Is that it? Is that the best you got? Come on. Come on my soul, don't you get shy on
me. Lift up those hands. Come on, amen. He's a good good Savior, isn't he? Amen, amen, amen.
Well, glory. You can be seated if you can, I guess. There's a stirring in the atmosphere.
Hallelujah. I came in yesterday morning, dropped Sister Kathy off about, I don't know, 945 for
their brunch and ladies prayer time and run back to the house before it got too hot and cut the
grass. Well, right before I could get back into the garage with the mower, of course, you know, it
run out of gas. And so I texted her, I said, Hey, I'll just come by and pick you up. I got to go get
some lawnmower gas. So that's about 1130. I figured about an hour they all be about finished, you
know. Well, I've come in my door down there at the end and I can hear the roar coming down the
hall. I thought, huh, so I eased up that way a little bit. They were just really starting to
wax pretty warm in prayer. And so I went on back down to the office and about 12 o'clock, I thought,
well, they were about to finish up. It just getting louder. About 15 after 12, I text Pastor Brian,
they were driving back from Indianapolis. I said, Hey, they getting in it down there.
And then I thought, well, I heard them come out and I thought, well, they done. Well, I come out
the door about the time to see them come around that corner, headed this away. And I went back,
got my office. I text Pastor Brian, I said, I started to say something to him, but I was afraid
he'd grabbed me, pull me in. You had to be prayed up already to get into that. And there's in here
for a while. I don't know about 1230. They finally wound down, but I told him, I said, look, next
month I'm going to bring paint pans and rollers. If you're going to pray the paint off the wall,
you'll put it back on before you leave. Hallelujah. There's a stirring in the atmosphere.
There's a stirring in the atmosphere. God's at work. God's moving.
He's stirring our hearts to get on our face and on our knees, to intercede,
to pray with supplication, to put the war paint on. Amen. Enter into some spiritual warfare.
How many know the enemies out there raging? Well, greater is he that's in you than he that's in
this world is all I got to say for you. The Lord been good to you? Has he blessed you this past week?
Has he blessed you this past week? Well, just pay your tithe and give an offering.
Coming up in August, it's the 18th, the Sunday, the 18th. Is that cutting it close?
Sister Stella, close. That's not the 21st. You said 21st. Are you leaving before then?
You leaving when? 11th. We're going to back up a Sunday. The 11th, we're going to have,
it's going to be our mission day. We're going to have spaghetti and meatballs and salad and all that
good stuff. We're going to do a fundraiser for Brother Mills, Pastor Brian, Brother Randy.
Brother Randy, they're heading to Zambia and we're sending them on that way. Amen. We're sending them.
We're sending them. I'm trying to get to where they don't have to pay anything out of their pocket.
I want them to go. Amen. And teach and preach. And I can't wait until they get back. We get to see
pictures. Amen. Now, which of the three of those will be on the camera? I have no idea.
So it might be sketchy what we get to see. Because I know Brian will be struggling because
Erica's not taking the pictures. And so let's stand together.
Fly away. Lord, I love you today. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for your grace, for your goodness,
the divine power and presence of your love that's with us.
And I ask God that you continue to have your way. I pray, Lord, for continued blessings on the
household of faith. Jobs and better jobs increases. Checks in the mail, refunds, rebates, inheritance,
best sales in town. Bless your people as your word causes our soul to prosper. We ask God
you prosper your people. In Christ's name and the church said, amen. Come worship in
you're given a little sing his soul song right here. Well, I fly away.
Oh,
oh, hallelujah. Fly away. A few more.
Oh,
fly away. Oh, glory. In the morning, now when, oh, when I die. Oh, bye bye.
Oh,
well, I fly away.
Well, now I'll fly away. Oh, glory. In the morning, now when, oh, when I die.
Oh, well, I'll fly away.
I woke up this morning with another one of them on my mind.
Second verse in old page 92. How many know what's on page 92? Right off the bat, you know it.
The second verse says something like this right here.
Well, sometimes my passing's drear without a ray of cheer and then a little cloud of doubt may hide
the day. The mist of sin may rise and hide. Y'all go ahead. Come on now. Just a little talk with
Jesus makes it right. Come on now. Now let us have a little talk. Oh, let us tell him all about our,
oh, he will hear and he will answer by and by. Now when you feel a little prayer will turn in,
know a little fire is burnt. Oh, you will find. Sing it again.
