08/12/26 Pastor Christy Hair

(MUSIC)

COME ON CHURCH, ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT,

STAND UP ON YOUR FEET.

HAVE WE COME TO WORSHIP A GREAT GOD TONIGHT?

OH, COME ON, YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.

COME ON, LET'S GIVE HIM SOME PRAISE TONIGHT.

(MUSIC)

FATHER, YOU ARE GREAT AND GREATLY TO BE PRAISED

IN THIS PLACE TONIGHT.

LORD, WE LIFT OUR HANDS AND SAY YOU ARE GREAT.

JESUS.

(MUSIC)

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I JUST KEEP FEELING.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE'S NOTHING TOO HARD FOR OUR GOD, AMEN

(MUSIC)

I JUST SAY THAT TONIGHT DOESN'T MATTER

WHAT YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF

(MUSIC)

COME ON, TELL 'EM, TELL 'EM

(MUSIC)

YOU'RE SO GREAT

IF YOU DID NOTHING YET

YOU'D STILL BE GREAT

YOU'D STILL BE GREAT

YOU'RE SO GREAT

YOU'RE SO GREAT

OH, WE SERVE A GREAT, GREAT GOD, AMEN.

IF HE'D DONE NOTHING ELSE FOR ME,

NOTHING ELSE, AND I KNOW HE WILL,

I KNOW HE WILL, BUT EVERYTHING HE'S DONE,

SAVING ME, DELIVERING ME, SETTING ME FREE,

DELIVERING ME FROM MY PAST,

IF HE DID NOTHING ELSE, I'D LOVE HIM JUST THE SAME.

I'D LOVE HIM JUST THE SAME.

DO YOU LOVE HIM TONIGHT?

FATHER, WE LOVE YOU TONIGHT.

AND AS PASTOR HANK DOES, WE'RE JUST GONNA BLOW YOU

A KISS TONIGHT, 'CAUSE WE LOVE YOU THAT MUCH.

FATHER, WE LOVE YOU.

WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE.

WE LOVE YOU, JESUS.

WE LOVE YOU, JESUS.

TURN AROUND AND TELL SOME PEOPLE HOW GREAT YOUR GOD IS.

(MUSIC)

HALLELUJAH! GOD IS GREAT!

AMEN! IT'S OFFERING TIME. GLORY TO GOD.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT, LOH.

GET READY.

PASTOR CHRISTY IS GOING TO CONTINUE HER REVELATION ON HOW

TO UNLOCK OUR HARVEST HERE SHORTLY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO

TAKE TOO LONG. THEY'LL PUT THE OFFERING SCRIPTURE UP FOR THE

EVENING. IT IS PROVERBS 3:9, AND 10, AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT IT

Proverbs 3:9

REAL QUICK FIRST IN THE NLT. IT'S SHORT, BUT IT SAYS, "HONOR

THE LORD WITH YOUR WEALTH AND WITH THE BEST PART OF EVERYTHING

YOU PRODUCE. THEN HE WILL FILL YOUR BARNS WITH GRAIN AND YOUR

VATS WILL OVERFLOW WITH GOOD WINE." I LIKE THE NLT BECAUSE IT

GIVES ME THAT GRACE FEELING. BUT I ALSO LIKE THE AMPLIFIED

BECAUSE IT'S LOUD AND I CAN HEAR IT BETTER. SO IN THE AMPLIFIED

CLASSIC IT SAYS, "HONOR THE LORD WITH YOUR CAPITAL AND

SUFFICIENCY, FROM RIGHTEOUS LABORS AND WITH THE FIRST FRUITS

OF ALL YOUR INCOME. SO SHALL YOUR STORAGE PLACES BE FILLED

WITH PLENTY, AND YOUR VATS SHALL BE OVERFLOWING WITH NEW WINE? I

ALWAYS ASK MYSELF, WHAT EXACTLY ARE OUR STORAGE PLACES? WELL,

THEY MIGHT BE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, THEY MIGHT BE MONEY

MARKET ACCOUNTS, CDS, YOUR BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS, YOUR IRAS,

YOUR 401KS, ANY PLACE YOU'VE GOT CASH STASHED. OR THEY MIGHT JUST

BE YOUR KITCHEN CUPBOARDS, YOUR PANTRY, EVEN YOUR BEDROOM

CLOSET, ANYWHERE YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO STORE YOUR

SUFFICIENCY. AND IT'S GONNA BE FILLED WITH PLENTY, NO MATTER

WHERE IT IS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, INVEST IN THE KINGDOM ECONOMY,

AND IF YOU GIVE GENEROUSLY FROM WHAT THE LORD HAS PROVIDED FOR

YOU AND PUT IN YOUR POSSESSION, ALL THE MORE WILL BE GIVEN BACK

TO YOU. AND HONORING THE LORD REALLY MEANS USING OUR WEALTH

FOR RIGHTEOUS PURPOSES. GIVING OF OUR HARVEST OR INCREASE, IT'S

A RECOGNITION THAT EVERYTHING WE ARE AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE IS

ALL FROM GOD ANYWAY. IT REALLY IS ALL HIS. THANK YOU, LORD.

PSALM 24:1 IN THE NLT SAYS, "THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S AND

Psalms 24:1

EVERYTHING IN IT." THE LIVING BIBLE, WHICH I ALSO LIKE, SAYS,

"THE EARTH BELONGS TO GOD. EVERYTHING IN ALL THE WORLD IS

HIS." AND JAMES 1:17 TELLS US, "EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY

James 1:17

PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE AND COMES DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF

LIGHTS WITH WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHADOW OF TURNING."

AND SO THAT POINTS TO THE FACT THAT GOD IS UNCHANGING. HE IS

THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER, AND PART OF THAT

UNCHANGING CHARACTER IS HIS GENEROSITY. AND BY HONORING THAT

CHARACTER AND EMULATING THAT GENEROSITY, BY OBSERVING HIS

COMMANDMENTS, WE WILL LIVE IN THE BLESSING AND WE WILL

EXPERIENCE THE TYPE OF PROSPERITY THAT'S DESCRIBED IN

DEUTERONOMY 28:8, WHERE IT SAYS, "THE LORD WILL COMMAND THE

Deuteronomy 28:8

BLESSING ON YOU IN YOUR BARNS AND IN ALL THAT YOU SET YOUR

HANDS TO, AND HE WILL BLESS YOU IN THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR

GOD IS GIVING YOU." IF YOU HONOR GOD, HE WILL HONOR YOU. HE WILL

BLESS YOU IN WAYS THAT ARE SURPRISING, UNEXPECTED, EVEN

ASTONISHING, AS I'VE SAID UP HERE IN THE PAST. AFTER I DID

LAST WEEK'S OFFERING MESSAGE, I WAS QUESTIONED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE

AS TO WHY I DIDN'T INCLUDE A TESTIMONY. ONE PERSON WENT SO

FAR AS TO SAY IT SEEMED WEIRD THAT THERE WAS NO TESTIMONY

INCLUDING IN MY OFFERING MESSAGE. SO I GUESS THAT'S A

THING. I DON'T KNOW. SO I GUESS IF I'M RECEIVING THE OFFER, I'M

SUPPOSED TO SHARE A TESTIMONY. I'M GOING TO DO A BRIEF ONE

TONIGHT SINCE I PREFER NOT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS WEIRD. AND I JUST

WANT TO TRY TO GET ON TRACK HERE. BACK ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, I

WAS IN A SITUATION WHEN THEY ARE SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA, WHERE I

KNEW THAT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO BOLSTER MY INCOME. I NEEDED

TO MAKE A CAREER MOVE, BUT I HAD NO CLEAR DIRECTION. NOW, OF

COURSE, WE HONOR GOD IN OUR GIVING, SO WE KNEW THAT WAS

COMING, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WAS GOING TO COME. AND

UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, WHEN I WAS OUT DRIVING AROUND ONE DAY IN MY

SALES FUNCTION, MY LOVELY WIFE KATE DECIDED THAT SHE WOULD

APPLY FOR A JOB FOR ME. NOW YOU GOTTA THINK BACK 15 YEARS AGO,

THAT WASN'T JUST THE EASIEST THING TO DO. THERE WAS NO

INDEED, THERE WAS NO SOCIAL MEDIA, WE DIDN'T HAVE LINKEDIN

ACCOUNTS, AT LEAST WE DIDN'T, WE'RE LAGGARDS I GUESS. BUT SHE

FOUND A WAY TO DO THIS AND JUST BY THE HOLY SPIRIT FIGURED OUT

WELL THIS IS THE ONE I'M GONNA SEND IT OFF TO, SENDS OUT ONE

RESUME AND BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY, BEFORE I EVEN GOT BACK IN

THE DRIVEWAY, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE CEO OF THAT COMPANY.

AND I WOUND UP INTERVIEWING BEFORE I EVER GOT IN THE HOUSE.

