ENGLISH Dante Gebel #831 | Bugs. The small revolution
True spirituality has to do with doing the minute works of God, with taking small actions and small steps of obedience in our daily lives. Those small things become huge when Jesus is involved. In the hands of the Lord, a tiny mustard seed can sprout into leafy branches to shelter a flock of birds, and a pinch of yeast can grow into huge loaves of bread that feed many people. Let us remember that the kingdom of God is built from the ground up and our small acts can be part of the foundation to a better world.
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
of the second world war
it just so happens that the British who
are a part of the Ally military they
were bombarding Berlin they did it many
times
and the Allies
the Englishmen
would leave the airstrips in England
after having attacked the German forces
and one night after a successful
bombardment
while they were going back to the safety
of their military base
they were attacked by a group of German
planes and so in us in a certain way
during the air fight one of the planes
one of the German planes of combat
began to spew out
a string of bullets
five certain bullets
impacted the fuselage of the British
plane
close to the gas tank which is fatal
the crew prepared for the explosion
but the plane never exploded
they saw that there was gas spilling
through the holes that the bullets had
caused but there was no explosion
so they went back to the base safe
and from there one of the mechanics
found five bullets or five capsules
inside of the gas tank they were
wrinkled but they hadn’t exploded
and so the pilot along with the mechanic
carefully opened up the capsules
and to the crew’s surprise they saw that
they did there wasn’t any gunpowder and
within them
there was a small diminutive piece of
folded paper
when they opened up the piece of paper
they found a note that said this was the
pilot it said
we are prisoners of war from Poland
and we’re being forced to make bullets
in a factory and when the guards aren’t
watching us we don’t fill them with
gunpowder we leave them empty
it’s not a big help but it’s the best we
can do during the war
our families that were alive
five small bullets it’s a very well
known story
it’s a a real story an actual Story five
bullets amongst Millions fabricated
during the war made a difference for the
members
of the Air Force of the British army
obviously they couldn’t stop the war
these prisoners this polish prisoners
didn’t help with that but they at least
saved the British crew
that was fighting during that war those
five bullets were left empty and they
changed the lives of those that were
riding the planes and that is our topic
today what I believe Cod placed in my
Heart during the entire week
and it’s the small Revolution
God always chose the small things before
he chose the great and although it seems
that it’s all on the contrary God’s
movements are always in the Small Things
what seems to be childish trivial we
have a God and first instance that comes
into the world through something small
God always appeared in small things
burning bushes
stubborn donkeys that speak
a refugee baby a rabbi without a home
lilies seeds lumps
sparrows anything that has to do with
things that
that are small like these five bullets
in the midst of a war
true spirituality always has to do with
small diminutive things
small Steps of Faith small actions not
necessarily big and eloquent things
and these my little things these small
things sometimes become enormous things
I’m not saying well I’m saying sometimes
but I think the majority of the times
that they become something enormous when
Jesus is in the equation
but to us it seems easy to think that
God is only in grandiose things or the
spectacular and the miraculous
and we can hear this a lot in our
congregation that was brought up hearing
God is going to use you for great things
and big things are coming for your life
and in this time especially in this time
of empowerment and discovering the
champion within us and the gifts that
are locked within us it’s very easy to
reach the conclusion that if God doesn’t
use us greatly
it’s because we’re either not spiritual
or in its defect we don’t have a true
calling and you begin to become
frustrated because some just go through
life the years go by you and every time
they look in the mirror they say another
day
and another day further from what I
thought God was going to give me when
you believe that God’s calling
or the purpose in our life is something
Majestic or great we begin to begin to
get frustrated something sometimes it
causes me tenderness and I don’t want to
say pity or shame we shouldn’t have pity
or shame for anyone to me it’s a
frightening feeling
I think it causes or brings me
tenderness when I see someone that
begins something maybe a small
congregation maybe a Ministry
that begins nobly with with effort but
they begin to announce that they’ll have
a powerful Church something big
something never seen before historic
that will move the world they’ll come
from Neptune to see what’s happening
when I see those phrases I say
why in place of exploiting the best that
they have
what’s the best at a small congregation
has what just that
we’re a small family
gathering around a dinner table
gathering in a small small room
different to a mega church won’t get to
know your name we’ll get to know your
real problems we’ll be able to speak
about what’s happening with you you’ll
be able to speak with the pastor daily
small congregations also have nice
things just like there are people who
prefer the qualities of a big church
because they say I go I worship I leave
nobody bothers me nobody follows me
nobody collects my information they
don’t ask for my social they don’t
follow me like immigration there’s
people that that like that
in fact it’s been years since people
have been coming here just as the
service begins and as soon as the
service ends they disappear and you
don’t know who they are what their what
their name is they love it they go
quickly to their car before they get in
the traffic jam and it’s not bad if
someone says brother they say and they
leave
there are people that say no I don’t go
to socialize I don’t go so that they ask
me about my life I go to a big church I
receive the word I worship I know three
or four people
nothing more there’s people that are
fascinated by that but there’s others
that say no I like small churches and
when the churches when the service ends
we always together and I ask Miss Ines
how her hemoroids are doing this people
that like that
and it’s not bad
[Music]
I remember when we used to gather in a
small theater in the Crystal Cathedral
and I would say come close come closer
as a few of us let’s speak as if we were
at home that’s how we that’s how River
began it wasn’t called River back then
come come here come here I wasn’t
preaching to a stadium we knew there
were a few of us what maybe 50 60 people
leaders I would say come come to the
front and we would have a more intimate
Gathering we would speak
it wasn’t so formal but sometimes
leaders desires of wanting to see
something big
even if they have just 10 people in
front of them they yell into their
microphone they Proclaim that they have
a movement never before seen
out of the need of I need to have
something big but no sometimes they’re
just humble beginnings like anything
in order to have something big you have
to start small nobody starts with
something big
and as I was once told
by an old Rabbi in Israel if the enemy
can’t steal your soul
he’s going to try and keep you busy
telling you that you were only born to
do great things
so we never do the small things
if we consider them as small because
we’re reserving our time we’re reserving
ourselves for the Great and the great
things takes a while we don’t get there
