Shane Idleman emphasizes the importance of taking action in the face of challenges, drawing lessons from Joseph's story in Genesis. He highlights how God uses difficult times to prepare us for our calling and encourages believers to focus on their current responsibilities rather than future uncertainties. Idleman stresses the need for intercession and the urgency of prayer, urging the congregation to engage actively in their faith and to be a voice against complacency in society. He calls for a revival of prayer and action, reminding listeners that God seeks those who will stand in the gap for their families and communities.

The title is, Why Didn't Someone Do Something? Genesis 41, and what I mean by topical versus expository is initially I went through Genesis verse by verse, and then I told you I'd be switching to more topical. Spurgeon did that a lot. He'd have one verse and he'd just camp out for an hour. And topical is very effective as long as you balance all of Scripture and don't just pick and choose these topics that people want to hear. And this, I did this. I want to go through Genesis and these chapters, but there's just some themes that stand out and they grip my heart. And usually if they grip my heart, they're gonna grip yours. That's how this works here, folks. The famine. And so many of you have been following along. Some of you are new, but we talked about Joseph being sold into slavery. His brothers betrayed him. He went into prison. And it's hard to be in prison when you're called to be in a palace. And we talked about the waiting time, how that's not wasted time, and God prepares us for different seasons. And you don't see a ton of apples growing on a new apple tree. It would collapse under the pressure. And God uses the pressure cooker often to get us ready for what He's calling us to do. And don't always focus on what am I called to do years from now? Stay focused on today. Be the father you need to be today. Be the mother. Be the young adult and follow God today and let His will unfold in your life. And last week, I encourage you really to listen to that, that Joseph then was known for dream interpretations. And you want to be careful in that. I did a whole message on that you can find on YouTube because I've seen some people go down some pretty dangerous roads on the dreams and following the dreams. And we have the Word of God to follow. That's all we need. You're not going to have a dream to go meet a different spouse. Okay, you're probably watching Desperate Housewives the night before and something happened. But sometimes we need a little help and God will begin to reveal. That's the whole point. I don't know why people are so against the gifts of the Spirit. He's a helper. Lord, I'm in Your Word. I'm buried in Your Word, but I need a little help discerning this. And that's the point of dreams sometimes. I mean, He gave Mary a dream, I believe. Joseph, the wise men, Pharaoh, Abimelech with Abram and was going to sleep with his wife. So God will use these things sometimes to wake us up in addition to His Word, but the Word is foremost and foundational and the plumb line. You have to have a plumb line. Those of you in construction, you know what a plumb line is. It's like a level. You gotta make sure it's level with the Word of God. And so He was able to interpret dreams because He gave all the glory to God. But Pharaoh heard about Joseph and he had Joseph interpret his dream and he was right on the money. Hey, we're gonna have seven years of famine, seven years of abundance and seven years of famine. And I really wanted to talk more about storing up and how I believe that's biblical as long as the heart's right. You know, if like, ah, I'm gonna build these great storehouses and look it, I can just rest. And God says, you fool. Today, your soul's required of you. But if we don't store up, the Bible often puts that in the box of laziness. Go to the ant, you sluggard, and look how it stores. And so if the heart's right, I think it's wisdom-wise, I wanna use that story because usually when I'm not storing, or most of us, and again, this is hard because some of these messages, you know, people listen in third world countries. And so, you know, they're just running water as a gift. And so as we store though, for those who can or call to do that, it can become idolatry as well. And we focus too much on that and that's why we get worried when the economy's falling apart, the housing market, 401k stocks, and I'm with you, but if that's what our trust is in, then our emotions are gonna be up and down. It's gonna be interesting on Monday, I don't know if you follow the bank that went under in Silicon Valley, Silicon Valley Bank, it was mainly for startup companies, 50% or so of their clients were startup Silicon Bank companies and the FDA only, not FDA, FIC, way out, you know, insurers only up to 250,000. Well, a lot of these people have millions of dollars in payroll and wow, it's gonna be, there's a lot of anxiety right now in that area and God will use these things sometimes to wake us up. Did I say FDA? Yeah, I think I've got, I just was studying for the health seminar that we've got coming up on, on, yeah, on canola oils and all the oils. That's gonna be May 13th on the health seminar, I'm gonna teach you what the Bible says about health and taking care of our bodies. I think it's very, the older I get, the more I realize this is a gift and I need to get up of that altar now as I get older. I need to get up and play with my daughter, some of you, your granddaughter and this is the only gift, this is the only thing in which the Holy Spirit resides. I remember there's a church in the valley that I went to, I think it was right when we started this church, they were looking for a pastor and I approached them, said, hey, we need a building, you need a pastor, and they're like, oh, you don't have a seminary degree, you can't work here. What does God say? And now our attendance is probably where they're at. See, not gloating, I'm just saying if God is in it, what can man do? Because I was discouraged for a week, I'm like, well, wow, yeah, maybe I need to go to seminary. And, but then you're taught in what that seminary believes too and not hearing different views on things. So I'm all for education, just make sure you have a balanced view of Scripture. So Joseph was now second in command, the people are coming to him saying, we're now in a famine state, that the storage state is over, the famine state is now here. So he begins to open up the storehouses in all the countries. And this is interesting, the famine was over all the face of the earth. Now, when I get into Revelation series on the end times, I'm gonna talk about, sometimes all doesn't mean all, in the Bible, did you know that? Back when they took a census in Jerusalem, they went out to all the earth. Some translations will say, well, it was just localized. And sometimes all means all. And sometimes it just, it means a certain area. It doesn't necessarily mean the famine was over Australia and America and South America and different things, but that's just a nugget on what we'll be discussing when I get into that series. But I wanted to point out here, God often uses challenges to motivate us, I would even add in there, to move us. Did anybody ever move because of challenges? Not locality, some people do, but I mean, God will get us in a bind, maybe financially, so we wake up to our spending. Maybe in our marriage, so we become a better spouse. Maybe something outside of everything from, I don't wanna go down the list, but you heard Mill give his testimony. I think he's here this morning. Good to see you, Mill. Wednesday night testimony, listen to it, listen to it, listen to it. It was incredible. I was just so blessed, he could've kept going. But it took something to wake him up. And I love how he said he just stopped coming to church because he didn't like what I had to say anymore. Like, that's honest, I like that. Sometimes I don't like what I have to say, but I have to be here. But see, oh, wakes me up. But that's the love of God, too. What a, those he loves, he disciplines, he chastens. It's almost chasing after, but spanks you a little bit. Say, oh, oh, okay, are you trying to get my attention? And so we see that. He will often use challenges to motivate us, to move us. Now, that would be a whole nother teaching because some challenges are self-created. Like, God, what are you doing to me? I'm not doing anything, you need to stop that sin. You need to get your life right. You're creating these problems, not me. But then sometimes, as we're seeking God and pursuing him, these challenges that come, these things that obstacles, anybody, pressure at work. Oh, I remember, and I think I've shared this before, but there's so many new people coming in now, it's okay to repeat my stories. When I was leaving 24-Hour Fitness, and God drew the prodigal son back home, it was unbelievable to just wake up and say, I've been following the wrong gods, and now I'm in this profession, right? I'm probably 30 years old, six figures, have a custom home in Quartz Hill, and I don't want to leave that. Like, oh, God, I'll just stay here. I'll just stay here and honor you. I'll make a difference right here. And he might have some people there, but I knew, you know when you know? You're like, mm, I can't, ah, I can't do this. Where am I gonna live with my mom? Give me a break. Well, guess what happened? Yep, lived with my mom. But there's a funny story to that. He, I was, the reason I got promoted so quick in the 1990s is I was a top salesperson in the regional, from San Diego to Northern California. I was working seven days a week, just on it, on it, same store growth, sales, retail, supplements, training seminars with Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Tony Robbins, and I was just like one of the top guys, and so the promotion was quick. And with that comes a lot of pride, of course, and arrogance, and tough guy syndrome. You know, you think you've got this mastered, and God was calling me to leave, and I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, I can't, right? I can't. And then all