that we would never be
the same again in Jesus name in Jesus name. Amen Amen
awesome. Thank you so much worship team or some
literature out worship team.
You know. It's the worship team at front all the production team
up back or all the people that serve on the door. You know one
of the first miracles will it was the first miracle of Jesus
and it was when he turned the water into wine and if you read
that story, it talks about the fact that the servant. It was a
servants that came and they took something ordinary, which was
water and they poured into these jazz. But when they draw it out.
It was something extraordinary and it was the finest wine that
they'd ever had.
And I just felt like you know, whatever you might do in this
house as a servant. Whatever you're serving I believe 'cause
that script had talked about the fact that it was actually the
servants that got to experience. It first hand a lot of people
didn't realize that miracle, but it was a servant and I felt like
you guys that are serving in many of these guys that you see
leading us. They've been doing this all day they were here this
morning. They get here long before any of us do.
And they and they stay later and then they get here early again
for tonight service and they do all these things and I feel like
God is just reminding us that none of that's missed that the
miracle that you'll encounter you guys will get the benefit.
Same with our team at the back. Same with our greeters. Same
without kids church workers. But it's the Servants of the master
that as you bring whatever you can an pour in your ordinary
that God will draw out extraordinary. I'm in and so
really appreciate you guys and want to bless you, but
But I just want to take you back a few years ago probably to the
greatest decade. I believe that ever was and that's the 80s and
back in the early 80s. I was a young 6 year old, not long being
in the country from Tanger and were attending a tongue in
church now. Tongue in the tongue and culture with the church. We
have, we have this one day of the year that every kid looks
forward to so you know how we have Mother's Day. We have
Father's Day. We have that as well. But there is one day that
we celebrate school children's Day and children's Day is
awesome. Children stays awesome. You get money, you get gifts.
You get free new clothes. But in exchange, what happens is every
child and we had Sunday School wasn't so much kids church.
But every child from toddlers all the way up to kind of like
you know year 7 year right. They would rehearse for weeks. Some
of them would do like item musical items. Some of them
would rehearse recite a scripture some would sorta
reenact Bible story. But as a 6 year old. I tell you always
always decked out. I'll never forget it. It was my turn. It
was my turn to do my item and I stepped up front and so there I
am 6 year old.
In my brand new traditional Tongan close. It's this thing
called a door panel. It's kind of like this Scottish kilt. But
the Polynesian version and it's longer. It's a very, very
masculine very, very masculine thing. It's William Wallace War.
One so it's something Warriors wear but I was wearing this. I
have my brand new tan leather. Clark sandals on and I I had an
immaculately groomed 6 year old,
Polynesian Afro. And I was grace down with coconut oil because
you know, we tend to get dry skin. So my mom would sort of
Greece, us up so but probably put a little bit too much on so
that my 4:00 head was glistening and the whole front row were
blinded when I stepped out and so I stepped out.
And had captivated audience and I grab the mic and I started.
Lower to hit a pooper kill Otwoma Hooper
La Toma Open La Toma poo poo paper
to poo poo poo.
In English if you're over 40 you
know this song. Read your Bible pray everyday and you grow grow
grow of 6 years old. That's all I could do.
But you know. As much as that's true read your Bible pray
everyday and you grow.
The more I I walked as a Christian, I realized the
truth of it is. There is a revised version of that song
and it is read your Bible?
Sly every day and then you will grow read your Bible Slay every
day. Angel grow and now Slater Day isn't just a catchy you
know, I remember seeing it on a T shirt. I think it was a Lorna
Jane active wear T shirts later day and I thought that's catchy,
but I think I came up with that before you guys head and you
know, we live in a culture where we have these terms. These these
destructive terms that are kind of mean cool things like you
know how did you do on the exam crashed it? How you doing on
your job killed it absolutely and we have all these things.
But the truth of it is that the Christian life, the Christian
life. Is about slaying
everyday? It's about dying
to yourself. Every single day Jesus said it this way, he said.
If anyone were to come after me.
Let him deny himself take up his cross and follow Maine.
And I must admit you know as much as it is very, very clear
what Jesus is saying. This is one of the hardest things to do
to die to yourself to slay your own sort of personal desires
that you know, and aligning with God, but I believe, and I just
want to share a couple of things about what I believe we can do
because I believe that if we do these things we will attract the
fire of God, now this isn't
just. About doing ABC so we can get D. It's not just about
following some sort of formula. He's not our heavenly formula.
He's our heavenly father, so this isn't about following
certain steps, but I must admit that there are certain patents.
