WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.660 have, to hear the trades mentioned. Come on now. 00:00:05.820 --> 00:00:09.539 To hear the trades mentioned. Folks actually 00:00:09.539 --> 00:00:12.019 going to go out there and not work with a head, 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:18.820 but work with their hands. Welders, which are 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:23.640 after my own heart. And for this young lady, 00:00:23.699 --> 00:00:28.179 I thought, yeah. She hadn't got burnt good yet, 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:34.939 but yeah. I've got scars between my toes where 00:00:34.939 --> 00:00:37.079 them balls of fire got through the tongue in 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:41.280 my boots. I'm scarred up. Come on now. Anybody 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:49.079 else? Yeah. But that's just electricians, physical 00:00:49.079 --> 00:00:53.880 therapists, cosmetologists, hair cutters. You've 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:55.640 got to have a haircut. Samuel needs one now. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:59.140 So you need somebody to practice on. Right there 00:00:59.140 --> 00:01:02.250 is one. Is that right? Sister Kathy, we can get 00:01:02.250 --> 00:01:06.810 him in the chair. But just kindly, you know, 00:01:06.829 --> 00:01:11.790 I think we have enough psychology majors in the 00:01:11.790 --> 00:01:18.469 world. They lose out. They scratch their head 00:01:18.469 --> 00:01:25.430 when they talk to me. Are you ready? I have exactly 00:01:25.430 --> 00:01:29.280 one hour to get this done. Come on. And we're 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.019 going to get done less than that, I promise you. 00:01:32.819 --> 00:01:37.219 Isaiah reads 43, verse 18. Remember ye not the 00:01:37.219 --> 00:01:39.459 former things, neither consider the things of 00:01:39.459 --> 00:01:42.359 old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:46.340 spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:49.140 make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the 00:01:49.140 --> 00:01:50.840 desert. I want to preach to you this morning 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:53.980 on a simple thought. Now what? When we're thinking 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:57.900 about graduation, now what? Amen. I'll pray for 00:01:57.900 --> 00:02:00.719 you if you pray for me. Pray the Lord. Speed 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:02.959 pastor up. Make him very expedient. Father, we 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:04.579 love you today. We thank you for your mercy and 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:05.760 your grace and your goodness and the abundance 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.300 of your love. And I ask God that you'd have your 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:10.599 way in our hearts and minds today for you truly 00:02:10.599 --> 00:02:13.479 are good and your mercy endures forever. The 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:16.240 fullness of this day, Lord, I thank you for every 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:20.280 graduate at every level. Lord, I thank you today 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:22.639 for the call that we're hearing to step outside 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.060 the realm of normal, to step out and go beyond 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:28.719 the realm of comfort. And Lord, to enter into 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:31.000 the kingdom and kingdom work. I ask Father God 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:33.400 now, have your way in our hearts and lives. It 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:35.539 would be quick to praise you in all things. And 00:02:35.539 --> 00:02:38.039 the church said. Amen. You can be seated. You 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:42.620 know, graduation is just simply elevating beyond 00:02:42.620 --> 00:02:46.139 one point to another to graduate, to move from 00:02:46.139 --> 00:02:49.340 one phase to one stage and to move to another. 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:55.240 Nowadays, we graduate from preschool. Amen. All 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:58.719 the way through PhDs. But even beyond that, you 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:04.259 have the school of life. Amen. I'm working on 00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:08.810 my PhD in that. I don't know when you get that, 00:03:08.949 --> 00:03:13.150 but for me growing up, a PhD was piled up high 00:03:13.150 --> 00:03:21.650 and deep. Or at about 13, working with Dad on 00:03:21.650 --> 00:03:25.310 the farm, you were the PhD, the post hole digger. 00:03:28.569 --> 00:03:31.110 I had one of those. I've earned one of those. 00:03:31.490 --> 00:03:33.770 Earned it. Not one of these honorary things. 00:03:34.110 --> 00:03:37.550 I earned that one. Blisters. The whole deal. 00:03:38.449 --> 00:03:43.009 Yeah. But life has its graduating moments. Amen? 00:03:44.550 --> 00:03:47.990 And frequently, you and I, we arrive at pivotal 00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:55.830 moments in life as we continue to go on. When 00:03:55.830 --> 00:03:58.009 we get to some of those moments, we say, well, 00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.250 this is it. We finally arrived until you just 00:04:00.250 --> 00:04:04.550 pass it on by. And that moment is still there. 00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:10.180 Enter those moments, we have a self -sense of 00:04:10.180 --> 00:04:12.439 accomplishment and achievement. We say, but this 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:15.159 is what I've been working for. This is the moment 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:18.779 that I've been waiting for. I'm so glad to see 00:04:18.779 --> 00:04:22.160 so many of our graduates here post -graduation. 00:04:22.459 --> 00:04:24.199 Normally when they walk, you don't get them. 00:04:24.860 --> 00:04:27.420 And so to see them here and others that were 00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:31.459 out of town today and unable to be here, it's 00:04:31.459 --> 00:04:33.100 what you've been waiting for. It's what you've 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:36.220 been working so hard for. That's what all of 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:39.740 those school mornings was about and all the education 00:04:39.740 --> 00:04:43.240 that you hopefully received was all about. And 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:45.879 you'd been waiting, and there's a sense of accomplishment 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:49.019 and achievement when you get there. And after 00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:51.920 what seemed like a relentless amount of time, 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:55.180 it never lets up, classes, assignments, projects, 00:04:55.699 --> 00:05:00.319 tests. And then finally when you get it done. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:03.639 Amen, whatever level of graduation it is. If 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:05.759 preschool, you're excited to go into kindergarten. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:08.620 Kindergarten graduation, you're excited to go 00:05:08.620 --> 00:05:11.160 into first grade. You know, and when you finally 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:13.600 make it to junior high, you're arriving when 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.480 you make it through that junior high graduation, 00:05:15.540 --> 00:05:18.360 and you get to enter into high school. And then 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:20.879 finally, after four long years, you finish that 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.740 high school diploma. You get that, and it is 00:05:24.740 --> 00:05:26.920 a sense of achievement, and you have achieved 00:05:26.920 --> 00:05:31.339 a lot by doing so. You've done it. Now what is 00:05:31.339 --> 00:05:34.399 the question? And certainly graduation is not 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:37.160 any form, any level of graduation. It's not the 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:40.459 pinnacle of life. It's merely the setting us 00:05:40.459 --> 00:05:44.100 up and the preparation to fulfill what God's 00:05:44.100 --> 00:05:48.699 call is on our life. And, you know, if you're 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:51.399 good at what you do, it's a gifting and a calling. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.920 How many of you have ever, I love to watch people 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:59.250 do what they're called to do. It doesn't matter 00:05:59.250 --> 00:06:02.089 to me what it is. I love to watch a roofer from 00:06:02.089 --> 00:06:04.310 the ground. I'm not real good at being up there 00:06:04.310 --> 00:06:06.810 with him. I've been there, but I love to watch 00:06:06.810 --> 00:06:11.370 a roofer who is called and gifted to roof. I 00:06:11.370 --> 00:06:13.009 mean, it's a flick of a wrist, and they've got 00:06:13.009 --> 00:06:16.410 a roofing tack nailed in one smack. I heard a 00:06:16.410 --> 00:06:18.170 guy one time on the back of the roof, and if 00:06:18.170 --> 00:06:20.550 you'd have asked me to put my life on it, I'd 00:06:20.550 --> 00:06:22.769 have said he was using an air hose and an L -gun. 00:06:22.970 --> 00:06:25.529 But as I'm walking around, I could not see the 00:06:25.529 --> 00:06:27.149 air hose. And I thought, well, maybe they've 00:06:27.149 --> 00:06:29.610 got these new gas guns, right? I walk around, 00:06:29.769 --> 00:06:31.990 dude's got an apron and a handful of tacks, and 00:06:31.990 --> 00:06:34.949 I hammer. And, I mean, you would have just thought 00:06:34.949 --> 00:06:37.910 for sure that he was using an automatic device. 00:06:38.149 --> 00:06:40.899 No, he's skilled and gifted. It doesn't matter 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:42.720 what it is. An operator, have you ever found 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.980 yourself being mesmerized by watching a backhoe 00:06:44.980 --> 00:06:47.899 operator dig or a dozer man push? It doesn't 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:49.860 matter what it is. People who cut, it doesn't 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:52.500 matter. A chef, a cook, whatever. When you see 00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:55.019 people who are doing what they're gifted and 00:06:55.019 --> 00:06:57.500 called to do, it just comes natural. And I heard 00:06:57.500 --> 00:06:59.160 a statement the other day that's worth repeating. 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:02.920 If you do what you love, then you never work 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.319 a day in your life. Amen? And some of you are 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.319 doing stuff you don't love, and it's a labor. 00:07:09.740 --> 00:07:12.579 It's a labor. It's a labor. Every day is a drudgery 00:07:12.579 --> 00:07:15.060 for you. Well, find what you love and do that. 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:17.160 And then you're not. You're just fulfilling the 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:20.079 joy of your life daily. And graduation is about 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.560 that. It doesn't matter what it is that you. 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:24.600 Sister Kathy and I have told our kids growing 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:28.100 up, we do not care what you do to make a living. 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:31.139 Just work and work hard doing it and serve God 00:07:31.139 --> 00:07:33.399 while you're at it. It doesn't matter to me if 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:35.800 you're swinging on the backside of Superior's 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.339 sanitation truck and you get the garbage for 00:07:38.339 --> 00:07:42.680 that. It is. a needed job. Amen? And there are 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:44.560 folks who'd love to do that. I'm not that guy. 00:07:44.699 --> 00:07:46.240 I don't even like taking it to the end of the 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:48.600 road, let alone ride around picking up your garbage. 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:52.220 Amen? But people do, and it's not degrading to 00:07:52.220 --> 00:07:55.180 be that. Amen? You do what you're gifted to do, 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:57.560 and you make your way in life, and you serve 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:00.920 God in every aspect of doing it. Carpenters who 00:08:00.920 --> 00:08:03.500 can just, in their mind, and metal workers who 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:05.560 can just, in their mind, and they see it, and 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:12.189 they build it, and there it is. Graduation declares 00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:14.509 a point to which we have grown and a level to 00:08:14.509 --> 00:08:17.250 where maturity has come, a point from which we 00:08:17.250 --> 00:08:21.050 continue to grow. I am still growing after the 00:08:21.050 --> 00:08:24.490 graduations of life, after the educational process 00:08:24.490 --> 00:08:27.670 of my life. I'm still growing. Even though in 00:08:27.670 --> 00:08:29.189 many of us in here, you've been out of school 00:08:29.189 --> 00:08:31.829 for decades, and you're still learning, and you're 00:08:31.829 --> 00:08:35.029 still growing, and life is still processing in 00:08:35.029 --> 00:08:37.809 your life. Lessons, amen, the lessons. of life 00:08:37.809 --> 00:08:40.269 and the lessons of hard knocks, they're always 00:08:40.269 --> 00:08:43.850 near you. You're always going to have them. Instruction 00:08:43.850 --> 00:08:47.230 is daily. See, read, know, understand, listen, 00:08:47.409 --> 00:08:50.590 and pay attention. Because when it's now what, 00:08:50.710 --> 00:08:53.590 there's always something else. You've never fully 00:08:53.590 --> 00:08:56.009 arrived. You've never fully achieved. And it 00:08:56.009 --> 00:08:59.509 works that same way with life as in school or 00:08:59.509 --> 00:09:02.129 educational progress as you go through that life. 00:09:02.169 --> 00:09:05.309 In this thing we call faith, in this life that 00:09:05.309 --> 00:09:08.519 we have as children, of God as the church of 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:11.460 the living God. You never arrive until we arrive 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:13.940 in this place that we've heard them singing and 00:09:13.940 --> 00:09:15.960 they've led us in worship about. And when we 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:18.659 stand before this God who is most holy, then 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:21.679 we can say we've arrived. We've not arrived yet. 