First Wednesday, March 2026
Type: Wednesday Evening Service
Series: First Wednesday
Sermon: Praying Through The Lord’s Prayer
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Tom Van Kempen
First Wednesdays are different kinds of services. They are broken up into smaller segments, and usually include interactive elements.
The Lord's Prayer is more than a ritual recitation — it's a powerful model for building a two-way relationship with God through praise, surrender, and faith-filled asking. Understanding the many names of God, from Jehovah Jireh to Jehovah Rapha, transforms prayer from a routine into an act of spiritual warfare and confident trust. When we pray aligned with God's kingdom purposes — not just our personal wish lists — we open the door to provision, healing, forgiveness, and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
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(Keep in mind this is done by an AI using an audio recording, and it includes singing which is particularly difficult for AI transcription engines. This transcript should be taken with a grain of salt. 😏)
Good evening, everybody.
Welcome to Wednesday night at Oxford Assembly.
Emily, good to see you in the house of the Lord.
First Wednesday worship.
How many are ready for First Wednesday worship?
Amen.
Come on, stand.
Stand to your feet if you would.
Let's pray together.
Father, we come into this house tonight hungry and thirsty for you, grateful for All that you've done, all that you're doing.
And God, we thank you for the significance of this evening.
Significance of our time of prayer, Lord, and in the scriptures, our time of worship.
Thank you, Lord, that your plans are so good for us.
Father, we ask that you'd come and have your way.
Holy Spirit, lead and guide every aspect of this gathering.
May the Father be pleased by our worship.
By our prayer.
May our hearts be aligned with you tonight, oh God.
Can you just lift your hands for a moment?
Can you do that?
Just begin to talk to the Lord.
Begin to welcome him into this gathering.
Just let him know how much that you love him, you appreciate him, you desire him tonight.
Father, come and have your way.
Father, for those who are online tonight, God, may they experience your presence. in a very tangible way.
May healing take place in homes.
May miracles take place.
May salvation take place.
God, you know who's going to be viewing online.
May you touch each and every one who joins us, Lord God, by way of the internet.
Lord, we thank you.
Let your kingdom come, let your will be done for your glory and for your fame.
In the mighty name of Jesus.
Together everybody said amen and amen.
Come on, put your hands together. for the Lord, give him a clap offering of praise.
One, two, three, four.
When you love this, he found a little man to lay his own light down.
Set his brother free, Lord.
That is what you did for me when you sweat your arms wet on that tree.
Shed your blood and it made me free.
Open my eyes now.
I can see how your love changes everything, yeah.
Your God changes, your love changes me.
Your life changes everything.
You're not changing this, your not changes me, your changes everything, is it good?
I never knew a love like this.
Your love gives me a reason to live.
It's like I started life over again.
The moment I let love walk in.
Lazy grace are sweet.
That's found Save a rich like me.
Oh, I once was lost, but now I'm found life, but now I see all because your love changes.
Your love changes me, your love changes everything.
Your love changes, your love changes me.
Your life changes every day.
Come on, put your hands together, you'll see Here we go.
Changes, changes, changes everything.
Changes, changes, changes me again.
Changes, changes, changes everything.
Changes, changes, changes me.
A little bit higher.
Changes.
Changes, changes everything Changes, it changes, the changes me The Jordan changes Your changes me, your brother changes every day.
Your burner changes, your brother changes me.
Your love changes every day, all the time changes, your love changes, your love changes me, your love changes every day.
Your changes, your life changes me, your that changes every day, everything about me.
She said that we're gonna be able to do that.
Put it all together.
Lord, you a good angel mercy, endure it forever.
Lord, you are good and your mercy, endure it forever.
Say it again.
Lord, you're good, Lord, you are good and your mercy, endure it forever Lord you, how good and your mercy, endure it forever From every nation, people from every nation and come, from generation to generation, we were shared.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, we will share you for who you are, for we were share you, hallelujah, hallelujah.
For who you were shouting out You are good Yes yes Come on board you are good Lord, you are good and your mercy, enduring forever.
Say Lord, you are good and your mercy, enduring forever.
People from every nation.
From adoration and tongue, from generation to generation, we were shared.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we were.
For who you were For we were shared you Hallelujah Hallelujah we were shared For who you are You are good Yes you are Yes you are Yes you are So good so good Yes you are Yes you are, yes you are You are good all the time and all the time You are good You are good all the time and all the time You are good, you are good all the time, and all the time, you are good, you are good, all the time, and all the time.
Lord, you are good, Lord, you are good at your mercy enduring forever.
Come on, lift it up.
Lord, you are good at your mercy enduring forever.
Lord, you are good and your mercy endureth forever.
Lord, you are good and your mercy endureth forever.
From every nation and talk from generation to generation We will share you a Hallelujah We will share you for who you are.
Say we will share you.
For who you are.
Come on, lift your voice, just a drone.
We were ship you.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
We were ship you.
You for who you are, for we will share you, hallelujah, hallelujah, we will share you for who you are.
You were all time, for we worship you.
Hallelujah.
Here we go, we worship you for who you were.
Come on, shout so good.
