I Have A Testimony - Part 2

Speaker: Roxford. Hands up high.

Speaker: Rock slide.

Speaker: Lift that crying.

Speaker: Roxford.

Speaker: Lift that cry.

Speaker: Roxford.

Speaker: Lift that cry.

Speaker: Parking lot packed.

Speaker: You can feel that pulse.

Speaker: Door swing wide like a rush of thunder.

Speaker: Every seat.

Speaker: Shakin from the ground on up.

Speaker: Hearts on fire.

Speaker: As the rafters rumble.

Speaker: Rockford rise.

Speaker: We go higher, higher, higher.

Speaker: Hey, hey!

Speaker: Rocks!

Speaker: Rise.

Speaker: Every break could turn to power.

Speaker: From the front row to the back pew.

Speaker: Lord, we shout one name.

Speaker: Rockford.

Speaker: Rock.

Speaker: Rock!

Speaker: Well, good morning, Roxford Church.

Speaker: And if you're watching this, well, there's a good chance we

Speaker: are not in church this morning.

Speaker: And thank God for David and his technology.

Speaker: We were able to come up Saturday

Speaker: afternoon before the snow came

Speaker: and record.

Speaker: So at least you're getting a service.

Speaker: Again, prayers to you.

Speaker: Keep safe.

Speaker: But as always, we want to make sure our people are safe.

Speaker: And with this storm coming, we want to be prepared.

Speaker: But again, welcome one and all.

Speaker: We are so glad that you are

Speaker: joining us here this cold,

Speaker: wintry morning.

Speaker: Hopefully you've had a good week and hopefully you've walked with

Speaker: Jesus this week.

Speaker: But before we do anything else, let us open with prayer.

Speaker: Well, Heavenly Father, we come

Speaker: to you now, Lord, and we give

Speaker: you thanks.

Speaker: Thanks for another week, opportunities, blessings.

Speaker: And now today, Lord, as we sit in our homes watching the snow

Speaker: fall, I just ask for safety over all the people.

Speaker: Keep them safe.

Speaker: Keep them warm.

Speaker: Be with the crews who are out working the roads.

Speaker: Lord to keep the roads safe, plowed, salted.

Speaker: Be with our first responders as well as they are out there to

Speaker: and for our truck drivers.

Speaker: Because if you think about it, Lord, our nation moves.

Speaker: We have our products because of the truck drivers.

Speaker: So Lord be with all of those out

Speaker: on the road today, tonight,

Speaker: tomorrow.

Speaker: But most of all, Lord, we thank you for the opportunity to

Speaker: praise you, to love you.

Speaker: And Lord, I pray.

Speaker: I ask that people sitting in their homes today, they've got

Speaker: that joy in their heart.

Speaker: We invite you here today for the Holy Spirit just to run, to run

Speaker: through me, to run through the people listening in to have an

Speaker: effect on each person's life.

Speaker: Lord, we just thank you in your precious name.

Speaker: Amen.

Speaker: As I said in our prayer, did you walk with Jesus this week?

Speaker: Well, if you stumbled, if you fell, guess what?

Speaker: We've got a new day.

Speaker: We got a new week coming up.

Speaker: So maybe, just maybe, including myself, we can do a better job.

Speaker: True, we can always do a better

Speaker: job in serving, following,

Speaker: loving Jesus as well as loving

Speaker: our neighbors.

Speaker: Now, normally this is where I

Speaker: tell everybody to share their

Speaker: love.

Speaker: So if you're sitting there this morning watching or afternoon

Speaker: whenever you're watching this, if somebody in the home, I want

Speaker: you right now to go up to him and say, hey, I love you.

Speaker: Give him a hug.

Speaker: And if nothing else, if you're sitting there alone, I'm coming

Speaker: to you, coming to you and saying, I love you.

Speaker: Good morning.

Speaker: Now, our thought for today.

Speaker: Your testimony begins the moment you demonstrate livable truth.

Speaker: Again, your testimony begins the

Speaker: moment you demonstrate livable

Speaker: truth.

Speaker: Now, do you have any testimonies?

Speaker: Now, you could sit there and I hope you say.

Speaker: Yeah, brother Jim, I got a few.

Speaker: I'm going to give you one.

Speaker: For anybody that has gas, Heating gas on a well on a farm.

Speaker: You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Speaker: This time of the year is pretty hard.

Speaker: So I have a praise.

Speaker: We've got a great guest guy, Chuck Baker.

Speaker: God bless you, Chuck.

Speaker: He was out twice or excuse me this week taking care of our

Speaker: pump in the back.

Speaker: And again every time I call he is there.

Speaker: So again it's those little things so thankful for.

Speaker: And the best part is Chuck is a believer in Jesus.

Speaker: So it's like a brother helping out a brother.

Speaker: So there's one praise there to get us going.

Speaker: Hopefully shout out, don't be embarrassed.

Speaker: Shout out, give your testimony because God's listening.

Speaker: Alright, looking at our announcements.

Speaker: Let me read them off to you.

Speaker: If we're not having church, we won't be having Bible study.

Speaker: So I'm going to say no Bible

Speaker: study tonight as well as

Speaker: Basketball Monday, volleyball

Speaker: Tuesday.

Speaker: Those are up in the air.

Speaker: We will do an all call to let you know if they are canceled

Speaker: again, kind of seeing what the weather's going through.

Speaker: Wednesday night, evening service.

Speaker: Hopefully we'll be here.

Speaker: So come join us.

Speaker: That's at six thirty Wednesday night.

Speaker: Now Thursday night, all you.

Speaker: Yeah, baby people out there and I could hear Barb and Jim Hart

Speaker: right now going, whoop, whoop.

Speaker: Yes!

Speaker: Yeah, baby.

Speaker: This Thursday night, five thirty at El Sands.

Speaker: If you have an opportunity,

Speaker: please let Barb Hersey or

Speaker: Theresa Horne know if you're

Speaker: coming.

Speaker: That way, they can make the appropriate requests for the

Speaker: number of tables chairs that will be needed again.

Speaker: Yeah, baby.

Speaker: This Thursday.