unless we go through the Small Things
the promised land doesn’t come without
the process without the desert
and spiritual life
isn’t a bombastic success as much as
they preach that
in at conferences or behind the pulpit
Christianity isn’t success after success
living in Euphoria no Christian Life is
a life of faithfulness of obedience and
it’s not easy and that’s not for
everyone
obedience
small steps of obedience
serving is also obeying obeying is also
serving
sometimes we’re told this is your spot
for now and we get placed in a place we
don’t like but that small step of faith
tests are a character but we dream with
the great things with the bombastic so
sometimes I insist you see that syndrome
in certain congregations and this isn’t
speaking against small churches no on
the contrary we were small as well what
I’m trying to say is when you’re small
you’re small and you need to speak small
you need to know that you’re not before
a stadium it’s not necessary to yell you
don’t even need a microphone you don’t
need to amplify your voice because
there’s 10 people they can hear you
who uses a microphone to speak at home
maybe your mother-in-law that wants to
yell at her son-in-law but that but
other than that no but that comes from a
syndrome that is I want something great
now I want this to be explosive now and
if this push doesn’t burn I’m going to
light it with the lighter until it burns
but it doesn’t work that way so since
God knew that
we would be dazzled with the great
things that’s the reason why Jesus told
the story or told Parables like the lost
sheep the Lost coin
The Prodigal Son The Mustard Seed the
lump of
yeast because Jesus was trying to tell
us something and what is that well that
spiritual life is a diminutive life
filled with small decisions each day not
big decisions I’m going to lock myself
in and fast and pray for 40 days no
they’re going to drag you out in an
ambulance
but small decisions I’m going to pray
five minutes each morning
five
but that’s too little no it’s five just
like working out nobody goes into a gym
and says I want to go in with this big
beer belly and I want to walk out with
Schwarzenegger’s body from when he was
30. no it won’t happen you say they tell
you all right small start with small
routines that’s what your trainer will
tell you
until your muscles D atrophy
well the same thing happens in spiritual
life they’re small steps of obedience
small you begin to read the Bible just a
bit in the morning
there’s no way that while you drink
coffee in the morning you can’t read
the Bible is not necessary to say I’m
going to read from Genesis to Matthew
and I won’t stop no it’s three or four
verses let’s see what the Lord says to
me what does he want to say with me oh I
don’t understand this well let me look
for something that I can understand a
little bit more and I go to the Proverbs
I go to the Psalms
the principles are axioms of wisdom
three minutes five minutes so they’re
just small steps of obedience
not the
spectacular feat of reading the whole
Bible and speaking in the new tongues
ramble take out the trash this and that
there’s people that love that there is a
pastor that would use tongues to to
share doctrines
well
in the gospel of Mark
there’s a short story small story it’s
just four verses
so that we can figure out the time and
space Jesus had just ranted against the
excess excessive demonstrations of
arrogance or ostentatious spirituality
and when he finishes his heated
criticism
he focuses on a woman that nobody
noticed
poverty in her face I can imagine the
woman wearing
wasted away clothing worn garments
when people are hungry they tend to be
more cold so she probably had layers on
her she was dragging her feet through
the floor of the temple and she drops
two coins into the into the urn into the
deposit box
it’s a nice story but
it’s not the one that Netflix movies are
made of
and so what makes this Widow story so
powerful
what makes us remember it today it’s not
dramatic it’s not spectacular it’s not
revolutionary it’s not significant it’s
not surprising but here we have a woman
whose presence is it noticed by anyone
and what’s worse nobody is worried about
noticing her nobody sees this woman
because in the world she lives in
she’s just
Ginger
she’s just another faced in the
multitude nobody’s going to remember
that she went into the temple and on top
of it all she doesn’t care if they
notice her or not she’s used to it she’s
been used to it for years used to
insignificance being imperceptible being
invisible
but Jesus pays attention to that
unnoticed life to that servant that
doesn’t call any attention to herself
that invisible disciple we shouldn’t be
surprised by it because Jesus never
decided to change the world through
armies or swords through Legions of of
Angels or thunder and lightning however
our collective subconscious is that
we’re always waiting for God’s kingdom
to appear triumphantly to take back its
territory to shake up the Nations we
will conquer the world pinky remember
the the mice what will we do this night
brain will conquer the world Pinky and
sometimes we think we’re going to
conquer the world greatly and it’s the
same Temptation that Jesus had in the
desert
the one he faced in the desert the
temptation of doing spectacular things
like jumping off the temple turning the
stones into bread why
to move the Nations according to Satan
to impress people with his power however
what did Jesus do he resisted he said no
no no no no I’m not going to do that and
the church throughout history we’ve
always faced the same Temptation we’re
tempted to great things they write to me
on social media preparedanta because one
day I’m going to share the stage with
you prepare because God gave me the
Nations very rarely do I find someone
writing to me I want you to pray for me
because I’m serving and something small
on my congregation but since I’m obeying
I know God is going to reward my
faithfulness no it’s always I’m going to
win a Grammy I’m going to be successful
or I close my eyes and I see myself
amongst the Nations it’s always in the
grandiose but I’ve discovered
that the kingdom becomes smaller and
smaller the more powerful we become in
the world
Mother Teresa had a phrase that said
we can’t do great things
if we don’t do the small things with
great love and then she added it’s not
about how much you do but how much love
you place in all that you do
you’re looking at me as if to say really
yeah yeah Mother Teresa said it because
I don’t know if you don’t believe me or
Mother Teresa
and I’m including myself all right
it’s easy for easier for us to fall in
love with great things
and when that happens
we forget about the small thing things
like for example
the people who surround us
can you ask the Lord for great things
yet forget about
the souls in the process yeah
Carlos Anaconda once said to me
yeah
I was very young and skinny
take care of yourself there
are more in love with success than with
the souls that’s how he speaks and if I
say it without his tone it doesn’t sound
like one of his phrases he said to me
take care of yourself because there are
people more in love with success than
they are with the souls
I was reading in one of Henry Ford’s
biographies the founder of the
automotive Empire I was reading an
interesting anecdote that one time
Ford had to personally intervene in the
selection of a new CEO a new executive
for his business
yet to select between two young aspiring
assistants
and so interestingly both
nominees graduated from an important
University they both had high grades
they both graduated with honors and they
were both highly qualified to occupy the
vacant position and so the manager of
Human Resources resources had no
argument on how to decide who would take
the spot and he goes to Ford and he says