Hallelujah, God, we love you tonight.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah, you're so good.
We bless your holy name.
We just want to thank you, Lord.
Just want to take time to say thank you for your goodness.
You know, we've been in this series on the Lord's Prayer and when it begins with our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
I know not all of us have had Maybe that picture perfect perfect father figure in our life, but our heavenly father is not like our earthly fathers, even the best ones.
He's so much better.
Amen?
He's so good.
And before we sing, we're going to sing Good Good Father.
And sometimes I think we sing songs and we just sing them.
We don't really think about what we're singing, but He's our father.
You hear that tonight?
Jesus could have said my father, but he said he's our father.
He has grafted us in.
We are joint heirs with Christ.
He is our father tonight.
And this, I believe, when he speaks of the father here, he's speaking of a relationship that God invites us to join in as sons and daughters.
He's our father.
And it speaks of community that we belong to a family.
I know sometimes when we move away and we're far from our family, but we have a family.
In Christ.
This is our family.
Hello?
We have family all around the world because of our Father in heaven.
Amen.
There's authority in his name, he is God most. high he sits high up on the throne but there's intimacy he invites us to draw near to him can you just begin to do that even now just close your eyes if you want to lift your hands you can you don't have to do that and But just begin to draw near to your father tonight, to our father tonight, and begin to love on him.
He has your best interest at heart.
We're singing to a good father who loves his children and takes Care of his children works everything out for our good and for his glory.
He's a good, good father.
Thousand stories of why they think you're like that I've heard the tender whisper of love.
Come on.
In the dead of night and you tell me that your knees stand that I never alone you're a good Good, good father, that's who you are, that's who you are, that's who you are, and I'm gonna love you, that's who I am.
That's who I am, that's who I am.
You're a good, good father.
That's who you are, that's who you are, and so you are.
So I yeah, so I am so a yeah I see many searching for answers far and away, but I know we're all searching for answers.
Said only you broke, cause you know just what we need before we say oh, you're a good father.
That's who you are, as who you are, and I'm a look like you I yell, and who I yell, as who I I am you're a good good father.
That's who you are, that's who you are, that's who you are, and I'm a lord by you, that's who I am.
So I am Suah You are perfect in all of your ways You are perfect in all of your ways You are the main to know of your ways Lord, you are the main to know your ways You are perfect in all the ways You are perfect in all the ways to It's love so undeniable I I can partly speak at peace so unexplainable.
I'm gonna say it again, it's love, it's love so undeniable I I can hardly speak and please So unexplainable high I can hardly think as you call me deepers till as you call.
Deeper still as you all meet deeper still into love your father.
That's who you are That's who you are That's who you are I'm gonna I do That's who I am I am who I am.
That's who you are.
That's who you are.
That's who you are, and I'm loved by you.
That's who I am, that's who I am, that's who I am.
You're a good, good father.
That's who you are, that's who you are.
That's who you are and I'm loved by you.
That's who I am.
That's who I am.
That's who I am.
You're a Good, good father, true you are, true you are, true you are, and I'm a love by you.
True I am true.
As we were singing that song, the line that stuck out to me was he's calling us deeper, deeper.
Still.
And I think that as we have been going through this learning to pray series, that that is really the fundamental purpose that our Heavenly Father had is he's calling us to a deeper relationship with him.
He's teaching us not just how to how to formally pray But to how to have a two-way communication with God.
Who can say amen to that?
Where we ask, but he responds He actually speaks to us.
He actually communicates to us.
He actually ministers to us supernaturally in a powerful way.
I believe that is what prayer is all about.
Again, who can say amen?
So I want to encourage you.
You guys can sit down right now.
Tonight is First Wednesday, so it is an interactive service.
So you're going to be standing, you're going to be sitting, you're going to be moving, you're going to be writing, you're going to be doing all kinds of things tonight.
Because as we said a long time ago, that This first Wednesday was going to be based on praying the Lord's Prayer.
So I didn't know any different growing up because I grew up in a Lutheran church.
And so I was trained to how do I say parrot the Lord's Prayer?
I was trained just to say it, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, as if it was some magical.
Mantra.
Now here's what's interesting.
I've come full circle since then.
And what I mean by that is When I turned 25 or 26, my father-in-law taught a series and he called it something like this: Could You Not Tarry One Hour?
And he challenged the church for one year to meet every morning at 6 a. m. for a year straight and to pray for an hour.
I remember thinking I think I can do eight minutes.
I think I might be able to do ten or twelve, but but how do you pray nonstop for an hour and actually have some kind of dialogue going on with God?
And he walked us through the Lord's Prayer, and I learned that this prayer was a model by which we can use it to actually fine-tune our prayers.
That's what we were doing just now.
We start with that beginning phrase, our Father in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
So we begin by praising.
We begin by worshiping.
We begin by Focusing in on God, and and that's what we've done for the first 20, 25 minutes of this service And now we're gonna move into more of the prayer, but but I don't want you to forget it's not just a model I told you I've gone full circle, 360 degrees.
I was thinking that just saying the Lord's Prayer was not an important thing to do.