Speaker: Now in the back I've had two sign up sheets.

Speaker: We're going to do it one more Sunday.

Speaker: One for music groups, local groups.

Speaker: If you think we could get write them down in the back there.

Speaker: We'd love to get some worship music going in here.

Speaker: Special guest.

Speaker: And again last week we'll be

Speaker: starting membership classes in

Speaker: February.

Speaker: So if you want to become a member of Rockford Church, here

Speaker: is your opportunity.

Speaker: We'll be doing two classes.

Speaker: Two, only two in February, right

Speaker: after Sunday school to get this

Speaker: done.

Speaker: Upcoming events February eighth.

Speaker: That's a Sunday right after

Speaker: Sunday school class education

Speaker: meeting.

Speaker: So if you're on education,

Speaker: there'll be a meeting right

Speaker: after Sunday school on February

Speaker: eighth.

Speaker: Safety team has a meeting Thursday or excuse me, Thursday,

Speaker: February fifth at six thirty.

Speaker: So mark your calendars if you're on the safety team now.

Speaker: Before you know it, lent season will begin and we are with the

Speaker: Twin City Pastoral Association that kicks off Ash Wednesday,

Speaker: which is February eighteenth, so we're not that far out.

Speaker: Those will be conducted on a Wednesday night.

Speaker: Services will be at seven o'clock.

Speaker: The first one is down at, uh,

Speaker: Yorkville First Methodist

Speaker: Church.

Speaker: That's Pastor Cary's church.

Speaker: We've been down there before.

Speaker: That will be Ash Wednesday now.

Speaker: Brother Jim will be preaching

Speaker: March eighteenth over at the

Speaker: Organic church.

Speaker: That's on the backside there, going to Claremont High School.

Speaker: Uh, that one church there on the right.

Speaker: So I'll be down there the eighteenth, and then the

Speaker: following week, March twenty fifth, Rockford Church will be

Speaker: hosting the service.

Speaker: So you're getting a prior notice.

Speaker: We have lists.

Speaker: It's in the bulletin.

Speaker: Two of what's coming up.

Speaker: Would love to see a strong

Speaker: attendance of Rockford church

Speaker: people there.

Speaker: Usually we're up there.

Speaker: But again, what do you got going on on Wednesday night?

Speaker: If you can make it, you ought to be there, my friends.

Speaker: You need to be there.

Speaker: So mark it down.

Speaker: But especially come support your pastor.

Speaker: Come support your church when we host it.

Speaker: Come all Wednesdays for the Lenten service.

Speaker: What do you got to lose?

Speaker: Alright.

Speaker: And just to keep everybody updated as well.

Speaker: Fridays.

Speaker: Just in case you don't know, the office is closed, so no one's in

Speaker: here on Friday.

Speaker: That is my technical technically day off.

Speaker: So again, no. But if you wonder

Speaker: why you're not getting anybody

Speaker: on Friday, that's why the office

Speaker: is closed.

Speaker: Also, just to keep the church

Speaker: informed Tuesday evening,

Speaker: starting from four, I will be in

Speaker: mentoring groups and then I have

Speaker: class.

Speaker: So from four to basically ten

Speaker: thirty that night I am out of

Speaker: commission.

Speaker: Leave me a voicemail, text me.

Speaker: I will get back to you.

Speaker: It's not that I'm avoiding you, but gotta get this done alright?

Speaker: And hopefully next Sunday we'll be together.

Speaker: If there's any other announcements that need to be

Speaker: shared, you can share them.

Speaker: Alright, a little bit of Sunday humor here.

Speaker: I have to, I have to have a raise, the man said to his boss.

Speaker: There are three other companies after me.

Speaker: Is that so?

Speaker: Asked the manager.

Speaker: What other companies are after you?

Speaker: The electric company?

Speaker: The telephone company and the gas company.

Speaker: Ha ha!

Speaker: Boy, ain't that the truth?

Speaker: Sometimes.

Speaker: Geez.

Speaker: The prices keep going up.

Speaker: But we shall get through it.

Speaker: Alright.

Speaker: Our sharing of concerns.

Speaker: Allow me to read here on the back.

Speaker: Our church, its ministry and our mission.

Speaker: President Trump, our leaders of

Speaker: our country, our leaders of our

Speaker: state.

Speaker: Local leaders.

Speaker: They need our prayers.

Speaker: Are you doing your part?

Speaker: Teresa Horne prayers for answering from our upcoming test

Speaker: this week we have unspoken.

Speaker: Lost some are the matzo family

Speaker: as they deal with the loss of

Speaker: Janus.

Speaker: So please keep the matzo family

Speaker: in prayer as well as the McCain

Speaker: family.

Speaker: I have no doubt there are others that need our prayers.

Speaker: Maybe, you know, maybe it's you.

Speaker: But let me tell you right now, you're not alone.

Speaker: You are not alone, my friends.

Speaker: Twenty twenty six I ask you, I

Speaker: beg you, let us come together

Speaker: and pray.

Speaker: I'm really asking you.

Speaker: Get your backsides in there before church instead of out

Speaker: here gossiping and carrying on.

Speaker: Why aren't you praying in the chapel?

Speaker: Including myself?

Speaker: Now I try to, but sometimes you get drawn away.

Speaker: You got to take care of business.

Speaker: But again, give me one good reason why you can't get here a

Speaker: little bit early.

Speaker: Go in that chapel and pray.

Speaker: Pray for our church.

Speaker: Pray for the ones who are hurting.

Speaker: Pray for your pastor.

Speaker: Pray for the service.

Speaker: Pray for Lynn and David.

Speaker: Pray for Mr. David up there who

Speaker: does a tremendous job of keeping

Speaker: this place afloat when it comes

Speaker: to technology.

Speaker: Again, are you praying you can

Speaker: get together after church and

Speaker: laugh?

Speaker: Go have lunch.

Speaker: I encourage that, get together, share what's going on.

Speaker: But before church, why can't we pray?

Speaker: And I'm not talking twenty minutes.

Speaker: I'm just saying come in five minutes.

Speaker: Pray.

Speaker: I would love to see some people in there next Sunday.