of our numbers start to plummet, and the regional president called me down to the office, said, I'm gonna have to demote you. What? I built, I have to keep beating myself every year. It's called same store growth, 6% is a minimum in corporations. You have to keep, you know, the store has to grow. Same store growth is up 6%, 8%. And I was going backward. What they would do is raise my goal. And so I had to keep striving harder, and harder, and harder, and pushing. That's why they called me the steamroller back then. And it's not good to be a steamroller, unless you're a steamroller for God. So after that demotion, and I worked, I said, no, I'm not leaving. I worked myself back up, got my position again, but I said, forget this. Just too much pressure. My vice president over me was a complete lunatic. I mean, it was bad, bad, bad, bad. I can't work in this. Yeah, you finally got it now, hotshot? Okay, but I'm not moving with my mom. There's just no way. So I get an apartment on Avenue J, over by the hospital or so. I'm not, and then within six months, I'm out of money. I said, if you would just listen to me, a long time ago. But see, he uses those things. I would have stayed there forever if I had money in the bank. I'm not living with my mom. You're kidding me. That's the most humbling thing you've ever had to do. Uncles would come over, and aunts would come over. Why are you back at your mom's? Do I have to explain this again? But see, God will use these humbling moments, these difficult moments to motivate us and maybe to move us or to have us stay put and to seek Him. And Lord, I don't want to move until you tell me to move. And then Genesis 42. The next chapter, when Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt. Now, here we go. Joseph was sold into slavery, the son of Jacob, years ago. I mean, I didn't look up the exact amount of years, but it was a long time. Well over 12, 13, 14 years, probably. Matias, you might know. You can shout out. So he thought his son was dead. And now he's coming. And remember, Joseph had dreams earlier on, we talked about this, that even the moon and the stars will bow down to him, that these things of wheat would bow down to Joseph that would represent his family. And they hated him because of it. And so see, now the fulfillment of all of these things, years later. So don't get discouraged if that dream is fading. It could be that God is taking His time, which is always the right time. And so when the dad, didn't even know Joseph was over the land there, he saw that there was grain in Egypt. Jacob said to his sons, I love this part. This is what really stood out. Why do you look at one another? Why didn't you do something? Or why don't you do something? And he said, indeed, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down to that place and buy us some grain that we may live and not die. Pretty powerful statement he made. It sounds like they're starving, if I'm reading it correctly. There's no sustenance, there's no food, there's nothing. So the seriousness of the situation should also motivate us. The seriousness of the situation should also motivate us. Jacob rightly challenged their complacency. Jacob rightly challenged their complacency. Get up and do something. Do something about this situation. That's why I titled the message, Why Didn't Someone Do Something? Why don't we do something? See, the magnitude of the problem was severe. We're gonna die in this place. So let me read what I wrote down earlier. I'm not sure if I want to share it. If you are comfortable and complicit with where our nation is at today, if you are part of the problem rather than the solution, if you are quiet and unconcerned, if you are a silent shepherd, God help you. Many of us are sick and tired of drag queen story hour. We're sick and tired of Satan clubs and LGBTQ porn in the schools. If you've been following this week, what's in Florida, what they found in the school is appalling. A political party that says men can have babies and who protect pedophiles while killing the unborn. There is no fear of God in this place. And I've shared this with some of you before, but some time ago, I think it was Mike Huckabee, I sat speechless as I listened to him recount his trip to the Holocaust Museum with his young daughter. They walked by photos of the death camps and gas chambers. His daughter silently contemplated the horrors that were unfolding before her eyes. When the tour ended, they drove home without saying a word. And the father wondered, did she truly understand the significance of this event? Was she too young to view such depravity? Did I make a mistake taking my 12-year-old to this? And his questions were answered nearly two hours later when his daughter finally looked at him and asked, Daddy, why didn't someone do something? Why didn't someone do something? Will we have to answer that same question in our generation? And I thought about this. I don't know if I want to share it, but I think it's appropriate. I was actually born here in Los Angeles County where all five of my children were also born and where my parents are buried just over that hill. My dad came here in the 1950s from the farms of Oklahoma and my mom from Southern California. Back when men were tough as nails and hard work was an asset, not a liability. Masculinity wasn't toxic, it was symbolic of God's design. I was taught how to hunt, how to fish, how to operate heavy equipment, everything from dozers, excavators, loaders, caterpillar, John Deere. My grandpa built the local Little League field and my mom prayed down heaven just over that hill. I met and married my wife, raised our kids, and planted West Side Christian Fellowship. I taught my son to throw his first pitch, took my daughters to their first dance, and watched all of them take their first steps, shed their first tears, and commit their lives to God just over that hill. I may be buried here someday, and I don't want to hear why didn't someone do something. You see, I believe, folks, and I catch heat for this all the time, but I believe California and America are worth fighting for. I really believe that. I'm not going to flee, I'm going to fight. I'm not going to concede, I'm going to intercede. And quite frankly, I'm tired of the critical carries, the negative Nancys, the pessimistic Pams, and the defeatist Dannys telling me there is no hope. With God, there is always hope. Now, I don't have a specific verse for California or America, per se, but I have a specific biblical principle called intercession. Called intercession. Let me tell you briefly about intercession. Moses went before the people, and he interceded, said, God, stay your hand of judgment. Don't wipe them out. Abram went before even Sodom and Gomorrah. He stood between and said, Lord, do not destroy these cities. Give me 50, give me 40, give me 30, give me 20 righteous men, and I will spare it because of my servant Abram's sake. David went before the people. Nehemiah, oh, Nehemiah, he wept. He said, the sins of my people. Daniel wept and said, the sins of my people. Esther said, I might perish, but I've been called for such a time as this. I'm going to stand or sit on behalf of the people. I've got biblical, credible, biblical principles that says the church needs to get on her face again before Almighty God and cry out for another national awakening. Oh, hold on, I didn't tell you about Ezekiel. I didn't tell you about Ezekiel. God says it opens up in the book of Ezekiel. Son of man, go to this rebellious people and tell them of their sins. They will not hear you, but they will know that a prophet of God has stood among them. And he goes on to say, I've called you to be a watchman on the wall, to warn, to confront. Instead of the bomb of Gilead, we have the poison of Jerusalem running through our veins. And Ezekiel, God says, look at my prophets. They are like roaring lions. Roaring lions devouring the prey, which is the people. Look at that today. Look at the so-called voices of God. When you stick a rainbow flag on your church, you are apostate. What you're doing to children is an abomination in the sight of God. They are tearing them apart. Oh, and he says, look at my priest, the intercessor, the pastor. They don't even know how to tell the difference between the profane and the holy. Whoa, is that not happening today? Calling good evil and evil good. Wicked abomination. And God says, look also at my princes, which are my politicians. They are like hungry wolves devouring their prey. The heart of God, he said, because of this, he said, so I sought. So I sought for a man from among them because of the Travestites. Now I'm gonna judge this wicked land. He said, yes, this is happening. Yes, this is going. Wicked rulers, wicked politicians, ungodly pastors. And because of that for my people. So I sought for a man from among them to build a wall and stand in the gap before me that I might not destroy the land. Could it be that God is looking for an intercessor? The word just means go between. God says, listen, my son or my daughter is going between this perversion and I wanna judge that. But now I've got an intercessor. I've got a broken, humble person crying out to God. It reminds me of Jesus on the cross interceding for the sins of the people. The power of intercession. And I know we offend people, but I can't apologize when we say, get to morning worship. Get to the prayer meeting. Stop saying that, pastor, that offends me. Well, get on your face before God intercedes for our nation and for our state. Who told you coming to church twice a month when you feel like it and not doing anything is biblical? No wonder we're in the condition we are in. Lord, have mercy. Ordinary prayer. Ordinary prayer will not touch this at all. Folks, ordinary prayer will not touch this at all. I don't know how much I should say, but I was just invited to a, you know, they have to get the prayer, National Day of Prayer coming up. We're gonna actually have it here on a Wednesday night instead of Thursday morning. I said, I'm tired of going to these and listening to men with no power. Let's put a priest on the stage and an imam on the stage and call it a National