The Doctrine of the Church Pt 2

Let me quickly advance to what we want to look at today. If I want to do the Holy re cap, it will be too long because I know I took our time to show you the origin of the church. I took our time to explain to you. The name and the nature of the church. How many of you remember the origin of the church? Can we wave? Ah? What are the hands? Few? This is not preaching or this is Bible study. So we have to take it precept of our precept. Lines of our lines. How many of you remember the origin of the church? Oh, my father, Okay, let me do the recab because they go up. Teaching is for you to know. If you don't know, teach again. A pastor was brought to a new church. He preached the simon. Everybody shouted excited. He came back the next week pretty the same semon. The people were like, ah, is this the only thing you know from the Bible? But after respect they held their peace. He came back the next one day, I'm pretty the same simon. Ha. When he was preaching, they were murmuring it didn't forget this is what he preaded last time. He came back the first on day when he started preaching. They said, haha, what is going on the first an, I said, what I'm preaching, I'm not seeing it. When I start seeing it, I'll moved to the next one. They go is not to say many things they go is for you to become glory to Jesus. Some of you like hearing new things, especially if they sound deep. Why you are hearing it, you will do like this. You will now start praying tongues. You'll start praying tongues. Before you cross the door. You will forget it. Somebody told me, why is it that when you go out you prease fireful messages. When you now come back, you will be teaching. I say yes, because that one. Since I don't have time to decide put them. I release fire here. I have to teach them the world. Let them grow. You want to hear deep deep spirit a thing, Ah, you will hear. You will stand up and start. Some who stands like this, some WILLI you think something is entry. Then next day, the next day, the third thing you are dressing, you will see them doing it. M Somebody told me where you are teaching, I don't write. I just opened my spirit. Let me enter so he will. Oh my God. When we said the church is God's idea, it's not mass idea. It was God himself that originated the church. And you find that in Matthew chapter sixteen, from verse sixteen to eighteen. Jesus was asking the disciples, who do men say, ay, the. Son of Man I am. And that the son say you are a liars because they saw him manifest in power. Probably it's not the other of Elijah. Some say you are jeremiahs your message is corrosive, so you probably you are the willing prophet. Some say you are John the Baptist. You return from the dead, that's why you are working wonders. When they were all wrong. Jesus saw that they were wrong. Jesus now asked them, who do you say I am? Because we said what we are dealing with here is the Church of Jesus. And Peter said, you are the Christ, the son of the Living God. And Jesus said, flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, But my Father, which is in heaven, and now said down at Peter, upon this revelation, and we build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So Jesus said, you are Peter. It is from this revelation that came from my Father that we build the church. So the church was bettered from the Father through the revelation of Jesus. So the origin of the church is the Father. The church came from God and it came through the revelation of Jesus. That's why we say the foundation of the church is the revelation of Christ. So anywhere that you'll. See something that says it's church and it's not built on Christ, it's not church. Church is not built on prayer. Church is not built on miracles. I'm using spiritual things so that you get the point where I don't want to use diaboli things or mental things. I'm using spirituar things as powerfu Us. Prayer is they were praying before Jesus came. He didn't build this. Church as power. First first thing is they were first thing before Jesus came. He didn't build this church. They were working miracles before Jesus came. He didn't build his church. Because the church is not built on first thing, it's not built on prayer, it's not built on anything but the revelation of Jesus Christ. The moment isolated. That revelation is upon this revelation I would build my church. So the foundation of the Church of Jesus is the revelation of Christ. This is why everything we do must be rooted in Christ. Our prayer must be from the revelation of Christ. Our first thing must be from the revelation of Christ. Our giving must be from the revelation of Christ. Anything we do that is outside the bearing of Christ as becomes something else you follow. So the church is built on the revelation of Christ. The origin of the Church is the Father. It's foundation is Christ. And I said, if that church is the one manifesting, Jesus made a statement two things. Number one, he said that church will be spiritual. He said, it's not flesh and blood that reveat this. That means beyond strategy, beyond excellence. The Holy Ghost will be the life force of that church. If you come to a place where it becomes about scholarly intelligence, it becomes about strategic thinking only now we're gonna do that as inspired by God. But if it is not the power of the Holy Goos driving what is happening, then see not church, because it is not flesh and blood. And I said, if that church is the. One manifesting to always deal with satain, Jesus said, the get of hell shall not prevail against it. If Satan can be cast out, if demons can't be stopped, if sicknesses cannot be dealt with it, if sin cannot be dealt with it, if the activity of the devil see first task in that place, then it's no church. If it is church, your ware, enter. With addiction, need to die your way, Enter with sickness, you be. Healed, you are entered with demons, you will be cast out. Because that church they get of hell does not prevail against it. If it is the church, no system, no policy, no nation can stop it. One way, or they order to defy sata. Because it's origin is the Father, it's foundation is Christ, its operation is siiriture. The gates of hell cannot prevail against it. This is what we said. And we said, if you study the etymology of the word charge, you know that the church is actually of this world, because the word church is from two words. Number one is a classia, and we say ecclesia is a combination of eck and callioe. It means out of and called. So it is called out one Ecclesia. That's the first word for the church. The second word for the child is kirria con and as a cia. Con means belonging to the Lord. So the church is actually made of two words, ecclesia and chorea con. It means called out people that belong to Jesus. We are not just called out. We are called out and we belong to Christ. So if you say you are a member of the church, you are making a statement that you belong to Jesus. That means your life is no longer your own. Your life belonged to Jesus. Your time is no longer your own. Your time belongs to Jesus. Your money is no longer your own. Your money belongs to Jesus. Your body is no longer your own. Your body belongs to you. Church is not about denomination. Denomination are different programs God is running in different parts of the church. The church is beyond denomination. If you say you are a church, you. Are ecclesia and you are krier con. It means you are called out and you belong to Jesus. Have you seen people who are too busy for God? They don't know church they are not part of church. They serve God that they are convenience. Have you seen people before who still have something that Jesus does, don't have authority over from time, to themselves, to their resources. No, No, this one a beggar, begar. This is why we are teaching what we are teaching, so that you know it in an applicable manner. If you say you are part of the Church of Jesus. It means you don't belong to the world. You have been caught out, and it means you belong to Jesus, belong to him. Why we will not be unreasonable the wrong programs here by human fleshly ambition as inspired. By the Holy ghosts. We must have time for it. We must commit our experties, commit our energy, commit