WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.379 This message comes to you from Community Worship 00:00:02.379 --> 00:00:04.839 Center, Seventh -day Adventist Church. It is 00:00:04.839 --> 00:00:08.279 our prayer that this word brings guidance, strengthens 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:12.019 relationships, inspires outreach, and draws you 00:00:12.019 --> 00:00:15.019 deeper into worship. At Community Worship Center, 00:00:15.179 --> 00:00:19.539 our motto is, Let's Grow Together. May this message 00:00:19.539 --> 00:00:22.600 encourage your spirit and ignite your faith. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:27.500 Job chapter 42, verse 12 to 13. When you have 00:00:27.500 --> 00:00:31.750 it, say, Amen. The word of God says, so the Lord 00:00:31.750 --> 00:00:35.409 blessed, the Lord what? The latter end of Job 00:00:35.409 --> 00:00:42.170 more than his beginning. For he had 14 ,000 sheep 00:00:42.170 --> 00:00:48.270 and 6 ,000 camels and 1 ,000 yoke of oxen and 00:00:48.270 --> 00:00:52.009 1 ,000 she -asses, that's donkeys. He had also 00:00:52.009 --> 00:00:57.729 seven sons and three daughters. So the Lord blessed 00:00:57.729 --> 00:01:02.729 the latter end of Job. more than his beginning. 00:01:03.530 --> 00:01:04.989 For the next few moments, let's consider the 00:01:04.989 --> 00:01:08.069 message entitled, Have Time. Have Time. Bow your 00:01:08.069 --> 00:01:09.829 heads with me now. Father, speak to my heart 00:01:09.829 --> 00:01:12.469 now. Speak to my heart now like only you can, 00:01:12.549 --> 00:01:15.950 God. Speak to our hearts on this last Sabbath 00:01:15.950 --> 00:01:20.590 of 2025. Encourage us in this place as we prepare 00:01:20.590 --> 00:01:23.010 for this new year. Here's our prayer in Jesus' 00:01:23.109 --> 00:01:26.989 name. And the church said amen. Amen. And amen. 00:01:27.250 --> 00:01:30.129 Amen. Amen. Elders, can one of you hand me my 00:01:30.129 --> 00:01:35.250 towel? I left it down there. Thank you. Halftime. 00:01:35.250 --> 00:01:40.150 Thank you. Brothers and sisters, I remember like 00:01:40.150 --> 00:01:44.890 it was yesterday. But it was December the 17th, 00:01:44.890 --> 00:01:52.010 2022. And the Indianapolis Colts, that's a football 00:01:52.010 --> 00:01:57.219 team, were visiting my favorite team. The Minnesota 00:01:57.219 --> 00:02:02.000 Vikings. And for all those in attendance and 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:05.680 all those watching the game on television, no 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:09.199 one knew that they were about to witness the 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:14.120 greatest comeback in NFL history. Now, I didn't 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:18.860 get to watch the game live, but I was able to 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:22.319 go back and watch the rebroadcast, having already 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:26.879 known what the outcome was. But even knowing 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:30.740 the outcome of the game, yet I still could not 00:02:30.740 --> 00:02:35.180 believe how bad my team played in the first half. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:37.919 I'm sitting there frustrated even though I know 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.539 my team has already won. All kinds of mistakes. 00:02:43.289 --> 00:02:47.090 were made, uncharacteristic mistakes that they 00:02:47.090 --> 00:02:50.629 did not normally make, yet they were making them 00:02:50.629 --> 00:02:55.310 on this day to the extent that by the time they 00:02:55.310 --> 00:03:02.490 reached halftime, the score was 33 -0 in favor 00:03:02.490 --> 00:03:05.110 of the Indianapolis Colts. For those who don't 00:03:05.110 --> 00:03:08.110 know much about American football, that's considered 00:03:08.110 --> 00:03:11.439 a blowout. That's considered a major blowout 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:13.919 at the end of the game, and this is only the 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:18.460 first half. There's still two quarters. So many 00:03:18.460 --> 00:03:21.840 people, I would imagine, stopped watching the 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:26.780 game at halftime because they thought that it 00:03:26.780 --> 00:03:31.039 was over. So many people who had, as I'm watching 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:35.080 the game, the rebroadcast, I'm seeing so many 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.939 people who had spent their hard -earned money. 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:43.939 Many who even traveled from long and great distances 00:03:43.939 --> 00:03:49.080 hoping to see and watch a great game, they were 00:03:49.080 --> 00:03:53.259 now leaving at halftime because they thought 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:58.969 the game was over. And speaking of things being 00:03:58.969 --> 00:04:03.750 over, sometimes in life we go through moments 00:04:03.750 --> 00:04:08.110 or seasons where it seems like or where it feels 00:04:08.110 --> 00:04:13.310 like everything is over. Where our world feels 00:04:13.310 --> 00:04:17.129 like it's crumbling or falling apart. In the 00:04:17.129 --> 00:04:21.899 Bible, I think of the story of Job. You remember 00:04:21.899 --> 00:04:27.240 Job, right? Job was just minding his own business, 00:04:27.540 --> 00:04:33.379 living his life. And might I say, Job, brother 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:38.720 Job, he was doing well in life until out of nowhere 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:45.839 he lost it all. This is how the story goes. The 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:51.879 Bible says there came a day. When the sons of 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:56.000 God came to present themselves before the Lord 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:00.360 and Satan, the adversary, showed up. He always 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:02.560 showing up where he don't got no business being. 