Day of Prayer. That's not a National Day of Prayer. That's a waste of time. Guys, hear my heart. I did not come up here to say this. I'm not angry. I prayed all week. God, remove this. Remove this. I can't, this is gonna, man, this is gonna, whoo, YouTube might cancel, but it's okay. Just got a guy, Facebook mess. I'm glad he was open though, because I said he's actually lying. He said, you preach no grace. It's Jesus plus works. I'm like, do you listen to sermons? I said, buddy, you're convicted. That's the problem. I just said last week, not Jesus plus anything else, but you better get the word repentance into your heart and into your mind. Yes, it's a hard message. Read Isaiah. Read Jeremiah. Read Ezekiel. Read Daniel. Read Joel. Read Jehovah Isaiah. Jonah, Micah, Nain. Read the prophets. It was a hard message. Why? To draw the people back. And if it offends people, that's okay. I want the remnant here anyway. That's what we're seeking, God. I know people that live in certain areas that when I preach in Dallas and different things, these large churches that we see, do you know that lives are rarely changed there? When have you had demonic deliverance or anything? Oh, I don't know. Salvation, yeah, a couple times. Baptisms, every now and then. But you've got thousands of people. You're not telling them what they need to hear. You're pacifying. That's why America's not coming back to God. We've got arrogant politicians. We've got arrogant pastors. Woke, they need to wake up. The power of intercession and brokenness. I am fully convinced that God is not upset with what I'm saying today. That's the reason I can sleep. Ordinary prayer will not touch this at all. Many have form, but no fire. They have words, but no weight. They petition, but there's no power. Few of us can remember the last time we missed our bed for a night of waiting upon God for revival. Land of Ravenhill. Many carry religion, but we need those who carry His presence. You know, the greatest loss today, obviously the truth for sure. But how do we get that back? The greatest loss today is the heartbeat of prayer. I'm still alive. It keeps everything going. Oxygen, everything going. The heartbeat of prayer. When you lose that, you will die spiritually. Not lose your salvation. I don't believe that. But people, they'll be apathetic. Genesis 43 and 44, it's a powerful interaction. Joseph has a powerful interaction with his brothers. So I would encourage you to read those chapters because the brothers come. Joseph kind of plays games with them to see how serious they are. And just does a lot of, not a lot, but wants to see if they've really changed, I think. And go back to your father, bring him. Where's the youngest, Benjamin? No, we can't bring the youngest because if you keep the youngest, my father just lost Joseph years ago. He cannot lose Benjamin. And so at that point, you see a powerful interaction with Joseph and his brothers, specifically Judah. He eventually intercedes for Benjamin. And that breaks Joseph. That breaks his heart. That's the breaking, that's the change moment there. And as I said before, intercession is action. To go in between. And when I say things like this, I already work things in my mind like, oh, people don't think this. Ordinary prayer will not touch this at all. I'm not saying God doesn't answer ordinary prayer or just say a quick little prayer to school. I think we should be doing all of that, absolutely. But there comes a time and a place where you need to turn up the heat a little bit. The old saints would call it travailing. And they would say, you're not gonna prevail until you travail. There's a yearning. There's a desperation. And guess what? Sometimes it's not automatic. I'll get here in the morning Sundays and I don't feel a darn thing. I wanna go get a donut. But as you're pressing in, right? As you're travailing, as you're, Lord, help me. I don't feel that. I don't have remorse for what's going on. I don't care what's going on in our schools. I don't, and Lord, this is not right. This is wrong. God, I repent. And would you give me the heart of compassion, a heart of brokenness. Let me see things the way you see them. Oh, God, flood me with your Holy Spirit. And watch the power of God come upon that chosen vessel. See, so many people, I don't feel like it. Well, neither do I. I'd have Pastor Abram preach every Sunday if it was up to me. I'm ready to retire. But his word is in my heart like a burning fire. It's shut up in my bones. I'm weary of holding it back. And I cannot. I don't care what my feelings say. There's a responsibility to honor God's word, to come out and speak the truth of love. And I get on this altar, and I say, Holy Spirit, move in my heart. I don't feel it right now, but I need you. I'm trusting you by faith, not by feelings, but without faith, it's impossible to please God. So you're exercising faith even when you don't feel like things. God, I'm here. I don't feel like it, but I'm trusting you. That pleases God. Think about how easy it would be, hey, if you come to church every Sunday. You come to church, everyone gets 100 bucks. You'd be grabbing your grandkids, and look, come on, let's go to one per kid. But see, now I feel like being there, but God's not there. Where I'm saying, I don't feel like it, Lord, but I'm getting up out of this bed. I'm gonna seek you with all of my heart. God, break me, humble me. I'm stepping out in faith. And often, many times, I don't feel it. This morning, I didn't feel a darn thing, but when I start worshiping and getting my heart right and preaching God's Word, there's something that comes upon me. My heart doesn't want to stop speaking. The heartbeat of God's Word, the Holy Spirit coming alive because I stepped out in faith. Especially when I was reading. I didn't feel like reading this at all. Like this isn't, that's no big, I mean, I'm not even, I'm not feeling it. But then once I did, the release came and God honored that commitment. See how that works? Stop trusting your feelings. I can't come to morning worship because I don't feel like it. Welcome to the club! Trust God and faith, not your feelings. The intercessor identifies. This is so important. Here's what the intercessor does. A great book, I didn't put it up here, I wanted to, is Reese Howells. Reese Howells, he interceded through World War II. They think a lot of what he did helped bring Hitler to an end. And I just got his son's book, Samuel Reese Howells book on the life of intercession, 52 years of interceding. And it's just so encouraging on what God does through the intercessor. Did you know that your prayers outlive you? Though the intercessor is dead, they still speak. Though my mom is dead and buried in Lancaster, oh, she still speaketh. Praying for my son, bring that prodigal son home. Let the Spirit of God come upon him. Let him preach mightily with your Holy Spirit. I know he's drunk right now. I know he's listening to godly music. I know he's on his way to Vegas to snort some crystal meth. Oh, but God, would you raise him up at some point? And the intercession, though she's dead, she still speaks. The intercessor identifies with the people in their sin or in their struggle. That's what Daniel would do. And Nehemiah said, Lord, we have sinned before you. We have sinned before you. Or they go and a person's struggling. This person's struggling in their health. Struggling in this. And a person goes in between and identifies with that person. I don't quite understand intercession. I just know it's taught throughout the Bible. And so what they do, they take their cause to the Lord to remember, forgive, and restore. And I'm sure people, well, there's no intercession in the New Testament, Shane. You're all using Old Testament stuff. Give me a break. Paul would intercede. Peter would intercede. Silver and gold, have I none? Get up and walk. Intercede. Why couldn't a lot of people heal themselves? There was often an intercessor. Brought the sick man to the house. Lowered him down the roof. Interceding. Oh, my daughter, Jairus, my daughter. If you would just come, don't trouble the master, she's passed away. Oh, my God. Jesus said, don't worry. Jairus, you're interceding. Powerful principle. Powerful principle. But you need the power of God upon your life. I remember hearing a story, I think it was Pope Innocent IV. No, I don't endorse the papacy. That's a whole other topic. Just a good story. Thomas Aquinas was with him. And the Pope said, Thomas, showing him all the wealth of Rome. Thomas Aquinas, look at this. We can no longer say, like Peter, silver and gold, have I none? Thomas Aquinas said, neither can you say like Peter. Get up and walk. You need the power of God. The anointing of God. I have to tell you about this incredible testimony. First service didn't get to hear this. So, just happened in the prayer room after first service. This lady, she's maybe going to give her testimony. I want her to do it right now, but she's like, oh no, I can't go up in front of people. But I asked if she wanted to share it. So, last Sunday, she came into the prayer room. And I could tell, kind of just shaking. You know the signs of alcoholism if you've seen it over years. You can tell. And she's just crying. I can't stop drinking alcohol, about a pint of vodka every night to get to sleep and I'm functioning. But I can't keep doing this. And she's crying. She's broken. So, that's when you know, see that's the key. That's the key. Because my wife wants me to give it up. Well, forget it, joker. You're going back into it unless you get your heart right. It's got to be, the person has to want it. And I could just feel, I just felt like God just, Lord, and I called, I said it's a demonic stronghold. And you could tell she was just, you know, kind of just moved by that. And Lord, and just asking for release. I gave her my book, Help, I'm Addicted, because it walks through some principles and different things. And she just came in the prayer room crying, hugging, saying, I have not touched it all week. I've never done that before in my life. I think she said she's probably 55, started at 14, so within 14 to 55, there's a two year period where she didn't. I'm