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:24.039 We've not gotten anywhere yet. We're just still 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:27.559 in the process of living. Amen. And lessons are 00:09:27.559 --> 00:09:30.240 going to come in daily. And we must progress 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:33.940 daily and continue to mature and continue to 00:09:33.940 --> 00:09:36.840 grow. We are to mature in our our faith as much 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.960 as we are in our preparation to be educated to 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:42.700 do that thing that we feel called and we feel 00:09:42.700 --> 00:09:46.139 pulled toward. Amen. Never be ashamed of what 00:09:46.139 --> 00:09:49.379 you feel called to do because there is a need, 00:09:49.379 --> 00:09:52.679 amen, around you in humanity or God wouldn't 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:54.759 be putting it on your heart to do it. There is 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:57.259 a need for it. There's no big I's and little 00:09:57.259 --> 00:09:59.299 u's. There's no significant or insignificant 00:09:59.299 --> 00:10:02.960 because it takes the entirety of humanity to 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:05.639 make this world continue to go. and function 00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:08.580 and operate. So don't be ashamed. Don't let no 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:11.620 one talk down to you about what you feel like 00:10:11.620 --> 00:10:14.980 you need to be doing to fulfill your life, amen, 00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:17.500 and the call of God on your life. Because if 00:10:17.500 --> 00:10:19.399 you're sitting in this room, I'm encouraging 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:22.960 you to pray and seek God about what it is he 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:25.379 wants out of you and what he's gifted you to 00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:28.139 do. And do that to the fullness of your ability, 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:31.299 not with eye service as the Bible directs, but 00:10:31.299 --> 00:10:34.080 with the whole heart. Do it as unto the Lord. 00:10:34.250 --> 00:10:36.450 If it's on the back of that garbage truck, then 00:10:36.450 --> 00:10:39.850 sing as you go the praises of God and minister 00:10:39.850 --> 00:10:42.889 to those that are around you. Be kind and be 00:10:42.889 --> 00:10:45.669 joy -filled. Don't dread one day of it, and it'll 00:10:45.669 --> 00:10:49.029 be a good day every day. Why? Because the school 00:10:49.029 --> 00:10:51.970 of hard knocks will eventually show itself. And 00:10:51.970 --> 00:10:54.669 you say, now what? It's the next step. It's the 00:10:54.669 --> 00:10:57.470 next level. It's the next lesson. It's the next 00:10:57.470 --> 00:10:59.870 thing that has to be learned and the next thing 00:10:59.870 --> 00:11:05.440 that has to be applied in your life. Amen. Well, 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.679 I didn't intend to get all this fully wound up 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:11.759 today talking about graduation Sunday. And I 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:13.679 guarantee you it'll preach we get through this 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:19.980 introduction. Graduation can be stressful. I 00:11:19.980 --> 00:11:21.960 mean, on this side of it, y 'all didn't feel 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:25.379 a thing, did you? But leading up to that walking, 00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:30.879 it's high stress. You know, it's high stress. 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:34.220 It just... I began to think about that in studying 00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:36.320 and preparing for this sermon. I remember my 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:39.500 high school graduation. I don't know why I was 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:43.539 stressed, but I was. You know, there's just this, 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.460 all of a sudden, the apprehension that comes 00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:49.720 with this graduation. Now what? I knew what I 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:51.259 was doing the year before. I was getting up and 00:11:51.259 --> 00:11:54.240 going back to school. Now all of a sudden things 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:56.879 are going to change. So now what? When we begin 00:11:56.879 --> 00:11:59.360 to think about the stress of it, fear, relief, 00:11:59.700 --> 00:12:03.220 sadness, hope, apprehension, exhilaration, and 00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:07.240 all of this rolls up into a piece of paper that 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.500 we call a diploma. Some of you, you do know why 00:12:10.500 --> 00:12:12.500 they give you that little book with nothing in 00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:14.740 it, right? Because they know half of you are 00:12:14.740 --> 00:12:20.879 going to lose it. Yeah, that night, no, no. That's 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:23.929 the reason you don't get it then. I was so disappointed 00:12:23.929 --> 00:12:27.070 when I opened it up and it wasn't there. I thought, 00:12:27.090 --> 00:12:28.950 well, where's it at? Then I began to think, well, 00:12:28.970 --> 00:12:35.740 what did I do? Hey. Did they keep it? Then I 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:37.379 get mad. I think, well, if they kept it, then 00:12:37.379 --> 00:12:39.059 why'd I even fool with being here? You know, 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:44.240 it's a long time ago, saints. But graduation 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:46.679 is exhilarating sometimes. Isn't that way? When 00:12:46.679 --> 00:12:49.059 we graduate levels of life and the hard knocks 00:12:49.059 --> 00:12:51.879 of life and the enemy that's coming against us 00:12:51.879 --> 00:12:54.220 every day. You do know the enemy hasn't let up 00:12:54.220 --> 00:12:56.460 yet, right? He's still coming after you. And 00:12:56.460 --> 00:12:59.279 we learn that. And apprehension builds. Excitement 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:02.080 builds. Enthusiasm builds. And just for a little 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:05.500 extra. FYI, about graduating and life's pivotal 00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:08.299 moments when you are now asking yourself, what 00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:10.480 now? Here's something I want you to consider. 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:12.759 First of all, I want you to consider that you 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:16.019 must push through the fear that is rising up 00:13:16.019 --> 00:13:18.379 in front of you. You've got to push past it. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:20.700 Oh, I know there's a lot of unknowns ahead of 00:13:20.700 --> 00:13:22.779 you. I know those of you that are maybe going 00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:25.580 on for further education, there's unknown things 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:28.580 about the schools that you're going and the lessons 00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:30.200 that you're going to have to learn and the projects 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:33.500 and all that. things that rise up. And if you 00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:36.100 are a child of God, let me just tell you right 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:38.620 now, the enemy's going to cause a fear to try 00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:41.299 to well up within you. But I'm here to tell you, 00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:43.799 don't you dare be afraid. Don't you dare because 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:45.879 the steps of a good man or woman are ordered 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:47.879 of the Lord. And if you have prayed and you have 00:13:47.879 --> 00:13:50.419 sought God and you're on your way into doing 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:53.019 what God is calling you and instructing you and 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.360 pulling you to do, you don't have to be afraid. 