Sometimes my passing's drear without a ray of cheer and the
day. The mist of sin may rise and hide the starry sky, but just a little talk.
And now let us, oh, let us tell him all about our trouble. Hear our faintest cry. He will answer.
And now when you feel a little prayer will then you'll know a little fire is burning.
You will find a little talk. Well, I may have doubts and fears. My eyes be filled with tears,
but Jesus is a friend who watches day and night. I go to him in prayer and he knows my every care
and just a little talk with Jesus makes it right. Now let us have a little talk. Oh, let us tell him
all about our trouble. He will hear and he will answer by and by. Now when you feel a little prayer
will turn in, know a little fire is burning. You will find a little talk makes it right.
Come on, give him praise in his house. Well, all right, all right, all right.
Just a little talk with Jesus makes it all right. Well, all right, all right, all right, all right.
Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.
All right. How many of us from time to time we have doubts and fears,
right? Clouds try to come in and hide the light of day, right?
But it's Jesus who clears the way. I'm grateful and thankful for all that he has done
and is about to do. Amen. It's going to take a little bit to set this up so
you can go ahead and be seated and you can be turning to John's gospel,
the fourth chapter and then put a finger in Matthew 9. I'm not going to be in a hurry today.
I feel like that's something we need to share from the Lord. We're going to go there and I'm
just going to take the time and it may take us a couple weeks to get it said, but that's all right
too. Amen. Had a wonderful assembly
this year. It was good, really good. I'm encouraged. I'm refreshed, renewed
for the church of God. I don't care to tell you I'm as transparent today as long as having my doubts
over the last few years. I'll just tell you, I just felt like we kind of been straying and getting away
from what I was born in. Your pastor's just been in a struggle and was dreading. I dreaded,
just can't even tell you. I fretted and dreaded and I was just in a struggle. I was just in a struggle.
I was dreading. I dreaded, just can't even tell you. I fretted and dreaded all seven hours of that drive
Monday going up there. I just really didn't want to face it. But I have some renewed strength and
renewed focus. Amen. And renewed confidence in the church and I needed that. I needed that. I've been
in an inner struggle for several years and but man it was good for me. It helped me.
You can go to churchofgod.org which is our general church page and you can see all of the
leadership changes. Bishop Gary Lewis is now our general overseer.
Bishop Tony Stewart, first assistant. Bishop Wayne Doherty, second assistant. Third assistant is
Bishop Mark Williams and our general secretary treasurer is Tom Madden. So I think the Lord's
worked good work and we've got a great committee. One of the most, if not the most, diverse council
of 18s that I've ever seen elected. Man, it just looks like a humanity rainbow up there and I was
happy, happy, happy. Amen. Black, white, brown, islanders, we got some of that Caribbean,
what is it, that jerk chicken flavor up there. We got a little flavor. We have a diverse
reflection of the church of God and I am happy, happy, happy. Amen. Some of y'all need to get
busy helping us get a little more diverse in here. If you've got friends tell them we won't
hurt them, bring them on in here. I like flavor. So I'm encouraged over the assembly. It's all right,
they're recording but they're not FaceTiming or whatever it is, Facebook live. So it's been a good
week. Good to be a part of the great church of God. Amen. And I feel that way. I'm going to try to
give you a generalized scope of what I feel like the Spirit of the Lord has spoke over the church
at large through our leaders as they ministered to us this week. How many of you got to watch some of
it online? So you got to watch some of the services online, some of the business and that stuff. So
it's a high opener. The church of God is a whole lot bigger than Cleveland, Tennessee. Amen. And
that's a good thing. So if you have your Bibles, I want us to go ahead and start with John's Gospel,
the fourth chapter. We'll start it about verse 34.
Jesus said unto them, my meat or my food or my sustenance is to do the will of him that sent me
and to finish his work. Say not ye there are yet four months and then cometh harvest. Behold, I say
unto you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gather fruit unto life eternal, that both he that soweth
and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, one soweth another reapeth.
I sent you to reap that whereon you bestowed no labor. Other men labored and you are entered into
their labors. Matthew nine verse 37, then saith he unto his children, and he said unto them,
ye have labored and you are entered into their labors. Matthew nine verse 37, then saith he unto
his disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labors are few. Pray ye therefore the
Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labors into his harvest. The theme for the assembly this
now, go ahead brother Hunter put that up. That was the theme for the 79th general assembly,
harvest now. Let's pray. Father we love you, we thank you for your goodness and your mercy.