There are certain things that when we do them when we do them.
It always always and throughout scripture. It always attracts
the fire of God. The presence of God and you know the fire of God
isn't just something that.
You know crazy charismatic Pentecostal's talk about jaune
actually John the Baptist. Many of you know, John 316, but how
many of you know, Luke 316 just as powerful and it's John the
Baptist speaking and all the people have come out to him and
his baptizing people and he says
to them. I baptize you with
water. But there is someone who is coming after me, who sandals
are not even worthy enough to anti and he will baptize you in
the Holy Spirit and with fire. So John the Baptist was pointing
towards someone who would come and would baptize us with fire
and we know that when Jesus died and then he was resurrected his
final instructions to the disciples were stay here, in
Jerusalem wait until you are endowed with power.
Hi so he was saying in effect, you will be clothed with power
you will be closed with fire. It's like a brand new fire suit
and the fire isn't just too. It's just not to make you feel
good, but fire represents power or it represents the enablement.
The supernatural effectiveness. An enabling for you to be able
to do what you cannot do in your
own strength. You know, I grew up in and allowed playing rugby,
but also love playing basketball wasn't all that good, but better
than my son and.
But Arbeiten Varsity quotes last week, 10 seven is still trying
to get over it. But the old man still got game, but
But when we would play and sometimes you know, we'd get
into it sooner or later. One of our teammates would kind of get
on a roll and we would use terms like pass it to Jimmy Jimmy's on
fire positive. Jimmy Jimmy's got the hot hand because every time
he took a shot. It would just go. So we wouldn't even bother
we would just dribble down the court and pass it to him and
it's a little bit like that that the fire of God. It enables you
to be more effective than you can ever be in your own
strength. It is a supernatural enabling the supernatural
endowment from God so that you can do what you cannot do it's
not your gifts your abilities or your talents. But it is the
supernatural, enabling from God and I want to tell you this
isn't just for the select view.
This is not just for the chosen frozen. This is for every single
person that calls on the name of the Lord Becaus. It says that
there were 120 of them in the upper room that we're waiting
for this and every single one of them. the Bible doesn't say
well, 60 of 'em that were really into it really committed they
got it now every single one of them. We're endowed with power
every single one of them had tongues of fire fall appan them
and were able to do affective
things from there. So I just want to talk about what actually
happens and. You know.
Years ago, I was a older youth pastor and of fairly brain. You
Christian and and then a couple years later was offered this
position as a youth pastor out near switching and I didn't
really know what I was doing and stuff, and you know, I grew up
in a Methodist tongue in church and not charismatic not
Pentecostal. So I've never really known. I was learning on
the job so to speak and I remember I was. I was doing up
the run sheet for a service that we were running and.
And one of my leaders absolute champion you know, phenomenal
leader. She was also a school teacher and she was sort of
having a look at the run cheat
and she said. She said all to call are she said. You've
actually mispronounce alter call Alta is ALTARI had actually
written ALTER. Now I'm not usually this quick, but I didn't
want to be showing up by one of my leader. So I said no no no. I
meant that because when you get called to the front you been
called to get altered. And as you said Oh yeah, OK and it's
not what I meant but I realize that it's actually true.
And you know if you really want to attract the fire of God onto
your life. One of the things that I've seen in scripture is
that often the fire of God comes when you build an altar.
When you build an altar now if you look up the original
language Hebrew and Alta is not just a table with offerings are
given the actual word alter means to slay it means to
slaughter. So it actually means to kill something.
And So what happens is that in the Old Testament people would
build these things and they would slaughter something it was
usually an animal to sacrifice to give to God.
And so it's all throughout Scripture, the fact that people
built altars. And as a result of that. They they attracted
sometimes it was the literal fire from heaven. Other times,
it was the presence of God, it was the fire, the power. The
presence the anointing of God and one of my favorite altars.
And it's actually the very first alter that's mentioned in
scripture. It's in Genesis chapter right and many of you
know that Noah built an Ark and
it's impressive. You know that.
The dimensions phenomenal 3 football fields whatever it was
you know 3 levels. All of these animals. But what to me is more
impressive than Noah's Ark is
Noah's altar. Because God didn't tell him to build an altar.
God didn't actually tell him he told him to build an Ark to save
the animals but Noah took initiative any built an altar
and many of us know that God instructed him to take two of
every kind of animals. But God also told him to take 7 pairs of
ceremonial clean animals as well as 2 pairs of unclean animals.