our abilities, commit our resources, because nothing we have is ours anymore. Do you know that today some people we won't think the church is a place where you can go and take. You need anything you need, go collect from church, compote. So you see. Certain people they move from one church to another every three three months. They belong to a new church. When they come you see them around then they say, I need I need a car, I need money for a hospital. Be why you give them. After one week they disappear. They are in another location. They have seen it as a place to take from. And because the church is mission oriented, it will always be at the service of humanity. But some have developed wisdom, so in one. Year they be members of four churches. Oh, if you are part of the church, you are part of it as one who belongs to Jesus. Everything about you belongs to Jesus, Glory to God. If you have this understanding, then you have understanding of the church. And then I said, in further defining the church, we define the church in three major ways. Number one as a living organism. The Church is not dead. The Church is alive. The Church is a being, and that being is alive. That's why the Bible said in First Corinthians Tape to reserve that now you are the body of Christ and members in particular. So when you are dealing with the Church, you are dealing with the living body with Jesus as the head. Do you follow? So the church is a living being, is a living uglyzi and I said to this effect, there are. Four major words used to define the church, words and phrases. Rather. Number one is as body of Christ. So anywhere you hear body of Christ, it's. Talking about the church. Ephicians one twenty three. It causes the church the body of Christ. That means the church is alive. If you're coming to a church the life of God you taught you, the anointance, you tauch you the light of God. You shouldn't tellact with it. That's why sometimes you come depressed after the service. You feel charged. You are dealing with a being that is alive. Read from verse twenty two, let's give it context. Is that he had put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head. Over all, over all, over all things to the church. Then verse twenty three, which is his body, the fullness of him that feelates all things in all. So the church is the living or Lizzie, that's why it's called the body of Christ. Jesus is the head, we are the body. You follow that, so it's living. So he has a body Number two we said, because it's a living being, it's called the bride of Christ. Now as the body of Christ, it speaks of it's being alive, of have been alive. Correctly speaking, as the Bride of Christ, it speaks of a love relationship. So when you come to church, it's not transaction. When it becomes transaction and corruption has gone. We know if you serve God, we bless you, but you are not coming to save so that God will bless you, meaning that if. God stops blessing you, you stop saving. It means you are not part of the church. We know that if you give, God will increase you, but you are not giving to be increased. Because if you are given to be increased, if you are not increased, you stop giving. It means you are doing a transaction. You are not part of the body. The church is called the bride of Christ because there is a love relationship, a loyalty commitment between Christ and the church. I read already Ephicians five twenty five. Husbands love your wife as Christ loved the church and die for the church. So it's a relationship thing. This is why we have to be careful this doctrine that has become transactional. It will raise kind of men, no matter how passionate they are about church. When you find people praying, praying every day, they are not praying, you know, they are buying things every morning, every evening, every afternoon. Ah, you say, God, that's raised the prayer people. They are not prayer people. Relationship is not there. They are buying things. And because we know we keep I'm not saying it's wrong. We pray for families. Here we are doing a forty days prayer. And from time to time has inspired. God wants to do this. God wants to do this because I have not called the seat of Jacob. To seek me in vain. But when it becomes this, this, this, so that people can come. Even we know that if we don't advertise those things, they won't come. That means we are raising crooks. There's no relationship if you're type people. Now, let's let's come and stretch in prayer to know God. Nobody will come. Do it for one week, the prayer will collapse. Do it for two weeks only you will be praying there. And after three weeks you too. Don't knock God, you'll become tired. You will stop. So when we are running is a business empire. Everything is about transaction, sir, So that this will happen. Prayer so that this will happen. Go in so so that this will happen. All those things will happen, but they are not the motivation. Imagine if you had a wife and the wife is cooking for you. The moment she brings the food, she said, I need a Gucci bag. Okay, she comes, she washed your clothes. I answer it as she's bringing I've washed your clothes. I need a car. Okay, there two cans. Take this one bad water, put in the bathroom for you to shower. The moment you come to ask with your what is here? You say, okay, I'm coming now I need the address. Are you a wife or a concubine? Because if you are a wife, you don't need to fetch water for me to buy your dress. Just tell me you need dress, I will give you. If you're a wife, you need a car, Tell me you need a car in fact, as you didn't descand that you need a car, and provide it and tell you if you want the car, see where it is, so carry the key. You know that's what God has done. Carry the key or the car is there. But if you want to give me something to get kind exchange and we're doing transaction here or there's a covenant commitment to one another. That means if I don't have car again love with stop, I ant in of clothes, we stop fetching of buffing water with stop. And that's the people we have raised. And we are calling it George, but it's not chrge even we know. That's why the program we know end every month. There must be a program every month because we need to kill you know what, tretain you this an apostolic center so that you will know the truth and then you re orient yourself because if you live like this, when you meet Jesus, you'll be small. Because there was no commitment to him. Everything you did with him was the transaction. So the church is alive because it's the body of Christ. It's alife because it's the bride of Christ. The church is the covenant partner in love with Jesus Christ. Number three is that the church is alive because it is the temple of the Spirit, the house of God. God lives in the Church, and God does not live in the dead system. First Charentiums three. Is it seems he is that is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him, Verse seven, Team first Coarentius three, know yet not that your body is the temple of the Spirit, and that God dwell it in you. So the church is alive because the living God lives in the church. And then number four, the church is alive because it is called the household of God. It has many members, it's a family Ambicians two nineteen. The church is called the household. So the way you go into the family, you have brothers and sisters. We are a household. We are live. The activity is going on here. We pray together, we worship together, we're fast together, we win souls together. There is a spirit interaction and spirit connection. So the church is an organism. It is in this context that whether as an individual or a gathering of people, we are called church. So you, as an individual, you are a church because you are the body of Christ. You are the temple of the Holy Ghost. And then when we gather together as the people on that God's authority, we are church. Because we are alive in the spirit. Glory to God. Said the church is not just a living organism, it's an institution. Meaning when you are in the church, God will bring his order, his governance, his doctrine, his odd the nazis, and his structure, and he expects you to comply. So church is not just about being a living organism. Hope you know in the family there