00:13:55.720 --> 00:13:58.440 Amen. You don't have to have fear and let fear 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:01.539 rise in you. There are no fears and there are 00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:04.240 unknown fears, but something I want you to know 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:06.940 right now, you're only born into this world with 00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:09.860 two fears. One is the fear of loud noises. You 00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:12.419 ever see a day or two old baby, you bring them 00:14:12.419 --> 00:14:15.279 home and you try to be real quiet, but then dad's 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.879 trying to help mom cook because she's still recovering 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:20.259 and he opens the bottom cabinet door and about 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:23.120 five pots and pans fall out on the floor, clang, 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:26.480 clang, and little Susie or little Junior, they're 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.440 wound up in that little cocoon thing, but they 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:31.409 jump because they've Heard this loud, startling 00:14:31.409 --> 00:14:34.210 noise. That's one fear. And the other is the 00:14:34.210 --> 00:14:37.649 fear of falling. Amen. We're born with that one. 00:14:37.690 --> 00:14:41.769 Amen. We're afraid to fall. But something I want 00:14:41.769 --> 00:14:43.909 you to know right now, there's a difference between 00:14:43.909 --> 00:14:46.850 falling and failing. Amen. Don't you dare be 00:14:46.850 --> 00:14:49.590 afraid to fail because you learned through the 00:14:49.590 --> 00:14:53.029 lessons of hardship. Amen. It's not. And if you 00:14:53.029 --> 00:14:55.870 do fall, you need to hear what the prophet Micah 00:14:55.870 --> 00:14:58.750 said. Though I fall, don't you rejoice over me, 00:14:58.750 --> 00:15:02.870 O my. enemy because I shall arise and I may be 00:15:02.870 --> 00:15:05.490 in a dark room but the glory of the Lord will 00:15:05.490 --> 00:15:07.970 be the light that illuminates my pathway hear 00:15:07.970 --> 00:15:11.809 me don't let fear dictate what you do or do not 00:15:11.809 --> 00:15:14.809 do the devil is a liar and God is the truth of 00:15:14.809 --> 00:15:17.269 your life if he's called you he'll anoint you 00:15:17.269 --> 00:15:20.350 and if he's anointed you he'll equip you seek 00:15:20.350 --> 00:15:24.889 him follow him and know him and do what he's 00:15:24.889 --> 00:15:36.840 called you to do Happy graduation Sunday. Every 00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:39.519 other fear or phobia that enters into your life, 00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:46.120 you allow it with your own imagination. Unless 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:53.159 it's snakes or spiders, and they're real. That's 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:58.500 not imagined. Say, well, pastor, it's just a 00:15:58.500 --> 00:16:02.220 snake to you. To you. If that's your approach 00:16:02.220 --> 00:16:04.399 on that, let me find that spider web and put 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:07.019 it on you. And you do all this. I'll do it for 00:16:07.019 --> 00:16:11.759 the snake. You do it for the spider web. I've 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:14.500 had friends of mine, rough redneck coon hunters, 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:17.360 and, you know, they'll pick up snakes and fool 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:19.159 all that. But the very time their light goes 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:21.019 out and they walk through a big spider web in 00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:24.460 the dark, they look like a big sissy. They look 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:28.740 like me over any snake. Rubber, alive, dead, 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:32.240 I just don't fool with that. You know, and I've 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.299 had, and you've heard me tell it, and I'm just 00:16:34.299 --> 00:16:37.539 going to put those on record who are new to arrive 00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:39.799 here at Hopewell. Don't ever think it's funny 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:41.919 to play with a pastor with a snake of any kind. 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:48.539 I will hurt you. Hey, look, I am not playing. 00:16:48.980 --> 00:16:55.259 I will hurt you. And not repent. I won't. I will 00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:57.919 not repent. The Holy Ghost will have to put his 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:00.759 thumb on me and mash me good to get me to repent 00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:07.279 from hurting you. If I do repent, it'll be under 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:13.460 great duress. I'll hurt you. Friend or foe, I'll 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:15.339 slap the living taste out of your mouth with 00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:19.119 something. Make sure I don't have a gun. I'm 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:24.660 liable to shoot you. I do. I'm not playing. Well, 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:29.220 it's just a green snake. I don't care. That's 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:33.779 just the way it is. When I was 12 years old, 00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:35.619 we lived on the farm back when I was getting 00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:42.000 my Ph .D. I nearly got bit seven times in one 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:48.319 summer. Now look here. That struck a fear in 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.779 me. I've not been able. Well, I know God is God. 00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:53.799 Come on. Now I'm up here preaching to you. I 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:56.000 know who God is. I know how big God is, but I 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:01.480 still don't like snakes. I'm moving on before 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:04.299 I say something that God will make me regret. 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:10.359 I'm going on. You don't have to be afraid. You've 00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:14.240 got to put fear behind you. Use common sense. 00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:20.059 Don't pick up snakes. I mean, well, don't the 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:23.460 Bible say? They shall handle, well, they said, 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:31.859 take them up. I'm not one of them. Drink in the 00:18:31.859 --> 00:18:34.099 deadly thing. Hey, look, I drink our city tap 00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:43.400 water. I got enough stuff in that. Talking about 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:47.519 fear, a little first grader stood up in front 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:49.880 of his class to give his speech, what I want 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.450 to be when I grow up. He said, I'm going to be 00:18:52.450 --> 00:18:54.630 a lion tamer. I'm going to have me some fierce 00:18:54.630 --> 00:18:57.029 lions. I'm going to walk into that cage when 00:18:57.029 --> 00:18:59.529 they roar. And he began to think about what he 00:18:59.529 --> 00:19:03.049 was saying. And he said, of course, mama will 00:19:03.049 --> 00:19:12.089 go with me. I got a little 66 -year -old boy 00:19:12.089 --> 00:19:14.930 one night. There's a thunderstorm going on. He's 00:19:14.930 --> 00:19:17.069 scared to death. You remember how thunderstorms 00:19:17.069 --> 00:19:18.869 are, especially these days. The weather channels 00:19:18.869 --> 00:19:22.529 got you so scared now. If the T shows up, if 00:19:22.529 --> 00:19:26.430 you're above a 2 on the color scale, we in fear 00:19:26.430 --> 00:19:31.970 and trembling because of tornadoes. Come on now. 00:19:33.609 --> 00:19:35.569 Some of you won't even come to church if it's 00:19:35.569 --> 00:19:38.529 forecasted for Tuesday. You won't be here on 00:19:38.529 --> 00:19:41.950 Sunday. You're prepping. I understand you've 00:19:41.950 --> 00:19:45.220 lived through them, thankfully. I understand 00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:47.579 how devastating they are, but I remember growing 00:19:47.579 --> 00:19:49.279 up when I was in first grade, the bell would 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:51.259 ring. You'd take your history book and get in 00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:56.680 the hallway and put it over your head. I remember 00:19:56.680 --> 00:19:59.180 playing on the playground in Sequatchie County, 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:03.359 Griffith Elementary School. The siren goes off, 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:05.460 and on the other side of the mountain, you could 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:07.019 see that thing trying to come over, and we're 00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:14.569 standing out there. Then we had to run inside, 00:20:14.890 --> 00:20:17.789 get in that block hallway and put our history 00:20:17.789 --> 00:20:20.349 book over our head in case that block wall got 00:20:20.349 --> 00:20:26.349 knocked over on us. Now we'll just cancel school. 