PETER: ARE YOU INTERESTED
IN INCREASE IN ANY AREA OF
YOUR LIFE? MAYBE YOU SAY,
WELL, WHO ISN'T? WELL,
SOMEBODY COULD BE SO
SUCCESSFUL, SO PROSPEROUS
THAT THEY SAY I'M FINE JUST
LIKE I AM. I DON'T WANT
ANYMORE. SO I GUESS THIS
PROGRAM WOULDN'T BE FOR YOU
IF YOU'RE IN THAT CATEGORY,
BUT IF YOU ARE THE KIND OF
PERSON THAT WILL SAY I WANT
INCREASE, TODAY, WE'RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
INCREASE FOR YOU AND YOUR
COMFORT ZONE. YOU'LL NOT
WANT TO MISS THIS.
>>Announcer: GOD'S LOVE,
ELEVATING, ENERGIZING,
EMPOWERING. MIRACLES HAPPEN
WHEN YOU KNOW YOU ARE LOVED.
PETER YOUNGREN HAS
COMMUNICATED GOD'S LOVE WITH
MILLIONS FROM EVERY CULTURE.
GET READY FOR YOUR ULTIMATE
LIFE BECAUSE YOU ARE LOVED.
>> PETER: WELL, THAT'S
EXCITING. AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO OUR TELECAST AND
WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND
I'M REALLY TALKING ABOUT
LIVING IN YOUR CYCLE OF
INCREASE. WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT AND IT'S
GOING TO VERY, VERY
FASCINATING BUT FIRST OF
ALL, WASN'T TO TELL YOU THAT
NO MATTER WHAT THE TOPIC IS,
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU, TO HELP
YOU, TO PRAY WITH YOU, TO
BELIEVE GOD WITH YOU. WE'RE
TRYING TO TEACH FROM THE
BIBLE AND FROM THE
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST,
WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US, AND
THEN WE PRAY. WE BELIEVE
GOD FOR THE MIRACULOUS AND
MAYBE YOU NEED A MIRACLE.
MAYBE YOU'RE IN A CRISIS AND
YOU NEED A MIRACLE. CALL
THE GRACE PRAYER CENTER AND
YOU CAN CALL THERE TO BE A
PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING
AROUND THE WORLD. RIGHT NOW
WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY,
I'M GOING TO THE TEACHING,
LIVING IN YOUR CYCLE OF
INCREASE. ISAIAH 9: 7 SAYS
ABOUT JESUS THAT OF HIS-- OF
THE INCREASE OF HIS
GOVERNMENT AND HIS PEACE,
THERE WILL BE NO END. SO
THAT MEANS THAT JESUS'
KINGDOM AND HIS PEACE, IT
JUST KEEPS EVER INCREASING.
THEN ISAIAH 51:2, IT SAYS
ABOUT ABRAHAM, LOOK TO
ABRAHAM, FATHER YOUR, I
CALLED HIM ALONE AND BLESSED
HIM AND INCREASED HIM.
NOTICE THOSE TWO WORDS?
BLESSED AND INCREASED.
THERE'S SO SUCH THING AS
BEING BLESSED WITHOUT
INCREASE. INCREASE ALWAYS
FOLLOWS BLESSING. LEVITICUS
26: 9, I WILL LOOK ON YOU
FAVORABLY AND MAKE YOU
FRUITFUL, MULTIPLY YOU AND
CONFIRM MY COVENANT WITH
YOU. GOD'S FAVOR, WHAT DOES
IT MEAN? IT MEANS
FRUITFULNESS, MULTIPLICATION
AND GOD'S COVENANT BECOMES
REAL IN OUR LIVES. THESE
ARE POWERFUL SCRIPTURE
VERSES. ANOTHER ONE, MARK
4: 8, OTHER SEED-- SPEAKING
OF THE GOSPEL, THE
REVELATION OF JESUS BEING
THE SEED-- FELL ON GOOD
GROUND AND YIELDED A CROP
THAT SPRANG UP INCREASE AND
PRODUCED. SOME 30 FOLD,
SOME 60 AND SOME 100.
NOTICE AGAIN, INCREASE AND
PRODUCED. THERE'S A
TANGIBLE EFFECT. IT'S NOT
JUST, OH, YOU KNOW, GOD'S
INCREASE, NO, IT PRODUCES
SOMETHING. HOW MANY WANT
SOME GOOD THINGS TO BE
PRODUCED IN YOUR LIFE?
THAT'S GOD'S PLAN. THEN IT
SAYS, JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE.
IT SAYS IN LUKE 2: 52, JESUS
INCREASED-- INCREASED IN
WISDOM AND STATURE AND IN
FAVOR. SO IF JESUS
INCREASED WE ARE THE
FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, OUR
DESTINY IS ALSO INCREASE.