is order, there is structure. The head is the father. You can't come as a child and start giving directly. No family does not run like that. And then there are odd the nances. Because you are the head, he will be the provider. When you are giving direction, make sure you also provide, and that you the children and the wife who are enjoying, make sure you are so busining. So it's their wife. Submit to your husband. If a husband love, so their ordinances. That's how the church works. So there is an institutional. Dimension to church. We are trying to define the nature of the church. We look at the origin. Now we are looking at the dimensions of this operation or expression still as part of its definition. So the church is also an institution. Festival to three fifteen, if I tarry to come, is that you know how to behave yourself? There is how in the House of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the ground and pillar of truth. I think it's fast Saloneans three sixth and two. Help me find that scripture we have post said, if any broader among you does not follow the traditions we have given you, help me find scripture either two or three. First Salonius. Have you seen it? First saloniums. Just touch it for me. I don't know why. Okay, checks the Concatalonius three Sis, and then twelve or fourteen. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that year we draw yourselves from every brother the worker disorderly and not after the traditions which he received of us. They say, in the name of Jesus, I command. This is where you know that the church is an institution. You'll find somebody. He's an alcoholic. There's a no, it's not good to take alcohol. They have shown love there, shown law. There, show love. Say I mean that's what I did. Hey point where come, will say if you want to go to hell going, No, No, it's got anybody there. If you want to wreck your family, wreck it alone. Don't record that. He put we were he's in chorche. He expected that he would be a dickie. No, sir, you must be blameless. Don't tell he said, we draw. They put you in charge of a department or in charge of a branch. Before the claim you are an affair with three women. And that you said that your show love. No, we were show loved by withdrawing you and disciplining you. And if you don't follow, we will command everybody to withdraw from you, because you are a wolf his ship clothing. The church is an institution. It's got the ground and Peter. These are people who. Go online a start saying things. How can they say their choice of God? This is an institution. There is an order, there are structures, there are ordinances. You can't do what you want, you think. If everybody is doing what they want, we will be impacting the world. It can't happen like that. Glory to God. So of course that I. Command you go to best twelfth or for him he'll rettitude same chapter second act alone as three to one chapter twelve for me. Now there that as such we command and exhort. By our Jesus Christ, go to rest for team. That's where I'm looking for. If any man, or by not our ward by this epistle, not that man have no company with him, let him be ashamed. Let him be one ashamed, so that in that shame set down will beffect him. He will go back to God and repent. If you compare him, he will go to her. Not that man. You know some of you babies, people violet, the structure of the church vallet, the ordinances of God. When they tell you avoid him, you are like I can are we not supposed to be brothers and sisters? Praise God when you are. If you are an authority heading an aspect of the church, the Holy Goost can lead you to do certain things. But if you are on the authority within an aspect of the church. You follow the ordinance, the structure, the order. Otherwise this will become a chaotic sister. God can't do anything with it. Number three, the Church is the universal body. This is what we called the Catholic Church, not the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is part of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church speaks of the universality of the Body of Christ. This is why in Actsatter Ninebers four and five, when Paul was persecuting the church, Jesus appeared and says, so so white persecutors down me. It's talking about the universal Body. Whatever tie to the denomination is called does not matter. We are one body. The different denominations are just different expressions of the grace of God and different emphasis for building God's people. We are one body. I read for you already in Hebrews twenty three they say you have come to Manzi on the city of the Living God, to the heavily Jerusalem, to the innumerable company of Asia, to the general assembly of the Church of the Firstborn, which. Is written in Heaven. So there is the generally and in efficients three fifteen. Part of us is the whole family of God that are both in heaven and on earth. So the Church is a universal body. If you think that denomination is not part of us, and you start trying to speak ill of them, it means you don't know the church. It's like fighting yourself. Then maybe errors here and there within our own pard if God gives us lights, were treating it out. But we don't have to demine what is going on there to prove that we are all. We are the only right ones because people we that are things we would not see clearly. Because we're seeing part we professying part glory to God. This is the nature of the church. And then I. Showed you the headship of the church, the leadership of the church. I said, it's in three pod number one is the head we're the whole authority of the church is resident. And I said, Jesus is the head of the church Colossians one eighteen. He is the head of the body the church, who is the beginning, the first bond from the dead, that in all things he might have pre eminence. So he's the head Officians one fifteen twenty two twenty three. The Bible said, interrates the fact that Jesus is. The head, meaning Jesus is the absolute authority of the church. But Jesus, the head of. The church, has caught out some individuals. I'm brought into offices to oversee the operations of the different parts of the church in different territories. Efficients four, but eleven. Jesus, when he has sented, the Bible said, he decided to raise offices in the church. He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, some teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry. So they head who is the absolute authority, or then some to be apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers. And it distributed them across the globe to give administration to his agenda, his authority, his purpose within those jurisdictions. And beyond to the degree of grace that they have. This is why you see that universally the Church is one body, but in different territories they are different expressions. Because Jesus till date is the one who calls men and sends them to establish the different aspects of the church. Now, why would you know that these different aspects are to the church. There are things that have found the mental. The Bible calls them the things most surely believed. So when the man says, Jesus has called me to start a unique expression of the Church, you will find out if it's operating based on the things most surely believed. We believe there's one. God who manifested in three persons. We believe Jesus is the son of God. We believe he died on the top day, he rose from the dead after. He was buried. We believe that when he has sent that to heaven and enthrone, he commissioned the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost was the one who came to bed the church. And as we did that, he brought us eternal life. He brought us righteousness. All of this foundational truths. If that am, that unit stands on this truth, then you embrace them as part of the Church. Because these are things most surely believes. Jesus was one of the virgins, He lived the sinless life. All these non negotiables at the fact the lines that hold us together. So Jesus is the head, but it has a five foot office where he can call anybody into send them to start a unique expression of the church, either or territorial purpose or for global purpose. Beginning from there. So you have the head, and then you have