Speaker: Wouldn't it be great if that chapel over there was filled

Speaker: with people praying?

Speaker: We need prayer.

Speaker: Our church needs prayer.

Speaker: Your pastor needs prayer.

Speaker: Our families need prayer.

Speaker: Our country needs prayer.

Speaker: Our children needs prayer.

Speaker: Our schools need prayer.

Speaker: So what are you going to do about it?

Speaker: What am I going to do about it?

Speaker: Let's pray.

Speaker: Heavenly father, we come to you now, Lord and Lord.

Speaker: I'm feeling the spirit today right here.

Speaker: And I pray the people tuning in here at Rockford Church can feel

Speaker: it, can see it.

Speaker: They are feeling a movement, the Holy Spirit coming down on them.

Speaker: Lord, this church is moving.

Speaker: This church church is coming alive more and more.

Speaker: But again, we can't stand idle.

Speaker: We can't pat ourselves on the back and say, hey, we're doing a

Speaker: pretty good job.

Speaker: Let's take a break.

Speaker: No, we need to go forward.

Speaker: We need to stand up.

Speaker: We need to get on our knees when it's time, get on our knees, bow

Speaker: our heads and pray.

Speaker: Too many excuses anymore.

Speaker: And I'm talking about me first, Lord.

Speaker: Too many excuses.

Speaker: We come up with that.

Speaker: We neglect our time with you.

Speaker: Satan uses time against us so we cannot come to you.

Speaker: We need to open our eyes and see

Speaker: the tactics that are being

Speaker: employed upon us, upon the

Speaker: church.

Speaker: Our church is under attack.

Speaker: There are people here that need you in the most desperate way.

Speaker: They're hanging on.

Speaker: They're clinging on.

Speaker: They need you, Lord, I need you.

Speaker: We need you.

Speaker: This country need you.

Speaker: Our families, our churches.

Speaker: Again.

Speaker: We need revival in America.

Speaker: Lord, I come to you lifting up

Speaker: the people that I've mentioned,

Speaker: the people that were not

Speaker: mentioned.

Speaker: You know, each situation.

Speaker: We turn them over to you.

Speaker: We turn their situations over to you, Lord.

Speaker: We can pray, we can assist, we can be there by them.

Speaker: But at the end of the day, the best thing we can do is pray,

Speaker: pray and pray some more.

Speaker: But yet also let us get out of

Speaker: our little comfy seats, get off

Speaker: the phones, get off our reels,

Speaker: and maybe pick up the phone and

Speaker: call them.

Speaker: Maybe send them a card, a letter.

Speaker: Better yet, maybe stop by and see them.

Speaker: I was so moved the other day.

Speaker: Lord, I had a lady here.

Speaker: I was out visiting, and she told

Speaker: me that one of the members that

Speaker: she didn't even know, stop by,

Speaker: plowed off her snow on her

Speaker: sidewalk and brought potato

Speaker: soup.

Speaker: Lord.

Speaker: That's the kind of love we need in this world.

Speaker: That's the kind of church.

Speaker: And Lord, I know there are many others here at Rockford who are

Speaker: doing just that, but just think it can become contagious.

Speaker: It can be like a snowball.

Speaker: Keep rolling and rolling.

Speaker: The more good deeds we do.

Speaker: And again, it's not about our good deeds.

Speaker: It's about serving you.

Speaker: Not looking for a pat on the back, not looking for our

Speaker: employee of the month award.

Speaker: No. We are doing what we are commanded to do.

Speaker: Doing what we're called to do.

Speaker: So again, Lord, we come to you,

Speaker: heads bowed, crying out with

Speaker: joy, with praise, but also

Speaker: sorrow for the ones who are

Speaker: hurting.

Speaker: What can we do to help?

Speaker: And Lord, I'm turning it over to you.

Speaker: Be with them.

Speaker: And again, Lord, be with my congregation, my family.

Speaker: Keep them safe as the snow comes.

Speaker: Lord, we pray for the homeless, for the elderly.

Speaker: Lord.

Speaker: Last night as I went out to my

Speaker: truck, it was one degree and I

Speaker: couldn't help but think in my

Speaker: heart sunk.

Speaker: How many people are living out on the streets right now?

Speaker: How many people have no place to go?

Speaker: Lord, I thank you for what I have.

Speaker: We, the church, thank you for what we have.

Speaker: But again, Lord, I ask conviction upon our hearts.

Speaker: Lead us, guide us to where we

Speaker: can make a difference in

Speaker: someone's life.

Speaker: Lord, I just invite your spirit here.

Speaker: Guide us, direct us, and we're going to give you all the praise

Speaker: and all the glory in your name.

Speaker: Amen.

Speaker: Before we start our.

Speaker: Service here.

Speaker: Here on our bulletin.

Speaker: The thought of the day.

Speaker: God does not call the qualified.

Speaker: He qualifies the called.

Speaker: Whole lot of truth in that.

Speaker: Brothers and sisters.

Speaker: Our thought of the week.

Speaker: Your life is not an accident.

Speaker: It is part of God's design.

Speaker: You you you you you, me.

Speaker: We are all part of God's design.

Speaker: And the question of the week.

Speaker: Are you my friend, being

Speaker: qualified in your life at this

Speaker: moment?

Speaker: Mm. I think that's a pretty good question.

Speaker: Are you allowing God to qualify you?

Speaker: Basically, are you open as your little sign on your door open or

Speaker: does it say closed?

Speaker: And are you willing to let God qualify you warts and all?

Speaker: Think about it.

Speaker: Before we start, I have a reading here that just kind of

Speaker: goes along with my testimony called A Reading on God's Plan.

Speaker: There are moments when life feels uncertain, when the path

Speaker: all ahead seems unclear, and your steps feel hesitant.

Speaker: In those moments, remember this

Speaker: God's plan for your life is not

Speaker: hurried, careless, or

Speaker: incomplete.

Speaker: It is shaped with intention.

Speaker: It is shaped with love and deep understanding of who you are.

Speaker: God sees the whole picture.

Speaker: Think about that.

Speaker: God sees the whole picture.

Speaker: When you can only see the next

Speaker: step, what feels like the day is

Speaker: often preparation.