00:20:27.869 --> 00:20:33.849 Fear! Mama went in there to tuck him to bed. 00:20:34.690 --> 00:20:38.230 He's scared to death. He said, Mama, can't you 00:20:38.230 --> 00:20:40.450 stay all night and sleep with me tonight? She 00:20:40.450 --> 00:20:42.329 said, no, darling, and patted him on the head. 00:20:43.339 --> 00:20:45.819 I've got to stay with Daddy in Daddy's room. 00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:50.339 So she reassures him, she hugs him, kisses him, 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.619 and she gets ready to turn the light off, go 00:20:52.619 --> 00:20:54.680 out the door, and she hears him say, Big sissy. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:04.579 That's what fear will do to you. Hey, that's 00:21:04.579 --> 00:21:08.740 what fear will do to you. Isaiah 41 .10 says, 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:13.670 Fear thou not. For I am with thee, be not dismayed, 00:21:13.670 --> 00:21:18.089 for I am thy God. Above everything else you hear 00:21:18.089 --> 00:21:19.990 in this text, you need to hear that and know 00:21:19.990 --> 00:21:24.400 that. For I am thy God. Hey, God, I will strengthen 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:28.319 you. I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:31.259 with the right hand of my righteousness. I don't 00:21:31.259 --> 00:21:33.240 care what school of hard knock you're in right 00:21:33.240 --> 00:21:35.259 now. I don't care what the devil's trying to 00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:37.220 come against you with. I don't care what lie 00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:39.420 he's feeding you. I don't care what fear's rising 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:42.960 up in you. You need to know who your God is and 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:45.400 the declaration that he makes over your life. 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:48.039 Oh, what did Paul tell Timothy? You have not 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:50.839 been given a spirit of fear, but a power and 00:21:50.839 --> 00:22:00.180 of love. and the soundness of your mind. Look 00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:05.039 at life. Look at it with reservation. But don't 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:15.880 look at it with fear. Why, Pastor, why? John 00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:19.059 14, 27 is probably one of the best examples for 00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:24.000 you. Peace I leave with you. My peace. There's 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:27.599 the catcher here. My peace, the Lord says. I 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:30.299 give it unto you, not as the world giveth, give 00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:36.420 I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither 00:22:36.420 --> 00:22:42.519 let it be afraid. Why? Because he's overcome 00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:47.700 the world. And greater is he that's in you. Look 00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:50.240 at things with reservation. Yes, look at them 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:53.359 with reserve. Study out your next move. Pray 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:58.079 through your next directional change. The pivot 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:01.680 points of your life that you're facing. The hardship 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:05.359 of the trial and the battle. Look at it, but 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:08.750 don't be afraid of it. Why? Because you can have 00:23:08.750 --> 00:23:12.470 the same declaration that David had headed into 00:23:12.470 --> 00:23:15.509 the valley of Elah where Goliath is roaring and 00:23:15.509 --> 00:23:18.130 spewing. When he tells him, who do you think 00:23:18.130 --> 00:23:22.369 you are? I'll tell you who I am. Oh, as Goliath, 00:23:22.369 --> 00:23:25.329 he would hear those words, you come to me with 00:23:25.329 --> 00:23:28.670 a spear and a sword. But I come to you in the 00:23:28.670 --> 00:23:32.309 name of the Lord. My God, the battle is not mine. 00:23:32.390 --> 00:23:34.930 It belongs to him. And if the battle is his, 00:23:35.029 --> 00:23:37.930 then the victory is his. I'm here to claim it. 00:23:37.990 --> 00:23:40.490 I'm here to take it. I'm here to pick it up because 00:23:40.490 --> 00:23:43.849 greater is he that's in me than he that is in 00:23:43.849 --> 00:23:46.630 you. You need to hear it. Now what? Now you need 00:23:46.630 --> 00:23:49.730 to know it's his peace. It's your God. Don't 00:23:49.730 --> 00:23:52.589 be afraid of the future. Don't be afraid of what's 00:23:52.589 --> 00:24:03.930 in front of you. Well, hallelujah. Second, there's 00:24:03.930 --> 00:24:09.460 only three of these, so it's just 12. Proceed 00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:13.819 in faith. Proceed in faith. Don't be afraid. 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:20.119 Proceed in faith. Psalm 37 is one of the greatest 00:24:20.119 --> 00:24:22.500 instructions for you when you begin to say, now 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:28.880 what? Proceed in faith. 37 .1. Fret not yourself 00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:33.039 because of evildoers. Look here. Get the heathen 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:37.299 out of your mind. Are you hearing me? You let 00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:40.039 too many folks determine your future who have 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:44.480 no bearing on your future. Other than what you 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:47.400 allow them and permit them to have over you. 00:24:49.079 --> 00:24:51.960 For it not thy simple cause of evil doers, neither 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:54.799 be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:58.779 Don't ever look at the world crowd and say, I 00:24:58.779 --> 00:25:02.859 wish I had that. Or you'll find yourself with 00:25:02.859 --> 00:25:06.859 the psalmist in 73. Go home and read it. When 00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:09.359 he talked about how his feet almost slipped out 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:12.519 from under him. How he almost fell. Why? Because 00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:15.220 he began to look on the evildoers that were around 00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:18.740 him. He began to look on their prosperity. Let 00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:23.240 me tell you, unless they accept Christ, the best 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:25.660 they can get in this world is the best they'll 00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:29.819 ever have. Just like I tell you, as bad as it's 00:25:29.819 --> 00:25:31.980 going to get down here, that's as bad as it'll 00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:33.920 ever be for you, child of God. It'll never get 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:37.960 any worse. The sooner you get that said in your 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.819 mind, when you begin to let your mind begin to 00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:45.680 wrap around, that eye hath not seen and ear hath 00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:48.380 not heard, and neither has it entered into the 00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:52.019 heart of man what he has in store for those that 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:54.940 love him. The sooner you get it, you'll keep 00:25:54.940 --> 00:26:00.660 your eyes off of the world. Verse 2, he says, 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:04.829 for thou shalt soon. Be cut down like the grass 00:26:04.829 --> 00:26:06.809 and wither as the green herb. As soon as you 00:26:06.809 --> 00:26:08.589 know that's what God's going to do to those of 00:26:08.589 --> 00:26:12.309 iniquity. Verse 3, trust in the Lord. Now what? 00:26:12.390 --> 00:26:20.410 Trust in the Lord. Do good. Don't do bad. Don't 00:26:20.410 --> 00:26:22.970 be evil. Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't steal. 00:26:23.150 --> 00:26:25.630 Don't dip. Don't smoke. And don't go with girls 00:26:25.630 --> 00:26:31.079 that do. That's what we was always told growing 00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:43.740 up because they did where I was from. I almost 00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:46.039 said, you know how bad a taste it would be if 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:48.339 you kissed a girl who was on Copenhagen and you 00:26:48.339 --> 00:26:56.660 was on winter green skull? Can you imagine just 00:26:56.660 --> 00:27:01.710 how nasty that would be? I'm glad I didn't say 00:27:01.710 --> 00:27:08.349 that. It's just all going on in my mind. Trust 00:27:08.349 --> 00:27:11.269 in the Lord, do good, and so shalt thou dwell 00:27:11.269 --> 00:27:17.210 in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. In 00:27:17.210 --> 00:27:18.690 other words, God's going to take care of you 00:27:18.690 --> 00:27:23.369 if you remain true. Verse 4, here you go. You 00:27:23.369 --> 00:27:28.250 want people that are depressed. You need to hear 00:27:28.250 --> 00:27:32.529 this. You need to hear this, verse 4. Delight 00:27:32.529 --> 00:27:36.230 yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give 00:27:36.230 --> 00:27:40.710 thee the desires of thine heart. I've been depressed 00:27:40.710 --> 00:27:43.990 before. I've had that shadow enter into where 00:27:43.990 --> 00:27:45.690 I was sitting. It's hard to get out from under, 00:27:45.769 --> 00:27:50.130 isn't it? But one thing I discovered, that I 00:27:50.130 --> 00:27:52.769 could not delight in the Lord and remain depressed. 00:27:55.509 --> 00:27:57.430 I had to learn that in a hard way, but I learned 00:27:57.430 --> 00:28:00.880 it. I learned it the hard way, but I learned 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:05.960 it. I graduated from that one. Got the diploma, 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:11.900 the sheepskin, you know, the scroll I've got 00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:16.140 on that one. I discovered that if I delight in 00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:21.259 the Lord, I can't remain in darkness. I can't. 00:28:21.279 --> 00:28:24.740 That shadow, Pastor Brian, begins to fade. To 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:26.740 the glory of the Lord that begins to enter into 00:28:26.740 --> 00:28:30.740 my situation. Because if I delight in him, I 00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:33.960 can't help but know that he delights in me. Are 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:35.819 you hearing me? Are you hearing what I'm telling 00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:38.740 you? If you delight in him and if you remain 00:28:38.740 --> 00:28:42.720 in him, he remains in you. And no word he's ever 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:45.180 spoken is a lie. And if he made you a promise, 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:47.740 he'll uphold that promise. And the promise that 00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:50.119 he said this, you need to get it down right now 00:28:50.119 --> 00:28:52.400 in the next moment when the devil tries to bring 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:55.140 fear to overshadow you and depression set upon 00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:57.420 you because you can't see a way out. And you're 00:28:57.420 --> 00:28:59.519 saying, now what? Then let your now what turn 00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:02.359 into a delight. Lord, thou art good, and your 00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:05.759 mercy endures forever. Lord, you are good, and 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:09.200 your mercy endures forever. And I thank you for 00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:11.319 all the good things you do. And when you begin 00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:13.319 to delight in him, do you know what happens? 00:29:13.480 --> 00:29:16.599 He begins to show up. His presence begins to 00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:20.140 come to where you are. Why? Because he dwells 00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:22.900 within the praises of his people. He'll come 00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:25.759 down and pitch a tent and sit right there while 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:28.519 you worship him and praise him. And the light 00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:31.359 of his glory enters in to the darkness of your 00:29:31.359 --> 00:29:34.539 situation. You can't delight in the Lord and 00:29:34.539 --> 00:29:39.500 remain in darkness. So delight in him. 37, now 00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:41.900 what? You trust, you delight, and you commit. 00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:46.460 Commit thy way into the Lord, trust also in him, 00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:53.480 and he shall bring it to pass. He shall bring 00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:55.680 forth thy righteousness as the light and thy 00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:03.339 judgment as the noonday. I read another little, 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:05.259 I found several little comical illustrations 00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:09.069 that really drive these points home today. The 00:30:09.069 --> 00:30:11.410 other one's about a little boy that was on a 00:30:11.410 --> 00:30:15.150 church van going home from Sunday school. Tickled 00:30:15.150 --> 00:30:17.009 to death with a little card, a little piece of 00:30:17.009 --> 00:30:19.150 paper that he received. It had a picture on it, 00:30:19.170 --> 00:30:23.930 and the caption read, Have faith in God. And 00:30:23.930 --> 00:30:27.910 like most little boys riding home, the window's 00:30:27.910 --> 00:30:31.109 open, and he's got his little card. Blows out 00:30:31.109 --> 00:30:35.089 of his hand, out the window, and he begins to 00:30:35.089 --> 00:30:40.240 cry out, Stop the bus! Stop the bus. I've lost 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:55.240 my faith in God. Bus driver pulls over. He gets 00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:56.920 off. He runs down to pick his little piece of 00:30:56.920 --> 00:31:00.559 paper up. He says, have faith in God. One little 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:02.880 parent on there, a little chaperone, said, oh, 00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:04.799 isn't that cute? And another one that was a little 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:09.269 bit more astute said, wow. I want to get it right. 00:31:09.450 --> 00:31:14.670 I want to get it right. A more perspective adult 00:31:14.670 --> 00:31:17.970 observes that all of us would be better off if 00:31:17.970 --> 00:31:21.049 we were that concerned about our faith in God. 