So he had, he had all of the pairs, but he also had all these
other animals as well, and the Bible says that when the water
subsides and now it gets off the
Ark. The first thing he does is he built an altar. He built an
altar and he takes the ceremonially clean animals. Some
of them and he offers a
sacrifice. Now this is what you have to remember the flood has
just wiped out everything.
Every human being every animal that wasn't in the Ark. The
flood has wiped it all out. So you can imagine as they came out
just how eerily quiet it would have been no birds flying now
animals wandering around now creeping things. There was
nothing except for everything that was coming out of the app.
And now it does, he seeing which on the surface looks a little
bit weird and crazy.
God just told him subdue the earth populate multiply do all
that and Noah knowing that they need to do this, he takes.
These animals and he kills them.
He killed him as a sacrifice now I can remember I can imagine one
of his sons going the old man's
gone crazy. We're trying to re populate the earth and he's
killing animals. He's sacrificing these animals.
But there's something that no, I understood it is that sacrifices
are expensive. Sacrifices are extremely expensive and even
though animals were in short
supply. But no one knew that offering not out of your
abundance, but offering out of your lack is what attracts gods
attention and the Bible says that God smelt the aroma.
And he placed him and then he he gave this promise to Noah. He
gave this promise and this unbelievable promised in our any
instituted these principles for as long as the earth remains
seedtime and harvest day and night heat and cold summer and
winter shall not pass. He institutes all of that all of
that was in response to noahs sacrifice to know is sacrifice.
Because what you put on an
altar. Should be expensive?
David knew this in first first Samuels there's a time when King
David. Is he's actually being judged by God and there's a
three day plague that is unleashed on the entire nation
of Israel, as a result of
David's in. And there is this moment where the Angel of God,
has just killed 70,000 people in this plague and these standing
over the city of Jerusalem, with his sword drawn and David
actually sees him. God allows David to see him and David falls
on his face and he pleads with God to stop and right at that
point, the prophet. Gad comes until David. You've got to build
an altar here. Now it just so happened that in that area. It
was a threshing floor and it belonged to another gentleman.
And this gentleman said to David
look. Have it yielded king of God. All these players I've got
all these animals. You take it. You know it's a privilege for
Maine to be able to give this to you and David says something
remarkable. He says no no no. I'll pay for it. Becaus I will
not offer to God, something that has cost me nothing.
Sacrifices are always expensive.
Jesus is in the temple with his disciples and all these people
are coming in there, giving their offering and they're
giving large amounts but there is this widow and she comes in
the Bible says that she gives too small copper coins and out
of everyone that Jesus points
out. Jesus points out this
woman. Becaus sacrifices always attracts the attention.
Of God sacrifice is always expensive.
You know the story of probably the most famous time that the
fire of God fell and that was with the Prophet Elije where
he's on top. Mount Carmel and he's having that showdown with
the profits of bowel and so.
Dire in the middle of a 3, 1/2 year drought and the Bible says
that the drought is so bad that they've actually had to start
looking at nearby lens for grass to feed their cattle. Becaus
cattle were dying and it was so boring so dry, so over lifeless
that they started going out and in the middle of that their
slaughtering cattle because they're not surviving there is
no water crops are failing in the middle of that.
A larger offers up a sacrifice and what does he do. He asked
for a bowl for them to kill on an altar and then he brings
water something that is in short supply and he pause it over and
over and over again because he understood that sacrifices are
always expensive. They are
always expensive. You know one of the principles of learned
through Noah, in Genesis, 8 is the first thing I try to do. I
don't always get it right. The first thing I try to do is to
build an altar every single morning every single morning
now. This is tough because you've got, I've got this idea
about you. I've got this conversation going on and it's
like. Physical may sorta sign hit the snooze button man you
got 5 more minutes hit the snooze button. But the spirit
mens. Karen come on. Let's get up and out of it Up 'cause. We
want to build an altar because it's all about the principle of
1st that whatever you do first that sets the tone for the rest
of the day. That's why the tide is so important because that is
the first portion of your finance and when we give our
first it sets the tone for the rest of our finance in scripture
in the Old Testament. They were told that every family.
Every first born son was to be dedicated to God. What is God,
saying if you commit to me the first I will guarantee the rest
I will look after the Ricia family. So every morning try and
build an altar every morning. Try and build an altar before
your eyes wake up and you reach over for your phone hit the
floor and reach up to God before anything else build an altar. I
know it's expensive. I know it's inconvenient, but it is the most
powerful thing that you can do.
What is an altar?