YOU HONOR GOD, HE'S GONNA HONOR YOU. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NO

DOUBT ABOUT IT. AND SO IT GETS BETTER BECAUSE WITHIN NINE DAYS,

I WAS THEN ON A FLIGHT FROM WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA TO LOS

ANGELES FOR TRAINING. AND NINE DAYS AFTER THAT, WE WERE DRIVING

A TRUCK, A MOVING TRUCK TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO LIVE. NOW,

OBVIOUSLY FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE, THERE'S MULTIPLE OTHER

MINOR MIRACLES INVOLVED. AND I DON'T WANNA PROLONG THIS FOR

VERY LONG, BUT I'LL JUST SHARE ONE. THERE WAS A YOUTH PASTOR

THAT WE HAD KNOWN BACK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK SEVERAL YEARS

PRIOR, AND HE HAD MOVED BEFORE WE DID, AND HE WAS, WE DIDN'T

KNOW EXACTLY WHERE HE WAS, BUT HE WAS ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF

US IN VIRGINIA. WELL, WHEN WE WERE STARTING TO PACK UP, HE

CAME BY JUST TO CHECK IN ON US AND SEE WHAT'S UP. AND SO WE

SAID, WELL, WE'RE MOVING. AND HE SAID, WELL, WHEN? AND WE GAVE

HIM A PROJECTED DATE AND EVERYTHING. SO HE GOES AND

RECRUITS FOUR OF HIS BRUTISH YOUNG MEN FROM THE YOUTH

MINISTRY IN THE NEW CHURCH THAT HE'S AT, AND THEY ALL COME UP

THE DAY THAT IT'S MOVING DAY, LOADED EVERY SINGLE THING ON THE

TRUCK, PACKED IT BEAUTIFULLY, SEALED IT UP, SENT US ON OUR WAY

TO DC, AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS PAY FOR A PIZZA. THAT'S AN

UNEXPECTED AND AMAZING BLESSING. IT'S ASTONISHING WHEN I THINK

BACK ON IT. IT'S THE FAVOR OF GOD. LET'S PUT THE GIVING

INFORMATION ON THE SCREENS. I'LL CALL IT GOOD. I GOT MORE TO DO

WITH THAT, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU ALL NIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THERE

ARE MULTIPLE WAYS TO GIVE. TEXT TO GIVE, MY FAVORITE. GO TO THE

WEBSITE, LOHCHURCH.ORG/GIVE. USE THE MOBILE APP, SCAN YOUR QR

CODE, AND WE STILL LOVE TO RECEIVE ENVELOPES IN THE MAIL

WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP. AND THAT ADDRESS IS UP THERE FOR YOU AS

WELL. IF YOU'RE IN HERE AND YOU NEED AN ENVELOPE, WE GOT USHERS

IN THE AISLES. LET'S GIVE GOD GREAT HONOR TONIGHT. LET'S SHOW

OUR GREAT GENEROSITY AND OUR APPRECIATION AND OUR HONOR FOR

THE LORD FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE. AND IF EVERYBODY IS READY,

WE CAN HOLD UP OUR ENVELOPES OR OUR DEVICES AND I'LL PRAY A

QUICK BLESSING OVER THEM. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU

THAT AS WE HONOR YOU, YOU WILL HONOR US, THAT YOU WILL INCREASE

US MORE AND MORE TO OVERFLOWING AS WE GIVE OUT OF OUR

SUFFICIENCY. THANK YOU, LORD, FOR PROVIDING FOR EVERY NEED

EVEN BEFORE WE CAN PERCEIVE IT OR DECIDE ANYTHING IN OUR MIND

THAT WOULD SEND US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND FOR GIVING US

TESTIMONIES OF YOUR FOREVER GOODNESS, YOUR ETERNAL

FAITHFULNESS, AND WE DECLARE THAT WE ARE HEALED, WHOLE, AND

PROSPEROUS, EVERY GIVER IN HERE AND ONLINE IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF

JESUS, AMEN. AND NOW LET'S WELCOME PASTOR CHRISTY. ALL

RIGHT. CHECK, CHECK. THERE WE ARE. ALL RIGHT, HOW IS EVERYBODY

DOING TONIGHT? SO HOW MANY OF YOU THOUGHT PASTOR BRENDA WAS

GONNA BE HERE TONIGHT? 'CAUSE SHE MIGHT HAVE SAID IT. SO I'M

HERE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. SHE DID NOT NOT COME BECAUSE OF

JONATHAN'S FIGHT LAST NIGHT. THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

WE ACTUALLY TALKED ON MONDAY AND SHE GOES, "I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I

OVERCOMMITTED." 'CAUSE HOW MANY OF YOU KNEW PASTOR HANK FLEW OUT

SUNDAY, TURNED AROUND, FLEW OUT MONDAY FOR LAS VEGAS TO GO BE

WITH JONATHAN, AND THEN HE DIDN'T FLY BACK UNTIL THIS

MORNING. AND SO THEN HE GOT BACK THIS AFTERNOON, THEN PASTOR'S

GONNA BE TAPING, AND SO SHE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE I

WANNA COOK MY HUSBAND A GOOD HOME-COOKED MEAL. I SAID, YOU

TAKE CARE OF THAT, I GOT THIS, AND I'LL JUST CONTINUE THE

MESSAGE. SO SHE DID NOT SHOW UP BECAUSE OF THE FIGHT. AND BY THE

WAY, JUST BEFORE I CAME OUT HERE A LITTLE BIT AGO, JONATHAN

FACETIMED ME. AND HOW MANY OF YOU, DID ANY OF YOU WATCH THE

MMA FIGHT LAST NIGHT? A LOT OF YOU DID. OBVIOUSLY THAT DID NOT

GO THE WAY HE HOPED. AND YOU KNOW, HE WAS HEARTBROKEN. I

MEAN, HE'S IN GOOD SPIRITS. BUT, AND SO EVERYBODY'S ASKING HIM,

"JONATHAN, WHY DIDN'T YOU TAP OUT?" HE GOES, "'CAUSE I THOUGHT

I WAS WINNING." AND HE GOES, "I WAS LANDING SOME REALLY GOOD

PUNCHES. I WAS DOING A LOT OF DAMAGE WHEN I WAS IN THERE." AND

HE GOES, "SO I WASN'T GONNA TAP OUT." WHICH I KNEW HE WOULDN'T

ANYWAY. MATTER OF FACT, JUDY TEXTED ME. SHE GOES, "I THOUGHT

HE WOULD TAP." I SAID, "NO, I KNOW THAT BOY. HE'S STUBBORN

LIKE HIS MAMA." I LOVE YOU, PASTOR BRENDA, IF YOU'RE

WATCHING. AND HE'S JUST GOT A NO QUIT IN HIM. AND PASTOR BRENDA,

AND OF COURSE, PASTOR HANK AND PASTOR BRENDA BOTH HAVE NO QUIT

IN THEM. SO HE DIDN'T TAP. BUT SO HE IS, HE'S ACTUALLY ON HIS

WAY, I'M GETTING THIS A LITTLE CLOSER 'CAUSE I'M GONNA SIT DOWN

TONIGHT AND JUST GET COMFY. SO HE IS ON HIS WAY, RIGHT NOW

PROBABLY, TO GO GET AN MRI DONE. AND THEY'RE GONNA CHECK FOR ANY

LIGAMENT DAMAGE. BUT YOU KNOW, HE ACTUALLY DID REALLY GOOD. AND

ACTUALLY, THE OTHER GUY LOOKED WORSE THAN JONATHAN. I MEAN,

REALLY WHAT KIND OF SEALED IT FOR JONATHAN WAS THE ARMBAR. BUT

I GUESS THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE SAYING THAT

THEY DIDN'T THINK THE JUDGES GOT IT RIGHT. SO, WHO KNOWS? I'M NOT

A, I AM NOT AN MMA AFICIONADO TO BE HONEST. I NEVER WATCHED A DAY

IN MY LIFE UNTIL JONATHAN DECIDED THAT THAT'S WHAT HE WAS

PURSUING. AND SO THAT'S NOT MY PREFERRED STYLE OF SPORTS. MOST

OF THE SPORTS THAT I LIKE TO WATCH HAVE A BALL INVOLVED.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

AND, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S A BALL, LIKE I'M ALL IN THAT, YOU

KNOW, NOT JUST, I'M HERE TO SEE WHO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN BEAT

ME UP OR NOT. SO, BUT ANYWAY, JONATHAN, WE LOVE YOU. HE REALLY

DID VERY, VERY GOOD AND THIS ISN'T OVER FOR HIM.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

HE'S PLANNING ON, HE'S ALREADY PLANNING HIS REHAB AND GETTING

READY TO WORK WITH HIS PT PERSON AND HE'S HOPING HE'S BACK IN SIX

TO EIGHT WEEKS. AND OF COURSE, AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN MEAN, SO

WITH THE CONTENDER SERIES, I GUESS YOU CAN GET BACK IN ON IT.

AND THEN SOMETIMES THEY EVEN CALL PEOPLE UP BECAUSE THEY NEED

SOMEBODY TO TAKE A FIGHT. SO THAT IS WHERE THAT IS AT. AND

SO, BUT YEAH, HE'S DOING GOOD. I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S NOT WHAT HE

HOPED FOR, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE'S QUITTING, SO DON'T THINK

THAT. AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JONATHAN, I LOVE HIM, BUT HE'S

THERE HOLDING THE THUMBS UP AS THE GUY IS BENDING HIS ARM THE

WRONG WAY, AND WHICH HIS ARM IS NOT BROKEN. IT IS FRACTURED, BUT

IT IS NOT BROKEN, SO THEN THEY'RE GONNA CHECK THE LIGAMENT

DAMAGE. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, HE ALSO SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT

GUY WAS HITTING ME, HE GOES, IT DIDN'T EVEN HURT. HE GOES, HE

WASN'T REALLY DOING ANY DAMAGE. SO HE DIDN'T REALLY SUSTAIN MUCH

DAMAGE AT ALL EXCEPT FOR THE ARM BAR. BUT PRAISE GOD. ANYWAY, HOW

MANY OF YOU ARE EXCITED TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ON A

WEDNESDAY NIGHT?

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

NOW I DID WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW THE GAME NIGHT THAT WAS

SCHEDULED FOR GAME CHANGERS ON FRIDAY NIGHT, THEY'RE CANCELING

IT BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUT ON THE LAWN AND THEY WERE

PREPARED FOR THAT AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO RAIN. WE'VE BEEN

GETTING A LOT OF RAIN LATELY, WHICH I KNOW WE NEED, BUT IT

SEEMS TO BE POPPING UP AT THE WORST TIMES, BUT HEY, WHATEVER,

WE'LL TAKE IT. AND HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT THE HUMIDITY THAT

WE'VE BEEN HAVING IS GONNA BREAK 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN REALLY HUMID.

