WEBVTT

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Amen. All right, go ahead and be seated, please.

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Thank you so much. What an honor it is to be

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with you and be accounted as a father to the

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house. It's a great church. So, 10 hours? Is

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that anything like Anna Green Gables? I mean,

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you see that one time and you've seen it a lot.

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Listen, you may like that stuff and that is okay.

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If nobody's dying or being blown up, I don't

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get it. Maybe once in a while you've got to see

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something die, you know what I mean? My wife

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has these days when she brings the girls over

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and some of her friends, and it's kind of a woman's

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day. And I say, honey, you know, that's fine.

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Just make sure I'm away. I mean, I've seen all

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of those things at least once. I've heard it

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many more times than that, but anyway. I'm not

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trying. Maybe I am. I don't know. I'm going to

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dig a hole here. Anyway, so they watch all these

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things, and she goes out and buys new ones all

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the time. Who sits around and thinks these things

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up? I don't get it. Anyway, it's good to be here.

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Thank you so much. I want to share a thought

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with you, then I've got to get into this thing.

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You know, I don't know, a couple of months ago,

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the Lord began to stir me. about studying, giving,

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and tithing. I think I shared this with the guys

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up at the elders meeting. And just to kind of,

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not that I don't tithe. We tithe and we give.

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We're faithful to that. And I believe in it with

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all of my heart. But I just felt stirred to restudy,

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to reread, to look it up again. And I found something

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that I never knew and I never saw before. And

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I want to give this to you because I think it's

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really good. And our Pastor Mark asked me for

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the month of November. if I would just take the

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offering time, do sermonettes around tithing

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and giving. And so I've done that, except for

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today I'm down here. But the story of Abraham,

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I'll give you this as quick as I can, because

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this is just good for you. This is good for you.

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Say, it's good for me. Good, because I don't

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want to waste my time here. The story of Abraham

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and Lot. Do you remember the Sodom and Gomorrah

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thing? And, of course, the enemies come in. There

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were like four or five kings. And they raid Sodom,

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take Lot. And take all the goods. You remember

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the story. And Abraham hears about it. Now, you

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know, historians tell you, with the four or five

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kings and others that added themselves, could

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have been minimum of 5 ,000 warriors to as many

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as 20 plus thousand people who came against Sodom,

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took over, and you know the story. Well, Abraham

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gets stirred. God stirs the man. Says, you go

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and get Lot back and all the goods. There were

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318 young men that were trained. In his house.

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Now, that's important. Trained in the house.

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The one thing to be a warrior, but another thing

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to be trained in the house. And then when you've

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got God on your side. So 318 go out against all

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these guys, win the battle, get all the goods,

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and they're coming back. Remember the story?

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So Melchizedek comes and meets Abraham. Now,

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Melchizedek, I don't think Abraham knew at the

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beginning really who he was. I think this came

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by revelation. I'm telling you this because you

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need a revelation of what I'm about to say. Meets

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Abraham, has bread and wine. First time you ever

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see communion in the Bible. Blesses Abraham.

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Isn't that true? And suddenly it's in this communion.

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And I'll tell you there's something about communing

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with God, communion, that God starts talking

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to you. Remember the two on the way to Emmaus

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in the book of Acts? And Jesus comes and walks

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alongside. They don't even know it's him. And

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they're just talking about the events of the

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day and he's listening to them. They didn't know

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it was Christ until he sat down and they had

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communion. It's true. When they broke bread,

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their eyes were open. How many times have I said,

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Lord, open my eyes. I want to see the same thing.

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So they're having communion and suddenly Abraham

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gets revelation. It's not just any man. King

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of Salem. This is the man. And says to his men,

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get a tenth of everything. We're going to tithe

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to this king. Oh, I wish I could tell you more

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about this because there's a lot wrapped up in

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this. Well, the word tithe there in the Hebrew

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is M -A -S -A -R. M -A -S -A -R. And so after

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he tithes, the king of Sodom comes. Now you've

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got the king of Salem, king of kings. Then you've

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got the king of Sodom. And so he comes and he

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says to Abraham, he thinks he's going to do him

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a favor, you keep all the goods, just give me

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the people. Now right then and there he revealed

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who he was and that was his downfall in the end

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because he was an immoral man. You know the story.

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And Abraham says, wait a minute, I won't take

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a shoelace from you. I won't take a thread from

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you unless you as a man say, you made me rich.

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The word rich is A -S -A -R. A -S -A -R. I read

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through that. I began to realize something. Where

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is the blessing? Where is the money? Where is

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the prosperity? Tithing opens up the windows

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of heaven. Where is it at? The riches were hidden

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in the tithe. M -A -S -A -R. A -S -A -R. Was

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hidden in the tithe. You ever see that? No, you

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never saw that. Don't tell me you saw that. You've

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never seen that before. That has to come by revelation.

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If you don't see this, you may or may not tithe,

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I don't know. But once you see it, you can't

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stop. Because no man ever made me rich. It's

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all hidden in the tithe. If you learn to do it

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right, it'll open up the windows of heaven. When's

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the last time you had a blessing and you couldn't

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contain it? Come on. You know what I'm talking

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about. I just thought that was good. Yeah, it

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was very good, yes. Does money grow on trees?

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Don't answer that. You know the answer. Well,

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listen, it doesn't grow on trees, but it came

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through the tree. He who was rich became poor.

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So you who are poor, come on, could become rich.

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And how did he become poor? He did it at the

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cross. It's through the tree that it all comes.

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You've got to have a revelation. I tell you,

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if you're not a giver today, I hope something

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strikes it in your heart and you will become

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one because it really does work. I've got to

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hurry here. I only have two hours and we've got

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to get this in quick. I want to talk about the

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greatness of his promise. People make a lot of

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promises. When my girls... We're getting ready

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to get married. Each one of them, I sat them

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down. I didn't do it together. We did it separately,

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so we did it properly to them. And I said to

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them, girls, you know, you're about ready to,

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whichever one it was, leave home and get married

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and start your life. But I need to know. Have

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I in any way failed you as a father? Did I ever

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make a promise that I didn't keep? Is there anything

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you can think of that I need to repent of before

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you get out of my home and get started with life?

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Because we make promises and we forget. Kids

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grow up and say, well, you know, you always promise,

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but you never did it. Well, I can say, they said,

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no, Dad, no. You were good. I was good. You did

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it right, Dad. Yeah, I did it right. You bet.

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The only thing they said was that, you know,

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you gave so much of your time at times of the

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church, we could have used a little more. And

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I did repent for that. But, you know, like the

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pastors here, you're talking about, you know,

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we get days off. But we give ourselves. You're

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an elder. You understand what I'm saying. And

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we go overboard sometimes. That's the only thing

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they said. Sometimes we make promises and we

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don't keep them. But that's not so with God.

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When my daughter got married, I'll just tell

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you this. I said, honey, I want you to get married.

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You're welcome to get married. But you still

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have to be back home in bed by 10 o 'clock, all

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right? It's hard to give you up. She said, dad,

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dad. Okay, okay, okay. The greatness of his promise.

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You know, the word of the Lord is good to this

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house. You know, reminiscing at different times

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with different ones and with the pastors and

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what God has said to the church and what God

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has is good on this house. I don't know once

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God ever showed up and put a downer on you. I

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don't know that. I've never heard that. But the

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word of the Lord is good to his house. And that

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word comes again and again and again because

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God's faithful to remind you that he's faithful.

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And he gave a word, in case you forgot, let me

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remind you. I mean, he was good to Abraham. It

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took how many years? 24, 25 years to get the

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whole thing in gear. And he reminded him periodically

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that it was going to happen. And even with the

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reminders, he still made a mistake. The word

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to life Bible is good. Come on, say it's good.

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You are living in a good word, in a good time,

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in a good season in God. His plans is good for

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the destiny of this house. I said in the earlier

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service, not everyone that has heard the word

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of the Lord or hears the word of the Lord to

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this house, not everyone makes it. Not everybody

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who hears the word stays with the word. And I

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understand that. When we started our church many,

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many years ago, I had a... One of the brothers

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come in, a great man of God, and he spoke in

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our church. And he told us this. He said, not

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everybody that starts with you will finish with

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you. And I'm thinking, well, everybody that's

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going to stay with me, they like me. I'm a good

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guy. We're a grown church. Sure, everybody's

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going to stay. But everybody didn't stay. And

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sometimes a year or so down the road, when you're

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planning and building, they cut out on you. And

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so now you're kind of stuck, and you're before

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God. And say, Lord, I thought. But then somebody

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else comes along and that happens throughout

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time. You know what I'm saying? But God gives

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a word to the house. You have a good word in

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this house. But not everybody who's heard the

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promises of God are going to keep those promises

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or understand those promises or stay with those

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promises. Not everybody. Come on, say amen. We

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look back over the years. Who could have imagined

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the greatness of God and what he said in the

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beginning? And we were just remembering, I was

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sitting with Brad's folks last night in their

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home and watching the game. And as we were talking,

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he said, I remember in the beginnings when you

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came. And there was just a few of us sat here

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in this living room. I'm thinking back on this.

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You were sitting in that chair. Here's some of

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the things you said. And begin to share some

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of the words. I said, whoa, you're blessing me.

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I'm getting excited. I said that? Whoa, I must

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have been good in those days, you know. I'm still

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good, you know. Come on. It's true. Who could

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have thought then? Who could have seen the crowds,

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the properties, the schools, the new properties,

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the new buildings? Who would have thought? We'd

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think we're crazy. We'd have sat there and said,

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we're going to build this multi -million dollar

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building and all these hundreds of people are

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going to come and we're going to do... We'd have

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said, whoa, whoa, slow down a little bit there.

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Hello? God made promises to your pastors concerning

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this house back in those days. I can tell you

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more than one time when pastors called me in

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the morning, he's on his prayer walk and he's

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just sharing what God has been saying to him

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and where he's at in God, stirring my heart.

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More than one time at night, I'm ready to crawl

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in bed and ring. I know it's bad. Nobody calls

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me that late. Oh, how you doing, my friend? Are

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you in bed? No, no, not yet. God has put a promise

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in his heart. And it's a good promise. It's for

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the house. It's for you. It's for your children.

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It's for your children's children. Think of that.

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I didn't mean to get emotional this quick, but

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for crying out loud. He's had great dreams. Big

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dreams. The thing about your pastors are they're

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worshipers. They know how to worship. They know

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how to bless the Lord. Unless I forget, I have

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it here somewhere and I don't know because I

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got to zip through this thing pretty quick here.

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But I want to know, I want to tell you, this

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church is known for its music. I got to get to

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my launching point here about the journey and

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where you're going because God called Israel

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Shiloh. I want to get to Shiloh and tell you

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about that in just a minute. But Shiloh means

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the place of worship. That's the thing you're

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known about. Wherever I go. And if I've taken

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Brad and Jennifer with me and they sing and they

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play or you know how he does when we're prophesying

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over people and he'll sing and do his thing and

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just bless people and I'm crying and I'm saying,

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how come I don't have that gift but he's got

00:14:08.730 --> 00:14:15.610
it? You're known for your worship. Ha! Come on,

00:14:15.629 --> 00:14:19.190
you're a worshiping house. And I guess I said

00:14:19.190 --> 00:14:21.769
earlier, because you play in the band and you're

00:14:21.769 --> 00:14:24.419
on the stage. not just because you're good at

00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:27.779
it, and thank God you are, but you're there because

00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:30.379
you're a worshiper. You're not invited to be

00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:32.019
up there because you play a mean guitar or you

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:34.879
sing a good song, and I'm glad you do. It's because

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:39.840
you know how to worship. God's put a dream in

00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:44.460
his heart and is required of him, of him as Brad,

00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:47.559
to be good stewards over that dream. I want to

00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:49.220
tell you, no matter what you think or whatever's

00:14:49.220 --> 00:14:51.500
happened or whatever mistakes he's made, he's

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:55.539
done a good job. Now I've pastored for years.