Lord I'm gonna need your help over the next few moments, over the next space of time. I need you
to help and stir my heart, Lord, as we just share, as I feel that you've laid upon me for us here at
the Hopewell church of God. This directive from our leadership which has received it from you.
May we Lord bring it into where we are able to apply what the spirit's saying to the church.
Christ's lovely name and the church said amen and amen.
Our former general overseer bishop Tim Hill started out Tuesday night with a wonderful reminder.
He reminded us from Hebrews two and one says therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed
to the things which we have heard, least at any time we should let them slip. He reminded us that
there are principles and a foundation that the church is based upon and that we should not let
that go. We should earnestly, we've been preaching for the past previous three weeks on contending
for the faith. Basically the same thought, the same idea. We cannot let the faith slip through
our fingers. We cannot become so overwhelmed, so disillusioned by the negativity that's in our
society and everything that's going on around us that we lose sight of the hope that is in the
message and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The hope that we have in the faith that we are living out
day in and day out. He brought a wonderful message to us to let us know that we have to
recommit ourselves to the faith. Not only the faith but as the church of God, we are the church
of God. As the church of God we've got to recommit ourselves to the declaration of faith. If you got
that brother Hunter put that up. If we're going to continue on we must recommit and reaffirm our
lives to the core values and the teachings that we live by. We actually believe them. Amen. Starting
with a statement from the Bible. Is the Bible the word of God? Breathe the bone men of old,
breathe the bone by the Holy Ghost wrote down as they were dictated to by the Holy Ghost and the
word was written and that's what we're going to live by. That's what we're going to govern by.
That's what we're going to try to live out. That's what we're going to proclaim to those who are
around us all the way down to Jesus is coming. There is an eternal place of heaven for those who
love him and an eternal punishment, a place called hell for those that don't. Amen. And everything in
between. Doctrine or fidelity is important in the day in which we live because people around you
don't know what you believe unless you live it out in front of them. They need to know the reason
of the hope that you have. Amen. And we've got to maintain. We can't allow the good gospel message
to slip. The things that we have heard, the things that have been demonstrated before us
in and through and around our lives, we cannot let those things idly slip through our fingers.
Hallelujah. I was raised up in the church of God. Amen. From a tiny toddler all the way to where I
am now. All I know is the church of God. All I know is our declaration of faith. What I love
about our declaration of faith, it takes in the whole compass of the whole Bible. Amen. We're a
Bible believing people. If it's in there, amen, God says do it, we do it. If it's in there and God
said don't do it, we believe that you're not supposed to do it. Amen. And I don't know how
you can go wrong with that. With the whole Bible rightly divided, the New Testament being our only
rule and form of our government, but we don't throw out the principles of the Old Testament
because they're the types and the shadows of Christ himself who is the fulfillment of
hallelujah, who is the fulfillment of it all. And so we were reminded very sternly not to let the
things that we have learned slip through our fingers and we go following after another gospel.
Amen. We cannot allow ourselves to do that. And then on Wednesday night, I think one of the most
profound statements that was made through the whole week was made by Dr. David Ramirez as he
was preaching and he made the statement. He said, we have changed our windows for mirrors. We have
changed our windows for mirrors in referencing the church, the church of God, the church at large.
We used to have windows that we would look through and we would see a lost and dying world,
but he said, we've traded our windows for mirrors and all we're doing is staring at our own reflection.
We like what we see. We want it the way we want it. We want to do it the way we want to do it.
And we have failed to assume the responsibility that we have for a lost and dying world that is
on the outside. They can't even look in because we've got a mirror hanging over the window. My God.
And when I heard him say that it struck to the core of my soul. I'm thinking, oh God, I'm going
on a search through Hopewell. And if we've got mirrors, there is no such thing as luck. So I'm
going to break every mirror that I can find that's hindering those who are on the outside from seeing
what's taking place on the inside. I remember the day when they used to flock and look through the
window when you couldn't get on the inside because of the power and the glory of God that was showing
up on people's lives. The manifestation of the spirit as a Holy Ghost moved and miracles were
performed. Oh my God, let's take our mirrors down and shine and polish and clean our windows again
so that the lost and dying can see in and see what's happening and long for an experience.