It's the place where you get altered. It's a place where you
get altered an it is the place where you will attract the fire
of God. And so I just want to demonstrate something 'cause. I
don't want to just sort of talk
about this because. What are realizes that alters are not
just expensive but they're also
inconvenient so? I just wanted to show you exactly
how inconvenient and so this rocks really, really heavy.
But I've been working out so it's not that heavy.
But sometimes when you're
building altars. You've got to establish your foundation
1st and so your foundation and this is the Old Testament
altars. There were all is made up of rocks?
They're always made up of rocks
and so. The Bible talks about.
Doesn't collapse? The Bible talks about in Psalm,
100, it says come into my presence with Thanksgiving enter
my courts with praise.
And so God says.
Don't just come to get your praise on actually arrive with
your praise already intact.
So when we turn up to church.
Always make sure.
That you've got a handful of
gratitude. And a pocket full of praise.
Because we don't just turn up to get whatever the worship
team are giving us.
We actually come already with
it. And so.
When we build.
Altars. We always start with
gratitude. I call this stack ingratitude so when I come
before God the first thing I do. I don't give him my list of to?
Do things or the things on believing for. I just start with
gratitude and I call this stacking gratitude. When you
build an altar from the ground up stack gratitude come into his
presence with Thanksgiving so sometimes you gotta go looking
for the rocks. Sometimes you gotta go looking for what you're
grateful for I found this rock back here at the band.
Maybe why it's called the rock band.
That joke I'm sorry.
But you've gotta you gotta stack gratitude.
And so.
Every morning I literally without as God is my witness. I
wake up and I say thank you. I get to live on the Gold Coast.
I'm stacking gratitude there. Thank you that I live here.
Thank you that I get to serve in Kings. Thank you that I live in
Australia. Thank you that I'm able bodied. Thank you that I
know you if God never, ever did anything else for me. He's given
me Salvation is given me the promise of his Holy Spirit after
I die here. I get to go spend eternity with him. He doesn't
need to do anything else, I'm
already grateful. So on stacking gratitude and their your stones,
so you build your foundation when you're building your alter
start with gratitude and it might be a little bit messy, but
trust me. It's going to hold and the next thing we do after we
put the stones in place is we need something to fuel the fire.
And so I called this stockpiling
praise.
So I like to stockpile praise because what happens is.
When I stack gratitude and I build from the ground up
gratitude helps start me and when ungrateful ungrateful for
everything I can see but when I start to stockpile praise what I
do is I shift my perspective from what's around me to what's
above Maine and so I just praise. Jesus just becaus I
praise him because he is the king of Kings Becaus. He is
worthy. I don't come asking for anything but I just thank him
for who he is so I start
stockpiling praise. And the thing about your praises praise
attracts heaven. the Bible says of all the things God could
inhabit he chooses to inhabit my praise. He chooses to come when
I start to praise God with no agenda. When I start to sing and
worship and all of that when I do all of that. It says that God
leaves heaven. He just comes down. Any sits in the middle of
my praise and all of a sudden I can experience him I can feel
him near. And so.
The last thing I do after I've stacked gratitude and I've
stocked piled praise.
Well, you need a sacrifice.
And so. It's probably the hottest part of the Ulta
is that?
You've actually got a
Get onto your alter.
You know in Romans 12.
The Apostle Paul says I beseech you therefore my brother and
offer up your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to
the Lord. This is your reasonable act of worship.
So we're actually cold to
sacrifice. Ourselves and what is actually closest to us.
The thing that is closest to us and this is the hardest thing.
Because often we don't want to lose what's closest to us, it's
too costly. It's too expensive.
But it is the thing that God is actually attracted to what are
you willing to give up?
Give up extra hours asleep so you can get up and worshiping.
Maybe. Give up the inconvenience of all the embarrassment of may
be witnessing or sharing your story or or praying for someone,
but gods actually saying put yourself on it or put? What is
most important to you?
It's probably the most one of the most famous alters that's
being mentioned in the scripture and it's the alter that Abraham
built. And. I don't know if you know, Abraham story. But
Abraham was given a promise as an old man him and his wife,
Sarah were very, very old, they couldn't have kids and God gives
him this audacious promise. He says you will have children, but
not just children. There will be generations of children. You
know it's numerous is of stars in the sky. The grains of sand
on the seashore and.
And then what happens is that Abraham believes God and he
waits, 25 years. He waits, 25 years and he finally gets his
promise and his promise.
Is a boy named Isaac?
