1 00:00:00,740 --> 00:00:02,983 We are surrounded by people 2 00:00:02,983 --> 00:00:06,349 who mock and scoff at your God. 3 00:00:06,349 --> 00:00:11,021 I remember one time way back 4 00:00:11,021 --> 00:00:13,499 in the very early days of our church, 5 00:00:13,499 --> 00:00:16,309 we came to the east side of San Antonio. 6 00:00:16,309 --> 00:00:18,074 And I remember one day we were out, 7 00:00:18,074 --> 00:00:19,165 we were evangelizing, 8 00:00:19,165 --> 00:00:22,626 and we were going past the Salvation Army. 9 00:00:22,626 --> 00:00:25,329 There's a park there and a lot of the homeless guys 10 00:00:25,329 --> 00:00:27,441 that stay in the shelter there, 11 00:00:27,441 --> 00:00:29,154 they hang out in this park. 12 00:00:29,154 --> 00:00:33,328 And I specficially, I've never forgotten, 13 00:00:33,328 --> 00:00:37,208 there was a man sitting at a bench 14 00:00:37,208 --> 00:00:42,130 and he looked at us with contempt. 15 00:00:42,130 --> 00:00:45,849 And he was African American. 16 00:00:45,849 --> 00:00:48,675 And he's looking at us 17 00:00:48,675 --> 00:00:52,034 as though we've come from another part of the city 18 00:00:52,034 --> 00:00:55,207 to this east side. 19 00:00:55,207 --> 00:00:58,907 And he just said with contempt, 20 00:00:58,907 --> 00:01:02,732 "You're never going to change the inner city. 21 00:01:02,732 --> 00:01:05,355 You're never going to change the east side." 22 00:01:05,355 --> 00:01:08,613 And I told him, "you're right. 23 00:01:08,613 --> 00:01:10,754 We're not. 24 00:01:10,754 --> 00:01:13,498 But our God is." 25 00:01:13,498 --> 00:01:16,809 That the Lord cares about. 26 00:01:16,809 --> 00:01:19,228 Have you ever read in Scripture 27 00:01:19,228 --> 00:01:23,351 when our Lord Himself was praying. 28 00:01:23,351 --> 00:01:25,309 John 17. 29 00:01:25,309 --> 00:01:28,860 He's praying to His Father. 30 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:31,252 And do you know what He prayed? 31 00:01:31,252 --> 00:01:33,082 He prayed this. 32 00:01:33,082 --> 00:01:41,362 He prayed He and the Father 33 00:01:41,362 --> 00:01:45,201 and the Father and Him, 34 00:01:45,201 --> 00:01:50,232 and they may become perfectly one, 35 00:01:50,232 --> 00:01:55,418 so that the world may know 36 00:01:55,418 --> 00:01:56,934 that the Father sent the Son 37 00:01:56,934 --> 00:02:01,096 and loved those disciples 38 00:02:01,096 --> 00:02:04,083 even as the Father loved Christ. 39 00:02:04,083 --> 00:02:06,184 That the world may know. 40 00:02:06,184 --> 00:02:09,366 I find this very interesting. 41 00:02:09,366 --> 00:02:11,333 Several years back, I preached messages, 42 00:02:11,333 --> 00:02:12,840 and I have from time to time, 43 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,123 preached on those seven churches in Asia Minor. 44 00:02:15,123 --> 00:02:18,784 Have you ever noticed Philadelphia? 45 00:02:18,784 --> 00:02:20,875 They were one of the faithful churches. 46 00:02:20,875 --> 00:02:22,638 Nothing negative said to them. 47 00:02:22,638 --> 00:02:24,418 And Jesus said this - 48 00:02:24,418 --> 00:02:25,940 He said there are these people 49 00:02:25,940 --> 00:02:28,313 who claim to be Jews but they are not. 50 00:02:28,313 --> 00:02:30,187 They call themselves a synagogue - 51 00:02:30,187 --> 00:02:32,683 He calls it a synagogue of Satan. 