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- [00:06]
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Welcome to the Crazy Love Podcast. Have you ever found yourself starting to pray smaller prayers where your faith starts to become more reasonable? What if that's not a sign of maturity, but the beginning of unbelief? In this episode of Staff Talks, Francis challenges us to ask, have we slowly stopped believing in the God who does the impossible? This message isn't just about feeling inspired. It's about refusing to settle for a faith that no longer expects God to move.
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Do you guys remember a guy in the Bible named Palti, son of Raphu? Raphu from the tribe of Benjamin? No. He's one of the 12 spies. That's why you don't remember him. He got killed by a plague. I was just. That was today's reading and I thought, oh, never really looked at these guys names. No one knows them because they were all doubters and they were killed by the plague. We only remember Joshua and Caleb and probably rightly so. And I'm looking at numbers. I think it's really cool that this year, at least in epa, we're reading numbers and acts at the same time. I think there's something very significant about that, about this system and this new system and seeing the similarities of God and his. What he cares about, what he hates, what he loves. We talked about that earlier with Moses and the humility. But you know, numbers 11, we talked about a little bit, how it's like, man, God really hated the complaining and, and you see that in Those, those chapters 11 through 13 a lot where it's like they're complaining about the food, you know, Then you know, Miriam and Aaron are like, you know, what's up with Moses marrying that Ethiopian woman? And just things, you know. And then the spies like coming back and going, yeah, the fruit was great, but these guys are big, there's no way we can do it. I talked about this at Easter, how we've made certain sins okay by labeling them something else. So someone who's just always negative, always complaining, that's not a sin anymore. Someone who just feels like, well, I'm not really useful to the body, it's okay to feel that way. It's like, gosh, I don't know that it is like what point, you know, or to say, you know, roll your eyes at someone's idea because it's like, that's just too big. Oh yeah, we're going to go in there and kill these giants. And for someone to logically come back with a logical explanation of why we can't pull something off makes all the sense in the world to us, that's just good stewardship. That's just. No, that. That makes sense. And it doesn't make sense in God's eyes. It's the whole, is my hand too short? Am I. You're telling me I can't do this. And I think, God, why are you so angry at these people? Like Palti, son of Rafu, you know, and to the. Where I'm going to put a plague on you and kill you right in front of everyone. Going to put some disgusting disease on you. Same way when, you know, the people are complaining, oh, we had meat in Egypt. That's just normal. And it's like, no, it's not okay. And now I'm going to put a plague on all of you. First, I'm going to throw all the quail in your face to where it's coming out your nose, and then I'm going to destroy you with a plague. And like, one of you mentioned about Miriam and being struck with leprosy and God's love for Moses, and it's like, no, you don't do that to someone I love. Like, that this is. It should awaken us, open our eyes that it's not okay. You know, just like the Ananias and Sapphira to exaggerate and to. It's not okay. And we can't allow these things to be okay in the church. But I was looking at why the complaining and everything else is because, like, God wants his children to be so joyful. Like, we are the most blessed people on the earth. And so when we're complainers, we're not acting like children of God because Jesus is saying is, blessed are the poor in spirit. These are happy and people who should be envied. It's like, there should be this joy. There should be this. Like. And so when it's like, ah, this is wrong, this is wrong, this is bothering me. Like, we've kind of made that okay, and it's not okay. And you look at, you know, there's just the angry preachers or whatever. It's just the lack of joy. And, well, that's their gift. They're just more the critical ones. And it's like, I don't know. I don't know if God's okay with that. Like, I don't if one of my kids is just always unhappy and complaining about something. Like, it's like, gosh, that reflects on me. Like, it reflects on me as a dad. Like, I love that I have happy kids. I love that because it's like, yeah, we like being Francis kids. Like, good. I think I'd like being my kid. You know, like, that's. That's, you know, it's about blessing. And God's not all. Sometimes we just make it about other things. And it's like a simple or people of faith and the joy of the Lord is our strength, and we're okay with anything. And one thing I took away was one of the guys at the end. He was just like, man, you know what I got from your talk and everything? Just your presence with us this last day. Because I wasn't even there 24 hours. It's like 12 hours or so, he said, because when you were praying for us and you were praying, I was praying that Aaronic blessing over them, he goes, I looked up at you and you start praying, and then this smile came on your face, like this giant smile on your face. And he goes, that just ministered to me so much because it's like, wow, this guy really loves being in God's presence. And I was like, well, I was thinking about it. I'm thinking, wow, here's the only one that really matters. And I'm about to pray, the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face shine on. Like, I'm thinking about these words and thinking about the grace of God and how he. This is who he is. He loves to just shine on us, lift up his countenance on us, give us peace, be gracious to us. And how can you say that like you're bummed out? Like, this is such a heavy, wonderful thing. And so when all we can focus is on, yeah, but I used to have meat, and I don't