00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.340
I've had letters on file what people said. I

00:14:58.340 --> 00:15:00.220
know sometimes people don't like what I said

00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:02.419
or the counsel I gave. I've been slapped in the

00:15:02.419 --> 00:15:05.639
face more than once. I'm here to defend the man

00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:09.299
of God. I'm here to honor you as a church. I'm

00:15:09.299 --> 00:15:10.980
not saying anybody here is dishonoring. I'm not

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:13.399
saying that. I just want you to know they've

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:16.080
done a good job keeping the vision in front of

00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:22.419
them and in front of you. I know nobody's perfect.

00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:26.379
But because God can trust your pastors, this

00:15:26.379 --> 00:15:30.100
house continues to grow. Come on, multiply and

00:15:30.100 --> 00:15:32.179
continues to be an influence in its community

00:15:32.179 --> 00:15:34.580
and in the world. As I was getting ready and

00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:36.440
thinking about these things, the thought came

00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:38.419
to me that I don't think you really understand

00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:42.159
the influence you are in this community and really

00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:44.120
in many other places. Now, you know, maybe you

00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:46.039
can do some good things and you put on picnics

00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.019
and all that. You don't know the influence yet.

00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.980
Trust me. If you're not out on the road, if you

00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:55.639
don't go and sit down with some of these pastors,

00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:57.659
if you're not in some of these other places listening

00:15:57.659 --> 00:15:59.960
to people, you have no idea what's being said

00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:03.120
about your church and your pastors. Believe it

00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:06.500
or not, I tell you, the pastors you have are

00:16:06.500 --> 00:16:12.779
world pastors, key influence people. And they're

00:16:12.779 --> 00:16:17.100
growing. Not everybody's perfect. I know he makes

00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:19.740
mistakes. We've talked about and cried over issues

00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:22.090
and things that he's said and done. But he's

00:16:22.090 --> 00:16:26.070
repenting. He's after the things of God. He loves

00:16:26.070 --> 00:16:29.210
you. He loves the church. And he loves the promise

00:16:29.210 --> 00:16:36.629
of God. God's a good God. He has a great destiny

00:16:36.629 --> 00:16:39.029
for this house. And the destiny for this church

00:16:39.029 --> 00:16:41.450
is a good destiny. It's the greatness of the

00:16:41.450 --> 00:16:43.289
promise of God that makes this a great church.

00:16:43.570 --> 00:16:47.590
Come on. So we're a great church. Well, three

00:16:47.590 --> 00:16:50.659
of you think so. Come on, say, we're a great

00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:54.860
church. There's nothing that thrills the heart

00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:58.019
of God more than obedience. And so as you obey

00:16:58.019 --> 00:17:00.139
God and do the things that he asks you to do,

00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:02.419
I want to tell you something. You're doing good.

00:17:02.539 --> 00:17:04.619
You'll build. You'll go. Dare you believe God?

00:17:04.700 --> 00:17:06.359
Do you really dare to believe God for these things?

00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:09.880
Come on, say, I'll obey. You got to understand

00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:12.519
that God has called you to something great. Every

00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:15.160
one of you here that call this church home, you've

00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:18.119
been called to greatness in God. You've been

00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:19.859
called to something bigger than you're in for

00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:22.700
today. If you're breathing in this house today,

00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:25.960
you're a great person. Look at somebody that's

00:17:25.960 --> 00:17:32.500
breathing and say, you're great. Come on. God

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:35.059
has great plans for your church. He sees the

00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:37.259
ends from the beginning. He wants to give you

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:39.339
insights. He wants to give you understanding.

00:17:39.579 --> 00:17:42.200
Now listen, don't get bogged down with a building

00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:46.250
project. I understand you've got to build. I

00:17:46.250 --> 00:17:48.529
understand it's a daily process. You got a man

00:17:48.529 --> 00:17:50.890
here. You got a leadership team that will handle

00:17:50.890 --> 00:17:53.170
all of that. You don't got to get worried about

00:17:53.170 --> 00:17:58.589
all that stuff. I won't share that. But I better

00:17:58.589 --> 00:18:01.490
not go down that road. You don't want to just

00:18:01.490 --> 00:18:03.849
feel the weight of the things that are happening

00:18:03.849 --> 00:18:06.410
in and around you. You got to just keep growing

00:18:06.410 --> 00:18:08.569
through the process. Come on. Growing through

00:18:08.569 --> 00:18:12.569
the process. You're marked for success. His plans

00:18:12.569 --> 00:18:16.099
are bigger than you can understand today. You

00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:18.799
got a destiny in God. It's good. You're on your

00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:22.319
way. Now, I'm sorry that not everybody that sees

00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:24.519
or hears these things will not make it through

00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:27.660
this. I'm sorry that happens, but it does. But

00:18:27.660 --> 00:18:30.440
listen, those who are faithful will get to the

00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:35.500
end. Come on now. If you get bogged down with

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:38.240
a building, if you get caught up in who's staying

00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.380
and who's leaving and what's going on here and

00:18:40.380 --> 00:18:41.839
there, you're going to miss what God's doing

00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.480
today in the house and what he's saying to this

00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:48.500
people. I want to tell you that you do well.

00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:50.460
You're a giving church. Your pastors are giving

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:53.380
people. But whatever you've given, I believe

00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:54.799
with all of my heart. Now, if you can hear me

00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:57.400
and you catch this, that whatever you've done

00:18:57.400 --> 00:19:01.500
today, you can do twice tomorrow. What are you

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:03.500
saying? You mean more money? Now, listen to me.

00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.859
You can do twice as much if you catch the vision,

00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:10.680
if you believe what I'm saying. Now, I said this,

00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:13.420
and I want to say it quickly. Several months

00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:17.039
ago, I said to my wife, honey, I feel that God's

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.039
calling us to new levels in him. We've got to

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.279
give a substantial offering. I think we need

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:24.039
to go to financially a new place in God. Now,

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:27.299
I live on what God gives me. This house has been

00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:29.279
a great house to me. You've blessed me. You financed

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.880
me. You help in many, many ways. You know, and

00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:35.380
it helps pay my bills. But I need to go further.

00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:37.759
And I felt like God was saying that to me. So

00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:39.339
we sat down and talked about it. She said, well,

00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:41.559
okay, listen, if you can find the money, let's

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:44.960
give it. We just don't have it. It's okay. We

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:47.539
don't have it. We can't give it, can we? So it

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:49.720
took a while. Well, we have a couple that are

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:51.099
in our church and they moved here from another

00:19:51.099 --> 00:19:54.180
state. And when they came, they were doing well,

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:56.859
but they lost everything. Now, Brother Don here

00:19:56.859 --> 00:19:58.079
knows what I'm talking about and who I'm talking

00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:00.019
about. They lost it all. I mean, they had done

00:20:00.019 --> 00:20:02.960
really well. But they're kind of struggling.

00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:05.440
Well, he borrowed my Jeep. I got this Jeep. I

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:08.500
really like my Jeep. And, you know, and he borrowed

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:11.079
my Jeep and he had it for a few months. And God

00:20:11.079 --> 00:20:13.369
spoke to me and said, give him the Jeep. Now,

00:20:13.390 --> 00:20:15.549
I don't have any money. I've never given a car

00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:18.529
away. And I got to prove God. And he wants to

00:20:18.529 --> 00:20:20.210
take me to a new level. Something substantial.

00:20:20.809 --> 00:20:23.309
Where am I going to get it? And it hits me. Give

00:20:23.309 --> 00:20:26.089
him the Jeep. So I said to my wife, I think we

00:20:26.089 --> 00:20:27.829
should give the Jeep. She kind of looked at me.

00:20:27.849 --> 00:20:29.730
She said, you like that car. I do. I just put

00:20:29.730 --> 00:20:31.769
$1 ,000 of new tires on it. Man, you bet I like

00:20:31.769 --> 00:20:35.670
that thing. Somebody offered to, you know, buy

00:20:35.670 --> 00:20:37.569
me some tires like $400 or $500 just to get them

00:20:37.569 --> 00:20:39.670
on there because I need $400 or $500 on a Jeep.

00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:42.160
No, no, no, you got to put some good rubber on

00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:45.079
that stuff, you know. $1 ,000 to put nice tires

00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.299
on my Jeep. Anyway, so I give him the Jeep. I

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:50.039
call him up and I say, you know, we felt like

00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:51.700
the Lord said for us to give you the Jeep. He

00:20:51.700 --> 00:20:54.180
said, what, what, what? We felt like the Lord

00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:56.299
speak to us to give you the Jeep. You've been

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:57.700
driving it, you know, for several months. You

00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:59.640
can have it. He said, wait a minute. Gets his

00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:01.559
wife on the phone. We're talking. It's an emotional

00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:04.779
moment. I'm crying. They're crying. We got to

00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:07.759
prove God. New places in him. I don't care what

00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:09.480
you've done, what you've given. You can do better.

00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:12.599
And if you will, by what I'm saying, with revelation.

00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:17.720
Where's the money? Where's the blessing? It's

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:20.200
hidden in the tithe. If you get a hold of this

00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:22.160
revelation, God will do for you what he's done

00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:25.039
for me. And so we turned it over to them, lock,

00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:28.299
stock, and barrel. Several months went by. And

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.819
I had a car, and the miles were building up.

00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:32.299
I needed another automobile. And so several months

00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:34.039
went by. And I wasn't sure, and I kept praying,

00:21:34.099 --> 00:21:35.960
Lord, I can't make a car payment. I don't have

00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:38.740
that kind of money. About six or seven months.

00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:40.900
And somebody comes to me and says, listen, God

00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.740
spoke to us. We've got $27 ,000 we want to give

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:46.880
you for a new car. Now, I didn't go to them and

00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:48.819
say, by the way, do you have some money that

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:51.039
you can... I didn't say that at all. In fact,

00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:53.740
the people that gave it didn't have a lot. And

00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:57.000
where they got that, I don't know. And gave us

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:58.839
the money to buy a new car. I was getting ready

00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.759
to take a trip out of the country. The day before

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:02.480
I went, we were driving a new... My wife's driving

00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:07.779
a new automobile. Does God keep his word? Does

00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:11.269
he make promise? The promise on this house is

00:22:11.269 --> 00:22:15.710
a good promise. Man, I've knocked down some lions

00:22:15.710 --> 00:22:18.890
and some bears. Whoever would have thought that

00:22:18.890 --> 00:22:21.009
somebody would buy me an automobile? Now, here's

00:22:21.009 --> 00:22:22.390
what I believe, and then I've got to get on with

00:22:22.390 --> 00:22:26.150
this thing. There are two systems alive in this

00:22:26.150 --> 00:22:28.930
earth. There's a world system. There's a God

00:22:28.930 --> 00:22:32.890
system. I grew up in a world system. Nothing

00:22:32.890 --> 00:22:34.109
wrong with that because that's how I grew up.

00:22:34.769 --> 00:22:37.250
My folks lived that way. They signed contracts

00:22:37.250 --> 00:22:39.549
to buy cars. They signed contracts to buy houses.