00:05:04.779 --> 00:05:10.259 The Lord asked him where he came from and Satan 00:05:10.259 --> 00:05:14.779 replied, from going to and fro up and down the 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:19.060 earth. And God said to Satan in Job chapter 1 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:23.779 verse 8, Have you considered my servant Job, 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:29.240 that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:34.120 and upright man, one that fears God and hates 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.560 evil? Stop right there. Brothers and sisters, 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:41.920 the first thing we find here that's important 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.399 to note is that what Job, remember now, we have 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:53.240 the ability to now read the story, knowing what 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.779 the outcome is. Understand, Job is living through 00:05:56.779 --> 00:06:00.779 this in real time. And the first thing we find 00:06:00.779 --> 00:06:04.160 here that's important to note is that what Job 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:08.399 is about to experience has nothing to do with 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:13.279 Job. Job didn't ask for it. He didn't bring it 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.480 upon himself. And the point is this, brothers 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:20.589 and sisters. There are some seasons we go through 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:24.509 in life. There are some obstacles that we face 00:06:24.509 --> 00:06:28.170 along the journey that have absolutely nothing 00:06:28.170 --> 00:06:33.149 to do with us. It's not about anything you've 00:06:33.149 --> 00:06:38.649 done right or wrong. It's just life. The ordeal 00:06:38.649 --> 00:06:43.949 that Job is about to experience, the season he 00:06:43.949 --> 00:06:48.170 is about to go through started simply because 00:06:48.170 --> 00:06:52.529 God asked Satan, have you considered my servant 00:06:52.529 --> 00:07:01.870 Job? Have you taken a look at him? If nothing 00:07:01.870 --> 00:07:06.560 else, It's a testament of the faith that God 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:15.899 had in Job. But watch this now. So Satan responds. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:21.319 And, brothers and sisters, and immediately you 00:07:21.319 --> 00:07:28.100 see that he is well aware of who Job is. He says, 00:07:28.180 --> 00:07:31.660 look at how you blessed him. But I guarantee 00:07:31.660 --> 00:07:36.410 you, God, If you take it all away from him, he 00:07:36.410 --> 00:07:40.829 will curse you to your face. So God says to Satan, 00:07:40.949 --> 00:07:46.370 you can take away what he has, but don't physically 00:07:46.370 --> 00:07:51.610 touch him. Immediately, Job's losses occurred 00:07:51.610 --> 00:07:56.730 in rapid succession. The first wave was loss 00:07:56.730 --> 00:08:00.319 of livestock and servants. While his oxen were 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.660 plowing and donkeys grazing, Sabians attacked, 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:06.839 stealing the animals and killing the servants. 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:12.740 Only one servant escaped to inform Job. The second 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:17.379 wave was loss of sheep and more servants. Immediately 00:08:17.379 --> 00:08:21.199 after the first messenger, another arrived reporting 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:25.560 that the fire of God, probably lightning, fell 00:08:25.560 --> 00:08:29.910 from the sky, burning up Job's sheep. and additional 00:08:29.910 --> 00:08:35.210 servants, and again only one escaped. Then a 00:08:35.210 --> 00:08:39.830 third wave came. The third wave was loss of camels 00:08:39.830 --> 00:08:43.730 and more servants. A third messenger quickly 00:08:43.730 --> 00:08:48.100 followed, stating that the Chaldeans formed three 00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:52.159 raiding parties, swept down on Job's camels, 00:08:52.259 --> 00:08:56.779 and killed more servants with only one surviving 00:08:56.779 --> 00:09:02.000 to tell the story. And if that was not bad enough, 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:11.940 then came a fourth wave. The loss of all his 00:09:11.940 --> 00:09:18.220 children. The most devastating blow. came with 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:23.600 the fourth messenger who reported that a mighty 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:28.320 wind from the desert struck the house where Job's 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.700 seven sons and three daughters were feasting, 00:09:31.700 --> 00:09:36.679 causing it to collapse and kill them all. So 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:43.600 Job, in essence, has lost his fortune. He has 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.620 lost his wealth because all of his animals, all 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:51.779 of his lifestyle represented his fortune. And 00:09:51.779 --> 00:09:56.639 he lost all of his children. After all of this, 00:09:56.659 --> 00:10:01.960 the Bible says that Job still worshipped. And 00:10:01.960 --> 00:10:07.379 after everything, he sinned not. Satan returns 00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:15.019 again. This time accusing. That Job only stood 00:10:15.019 --> 00:10:20.700 faithful because he did not touch him. But if 00:10:20.700 --> 00:10:24.460 he touched him physically, Job would surely curse 00:10:24.460 --> 00:10:28.940 God to his face. God responds to Satan again, 00:10:29.059 --> 00:10:32.179 this time saying, you can't attack his body, 00:10:32.279 --> 00:10:37.610 but you can't take his life. Job was struck with 00:10:37.610 --> 00:10:41.789 painful sores from head to toe, forcing him to 00:10:41.789 --> 00:10:46.090 sit among ashes and scrape himself with pottery 00:10:46.090 --> 00:10:50.590 shards for relief. This illness included darkened 00:10:50.590 --> 00:10:54.690 and peeling skin and maggot -infested sores. 