1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,160 Thank you so much for allowing me to be up here. 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,600 I know pastor doesn't let just anybody take his pulpit. 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,660 So it's an honor the fact that I get to stand 4 00:00:10,660 --> 00:00:13,040 before you this morning and bring the word. 5 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:14,860 When he asked me to do it, 6 00:00:14,860 --> 00:00:17,640 it's a very nervous and stressful thing. 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,240 There's a lot of weight that's carried 8 00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,000 when you have to give a sermon to so many others 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,920 that I'm not worthy to preach to. 10 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,220 Right, and I'm so very blessed to have 11 00:00:28,220 --> 00:00:31,900 Gene and Betsy Rice overseer 12 00:00:31,900 --> 00:00:35,280 and just a powerful couple in my wife's life 13 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:36,600 and now in mine. 14 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:37,920 So thank you so much. 15 00:00:39,860 --> 00:00:41,600 Now I got my crying out of the way. 16 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:45,680 Are you guys ready to hear the word this morning? 17 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,760 I feel like the Lord has given me a word 18 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:50,720 that he placed on my heart in the middle 19 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,240 of some catastrophe this morning, this week. 20 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,020 Most of you know that there's been some things 21 00:00:58,020 --> 00:00:59,680 that's gone on in our little family 22 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,160 and not only ours but have touched other families 23 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:06,220 that man, I'm thinking what else? 24 00:01:06,220 --> 00:01:07,380 Lord, please stop. 25 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,240 I don't need no more, right? 26 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,800 But I'm so thankful to be here in front of you this morning 27 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,160 and I feel like my heart and my mind is equipped 28 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,280 and prepared to bring the word that God has laid on my heart. 29 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,200 I'm gonna be preaching out of Joshua this morning, 30 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:22,180 chapter six. 31 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:24,960 Now I'm gonna be reading verse one through five 32 00:01:24,960 --> 00:01:26,760 and then I will skip down and read verse 20 33 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,120 of that same chapter. 34 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,120 Real quick, if you guys will entertain me, 35 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:34,880 I'm gonna do something that I started doing 36 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:36,800 in youth group this past Wednesday. 37 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,560 Clap twice if you can hear me. 38 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,640 Clap twice if you can hear me. 39 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,000 Clap twice if you can hear me. 40 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:45,040 All right, I think we're awake now. 41 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:46,280 We're ready to go, right? 42 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:50,740 Joshua chapter six, verse one. 43 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,440 Now Jericho was straightly shut up 44 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,320 because of the children of Israel. 45 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,920 None went out and none came in. 46 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:00,720 And the Lord said unto Joshua, 47 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,280 see I have given into thine hand Jericho 48 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,320 and the king thereof and the mighty men of valor. 49 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:11,320 And ye shall compass or march around the city 50 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,200 all ye men of war and go around about the city once. 51 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,920 Thus shalt thou do six days 52 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,440 and seven priests shall bear before the ark 53 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,960 seven trumpets of ram's horns. 54 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,720 And the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times 55 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,240 and the priest shall blow the trumpets. 56 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,160 And it shall come to pass that when they make a long blast 57 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,720 with the ram's horn and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet 58 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,200 all the people shall shout with a great shout. 59 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,960 And the walls of the city shall fall down flat. 60 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,240 And the people shall ascend up every man 61 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:47,160 straight before him. 62 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:48,560 Now skipping down to verse 20. 63 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,720 So the people shouted when the priest blew the trumpets 64 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:53,800 and it came to pass when the people heard the sound 65 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,440 of the trumpet and the people shouted with a great shout 66 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,480 that the wall fell down flat so that the people 67 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,760 went up into the city every man straight before him 68 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:03,680 and they took the city. 69 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,680 Father, I love you today and I thank you for the opportunity 70 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:08,800 to bring forth your word to break the bread of life. 71 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,960 And I have done so Lord I pray that you would bless it. 72 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,640 That ears would hear what your spirit is saying 73 00:03:13,640 --> 00:03:16,360 and that you would use me as the vessel in this hour 74 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:17,960 to bring forth your word according, 75 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,760 that would be glory and bring glory to you. 76 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,600 In Jesus name I pray, amen. 77 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:23,600 You can be seated. 78 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,120 The obvious theme of this scripture seems to be 79 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:33,560 don't stop too soon. 80 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,880 Football games are not won in the first quarter. 