Nathan, The Negotiator (Nathan's Baby Dedication) - Pastor J. D. Howell 2-8-2026

We've already said it, but this morning is a special occasion.

We're dedicating baby Nathan. Baby Nathan is the fifth child

of brother Nathaniel and sister Rachel. Their oldest son is

with the Lord, and their three girls are here today

and baby Nathan. Aren't you thankful for the little boy,

Baby Nathan. Heymen, if you have your Bibles, will you

turn with me to the Book of Second Samuel. May

I direct your attention to the seventh chapter. We will

be reading verses number one through twelve. If you're happy

and you know it, say amen, I believe it. Your

faces are showing it. Praise God. It's great to be saved,

to be blood bought and born again. Amen. May we

stand for the reading of the Word of the Lord,

Second Samuel, Chapter number seven, reading verses number one through twelve.

The Bible says that it came to pass when the

king King sat in his house and the Lord had

given him rest round about from all his enemies, that

the king said, unto Nathan the Prophet, see now I

dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of

God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan said to the King,

go do all that is in thy heart. For the

Lord is with THEE. And it came to pass that

night that the word of the Lord came in to Nathan, saying,

go and tell my servant David. Thus saith the Lord,

shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in,

Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the

time that I brought up the children of Israel out

of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in

a tent and in a tabernacle in all the places

wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel.

Spake I word with any of the tribes of Israel,

whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, why

bill g me not a house of cedar? So therefore

so shalt thou say unto my servant David. Thus saith

the Lord of Host. I took THEE from the sheep coat,

from following the sheep, to be ruler over my.

People over Israel.

And I was with THEE whethersoever thou wentest, and have

cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and

have made THEE a great name liking to the name

of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover,

I will appoint a place from my people Israel, and

will plant them that they may dwell in a place

for their own and move no more. Neither shall the

children of wickedness afflict them anymore, as before time, and

as since the time that I commanded judges to be

over my people Israel, and have caused THEE to rest

from all thine enemies. Also, the Lord telleth THEE that

he will make THEE an house. And when thy days

be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I

will set up thy seed after THEE, which shall proceed

out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

Praise to Lord. Let's pray Amen.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to be

in your house this morning. I thank you for this

special occasion today. Would you help us as we dedicate

baby Nathan to you. I pray that you would bless

his parents, Brother Nathaniel, and sister Rachel, and his siblings,

and his grandparents and his church family. Would you annoint

this thy servant set of guard at my mouth, and

help me to say the things you would have me

to say, nothing more or less, and anoint the ears

of this thy people, that they might hear what the

Spirit of God says unto the church this morning. We'll

give you the praise and the honor and the glory

in Jesus's name. And the church said, Amen, as you're

being seated, look again at verses number four and five,

the Bible says. And it came to pass that night

that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan said,

go and tell my servant David. Thus saith the Lord,

shalt thou build me in house for me to dwell in.

I'd like to preach a message the Holy Ghost title

Nathan the Negotiator. As most people present today are aware,

we have both a joyous and solemn occasion this morning,

the baby dedication service of Nathan Howell. A couple of

weeks ago, brother Nathaniel and sister Rachel told me they

were very interested in having their little baby boy dedicated.

Brother and sister Howell are dedicated Christians. In fact, they

are devout and as members of the Bethel Holiness Church,

they are very precious to this family, and so are

their children, including this little baby boy Nathan. Already he

has caused our hearts to smile. Looking upon this little

child brings true and pure delight. There's something about his

countenance that is different, and I thank God for that.

I believe it's because of the union of this man

and woman of God, people who are God fearing people,

people of prayer, and people that are committed to the

Lord and willing to dedicate their children unto the Lord.

So when they would do something like that, it's pretty

obvious that God would be glad for them to do

something like that and would bring forth the menifold blessings

that He has upon their family. And I'm glad that

this young couple sees and understands the importance of giving

back to the Lord those precious things that He has

lent to them. For we know that all souls belong

to God. We as parents, sometimes we claim ownership over

our children, and we should. We should assume responsible ability

and ownership of that that God has lent to us.

But ultimately we know that that.

Precious little soul inside of that house of clay belongs

to God. Every person in this building. This morning, the

Sunday School superintendent told me there's about seventy five people

here right now, and amongst these seventy five people. There's

seventy five souls. Seventy five souls of people that will

appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ, and Jesus

Christ will sentence them to either eternal life or eternal

damnation because of the actions and the doings that they

do in this life. If they're unpleasing to the Lord,

then they will end up in eternal damnation, But if

they're ways please the Lord, they will end up in

eternal life. So Brother Nathaniel and Sister Rachel understand the

importance of training up their dren in the.

Way that they should go.

