1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 I'll fly away, to them whom I've got special soy. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:19,000 I'll fly away, I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away. 3 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:31,000 We are going out, we are going out, out of the way. 4 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:46,000 We are going to carry me home, we are going to carry me home. 5 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:51,000 I look so good, you're in a white dress, I see. 6 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000 Come and party, carry me home. 7 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,000 The better thing will probably happen to me. 8 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,000 Come and party, carry me home. 9 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:08,000 I'll star the light, I'll star the light. 10 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,000 No more darkness, no more night. 11 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:20,000 As I fly, I'll fly away, I'll fly away. 12 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:28,000 I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away. 13 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:45,000 When I die, I'll fly away, I'll fly away. 14 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:51,000 Good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning. 15 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:58,000 Good morning. 16 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,000 We are here today to praise the Lord. 17 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,000 This is what we call gratitude Sunday. 18 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,000 It's going to be a little bit different than any other Sunday. 19 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000 I'm sure most of you well know because you're a little bit prepared as you walk in the room today. 20 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,000 So we have gratitude in the bolt. 21 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,000 It's okay, we're going to guide you through it. 22 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:17,000 We have an order of worship where we will have a song and then have a gratitude predation. 23 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,000 We have a word of thanks, praise to God over something that God has done. 24 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,000 Some people have prepared more than that. 25 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,000 You might have a poem or a reading or a writing or something like that. 26 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,000 We do ask if you are a speaker. 27 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,000 We are going to keep you at the five minutes maximum time limit when your time is going on. 28 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:36,000 So somebody, our people, will time you on his phone. 29 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,000 So we'll do that. 30 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Just say we're going to get close to five minutes and we're going to like... 31 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Pushing your luck. 32 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Because you have a lot of folks who are going to share a piece from all different angles. 33 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,000 Good morning. 34 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Good morning, Diane. How are you? 35 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:54,000 Good morning. 36 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,000 I said good morning before you got in and you missed it. 37 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:56,000 So now good morning. 38 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Thank you. 39 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,000 All right. 40 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,000 So we are going to mix it up that way. 41 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,000 So it's going to be a constant new show. 42 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,000 That being said, also on the front, opportunities. 43 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,000 So Little Wonders, if you feel like you need something to do with your hands, 44 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,000 Little Wonders of God skits, because you're going to be in here with us all the time. 45 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,000 You can get that one. 46 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000 And Ariana's got colored stuff up here that you can color on while that's going. 47 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,000 But don't fail to listen. 48 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,000 Because there's going to be some really good stuff that people are going to talk about. 49 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,000 I know there's at least two skits that are going to happen. 50 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:27,000 I'm excited about that. 51 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:28,000 And reading. 52 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Some kind of a little bit like poetry and a video. 53 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,000 There's a lot of good stuff. 54 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:37,000 That being said, if you come prepared today, we're going to try to intermix and just have... 55 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000 We don't have any certain system or plan. 56 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:43,000 We're going to try to have two or three at each spot. 57 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 And then we'll go on to the next song. 58 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:49,000 And if we get to the last spot, if we still have six or seven, we'll have them all. 59 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,000 It'll be all right. 60 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,000 But we want to be actively singing songs and praising the Lord throughout. 61 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,000 We will pick up tithes and offerings at a certain point, because that is a great act of gratitude, Lord God. 62 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,000 God provides you with everything that you have. 63 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,000 And one way to say thank you back is to be faithful with tithes. 64 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,000 It's a little bit of money and the offering is our way of saying thank praise God. 65 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,000 After all is said and done, there will be a gap while we get ready. 66 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,000 But some folks work hard before service, so we're not too far from ready already. 67 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,000 And then we'll have a meal across the hallway in the multipurpose room. 68 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,000 So we are on...what is the double saying? 69 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,000 On like Donkey Kong. 70 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,000 This is going to be awesome. 71 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:27,000 We're going to show gratitude to God and give the Lord the glory. 72 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,000 So we're going to pray together at this time. 73 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,000 And then it's a happy day. 74 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,000 Let's pray. 75 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,000 Father in heaven, this is your place as the entire earth is your place and all the stars. 76 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:37,000 You own it. 77 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,000 And today we want to commit it back into your hands. 78 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,000 We want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. 79 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:47,000 It's going to be all day about how we should be thanking you all day, every day. 80 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,000 And today folks have come in here. 81 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,000 This is not a one man show or even a team show. 82 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 This is a whole church show. 83 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:59,000 It's all about an opportunity to speak out, live up, live out for our God. 84 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,000 We love you, Lord. 85 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,000 We are grateful for all that you've done. 86 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:08,000 We ask you to govern this because it could be hard or more likely Lord because you are a good God, 87 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,000 a God of organization, a God of love, a God of kindness, and a God of order. 88 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,000 You will take care of it. 89 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,000 And so we are trusting you with all of it. 90 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,000 Glorify you, Lord. 91 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,000 Thank you for those who are in the house today. 92 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,000 Remember this is your place. 93 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,000 This is your people. 94 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:24,000 And here today we intend to reach new heights in Jesus in the way of thanking you. 95 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,000 And we praise you for all that you're going to do in Jesus' name. 96 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:31,000 Okay, I've done my paper. 97 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:58,000 Thank you. 98 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:18,000 What do you write for всем ев Hierarch Paul 72 99 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,920 Whenever I've been to space 100 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,260 Whenever I have changed 101 00:06:37,420 --> 00:06:38,060 can 102 00:06:41,860 --> 00:06:43,100 pull through 103 00:06:43,980 --> 00:06:45,380 That's Jennie Saly's 104 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,060 Wooster Netflix 105 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:49,440 The alas, 106 00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:51,300 Penny Pilts Too Faced 107 00:06:51,460 --> 00:06:52,140 tego 108 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:52,180 hit 109 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:52,480 go 110 00:06:52,480 --> 00:07:19,680 We are in the first spot for graduate presentation. 111 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,080 So someone courageous who is ready to rock and roll, raise your hand right now. 112 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:25,080 Alright, go. 113 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:26,080 First hand that's off. 114 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:27,080 You're in the front and you're teaching company. 115 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:28,080 Move the microphone. 116 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:29,080 If you're going to pass the microphone around, you really don't want anything to go happen, 117 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:30,080 but you've got to be nice and loud. 118 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,080 This is a little absurd thing from a song. 119 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:32,080 It's the ending of the song. 120 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:33,080 The song is called Holy and it's by Zac Rose. 121 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:34,080 It's a really good song. 122 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:35,080 I recommend listening to it. 123 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:36,080 It's a really good song. 124 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:37,080 But this is just the little ending snippet of it. 125 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:56,080 And what you're going to understand today that the way to become a living sacrifice 126 00:07:56,080 --> 00:08:09,320 that you carry in your hand and the way family can benefit them through family 127 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:24,080 sacrifice and then sharing the sadness by making it smaller. 128 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,240 And you say, this is for you to fill out. 129 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:27,640 This life is not my own. 130 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,720 I'm not here because of how smart I ever have. 131 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,280 She is, I ever have connected I am. 132 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:37,680 I'm here because of grace, by grace, through grace, 133 00:08:37,680 --> 00:08:39,120 because of mercy. 134 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,520 I wasn't even supposed to make it this far. 135 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,600 And whatever you want me to do, 136 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:46,920 that is what living sacrifices all about. 137 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,880 So with that, there was a couple of verses that I found. 138 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,200 One of them is John 8.36. 139 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,480 It says, so the son sent you free, you will be free indeed. 140 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:01,480 And then Psalms, Psalm 118.5 says, out of my distress, 141 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,440 I call to the Lord, the Lord answered and set me free. 142 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,240 So one of the things that I thought about 143 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,040 with this whole gratitude thing is my freedom in Christ. 144 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,120 And how amazing that really is when you think about it, 145 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,820 how he could take someone that has cursed his name, 146 00:09:19,820 --> 00:09:23,320 that would have spit in his face and cursed him out 147 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,520 and just hated him for everything. 148 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:30,680 And for him to know me by name and saved me, 149 00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:33,320 to set me free from a life of sin 150 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,720 so I can one day get to heaven. 