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:29.140 How much more better off would we be if all of 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:31.740 a sudden, if it slipped out of our hand, we were 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:33.920 that concerned about stopping the bus? It may 00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:36.480 be the short bus. I don't know what bus you're 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:39.079 riding, but whatever bus you're on, if you begin 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:41.940 to lose and your faith in God begins to slip 00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:44.119 through your fingers and out of your heart, stop 00:31:44.119 --> 00:31:48.619 the bus until you retrieve it. Stop the bus until 00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:52.059 you find it and reclaim it. You cannot lose your 00:31:52.059 --> 00:32:00.519 trust and faith in God. Connor Vogt said, nothing 00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:03.099 is more numbing to the church than the fact that 00:32:03.099 --> 00:32:07.559 it is mired in a rut of seemingly unfathomable 00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:11.240 depths. The various creative approaches attempted 00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:15.400 over the course of this decade have drawn much 00:32:15.400 --> 00:32:20.019 attention but produced little. If any transformational 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:24.180 impact, although many people attend church, few 00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:27.920 Americans are committed to being the church. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:31.000 You hear me, young people? You're going to leave 00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:34.920 this arena, probably this house of worship, this 00:32:34.920 --> 00:32:37.420 sanctuary, and you're going to be introduced 00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:40.400 into others who proclaim what they would say 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:43.279 is faith. If you go to some institutions, they're 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:46.019 going to tell you you must deconstruct your faith. 00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:48.859 You leave your faith alone because if you lose 00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:51.900 your faith in God, you stand boldly before any 00:32:51.900 --> 00:32:55.460 professor and tell them, my pastor said no, I'm 00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:58.849 not deconstructing anything. building upon the 00:32:58.849 --> 00:33:02.309 foundation of the Word of God. Christ is the 00:33:02.309 --> 00:33:06.029 solid foundation, and He is the sanctifier who 00:33:06.029 --> 00:33:09.250 enables and baptizes me with the Holy Ghost. 00:33:09.309 --> 00:33:12.650 I don't need to tear anything down. I just need 00:33:12.650 --> 00:33:21.829 to build it up. You tell them I said so. Tell 00:33:21.829 --> 00:33:29.380 them I got a Ph .D. or two. I'll give them post 00:33:29.380 --> 00:33:31.019 hole diggers and watch them scratch their head. 00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:36.059 I can take a book and find an answer. I guarantee 00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:39.559 you I'd have to give instructionals for them 00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:47.339 to dig a post hole. I almost said, and I trust 00:33:47.339 --> 00:33:50.240 them to instruct me in theology and doctrine. 00:33:51.640 --> 00:34:01.559 But I'll keep that one to myself. I'm going to 00:34:01.559 --> 00:34:05.839 skip all that. You don't need that. That was 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:07.660 just filler material in case I had more time. 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:12.739 Oh, it'll preach, but I'm making a point pretty 00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:18.719 good. And it's already about 12 after. Now what? 00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:25.539 Refuse fear to have its way. Proceed in your 00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:35.269 faith. And lastly, prepare for your future. Be 00:34:35.269 --> 00:34:43.070 very leery of debt. There's a reason. The Bible 00:34:43.070 --> 00:34:48.489 says early on that the borrower is slave to the 00:34:48.489 --> 00:34:51.869 lender. There's a reason that's there because 00:34:51.869 --> 00:34:56.289 that's the fact. Be very careful. In your school, 00:34:56.409 --> 00:35:06.159 in your education, get yourself a job. Don't 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:09.940 roll out of there if you go further with $50 00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:13.400 ,000, $75 ,000, $150 ,000 of school loan debt. 00:35:19.639 --> 00:35:21.719 That's good preaching right there. I'm helping 00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:24.599 you. Well, how am I going to pay for it? Get 00:35:24.599 --> 00:35:30.480 a job. Get a scholarship. Get something besides 00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:34.250 a loan. Because one of these days you're going 00:35:34.250 --> 00:35:43.329 to buy a house. Mama, I'm going to speak to some 00:35:43.329 --> 00:35:44.929 mamas right now. Daddy's most of y 'all pretty 00:35:44.929 --> 00:35:48.710 good. I may talk to a mama or two. Let them go 00:35:48.710 --> 00:35:53.889 to work. They got to learn it sooner or later. 00:35:56.510 --> 00:36:01.590 I'm from the school of sooner is better. Pastor, 00:36:01.809 --> 00:36:03.570 you're meddling now. I know, and I enjoy it. 00:36:06.150 --> 00:36:12.590 Somebody's got a meddle in your mess. Instead 00:36:12.590 --> 00:36:14.369 of one of these days, you go, Pastor, why didn't 00:36:14.369 --> 00:36:18.929 you warn us? Well, I did. Stand with me, and 00:36:18.929 --> 00:36:22.050 I'm quitting on this one. Proverbs 16, 3 says, 00:36:22.210 --> 00:36:24.550 listen to me now, everybody. This is all of us. 00:36:28.409 --> 00:36:33.690 Commit thy works unto the Lord. And thy thoughts 00:36:33.690 --> 00:36:43.869 shall be established. I told you earlier there 00:36:43.869 --> 00:36:47.849 may be times when you fail. There will be times 00:36:47.849 --> 00:36:53.750 when you fall. There's going to be tragedy that 00:36:53.750 --> 00:36:58.190 enters into your life. Unspeakable things. But 00:36:58.190 --> 00:37:06.039 do not lose your faith in God. One of my favorite 00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:13.099 little stories about that. A farmer had an old 00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:14.980 donkey that fell in a well, one of them that 00:37:14.980 --> 00:37:18.900 you used to hand dig. What's he doing down in 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:22.699 there to start with? He's a donkey. You've ever 00:37:22.699 --> 00:37:29.340 been around him? He's an old donkey, not really 00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:31.219 worth going through, and he didn't have the means 00:37:31.219 --> 00:37:36.289 to get him out. And the old well had long since 00:37:36.289 --> 00:37:38.869 gone dry, so he was going to fill it in anyway. 00:37:39.070 --> 00:37:41.869 So he thought, well, I'll just call some of the 00:37:41.869 --> 00:37:43.969 neighbors in, and we'll just bury the donkey. 00:37:44.889 --> 00:37:48.710 Two birds, one stone. Old donkey's braying and 00:37:48.710 --> 00:37:52.909 carrying on. They start shoveling. Old donkey 00:37:52.909 --> 00:37:56.190 realized what's going on. He began to bray louder, 00:37:56.269 --> 00:37:57.989 and after a few minutes, the old donkey quit 00:37:57.989 --> 00:38:01.500 braying. They kept shoveling. The old farmer 00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:04.019 got curious as to why. He looked over down in 00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:11.699 the well. Neighbors kept shoveling. That dirt 00:38:11.699 --> 00:38:13.820 began to pile up on the old donkey's back. How 00:38:13.820 --> 00:38:15.340 many of you have ever seen a horse or a donkey 00:38:15.340 --> 00:38:22.179 shake? He shook the dirt off. When he'd shake 00:38:22.179 --> 00:38:29.079 off enough, he'd just step up a little bit. Until 00:38:29.079 --> 00:38:32.079 they just kept shoveling and he just stepped 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:37.559 out of the hole he was in. Look here. I call 00:38:37.559 --> 00:38:42.619 it the shake it off principle. There's some things 00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:46.059 in this life you just got to shake off and step 00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:58.190 up. The sooner you realize you can't. You can't 00:38:58.190 --> 00:39:02.949 do something about everything. Some things you 00:39:02.949 --> 00:39:07.329 just simply have to shake off. People's one of 00:39:07.329 --> 00:39:12.309 them. Negative people, you need to shake them 00:39:12.309 --> 00:39:17.650 folks quick. Well, they're family. Well, shake 00:39:17.650 --> 00:39:20.829 them. I mean, you got Easter, Christmas, and 00:39:20.829 --> 00:39:25.510 Thanksgiving. You can deal with them. But I'm 00:39:25.510 --> 00:39:37.539 married to them. Then you better pray. Keep shaking. 