The Bible said, if a parent would dare to do

such a thing, the child itself would never depart from

that way. And we have seen children physically depart from

the House of God. And we have seen children that

have been raised up in the House of God somewhat

experienced shipwreck concerning their faith. But we know that His

word remained in their heart, and we know that His

name abode in their heart. And the Bible said, whosoever

calleth on the name of the Lord shall be safe.

So I'm glad for parents that will put their children

right on track and set them forth in a way

that they should go. And I know there's some of

you that have prodigal sons and daughters and your praying

for their return. How important it was for you to

bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of

the Lord. For a space of time, it seemed they're

being very rebellious.

But if you'll.

Pray, I believe God will bring to fruition that very

thing that you determined to do in their life, and

that was dedicate them to the Lord so that the

Lord could have his will in their life. And when

you pray, you pray concerning the Lord's will. The Bible

said that the Lord is not willing that any should perish.

When you're praying for that prodigal son and daughter, or

perhaps that family member that hasn't yet come to the Lord,

it'd be better to pray like this. Father, I know

you'd love to see them be saved. I know Lord

that it's your will, that it be their will that

they serve you. That's the way you ought to pray.

So here this morning, these parents are letting us know

that it is their will, that the will of the

Father happened in this child's life. You may not see this,

but there's a lot of parents today that they have

specific in certain plans for their chill. There's been a

lot of arguments at the family dinner table because of

a son not wanting to run the father's family business.

There's been a lot of arguments over the breakfast table.

At the breakfast not because little Susie didn't want to

be her mother's secretary at the law firm. They wanted

to choose their own course and their own path. And

so Brother Nathaniel and Sister Rachel this morning are not

trying to dictate the path of Nathan concerning all things,

but they are definitely trying to set him forth in

the right direction. They are spinning his little boat around

that adamic nature, and they are pointing him in the

direction of God.

And no doubt, by bringing him to.

Church faithfully, week after week, bringing him to church faithfully,

he will put up his little cells and he will

continue to sell in the right direction. I believe that

these parents holding their hands the best parenting book on

the market, the Holy Bible. It is a parenting book

for dummies, it's a parenting book for the educated. If

we'll look at parenting one oh one this morning. I

want you to look at some examples of others who

did the very thing that brother and Sister Nathaniel Howard

are doing today. It would frighten me to be a

church person and to forego having my child dedicated.

To the Lord.

I wouldn't want fear within me of me dedicating my

child to the Lord, in him taking it from me

to hinder me from doing what God has commissioned and

commanded and mandated me to do. This morning, just before

I left my house, I received a text message from

a preacher that has never preached from me here at

the Bethel Hole in his church, and I've never preached

for him at the place of his pastor in North Florida.

And he's not.

Even affiliated with us. He's not an independent Pentecostal. He

is of a nominal persuasion. And this morning he messaged

me and I could tell he's going through a crisis.

He said, Pastor Howell, this is not a close friend.

This is somebody that has just apparently listened from time

to time, perhaps somebody that we've rubbed shoulders with in

a distant meeting. But he felt this morning to Senate text.

He said, Pastor, HOWE will pray for me and my family?

And then he put down below Job, chapter number thirteen

and verse number fifteen. I believe that was the scripture text,

and I looked it up after I got to church,

and brother stered. It was very heartbreaking and soul stirring.

The words of Job went like this, though he slay me,

yet well, I trust him. And I realized that this

man who has dedicated himself to ministry, and for years

I've heard his family has been very active in ministry.

I've never heard of a time of this man forsaken

ministry or forsaken God. But he's going through a crisis.

Isn't it best to go through a crisis with the Lord.

So we don't know exactly what the future holds for Nathan,

but I believe in the very beginning of his life,

it's important that mom and dad do as they're doing

this morning. So going back to some examples of others

in the Bible who did this very thing, one of

the two examples is that one of the God fearing

woman Hannah. How many of you have heard of Hannah.

She brought her son Samuel to the priest Eli in

order to dedicate or give him back to the Lord.

And two things stood out to me about Samuel, the

son of Hannah and this young boy Nathan, the son

of the Howels, the first one being this both little

the men were long awaited and sought for. I know

brother Nathaniel has an eldest son who is in the.

Glory world with Jesus.

We lost him as a little infant, and I will

never forget the moment he died in his daddy's in

mama's arms. I remember watching their heart break, and my

heart broke as well as their grandmother's sister how their heart.

Her heart broke as well. And I remember thinking, we

lost a little boy today. And as those that were

in the neck you were looking on when we went

to leave, some of them approached me and they said,

I just want to tell you something. Said I've never

seen a young couple behave like this young couple has

behaved through this crisis. And one of the head nurses

she said, there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever

this is a God fearing couple.

And she said, as I watched that.

Baby strug go to breathe, and as I watched that

baby's bloody and organs fell. She said, there was a

peace on that couple and a peace on you and

your wife that passed us understanding. She said, I've been

in this business for a long time, and I've never

seen anything like it in my life. I want to

tell you it pays for us to have Jesus with us.