81 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,320 Baseball games are not won in the first inning 82 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,040 and a hunter doesn't go out and get his prey 83 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,040 on the very first hunt most of the time. 84 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:47,760 For me I was fortunate enough to do that 85 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,560 but that doesn't happen most of the time. 86 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,640 Your wall may not fall down the first time 87 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,320 you march around it. 88 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,040 The principle of complete obedience is introduced 89 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,440 in this story and continues to reverberate 90 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,240 throughout the word of God. 91 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,920 We see it in name and the leper dipping seven times 92 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:10,000 in the Jordan River, the blind man washing in the pool 93 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,640 of Siloam and the man with the withered hand 94 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,840 reaching out and being healed. 95 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,640 The point is that obedience is better than sacrifice. 96 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,800 Without fail, victory comes on the heels of obedience. 97 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,480 So it is with the Jericho story. 98 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,040 There are a few things that we must take notice 99 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:27,880 in this story. 100 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,520 First thing we take notice of is the people. 101 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,160 These were the Israel people led by Joshua. 102 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:34,840 They approached this city called Jericho. 103 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:36,520 They had done the work and done the job 104 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,680 to scout the city to see what is to be seen of the city. 105 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,960 But it says that Jericho, the very first scripture says 106 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:45,840 that Jericho was straightly shut up. 107 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:47,800 Nothing came in and nothing came out. 108 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,000 And I think that's significant. 109 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:51,840 Because we get to see how the reputation 110 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:53,920 of Israel proceeds itself. 111 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,120 We get to see how the people and the men and women 112 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:57,680 of God proceed itself. 113 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:59,760 The word had reached Jericho. 114 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,000 That the Red Sea was parted on behalf of God's people. 115 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,440 That the Jordan River was split on behalf of God's people. 116 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,520 That they had overthrown and plundered Egypt 117 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,680 and the Israelites and they had destroyed 118 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,560 the Amorite kings, Sahan and Oog. 119 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,680 It's obvious that Jericho, to Jericho, 120 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:19,840 that these are the chosen people of God 121 00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:21,240 with a touch on their life. 122 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,440 But when was the last time your city was so affected 123 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:27,920 by the church's reputation? 124 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:32,200 When was the last time anyone stood up and took notice 125 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,680 when the name of the church was mentioned? 126 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:36,960 Nowadays we have a tendency to do church 127 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,240 but we don't act like the church. 128 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:40,400 Can I get an amen? 129 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,280 Y'all got real quiet on that one. 130 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:43,720 But it happens sometimes, don't it? 131 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,600 Sometimes we're too busy wrapped up in doing church 132 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,240 that we forget who the church is 133 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,720 and we forget who we are as a men and women of God 134 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,520 and we forget what our job is to do on this earth. 135 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,480 But these people in Jericho, they heard the reputation. 136 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,160 They knew who was coming for them. 137 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:00,240 They shut the city down to lock it down 138 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:01,320 the way nobody gets in and out 139 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,840 because they were afraid of what would happen. 140 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,320 But ye are a chosen generation, 141 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:08,880 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 142 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,000 but peculiarly people that you should show forth 143 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,400 the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness 144 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:15,880 and into his marvelous light. 145 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,760 Christians, we are the people that God has chosen 146 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,400 to move through this world 147 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,960 and to make a difference in this day. 148 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:25,880 The second thing you need to realize in this story 149 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,080 is they had a problem. 150 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,640 Jericho was a city to be conquered. 151 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,720 It had massive walls all around it. 152 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:34,880 There were guards that stood atop the walls 153 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,360 ready to pour cauldrons of hot liquid on them 154 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,240 as they tried to scale the walls. 155 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,880 They had armed guards all around. 156 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,920 There were no weak places in the wall. 157 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:45,240 You couldn't break through it. 158 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:46,240 You couldn't chisel through it. 159 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:47,760 You couldn't climb over it. 160 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,920 Jericho was well defended. 161 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:54,400 The only way they're getting in is a miracle, 162 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:56,800 is a miracle that God would perform. 163 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:58,560 These walls in this story 164 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,160 speak of our own difficulties in life. 165 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,120 We have our own walls and our own barriers 166 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,720 that stand between us and the promise of God, 167 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,280 between us and where God's trying to take us. 168 00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:11,760 Satan always has a fortified wall. 169 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:12,600 It doesn't matter. 