like, oh my gosh, how are the withdrawals? I didn't have any. I'm like, what? I don't know if you've ever came off anything. Xanax to Vicodin to alcohol. Your body's like, whoa! And she's one week. I'm like, no, no, no, I was doubting. Lord, help my belief. And then other people being healed and set free, we have to intercede, we have to believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is welcome in this place. Lord, do whatever you want, convict and draw us to you. But pray for her because the enemy of our soul hates our testimony. And He will try to draw us back into that lifestyle. I shared before and I shared with her, and I'm careful, I don't like to open up too much, but there's been times when I came back to the Lord in 1999, and I remember I went a whole year. I'm on fire for God, and it was even my mom. She's like, Shane, that's incredible. I think you can have a glass of wine now. That's been a year. I mean, why not? I mean, I'm doing great, I'm on fire for God. Well, bad, bad mistake. Two bottles later and a six-pack later. And it starts that desire again. You open that door. Now the stronghold's harder than it was. And you stop again. I remember I stopped again for a couple years. And a friend of mine, we're fishing, goes, hey, can we pick up some beer? I'm like, yeah, it's been a long time. I should be fine by now. Once a stronghold, always a stronghold. Now people don't agree with that. No, man, when people, yeah, they can be delivered, but watch out if you open that door again. See, that's the thing we don't realize. Now you might be one special exception out of a million people, good for you, don't cross that line, no. But God can set us free. And I know for other people, though, it's like, Shane, I believe that, and I've been trying, and I've been praying, it's hard. I go weeks or months. And to you, I would say, what I always say, sometimes it is a struggle. But that's actually sometimes more powerful and more profound that you can say at the end of your life, I had to walk with this limp. I saw that ice cold IPA being poured at Yard House, and I said no. I said no at Costco. I said no. That wasn't released for me. I still have to struggle with that, but that's just a powerful testimony as well. Sometimes, sometimes He might leave the limp so you don't forget about how God broke you and can use you. Remember, Jacob had the limp, the wooden leaf. He wrestled with him, and God broke his hip. They still celebrate it in the Jewish culture. His hip was out of socket, and he walked with that limp. What about Paul? Paul, Paul. Lord, take this away. God, take this away. God, take this away, please, God. I'm not gonna take it away. My grace is sufficient. And let me tell you, there's a deeper appreciation for God's grace when that struggle doesn't leave right away. And I thank God sometimes He takes it away from people, that's great, but they don't sometimes appreciate the depth of the grace of holding you together. And so now I know at this point, many people are like, okay, Shane, I wanna do something, how do I intercede? And that's what I wanna even touch on a little bit more next week if I don't get to everything. But there's some important things you have to know. I mean, most people, I think now, you're a little bit motivated to intercede, correct? I'm hoping so, okay. Because let's just remove California, United States, okay. God's given me a heart for that, maybe not everyone, so I got it. Because I remember, when I first started the church, people would have, they'd have a desire for missions, right? I wanna go to the Philippines, I wanna go to Africa, and I'm like, okay, and you keep talking about Americans need to repent, they're lost. Okay, well, your desire isn't necessarily my desire, it doesn't mean it's wrong. God gives each of us a desire, a calling for certain things. And that's how, and that actually caused friction in the church. I'm like, please do it, we'll support you, but I can't focus on something that God hasn't called me to. And so, how to intercede? There's an urgency building up. There's an urgency building up. That's how to know the call to intercede. That's how you know, okay, does God want me to, intercede, often in my life, I've noticed, there's an urgency, there's an urgency building up inside of me. We sang one of those, that song by Richard recently. There's an urgency building up inside of me. Everything else can wait, everything else can wait. So that is step number one. That urgency you feel has to be the priority. That has to draw you and drive you to your knees. There's an urgency building up inside of me. Everything else can wait. God, I have to intercede on behalf of my children and this church and this nation. Sometimes I look, I'm like, oh, we are so worried about everything but God. There's no fear of God in this place. You have reverence for God, the school districts are not going to be trying that shenanigans. You have fear of God, our governor's not going to be trying to do what he's doing. There's no fear of God in this place. But you can intercede because the Bible teaches that wonderful principle. And if you don't have that urgency, it goes back to what I told you you need to do. Ask God for it. A personal confession. I'm reading these books on intercession and I haven't been interceding like I should. My last fast, we did that documentary and all that and God said, okay, you did a documentary. Now you need to fast for me. And I realized I didn't pray much more. I watch a lot of YouTube videos about fasting. I didn't take it to prayer and intercede. Oh, you get up at three, three, three in the morning. Yeah, my body gets up. It's not that, don't put me on some pedestal. I don't use an alarm clock. I haven't used an alarm clock in 22 years. So it's actually easy. So, oh man, he gets up so early. I don't go to bed early, 8.30. I'm up at 3.30. It's not that hard. Try it. And that raven, he'll pull. When have you given up a night for prayer? Oh my God. But it has to be Spirit-inspired. Because a good idea, here's a lesson, a good idea is not always a God idea. And the good ideas will drain you. And I felt, I'm just opening up too, you know, the very first Rend the Heavens we did, October, Pastor Abram, I still remember. It was like, we were on two weeks. It was incredible. And then we said, okay, let's do another one. Let's do another one. And we just could tell it wasn't even like the first time. And so I'm like, let's just God do His thing. Let God tell us. Let God direct us. If He wants us to continue worship, like Asbury, you know, the worship team will begin weeping, and we can't stop. People want to come back. We'll open a night service. We'll text it out. Let's see what God wants to do. Because the good ideas are draining me. Because they're not God ideas. Now, it's okay to step out in faith and do a good idea. There's nothing wrong. God's not going, why'd you do another Rend the Heavens? Rather you go watch Desperate Housewives. Is that still on? I don't even know. I'm dating myself. So God does honor that too, I believe. Sometimes if you do something and God will honor it, there's nothing wrong with that. But you have to be careful that your time, because your time is so valuable. And many of us can't intercede because we're filling our mind with the wrong things. The top series, whatever it is on Netflix, that's drawing us away. I don't want to intercede because I just watched Jack Ryan. Is that what it's called? All right, I can see who's watching it by your looks. Or Breaking Bad. Or what's that guy? The Lion King? The Tiger King? I just went on and looked at the top, I'm like, we have a lot, and Christians, half the audience is Christians. And you wonder why there's no intercession? You wonder, oh, come on, what's going on in America? Why can't we make a difference? Because God doesn't bless angry tirades. He blesses humble, broken people at the altar of intercession, crying out to Him. Yeah, it might take a few days. It might take a week. It might take a month. It might take all of my life, but when they bury me six feet under, I will know, God, I did what You called me to do, and I'll leave the results up to You. I was not a sleeping watchman. And a movement of God will last as long as the spirit of prayer that inspired it. They prayed because they were filled, and they were filled because they prayed. Another great book, Arthur Wallace, In the Day of Thy Power. Or God's Chosen Fast. He's got some good books. And so I read these guys at night, and I just weep sometimes and highlight, and just go to bed hungry for more of God, hungry for more of God. You guys can do it too. I look, it's only 1.30. I'm going to go to bed. There's a hunger. Because you put it in, you want to get it out. Correct? And that's what I just discussed. So I sought. So I sought for a man. The condition was so bad. The prophets are false. The leaders are false. The priests are false. And God said, I'm just going to wipe them out, this stench in my nostrils. He had a concern for the remnant, so He said, because of this, I sought for a man. I sought for someone from among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land. So if that's God speaking, God does not lie. Look at that last sentence. But I found no one. And I thought, God is seeking? God is waiting? God is looking for us to be intercessors? Hey, if you give up on our nation, that's fine. But what about your children? It's the most God-awful time to live. The worst kind of filth is a click away. Suicide rate from 10 to 14 year old females off the chart. Schools are perverting the children. I cannot believe how many things are popping up all over. Texas, of all places. Florida. Come on, DeSantis. California. And they'll actually protect. They'll actually protect this pedophile type grooming material. We have lost our mind. We're calling good evil. What you're seeing is a nation depraved. And when you get depraved, watch, well, don't, but take my word for it. If you listen to interviews with serial killers, Jeffrey Dahmer started out with killing cats. Bundy started out with menacing porn. I can go on. What is it? Castro. Ariel Castro, who kidnapped a couple girls and kept them in his house for 10 years? 