ACTS 16: 5, CHURCHES WERE
STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH
AND INCREASED IN NUMBER
DAILY. SO TO BE
STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH IS
NOT JUST TO SAY, OH, I'M
STRENGTHENED AND I FEEL SO
SPIRITUALLY STRONG AND THEN
NOTHING HAPPENS. NO, THEY
INCREASED IN NUMBERS DAILY.
I HEARD ONE YES TO THAT.
THEN WE HAVE SORT OF A
COMMAND REALLY IN COLOSSIANS
2: 19 WHERE IT SAYS
INCREASE, GO AHEAD AND
INCREASE WITH THE INCREASE
THAT IS FROM GOD. ONE MORE
SCRIPTURE, I CORINTHIANS
3: 7, NEITHER HE WHO PLANTS
HAS ANYTHING NOR HE WHO
WATERS BUT GOD WHO GIVES THE
INCREASE. SO WE'D BE
SPINNING OUR WHEELS, YOU
KNOW, IF WE JUST WATERED AND
PLANTED, BUT GOD GIVES THE
INCREASE. AND I'M SAYING
GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO
EACH OF US AS INDIVIDUALS
AND TO US AT CHURCH THAT WE
ARE IN A SEASON, A
PROLONGED, ESCALATED AND
ACCELERATED INCREASE. WE
LEARN FROM THESE VERSES THAT
LIFE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
MEANS INCREASE. IT JUST--
THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS
INCREASING AND SAYING WE
KNOW THE LORD BECAUSE LIFE
IN GOD MEANS INCREASE. I
PUT A VERY AMBITIOUS TITLE,
IF YOU WISH, ON THIS SERIES
OF TEACHING. I CALL IT
LIVING IN YOUR CYCLE OF
INCREASE. LOOK AT THE TITLE
I PUT THERE. LIVING. I'M
NOT SAYING HAVING AN
OCCASIONAL INCREASE OR
VISITING IN THE AREA OF
INCREASE. I'M TALKING ABOUT
LIVING IN IT, AND I'M MAKING
IT PERSONAL. I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE.
I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR CYCLE
OF INCREASE. I'M TALKING
ABOUT YOU, LIVING NOT--
THERE'S A CYCLE, THERE'S A
RHYTHM. THERE IS A FLOW TO
IT, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT
INCREASE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN
BEING SUCCESSFUL AND
PROSPEROUS. TWO DIFFERENT
THINGS. TO INCREASE AND
HAVE SUCCESS IS TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS. SEE, YOU
CAN BE VERY SUCCESSFUL, VERY
SUCCESSFUL, AND YOU'RE
ENJOYING YOUR SUCCESS AND
PROSPERITY AND YOU SAY,
WONDERFUL, AND YOU SAY THIS
IS IT. THIS IS GOOD ENOUGH.
I'M SUCCESSFUL. I'M
PROSPERING. WE CAN SAY,
CHURCH, LOOK AT THIS.
ALMOST EVERY CHAIR IS TAKEN
THIS MORNING. I SEE ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR. FEW
CHAIRS HERE AND THERE, BUT
IT LOOKS FULL AND YOU SAY,
WHAT A LOVELY CHURCH WE
HAVE. OH, YES, WHAT A
LOVELY SERVICE. WE'RE
SUCCESSFUL. WE'RE
PROSPERING. SO BEING
SUCCESSFUL IS NOT THE SAME
AS INCREASE. I'M NOT
TEACHING ABOUT A CYCLE OF
SUCCESS SO IF YOU'RE A
PERSON THAT SAYS, WELL, I
GOT ENOUGH. NO MORE, THANK
YOU. I'M FINE. I DON'T
WANT IT. I'M JUST DOING
GOOD. DON'T HASSLE ME. I'M
FINE. THESE SERIES OF
SERMONS ARE NOT FOR YOU BUT
IF YOU INDIVIDUALLY WHERE
YOU FIND YOURSELF IN YOUR
LIFE, I WANT A LITTLE BIT
MORE. I WANT A LITTLE
SOMETHING A LITTLE GREATER.
I WANT TO GROW. I AM
TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING
SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS
MERELY BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT
INCREASING. EVERYBODY SAY
INCREASE. INCREASE. ARE
YOU READY FOR THIS? ALL
RIGHT. SO AGAIN, I WAS
DEEPLY MOVED LAST SUNDAY
MORNING WHEN PASTOR NATHAN,
THE LEAD PASTOR, IN THIS
CHURCH WAS PREACHING. I WAS
VERY MOVED. IN FACT, SOME
OF THE MESSAGE I'M PREACHING
TODAY IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
PIVOTING OFF WHAT HE SHARED
AND IF YOU WEREN'T HERE, I
WAS VERY MOVED. I WAS VERY
MOVED ABOUT SEVERAL SERVICES
THAT I HAVE ENJOYED THIS
FALL. I BELIEVE GOD IS
TALKING TO US AND I WANT TO
SAY WHEN THIS IS STIRRING,
LET'S MOVE FORWARD. LET'S
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE
EVERYTHING THAT HAS LIFE
INCREASES. HAVE YOU NOTICED
THAT? THE GRASS GROWS.