I don’t know which one of these two and
so Ford says all right I’ll be in charge
of who will be selected
but he didn’t hold the interview
in his office he held it at his favorite
restaurant
so both
applicants were surprised at this
businessman invited them out and once
the dinner ended outside of the
restaurant Mr Ford said to one of them
you’re hired and he gave thanks to the
other person but he said that he
wouldn’t be hired just
continue on look for another job and so
the one that was rejected asked the
automotive business magnet he said Mr
Ford during the dinner we never spoke
about engineering we never spoke about
sales we never spoke about Market
Tendencies can you tell me
why did you make the decision to hire my
friend and not myself we talked about
different things and Ford told them the
reason your friend paid attention
to the waiters he gave thanks
for when they brought the menu he said
please when he asked for a water but to
you all the waiters were invisible you
didn’t realize who was serving you
you were only paying attention to me and
not the waiters
and the leader that I’m looking for
shouldn’t just see the hierarchy and
want to do well with those above him but
he needs to see the common human that’s
why he was higher than you weren’t ouch
that hurts
one of them just wanted to please Ford
and he didn’t care who brought him water
who would bring in the menu so we can’t
pretend to be used by God
for great things
if we ignore the person that’s next to
us don’t tell me that someone loves God
but they have problems with the whole
world it’s impossible
no one can love God love the god that
they can’t see and not get along with
those they can see don’t tell me God is
going to give you the world if you can’t
get along with any of your co-workers
if you fight with everyone
it’s okay maybe I have a problem with
one or two but now five six seven that’s
a pattern
it’s not the world against you
I’m not Henry Ford but I’ve had to sit
down at a restaurant with people that
say are business people
or leaders men and women of God and I’ve
seen them mistreat the waiters or
waitresses serving them
and they think that by mistreating them
they’re impressing me as if I’m going to
say wow what divine Authority wow tell
them to go get a new wine
no this isn’t a a cup
for a servant of God give me another one
no that to me that’s they’re an imbecile
they’re petulant they’re mistreating
someone that’s serving them
and Jesus said I didn’t come to be
served I came here to serve so they’re
mistreating the Lord how can they say
they have a calling to the Nations but
they mistreat the person that’s helping
them
and Jesus had
a special care for insignificant people
in fact
he used
metaphors
like
the yeast
Jews weren’t big fans of yeast because
it was the same metaphor that Jesus used
when he described the arrogance at the
Pharisees had her he said careful with
the yeast of of the Pharisees so those
that didn’t like the image of the yeast
Jesus expresses all right it’s fine let
me give you another example the kingdom
of God is like the Mustard Seed remember
Jesus said the kingdom of heaven
looks like the mustard seed that a man
took and planted in the field
and that’s the smallest seed of all but
when it grows it’s the greatest of the
trees
and so the birds of Heaven Come
and make nests in its branches that’s
the metaphor Jesus used
Jesus also said
the Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast
that a woman took and hid in three lumps
of dough until they were all leavened
this is in Matthew 13 31.
the guys were surprised by the metaphor
they were capturing these images of the
parable because they knew what lumps of
dough looked like
first the mustard seed is the size
of a of a pebble of a of a speck
and lumps of yeast aren’t bigger than
your thumb
Jesus said a mustard seed
can germinate and give off leafy
branches to give Refuge to a band of
birds and just a pinch
a fermented dough
can create three different meals
for 40 people to eat over a few days
Jesus said that’s how the kingdom Works
what begins with something very small
ends up with big proportions and I think
the Primitive Church needed to remember
this and in a strategic way Matthew
places the parable of the Mustard Seed
next to the story of Agriculture where
Jesus orders
that they never uproot the weeds in the
field but rather let it grow next to the
wheat in another occasion I once heard a
farmer
told that mustard is like a weed that
grows in abandoned homes
the mustard seed
Rises through and breaks the concrete
have you seen that happen on the
sidewalks
mustard seeds have the fastest growth in
the world no tree grows faster than a
mustard tree
those that are frustrated because you
can’t grow anything plant a mustard seed
and the juice
that valued order an organization had
very strict rules on how to keep a
garden clean
mustard was known to invade vegetables
and drown them out so Jewish law in fact
prohibited
the planting of any mustard seeds in
gardens that’s why I say
when the people heard the parable
that Jesus was sharing they laughed
because he was describing the Kingdom of
Heaven as taking control in an ingenious
way of course Jews preferred the parable
of the Cedars of Lebanon We Are The
Cedars of Lebanon I had a German Pastor
that always sang that
We Are The Cedars of Lebanon and we all
said hail Hitler I mean amen
however Jesus ridiculed those Triumph
triumphant expectations he said no no
we’re like a mustard seed Jesus
Revolution isn’t a frontal attack
against the world’s Empires
subtle contain
one life at a Time One Soul at a time
now I’m going to tell you another Secret
in the days of the Roman Empire The
Mustard Seed was a symbol of power
Alexander Magnum
andario met
so Dario sent him a sack of mustard
seeds to indicate him how many soldiers
he had in Alexander in response sent him
a sack of mustard seeds with the
following message he said you might be
many like the mustard seeds but were
powerful like the Mustard Seed so we can
destroy you and obviously he did
so once more Jesus changed the
significance of power Jesus power wasn’t
about flattening but about being
flattened and in that way through the
cross triumphing over the empire
The Mustard Seed in order to free its
power allows itself to be
buried flattened in John’s gospel he
Compares death and Resurrection to a
seed that is planted
if the seed doesn’t fall into the dirt
and dies it stays there but if it dies
and is thrown into the dirt what does it
produce fruit
so the mustard seed is the official
sponsor of Jesus Revolution
it’s the sponsor
it’s a backward symbol
and it’s also a good condiment for a
warm hot dog or ponchos how we call them
in Argentina and if it weren’t enough
Jesus adds another thing
the mustard plant that begins with the
small seed like this will grow to be so
big that birds will come and nest in its
branches
the Hebrew thought thought that
birds like eagles and Condors that
symbolize power could only nest in The
Cedars of Lebanon but Jesus said no the
birds that are going to come to the
branches of the mustard tree were
different
because the word bird here isn’t
referring to the Majestic Eagles or
Condors that inhabit in The Cedars but
the birds of prey
that it carry on
these are the ones that inhabit in the
branches of the mustard trees
I killed Jesus why wouldn’t they have
asked for the cross
farmers
had a phobia for those birds that’s why
they had scarecrows or they would put
the picture of a mother-in-law so that
birds wouldn’t come near
but Jesus said that the Kingdom of
Heaven is for those birds and I say
glory to God that God’s kingdom is like
a mustard seed
so that then later in that tree all of
us insignificant people the undesirable
the marginalized
the pariahs for us to celebrate this
marvelous tree someone needs to say
that’s my God hallelujah
now I insist