But now I don't believe that any longer.
I now know that yes, it's a model, but it is also spiritual warfare on my lips.
And that just by quoting these Four or five verses in the in the heat of battle, in the face of the enemy, that we can have victory because the word of God is powerful.
Amen.
The word is powerful.
But this is why we have to come back to the Lord's Prayer again and again and again.
Because it can become ritualistic.
It can become just Just monotonous or just words.
We have to be reminded that God is our Father.
We have to be reminded that that we need to hollow or worship the name of God.
And that's kind of a a challenging concept.
And the reason is, is because today names are often chosen based simply on how they sound, based on an alliteration.
For example, in my family, my oldest son is Thomas, the next oldest son is Trevor, the next oldest son is Trenton, and my name is Tom.
We just picked T words.
It's Robin and Randall.
We just picked R words.
If I had to do it over again, I would find a name with with deep spiritual meaning to it and call out a destiny in my child early on.
Now what I didn't know is I named my daughter Randall Victoria.
And Victoria means victorious.
And Randall means wolf.
And let me tell you, she has the personality of a wolf.
And she wins all the time.
And so I didn't know I was calling out her destiny when we named her, but that's exactly what we did.
But listen We also call people names based on uniqueness.
We want our kid to have a name that nobody else has.
But this isn't how it's done in Scripture.
Especially in the Old Testament, names revealed the essential nature and character of an individual.
This is especially true in regards to the various names of God.
Say names.
Because you know our God's name isn't God.
God is just a description of who He is His name is so multifaceted.
It's so profound.
It's so vast.
That throughout the Old Testament there are dozens upon dozens, and in the New Testament, dozens of titles and names for God and for Jesus.
And that's why somewhere in the book of Exodus, when Moses asked God, what is your name?
He simply said, Jehovah.
So it's important when you are praying the Lord's Prayer that you understand many of these different names because During this portion of the prayer, if you're going to pray, hallowed be thy name, you need to know what those different names mean.
You need to know how they impact your life.
You know how you need to know how to wield them on your lips and and on your tongue.
We're exalting his name.
We're hallowing his name.
We're praising his name before we even ask God for anything.
Because it begins to clarify who we're going to be talking to in just a few moments.
It begins to build faith in our hearts that if he is Jehovah Jira And I ask him for my daily provision, that's not even gonna be a challenge because he is the provider himself He possesses everything.
He owns all things.
He can change anything in a moment in an instant.
And so when we we hallow him appropriately It becomes so much easier to ask for something later on when we're sick in body and we've hallowed the name Jehovah Rapha. or Jehovah Rophay.
And we we study and learn about the many healings that have taken place in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
We begin to build the faith that we need rather than just hoping someone else will pray for us and we'll be healed.
We can have faith ourselves and unite it with another person and be miraculously healed in Jesus' name.
We can believe for that.
We can know that God's working in our bodies.
That He's Jehovah Shalom, the Lord God of peace. of wholeness, of being well balanced, of not having all of the emotional ailments that this world has.
I don't know if you're like me in any way, shape, or form, but sometimes I I am praying and I'm saying, God, just thank you that I'm not afraid of everything.
Thank you that my anxiety levels aren't through the roof.
Thank you, Lord, that I'm not anxious just because I'm driving down the road.
If you suffer from any of those ailments, we Serve the God of peace who can say amen.
And that's why it's a peace that passes understanding.
I remember before my father-in-law died, he was a PhD in family counseling.
And he told me one day, he goes, you know what, all my degrees are worthless.
I go, what do you mean?
He goes, oh, oh, in in the world they're really important.
He said, but if we just relied on the gifts of the Spirit alone, my degree wouldn't be needed.
I was like, what?
He goes, yeah.
He goes, he goes, a word of knowledge or a word of wisdom can cure people better than 10 years of counseling can.
Amen.
I mean, we we are we are giving up the gifts of the Spirit because we want to go to a counselor to make us well.
Now I'm not saying don't go to a counselor.
I just believe that God can heal you in a moment rather than 10 years.
Now sometimes it'll take some time, there's no doubt about it Sin is is weird and strange and it likes wrapping itself and entwining itself in your personality and in your emotions.
But God is a miracle-working God.
That's what I know for a fact.
And that's why Jehovah Nisi is the Lord God our banner.
He will go before us.
He will lead us in victory.
We will defeat the enemy every single time.
If you lose a temptation, if you lose a battle, it's not because God wasn't there.
It's because you didn't hear properly, because our God never loses He never fails.
He never makes a mistake.
That's why this prayer is so important.
That brings me to the name of Jesus.
One of the things you find in the book of John are all the I am statements of Jesus.
And so if you really understand what's taking place, Jesus is reiterating that he is God, first of all He's saying, God the Father and God myself, they're we're one and the same.
And I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life, I am the resurrection, I am the bread of life, I am all of these different things the same way that that God the Father told Moses I am.
I'm telling the New Testament church I am.
And what that means is we can pray in the name of Jesus. because God has given him a name that is above every other name.
So in the name Jesus Is wrapped up all of the Old Testament and all of the New Testament names of both God and Jesus.