LIKE YOU WALK OUTSIDE AND EVERYTHING FOGS UP. SO IF YOU

WEAR GLASSES, THEY FOG UP. SO HOW MANY OF YOU WERE HERE FOR

LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT UNLOCKING YOUR HARVEST

SEASON. AND SO WE'RE GONNA KIND OF CONTINUE ON THAT SAME THEME

TONIGHT. BUT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK THAT IN GENESIS 8:22,

Genesis 8:22

IT SAYS AS LONG AS THE EARTH REMAINS, THERE IS SEED, TIME,

AND HARVEST. AND SO ANYTIME WE PLANT SEED, AND BY THE WAY, WHEN

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEED, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT MONETARY

SEEDS. DO YOU KNOW WE SOW SEEDS ALL THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES, IN

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE CAN SOW SEEDS OF KINDNESS, SEEDS OF

RIGHTEOUSNESS, SEEDS OF MERCY. WE CAN SOW SEEDS THAT ARE EVIL.

BUT THE LAW OR THE PRINCIPLE OF THE KINGDOM IS BASED ON SEED

PLANTING, WHICH JESUS TALKED ABOUT IN LUKE CHAPTER FOUR, OR

MARK CHAPTER FOUR, EXCUSE ME. AND SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IF

THERE IS A PRINCIPLE THAT JESUS IS TEACHING, WE SHOULD TAKE NOTE

OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE KINGDOM IS BUILT ON. SO WE ALSO

TALKED ABOUT THAT WE NEED TO PLOW, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE'RE

PLOWING, WE'RE BREAKING UP THE HARD GROUND SO THAT OUR SEEDS

CAN GO INTO THE GROUND AND THEY CAN PRODUCE FRUIT. AND IF WE'RE

NOT PLOWING, THEN TYPICALLY, WE'RE NOT GONNA PRODUCE THE

HARVEST THAT WE WANT. WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THAT THEN YOU HAVE

TO SOW. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO HAVE YOUR GROUND STIRRED UP AND

THAT'S LIKE SAYING, OH LORD, I'VE STIRRED UP MY HEART FOR

YOU, BUT THEN YOU'RE NOT PUTTING SEED IN THERE. THAT DOESN'T GIVE

ANYTHING FOR GOD TO WORK WITH. SO, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE

TALKED ABOUT HOW WE GOTTA GET RID OF THE WEEDS THAT KILL THE

SEEDS. SO IF WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF THOSE WEEDS, WE CAN'T

EXPECT A HARVEST TO COME, OR AT LEAST NOT IN THE MAGNITUDE THAT

WE'RE BELIEVING GOD FOR. AND SOMETIMES THERE'S SO MANY THINGS

THAT WE LET POP UP IN OUR LIFE, AND WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT, AND

THEN SOMETIMES WE'RE WONDERING WHY WE'RE NOT GETTING THE

ANSWERS THAT WE BELIEVE FOR. SO AGAIN, WE'VE GOTTA BE, AND WE'RE

NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT AGAIN TONIGHT, BUT THEN THE

FOURTH ONE THAT WE SAID WAS WE GOTTA WATER THE SEED. YOU KNOW,

YOU DON'T JUST PUT A PLANT IN THE GROUND OR PUT SEEDS IN THE

GROUND AND JUST LEAVE THEM THERE TO THEIR OWN DEVICES AND JUST

HOPE FOR THE RAIN TO COME. WELL, IT GOES BETTER IF YOU HAVE AN

IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE CONTINUALLY

PROPHESYING TO THOSE SEEDS, YOU'RE CONTINUALLY DOING THE

SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER THAT ARE WATERING THOSE SEEDS. SO

THAT WAS THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE AND THEN THE FIFTH ONE WAS JUST

BEING ABLE TO WAIT AND SOMETIMES WE LOSE THE BATTLE FOR THE

HARVEST IN THE WAITING BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETIMES THE HARDEST

PART IS THAT WE WANT EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW AND WE DON'T SOMETIMES

WAIT FOR THOSE THINGS TO GROW UP AND TO BECOME FRUITFUL WHEN THEY

SHOULD. SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH PART TWO, BUT WHAT WE'RE

GONNA TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IS OUR MENTALITY

WHEN WE'RE BELIEVING GOD FOR HARVEST. YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF

YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR HAND, BUT HOW MANY OF YOU

ARE BELIEVING FOR GOD TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOU? AND IT FEELS

LIKE SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A SEASON. AND

WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE HAVE GOT TO LEARN

TO COMMAND OURSELVES SO THAT WE DON'T MISS THE SEASON OF

HARVEST. AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW THE DEVIL, HE COMES IN

AND HE TRIES TO SCHEME TO STEAL WHAT'S BEEN PLANTED. AND THE

BIBLE SAYS HE CAN ONLY DEVOUR, OR HE SEEKS WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR,

SO HE CAN ONLY DEVOUR IF WE ALLOW IT. AND SO WE HAVE TO

LEARN TO BE GUARDIANS OF OUR HARVEST. WE HAVE TO BE, IF

YOU'RE CALLED OF GOD, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM IS CALLED OF GOD,

BUT IF YOU'RE CALLED OF GOD, YOU'VE GOTTA BE A GUARDIAN OR A

STEWARD OF YOUR CALL. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU'VE GOTTA BE A

GUARDIAN AND A STEWARD OF YOUR KIDS. BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, IF WE

DON'T PUT IN OUR KIDS WHAT THE RIGHT PIECE IS, I LEARNED A LONG

TIME AGO, I CAN'T SHELTER MY KIDS, AND I MEAN, THEY LIVE A

PRETTY SHELTERED LIFE 'CAUSE WE'RE PRETTY BORING IN OUR

LIVES. THERE'S A LOT THEY CAN'T LISTEN TO, THERE'S A LOT THEY

CAN'T WATCH, AND THEY KNOW IT. BUT YOU KNOW, ONE DAY, AS

THEY'RE GROWING, THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE INDEPENDENT FROM

MOM AND DAD. AND WHEN THEY BECOME MORE AND MORE INDEPENDENT

FROM MOM AND DAD, THEY START MAKING DECISIONS FOR THEMSELVES.

SO IF WE'RE NOT SHEPHERDING THE SEEDS THAT WE'VE PLANTED IN THEM

WHILE WE HAVE THEM, THEN WE MIGHT NOT GET THE HARVEST THAT

WE WANT. SO WE DO OUR BEST. YOU KNOW, BUT IN THE END, WE ALSO

HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD'S GONNA DO IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE AT SOME

POINT, YOUR KIDS DO HAVE TO GO OUT OF YOUR HOME, AND THE GOD

THAT IS YOUR GOD HAS TO BECOME THEIR GOD. AND YOU CAN'T MAKE

THAT CHOICE. I MEAN, I WISH WE COULD'VE JUST LIKE SAID, OKAY,

LISTEN, WE SIGNED A CONTRACT, AND THIS IS, YOU DON'T GET A

CHOICE. BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. BUT YOU KNOW, LISTEN, BUT

GOD'S GOT IT. HE SAID IF WE TRAIN A CHILD UP IN THE WAY HE

SHOULD GO, IN THE END HE'S NOT GONNA DEPART FROM IT. SO EVEN IF

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S DEPARTURE HAPPENING, WE HAVE TO BELIEVE

GOD. AND I TALKED TO ONE OF OUR YOUNG LADIES OUT AT CAMP, AND WE

HAVE SO MANY GOOD YOUNGSTERS OUT THERE, AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW,

HOW YOU DOING?" SHE GOES, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M DOING GOOD, "BUT

YOU KNOW, I DON'T ALWAYS LIKE LISTENING "TO MY MOM AND DAD."

I'M LIKE, "WELL, YOU WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST AND THE ONLY." BUT SHE

SAID, "BUT YOU KNOW, MAN, "GOD'S REALLY MINISTERING TO ME." SO

AGAIN, GOD'S GOT OUR KIDS TOO. SO LET'S TURN IN OUR BIBLES OVER

TO PROVERBS 24, VERSE 10, AND LET'S GET STARTED. AND IT SAYS,

Proverbs 24:10

AND THIS IS FROM THE KING JAMES, AND I LIKE THE WAY THE KING

JAMES SAYS IT. IT SAYS, "IF YOU FAINT IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY,

"YOUR STRENGTH IS SMALL." NOW, I DON'T PARTICULARLY LOVE THAT

SCRIPTURE, IF I'M HONEST. BECAUSE THAT SAYS, TO ME,

REALLY, IN THE PASTOR CHRISTY LANGUAGE, IT SAYS, "BUCK UP,

BUTTERCUP." YOU DON'T GET TO SIT DOWN AND CRY WHEN THINGS AREN'T

GOING YOUR WAY. YOU KNOW, AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I

READ THAT AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH MAN, GOD, I'VE GOTTA GROW.