170 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,840 You break one wall down and another wall pops up. 171 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,640 It seems like time and time again, 172 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,160 you think you're headed in the right path. 173 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:19,680 You think you're headed the right way. 174 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:20,960 Wall, break it down. 175 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:22,040 Wall, break it down. 176 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:23,440 Wall, break it down. 177 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,200 Am I preaching to anybody but myself? 178 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,200 I felt like that's been me this week. 179 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:29,680 We get over one obstacle, bam, another obstacle. 180 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,920 We get through that obstacle, bam, another obstacle. 181 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:33,400 Isn't that how the enemy works? 182 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,760 He wants to keep us distracted, keep us busy, 183 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:37,640 keep us so focused on his wall 184 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,920 that we forget what's on the other side of that wall. 185 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,480 And we forget that we need God in the situation. 186 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,240 We need God in the circumstances 187 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:45,760 to help break through that wall, 188 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,320 to deliver us to what God has called us into. 189 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:53,080 See, your perception of the wall is the key. 190 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,520 If you view it as an impossibility, you will lose. 191 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,960 If you view it as an opportunity for God to move, you win. 192 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:03,960 For with God, nothing shall be impossible, Luke 1.37. 193 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,960 The third thing we realize is that there was a plan. 194 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,240 In this story, there was a plan. 195 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:10,760 Once a day, God said, 196 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,160 march around the walls in this order. 197 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,440 Armed men, seven priests, 198 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,320 with the Ark of the Covenant and the rear guard. 199 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,840 On the last day, march around these walls seven times. 200 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,120 The plan that God gave them was very specific. 201 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,040 And God always does things very carefully, doesn't he? 202 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:29,600 There's no haphazard reason. 203 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,920 There's no throw it out and see what sticks. 204 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,640 God has a plan, and it's a very careful, very detailed plan. 205 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,480 And our obedience is what's gonna bring forth that miracle. 206 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,480 And what happens a lot of times is we get too impatient. 207 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,640 We're too busy wanting the victory 208 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,520 that we forget that there's a plan along the way. 209 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,280 And that God's plan is what's best for our life, not ours. 210 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,520 We get so focused on the end result 211 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,040 that we forget how to get there. 212 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:56,600 Or we don't listen to the instructions 213 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,240 on how to get there. 214 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,080 Our impatience, we wanna skip the plan 215 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:02,920 and go straight to the theory. 216 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,400 But throughout the Bible, 217 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,440 you will find many if and then promises. 218 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,680 What that means is you do this and God does this. 219 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:13,280 If I do this, then God will do this. 220 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,440 If my people, which are called by my name, 221 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,520 shall humble themselves and pray, 222 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,920 and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, 223 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:28,920 then will I hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, 224 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:30,880 and I will heal their lands. 225 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,200 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, 226 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:41,200 ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you. 227 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,240 If ye have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, 228 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:46,760 ye shall say unto this mountain, 229 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,440 remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove 230 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:52,720 and nothing shall be impossible to you. 231 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,360 If the plan is working, leave it alone. 232 00:09:57,560 --> 00:09:58,520 Leave it alone. 233 00:09:58,520 --> 00:09:59,720 God's got the plan. 234 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:01,080 We don't have the plan. 235 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,000 We're to execute the plan. 236 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:05,800 We're to be obedient unto God and what he's asked us to do 237 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:07,480 and ask us to do in that order. 238 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:09,640 And if we're in that plan or follow that plan, 239 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,640 we will see the victory, amen? 240 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:16,320 I'm victorious because God's leading my life, 241 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:17,520 because he has the plan. 242 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,840 All I have to do is execute the plan, amen? 243 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,440 The fourth thing you understand is the power. 244 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:27,080 The place of the ark in this story is significant. 245 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:31,120 The ark wasn't at the front of the battle or the march. 246 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:32,720 The ark wasn't in the rear. 247 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,120 The ark was in the center of the plan. 248 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,200 We must have God in the middle of our fight, 249 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,760 in the middle of our battle, in the middle of our march. 