12 years? It began with this porn depravity or this. And that depravity doesn't stop. It says, feed me so I can destroy you. Is this hard to hear? Absolutely, I don't care. We need to hear it. We need to hear it. Because thank God for every negative Nelly, there is dozens of people who are being transformed by people speaking the truth in love. It's not just me. I mean, my daughters listen to Jack Hibbs all the time. Say, you know, you can put my sermons on too sometimes. But they do, and to hear him teaching throughout the house and different, you know, it's just good. It's good. There's a lot of people standing up. Be encouraged. I'm on threads sometimes with pastors in Texas and Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee. And there's these powerful moves of God. Thank God for that. So I sought for a man. And then I thought of 2 Chronicles 16.9. For the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly. Therefore, from now on you shall have wars. In other words, God's looking for those whose hearts are loyal to Him, but because you're not, the end result is wars and famine and drought and pestilence. The judgment of God. All of this is just Scripture. I challenge any of you to find something in the Bible that contradicts what I'm saying this morning. The truth is we don't hear it enough, so we think, oh man, that guy's extreme. He's out there. So I love my mother-in-law, she's here. She'll invite people to church and say, well, let me tell you, you're either gonna love it or you're gonna hate it. So that's kind of where you're at. But it's true. Those hungry for more of God, hungry, convicted, I can't get enough. Those convicted, leave me the heck alone. Who is this guy? Shut him up. Be quiet. I don't wanna hear that stuff. You have no grace. You're prideful and arrogant. Guys, here's the thing, I didn't call myself. God took a very weak individual, would never speak in public ever, ever, ever. I hated it. I'd call him sick. My mom said, you're just a people pleaser. That's what I was. I didn't want my dad to get angry. I wanted everyone to like me because I have self-esteem issues. And so to go and do this? You think I get a joy? Well, a little bit because God's, you know, there's a joy in preaching His Word. Like, ah, let me just tell him off today. Let me put this together. I can't wait till next Sunday. His Word is in my heart like a burning fire. And no devil in hell can stop it when God is on the throne. I think it's good to clarify that because people let me know every week that my husband doesn't come because you're too this. My wife doesn't come because you're too this. We don't come anymore because you're too this. But you want to be humble and gracious and learn from it. And I thought of this. Here's rabbit trail number 84. But this morning, I was coming, and I'm like, Lord, you know what's the most destructive thing to this church? Our church and many other churches. And Lori, Rick, you guys will agree because you've taught on this at your house. The spirit of offense. I reached out to three people this week who left, and I don't even know why. I have no clue, no clue why I don't see people anymore. Maybe one out of a hundred. Honestly, I'm just being honest with you. Very, very, I don't know. Hey, do we offend? Do we upset? Biblically speaking, let's work this out. Crickets. Somebody did something that hurt somebody's feelings and I'm not coming back. But don't you understand that's how you grow? You don't think I get offended and hurt? Every single day. We're dealing with something every single day. Somebody got affirmed. Somebody got offended. Somebody got this. Somebody got that. And the spirit of offense and taking it to the Lord and wanting to rectify it, fix it, and be unified. Let me get to the bottom of this. And so the enemy brings in, because the sermons offend. I'm well aware. Well aware that not everyone likes what I'm saying. But again, His word can be in your heart like a burning fire. But let's break this down a little bit. Make a wall. So I sought for a man from among them. So if this is a biblical principle, intercession, which it is, make a wall. Okay, well, hey, anybody have some cinder blocks? Some mortar? Some concrete? The wall, Jerusalem, and this is why, Rabbit Trail 86, this is why, here's a shocker. I'm not trying to offend anybody at all. I'm just telling you from a biblical perspective, it's okay to have borders for the nation. Absolutely. He said, Nehemiah, go build the wall. David, build the wall. Build the wall. Secure the people. Now, you're supposed to be nice and gracious and let people come. But there's a security issue there. Can we talk about the fentanyl that's crossing the border? I just talked to our representative in D.C. last week. He said it's alarming. And they're mixing it with other pills. And the cartel. Hey, we just killed two Americans. Sorry, let's apologize. You know what happened last week? Going to Mexico to get two surgeries. No, you're not coming home. And then you look at what South America did. I can't remember the country there where they built that mega prison. All the MS-13. 40,000, they just rounded them up and murder rate has dropped 57%. What state is that? Oh, El Salvador. Matias, I was waiting on the answer for that one. He says, enough of this foolishness. See, leadership matters. Leadership matters. We're not saying we're not welcoming the illegal immigrations or we should love them as a church, a sojourner. How can we help? How can we provide? How can we help the kiddos? But when a lot of the kids are being trafficked and a lot of the cartel is coming through and fentanyl is coming through and that's, I don't know how many of you follow this, but ISIS has been found down at the border too. It's a security issue and that's the job of the government. The church is to be the hands and feet of Christ, but the government, according to Romans 13, is to be a terror to those who do evil. And so there is a wall, God said, to build. Not in that way, but the whole definition is to protect, to watch, to rebuild something that has been broken. So God says, I sought for a man who would build a wall. What are they doing? They're protecting, they're watching, they're rebuilding. And that's why many men are sitting on their hands, not doing anything. You should be posting stuff all over social media. Masculinity is not toxic. These guys wearing dresses and makeup and fingernails and turning into women, that is not biblical. And we can say it, it's good to be. I remember the old men. Man, they were tough as nails. That's why they called the World War II generation. They would storm the beaches of Normandy. Now they have to cry and have a special room to go and cry in when Trump was elected. Whoa! And that's gonna defend us in the future? I'm telling you, I'm letting my hair down this morning. Because God's word has something to say about these things. And I don't know, I reached out to him. I don't know if he'll respond, but this is like the farthest, I could not believe the story when I first heard it, and I've been watching interviews and stuff. But he was a Navy SEAL, like top. I think SEAL Team One, he'd train with them. And then he becomes a transvestite. Chris becomes Kristen. Like of all, I would have never guessed that. But he's being interviewed and said, it was a mental illness I had. And from my dad treating me a certain way as a boy, and my sister getting all the accolades, and being in the house and clean, and I had to go out and work the farm. The enemy really worked in my mind. And now he's back as Chris. And I appreciate the guy who interviewed him. He said, I don't care if YouTube shuts us down. We need to be told the truth about what is going on. Everyone else is coming out of the closet. You better get out of your closet and get into your prayer closet. Because that's the only way that we will win this battle. I'm looking for men and women who are protecting. They're protecting their family, because from the family goes the nation. And by the way, by the way, I don't know if you knew this. California, as California goes, so goes the nation. As the nation goes, so goes the world. We can look at how blessed California was. How many movements came out of California? How many ministries from Dobson, regardless of what you think of TBN, I'm just saying, Dobson, this, Jesus Revolution started, Costa Mesa, Lonnie Frisbee, Chuck Smith. Oh, he was a homosexual? Yeah, he fell back into that, I got it. But God still uses broken people. And then, oh, hold on, Azusa, oh, tongue talkers. Well, I'm just saying, I'm just saying, that had a big impact in 1904, 1905, catching heat from the Welsh revivals. And then you have all the missions being built up the coast of wanting to honor God. Well, that's Roman Catholicism. Yeah, I go, I came out of that, I understand it. But see, there's a heartbeat for God. And as God would bless the gold mines and the fertile fields, and America would be the leader in all these areas, the biggest living thing in the world, sequoias, the oldest living trees, you go up the 395 freeway, they're right there in the world. I can go, and there's a book out there, I think it's called God, Glory, and Gold, Glory, or something, and showing how California was so blessed of God. And I start thinking, why are we running instead of fighting? Why are we? I know it's hard, right? Cross my mind, I'm sure there's a church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, that might want me up there. Maybe they'll provide a parsonage. No house, no rent. Wonder if I should go online to find something. Get the heck out of here, California. Did you know you're safer in the middle of God's will? I'll never forget, I was at 24 Hour Fitness and a friend of mine, really got to know him well, moved to Idaho, instead of a deputy sheriff here, he came up to Idaho, got shot in the face and killed right when he moved up there. Now of course, I know, and Boise's not real conservative. I can drop some bombs on Austin, Texas, holy smokes. Where does God want you? Where does God want you? And I want to make a difference where you want