Speaker: What feels like a closed door may be protection.

Speaker: Even the seasons of struggle are not wasted.

Speaker: They are places where strength is formed, wisdom is grown, and

Speaker: faith is deepened.

Speaker: You are not expected to have everything figured out.

Speaker: No no no. God's plan unfolds in time, often one small act of

Speaker: trust at a time.

Speaker: Your role is not to control the

Speaker: outcome, but to remain open,

Speaker: faithful, and willing to move

Speaker: forward even when the way is

Speaker: unclear.

Speaker: Remember, God's plan is just not about where you are going, but

Speaker: who who you are becoming.

Speaker: You and I are being shaped into

Speaker: someone capable of love, capable

Speaker: of courage, capable of

Speaker: compassion, and capable of

Speaker: purpose.

Speaker: Nothing in your life.

Speaker: No joy, no sorrow, no waiting is outside of God's care.

Speaker: Rest in this truth.

Speaker: You are known.

Speaker: You are guided.

Speaker: And you are never, never, never walking alone.

Speaker: Amen.

Speaker: Last week.

Speaker: I opened up with my testimony two weeks ago.

Speaker: We talked about what a testimony

Speaker: is, how vital, how important it

Speaker: is.

Speaker: It can be in someone's life, especially for those around us,

Speaker: because you never know when someone is hurting.

Speaker: Someone needs to hear that there is hope.

Speaker: My friends.

Speaker: That Jesus is with you and how

Speaker: powerful, how moving a testimony

Speaker: can be.

Speaker: And I've got a praise right there.

Speaker: After last week, I was

Speaker: overwhelmed with the number of

Speaker: people who came up and said,

Speaker: especially men, brother, I've

Speaker: been there.

Speaker: I know what you're talking about.

Speaker: And that is what makes a testimony that you are being

Speaker: relatable to people.

Speaker: And again, pastors today, and

Speaker: this is Brother Jim's personal

Speaker: opinion.

Speaker: You need to meet the people where they're at.

Speaker: Standing up here all high and mighty righteous.

Speaker: What are you doing?

Speaker: I want to be down there with you in the ditch in the chaos.

Speaker: Because I've been there.

Speaker: And, brother, I'm still there at times.

Speaker: But I got Jesus.

Speaker: And I know without a shadow of a doubt.

Speaker: Jesus wants me there with you.

Speaker: Offering hope, offering peace,

Speaker: offering all the things that

Speaker: Jesus offers.

Speaker: But he's using me.

Speaker: He's using you.

Speaker: That's the great thing.

Speaker: It's not about me.

Speaker: I am an instrument.

Speaker: You are an instrument.

Speaker: We are a tool for Jesus, for the Kingdom.

Speaker: The power of a testimony.

Speaker: The last week I ended with Matthew eleven twenty eight.

Speaker: Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will

Speaker: give you rest.

Speaker: Now, I would encourage you, if you did not watch last week, go

Speaker: back and watch it, because it all tells a story sequences, and

Speaker: you gotta start with the bad to get to the good.

Speaker: And this is what a broken man

Speaker: who is speaking to you now

Speaker: needed.

Speaker: He needed that rest because he was broken.

Speaker: Last Sunday morning I spoke of a

Speaker: flame that burned so intense, so

Speaker: bright.

Speaker: Here inside my heart.

Speaker: An inferno of hate and misery

Speaker: towards life and anyone,

Speaker: especially God.

Speaker: And one day it happened.

Speaker: The flame that I had known oh so

Speaker: well and loved and kept me warm

Speaker: at night.

Speaker: When I was all alone.

Speaker: When the darkness came and the

Speaker: demons came to play right here,

Speaker: my friends.

Speaker: You ever have that an idle mind is the devil's playground.

Speaker: And especially at night when you're all alone.

Speaker: Oh my goodness.

Speaker: Satan attacked.

Speaker: He attacked, he attacked.

Speaker: You attacked my mind.

Speaker: He attacked my soul.

Speaker: And in my own warped thinking, that flame kept me safe.

Speaker: That is what I wanted to believe, at least.

Speaker: Even though I knew deep down it was wrong.

Speaker: But this flame, it went away.

Speaker: Boom.

Speaker: Like that.

Speaker: No warning, no nothing.

Speaker: I was sitting there in my vehicle at the red light right

Speaker: there by Ernie's Bike store there in New Philly.

Speaker: That red light there waiting for

Speaker: the light to change on a Monday

Speaker: evening.

Speaker: And I was on my way down to the wire to go live.

Speaker: Big Monday, heavy weights, getting all psyched up.

Speaker: Had the music, the metal

Speaker: playing, you know, Godsmack,

Speaker: Metallica, whatever.

Speaker: I could get to get me going.

Speaker: Get me ready.

Speaker: I was on the way to visit my whole world, next to my children

Speaker: and my mama.

Speaker: And my grandma.

Speaker: The iron at the gym.

Speaker: And as I said last week, the iron was my friend.

Speaker: Almost my God in a certain way, because the iron never hurt me

Speaker: or let me down.

Speaker: It was faithful.

Speaker: It was true.

Speaker: Now you might be thinking, I'm off a little bit, but no, I'm

Speaker: telling you for real.

Speaker: It is amazing what people turn to when they are broken.

Speaker: When they are hurt, they're

Speaker: looking for something safe and

Speaker: working out.

Speaker: Gave me that release.

Speaker: Again.

Speaker: It never hurt me.

Speaker: It never let me down.

Speaker: But then, poof, that flame was gone.

Speaker: And as I sat there with the

Speaker: music blaring, get myself all

Speaker: psyched up.

Speaker: The hate, the anger that I know knew oh so well was gone.

Speaker: I drove to the why?

Speaker: I'm sitting there in the YMCA

Speaker: parking lot, sobbing like a

Speaker: widow who had just lost their

Speaker: spouse.

Speaker: Literally sobbing because I did not know what to do next.

Speaker: Imagine my friends crying over losing this hate and anger.

Speaker: It's messed up, isn't it?

Speaker: And yes, I was messed up.