00:22:39.730 --> 00:22:41.549
They went out and borrowed money to do whatever

00:22:41.549 --> 00:22:44.730
because that's how it was done. But the Bible

00:22:44.730 --> 00:22:47.109
said if you had faith, you could believe God,

00:22:47.230 --> 00:22:49.589
you could ask anything. And I'm saying, Lord,

00:22:49.630 --> 00:22:52.490
how do I get off the world system? How can I

00:22:52.490 --> 00:22:55.490
have a car and not make a payment? When I was

00:22:55.490 --> 00:22:57.880
in... Iowa City ministering in a church and they

00:22:57.880 --> 00:22:59.539
asked me to get up and share about the things

00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:01.460
we've been through and some of the losses and

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:03.539
how God blessed where we are today. And I'm talking

00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:04.779
to the church and I'm saying, well, all these

00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:06.960
things I lost, blah, blah, blah. God starts talking

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.859
to me while I'm speaking. Now, if you've never

00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:10.819
preached and done this, you don't know how difficult

00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:13.940
this is. So I'm preaching to the people. God's

00:23:13.940 --> 00:23:17.119
talking to me. And I'm saying, no, wait a minute

00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:20.859
here, Lord. How about later? I mean, I'm trying

00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:23.799
to get all assimilate. But God says to me, you

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:26.190
don't understand. You didn't lose everything.

00:23:27.470 --> 00:23:32.269
I took it away. Am I in charge or not? No, no,

00:23:32.329 --> 00:23:34.390
you're in charge. See, this all happened in nanoseconds.

00:23:35.170 --> 00:23:37.569
I took it away. But what do you mean? That's

00:23:37.569 --> 00:23:38.930
not the kind of God you are. Oh, yes, it is.

00:23:39.990 --> 00:23:41.950
Now, when I went on that trip, my wife said to

00:23:41.950 --> 00:23:43.509
me, when you come back, you probably need to

00:23:43.509 --> 00:23:45.509
think about a job because we're sort of struggling

00:23:45.509 --> 00:23:47.569
here. And when you come back, you may need to

00:23:47.569 --> 00:23:50.430
get a job. I mean, I'm believing God for all

00:23:50.430 --> 00:23:53.420
this stuff. What do you mean get a job? I'm going

00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:54.640
to be one of those old men that stand out in

00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:55.960
front of Walmart and say, welcome to Walmart.

00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:59.859
What kind of job have I got to get? And God spoke

00:23:59.859 --> 00:24:01.079
to me and said, now listen, if you want to get

00:24:01.079 --> 00:24:04.859
a job, go right ahead. But I love you so much.

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:08.700
I want to pay your bills. I want to take care

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:10.960
of you. I want to be your blessing. That's how

00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:12.700
much I love you. And so I'm weeping and crying.

00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:14.539
They have no idea what's going on. I'm trying

00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:16.460
to get this message preached. God's talking to

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:21.160
me. God is my witness. He kept saying, I love

00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:23.299
you so much. As soon as I was done, the pastor

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:24.759
came up and said, wow, that was really good.

00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:26.380
Let's pray for Pastor Bob. He said, wait a minute,

00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:29.000
I got a word. I had that all written down. I

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.859
was looking for it the other day. I couldn't

00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:31.680
find it. She comes over and says, I love you.

00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:34.140
I love you. I love you. I love you, says the

00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:37.160
Lord. He just said that to me. I'm struggling

00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:40.880
with, he loves me. I wasn't struggling after

00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.000
that. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:46.180
you, says the Lord. That's pretty big, don't

00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:49.859
you think? No wonder I'm still emotional. Went

00:24:49.859 --> 00:24:52.279
home and told my wife. I said, listen, God's

00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:54.180
got it under control. I don't need to get a job.

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:56.200
We wept and repented and said we weren't believing.

00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:58.299
And from that moment to this, we've never looked

00:24:58.299 --> 00:25:03.480
back. I'm after Goliath now. I got a lion down.

00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:05.940
I got a bear down. I know I can get Goliath now.

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:14.460
Okay, so much for that. God's good, amen? But

00:25:14.460 --> 00:25:16.720
you got to have revelation. And I want to tell

00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:19.049
you, that vision is on this house. You have no

00:25:19.049 --> 00:25:21.029
idea how many times you've been a blessing to

00:25:21.029 --> 00:25:24.170
me and to others. And you know what? It all comes

00:25:24.170 --> 00:25:30.430
back. Hello? The church is growing. And because

00:25:30.430 --> 00:25:33.890
it is, guess what? So are you. Come on, say,

00:25:33.910 --> 00:25:37.430
I'm growing. The eyes of your understanding be

00:25:37.430 --> 00:25:41.029
enlightened. So you might see and know what is

00:25:41.029 --> 00:25:42.529
the hope of your calling, the riches of the glory

00:25:42.529 --> 00:25:43.990
of the inheritance of the saints. You'll never

00:25:43.990 --> 00:25:45.910
see what God is doing and what he wants to do

00:25:45.910 --> 00:25:48.720
without your eyes being opened. Your understanding

00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:51.160
be enlightened. I got to stop right here. I want

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:54.339
you to stand for a minute. I need to pray. I

00:25:54.339 --> 00:25:58.180
need to pray this scripture over you today. I

00:25:58.180 --> 00:26:01.859
don't like swimming uphill. And we just got to

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:04.019
get some understanding going here. We got to

00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:05.759
have some revelation flowing in this house. We

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:08.319
were really close. I mean, we were more than

00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:10.690
close. We were there. worshiping and dancing

00:26:10.690 --> 00:26:12.970
on the platform and hearing all the good word.

00:26:13.069 --> 00:26:15.390
Now, Father, I want to pray for this house. I

00:26:15.390 --> 00:26:17.690
thank you for this great church, the pastors

00:26:17.690 --> 00:26:19.950
and the leaders of this church. I thank you because,

00:26:20.029 --> 00:26:22.210
Lord, your goodness is on this house. Now, I'm

00:26:22.210 --> 00:26:25.430
asking that Ephesians 118 be spoken over this

00:26:25.430 --> 00:26:28.009
people. I want to say that their understanding

00:26:28.009 --> 00:26:30.589
of God needs to be enlightened by you. I want

00:26:30.589 --> 00:26:32.789
to say that their eyes need to be opened. Now,

00:26:32.789 --> 00:26:34.809
as we lift our hands before you, let revelation

00:26:34.809 --> 00:26:36.630
begin to come into our heart. We're going to

00:26:36.630 --> 00:26:38.609
understand today that the wealth and the money,

00:26:38.859 --> 00:26:41.339
Is hidden in the tithe. That God's call and promises

00:26:41.339 --> 00:26:43.559
on this house. That you're taking us places.

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:45.640
We got a destiny in you. And everyone that's

00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:48.160
listening. Young and old alike. Have bought into

00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:50.980
that promise. We're in this journey. We're going

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:52.660
where you're going. We're going to do what you

00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:56.400
want to do. I pray that revelation come. Come

00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:03.160
on. I'm asking oh God. Let heaven open right

00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:05.339
now on this church. Let the blessing of the Lord

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:13.089
come to this house. Come on, Lord. We want to

00:27:13.089 --> 00:27:16.349
see. We want to hear. Having eyes, they didn't

00:27:16.349 --> 00:27:19.390
see. Having ears, they couldn't understand. But

00:27:19.390 --> 00:27:21.589
today you're going to open up hearts and minds.

00:27:21.769 --> 00:27:23.970
Lord, we're going to settle the question. We're

00:27:23.970 --> 00:27:25.690
not going to argue about these things. We're

00:27:25.690 --> 00:27:29.230
going to accept God. We're going to accept God.

00:27:30.250 --> 00:27:33.029
You're going to take the sting out of the project

00:27:33.029 --> 00:27:35.519
and the money we have to give. You're going to

00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:37.720
take the ouch and the frustration out of the

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:42.339
extra with joy. Come on. God loves cheerful givers.

00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.859
With joy, we're giving to the project because

00:27:44.859 --> 00:27:47.420
we know it's coming back to us. You're setting

00:27:47.420 --> 00:27:50.180
us up for a blessing tomorrow or next week or

00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:52.119
next month or next year, but you're going to

00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:54.579
do it. It took me seven months to see you buy

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.160
that automobile. I don't know what it's going

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.119
to take, but you're going to honor your word.

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:01.900
You're going to honor your word in Jesus' name.

00:28:02.259 --> 00:28:05.380
Amen. Go ahead and sit down. God has made great

00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:07.240
promises and he's going to keep his word. The

00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:08.700
Bible said he's not a man that he would lie.

00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:11.440
The son of man, you know the story. He's blessed

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:16.500
and none can turn it back. God give us understanding.

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:19.400
God doesn't just give you a promise so you'll

00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:21.779
have a dream. He gives you a promise so you'll

00:28:21.779 --> 00:28:25.960
have direction. Come on, not just dream. You

00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:29.180
can dream about a nice building till you're in

00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:31.849
the grave. He used to say to my grandfather,

00:28:32.109 --> 00:28:33.930
grandpap, you need to quit smoking. He said,

00:28:33.950 --> 00:28:36.009
well, I'm going to. The day they pat me on the

00:28:36.009 --> 00:28:38.250
belly with a spade, I'll quit. And that's when

00:28:38.250 --> 00:28:41.230
he quit, when he died. Well, you can dream until

00:28:41.230 --> 00:28:44.329
they pat you on the belly and get nowhere. Come

00:28:44.329 --> 00:28:46.930
on, or you can get the direction. We're building

00:28:46.930 --> 00:28:48.250
this thing. Why? Because we're an influence.

00:28:48.829 --> 00:28:50.829
We're doing the will and purposes of God. We're

00:28:50.829 --> 00:28:52.329
going to touch a community. We're going to touch

00:28:52.329 --> 00:28:54.470
the world out of this place. Who would ever think

00:28:54.470 --> 00:28:57.130
that a world could be influenced out of Harrisburg?

00:28:58.089 --> 00:29:01.160
But it can be. Anything great come out of Nazareth?

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:12.759
Ha! God help me here. Blessed be the God and

00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:14.440
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:18.980
us with how many? Every spiritual blessing in

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.720
the heavenly places in Christ. How many spiritual

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:24.619
blessings? Every. When did God make his choice

00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:27.650
concerning this church? Concerning you and what

00:29:27.650 --> 00:29:29.170
he's going to do here. When was all this done?

00:29:29.470 --> 00:29:31.470
Well, I think it's clear. I think when the foundations

00:29:31.470 --> 00:29:33.809
of the world were set, he already had it in mind.

00:29:37.150 --> 00:29:39.549
You got to think of it like this. If you don't

00:29:39.549 --> 00:29:41.269
arrive at the place that God has destined for

00:29:41.269 --> 00:29:43.430
you, you'll never experience what God has blessed

00:29:43.430 --> 00:29:46.769
you with in the heavenly places. You hear about

00:29:46.769 --> 00:29:48.609
it. You know, it's like years ago, we always

00:29:48.609 --> 00:29:50.130
read about the great moves of God, the great

00:29:50.130 --> 00:29:51.349
moves of God. When are we ever going to see it?