me, Lord. I want to build a wall, and it's interesting when you look up, I mean, it depends on the lexicon in the Hebrew and the commentaries, and you can look at the Hebrew language and how the sentence is structured and what the word really means, but there's also a rebuilding aspect to the wall. To build a wall is to rebuild something that has been broken down, and that's why in Isaiah, I believe it is, I don't know, chapter 48 or so, when he says, here's the type of fast that I have called you to, and when you fast with the right heart, will I not begin to bless you and pour my spirit upon you? Then they will call you repairers of the breach. You've repaired what was broken. So when God, I don't care if there's a million Democrats against what I'm saying in California, me plus God is one person, is the majority. And in case you're offended, I can go off on the Republicans, okay? God is not attached to a political party. He's not a donkey, he's not an elephant. And I just told, recently, one of the large conservative groups, I might speak there, guys, it's wonderful to have seminars and things and conferences and rally the troops, and you have these senators there that are pro-gun and this and they're telling everybody off, but where's the crying out to God? I don't want to waste my time anymore. I don't want to go to a three-day thing where all we do is yeah, yeah, yeah, go get them. There's no worship, there's no prayer, there's no intercession, there's no brokenness, there's tons of food, King's stomach is on the throne. Well, if we do that and fast and stuff, we might not get a lot of attendance, but you'll get the heart of God. See the problem? They watch, they rebuild, they're protected. Prayer is a night watch, worship is a battle cry. Fasting is a weapon of our warfare and obedience to God strengthens us spiritually. That's why these people that get upset about, you're always talking about obedience, obedience, oh my goodness. That means you're falling and instead of getting, you can't get back up. Remember that old lady commercial? I've fallen, I can't get back up. You need to, instead of blaming the messenger, let it lead you to repentance and let God, though the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, if he falls, the Lord will pull him back up and set him up on his right place. Let the conviction draw you to God. God convicts us for a reason. Obedience strengthens us spiritually. The more I obey God, not out of, oh, here he comes again, he's gonna shoot me with a lightning bolt, but Jesus Christ, you died for me. I want you to abide in me. I want the power of the Holy Spirit to rest upon my life. I want my prayers to be powerful. I want my kids to see the glory of God in our home. Oh, God, obeying you is wonderful. I love obedience because you obey something. You obey something. If it's not God, it's something else. You cannot serve two masters. And then he goes on to say, stand in the gap. Stand in the gap. There is a breach in truth. There is a breach in truth. The false prophets did not stand in the gap. They did nothing to stop the outbreak of wickedness. Nothing. And I do pray, please hear my heart. I pray, God, I don't wanna name names. I don't wanna say this and that, and I don't wanna make it sound like West Side's got their act together and other people don't. Lord, I don't wanna say these things, but the truth is there are many silent shepherds and silence speaks volumes. Speaks volumes. For example, I mentioned this before and I'll mention it again. It's out there, it's in the public news, but when Andy Stanley doesn't say anything about homosexuality because he doesn't wanna offend his audience, he just offended God. That's just the truth. Well, I don't wanna get. No, what does God's word say? Let the chimps fall where they may because when you're filled with the spirit of God, you don't have to tippy-toe and step on eggshells. You just come up in brokenness and humility. Here's what God's word says. Church, turn back to him and let God begin to convict and let God begin to rebuild. If you're worried about your audience, the anointing of God will not be upon your life. And I know I'll get people mad. You shouldn't say stuff like that. Hey, if Shane Idleman is off course, call me out. That's what people do in love because it's not, well, just golly me, I don't wanna say anything. I don't wanna upset anything. And then now we're in the predicament we're in because nobody wants to say anything. When you say nothing, all that it takes for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing, Edwin Burke, nothing, and we think we're so spiritual. Oh, I'm just so focused on unity and I don't divide the body. Did you know silence divides the body? When we should be saying something and we don't, it divides the church because the pastors are profane. They can't even discern between the holy and the unholy. Repairs of the breach, repairs of the breach. Isaiah 60 says, arise and shine, arise and shine, the glory of the Lord is upon thee. I like this saying, there's nothing wrong with it, but if we take it too far, anytime you take a truth too far, it can become a little bit out of balance. And I love silent churches that say, you know, such and such said, only preach the gospel if necessary, let the people see you live it out. Well, that's okay. So that means never say anything? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can be Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers is great for kids, but not for where our culture is today. So I'll be closing here shortly, the cost of intercession. The cost of intercession. Folks, there is a cost. Usually it involves whatever the flesh likes, it's gonna be opposing the flesh. I want to sleep. I want a whole bag of Doritos and ice cream at night. I don't wanna fast. Shane's talking about fasting again, forget that. I don't wanna go to church twice a month. I don't wanna press in too much. I got work to do, I'll do it later. And so there's a cost, there's a cost. And when you get really on fire for God, can I just give you all a warning now, especially young adults, you will lose Christian friends. I'll never forget this. I'm coming back to the Lord, I think I just met my wife, and like, man, like everything I'm telling you, the word's coming alive and holiness, and let's have a prayer meeting, and you would be amazed at the power of God. Amazed at the people who don't like that. I remember it was another church over there across the hill. We're going to Bible study, and the guys are picking up like beer and wine. Well, hold on, hold on. You might be able to have one now and then, I'm not gonna get into that. But really, you think, really, we're gonna seek the heart of God with dominoes and 40-pack of whatever? And there's no, well, Shane, you're legalistic. You're rigid. No, I just don't wanna get a little hammered and try to worship God. Well, you know, Paul said, Timothy, take a little wine. Yeah, a little bit. Did you know, in Jewish tradition, even today, there's about 2% alcohol. They mix it with a lot of water. It's like having some old duels and different things. It's not to the level it is now. That's why they have a difference between strong drink and that. So be careful. You have a 7% IPA, you're gonna be feeling pretty good. Don't tell me. I've been there, done that. And as soon as you start to feel that, the Spirit of God is quenched. I have never seen a powerful, powerful woman or man of God who dabbles in that. Now, you once-in-a-while people, that's fine. That's between you and God. I'm not saying that. But if there's a, ah, feel pretty good, a little tingling. Man, this is nice. What spirit is beginning to control? Because all drunkenness is excess, right? So you keep giving in a little bit more to that. You would talk hard about this topic too if you've seen all the memorial services that I've had to do. As God is my witness, three men up here at Red in the Heavens a year ago are now back on alcohol or in rehab. You do not lecture me about the dangers of this and thinking it's just no big deal. Here's the thing, if somebody doesn't have a problem, they don't say anything. They can enjoy whenever they, you know, that's up to them. But come on, let's be honest here. Same thing with marijuana. Oh, it's just medicinal use. Yeah, that's like 1%. Everyone likes to get the bong load out and start hitting it up and get really way. And now they're lacing it with stuff, guys. This is dangerous stuff. All of that is spirits. It's opening up. Come on, take me in. That's how we quench and grieve the spirit. The cost of intercession. There's repentance. A clean heart captures the heart of God. Get our hearts right before God. Only a holy vessel can ascend the hill of the Lord. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, that's who may ascend the hill of the Lord. Now, everyone, though, be encouraged. Here comes the encouragement, okay? I wanna be clear here. This is not about perfection. Oh, I could never do that. I'm not holy like Shane is. Oh, follow me around for a week. I'm a leaky vessel. That's why D.L. Moody said you've gotta sit underneath the fountain of life every day because we are leaky vessels. But see, there's a difference between saying, God, I'm gonna pursue you no matter what the cost. I'm gonna persevere. Lord, help me. I've got this thorn in my side. Your grace is sufficient, but God, please. And you fall sometimes. You get back up. Someone's saying, well, I don't care. I like this sin. I'll go to church when I feel like it. I'll make sure Pastor Shane isn't speaking so I'm not too convicted. I mean, I'll tell, this is, I know that people aren't used to this. It's like, whoa. I'll never, when I spoke down in Torrance recently, I mean, it had a long line of people praying with the afterword. People were like, what? I'm like, I'm in shock from what you said. Like, I'm still in shock. Because we're not used to that shocking truth of God's word coming out and coming alive. When the word of God is alive, that means it's active. Does it say it's like a gentle breeze? The word of God is like a gentle breeze. A soothing petal that falls to the ground. The aroma of chamomile tea. They could not use stronger language. It is a sword that devours. It discerns the thoughts and the intents of the heart. And I don't preach perfectly. I don't preach the Gospel perfectly, but I do preach a perfect Gospel. That's the difference. And so I don't want to go down this rabbit trail, but I've talked to thousands of people over the years who've come to this church, and nine times out of 10, they're convicted about something they're doing, and they don't want to hear this anymore. And it's sad. And you hear that enough, you start thinking, oh, maybe I should soften up a little bit. Let me watch some Joelstein clips and see how this is done. And if you guys are offended by these names, I don't know what to tell you. I'm tired, I'm extremely tired of these guys saying nothing. Nothing, nothing. So please, send me his clips. While you're at it, send me Stephen Furnick's clips where he's calling out this wicked agenda, woke culture. Please send me. Let me hear the bold pastor saying something. Please. Please. Because our silence speaks volumes. Hope I can say this. My daughter had Steve Furnick on a while back, and I say, hey, just, as long as you balance it with Paul Washer. You can search on YouTube and figure that one out later. But the cost of intercession, it's birth and desperation. It's birth and desperation. And see, maybe I should say something. This keeps coming up. With these people, sometimes, I don't consider them necessarily false prophets. All I say, what I consider them, is they need to spend some time in the prayer closet, go on a mountain retreat for a week, fast, get your heart right before God, and come back filled with the Holy Spirit. That's what's happening, because a motivational speaker can't also be a pastor. I've tried. Because when I'm a motivational speaker, I need to motivate the audience so they come back. I need to address a felt need. I need to be positive and uplifting, and only encouraging. Would you all please come back next week, please? I want to make sure I motivated you. Preaching, just look what Paul said. Timothy, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. So preach all of God's Word. Exhort, rebuke, rebuke. So what you're seeing is many of these people, after a big audience, now they've got a big, they're not, they're motivational speakers. And I remember even watching T.D. Jakes in the late 1990s, when he had manpower conferences. Bold, whoa, powerful. But then you listen now, and I'm like, oh, I don't know. I don't know. Because that fame and that fortune and the likes and the followers can draw all of us away. All of us. I will not remain silent. People are looking for answers. God, I don't want to say anything. Did you know that Paul actually said, I think it's 2 Corinthians, don't quote me on it, but that I heard that there are divisions among you. I heard that there are, and actually, that's okay. Read it. Look it up. He said, because it will show who is approved by God and who is not. There has to be some type of division. Not bad division, but if we're not united with what the Holy Spirit is doing, there's going to be division. If you want to be an intercessor, it has to be birth and desperation and bathe in anguish. Birth and desperation and bathe in anguish. We sang a song, I won't go till you bless me. I won't go till you bless me. And my daughter came and said, I don't understand that. Ah, read everything in context. There's an urgency building up inside of me. Everything else can wait. There's a thorn. I don't want to leave here with it. God, please, I'm desperate. I'm broken. I won't leave here like Jacob. I wrestled with God all night. I won't leave here. Not blessing, not bling bling, but ding ding. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. And if you look up the word favor, God bestows his favor, his anointing. I won't leave till you bless me. Oh God, I'm going to struggle all morning. I'm going to stay here on this altar. God, I'm going to put on worship later. I'm going to drive to the mountains. God, I won't leave until I hear from you. And he says, that's a desperate child. That's my son or my daughter. What good gift is God not going to give those who ask? Will he give a stone to someone who needs bread? How much more will he give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? Also intercession is forged on the anvil of brokenness. Brokenness. Isn't it funny how Joseph, and I will say this, I think he was haughty when he was a teenager. Any teenager that's not prideful? Hello? Talk to me afterwards. But all of us are. All of us are. The difference is Joseph had these dreams. Hadn't been broken yet. I'm going to do this. My family's going to bow down to me. And then God said, yeah, eventually, but I'm going to break you first. I'm going to humble you first. And then I'd love to see the difference between Joseph coming out. Can you imagine coming out of prison? Just did 12 years in county. Aryan Brotherhood tried to take me out. Crips, Bloods, I don't know if they're still around, but I went through hell. I went through hell, but now I know God. Now I know God. Promised my daughter I'd tell you guys a story, so I tried to work it in. Many of you have heard it before, but here's what's happening. Here's what's happening, guys. I'm going to win an hour on the sermon, but it's important. Many people, here's what's happening with many people. There was a contest at a church and they had two contestants. I don't know why they're doing it, but they did it. And one was what they call an orator. I don't pronounce that right, but they were just, oh, have you ever heard those people like they're, like Steven Crowder? You ever follow that guy? Man, just the wit and it's just like amazing. And some speakers are opera. And so they were having a contest on the 23rd Psalm. So these two people are competing and this guy gets up here and he's 25, 26, cocky, young, dressed well. And he goes, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Whoa. He went all the way through it. That was pretty good. Man. And then this guy didn't show. So they went and grabbed the janitor. Mike, come here, you're about what, 55, 60? You know the 23rd Psalm? Ah, yeah. Come on, get up there. Get up there. And he said, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. And tears would hit the pulpit. His voice cracked a little bit. Missed a word here or there. But he got a standing ovation. And this young, cocky kid, I can't believe this. Man, this is fixed. And he was getting ready to leave and one of the older elders stopped him. He said, you know what happened? No, please tell me. Please. You knew the psalm. He knew the shepherd. That's the difference. Folks, is that not true? Many of you even know the psalms. But do you truly know the shepherd? You've got head knowledge, but I don't see a lot of brokenness and humility. You love to debate and argue and show off, but I don't see a depth of anguish that we need today. Does God honor this man's prayer more than this man's prayer? He rejected the Pharisee. Oh God, I'm glad I'm not like this sinner. I fast twice a week. I am your called, anointed person. And this sinner beat his chest, said I'm not even worthy to look at God. God, please help me, a sinner. He said, that man's prayers were heard. So you better get off your high theological horse this morning and understand that intercession, intercession, intercession, is how we make a difference in our families. And think about this, I know many are thinking this. Shane, haven't you read Revelation? I mean, there's really no hope for America, California, where we're at. And I understand that, because I deal with these things as well. Maybe not, but are you telling me you won't make a difference in your family and in your community? On the mission field? And everything you touch with the anointing of God, are you that hardened to laziness, spiritual apathy, that you're making excuses like that? You're right, we might be going to hell in a handbasket. But I'm standing on the San Andreas. Shane, didn't you watch The Rock and Dwayne Johnson? How California's going to fall from the ocean? Well, it takes a lot of work. Tectonic plates actually go this way. But I'm not concerned about that, because God holds the sovereignty in His hands. God's sovereign. Could it be like, that's a church on fire. That's a man on fire. That's a woman on fire. They're giving up some meals. They are seeking Me. I'm going to begin to draw their children back to the Lord. I'm going to begin to draw... It gets better. I'm going to begin to draw their children back to the Lord, or your grandchildren, or you're going to make a significant difference. See, the difference is engagement. Psalm, know the shepherd. Engagement, this is a going to church twice a month. I can't make it this week because of blah, blah, blah. I don't come to Wordy Moisture because it's too late. I don't want to go to the Saturday night service because there's no heartbeat for God. You know the Psalm, but you don't have a passion, desire for the shepherd. If I said anything that's not true, you let me know. The thing is, it's true, it just hurts. Remember how it works here. He hurts me first. And I say, Shane, have you really sought Me with all of your heart? Have you really interceded? You're pretty good at complaining. And the rest I'm going to cover next week, I think. Because this is such an important topic. I wish we should just be an interceding church. If you want a church that spends eight months going through the book of Leviticus, I can recommend one. But we're going to be a church on fire for God, interceding, looking at His Word, and devoting a significant time to prayer and worship. So I'm going to give you a few points of application, then I'm going to close. Here's intercession application. Once you're hungry for this, you want more of this, this is the way to do it. Set a time frame and hold to it. Now, if any of you say, you know what, I'm too busy, let me see your calendar, I bet I can find some time. Do you know what the average is that we have the internet on? And TV and YouTube? You don't want to know. I know years ago I