BECAUSE THERE'S TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE FACING SOMETHING AND OR

YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU GET SOME BAD NEWS OR YOU GET A BILL IN

THE MAIL YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING. AND SO THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE

JUST LIKE, OH GOD, IT'S JUST SO BAD AND I CAN'T. AND WE JUST

THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE NEGATIVE THINGS. BUT THIS SAYS, IF WE

FAINT IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY, OUR STRENGTH IS SMALL. AND I WAS

LIKE, GOD, I DON'T WANNA BE, I DON'T WANNA BE A PERSON OF SMALL

STRENGTH. I WANNA BE A PERSON THAT IS STRONG IN YOU AND IN THE

POWER OF YOUR MIGHT. JUST LIKE WHAT GOD TOLD JOSHUA, THAT HE

WOULD BE STRONG IF HE WOULD JUST MEDITATE IN THE WORD OF GOD DAY

AND NIGHT. AND I SAID, GOD, I DON'T WANNA BE THAT WAY. SO, I

SAID LAST WEEK, JUST LIKE IN THE OTHER VERSE THAT WE READ LAST

WEEK, WHERE IT SAYS, "IF A LAZY MAN DOESN'T PLOW BECAUSE OF THE

COLD, "HE DOESN'T RECEIVE A HARVEST. "NEITHER DOES THE

PERSON THAT FAINTS." IF YOU'RE OUT THERE PLOWING AND IT SEEMS

HARD IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PLOWING, THEN, AND YOU FAINT,

GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE NOT GONNA REAP THE HARVEST THAT YOU WERE

PROMISED. AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE

OF US THAT REALLY WALK THIS WALK OF FAITH, IN OTHER WORDS, WE

BELIEVE THAT GOD IS A GOD THAT HEALS TODAY, HE'S A GOD THAT

DELIVERS TODAY, IT DIDN'T PASS AWAY, WE BELIEVE THAT IN SIGNS

AND WONDERS AND MIRACLES IN THIS DAY, THAT WE SOMEHOW THINK THAT

STORMS ARE NOT GONNA COME. THAT WE NEVER THINK THAT OUR FAITH

WOULD BE CHALLENGED BECAUSE I'M A FAITH PERSON, SO IT'S ALL

GONNA BE CHERRIES AND ROSES AND HEARTS AND RAINBOWS IN OUR LIFE,

AND WE'RE JUST GONNA WALK THIS BEAUTIFUL LIFE AND NOTHING EVER

BAD IS EVER GONNA COME, OR THAT FAILURES AND MISTAKES AREN'T

GONNA COME, BECAUSE THAT'S THE OTHER THING. YOU KNOW, UNTIL WE

CROSS OVER INTO HEAVEN, DO YOU REALIZE THAT WE ARE ALL A WORK

IN PROGRESS? WE'RE ALL STILL LEARNING AND GROWING. GOD IS

STILL BUILDING US LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT.

THERE IS NO POINT THAT WE'VE EVER ARRIVED UNTIL WE HIT

HEAVEN, AND THEN WE'VE ARRIVED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND

THEN, YOU KNOW, HE CAN MAKE ALL OF THAT PERFECT. THANK GOD FOR

THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO SOMETIMES WE ACT LIKE, WE CAN'T

ACT LIKE THAT WE HAVE SOME UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S

DIFFERENT THAN ANYBODY ELSE'S. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID JESUS DO

WHEN THE STORMS CAME TO HIM WHEN HE WAS IN THE BOAT? HE COMMANDED

THE STORMS. SO IF WE'RE NOT COMMANDING THE STORMS OF OUR

LIFE, IF WE'RE NOT SPEAKING TO THE STORMS OF OUR LIFE, THEN

WE'RE NOT GONNA RECEIVE THE HARVEST. YOU KNOW, A FARMER

CAN'T JUST LAY DOWN AND NOT REBUILD HIS FARM IF A STORM

COMES. THEY GOTTA GO OUT AND CHECK THE CROPS AND MAKE SURE

THAT EVERYTHING'S OKAY SO THAT EVERYTHING CAN KEEP GROWING.

THEY GOTTA REBUILD THE BARNS BECAUSE EVEN IF THE CROPS

WEREN'T HURT, BUT YOUR BARN'S GOT KNOCKED DOWN, THEY HAVE TO

HAVE A PLACE TO RECEIVE THE HARVEST. SO IN THE STORMS OF

LIFE, AND STORMS ARE GONNA HAPPEN. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF

THEY COME, IT IS WHEN THEY COME. STORMS ARE GONNA HAPPEN, AND

THAT'S NOT A BAD CONFESSION. IT'S JUST THAT AT SOME POINT,

YOUR FAITH IS GONNA BE TESTED. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, WE

DON'T GET TO LIVE OUR LIFE WITHOUT THE TESTING OF OUR

FAITH. OTHERWISE, IT WOULDN'T SAY THAT IF YOU FAINT IN THE DAY

OF ADVERSITY, YOUR STRENGTH IS SMALL. AND SO HARVEST DOESN'T

COME WHEN WE'RE RULED BY OUR CIRCUMSTANCES OR BY OTHER

PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, REMEMBER LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT IF PEOPLE

ARE SAYING THINGS, SHUT UP. JUST SHUT UP. BECAUSE YOUR WORDS

DON'T GET TO DIRECT MY LIFE. YOUR WORDS DON'T GET TO

DETERMINE MY VALUE. YOUR WORDS DON'T GET, TO BE HONEST, AND I

DON'T CARE IF THIS IS A SPOUSE, YOUR WORDS DON'T EVEN, ARE NOT

EVEN ALLOWED TO GET ME OFFENDED. THAT'S A YOU PROBLEM. THAT'S NOT

A ME PROBLEM. IF YOUR MOUTH IS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND YOU'RE

SAYING NASTY THINGS ABOUT ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT'S A YOU

PROBLEM. BECAUSE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'M GONNA FORGIVE YOU

AND GO ON BECAUSE I'VE GOT THINGS TO DO FOR THE KINGDOM AND

I CAN'T AFFORD THE STRIFE IN MY LIFE, AMEN?

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

AND IF I LET YOUR OPINION SHORT CIRCUIT WHAT I AM CALLED TO DO,

THAT'S A ME PROBLEM. BECAUSE GOD DIDN'T CALL ME ACCORDING TO

SOMEBODY ELSE'S OPINION. GOD DIDN'T CALL YOU ACCORDING TO

SOMEBODY ELSE'S OPINION AND HE DIDN'T CALL YOU TO BE SOMEBODY

ELSE. HE CALLED YOU TO BE YOU. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE FACT

THAT I CANNOT PROPHESY LIKE PASTOR HANK. I'VE GOT ZERO

PROBLEM WITH IT. I'M LIKE, YOU GO ON, I'LL PRAY, YOU GO, YOU

PROPHESY. THAT'S HIS CALL. I DON'T CARE IF I CAN'T PREACH

LIKE BROTHER COPELAND, OR ANDREW WOMACK, OR ANY OF THE, YOU KNOW,

OF SOME GREAT MEN OF GOD. I'M CALLED TO BE WHO GOD CALLED ME

TO BE. SO I DON'T HAVE TO STAND IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S OFFICE TO

FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF, YOU KNOW, BUT OBEDIENCE, MY

OBEDIENCE IS GONNA PRODUCE A HARVEST IN MY LIFE, AMEN? YOUR

OBEDIENCE IS GONNA PRODUCE A HARVEST IN YOUR LIFE. AND YOU

KNOW, AND HERE'S THE OTHER THING, I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GENERATION OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALLOWED

THEIR EMOTIONS TO RULE THEM. THEY ALLOW THEIR EMOTIONS TO

MAKE THEIR DECISIONS AND THEY WONDER WHY THEY AREN'T BLESSED.

BECAUSE WE SPEND TIME AFTER TIME, AND YOU KNOW, LISTEN,

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ON THIS SIDE OF

ETERNITY, BUT WHETHER WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED IN

SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE, WHICH I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WHAT'S HAPPENED IN

SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE IS NONE OF MY BUSINESS. MY BIBLE DOESN'T

READ AFTER OTHER PEOPLE'S EXAMPLES, IT READS AFTER WHAT

GOD SAID, AND I HAVE TO HAVE THE REVELATION OF WHAT GOD SAID

LIVING IN MY HEART SO THAT IT'S PRODUCING FRUIT IN MY LIFE. AND

SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT LET EMOTIONS COME AND JUST WREAK

HAVOC ALL OVER WHAT THEY'RE DOING. PEOPLE ARE MAKING

EMOTIONAL DECISIONS, THEY DON'T CONSULT GOD, AND THEN THEY

WONDER WHY THEY DON'T GET THE ANSWER. WE CAN SHORT CIRCUIT OUR

DESTINY BY ALLOWING OUR EMOTIONS TO BE OUR GUIDE. BECAUSE YOU

KNOW WHAT YOUR EMOTIONS WILL NEVER DO? THEY WILL NEVER BE AN

ANCHOR. BECAUSE OUR EMOTIONS ARE TOSSED ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU

KNOW? DIDN'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP. WELL, I'M IN A BAD MOOD, SO MY

EMOTIONS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU KNOW, MY SPOUSE SAID, YOU

KNOW, THEY SAID SOMETHING ICKY TO ME, SO NOW MY EMOTIONS ARE

ALL OVER THE PLACE. OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER GUIDES YOU. AND SO, YOU

WILL LOSE YOUR HARVEST IF YOU MAKE CHOICES AFTER EMOTIONAL

REASONS. IF YOU SAY, I CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE, YOUR STRENGTH IS

SMALL. AND I DON'T MEAN FOR THAT TO BE HARD. LIKE, I WANT TO HELP

MY OWN SELF. AND HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER FELT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN

AT A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, GOD, I CAN'T DO THIS

ANYMORE. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET TO THAT PLACE AND WE SAY WE

CAN'T, USUALLY THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T INQUIRED OF THE LORD.