That's what taking place here.
His question was, where are the baptized, whether the water or the spirit, where are they at? Where
are we? What are we doing? We're hiding on the inside, polishing, adjusting, and looking to
ourselves and failing the responsibility of those who are dying all around us. All you have to do
is take a quick look at the evening news. The evening news is the news that we're going to be
is take a quick look at the evening news and know that people are on the outside are hurting,
they are lost, they are untunned, they are indifferent, they are in pain, they are struggling
and deep down they don't even know what it is that they're crying out for. That's what you and I are
to be. We are to be windows to the soul and the heart of God so that they can see in us the hope
that they're missing, the healing for the hurt that they are experiencing and a comfort and a
care and a friend when they have no friend around them. The lost are looking and yearning
but we're stuck on the inside in front of our mirrors
and they can't see in and we definitely have stopped looking out.
John recorded it well, say not ye, Jesus declared that four months and then the harvest is coming
but he said look, lift up your eyes, look, look at the fields, they are white already. Can I tell
you there's enough people in earshot of you and your daily routine and your daily life that aren't
attending church anywhere but are hurting. Next time you go through a grocery line somewhere
you ask someone really how they're doing and take a moment to let them respond. Are you okay?
Have a discerned pray before you go, get a discerning spirit about you and ask God to show you
the one that's hurting. Let the Lord open up a window before, Lord let me see the hurting one
that I'm coming in. Don't let me be so busy about my day that I cannot see the one in pain,
that the facade of a smile, help me see past it, help me see into their soul and help me engage them
with the hope that I have in you. Next time you're talking and you're sitting at a table
and a waiter or waitress is coming, take a little interest in them.
Tuesday and Wednesday night we ate dinner at the same restaurant.
Italian place, old spaghetti factory. I like spaghetti.
I was offended they didn't have ketchup but I made it work.
I told that waiter, young man, nice clean cut looking young man, we heard him, I heard him
mention a couple times different things that were going on in the restaurant. He said,
I heard him mention a couple times different things that were churchy related and scripture related
in our just casual conversation. I've got an alarm bell that goes off as soon as I hear stuff
like that I'm listening for it. Hey man, I'm listening for it and young man done a fine job.
We blessed him before we left and the spaghetti and meatball were good but Pastor Terry had the
lasagna and he went on and on and on and on about how good the lasagna was and he don't even eat
lasagna. So here it comes Wednesday night, what we're gonna go eat? I'm gonna go try the lasagna.
So we go back, the lasagna was good. As we're talking this young man's coming around, he's
waiting, he's serving and we're trying to be Christians. You're probably amazed at some
server testimonies that everybody they came in contact with weren't Christian at a Christian
event. But before we leave this young man stopped me. He stopped me down at the end of the table.
He said, how you know about identity right and try to be the identity of Christ? I said, yeah,
I understand that. He said, could you help me understand how I'm supposed to do that? How am I
supposed to be identified as Christ? So right there, right quick, man, I gave him about a 30,
45 second tutorial on how to be Christ in the atmosphere, which he's in and around the people
that he's in. You see they're out there and they are paying attention and when you act Christ like,
they may actually have a question that they can ask you. And so we cannot let the mirrors be hanging
over the window. My God, when you go out to eat this afternoon, would you please by all means be a
Christian and show the love of Christ? Don't be hateful if you don't get the butter. Don't be hateful
if they ain't quick enough with a refill. My God, put a smile on your face and show the love of
Jesus and tell them, man, I'm praying for you. I see it's chaotic in here and you know, just take
your time. I'll get it when you get it here and if you don't get it here, that's okay too.
Let's take the mirrors down because we are living in the middle of a hurting society that needs a
church and I ain't even got to the point yet. I'm just still working on statements that were made
that stirred my heart. Thursday night, the World Mission at the Parade of Nations,
one of the most moving experiences that you can have if you're there personally,
have been there several times. It's really moving and it's grown every year that
Sister Kathy and I have been. There's more, there's more, there's more. Let you know that the work of
the mission of the cross, amen, in Christ is still going on, still reaching out.