They're all wrapped up in that one powerful name, Jesus.
But hear me.
There are two requirements for you to unleash the power and the miracles that are in that name.
Requirement number one is this: you must have a relationship with Jesus.
Okay?
Remember, the sons of Steva, they were out there saying, in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches And it says that the the demons actually beat them up physically, using people, of course, but they got whipped and they went running out the door because the name of Jesus, again, like the Lord's Prayer, is not a mess. magic formula.
There has to be a relationship.
You have to be saved and understand who Jesus is.
And then part number two is revelation.
Say revelation.
You can only experience a victory most of the time to the degree you know who God is That you have a revelation of all of those different names that we've been talking about.
This is why studying the word is so important.
This is why we can we can never stop reading it and studying it and coming to Bible studies and and hearing it in your in your car and in whatever format you can hear this word, you need to hear it again and again and again.
Who can say amen?
And so we're gonna have the team come on back and uh we're going to sing, speak The name of Jesus, would you stand with me as we do this now?
I just want to speak the name of Jesus over every life.
And every line, cause I know there is peace within your presence I speak to each other Say it all again, say I just want to speak the name of Jesus Open, Open every heart, and every body.
I know there is peace within your breast.
I speak Jesus.
Your name is Mao.
Your name is power, your name is healing, your name is life.
Every stone shining shinos burn life I just want to speak as they say I just One of three name of Jesus To every dark condition starts to pray, declaring that is one Your name is now, your name is now, your name is Your name is light, your name is light Oh, shine to the shine.
I just wanna speak his name I just wanna speak the name of Over fear and all To every soul that divide a breath asking Jesus Don't say that verse again.
I just want to speak the name of fear.
I just want to speak the name of Jesus.
To every soul I can divide Just in Jesus, your name tonight, Lord, your name.
Your name is power, your name is healing, your name is life Oh great and restore Shining and shine like a fire Your name is Howard Your name is Howard Your name is Your name is strong, break every store, shine, shinos.
Burn line.
There's one more part to this song.
And the whole reason that I asked Pastor Jeff to do this song tonight. was because I have a personal connection to this song.
A year and a half ago I had a family tragedy take place. devastated our entire family.
And Robin and I didn't know what to do.
We didn't know where to go.
We we just felt numb by the circumstances of the day.
And that Sunday we ended up going to church.
And they start singing this song.
And all of a sudden, there's one line in this next phrase that says that we can speak the name of Jesus over our family.
And Robin and I started.
Screaming the name Jesus and preaching the name Jesus and whispering the name Jesus.
And so I want to encourage you right now that as we begin this Portion of the song.
I want you to start praying in the name Jesus and however the Lord starts welling up in your spirit.
If you have a prodigal child, if you have a sick body, if you have a financial need, start speaking. the name Jesus in preparation for your or their deliverance today.
Amen.
Okay, let's sing it one more time.
Shout Jesus from the mountain.
Jesus in the street.
Jesus said the dark so the rain created.
Jesus from my back shouted out, I speak all.
Speak his name.
Oh, shall I say, shall Jesus from the mountain?
Jesus said the stream.
Jesus in the dog was all the way.
Shoot us for my bed I speak the woman She's a short mountain, she's a seven stream, she's a set of time, so my She's a strong.
I still should have Shant Jesus for the mouth Jesus.
She's a center.
She's a school at belly.
I spring a whole day.
Your name is Bow Your Ay is L.
Shapu shall lie Shap Jesus wrong Shall Jesus on the mountain Jesus and stream Jesus and the time so every every day Jesus for my Family has been born again.
She's power to your name.
Shine Your name is power, your name is He.
Break every show, shine through the shadow like a fire like God.
I just wanna speak the name.
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus over every heart.
Over every heart and every mind.
I know there is peace within your presence.
I speak Jesus.
Praise Jesus.
On the count of three, would you just shout the name Jesus?
One, two, three Three Jesus Hallelujah.
Let's give him a round of applause You may be seated.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Part three is thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth.
As it is in heaven.
And I don't want to preach again the same message that we preached earlier, but I just want to remind you that the order of the prayer is so important.
That we begin with praise and then the next step is the priority of God's kingdom.
It's not our needs yet It's the pro no I'm not saying we can't ever start that way.
What I'm saying is is this is a model that Jesus gave us that is so important And God's kingdom is simply praying that his rule and reign will be established in our lives, in our families, in our churches, in our cities, in our nation.
We want the kingdom of God to come to this planet.
It's not coming politically, just so you know.
It's coming spiritually It's coming through our prayers, through our faith declarations.
That's how God's kingdom enters into this world. through our speaking it, through our prayers, and God's rule is established as we focus on God's will So I need to remind you, prayer isn't a wish list that we send to a spiritual Santa Claus.
That's how a lot of people treat God.
Oh, you're just like Santa, so let me give you my list, my Christmas wish list, my life wish list.
Jesus sets the example of how we're supposed to pray in the Garden of Eden.
When he is getting ready to go to the cross, he prays that this cup might be taken from him, but he says, Not my will, but your will be done.