looked into it, it was like seven hours a day. We have the time, if you ever need this slide, let the office know, I'm sure we can send it to you. We have the time, we just don't prioritize the time. And it's hard because I'm going to set this time and all hell's going to work against me. Anybody try doing devotionals with kids? Just so you know, I don't do good in this area. Anybody relate? Tito, help me out. Okay, thank you. Henry, yeah, it's hard. I mean, it's fine. I got my three teenagers in the living room sometimes, my little four-year-old, my 10-year-old. Hey guys, let me go grab the Bible. You think a demon hit the place. That's my toy, mine, my toy. Hey, don't sit by me. Don't sit by me, I don't want to eat dinner. I'm like, what do you mean? So it's something, be in prayer. That's something I got to fight for. My wife, my excuse is, well, they hear me preach every Sunday. That's at least a good hour of teaching in there. But there needs to be interaction. It's so hard because it's so important. Set a time frame and hold to it. So here's what we're doing. Join us beginning today. We're going to go to a resurrection weekend. Resurrection Sunday. We have services Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday, two on Sunday. Good Friday service. I'm preaching Friday, Pastor Abram Saturday, I'm preaching Sunday. And we're just going to go till Easter. We're going to make some time. We're going to set a time aside each day in your own lives. You pick what's best for you. Any early morning people? That's me, okay. That's going to work. By seven o'clock, my brain's just not working well. And so set that time frame and hold to it. Put it on the calendar. Your doctor's on the calendar. Your dentist, your staff meetings, your time to look at the stock market. Yeah, we have everything on the calendar. We need to get this on the calendar. And I want you to consider missing a meal. Miss a meal and devote it to prayer. Miss a meal and devote it to prayer. And it's hard. You'll see how strong the voice of King's stomach really is. Now, do you know what my parentheses mean? Basically, don't pig out later. Miss the meal, miss the caloric intake, miss the nutrients. That's fasting. And you'll be amazed at what God does. Might not happen that week or that day, but there's a reward of obedience to God. And Lord, I'm just going to set aside dinner. Or my last meal's at four o'clock. I'm going to pray for my kids tonight. And you set a time and you devote that time to prayer. And then be aware of how gluttony plays a role in quenching prayer. As much as we love God-given food, we have to, but you begin to realize how strong of a pull that actually is. That's why I mentioned the caffeine, the sugar, the alcohol, the nicotine. You begin to wean off those things. They're actually strongholds. Because if you have to have something, hello, I have to have my Christian crack in the morning. Black with sweetener. And then consider fasting a day a week. Maybe just on Fridays or a certain day on Sunday, I'm not going to eat today. Maybe have some juice, bone broth. And see, here's the thing. I get the real hyper-conservatives mad at me on this point. Fasting is not a good work. Like, oh, now I'm going to add good works. Is that a Roman Catholic thing they would say and the monks did it? Well, maybe, I don't know, but is Jesus Roman Catholic? He said when you fast, not if you fast. When you fast, when the bridegroom is gone, then my disciples will fast. It's a time of, God, this appetite. Maybe for some of us, it's out of control. I need to put on the restraints. I need to dethrone King's stomach. I'm not twisting your arm, Lord, but it's bending my knee. He doesn't love me more, but I sure love him more. Because you're taking away some of the strength of the flesh. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm being too transparent, but my flesh sure likes Panda Express. It's been a couple years probably, but donuts, Starbucks Venti, Caramel Latte. I mean, come on, let's be real. Let's be honest. The flesh just begins to pull us around everywhere. I didn't tell this at the first service, so I hope it's okay. That's how the enemy works. Well, I don't want to say that either because the person might feel bad. But I came here today, this morning, I said, Lord, I'm not going to have much at all. I just have like a little bit of peanut butter in a bag. That's it. I'm going to do that. And then of all days, somebody brings homemade cookies and drops them off in the office in Usher. Of all days. So I had to, just being honest, just being honest, and go listen to the first service though. Man, God just unloaded. I felt the power and presence unlike anything I felt in a long time, the whole sermon. See, you would think, well, I wasn't perfect. I wasn't perfect. See, it's not a good work. Okay, I do this. Now God's got to do this. Sometimes God might say, you know what, Shane? I'm going to show you how good I am in spite of what you did. But it is very beneficial. I mean, it's a practical thing. I'm 30 pounds less than a year ago, and I feel way better. I get off the ground now with my baby. I was like, oh, wait a minute. I didn't, I don't know if you're not 45 yet. When you get, watch, when you hit that number, it's like, man, it's amazing how bad you feel. We're going to do a few points of intercession. I'm going to show you what I do and what you can do in your own home. And these will be points of intercession. If you can just stay focused on these five points. Some of you might add to this, of course. On our prayer list that we have in the morning worship, we have, you know, often pray for our missionaries. Pray for, you know, so you can fill it in. But this is a good starting point. Number one, start with your own heart. Start with your own heart. So Lord, we just ask, even this morning, God, we want to replace pride with humility. God, we've been proud. We've been arrogant in our homes, in our churches, in our nation. God, even no matter what side of the political aisle a person is on, God, we need to humbly submit to You. Start with your own heart. And then Lord, we lift up our family and our friends. Be specific. That's where I think we miss it sometimes. The Bible always says, it's focused on be specific. Ask and you will receive. Ask for this, ask for this. It's not our own spiritual, our own carnal things, but the Bible says, you miss in your prayers because you're praying amiss on your own lusts and desires. But be specific. Lord, I pray for this person. I pray for whatever the name is, Mike or Barbara or Augie or Chris or Kurt or Sean or Leah or Mike, Danny, whoever it is, Lord. I pray specifically for them. God, would You draw them back to You? My prodigal son, he's been lost. He thinks he's confused. My daughter, God, would You please draw them back? You're gonna find me every day here in this position, crying out to You because I believe in a God who answers prayer. He's a covenant-keeping God. And He says, if my people humble themselves and pray, oh God, we're trusting You. God, our nation is out of control. God, revive Los Angeles. Revive Los Angeles and California. Ask for evidence. Ask for specific things. Lord, we wanna see a shift in L.A. County, in our school districts. Lord, awaken Westside Union School District or Los Angeles County School District. Waken them, Lord, wake up the Antelope Valley High School District. Give people on these boards with a backbone and crying out to God and prayer at the polls and prayers at the school. I don't know, this just came to me, but I don't know how many of you realize how profound that the Supreme Court's decision was to allow that football player to pray at the school, that coach. Believe it or not, that actually opens the door to prayer in school. They can't deny it based on that Supreme Court ruling. It'll be difficult, be challenging, but Lord, give us wisdom. Lord, maybe open the door for the schools to reach out and want some of the parents there, on site, just walking around, being example. Lord, give us wisdom. We don't wanna just throw it out there and pray for things that really are not on our heart, but we pray, God, for evidence of revival in L.A. County. I pray for evidence of revival here, that the worship will seem to stand still. People will not be in a hurry. They'll wanna open the church on Saturdays and other times and just show that you are shifting us into a deeper, deeper union with your Holy Spirit as we pray and contend. God, we come against the godless agenda targeting our kids. And Lord, we do pray for Biden, Joe Biden and Jill and Newsome. God, we pray for them. And would you please bring someone alongside of them who would speak life into them? God, maybe our pride is hindering our prayers. We repent of that this morning. And then finally, you can lift up your own prayers. Is there delayed dreams? Delayed dreams that you think it's too late now? My marriage is too far gone. My ministry will never happen. If it's a God-birth dream, he will bring it to fruition if you surrender. But you have to do things his way. Pray also for healing. Some of you need healing. Your heart, lungs, arthritis, Alzheimer's, dementia, memory's fading, it's very scary. I just, Lord, we pray for healing in Jesus' name. Cancer, God, specifically the melanoma. For those dealing with that here at this church, heal. Give us praise reports, God, of your power going through and changing lives. And finally, God, we pray for strongholds, that you would break strongholds. Something has a stronghold on an individual, a group of individuals here, and I pray, God, they would leave it at the altar this morning. They would break that stronghold of nicotine and alcohol, marijuana, opiates. God, when we started this church, we did not want to start a normal church. We want the Spirit of the living God to be alive and well here, to draw, to convict, to lead, to restore, to renew, to replenish. God, I also pray that you would strengthen your work. Strengthen your work here at West Side Christian Fellowship. Give the leaders the strength and the fortitude to finish strong. And we thank you for all these things in Jesus' name. Amen, amen.