Brother Mo Huggins preached a message that we've got to come together and we've got to be together
in the power of the Holy Ghost. We've got to come off of our pedestals and get down together
and get ready to enter into that harvest field because we have been empowered just to do exactly
that. And at the end of that altar call hundreds, hundreds, literally hundreds of younger people
and an earlier generation become flooded down and hundreds were filled with the baptism of the Holy
Ghost at General Assembly. Why? Because preaching of the gospel, preaching the truth and bringing
us to the awareness, we must remove those mirrors and enter into a harvest field that is already
white. And then on Friday night, how many of you watched this Friday night? Anybody watch the service
Friday night in the General Overseer? I was ready for him to go to the podium and take his place and
do what they've all done for all the time and give his address to the church. But he began to talk
about us as the church as we are the church of God. And I've talked to one of the five since then
and he said he did exactly what he told y'all that he did when he called us together for our first
meeting. He leaned back in his chair and he said, brothers, our message is going to change. I need
your help to help me preach on Friday night. To every one of them said, Bishop, that's your night,
that's your declaration. He said, no, it's time we get past the me and get back to the we. Hallelujah.
He said, it's time. He said, we've always been about a me on a Friday and my message and my
vision and my this. He said, it's time we get past the me and get back to the we. So we are going to
preach to the people on Friday night. Now, I don't, I don't know what that done for you, but when I
watched that, I'm telling you, I am renewed. I am refreshed. Hallelujah. Because it's not a me,
it's a we. Hallelujah. I've got the general's permission to let you know it's not a me message.
It's a we message. And the message that we have, first of all, we are the church of God and we are
distinctly classical Pentecostal and my God, I'm with brother Paul. I thank God that I speak in
tongues more than you all. Hallelujah. That we are a spirit field church inviting the power
and the anointing of the Holy ghost to have his way in our lives.
We, as he began to talk about who we are,
begin to preach about the church of God. We got renewed hope again, a little over eight million
members around the world. Now I know that small in comparison to a lot of other denominations,
but when you back up to 1886 and a good old Baptist brother by the name of R.G. Spurling,
who got to reading his word and the word got stirring in him and he got to praying for that
other thing that was said could be his. And that other thing is the that of Acts chapter two.
And he got to reading and he got to reading and he got to praying and he got to reading and he got
to praying and he got to reading and all of a sudden he got the Holy ghost. Because as it was on
the day of Pentecost it was in the hills of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina,
right up above Coker Creek, right up there in the mountains. He was filled with the Holy ghost
and spake with tongues as the spirit gave the utterance. And from the one man's desire,
my God you talking about a polished crown in heaven one of these days, eight million strong
from one man's desire, one man's pursuit, eight million. I've been to Coker Creek there's nothing
special there they don't even wheat eat the creek bank. I'm thinking my God this is our history
and we can't get anybody to go up here and wheat eat the creek bank.
Right there in the old grist of meal they begin to have church.
Moves over to a little school building called Shear Schoolhouse. Revival breaks out.
People baptize in the Holy ghost. We come out of that with a with a church name of the holiness
church at Camp Creek and we move from the holiness church at Camp. Holiness wasn't real popular then
either. So we turned into the Christian union and from the Christian union we make our way.
Finally we come out of the mountains made it into town.
Hey law if you've never been to the first general assembly if you will the first assembly building
I think it's J.C. Murphy's house and it's just sitting right up there right off side of the road.
19 people. 19 people from the first one to there I know there were over 19,000
that assembled this week. I know there were over 19,000 20 plus probably from 19 to 20 plus thousand.
I'm telling you God's had his hand on the church of God. It's not that it's an elevated denomination
no but it was a burden on a man's heart that it prayed out and the distinct faith that was lived
out as we come through 1948 to come up with that declaration of faith that we're going to be
in 1948 to come up with that declaration of faith that stood firm and stood until this very day and
my lord I think it'll stand to the lord come. It's a good declaration of belief. It's a good system.
We are the church of God. Amen in 192 nations around this world preaching a good Pentecostal
message in the power of the cross in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Power in the
that will forever wash away your sin. Power in an anointing to sanctify you and set you apart.
Power of an anointing to empower you to be the witness unto the east unto the west north and south
to the end of the earth. Preaching that gospel message.
We are the church of God and I was proud to be one
Friday night
when our committee began to step up and preach the outline that the general had given him.
He says we are the church of God and we go. Bishop Stewart stepped up again to preach the we go.