00:10:54.769 --> 00:10:59.389 During this time, Job even lost marital support. 00:10:59.649 --> 00:11:05.350 Job's wife urged him to curse God and die, his 00:11:05.350 --> 00:11:13.970 emotional distress but notice brothers and sisters 00:11:13.970 --> 00:11:23.830 that no matter the losses no matter what he went 00:11:23.830 --> 00:11:29.169 through yet Satan was only permitted to do to 00:11:29.169 --> 00:11:35.789 him what God allowed what God permitted reminding 00:11:35.789 --> 00:11:41.009 us that God was ultimately in control. And likewise, 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:44.990 no matter what you are going through today, no 00:11:44.990 --> 00:11:47.629 matter what you've been through this year, just 00:11:47.629 --> 00:11:52.649 know that God is still in control and the enemy 00:11:52.649 --> 00:11:57.789 can only do to you what God is willing to permit 00:11:57.789 --> 00:12:02.970 because God knows what you can handle and God 00:12:02.970 --> 00:12:10.360 is with you. And let me just tell you this. It's 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:13.919 not how the story ends. You see, remember today, 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:18.399 we're talking about halftime. And I mentioned 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:24.559 that my favorite team played arguably the worst 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:29.259 half, first half of a game ever. They were down 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:35.240 33 to 0 in the first half. Likewise, this season 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:39.149 that Job is going through. has been the worst 00:12:39.149 --> 00:12:43.889 half he's ever been through. He's not just losing 00:12:43.889 --> 00:12:49.009 a score, but he has literally lost just about 00:12:49.009 --> 00:12:54.129 everything. The only thing he has left is four 00:12:54.129 --> 00:12:57.730 servants who only survived so they could tell 00:12:57.730 --> 00:13:03.269 Job what happened. And he has a wife, but she's 00:13:03.269 --> 00:13:07.580 angry with him, and he's still alive. But he's 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:10.580 living with loss of life and in a lot of pain. 00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:18.240 Most of his friends have left. And the only three 00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:22.580 who showed up, we at least appreciate the fact 00:13:22.580 --> 00:13:27.200 that they tried to show up for Job. They are 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:32.480 not helping the situation. And to top it off, 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:38.240 Job is crying out to God. But he does not seem 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:44.279 to be getting an answer. And it's just the first 00:13:44.279 --> 00:13:50.580 half. But thank God for halftime. You see, now 00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:54.000 the purpose of halftime is to give the players 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:58.370 an opportunity to rest and regroup. They are 00:13:58.370 --> 00:14:02.169 able to catch their breath and relax. It's an 00:14:02.169 --> 00:14:06.029 opportunity to refuel and hydrate as well as 00:14:06.029 --> 00:14:09.169 treat all kinds of injuries. You see, there's 00:14:09.169 --> 00:14:12.690 a lot of stuff that can happen in the first half. 00:14:13.029 --> 00:14:16.509 Plays don't go the right way. A lot of penalties 00:14:16.509 --> 00:14:21.110 can happen. Unexpected injuries take place. The 00:14:21.110 --> 00:14:25.210 game plan may not seem to be working the way 00:14:25.210 --> 00:14:29.519 you drew it up. So halftime is really something 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:33.620 that is valuable to many players and coaches 00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:39.529 because they need that break to regroup. Likewise 00:14:39.529 --> 00:14:43.309 in life, the first half of life or the first 00:14:43.309 --> 00:14:46.429 half of a season in your life doesn't always 00:14:46.429 --> 00:14:50.409 go the way we want it to go. We live in a sin 00:14:50.409 --> 00:14:53.570 -plagued world. And yes, along this journey called 00:14:53.570 --> 00:14:57.750 life, we have some good days. We have some high 00:14:57.750 --> 00:15:02.409 moments and enjoyable occasions. But just like 00:15:02.409 --> 00:15:06.730 in Job's story, this life is also filled with 00:15:06.730 --> 00:15:11.210 a lot of misery. a lot of pain, bad decisions, 00:15:11.330 --> 00:15:15.929 and unfavorable results. We each have our share 00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:20.250 of losses and unexpected outcomes. There are 00:15:20.250 --> 00:15:24.190 sicknesses and diseases that can seem to come 00:15:24.190 --> 00:15:28.009 out of nowhere, accidents that happen, and yes, 00:15:28.070 --> 00:15:31.409 there is the reality that some of this misery 00:15:31.409 --> 00:15:35.970 and pain is self -inflicted because of bad decisions 00:15:35.970 --> 00:15:41.389 and choices. But yet there is a lot that we experience 00:15:41.389 --> 00:15:45.909 in this first half of life or in the first half 00:15:45.909 --> 00:15:49.909 of this season that you're just left feeling 00:15:49.909 --> 00:15:57.990 confused. We're left with questions. Why? Why? 00:15:59.509 --> 00:16:01.909 And in the case of my favorite football team. 