151 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,680 I always thought that that was really cool. 152 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:42,000 And without that, I don't know where I'd be. 153 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,280 I don't know where any of us would be 154 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,120 without the grace of God. 155 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:49,320 And with the season of Thanksgiving and being thankful 156 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:53,680 and I just, I really can't express the amazing feeling 157 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:57,520 I get knowing that God sent his son to die for me, 158 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,560 who hated everything that God stood for 159 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:02,040 for 20 something years, 160 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:03,840 but would still send his son to die for me 161 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:04,720 so I can be saved. 162 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,360 And I really think that is the greatest gift 163 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,080 that anyone can receive. 164 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,520 There's nothing we can do to deserve the love 165 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:12,600 that God shows us. 166 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,480 And like I said, I think that with the season 167 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,640 of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming soon, 168 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,480 we need to be aware of what we're here for, 169 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,680 why we're here and what we actually stand for as Christians. 170 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:26,280 And that is to show people the freedom they can have 171 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,200 through God, through Jesus. 172 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,480 They don't have to live how the world wants them to live. 173 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:32,840 They don't have to see the world 174 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,280 how the world wants them to see it because of grace. 175 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:37,920 We are here because of grace. 176 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,480 We are only here because God wants us to be here 177 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:42,820 because God has the ability to end your life. 178 00:10:42,820 --> 00:10:44,880 And he's done it in the Bible. 179 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,880 There's stories in the Bible where God has... 180 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:50,960 There's stories in the Bible 181 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,720 where God has ended someone's life 182 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,920 and God has the ability to do that. 183 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:56,960 Whatever he gives you, he can take it away. 184 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:59,240 And that includes the breath in your lungs, 185 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:00,280 the air you breathe every day, 186 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,480 he can take that away from you. 187 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:03,640 So when you start thinking about it 188 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:05,920 and you realize that we are literally only here 189 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:07,000 because of the grace of God, 190 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,920 that is the only reason we are still here. 191 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,200 And for that, I am forever grateful. 192 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:12,040 Amen. 193 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:12,880 Amen. 194 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:13,720 Amen. 195 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,640 When I think of gratitude and grace, 196 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,640 I think back to Job. 197 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:20,920 Imagine you wake up this morning 198 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,720 and all you have from God is your life 199 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,760 and anything that you praised him 200 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,080 or thanked him for for the last 24 hours. 201 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:28,920 Think about it. 202 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,040 What would you be missing? 203 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,840 Would you be missing your home, your food, your cell phone, 204 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,640 your car, your job, your money, everything? 205 00:11:36,640 --> 00:11:37,960 God can take it away. 206 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,720 And Job 1.24 says, he said, 207 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,000 I came from my mother's womb 208 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:44,760 and naked I shall return there. 209 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,160 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. 210 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:48,840 Blessed be the name of the Lord. 211 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:53,440 Through all this Job, Job did not sin, 212 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,440 nor did he blame God. 213 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,520 How often when things don't go right in our lives, 214 00:11:58,520 --> 00:11:59,800 do we blame God? 215 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,920 Not God, but the first out is in. 216 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,920 And we need to remember, not just on this day, 217 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,520 on all days, to praise him for everything he has done 218 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,760 from the time we stub our toe to the joys 219 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,440 of a birth of a child and everything we need to remember him 220 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:17,920 and how often he's again. 221 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:18,760 We got one more. 222 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:19,600 20 seconds. 223 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:20,440 You're up. 224 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:21,280 I can't right now. 225 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:22,120 I got a couple more seconds. 226 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:22,960 I'll be up. 227 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:23,800 Okay. 228 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:24,640 Sorry about that. 229 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:25,480 Sorry about that. 230 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:26,320 Sorry about that. 231 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:27,160 Sorry about that. 232 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:28,000 You just changed. 233 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,240 I thank God for a lot of things. 234 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:35,800 Sort of like Paul, when he was mis-genered again. 235 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,800 My little man Paul certainly grew a big, big person. 236 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:43,600 When I was little, I almost drowned 237 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:47,240 and went to a church church and around the time. 238 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,200 And I was worried about my hair. 239 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,240 And I thought what saved my life was the beans 240 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,000 because there was that extra shag and I wasn't gonna pull. 241 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,400 But it wasn't, it was God, you know, he wanted me here. 242 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:57,240 And then when I was 18, 243 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,080 I was drowning in the Mottley River. 244 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,480 Of course I was drinking, okay, and I fell in. 245 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,360 Now I always think that they had long hair, 246 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,160 that the long hair flowed on top of the water. 247 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:06,000 That's what happened. 248 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:07,760 People long hair pulled me and hurt me. 249 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:08,600 I was like, what the hell? 250 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:09,440 You know what I mean? 251 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,640 There were other times when me and my brother 252 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:13,520 was real little, we ran into time. 253 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,960 You know that I was in the mud and got by the time. 254 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,120 Don't you go, don't you go. 255 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:18,480 You know how you grab each other's time 256 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:19,320 and go fuck yourself. 257 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:21,200 You know what, I was like, I was sick. 258 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:22,200 I was sick. 259 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,520 We sat there, we cried like babies when we got up. 260 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,560 And we sat there. 261 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:29,520 We did it, we wouldn't have popped. 262 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,040 And then I started, that's when I just started turning around. 263 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:33,800 I started turning around in my life. 264 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:35,720 I was 22 years old. 265 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,720 And in that journey, my mom used to help me with the dredgers. 266 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:40,920 And I took care of my mom. 267 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,920 And at that point, I had a phrase I had, 268 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:45,400 it's really, lie on God. 269 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,280 But I don't look at my mother like that. 270 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:48,600 I want her to be our danger. 271 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,240 But God said, that's what you're on here. 272 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:52,400 This is what you're on here. 273 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:53,440 And I was going down, 274 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,040 and it didn't have the whole thing to take care of her. 275 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,640 The miracle was there. 276 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,160 All the little things, I gave her up, 277 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,960 stopped on my feet, I had to pass her back in there 278 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:02,800 and all this. 279 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,080 I'm an emotional person when I cry to Eddie. 280 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:06,160 I'm a cry baby. 281 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,600 And I went to her a half hour before we met. 282 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,560 And I said my stuff to her. 283 00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:12,880 And everybody seemed to be smiling. 284 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:14,200 And I was able to take care of her. 285 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,160 I'm able to call her baby. 286 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,000 But why are you crying? 287 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:17,920 He's a cry baby. 288 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:20,320 Second time when we got to the hospital, 289 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,200 once again, I went a half hour before. 290 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:23,880 I was saying, I'm a cry baby. 291 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:25,360 I'm a cry baby. 292 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,640 But I love her and I'm a cry baby. 293 00:14:27,640 --> 00:14:29,040 And I walked away. 294 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:31,200 And the weird thing is, here I am smiling. 295 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:32,360 Here I am not crying. 296 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,200 And you know, I did not know that. 297 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,560 Everything that I did, I mean, 298 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,400 it was a miracle. 299 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:38,480 I mean, a nice night. 300 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:40,280 Oh, one more thing. 301 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:41,720 My friend was in the hospital. 302 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:42,560 My roommate, his wife, 303 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:44,720 was lying right there in the bed. 304 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,400 And God worked a miracle on her. 305 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,160 He got by twice in July. 306 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,840 Stuff he went through in July. 307 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:52,680 He took her to the hospital. 308 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,440 Oh, he was a house baby. 309 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:55,440 He called her all day. 310 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,480 He might lose his life or he might compare life. 311 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,880 But God's miracle is coming home. 312 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:02,520 You know, that, that, that, that. 313 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:04,480 You know, like that's all the fuck we did for me. 314 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:05,960 I don't hope for that. 315 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:06,920 I think that. 316 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:08,040 Okay, next song. 317 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:30,080 ["And Hope is Near"] 318 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:05,080 Who is by our names, who is love and doors forever 319 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:11,080 Alright, you ready? 