EVEN THE UNIVERSE IS
EXPANDING, SCIENCE TELLS US.
THERE'S NO PLACE IN THE
UNIVERSE WHERE IT SAYS, THE
END. NO, IT'S EXPANDING.
EVERYTHING ABOUT GOD IS
INCREASE. GOD IS NOT SOME
SMALL, LITTLE JESUS. I WAS
JOKING WITH SOMEONE SAYING,
PEOPLE PRAY, OH, DEAR LITTLE
JESUS, IF YOU CAN HELP ME.
THERE'S NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT
JESUS. OUR GOD IS AWESOME.
OUR GOD IS A GOD OF
INCREASE. OUR GOD IS A GOD
OF GROWTH. NOW I WANT TO
INTRODUCE US TO SOMETHING
ELSE HERE, AND THAT IS WE'RE
ALL FAMILIAR WITH THIS AND
DON'T GET NERVOUS, IT'S
CALLED OUR COMFORT ZONE.
OUR RATE OF INCREASE IS IN
RELATION TO OUR COMFORT
ZONE. I WANT TO TELL YOU
SOMETHING TO HAVE A COMFORT
ZONE IS A GOOD THING. EVEN
PASTOR NATHAN TOLD US LAST
WEEK ABOUT HIS FAVORITE
PILLOW.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU KNOW, YOUR FAVORITE
PILLOW MAKES YOU FEEL
COMFORTABLE NOW. THANK GOD,
HE GRADUATED FROM ONE PILLOW
TO A NEW PILLOW. IT WAS A
STRUGGLE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A
STRUGGLE, BUT I WANT TO SAY
BECAUSE YOU MAY HAVE HEARD
TEACHINGS ABOUT STEP OUT OF
YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND YOU
KNOW, FRANKLY, ALL OF US
NEED TO LIVE IN A COMFORT
ZONE. YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE
YOU COMFORTABLE? WHERE ARE
YOU WORKING?
IMAGINE ME COMING UP HERE
AND FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE
EVERY TIME. I LIKE BEING
WITH YOU. YOU'RE NICE
PEOPLE. I LIKE BEING HERE.
YOU'RE RECEPTIVE. YOU'RE
LOVING PEOPLE AND I HOPE YOU
FEEL LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHY
WE WANT OUR CHURCH, WE WANT
YOU TO FEEL WELCOME AND WE
HAVE GET-TOGETHER DINNERS
AND CONNECT AND EVERYTHING
BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO FEEL
COMFORTABLE. WE DON'T WANT
YOU TO FEEL ILL-AT EASE.
COMFORT IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. I SAY OUR
COMFORT ZONE IS NECESSARY,
IF YOU WANT TO PUT DOWN SOME
POINTS, SAY IT'S NECESSARY.
IT'S A GOOD THING. YOU
KNOW, IT'S SO FUNNY. WHEN I
TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD, I
BRING PEOPLE WITH ME FROM
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. YOU
KNOW, AMERICANS THEY LOVE
THEIR STARBUCKS COFFEE, AND
THEY GO TO AFRICA AND THEY
GO TO ETHIOPIA AND KENYA,
COUNTRIES THAT PRODUCE
COFFEE AND THEY'RE BRINGING
BAGS OF STARBUCKS.
CANADIANS ARE BRINGING BAGS
OF TIM HORTON'S COFFEE. I
SAY LEAVE THE TIM HORTONS
COFFEE. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE
COFFEE IN AFRICA. IT GIVES
YOU A SENSE OF COMFORT. I
WANT MY LITTLE TIN CUP. I
DO SO MUCH PROMOTION, THEY
SHOULD PAY ME, TIM HORTONS,
YOU KNOW. PEOPLE LIKE
COMFORT LIKE THAT. I LIKE
IT. THE OTHER DAY I WAS
COMING OUT OF MY OFFICE AND
ONE OF OUR PRAYER MINISTERS
WAS THERE, OH, PASTOR PETER.
GUY THE TO TALK TO YOU. I
GOT TO TALK TO YOU. I'M
GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM ALL
OVER CAN TODAY PEOPLE LOVE
YOUR TEACHING. I LOVE YOU.
I SAID, BRING IT ON, SISTER,
TELL ME MORE. NOT JUST ONE
CALL, BUT MANY CALLS AND
THEY CALL AND THEY LOVE YOU.
I SAID, BRING IT ON. I FEEL
GOOD. COME ON, DON'T YOU
LIKE THAT? DON'T LOOK AT ME
SO FUNNY NOW. CAN YOU TELL
ME MORE? ARE THEY STILL
COMING IN THE CALMS?