250 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,840 God must be in the center of it. 251 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,160 Some people are marching without God. 252 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:52,920 They're praying, they're seeking, 253 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:54,760 they're crying out to God for all these things, 254 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:57,320 but they're on their journey without him, 255 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,520 without him at the center, 256 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:01,920 without him in the middle of their circumstances, 257 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,920 without him in the middle of everything they're going through. 258 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,120 We must place God in his rightful place 259 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:09,160 in the middle of our situation, 260 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:10,920 in the middle of our heart and soul, 261 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:12,760 in the middle of our mind. 262 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,560 We must place God there because he has the plan. 263 00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:19,000 We can't follow the plan unless we have the spirit of God with us. 264 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,160 And the ark represented that spirit of God. 265 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,360 And that spirit of God must live inside of us. 266 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:24,760 It must be in the center of us. 267 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,600 It must have ears to hear the direction of the plan, 268 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,080 the way God would have us go. 269 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,880 The power must be inside of you. Amen? 270 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:32,880 Amen. 271 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,680 In church sometimes, 272 00:11:38,680 --> 00:11:41,440 God's not in a lot of our plans. 273 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:48,000 God's not in a lot of our plans. 274 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,560 We have events, we have concerts, 275 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,560 we have all kinds of things that draw attention. 276 00:11:55,560 --> 00:12:00,040 But it seems too often time the attention is brought to the church, 277 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,720 not where it belongs. 278 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,960 Because God gets the glory, God gets the honor, God gets the praise. 279 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,800 And he has to be at the center of everything we're doing. 280 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,200 As a church, this movement wasn't founded on big churches or fancy buildings. 281 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:19,520 This movement was founded upon God and transforming people's lives. 282 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,560 When we take God out of the equation, 283 00:12:21,560 --> 00:12:24,440 when God's not the center focal point of everything we do, 284 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,480 we get distracted and we lose those battles. 285 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:33,200 Walls get thrown up that we can't knock down. 286 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:38,120 Fifthly, the praise, one of my favorite parts. 287 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:40,120 In Joshua 6, chapter 16, it says, 288 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:44,600 Shout for the Lord hath given you the city. 289 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,920 This is a praise before the fact. 290 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,280 This is a praise before the victory was won. 291 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:56,000 This was a praise that would have a ripple effect that would cause the victory. 292 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,000 But the praise happened before the victory. Amen. 293 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,600 Praise is one of the purest forms of faith that I know of. 294 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,760 Ask for it, then praise God for it. 295 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:10,200 Don't wait on the victory, ask for it and praise God for it. 296 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,160 Begin to praise God for the family that needs salvation, for your family. 297 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,680 Begin to praise God for the fact that I need a job with better pay and better benefits. 298 00:13:18,680 --> 00:13:22,160 Begin to praise God for a healing that I haven't gotten yet. 299 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,000 And watch what God's going to do. 300 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,480 When he's in the center, when he's the focal point, 301 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:30,120 you're following his plan and you praise him before the victory comes. 302 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,280 Victory is sure to come. Amen. 303 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:34,880 Because our faith is not in us alone. 304 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,640 It's not in our plan. It's not in our ideas. 305 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:42,480 It's in God and his plan and purpose for our life, as long as he's in the middle. 306 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,640 The prize. 307 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:53,120 It has been said to the winner goes the spoils. 308 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:57,600 But in this story, it's very significant to understand that. 309 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:02,560 Some of us in life, we march and march and we struggle. 310 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:03,840 And we finally get the breakthrough. 311 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:10,400 We finally get that answer that we've been seeking so hard for God for. 312 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:15,880 And we mistake the curse for the blessing. 313 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:20,800 And we take what's temporal and we think that's the prize. 314 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,280 What I mean by that is. 315 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,280 Everything in the city, God said to do what? 316 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:31,200 Burn it all. Don't save anything. 317 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,120 They didn't take no gold. They didn't take silver. 318 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,680 They didn't take the garments. They didn't take the animals. 319 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,960 They they destroyed it all when the walls finally fell and they destroyed it all. 320 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:44,280 They didn't take anything because the blessing wasn't the riches that Jericho had. 321 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,720 Sometimes we mistake the blessing for to be the thing. 322 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:50,720 That's the obstacle that we're supposed to get to. 323 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:55,040 It's important to note that in the story that those items, 324 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:58,240 those temporal things was not the blessing. 325 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,040 That was not it. It was the eternal things. 