320 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:13,080 Got it, I might put you up there if you're good 321 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:17,080 In this time of desperation 322 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:20,080 When all we know is now empty 323 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,080 There's only one foundation 324 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:27,080 We believe, we believe 325 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,080 In this broken generation 326 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,080 When all is dark, you have us to meet 327 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:37,080 There's only one salvation 328 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,080 We believe, we believe 329 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,080 We believe in God the Father 330 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,080 We believe in Jesus Christ 331 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,080 We believe in the Holy Spirit 332 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,080 And He's given us new life 333 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,080 We believe in the crucifixion 334 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,080 We believe that God our Father 335 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,080 We believe in the resurrection 336 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:05,080 And He's coming back, He's coming back again 337 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:10,080 We believe, so let our faith be more than it does 338 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:14,080 Greater than the songs we sing 339 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,080 And in our weakness and temptations 340 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,080 We believe, we believe 341 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,080 We believe in God the Father 342 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:26,080 We believe in Jesus Christ 343 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,080 We believe in the Holy Spirit 344 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,080 And He's given us new life 345 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:35,080 We believe in the crucifixion 346 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:37,080 We believe that He's come for death 347 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,080 We believe in the resurrection 348 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,080 And He's coming back again 349 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,080 Let the walks be found and the dead be raised 350 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,080 In the interior and now the love is made 351 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:53,080 Let the church live well, our God will save 352 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,080 We believe, we believe 353 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:58,080 In the gates of hell, we're not prevailing 354 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:02,080 From now on God is going to build 355 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,080 The house of God will never fail 356 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,080 We believe, we believe 357 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,080 We believe in God the Father 358 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,080 We believe in Jesus Christ 359 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,080 We believe in the Holy Spirit 360 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,080 And He's given us new life 361 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,080 We believe in the crucifixion 362 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,080 We believe that He's come for death 363 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:29,080 We believe in the resurrection 364 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:33,080 And He's coming back, He's coming back again 365 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:36,080 He's coming back again 366 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,080 We believe, we believe 367 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:41,080 All right! 368 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,080 Yeah! 369 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,080 Great! 370 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,080 There's a God playing. Are you telling her? 371 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,080 Okay, hold on. Is it ready? 372 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,080 I know. Okay, I'm going to put you in emotional 373 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,080 If anybody wants to go, get Tony in a second. 374 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:53,080 Okay, all right. 375 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:54,080 We have our... 376 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:55,080 Zoe? Okay. 377 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,080 We have our... 378 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:57,080 Great. 379 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:58,080 This is Zoe. 380 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,080 She said, this is Zoe. 381 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,080 Oh. 382 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:05,080 Hello. 383 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,080 Me and Zoe created this blanket 384 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:11,080 to show not even half of the thing was real thankful for. 385 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,080 And it says, have it and thanks because it's a budget. 386 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:18,080 And two, everything around us that we see, 387 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:20,080 we should be thankful for. 388 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,080 So everything around us that we see 389 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,080 should be covering us in thanks. 390 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,080 Is that what you were thinking about? 391 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,080 That there's not that much? 392 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,080 We're thankful for what we see. 393 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,080 Oh, man. 394 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,080 I like it. Very nice. 395 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:32,080 Very good. 396 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,080 Okay, Tony, you're up. 397 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:34,080 All right, thank you. 398 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:35,080 Come on, you, you're invited. 399 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,080 I'm Batman. I need prep time. 400 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,080 Let's get set up. 401 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:39,080 Oh, yeah, just a second. 402 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:40,080 Give me a second. 403 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,080 Okay. 404 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:42,080 All right. 405 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,080 We don't start until I say go. 406 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:45,080 Should be done in three minutes. 407 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:46,080 All right. 408 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:47,080 You might want to sit there. 409 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,080 You know, maybe sit over there. 410 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,080 Remember, you were showing yours the whole time. 411 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:52,080 We were lighting yours. 412 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:53,080 Okay. 413 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,080 Do I need a microphone or do I need a mic? 414 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,080 You picked that better. 415 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:58,080 I'm sorry. 416 00:19:58,080 --> 00:19:59,080 I just never even. 417 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:01,080 Oh, don't you get it? 418 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,080 That's fine. 419 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:04,080 Can you hear me? 420 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:05,080 Okay, here we go. 421 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:06,080 Okay. 422 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:07,080 So these are stages of my life. 423 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:08,080 It's called story of my life. 424 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,080 Every seat I sit in, I'm going to a different age. 425 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:15,080 I'm going from like school to paint, and you'll just find out when I tell you. 426 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:16,080 Okay? 427 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:17,080 So I put this hat on. 428 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:18,080 It's like a play. 429 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:19,080 I don't have characters. 430 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:20,080 So I put this hat on. 431 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,080 These are all the thoughts. 432 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:22,080 There are people messing with me. 433 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:23,080 That's me. 434 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:24,080 If it's off, that's me talking. 435 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:25,080 Use your imagination. 436 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:26,080 Okay? 437 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:27,080 It's called monologue play. 438 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:28,080 But here we go. 439 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:29,080 Story of my life. 440 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:30,080 I'm in sixth grade. 441 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:31,080 I love my life. 442 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:32,080 I go through a lot though every day. 443 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:33,080 I don't know why I live. 444 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:34,080 I don't know what I go through, but I always have a smile on my face. 445 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:35,080 I feel like people ignore me. 446 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:36,080 I don't. 447 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:37,080 It's not just normal. 448 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:38,080 What is wrong with me? 449 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,080 Is there something wrong with me? 450 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:42,080 I don't know. 451 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:43,080 It's like no one will talk to me. 452 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:44,080 What is wrong with that guy? 453 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:45,080 Seriously. 454 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:46,080 He's cool. 455 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:50,080 He's got a smile on his face, but does anybody like, like I'm not going to talk to him. 456 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,080 I mean, like I'm weird, you know, he's always been friendly. 457 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,080 I don't do it with the guys. 458 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:54,080 Yeah. 459 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:55,080 Don't talk to him. 460 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,080 You don't want to ever talk to him. 461 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:58,080 He's miserable. 462 00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,080 You're miserable. 463 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,080 Everybody's miserable. 464 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,080 Take care of yourself. 465 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:02,080 Don't worry about him. 466 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,080 Don't talk to him. 467 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:04,080 Leave him alone. 468 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:05,080 He'll never figure it out. 469 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:06,080 He's an idiot. 470 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:07,080 He'll never grow up. 471 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:08,080 Leave him alone. 472 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:09,080 So that's your K to six. 473 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:10,080 This is me in high school. 474 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:11,080 Well, man, I'm starting to grow. 475 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:12,080 Man, I love this. 476 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:13,080 I play football, video games, all this stuff. 477 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:14,080 I'm going to clue in and say, this is the emptiness of life. 478 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:15,080 It's not because of video games, whatever it is, whatever it's keeping you empty. 479 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:16,080 I'm empty. 480 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:17,080 God, I don't know what's going on. 481 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:18,080 I go to church every Sunday. 482 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:19,080 I cry out to you. 483 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:20,080 I feel like I've got nothing. 484 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:21,080 I feel like I understand what's wrong with my life. 485 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,080 I don't understand, but I don't care because I love my teachers. 486 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:23,080 I love life. 487 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:24,080 It's awesome. 488 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:25,080 But it's like, I can't even go home and talk to my family. 489 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:26,080 Go and see my family. 490 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:37,080 Hi, mom. 491 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:38,080 Hi, dad. 492 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:39,080 Love you. 493 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:40,080 I'm just going to play some video games. 