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:10.740 You enter halftime feeling dejected and defeated. 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:17.480 And it's 2025. It's coming to a close. But somebody 00:16:17.480 --> 00:16:21.340 here, it's felt like a really bad first half. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:26.440 Nothing's gone right for you this year. You've 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:29.669 had some unexpected losses. You've dealt with 00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:33.169 some grief, maybe even depression. This year 00:16:33.169 --> 00:16:36.889 has been filled with one bad move after another. 00:16:37.090 --> 00:16:41.970 You've experienced setbacks, failures. Some marriages 00:16:41.970 --> 00:16:45.990 didn't survive this year. You buried some loved 00:16:45.990 --> 00:16:49.690 ones with some of the losses coming out of nowhere. 00:16:50.049 --> 00:16:53.450 Some of us watch from a distance as our families 00:16:53.450 --> 00:16:57.309 live through a hurricane and other natural disasters. 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:01.080 We've lost property. Homes have been destroyed. 00:17:01.179 --> 00:17:08.900 And now you have to start all over. But as this 00:17:08.900 --> 00:17:12.480 year is coming to a close, and even though you 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.619 may still be in a certain season of life that 00:17:15.619 --> 00:17:22.299 has been complicated and stressful, get out of 00:17:22.299 --> 00:17:25.099 here, brothers and sisters, as we're coming upon 00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:28.900 a new year. That the first half has ended and 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:32.779 now it's halftime. And another great thing, brothers 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:35.940 and sisters, about halftime is that it's an opportunity 00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:39.960 to make necessary adjustments. You see, as a 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:42.920 team analyzes what went wrong in the first half, 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:45.940 they're able to make adjustments to the game 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:49.680 plan to put a winning formula together for the 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:52.930 second half. And that's what happened to my Minnesota 00:17:52.930 --> 00:17:56.390 Vikings. They made the greatest comeback in NFL 00:17:56.390 --> 00:18:00.009 history. In the first half, they were down 33 00:18:00.009 --> 00:18:04.269 -0. But in the second half, they outscored the 00:18:04.269 --> 00:18:09.890 Indianapolis Colts 39 -3 to win the game 39 -36. 00:18:10.410 --> 00:18:13.789 All because they made the necessary adjustments 00:18:13.789 --> 00:18:17.549 at halftime. Sometimes, brothers and sisters, 00:18:17.730 --> 00:18:21.450 that calls for calling some new and different 00:18:21.450 --> 00:18:26.369 plays. Sometimes that means making some substitutions. 00:18:26.750 --> 00:18:30.329 If some players aren't performing well, you take 00:18:30.329 --> 00:18:33.369 them out of the game and put in a new player. 00:18:33.650 --> 00:18:37.670 You see, sometimes in life, we end up stuck and 00:18:37.670 --> 00:18:41.609 delayed in certain seasons because we don't make 00:18:41.609 --> 00:18:45.420 the necessary adjustments at halftime. And we 00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:48.740 come back in the second half continuing to do 00:18:48.740 --> 00:18:52.279 the same things we did in the first half. I'm 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.059 trying to help someone. Listen, as we enter into 00:18:56.059 --> 00:19:02.079 2026, we can't go into 2026 doing some of the 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:07.430 same stuff we did in 2025. There needs to be 00:19:07.430 --> 00:19:11.049 some adjustments. You can't keep doing the same 00:19:11.049 --> 00:19:15.549 thing over and over again and expect a different 00:19:15.549 --> 00:19:21.369 outcome. Some people call that insanity. There 00:19:21.369 --> 00:19:27.950 needs to be some substitutions in 2026. What 00:19:27.950 --> 00:19:34.460 am I trying to say? Don't need to go with you 00:19:34.460 --> 00:19:40.960 into 2026. Maybe they are the cause of some of 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:43.720 the setbacks that you've had in this season. 00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:48.829 Maybe they are delaying your progress. Holding 00:19:48.829 --> 00:19:51.750 you back, maybe the reason you haven't found 00:19:51.750 --> 00:19:55.309 the husband or wife you desire is because you'll 00:19:55.309 --> 00:19:59.569 never find a permanent person in your life if 00:19:59.569 --> 00:20:02.630 you continue to entertain and date temporary 00:20:02.630 --> 00:20:11.650 people. But the second half is coming. And I'm 00:20:11.650 --> 00:20:20.660 declaring a comeback. I'm declaring a comeback. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.579 But you have to make the necessary adjustments 00:20:25.579 --> 00:20:29.740 while at halftime. You see, it's not always easy 00:20:29.740 --> 00:20:34.119 making in -game adjustments, but right now is 00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:37.619 the perfect time. It's halftime. And in Job's 00:20:37.619 --> 00:20:40.599 case, he made adjustments. I'm not just making 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.619 this up. It's right here in the Word. In Job's 00:20:43.619 --> 00:20:46.839 case, he made adjustments. You see, after God 00:20:46.839 --> 00:20:52.819 finally spoke to Job, Job responds in chapter 00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:57.220 42, verse 5 and 6 and says, I have heard of thee 00:20:57.220 --> 00:21:02.680 by the hearing of the ear. But now my eyes see 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:10.299 you. Where I abhor myself. Don't miss this. Where 00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:15.950 I abhor myself and repent in dust. and ashes. 00:21:17.490 --> 00:21:25.329 This is Job, a man who has followed God, but 00:21:25.329 --> 00:21:29.150 as he's gone through this season, this first 00:21:29.150 --> 00:21:34.289 half, and all that he's experienced, when God 00:21:34.289 --> 00:21:40.849 speaks, he says, I have heard of you by hearing. 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:51.400 But now I see you, God. In other words, now he's 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:55.839 gone to a deeper place in his spiritual walk 00:21:55.839 --> 00:22:07.420 with God. And by seeing God more clearly, it 00:22:07.420 --> 00:22:12.109 calls Job. To truly see himself more clearly. 00:22:13.930 --> 00:22:19.470 And that's why he says, I abhor myself. And watch, 00:22:19.509 --> 00:22:23.230 brothers and sisters, he made the necessary adjustments. 00:22:25.970 --> 00:22:32.109 Once he saw himself, he said, now I truly repent 00:22:32.109 --> 00:22:41.380 in dust and ashes. miss what's happening. At 00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:47.279 the beginning, it did not make sense. Job was 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:51.900 just minding his own business. Why would God 00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:57.220 just throw his name out there to Satan and put 00:22:57.220 --> 00:23:02.720 him on the enemy's radar? God, why did you set 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:08.700 him up for all of these attacks and losses? God, 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:11.599 you set him up for that horrible first half. 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:16.980 But while Job was not a bad man, yet through 00:23:16.980 --> 00:23:20.460 his ordeal, he finally truly saw God and saw 00:23:20.460 --> 00:23:24.740 himself. And in the end, it caused him to repent 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:29.529 and truly seek after God's face. When you understand 00:23:29.529 --> 00:23:32.890 and you begin to see the sovereignty of God and 00:23:32.890 --> 00:23:36.230 the fact that he allowed Job to go through this 00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:40.069 season, this first half, not because he was trying 00:23:40.069 --> 00:23:43.329 to destroy Job, but because he was trying to 00:23:43.329 --> 00:23:46.529 develop, trying to take him deeper in faith. 00:23:49.230 --> 00:23:59.650 And the good news is God was in control the entire 00:23:59.650 --> 00:24:05.029 time because the adversary could only do to Job 00:24:05.029 --> 00:24:09.250 what God allowed. You can take the things around 00:24:09.250 --> 00:24:13.309 him, but you can't touch him. You can touch him, 00:24:13.430 --> 00:24:16.930 but you can't take his life. The adversary could 00:24:16.930 --> 00:24:20.210 attack Job, but he was limited in what he could 00:24:20.210 --> 00:24:24.150 do to him. The adversary has attacked you, but 00:24:24.150 --> 00:24:27.170 understand, I know it's been hard. It's been 00:24:27.170 --> 00:24:30.809 trying. You felt like giving up, but the reason 00:24:30.809 --> 00:24:33.589 you survived this year, the reason you survived 00:24:33.589 --> 00:24:37.150 this season is because he's been limited in what 00:24:37.150 --> 00:24:41.390 he could do to you. He wanted to take your life, 00:24:41.509 --> 00:24:44.450 but you're still here. He wanted to break you 00:24:44.450 --> 00:24:47.190 completely, but while you've been broken in some 00:24:47.190 --> 00:24:50.869 places, you're not completely broken up. God 00:24:50.869 --> 00:24:54.730 is still in control, and just like Job, he's 00:24:54.730 --> 00:24:57.910 trying to develop you and me, trying to take 00:24:57.910 --> 00:25:03.529 us deeper. And the result has been some rough 00:25:03.529 --> 00:25:06.369 first half. It's been a rough year. Anybody know 00:25:06.369 --> 00:25:09.230 what I'm talking about? It's been a rough season, 00:25:09.329 --> 00:25:12.890 but as this year is coming to an end, we are 00:25:12.890 --> 00:25:16.410 declaring this season is going to come to an 00:25:16.410 --> 00:25:20.440 end. And now while we're at halftime, let's rest 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:23.599 for a moment and make the necessary adjustments 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:28.000 as we get ready for the second half. And just 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:31.799 like my Minnesota Vikings after halftime made 00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:36.000 the greatest comeback in NFL history, Job also 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.920 made a great comeback. His story didn't end in 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:43.559 the first half. His story didn't end at halftime, 00:25:43.559 --> 00:25:48.519 but there was a second half. And Job chapter 00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:53.019 42 verse 12 and 13 tells us about that second 00:25:53.019 --> 00:25:56.539 half. The Bible says, so the Lord blessed the 00:25:56.539 --> 00:26:00.220 latter end of Job more than his beginning. For 00:26:00.220 --> 00:26:04.960 he had 14 ,000 sheep and 6 ,000 camels and 1 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:10.200 ,000 she -asses. He also had seven sons and three 00:26:10.200 --> 00:26:14.680 daughters. And verse 16 and 17 