The question is, is why would anybody want to pray that way?
And the answer is found in Romans chapter 12, verse 2.
This is where it tells us that ultimately God's will ultimately this is the key ultimately God's will is good pleasing and perfect God's plan always works for his kingdom's benefit.
Some of us sacrifice a lot for his kingdom But trust me, the rewards in heaven are going to be great.
Who can say amen?
I mean, we will lose nothing on this planet that won't be restored in this next world.
We need to trust that and believe this.
And that leads me to God's primary purposes in his kingdom.
And for me, it's simply the the Great Commission.
The purpose is Jesus. commissioning of his disciples and all future disciples.
We are here to lead other people to Jesus Christ.
That's why we're here.
Sure, we need to be discipled along the way, and we're gonna be talking about that this Sunday, and and and we need to worship God and spend time together in fellowship.
All these things work together Together, but the mission that you and I have been assigned by Jesus Himself is to go into all the world and make disciples Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I've commanded.
And lo, I am with you until the very end of the age.
And then he says, amen.
So would you join me right now in praying for what takes place over the next month here at our church?
Because believe it or not, Easter is less than five weeks away.
And Easter is it's our biggest attended Sunday.
But most churches Never see enough results from all the work that is put into that service And one of the reasons is we don't spend enough time in prayer in advance.
We need to be praying that people's hearts are opened We need to be praying for for opportunities to hand out invitations.
You might have seen in the lobby we have signs already, we have invitations already.
We we we need to to just pray that God will will mark our path, that we will know who to talk to and and how to talk to them and all of this kind of stuff.
But prayer is the key to Easter Sunday.
Who can say amen So would you bow your heads with me right now and let's pray that God will bless the next four weeks because it's a series on evangelism, that He will prepare our hearts. the outsiders' hearts, those who are far away from God's heart, and that together we can partner with Him for great things.
Heavenly Father, we come to you right now in the name of Jesus Christ.
Wow, it means so much more all of a sudden.
Just to pray in the name of Jesus.
The name that encapsulates all the power, all the authority, all of the nuances of every Old Testament title and name and every New Testament title and name, all wrapped up in the name of Jesus.
So when we pray, Father God, it should be with faith.
When we pray, it should be with confidence, Father God.
So in that Boldness, Father God.
I come before your very throne room today and ask that you do a miracle at Oxford Assembly of God Church.
I pray, Father God, that literally hundreds and hundreds of people will come who've not been to church in a long, long time. time.
I pray, Father God, that there will be people who've never graced the doors of a church that will walk into this place.
And I pray that the reason is, is as we study your word over the next four weeks, I pray that we will be convinced.
And even convicted, Father God, that we have a job to do.
It is the Great Commission.
And we are going to listen to your word.
We're going to listen to Jesus' voice, and we are going to go.
We are going to do whatever is necessary.
We're going to invest our lives and those far from God.
We're going to infiltrate this world, Father God, and we're going to be looking for opportunities to invite people not just to church, but into a relationship.
With Jesus Christ.
So I pray, Father God, that you'd give us wisdom.
I pray that you'd open up our eyes to the possibilities that are found in you.
I pray, Father God, that you'd begin to soften the hearts of people who have said they They're never ever going to go back to church or soften the hearts of those who have never even considered church.
I pray even now that as they begin to watch television that you'll put on strategic television messages that will open them up to the possibility of Jesus Christ.
I pray, Father God, that you would strategically put divine interactions in their pathway.
I pray that pray that at restaurants and at stores and and playing pickleball and softball and all the games that we play that opportunities would would be in front of us Father God to actually communicate your message your saving power, your grace, your mercy.
And that these hearts, Father God, would be willing to come.
And Father God, so we begin to pray right now for your presence to be here.
We're praying, Father God, right now for Easter Sunday, for Good Friday, Father God.
We're praying that the manifested presence of God will be present in a multiplied way in the name of Jesus Christ.
I pray, Father God. that that people will be getting saved in their seats before the altar call even takes place.
I pray that as we're lifting our hands and praising God, that people will be so enraptured with the glory of God that they will fall on their faces and repent of their sins.
In Jesus' holy and precious name.
I pray, Father God, that literally hundreds will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, not just in our church, but in every single church in this entire area, in Jesus' name.
I pray, Father God, that you'd give us the wisdom to to be kind, the wisdom to speak, the wisdom to show the way.
And I pray for our prayer partners, Father God.
I pray that they would be so overflowing with the Holy Spirit of God that there'd literally be rivers of living water oozing out of them as people are walking down to these altars, Father God.
I pray that your power will be so ever.
Father God, that that it's not just salvations that take place, but but healings, Father God, restorations, prodigals coming home in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Father God, we pray that your kingdom will come and your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven and we pray this today in Jesus' holy and precious name and together everyone says I'm sweating right now, just so you know.
I am is it hot?
Man, I'm just like wow Anyway, uh last week I had the privilege of going to a uh global university fundraiser.
Uh does anybody here know what global university does?
Okay, a couple of you?
A couple of you know Global?
Just a few.
Well, Global University is the largest uh provider of credentialing material to assemblies of God ministers in the entire world.