we live in a culture that tells us
we have to Value the great things you
don’t want to upgrade your combo for 20
cents more
and we upgrade to a bagel drink that
will never ever finish
those buckets of popcorn that are this
big
you’re going to the movie theaters alone
and you have a bucket big enough to feed
Uganda
can you eat all that no but they gave it
to me for just 30 cents more
you know Americans have big big gold
cups
I don’t know how they can drink so much
they’re they’re buckets they’re barrels
us argentinians we come
from Europeans and coffee is a small
drink
like espressos in Colombia they’re just
small shots of coffee
look at the Nostalgia
that I caused when I told you those
shots of espresso well so much Nostalgia
why don’t you just go back
I miss Argentinian coffee but not that
much
Cuban coffees that are very small
they’re this big
you want a Cuban coffee
and Cubans lie to you they lie to you
like Mexicans when they say it’s not
spicy
I ask a Mexican hey is it spicy no
going in and out out it was spicy as can
be
Cubans as well
is this coffee strong no no that’s not
strong one time I drove drank a coffee
at the airport
and they said no it’s not strong it’s
worse than Cuba this is soft
I drank the coffee and I was going
faster than the plane itself I was
jittery I was like that for three days
with arrhythmia
so when you come from that culture when
you live in that culture and you find
Americans that have barrels of coffee
and they’re
gulping it
you ask why well because here
everything’s big
burgers that are Miss cow herself there
is no way to open up your mouth to take
a bite but you you eat it anyways have
you seen the TV commercials here
the burger that just arrived it does
everything geez this egg it has a cow a
pool this and that
and people go and buy it because it’s
cheap
cities built the biggest stadiums
conferences has to be big spiritual
conferences has to have to attract
people
and
among all that our purpose isn’t to
become greater but to become smaller and
smaller God’s Kingdom
is built from the foundations
in Jesus times
um Majestic Temple existed and when the
disciples saw the temple
and they contemplated it
the beauty of the Colosseum they said
what Stones what a building
and Jesus said to them you see all those
enormous buildings
in Mark in The Book of Mark
he said do you see all these great
buildings not one stone here will be
left on another every one of them will
be thrown down it’s not that he
necessarily wanted the destruction of
the temple but he was just redefining
what the temple was
ax reminds us that the Lord doesn’t live
in temples constructed by man the Lord
doesn’t live in River Arena he lives in
the people that comes to River Arena he
lives within us are we in agreement yes
or no
that’s why I maintained the idea that we
don’t have an altar that this isn’t a
holy place no we are the ones that are
Sanctified by Grace because if not it
wouldn’t be fair that the holy place
would be here on Sundays and then during
the week you live in the world
so we always insist that the Lord
doesn’t inhabit in temples
but we’re always insisting on building
God a home there’s a an episode in The
Simpsons I know you don’t watch it but I
used to watch it when I didn’t have
Christ
we’re Homer
is forced to be a missionary in a jungle
he goes with Flanders the good Christian
and they go and they construct
homes in the jungle
and along with the homes he constructs a
chapel a small church and when he
finishes Homer looks at the chapel and
says I’m happy that I finally built God
a small little cage
and that’s what we think sometimes that
we’re building God a cage in second
Samuel 7.
the Bible tells that David lived in a in
a mansion in a cedar Palace
and David begins to consider the idea
that God needs a great luxurious place
to inhabit however God rejects the idea
and says
are you the one to build me a house to
dwell in really
he says
from the day I brought the Israelites up
out of Egypt to this day I have not
dwelt in a house I have been moving from
place to place with a tent as my
dwelling
and so I say yeah of course we’re
grateful to have this this Arena it’s a
comfortable place to gather
from here we send a message out to the
world but I’m going to confess something
to you that comes from my own
investigation after having traveled
through the entire world because I’ve
been an evangelist for many many years
as the congregation grows
in terms of personnel and campus and
buildings properties
it
increases dramatically
and the money and help destined to the
poor and those in need the bigger the
church the less it gives
I’ve just read a recent study that shows
that rich people are much less generous
than poor people
it’s as if the poor person or those that
feel poor give because they think well I
won’t be any more poor by sharing this
plate of food but the rich person thinks
about it many times over they begin to
budget
the more they earn the more they’re
costs increase
and the big congregations give
proportionally less than the poor then
the small churches and this is due to
the fact that when you grow a lot
we also grow in
and being the same
we like to be around people that think
the way we do we liked that they have
the same economic level that we do it
happens in neighborhoods
when a Hispanic person earns a little
more money the first thing they want is
to leave the neighborhood
and leave the Hispanics
because it’s this neighborhood’s full of
Hispanics well what are you from Neptune
what are you no no I’m going to a
neighborhood
where there’s only white people they’re
only Asians it’s as if we want to leave
what identifies us but that’s what we
are and we’re going to take our Hispanic
nature wherever we go because it goes
with us it travels with us you don’t
change just because now we gather
now I gather with people that have the
same economic level as me no I’ve gotten
to know enormous churches
whose budget is invested
and maintaining maintaining a big white
elephant that they don’t know how it got
there the Primitive profits would say
that a church that invests millions in
building
temples or churches while their children
are hungry are at fault for a homicide
imagine the scene of a biological family
a father builds a mansion and his
children are dying of hunger they don’t
have a quarter for a Pupusa I’m not even
talking about an Argentinian barbecue
I’m just talking about look at the level
of poverty I’m illustrating here
when you preach you’ll give whatever
example you want but I’m Argentinian
imagine a man who begins to construct a
mansion and his children are starving
they would
force that guy into a mental ward or
he’d be sent to jail in the worst of
cases
so one of the underlying beliefs is that
money and offerings and tithes belong to
the church
or those that manage the church
sometimes it’s thought that the offering
or tides are
collected to maintain the lifestyle of
the pastor or his family or his friends
or to make the temple bigger however the
scripture teaches us that offerings are
the instrument that God uses for the red
redistribution
and that it belongs to the poor
so giving to the poor shouldn’t be
amongst the budget it is the whole
budget
that is River’s budget if you like it or
not we give because that’s our budget
that’s our mission that’s our goal
now you might say well what does this
have to do with the monster seed well a
lot actually you might have heard that
the Bible says in Leviticus
that 10 was destined to sustaining the
the
levitical priests
but it’s no coincidence that the first
the first organizational structure
I myself get into these these difficult
words but this organizational structure
the first one of the Primitive Church
was created to secure the redistribution
for widows for Orphans just as the book
of Acts cheers
so more than 90 of the offerings had to