SO TURN IN YOUR BIBLE, WELL, FIRST LET'S GO TO LUKE CHAPTER

Luke 21:19

21, VERSE 19. AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS SAID. SO IF YOU GO BACK

AND READ THIS CHAPTER, JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE

TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA COME. BUT HE SAID IN THERE, HE

SAID, "IN YOUR PATIENCE, POSSESS YOU YOUR SOUL." NOW WHAT DOES

THAT MEAN? SO I WENT UP AND LOOKED UP WHAT THE GREEK WORD

MEANS FOR SOUL THERE, AND IT SAYS, "THE SEED OF FEELINGS,

DESIRES, AFFECTIONS, OR AVERSIONS." SO LET THAT SINK IN

FOR A MINUTE. YOUR SOUL IS THE SEED OF YOUR FEELINGS, YOUR

DESIRES, YOUR AFFECTIONS, OR THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE. SO HOW WE

TAKE HOLD, SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN OUR EMOTIONS ARE ALL OVER THE

MAP? FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE. JUST BECAUSE WE

GET, LISTEN, YOU WILL NOT HAVE A MARRIAGE IF YOU GET MAD AT YOUR

SPOUSE AND WALK OUT THE DOOR BECAUSE OF YOUR EMOTIONS. YOU

DON'T BRING IT BACK INTO CHECK, IT'S GONNA MESS IT UP. SO, AND

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN SOMETIMES MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST THE EMOTION

OF ANGER OR FRUSTRATION, BUT WHAT DO WE DO IF IT'S THE

EMOTION OF FEAR? TURN OVER TO CHRONICLES, 2 CHRONICLES, EXCUSE

ME, CHAPTER 20, VERSE THREE. AND MOST OF YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS

STORY. AND IT SAYS IN JEHOSHAPHAT, SO THE ARMY, THEY

SEE THE GREAT ARMY COMING AT THEM. AND IT SAYS IN JEHOSHAPHAT

FEARED. NOW, BUT WHAT DID HE DO? SEE, HERE'S THE THING, IT'S NOT

THAT FEAR WON'T COME. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THAT ANGER WON'T COME.

SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THAT THE EMOTIONS AREN'T GONNA COME AND

TRY TO ATTACK YOU. BUT WHAT DID JEHOSHAPHAT DO? HE SAID, AND HE

SET HIMSELF TO SEEK THE LORD. AND HE PROCLAIMED A FAST

THROUGHOUT ALL OF JUDAH. SO HE SET HIS FACE TO SEEK THE LORD.

SO THEN, BECAUSE HE SET HIS FACE TO SEEK THE LORD, THEN HE WAS

GIVEN WISDOM ON HOW TO GO OUT AND DEAL WITH THE ARMY. AND

GUESS WHAT? BECAUSE JEHOSHAPHAT SOUGHT THE LORD, HE DIDN'T HAVE

TO FIGHT THE BATTLE. THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM. AND HE FOUGHT

FOR THEM. AND SEE, WE WANT HARVEST, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO

LEARN TO SOMETIMES DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER. WE LIVE IN A CULTURE

RIGHT NOW THAT WANTS US TO LIVE IN A PLACE OF FEELINGS. YOU

DIDN'T RESPECT MY PRONOUNS. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. I SAID THIS A

FEW, YOU TRIGGERED ME BY YOUR WORDS. AND I, OOH, THAT ONE JUST

MAKES ME SO MAD. I'M LIKE, OH, YOU'RE TRIGGERED? I DON'T ALLOW

MY KIDS TO BE TRIGGERED. IF MOM AND DAD MADE YOU MAD, GUESS

WHAT? BUCK UP, BUTTERCUP. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO LEARN HOW TO BE

RESPECTFUL AND DEAL WITH US THE WAY THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO,

WHETHER YOU LIKED WHAT WE DID OR WE DIDN'T DO. AND SOMETIMES MOM

AND DAD ARE WRONG, BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T GIVE THEM THE

RIGHT TO DISRESPECT US. SO, WHAT, AND NOW, AND THEN, OKAY,

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHO WAS THE ULTIMATE GIANT SLAYER IN THE

BIBLE? KING DAVID. BEFORE HE BECAME KING, YOU KNOW, HE'S

RUNNING AROUND IN THE WILDERNESS BEING CHASED BY SAUL, 'CAUSE

SAUL WAS JEALOUS, AND YOU KNOW, HE HAD SLAYED THE GIANT, AND

THAT'S THE OTHER THING. SO EVEN IF YOU RECEIVE HARVEST AFTER

HARVEST, YOU KNOW AGAIN, HE'S FACED THE GIANT. HE DID

EVERYTHING THE KING HAD ASKED HIM AND NOW HE'S BEING, YOU

KNOW, HE WAS CHASED OUT OF THE CASTLE, MISTREATED. AND THAT'S

THE OTHER THING, SEE, THAT'S THE THING THAT THIS CULTURE DOESN'T

GET. AND THEY WONDER WHY SOMETIMES GOD IS FAR OFF IN

THEIR PRAYERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A HEART OF HONOR. 'CAUSE

DAVID HONORED SAUL WHEN SAUL WAS A BOOGER. HE WAS AN EVIL MAN.

AND DAVID CHOSE TO KEEP HONOR IN HIS HEART. AND SEE, SOMETIMES,

SEE, THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET SO MESSED UP. THEY'RE LIKE, I WAS

MISTREATED, I WAS, MM-MM-MM-MM-MM. AND YOU KNOW

WHAT, SOMETIMES YOU ARE GONNA BE MISTREATED. IT'S A PART OF, I

LIKE WHAT EDDIE CALLS IT, IT'S CALLED PEOPLING. AND SO NOW I'VE

ADOPTED THAT. SOMETIMES YOU GET ENOUGH OF PEOPLING AND PEOPLE

MAKE YOU MAD. AND LISTEN, I WENT OUT AND I LOOKED ONLINE LAST

NIGHT AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS FOR JONATHAN AND I HAD TO TURN

THEM OFF 'CAUSE I'M LIKE, THAT'S MY NEPHEW. I'M GONNA COME OUT

SWINGING. AND YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, PEOPLE SAY NASTY THINGS,

BUT THAT'S WHY WE DON'T LET THEIR OPINIONS HURT OUR HEARTS.

BUT WHAT DID DAVID DO? SO LET'S GO OVER TO 1 SAMUEL 30, VERSE

SIX. AND YOU KNOW, DAVID'S JUST TRYING TO HONOR GOD, AND HE'S

BEING CHASED. AND BY THE WAY, DAVID WAS BEING CHASED FOR A

CALL HE DIDN'T ASK FOR. HE DIDN'T ASK TO BE KING. SO

SOMETIMES IF YOU'RE BEING PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF THE CALL

THAT YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR, AGAIN, BUCK UP, BUTTERCUP. GOD CALLED

YOU BECAUSE HE SAW SOMETHING IN YOU. OKAY, SO 1 SAMUEL 30, VERSE

SIX, NOW THIS IS A HORRIFIC ATTACK. SO WHEN THEY RETURNED TO

ZIKLAG, THE PHILISTINES HAD COME IN AND THEY HAD TAKEN THEIR

WIVES AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY BURNED DOWN THEIR TOWN. AND

HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT, LISTEN, WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS. IF

YOUR CHILDREN GET KIDNAPPED BY EVIL PEOPLE, HOW MANY OF YOU

KNOW THAT WE'RE LIKELY TO BE A LITTLE BIT UPSET? THAT'S

NATURAL. IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE FEELINGS. YOU'VE GOT TO

REIGN THOSE FEELINGS IN. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT

GOD HAS BEEN GIVING ME THE GREATEST REVELATION ON BECAUSE I

ASKED THE LORD, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT SCRIPTURE IN A MINUTE. I'M

LIKE, GOD, SOMETIMES WHY AREN'T WE SEEING THE SIGNS AND THE

WONDERS THAT WE USED TO SEE WHEN THE HEALING REVIVALS WERE

BREAKING OUT, THE MIRACLES WHEN AZUSA STREET WAS HAPPENING? AND

AGAIN, THERE IS A DIFFERENT DISPENSATION. GOD DOESN'T STAY

IN THE OLD. WE LIKE TO SAY, OKAY, THIS HAPPENED, SO WE'RE

GONNA BUILD AN ALTAR RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE NOT MOVING OFF OF

THERE. AND GOD IS ALWAYS A GOD OF PROGRESS, AND HE DOES THINGS,

LISTEN, HE HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY SINGLE GENERATION AND

IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE SAME WAY. THAT'S NOT WHO HE IS. GOD IS

SUCH A GOD OF FULLNESS AND EXPRESSION AND CREATIVITY AND HE

WANTS EVERY GENERATION NOT TO SEEK AFTER HIM AFTER SOME

FORMULA, BUT AGAIN, HE SAID, I WANT THEIR LAWS WRITTEN ON MY

HEART. SO DAVID GOES, HE'S UPSET, AND HIS MEN WERE UPSET

WITH HIM. SOMETIMES IT STINKS TO BE THE LEADER, JUST SAYING.

THAT'S AGAIN, EVERYBODY LIKES TO, WE HAVE ALL THE LITTLE

INTERNET SLEUTHS OUT THERE NOW, THEY WANNA HAVE AN OPINION ON

EVERYBODY THAT'S CALLED OF GOD, AND IF THEY'RE THIS, THAT, OR

THE OTHER, AND I'M LIKE, YOU BETTER WATCH IT FIRST OF ALL

'CAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS, YOU KNOW, TOUCH NOT MINE ANOINTED. AND IF

THEY'RE NOT ANOINTED, THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL JESUS'S CHURCH.