Speaker: And I started playing every song that I could think of.

Speaker: Reliving things in my mind.

Speaker: Poking the fire, if you will.

Speaker: Trying to get it going.

Speaker: To get that flame back with no luck.

Speaker: I panicked.

Speaker: I freaked out.

Speaker: Again, I didn't know what to do.

Speaker: I was broken again.

Speaker: What I knew was mine and was taken from me again.

Speaker: Are you serious?

Speaker: Well, looking back, I can say this.

Speaker: I needed God, and I needed

Speaker: someone to love and someone to

Speaker: love me.

Speaker: That flame that I oh so loved.

Speaker: It lied to me.

Speaker: Did you hear that, my friends?

Speaker: It lied to me.

Speaker: You want some proof?

Speaker: I'll give you some proof.

Speaker: My former mother in law and I

Speaker: hate to say former ex, Betty

Speaker: Scott.

Speaker: God loving woman.

Speaker: She sent me a card while we were going through the divorce, so

Speaker: it's been quite a few years now.

Speaker: I still have this card because it meant the world to me.

Speaker: Because even through the darkness, anger and chaos that

Speaker: our family was going through, Betty stepped up and showed me

Speaker: love as a Christian.

Speaker: Now, this card basically said A man will face no, no greater

Speaker: darkness in their life is the man who walks away from God and

Speaker: His life after knowing God.

Speaker: Now think about that.

Speaker: Brothers and sisters, there is so much truth in that because I

Speaker: was walking with God.

Speaker: But then I walked away from God.

Speaker: And you want to talk about darkness?

Speaker: You want to talk about darkness, because once you see the light,

Speaker: it changes you.

Speaker: But again, sin comes into play

Speaker: and can pull you away if you

Speaker: allow it.

Speaker: Satan to me.

Speaker: Imagine that church.

Speaker: Satan lied to me.

Speaker: It took, it took some time to sort things out, starting over

Speaker: again with nothing a big.

Speaker: But this is what I had a big fat zero on the spiritual side.

Speaker: I had pushed God away.

Speaker: And then now I lost the hate and

Speaker: anger from Satan, a two time

Speaker: loser brother Jim in my own

Speaker: mind.

Speaker: But oh thank you Lord, he was not done with me.

Speaker: Ephesians two ten for we are his workmanship, created in Christ

Speaker: Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we

Speaker: should walk in them.

Speaker: Now, at the end of last week, I kind of left a cliffhanger.

Speaker: I brought up a young lady's name and how I decided to get my kids

Speaker: back in church.

Speaker: What did I have to lose now as a father again?

Speaker: As I talked how God had put me on a leash and let me go.

Speaker: So far, that's how I look at it.

Speaker: He let me go so far.

Speaker: And then he started gently pulling back me back.

Speaker: And here was another little tug,

Speaker: you see, because after I lost

Speaker: everything here twice, now

Speaker: another tug.

Speaker: Now at least I can get my kids in church.

Speaker: What hurts?

Speaker: What?

Speaker: What's it going to do?

Speaker: Maybe some good at the very minimum for my girls.

Speaker: So there I was, first Sunday back here in Rockford Church.

Speaker: For years it had been years with my three girls listening to

Speaker: pastor Bob Mathias.

Speaker: Now, to add a little oddity to all, this Rockford church is

Speaker: where I had married the girls mom under Pastor Mooney.

Speaker: You cannot tell me God does not

Speaker: have a sense of humor, because

Speaker: how many pastors can say, and I

Speaker: got the okay from Carrie to say

Speaker: this.

Speaker: How many pastors can say they've

Speaker: been married twice in the same

Speaker: church and now are pastoring the

Speaker: church?

Speaker: You gotta.

Speaker: God's got a sense of humor there.

Speaker: But yeah, here I was coming back.

Speaker: The girls and I were sitting right back here in the same pew,

Speaker: with a young lady and her whole family that I had a date with

Speaker: that Sunday night.

Speaker: A very young Kerry Marston.

Speaker: And again, there was some gentle tugging from God.

Speaker: It as if God was saying, Jim, it is okay to be here.

Speaker: It is okay to trust again.

Speaker: And it's okay to open up your heart to love again.

Speaker: Now Romans fifteen thirteen now many now may the God of hope

Speaker: fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound

Speaker: in hope, abound in hope.

Speaker: My friends, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Speaker: Now, of course, the question that was presented to myself,

Speaker: was it easy to convince?

Speaker: charm.

Speaker: This beautiful woman who was,

Speaker: yes, ten and a half years

Speaker: younger than me, to give me a

Speaker: shot.

Speaker: Now, of course, with all these

Speaker: good looks and charm, I'm sure I

Speaker: could.

Speaker: A little sarcasm there, my friends.

Speaker: Let's be honest, though, this morning.

Speaker: What could this loser.

Speaker: That's what I looked at myself back then.

Speaker: What could this loser offer her?

Speaker: A financially broke, divorced man with three young daughters.

Speaker: And starting over.

Speaker: Starting over all again.

Speaker: You've been there before, any of you?

Speaker: I know a few of you have.

Speaker: It's a rough road.

Speaker: Starting all over again.

Speaker: Starting over in faith.

Speaker: Starting over in trust.

Speaker: Starting over in love.

Speaker: Still very weary of God and still very weary of the church.

Speaker: Church people.

Speaker: Christians, I might add.

Speaker: Not a whole lot to offer a young teacher who had never been

Speaker: married before and was not a mom, but and Bob Armstrong, if

Speaker: you were here, I'd be pointing to you right now.

Speaker: That's where that big old butt came into play.

Speaker: God had a plan and God knew what he was doing.

Speaker: Imagine that God has a plan and he knows what he's doing.

Speaker: He wants what's best for you.

Speaker: And I thank God for that.

Speaker: For the first time in a very

Speaker: long time in my life, Jim

Speaker: Manbeck just might have some

Speaker: hope.

Speaker: Say that with me, my friends.

Speaker: Hope in this life.

Speaker: So it began the courtship.

Speaker: Plenty of ups and downs.

Speaker: But in the end, it was meant to be.

