1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,960 We've all been hurt. 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,480 We all carry scars. 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:10,840 We can all overcome these things and be healed through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:15,680 Let's build that relationship together right here. 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,360 Welcome to Healing Scars with Pastor Burton. 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:20,880 Hey everybody, welcome to the sanctuary. 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:22,120 Thank you for joining us. 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:23,920 It's great to have you with us as always. 9 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,780 And if this is your first time joining us, welcome. 10 00:00:27,780 --> 00:00:30,720 This week I have a special treat for you. 11 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,160 I have a special guest joining us, Reverend Joshua Knight. 12 00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:40,000 Now Josh and I, we've been friends for a while now. 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,880 He is a brother Marine and combat veteran. 14 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:52,720 And today what he's actually going to share, a little while back he shared some testimony 15 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:59,120 and observations, things that he's meditated on on his social media. 16 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,880 And I reached out to him like, brother, this is great. 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,000 I'd love to be able to share this. 18 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,560 And he's like, yes, sure. 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:19,400 And generosity of his heart, being a brother that he is, he went ahead and sent everything 20 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,680 over to me so I could share it with you. 21 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:30,040 So with that said, I'm not going to go into what all he's saying. 22 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:31,800 It's actually going to speak for itself. 23 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,040 I think you're really going to enjoy what he has to say. 24 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,360 And I'd like for you to take notes and all that kind of stuff. 25 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:45,440 So at this time, let me welcome Reverend Joshua Knight to the sanctuary. 26 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,760 Please let me start off by saying this is not meant to disrespect anyone or call anyone 27 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:51,480 out. 28 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:58,840 It's about sharing my love of God, my love for God, and what we as Christians should 29 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,120 do more of and be better of. 30 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,600 This right here is my biggest sadness with people who say they read their Bible or go 31 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,000 to church or know God. 32 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,560 They would rather look right, show off the clean house and food made versus listen to 33 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,160 the words of Christ. 34 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:25,280 Listen to the preachers teaching them the way of Christ, the life of Christ, not putting 35 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:31,660 on airs, making people see you when the objective is Christ, period. 36 00:02:31,660 --> 00:02:39,120 So many people would drop $300 on new clothes for church, but never ever offer to help their 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,600 brothers, sisters, or even the church. 38 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:48,840 If your pastor, preacher, spiritual leader is always talking money to you versus talking 39 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,300 Christ, you don't have a spiritual leader. 40 00:02:52,300 --> 00:02:57,220 You have a financier working for a building. 41 00:02:57,220 --> 00:03:01,920 They would invite people for dinner only to put on a show versus welcome those in their 42 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:02,920 house. 43 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:09,640 I'd rather have a meager meal and a great discussion about God than have a 10 course meal and people 44 00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:15,520 say it was a gathering to praise God, but his name barely mentioned. 45 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:21,240 Some of the best times I've had in my life, I've had just talking with friends, discussing 46 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:28,380 our faith, answering questions about the Bible or specific passages, et cetera. 47 00:03:28,380 --> 00:03:33,160 Like I've said many times in my life, faith spills out of me like a fountain when people 48 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,000 want to talk about it. 49 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:40,400 We could do it for hours, but those who carry a gilded Bible with a spine that hasn't got 50 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:46,120 a single crease, no dog-eared pages, makes me sad. 51 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,240 My Bible looks like it survived a war. 52 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:55,200 It has sticky notes, old check stubs, deposit slips, or whatever I could get my hands on 53 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,000 at the time. 54 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:02,160 Whatever I could write with, whatever I had on hand after reading something that meant 55 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,360 something to me. 56 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:10,680 It has letters I've written to God, notations written in it, and more. 57 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:16,960 The letters are things I knew I needed to work on or wanted his help with so that it 58 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:18,680 stayed with me. 59 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,640 And my Bible, a dear friend told me about this. 60 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,360 I've been doing it ever since. 61 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,560 I asked God to help me find someone for my life. 62 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:33,120 I wrote down what I wanted, and God helped me find my wife, Anne. 63 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,960 Looking at that letter today, it is exactly what I asked God for. 64 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:48,160 A true life partner, a partner in Christ, a love, a life together, and so much more. 65 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:52,320 In our marriage, it's four people. 66 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:57,800 It is God, it is my wife and myself, and now our daughter. 67 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:04,000 If Christ is not in your marriage, that can be a big failure. 68 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:11,800 I have written letters of my failings and my sins so that he may help me be better, 69 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:14,200 and so much more. 70 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:20,760 If it worries your heart, write a letter to God, put it in your Bible, and pray on it. 71 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,240 Don't put it in there and forget about it. 72 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:26,240 Pray on it. 73 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:31,360 The best preaching that stirred me came from the smallest churches or family-worked churches, 74 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,720 hearing someone who has given their life to Christ. 75 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:42,820 My wife has an uncle and his family that lives and works at their church, and every time 76 00:05:42,820 --> 00:05:47,500 I've heard him speak, those words touched me so deeply. 77 00:05:47,500 --> 00:05:53,120 His connection to God, his whole family's connection to God is truly deep, and their 78 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:59,080 sharing of it with me and praying over me is something powerful. 