326 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:02,240 What were they trying to do? 327 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:07,160 They were trying to get to Canaan land, the milk, the land flow with milk and honey. 328 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:08,160 They were trying to get there. 329 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,640 Jericho was the obstacle that was in the way. 330 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,840 God was trying to tell them, don't worry about what's there. 331 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,160 I will provide for you over there. 332 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,040 But I got to get through this city. I got to get across this wall. 333 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,840 I got to get through this next obstacle to get where I'm supposed to be. 334 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,480 Because the promise of God, God had commanded Joshua and Israel to burn it all. 335 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:28,000 And they did that. What's the purpose? 336 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,000 All these things were tainted and tarnished by the evil, 337 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:32,440 idolatrous ways of Jericho. 338 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,080 The real prize was what was beyond Jericho. 339 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,720 You must go through Jericho to get to Canaan. 340 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,960 This week in my life, that's what I felt like. 341 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,400 I'm here at the church studying, preparing to preach a sermon. 342 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,520 And I leave to here for a couple of hours. 343 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,240 I leave to head home and Eric is there and the kids are outside playing. 344 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,600 And and halfway home, I get the phone call. 345 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:56,680 When you get here, come straight to the garage. 346 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,560 Nieland's had an accident and I didn't know what happened. 347 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,760 She sounded distraught and upset, though, so I knew it had to be important. 348 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:05,280 So I get home to see what I saw. 349 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:07,320 You guys have seen me and he's pretty banged up. 350 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:09,160 He's been a tough guy, but he's pretty banged up. 351 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,160 Kids will play, but it wasn't just that thing. 352 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:15,960 In my mind, it's another wall. 353 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,160 It's another distraction. 354 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,320 It's another tactic of the enemy to prevent me from focusing on what 355 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,640 I have to do here in front of you this morning. 356 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,400 Because earlier in the week, we had a pool party at my house. 357 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:28,440 You guys know about it. 358 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,440 I made an announcement about it behind the behind the pulpit. 359 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,880 And poor Olivia and Landon were playing in the pool. 360 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:37,120 Bad things happened. 361 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,000 Somebody pushed me in anyway. 362 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,400 Poor Landon ended up breaking her teeth off and Olivia's forehead. 363 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:47,120 It's terrible. 364 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:49,560 So that was Sunday. 365 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,480 Then we moved on to later in the week. 366 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:54,120 He got neither. 367 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:55,520 And I'm thinking, I got three kids. 368 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:56,840 These things come in threes. 369 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,560 Oh, no, I'm like, Carson, Lord, come here. 370 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:02,640 Let me get the oil, honey. 371 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:03,320 I'm a pray. 372 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:07,480 But the three was Olivia. 373 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:08,960 I think we've been praying for you. 374 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:09,560 All right. 375 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:11,520 Luckily, they're all recovered. 376 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:12,040 Got nothing. 377 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:13,080 I mean, everything's fine. 378 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:13,440 Right. 379 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:15,760 But isn't that how the enemy works? 380 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:21,560 We're focused and have our minds set on something so great, so faint. 381 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:23,920 There's nothing better than sharing the word of God. 382 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:24,800 There's that. 383 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,320 And there's too many ministers in the house that know what I'm talking about. 384 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:28,360 There's nothing better. 385 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,480 Eric can tell you I've struggled at work. 386 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:32,800 I don't want to be at work. 387 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,120 All I want to do is this. 388 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:37,200 It's gripped me. 389 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:39,600 And that's a wonderful thing. 390 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:40,960 That's a beautiful thing. 391 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:43,120 But I still have to work. 392 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:48,800 But the enemy has used so many things to distract not only me, I'm sure everybody 393 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,280 in here has a story they could tell. 394 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:54,200 But when I began to think about that and I came in here Thursday and I was 395 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:55,480 thinking, what am I going to preach? 396 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:56,840 What Lord give me a nudge? 397 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:57,920 Give me something to go. 398 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:02,440 And I read over this Jericho story before I go and find out we're going to the ER 399 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:04,200 because Neil and direct is back. 400 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:05,760 And I'm thinking, here's another wall. 401 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:07,320 This is exactly what it's like. 402 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:10,000 Wall after wall after wall. 403 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,880 But the one thing that I do have going for me is God is in the center. 404 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,600 Can I ask, can somebody praise him this morning? 405 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:18,720 Because God is in the center. 