says, after this 00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:19.940 Job lived 140 years and saw his sons and his 00:26:19.940 --> 00:26:24.759 sons' sons even four generations. So Job died 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:29.839 being old and full of days. After halftime in 00:26:29.839 --> 00:26:32.980 the second half, after all that Job had gone 00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:36.079 through, God blessed him with double for his 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:39.299 trouble. And it's halftime in your experience 00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:43.099 right now, but as the new year is coming, so 00:26:43.099 --> 00:26:46.660 is your second half, and I declare that it will 00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:50.480 be better than the first half. Your season is 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:55.099 turning around. This second half will be a victorious 00:26:55.099 --> 00:26:59.460 half because we serve a victorious God. You're 00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:04.299 about to make a comeback, so hang in there. They 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:08.579 that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. 00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:14.099 They shall mount up with wings. As he goes, they 00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:19.599 shall run and not be weary. and they shall walk 00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:24.680 and not faint. In this second half, there'll 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:30.880 be restoration, confirmation, jubilation, accumulation, 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:36.559 affirmation. In this second half... There'll 00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:41.039 be rejuvenation, certification, justification, 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:48.000 expectation, relaxation. In this second half, 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:53.859 there'll be exploration, elevation, exclamation, 00:27:54.400 --> 00:28:01.539 exoneration, compensation, and best of all, there'll 00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:06.819 be salvation. So keep pressing on. Keep going 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:13.099 forward. Don't give up and don't quit, but press 00:28:13.099 --> 00:28:19.000 on. The songwriter says, I'm pressing on the 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:24.440 upward way. new heights i'm gaining every day 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:31.119 still praying as i onward bound lord plant my 00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:37.759 feet on higher ground lord lift me up and let 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:44.779 me stand by faith on heaven's table land a higher 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:51.359 plane than i have found lord plant my feet on 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:58.480 higher ground i thank god for higher ground and 00:28:58.480 --> 00:29:02.799 one of these days will reach the highest ground 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:09.839 the songwriter says come we that love the lord 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:16.700 and let our joys be known join in I said, join 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:22.480 in a sweet accord and thus surround the throne. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:28.740 We're marching. I said, we're marching. We're 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:34.559 marching. We're marching to Zion. That beautiful, 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:43.059 beautiful, beautiful Zion. We're marching upward 00:29:43.059 --> 00:29:50.619 to Zion. That beautiful city of God. Will you 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:55.940 keep marching? Will you keep pressing on? Your 00:29:55.940 --> 00:30:02.880 comeback will be better. The second half is starting 00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:09.119 right now. Hallelujah in this place. Ain't he 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:15.430 all right? I said, ain't he all right? Ain't 00:30:15.430 --> 00:30:36.670 he all right? I know he's all right. I know he's 00:30:36.670 --> 00:30:51.019 all right. God is still in charge. Hallelujah. 00:31:16.809 --> 00:31:18.190 Brothers and sisters, you got to say to yourself, 00:31:18.509 --> 00:31:27.609 it's over. This first half is over. It's halftime. 00:31:29.990 --> 00:31:38.029 And the second half is coming. And I don't say 00:31:38.029 --> 00:31:39.829 that to you today, brothers and sisters, having 00:31:39.829 --> 00:31:47.579 any insider information. That God has told me 00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:51.779 your season is turning around. But I can declare 00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:57.480 it today because I know we walk by faith. And 00:31:57.480 --> 00:32:00.059 you got to, that's the kind of God we serve. 00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:04.079 And we walk by faith. You got to declare it for 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:16.559 yourself. It's over. And just like Job did. power 00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:18.339 of God you got to make the necessary adjustments 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:39.339 at halftime and it's halftime right now I just 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:48.089 believe there's someone here today made sure 00:32:48.089 --> 00:32:57.789 that you're in this place physically. Or it could 00:32:57.789 --> 00:33:01.950 be even that you're tuning in at this time. It's 00:33:01.950 --> 00:33:10.109 a snow day. Time of service was changed. Your 00:33:10.109 --> 00:33:12.470 regular routine was thrown off, but you're intentional 00:33:12.470 --> 00:33:18.700 to be here even in the virtual space. But God 00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:21.920 brought you, whether in person or virtual, here 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:25.559 for this moment because he needed you to hear 00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:32.400 this word as we end this year. And you got to 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:36.460 declare it. My first half is over. It's halftime. 