79 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:04,400 They have welcomed me since day one and truly is a feeling of pure light walking in that 80 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,520 door. 81 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:11,920 Walking in that church and being with them and hearing the sermons, sharing moments with 82 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,360 them are truly beautiful and powerful. 83 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:20,520 Their church has welcomed me every single time, and they are very relaxed, and I have 84 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:27,360 never felt like I was not dressed up enough to enter the house of God. 85 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:35,400 They're not like a lot of churches where they have made people feel they weren't good enough 86 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:42,820 because of their clothes, weren't nice enough, weren't dressed up enough. 87 00:06:42,820 --> 00:06:48,340 Because of my situation, I have no ability to wear suits anymore or ties as it makes 88 00:06:48,340 --> 00:06:53,040 the scar on the back of my head hurt severely. 89 00:06:53,040 --> 00:07:01,520 And I also, with my medical condition, I burn up easily because my body just overheats because 90 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,720 of the pain. 91 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:08,520 Wearing a polo and pants is about all I can muster some days. 92 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:17,120 In my situation, they have never, ever said or to me and would never or anyone else that 93 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:21,200 walked in that door. 94 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,880 With her family's church, they've always welcomed me no matter what. 95 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:31,780 Open arms and hugs, smiles and true happiness was all there, and that is truly special. 96 00:07:31,780 --> 00:07:32,780 But I'm not the only one. 97 00:07:32,780 --> 00:07:34,960 They do it for everybody. 98 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:41,040 They love me and I love them and their church, for it feels like being at home. 99 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,760 It's about God, not wallets or status. 100 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,600 And that is a church and that will always hold a special place in my heart, just like 101 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,240 the family that runs it. 102 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:57,120 God's plan for us is laid out before we walk this earth, but it's up to us to be the person 103 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,360 He needs us to be. 104 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:01,440 Talk about God. 105 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,520 Don't shy away from it ever. 106 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,200 Talk to God always. 107 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,480 I probably don't pray like a lot of people. 108 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,200 I talk to God. 109 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:13,880 I like to talk to God like I know Him personally because I do. 110 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,160 He's my friend and more. 111 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,500 And I talk to Him openly for that reason. 112 00:08:20,500 --> 00:08:28,560 It keeps all the things going on in my life, medically, personally, whatever, all my struggles, 113 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:35,080 so much softer because I know He knows me and He knows what's going on and talking to 114 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:39,080 Him that way seems to lighten the load a lot. 115 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:46,880 So I ask you have faith and don't be afraid to share it and share it proudly and loudly. 116 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,000 God bless you all. 117 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:49,160 God bless America. 118 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:50,520 God bless Israel. 119 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,260 God bless this world. 120 00:08:52,260 --> 00:08:55,840 We all need God right now. 121 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,300 Most of you don't know me. 122 00:08:57,300 --> 00:09:02,920 Most of you probably wouldn't even guess that I became a minister after years of talking 123 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:07,960 to heads of churches, major religious figures here and where I live in Charlotte and around 124 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:10,320 the country, around the world. 125 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,640 I wanted to do it for two reasons. 126 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:17,560 I wanted to be a backup for a family member who was getting medaried and I wanted to make 127 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:22,520 sure they had somebody that could be there to stand in if the person that they needed 128 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:24,680 couldn't be there. 129 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:26,360 But there was another reason. 130 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:32,320 I wanted to help myself be better in my mission to be closer to God. 131 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:33,320 I am human. 132 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,120 I make mistakes. 133 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:36,320 I fail. 134 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:40,460 I sin and I am not the best person I could be. 135 00:09:40,460 --> 00:09:43,200 But that is where God is with me. 136 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:50,080 He accepts me and He forgives me as His son died for all my sins and He knows that none 137 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:51,360 of us are perfect. 138 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:56,640 I only hope that I can be better tomorrow than I was today. 139 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,960 That's all any of us can hope for. 140 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,080 With God and Jesus, we can always be better. 141 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:04,800 I love you all. 142 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:05,800 God bless. 143 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:06,800 Stay safe. 144 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:10,500 Josh, that was awesome. 145 00:10:10,500 --> 00:10:15,440 Thank you so much and thank you for sharing this with all of us and allowing us to share 146 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,640 it here in our sanctuary as well. 147 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:24,960 Like I said earlier, I think everything that you had to say really speaks for itself and 148 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:32,240 I do believe that there's something here for everyone to take and meditate on. 149 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:34,680 So thank you so much, brother. 150 00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:40,120 Now everybody, like I said, at this point, this week, we're actually going to cut it 151 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:45,760 short because I think Josh said everything that needed to be said for this week. 152 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:50,600 So remember, you are loved and you are blessed. 153 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:54,600 Now go and be the church. 154 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,320 Thank you for joining me today here at Healing Scars with Pastor Burton. 155 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:03,080 If you'd like to know more about our ministry or how you can support us, you can do so by 156 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:12,520 going to our website at BeTheLightSanctuary.org or you can visit us on Facebook at BeTheLightSanctuary. 157 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:13,520 We'll catch you next time. 158 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:14,520 God bless. 159 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,520 God bless.