So if we would just start to build that heart of compassion, looking beyond ourself - it always costs something to get a miracle. Now it's interesting, I was watching that programme Once Upon A Time. I see it's on TV just at the moment. There was an interesting statement that was made in there, and I thought - I heard it said a couple of times and I thought, it's very, very true, just talking about magic, it's the whole realm of fantasy. The guy said an interesting thing. He said: magic always has a price, because he was talking that if you get in the occult, then there's a cost to pay that you'll never ever imagine. Anyone who gets involved in the occult, there's a price you pay, that you would never know up front; and it was very true in this particular episode. The person made this agreement to get this magic to operate, and the cost was immense, and then of course when the price come, he didn't want to pay it, it was so high.
There's a lot of people are discovering the cost of being in the realm of the supernatural, in the occult area; but there's also a cost to moving with God. It costs you - it's inconvenient. You've just got to make decisions. I want my life to count for something. Young people, imagine your life counting for something. Imagine if you could step up above everyone else, and flow with God, and make an impact. Imagine if God worked through your life to touch people. What would happen in the people around you? You've got to get a dream in your heart, of God doing something great through you, and hold and pursue that dream, so you don't just live a normal, down-below average life. So it costs something, so look beyond yourself.
Here's the next thing. Now miracles always require you take faith initiative. Now this is the terrible part that people don't want. In order for miracles to happen, someone has to take initiative in faith. Someone's got to stretch out and believe. There'll never be a miracle happen, unless someone stretches out. Notice what happened here, that the disciples said: send them away. Get rid of them. What they're saying is simply this: they looked around, and they saw a hungry group of people. Basically they saw people with need, and this is what they were saying: it's not my problem. It's not my problem. You show me how you can justify living in a community, that the problems of the community are not my problem. They are indeed. See, they are indeed. This is where God has planted us. The problems in your school, actually they are your problem. They affect the whole atmosphere of the school, and your capacity and ability to learn and go forward, and until we actually own it - we keep thinking like the disciples - they looked and they said: this is beyond us, this is too big. We can't handle that, this is far too big - that school, that workplace, that unsaved person, it's all too big, it's all too big. So you know what their answer was, when it was too big, and the problems seemed too great? Get rid of them, it's not our problem.
Listen, we can't withdraw from our community, and engagement with people, by saying: it's not my problem. It's your problem, get over it, I'm moving on. Listen, that's not the heart of the gospel, that's not the heart of Jesus. You can't just say: it's not my problem. You say: it's not my problem, you're the problem; because you're God's solution. We are God's solution to people in need. We are God's solution to people who are broken. We bring Christ to them. It's not that we ourselves are the answer, but the answer flows through us, to people in need; and if we won't stand up, then we are the problem, as far as God is concerned. God's problem is not the working of miracles. God's problem is having people step out, and risk, and engage; and it's only in engaging with people, you start to see things happening. You say: well, that sounds scary to get out and engage. Yes, it is a bit. It's a bit scary, but do it anyway. Make that decision.