NOTHING WRONG. SO OUR
COMFORT ZONE, I EVEN PUT OUR
COMFORT ZONE IS WHERE WE
THRIVE. YOU HAVE YOUR
BUSINESS AND YOU HAVE YOUR
CLIENTELE, YOU HAVE YOUR
SALES QUOTAS AND YOU KNOW
HOW TO MEET THOSE SALES
QUOTAS AND YOU KNOW THE MAIN
CUSTOMERS AND YOU VISIT THEM
ONCE A MONTH AND YOU CALL
THEM UP. IT'S KIND OF NICE.
EVERYBODY SAY I LOVE MY
COMFORT ZONE.
>>All: I LOVE MY COMFORT
ZONE.
>> PETER: I LOVE IT. AND
YOUR HOME, I LOVE GOING HOME
BECAUSE NOBODY TELLS ME
WHERE TO SIT, AND I'M
COMFORTABLE AND I JUST, YOU
KNOW, TAINA AND I HAVE A
GOOD LIFE. WE JUST-- DON'T
YOU LOVE BEING COMFORTABLE?
SOME OF YOU WANT TO GO TO
SLEEP RIGHT NOW. WE KEEP
TALKING ABOUT THIS AND
YOU'RE ALMOST DOZING OFF
HERE, BUT OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL
TO BE COMFORTABLE, BUT HERE
IS A FACT. OUR COMFORT ZONE
LIMITS US. AS NICE AS IT
IS, IT LIMITS US. YOU KNOW,
SOME PEOPLE, WHEN IT COMES
TO THEIR EDUCATION AND
KNOWLEDGE, THEY REACH THEIR
MAXIMUM COMFORT ZONE AT
ABOUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15
TO 20. EVERYTHING THEY
LEARN, THEY LEARN BY 15 TO
20, AND THEY DON'T GO ON
FROM THERE. THEY KNOW
EXACTLY HOW TO DO THEIR JOB
AND THEY'RE TEACHING AND
TEACHING THE SAME COURSES
AND THEY LISTEN TO THEIR
FAVORITE RADIO STATION AND
THEY LISTEN AND WATCH THEIR
FAVORITE TELEVISION THAT
REENFORCE WHATEVER THEY
BELIEVE. AS BEAUTIFUL AS
THE COMFORT ZONE IS, IT'S A
LITTLE DANGEROUS. YOU SEE,
THE KEY TO INCREASE IS TO
EXPAND YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
MAKE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
BIGGER. LEARN TO SEE BIGGER
THINGS. THINK BIGGER. IF
YOU WANT TO GET A PROMOTION
IN THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR,
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE--
CONTRIBUTE IN A BIGGER WAY.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO
CONTRIBUTE? EXPAND YOUR
COMFORT ZONE AND HERE WE
COME TO THE POINT, FAITH,
FAITH, THE FAITH GOD GIVES
US IS WHAT MAKES US STEP OUT
OF THE COMFORT ZONE UNTIL
THAT ZONE HAS BEEN EXPANDED.
LOOK AT THIS. IT'S ON THE
SCREEN RIGHT THERE. FAITH
STEPS OUT OF THE COMFORT
ZONE. NOW, STEP OUT OF THE
COMFORT ZONE. I CAN STEP
OUT A LITTLE BIT BUT I DON'T
WANT TO LIVE OUTSIDE MY
COMFORT ZONE. BUT KEEP
STEPPING OUT UNTIL YOUR ZONE
HAS EXPANDED. SO IF YOUR
ZONE WAS THIS BIG AND I'M
WALKING IN A CIRCLE RIGHT
NOW, YOU STEP OUT A LITTLE
BIT AND THEY SAID, I'M GOING
TO GO BACK. NO, STEP OUT
AGAIN AND YOU STEP OUT AGAIN
AND SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, OH,
IT'S A BIGGER CIRCLE AND
THEN WHEN YOU GET
COMFORTABLE IN THAT CIRCLE,
I THINK I'M GOING TO STEP
OUT AGAIN. NO, NO, I DON'T
WANT TO DO THAT. I WANT TO
PULL BACK AND HE SAID, LET'S
STEP OUT AGAIN AND AGAIN
UNTIL, HEY, IT'S GETTING
BIGGER. WELL, WE'RE GOING
TO GO BACK TO THAT TEACHING
IN JUST A MOMENT AND I'M
GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
THE MOTIVATING FACTOR THAT
GETS TO US EXPAND OUR
COMFORT ZONE. IT COULD BE
AMBITION. IT COULD BE
DETERMINATION. IT COULD
BEING STRONG WILLED AND
THOSE THINGS MAY HELP YOU A
LITTLE BIT BUT I'M GOING TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT REALLY,
REALLY CAUSES TO US STEP OUT
OF OUR COMFORT ZONE AND AS
YOU MAKE THAT COMFORT ZONE
BIGGER BECAUSE YOU DON'T
WANT TO LIVE OUTSIDE YOUR
COMFORT ZONE, WOULDN'T TO
MAKE IT BIGGER SO THAT
YOU'RE COMFORTABLE IN A MUCH
BIGGER AREA. BEFORE WE GO
TO THAT, I WANT TO REMIND
YOU THAT TODAY, I HAVEN'T
BEEN MENTIONING THIS NOW
FOR-- I DON'T KNOW, FOR
WEEKS, BUT I WANT TO GIVE
YOU THE TO RECEIVE OUR
BOOKLET THAT HAS BLESSED
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
ACROSS CANADA AND ALSO IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD,
THE HIMSELF BOOKLET THAT I
KNOW IS GOING TO ENCOURAGE
YOU. IT'S YOURS JUST FOR
THE ASKING AND THERE'S A
VERY SPECIAL PHONE NUMBER
JUST TO RECEIVE THAT BOOK
WRITTEN OVER A HUNDRED YEARS
AGO AND THERE'S A SPECIAL
NUMBER. IT'S NOT THE
REGULAR GRACE PRAYER CENTER
NUMBER. IT'S A SPECIAL
NUMBER SO NOTE IT RIGHT DOWN
THERE AND CALL IN AND WE
WILL HAVE THIS OUT THE DOOR
WITHIN 4 HOURS AND IT WILL
BE IN THE MAIL BEING SENT TO
YOU, AND SO AVAIL YOURSELF
OF THAT. RIGHT NOW, LET'S
GO BACK TO THE TEACHING.