Speaker: Proverbs three five six trust in

Speaker: the Lord with all your heart,

Speaker: and lean not unto your own

Speaker: understanding.

Speaker: In all your ways acknowledge him

Speaker: and he he shall direct your

Speaker: paths.

Speaker: And at the end, we became each other's lobsters.

Speaker: I love you, Carrie Manbeck.

Speaker: August eight, two thousand and nine.

Speaker: We became husband and wife right

Speaker: here in Rockford Church under

Speaker: Pastor Ron, a family and yes,

Speaker: God.

Speaker: And the church became a little bit more important in life.

Speaker: My life, but still not that important.

Speaker: How easy it is to fall into bad habits when it comes to serving

Speaker: God and coming to church?

Speaker: Oh church, how easy one forgets

Speaker: what God has done for you in

Speaker: your life.

Speaker: Ever happen to you?

Speaker: My friends?

Speaker: God answers your prayers and the

Speaker: first thing you do, you ghost

Speaker: him.

Speaker: So many times.

Speaker: Jim was the last one here on a Sunday morning walk in and buddy

Speaker: the first one out the door.

Speaker: Very simple for me.

Speaker: Trusting God one hundred percent.

Speaker: Big question mark.

Speaker: Now.

Speaker: Not all was bad.

Speaker: Marriage was good.

Speaker: Being loved, showing love.

Speaker: And our family was blessed.

Speaker: On December seventeenth, twenty

Speaker: twelve with a beautiful baby

Speaker: girl, Eliana.

Speaker: Noelle Manbeck.

Speaker: And again, what a blessing from God.

Speaker: Just another yank on that cord.

Speaker: And now, oh my goodness, four

Speaker: girls to a daddy or daddy to

Speaker: four girls.

Speaker: Life goes on.

Speaker: But unfortunately, heartache

Speaker: struck our family in twenty

Speaker: thirteen.

Speaker: My grandma, the girls Nana passed on to be with Jesus.

Speaker: Now, why is that important in

Speaker: this testimony sequence of

Speaker: events, my friends in one's

Speaker: life.

Speaker: How God puts everything into play.

Speaker: Divine intervention my friends.

Speaker: I would not waste your time this morning with this testimony if I

Speaker: was telling you a story just to tell you a story, to say, look

Speaker: at me, look at me.

Speaker: No, I want you to hear my words

Speaker: because there is glory to God in

Speaker: everything.

Speaker: And again, relatability, because many people I have encountered

Speaker: in life, they have been through hell and back.

Speaker: Remember how I said last week, you come back to the flock, but

Speaker: you still got your scars.

Speaker: You got your memories, you got your experiences and how vital

Speaker: that is in ministry and how vital that is in life.

Speaker: There is a reason for this testimony.

Speaker: God will and can move mountains in your life.

Speaker: There is hope and Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Speaker: Jesus did it for me and by

Speaker: golly, Jesus can and will do it

Speaker: for you.

Speaker: My second favorite verse, John three seventeen For God did not

Speaker: send his son into the world to condemn the world.

Speaker: No, no, no, but that the world through him might be saved.

Speaker: And last week, when I spoke of

Speaker: my grandma, being that she was

Speaker: the prayer warrior in our

Speaker: family, like many of you are, or

Speaker: you grew up with grandma, was it

Speaker: the buck stopped with her when

Speaker: it came to prayer and loving

Speaker: Jesus?

Speaker: Jesus, loving woman that every family needs.

Speaker: And that is where the big tug.

Speaker: God gave me came into play through this hurtful loss.

Speaker: I think God was getting a little

Speaker: more serious in dealing with

Speaker: brother Jim.

Speaker: Needed to get my attention, if you will.

Speaker: Now, I had spoke with a pastor

Speaker: prior to Carrie and Rockford

Speaker: Church about this internal chaos

Speaker: I was having with God, all this

Speaker: hate and anger and what I should

Speaker: be doing and why this madness

Speaker: and pain had happened in my

Speaker: life.

Speaker: Didn't get too far with that.

Speaker: Now.

Speaker: Bringing us all together way back.

Speaker: My grandma had mentioned to me and I mentioned to this pastor.

Speaker: Okay, so stay with me, grandma.

Speaker: Way back had told me that my grandpa had a journal and he

Speaker: wrote in his journal, and he had hoped and prayed that I would

Speaker: become a pastor.

Speaker: Now I shared that with him.

Speaker: Now, I think I was twenty years old at the time.

Speaker: Scoffed at the idea.

Speaker: Really?

Speaker: Me being a pastor.

Speaker: Come on.

Speaker: Grandpa.

Speaker: Grandma.

Speaker: Not exactly pastor material, you know.

Speaker: The day we laid my grandma to rest, I spoke at her funeral.

Speaker: I spoke of the love of her family and most importantly, the

Speaker: love of her Jesus.

Speaker: And as I walk back to my seat right down there at Baxter

Speaker: Gardner Funeral Home, in the very back that pastor sat.

Speaker: And as I looked at him, we connected.

Speaker: You ever connect with somebody?

Speaker: And he was given me like a death stare.

Speaker: Or the parents there, you just messed up.

Speaker: But it wasn't that.

Speaker: That pastor looked at me square in the eyes, and he told me you

Speaker: had best start thinking and getting serious about what God

Speaker: is calling you to do.

Speaker: Because, Jim, you just gave your first sermon.

Speaker: Whoo!

Speaker: Say what?

Speaker: Say what?

Speaker: Come on.

Speaker: Pastor.

Speaker: I just said some words about my grandma.

Speaker: But here's the great thing.

Speaker: You know what?

Speaker: Church behind all the nay nays

Speaker: and that nonsense I was

Speaker: sputtering out of these big old

Speaker: lips.

Speaker: There was a little bit of light that came on with a little smile

Speaker: and a thought.

Speaker: Remember how I talked about the flame that I just mentioned of

Speaker: hate and anger?

Speaker: Well, guess what?

Speaker: This little light of mine.

Speaker: It started, it turned on, and I actually smiled.

Speaker: Smiled about the thought.

Speaker: This ludicrous.

Speaker: What?

Speaker: Me a pastor?