SO IF HE DIDN'T APPOINT, ANYWAY. SO I DIGRESS, BUT SOMETIMES

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT LEADERS GO THROUGH. AND

SOMETIMES THE LEADER, WHEN THEY'RE JUST DOING THEIR BEST TO

LEAD AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THEN EVERYBODY'S MAD AT

THEM. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU'RE LEADING AND THERE'S A

WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T WALKING SPIRITUAL. ANYWAY, THAT

WAS A SIDE NOTE. LET'S GO BACK TO OUR SCRIPTURE. AND IT SAYS,

"AND DAVID WAS GREATLY DISTRESSED." IN OTHER WORDS, HE

WASN'T JUST A LITTLE BIT SAD, HE WAS UNDER DURESS. BECAUSE NOT

ONLY WAS IT HIS FAMILY, IT WAS THE FAMILY OF THOSE THAT WERE

FOLLOWING AFTER HIM. AND THAT'S, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW, THAT'S A

GREAT RESPONSIBILITY? AND HE SAID, "FOR THE PEOPLE SPOKE OF

STONING HIM BECAUSE ALL OF THE SOUL OF THE PEOPLE WAS GRIEVED."

SO IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYBODY IS ALL UP IN THEIR FEELS RIGHT NOW

BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS WERE WOUNDED. AND THEY DON'T KNOW IF

THEIR FAMILY IS ALIVE OR DEAD. THEY DIDN'T KNOW. AND IT SAYS,

"EVERY MAN FOR HIS SON AND FOR HIS DAUGHTERS. "BUT DAVID

ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD." AND THEN WE KNOW WHAT

HAPPENED. HE SAID HE ARMED HIMSELF AND HE WENT BACK AND HE

RECOVERED ALL. BUT SEE, TOO MANY TIMES WE DON'T GET TO THE

HARVEST BECAUSE WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE ATTACK. AND WE SIT DOWN

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATTACK AND OUR STRENGTH BECOMES SMALL. NOW,

I GOTTA TELL YOU A STORY. SEE, THIS IS ANOTHER THING. SO,

PASTOR BRENDA HAD SENT ME THIS VIDEO OF ANDREW WOMACK

PREACHING, AND THAT'S JUST BEEN KINDA LIVING IN MY HEART FOR A

WHILE, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S THOSE THINGS OF GOD I'VE GOTTA GROW.

SO, THERE WAS ONE NIGHT, ANDREW AND HIS WIFE, THEY WERE IN BED

ASLEEP, AND THEY GOT A CALL THAT HIS SON HAD BEEN IN A HORRIFIC

CAR ACCIDENT, AND HIS SON WAS DEAD. AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO

GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND BASICALLY IDENTIFY THE BODY. AND SO HE

SAID, "WE GOT UP, WE GOT DRESSED, "WE GOT IN THE CAR."

AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN IMAGINE BEING A

PARENT WHAT HE'S GOING THROUGH. AND HE'S LIKE, "NO, I'M GONNA

PRAISE THE LORD." AND HE STARTED PRAISING. HE SAID, "I REMEMBER

EVERYTHING, GOD, "YOU SAID ABOUT HIS CALLING, "WHAT'S BEEN

PROPHESIED OVER HIM." AND HE STARTED PRAISING, HE GOES, AND

WHEN I STARTED PRAISING, HE GOES, "I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT. "I

DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT AT ALL." AND THEN HE SAID, "SOMEWHERE ALONG

THE WAY, "IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT I FELT LIKE, "PRAISE WAS COMING

UP OUT OF MY HEART." BECAUSE AGAIN, WHAT DID HE DO? HE

POSSESSED HIS SOUL. HE DIDN'T LET HIS EMOTIONS RULE THE DAY.

SO HE SAID, "BY THE TIME WE GOT INTO THE HOSPITAL, "THE PRAISE

AND THE WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD WAS ON MY LIPS." HE SAID, "WE

WALKED BACK." HE GOES, "THEY DIDN'T TAKE US TO A ROOM. "THEY

TOOK US BACK TO THE MORGUE." HE WALKED IN AND THERE WAS A TOW

TAG ON HIS SON'S TOE. HE WALKED INTO THE MORGUE WITH HIS WIFE.

HIS SON IMMEDIATELY SAT UP AND BEGAN TALKING TO HIM.

SEE, I'M SAYING WE'VE GOTTA GROW IN OUR APPROACH. BECAUSE GOD

ISN'T FAITHFUL JUST TO ANDREW WOMMACK. YOU KNOW, GOD WAS

FAITHFUL TO DAVID BECAUSE DAVID SPENT TIME IN THE WILDERNESS AND

HE SAW GOD DO SOMETHING AND HE DIDN'T JUST STOP WITH THE LION.

HE MOVED ON TO THE BEAR. AND BY THE TIME HE GOT TO GOLIATH, HE'S

LIKE, "I DON'T SEE ANY DIFFERENCE "BETWEEN YOU AND THE

LION OR THE BEAR. "AND WHO ART THOU, THOU UNCIRCUMCISED

PHILISTINE, "THAT YOU WOULD STAND AGAINST THE ARMIES OF THE

LIVING GOD?" SEE, WHEN WE GET A REVELATION AND WE TAKE OUR

EMOTION OUT OF IT, SOMETHING HAPPENS BECAUSE IT STIRS UP OUR

FAITH. DON'T LET THE DEVIL SHORT CIRCUIT YOUR HARVEST BECAUSE HE

CAME IN AND TRIED TO ATTACK.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

AND YOU KNOW, SO THAT ONE, I JUST BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, I HEARD

THAT STORY AND I WAS LIKE, OH MAN, LORD, YOU KNOW, THERE'S

JUST TIMES THAT I WANNA SIT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF MY, AND THAT

DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE JUST GO AROUND AND WE'RE MACHINES AND WE

DON'T FEEL NOTHING. WE DO. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS

TEMPTED IN ALL MANNER LIKE AS WE ARE. HE HAD REAL EMOTIONS LIKE

REAL MEN, REAL PEOPLE. SO BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION, WE NEED TO

GET A HOLD OF OUR EMOTIONS. BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS GENERATION

WANTS EVERYBODY, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, TO MAKE A DECISION

ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA DO, I AM WHAT I FEEL LIKE I AM. AND

PEOPLE ARE MAKING GRAVE MISTAKES CONCERNING THEIR BODIES OUT OF A

FEELING. 'CAUSE NOBODY'S ABLE TO STAND UP AND TELL THEM THE

TRUTH. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANNA STAND UP AND TELL

THEM THE TRUTH BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE AFRAID OF THEMSELVES BEING

ACCUSED OR LOOKING BAD. AND SEE, THAT'S THE OTHER THING. WE HAVE

GOT TO GET SO FAR OFF OF OUR PERCEIVED IDENTITY AND IF WE'RE

GONNA LOOK STUPID. COME ON. YOU GOT IT. SO THAT WE CAN STEP INTO

WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE AS THE BODY OF CHRIST. YOU KNOW,

AND I DETERMINED ON THAT STAGE A LONG TIME AGO, 'CAUSE THERE'S

TIME, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND I LAUGH AT IT, I DON'T CARE. I

KNOW I'M ANOINTED TO LEAD WORSHIP, SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW

WHY GOD CALLED ME TO LEAD WORSHIP, I HAVE NO CLUE, BUT YOU

KNOW, I GET OUT THERE, I GET THE TIMING WRONG, AND EDDIE'S LIKE

TRYING TO FIX ME, BRANDON'S PHRASE LIKE ONE, TWO, THREE, YOU

KNOW, HE'S RIGHT THERE IN MY EAR. SEE, WE HAVE THOSE IN EARS

SO THEY CAN SAY, "HEY, YOU'RE OFF." AND, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M NOT EVEN EMBARRASSED BY THAT. I DON'T CARE. I DON'T.

BECAUSE MY WORSHIP HAS GOTTA BE FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE. WHICH

DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY OF YOU, NO OFFENSE. AND SO I GOT OVER THAT

REAL QUICK. AND I KNOW SOMETHING HAPPENS WHEN I GET INTO THAT

SPACE. AND THAT'S NOT ME. LIKE I CAN'T SIT THERE AND GO, I'M SO

GOOD AT IT. I'M NOT. I'M LIKE ONE TIME, I'M LIKE, GOD, WHY DID

YOU, I STINK AT THIS, WHY DID YOU CALL ME TO THIS? WELL,

LISTEN, IF YOU NEVER FEEL LIKE YOU STINK AT SOMETHING, THEN YOU

MIGHT NEED TO GROW A LITTLE BIT AT IT. IF YOU THINK YOU'RE ALL

THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS AND YOU'RE GOOD. MATTER OF FACT, I

HAD, AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO HARM HERE, IT'S ALL LOVE. I HAD ONE

PERSON THAT WAS ON OUR WORSHIP TEAM, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE

FORBEARANCE OF EDDIE AND BRANDON AND JUDY, THEY'RE JUST LIKE,

"OH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. "WE'LL GET THERE." AND THEY SAID, WITH

MY TIMING, MY ISSUES, AND THEY'RE LIKE, "WELL, I'M

QUALIFIED LIKE THIS, "AND I JUST," AND YOU BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

AND I WALKED, AND THAT MESSED WITH ME. OKAY, AGAIN, YOU GOTTA

LEARN NOT TO LET PEOPLE DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY, AND I

WANTED TO QUIT, 'CAUSE THEY QUIT, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY

TIMING SUCKED, THEIR TIMING WAS PERFECT, WHICH I CAME TO FIND

OUT LATER THAT IT WASN'T AS PERFECT AS WHAT I THOUGHT IT

WAS, BECAUSE THEN I HAD AN AMAZING DRUMMER, AN AMAZING MD,

AND I WAS LIKE, OH MAN, THEY CAN PLAY SOME OF THOSE WEIRD THINGS

THAT I COME UP WITH. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT THROWING THAT PERSON