the overseer Us. And I didn't. That's not the name we carved out. Paul was the one who gave that name in Arch chapter twenty verst when he eight poor God, they apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers that Jesus calls. And sends as overseer Us. Is that take he therefore, onto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghos have made you over seer Us. To feed the Church of God. So you see that the universal body has different flocks. Jesus is the head of the body. He ordains overseers to handle different flocks. This is the flock, and then the overseers for the purpose of order and administration, are authorized by Jesus to create all that leadership within the church, so that whatever Jesus is transmitting to the overseer can be translated, so that the agenda of God will find expression, regardless of how vast there is the spread. So if you study titles chapter one, verse five. You will see that Poor said, for this cause, I let the in crete that thou should set in order the tings which are wanting and or then helders in every. City, as I have appointed thee. So you see that the overseer, depending on how well he advances the grace of God word, can enlarge the flocks across the nations, so that becomes need to raise subordinate leaderships who can translate what Jesus is saying through the overseer. Are you saying that in Festimoe chapter three the same thing happened in Ephisods. Paul actually passuaded Timothy to stay in Ephisodes, and then in chapter three he down told Timothy to begin to raise bishops who we oversee or that's most small units. So when you study the government or the leadership of the church, absolute authorities with Jesus. We can't do anything outside of the authority of Jesus and the world of Jesus. But we did it. Jesus has raised men and sends to different places to raise flocks to oversee. Then when the flocks begin to grow, he authorizes those overseers to raise subordinate leadership, and the Bible commands in Hebrews thirteen seventeen. Or paid them that have rule over you. It's a bad subject to them. Submit yourselves to them for their watch over your soul. This is a spiritual business, as they must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that it is unprofitable for you. This is the danger of the people who are not under authority anywhere. If Jesus has not called you sent you. To a place to be an overseer, the Holy Gold must have must have directed you to it, to a place where you serve as a flock. If you grow there, the Holy Gods with direct that you are brought into leadership so that you can bring order. But you must be part of the church somewhere one way or the other, because every soul must be accounted. Now, how do we oversee souls Number one to prophetic instruction. You know, a person who is over see five hundred people can't know five hundred people. But overseeing it's not to know people by. Name and having a personal relationship. No, even Jesus didn't do that. But the way you oversee is too prophetic instruction. When God gives a prophetic instruction, anybody who will base it comes. Under the authority and the overside the covering. So we provide covering and overside to prophetic instruction. For instance, the Holy Gooes told us now to fast for forty days. Some people are. Not fastt so I can't provide covering over there. Meanwhile, Past said in Acts twenty twenty nine, when I. Leave you wolves who come? The Holy Ghost was there, but the Holy Goes, according to asks to. Was the one who made party over there are there. So what the Holy Goes does, it does true poor and the way he does it is true prophetic instruction. That's why I say obey them so that they can watch over your soul. People don't know how spiritual is wrong, so I won't watch over you by calling you a phone. But when the prophetic instruction is given and you submit to it. You come under covering. This is why people get to offend that. I mean, that's what they said. The power of God is here. How can this thing happen to me? Are you on that authority? The covering can work for you if you don't take prophetic instruction and serials. This first thing we are talking about. Some people have not started. We are on the six number two. How do you provide covering? True doctrine? The truth God gives here. When it is taught, you believe it, it becomes your system of preservation. We say, ween souls, you don't win. We say prayer. It's important you say for we are We said, Jesus is a lot of your life. You say, We said, declare what Jesus says you are just say in the walk. See it's in Nigeria. I never eat food that they declare. You. We see other people testifying a point will come say and will whisper to you than a lie. You see, all this testimony will be true. But you violated the doctrine. Those who don't obey the doctrine, I've talked to them from prophetic instruction. Nowhere we are going from mission, either prayer or participate or give all three. You don't do one, they say, give you say a bag, then won't collect with the money. Now, oh your prayer, now put one in the pocket. Pray you say, I'm busy. From fatic instruction, doctrine and them prophetic decrees. You know some of you when we stand here and we are declaring. You think is betediction. We're not doing better addictions. It's not a way to end service. It's a system of covering. You believe it, you receive it, and then the things that happened to d us you see that you become invincible to you glory to go. But this is the leadership authority of the church. The head who is the absolute authority is Jesus. Then the absolute authority cause men sends them to oppread in. The five four offices as overseer. Us, and then they oversee us are authorized to rate, sub bodinate leadership who will be able to translate same vision, same authority, same grace in the different territories where they find themselves. And then the flocks, of course are under all of this support authority. So you find where you belong. You are either a flock or you are subordinate authority, or you are part of the overseas. Card and send You can't be the head, so find somewhere belong there. If you are a flock, connect to the authority over you. If you are subordinate authority, connect to the overseer. There are many flocks who. Think they are better qualified than the subordinate authority. How can this person be the one? It's a calling. It's not a competence. You learn competence on the job, but it's first of all calling. If it's better on qualification, some of us decide they can pretty better than me. Some of you what are you laughing? Why the spirit? You don't know? People don't laugh that you don't think you can don't means you won't demine anybody. There are people. I'll carry the microphone here if the top or ten minutes you say a way to are you are being sitting here? I'm telling you I'm not trying to be humble, is the truth. But God in this season has demand that you sit as a flock. I can move from here now and appoint somebody to be here. Half of the church we go. Ever the person know they are big? What is that? What is me talking what is he saying? You are now seeing why they grace the blessings. It's not touching them even when I'm around, because they are outside the structure. And then they are somebody that reader that thing. They are better than the over here. So they are there. They are praying. Oh Lord, there will you commission me? I've stad here enough. It will soon be commissioned. You go walk tire. That's why you know. It's not by power, it's not by mine. By the time you service is about to start your call, they said, there are three people in the hall or the annoying praying and the message in your head. With this appear first, you will start praying for people to come. When they now come, they said, this is two hundred jous. You will now start praying for diesel. Why are you paving preaching? Not? What do we hear you? We shout put online. It won't go anywhere. Your prayer points will be many from people coming to money, coming too, songs coming to visibility to influence. Their prayer points will be plenty. What others are doing because they are called, you will be praying or it will happen because when God costs you, if the baggage. The package is given like like me. Now, I don't