It pays to have Jesus's lord of our life and

as director of our life. And so we saw the

eldest brother, Jeptha pass, and Brother Nathaniel had big plans

for Jeptha, hundreds of hot wheel cars. He had pulled

out canvasses and had painted pictures, hand painted pictures, and

he had decorated the walls of that little baby's nursery

just so sure that Jeptha would grow up in that

nursery and ask the question, Daddy who painted that picture

of that giraffe, Daddy who painted that picture of that hedgehog?

Daddy who painted that picture of that horse. But Jepsa

never got to occupy that nursery. And I remember after

about a year or two, I remember brother Nathaniel and

sister Rachel finally bringing themselves to dissemble that nursery and

it turned into a washhouse, and they were having difficulties

having children after that point, but deering a service. I

don't like missing them PM services, them, Sunday PM services, them,

midweek PM services, them revival PM services during one of

them revival services. This spiritual couple that wasn't afraid to

follow the patterns and the examples of those in the book.

They were looking for a special gift, looking for something

special from the Lord, and I believe they took an

empty car seat and began to pray in the spirit.

And as the spirit gave utter it's just like Hennah.

As the holy ghosts began to move and to speak

through them, God gave him a promise that a child

would come.

And when that child came, it.

Was little Rebecca, who looked just like her elder brother Jeptha.

It wasn't a boy, And so I watched what was

a blue room turned pink. Okay, So after about a

year there comes another baby, and to everybody's surprise, it

is little Renee, and so the room can stay pink

from while longer. And then after a year and a half,

here comes another little bundle of joy, and the doctor says,

I've got good news and the room goes silent, and

the good news is it's another girl. There was no disappointment,

but there was a dream of having another little boy,

one just like the one they lost, just like the

one that was in the presence of the Lord. And

then just a while back, we were having a good

PM service, you know those that people liked to miss,

and the Holy Ghost was moving, and two of my sons,

brother Nathaniel and brother Jesse, both had special request in

for the Lord. And we know that the only one

that can answer those special requests and grant those petitions

is the Lord himself. It doesn't do any good to

complain to your companion or your spouse, or your minister

or the pastor about it. We just have to turn

it into the Lord. And that's what Hannah did. And

in that service, brother Nathaniel, who had three girls, and

brother Jesse, who had three boys, they turned in their

special request and the Holy Ghost moved, and I remember

saying to them, God has granted your request. It's not

by coincidence, by divine providence. In less than a year's time,

both of them found out, you guessed it, Jesse, He's

getting his girl and Nathaniel got his boy. Only Jesus

can do things like that in the same year, after

the same revival service, after the same word from the Lord.

And so Hannah was one that believed the efforts were

not futile. She had went to church for many years

with her husband, Elkanah, and Penina, the other wife of Elkanah,

had poked and prauded her and persecuted her. And you know,

Elkanah would try to console her and say, am I

not better to you than ten sons? I'm such a

great husband. I'm sure he was. She acknowledged that, But

when she went to church, she didn't do like a

lot of us do, just sit there in the pew

and cross our fingers and toes and hope for the best.

She got down there at the altar, not too far

from Eli, and she began to pray again. I want

to point out point number one. They were long awaited,

long awaited. The miracle didn't come overnight, but the miracle

came nevertheless, So brother Nathaniel's sister Rachel's miracle, their little

boy has come, just as Hannah's little boy came. And

sister how well, Hannah felt the need to dedicate that

baby back to the Lord. Brother Nathaniel, today, I feel

like Samuel's mother, Hannah brought him to the temple to

appear before the Lord because she was a keeper of

her promises.

We want the Lord to keep his promises.

In fact, we comfort ourselves a lot of times with

that scripture that said, the promises of the Lord are

yay and amen. But oh how easy we are to

withdraw things that we said and promises that we may.

We've seen people come to church and pray what appears

to be a genuine sinner's prayer, and they promise that God,

if you'll get me out of this circumstance, in this predicament,

I promise I will occupy and frequent your house. I

promise I will serve you all the days of my life.

And they cry just enough to feel a little bit better. God,

in his great mercy and great grace, he performs a

miracle on their behalf. But you never see him darken

the doors of the church again. Hannah wasn't going to

be that kind of person. She was gonna be one

that would approach Eli again and she would say, I

have come to do exactly as I had promised, and

she reminded Eli as she walked into the House of

the Lord. I am that woman that prayed to God,

that one that you misunderstood, that one that you supposed

to be drunk, that one that you supposed to be

a woman of promiscuity in blile, that had just somewhat

stumbled into the House of God and just fell into

an altar and was babbling.

I am that pure Vanilla.