WHAT MAKES US STEP OUT OF
OUR COMFORT ZONE? WHAT
MAKES US GO FOR IT? WELL,
THE THING IS THIS. IT'S THE
FAITH OF GOD IN US, AND YOU
SEE, ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE
BIBLE-- HOW MANY KNOW THERE
ARE SOME HEROS IN THE BIBLE?
ALL OF THEM HAVE ONE THING
IN COMMON FROM NOAH ON DOWN
TO ABRAHAM AND DAVID AND
SOLOMON AND ELIJAH AND ALL
OF THEM, THEY PUSH TO THEIR
BOUNDARIES. THEY ENLARGED
THEIR TERRITORY, EVERY ONE
OF THEM, TO THE APOSTLES.
SO FAITH MAKES US INCREASE
OUR COMFORT ZONE, GO
FURTHER, ALL RIGHT. I
THOUGHT OF ONE STORY THAT
REALLY BLESSES ME. THESE
ARE FOUR UNNAMED INDIVIDUALS
AND WE CALL THEM THE FOUR
LEPERS. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE
TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE
OF THE FOUR LEPERS?
THESE PEOPLE, OBVIOUSLY
BEING A LEPER MEANT IN THE
THINKING OF THE PEOPLE THAT
YOU WERE CONDEMNED BY GOD
AND REALLY WEREN'T MUCH
USEFUL FOR ANYTHING. PLUS,
YOU HAD THE PHYSICAL
SICKNESS. NOW, THE CONTEXT
IS THAT THERE WAS A FAMINE
IN THE CITY OF SAMARIA AND
IT WAS A BAD THING BECAUSE
SEE, THEY WERE SURROUNDED BY
A SYRIAN ARMY AND PEOPLE HAD
NO FOOD AND THERE WAS NO
FOOD COME INTO THE CITY AND
PEOPLE WERE DESPERATE, EVEN
EATING ONE ANOTHER AND
EVERYTHING WAS SUPER
EXPENSIVE. SOMEBODY
PROFESSION SIGHED SAID AND
IN 24 HOURS, BREAD WILL BE
SO CHEAP AND YOU WILL BUY
BREAD SO CHEAP AND ONE GUY
STOOD AND LISTEN AND SAID,
IF WINDOWS OPEN IN HEAVEN
AND LOAVES OF BREAD CAME
RAINING DOWN, IT COULD NEVER
HAPPEN AND THEY SAID, YOU
WILL SEE IT BUT YOU WON'T
GET TO TASTE IT. THIS IS
THE SITUATION, A DESPERATE
SITUATION AND THEN THE BIBLE
GOES FORWARD AND THE NEXT
VERSE IT SAYS AND THERE WERE
FOUR LEPERS AND THEY SAT BY
THE ENTRANCE TO THE GATE OF
THE CITY, AND THEY SAID,
WE'RE GOING TO DIE, AND THE
OTHER ONE SAID, YEAH, THAT'S
RIGHT, BUBBA. WE'RE GOING
TO BE DEAD, AND THE OTHER
ONE SAID, LET'S DO
SOMETHING. SO THEY SAID IF
WE SIT HERE, WE'LL DIE HERE.