get it anymore. Well, did you not notice that bread or some form of food is on the ground? That just got old to you, that miraculously food shows up on the ground. Like, that's crazy. But we can do that. And God's not okay with that. And somehow. I'm just saying. I'm not saying, like, hey, everyone who's depressed, go yell at them or whatever. It's just. Or that it's never okay to cry out like some of the psalmists do. But there's got to be a point where some of this complaining and just negative attitude is called out for what it is, that it's not okay. And that's what you see. Numbers 11 to 13 and some of this just bashing of leadership. We need to be very careful how we speak about ministers now. There are certainly times to confront and everything else, you know, when it's clear biblical, but wow, you know, numbers, that's. That's something we got to think about. So I just don't want to make things acceptable. And. And that's where I just. I'm praying through these passages this week and go, God, if I strayed from any of this, I don't want to stray from any of this. I don't want to be like Palti or any of the other 10 spies whose logic told them this can't happen and actually influences God's people from the fate they ought to have. And I have so many thoughts, I want to try to streamline it. So I've been fooled, I've been fooled, I'll continue to be fooled. But I don't want that to affect what I know from the word of God. I have to keep having faith that God can do, like, ridiculous things. And once I lose that faith, as I'm reading today, I'm just going, God, no, literally, I would rather die. I would rather die than lose that faith. And then I remember something I believe I wrote A Crazy Love because I just remember writing it way back in the day, that I really do want to die before my convictions do. And I prayed for that. And I want that because I don't want to be like one of the 10 spies that eventually you just get cynical or just in the flesh and you're just living because what else are you living for if it's not for believing in a God whose hand is not too sure to do anything? So sure I'll be fooled and I'll look for things that are outrageous. And I don't want to apologize for that. In fact, I would rather die than lose that because then I'm like one of these spies. This is the most logical thing and let me talk everyone into it. So I'm just searching my heart and going, lord, have I gone in some of these directions a little bit and lost my faith? I mean, Breakey and I talk about this how, gosh, the things we thought were going to happen in the 10 loin didn't happen that way. The things we thought in Bayview didn't happen that way. And so you can just slowly, like, ah, maybe we learned from that, that. No, okay, that just didn't happen the way we thought it would. But don't lose your faith because there were supernatural things that happened along the way. And besides, that's biblical. And so believe in the supernatural and learn what you need to learn. But don't. Don't let the enemy Take some of this sin and hypocrisy and use it for his good by making you disbelieve in some of these principles that are biblical principles. And so as I was seeking the Lord and do I still believe? Do I still have this faith? And I do. And what are the things I'm believing for? I do still believe in a united church, that we can still be at one communion table. I believe in it. And that this is not a giant that is too big for the Lord. I can look at these arguments of why it can't ever happened. It happened because you've got the Eastern Orthodox who won't let anyone in. You have the Roman Catholics that won't let you in unless you agree completely. They don't toy let each other in, you know, and then you've got, you got all these things that are like, well, this can't happen because these guys believe this, these guys believe this. And, and I'm okay with there's certain things, but like to not be at one table, it's just a conviction. And I believe it's the heart of God, that he wants all his children, those who are truly his children, to feast at that table and somehow all commune with the body and blood of his son. So I still believe that. I have no clue how it's going to happen, but I go, I believe it. Of course he can do that. And I'll be one of the ones that still believe even while everyone else says it's impossible. I do still believe that. I believe in a church where we love one another like I'm reading in the Book of Acts and where people give the shirt off their back for each other, that it's really that deep a love. And I do still believe in a church where every member is given this supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit for the common good. And when everyone is using that gift, it builds the body up in love. I still believe that. I don't think we're there by any stretch of the imagination. I don't think our love is that deep. And I don't see all the members using their gifting. And I think we're still sometimes mistaking talent for spiritual gifts, but I'm still believing in that and want to strive for that. I do believe it. When I read the Book of Acts, I still go, that could happen today in the Silicon Valley. I do. There's giants, there's obstacles, but I'm. I still believe it. I do. And that's feels good to know. I still believe it. And I believe God can end the spectating in church, which is what the normal expected. Just to go and hear a sermon and. And you're supposed to lead me in worship of singing. That's good. I believe that can end and that God can fill gatherings with participants that participate and excited about participating in communion, excited about God's going to empower me to build the body up in some way. I'm still believing for that. And the last one is, I still believe in a future church where we're no longer attracted in any way by celebrity or talent, but sacred mystery. I believe that's going to happen. I believe in the unity that's going to happen. I believe in a love one another and a gifting that's going to happen. And I believe just the dying of this. Oh, he's so gifted. I'm going to go listen to him. Or their music is so good. I'm