Gray, a blue ribbon, genuine, virtuous woman of God, that

wife of Elkinah, the faithful servant of the Lord. And

I am here to do that that I promise I

would do, because God granted unto me the desire of

my heart.

The Bible said.

Eli was nearby as she petitioned the Lord for the

little boy. And there are about seventy people in this

building this morning. You were nearby when brother Nathaniel and

sister Rachel began to petition the Lord for another child.

And you witnessed the birth of sister Rebecca, as God

allowed that conception and that delivery and that birth. Praise

God for that. But here we are now down the

line with this little boy. And first Samuel, chapter number

one of verse number twenty seven, we read her words

to Eli for this child. I prayed, and the Lord

hath given me my petition, which I asked of him

years ago as an evangelist, I would tell people, when

you pray, pray specific, be pacific, just like blind Bartimaeus

was specific. He said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

So I know that brother Nathaniel and sister Rachel have

been content with whatever the Lord has given them. Sister

how and I have five sons and one daughter, and

we were most content with what the Lord gave us.

But there does come a time when you get specific

and say, God, I'd like to have a manchild, or God,

I'd like to have a daughter. And that's what the

Bible said Hannah did. She said, the Lord hath given

me my petition, which I asked of him. I feel

like she asked for a manchild. So the Bible says

she had been in bitterness of soul because of the

provocation of Penina and because of her barrenness. And do

you know the cause of her barrenness. There wasn't some

mishap that happened in the early stages of adolescence. There

wasn't some mishap that happened at the time of her

birth with her for till it, there was no kind

of mishap, if you understand what I'm saying, no accident

that caused this barrenness. The Bible said, God had shut

up her womb. And sometimes God allows things to happen

so that we will petition him properly. Not only should

we petition him properly, we should petition him passionately.

The Bible said.

The effectual, fervent prayer the righteous man of aileth much.

There comes times in services when we can say, God,

would you heal my kidneys that are not functioning properly?

Not just heal my body? But God, would you you

heal my kidneys? Not Lord, just bless me according to

your will. We pray that bless me according to your will.

But God, it'd be nice if I could have a

baby boy, or if I could have a baby girl,

or if I could have a child. If I could

just have a child, I'd be fine with whatever you

give me. You pray according to his will, and you

let the spirit of God lead and guide you in

that prayer. God knows when you need a boy. God

knows when you need a girl. God knows what you

need when you need it. You just have to get

in the spirit and let faith do its work. And

when faith does it work, the seed of the miracle begins.

Oh come on now, I hope you're hearing me here today,

Praise God. I pray for the loss to be saved.

I never say God, send me an old man. God

send me a young man or a person tattooed from

head to toe, but there have been in my life.

While praying according to his will, God, I know you

want to save the sinner.

That's why you sit your son. You love the world

so much, you want us.

And then he lets me know in the moment of

the spirit praying through me, He's gonna send somebody tattooed

from head to toe. Just like the time we were praying,

us said God, my boys need a wife's. I didn't say, God,

send us a few black heads, a few brunettes, and

a few red heads.

I remember just praying God by boys need wives.

And then as praying according to His will, the spirit

began to speak and I realized I was praying, God,

bless them red headed girls.

You're gonna send us.

And people visit this church and they say, I've never

seen in any church of any denomination affiliation persuasion, especially

not an independent Pentecostal hole in his movement, a church

full of so many red headed people. But Bethel remembers

that night and I got up after God heard my petition,

and I said, I don't understand it.

But while I was praying for souls and praying.

That God would send good girls to my boys, God

said He's gonna send some redheads to the beth of

Holiness Church and Sister Wood.

And it was out of our control.

We didn't even know where there were redheaded people at

but God knew. And in the process of time, Low

and behold they'd meet somebody was red headed. Low and

behold this family come down, say we feel that God's

led us to your church, and we'd look at the characterpsy.

Yeah, I believe that.

And we've visit countless churches and there's not a redhead

in the congregation, which you come to a little small

country church in LaBelle. Because God was mindful of the redhead.

You know, God was mindful of Hannah, and he knew

He knows you need the Holy Ghost.

That bearing us.

He knows you need to be fruitful it's part of

his plan to be fruitful and multiplier. He knows you

want to have children. He knows pastors want to have sheep.

He knows he wants his church to prosper. He wants

us to be in good health. He wants you to

be well abled body to win the loss. He wants

you to have the strength you need to go out

there and evangelize and open air ministry. God wants you

to be able to do these things. God wants you

to have a functional family. God wants to allow your

dinner table to be blessed with little fruits of the

vine popping up everywhere.

Praise the Lord.

Lo children are in heritage of the Lord, and the

fruit of the womb is his reward. So Hannah's got

a good request, and you know what it's answered. And

here he is, little Samuel, Little Samuel. I asked of

him this request. He guaranted my position, my petition. So

the Bible says she had been in bitterness of soul

because of the provocations of Panina and others, and she

wept sore.