One out of every three credentialed ministers gets their credentialing through global.
Most people don't know that.
It is very successful.
Um they have Bible colleges all over the world.
And uh what excited me was When I was at this fundraiser, uh someone from our church made a pledge.
Uh do you guys remember when we made the project rescue pledge last year?
Anybody remember that?
And I was brand new to the church and I made a $10,000 pledge and one guy came up to me after church and goes, Well, I'm giving $20,000, so you should have made a bigger pledge.
That uh so I learned my lesson.
Uh this guy actually uh in our church said he's gonna pledge twenty-five thousand dollars if the church will match it.
Now I'm not going to ask people to give money without sharing a little bit of vision as to why we should do it.
Number one, largest credentialing institution for Assembly of God ministers.
That's one reason.
But I want to show you a video right now, just so you can get a little feel for what Global University is doing around the world.
Across the world in hidden gatherings and open fields and homes and halls, God is moving powerfully.
Trained leaders carry the gospel into communities once thought unreachable.
In Cuba, more than a thousand graduates Now minister across their nation and send missionaries to places beyond their shores.
In regions where believers meet in secret, upper rooms shine with the light of Christ, growing quietly, steadily.
And in churches across the United States, New leaders step forward.
One in every four new assemblies of God ministers prepared through global university.
In places often forgotten, the message of hope is alive.
More than 30,000 prisoners across the United States have encountered the transforming power of the gospel through global university, finding freedom behind prison walls.
For 25 years, Global University has fueled this movement, reaching 191 nations.
With courses in 141 languages, opening doors for those called to carry the good news.
This work rests on a rich foundation of vision and faithfulness shaped by those who believe that spirit-empowered education could reach the Ends of the earth.
In 2024, One Dream took flight when the first graduates from the Spanish Masters in Bible and Theology crossed the stage.
A sign of a new generation rising, ready to serve.
Today the movement grows.
In crowded cities and distant villages, students gather around worn tables and glowing screens.
Pastors plant new churches.
Missionaries cross borders with courage.
In places where the gospel once seemed distant, hope takes root.
Light overcomes darkness.
Lives transformed through spirit-empowered education.
This is not just a story of education, it's the story of God's faithfulness written through the hands and hearts of pastors, churches, and believers.
Who answered the call?
Global University is transforming the world through a global network of spirit-empowered education and training.
Trained Christians rise up, carrying the light of the gospel to every people group.
Great Commission isn't a distant hope.
It's unfolding here, now, in every language, in every land.
Together, we illuminate the world with the light of Jesus.
So I was told at the fundraiser that it's gone from one in four to one in three.
So this video is actually a couple years old.
And uh They didn't want to send it to me, but I said I have to have something to present this case.
A couple of more reasons why this is so important.
Pastor Jeff just told me he got credentialed through Global University.
I got credentialed through global university.
Institution is making a huge difference.
And then when I found out that they had graduated 1,000 students in Cuba, And we already have such a close and intimate connection with them.
Uh they are not w we're trying to get back into Cuba, just so you know, and we're having some real challenges because of what happened in Venezuela and stuff like that.
But it looks like uh global might be able to get us into Cuba if we want to be able to do something like that.
And so there's all of these wonderful connections that are happening.
And so There's there's so much to talk about and and trust me, I i if you don't get it all, it's okay because we're gonna be talking about it for the next month.
But we're having a missionary come in in two weeks who is uh a missionary to the children of the world and he's been probably to like forty or fifty different countries as a missionary and uh but his biggest presence is in the country of Kenya.
Okay?
And uh there he actually has a Christian television program in Kenya.
And uh he is wanting to bring a small group of us to Kenya this summer.
So you need to be praying about that possibility.
And uh then They have started a program and global is working with Kenya, Global is working with Cuba, and Global is working with Vietnam.
And so I feel that as we talk about the Great Commission, starting tonight, but really getting into it this Sunday, That we're gonna talk about going around the world.
Okay?
And everyone is not called to sell their home and to go around the world.
Some of you should probably say amen Because whenever a pastor starts talking about this, I know people get nervous.
God's gonna call me to the to the hardest part of the entire world.
God doesn't do that.
God places a desire for you to go to those places in the world.
Okay And so uh I pray that if God is calling you, maybe just to a week-long missions trip or uh uh a month-long missions trip or something like that, that you'll begin to just sense this in your heart.
But I wanted to I wanted to put out there three different countries in three different parts of the world that we already have a presence in.
Okay?
And so you were probably given a sheet of paper.
Is that right, Scott?
Were they all given a sheet of paper?
Okay, uh there's they're sitting out there on the uh visitor thing.
They're all different colored papers.
Yeah.
Help me, help me, help me, help me So what I want you to do is I want you to grab this sheet of paper and I want you to begin to pray as to for the next four, four and a half weeks.
What country are you going to focus on?
Are you going to pray for Kenya?
Are you going to pray that maybe you should go to the country of Kenya?
Are you going to pray for Cuba?
Maybe you've gone to Cuba on one of the construction trips and you have a heart for the people in that island country.