We are the Matthew 28 generation 18, 19, 20 that's who you and I still are.
We are the generation that goes into all the world. The dictate from the Greek is there as you go.
As you are going. When Jesus said go into all the world what he was telling them as you will go about
your daily living in this world in which we're living you have to be a disciple and as you're
going into this world I want you to preach and teach and you tell them everything that I've told
you you just pass it on. I want you to baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Ghost and be disciples unto me. Amen. They begin to declare the go. Now in 192 nations
around the world we got a little bit of go in us. We got some folks that are willing to go and
they're heading to Zambia this fall and they're going because Hopewell church of God has been
church of God has a vision brother David Mills has got a vision brother Randy Warren's got a vision
brother Brian's got a vision that they can go and be a help in a lost and dying world. They're going
to teach and to minister to and strengthen pastors and shepherds so that when they go back into their
villages and their huts and under the shade of some spread out tree on a safari somewhere and
people begin to gather you know what they're going to hear that Jesus is their savior he's their
sake of higher he's our Holy Ghost baptizer he's their healer and he's the king that is coming with
glory and power. It's the go from the goal we've adopted our mission statement
and after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you you shall be witnesses unto me
Jerusalem Judea Samaria even to the uttermost parts of the world.
I think it's important to know that the Holy Ghost is upon us amen and as he's preaching that we go
message he talked about an encounter that he had in the airport here just a few weeks ago or a month
or so ago when all this traveling going on he said in one of the kiosks now in one of the airports
they had a chiropractor in there to adjust he said he had a crick in his neck and his back was trying
to figure out how to get it all worked out and he's walking through there and he saw the place
where you could go in $59 for an adjustment.
My Lord wouldn't it be nice to know that for $59 you can get an adjustment
but the statement he made was this he said sometimes you don't see what you need until you need it.
My Lord he said I don't know how many times I'd walked up down the corridors of the same airport
going in coming and going and he had never saw that before but he said I never needed it before
and he had never saw that before but he said I never needed it before sometimes you don't see what you need
amen until you need it and that's the way it is with some folks in our church world today
that's what's wrong with some of the lost people that are around us they can't see what they need
until they really need him and many of them are going to get in a low place and a dark place and
a bad place and what they need is for you and I to be there to show them what they need when they
need it if they're hurting they need a helping hand amen they need somebody to lift them up
we have to have our go about us I'm not asking you to go to Zambia I'm not asking you to go to
Honduras or Ecuador or any other continent continent or any other country I'm not asking you to do that
but what I am asking you to do is talk to the people that you come in contact as you go about
your daily business as you go to eat as you go to Walmart as you go to any other store when you're
just out in town when you're at a sporting event be a Christian let them see Christ in you and you
engage those who are around you you kids not enough just to see the harvest you got to lift
up your eyes and be a part you got to be a harvester in it that's the reason Jesus said the harvest
is truly plenious but pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest that he sent laborers in there I'm
telling you you are the labors we are the labors together it's harvest now not next year not
next month not next decade Jesus is coming and I believe it could be very soon our time is waning by
you really want me to talk to somebody well yes I do
how about this I don't even expect some of you to talk to somebody new
just talk to the sinners that you already know and if you don't know any would you please go find one
you won't have to look far
far a few years ago I got to I got to institutionalized by the church
my time was fully consumed behind the pulpit inside inside the walls
the only contact I have with the sinners when we'd be out to eat or somewhere doing something like
that but the Lord positioned me put me in a place that I was surrounded by
good people good people just lost people friendly people
lost people
where I could be around them through four days a week
I was around them so much that I noticed their language change
never preached one sermon to them didn't have to when I walk up I begin to notice them slip
off with newcomers that would come into the crowd that's the preacher
matter of fact that's what they call me preacher and as soon as I'd walk up and there'd be new
people I knew they knew me but they'd say hey preacher so that everybody else in earshot would
know that the preacher showed up keep your mouth shut right and they were all respectful
and then I noticed there was a shift one day I got a phone call from one of these fellas
preacher my wife's leaving and he broke down my wife's leaving me
what am I going to do I grin from ear to ear not because the man's wife's leaving him I didn't know
her but I said thank you Lord you put me in this place so I could minister so for several weeks