494 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:41,080 Sure. 495 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:42,080 Whatever. 496 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,080 What is wrong with that kid? 497 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,080 He never shares anything. 498 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:46,080 He doesn't talk to anyone. 499 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,080 I can't talk to him. 500 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:48,080 He always yells at me or gets upset with me. 501 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:49,080 I don't know. 502 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:50,080 You're right. 503 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,080 He's a foolish kid. 504 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:52,080 Leave him alone. 505 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,080 Never talk to him. 506 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:54,080 He can't understand anything. 507 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:55,080 It's not easy. 508 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,080 He can't understand anything. 509 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,080 It's not your fault that he's like that. 510 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:58,080 He has to figure it out. 511 00:21:58,080 --> 00:21:59,080 He'll figure it out on his own. 512 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:00,080 Let him go. 513 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:01,080 Let him deal with it. 514 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:02,080 Moving on to 23 years old. 515 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:03,080 Am I moving to 23 year old in my life? 516 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,080 I don't understand. 517 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:05,080 I can't take it no more. 518 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:06,080 Video games, the things I do every day. 519 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:07,080 I feel so empty. 520 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:08,080 I just don't want to live no more. 521 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:09,080 I don't know what's wrong with me. 522 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:10,080 I can't take it no more. 523 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:11,080 I swear there's no answers. 524 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:12,080 There's no truth. 525 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,080 There's nothing going on. 526 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:14,080 I can't take it no more. 527 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:15,080 I don't want to live anymore. 528 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:16,080 What is wrong with me? 529 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,080 I don't know. 530 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,080 I don't know. 531 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,080 I don't know. 532 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:25,080 I can't take it no more. 533 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:26,080 I don't want to live anymore. 534 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:27,080 What is wrong with me? 535 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,080 This is me, guys. 536 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,080 I've been waiting, Molly. 537 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:30,080 You ready? 538 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:31,080 Yeah. 539 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:32,080 He's coming over. 540 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:33,080 He's going to sell a vacuum cleaner. 541 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:34,080 It's okay. 542 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,080 Don't worry. 543 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:36,080 We're sharing Jesus with him. 544 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:37,080 I know this kid. 545 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:38,080 We've already prepared. 546 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:39,080 God said this guy's smiling. 547 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:40,080 We already know that he needs Jesus. 548 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:41,080 We can't wait. 549 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:42,080 Knock on the door. 550 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,080 Hey, can I come in? 551 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:44,080 Yeah. 552 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:45,080 I want to sell some. 553 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:46,080 Oh, put the vacuum down, son. 554 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:47,080 Don't worry about it. 555 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:48,080 Can I open up the Bible? 556 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:49,080 I go to church every Sunday. 557 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:50,080 Well, you want to have it Sunday if you die? 558 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:51,080 I never thought of that. 559 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:52,080 I go to church every Sunday. 560 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:53,080 I don't understand all that. 561 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:54,080 He goes, well, you want to come to Jesus? 562 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:55,080 I go, yeah. 563 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:56,080 I mean, I didn't know Jesus really died on the cross. 564 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:57,080 I just thought it was a thing. 565 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:58,080 You know, people just believe in stuff. 566 00:22:58,080 --> 00:22:59,080 You know, that's it. 567 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:00,080 And I don't know. 568 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:01,080 So, okay, fine. 569 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:02,080 So, I get my car, my 95 Dodge Dakota. 570 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:03,080 I believe in you, Jesus. 571 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:04,080 If you're real, no, don't listen. 572 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:05,080 You're not going to listen anymore. 573 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:06,080 You can't listen. 574 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:07,080 You won't listen to him. 575 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:08,080 You're not going to listen to him. 576 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:09,080 You can't listen to him. 577 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:10,080 Listen. 578 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:18,080 Enough. 579 00:23:18,080 --> 00:23:22,080 I am the Lord your God who freed you. 580 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,080 Take off this dark hood and put on this truth. 581 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,080 I'm the one that rescued you. 582 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:28,080 You don't understand me, but I do. 583 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:30,080 I know what prayer, what presence. 584 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,080 You confuse me of preaching, but I don't. 585 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,080 I have always been there for you. 586 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,080 I've always wanted to talk to you. 587 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:37,080 I've always wanted to be there for you. 588 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,080 You don't have to listen to anybody else. 589 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:43,080 No matter what you're going through, you confuse all these things, but I don't. 590 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,080 I'll love you through it all. 591 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:46,080 You will have truth. 592 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:49,080 You will always find truth, and it will be there for the rest of your life. 593 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,080 I'll share what I want to share later if I don't need to. 594 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:55,080 But I just want to say I'm so thankful that anyone's 23 year old gave my life to Christ. 595 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,080 I've never been the same ever again. 596 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:58,080 And I thank the Lord. 597 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,080 This story could go on longer, though it's not going to. 598 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,080 But the point is it could go on longer, because this story never ends. 599 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:06,080 Because I've been through so many bumps, bruises. 600 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:07,080 People still ignore me. 601 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,080 People still not even want to talk to me as if I'm something they can't talk to. 602 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,080 Like I'm too big or too smart. 603 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,080 Maybe they just see the power of God in me. 604 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:15,080 I don't really care. 605 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,080 But the point is that God's loved me through it all. 606 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,080 And I thankfully loved you through it all as well. 607 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,080 That's the story of my life. 608 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,080 Amen. 609 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:24,080 Wow. Good job. 610 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:25,080 Thank you, Chris. 611 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:29,080 Thank you. 612 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,080 Okay. This time we're going to have an offertory prayer. 613 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:33,080 Pick up the other five offerings. 614 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,080 And then we'll have a song. 615 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,080 And then we'll have a couple more opportunities to share. 616 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:38,080 We're not done yet. 617 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,080 But this has been good so far, hasn't it? 618 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,080 People came ready to talk about the Lord. 619 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:43,080 And I've been blessed. 620 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,080 I'm glad to know that you've ever done it better. 621 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:48,080 God is so good to be doing this in us today. 622 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,080 So I'm going to ask Deacon Tony, would you lead us in the talktory prayer? 623 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:53,080 And then we're going to pray along with you. 624 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,080 Oh, yeah. Go for it. 625 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,080 I just want to share a verse that I'm going to sing to you. 626 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:58,080 Okay. 627 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:00,080 It was shared with me this morning. 628 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,080 I got an underline in my Bible, so it's like a little bit. 629 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:05,080 Cool. 630 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,080 You had our eye upon us way back. 631 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:39,080 And your ability to trust in you, we give our lives to you. 632 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,080 And you even build us up more. 633 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:45,080 So we want to thank you for what you're doing for the lives of so many people in this room. 634 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,080 We ask the Lord to, as we pick up the tithing offerings, 635 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:49,080 we ask the Lord to bless it. 636 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:50,080 Thank you, Lord, that we can give. 637 00:25:50,080 --> 00:26:05,080 I'll just order to meet this who are just getting good. 638 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:20,080 Thank you. 639 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:35,080 Thank you. 640 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:50,080 Thank you. 641 00:26:50,080 --> 00:27:05,080 Thank you. 642 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:20,080 Thank you. 643 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:35,080 Thank you. 644 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:50,080 Thank you. 645 00:27:50,080 --> 00:28:05,080 Thank you. 646 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:20,080 Thank you. 647 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:35,080 Thank you. 648 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:50,080 Thank you. 649 00:28:50,080 --> 00:29:05,080 Thank you. 650 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:20,080 Thank you. 651 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:35,080 Thank you. 652 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:50,080 Thank you. 653 00:29:50,080 --> 00:30:05,080 Thank you. 654 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:20,080 Thank you. 655 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,080 Thank you. 656 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:50,080 Thank you. 657 00:30:50,080 --> 00:31:04,700 I'm thankful for my family, my sisters, my brothers, this environment, this good life. 658 00:31:04,700 --> 00:31:09,720 I'm thankful for that my mom wasn't homeless and she didn't have no money. 659 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:11,280 She's 18 years old. 660 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,760 She did not get out by the road. 661 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,460 It took super long. 662 00:31:15,460 --> 00:31:21,220 I'm thankful that she did put in a lot of time to help us stay good and need to help me. 663 00:31:21,220 --> 00:31:23,220 Yeah. Amen. Good job. 664 00:31:23,220 --> 00:31:25,220 That was a good one. 665 00:31:25,220 --> 00:31:27,220 I'm back with you in a minute. 