So put down Cuba on this sheet of paper.
If Asia is on your heart, then you would put Vietnam down.
And I just need you to know that I've been to Vietnam.
And uh it was uh an incredible experience.
When we were there five or six years ago, Vietnam was the third Harshest nation in the world for Christianity.
Korea was first I don't remember who was second, and Vietnam was third worst.
So we went over there.
Uh Under taking care and food and stuff like that, but we found the underground church while we were there.
And they took us to Ho Chi Minh Center And I don't know if you know what that is.
Ho Chi Minh was the communist leader that led North Vietnam in the in the Vietnam War.
And uh his body is still on display, just so you know And they are running fluids through his body trying to keep it from decomposing because he's made claims of he's going to rise again someday and all this kind of stuff.
But while we were in the very center of communist Vietnam, I gathered our team and we all started praying.
And we all started raising our hands and worshiping God.
And all of a sudden somebody said, Hey Pastor, do you realize the police are coming our direction right now?
And I said, well, don't you want to go to jail for preaching the gospel?
And everyone put their hands down.
So uh w we were not brave enough to uh allow that to happen.
Um But it was an incredible experience because the underground church is so passionate for Jesus Christ.
And they're so passionate for their own nation.
And now we know that the assemblies of God is now an accepted denomination in Vietnam There's only like three denominations that are accepted, and one is the assemblies of God.
And so I want you on that sheet of paper to either write, I will be printing, you don't have to say this, just what Vietnam Cuba or Kenya.
And uh so let me my notes keep going off So the team's gonna be singing a song in just a few minutes, so you can come on back.
Um I also want you to consider Is there an offering we can start giving tonight?
Remember, first Wednesday we always take an offering because we want to We want to create a giving culture here at the church.
Not just the top 10 or 20% of the people give.
We believe everyone has a responsibility to give.
It's not equal amounts, it's equal sacrifice.
And so again, I need to remind you: one person in our church pledged $25,000, the rest of us together just have to raise.
$25,000.
And so I know I'm giving.
Uh Robin and I are giving together as a family.
And so we just want to encourage you if That comes upon your heart.
You can stand right now.
And during this song, you can bring down that country name and offering.
Both, either or place them in this box from the people over here, and this box from the people over here, and then just head on back to your seat and we'll continue with the service in just a minute.
I give the glory because you are my way.
Because of who you are, I will lift my voice and say, Lord, I worship you because of who you are.
What I worship you because of who you are, sir, cause of who you are.
I give you no day Because of who you are, I give you pray Because Of who you are, I will my voice and say I worship I worship you because of who you are.
Because of your My hands on these and thy words should be those who I love.
I know I learned Jehovah east when you raise what you're doing.
Shall you are my grandmies and I was cute because of who you are.
Because of who you are, I gave you the name.
Because of who you are, I can't embrace.
Because of who you are, I will give my voice today for I worship you because of who Lord I worship you because of who you are.
Just stay here.
Come on up here.
This this next one I don't have to do a lot of teaching on because we ask God for stuff all the time.
And so this is give us this day our daily bread.
And so we already heard the teaching on this.
So I've asked our uh one of our new board members, Mitzi.
Can you give Mitzi a round of applause, please?
To come forward and to pray for your needs.
And so I want Everyone to sit down unless you have a specific financial need that you need ministry for today or a physical need, would you please stand back up or stay still?
Standing and uh Mitzi will pray for you at this time.
Praise you, Jesus.
As we're learning to pray.
We know that the first responsibility we have is to speak to the Holy One of Israel.
He is our provider.
He is everything that we need.
He is the God of the universe, the creator.
There is none like him.
There is no God above him.
And we recognize him tonight as the sovereign.
Triune God that we have the privilege every day to worship.
And as we consider his greatness And we consider his message to us in the Lord's Prayer, where he says, Give us this day our daily bread.
We are reminded that he's not a God that's so far away.
But he's a God that is with us.
He sent his son to walk among us so that he would understand our daily trials and tribulations.
And he sent his Holy Spirit to stay with us.
Every single day as our comforter.
So right now I want you to recognize that this is a God that's not far away in the clouds and in the heavens, but He is here. with us right now to meet every single need.
And you know, he wants a relationship with us.
This is a father that asks for us daily to commune with him.
It's not about just asking for our needs.
It's about Him meeting us in our spiritual life, in our physical life, in our emotional life.
So right now, Father God With all that you are, all the names that you are, that you've presented yourself to us, it's like fill in the blank.
Whatever you need tonight.
You are asking your father, whether he is Jehovah, whether he is Rapha, whether he is Nisi, fill in the blank.
What is it that I need from my Heavenly Father who's with me?
Every single day, giving us each day our daily bread.
We need you, God.
We know that you are capable.
We know that you're more than enough.
We know that you know our Our beginning from our end.
We know that you have provided everything that we need.
If we will have communion with you you if we will have relationship with you that's all you ask is that we would just have relationship father right now I pray that you forgive us because we want to do it on our own own.
We want to handle the little stuff.
We want to just come to you when it's really bad and it's really tough and we have nowhere else to turn.