406 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,440 So I don't have to worry about anything going on. 407 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,240 I don't have to worry about a wall after a wall after wall. 408 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:26,280 God's going to kick that wall down. 409 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:27,680 And I love what the Bible said. 410 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:34,080 The Bible said the walls fell flat, not in a pile of rubble, not that they could come 411 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,400 years later, archaeologists and uncover the wall. 412 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:37,960 As a matter of fact, I Googled it. 413 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:39,840 They can't recover the wall. 414 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:40,960 It's gone. 415 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,400 When God does something in your life, he does it totally. 416 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,520 It's a total transformation. 417 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,880 It's exactly what God has planned for your life. 418 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,240 Every wall that's popped up in front of you, every distraction that the enemy tries to 419 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:57,040 do, keep on keeping on. 420 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,480 That's all I have to say is don't stop. 421 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:00,480 Keep digging. 422 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:01,400 Keep chugging. 423 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:02,480 God's inside of you. 424 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:03,120 He's leading it. 425 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:04,000 He's got the plan. 426 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,000 All you have to do is execute that plan and God will come out. 427 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,000 You will come out because of God and he'll be glorified through it all. 428 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,800 Can you praise him in this house tonight? 429 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:20,800 Today. 430 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:21,800 And it's okay to share. 431 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,800 For me, it's okay to share those struggles that we have, right? 432 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,800 Because I know I'm not alone. 433 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,800 We all go through things in life, but the answer is still the same no matter what we do. 434 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:36,800 And that's the beauty of the God we serve. 435 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,800 The answer is still the same. 436 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,800 I tell the kids that and youth all the time, we win. 437 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:44,800 We win. 438 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:46,800 There's a, you talk about a plan. 439 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,800 There's a plan. 440 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:56,800 And all we have to do is follow and execute the plan and keep God in the center and we win. 441 00:19:56,800 --> 00:19:58,800 I like winning. 442 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,800 I like when I played football in high school, I liked winning. 443 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,800 Didn't do a lot of that, but I liked winning. 444 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:07,800 We all like winning. 445 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:08,800 Nobody wants to lose. 446 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:10,800 Nobody plays a game to lose. 447 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:12,800 This is not a game, but you see the analogy. 448 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:13,800 It's important. 449 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:14,800 It's eternal. 450 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,800 Keep God in the front. 451 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,800 So what we see in this story is number one, that Jericho had a problem. 452 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,800 The problem with the men and women of God and Joshua headed their way. 453 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,800 That was the problem because the reputation preceded itself. 454 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:28,800 They knew who was coming. 455 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:34,800 And another beautiful thing in this story is that the Canaanite gods that they were praying to, 456 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,800 how do you think they felt? 457 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:38,800 Right? 458 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:45,800 Their walls fell flat and the people of Israel took the city, the Bible says. 459 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:47,800 They didn't have it handed to them. 460 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:48,800 They took it. 461 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:54,800 The Canaanite gods couldn't do nothing about it, but the God we serve, because those men and women of God 462 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:59,800 followed his plan, kept him at the center, and they had the victory. 463 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:04,800 First thing they had was the problem, which was Israelite people headed their way. 464 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:11,800 The second thing they had, I'm sorry, the first thing they had was the people. 465 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:13,800 The second thing they had was the problem. 466 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:18,800 The problem was the fact that Jericho was the wall that Israelite people had to go through. 467 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:20,800 They were on their way. 468 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,800 The third thing we understand is the plan. 469 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:23,800 God gave them the plan. 470 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,800 God told them, if you do this and do this, you'll have the victory. 471 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:28,800 And they did that. 472 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:29,800 They followed the plan. 473 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:31,800 That's what we must do in our lives. 474 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:33,800 Fourthly, they found the power. 475 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,800 And the power was that the Ark of the Covenant was where God had designed it to be, 476 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:38,800 at the center of that march. 477 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:43,800 The power of God, the spirit of God that lives inside of us, needs to be at the center of everything we do. 478 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:49,800 Of our heart and our lives, guiding our minds, guiding our soul, in every situation, every circumstance. 479 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:51,800 Pray first, do second. 480 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,800 We don't know what to do unless we've prayed and sought God for the answer and for direction. 481 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:57,800 Amen? 482 00:21:57,800 --> 00:21:59,800 Fifthly, we have the praise. 483 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:01,800 And that's where we praise Him and worship Him. 484 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:02,800 That's one of my favorite things to do. 485 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:04,800 Y'all know that because you see me up here singing it every Sunday. 