pray for invitation. I don't pray for open doors. If I stand here now, I say we are going to Canada. It is certain and we are going this year. I've said it. That will happen. Do you know what it means to organize several conferences. In thirty five days? Did I ask any of you here bring money? He's from rest. We didn't come here and said we want to go to tavel nation. Now. If you don't give, you'll be die. If you don't give, you if you are learned, so do. But you keep seeing it happening, he said, calling the ability to open door its inside. The money to sponsor. It is inside. We have done four of these meetings. Three of the venues were paid by strangers. They are not part of the children. The one in Botswana somebody paid. The one in Zambia somebody paid. The one in Netherlands somebody paid, and we didn't need to call them. I said, thank you, sir ah, you have reptors. You are not happiness. That person was commanded but the Holy Ghost to do it. So that person is serving Jesus by doing it. We are grateful, But the person is not even looking for our thank you. He is saving Jesus. Now you were not sent, You're not send yourself. Then the Holy Gost is not telling anybody to pay. You're now finished one program. They are pursuing you for depth. Come and pay you have imagine now they are telling us you have a fifty thousand in dan There you have a ten thousand dollars. It's been back way. You have ten thousand pounds in England. No, there's not death anywhere. When we leave, the program is over. It's over. No cobbo, no one cobble anywhere. There is balance on ground. We leave it. We don't take one offering from all this journey. When we finish the take use it disciple the sous. When we are going to the next location, the ravens will provided. The ravens have been said, the revens, it HAPs a gonnahead. Over. This is Jesus that work. And in all these meetings, Oh they are miracles. Oh it's not like you have one that's here, this one. There's no one that's all of them. It's never increasing by the day. From rest, find your place in the church. You are either a flock, or you're a subordinate leader, or you an overseer. But find your place and don't force anyone. The Holy Ghost is the one that shuffles us. If it doesn't shuffle you into the overseers, wait, let him shuffle you. He can shuffle you into subbordinate minister, or he can shoffle you into a flock. Be happy wherever he puts you. He's the one markie your script. So it's where he puts you that will determine your performance. And enjoy it. Enjoy it. Glory to God. We have used the whole of today for recap. And I am happy about it because it's like last week was a bit electrifying, so you didn't remember more. What I'll do now is that any day I talk on high votage, I will ask questions. If you don't get it, I will step down and I will inject it by first, so that you will know. Glory to God. Now, how did ixplend this? Let me touch one more thing today and then we go or maybe two things. Two things the DNA of the church. And if I'm able to finish the DNA of the church, then I will go a bit further and then we touch the unity of the church. But let's look at the DNA of the church, the things that truly characterizes the essence and the operation of the Church. When you find a living church, it has a DNA what characterizes it and what defines its. Operation at two forty two Matthew twenty eighth, nineteen twenty. This is where you couple. The chromosomes of the church, the DNA of the church, and the continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayer Matthew twenty eighth, nineteen twenty. Go yere, therefore teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Verse twenty, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, And lo I am with you always, even on to the end of the age. I'm sunly already that the Church originates from God. So it's a revelation based system. It is built on Christ, powered by the Holy Spirit. And stop the operation of the devil based on Matthew sixteen eighteen. Now, the essence and the operation of the Church, what I call. The Daily of the Child is five four number one, doctrine, number two, fellowship, number three, breaking of bread, number four, prayer. And number five missions. If you find a living church representing Jesus, these five things are non negotiables as far as essence and operation is concerned. Because I don't have time, I will jump to the last one because that's the one that some of you may not necessarily be familiar with. Now, when we said doctrine, we mean the church is word centered. When you come to the church, you will hear the word of God until you are tired. Because the word doctrine is the word teaching. So there are belief systems that we must crystallize into teachings so that con ditions and ideologies are formed. That defines who you are or who you become. So when we said doctrine, we mean the church is wor's centered. When we say fellowship, we mean the church is community driven. When you enter here, you are not entering. A strange institution where you just focus a man of God. Man of God is just all there is about, and then when you are finished, you'll put your face forward and go home. No, the church is a community. I showed you already. We are a household. You will appreciate this more if you are not in your country. Many times when people travel out of their country, the first place of solace is church. This is one of the very significant role of church as those who travel a lot. When you are standard in any nation, just look for any where you see church enter. Security is guarantee, food is guardant If you didn't find somebody in less than five meanings, they could tell you. Where he is. You know how they lived. They had three tribes on each side of the act. Each side they're not side three tribes out three tribes, and each. Tribe they sit according to their families, and each family sit according to their generation. So if you're looking for a child, all they need to ask you is which tribe. If you call the name of the tribe, they tell you the side of the aark where you can trace the child. If you answer that tribe, they say, what's the name, They'll tell you the family. If you enter the family, what's the edge group? They will go where they are. That's why they walked in the wilderness for fourteen not one missing child, not one. It's the community that's the church in the wilderness. So if we're in church here, somebody disappear from choir and nobody reach out and the person is gone. Something is wrong with donut no fellowship, and that's why many people are better. Now why we say people shouldn't be angry and leave short. We must be careful to know that some of the things we do to people with some fair those beast one we were leveling one of the biggest partners. I won't call the name of the church, and I've been in like three so you can't guess. One of the biggest partners lost his wife. Nobody reached out. Pastor say, it's not a testimony that they lost somebody to discourage the fate of orders. What when they bring. Money for missions, they bring money for church building, we call them up. We celebrate that. I'm saying we should celebrate that. But somebody loses somebody as important as wife. You say, it's not a testimony to discourage people. That was how the man left church and he didn't come back. Said this one is not George, because there was no fellowship. As we are here, so long as you are in the unit. If you lose somebody, they say, an amount of money we give you don't. I don't need to know you. It's a system. If you are in the unit, if you are in school, you own scholarship. They know anybody who is in the unit. So long as we're in school, we will pay your school Feeay you graduate, and we have created a system again those who have ideas. Brother Charles is in charge. We've sent somebody to China already, right, somebody has already got in the grant. Yeah, he went to China. What's his name, but the girls Wi Johnson, he's in I think the head of the or protocol. We gave him some millions. He went to China. He had the business idea. Since no capital, first support, why you do the business? Bring the bonney back. No capital, we're not no. No interests, but the capital. Start the business where you make money enough and you are