666 00:31:27,220 --> 00:31:29,220 Alright, so I got one for you. 667 00:31:29,220 --> 00:31:31,220 And then we're doing another song. 668 00:31:31,220 --> 00:31:33,220 And then we've got two spots left. 669 00:31:33,220 --> 00:31:35,220 So if you're delaying at this point, we've got two spots left. 670 00:31:35,220 --> 00:31:37,220 Right? 671 00:31:37,220 --> 00:31:39,220 Okay, this is just a reading, it's not a sermon. 672 00:31:39,220 --> 00:31:41,220 Okay, so how about we go five minutes. Here we go. 673 00:31:41,220 --> 00:31:43,220 Psalm 89, 15, 16 says, 674 00:31:43,220 --> 00:31:47,220 How blessed are they? O Lord, they walk in the light of your confidence. 675 00:31:47,220 --> 00:31:49,220 In your name they rejoice all the day. 676 00:31:49,220 --> 00:31:51,220 And by your righteousness they are exalted. 677 00:31:51,220 --> 00:31:53,220 Does your heart know the joyful sound? 678 00:31:53,220 --> 00:31:55,220 It's not about perfected musical talent. 679 00:31:55,220 --> 00:31:57,220 But can you sing or play with joy? 680 00:31:57,220 --> 00:31:59,220 Those who know how to praise God as a joyful noise, 681 00:31:59,220 --> 00:32:01,220 those who recognize a joyful noise when they hear it, 682 00:32:01,220 --> 00:32:03,220 and I submit, join in with their own joyful noise, 683 00:32:03,220 --> 00:32:05,220 these are the blessed. 684 00:32:05,220 --> 00:32:07,220 To take a right turn or a left, 685 00:32:07,220 --> 00:32:09,220 to avoid a pitfall or climb out of a tree, 686 00:32:09,220 --> 00:32:11,220 to take a right turn or a left, 687 00:32:11,220 --> 00:32:13,220 to avoid a pitfall or climb out of a pit, 688 00:32:13,220 --> 00:32:15,220 renewed in God gifted strength, 689 00:32:15,220 --> 00:32:17,220 because we do so by the light of his presence, 690 00:32:17,220 --> 00:32:19,220 that's what Christians do. 691 00:32:19,220 --> 00:32:23,220 Jesus died and arose and now is making intercession for us every day, 692 00:32:23,220 --> 00:32:27,220 for those who genuinely receive him as Lord and Savior, the resurrected one. 693 00:32:27,220 --> 00:32:31,220 We can rejoice and indeed have reason to rejoice even, 694 00:32:31,220 --> 00:32:33,220 should be rejoicing every day. 695 00:32:33,220 --> 00:32:37,220 This, regardless of daily events or any rising tide of discontentment 696 00:32:37,220 --> 00:32:39,220 that seems to claim our mental state 697 00:32:39,220 --> 00:32:42,220 or bury our joy beneath burdens of our own observation. 698 00:32:42,220 --> 00:32:44,220 When we see the trackings of the world, 699 00:32:44,220 --> 00:32:46,220 the portable provision, portable means carryable by the way, 700 00:32:46,220 --> 00:32:51,220 provision or estimate the lack of something we think we need, 701 00:32:51,220 --> 00:32:54,220 we need only hear again the joyful sound of the Lord and his people. 702 00:32:54,220 --> 00:33:00,220 We need only value it above what we perceive of as a newly developing circumstance. 703 00:33:00,220 --> 00:33:02,220 In reality, there is nothing new under the sun. 704 00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:05,220 And if we will realize it is better, this joyful sound, 705 00:33:05,220 --> 00:33:09,220 and it is available, we can make it limitlessly. 706 00:33:09,220 --> 00:33:10,220 It is a gift of God. 707 00:33:10,220 --> 00:33:12,220 God can make it for us, through us, 708 00:33:12,220 --> 00:33:15,220 even if we should deem ourselves completely unable. 709 00:33:15,220 --> 00:33:18,220 Then the knowing of the joyful noise come flooding back 710 00:33:18,220 --> 00:33:21,220 into replace the shouts of a multitude of enemies. 711 00:33:21,220 --> 00:33:23,220 And then we will say, Hallelujah! 712 00:33:23,220 --> 00:33:28,220 We will praise him, we will cry out, sing out, play out, speak out, walk out, live out, love out, 713 00:33:28,220 --> 00:33:31,220 because we have heard the joyful sound. 714 00:33:31,220 --> 00:33:37,220 And this joyful sound remains, reminds us intimately of his willingness to bestow his righteousness upon us, 715 00:33:37,220 --> 00:33:41,220 his willing transformation of us, his orchestration of our perfecting, 716 00:33:41,220 --> 00:33:43,220 and again we rejoice. 717 00:33:43,220 --> 00:33:48,220 We shall see in the darkness of the land of the living by a light which we could not provide, 718 00:33:48,220 --> 00:33:52,220 a light that is loving and ever available, the light of his presence, 719 00:33:52,220 --> 00:33:56,220 indeed the face of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the church. 720 00:33:56,220 --> 00:33:59,220 When this king enters, no spotlight is needed. 721 00:33:59,220 --> 00:34:03,220 This light, the light of his righteousness, lifts us up, elevates our station, 722 00:34:03,220 --> 00:34:07,220 renews our crushed and vain spirits, and we are raised by his presence to be able, 723 00:34:07,220 --> 00:34:12,220 to be able to know the joyful sound, and to lend our strength to it, 724 00:34:12,220 --> 00:34:19,220 the strength that would have been long spent, but now is renewed daily as he walks with us, in us. 725 00:34:19,220 --> 00:34:25,220 And as the joyful sound plays in our ears, our hearts overflow, and it comes out of our hearts. 726 00:34:25,220 --> 00:34:27,220 Sing, sing a joyful sound. 727 00:34:27,220 --> 00:34:29,220 Praise God for his presence. 728 00:34:29,220 --> 00:34:34,220 The joyful sound is the song, and the lyrics are written in the blood of our Savior, 729 00:34:34,220 --> 00:34:35,220 in the hearts of his people. 730 00:34:35,220 --> 00:34:40,220 The joyful sound is our distinctive, knowing it makes us new, aids us in our overcoming, 731 00:34:40,220 --> 00:34:46,220 marks his presence among us, and we will see and be uplifted by his provision in this way, 732 00:34:46,220 --> 00:34:49,220 as his praise pours forth, for he is praiseworthy, 733 00:34:49,220 --> 00:34:53,220 and we know the joyful sound he has called forth, and we shall be part of it. 734 00:34:53,220 --> 00:34:58,220 Praise him today, he is worthy, do what you can, give thanks to God for all things, 735 00:34:58,220 --> 00:35:04,220 give thanks together, the best you can, but give thanks alone, as much as you need to. 736 00:35:04,220 --> 00:35:08,220 God is among us, and he's calling for a joyful sound. 737 00:35:08,220 --> 00:35:12,220 The songs we know, the sound all people of the Lord have known, 738 00:35:12,220 --> 00:35:17,220 and together we make that sound today, we make it in victory, we make it as the traffic's in victory, 739 00:35:17,220 --> 00:35:24,220 we win, and here and now we sing our victory song, which is the joyful sound of his people. 740 00:35:24,220 --> 00:35:28,220 Armies of God, Armies of God, are you listening? Armies of God, 741 00:35:28,220 --> 00:35:34,220 sing and shout your praises, for our God is good, and the light of his presence ensures our great victory. 742 00:35:34,220 --> 00:35:55,220 Let the walls of Jericho fall again, let the angels join in, let us now make a joyful sound. 743 00:35:55,220 --> 00:36:05,220 Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, 744 00:36:05,220 --> 00:36:16,220 give thanks because he's human, Jesus Christ, his Son. 745 00:36:16,220 --> 00:36:27,220 Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, 746 00:36:27,220 --> 00:36:38,220 give thanks because he's human, Jesus Christ, his Son. 747 00:36:38,220 --> 00:36:51,220 Let the women say, I am strong, let the poor say, I am rich, 748 00:36:51,220 --> 00:36:59,220 because of us the God has died for us. 749 00:36:59,220 --> 00:37:12,220 Let the women say, I am strong, let the poor say, I am rich, 750 00:37:12,220 --> 00:37:20,220 because of us the God has died for us. 751 00:37:20,220 --> 00:37:30,220 Give thanks. 752 00:37:30,220 --> 00:37:33,220 Okay, this is your next opportunity, who's still holding? 753 00:37:33,220 --> 00:37:43,220 Okay, let's go here first and then we'll be here. 754 00:37:43,220 --> 00:37:52,220 I do want to say I do live up everybody and I do thank the Lord for I have my fiance and my grandpa who passed away when I was seven. 755 00:37:52,220 --> 00:37:59,220 I know he's still up there and then another thing is I've been going through some stuff that I don't know. 756 00:37:59,220 --> 00:38:04,220 My parents have been arguing, I try to stay away from myself and fool myself. 757 00:38:04,220 --> 00:38:10,220 I know it's not good to do that, but back in, I think it might have been maybe 2014, 758 00:38:10,220 --> 00:38:18,220 my dad didn't come home from my mom and stuff and then he was gone for like about maybe five days and then I got bullied and like, 759 00:38:18,220 --> 00:38:24,220 like, hit them and stuff and like, he came home because I was getting picked on, I couldn't go to school. 760 00:38:24,220 --> 00:38:33,220 And then we moved up here and he recently started doing the things that he's done for, but he's been coming home right after me. 761 00:38:33,220 --> 00:38:39,220 And then my mom's going through some stress and he's not coming home since he's not been coming home and she's stressing me out. 762 00:38:39,220 --> 00:38:47,220 And I don't know if that can be a stress at home, but if people can cry, that'd be great because I do have a count home as well. 763 00:38:47,220 --> 00:38:54,220 And we're getting help with the baby shower as well because we don't have a whole lot of people at home and all my family members are in shelter. 764 00:38:54,220 --> 00:38:56,220 But I do thank the Lord that I have everybody here. 765 00:38:56,220 --> 00:39:03,220 How about we just ask you to watch over them, even if they've missed their trials and struggles, even after any failures that have gone on, 766 00:39:03,220 --> 00:39:07,220 Lord, we look into you, come into you for guidance and for healing and for hope. 767 00:39:07,220 --> 00:39:13,220 And we ask you Lord to bless them, set them on the right path and help them make the right decisions in honoring you with all things. 768 00:39:13,220 --> 00:39:18,220 Help her in her stress, help her with her health, help her as she follows you. In Jesus' name, Amen. 769 00:39:18,220 --> 00:39:19,220 Alright, cheerio. 770 00:39:19,220 --> 00:39:34,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 771 00:39:34,220 --> 00:39:49,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 772 00:39:49,220 --> 00:40:04,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 773 00:40:04,220 --> 00:40:19,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 774 00:40:19,220 --> 00:40:34,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 775 00:40:34,220 --> 00:40:49,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 776 00:40:49,220 --> 00:41:04,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 777 00:41:04,220 --> 00:41:19,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 778 00:41:19,220 --> 00:41:34,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 779 00:41:34,220 --> 00:41:49,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 780 00:41:49,220 --> 00:42:04,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 781 00:42:04,220 --> 00:42:19,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 782 00:42:19,220 --> 00:42:34,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 783 00:42:34,220 --> 00:42:49,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 784 00:42:49,220 --> 00:43:04,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 785 00:43:04,220 --> 00:43:19,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 786 00:43:19,220 --> 00:43:32,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 787 00:43:32,220 --> 00:43:47,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 788 00:43:47,220 --> 00:44:02,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 789 00:44:02,220 --> 00:44:17,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 790 00:44:17,220 --> 00:44:32,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 791 00:44:32,220 --> 00:44:47,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 792 00:44:47,220 --> 00:45:02,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 793 00:45:02,220 --> 00:45:17,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 794 00:45:17,220 --> 00:45:32,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 795 00:45:32,220 --> 00:45:47,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 796 00:45:47,220 --> 00:46:02,220 I'm going to be on the screen. 797 00:46:02,220 --> 00:46:04,220 Okay, this is our last spot. 798 00:46:04,220 --> 00:46:06,220 I see at least one hand. 799 00:46:06,220 --> 00:46:07,220 Get yourself ready. 800 00:46:07,220 --> 00:46:08,220 I see two back there. 801 00:46:08,220 --> 00:46:09,220 So, oops, sorry. 802 00:46:09,220 --> 00:46:13,220 We're going to go to Rod and we're going to come over to Aaron over here. 803 00:46:13,220 --> 00:46:21,220 I have to admit it's going to be a little intimidating trying to follow all this awesome skits and songs that were sung and everything. 804 00:46:21,220 --> 00:46:25,220 I don't have anything I get, but I just have something I want to share. 805 00:46:25,220 --> 00:46:28,220 Something that I call the chain of gratefulness. 806 00:46:28,220 --> 00:46:35,220 So let me start off by saying last year I was invited to go watch my niece Ariana play a game of basketball. 807 00:46:35,220 --> 00:46:44,220 And when I enjoyed the game, you know, the Rangers did the best they could and almost came on top, but not quite. 808 00:46:44,220 --> 00:46:45,220 That's okay. 809 00:46:45,220 --> 00:46:54,220 So while I was there, I found out that her coach was a gentleman that I went to high school with and was in my graduating class. 810 00:46:54,220 --> 00:46:56,220 So I got to talk to him afterwards. 811 00:46:56,220 --> 00:46:57,220 We reconnected. 812 00:46:57,220 --> 00:47:00,220 It was pretty cool just for that reason. 813 00:47:00,220 --> 00:47:09,220 But I found out that he's in a similar field that I'm in, which is the maintenance field, and he's the director at the Toledo Museum of Art. 814 00:47:09,220 --> 00:47:15,220 So I explained to him that, you know, I'm always looking for a better opportunity if he has something to let me know. 815 00:47:15,220 --> 00:47:24,220 Fast forward to just a few weeks ago, he reached out to my sister and said that he has an open position. 816 00:47:24,220 --> 00:47:29,220 So I applied and we're going through a process now to see if I'm a good candidate. 817 00:47:29,220 --> 00:47:34,220 So where the chain of gratefulness comes in, God put so many things in line there. 818 00:47:34,220 --> 00:47:38,220 And I'm not saying it was for my benefit because I don't believe it was. 819 00:47:38,220 --> 00:47:44,220 I think it was just I'm just benefiting from God's good grace. 820 00:47:44,220 --> 00:47:49,220 First of all, the first link in the chain, Ariana had a desire to play basketball and chose to do so. 821 00:47:49,220 --> 00:47:52,220 The second link, her parents allowed her to do so. 822 00:47:52,220 --> 00:47:54,220 Her parents said, okay, you can play basketball. 823 00:47:54,220 --> 00:47:56,220 Third, I got invited to come see the game. 824 00:47:56,220 --> 00:48:00,220 Fourth link, I reconnected with her coach, which was an old friend of mine. 825 00:48:00,220 --> 00:48:06,220 And then the fifth link now is he's reaching out to potentially see if I'm a good candidate for God. 826 00:48:06,220 --> 00:48:14,220 So all of those events happened in a specific order and to God's design so that I could one of the reasons. 827 00:48:14,220 --> 00:48:22,220 So I can come here and share it with you all and tell you that I'm grateful for all the events that God has put in line to make this happen. 828 00:48:22,220 --> 00:48:26,220 So that's pretty much all I have. 829 00:48:26,220 --> 00:48:30,220 That's great to hear. 830 00:48:30,220 --> 00:48:36,220 Now this morning, I suddenly remembered that this week was the gratitude service. 831 00:48:36,220 --> 00:48:45,220 So I was meditating and trying to ask God what I can bring to share because I was prepared up to this point. 