be given to the poor that’s what that’s
what the disciples did but we live in a
time in an era
where we’ve revoked that we’ve changed
it I was reading the statistics and the
majority of churches ninety percent of
the offerings are used on employees in
constructing a bigger Temple and
building a gym for the Youth building a
room for the for the women and it’s just
funds that are invested in the wrong way
because we feel that we want to build a
big house for God but we’re disting
distancing ourselves more and more from
the god that spoke to man in the garden
the god that lifted up his tent with us
through Jesus and then appears as a
mustard seed the Lord is more simple
than what we believe he is and he wants
to inhabit in our day-to-day every day
yes or no
once you have a roof start giving
it fascinates me that the city that
Jesus describes the New Jerusalem that
John describes the New Jerusalem doesn’t
speak about there being a temple
there is no luxurious temple in New
Jerusalem because God will live with us
just like in the garden like in the
desert
so we have to bring back the garden to
the city
I know that in place of erecting tall
towers to reach heaven like Babel we
have to
make the Lord come down to earth and be
with us in the shower in traffic on the
freeway in the office in the hospital
at the mortuary God doesn’t inhabit in
Temple she inhabits in my heart and your
heart in our heart someone needs to
believe it yes or no
and as we said last Sunday
God does extraordinary things with
ordinary people
that’s what he said to the ancient
Builders of Jerusalem
16 years the temple was in Ruins
the work had been abandoned there was no
one to work the task was too great too
overwhelming
and to build that Temple Solomon would
have needed 60 000 Transporters
eighty thousand
Stone Cutters 3600
foreman and 60 years
it was a big task too big of a task the
workers might have thought what
difference is my work going to make and
God’s answer was this write it in the
tablets of your heart
hang it around your neck every Sunday or
every Monday you wake up to go to work
every time you turn on the coffee
machine every time
on the freeway during Peak traffic hour
don’t undervalue your Small Beginnings
because the Lord rejoices in seeing that
you’re beginning the work and seeing
that every day you wake up and work
every day you put in the effort don’t
undervalue it someone needs to believe
it do you truly believe it don’t
undervalue
don’t undermine mom
I know how difficult it is Mom
every day every day being a mother
because fathers
us dads we can forget about being dads
from time to time we look at the kid and
we say
wait when did he grow up
You full from the moment he was born
he’s been growing
but moms every day every day
and she’s with the baby when the baby
has colic when when it has gases when
the baby is vomiting when the baby can’t
breathe and every day she goes to pee
with the with the bathroom door open she
doesn’t can’t have the luxury of closing
the door
needs to make sure that the baby doesn’t
fall
doesn’t go into the kitchen
the dad’s different but the mom is all
the time all the time and there’s no
recognition no one’s going to give you a
diploma and it’s very strange for
someone to say to you well how beautiful
that you do it every day well Mom what
do you do when you get sick well even if
I’m sick I have to take care of my kids
because my husband works or because I’m
alone
and every day you start again
every day you start again us gentlemen
as well
or the women that work every day you go
to that rap maze you go to that cubicle
and you put up with that manager that
mistreats you
or the
the co-workers that want to sabotage you
in every day every day every day leaders
and ministers
who prepare their sermons and one day
because it rains a little bit or because
or because the Super Bowl is on people
stop coming by God I’ve been in that
station of life where you put in the
effort you work in that day
people don’t come because oh it’s
someone’s birthday and my family’s over
and we can’t go to church
and you say Lord why don’t you just take
them now or I’ll send them to you
and every day
every day you continue and continue
don’t undermine the small things
well to us my team insignificant might
be it meant for someone else
it’s a small pebble to a giant nothing
but God uses it to defeat Goliath
compared to the tides of the magnets
what are the coins of the Widow but
Jesus uses that to inspire us that’s the
power of the mustard seeds and the lumps
of yeast
the power
to tear shrouds
power to change history
so I see that in God’s hands small seeds
grow until they become leafy trees
a small pinch of yeast
turns into loaves of bread small acts
change the world so you have to say all
right today I have to sow my Mustard
Seed I have to plant it I have to raise
this rebellious child
when they turn 13 14 or 15 they don’t
seem like your child anymore
you ask who whose Child is This it has
to be Satan’s child it can’t be my child
and from time to time
you find in a box this his first baby
shoes
and now you put those baby shoes next to
the big canoes that they use now
and you say how did this happen and you
missed that little baby that would drag
the dinosaur throughout the house and
now it’s that Mammoth that weighs 170
kilos with hairy legs that says
and showers every time Haley’s comment
goes by you guys how can it be
and what does the mom do she continues
One Day at a Time One Day at a Time
Small Beginnings and everything no one
begins with great things that’s why I
said at the beginning
it’s a shame when I see somebody that
begins a small church and says this
church is going to explode it’s not
branding it’s not through eloquent
phrases it’s not a bombastic slogan that
makes a church grow it’s not speaking
about God’s power that makes people come
to see you burn no it’s that you’re
truly burning
just worry about being in God’s presence
and God’s fire will burn in you and
people will run from all the corners of
the world to see you burn there’s no
need to promote it whatsoever that
something big something powerful that
whoever comes to this conference won’t
leave the same no there’s no promotion
needed
if someone discovers the cure for cancer
tomorrow they wouldn’t need to invest a
single Dollar in in promoting it no the
word of mouth
will do its job right
let’s not go to cancer such a drastic
example no let’s speak to all the bald
people
someone truly discovers I’m not talking
about those products that appear on TV
call now and see how your hair grows no
if somebody truly discovered a shampoo
that you could use and it would make
your hair regrow like Puma Rodriguez you
think that publicity would be needed no
it works
if something works it works that’s why I
always say we don’t have to manipulate
people to offer
it makes me sick to think of the people
that say I have to preach an hour every
day so that people give their offering
really either those people have a
problem with learning
or those people just give because
they’re manipulated or
giving and receiving doesn’t work for
them because if someone gives and they
receive is it even needed for them to be
taught again no if it works it works
and when something works there’s no need
to reiterate it
so God’s Small Things begin to function
begin to work like when you put a little
pinch of geese in the dough
so let’s do that calling
or let’s make that phone call can that
phone call make a difference in the
world maybe for the person that woke up
this morning and said I would love to
hear something on behalf of god let’s
write that check it doesn’t have to be
a check with six zeros or three zeros no
it can be one zero it can be a twenty
dollar check a 20 20 bill
that can literally heal someone’s Soul
that’s praying for it
we don’t need a millionaire for that