UNDER THE BUS. I BELIEVE THEY GOT IT RIGHT. BUT AGAIN, THE

DEVIL USED THEM TO GET IN MY HEAD AND I WANTED TO QUIT. AND

YOU REMEMBER, HONEY, I WAS LIKE, THAT'S IT. I THREW THE COVERS

OVER MY HEAD AND SAID, I'M DONE DOING THIS, I'LL SERVE THE LORD,

BUT I AM NOT DOING PRAISE AND WORSHIP ANYMORE. SEND SOMEBODY

ELSE. YOU GO, HONEY, YOU'RE ANOINTED. THANK GOD FOR A GOOD

HUSBAND. IT'S LIKE, NO, YOU DON'T GET TO LIVE IN YOUR

EMOTION. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T MEAN THIS, AND AGAIN, I'M

NOT TALKING SMACK, BUT YOU KNOW THAT PERSON ISN'T DOING A LOT IN

PRAISE AND WORSHIP TODAY. AND I'M NOT SITTING THERE, I'M NOT

WISHING THAT ON THEM. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT COMES

DOWN TO THE THINGS THAT WE CHOOSE TO DO. SO DON'T LET YOUR

EMOTIONS KEEP YOU OUT OF STUFF. AND THEN, AND HERE'S THE OTHER

REASON WHY, AND I'M TALKING A LOT ABOUT EMOTIONS BECAUSE I

REALIZE HOW MUCH THEY AFFECT OUR FAITH. YOU KNOW, AND WHEN I'M

THINKING ABOUT THAT ANDREW WOMACK STORY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU

WAKE UP AND YOU'RE TIRED, SOMETIMES THAT IS THE WORST TIME

TO TRY TO BE IN FAITH WHEN YOU'RE EXHAUSTED. AND THAT'S WHY

SOMETIMES IT SAYS THAT IT COMES IN NIGHT TERRORS BECAUSE THE

DEVIL KNOWS THAT WHEN WE'RE AT OUR WEAKEST, THAT'S WHERE HE'S

TRYING TO GET US TO FALL DOWN. AND YOU KNOW, AND IF WE DON'T

CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS, GUESS WHAT? IT AFFECTS OUR FAITH AND

IT EVENTUALLY COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTH. AND THAT'S WHY PASTOR

HANK WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BATTLE OF JERICHO, BECAUSE THE

PEOPLE, OR THE GENERATION BEFORE THEM, ALL THEY COULD DO IS

COMPLAIN, GET SCARED. THEY WERE THE MOST FEARFUL PEOPLE. EVERY

TIME THAT THEY SAW PHARAOH'S ARMY AND THEIR HEARTS WERE, THEY

WERE AFRAID. THEY DIDN'T HAVE WATER AND THEY'RE ANGRY. MOSES

GOES UP ON THE MOUNTAIN AND THEY'RE SERVING A DIFFERENT GOD.

THAT'S, SEE, THAT'S WHERE EMOTIONS GET YOU. SO THEY DIDN'T

GET THEIR HARVEST BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T KEEP THEIR MOUTH RIGHT.

THEY COULDN'T KEEP THEIR HEART RIGHT. THEY LET THEIR EMOTIONS

BE THEIR SWAY AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BE THOSE

PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING TOO. YOU KNOW,

EMOTIONS, THEY'LL KEEP US IN UNFORGIVENESS AND BITTERNESS AND

THEN IT'S GONNA UPROOT US FROM WALKING INTO OUR HARVEST. AND I

REMEMBER A STORY WHERE MY HUSBAND AND I, WE HIRED THIS

CARPET CLEANER AND WE HIRED THEM 'CAUSE THEY SAID, OH, WE'RE

PRO-MILITARY, WE'RE ALL THIS, AND IT WAS A FLYER AND I DIDN'T

CHECK 'EM OUT. I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I WAS LED WITH MY

EMOTIONS. I DIDN'T STOP TO ASK THE LORD, BY THE WAY. AND WE

HIRED THEM, THEY CAME IN, THEY SAID, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, PART

OF IT, WE'LL CLEAN YOUR CAR FOR FREE. AND WE HAD A USED MERCEDES

R350 BACK THEN, BASICALLY IT WAS KIND OF MERCEDES VERSION OF THE

VAN. I SOLD A CAR, AND THEY CLEANED THE CARPETS. AND MY

HUSBAND WENT OUT THERE, HE GOES, MAN, THOSE CARPETS ARE PRETTY

WET. AND IT WAS A DRY CLEANING SERVICE, AND IT WAS A VERY WET

DRY CLEANING SERVICE, I'LL JUST SAY THAT. AND HE GOES OUT TO

START THE CAR THE NEXT DAY, AND IT DIDN'T START. AND THEN WE

JUMPED IT, AND THEN THE HORNS ARE GOING OFF, ALL OF THIS

STUFF, AND WE HAD TO TOW IT TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE AT THAT

POINT IT WAS BAD ENOUGH, WE'RE LIKE, WE CAN'T JUST TAKE IT

ANYWHERE, WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THERE WAS

AN INCH OF WATER IN ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. WARRANTY

WOULDN'T COVER THAT, OUR INSURANCE WOULDN'T COVER IT

BECAUSE WE LET THEM DO THE WORK. SO THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID,

NOPE, SORRY, YOU'RE OUT. THAT WAS A $4,000 BILL AND WE DIDN'T

HAVE IT. AND WE TRIED CALLING THE GUY AND HE'S LIKE, OH NO,

THOSE THINGS CAN HIT. AND HE JUST LIED RIGHT THROUGH HIS

TEETH. I ACTUALLY CALLED DEB ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU

REMEMBER THIS, DEB. AND SHE LOOKED HIM UP AND SHE GOES, OH

MY GOSH, PASTOR CHRISTY, HE'S GOT SO MANY BUSINESSES. I'M

LIKE, AND HE KEEPS CHANGING THE NAME AND HE HAS ALL OF THESE,

YOU KNOW, AND I WAS LIKE, OOH, THAT WAS A HARD LESSON TO LEARN.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WE DID? I WAS MAD AT HIM. MY HUSBAND WAS MAD

AT HIM. MATTER OF FACT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME, HE STARTED

YELLING AT US ON THE PHONE AND I'M NOT PROUD TO SAY WE WENT

RIGHT BACK AT HIM. LISTEN, WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS, WE'RE NOT PERFECT

ALL THE TIME. AND I THINK, HONEY, I THINK YOU EVEN THREW

THE PHONE WHEN WE GOT OFF THE PHONE. WE WERE BIG MAD. AND THEN

WE'RE LIKE, NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? GOD'S GONNA GET THIS. WE ENDED

UP HAVING TO TAKE OUT A LOAN TO COVER THAT AND GO INTO DEBT TO

COVER THAT. AND SO WE WERE LIKE, NO, WE'RE GONNA GET INTO PRAYER.

FIRST OF ALL, GOD, WE FORGIVE THAT MAN. WE'RE NOT GONNA LET,

OUGHT IN OUR HEART, I'M NOT GONNA GO BASH HIM ON THE, THAT

YOU TAKE CARE OF THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE OUR DEFENSE. SO

WE'RE GONNA, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE GONNA FORGIVE. NUMBER TWO, YOUR

WORD SAYS THAT IF THE THIEF BE FOUND, HE'S GOTTA RESTORE

SEVENFOLD. A YEAR LATER, AND WE PROPHESIED THAT, A YEAR LATER,

SOMEBODY WROTE US AS A GIFT, SEVEN TIMES THE AMOUNT OF THAT

$4,000.

AND WE KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT THAT WAS THE HARVEST THAT WE

WERE WAITING ON BECAUSE IT WAS THE EXACT AMOUNT. SO, DON'T TELL

ME HE'S NOT GONNA DO IT IF WE JUST CHOOSE TO NOT LIVE IN THE,

YOU CAN'T BE ROBBED IF YOU DON'T LET YOURSELF BE ROBBED. YOU

KNOW, IF SOMEBODY TRIES, I WOULD RATHER BE A SEED SOWER AND

RELEASE IT AND LET GOD TAKE CARE OF IT THAN DO THINGS, THAT'S

WHAT PASTOR BRENDA, SHE PREACHED ON SUNDAY TOO. I MEAN, SUNDAY

WAS REALLY GOOD. IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR, YOU SHOULD GO BACK AND

LISTEN TO SUNDAY 'CAUSE PASTOR BRENDA'S OFFERING MESSAGE, WHEN

SHE SAID FROM PROVERBS CHAPTER THREE, VERSE FIVE AND SIX, THAT

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH NOT JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR HEART, ALL

YOUR HEART, AND TO LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. SEE,

THAT'S THE OTHER THING. SOMETIMES WE LEAN IN TO OUR WAY,

ESPECIALLY WHEN WE THINK SOMETHING'S NOT HAPPENING. WE'RE

LIKE, OKAY, WELL, I NEED TO UCH GOD ALONG, OR I NEED TO HELP

HIM. AND THEN WE LEAN INTO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND INSTEAD OF

FORCING OURSELVES TO STAY LEANED IN TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF

ALMIGHTY GOD. AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING AND IN

ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. AND IT GOES ON FROM THERE.