832 00:48:45,220 --> 00:48:49,220 And I've been trying to look on the spiritual discipline of meditation. 833 00:48:49,220 --> 00:48:53,220 I've had a big struggle for me for a long time. I had a lot of trouble closing that distraction. 834 00:48:53,220 --> 00:48:56,220 I'm trying to find a quiet place, but I had great success this morning. 835 00:48:56,220 --> 00:48:58,220 I'm pretty excited for that. 836 00:48:58,220 --> 00:49:05,220 And as I was sitting there, I felt led to read James 4.13 and opened my Bible app. 837 00:49:05,220 --> 00:49:08,220 It was already open, James 4, I think, on Tuesday. 838 00:49:08,220 --> 00:49:12,220 And James 4.13 through 15 says, 839 00:49:12,220 --> 00:49:19,220 Come now you who say today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit. 840 00:49:19,220 --> 00:49:25,220 Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring, what your life will be, for you are like a vapor that appears for a little while and vanishes. 841 00:49:25,220 --> 00:49:29,220 Instead, you should say, if the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. 842 00:49:29,220 --> 00:49:35,220 And so my first reading this and as the next verse goes on to say, I've been very arrogant with my first thought. 843 00:49:35,220 --> 00:49:42,220 But then as I continue to meditate and try to focus on what I was meant to take from that and share today, 844 00:49:42,220 --> 00:49:50,220 the Lord told me I should focus today on what I've done in the past and I should focus on how I need to deal with that today. 845 00:49:50,220 --> 00:49:58,220 And it just made me realize that I'm so grateful for the freedom that I've been given, the opportunities I've been given to make plans 846 00:49:58,220 --> 00:50:01,220 and leave them in the Lord's hands to change with it. 847 00:50:01,220 --> 00:50:08,220 If I want to say, hopefully tomorrow I can go to the store and buy some sweet snacks, if the Lord wills it. 848 00:50:08,220 --> 00:50:16,220 That's the freedom that God has given me and many blessings go into making that one small circumstance happen that you may need to take for granted. 849 00:50:16,220 --> 00:50:26,220 I think that every person on the earth has that blessing and in our vain, grieved nature of the world that we were born with, 850 00:50:26,220 --> 00:50:32,220 we kind of overlook anything that everyone has, anything that's not unique just to us that we have going over top of everybody else. 851 00:50:32,220 --> 00:50:39,220 But it's truly fantastic to be able to do what we're blessed with, the will to do whatever we wish. 852 00:50:39,220 --> 00:50:48,220 And I'm so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be here and to express my gratitude for that gift and be with fantastic people that share the same thing. 853 00:50:48,220 --> 00:50:50,220 Good word. Thank you very much. 854 00:50:50,220 --> 00:50:57,220 I missed anybody? You're changed. You went earlier but I'll let you go to the end. 855 00:50:57,220 --> 00:51:03,220 Alright, for the past week I've been trying to think of stuff that I was grateful for. 856 00:51:03,220 --> 00:51:07,220 Of course I'm grateful for my family, grateful for kids, grateful for church, everything around us. 857 00:51:07,220 --> 00:51:12,220 But I was listening to Matthew West's broken things, you know, the words that said I was here I am, I'm all I am. 858 00:51:12,220 --> 00:51:19,220 And the one thing that came to mind that I'm grateful for is that we're all able to prove the blood of Jesus to them and just say here I am, I'm all I am. 859 00:51:19,220 --> 00:51:26,220 So as my wife noticed I'm not going to talk about feelings much. 860 00:51:26,220 --> 00:51:32,220 I think I think in general I think guys in general like trusting their feelings and letting people see what their heart is doing. 861 00:51:32,220 --> 00:51:38,220 Well, I've learned over the last 14 and a half years that I am able to do that. 862 00:51:38,220 --> 00:51:44,220 I'm able to talk, I'm able to reach out for help, I'm able to reach out and say hey I'm hurting, I need help. 863 00:51:44,220 --> 00:51:51,220 And for most of my life I never felt like I could do that, I never felt like I could reach out for help, I never felt like anyone would care. 864 00:51:51,220 --> 00:51:54,220 I always felt like nobody cared what I said, nobody cared what I thought. 865 00:51:54,220 --> 00:51:57,220 That I'm a guy, I'm supposed to suck it up and deal with it. 866 00:51:57,220 --> 00:52:04,220 And that was how I felt for 20 plus years of my life is that you know I'm just, I'm a man, I have to suck it up, take it like a man and just deal with it. 867 00:52:04,220 --> 00:52:08,220 Well the problem is that that turned me into a very evil person. 868 00:52:08,220 --> 00:52:15,220 It turned me into a person that looking back that I can't understand why anyone would even want to stay with me. 869 00:52:15,220 --> 00:52:25,220 But needless to say I am absolutely grateful for my wife because she chose to stay with me even though I gave her every opportunity. 870 00:52:25,220 --> 00:52:31,220 I gave her more time than not I treated her like crap and she couldn't laugh when she actually did me twice. 871 00:52:31,220 --> 00:52:36,220 The second time I thought we were good, I thought we were done, I thought there was no way we were ever going to come back. 872 00:52:36,220 --> 00:52:41,220 And what's crazy is being that Thanksgiving is so amazing. 873 00:52:41,220 --> 00:52:47,220 I think a little bit, the weekend before Thanksgiving is when we got to an argument and she left and I didn't think she was coming back. 874 00:52:47,220 --> 00:52:52,220 And I actually got a phone call from Sherry inviting me over to Thanksgiving dinner which blew my mind. 875 00:52:52,220 --> 00:52:58,220 So you know that me and her had this huge fight and you know that we pretty much split up now that this isn't going to work. 876 00:52:58,220 --> 00:53:03,220 And Sherry called me over and invited me for Thanksgiving dinner and I was sure I would go I guess. 877 00:53:03,220 --> 00:53:09,220 Me and Alicia were talking and figuring things out and the weekend after I accepted Christ. 878 00:53:09,220 --> 00:53:12,220 I actually got up early, got the kids ready, we were having breakfast. 879 00:53:12,220 --> 00:53:21,220 But she was that push I needed to realize that there were times where it was like she would just constantly nag and nag about going to church. 880 00:53:21,220 --> 00:53:24,220 But looking back I am truly grateful that she did. 881 00:53:24,220 --> 00:53:30,220 Even though back then I might not have been, even though back then I might have been a jerk about it and yelled at her and told her to shut up. 882 00:53:30,220 --> 00:53:35,220 But looking back we all have to have that person in our life that nag. 883 00:53:35,220 --> 00:53:42,220 We all have to have that one person that goes hey you need to do this, you need to step up, you need to do what God's telling you to do. 884 00:53:42,220 --> 00:53:46,220 And for me that was my wife and she did. She did a great job at it. 885 00:53:46,220 --> 00:53:50,220 And because of that, because of the grace of God I am here today. 886 00:53:50,220 --> 00:53:53,220 A completely different person, a completely changed person. 887 00:53:53,220 --> 00:53:56,220 I got a new heart. I am not that person I was before. 888 00:53:56,220 --> 00:54:00,220 And that's why I took a break from being a 517 my favorite verse, because I am me. 889 00:54:00,220 --> 00:54:02,220 I made you because of the love of Jesus Christ. 890 00:54:02,220 --> 00:54:08,220 And I am grateful that I had that one person that kept poking me trying to get me to go to church. 891 00:54:10,220 --> 00:54:12,220 Alright, anybody else real quick? 892 00:54:12,220 --> 00:54:15,220 Ok, I'll get you. Tony then Cheyenne. 893 00:54:15,220 --> 00:54:17,220 Ok, so 20 seconds. 894 00:54:17,220 --> 00:54:20,220 Nehemiah wanted to pray to see if you could ask if you could change your prayer. 895 00:54:20,220 --> 00:54:24,220 Things I needed to share got real emotional and it was really rough but I just want to share real quick things. 896 00:54:24,220 --> 00:54:30,220 The Lord just put in my heart is you confuse preaching with preservation or perseverance. 897 00:54:30,220 --> 00:54:37,220 You confuse prayer with presence and you confuse patience with providence. 898 00:54:37,220 --> 00:54:39,220 That was what I was trying to share at the end. 899 00:54:39,220 --> 00:54:44,220 But I just want to say I thank all of you and I don't mean all of you. Every good gift comes with a gift. 900 00:54:44,220 --> 00:54:47,220 I am so blessed by everything that is going on here. 901 00:54:47,220 --> 00:54:54,220 We are already blessed but we need to remember because we are blessed we can have that blessing. 902 00:54:54,220 --> 00:54:59,220 I am grateful to be here with you lovely people today and to be back in church. 903 00:54:59,220 --> 00:55:02,220 I am grateful to have my beautiful babies. 904 00:55:02,220 --> 00:55:08,220 I am grateful to have my sobriety because that was the hardest thing I ever had to deal with in my life. 905 00:55:08,220 --> 00:55:13,220 I am grateful I am no longer homeless and I got me an apartment now. 906 00:55:13,220 --> 00:55:16,220 And I am grateful for God. 907 00:55:16,220 --> 00:55:18,220 Amen. Well said. 908 00:55:18,220 --> 00:55:20,220 You are going to pray? 909 00:55:20,220 --> 00:55:22,220 That is the plan. You are going to pray for it. 910 00:55:22,220 --> 00:55:24,220 We have one song and we are going to go to work. 911 00:55:24,220 --> 00:55:37,220 I just pray at this moment everybody can close their eyes to know that I want to follow God even in my hard times. 912 00:55:37,220 --> 00:55:40,220 I just want to hurt my dad sometimes. 913 00:55:40,220 --> 00:55:48,220 I just want to hurt his feelings but I don't do it because I love him and I respect him. 914 00:55:48,220 --> 00:55:58,220 I want to be a good kid and I just say be good to me as I am good to you God. 915 00:55:58,220 --> 00:56:06,220 So God I just say you can shine your light on daddy, me, everybody in this church. 916 00:56:06,220 --> 00:56:15,220 Everybody that needs God I just hope I can shine my light on them and help them better to do better. 917 00:56:15,220 --> 00:56:34,220 And I just hope you can give them the glory of God and make them know that you died on the cross God and you were suffered to your death. 918 00:56:34,220 --> 00:56:41,220 And I just want to say you are the almighty, the glory of us. 919 00:56:41,220 --> 00:56:49,220 And I just want to say we can help people be better like you can help other people be good. 920 00:56:49,220 --> 00:57:01,220 So I just say can you help us and anybody that is in a situation or homeless people or anybody that needs help. 921 00:57:01,220 --> 00:57:12,220 I just hope you can help them throughout their lives every day of their lives and every day until they go to heaven. 922 00:57:12,220 --> 00:57:32,220 So I just say give them a great life. Amen. 923 00:57:42,220 --> 00:57:50,220 Music 924 00:57:50,220 --> 00:58:02,220 The moon and stars were cast. The morning sun was dead. The Savior of the world was fallen. 925 00:58:02,220 --> 00:58:29,220 His body on the cross, His blood poured out on the grass, The weight of every pest upon him. 926 00:58:29,220 --> 00:58:42,220 The final breath he gave, His heaven loved him brave. The son of God was laid in dark and new. 927 00:58:42,220 --> 00:58:55,220 A battle in the grave, The war on hell was waged, The power of hell forever rose. 928 00:58:55,220 --> 00:59:08,220 The ground began to shake, The soul was rolled away, The spark of love could not be overtaken. 929 00:59:08,220 --> 00:59:26,220 Thou that litera's young, sing, Our reign to reign, The King has sent you to reign. For ever he is glorified. 930 00:59:26,220 --> 00:59:47,220 For ever he is lifted high. For ever he is risen. He is alive. He is alive. 931 00:59:47,220 --> 00:59:59,220 The ground began to shake, The soul was rolled away, The spark of love could not be overtaken. 932 00:59:59,220 --> 01:00:20,220 Thou that litera's young, sing, Our reign to reign, The King has sent you to reign. 933 01:00:20,220 --> 01:00:33,220 We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome. 934 01:00:33,220 --> 01:00:59,220 We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. The Lamb has overcome. 935 01:00:59,220 --> 01:01:11,220 We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. We sing hallelujah. 936 01:01:11,220 --> 01:01:34,220 The ground began to shake, The soul was rolled away, The spark of love could not be overtaken. Thou that litera's young, sing, Our reign to reign, The King has sent you to reign. 937 01:01:34,220 --> 01:01:44,220 For ever he is lifted high. For ever he is lifted high. For ever he is lifted high. 938 01:02:04,220 --> 01:02:08,220 The Lord wants us to hear and it comes out of Psalm 52. 939 01:02:08,220 --> 01:02:12,220 And so here we go. This is God's word. It says, 940 01:02:12,220 --> 01:02:16,220 The righteous will see and fear and will laugh at him saying, 941 01:02:16,220 --> 01:02:20,220 I'm going to stop there. That's verse six. I'm going to tell you a real quick story. 942 01:02:20,220 --> 01:02:27,220 So kids, check this story out. I was about 10 years old and our art class, we're approaching Christmas time. 943 01:02:27,220 --> 01:02:31,220 It was right after Thanksgiving and our art class was going to do an art project. 944 01:02:31,220 --> 01:02:34,220 We brought home the paperwork and gave it to my mom. 945 01:02:34,220 --> 01:02:38,220 And what we had to do was buy a block of soap. 946 01:02:38,220 --> 01:02:41,220 Some of you probably don't even know what soap is, right? 947 01:02:41,220 --> 01:02:44,220 Because you've got liquid soap now, but they actually make soap in blocks. 948 01:02:44,220 --> 01:02:47,220 And that's the way most people actually do wash up still in the world. 949 01:02:47,220 --> 01:02:51,220 So if you've never seen that, it's because your household just doesn't use blocks of soap. 950 01:02:51,220 --> 01:02:54,220 I still use blocks of soap because I'm real old fashioned like that. 951 01:02:54,220 --> 01:02:58,220 That being said, I was supposed to buy a block of soap and the block of soap, 952 01:02:58,220 --> 01:03:04,220 our teacher said for sure, make sure the block of soap does not have rounded corners, 953 01:03:04,220 --> 01:03:09,220 that it has right angles. So it is a block, not an oval of soap, right? 954 01:03:09,220 --> 01:03:14,220 And so we went to the store at 11 o'clock at night, an hour and a half past my bedtime 955 01:03:14,220 --> 01:03:18,220 because my mother and I procrastinated in buying the block of soap. 956 01:03:18,220 --> 01:03:22,220 And so an hour and a half past my bedtime, in my pajamas, I'm at Kroger's 957 01:03:22,220 --> 01:03:24,220 and we're trying to pick out a block of soap. 958 01:03:24,220 --> 01:03:28,220 Now they come in a lot of different kinds of packages and we picked out 959 01:03:28,220 --> 01:03:31,220 what we thought was a block of soap in a box. 960 01:03:31,220 --> 01:03:35,220 The box was blocky, but because it was already after 11 o'clock at night, 961 01:03:35,220 --> 01:03:40,220 we did not open the box to ensure that the soap was blocky. 962 01:03:40,220 --> 01:03:44,220 Okay? So then we get to art class the next day and I pull out my soap 963 01:03:44,220 --> 01:03:48,220 and I'm all proud of myself and I'm a little tired because I only got a short night's sleep 964 01:03:48,220 --> 01:03:52,220 because we were at Kroger's after 11 o'clock at night. And guess what? 965 01:03:52,220 --> 01:03:59,220 The box of soap was not filled with a block of soap, it was filled with an oval of soap. 966 01:03:59,220 --> 01:04:05,220 And immediately I became very fearful because I knew that the teacher had told the class multiple times. 