00:29:51.390 --> 00:29:54.470
Well, we've seen some, but more is coming. The

00:29:54.470 --> 00:29:59.359
fire. Come on, it's coming. You're chosen and

00:29:59.359 --> 00:30:01.279
you're blessed in God. And I want to tell you

00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:03.019
the blessings of God have already been set in

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:07.440
motion. It's on its way. How can I tell you it's

00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:10.579
on its way? God's already made a decision. He's

00:30:10.579 --> 00:30:13.400
already put it in gear and it's on his way. I

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:14.980
want to tell you before you ever knew you were

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:16.880
going to hell, God already made a decision. You

00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:21.160
were going to heaven. It's on its way. It's coming

00:30:21.160 --> 00:30:26.779
to you. God knew that he was going to interrupt

00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:30.140
your life. You would respond. You'd fall in love

00:30:30.140 --> 00:30:31.839
with him, and you'd follow the promises of God.

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:33.960
If you're a born -again believer, then you've

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:35.539
got to know you've been chosen in Christ to have

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:37.779
the promise of God alive and well in your life,

00:30:37.799 --> 00:30:40.640
in your church. Trust me, it's alive, it's well,

00:30:40.680 --> 00:30:43.839
it's doing good. These promises of God are pulling

00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:46.380
you. You don't understand it, you don't know

00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:48.519
it, but the promise is pulling you. It's pulling

00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:50.839
you into his presence. It pulls you into worship.

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:53.380
It pulls you into destiny. It pulls you into

00:30:53.380 --> 00:30:56.599
success. Because you believe him. You're following

00:30:56.599 --> 00:30:58.700
him. You're after God. These things are pulling

00:30:58.700 --> 00:31:02.900
you. God brings you into relationships. And people

00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:05.220
you might meet today, you don't know anything

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:07.039
about it. But tomorrow or a week from now or

00:31:07.039 --> 00:31:08.799
a year from now could be a blessing to you. I

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:12.559
told the early service several years ago, many

00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:15.900
years ago, I met a man down south. He's a multimillionaire.

00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:18.579
We became friends. I didn't even know he was

00:31:18.579 --> 00:31:20.839
a millionaire at first. So we didn't become friends

00:31:20.839 --> 00:31:24.069
because of that. He was just a good man. And

00:31:24.069 --> 00:31:26.150
we just became friends. And over the years, I

00:31:26.150 --> 00:31:27.869
realize he's got this company and what he does.

00:31:28.049 --> 00:31:30.670
And just prior to Christmas, I get a call from

00:31:30.670 --> 00:31:32.809
him. We're just talking back and forth. And who

00:31:32.809 --> 00:31:34.549
would have known back then when I met him? Who

00:31:34.549 --> 00:31:36.809
would have thought? And we're just talking about

00:31:36.809 --> 00:31:38.650
the things of God, what he's been through. He

00:31:38.650 --> 00:31:40.490
had an accident and he broke his neck and he

00:31:40.490 --> 00:31:42.869
broke his legs. And God has healed him and he's

00:31:42.869 --> 00:31:45.009
doing well. And, you know, just wonderful time.

00:31:45.450 --> 00:31:47.890
And then that was it. We got done. Not three

00:31:47.890 --> 00:31:50.640
or four minutes later, my phone rings. And he's

00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:52.660
on the other line. He said, listen, God was talking

00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:54.680
to me, and I need to respond to this. He said,

00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:56.599
God told me, I'm going to send you some money.

00:31:56.660 --> 00:31:59.960
And he sent me $7 ,000. He said, will that keep

00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:02.359
you through Christmas? Well, Thanksgiving and

00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:04.599
Christmas and New Year's and maybe a few other

00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:07.640
things. Are you listening to me? Don't tell me

00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:09.920
it doesn't work. Oh, he talks about this all

00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:12.240
the time. Don't give me that stuff. Don't tell

00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:13.920
me what the Bible says about giving and tithing.

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.740
You can't argue with me. I already found it.

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:19.420
Hello? And I want to tell you, you're there.

00:32:19.980 --> 00:32:22.119
Well, you're almost there. You're on the road.

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:24.940
God made promise. He's pouring out his grace

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:27.339
on this house. He's not going to turn it back.

00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:29.420
And just because some don't like it, some don't

00:32:29.420 --> 00:32:35.180
believe it, doesn't make it any less true. Meeting

00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:37.559
the pastors years ago when we sat around and

00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:41.480
talked, who would have known? Now I realize I'm

00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:44.680
tied to the destiny of this house. God sealed

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:48.119
me in in those days. And I've walked with great

00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:50.079
men and women of God out of this house. Great

00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:53.740
leadership team. And he's been sealed to my life.

00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:56.140
Sometimes we were going through issues and things.

00:32:56.400 --> 00:32:58.740
I'll tell you what, he was there. He called me

00:32:58.740 --> 00:33:00.759
every day. And every once in a while, my wife

00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:02.619
says to me, have you called Pastor Bradley? Remember,

00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:04.500
he called you every day. Yeah, okay, honey, okay.

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:10.079
Hi, brother. Hello. My destiny's wrapped up in

00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:12.940
this church. That's why I love coming. I love

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:16.579
the music. I love the people. We have a destiny

00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:18.960
and God's put us together and we're going somewhere.

00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:23.339
Come on, say we're going somewhere. Oh boy, okay,

00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:24.900
I got to skip all. Let's get down to that. Okay,

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:30.900
say Shiloh. God's pulling you into Shiloh. Shiloh

00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:35.119
means the celebration of praise. It's the place

00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:37.980
of praise. The first place God wants to get you

00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:42.839
to on your journey is Shiloh. Joshua 18 .1, and

00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:44.720
the whole congregation of the children of Israel

00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:46.700
assembled together at Shiloh. How much time have

00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:50.160
I got? Yeah, but how much time do I have left?

00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:57.380
One hour? Wow. Okay, about 20, 25 minutes. So

00:33:57.380 --> 00:33:58.859
the whole congregation of the children of Israel

00:33:58.859 --> 00:34:01.539
assembled together at Shiloh. They set up the

00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:03.319
tabernacle of the congregation there, and the

00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:05.839
land was subdued before them. Now, that's important.

00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:08.670
You should underline that in your Bible. God

00:34:08.670 --> 00:34:10.670
brought Israel into the promised land. He brought

00:34:10.670 --> 00:34:13.050
them into the place called Shiloh. That's where

00:34:13.050 --> 00:34:15.170
they came to worship him. Now listen to me. You've

00:34:15.170 --> 00:34:18.510
been called to a journey. You're on a journey.

00:34:18.949 --> 00:34:21.690
Not everyone. Wants to take the journey. Not

00:34:21.690 --> 00:34:23.590
everyone who starts the journey is going to finish

00:34:23.590 --> 00:34:26.170
the journey. But the truth is, you're on a journey.

00:34:26.329 --> 00:34:27.789
And you probably didn't get up in the morning

00:34:27.789 --> 00:34:29.489
and say, you know what? I want to be on a journey.

00:34:29.630 --> 00:34:31.510
You probably didn't do that. But God called you

00:34:31.510 --> 00:34:34.190
to a journey. And your journey is where you are

00:34:34.190 --> 00:34:36.190
today. You're building this great building. And

00:34:36.190 --> 00:34:37.789
you didn't choose to be on it. But God chose

00:34:37.789 --> 00:34:40.789
you to be on this journey. In this church with

00:34:40.789 --> 00:34:43.949
his people. You're chosen. Say, I'm chosen. God

00:34:43.949 --> 00:34:45.969
saved that beautiful piece of land for you. To

00:34:45.969 --> 00:34:48.030
build that church, that house. It was saved for

00:34:48.030 --> 00:34:50.690
you. When it was all being built and put together,

00:34:50.829 --> 00:34:53.849
he had you in mind. Thank God that they had fun

00:34:53.849 --> 00:34:55.530
out there. They did what they did. I'm sorry.

00:34:55.630 --> 00:34:57.050
The things didn't go good for them, but it went

00:34:57.050 --> 00:35:01.610
good for you. Why? Because God chose you. You're

00:35:01.610 --> 00:35:05.429
on a journey. God chose the leaders of this house.

00:35:05.949 --> 00:35:07.530
Whether you like them or not, they're chosen

00:35:07.530 --> 00:35:11.710
by God. I love them. I think they're good. I

00:35:11.710 --> 00:35:14.250
love you, Ron. Love you, Elton. Where's Booker?

00:35:14.269 --> 00:35:16.030
He left, didn't he? Where's Bob? I love you.

00:35:19.009 --> 00:35:21.409
The Bible says God sets the boundaries of where

00:35:21.409 --> 00:35:23.250
we're going to live. Solitaries into families.

00:35:23.650 --> 00:35:26.590
God chose Shiloh. It was a place where Israel

00:35:26.590 --> 00:35:28.789
would come and worship him. It was in Shiloh,

00:35:28.789 --> 00:35:33.909
now listen, that the enemies were subdued. It's

00:35:33.909 --> 00:35:36.489
in the Bible. Read it for yourself. I'm not blowing

00:35:36.489 --> 00:35:42.559
wind here. I'm giving you the truth. Joshua 21,

00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:46.139
43. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land

00:35:46.139 --> 00:35:48.639
which he swore to give unto the fathers, and

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:51.719
they possessed it. They did what? He gave it.

00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:55.099
They possessed it. Did he give you the land?

00:35:55.739 --> 00:35:59.559
Come on. You've got to possess it. And they dwelt

00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:01.780
in it. And the Lord gave them rest round about

00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:03.900
according to all that he swore unto the fathers.

00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:06.719
And there stood not a man of their enemies before

00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:08.320
them. How many stood before them that was an

00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:12.969
enemy? Not a man. Either you believe the word

00:36:12.969 --> 00:36:16.070
or you don't. Lord delivered all the enemies

00:36:16.070 --> 00:36:18.789
into their hands. And there failed not one ought

00:36:18.789 --> 00:36:20.829
of any good thing which the Lord had spoken of

00:36:20.829 --> 00:36:23.510
the house of Israel. It all came to pass. How

00:36:23.510 --> 00:36:27.630
much came to pass? It's simple. Read the word.

00:36:28.969 --> 00:36:31.519
What a marvelous scripture. All the promises

00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:33.619
he kept. Not one of them failed. Not one. Not

00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:35.920
one man was able to stand before him. There are

00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:37.780
people who make promise they fail. There are

00:36:37.780 --> 00:36:39.940
people who stand and they'll fall down. But God

00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:42.679
said he will not fail. He will not let his word

00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.019
go down. Whatever he said to this house will

00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:49.960
come to pass. Not one of all the enemies could

00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:51.940
stand before them. There was not one that could

00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:55.360
come against them. Now they tried to this very

00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:57.539
day. People are trying. But God made promise.

00:36:58.500 --> 00:37:02.389
Come on. I don't care who's trying to stop you

00:37:02.389 --> 00:37:05.010
from taking the land or keeping his promise to

00:37:05.010 --> 00:37:07.150
you or whatever reason they might have. Nobody,

00:37:07.309 --> 00:37:10.170
come on, say nobody, is going to be able to stand

00:37:10.170 --> 00:37:14.650
against the promise of God in this place. I don't

00:37:14.650 --> 00:37:17.769
care who he is, how many there are, what council,

00:37:17.949 --> 00:37:25.010
what city. I was in, I got to say this. I was

00:37:25.010 --> 00:37:29.300
in Canada. This was years ago, probably. A dozen

00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:31.780
or more years ago. And I was in a church. And

00:37:31.780 --> 00:37:32.940
I may have told you this story. I don't know.

00:37:33.059 --> 00:37:36.519
I was in a church up in Canada. And it was my

00:37:36.519 --> 00:37:39.280
first time there. We were doing presbytery. Beautiful

00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:42.059
church. They had about, I don't know, four or

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:44.239
five acres of land. They had outgrown it. They

00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:45.920
had a school, the largest school in the area.