She wept so as she prayed.

She didn't mope, and she didn't pow on the shoulder

of Elkinah, and I did not see brother Nathaniel and

Sister Rachel mope around here and power and try to

draw attention. But there were certain times during services that

I could tell them too would go take each other

by the hand, and they would pray and say, God,

I thank you for our sweet girls. And if you

give us ten more girls, that's going to be wonderful.

But if you don't mind, we'd like for there to

be another little jep there around the house. And at

some point the Lord granted that request. And the Bible said,

the Lord looked upon the affliction of Hannah, and he

remembered her, and he gave her a manchild. And when

she received that manchild, she said, I will give him

unto the Lord all the days of his life, and

there shall be no razor come upon his head. And

it's evident to day that brother Nathaniel and Sister Rachel

have not taken the Nazarite fowl, because little Nathan doesn't

even hardly have any hair on the top of his head. Amen,

he's not a Nazarite.

Amen.

The second example of the Bible. The second example in

the Bible of a child being dedicated is when Joseph

the carpenter and Mary brought Jews brought Jesus to the

temple for his dedication. As the second biblical example that

I found, and there's others. Every Christian knows Jesus was

the long awaited Messiah. So Samuel was long awaited, Jesus

was long awaited, and Nathan is long awaited.

Praise the Lord.

I think about that hotwill's collection that brother Nathaniel had

when Nathan was born. Over the period of six years,

brother Nathaniel continued by in hot will cars and I

think it was nearly a owls and cars had been

bought over the period of six years.

As an act of faith.

That the Lord, as job said, does take away, but

he also gives. And when the Lord's given, and when

the Lord's taken away, as long as we're saying, Blessed

be the name of the Lord. That's what that precious

minister told me today. Since the witness the shortest text

message I've ever got in my life. Pray for me

and my family though he slaved me, yet well, I

trust him, and I witnessed this couple trust in the Lord.

The second thing that stands out to me about Jesus

Samuel Nathan, besides them being the long awaited sons of

God fearing people. Is this Their parents desired the very

best in the life of their child. They want the

Lord to use their child for his service. Heihelujah, Praise

the Lord. I don't believe that inside a brother Nathaniel's

heart is a desire to raise up the next bull

riding champion. I don't believe there's a desire in sister

Rachel's heart to raise up the next NFL quarterback. I

believe their desires.

Are pure.

Concerning this child, being very important and instrumental in the

work in the house of God. Samuel became a great

prophet in Jesus, was the prophet of prophets and the

prince of preachers, the savior of the world. What about Nathan, though,

the son of Nathaniel Howell, Well, he hasn't lived his

life yet. It's undetermined what he will be. But his

parents have put him on the right path, and they

gave him a good name. The Bible said, a good

name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and

loving favor than silver and gold. So they gave him

the name of the prophet. In Nathan, they gave him

the name of the prophet Nathan. I remember just before

Nathan was born, the parents did not know the gender.

And the entire time that sister Rachel was carrying that

little baby, brother Nathaniel would say it's a boy, and

people would say, Hi, do you know it's a boy? Said,

I just feel it, and somebody inquired a little further,

said what do you mean you just feel it? Well,

one time I was praying, I'm almost certain God let

me know it's a boy, And so they wouldn't let

the sonographer tell them the gender of the child. We

come right up until the time of its birth, and

we get a few services in just before the baby's born,

And in one of them services, I remember alluding to

something that had happened to me that morning.

Before the service.

As I was waking up, the holy ghosts began to

pray through me, and I started praying like this, Lord,

would you touch Rachel, Rebecca, Renee, and Ruth. And then

the next words I prayed was, Lord, would you touch

Nathaniel and Nathan. And then the Holy gush brought to

my understanding that the first letter was the same and

the women of that household and at the first letter

of the first name would be the same in the

men of that household. And that was the spirit talking.

And then the flash after I had a shower and

was leaving the house, I got to think it. But

wait a minute, his first born son began with a

letter J, and so I thought, well, there was nothing

to all that. But just like hed, I started pondering it.

The more I pondered on it, the more the fire

got to burn. And the more I meditated on it,

the more I realized God is in this, and God

is trying to reveal to me the gender of the child,

and not only the gender of the child, but the name.

So why is that going on?

Because there's a little mommy named Rachel that's praying God,

would if you show pastor the gender and the name

of our child. And so that morning I came to preaching.

While I was preaching, I told that story. I just

told and my sister Rachel had said nothing to anybody,

and she went home and she told Nathaniel. She said, well,

the Lord has let us know we're having a boy.