486 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,800 But I love to praise and worship. 487 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:08,800 But we praise and worship Him even before the victory is won. 488 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:11,800 Because we have faith and believe that the victory will be ours. 489 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,800 Amen? 490 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:15,800 And then lastly, the prize. 491 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,800 The prize is not gold, silver, things of this world. 492 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,800 The prize is, in their case, was Canaan land. 493 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:24,800 But for us, it's that we make it home one day. 494 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:26,800 To be with Him eternally in heaven. 495 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:27,800 You guys can stand. 496 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:28,800 I'm going to close. 497 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,800 That was one of the fastest sermons I've ever preached. 498 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:42,800 But I got you out of here early. 499 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:44,800 The prize is that we make it to Streets of Gold one day. 500 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,800 That's the definition of success. 501 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:49,800 That we make it there. 502 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:54,800 And like that song says, that we see those who have gone before. 503 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,800 And we get to experience heaven eternally with our lost loved ones. 504 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,800 Our people we've never met. 505 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:01,800 That's the goal, right? 506 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,800 To get there. 507 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,800 That's what I'm looking for. 508 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:06,800 I'm looking to get there. 509 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:07,800 Get to heaven. 510 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,800 And I want to crowd heaven. 511 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:15,800 I want to make heaven not only stand in room only, because let's be honest. 512 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,800 We ain't going to be sitting. 513 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,800 I want to make heaven so crowded and so overpopulated. 514 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,800 And I hope that all of you do, too. 515 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:28,800 And we can do that by just following God's plan. 516 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,800 Let him be the center of our life and follow his plan. 517 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:40,800 Don't settle for the temporary glory of an immediate conquest, but look ahead to the real prize that awaits those who obey God. 518 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:45,800 He that overcometh shall inherit all things. 519 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:49,800 And I will be his God and he shall be my son. 520 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:51,800 That's in Revelation. 521 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,800 The end's coming near. 522 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:58,800 And he shall be my son. 523 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,800 Some of you may be struggling tonight or today for with some walls of your very own. 524 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:12,800 I have no doubt that there are those of you all across this congregation that have those walls and that are struggling with those walls. 525 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:17,800 So the question then becomes, do you have the plan? 526 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:23,800 And if you have the plan, is God in the center of that plan? 527 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:28,800 Maybe God is. Maybe it's not that God's not in the center or that you don't have a plan. 528 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:32,800 Maybe you have a plan and you're a man and woman of God, so God's in the center. 529 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,800 But we get a little impatient at times. 530 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:37,800 We want the end result now. 531 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,800 We live in a very fast paced drive-through world. 532 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:41,800 We want it now. 533 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,800 But sometimes there's something in the way, Ken. 534 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,800 There's something in waiting on God's answer. 535 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,800 There's something in waiting on the Spirit of God to move in your situation. 536 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,800 There's something about that. 537 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,800 And maybe that's you. Maybe just the patience is a struggle. 538 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:00,800 It's hard to deal with. I know it was for me. 539 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:08,800 God taught Erica and I so many valuable lessons about patience early on in our marriage. 540 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:20,800 But if that's you, if you're struggling with those walls and you just need a little encouragement today, I'd love to pray for you this morning. 541 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:28,800 I would love to seek God with you on behalf of those circumstances, those situations, those things that you're going through. 542 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,800 And ask God to give you that patience. 543 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:33,800 Give you that plan to center yourself. 544 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:41,800 If you don't know God, if you don't know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, I will always invite those of you who want to get to know him to come this morning. 545 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:53,800 I would love to help you meet our Savior. 546 00:25:53,800 --> 00:26:03,800 I've been in the place within the past probably six months where I didn't know what the answer was. 547 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:10,800 I had God in the center, but I didn't do my very best most of the time. 548 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:22,800 What I mean by that is the enemy, there's so many ways he can distract you and play with your mind and make you think things that aren't true. 549 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:30,800 And I don't want to fall for it because you're wrapped up in the emotions of life. 550 00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:36,800 So there's times that I was struggling in and of myself dealing with those same things. 551 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:40,800 Like, God, I don't see your plan. 552 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:41,800 I'm following you. 553 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,800 I'm trusting in you. 554 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:49,800 You're at the center, but I don't see the plan. 555 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:55,800 But then in good timing, like God always does, he reveals himself to us when the time is right. 556 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:59,800 And then you look back and you're like, why didn't I see it before? 