let’s empty a few bullets in the middle
of a war we’re not going to stop the war
but with that criteria River never would
have gone out to furnish homes or give
food because we’re not solving world
hunger but man for those people it’s a
great difference so you have to forget
about the great things
because God continues to inhabit in the
small diminutive mustard seed
and if you still go to the restaurant
and ignore the waiter or the waitress
and you’re not capable of leaving them a
nice tip
I’m not telling you to give out free
tips when they didn’t take care of you
but if you can’t see that person that
person that Christ died for do we truly
believe that God is going to send us to
the Nations
if you don’t get along with anyone at
your job
and don’t tell me all because they’re
from the world no God sent you to to
them do you truly think God is going to
remove you from there and take you to
preach the Nations no if you’re faithful
in the small then you’ll Place us upon
the big things
the Lord said if you were Unfaithful
with your riches do you truly think that
the Lord in heaven is going to give you
the riches of Heaven if you can’t manage
the Small Things how can we imagine that
we’re going to manage big things so what
are the small things well what we have
what we can invite someone to a coffee
start a chain of favors
go through life with your eyes open
during the week and if we go to
Starbucks
see who’s sitting by themselves with sad
eyes you might say I don’t want to
bother you but can I maybe pray for you
and you don’t have to say I rip you cute
the world and this
thing demon of ice cream no
it’s just hey can I pray for you can I
have your name I’d love to pray for you
I’d love to invite you to church in fact
I think there might be a museum I don’t
have any biblical basis but knowing my
God’s personality I think there must be
a museum
to honor
all the common all the
all the uncommon results from common
Acts
I think it must be called
the bugs Museum
you might be thinking
why did you use the word bugs
but
the small Revolution that’s why that’s
what the museum should be called it’s a
place we’ll all want to visit and we’ll
go in and we’ll find rahab’s cave the
one that she helped the two spies escape
from
David slingshot
Dorcas
needles or grab the the staff that
divided the Red Sea
smell the ointment that softened Jesus
skin we can rest our head upon the same
shroud
where Jesus slept on on the boat
we can rub our hand
on the manger where Jesus was born we
can touch the Roman wood
where Jesus was crucified you might be
thinking what else what else well we
don’t know what will be there but I can
be sure of one thing I do have a
Biblical basis for this the people
that are apparently insignificant that
used all these things will be there
those that took risks Rahab who hid the
spies
the brothers that helped Paul escape the
conquerors David
using the slingshot Sans and brandishing
a bone Moses waving a staff
curious forager
Simon from Cyrene
that when he saw Jesus bloody back and
that he couldn’t continue he took a step
forward as soon as the soldier called
him over
small Acts
and this great cultural jungle just
insects small insects
that do small things
but seeing the Bible they changed all of
history I was reading a famous author
assured that in Hawaii he met a small
Asian woman
was hunched over back due to all her
years of life
modest means
she works as a waitress in one of the
many hotels
on the beach and when she found out that
some missionaries were coming and
visiting Hawaii
she insisted that they come into her
home
and she said I want you to see that I
also preach and when they went into her
home this Asian woman had an enormous
table
filled with
paintings with frames
but the majority of the space was
occupied by carved pieces of wood that
looked like an open book
it was like a carving
made to look like a book The Woman said
she couldn’t read and she said she also
couldn’t give money nor was she good at
speaking but she had learned
this craft and that’s what she used to
preach and her plan was simple
she would put the picture of a friend
that she would take on a Polaroid she
would put that on one side and on the
other side
she would ask a friend who worked as a
waiter as a waiter with her to write a
Biblical verse and she would stick it
there
and her reasoning was that people love
to see their pictures and the majority
of the friends were simple people that
had few
adornments on their walls and so it was
a way for her to say I’m giving you this
picture of yourself with these letters
here with these this phrase here
and they would see daily
and did this work out for her well who
knows what God used the small seeds for
big harvests he traveled on the back of
a donkey
[Music]
not in a carriage it’d be good for you
to tell the person next to you he
travels on donkeys
here you have the great speaking donkey
up here
and this Asian woman
ended up telling the missionaries
if one of these phrases next to their
pictures changes will any one of my
friends lives I’m going to feel honored
my entire life that my humble gift could
be used by a king
so no farmer knows the magnitude of
their Harvest
but we’ll be surprised that if in the
museum of Heaven if next to Moses staff
and
and the the cross
if we see
a carved piece of wood
with a picture on one side and a
Biblical phrase on the other made by a
Hawaiian woman because God sees these
things these small details and I say for
that reason
the instrument that transforms a life is
there and we’re not seeing it because
we’re expecting great things
maybe while you change the
a car’s oil for your client you can
leave them a flyer or a small book on
their seat and you can say to them this
is on the house does that change the
world
is it in the Billy Graham Style no
but that could end up in the museum
the museum in heaven
or maybe you have to take care of
children at a daycare
and every morning you pray for them
in silence or you teach them a certain
biblical principle who knows maybe one
of those children
will become an adult who will change the
world tomorrow or maybe you’re a
bricklayer or a contractor
and your colleague see you every morning
and one day they asked what are you
whistling and you tell them
about the new prey song you learned at
your church
and they’re and that they’re marvelous
and you invite them to come and listen
to the same songs
they’re not great ways of preaching
like us preachers like to post on social
media that we conquer the Nations and
we always want five stars five star
titles but something tells me
that for each visible hero there are
dozens that are in the shadows
the Press doesn’t pay attention to you
you don’t attract multitudes maybe
you’ll never write a book
but behind
each Avalanche there’s always a
snowflake behind each rock slide there
was always a small pebble and an atomic
explosion starts with a small atom and a
revival can begin
with the poorly preached sermon
we’re about to go but John Eglin Eglin
never preached a sermon in his whole
life John Eglin
what’s more not because he couldn’t
but because he never had the need he was
a deacon he was an usher but one morning
he did it just so happened that the snow
covered the entire city in White in
Colchester England
and when he woke up that morning that
Sunday morning back in 1958
he said you know what I’ll stay home I
can’t even go out who’s going to church
during this weather storm
but he said you know what after all I am
the Deacon let me at least open the
doors
and if the deacons don’t go who’s going
to go so he said let me go so he put on
his boots he put on his hat a big warm
jacket and he walked the six miles to
the Methodist Church
he wasn’t the only member that
considered the possibility of going
few went
but he was there in charge 12 members in
total arrived and one visitor so there
were 13.