Sometimes all you got to do is just pray and

ask God, say God, if you won't show me, would

just show me pastor, God, if you won't speak it

into my heart, would just show me the answer in

your word. Will you help me to search a word

to find the answer. Just speak to me, Lord, and

the Lord will speak to you. I'm telling you, all

throughout this situation, we've seen nothing but the hand of

the Lord, and I thank God for that. And that's

what we need in our children's life. We need the

hand of God in their life. And that's what you

notice about the life of Samuel, and of course the

life of Jesus, and now the life of Nathan. From

the very beginning, God is active and God is involved.

Now Nathan's name means a gift from God. So Nathan

the prophet was definitely a gift of God to the

nation of Israel, but not only the nation of Israel,

but to the sweets armist of Israel, David. People don't

realize just how precious of a man of God Nathan was.

He is often overlooked, and when people think of Nathan,

they think of that man that walked into the very

throne room of David, put a bony finger in the

face of David and said, you are the man that

committed adultery. But you know what, I see Nathan in

a whole different light now after praying and seeking God

for a sermon's specific men, you won't find this in

a minister's manual.

You won't find this baby.

Dedication service a ceremony in a minister's manual. It's not

cookie cutter. And that's what I want you to know

this morning. There's nothing cookie cutter about the life of Samuel.

There's nothing common or ordinary about the life of Jesus.

There's nothing common or ordinary about the beginning of the

life of Nathan. So Nathan is a precious man. He's

a precious friend of David. I mean, concerning godly characteristics

and attributes, you would check every box.

This is a guy that was allowed to.

Hang out in the very throne room of David and

to come and go as he pleased. Now, not just

anybody has granted those kind of privileges. How many of

you believe you could just walk into the White House

and tell security I'm here to see President Donald J.

Trump.

Do you think David grant you your request and your

petition allow you to go in there and give him

a word from God.

Well, Nathan is such a man.

He likes Samuel is able just to walk right in

at his wom and tell David what God said. But

God puting Nathan in the kingdom for such a time

as this. I want to tell you God gave Nathan

not only to David. God gave Nathan to David's kingdom.

And that's what I feel like concerning this child Nathan.

As long as his parents continue to bring him up

in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and as

long as they keep him on the straight way. You know,

all of God's promises are conditional. But I want you

to know the promise that I have received from God today.

The promise that I received from God today is that

this and Nathan right here, this little baby boy, if

he doesn't do anything foolish to end his life, if

he doesn't do anything foolish to serve the devil, as

long as he serves God, he will be a man

of influence, and he will be a man of intervention.

I've been in Pentecostal and holding his churches for about

fifty something years. I've never seen Nathan the prophet like

I have since i've studied old Thank.

God for little baby dedication ceremonies. Amen.

So Nathan's in the kingdom planted by God. Well, the

Bible said that, David, it's in our text. One time

David got to looking around after conquering all the territory

that could be conquered, and brother Jesse, he wants to

become a builder. The military general wants to become a builder.

And he tells his buddy, Nathan, his confidant, his friend,

the prophet, the preacher in the house, if you would,

the chaplain of the palace. He tells his buddy, I'm

gonna build a temple. And Nathan says, that's great, that's wonderful.

You just go ahead and do that, buddy, David, just

have at it. If anybody can build God a house,

it'll be you. And the Bible said that Nathan went

to bed that night and while he's sleeping, God doesn't

wake up David. God doesn't wake up Samuel, the prophet.

God doesn't wake up any of the wives of David.

You need a man of God in your life. And

that's what Sister Rachel likes, Sister Hannah believed, and I'm

talking about the hand in the Bible. They believe they

could go to the House of God and hear from God.

You need a real.

Genuine man of God in your life, and not everybody

has that. And the Bible said, how shall they hear

without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they

be sent. Nathan's name means a gift from God, Sister Woods,

somebody must have prayed for this little preacher man, and

God Almighty planet him in the sweet Somist of Israel's kingdom,

right there in the palace the negotiator. So the negotiator

is sitting there on the end of his beddingess. He says,

I know that God just told me to go tell David,

do not build that house. Do not build me a half,

do not build that temple. So Nathan goes in there

by divine intervention and he tells David, don't you build

that house. And while David's receiving this disappointing news, the

spirit of God comes on Nathan. And Nathan is the

prophet that lets all of us Bible students know about

the dividic Covenant. While he's in there giving David disappointing

news about you can't put your tool belt on and

you can't build God a temple. Because you've been a

man of war. Somebody else is gonna have to do it.

One of your descendants will do it. Then the spirit

of God goes a little further and he encourages David.

But I want you to know, there shall never be a.

Person that doesn't sit on your throne. And through your.

Lineage will come of the tribe of Judah, the king

of kings and the Lord of lords. Nathan the prophet

the Bible sent a new Testament, and God gave pastors

and apostles and preachers and evangelism and teachers for the

perfecting of the saints. And David, you know, he said,

I'm so excited about going to church. David wasn't the priest.