IF WE GO TOWARD THE SYRIAN
CAMP, WE'LL DIE THERE. THEY
SAY, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
LET'S DO SOMETHING AND SO
THEY MADE A MOVE. THEY
STEPPED OUT, BUT YOU KNOW,
IT WASN'T REALLY A GREAT
STEPPING OUT. WHAT WAS
THEIR CHOICE? IT'S LIKE
WHEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE-- I
HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO
ANYBODY IN THIS CHURCH, WHEN
YOUR WIFE SAID, LISTEN,
BABY, YOU HELP NEED PRODUCE
SEVEN KIDS AND YOU HAVEN'T
HAD A JOB FOR SEVEN YEARS
AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE
HOUSE AND GET OFF YOUR BUM
AND OFF THE COUCH AND GET
OUT AND GET A JOB. I DON'T
CARE IF THEY PAY MINIMUM
WAGE AND YOU KICKED THEM OUT
OF THE HOUSE AND HE SAID,
I'M STEPPING OUT. HE HAD
TO, RIGHT? I DIDN'T HAVE AN
OPTION, RIGHT?
[LAUGHTER]
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT
ANYBODY HERE OR ANYBODY AT
ALL, I'M JUST SAYING THAT
WOULDN'T BE A GREAT STEP OF
FAITH BUT IT WOULD BE LIKE I
GOT TO MOVE OR I'M DEAD SO
LET'S NOT GIVE THEM TOO MUCH
CREDIT. THEY'RE MOVING OUT
AND GOD TAKES THAT. HOW
MANY REMEMBER THE STORY?
GOD TAKES THESE LEPERS
WALKING AND AMPLIFIES
SOMEHOW THE SOUND OF THEIR
STEPS SO AMONG THE SYRIANS,
IT SOUNDS LIKE ARMIES ARE
MARCHING AND THEY GET SCARED
AND RUN AND LEAVE ALL THEIR
FOOD AND ALL THEIR
PORTERHOUSE STEAKS AND ALL
THEIR SHRIMP SANDWICHES AND
ALL THEIR SALMON AND
EVERYTHING THEY HAD, THEY
LEAVE IT AND THEY RUN FOR
THEIR LIVES. THE FOUR
LEPERS ARRIVE THEN AT THE
CAM OF THIS ENEMY ARMY. AND
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE
HUNGRY? WHAT DO YOU DO?
YOU EAT. THEY GO INTO THE
FIRST FOOD TENT AND THEY
FIND GOLD AND SILVER AND
MONEY AND THEY PUT MONEY
EVERYWHERE AND THEY ARE
EATING, EATING AND HOW MANY
KNOW EVEN WHEN YOU'RE REALLY
HUNGRY, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH
YOU CAN EAT, IS THAT RIGHT ♪
♪ BIBLE SAYS, LET'S GO AND
CHECK THE NEXT PLACE. THEY
GO TO THE NEXT PLACE, MORE
GOLD, MORE SILVER AND THEY
FIND EVERYTHING AND MORE
FOOD, MORE FOOD, BRING IT
ON, BRING IT ON. SPARE
RIBS, BARBECUE, HONEY DIJON
MUSTARD AND SAUCE UNTIL
THEY'RE LIKE, I CAN'T MOVE.
[LAUGHTER]
AND THEN ONE OF THEM SAYS,
THIS IS NOT RIGHT. WE HAVE
A WHOLE CITY THAT'S
STARVING. WE HAVE ALL THE
GOLD AND SILVER AND FOOD.
IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE'VE GOT
TO STEP OUT AGAIN. THIS IS
THE STEPOUT I LIKE. WHEN
THEY COULD HAVE HORDED
EVERYTHING AND KEPT IT FOR
THEMSELVES, THEY SAID, WE'RE
GOING TO STEP OUT AGAIN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AGAIN AND
TELL EVERYBODY, COME ON THIS
IS A SMORGASBORD. THIS IS A
FREE FOR ALL. COME AND TAKE
ALL YOU WANT AND THAT FAMINE
ENDED AND IT HAPPENED THE
WAY THE PROPHET SAID. I'M
TALKING ABOUT OUR CITY. WE
LIVE IN AN AFFLUENT CITY BUT
THERE'S A SPIRITUAL FAMINE
IN OUR CITY. MOST PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW GOD LOVES THEM.
MOST PEOPLE HAVE A STEREO
TYPICAL VIEW OF GOD.
THIS HE DON'T KNOW HOW
LOVING OR GREAT GOD IS.
THEY DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD
LIFE COULD BE. THEY DON'T
KNOW WHO JESUS REALLY IS AND
WE CAN SIT HERE AND SAY, OH,
IT'S SO WONDERFUL. GOD IS
BLESSING US AND I ENJOY MY
CHURCH AND OH, PRAISE THE
LORD. I JUST ENJOY MY
CHURCH AND OH, I WANT TO
WORSHIP AND LET'S GO TO A
CONCERT AND LET'S HAVE
ANOTHER SEMINAR AND LET'S
HAVE MORE FELLOWSHIP AND
MEANWHILE, WE'RE JUST
HOGGING EVERYTHING FOR
OURSELVES, AND THAT IS WHY
I'M SAYING, GOD IS TALKING
TO OUR CHURCH, AND HE'S
SAYING IT'S TIME TO STEP
OUT. IT'S TIME TO GO
FORWARD. WE HAVE SO MANY
GOOD THINGS. YOU SEE, WE
ARE PEOPLE OF INCREASE!