00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.780
Missionaries all over the world. I mean, they

00:37:47.780 --> 00:37:50.320
were a going concern. But the problem is they

00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:52.619
needed some land. Well, where they built their

00:37:52.619 --> 00:37:55.480
church, on the other side was a fence. And from

00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:58.889
that fence on was agricultural land. Well, in

00:37:58.889 --> 00:38:00.969
agricultural land in Canada, you don't buy that

00:38:00.969 --> 00:38:02.829
for any more than you've got to run cattle on

00:38:02.829 --> 00:38:04.809
it or grow hay on it or put a barn, but you can't

00:38:04.809 --> 00:38:06.849
put a building on it. You can't build houses

00:38:06.849 --> 00:38:08.710
on it unless it's a farmhouse. It's agricultural

00:38:08.710 --> 00:38:11.949
land. So they couldn't go that way, and the only

00:38:11.949 --> 00:38:13.829
way they could go was across this highway. There

00:38:13.829 --> 00:38:15.510
was five -acre plots sitting over there, and

00:38:15.510 --> 00:38:17.309
they were hoping to get a hold of that. And so

00:38:17.309 --> 00:38:18.829
presbytery's going on, and I'm ministering over

00:38:18.829 --> 00:38:20.730
this couple, and as I'm ministering over them,

00:38:20.809 --> 00:38:24.110
and I only tell you this because of what they

00:38:24.110 --> 00:38:25.349
told me later. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm

00:38:25.349 --> 00:38:27.380
just prophesying. Well, I mean, I know I'm doing

00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:31.380
a prophesy, but I mean, I didn't know. Anyway,

00:38:31.639 --> 00:38:33.599
and so I'm prophesying over this cup, and I stop.

00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:36.900
And I turn, and I hold my hand out toward the

00:38:36.900 --> 00:38:38.400
agricultural land. I don't even know what's there.

00:38:39.070 --> 00:38:40.570
I'd never been there before. I don't know agricultural

00:38:40.570 --> 00:38:43.369
land. I mean, I saw the cows out there. And so

00:38:43.369 --> 00:38:46.150
I began to prophesy. The Lord's going to bless

00:38:46.150 --> 00:38:48.630
him. I can change the heart of those who think

00:38:48.630 --> 00:38:50.650
they can't be changed. We'll just set it in concrete.

00:38:50.769 --> 00:38:53.050
I'll turn it around. I can change a city if I

00:38:53.050 --> 00:38:54.489
have to. And I'm doing all this stuff, you know,

00:38:54.510 --> 00:38:56.550
not even realizing. And the pastor said, whoa,

00:38:56.710 --> 00:38:58.349
he's prophesying to the wrong piece of land.

00:38:58.590 --> 00:39:00.570
We want the five acres. He's going for the agricultural

00:39:00.570 --> 00:39:02.530
land. You know, and he's having an argument with

00:39:02.530 --> 00:39:05.329
God while I'm prophesying. Well, I don't even

00:39:05.329 --> 00:39:09.949
know this. For probably. A year and a half? Two

00:39:09.949 --> 00:39:13.750
years. Anyway, he calls me. And he said, listen,

00:39:13.829 --> 00:39:15.829
we want you to come to our next presidency. We've

00:39:15.829 --> 00:39:17.389
got to show you something here. And he begins

00:39:17.389 --> 00:39:19.949
to tell me this story of what I'd done and how

00:39:19.949 --> 00:39:22.110
the Lord was, you know, this whole land. Well,

00:39:22.150 --> 00:39:24.789
what happened was this. The man who owned, God

00:39:24.789 --> 00:39:26.289
spoke to the pastor and said, the man who owns

00:39:26.289 --> 00:39:27.889
that land, why don't you just write him a letter,

00:39:27.969 --> 00:39:30.820
tell him who you are and what you do. So he writes

00:39:30.820 --> 00:39:32.780
to the guy who owns the land and says, this is

00:39:32.780 --> 00:39:34.820
what we are. We're a church. We do this. We have

00:39:34.820 --> 00:39:37.059
a school. You know, we're just interested in

00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:40.380
buying some land. Well, the man who owns all

00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:42.179
that land out there and has all the cows, you

00:39:42.179 --> 00:39:43.840
know, calls up and says, well, I got a letter

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:45.639
from you. It was nice, blah, blah. Talk to you

00:39:45.639 --> 00:39:48.659
later. And that was it. He says, it's going nowhere.

00:39:49.139 --> 00:39:51.800
So a few weeks had gone by. A few weeks had gone

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:53.579
by. And then the Lord speaks to him and says,

00:39:53.619 --> 00:39:56.880
now listen, you get out under that piece of land

00:39:56.880 --> 00:39:59.750
and you walk. And everywhere you put the sole

00:39:59.750 --> 00:40:03.570
of your foot, I'll give it to you. What? So he

00:40:03.570 --> 00:40:06.349
gets dressed. It's raining. He puts his galoshes

00:40:06.349 --> 00:40:08.170
on and climbs over the fence. And all the kids

00:40:08.170 --> 00:40:09.469
in the school, that's the side of the school,

00:40:09.510 --> 00:40:11.090
are looking at their pastor climbing his fence

00:40:11.090 --> 00:40:12.789
and going in the cow pasture. They're watching

00:40:12.789 --> 00:40:15.670
this guy. This is true. He climbs the fence and

00:40:15.670 --> 00:40:17.449
he starts walking. And he's quoting, everywhere

00:40:17.449 --> 00:40:19.630
I put the soul in my foot, it all belongs to

00:40:19.630 --> 00:40:21.469
you. Everywhere I put the soul in my foot. And

00:40:21.469 --> 00:40:22.949
he's walking and believing God for the problem.

00:40:23.010 --> 00:40:25.050
Gets to the furthest point out on this land.

00:40:25.230 --> 00:40:28.849
There's 50 acres, almost 47, 48 acres. Gets to

00:40:28.849 --> 00:40:30.550
the furthest point out. He looks down, he sees

00:40:30.550 --> 00:40:34.269
a softball, a white softball. He picks it up

00:40:34.269 --> 00:40:36.349
and God says, you now hold the ball of faith.

00:40:36.889 --> 00:40:39.880
You believe me. And he walks everywhere. I put

00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:41.280
the soul on my feet. And he comes all the way

00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:42.880
back, climbs the fence, goes back in, cleans

00:40:42.880 --> 00:40:45.179
that up, puts that scripture on it, puts the

00:40:45.179 --> 00:40:47.440
date on it, puts it in the drawer of his desk.

00:40:48.619 --> 00:40:50.800
Doesn't do anything with it for a few weeks.

00:40:50.940 --> 00:40:52.760
Then God says, now bring your leadership team

00:40:52.760 --> 00:40:55.179
in and tell them what you did. So he brings his

00:40:55.179 --> 00:40:57.559
elders in. They go over the word that the Lord

00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:59.380
gave to him. Told him what he did. Opens up the

00:40:59.380 --> 00:41:01.300
drawer, pulls out this ball. He said, this is

00:41:01.300 --> 00:41:03.599
the ball. Throws it to the first guy. He catches

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:05.780
it, breaks into tears, falls out of his chair,

00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:07.980
gets before God, throws it to the next guy. The

00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:09.400
next thing you know, four or five of these guys

00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:11.420
are strewn out all over the office, crying out

00:41:11.420 --> 00:41:13.420
on God, saying, Lord, everywhere, it's yours,

00:41:13.579 --> 00:41:17.699
it's yours. A few days later, he gets a call

00:41:17.699 --> 00:41:22.260
from the guy that owns the land. He said, I'd

00:41:22.260 --> 00:41:24.159
like to come down and see you and your board.

00:41:24.559 --> 00:41:26.059
Well, it was their eldership, but he thought

00:41:26.059 --> 00:41:29.760
it was a board. And so they came down. He met

00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:32.010
with the elders. I wish he was here to tell you

00:41:32.010 --> 00:41:35.949
this story. He met with the elders. His wife

00:41:35.949 --> 00:41:37.230
leans over to him before the meeting starts.

00:41:37.329 --> 00:41:39.389
She said, honey, I can't believe you're going

00:41:39.389 --> 00:41:42.449
to sell this land. Your family never sells land.

00:41:42.769 --> 00:41:46.409
You buy it. And the pastor hears this. He says,

00:41:46.429 --> 00:41:48.690
suddenly my heart was in my throat. He's going

00:41:48.690 --> 00:41:50.489
to sell us the land. He's going to sell us the

00:41:50.489 --> 00:41:52.730
land. So they talk a little bit, share their

00:41:52.730 --> 00:41:55.329
life again, what they do. They make a deal and

00:41:55.329 --> 00:41:57.210
they buy almost 50 acres of land for something

00:41:57.210 --> 00:42:01.449
like 300 ,000, maybe 400 ,000. Would you have

00:42:01.449 --> 00:42:04.309
been like maybe a few hundred thousand in American

00:42:04.309 --> 00:42:06.070
dollars at that point? And they buy all this

00:42:06.070 --> 00:42:09.730
land. Well, that's a great deal. So they're buying

00:42:09.730 --> 00:42:11.769
the land and people are paying it. And he brings

00:42:11.769 --> 00:42:13.550
me up and I see this big, I got a picture. I'm

00:42:13.550 --> 00:42:16.110
standing by this board in the foyer where people

00:42:16.110 --> 00:42:17.570
are giving them the offerings, you know, trying

00:42:17.570 --> 00:42:19.409
to pay. And I'm standing by that, seeing how

00:42:19.409 --> 00:42:20.750
people are paying this all off. I'm thinking,

00:42:20.789 --> 00:42:23.610
what a great day. My Lord. Whoever prophesied

00:42:23.610 --> 00:42:26.750
this is a great man, you know. Oh, it was me.

00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:35.780
So what happens is the city gets together. And

00:42:35.780 --> 00:42:38.519
they say, you know what? We're growing. Our city's

00:42:38.519 --> 00:42:41.400
growing. We need to grow. So we've got to push

00:42:41.400 --> 00:42:43.780
our boundaries out. And they had a bit of a talk,

00:42:43.820 --> 00:42:45.440
and they made a decision. What do you think?

00:42:45.900 --> 00:42:48.360
They pushed the boundaries out. From where that

00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:52.000
fence of the church was, two miles out, they

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:55.070
pushed the boundaries. And suddenly. $300 ,000,

00:42:55.070 --> 00:42:59.150
$400 ,000 of land is now worth a million to two?

00:43:00.849 --> 00:43:03.909
He said, I felt so guilty. I called the guy that

00:43:03.909 --> 00:43:05.590
owned the land. I said, look, this is what's

00:43:05.590 --> 00:43:07.369
happened, and we feel bad about that. If you

00:43:07.369 --> 00:43:09.889
want to undo the deal. He said, no. He said,

00:43:09.929 --> 00:43:12.030
listen, I know the people in the city. I knew

00:43:12.030 --> 00:43:13.889
this was going to happen, but I thought you guys

00:43:13.889 --> 00:43:24.050
ought to have it. Oh, God. Who gives land? The

00:43:24.050 --> 00:43:27.610
Bible said the earth is the Lord's. He's still

00:43:27.610 --> 00:43:33.829
the original landlord. Come on. Who calls things

00:43:33.829 --> 00:43:37.230
that are not as though they are? Who makes the

00:43:37.230 --> 00:43:40.730
deal? Who gives the dream? Who makes the promise?