going to go over there. I believe that can die and that God can have us experience things that are so mysterious because we're coming with that expectation that we actually experience it. I think when we taste and touch the supernatural and nothing else will satisfy, it can't. I'm not happy with an awesome sermon. You guys understand what I mean by that? You know, it's like, I just don't. I don't want anything else. I'm not satisfied with anything else. I want the sacred. And I was sharing stuff with those church planters in Kona this week too. And one of the statements, because I was talking about the sacredness of Acts 2:42 of the word of God and the apostles teaching, like, you don't, you don't want people leaving going. He was awesome. That message was awesome. You want them leaving, going, wow, God's promise is awesome. I talked about the sacredness of fellowship and stuff. I talked about everyone's got a gift and they gotta love one another and they're devoted themselves to this fellowship, which we're the temple now. And so it's got to be sacred. And then I talked about the sacredness of communion, which you guys have heard me talk about so many times. But then the sacredness of prayers, those are the things they devoted themselves to. And I said, how often do you hear a pastor pray to where you believe he's actually talking to someone while he's on that stage? Stage. And how many times are you really talking to someone when you pray and explain? Like that's, that's the model you're. You're showing your people. They start Praying like that, you know, giving a speech that they want someone else to hear or, you know, you didn't get all your points across in your sermon, so you pray it or, you know, you just. You're not really talking to anyone and certainly not God Almighty. And then unbeknowingly now suddenly all your people pray in this way where they're not really talking to someone or thinking about who they're speaking to and that sacredness to it. And so I feel like I'm getting a lot better at truly talking to God when I'm in front of a group. Even like that, nothing's going to get in the way of me staring at Him. And that was one of the things that when I was in a gfa, I was talking about the Jesus prayer. You know, how Danny's dad really taught me that. And sometimes when he prays, he just prays the Jesus prayer. And how that was such a wonderful orthodox thing to do where you just say, lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me. And it was such a repetitive, but it's such a deep and meaningful and kind of like that. The Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face shine. Like, what more could you ask for? That kind of encapsulates everything. And so just to pray the same thing but mean it more rather than trying to come with some creative to pray each time. If you prayed that over me every week, that's all I need, you know, I just need his mercy. I just need him to shine his face upon me and lift up his countenance towards me. His grace, his peace. What else? I guess I just find myself hungering for the sacred mystery and still believing in it. And I'm so grateful, in fact, it's not just believing in it, but it's like I'm not happy with anything else. I don't want to grow content with. Ah, that's good enough. Praise God for the good things he's done in the church. But there's more and I don't want to come across like, oh, this sucks. No, I'm not saying that. And sorry if I ever sound that way. I just. No, there's more and I believe in it. And I think that's the land that's flowing with milk and honey. But there's more. Where? On our way there. But some of the changes I want to see happen is not out of a ungrateful and I don't want to come across that way. It's more just. I know there's more and I really believe I tasted of it and I want to keep chasing that. And I literally. It's so cool that I believe that long ago in writing Crazy Love, that I still want to die before my convictions do. And so what else? What else we can go after? So that's what I wanted to share today. Thank you. I think maybe what I would love is if we took. If I could ask you to pray over us as well, you know, this vision and these convictions with prayer. Yeah. God, I believe on this earth there was a time when you took the spirit that you put in Moses and you put it on the 70. I believe I'm speaking to the 70. Same God who did that. You're not less powerful, less desiring to show your power through your believers. Your desire is no less to bless your people and set them apart. God, whatever faith you've given me, whatever confidence, whatever blessing or grace, God, would you put it on my brothers and sisters? This is from you. Just as that fire rested on each of the apostles, just put a fire on us. Destroy the lies, logic and intelligence. Artificial intelligence, God, that we would never be satisfied with that. We don't want anything artificial in the church, God, you don't want the artificial. We want to truly commune with you. We don't want to artificially draw people to gatherings. We want you to draw them with mysterious power. The sacred word, sacred fellowship, communion and prayers. Purify your church, Lord. Please reveal to us how we take our place in the body to be used by you to build the church that you want to build. Come, holy spirit, The Lord is saying, let's be careful. Even as we heard an update on the numbers of people that tune in or whatever else that we can't put any like sense of. Okay, we're accomplishing what we set out to do because we took a census. Everything is about just being obedient. Everything is about the same sacred and the mysterious supernatural. God, God, may we just not become satisfied with something we create. The Lord bless you, keep you, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you, give you peace. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
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Thank you for listening to the Crazy Love podcast. Join us next week for a new episode. But until then, for more resources from Crazy Love Ministries or to support the work of Crazy Love, please visit our website@crazylove.org.