[ APPLAUSE ]
THIS STORY IS THAT GOD WORKS
WITH ORDINARY PEOPLE. THESE
ARE NAMELESS INDIVIDUALS BUT
SOMETHING GREAT HAPPENED
WHEN THEY STEPPED OUT IN
FAITH. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE, THERE
ARE PEOPLE OF INCREASE AND
PEOPLE WHO SAY, OH, THIS IS
GOOD ENOUGH. GOOD ENOUGH,
AND I PUT IT LIKE THIS,
PEOPLE OF INCREASE, YOU KNOW
WHAT SIGNIFIES THEM? WE
KEEP LEARNING. EVERYBODY
SAY, KEEP LEARNING. BUT THE
PEOPLE WHO SAY IT'S GOOD
ENOUGH. I DON'T NEED
ANYTHING. PEOPLE OF
INCREASE MOVE FORWARD IN
SPITE OF THEIR FEARS. I
USED TO THINK SOME PEOPLE
HAVE NO FEARS. NO, WE ALL
GOT FEARS, BUT WHAT THE LOVE
OF GOD DOES, IT'S STRONGER
THAN THE FEAR. SO WE MOVE
FORWARD IN SPITE OF OUR FEAR
BUT PEOPLE WHO BARELY GET
BY, THEY SAY, OH, WASN'T TO
STAY WHERE I AM. PEOPLE OF
INCREASE, THEY SEE
OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE SAY,
IT'S GOOD ENOUGH. THEY SEE
OBSTACLES. IT'S TOO HARD.
IT'S TOO IMPOSSIBLE. PEOPLE
OF INCREASE, WE ARE IN LIFE
TO WIN. COME ON, EVERYBODY
SAY I'M HERE TO WIN. THEY
JUST PLAY SO THEY DON'T
LOSE. WE'RE PEOPLE WHO STEP
OUT. WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE
SAY IN THEIR COMFORT ZONE?
ONE REASON IS RATIONALIZE
IT. THEY SAY, WELL, I DON'T
FEEL IT'S THE RIGHT TIME OR
EVEN WORSE IF YOU ARE REALLY
SPIRITUAL. I NEED TO PRAY
ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHAT YOU
SAID FIVE YEARS AGO. YEAH,
BUT I FORGOT. I NEED TO
PRAY. COME ON. RATIONALIZE
IT. PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S
NOT SO IMPORTANT. SOME
PEOPLE SAY TO ME, YOU KNOW,
MONEY IS NOT VERY IMPORTANT.
REALLY? GIVE ME ALL OF
YOURS THEN.
[LAUGHTER]
MONEY-- THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO
SAY MONEY IS NO BIG DEAL ARE
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ANY
MONEY. DON'T LOOK AT
ANYBODY. AS LONG AS THERE
ARE PEOPLE HURTING, AS LONG
AS THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO NEED
TO BE REACHED AND PEOPLE
NEED TO BE LIFTED, HOW CAN
ANY PERSON SAY MONEY IS NOT
IMPORTANT AND MONEY CAN HELP
PEOPLE. I UNDERSTAND FOR
OURSELVES BUT MONEY CAN
LIFT-- PRAISE GOD, IF YOU
DON'T WANT IT, GIVE ME
YOURS.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU SEE, IF WE HAVE THAT
ATTITUDE, YOU NEVER ATTRACT
WHAT YOU CONSIDER
UNIMPORTANT. IF YOU
CONSIDER MONEY UNIMPORTANT,
YOU DON'T ATTRACT MONEY.
IT'S THE SAME-- SOME PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, I WANT TO, YOU
KNOW, I WANT TO GET MARRIED
SOME DAY. REALLY? WELL,
THEY SAY, WELL, GETTING A
WIFE IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
WELL, THAT'S WHY YOU NEVER
GOT ONE.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT-- YOU
KNOW, WELL, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T REALLY CARE. NOBODY
IN THE CHURCH. I DON'T CARE
ANYHOW. DON'T WORRY.
SHE'S NOT COMING.
HE'S NOT COMING. SEE, THE
PEOPLE OF NAZARETH
CONSIDERED JESUS
UNIMPORTANT. BIG DEAL,
JESUS, AND HE COULDN'T DO
ANY GREAT WORKS THERE. SO I
LIKE TO APPRECIATE THINGS.
WHAT'S ANOTHER REASON?
BLAMING, I'M A VICTIM. WE
BLAME THE GOVERNMENT. WE
BLAME THE ECONOMY. WE BLAME
OUR PARENTS AND THAT'S A
FAVORITE ONE. DON'T WE'RE,
ONE DAY, YOU'LL BE A PARENT.
WE BLAME OUR COWORKERS, THE
UPLINE AND THE DOWNLINE.