52 00:02:32,683 --> 00:02:35,230 They claim to be Jews. They were not Jews. 53 00:02:35,230 --> 00:02:38,004 And do you know what Jesus said? 54 00:02:38,004 --> 00:02:41,196 He said the day is coming 55 00:02:41,196 --> 00:02:46,888 when those physical Jews 56 00:02:46,888 --> 00:02:50,465 are going to fall down at the feet of Christians. 57 00:02:50,465 --> 00:02:57,004 And Jesus said they're going to know I loved you. 58 00:02:57,004 --> 00:02:59,567 It's like God is concerned 59 00:02:59,567 --> 00:03:02,253 about what people think. 60 00:03:02,253 --> 00:03:05,476 Notice Moses. 61 00:03:05,476 --> 00:03:07,660 "Why should the Egyptians say 62 00:03:07,660 --> 00:03:10,227 with evil intent did He bring them out 63 00:03:10,227 --> 00:03:11,615 to kill them in the mountains 64 00:03:11,615 --> 00:03:13,911 and to consume them from the face of the earth? 65 00:03:13,911 --> 00:03:15,783 Turn from Your burning anger 66 00:03:15,783 --> 00:03:20,464 and relent from this disaster against Your people." 67 00:03:20,464 --> 00:03:24,809 In another place, Moses said this: 68 00:03:24,809 --> 00:03:26,222 He said to the Lord, 69 00:03:26,222 --> 00:03:27,935 "The Egyptians will hear of it." 70 00:03:27,935 --> 00:03:30,632 God said, "I'm going to strike them with pestilence 71 00:03:30,632 --> 00:03:32,019 and disinherit them." 72 00:03:32,019 --> 00:03:33,695 And Moses said, "If You do that, 73 00:03:33,695 --> 00:03:35,955 the Egyptians will hear of it." 74 00:03:35,955 --> 00:03:39,803 You brought this people in Your might 75 00:03:39,803 --> 00:03:42,157 from among those Egyptians, 76 00:03:42,157 --> 00:03:43,747 and if You do this - 77 00:03:43,747 --> 00:03:45,614 if You destroy these people - 78 00:03:45,614 --> 00:03:47,195 the Egyptians are going to tell 79 00:03:47,195 --> 00:03:50,015 the inhabitants of this land - 80 00:03:50,015 --> 00:03:52,647 he's talking about Canaan - 81 00:03:52,647 --> 00:03:54,353 "They have heard that You, O Lord, 82 00:03:54,353 --> 00:03:56,132 are in the midst of this people. 83 00:03:56,132 --> 00:03:58,377 For You, O Lord, are seen face to face. 84 00:03:58,377 --> 00:03:59,699 Your cloud stands over them 85 00:03:59,699 --> 00:04:01,112 and You can go before them 86 00:04:01,112 --> 00:04:02,652 in a pillar of cloud by day 87 00:04:02,652 --> 00:04:04,795 and a pillar of fire by night. 88 00:04:04,795 --> 00:04:07,101 If You kill this people as one man, 89 00:04:07,101 --> 00:04:09,459 the nations who have heard of Your fame 90 00:04:09,459 --> 00:04:12,622 will say..." you know why? You know why? 91 00:04:12,622 --> 00:04:17,248 It's because God wasn't able. 92 00:04:17,248 --> 00:04:19,558 I'll tell you this. 93 00:04:19,558 --> 00:04:21,368 God has concern for the glory 94 00:04:21,368 --> 00:04:24,545 of His reputation and honor. 95 00:04:24,545 --> 00:04:25,914 And you can pray that. 96 00:04:25,914 --> 00:04:28,891 I have often remembered those man's words: 97 00:04:28,891 --> 00:04:34,387 Lord, that guy scoffed at the ability 98 00:04:34,387 --> 00:04:37,724 to transform the east side of San Antonio. 99 00:04:37,724 --> 00:04:40,929 Lord, remember his words. 100 00:04:40,929 --> 00:04:43,445 You're not a god like the god of the nations. 101 00:04:43,445 --> 00:04:45,390 You are not like the Egyptian gods. 102 00:04:45,390 --> 00:04:48,513 You are not like the god of Catholicism. 103 00:04:48,513 --> 00:04:52,568 You're not like the god of this easy believism out here. 104 00:04:52,568 --> 00:04:54,777 You are the true and the living God. 105 00:04:54,777 --> 00:04:59,140 Lord, arise! Your name depends upon it. 106 00:04:59,140 --> 00:05:04,156 Very powerful way to pray.