00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:41.460 I'm going to get the rest I need. And through 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:43.299 the power of God, make the adjustments I need. 00:33:46.599 --> 00:33:50.980 And as 2026 begins, I'm walking into the second 00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:56.519 half. And just like my favorite team made the 00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:59.759 greatest comeback ever, you're going to make 00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:04.059 a comeback. You're going to make a comeback. 00:34:06.819 --> 00:34:11.219 If you believe that today, I'm going to invite 00:34:11.219 --> 00:34:14.019 you to come out of your seat. I want to pray 00:34:14.019 --> 00:34:15.880 this special prayer over you tonight, today. 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:21.760 that we're going to make. 2026 is your year. 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:31.960 You're going to make the comeback. This next 00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:40.059 year will be different. And for someone, it will 00:34:40.059 --> 00:34:54.710 be the best year. And brothers and sisters, I 00:34:54.710 --> 00:34:58.690 hope you didn't miss a crucial point of something 00:34:58.690 --> 00:35:03.150 I said in this message today. Because some of 00:35:03.150 --> 00:35:09.309 us may read the story of Job and look at God 00:35:09.309 --> 00:35:17.409 with a side eye. How you just pick him? Job just 00:35:17.409 --> 00:35:20.010 minding his own business. How you just pick him 00:35:20.010 --> 00:35:26.960 to lose all of that? But now you understand God 00:35:26.960 --> 00:35:30.599 allowed it. He chose him for that moment because 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:33.360 he was taking him deeper. And just know that 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:36.019 there is nothing that you're going through right 00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:41.659 now that seems to have come out of nowhere that 00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:47.079 God just randomly chose you to go through. But 00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:48.980 there's something that you're learning. There's 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:51.980 something that he's teaching us through it. And 00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:54.539 watch this. And even in those seasons and moments, 00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:58.320 Where we do bring stuff upon us because of bad 00:35:58.320 --> 00:36:01.900 decisions and choices. Yet God is still working 00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:09.840 it out for our good. And he's going to turn it 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:18.320 around in your favor. Brothers and sisters, with 00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:22.239 God, we cannot lose. We have some ups. We have 00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:25.389 some downs. We go through. tough seasons, but 00:36:25.389 --> 00:36:28.110 if you stay with God, in the end, you will win. 00:36:33.789 --> 00:36:41.030 We've come too far to turn back now. And so I'm 00:36:41.030 --> 00:36:44.150 going to pray now, but we're going to make this 00:36:44.150 --> 00:36:47.090 appeal first to my online audience, whoever you 00:36:47.090 --> 00:36:52.050 are. There's a link in the chat. Maybe there's 00:36:52.050 --> 00:36:54.940 someone who's heard this message. You need to 00:36:54.940 --> 00:36:57.579 surrender your life to God. You need to go all 00:36:57.579 --> 00:36:59.320 the way with him. You need to finish this year 00:36:59.320 --> 00:37:03.960 off on the right note. And on this last Sabbath, 00:37:03.980 --> 00:37:06.380 you can say yes to Jesus. You can say, God, I'm 00:37:06.380 --> 00:37:08.980 ready. It's halftime. I'm going to make the necessary 00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:12.260 adjustments. I'm ready for my second half. The 00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:14.699 most important adjustment I need to make is to 00:37:14.699 --> 00:37:19.539 get right with you. I need to come back to you. 00:37:21.489 --> 00:37:23.110 Maybe you need to return. Maybe you need to come 00:37:23.110 --> 00:37:25.690 to Him for the first time. And you're tuning 00:37:25.690 --> 00:37:28.230 in now. There's a link in the chat. Click on 00:37:28.230 --> 00:37:32.550 that link. You can make your decision. And it'll 00:37:32.550 --> 00:37:34.650 send a card to us and we'll be in contact with 00:37:34.650 --> 00:37:38.610 you. But now to those who are in this place. 00:37:38.690 --> 00:37:45.829 The same goes for us here. It's not enough to 00:37:45.829 --> 00:37:51.019 just desire to be better. To do things the right 00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:55.119 way. But too often we continue doing the same 00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:57.199 thing over and over again. And expect a different 00:37:57.199 --> 00:38:04.800 outcome. But in order to get where God is trying 00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:09.559 to take us. There are times when we have to make 00:38:09.559 --> 00:38:12.880 the necessary adjustments. We're hoping that 00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:15.619 in this 40 day fast. It will be a time where. 