Speaker: But what if, Jim.

Speaker: What if.

Speaker: What if I was called to preach?

Speaker: Now fast forward one night, sitting there in our home with

Speaker: our daughter Kylie, our oldest.

Speaker: One of those moments, a father, a parent cherishes.

Speaker: Everyone else had gone to bed.

Speaker: Kerry was in bed, the other girls were all in bed.

Speaker: And Kylie and I are sitting there and this is a blessing.

Speaker: As well as another tug on that leash God had me on.

Speaker: It happened that night.

Speaker: As we sat there in our living room, Kylie and I were

Speaker: discussing a young person who had just lost their life due to

Speaker: a tragic accident up here on State Route thirty nine, right

Speaker: there at the county line.

Speaker: Words.

Speaker: And listen to me on this.

Speaker: My friends words and feelings

Speaker: began to invite questions of the

Speaker: afterlife and God from her to

Speaker: me.

Speaker: And what blossomed from that

Speaker: conversation was a daughter who

Speaker: seen her father struggling,

Speaker: perhaps even fighting to come to

Speaker: the reality that there is more

Speaker: to life than what I, I was doing

Speaker: leading my family as the leader,

Speaker: the speaker of our home when it

Speaker: came to spiritual needs of our

Speaker: family.

Speaker: Now, if you turn the first Timothy three, verse twelve,

Speaker: first Timothy three twelve tells us, let deacons be the husband

Speaker: of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses.

Speaker: Well, well, let me be honest with you.

Speaker: This morning, my friends, I was another.

Speaker: Here we go, another big zero, if I want to be honest about it

Speaker: today, Jim, there was no leadership in your home.

Speaker: Spiritual leadership.

Speaker: Jim, you are completely failing

Speaker: with the responsibility God has

Speaker: put on you as a husband and as a

Speaker: father.

Speaker: Can anybody relate with me, men?

Speaker: Can you relate with me on that?

Speaker: You ever feel like that that you are failing?

Speaker: Well, let me tell you something.

Speaker: There is hope if you're willing to look at it, if you're willing

Speaker: to embrace it.

Speaker: Ephesians five twenty three for the husband is the head of the

Speaker: wife, as also Christ is head of the church, and he is the

Speaker: Savior, Savior of my body.

Speaker: Of the body.

Speaker: So a compromise was made that night with Kylie.

Speaker: Kylie would start looking more

Speaker: into her own life with God, and

Speaker: I would take a step of faith and

Speaker: step out to what I knew was a

Speaker: little bitty calling at that

Speaker: moment, recalling again what the

Speaker: pastor had said to me at my

Speaker: grandma's funeral.

Speaker: Again, my friends, that flame in here, it wasn't red hot now it

Speaker: was like white, and it was starting to grow to brighten

Speaker: just a little bit more.

Speaker: That's Sunday morning.

Speaker: After the service, I walked up to Pastor Ron right back there

Speaker: at the double doors and I said, hey, Pastor Ron, I need to talk

Speaker: to you for a moment.

Speaker: So we stepped aside and I said, hey, Pastor Ron, would it be

Speaker: okay if I filled in for you sometime on a Sunday morning?

Speaker: You see, I have this calling to say a few words now.

Speaker: I was expecting a reply of first the eyebrow raising.

Speaker: Well, Jim, let's get together

Speaker: and talk, discuss this calling

Speaker: of yours.

Speaker: You know, kind of feel me out or I was expecting.

Speaker: Have you been nipping on

Speaker: something this morning before

Speaker: service?

Speaker: Who comes out of the blue and just asks for this very large

Speaker: request of responsibility?

Speaker: Who?

Speaker: You don't hear that every.

Speaker: Every day?

Speaker: I'll tell you that.

Speaker: Pastor Ron's reply.

Speaker: Simple.

Speaker: Sure, not a problem.

Speaker: Well, okay, that went well and I assumed that he'd probably work

Speaker: with me and coach me, you know, get me ready, start me out.

Speaker: Very small, but I believe it was less than three weeks later.

Speaker: Response from Pastor Ron to me after the service was, hey,

Speaker: you're up in like two weeks.

Speaker: I'm off that Sunday and you've got the service.

Speaker: Not exactly what I was expecting, but thus it began

Speaker: filling in and stumbling through each time he asked me to step up

Speaker: here and give the word.

Speaker: But there was also words of encouragement.

Speaker: Pastor Ron, through the Holy Spirit gave me hope.

Speaker: And I tell it like this.

Speaker: My friends, remember back when

Speaker: you were coming up on The Age to

Speaker: drive?

Speaker: Now for me, back then, and for a lot of us, you couldn't get your

Speaker: temps till you were sixteen.

Speaker: But around fourteen I started pestering mom.

Speaker: Hey, can I drive?

Speaker: Can I drive just for a distance?

Speaker: Just a little bit up the road.

Speaker: Now.

Speaker: Mom was easy to persuade.

Speaker: Sorry, mom, but you were anyone.

Speaker: Can you relate to those memories?

Speaker: And I remember, just like yesterday, dad and I went in to

Speaker: go to the grocery store down there, and as we walked out of

Speaker: the car, he said, hey, dummy, you're driving home.

Speaker: And he threw me the keys.

Speaker: Now, there was never a problem

Speaker: asking mom to drive, but asking

Speaker: dad.

Speaker: Whoa.

Speaker: That was a whole different beast right there.

Speaker: And I remember taking off, driving down route state.

Speaker: State route two fifty like a little old lady.

Speaker: And he looks over at me and I'll never forget.

Speaker: He said, would you please get on it and go Step it up.

Speaker: What are you afraid of?

Speaker: So fast forward to that moment with Pastor Ron.

Speaker: And a way it was the same thing.

Speaker: Here's the keys, big boy.

Speaker: You're driving.

Speaker: What are you afraid of?

Speaker: And I will always, always be grateful and humbled to Pastor

Speaker: Ron for doing that for me.

Speaker: So Brother Jim eventually became

Speaker: the lay leader here at Rockford

Speaker: Church.

Speaker: And I'm not the first to say not a very good one at that.

Speaker: Why?