balanced. Bring the capital back so that we can give somebody else. Because we are not selling water from heaven here. We need to I don't have the key of David two say so. We need to manage the firm where we are. They said so from Zion and key of David. Day so we are flying wisdom. But then. The point is fellowship, the person sitting down should be shore that something happens to me. See you look at some of these Orthodox churches. You wonder why those who are members there. They can come to your church and be baptizing the Holy goos. Then will go back. They can come to your denomination. Cancer is healed, blind eye open, they go back. You know why fellowship? If somebody dies I my my father say a Catholic, if somebody dies in your house on tea. After the barrier. Every day they will appoint people to be sleeping with you. People there and they say you need. They'll be bringing food at least once or twice, so that you are not thinking how are we going to eat? What do we do? They say you need. People are at least two women or two brethren, depending on the group you belong. We'll be sleeping in your house untill the. Barrier, unless the barrier is some of these strain barriers. So long as it's within a reasonable time two weeks, one month, people will sleep in your house on. Till the barrier. And then there will take responsibility of coughing and some other things that will check up. Buses that will drive with you to your village. When the person is buried, some well stay for another one day. Before you then you return. Well, here we're only speaking in tons revival. Revival. We don't know that fellowship is DNA in church. So in fact, because that church, if you don't have faith, if you don't have your own encounter, you're finished. If anything happens to you, no body we know. And you are expecting that the old people should come. People don't know that they have at least twenty years left on earth. You want them to be committed. If something not happy, who will be there? Nobody? We need to fellowship. When mommy comefort died, I thought the husband, all the children and scholarship did they graduate? That one shouldn't be headache again, it's good fellowship. Somebody can be serving in church and there's something happens to him, he's finished. And to make things worse, we said they don't have faith. The Bible said the early church had fellowship. They went from house to house breaking bread. I may not know. Everybody, but everybody who is committed at least two three people will know you that. If you are not around one week, two weeks, they check up for you. Not because they want to feel the cheers because they love you. You have become family. If you are grieved, they will stand with you. And then if you haven't going through challenge, somebody can pick it and say I was praying for you and this is what God brought me. So it's not just a physical emotional fellowship for physical security even in the spirit. At the DNA of the child fellowship. The reason sometimes we encourage you to join the unit is so that somebody can be accountable for you when you go to tryers. Let somebody know. At least it was one person that was told love somebody in the choir and there was nothing given, and I say why, and they gave some excuses how to draw the person in and give him something. While we are not. Praying for anybody to die, what least you are sure that you won't be stranded. Did there is a problem. Though they are those who love God, they can't come. We set money aside, We send busses to bring them. We know they love Jesus, but they can't come the country. Things are difficult. We set money autside. It's fellowship. And there are some of you sit out there who ever pre someday they are people that every someday they send fifty thousand, they send hundred thousand, so that all the necessary run is these. You bring people to charge. There's there's some relief every prison day. There are people Everysonday ten am to twelve they've sent something. I know you bring some people to church. I want them to come and learn about Jesus. I let them grow. That's what they're doing. They're not looking for who we clab is fellowship. There is so much the counseling units can do. But how much can they do given the number? People must know that this is family. Somebody should reach out glory to go. And they are not just reaching out because they want to bring you back to fill the cheers. No, the early church had work fellowship because the church is community driven. Number three, a time. The church they break bread together, it speaks of one ness in the spirit. So the church is spirit powered. I've taught you before first Corinthians ten. If you read from Vese fourteen to eighteen, Poor was teaching. He said, when we eat of one bread, he said, it means we are partaking of the body of Jesus. And it says the same way we eat for one from one bread. It means we are one like that one bread. So it means our unity is spirit. It does move from the natural. Read your Bible, Acts of the Apostles. Chapter two, verse one. They were together in one accord. You now got to Acts of the Apostles Chapter two, verse forty six. They move from one accord to sing goodness of heart. It's breaking bread. The reason we break bread is because. Jesus commanded those two and because Paul told us that when we break bread, we are affemine our one nest with Christ and our one ness with one another. So it means we are one in the spirit. So breaking bread speaks of the fact that the Church is spirit powered. My relationship with you is beyond natural. It's not just because I love the way you dress. Is because there's a bond that has been created and it is spirit. I tell you, our fellowship with one another is stronger than biological fellowship. Biological fellowship is blood connected, but fellowship in church is spirit connected, and the communion is the proof of it. Number four, the na of the church. The church is the church of prayer. You saw that already asked two forty two. So they are prayer sustained. We pray. Read the Early Church always praying. When they have problems, they pray. When they met for fellowship, they prayed. Every thing was prayer. They kept praying. They can't praying. If we begin to struggle with prayer. Something has gone wrong with our DNA. We have begun to mute it. At six four, will give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the world, asked two forty two. They went from house to house, breaking bread and praying. It was all less about prayer. Asks twelve one to five. When Peter was putting prison, prayer was made of the charge for him. We can't do without prayer. Three years ago, Sister Bree, one of our sisters who is the coordinator in the US now, went to mccordy for a program. They were coming. They were kidnapped. She was in her first trimester. From mccordy. We began to call, make some calls. Let me not implicate any institution. The moment we call that, we start beating them in the bush. So this is a business, you think it not? Ers just smart. That was when I almost gave up on this country. Sonny was the one speaking with because they were talking in houses the moment, they advice to us, first, don't call any agency. This is advice. We thought they were joking. What happened? When are you called? Thirteen minutes later they called us back that they are aware of what we did, and they plugged, so. We had to go back off. Now, there are many cases where the security agencies have done a great job, and I'm not discouraging that if you are led to so do but in this case it was in the. Way to go. We started the chain prayer. As we started. Praying, thirteen minutes into the prayer, because I said, prayer will not end until their release. Thirteen minutes into the prayer, I had the vision they were testifinals. On they and I stopped the prayer. I told them I just saw a vision of they are testifying Sunday. Let's intensify prayers on Sunday. They were testifying charge. I went to captain myself. We went with there are many journeys. There are many journeys, because it was up there for the first time. What do we do? I went myself until some of the hunters went in, did some exchanges and brought them and we returned. But it to prayer. If the church does not pray. The devil will take over from