But that's not what you want from us.
You want daily Relationship, you want us to trust you in the small things, the things that we think they don't mean anything to you, but they do because your word says that you care about those things.
That are important to us.
So right now, Father, we're praying for every need in this house and we are believing that the answer is already here. that we just have to reach out and claim it.
So in the name of the Father, in the name of His Son, and in the name of the precious Holy Spirit, we are calling things done tonight.
The trials and the tribulations of this life should seem so small compared to your deity, to what you are capable of if we will only trust and obey.
Give us this day our daily bread.
We're not worried about five years from now.
We're not worried about five weeks from now.
God, we're trusting you today for today.
Day and tomorrow you'll be the same God that you were yesterday, that you were to Moses, that you were to David.
You are the same same God and we are trusting you to give us each and every day what it is that we need to walk forward in victory And when we walk forward in victory, that's when the Great Commission happens because people will see you in us.
They will recognize that there is something Very special that's undergirding us and keeping us going, and it is the trust and the knowledge That you are in control.
So we're thanking you for our daily bread each and every day.
And we're counting on you.
Your promises are yea and amen.
And in your precious name, we receive all these things.
Amen.
At this time, if you'd like to participate. in communion it would be appropriate for you to go to the communion corner on either your right side or left side they're in both corners grab communion and uh The team is going to be singing right now.
And you're invited to come back up here afterwards, by the way.
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin.
Jesus is calling.
Have you come to the end of yourself?
Do you thirst for a dream from the well Jesus is called Or come to the The altar, the father's own forgiveness was brought in the precious blood.
Of Jesus Christ.
Leave behind your Regrets and mistakes come today, there's no reason to wait.
Jesus is calling.
Bring sorrows to From the ashes of life before Jesus is calling.
The fathers control with the precious Jesus I will come to the altar, your father's not for the day.
Whose broadband precious but save isn't he wonderful?
Say hallelujah, Christ is raised, bow down before him.
For he is glory.
Sing Hallelujah.
Christ is raised.
Come to or come to the altar, the Father's arms are open, why forgiveness was.
For me the precious blood of Jesus.
I was just thinking as we were getting to this part of the prayer, how unlike This is for me personally.
And what I mean by that is typically I feel Like I need to rush to God for repentance the very first thing out of my mouth.
Or I don't even think about repentance and forgiveness, and I just ask for what it is that I need.
And when I look at the order of this particular prayer, what strikes me is that if we Recognize God as our Father, and we start hallowing His name, and we start asking for the different things that we need, that there will always be an Isaiah-type moment Where we know we need forgiveness.
Not that it's not already available to us.
Because what I realize is God is so gracious that if I were to die even without asking for forgiveness, I'm still going to heaven.
Okay?
I don't have to worry about being in this perpetual state of forgive me, forgive me, forgive me, forgive me.
God's grace is way bigger than that.
However, when I get to this part of the prayer, I'm just like You know what?
I don't want sin to be a part of my life any longer.
I don't want it to be there.
And so You know, l definitely lead me away from temptation and deliver me from evil.
But Father God, it it's so amazing how how my forgiveness is then connected to how I offer it to everybody else.
Again, this isn't about a works-based theology that we have to forgive others in order to get into heaven.
It's based on a fruit-based theology that if you really experience the grace of God, you will be willing to forgive.
And it'll be quick.
And even though it might seem impossible in the moment when you make the decision and understand that it happens through the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit.
It starts happening much quicker than you even expect.
And so we're going to take communion.
Um We we actually have 30 more minutes, so we're we're we're skipping all of that stuff, and we're gonna take communion and then the team will go uh until they're done.
So you're free to come and pray afterwards.
You're free to leave after this next song, whatever your time restraints are, but we want to make sure you know that we are a praying church and you can come up here and pray.
You can pray through the Lord's Prayer.
You can be prayed for On the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread.
He blessed it and he broke it and he said, uh, eat this in remembrance of me.
Father Mitzi already prayed for our provision, and so I believe that there are men and women out here. who are going to be healed tonight.
That something that they've been praying for in their bodies for many years is going to take place in this moment.
They've been going to doctors, and doctors have not been able to solve the problem, but you know the problem.
You've already taken care of it on the cross, and you're going to make it a reality in life today, in Jesus' name.
Would you eat the bread together with me, please?
One of the things I love about coming to church Is my reminder, Lord, of how holy you are.
And sometimes when I get here, I don't sense it in the moment, but the longer I spend in His presence The more I hear the word, the more I choose to open my mouth and worship, the more I lift my hands.
The image of God seems to get bigger and bigger and bigger.
The holiness of God begins to to overwhelm me, but but not in a repulsive kind of way, not in a in a runny way, running away kind of way.
But Lord make me holy too.
Wash my sin away too.
Not just the things that I'm aware of, but but anything that brings dishonor to your name.
I don't want to be that man.
I don't want to be that person.
I want to be the kind of human being that the world sees Jesus in everything I do.
So on the night Jesus was betrayed, he took this cup and he blessed it and he gave it to his disciples and he announced a brand New covenant.
Let's drink the cup together.