00:43:42.489 --> 00:43:44.989
When God formed that land and put a river over

00:43:44.989 --> 00:43:48.289
there, thousands of years ago, he knew you were

00:43:48.289 --> 00:43:51.090
coming. When they bought that land and put...

00:43:51.799 --> 00:43:54.460
Cars and vehicles on it. And people come and

00:43:54.460 --> 00:43:57.039
say, he knew it then. It was yours. It was all

00:43:57.039 --> 00:44:01.000
in the makings. It was coming your way. God didn't

00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:03.639
make a mistake. And I'm sorry they got frustrated

00:44:03.639 --> 00:44:05.599
and lost what they lost. But I'm glad for you.

00:44:08.159 --> 00:44:12.219
Come on, say, we're on a journey. Not one of

00:44:12.219 --> 00:44:14.320
all the enemies will stand before you. Not one.

00:44:16.119 --> 00:44:18.940
Oh, God. Every promise that he ever made is going

00:44:18.940 --> 00:44:22.420
to come to pass. If you're not here long enough

00:44:22.420 --> 00:44:24.880
to see it, you'll hear about it when we get to

00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:26.380
heaven and when it's all done. We'll get up and

00:44:26.380 --> 00:44:30.519
talk about the promise of God. Come on. God brought

00:44:30.519 --> 00:44:32.219
him to Silo. I'm never going to finish this thing.

00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:36.219
God help me. God brought him to Silo. You're

00:44:36.219 --> 00:44:38.260
here because the promise of God led you here.

00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:41.820
You're pulled by the promise. You're led by destiny.

00:44:42.260 --> 00:44:45.820
You're here because God put you here. You're

00:44:45.820 --> 00:44:48.710
not here by coincidence. You're not here by accident

00:44:48.710 --> 00:44:50.409
or mistake, even if you're visiting today. I'm

00:44:50.409 --> 00:44:53.190
glad you're here, by the way. You're here because

00:44:53.190 --> 00:44:55.190
God called you here and he put you here. You're

00:44:55.190 --> 00:44:56.630
building the house of the Lord. You're taking

00:44:56.630 --> 00:44:59.050
the land of promise that he's promised you. You're

00:44:59.050 --> 00:45:00.909
an influence in the city. You'll be an influence

00:45:00.909 --> 00:45:02.849
in the world if this thing keeps going on as

00:45:02.849 --> 00:45:06.690
it is. You are an influencer. You're here because

00:45:06.690 --> 00:45:08.949
God's doing great things here. God keeps his

00:45:08.949 --> 00:45:13.550
word. What God says he means, what he means he

00:45:13.550 --> 00:45:16.099
says. I've got to read these scriptures to you.

00:45:16.119 --> 00:45:17.539
Lord, help me to get this real quick because

00:45:17.539 --> 00:45:19.980
I want to say a couple of things and we'll get

00:45:19.980 --> 00:45:24.280
done. 1 Samuel 1. And there's quite a few scriptures

00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:26.199
here, so you just listen. You don't have to look

00:45:26.199 --> 00:45:27.820
it up unless you want to. But 1 Samuel 1, chapter

00:45:27.820 --> 00:45:32.300
1. Okay, chapter 1. No, 1 Samuel chapter 1. Too

00:45:32.300 --> 00:45:34.719
many firsts in this thing, you know. There was

00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:38.860
a certain man. His name was Elkanah. He had two

00:45:38.860 --> 00:45:42.500
wives. The name of one was Hannah and the name

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:45.630
of the other was Paniah. Penia had children,

00:45:45.769 --> 00:45:48.769
but Hannah had no children. This man went out

00:45:48.769 --> 00:45:51.550
of the city yearly to worship and to sacrifice

00:45:51.550 --> 00:45:54.650
unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. Now listen.

00:45:56.610 --> 00:45:59.309
Okay, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,

00:45:59.409 --> 00:46:01.849
they were priests of the Lord there. And when

00:46:01.849 --> 00:46:04.449
the time for Elkanah came to offer, he gave Penia

00:46:04.449 --> 00:46:07.210
his wife and to all her sons and daughters, he

00:46:07.210 --> 00:46:11.059
gave them offerings or portions. But unto Hannah

00:46:11.059 --> 00:46:13.780
he gave a worthy portion. In many translations

00:46:13.780 --> 00:46:15.840
it says a double portion. He gave her a whole

00:46:15.840 --> 00:46:17.900
lot extra, in other words, because he loved Hannah.

00:46:18.619 --> 00:46:21.800
May I say to you, it's nice to have a portion.

00:46:22.280 --> 00:46:24.460
It's a whole lot better to have a double portion.

00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:28.019
It's nice to have a gift. It's a whole lot better

00:46:28.019 --> 00:46:33.199
to have more. Come on. More is better. Well,

00:46:33.260 --> 00:46:35.579
the Lord had shut up Hannah's womb. And her adversary

00:46:35.579 --> 00:46:38.019
also provoked her. That's why I only have one

00:46:38.019 --> 00:46:43.170
wife. I love the one I have, but I don't want

00:46:43.170 --> 00:46:46.630
to get in trouble any more than that. Just think

00:46:46.630 --> 00:46:48.829
if you had to watch Anna Green Gables that many

00:46:48.829 --> 00:46:54.389
times. I better get off that. Okay. Anyway, her

00:46:54.389 --> 00:46:57.610
adversary provoked her sore, made her fret because

00:46:57.610 --> 00:47:00.889
her womb was shut up. And as he did so year by

00:47:00.889 --> 00:47:04.989
year, she went up to the house of the Lord. So

00:47:04.989 --> 00:47:07.969
she was provoked and she wept and she wouldn't

00:47:07.969 --> 00:47:10.269
eat. Elkanah, her husband, said, Hannah, why

00:47:10.269 --> 00:47:13.960
are you weeping? And why don't you eat? And why

00:47:13.960 --> 00:47:16.699
is your heart grieved? I mean, come on. Like

00:47:16.699 --> 00:47:20.420
a lot of husbands, they don't get it. They don't

00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:22.280
get it. What's wrong? What's happening here?

00:47:22.380 --> 00:47:27.340
Come on. You don't have to get it. Am not I better

00:47:27.340 --> 00:47:30.199
to you than ten sons? He probably was. But that

00:47:30.199 --> 00:47:33.440
wasn't the point. So my wife said, you heard

00:47:33.440 --> 00:47:36.159
me, but you didn't hear me at all. Oh, say it

00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:41.300
again, dear. I want to listen, really. Oh God.

00:47:42.179 --> 00:47:45.079
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh

00:47:45.079 --> 00:47:49.059
and after they had drank. Eli the priest sat

00:47:49.059 --> 00:47:52.619
at the post of the temple of the Lord. She was

00:47:52.619 --> 00:47:54.579
bitter of soul and she prayed unto the Lord and

00:47:54.579 --> 00:47:58.420
she wept there a lot. She vowed a vow and said,

00:47:58.500 --> 00:48:01.539
Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look upon the

00:48:01.539 --> 00:48:03.719
affliction of your handmaiden and remember me

00:48:03.719 --> 00:48:06.159
and don't forget. Now this is important. You've

00:48:06.159 --> 00:48:08.280
got to catch this. And don't forget your handmaiden,

00:48:08.300 --> 00:48:10.420
but will give me, your handmaiden, a man -child.

00:48:11.039 --> 00:48:13.980
I want to make a statement in a little bit. Just

00:48:13.980 --> 00:48:16.960
what I think. Just what I believe. If you give

00:48:16.960 --> 00:48:18.460
him a man -child, I'll give him back to the Lord

00:48:18.460 --> 00:48:20.579
all the days of his life. Not a razor will come

00:48:20.579 --> 00:48:22.739
upon his head. And it came to pass as they continued

00:48:22.739 --> 00:48:25.480
praying before the Lord that Eli marked her mouth.

00:48:26.400 --> 00:48:30.860
He's looking at this odd woman. Now Hannah spoke

00:48:30.860 --> 00:48:33.320
in her heart. Her lips moved, but there was no

00:48:33.320 --> 00:48:37.500
voice to be heard. I mean, how many times have

00:48:37.500 --> 00:48:41.519
you done that? Therefore, Eli thought that she

00:48:41.519 --> 00:48:46.539
was drunk. We make sometimes bad decisions. We

00:48:46.539 --> 00:48:50.179
draw conclusions we ought not to. Eli said unto

00:48:50.179 --> 00:48:52.880
her, How long will you be drunken? Put away the

00:48:52.880 --> 00:48:55.159
wine from yourself. And Hannah answered and said,

00:48:55.239 --> 00:48:57.889
No, my lord. Now, I'm a woman of a sorrowful

00:48:57.889 --> 00:49:00.190
spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong

00:49:00.190 --> 00:49:02.690
drink, but I poured my soul out before the Lord.

00:49:02.730 --> 00:49:05.230
There are times you're just in travail. You know

00:49:05.230 --> 00:49:07.070
you got a petition and you got to get before

00:49:07.070 --> 00:49:08.449
God. It doesn't matter what people think. They're

00:49:08.449 --> 00:49:10.730
not thinking right anyway. And you're pressing

00:49:10.730 --> 00:49:15.090
into God. I am not a daughter of Belial. The

00:49:15.090 --> 00:49:16.949
word Belial means worthless. I'm not a worthless

00:49:16.949 --> 00:49:20.420
woman. For all the abundance of my complaint

00:49:20.420 --> 00:49:23.179
and grief have I spoken. Then Eli answered and

00:49:23.179 --> 00:49:25.380
said, Go in peace, for God of Israel grant you

00:49:25.380 --> 00:49:27.539
the petition that you have asked of him. And

00:49:27.539 --> 00:49:31.619
so she said, Let thine handmaiden find grace

00:49:31.619 --> 00:49:35.079
in your sight. So the woman went her way and

00:49:35.079 --> 00:49:36.760
did eat, and her counsel was no more sad. Why?

00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:40.260
Because her prayer was answered. Now, she didn't

00:49:40.260 --> 00:49:45.260
see it yet, but she knew it. They rose up early

00:49:45.260 --> 00:49:47.409
in the morning. They worshiped God again before

00:49:47.409 --> 00:49:49.510
the Lord, and then they returned. And they came

00:49:49.510 --> 00:49:52.610
to the house of Ramah, and Elkanah knew his wife,

00:49:52.730 --> 00:49:55.789
and God remembered her. Now, up here it says,

00:49:55.909 --> 00:50:00.050
remember me. Well, God remembered her. Oh, thank

00:50:00.050 --> 00:50:02.849
you, Jesus. You remember. Wherefore, it came

00:50:02.849 --> 00:50:05.210
to pass that when the time was come about after

00:50:05.210 --> 00:50:07.309
Hannah had conceived, then she bare a son and

00:50:07.309 --> 00:50:09.190
called his name Salma, because I have asked him

00:50:09.190 --> 00:50:12.489
of the Lord. And the man Alcanna and his entire

00:50:12.489 --> 00:50:15.010
house went to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice

00:50:15.010 --> 00:50:16.969
and the vow. But Hannah went up not. She did

00:50:16.969 --> 00:50:19.349
not go on this trip. She said unto her husband,

00:50:19.449 --> 00:50:22.590
I won't go until the child is weaned. Then I'll

00:50:22.590 --> 00:50:24.690
bring him that he might appear before the Lord

00:50:24.690 --> 00:50:29.050
and abide there forever. Now that's big. That's

00:50:29.050 --> 00:50:35.530
big. And this is a key verse here. I got it underlined.