967 01:04:05,220 --> 01:04:10,220 Now I was not a Christian. I did not know Jesus. I did not know that there truly was a God. 968 01:04:10,220 --> 01:04:13,220 I did not know that God loved me or valued me in any way. 969 01:04:13,220 --> 01:04:18,220 And so I became very fearful that the class, especially the people sitting at my table, 970 01:04:18,220 --> 01:04:25,220 would laugh at me for purchasing an oval of soap after we were warned with absolute certainty, 971 01:04:25,220 --> 01:04:27,220 do not purchase an oval of soap. 972 01:04:27,220 --> 01:04:33,220 So I let the soap slip off my lap onto the floor under the table and I crushed the box and I put it in my bag 973 01:04:33,220 --> 01:04:36,220 and I pretended that my mother and I had not bought soap. 974 01:04:36,220 --> 01:04:41,220 The teacher went around and she was giving a block of soap to all of those who had failed to bring soap. 975 01:04:41,220 --> 01:04:45,220 So I got a block of soap and I thought, everything is grand. I just won't tell my mom. 976 01:04:45,220 --> 01:04:51,220 I did wonder in the back of my mind whether my mom would wonder that the soap did not smell like the soap that we bought, 977 01:04:51,220 --> 01:04:53,220 did not look like the brand that we bought or whatever. 978 01:04:53,220 --> 01:04:56,220 But it was the best I could do to avoid being laughed at at that time. 979 01:04:56,220 --> 01:05:00,220 And then the art teacher came around and she noticed that there was a block of soap, 980 01:05:00,220 --> 01:05:02,220 or rather an oval of soap, under the table. 981 01:05:02,220 --> 01:05:07,220 She immediately figured out that this is what had happened, that someone had bought an oval of soap. 982 01:05:07,220 --> 01:05:13,220 Despite many warnings not to buy an oval of soap, someone had gone to the store and purchased an oval of soap. 983 01:05:13,220 --> 01:05:18,220 And then being embarrassed in the last moment, someone had let their oval of soap slip under the table 984 01:05:18,220 --> 01:05:23,220 so that they would not get in trouble for purchasing an oval of soap when they were supposed to purchase a block of soap. 985 01:05:23,220 --> 01:05:29,220 Now, there was only one person at my table who had not brought a block of soap and that was me. 986 01:05:29,220 --> 01:05:33,220 And so the teacher picked up the oval of soap and she said to me, is this your oval of soap? 987 01:05:33,220 --> 01:05:37,220 And I said, no, I don't know where that came from. 988 01:05:37,220 --> 01:05:42,220 She said, well, you're the only person at this table that didn't have a block of soap 989 01:05:42,220 --> 01:05:45,220 and I gave you a block of soap and you started your project with it. 990 01:05:45,220 --> 01:05:53,220 And I said, I understand what you are saying, but I would never purchase an oval of soap after I was told multiple times. 991 01:05:53,220 --> 01:05:57,220 I'm way too intelligent to purchase an oval of soap after. 992 01:05:57,220 --> 01:06:00,220 But she knew that I had purchased a block or an oval of soap instead of a block. 993 01:06:00,220 --> 01:06:04,220 So she knew it was me, but she let it slide and I went on and made the craft. 994 01:06:04,220 --> 01:06:10,220 I submit to you that many things were done in my non-Christian life with that motivation in mind. 995 01:06:10,220 --> 01:06:13,220 I did not want people to laugh at me. 996 01:06:13,220 --> 01:06:19,220 It might be why I was unable to stand up and preach or speak in front of a crowd or even a class to give a book report. 997 01:06:19,220 --> 01:06:22,220 The last time I gave a book report was in seventh grade. 998 01:06:22,220 --> 01:06:26,220 It was three minutes longer than the allotted time and they laughed at me. 999 01:06:26,220 --> 01:06:28,220 I intentionally made the book report comical. 1000 01:06:28,220 --> 01:06:32,220 It was meant to be laughed at, but to myself, I thought they laughed a little too much. 1001 01:06:32,220 --> 01:06:34,220 The humor was good, but it wasn't that good. 1002 01:06:34,220 --> 01:06:39,220 So either they were placating me by laughing a lot at my jokes, which weren't all that funny, 1003 01:06:39,220 --> 01:06:41,220 or they were laughing at me as a person. 1004 01:06:41,220 --> 01:06:42,220 Either way, I didn't like it. 1005 01:06:42,220 --> 01:06:47,220 For five years going into high school and everything, I avoided any public speaking whatsoever. 1006 01:06:47,220 --> 01:06:53,220 Even up to becoming a Christian, I was a Christian for a year and a half and I avoided any public speaking whatsoever. 1007 01:06:53,220 --> 01:06:57,220 I didn't want to be in front of anybody because I was afraid that people would laugh at me. 1008 01:06:57,220 --> 01:06:58,220 Listen to me. 1009 01:06:58,220 --> 01:07:04,220 I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that at some moment in time in your life you have felt this sensation. 1010 01:07:04,220 --> 01:07:07,220 That you too have thought, I don't think I want people to laugh at me right now. 1011 01:07:07,220 --> 01:07:11,220 The righteous will see and fear and will laugh at him. 1012 01:07:11,220 --> 01:07:12,220 Who's him? 1013 01:07:12,220 --> 01:07:17,220 Because if the righteous are going to see them and laugh at them, I don't think I want to be in that group of people. 1014 01:07:17,220 --> 01:07:22,220 I don't want to be one of the people that the righteous are going to laugh at, even though I am now saved. 1015 01:07:22,220 --> 01:07:25,220 If they did laugh at me, I'd be okay. I'd still go to heaven. I'd be okay. 1016 01:07:25,220 --> 01:07:30,220 God will still take care of me, but I don't want to be laughed at unless I'm trying to be funny. 1017 01:07:30,220 --> 01:07:31,220 And then I like to be laughed at. 1018 01:07:31,220 --> 01:07:33,220 That doesn't always work out for me because I'm not that funny. 1019 01:07:33,220 --> 01:07:37,220 Verse 7 says what they will say and it identifies the man who will be laughed at. 1020 01:07:37,220 --> 01:07:42,220 It says, behold, look here, the man who would not make God his refuge. 1021 01:07:42,220 --> 01:07:49,220 In other words, the person who lived his life not recognizing that God alone is your sustenance, your support, your power, your might, your blessings, all of that. 1022 01:07:49,220 --> 01:07:50,220 The one who would not do that. 1023 01:07:50,220 --> 01:07:53,220 He is the one that the righteous will be laughing at. 1024 01:07:53,220 --> 01:07:56,220 Rather, it says, he trusted in the abundance of his riches. 1025 01:07:56,220 --> 01:07:58,220 He had a lot of wealth. He had a lot of success. 1026 01:07:58,220 --> 01:08:00,220 He was strong. He was smart. Whatever. 1027 01:08:00,220 --> 01:08:01,220 The good things that he had in his life. 1028 01:08:01,220 --> 01:08:04,220 He trusted in those things instead of trusting only in God. 1029 01:08:04,220 --> 01:08:08,220 And he was strong in his evil desire. 1030 01:08:08,220 --> 01:08:13,220 But as for me, the psalmist writes, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. 1031 01:08:13,220 --> 01:08:14,220 I am right where I am supposed to be. 1032 01:08:14,220 --> 01:08:17,220 And I am being filled up by the good things that God gives. 1033 01:08:17,220 --> 01:08:22,220 I am blooming. I am sharing. I am working in the house of God. 1034 01:08:22,220 --> 01:08:28,220 The psalmist writes, I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever. 1035 01:08:28,220 --> 01:08:31,220 In verse 9 he says, I will give you thanks. 1036 01:08:31,220 --> 01:08:33,220 And the U is capitalized, meaning it's God. 1037 01:08:33,220 --> 01:08:36,220 I will give you thanks forever because you have done it. 1038 01:08:36,220 --> 01:08:41,220 And I will wait on your name for it is good in the presence of your godly ones. 1039 01:08:41,220 --> 01:08:43,220 There are three things I want you to see in this passage of scripture. 1040 01:08:43,220 --> 01:08:44,220 And we're going to go fast. 1041 01:08:44,220 --> 01:08:46,220 So hang on, kids. If you're with me, hang on. 1042 01:08:46,220 --> 01:08:47,220 Here we go. We're going to go fast. 1043 01:08:47,220 --> 01:08:50,220 The first one is, and it kind of hurts a little. 1044 01:08:50,220 --> 01:08:55,220 We are different than those who find their strength outside the Lord. 1045 01:08:55,220 --> 01:09:01,220 So if you're in this room, you are different than people who find their strength outside the Lord. 1046 01:09:01,220 --> 01:09:04,220 Unless you can say, I am not a person who finds my strength in the Lord. 1047 01:09:04,220 --> 01:09:08,220 If you're here today and you can say, I'm a person who finds my strength in the Lord, 1048 01:09:08,220 --> 01:09:12,220 then you are going to be different from those who find their strength some other way. 1049 01:09:12,220 --> 01:09:15,220 You're going to be different. You're going to be seen as different. 1050 01:09:15,220 --> 01:09:19,220 You're going to stand out. People are going to look at you. 1051 01:09:19,220 --> 01:09:21,220 They may even in this lifetime laugh at you. 1052 01:09:21,220 --> 01:09:27,220 But it is not the laughter that they laugh at you because you're doing the right thing that you're really afraid of. 1053 01:09:27,220 --> 01:09:31,220 We see God. We see God's providence. We see God's protection. 1054 01:09:31,220 --> 01:09:34,220 We see His power. We see His strength. 1055 01:09:34,220 --> 01:09:37,220 We see Him taking care of us. And we fear Him. 1056 01:09:37,220 --> 01:09:41,220 And we will ultimately laugh at those who make another choice. 1057 01:09:41,220 --> 01:09:42,220 Actually, it's kind of dumb. 1058 01:09:42,220 --> 01:09:47,220 It's really kind of dumb to choose to find your strength in something other than God. 1059 01:09:47,220 --> 01:09:51,220 Because of why? Because all other strength is limited. 1060 01:09:51,220 --> 01:09:54,220 It will eventually run out on you. 1061 01:09:54,220 --> 01:10:00,220 Finding your strength in something other than God is like driving your car from the trunk. 1062 01:10:00,220 --> 01:10:03,220 You climb in the trunk. You shut the trunk. 1063 01:10:03,220 --> 01:10:07,220 And you hope, you hope beyond hope that you will arrive at your destination. 1064 01:10:07,220 --> 01:10:11,220 Oh, I pray that the car will soon pull up and I will open the trunk and get out and I'll be there. 1065 01:10:11,220 --> 01:10:14,220 That's dumb. That's not how it works. 1066 01:10:14,220 --> 01:10:17,220 You drive the car. You get in the front seat with the steering wheel. 1067 01:10:17,220 --> 01:10:19,220 You put it in gear. You start the engine. You put it in gear. 1068 01:10:19,220 --> 01:10:21,220 And you direct the car to go where you want it. 1069 01:10:21,220 --> 01:10:27,220 Because cars were made to be driven by people, not from the trunk. 1070 01:10:27,220 --> 01:10:30,220 And God is like that. 1071 01:10:30,220 --> 01:10:35,220 We were made for a right relationship and we were made to be driven by God. 1072 01:10:35,220 --> 01:10:37,220 Provide direction? Yes. 1073 01:10:37,220 --> 01:10:39,220 Provide strength? He's going to give us what we need to do? Yes. 1074 01:10:39,220 --> 01:10:44,220 And when we do it on our own, it is as if we are driving the car from the trunk. 1075 01:10:44,220 --> 01:10:53,220 Notice that they drive their cars from the trunk because they have developed a strong, strong evil desire. 1076 01:10:53,220 --> 01:10:57,220 Now listen, we all have desires. You want something, don't you? River, you want something, don't you? 1077 01:10:57,220 --> 01:11:03,220 People like candy, sweets, cake, money, bills paid, houses, cars, transportation. 1078 01:11:03,220 --> 01:11:04,220 We want all of those things. 1079 01:11:04,220 --> 01:11:09,220 But there's a difference between wanting something and wanting it in evil. 1080 01:11:09,220 --> 01:11:12,220 That you'll take it for yourself at someone else's hurt. 1081 01:11:12,220 --> 01:11:15,220 That you'll take it for yourself by sin. You'll steal. You'll covet. 1082 01:11:15,220 --> 01:11:18,220 You'll desire what somebody else has and it should be transferred from them to you. 1083 01:11:18,220 --> 01:11:20,220 And you'll now own what they previously owned. 1084 01:11:20,220 --> 01:11:25,220 There's a difference between wanting things and wanting them with an evil desire. 1085 01:11:25,220 --> 01:11:30,220 The one who wants them with an evil desire is a person who finds their strength outside the Lord. 1086 01:11:30,220 --> 01:11:34,220 It is a person who drives their car from the trunk. 1087 01:11:34,220 --> 01:11:37,220 Notice we are different than those who find their strength outside the Lord. 1088 01:11:37,220 --> 01:11:44,220 Secondly, we are sustained. We are healthy spiritually speaking as we continue to look to the Lord. 1089 01:11:44,220 --> 01:11:48,220 Our bodies are healthy as God allows our causes to be. 1090 01:11:48,220 --> 01:11:53,220 If we continue to look to the Lord and do the things that he wants us to do, we will be right where we are supposed to be. 1091 01:11:53,220 --> 01:11:58,220 And our spiritual will go to be with God for eternity and get a new body that is perfectly healthy. 1092 01:11:58,220 --> 01:12:02,220 We are good here in God's house. Here and now. 1093 01:12:02,220 --> 01:12:08,220 If you won't be sustained by the Lord, if you won't be grateful to God here and now, when and where? 1094 01:12:08,220 --> 01:12:13,220 Will it be when the check comes in? Or the boat comes in with all your cargo on it? 1095 01:12:13,220 --> 01:12:16,220 Or your job comes in with a promotion? Will you be grateful to God then? 1096 01:12:16,220 --> 01:12:21,220 If you can't be grateful to God now, surrounded by people of every age who shared their testimonies, 1097 01:12:21,220 --> 01:12:24,220 the great thing that God is doing, the tough stuff they've been through, how they're looking at it. 1098 01:12:24,220 --> 01:12:29,220 If we couldn't do it today, if you haven't been able to be in here today and have a heart grateful toward God, 1099 01:12:29,220 --> 01:12:33,220 then when will you get around to do it? This is trustworthy. 1100 01:12:33,220 --> 01:12:38,220 God is. He is who He is. His loving kindness is not limited. 1101 01:12:38,220 --> 01:12:41,220 It does not run out and does not come up short of the goal. 1102 01:12:41,220 --> 01:12:46,220 God is love. And try as it might. The world cannot redefine love. 1103 01:12:46,220 --> 01:12:49,220 There is only one thing that is love. 1104 01:12:49,220 --> 01:12:55,220 Here alone, in God's love, in God Himself, does love last forever. 1105 01:12:55,220 --> 01:12:59,220 And it finds its perfect example and its perfect definition. 1106 01:12:59,220 --> 01:13:06,220 We can trust in the love of the Lord toward us. And even when we are screwing up. 1107 01:13:06,220 --> 01:13:10,220 The next time you are doing something stupid and you go, oh, Crud, I'm doing something stupid, 1108 01:13:10,220 --> 01:13:16,220 and you get a feeling in your heart that says, God now no longer loves me, know that that is not true. 1109 01:13:16,220 --> 01:13:21,220 It's not true. God loves you even in the middle of the stupid things that you do. 1110 01:13:21,220 --> 01:13:27,220 He will still love us. He will correct us as necessary because love does that. 1111 01:13:27,220 --> 01:13:33,220 And He will fall on us in welcome when we turn back to Him as the Father did to the prodigal son. 1112 01:13:33,220 --> 01:13:37,220 For this reason, but not only this reason, we will give thanks. God has done it. 1113 01:13:37,220 --> 01:13:42,220 God created everything, every cell, wrote the DNA. He made it all perfect. 1114 01:13:42,220 --> 01:13:47,220 Then man made it flawed by searching out his strength in something else. 1115 01:13:47,220 --> 01:13:52,220 God created it all. God called His people out of darkness for 25 plus years. 