00:39:39.559 --> 00:39:57.960 Step up. Life is hard. But it's good. Life is 00:39:57.960 --> 00:40:04.800 challenging. But it's good. How can you say that, 00:40:04.840 --> 00:40:06.699 Pastor, with all the bad things that's going 00:40:06.699 --> 00:40:09.699 on? Because look, God hasn't forsaken this world. 00:40:13.559 --> 00:40:16.380 The Holy Spirit's still here wooing and drawing, 00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:26.090 comforting and caring. And God is good. You don't 00:40:26.090 --> 00:40:27.550 know what I'm walking through. You don't know 00:40:27.550 --> 00:40:32.750 what shadow is passing over me. I may not, but 00:40:32.750 --> 00:40:38.590 I know He does. If you're His, He knows. And 00:40:38.590 --> 00:40:43.909 if you're not, He knows anyway. But if you're 00:40:43.909 --> 00:40:50.289 His, shake it off. Don't fear. Push past it. 00:40:52.650 --> 00:40:54.869 Don't let your faith slip out of your hand. Your 00:40:54.869 --> 00:41:02.789 faith in God. Stop the bus. Now what? What's 00:41:02.789 --> 00:41:04.889 the answer to that? Now what? It's just the next 00:41:04.889 --> 00:41:10.389 challenge. That's what. Whatever it is. But joy 00:41:10.389 --> 00:41:16.670 yourself in the Lord. As time is fleeting by, 00:41:16.869 --> 00:41:24.099 and I mean it's in warp speed. We're almost finished 00:41:24.099 --> 00:41:31.639 with the month of May. Enjoy your relationship 00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:34.659 with God here. Because it's going to be uniquely 00:41:34.659 --> 00:41:40.099 different when we meet him there. Enjoy now. 00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:46.260 Because he still longs. Brother Dwayne was teaching 00:41:46.260 --> 00:41:49.119 Wednesday night. To come down here and walk with 00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:54.489 you. To be with you. Through the hard stuff. 00:41:55.849 --> 00:41:59.030 Through the challenges. It's a challenge for 00:41:59.030 --> 00:42:03.829 us to keep delighting in the Lord. It's a challenge 00:42:03.829 --> 00:42:08.789 for us to keep the cloud driven out. How do you 00:42:08.789 --> 00:42:12.050 do it, Pastor? Well, we sing the old hymns, don't 00:42:12.050 --> 00:42:18.889 we, Mom? I'll read some scripture out loud. Hair 00:42:18.889 --> 00:42:23.519 lip the devil with it. Got no time for the darkness 00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:29.719 today. It'll work for you. If it'll work for 00:42:29.719 --> 00:42:33.139 me, it'll work. Delight yourself in the goodness 00:42:33.139 --> 00:42:37.380 of God. What if they come get it? You didn't 00:42:37.380 --> 00:42:40.679 need it to start with them, didn't you? I never 00:42:40.679 --> 00:42:42.420 forget when they was going to come after my home, 00:42:42.460 --> 00:42:47.639 the one that had an axle under it. Never forget 00:42:47.639 --> 00:42:53.320 it. Reality of that fact was, They're just going 00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:58.940 to pull it off. When you're doing all you can 00:42:58.940 --> 00:43:00.940 do to keep your head above water and you're snorkeling 00:43:00.940 --> 00:43:09.300 in water. But the goodness of God. Delight in 00:43:09.300 --> 00:43:15.340 Him. Father, I love you today. Well, I don't 00:43:15.340 --> 00:43:17.400 know how to go about this closing, this ending, 00:43:17.460 --> 00:43:22.260 but I've got to wind it down. I do know for a 00:43:22.260 --> 00:43:30.099 fact there are people in this room that are somewhere 00:43:30.099 --> 00:43:32.380 in that journey of the school of hard knocks 00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:37.260 and life and they feel like they're failing and 00:43:37.260 --> 00:43:43.840 they got an assignment due. Lord, there's brand 00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:49.940 new pliable lives graduated from high school. 00:43:51.880 --> 00:43:57.679 Others from college, still graduating, yet to 00:43:57.679 --> 00:44:04.659 enter into life and all that it brings. For those 00:44:04.659 --> 00:44:09.159 who are here in the shadow, enemies trying to 00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:13.380 push the darkness in, I hope this morning has 00:44:13.380 --> 00:44:19.059 encouraged them to fear not, delight in you. 00:44:24.400 --> 00:44:30.500 Fear not. Trust in. Delight in. Commit thy way. 00:44:32.440 --> 00:44:35.280 Over this group of people, Lord, I pray. For 00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:41.860 every situation. Every situation. Say, Pastor, 00:44:41.940 --> 00:44:43.579 I need that extra touch. Just slip your hand 00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:45.679 up. Heads bowed all over the house. Just, I need 00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:49.460 it. Man, I needed that today. Now what? I've 00:44:49.460 --> 00:44:53.630 been asking myself that. Now what? Father, I 00:44:53.630 --> 00:44:55.469 pray for every hand that was lifted and every 00:44:55.469 --> 00:44:57.590 one that should have. I ask, Lord, that you begin 00:44:57.590 --> 00:45:00.269 to speak into their hearts as they pose that 00:45:00.269 --> 00:45:05.309 question in prayer and in contemplation. I ask, 00:45:05.329 --> 00:45:07.389 God, that you would lead them and you would guide 00:45:07.389 --> 00:45:09.710 them and direct them. Lord, I pray that they 00:45:09.710 --> 00:45:12.030 find the resolve within themselves. It has to 00:45:12.030 --> 00:45:13.530 be themselves. They have to do it themselves. 00:45:14.909 --> 00:45:19.190 They have to fret not. They have to trust. I 00:45:19.190 --> 00:45:22.739 can't trust for them. They have to delight in 00:45:22.739 --> 00:45:24.940 you for themselves. I can't do it for them. It's 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:27.599 a daily job for me and myself to keep delighted 00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:30.239 in you, to commit my way to you because you're 00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:36.139 going to honor that. You are our God. Your declaration 00:45:36.139 --> 00:45:39.739 is you will strengthen us for thou art our God. 00:45:42.119 --> 00:45:44.639 Lord Jesus, you declared it's your peace that 00:45:44.639 --> 00:45:49.139 you've given. Everything may fall down around 00:45:49.139 --> 00:45:51.400 you, but you don't have to fall with it. Because 00:45:51.400 --> 00:45:54.659 he will sustain you. Sustain them, Lord. Give 00:45:54.659 --> 00:45:58.380 them strength and give them grace. In Jesus' 00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:01.119 lovely name. Lord, I thank you for being with 00:46:01.119 --> 00:46:02.659 us today. I thank you for your help to preach 00:46:02.659 --> 00:46:06.840 your word. I sure have felt your anointing. I 00:46:06.840 --> 00:46:08.860 pray, Lord, now that as we leave, that each one, 00:46:08.880 --> 00:46:10.539 they will go in your grace and the power and 00:46:10.539 --> 00:46:14.480 the promise of your word. And they walk head 00:46:14.480 --> 00:46:20.059 on into now what? Amen. Amen. God bless you. 00:46:20.429 --> 00:46:22.010 Hey, if you're visiting with us today, if you'll 00:46:22.010 --> 00:46:25.150 go out that door to my left, that little banner 00:46:25.150 --> 00:46:27.289 around there, the little booth. We got some folks 00:46:27.289 --> 00:46:28.989 around there with a smiling face and something 00:46:28.989 --> 00:46:31.409 special for you. We just want to let you know 00:46:31.409 --> 00:46:32.929 how much we appreciate you being here today. 00:46:33.010 --> 00:46:35.730 God bless you. Go in grace and peace. You're 00:46:35.730 --> 00:46:35.929 dismissed.