00:50:35.590 --> 00:50:37.510
You should underline it. And Elkanah, her husband,

00:50:37.550 --> 00:50:41.190
said unto her, Do what seems good to you. Tarry

00:50:41.190 --> 00:50:44.110
here until he has been weaned. Only let the Lord

00:50:44.110 --> 00:50:47.489
establish his word. I'm going to show you something

00:50:47.489 --> 00:50:51.269
in just a minute. So the woman abode and gave

00:50:51.269 --> 00:50:53.949
her son suck until he was weaned. And when she

00:50:53.949 --> 00:50:56.610
had weaned him, she took him up with her. They

00:50:56.610 --> 00:50:58.210
had three bullocks and a knee for a flower and

00:50:58.210 --> 00:50:59.570
a bottle of wine. And they brought him to the

00:50:59.570 --> 00:51:03.449
house of the Lord in Shiloh. The child was young.

00:51:03.650 --> 00:51:05.989
They slew the bullock and they brought the child

00:51:05.989 --> 00:51:08.130
to Eli. She said, oh my Lord, as my soul lives,

00:51:08.289 --> 00:51:10.650
my Lord, I am the woman that stood here praying

00:51:10.650 --> 00:51:13.329
unto the Lord. For this child I prayed and the

00:51:13.329 --> 00:51:15.829
Lord hath given me the petition that I asked

00:51:15.829 --> 00:51:18.630
of him. If you are a prayer person, you should

00:51:18.630 --> 00:51:21.789
read this over and over and over again. And if

00:51:21.789 --> 00:51:24.090
you're not a prayer person, read it over and

00:51:24.090 --> 00:51:32.320
over again anyway. Therefore, I have lent him

00:51:32.320 --> 00:51:34.139
to the Lord. As long as he lives, he shall be

00:51:34.139 --> 00:51:35.420
lent to the Lord, and they worship the Lord there.

00:51:35.960 --> 00:51:39.320
Here, let me tell you, verse 23. Elkanah said,

00:51:39.440 --> 00:51:41.039
listen, you tarry here, but let the word of the

00:51:41.039 --> 00:51:42.420
Lord be established. The Amplified Bible says

00:51:42.420 --> 00:51:44.860
this. Wait here until you've weaned him. Only

00:51:44.860 --> 00:51:48.559
may the Lord establish his word. Good news translation.

00:51:49.099 --> 00:51:52.039
Well, wean him, or stay until you've weaned him,

00:51:52.099 --> 00:51:55.900
but may the Lord keep his word. How about good

00:51:55.900 --> 00:51:58.239
news translation? Listen, you stay here until

00:51:58.239 --> 00:52:00.780
he's weaned, and may the Lord make your promise.

00:52:01.280 --> 00:52:06.280
That he made to you come true. What? The promise

00:52:06.280 --> 00:52:11.639
you made. Stay until it comes true. Oh God. I

00:52:11.639 --> 00:52:13.940
tell you this story. Is about a man and a woman.

00:52:15.119 --> 00:52:17.119
Now I want to give you a thought. Please don't

00:52:17.119 --> 00:52:19.019
get up and walk out on me. Because it's just

00:52:19.019 --> 00:52:22.239
a thought. This is how I think. I think the promise

00:52:22.239 --> 00:52:26.420
that he gave here. To Elkanah and Hannah. Was

00:52:26.420 --> 00:52:29.619
in the mind of God to begin with. I think. The

00:52:29.619 --> 00:52:32.300
purpose and the promise of God was always there.

00:52:32.559 --> 00:52:35.300
Now, this is my thought. I believe that the promise

00:52:35.300 --> 00:52:38.139
of God about a son had come to them many years

00:52:38.139 --> 00:52:40.960
earlier. I think when they were married, because

00:52:40.960 --> 00:52:43.239
you've got to remember, in Israel, before the

00:52:43.239 --> 00:52:44.780
Messiah ever came, in fact, they're still kind

00:52:44.780 --> 00:52:46.099
of hoping in so many ways because they don't

00:52:46.099 --> 00:52:48.579
understand, everybody that was married needed

00:52:48.579 --> 00:52:51.800
a son because they were believing for the Messiah.

00:52:52.759 --> 00:52:54.780
And so when they get married, they're praying,

00:52:54.840 --> 00:52:57.219
they're hoping. And I think God made a promise

00:52:57.219 --> 00:52:59.059
to them that they would have a son many, many

00:52:59.059 --> 00:53:01.579
years ago. But probably as years have gone by.

00:53:02.480 --> 00:53:04.420
But sometimes God will make a promise to you.

00:53:04.460 --> 00:53:06.199
You sit through a presbytery meeting. You're

00:53:06.199 --> 00:53:07.800
praying. You read a scripture. And God promised.

00:53:07.920 --> 00:53:09.360
And then the first year. And then the second

00:53:09.360 --> 00:53:10.800
year. And then the eighth year. And then the

00:53:10.800 --> 00:53:13.260
tenth year. And sometimes 25 years later before.

00:53:13.559 --> 00:53:17.239
Come on. Isaac ever comes. You forget about the

00:53:17.239 --> 00:53:19.719
promise. You forget God said. It was good at

00:53:19.719 --> 00:53:24.599
the time he said it. But now. Are you with me?

00:53:25.559 --> 00:53:28.039
Now I believe it's based on her petition. Remember

00:53:28.039 --> 00:53:30.800
me and forget not your handmaid. Give me a man

00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:35.980
child. I believe Samuel was in the mind of God

00:53:35.980 --> 00:53:39.639
from the foundations of the world. I wish I could

00:53:39.639 --> 00:53:41.659
give you all of this. Like dump it into your

00:53:41.659 --> 00:53:44.980
heart and your mind. God was preparing a man

00:53:44.980 --> 00:53:47.019
who would be the mentor to the greatest king

00:53:47.019 --> 00:53:50.940
that would walk the earth. David. David is the

00:53:50.940 --> 00:53:53.900
example of Christ in his day. He's the prophet,

00:53:54.000 --> 00:53:56.480
the priest, and the king. Who do you think he

00:53:56.480 --> 00:54:01.460
learned it from? Samuel. It was his teacher.

00:54:02.360 --> 00:54:04.380
Samuel was his father, his spiritual father.

00:54:05.699 --> 00:54:07.820
Samuel wasn't an accident. He didn't somehow

00:54:07.820 --> 00:54:09.820
come into this world and God said, oh dear, I've

00:54:09.820 --> 00:54:12.039
got to come up with an idea. No, it was a plan

00:54:12.039 --> 00:54:15.280
when the promise was made. Now God made a promise

00:54:15.280 --> 00:54:18.119
to you as a church. I'm telling you, things are

00:54:18.119 --> 00:54:20.719
in motion. You don't know it. You're just struggling

00:54:20.719 --> 00:54:23.119
with your offerings. You're just hoping it happens.

00:54:23.400 --> 00:54:25.500
You just want people to show up. You don't know

00:54:25.500 --> 00:54:29.199
today how much is already in line, in gear, and

00:54:29.199 --> 00:54:34.699
on its way. Oh, God. Let me give you this thought.

00:54:36.019 --> 00:54:39.139
Whatever is birthed by God has to be given back

00:54:39.139 --> 00:54:43.840
to God. Oh, you stay here until he's weaned.

00:54:44.420 --> 00:54:46.750
At that time, bring him up. She said, I'll bring

00:54:46.750 --> 00:54:48.849
him that he might abide before the Lord forever.

00:54:49.010 --> 00:54:52.050
Whatever is birthed by God has to be given back

00:54:52.050 --> 00:54:58.170
to God. Can I get an amen on that? Do whatever

00:54:58.170 --> 00:55:00.309
pleases you. Only let the word of the Lord be

00:55:00.309 --> 00:55:02.650
confirmed. Let the promise that he made come

00:55:02.650 --> 00:55:08.670
true. I believe that Alcanna and Hannah had a

00:55:08.670 --> 00:55:11.630
word from God. And that promise kept driving

00:55:11.630 --> 00:55:15.960
them back to Shiloh over and over. And over again,

00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:19.179
they made sacrifice. They made the journey. They

00:55:19.179 --> 00:55:21.519
believed God. They prayed. How many times did

00:55:21.519 --> 00:55:23.500
she weep before God? How many times did she put

00:55:23.500 --> 00:55:30.820
up with Paneah? The good thing about adversity,

00:55:30.960 --> 00:55:33.619
now we don't like adversity, I know that. But

00:55:33.619 --> 00:55:35.280
the good thing about adversity is it helps launch

00:55:35.280 --> 00:55:38.880
vision in your life. It'll do one of two things.

00:55:38.960 --> 00:55:40.599
It'll drive you away from the things of God.

00:55:41.119 --> 00:55:44.510
It'll drive you into the things of God. Come

00:55:44.510 --> 00:55:49.010
on, adversity. But it'll push you forward. Your

00:55:49.010 --> 00:55:51.369
reaction to adversity will determine how God's

00:55:51.369 --> 00:55:54.670
going to use you in the future. If you don't

00:55:54.670 --> 00:55:57.730
like it now, all the services are too long. Well,

00:55:57.849 --> 00:55:59.889
I didn't like that word. And you have a problem

00:55:59.889 --> 00:56:07.489
with it? You're driven, but the wrong way. The

00:56:07.489 --> 00:56:09.949
greater the adversity, the greater the rewards.

00:56:12.840 --> 00:56:14.940
The greater the work that you're called to, the

00:56:14.940 --> 00:56:17.380
bigger the giants, the greater your destiny.

00:56:18.039 --> 00:56:22.119
I'm sorry if you don't like giants, but you should

00:56:22.119 --> 00:56:23.780
never pursue anything that doesn't have a giant

00:56:23.780 --> 00:56:29.900
in front of it. You can take down little things.

00:56:30.480 --> 00:56:32.820
You can overcome things you can overcome, but

00:56:32.820 --> 00:56:36.400
giants, you can't always do that. I can't tell

00:56:36.400 --> 00:56:38.659
you how many years it took my wife and I and

00:56:38.659 --> 00:56:40.920
how many times God told us, let's now provide.

00:56:41.630 --> 00:56:43.329
I'll do it. I think God would have supplied years

00:56:43.329 --> 00:56:45.369
and years ago. I just didn't get across that

00:56:45.369 --> 00:56:49.510
line. But I'm across it now. And now he's blessed

00:56:49.510 --> 00:56:51.210
and he's given. And I've got a giant I'm after

00:56:51.210 --> 00:56:56.329
now. The giant is my house. I'm asking God to

00:56:56.329 --> 00:56:58.710
pay this thing off. Now, how he's going to do

00:56:58.710 --> 00:57:02.929
that, I don't know. I don't know. I can't sit

00:57:02.929 --> 00:57:04.510
here and say, well, you can do this and I can

00:57:04.510 --> 00:57:06.510
win that or you can do that. I would love to

00:57:06.510 --> 00:57:07.909
figure it out for him because I can get it done

00:57:07.909 --> 00:57:14.960
quicker. You know what I'm saying. But there's

00:57:14.960 --> 00:57:17.019
a giant, and I'm after him. I want to say, in

00:57:17.019 --> 00:57:19.199
all honesty, there's not a day of my life that

00:57:19.199 --> 00:57:21.639
goes by, not a night that I don't fall into bed,

00:57:21.820 --> 00:57:24.219
that I don't cry out to God, this house belongs

00:57:24.219 --> 00:57:27.460
to me. I waited six or seven months to see a

00:57:27.460 --> 00:57:29.679
new car parked in my garage. I can wait another

00:57:29.679 --> 00:57:31.539
year if I have to, to get the house paid for.