1116 01:13:52,220 --> 01:13:57,220 I lived my life screwing it up day after day after day. I almost chased my wife away. 1117 01:13:57,220 --> 01:14:02,220 I almost ruined my career chances. I lied and I stole and I cheated. 1118 01:14:02,220 --> 01:14:07,220 And I know that that's not to me that you currently know, but I'm telling you that was to me for 25 years of my life. 1119 01:14:07,220 --> 01:14:11,220 Now I'm 54. So for less than half of my life, it's been true. 1120 01:14:11,220 --> 01:14:15,220 But for a long time, it was most of my life. And God still loved me. 1121 01:14:15,220 --> 01:14:18,220 He called me out of the darkness and I answered. 1122 01:14:18,220 --> 01:14:26,220 God sent Jesus to pay the bill and save souls as payment for all wrongs ever done or all wrongs that will ever be done. 1123 01:14:26,220 --> 01:14:33,220 His name is good here. God wrote the check and the check will be paid, baby. 1124 01:14:33,220 --> 01:14:36,220 You're going to heaven if you trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 1125 01:14:36,220 --> 01:14:45,220 The only question is if you trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, why would you ever find your strength or your blessing outside the Lord? 1126 01:14:45,220 --> 01:14:53,220 And the answer is you will not. God's name is good, these verses say, is good in the presence of His godly ones. 1127 01:14:53,220 --> 01:14:59,220 It's good. We don't take the Lord's name in vain because the Lord's name truly is never in vain. 1128 01:14:59,220 --> 01:15:02,220 His name is good and we know He's good. 1129 01:15:02,220 --> 01:15:08,220 And so when we say His name, we know that we are speaking of the ultimate good, the one to which we owe our allegiance, 1130 01:15:08,220 --> 01:15:14,220 the one to which we owe our lives, the one that saved our souls if we are willing, the one that lifts us up if we are willing. 1131 01:15:14,220 --> 01:15:21,220 He's good. We have seen that He is good and we've seen it not from afar, not from a distance like with binoculars or a telescope. 1132 01:15:21,220 --> 01:15:23,220 River, have you ever looked through a telescope? 1133 01:15:23,220 --> 01:15:27,220 Natalie, have you ever looked through a telescope? Binoculars? There you go. 1134 01:15:27,220 --> 01:15:32,220 And you saw something far away but you saw it more clear than if you were that far away, right? 1135 01:15:32,220 --> 01:15:38,220 Glasses. I've got glasses. I can see you better with them on than I can with them off, even though my prescription is pretty mild. 1136 01:15:38,220 --> 01:15:45,220 But we don't see God like that. When you accept God as your only strength, when you accept God as your salvation, 1137 01:15:45,220 --> 01:15:49,220 when you recognize what God has done to send His own Son to pay the price for your sins, 1138 01:15:49,220 --> 01:15:56,220 then you accept that in Him alone is our sustenance. Oh, but there will come a day. 1139 01:15:56,220 --> 01:16:01,220 There will come a moment in time in which the people will stand before God 1140 01:16:01,220 --> 01:16:04,220 and there will be those who found their strength in God alone 1141 01:16:04,220 --> 01:16:08,220 and there will be those who found their strengths outside God 1142 01:16:08,220 --> 01:16:13,220 because they were smart or wealthy or capable or they thought they were crafty or they thought they were sneaky. 1143 01:16:13,220 --> 01:16:18,220 They will find their strength. Before I became saved, I was very afraid of being laughed at. 1144 01:16:18,220 --> 01:16:24,220 And the things I was laughed at, I mean, really does it matter if your classmates laughed because you brought an oval soap 1145 01:16:24,220 --> 01:16:28,220 as opposed to a rectangular soap? Does it really matter all that much? 1146 01:16:28,220 --> 01:16:32,220 At that point, we should probably be able to laugh at ourselves. The story is kind of comical, essentially. 1147 01:16:32,220 --> 01:16:37,220 We went after I was supposed to be in bed and bought a box of soap only to find out that in the box was an oval soap. 1148 01:16:37,220 --> 01:16:40,220 That's kind of funny when you think about it. It's almost like a joke. 1149 01:16:40,220 --> 01:16:45,220 We ought to be able to laugh at ourselves when we try to do things in our own strength and screw it up 1150 01:16:45,220 --> 01:16:49,220 or when we make mistakes that are kind of goofy or you tell a joke and it bombs. 1151 01:16:49,220 --> 01:16:52,220 By the way, most jokes that bomb are funnier than jokes that don't. 1152 01:16:52,220 --> 01:16:57,220 It's just that the joke teller is the one who is funny as opposed to the joke because you're telling a joke. 1153 01:16:57,220 --> 01:17:01,220 And you go, it's this. And you're like, that's not funny. And they want to laugh just because it's not funny. 1154 01:17:01,220 --> 01:17:09,220 This is my point. The laughing at that we're afraid of that's deep in our soul because I can't stand if someone would be laughing at me 1155 01:17:09,220 --> 01:17:13,220 is marking that moment in time. That moment in time at which those who trusted in God, 1156 01:17:13,220 --> 01:17:19,220 who found righteousness in Jesus Christ, God's Son, will go into eternity forever and they'll be laughing. 1157 01:17:19,220 --> 01:17:24,220 Not to be laughing because they're so joyous that they're safe and spend eternity with God, although that's true. 1158 01:17:24,220 --> 01:17:30,220 They'll be laughing for that reason. But they won't only be laughing because they're going into heaven to be saved for eternity. 1159 01:17:30,220 --> 01:17:36,220 They'll also be laughing, this verse says they'll be laughing at the one who lives his life with evil desire 1160 01:17:36,220 --> 01:17:41,220 and wants things outside God, finds his strength outside God. 1161 01:17:41,220 --> 01:17:45,220 You know this person. I was this person. For 25 plus years I was this person. 1162 01:17:45,220 --> 01:17:49,220 Don't be this person because if you come to that moment in time, would you go to heaven? 1163 01:17:49,220 --> 01:17:54,220 And if you found your strength outside the Lord God, those who are going in will be laughing. 1164 01:17:54,220 --> 01:18:01,220 They'll not only be laughing in joy that they're going in, they'll also be laughing at those who mocked God, 1165 01:18:01,220 --> 01:18:07,220 those who thought, who pretended to be saved and let everyone think they were saved, who pretended to be serving God, 1166 01:18:07,220 --> 01:18:14,220 who pretended to, God, not important, who believed that your soul rots in the dirt when you die. 1167 01:18:14,220 --> 01:18:18,220 And they mocked God for saying otherwise, or mocked us for saying otherwise. 1168 01:18:18,220 --> 01:18:22,220 I've been hurt. You've probably been hurt standing up for Jesus at some point in time. 1169 01:18:22,220 --> 01:18:27,220 Someone looked at you and said, Hi, you're a fool. And they laughed at you, or they mocked you, or they said mean things. 1170 01:18:27,220 --> 01:18:33,220 You keep going there. You keep praising God. You keep giving God the glory. You give God of your money, your time, your talent, and everything. 1171 01:18:33,220 --> 01:18:39,220 And what do you get for it? Nothing, nothing, nothing. That's what you get. And they're mean. They're jerks. They're hurtful. 1172 01:18:39,220 --> 01:18:44,220 And when we go into heaven, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be laughing. 1173 01:18:44,220 --> 01:18:50,220 Not only laughing in joy that we are going into heaven, but also laughing at those who mocked us, those who persecuted us. 1174 01:18:50,220 --> 01:18:56,220 I submit to you Peter, who died on a cross, hung upside down on his way into heaven on that last day 1175 01:18:56,220 --> 01:19:00,220 when we're all going there to stay for eternity, we'll be laughing at those who crucified him. 1176 01:19:00,220 --> 01:19:05,220 That's not the normal response to being crucified unless you've just had a psychological break. 1177 01:19:05,220 --> 01:19:10,220 You're laughing because you're being crucified. But he'll be laughing at those who crucified him. 1178 01:19:10,220 --> 01:19:16,220 The man who made the Christians dig their own graves and put them down in there and shot them with machine guns. 1179 01:19:16,220 --> 01:19:22,220 The people in the graves will be laughing at the machine gun wielders if they have not since then accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. 1180 01:19:22,220 --> 01:19:30,220 If you're in this room today and you can say that you've ever understood a feeling of fear to be laughed at, then hear me now. 1181 01:19:30,220 --> 01:19:36,220 Our God did it all. He is willing to come into your life and live with you personally in His Holy Spirit. 1182 01:19:36,220 --> 01:19:42,220 You must, you must, you must surrender your life to the Lord through Jesus Christ and say, God, I am yours. 1183 01:19:42,220 --> 01:19:47,220 I cannot save myself no matter what my effort. I would never be able to save myself. 1184 01:19:47,220 --> 01:19:51,220 I cannot pay my way in. I cannot earn my way in. I'm not smart enough to get in. 1185 01:19:51,220 --> 01:19:56,220 I'm not smart enough to trick everybody in this lifetime, including God, and get in someday. 1186 01:19:56,220 --> 01:20:04,220 That's not possible. I recognize I cannot get in unless I get in through God and His Son Jesus Christ. 1187 01:20:04,220 --> 01:20:08,220 And if that is you, then you today, right where you are, while I'm still speaking right now, you need to say, 1188 01:20:08,220 --> 01:20:14,220 Look, I've played games with it. I've messed around in sin or I've done things that I knew was wrong. 1189 01:20:14,220 --> 01:20:17,220 I've found my strength and stuff outside the Lord and I'm done. 1190 01:20:17,220 --> 01:20:22,220 I do not want to arrive on that day and be laughed at by the righteous. 1191 01:20:22,220 --> 01:20:28,220 I would much rather be the one doing the laughing because I have been sustained by God for my whole life 1192 01:20:28,220 --> 01:20:35,220 because I found my strength in God and God alone as I found my salvation in the one who can actually give it, Jesus. 1193 01:20:35,220 --> 01:20:45,220 You have sinned. I have sinned. Jesus, by His good gift, because He loves you, will save you if you let Him. 1194 01:20:45,220 --> 01:20:48,220 And then you find your strength in Him alone. 1195 01:20:48,220 --> 01:20:52,220 And then on that day, you'll be doing the laughing rather than the getting laughed at. 1196 01:20:52,220 --> 01:20:55,220 Did you hear the stories that were told in this room today? 1197 01:20:55,220 --> 01:21:03,220 Speaking of, you understand that it is highly probable that someone in this room who expressed their gratitude toward God today is actually not saved. 1198 01:21:03,220 --> 01:21:11,220 Their soap is under the table and they are saying, Oh yeah, I'm saved. I know Jesus. I'm going to heaven one day. 1199 01:21:11,220 --> 01:21:15,220 Oh no, I didn't buy it. What do you mean? No, I'm not the one that's pretending. 1200 01:21:15,220 --> 01:21:19,220 I'm not goofing off here. I'm serious about this. I really am only finding my strength in the Lord. 1201 01:21:19,220 --> 01:21:25,220 And they'll keep saying that and saying that and saying that, running into Christians who are compassionate and kind toward them. 1202 01:21:25,220 --> 01:21:29,220 And we'll keep being kind toward you. We'll keep praying for you. And all the while you're praying again. 1203 01:21:29,220 --> 01:21:34,220 And people have done that for decades. Some people have done it for their whole life. 1204 01:21:34,220 --> 01:21:37,220 Even healing and prophesying in Jesus' name. 1205 01:21:37,220 --> 01:21:40,220 And then they arrive there and He says, Get away from me. I never knew you. 1206 01:21:40,220 --> 01:21:46,220 You must know God through Jesus, God's Son. Do it today. 1207 01:21:46,220 --> 01:21:52,220 Stop playing games or realize that you are consigning yourself to a life of standing before the Lord. 1208 01:21:52,220 --> 01:21:55,220 And God says, Get away from me. I never knew you. 1209 01:21:55,220 --> 01:21:58,220 And those who are standing there and He says, Come well done, good and faithful servant. 1210 01:21:58,220 --> 01:22:01,220 They're laughing. And they're not only laughing in joy because they get to go in. 1211 01:22:01,220 --> 01:22:04,220 They're also laughing at you because you were like that all your life. 1212 01:22:04,220 --> 01:22:08,220 And you hurt people and you pretended and you mocked God. 1213 01:22:08,220 --> 01:22:13,220 And you pretended to be getting your strength from God when instead you got it from God's creation, which is a feeble replacement. 1214 01:22:13,220 --> 01:22:19,220 Will you choose God? Will you allow God to do what it is that God wants you to do? 1215 01:22:19,220 --> 01:22:23,220 Will you allow Jesus to be your Lord? That means He tells you what to do and you do it. 1216 01:22:23,220 --> 01:22:26,220 To be your Savior? That means He paid the price for your sins and only He can. 1217 01:22:26,220 --> 01:22:33,220 And you walk out the rest of your days the best you know how, headed for that moment in time where God will say, 1218 01:22:33,220 --> 01:22:34,220 Well done, good and faithful servant. 1219 01:22:34,220 --> 01:22:39,220 If that's you today, then as we sing this song that we're about to sing, if you realize you've been playing games, 1220 01:22:39,220 --> 01:22:45,220 you've been finding your strength in the world, you've been committing sin on purpose because it gives you some benefit. 1221 01:22:45,220 --> 01:22:53,220 Rather than putting God first, then you repent today, either for the first time you become a Christian or for the next time and turn back to God and let Him lead. 1222 01:22:53,220 --> 01:22:58,220 So that when that time comes, rather than you being the one who's laughed at, you'll be doing the laughing. 1223 01:22:58,220 --> 01:23:04,220 You heard the gratitude toward God, now let us sing about it and respond. 1224 01:23:04,220 --> 01:23:07,220 We'll have the praise team come forward and lead us at this time. This is our closing hymn. 1225 01:23:07,220 --> 01:23:11,220 This will essentially end our service except for prayer. 1226 01:23:11,220 --> 01:23:13,220 We're going to sing one more song. 1227 01:23:13,220 --> 01:23:15,220 Let us sing together. 1228 01:23:15,220 --> 01:23:20,220 And if you're here today, you're accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior for the first time ever. 1229 01:23:20,220 --> 01:23:21,220 It doesn't matter what anybody thinks. 1230 01:23:21,220 --> 01:23:23,220 Anybody thinks, hey, they were already saved. 1231 01:23:23,220 --> 01:23:25,220 If you know you weren't, then you do that. 1232 01:23:25,220 --> 01:23:29,220 You've already done that just as I was speaking and you come and you say, I screwed up. 1233 01:23:29,220 --> 01:23:30,220 I didn't serve God. 1234 01:23:30,220 --> 01:23:31,220 I didn't find my strength in God. 1235 01:23:31,220 --> 01:23:35,220 I don't love God like I'm supposed to and I'm coming back to God today. 1236 01:23:35,220 --> 01:23:36,220 You just come and say that. 1237 01:23:36,220 --> 01:23:40,220 Mean that and let God work in you the way only God can. 1238 01:23:40,220 --> 01:23:46,220 He is your strength and you find your strength only in Him or risk being laughed at at the end of time. 1239 01:23:46,220 --> 01:23:48,220 Would you stand with me as we sing this song? 1240 01:23:48,220 --> 01:23:49,220 Stand up, sing out. 1241 01:23:49,220 --> 01:23:51,220 This is our final song. 1242 01:23:51,220 --> 01:23:55,220 If you're accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, in earnest right now, you come to me. 1243 01:23:55,220 --> 01:24:22,220 And if you are repenting of sin and turning back to God in earnest right now, you come to me. 1244 01:24:25,220 --> 01:24:30,220 I'm your friend. 1245 01:24:30,220 --> 01:24:57,220 You are my friend.