rebellion to serve them dead, to failure, to disaster. You can't even explain it. So the church is prayer powered. And that's why I take time not only to preach prayer, but to teach you how to pray effectively, because a lot depends on prayer. When we pray, we are not just having found. This is one of. The places where we mobilize our assonas we must pray, and we must pray correctly. This is church. This is the DNA of the church. And then the church is mission oriented. We are given to mission. Now, mission is deeper than evangelism. I thought I was gonna deal with it, but I wouln't when next I come, so that we don't over stretch our time bomb. Mission is deeper than evangelism. Now, the church evangelizes, but over and above evangelism is missions. The goal of evangelism is to get people to believe in Jesus and be saved. So the focus of evangelism is faith that brings salvation. And God commanded us to evangelize from your Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, to the ahtelmost part of the earth where we keep evangelizing, bomb mission is higher. The goal of mission is beyond believing as a va. The people already saved, they already believed. The goal of mission is to teach obedience to the wares of Jesus, yield deadness to the Holy Spirit until the believers are discipled, mat chord and transformed into Christ. Why evangelism gives them salvation and brings them in, mission is more about discipleship, and discipleship is to make them become like Christ by teaching obedience and yield deadness to the Spirit and the world until the people people's ideologies or that they are matured and they are transformed into Christ. So the church is mission oriented, and so when we talk mission is a combination of evangelism and discipleship. The church is the church of missions. If you find any church that is lukewarm around so winning on serious around discipleship, they are almost becoming a social gathering. We must train every body to become a missionary. You can do mission in your workplace, you can do mission in your immediate environment. You can do cross cultural mission. But one way or the order every body because the proof that you have been discipled is that you can be sent those who train those have a slogan, WI build and send. If the perfect can do what you are doing, your job is not yet complete. That's why last week I told you about the sentiment marketplace pursus a pursus in church. But everyone will become a missionary if you are in a living church, the passion for so winning rising you. You will hear it, you way see it, Auntie. It will become like a sing for you not to win sous. You'll become a partaker, either by praying. For souce to be one, or by giving for soulce to be won, or by going out to win souls. But there will be no month where you will not participate in. So will I pray for souce to be won, I give for source to be one, I go for souls to be won, and then you yield yourself to be discipled, because when it comes to discipleship is about obedience, where we teach you the ways of Christ, so you obey and you yield. See most of the things we're saying discipleship we can't even say in public because it's not meant for public discipleship is rigid. That's where God she suits you until you become like Christ. I'm telling you, so, you are. Reprogrammed, you are matured, you are transformed, until you become like Christ. This is the assignment of the choice. This is the DNA of the church. If I return during the next Bible study, I will take our time to go deeply into discipleship. But as I leave you, I leave you with this. Every disciple has four assignments. This is the posture of a disciple. Number one, he's a learner. A disciple is an ending learner. I learned this from doctor David Builly. If you become a disciple, you open your heart to learn efficients for twenty the. Learner, I want to learn the ways of God. Paul was speaking to the church in Ephessos because they were not following the ways of Jesus. It is that you have not so learned Christ. That means, when you become a disciple, you learn. Paul said in Philippians for nine. The things you have had you have seen. Is that the things you have both learned received had, and seeing me, he said, do and the God of Peace shall be with you. So a disciple is one a learner. Number two, A disciple is a follower, is not an inactive learner. He learns to do first Corinthians eleven, verse one. Be a followers of me as I am a follower of Christ. So in church our focus is not just membership. If all we have are members, it will become a social gathering in no long time. We must raise those who learn and follow. If you pray, let them pray. If your win soles, let them win soles. If you give, let them give. If you're fast, let them first. When we call for forty days fast, somebody shouted, ah, hold Chorge, forty days first. I say, why not if individuals are first for forty days? Is it no individuals that make the churche? That's what we do. You do it now? We do more because we are in the five food. But there's the level. You must follow. Follow me as I follow Christ. So a disciple is the follower. Number three. A disciple is the doer. You follow the example, You follow the principle. Then the point comes you are able to replicate. You are able to replicate. These are the dispositions if we're gonna bring people to be like Christ. These at the disposition you replica. That's why sometimes you see that we deliberately bring people up here to teach. Some are disappointed. Ah ah, well, wake friend, transport all the way to come here. Why won't you put We are raising disciples. Sometimes we organized crew say I called somebody, hey, go on teach, go on, minister, and I'm at the back of the scene watching. When they finished, I will call them, you didn't do this. You didn't do this. You should have done this. This is why we do this, This is why we do that. Can't they should replicate it? Glory to go, So disciples are doers. Jesus left. Imagine Jesus left the world and left every word for their disciples. Matthew twenty eight nineteen. He said, go intoward the world, go and do what I was doing, disciples of nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, that the spirit teach them the things you've learned from me. Replicate it is your tongue in all this time. Time from now, there should be a time when I can leave this place and nobody will notice. Somebody would have built. Capacity in grace to be able to replicate it. You will come and be as blessed as you are when I'm around, and even more you replicate. Look at the apostles. Jesus was laying hands on the sick. They are two letters on the sick. They recover a point. Can Peter started laying shadow. Jesus never let shadow. A point. Can post not just spend their handkerchiefs. Jesus never signed handkerchiefs. So they were in modifying the operation. That's that, disciples. That's why it's called acts of the apostles. It's not talks past let in first four inters for twenty. The Kingdom of God is not involved. It's in power. If you're not rich, where you can replicate you seeing. Finally, a disciple is a multiplier. So whatever you are doing, you should be able to raise others who are also able to do it. By so doing, you begin to multiply John fourteen eight. Jesus said John fifteen eight. Sorry, here in is my father glorified that you bear much fruit. It says so Shah, being my disciple. So you are a doer and you are a multiplier. How many of us they are multipliers? We shouldn't leave you with ten people. We come back and then you have become five. We will stop here. But somebody is happy. Hi, thank god. Yeah, I will soon start organizing vigeons. Those of you that are weak. That's where we will school you and some of the visions. There will be no cheer. When you come. You will pasty day break. That's how they raised men in. The old days, not this one. They put here in your common balance. You are yearly, you will track around if you are. If you are tire, sit on the floor. Let everybody see. That you are sitting down. When we have vigils, I can't diach for six hours. We pray for six hours because when we are doing will start. Six to six. You don't know see most of you don't know your capacities, so you have not stretched. If you stretch, you will be in