00:38:16.280 --> 00:38:18.679 Of spiritual growth and maturity where we're 00:38:18.679 --> 00:38:26.340 able to make adjustments. But even now, there's 00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:27.800 someone in this place and you maybe have come 00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:32.820 down to the altar. Maybe that adjustment for 00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:36.420 you on this last Sabbath of 2025, the adjustment 00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:39.480 you need to make is saying, Lord, I want to go 00:38:39.480 --> 00:38:41.780 all the way with you. I'm going to surrender 00:38:41.780 --> 00:38:44.809 my life to you. Maybe it's for the first time. 00:38:44.849 --> 00:38:48.949 Maybe you need to come back. Maybe you've started 00:38:48.949 --> 00:38:50.510 coming back to the church, but you have not really 00:38:50.510 --> 00:38:54.190 made a full commitment to it. There's no better 00:38:54.190 --> 00:38:57.389 way to start your second half on the right foot 00:38:57.389 --> 00:39:02.849 than if you're in this place now and you need 00:39:02.849 --> 00:39:05.369 to make the adjustment by saying, Lord, I want 00:39:05.369 --> 00:39:08.909 to come back to you. Maybe that means Bible study 00:39:08.909 --> 00:39:12.719 and baptism, whatever it is. Now is your time 00:39:12.719 --> 00:39:14.760 to make that decision. You're here. If you're 00:39:14.760 --> 00:39:17.579 in the front, just raise that hand. We have Elder 00:39:17.579 --> 00:39:20.840 Station. We'll give you a card to fill out. We 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:22.179 want to acknowledge you in this place before 00:39:22.179 --> 00:39:23.619 we pray. If you're here, just raise your hand. 00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:33.019 Wherever you are. Is there one? I see a hand. 00:39:33.820 --> 00:39:37.699 Can someone make their way, Elder? Is there another? 00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:47.840 Is there another? Let's raise that hand before 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:57.300 we pray. Is there another? I believe Jesus saves. 00:39:58.440 --> 00:40:00.320 I believe he'll make the difference in your life. 00:40:01.079 --> 00:40:10.780 Try him today. Before we pray. Say my first half 00:40:10.780 --> 00:40:15.760 is ending. Just as 2025 is ending, I'm in halftime. 00:40:16.760 --> 00:40:20.840 But my second half will begin just as 2026 is 00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:24.699 right around the corner. You hear, just raise 00:40:24.699 --> 00:40:28.739 that hand. This is the last call and I'll pray. 00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:38.739 Last call and I'll pray. Last call and I'll pray. 00:40:39.739 --> 00:40:44.269 Let's bow our heads. Father, we thank you. We 00:40:44.269 --> 00:40:46.590 thank you, God, because we needed this word today. 00:40:50.429 --> 00:40:56.889 We needed to hear from you, God. Some of us, 00:40:56.889 --> 00:40:58.989 God, may have come into the house of God today. 00:40:59.829 --> 00:41:02.429 Some of us may have turned on YouTube, Facebook, 00:41:02.510 --> 00:41:08.389 to watch this service. Feeling uneasy about 2026. 00:41:08.510 --> 00:41:10.409 Feeling like it's going to be just like 2025. 00:41:11.690 --> 00:41:14.690 It's not worse. Because we've been struggling 00:41:14.690 --> 00:41:20.570 in our first half. But we declare today, God, 00:41:20.590 --> 00:41:27.530 that we walk by faith. And today, God, we declare 00:41:27.530 --> 00:41:35.570 it's halftime. And Father, we ask that you give 00:41:35.570 --> 00:41:40.050 us the rest we need now. And help us to make 00:41:40.050 --> 00:41:47.619 the necessary adjustments. To make the necessary 00:41:47.619 --> 00:41:50.599 adjustments. We know we can't do it ourselves, 00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:53.679 God. Give us the strength. Lead us by the hand, 00:41:53.780 --> 00:41:59.539 God. To make the necessary adjustments we need. 00:42:01.880 --> 00:42:07.780 So that we can walk in newness of life. This 00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:12.639 second half. You see those, God, who've come 00:42:12.639 --> 00:42:14.320 down to the altar. You see my sister who is... 00:42:15.369 --> 00:42:17.630 Made a decision. I'm praying even now, God, for 00:42:17.630 --> 00:42:20.510 those online who are even now making decisions. 00:42:20.610 --> 00:42:21.789 I don't know who they are, but we'll receive 00:42:21.789 --> 00:42:27.429 their cards in just a short while. But may each 00:42:27.429 --> 00:42:33.010 of us, God, walk in newness of life after this 00:42:33.010 --> 00:42:39.230 moment. Trusting and believing in you. Knowing, 00:42:39.250 --> 00:42:41.230 God, that just like you did in Job, that you're 00:42:41.230 --> 00:42:44.260 ultimately in control. You're not letting us 00:42:44.260 --> 00:42:46.619 go through things for no reason. And the enemy, 00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:49.000 no matter what he does, God, he can only do to 00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:52.840 us what you have allowed. What you permit. And 00:42:52.840 --> 00:42:55.280 you will not let more be put on us, God, than 00:42:55.280 --> 00:42:59.579 we can handle. And you're there with us every 00:42:59.579 --> 00:43:05.739 step of the way. And we thank you. And we thank 00:43:05.739 --> 00:43:08.679 you in advance for what's going to happen to 00:43:08.679 --> 00:43:15.809 us in 2026. As we start this second half, it's 00:43:15.809 --> 00:43:18.429 our prayer in Jesus' name. And the church said, 00:43:18.590 --> 00:43:19.670 amen.