557 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:04,800 But it's all part of the plan. 558 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:05,800 Sometimes in life, that's where we're at. 559 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:06,800 We don't know which way to go. 560 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:07,800 We don't know. 561 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,800 It seems like our mind and our body and our daily lives are just in. 562 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,800 It's in repeat over and over again. 563 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:17,800 Wake up, work, home, go to bed, wake up. 564 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,800 It's a repeat. It's a repetitive thing. 565 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:28,800 And all the while we're searching for that specific job, that specific task that God has for us to do. 566 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:34,800 Or we're searching for a specific answer to the specific problem. 567 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:42,800 It's so very important that you just wait and keep trusting and relying on God. 568 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:49,800 Those of you who would come help me pray. 569 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:54,800 Hope for all I do. 570 00:27:54,800 --> 00:28:05,800 Jesus, you're the center of my joy. 571 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:17,800 Jesus, you're the center of my joy. 572 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:27,800 All that's good and perfect comes from you. 573 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:38,800 You're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 574 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:49,800 Jesus, you're the center of my joy. 575 00:28:49,800 --> 00:29:00,800 Jesus, you're the center of my joy. 576 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:11,800 All that's good and perfect comes from you. 577 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:22,800 You're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 578 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:32,800 Jesus, you're the center of my joy. 579 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:42,800 All that's good and perfect comes from you. 580 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:52,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 581 00:29:52,800 --> 00:30:02,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 582 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:12,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 583 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:22,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 584 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:32,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 585 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:43,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 586 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:59,800 Jesus, you're the heart of my contentment, the hope for all I do. 587 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,840 everybody can come up. I would like to pray over you guys 588 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:07,160 because we're starting back school. It's difficult time for 589 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:10,280 the students difficult for the teachers and I would love to 590 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:12,680 pray a prayer over you and everybody that would come help 591 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:16,440 me pray these kids need our prayers and these teachers need 592 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:20,600 our prayers. The parents need our prayers. This is when the 593 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:32,040 water gets full right? They go through things as these high 594 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:35,480 schoolers and middle schoolers even college students go 595 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,080 through things that I can't say that I've experienced them 596 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:42,840 going through the same thing but it's detrimental enough 597 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,240 that they need the hand of God over them. They need that a 598 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:53,240 hand to walk with them each and every day. I'm waiting on 599 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,280 everybody to get up here because there's a few that had 600 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,840 to come off the balcony but we're going to get them all. 601 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,880 This is one of the most important things we can do as 602 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:09,400 as parents as grandparents as as leaders in the church is pray 603 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,600 for our young kids. It doesn't matter the age but it's one of 604 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:14,840 the most important things we can do because that's the next 605 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:18,520 generation right? They're going to be us in the coming years 606 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,560 and coming decades. They're going to be bringing their own 607 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:24,280 group in so it's so very important that we do this and 608 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:30,200 those of you that would please help pray father in Jesus name. 609 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,960 I ask that you would cover each and every student each and 610 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:40,040 every teacher with your hand God in your power. Lord let just 611 00:32:40,040 --> 00:32:43,640 cover them with a cloud of protection Lord of mighty heads 612 00:32:43,640 --> 00:32:48,440 that the enemy cannot pierce and Lord as there as things are 613 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:51,720 brought to them Lord that are evil as the enemy tries to 614 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:55,000 tempt them in ways that that they can't even and we can't 615 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,480 even comprehend father. I'm believing that your protection 616 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,440 will be with them. I'm believing that their hearts and 617 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,520 their minds and their bodies will be shielded from the 618 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,240 temptations of the enemy and from the temptations of 619 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:07,560 anything evil that would come their way father. I pray that 620 00:33:07,560 --> 00:33:10,600 they would learn that they would grow God that the teachers 621 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:14,520 will be protected and God that you'd be with each and every 622 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:18,840 one of them as they go throughout their day to day and 623 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:21,240 father may you protect them may you keep them may encourage 624 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,360 them may you speak to their heart and minds and minister to 625 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,480 them. Let them be a light and a beacon wherever they are to 626 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:31,080 the school to the community to the county to other teachers 627 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:34,600 and let the teachers be a light and to the students and 628 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:38,200 father we are believing for your protection. We are believing 629 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:43,800 that they will be alright in Jesus name. I pray. Amen give 630 00:33:43,800 --> 00:34:11,400 the Lord praise.