And then one day we don't know scholars believe that maybe
Isaac is a teenager or he's you. He's a youth or or he's a young
person, but one day. God tells Abraham he says get up take your
son your only son. The one that you waited 25 years for the
promise and I want you to go to a place that I'm about to show
you and I want you to offer him up to Maine as a sacrifice.
Abraham. I don't even know you
could imagine. He's received this promise from God he's
waited for his believe for.
He's received this promise and then God says to him. I
want you to offer your promise back to Main. I want
you to kill your promise offering back up to Maine.
So. The Bible says that early
the next morning. Early the next
morning. Abraham gets up.
He. He gets ready.
And.
He takes his boy.
The sun that he's waited 25 years for.
And the Bible says that they walk for 3 days. He's not even
given specific directions. But God just told him to keep going.
And I'll show you the place.
Now the amazing thing is Isaac is not the first son that
Abrahams Lossed. He's actually the second son.
Abraham's already had to give up Isaac Ishmael, Sorry.
He's already had to give up
Ishmael. And now he's having to give up Isaac.
And so. 3 days out.
They come to a place called
Mount Moriah. They come to a
place called Mount Moriah. And it was there.
That Abraham builds enter.
He built an altar.
And then he takes his promised son the one he
waited 25 years for.
And he lays him he lays him.
Downfall.
He lays him.
On this altar.
And he's about to do what he is done numerous times before.
But only with an animal he's about to take the
life of his own son.
Because alters are expensive.
In obedience. Right at the last
moment. God stops him.
And he says now I know.
Now I know. And he attracts the fire of God, the promise and the
blessing of God.
God says to him blessing, I will bless you, multiply will
multiply you. He says every single family on Earth will be
blessed because of you talking in the future about Jesus.
But what happens is that?
He doesn't have to go through with it.
He doesn't have to go through with it God spares him.
And really that story.
Was a prophetic picture?
Of another father.
Who would have to walk his son up?
He would have to walk his son up another Hill.
Only this time.
He wouldn't.
He wouldn't get too.
With hold his hand.
But he'd actually go.
All the way.
He go all the way.
Abraham opt. But God kept going.
And he took
He took
The very thing.
That was created.
To kill his son.
And he turned it into.
The ultimate alter.
That what he put his son on.
As a result of that every single
person. Who saw this altar?
And who came to Salter.
Would receive eternal life?
You see.
The good news is.
That the sacrifice.
Got up 3 days later.
Jesus was resurrected.
Although this remained the cross remained as a
reminder of the altar.
But the Great News is that the stone was actually rolled away.
The stone was rolled away.
But the ultimate alter.
Was the one that God himself built?
And he put his own son on it.
Altars are expensive.
But be cause.
Of how God views you, he was willing to pay the price.
And I don't know where you are
at. In your life and maybe.
You know. We come to church so often, and we hear so many
things and maybe you've gotten a little bit dry or
even a little bit cold.
I believe that it's time to heed the call of the altar.
Because the altar is calling us
back. The altar is calling us back to be altered.
And I believe that he respond
tonight. Not to my message, but respond to what God is speaking
to you right now.
I believe that the fire of God.
Will fall on your life again.
The far of God will fall. It will touch you and it will
empower you to do what you cannot do in your own strength.
And it's because of the altar that God himself built.
And he put his own son on that altar.
Why don't you buy your heads and close your eyes as we pray?
Father tonight
Lord God we just stop and we remember Lord God. The amazing
price that you paid.
The extravagant alter that you constructed.
Father I just thank you.
For your grace.
Which is so extravagant so amazing that we are left
speechless?
But father now.
I pray. As everyone heeds the
altar call. I pray as they respond that your fire would
fall again on every single life every single heart.
Are pray for barren dry places? Lord God to be set ablaze again?
Father I just pray that on this
night. On the Eve of the second half of this year.
I pray Lord God that has hearts
respond tonight. And come forth
to the altar. I pray Lord God that you would tell him again
that you would fill them again that you would breathe on them
again, and that you would set them on fire again.
In this moment I I just want to ask the team are just going to
just kind of seeing one last
song. In this part if you just felt compelled that you need to
respond. You need to respond. Maybe you gave your heart to
Jesus along time ago. Let's find you been walking with God, but
you just feel like.
I just need to be re sensitized again feel like I've gotten a
bit numb to the things of God. I'm just going through the
motions. I want you to come down the front and I want you just
open yourself up. And ask for the fire ask for the fire of
God asks for him to touch you again. So the team are gonna
sing. This song and why don't you just come and we're just
going to spend a moment just praying and believing and then
we're going to close tonight.