your room like this. You'll be seeing visuals. You will know. I won't be sure what is happening until you card. They start confirm me. That's when you'll be like, am I a prophet? No, you're not a prophet, You're just personing. When I started locking myself away in long, fast, long prayers, I started seeing things. That was when you don't tell me that those things are real. You have not stretched yourself. Why you stretch? There are propensities, capacities, abilities. That will spring out of you. Even you will be amazed. Some of the young men that I created the prayer that they pray now, sometimes I pray with them. Sometimes for me. They will just I'm telling you, they will just tell you. Clap description, Claire. You are now. It's like we are now raising school of prophets. One walk as far as my wife's business. When they are said, this thing happened, this is who did it, this. Is how it happened, this is how, this is how this is out. We just got mean, why me? I don't feel like that. You don't know what you're carrying. You lie down, you say, soucer boost. All kinds of devils are pressing you on the bed. You you that should be bunny like a clay. You should be on your bed. It should be flames. If they fly by your room that you fall, they entire your room and tie your bedroom. They are pressing you. You are not. He make his angels, spirits, kiss ministers, play Sophire Taralla, par carolstabar. You don't know who you are, Isaiah said, ay, I'm the children the Lord have given to me. We are for signs, we are for wonders. Jesus said lens on the thief, that we recover cast out devils. How did devils come to you? Put your cast them out? Devils? Your wrong when you come go. Now they're chasing you. Yeah, where you will be played where he played away? No, no, my, you be pray. No you be brod No you be brod y? Yeah yeah, no now. You be No you brother, No, No, It's a blessing to be part of the church. You're not disadvantage. God does not want to waste your time. He wants to make you. That followed me a making. I'm happy for the church. I started my journey with my mom. My mom taught me. Prayer at night, with worship songs. When you assume me sing songs, sing songs, it's for my mom. My first encounter I was with my mom a point now came God Now led me to some some wise men holiness. Those are holiness preachers, the likes of Billiacunny. Oh, he will sit on one scripture because we are neither hot nor cold. I will spew you out of my mouth. It will talk for three days conference on that scripture. They squeezed holiness and the fear of God into my heart. It was Billy that quoted the scripture that changed my life. He said, doubt o Lord, out of pure eyes, he said, your eyes cannot be holding liquid. I'm not such wise men suck hm when when when they're talking, you will be. Several of them like that. And then the point came, God move me to the men of faith and workouts of miracles. That was when I met the likes of Bishop de w do with it. I met the Romeos and Chris. Miracles, miracles, miracles everywhere. And then the point came. God now moved me further to those where their emphasis was prayer and purity. That was when I met the likes of Romeo's eye. We will just be praying. Two weeks. We are praying. After a while, somebody's gift. We activate. Nobody's talking. I thought I heard of people like Chris Delva. He with sing, sing, sing, see and talk talk to sain you. You you will pray and cry, pray and cry, pray and cry. Why do you not work up? Your eyes will open and countacts will begin to happen. Heibo. Your bedroom will become a lord. He's the old legal spirit, he's the. Legal sat heroic hockey. He's a holy girl. The breaking up with up you know right, Chorge is a blessing. Now God wants us to do crusades back to back to back to back crusade and he opened the door for me to make the likes of Paul and then Dr Paul the man. We do three cruises in one week and we go to fight lessons in two weeks. Now we are doing it because when you see it, then you can replicate it. But if there's for charge, how we lose it. It was in listening to people like Pastor christ Bishop who heard. The co and threw Wamarck and Wamark could be talking about raising the dead like a joke. He said, Yeah, my son had his friend's daughter one year after he's dead. You know what that means. The guy died, He walked the guy up. One year later, the guy gets better. So the guy had the child one year after his dead. Oh, here the states you'll be pointed for that. It came for at night around one he shot a woman, brought her that child. Since evening cold and dry. The chiche states that came back to life. When I heard those things. That when the This is when I saw Aura robots, Hey Allen, they were doing miracles like. B I thought, Jack coll Yo, Chack Cole will be preaching. It was a cop. Somebody will have cancer? Is that now? Let's prayer in the in the name. And before he finished, he was like, here I go. Cancer will come up like this cancer? What is this the church? He sent gifts into the church. I start up with my mom. I met holiness preachers. I met people of miracles, eternal life. Annoyingly, that's what they are emphasis. I met people a prayer. Then I met those who took cities. We're gonna start our stadium meetings. This is where test run is. You don't know what's happening. God just put this shows them see them the Christ is in you when you receive Christ. He put the grace there. Want to take the revelation from these people and their active pessions from them for those. Crises to flow. H oh my life, yeah, oh my, my, lil you be. Don't despise the child. I know you have the Holy Spirit. You haven't done alive, but there are men in the church. That will teach you truth to activate it. Please have that place that the annoying. They will lay hands on you to activate it. M hm. My journey is through the church. HM. From my small house, my mom awoke on something. I saw a woman called That was the first time I saw somebody manifesting power what I used to see on television. She wore shout them off with cry out, what is this? I saw people drop clutches. I saw a blind eyes open a woman. I said, no, if a woman is doing this, I will do it. My understanding wasn't. I went through one week training with them. I started following half of messy listening listening. There were sunning taps who were listening. Somebody now connected me to the willingness guys. I had them. I had them when they are I had them. I had them. Somebody now connected me to miracle workers, men of faith. The emphasis was eternal life, the annoyty faith. I started listening from Fast of Chris to Pashup Away. They would do robins. I started listening. I started watching Jack Cole, I started watching See Lost One the books will good Bye, We're bought. And then God leads me off to Kingdom people and prayer people. I remember those days, I spent all my money buying the books of this man of blessed memory. Mice borrow did today his books in my library. I learned principles of kingdom prayer. Now when we come like this, they will say ten hours prayer, fourteen days. We are praying, prayer, prayer, prayer. People. Things are activating the people. People are seeing business with the lives of some more. Prayer. Man on the appost woman, we now moved. Now his crusade, Dr Paul. Sometimes I look at the man, I said, how are you doing it? From the energy to the consistency management station, to the finances to the administration. But when I saw so so I. Said, it's possible. Me my fight the scripture. But sometimes you need to see somebody doing it. It's okay, listen, is possible. If you find the church, you will lose those assets. Lift your hands a pray. The church is a blessing. Huh ah ah ah ah ha ah ha ah ha ha made the Lord caught you to step into a new height. He has giving you the gift of the holycost, the gift of eternal life, the gift of righteousness. He has given you so much, and he. Has also given you the gift of men and the gift of being part. Of the Church. You have no reason not to stand. Oh, you have no reason not to enter the fullness of your ordination. And I pray for you in the name of Jesus. Made that door open for you to enter your next level. Made that door open for you to enter your next. Level in jesus mighty name. Amen. Give the Lord the big hand. H