David wasn't the pastor. He said, I'd be all right

just being a doorkeeper in the house of God. David

had a preacher, and David had a preacher he could

have confidence in. And David had a preacher that he

would listen to. Hey, if he'd lived in this day

and hour, he'd have canceled sunbelt rentals. Are y all listening?

David would listen to the preacher. What I'm saying is

this man Nathan and negotiator, was such a person that

people would listen to him. He had an intimate relationship

with David and David's son Solomon. As I considered the

verses of scripture which shed light on the nature and

the character of Nathan, I came to an understanding of

how imported and how influential this man was to the

work of the Lord and the works of the kingdoms

of David and Solomon. As I meditated on these verses

of scripture and pondered this man's actions, I saw him

in a way that I had never pictured him until now.

It's true he was a prophet, a seer, one who

would foretell and foretell concerning the words and the workings

of God Almighty. And everyone had noticed this about the

prophet Nathan. He could hear from God. But what a

lot of people didn't know about him was he was

a man of intervention.

Just like your pastor.

You feel like that's the one for you to marry,

but your pastor's been praying and he comes to you

and says, hey, there's just something off about that person.

A lot of people don't like intervention. They don't like

somebody intervening they don't like somebody coming as a mediator

between two parties. You see this man, Nathan, he was

a negotiator. It's a person who is involved in formal

discussions between people who are trying to reach an agreement.

David saying God, let me build you house, and God

saying no. And Nathan's standing between God and David. And

that's what I'm trying to tell you. God wants to

do with this little child right here in Nathan. God

wants to use him as an ambassador, as a delicate,

a mediator, a man of intervention. God wants to use

him to give a word that is fitly spoken to

his peers in the youth group when everybody would make

a bad decision and he would speak up and say,

you know what, guys, it's not a good idea to

do that. We all need men and women of intervention

in our lives, whether we're willing to accept that or not.

In Second Samuel, chapter number twelve and verse number one,

we find that David had made a mistake. It was

a very bad mistake. And Nathan's, no doubt, probably in

the same bedroom brother Jesse, and probably occupying the same

prayer chamber brother Nathaniel, and God speaks to Nathan and

tells him something about his buddy David, and so Nathan's

got to go to David, and he walks in there

and he gives this beautiful parable and you all know

the parable that Nathan gave David. And then David just

plays along and acts like he doesn't understand what Nathan

is saying. And then finally, you know, we've heard people

talk about this situation, and I've even probably alluded to

it in this manner over the years preaching come here,

brother Beaufrey. But we feel like Nathan went in there

and just rebuked David and scolded him and screamed and hollered.

But now I kind of believe it was more like this.

Nathan put his arm around David and said, buddy, you're

the man the Bible said. A brother is born for adversity,

the Bible said. And it came to pass that night

at the word of the Lord caming and Nathan saying,

go and tell my servant David. Thus saith, the Lord,

shalt thou build me in house for me to dwell in.

Thank God for the divine intervention of Nathan. Originally Nathan

said one thing, but after he prayed, he told his

friend something that his friend didn't want to hear. And

that's what I feel like I need in my life.

I need preachers that will speak the truth and love,

not always telling me what I want to hear. And

I feel like that's why a lot of you have

moved from your places unto this place, because you want

to hear what God has to say. And you know

what's amazing, syster how is when Nathan spoke to David

about him not building the Lord of House, Nathan done

it in such a way that Nathan dropped his plans

to do what he wanted to do like a hot potato.

So God told David through Nathan, you're not gonna build

a temple. Solomon's gonna do it. And it doesn't stop there.

Old Nathan, there's not a whole lot said about him

in the Bible, but there are some things said about him.

After David gets old in years and he's sick and

he's laying upon his deathbed, ad in Niga decides that

he's going to crown himself king. And while that sinister

scheme is going on, he's got that diabolical plot being executed.

Nathan catches word of it. I don't know if he

overheard some talk in the corridor of the palace. It's

some very important you've got the right man at the

right place. That you got the right man nearby where

he can hear the conversations of the devil and the

enemies of your soul. And Nathan foiled the plans of Adanaija.

He went to Bathsheba. That's a familiar name, ain't it.

And Nathan went to Bathsheba and he said, Bathsheba, I

need to tell you something. Ad Nija is fixing the

takeover the kingdom. Adanija is a half brother to Solomon.

And he said, we need to get Solomon, and we

need to take him, and we need to crown him king,

and I need to prophesy over him, and I need

to annoy him. And that's Nathan, folks, Nathan who single handedly,

by divine intervention, save the kingdom. Not only did Nathan

intervene in the life of David, he intervened in the

life of Solomon. He intervened in the kingdom of Israel.

But this is more powerful. He intervened in world history.

