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South Dakota?

I was recently speaking at a Christian event in South Dakota.  I had a great time, and they estimated that over 100,000 people attended.  It surprised me when I found out that there are only about 800,000 people in all of South Dakota.  The city of San Francisco has about the same number of people as the whole state of South Dakota! 

San Francisco is the second most densely populated city in the U.S. (second only to New York City).  It has been a challenge to figure out how to reach people in a city where there is no room to build a giant sanctuary.  Pray for us this fall as we are launching discipleship focused smaller gatherings while maintaining a biblical leadership structure.  These have a real potential of multiplying to reach the thousands in this city who are missing out on Jesus.

I came across this verse the other day.

“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.”  Hebrews 5:7

It struck me as odd that Jesus was “heard because of his reverence.”  It has caused me to raise the level of reverence in my prayers.  I hope it does the same for you.