Speaker: Because I did not understand who and what God really was calling

Speaker: on and in my life.

Speaker: Very confused, to say the least.

Speaker: And oh, I could play the part, did the part.

Speaker: And yes, it was very rewarding and I was growing, but I was

Speaker: still clueless on how this would play out in my own life.

Speaker: You ever been there, my friends?

Speaker: Clueless.

Speaker: Not sure which road to take.

Speaker: You're at the intersection.

Speaker: You're at the Y. Which way does God want me to do?

Speaker: Go. And again, it's like you're kind of in a pickle.

Speaker: You find yourself when it comes

Speaker: to God and His calling in your

Speaker: own life.

Speaker: Now, lay leader Jim would serve for a decent number of years

Speaker: here at Rockford Church.

Speaker: And many of you had witnessed this crazy ride with me.

Speaker: Hey, I was even baptized.

Speaker: And that baptismal right there, right behind me.

Speaker: Family was all in attendance

Speaker: that glorious day and a

Speaker: surprise.

Speaker: My wife Carrie came up and helped Pastor Ron to perform my

Speaker: public confession of faith to God along with my salvation.

Speaker: But here we go, my friends.

Speaker: Just because you have a title or you are baptized.

Speaker: are you?

Speaker: Wear your little hat that says, I love Jesus.

Speaker: Do not ever think the devil will leave you alone.

Speaker: For me, it's just my opinion.

Speaker: Hear the devil proclaim to me.

Speaker: Game on Jim, I will destroy you once again.

Speaker: And did Satan ever give his best

Speaker: to try and destroy me again

Speaker: spiritually?

Speaker: But, Bob Armstrong, have faith.

Speaker: Church, for you.

Speaker: And I are told in Isaiah forty

Speaker: one ten, fear not, for I am with

Speaker: you.

Speaker: Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

Speaker: I will strengthen you.

Speaker: Yes, I will help you.

Speaker: I will uphold you with my righteous hand.

Speaker: Now, next week, we'll bring this all to a conclusion.

Speaker: And it gets even better because

Speaker: we really get into God's divine

Speaker: intervention and God's timing

Speaker: because it's it's better than a

Speaker: hallmark movie.

Speaker: And I'm not talking about me,

Speaker: but I'm talking about how God

Speaker: sets everything up with his

Speaker: timing.

Speaker: It there's no way it could have

Speaker: happened without God and the

Speaker: reasons why.

Speaker: So I hope you're a little bit excited.

Speaker: You've been tuning in and you're listening to this.

Speaker: And again, many of you have been here with me for all this time.

Speaker: But again, it's a walking,

Speaker: talking, living testimony, my

Speaker: friends, of how God can take a

Speaker: broken, wretched, nasty person

Speaker: one who even went so far to hate

Speaker: God and curse him and bring him

Speaker: back.

Speaker: Bring me back.

Speaker: How many of you can say he has brought me back, Brother Jim?

Speaker: Thank you, Jesus for that because I was lost.

Speaker: I was on a one way track to hell.

Speaker: But that's grace.

Speaker: Mercy, love, my friends.

Speaker: And you can't find it anywhere else but through Jesus, through

Speaker: his word, through prayer.

Speaker: He's offered us the way.

Speaker: And if you look back at that cross, that's where it starts.

Speaker: Right there.

Speaker: So, my friends, next Sunday we'll bring this all together.

Speaker: And it's an amazing ride.

Speaker: I highly doubt hallmark will be

Speaker: calling me to promote this or

Speaker: turn this into a story, but I

Speaker: don't really care because if I

Speaker: can help one person, just think

Speaker: one person.

Speaker: If you can help one person with

Speaker: your testimony, with how Jesus

Speaker: changed your life, think of what

Speaker: we can do accomplish together as

Speaker: a church, as a broad church

Speaker: across the nation, across the

Speaker: world, but most importantly for

Speaker: the kingdom.

Speaker: Souls are at stake, my friends.

Speaker: Eternity as it is at stake for so many people.

Speaker: Let us do our part, my friends.

Speaker: Let us stand up for God.

Speaker: Amen.

Speaker: If you would, please join me in our closing prayer.

Speaker: Precious God, I come to you right now, and just after this

Speaker: moment, I feel so humbled.

Speaker: I feel a peace upon me, and I

Speaker: pray someone out there feels the

Speaker: peace too.

Speaker: Because you are the game changer.

Speaker: You are the one who makes a

Speaker: difference in our life and sad

Speaker: how we try as man to turn to so

Speaker: many things, to give us that

Speaker: piece.

Speaker: Give us love, show us love.

Speaker: What we invest in is so cheap and so easy.

Speaker: And it doesn't last.

Speaker: It only sets us up for failure.

Speaker: But Lord, you do not.

Speaker: You do not set us up with failure.

Speaker: So, Lord, I just ask anybody that is listening, whether

Speaker: they're a member of Oxford church, maybe they just happen

Speaker: to stumble across us.

Speaker: Whatever the case may be, Lord, I just pray that they feel your

Speaker: presence right now.

Speaker: They feel a peace and a love upon them.

Speaker: And if that door is shut to you,

Speaker: Lord, I just ask now let it be

Speaker: cracked open.

Speaker: Let them open it to you.

Speaker: Just to see, just to wonder, just to experience.

Speaker: Hey, who is this God?

Speaker: Who is this Jesus?

Speaker: And Lord, if we have an opportunity to help with that,

Speaker: use us, Lord, use us.

Speaker: Break us out of our comfort shell.

Speaker: Let us get off the pews and let

Speaker: us make a difference in this

Speaker: world.

Speaker: Let us make a difference for you and your kingdom.

Speaker: Lord, we just thank you for the blessings each and every day.

Speaker: Again, Lord, I just ask.

Speaker: Keep everybody safe in this time.

Speaker: Keep them warm, keep them fed,

Speaker: but also a time to reflect or

Speaker: reflect on how good you are to

Speaker: us.

Speaker: And Lord, we're going to give you all the praise and all the

Speaker: glory and your precious, precious, sweet, loving name.

Speaker: Amen.

Speaker: Have a great week.