I got to minister a sinner man through a divorce do you win him no nope but I ministered to him
those phone calls begin to be more frequent
till I got one one day a grown man squalling his eyes out preacher
my daddy's died and I got nobody to read over my daddy will you read over my daddy
I called him by his first name why you better believe I will when and where
never met the man in my life didn't have to I took Jesus to him what are you saying pastor I'm saying
you got people out there that are going to be like you and I'm going to be like you and I'm going to
be like what are you saying pastor I'm saying you got people around you just like I had to put myself
in and become surrounded they're hurting people all around us they're needy people all around us
and they don't know who to call they don't know what to do but if you live enough Jesus in front
of them you don't have a fork in tongue one day hallelujah preach on preacher and you're not a
hypocrite in front of them but you're actually living out your faith and you have the joy of the
Lord on you when you're in their countenance whether all hell's breaking loose or not when
you're in front of them the joy the Lord exudes from you and before you know it your phone will
start ringing somebody will start asking you how can I make it how can I make it we go as we go
we tell the good news of Jesus Christ we tell of the good news of the hope that we have the hope that
you have for the hurt that you're dealing with because we deal with hurt too and they know you do
people around you in your circle they know your business don't they
just like you know some of their business and they see you they see how you react they see how we respond
one of the darkest days and one of the saddest times of me being a man just a man nothing to do with
a Christian but just being a man when unforeseen and uncontrollable situations piled in
and they wasn't enough money to pay all the bills and they wasn't enough job to make it happen no
matter what you had to swallow that bitter pill and swallow your pride and your manhood
find you a lawyer either really get a real bad name or try to do something to save it
bankruptcy court paying my tithe every week
are you hearing me every week paid my tithe still found myself in bankruptcy court no astronomical
crazy stupid stuff just life life hospital bills life not enough to make the ends meet
bills life not enough to make the ends meet life
found myself standing with him i won't close with this we'll get back to the rest of this over the
next few weeks we'll close right here we are the church and we're going found myself in that position
embarrassed
embarrassed i think it was one of the last things the lord had to take from is my pride
oh it had to go because i was a proud person hello i was a proud person and it had to go
so the lord put me in a place i had to swallow it
i had to go and lean on him
prided myself in the money that i'd made all right
till it wasn't there
never forget that been in that courtroom watching that judge man he was ripping people apart
some of you heard this i've shared this morning he was literally ripping people apart
embarrassing and i'm sat back here praying oh god
i didn't rack up thirty thousand dollars on credit cards and not offer to pay them i didn't do that
i didn't buy all this stuff and never make a payment lord that's not what i done
lord it's a trailer it ain't even my house
i beg god not to let that happen to me
when sister kathy and i went down yes she went with me we sat down
and we sat down
this is how i know the lord loves me more than he loves you
i'm his favorite
that judge that i witnessed for two and a half hours just shame people
looked at us
he called me mr waters this is pre-call i didn't call to preach yet or hadn't accepted it
mr waters
is this agreement okay with you
i said yes your honor he said well i see how much you make and i see how much they're going to take
can you make it i said i will make it
yes sir it's fine and again he tried he said you know i have the authority to make this number
whatever i choose and all these hospitals lawyers and all this stuff sitting around the table there
looking like he's about to cut us i said no sir we'll make it
and he said thank you and he signed it and said you're dismissed just as kind as he could be
told you that to tell you this you co-workers we all made the same
they knew where i'd been and they knew how much
they were getting every week but they also saw
they said well how you gonna make it on that i said well i'm not well how do you say that i said well
it's 10 less than that number
well what do you mean i said well my tithe got to come out of that oh you're just paying tithes on
what you get right i said no i'm paying tithe on the whole thing that's how much i made this week
in it yeah but they took it out of the box and they said well you know i'm not going to make it
that's how much i made this week in it yeah but they took out i said yeah but that's my bill
and for the next few years they got to see how god
took a seven-year thing and turned it into a two and a half zero balance
you may have to fight some battles folks
but he's going to be there with you we are the church take the mirrors down
shine the window where you can see out there again and look for folk
look for folk and then just tell them what the lord's done for you once you've been embarrassed
to the nth degree it really don't matter much after that i learned two things how to humble myself
after that and then i learned that money is simply a tool given to us to make it through life
father i love you we got some folks that need prayer this morning as we're bowing our head for prayer