00:57:33.659 --> 00:57:38.320
I'm on a journey. I'm on my way to Shiloh. I

00:57:38.320 --> 00:57:42.539
get frustrated. I get irritated. I don't know

00:57:42.539 --> 00:57:47.800
why God hasn't done it yet. Then I got to come

00:57:47.800 --> 00:57:51.780
back and repent. Lord, you said it. Finger in

00:57:51.780 --> 00:57:54.539
motion. I'm in a good place than you. I've got

00:57:54.539 --> 00:57:57.420
great friends. Adversity. It's going to strengthen

00:57:57.420 --> 00:58:03.019
you. I know. Get done. I'm trying. Let me just

00:58:03.019 --> 00:58:04.559
maybe find another thought here that I want to

00:58:04.559 --> 00:58:14.309
finish with. You know, when Paniah, Paniah, however

00:58:14.309 --> 00:58:17.389
you want to say it, would come against her, she

00:58:17.389 --> 00:58:20.050
would antagonize her, knowing what she was doing.

00:58:20.190 --> 00:58:23.349
She knew what she was doing. Because Hannah didn't

00:58:23.349 --> 00:58:26.369
have any children, her womb was shut up. She

00:58:26.369 --> 00:58:29.150
knew what she was doing. Listen, you've got enemies

00:58:29.150 --> 00:58:30.730
that know what they're doing. You've got people,

00:58:30.869 --> 00:58:32.630
you know, why did you ever start this church?

00:58:32.750 --> 00:58:34.449
You're buying that property. Where are you going

00:58:34.449 --> 00:58:36.090
to get several million dollars? And all these

00:58:36.090 --> 00:58:41.539
things come to antagonize. But God remembered

00:58:41.539 --> 00:58:46.980
Hannah. Not one time do you ever hear about Paniah

00:58:46.980 --> 00:58:51.280
again. She's done right here. She's finished.

00:58:52.320 --> 00:58:54.480
The only thing we know is she was an adversary.

00:58:55.559 --> 00:58:58.059
She had a few children, got a few little gifts.

00:58:58.340 --> 00:59:00.360
But Hannah kept getting the double portion and

00:59:00.360 --> 00:59:07.900
the blessing. I want you to stand with me. We're

00:59:07.900 --> 00:59:12.130
in that place. Of double portion. We're in that

00:59:12.130 --> 00:59:15.909
place of blessing. I just want to honor the house

00:59:15.909 --> 00:59:18.309
and brag on you. Tell you what a good job you're

00:59:18.309 --> 00:59:24.550
doing. I said in early service. So many of you

00:59:24.550 --> 00:59:26.650
here in this church have blessed me. In many

00:59:26.650 --> 00:59:29.570
different ways. Phone calls. Like I said notes.

00:59:30.449 --> 00:59:32.710
A pat on the back. Somebody coming up praying

00:59:32.710 --> 00:59:34.210
for me. Somebody giving me a word. I believe

00:59:34.210 --> 00:59:35.409
the Lord is saying this. I believe the Lord is

00:59:35.409 --> 00:59:38.420
saying that. I don't know if everyone was right

00:59:38.420 --> 00:59:41.119
or not, but I was blessed. I'm living it out.

00:59:43.900 --> 00:59:45.699
When Ron and his wife came up to my house and

00:59:45.699 --> 00:59:49.059
we were struggling trying to get started in our

00:59:49.059 --> 00:59:53.000
501c3, drove all the way to Portland to sit in

00:59:53.000 --> 00:59:56.940
my home and help me. You have covered me. You

00:59:56.940 --> 00:59:59.179
have blessed me. I got a destiny in this house.

01:00:01.980 --> 01:00:03.320
I'll tell you what, if I lived in this area,

01:00:03.440 --> 01:00:06.780
this would be my church. If I loved it as much

01:00:06.780 --> 01:00:10.219
here as I did there, I'd bring everybody I can.

01:00:11.880 --> 01:00:17.679
That's just how I think. I want you to shut your

01:00:17.679 --> 01:00:27.599
eyes with me. I don't know how. Hannah. I don't

01:00:27.599 --> 01:00:29.960
know how she broke the word to her son. After

01:00:29.960 --> 01:00:33.059
he's weaned, he's got to be seven, eight years

01:00:33.059 --> 01:00:36.769
old maybe. Never. How she could say to him, son,

01:00:36.889 --> 01:00:42.349
you are the promise of God. And we're going up

01:00:42.349 --> 01:00:45.650
to Shiloh to worship. But I need to tell you,

01:00:45.690 --> 01:00:51.349
you're not coming home anymore. How does she

01:00:51.349 --> 01:00:54.849
do it? I'm going to leave you there in the presence

01:00:54.849 --> 01:00:58.590
of God. I'm taking you up and dropping you off.

01:00:59.329 --> 01:01:02.610
And you'll stand before the altars. You'll be

01:01:02.610 --> 01:01:05.380
trained by Eli. You'll become a great mentor

01:01:05.380 --> 01:01:08.380
to the king of Israel. She'll never come home

01:01:08.380 --> 01:01:11.280
again. But I'll visit you. I'll come every year.

01:01:11.920 --> 01:01:14.239
I'll bring you new clothes. She had to because

01:01:14.239 --> 01:01:18.619
he kept out growing the old. I want to tell you,

01:01:18.619 --> 01:01:23.639
God made promise to this house. He put a dream

01:01:23.639 --> 01:01:28.820
in the pastor's heart. I know he's been discouraged

01:01:28.820 --> 01:01:30.519
at times. We've talked about it. But he's still

01:01:30.519 --> 01:01:36.920
believing. He's still dreaming. Father, as we

01:01:36.920 --> 01:01:42.019
wind this down now, we thank you for the great

01:01:42.019 --> 01:01:45.800
word that's in our life here today. We're on

01:01:45.800 --> 01:01:50.960
a journey. We believe in you. You've called this

01:01:50.960 --> 01:01:52.739
church. You've called everyone here. Even people

01:01:52.739 --> 01:01:55.340
that are visiting today are called of God. Now,

01:01:55.340 --> 01:01:56.900
they may not be called to this house, but they're

01:01:56.900 --> 01:02:01.239
called of God. They have their own journey. Hopefully,

01:02:01.320 --> 01:02:03.440
this word is in them, but to the house, especially

01:02:03.440 --> 01:02:06.940
today, I pray. The discouragements that want

01:02:06.940 --> 01:02:09.800
to come and take us out of doing the purpose

01:02:09.800 --> 01:02:14.639
of God. The money's not there. Somebody's left.

01:02:15.400 --> 01:02:18.579
Talk's going on. People are whispering. It always

01:02:18.579 --> 01:02:20.639
happens at a time like this. How the enemy works,

01:02:20.699 --> 01:02:26.940
how it works. But we believe you. I think maybe,

01:02:27.039 --> 01:02:30.960
and I'll close with this. What Canada might have

01:02:30.960 --> 01:02:34.880
said to Hannah. Listen, I know it's been hard,

01:02:34.980 --> 01:02:40.039
Hannah. I know Paniah has been an adversary to

01:02:40.039 --> 01:02:44.059
you. I know that she has struggled and said things

01:02:44.059 --> 01:02:46.940
to you and about you. But I want to tell you

01:02:46.940 --> 01:02:48.860
something, Hannah. I still believe the word of

01:02:48.860 --> 01:02:53.000
God in you. I believe it so much, I'm going to

01:02:53.000 --> 01:02:54.739
give you a double portion. My money is on the

01:02:54.739 --> 01:02:58.579
word. We got a son. He's not here yet, but he's

01:02:58.579 --> 01:03:02.679
coming. I'm sorry about the adversities. I'm

01:03:02.679 --> 01:03:04.159
sorry about the stroke, but Hannah, I believe

01:03:04.159 --> 01:03:10.139
God. Life Bible, I believe God. Come on, I believe

01:03:10.139 --> 01:03:16.519
God. Every negative word, every hill we had to

01:03:16.519 --> 01:03:22.860
climb, I believe God. If you're part of this

01:03:22.860 --> 01:03:25.099
house today and you're committed to this place,

01:03:25.320 --> 01:03:27.559
I just want you to lift your hands and by doing

01:03:27.559 --> 01:03:29.400
so say, listen, I'm giving everything I have.

01:03:30.440 --> 01:03:34.320
I'm giving my time. I've given my prayers. Listen,

01:03:34.380 --> 01:03:37.199
I've got vision here. I've got promise. I've

01:03:37.199 --> 01:03:39.659
given my offerings. I don't know that God's going

01:03:39.659 --> 01:03:41.679
to ask you to give double. I only say that because

01:03:41.679 --> 01:03:44.900
I'm preaching. It sounds good. I don't know what

01:03:44.900 --> 01:03:46.539
God's going to ask you to do. It might be triple.

01:03:47.260 --> 01:03:51.039
No. It might be more than you can imagine. But

01:03:51.039 --> 01:03:52.519
he wouldn't ask you to do anything. He wouldn't

01:03:52.519 --> 01:03:57.840
give back to you. I'm living proof of that. When

01:03:57.840 --> 01:04:00.920
you learn how to sow right. Now, Lord, with our

01:04:00.920 --> 01:04:04.800
hands lifted up. We are committed to you. I love

01:04:04.800 --> 01:04:09.880
this church. I love my friends. I love the pastors,

01:04:09.960 --> 01:04:11.539
oh God. Give them rest while they're out today.

01:04:11.760 --> 01:04:13.900
I know they're busy in another church right now

01:04:13.900 --> 01:04:16.059
with some issues, but God, I just pray that you'll

01:04:16.059 --> 01:04:19.599
put blessing on them. Keep him encouraged in

01:04:19.599 --> 01:04:22.079
his heart. Let him continue to see what we can't

01:04:22.079 --> 01:04:24.139
see, but he's our leader. He's got to see beyond.

01:04:26.900 --> 01:04:29.340
It's on its way. Come on, say, it's on its way.

01:04:30.199 --> 01:04:33.300
It's on its way. The promise of God. It's on

01:04:33.300 --> 01:04:44.900
its way. Okay, I love you. Bless you. Amen. Thank

01:04:44.900 --> 01:04:48.219
you, Bob. The promises of God, amen. Let's love

01:04:48.219 --> 01:04:49.880
on somebody today. We've got a great family.

01:04:49.900 --> 01:04:51.579
I really want to encourage you to be here tonight,

01:04:51.739 --> 01:04:54.300
6 o 'clock, for Life United. There was such an

01:04:54.300 --> 01:04:57.059
amazing presence last time. I know that God's

01:04:57.059 --> 01:04:58.949
going to touch you. If you need a healing. Or

01:04:58.949 --> 01:05:01.309
you need to be set free, be here tonight as well.

01:05:01.369 --> 01:05:02.710
We're going to be praying for people afterwards.

01:05:02.949 --> 01:05:05.610
I'm excited to see God move tonight. Amen. God

01:05:05.610 --> 01:05:14.829
bless you. Have a wonderful afternoon. If you

01:05:14.829 --> 01:05:17.590
are interested in hearing other podcasts or contacting

01:05:17.590 --> 01:05:21.409
Life Bible Church, go to www .lifebiblechurch

01:05:21.409 --> 01:05:26.190
.org or call us at 541 -995 -8282.