the pastor didn’t come because he was
trapped in by the snow and somebody
suggested why don’t we go home and Eglin
said no
we got here there will be a service even
if it’s short we came this far let’s at
least have a gathering a service and we
have a guest a 13 year old boy that was
the visitor
and who was going to preach well Eglin
was the only Deacon so it was his turn
it was his worst it was the worst sermon
ever it was 10 minutes long he went
around in circles he wandered he didn’t
make any points it was a disaster it was
like a cocktail
and finally he saw the visitor the child
he said do you want to accept Christ and
this 13 year old boy
as an adult
told his his first time experience of
this day and he would say
during that winter I went into the
chapel because there was a
a snowstorm I was cold and I needed to
pee so I went into the chapel I was
about to leave and a woman invited me to
sit down
so because of my manners I sat down and
listened to a man that preached horribly
for 10 minutes but amongst what he said
he mentioned that the Lord loved me that
he was calling me
and he made me repeat a prayer and I
accepted Christ in my heart the name of
that gentleman that young man Charles
Spurgeon the prince of the English
preachers converted at the age of 13.
and a snowstorm was the terrible
preacher
did Eglin knew what he did no
do Heroes know
when they realize heroic jobs no
or historic moments recognized when
they’re happening no
does a mustard seed know when he’s
making history I doubt it does a lump of
yeast know that it’s leavening the
entire dough that it’s permeating no
rarely do we see the story when it’s
being generated
and we almost never recognize the heroes
one day they’re going to remember what
happened at River hey did you did you
know back in those days it’s been years
but
when I was younger
people would wait in line
from five or six in the morning and your
grandchildren will say well why weren’t
there enough seats yeah yeah but even
then there was Hunger for God and I
remember every Sunday was special and we
would sing
there was a marvelous Orchestra
everyone’s old now except for Dante he
still looks phenomenal but everyone’s
dead now all those members are dead
except for Dante he was always young but
they’re all dead now
and that’s where honor comes from
you know that’s when we honor the dead
oh it was tremendous it was marvelous
it’s better that way I say it’s better
that way
because if we were to find out how God
uses us now I don’t know
I think that we would be filled with
pride
and as soon as we’re filled with pride
we’re such scammers and Rascals now we
begin to speak about how we’re here for
great things and that we’re not we’re no
longer there for the small things
that’s how we are well not you guys the
people from the from this can service
not
as soon as they tell us some history and
that were important then we say well
we’re not here for the small things I’ve
been through it already and we want
something great
forget that small decisions
the small acts of obedience to God the
small ones sometimes they don’t appear
as much
but each small contribution towards his
kingdom
is noticed
each piece of advice that we give every
time you pray for someone anytime you
smile at someone a sincere embrace
there are people that don’t forget about
sincere Embrace and they say that
changed my life I had never been hugged
that way not too long ago an artist that
came here said that he said
it’s been years since someone hugged me
the way this young man did that’s what
happens small lumps saying significant
seeds small insects
but as God’s kingdom becomes smaller the
more powerful we become in the world
from within and let’s never forget
that the mustard seed is the official
sponsor of the small Revolution
that’s what we are
small Giants Little Giants doing things
where no one sees us
that’s the greatest desire that we have
as Leaders or as pastors that each one
of us give the best of themselves
wherever God placed you
wherever God planted you
if the great things come welcome if the
great things don’t come well
a waiter is a good good way to start
the person sitting next to you in the
cafe
the person that doesn’t have enough
money to buy a Bible
the person we see in the market
putting
items back from the car because they
can’t afford it
and if our eyes are open
we’d realize that this woman is fighting
against life to feed her children so
it’s you know you don’t need to furnish
homes you don’t need a million dollar
budget
you don’t need to say well
we’re not river we’re
money doesn’t grow on trees for us whoa
it’s not that’s not like that’s not the
reality we live in either we have to
work hard but we can all do something we
can all serve we can all be an agent of
change
and
be a lump of geese be a a seed of a
mustard seed I invite you to a
revolution people are you with me yes or
no I invite you to a small Revolution
with great changes give a grand Applause
to the Lord of lords the King of Kings
Hallelujah if you believe that God has
spoken today
now that you’re on your feet let that
Applause truly be heard here and at home
around the five continents
the Lord has spoken today blessed be the
king
how many receive this word say Amen
and now to finish
this is going to
be at odds with certain people’s
theology despite the fact that I’m here
every Sunday
but I go on tour during the week to give
conferences I’ve realized in the last
few years
it’s fascinating how from afari can
impact but up close your effect
and when I’m close to someone when I’m
having a meal with someone someone that
might not have God apparently when I
have just a few minutes not to preach
but to show them with my life
that someone inhabits within me that
this is the Temple of the spirit
and I don’t do it as a spiritual Lloyd
sometimes we talk about politics or
anything talk about whatever topic but
all of a sudden I see how that person
begins to change they begin to notice
something different they say there’s a
special energy there’s an atmosphere I
love one they don’t even have the
vocabulary to articulate what’s
happening
if they tell me oh there’s a special
anointing it’s because they’re aware of
the Evangelical vocabulary but when they
say I don’t know there’s an aura there’s
a an energy someone told me the other
day you have a special Aura I say say
what you want it won’t take long for
them to realize that the one that
inhabits in me also wants to inhabit in
their heart he also wants to inhabit
inside of them
isn’t it marvelous
it’s marvelous
and it’s contagious it’s viral the Lord
said this is a viral movement
subterraneous believe in me
[Music]
poor are the followers of Nebuchadnezzar
and the Babylonians who thought they
were taking a few young men captives
Daniel
poor people they thought they were
taking them captive when what God was
actually was doing
was inserting four moles into Babylon
and from within they infiltrated and
took all of Babylon captive
he brought in four guys
that seemed to look like all the rest
that spoke like all the rest but over
the period of a few months the king
ended up saying I tell the whole world
that there is no God like the god of
Daniel there is no God like his God
does someone want that declaration say
Amen there is no God like the god of the
people from River do you believe it
we’re going to pray
first I’m going to do