YOU KNOW, BLAMING BLINDS US
TO OPPORTUNITIES. REMEMBER
THE MAN AT THE POOL OF
BETHESDA WHO WAS LAME FOR 38
YEARS, JESUS IS STANDING IN
FRONT OF HIM, THE GREAT
HEALER AND JESUS SAYS, DO
YOU WANT TO BE HEALED? HE
SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY
TO HELP ME. BLAMING ALL THE
WORLD WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY
IS STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM.
COMPLAINING IS ANOTHER
REASON. YOU KNOW, WHATEVER
WE FOCUS ON EXPANDS AND
COMPLAINING IS A WAY OF
FOCUSING. YOU'RE FOCUSING
ON IT. YOU FOCUS ON ALL
YOUR SINS AND TROUBLES. YOU
WILL HAVE MORE OF IT. IF
YOU FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST
AND WHAT HE HAS DONE, YOU
WILL FIND THOSE NEGATIVE
THINGS BEGIN TO DISSIPATE.
YOU SEE, BIRDS OF A FEATHER
FLOCK TOGETHER. LIKE
ATTRACTS LIKE. COMPLAINERS
HANG OUT WITH OTHER
COMPLAINERS. OH, LIFE IS SO
BAD. THE QUESTION IS
ALWAYS, ARE WE COMPLAINING
BECAUSE LIFE IS BAD, OR IS
LIFE BAD BECAUSE WE'RE
COMPLAINING? OH, THAT WENT
OVER. SOMEBODY MISSED THAT.
I SAID, ARE WE COMPLAINING
BECAUSE LIFE IS BAD OR IS
LIFE BAD BECAUSE WE'RE
COMPLAINING. LET'S NOT TAKE
THOSE PILLS. THE PILL OF
RATIONALIZING, THE PILL OF
BLAMING. THESE ARE LIKE
TEMPORARY PAIN RELIEVERS.
THE PILL OF COMPLAINING. IT
KILLED THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL.
NO, WE ARE A PEOPLE OF
INCREASE. OH, THANK GOD.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WHAT MAKES US? DON'T MISS
OUR TELECAST TOMORROW. WE
WILL TALK MORE ABOUT
INCREASE. I WANT TO GET
INTO THE CYCLE OF IT. THERE
IS A CYCLE, A RHYTHM OF IT,
AND YOU'LL NOT WANT TO MISS
THAT. IN THE MEANWHILE,
WASN'T TO TELL YOU THAT GOD
IS FOR YOU. GOD IS ON YOUR
SIDE. GOD HAS NEVER TURNED
HIS BACK ON YOU. GOD HAS
ALWAYS LOVED YOU. HE WILL
NEVER STOP LOVING YOU. GO
TO THE PHONE, CALL THE GRACE
PRAYER CENTER RIGHT NOW.
THERE WILL BE A PRAYER
MINISTER WHO WANTS TO PRAY
FOR YOU TO BELIEVE GOD WITH
YOU AND THEN REMEMBER WHAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER THIS
BOOKLET, YOURS FOR THE
ASKING AND THERE'S A
SPECIAL, SPECIAL PHONE
NUMBER. NOT THE NORMAL
GRACE PRAYER PHONE NUMBER.
IF YOU SEE THAT SPECIAL,
UNIQUE PHONE NUMBER THAT IS
NOW ON THE SCREEN THAT IS
FOR THIS FREE GIFT. I WANT
YOU TO HAVE THAT. I THINK
IT WILL REALLY, REALLY BLESS
AND YOU IT'S NOT JUST THAT I
WANT YOU TO HAVE IT. I
THINK ONCE YOU GET IT,
YOU'LL WANT IT. PEOPLE TELL
ME ALL THE TIME THIS BOOK
CHANGED MY LIFE, THEY REFER
TO IT ALL THE TIME. SOME
PEOPLE SAY I READ IT TWO,
THREE, FOUR TIMES AND EVERY
TIME, IT SPEAKS TO ME. GET
A HOLD OF THAT AND NOW I'M
GO IN THE CLOSING MOMENT
HERE. REMEMBER, GOD WANTS
TO GIVE YOU INCREASE. GOD
HAS BETTER THINGS FOR YOU,
AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS LIFE
GROWS AND EXPANDS. I'M
READY TO BELIEVE GOD WITH
YOU FOR YOUR FAMILY AND
WHATEVER YOU NEED IN YOUR
LIFE. LET US KNOW HOW WE
CAN PRAY FOR YOU. REMEMBER,
YOU ARE LOVED.
>>Announcer: THANK YOU.
YOUR PARTNERSHIP MAKES THIS
MINISTRY POSSIBLE. TO SHARE
YOUR PRAYER REQUEST OR TO
HELP BRING THE GOOD NEWS OF
JESUS CHRIST TO THOUSANDS
WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD, CALL
YOU CAN GIVE AT
WWW.PETERYOUNGREN.ORG. OR
SEND YOUR GIFT TO--
TOGETHER, LET'S GIVE EVERYONE
A CHANCE TO KNOW GOD'S LOVE
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