Because Solomon would be come the greatest king this world

has ever known, all because of a little preacher man

walking through the palace at the right place at the

right time, using the wisdom and the love of God,

and a man that's the negotiator. I feel the Holy

Ghost in this place, and I know this is a

baby dedication ceremony, but I want to take just a

brief moment to tell somebody in this building, probably a

young person, you need praying people in your life. You

need a praying minister in your life, and you need

the Holy Ghost in your life. We're fixing a start

this revival tonight. Brother Philip will lead off tonight. I

will try to be back in time. Then Brother Nathan,

you'll be preaching Monday night, Brother Jesse Tuesday night, Brother

Samuel Wednesday night. Will probably go right on with different

preachers if the Lord leads. But I have been made

more aware in studying for this baby dedication service that

I need divine intervention on a daily basis in my life.

And I say, God, if you need to use somebody,

use me for somebody to use them for me.

Let's stand.

Amen, praise the Lord. I wonder if the singers could

come up and sing praise the Lord. Amen, Brother Nathaniel,

Sister Rachel wild y'all come forward at this time.

Please with baby Nathan. He's adorable, so cute.

Amen.

Brother Nathaniel wrote this song for their baby boy.

All the ways it down settled the bid, the boot

of hold, powered by the wind, for God said he

would send a little boys.

Despite the mountain.

Gods.

Here we are today to dedicate him back to God.

Lord maids his hands give him string to say, after

holiness and.

Truth, it's swearing.

Me to do.

And made.

It's hard to reach those in the dog maids his

old to make a joy for no.

Lordship, hard to read the lost down the lonely.

It's because of you here Eddy canned him a vestle

your Lord.

Help us do our part to raise him.

To feel your wheel.

And then it's hard and steal a desire to be

filled with power from on high and under your wings

a mine.

Help us raise him to.

Be ready for winning hisven he meets his God. Lorn

maids his hand give him string the stand holy ness, truth,

it's one needs to do.

And baze is hard to rease those in the don kids.

His hose to make a joyful noise.

Lord, teach your pal to rease to the lost and

the lonely.

It's because of you we're here. We dedicate him this

your hand.

Lord, help us do our parm to raise him to

fulfill your wheel and then his heart.

And steal a desire to be.

Filled with power from on high and under your wings.

Abye, help us.

Raise him to be ready for winning him on.

He'll be his gode. Lord, names his hand, give him

string to stand.

Hoiness and true. It's what you.

Need to do. Names hard to reasons in the king

his voice to make a joy.

Lord, teach him how to reach the low the loney.

It's because of you were here. We dedicated him a

vessu and your.

Oh made use his voice to make a joyful no.

Lord, teach him how to read to.

The lost and the lonely.

It's because of you here we dedicate him a vessu

and you.

While they were singing, I was reminded of a the

scripture that I read Second Chronicles, chapter number twenty nine

and verse number twenty five. The Bible says, and he

set the levites in the house of the Lord with symbols,

with psaltries, and with harps according to the commandment of

David and of God the King seer, and Nathan the prophet.

For so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets.

And the Levites stood with the instruments of David and

the priest with the trumpets. So apparently Nathan had something

to do with the instruments in the choir of Israel.

He had something to do with that. Praise the Lord. Amen,

isn't that wonderful?

Tell you what?

Probably never heard that before, had you. Nope, That's why

we need the Holy Ghost, and we need folks that

are reading their Bibles. Amen, Praise the Lord.

I need.

Need intervention in my life. Your young people need intervention,

and you will like thank God for divide intervention. Amen,

Praise the Lord. Well, we're going to enter the more

formal part of this ceremony. At this time the vows.

I want to speak to Brother Nathaniel and Sister Rachel.

Brother Nathaniel, Sister Rachel, if it is your intention, as

Nathan's parents, to present your child to the Lord today

and pledge to bring him up in the nurture and

the admonition of the Lord, then answer we do to

each of these following promises. Promise number one do you

have this day? Do you hear this day recognize your

child as a gift from God and give your heartfelt

thanks for God's blessing. Do you hear this day dedicate

Nathan to the Lord who gave him to you? Do

you hear this day pledge his parents that you will

bring him up in the nurture and the admonition of

the Lord. Do you hear this day? Promise to give

Nathan every possible benefit of church. Will you take him

to the House of God as many times as possible?

Do you hear this day pledged to pray for God

to prosper and bless him as he grows and develops.

Do you hear this day promised to set an example

before him as he develops? Do you hear this day

pledged to do all you can to direct little Nathan

towards a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as his Lord

and savior. And Papa's got one for you? Do you

promise to buy him a guitar? Do you promise to

get him a chord chart? Teach him how to play

in the House of God. Brother Nathaniel, those of you

that will help us pray. Come around. At this time,

we want to pray. Grandparents come around, family members come around,

and let's dedicate him to the Lord