what Eglin said in the Methodist Church
there might be someone here that’s 40
years old 50 80 years old who knows
Maybe by touching those people maybe we
touch a multitude later so repeat this
prayer with me Lord Jesus
come into my heart forgive my sins
thank you for the cross
for resurrecting
forgiving me eternal life
thank you Lord
I receive you as my savior
and say out loud write my name in The
Book of Life and now lift up your hands
and we’re going to pray all together
we’re going to cry out
for all those as I said last Sunday all
those that are frustrated
because those great things the prophecy
that they gave you isn’t being fulfilled
and the Lord wants me to remind you I
rejoice in your Small Beginnings begin
take a first step of faith
write just a few lines
edit a Blog
make that phone call write that check
every day
you can make the promise to God that you
won’t go to bed without making sure that
you tried to change at least one
person’s life you hear me not a
multitude don’t ask for stadiums anymore
say Lord give me one person every day
one
at the cafe in the morning at the market
at school
wherever you go at the club
wherever you go
I want to change one person’s life and
at the end of the year you will have
changed 365 lives that’s a great
congregation and in 10 years you will
have reached almost 4 500 people
that’s a multitude
and one day
those totems will be there in the museum
in heaven
the day that you wrote that check the
day you made that phone call the day you
gave that hug the day you give that
encouraging word the day you sent a
verse come on lift up your hands and
begin to cry out with me I feel that
something new is being set free here and
around the world
come on we’re going to begin a chain of
favors there are people that will say to
you that hasn’t changed lives but the
Lord says to me I was hungry I was in
jail I was in the hospital you gave me
food you visited me you were with me you
were there and since you did it for my
children you’ve done it for me don’t
forget about that
Lord lift up a generation that reaches
the ants of the world the generation of
people that are generous and giving
people that learn to give up their place
in the line people that aren’t in a rush
if it’s about changing lives the Lord
tells me that that is coming that begins
here I have called you with a purpose
you know what I’m going to pray for now
from the mothers for moms I have felt it
strongly for moms that do that enormous
job almost anonymously
of raising ironing washing cleaning and
very few times I know that there are
dads that raise children on their owns
but especially
moms grandmothers that raise kids on
their own I want the Lord to know
or no on behalf of the Lord that he
knows he sees your efforts your work he
sustains you he sees you daughter
you’re raising men and women of good and
culture you’re placing adults in the
future you’re raising them with
principles and you’ve given up on trips
on vacations you’re giving up on so many
things for them but now I’m praying I’m
crying out now for those that have jobs
that are apparently common I’m praying
for those that work as Carpenters like
my father as plumbers handymen gardeners
and you say there’s nothing spectacular
in what I do but God tells me I’ve I
sent you to that home I sent you to that
house
and on purpose I’m going to open paths
so that you can speak and remember don’t
condemn don’t threaten just give love
love love love and the people will come
to the feet of Christ
and they will want to have what you have
others will notice as you whistle while
you work and they see that you’re joyous
when you do a dirty job when you show
joy for a job that is dirty that makes
you hunched over that makes you sweat
but that’ll be a testimony to others
there’s joy there’s happiness in Small
Beginnings
there’s joy in Little Beginnings
for undervalue the beginnings I’m
praying for the small congregations now
I’m praying for those that are starting
churches my beloved Pastor I’m going to
give you advice that you’re not asking
for but if you’re listening to this
sermon it’s because God wants me to tell
you this
bless your Small Beginnings you don’t
need to yell anymore you don’t need to
be so rowdy just hug them embrace them
because they will come they will come
people need affection people need to be
known embrace them and tell them that
you’ll be a father that you’ll know
their names that you’ll know their phone
numbers
and take advantage of those Small
Beginnings because then you’ll grow and
you won’t be able to give yourself that
luxury and it’ll be a pleasure that you
won’t be able to enjoy because then the
logistics are gonna make it impossible
but now enjoy celebrate
forming leaders
celebrate building the foundations lift
up your hands lift up your hands to
heaven and receive this word
I’m blessing your processes
I’m blessing your processes
I know you don’t see anything yet but in
that process the Lord says I will take
you all the way to the promised land
bless your stone pillow even if it’s too
hard to sleep on
bless it say Lord thank you for this
season I don’t understand it I would
have changed it but you dictate my life
and you know what I need come on lift up
your hands those that have the baptism
of the spirit intercede as the spirit
gives you utterance cry out to the Lord
and say you’ve spoken today
oh
I’ve transmitted what I believe God told
me to tell you today
and I feel that God’s glory grows Moment
by moment moment by moment more and more
and more I’m praying for parents
all the parents that have felt alone
in all the misfortunes of life alone
with a broken family you say I can’t
continue but the Lord tells me to tell
you I will sustain you
let us the Small Beginnings blessed
waking up every morning and having
Health one day at a time one step at a
time one step at a time
one step at a time
apparently insignificant
lumps of yeast mustard seeds small small
but doing extraordinary things in the
hands of God
lift up your hands and drink drink we’re
about to go but before I want you to
receive I want you to receive this
anointing this ointment of the spirit
more more more more begin to cry come on
come on cry with me and say Lord I’m
understanding I’m seeing
how a new
purpose of new
will come
you don’t know what God can do with a
small pebble with a small rock David you
can’t imagine what God can do with your
gift you can’t imagine what God can do
what someone knows how to write or Draw
or paint
or account
or hug and you can’t imagine what God
can do with those that know how to
listen what a gift that is lacking
people that can listen God blesses you
he takes you he elevates you Hallelujah
Give It Up
the Lord of lords
can you feel that the king is in the
house Hallelujah
my beloved may God bless you may he
protect you give a grand grand Applause
to the Lord may he bless you and at home
bye bye bye until next time bye God
bless you we’ll see you next Sunday
people
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foreign
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foreign
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Christmas
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is
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we go
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it is
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