MATTER OF FACT, PASTOR MARK READ SOME OF THAT AGAIN TODAY. DO YOU

KNOW WHEN WE STAY WITH ACKNOWLEDGING GOD, THE BIBLE

SAYS THAT IT'S HEALTH TO OUR FLESH. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST

GOTTA BE A PEOPLE THAT WE'VE GOTTA FORCE OURSELVES TO DIG

DEEPER. YOU KNOW, WE, A LOT, AND THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS THERE

ARE MANY THAT ARE SICK AND WEAK AMONG YOU. ONE, IT'S BECAUSE WE

DON'T DISCERN THE BODY OF CHRIST. BUT TWO, SOMETIMES, HE

ALSO SAID MY PEOPLE PERISH FOR A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, AND IT'S

SOMETIMES BECAUSE WE'RE CHOOSING OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE, AND THEN

WE'RE WONDERING WHY WE ONLY GET THE LITTLE HARVEST, AND WE'RE

NOT GETTING THE BIG HARVEST. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE PASTOR

SHANE WAS SINGING TONIGHT, I FORGET HOW IT WENT, BUT

BASICALLY, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S TOO HARD FOR GOD. TURN

OVER IN YOUR BIBLES TO EPHESIANS CHAPTER SIX. AND LET'S GO TO

VERSE 10, AND IT SAYS, "FINALLY, MY BRETHREN," YOU KNOW THIS

SCRIPTURE, "BE STRONG IN," WHO? THE LORD. IN THE LORD. YOU KNOW,

WE CAN'T BE DOING THINGS IN OUR OWN STRENGTH AND IN THE POWER OF

HIS MIGHT. YOU KNOW, MY STRENGTH IS GONNA FAIL ME, BUT GOD'S

STRENGTH, THE BIBLE SAYS, "THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD DOES

VALIANTLY." SO BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS

MIGHT. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT VERSE, AND IT SAYS, "PUT ON THE

WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD "THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND "AGAINST THE

WILES OF THE DEVIL." AND IT SAYS, "FOR WE WRESTLE NOT

AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, "BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST

POWERS, "AGAINST RULERS OF DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, "AGAINST

SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. "WHEREFORE, TAKE UNTO

YOU THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD "THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND IN

THE EVIL DAY, "HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND." THEN HE GOES ON TO

SAY THAT IN THE NEXT VERSE, AND I DIDN'T TELL YOU GUYS TO PULL

THIS ONE UP, BUT THE NEXT ONE SAYS, HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND,

STAND. AND SEE, THAT'S THE THING, WE'VE GOT TO GET THE

SPIRIT OF QUIT OFF OF US. WE'VE GOT TO GET THE SPIRIT OF OUR

CIRCUMSTANCES OFF OF US. WE'VE GOTTA GET THE SPIRIT OF OUR

EMOTIONS OFF OF US. WE'VE GOT TO BE A PEOPLE THAT WE'RE LIKE, NO,

GOD, I'M GONNA KEEP SEEKING YOU, I'M GONNA KEEP PRESSING IN, I'M

NOT GONNA LET GO OF YOU, I'M GONNA BE LIKE JACOB, I'M NOT

LETTING GO UNTIL YOU BLESS ME. I'M GONNA STAND STRONG IN THIS

AND I'M GONNA KICK MY EMOTIONS TO THE SIDE. HOW COULD JOB GO

THROUGH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH AND NEVER ONCE SAY A WORD AGAINST

THE LORD? THAT'S WHERE I THINK, YOU KNOW, I SAY WE'VE JUST,

WE'VE GOTTA GROW. WE'VE GOTTA TRAIN OURSELVES TO BE PEOPLE OF

THE SPIRIT. TURN OVER TO GALATIANS CHAPTER SIX AND LET'S

GO TO VERSE SEVEN AND IT SAYS, "DO NOT BE DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT

MOCKED." SO IN OTHER WORDS, GOD IS NOT GONNA BE MADE A FOOL OF.

"FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWS, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP." YOU KNOW,

IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SPOUSE OR

IN YOUR HOME OR WITH YOUR KIDS, ARE YOU SOWING IN KINDNESS? ARE

YOU SOWING IN PEACE? OR ARE YOU SOWING IN ANGER? WHATSOEVER A

MAN SOWS, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP. LET'S GO TO THE NEXT VERSE

AND IT SAYS, FOR HE THAT SOWS TO THE FLESH SHALL OF THE FLESH

REAP CORRUPTION, BUT HE THAT SOWS TO THE SPIRIT SHALL OF THE

SPIRIT REAP EVERLASTING LIFE. LET'S GO TO VERSE NINE, AND IT

SAYS, "AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL-DOING, "FOR IN DUE

SEASON WE SHALL REAP IF WE," WHAT? FAINT NOT. AND AGAIN,

GOING BACK TO OUR SCRIPTURE OF THE NIGHT, IT SAYS THAT IF WE

FAINT IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY, OUR STRENGTH IS SMALL. YOU KNOW,

WE'VE GOTTA STAY IN THERE, AND JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE IT

CHANGING RIGHT AWAY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE STOP. AND

NOW, THERE'S TIMES THAT I'VE GONE TO THE LORD ABOUT CERTAIN

THINGS AND SAID, "NOW GOD, IS THERE SOMETHING "THAT I NEED TO

CORRECT IN ME "BECAUSE I'M NOT SEEING THE HARVEST?" AND GOD

WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT, AND HE WILL SHOW YOU,

BECAUSE HE'S SUCH A GOOD FATHER. IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF YOUR KIDS

ARE DOING, POOR AT SOMETHING, YOU DON'T JUST SIT THERE AND GO,

KEEP GOING, YOU KNOW. YOU DO SIT DOWN AND HELP, TRY TO ENLIGHTEN

THEIR EYES. SO HERE'S THE THING, WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE STORMS ARE

COMING TO TAKE OUR HARVEST, WE'VE GOTTA LEARN HOW TO REACT

IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE FLESH. SO LET'S GO OVER TO JUDE CHAPTER

ONE, VERSE 20, AND I'M GONNA GET DONE 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING OUT OF

HERE BY, WE'RE NOT GOING A MINUTE PAST 8:30, IN THE NAME OF

JESUS. THEY SAID, BUT YOU BELOVED, BUILDING YOURSELF UP IN

YOUR MOST, BY THE WAY, IT SAYS HOLY FAITH. YOU KNOW, FAITH IS A

HOLY THING. PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST. SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE IN

THE MIDDLE OF A SITUATION, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY, THAT'S

WHERE WE JUST GET OVER IN THE SPIRIT AND WE JUST START

PRAYING. AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IF WE'RE NOT RECEIVING THE

HARVEST TOO, JUST REMEMBER, IT'S NEVER ON GOD'S SIDE. AND SO WHEN

WE PRAY IN THE HOLY GHOST, THAT ONE ALLOWS THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO

COME IN AND CORRECT US, AND THAT'S HELPFUL. AND THEN, YOU

KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU'RE A HABITUAL SOWER,

SOMETIMES YOU'RE GONNA FIND THAT YOU'RE REAPING HARVEST THAT YOU

DIDN'T EVEN EXPECT. YOU'RE LIKE, OH MAN, WHERE DID THAT COME

FROM? 'CAUSE YOU'RE SO JUST SOWING SEEDS THAT YOU DIDN'T

EVEN REALIZE THAT A HARVEST CAME AND YOU RECEIVED IT. BECAUSE

AGAIN, THE BIBLE TELLS US THE BLESSING OF GOD IS GONNA CHASE

US DOWN. AND I WANNA BE A PERSON THAT WALKS IN THE HARVEST OF

GOD. THAT DOESN'T MEAN, AND THE BLESSING OF GOD, THAT DOESN'T

MEAN THAT, AGAIN, STORMS AREN'T GONNA COME. BUT WE'VE GOT TO

LEARN TO SPEAK TO THE STORM. WE'VE GOT TO LEARN TO POSSESS

OURSELVES. WE'VE GOT TO LEARN TO KEEP PLOWING. EVEN, WE CAN'T BE

LIKE THE SLUGGER WHERE WE QUIT PLOWING BECAUSE OUR SITUATION

SEEMS TOO HARD. YOU KNOW, IF YOU PICK UP YOUR BOWL AND GO HOME

EVERY TIME YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA

SUCCEED VERY FAR IN LIFE. AND YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SEEN, I'VE

BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK A LITTLE BIT. AND MY HUSBAND USED TO

MANAGE A CALL CENTER BACK IN THE DAY BEFORE HE STARTED WORKING AT

LORD OF HOSTS. AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE, HE

SAID YOU COULDN'T TELL THEM ANYTHING, YOU COULDN'T TEACH

THEM ANYTHING, AND SO THEY WERE IN THE SAME GRIND ALL THE TIME,

ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THEY COULD NEVER GET THEMSELVES TO A PLACE

OF EXCELLENCE TO LEARN. THEY ALWAYS FELT LIKE THEY WERE OWED

SOMETHING INSTEAD OF BEING WILLING TO LEARN SOMETHING. SO,

YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE OWED SOMETHING INSTEAD OF

LEARNING SOMETHING, THEN YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE GONNA

SABOTAGE A HARVEST. AND SO I THINK IN ALL OF THIS, THAT YOU

KNOW, WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME IS THAT WE'VE GOTTA TEND OUR FIELD.

WE'VE GOTTA TEND, WE CAN'T LET THE ENEMY COME IN AND DESTROY

OUR GROUND BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING THERE LIVING OUTSIDE OF FAITH,

OUTSIDE THE WORD OF GOD. IF WE'RE NOT PUTTING THE WORD OF

GOD IN THERE, THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW HOW TO REACT WHEN THE

STORMS OF LIFE COME, WHERE WE JUST SIT THERE AND DO NOTHING

AND JUST, OR JUST BE LIKE, KESARASRA, OKAY, YES, GOD'S GOT

IT, BUT WE'RE NOT WORKING ANYTHING IN THE SPIRIT. IF

YOU'RE CARELESS ABOUT IT, YOU MIGHT NOT GET A HARVEST. IF

YOU'RE EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT, YOU MIGHT NOT GET A HARVEST. IF

YOU'RE NOT SOWING, YOU MIGHT NOT GET A HARVEST. WELL, YOU WON'T

GET A HARVEST. BACK IN THE DAY, WILLIAM MCDOWELL SANG A PHRASE

THAT SAID, ♪ RAIN ONLY MATTERS TO THOSE WHO HAVE SEED IN THE

GROUND ♪ YOU CAN BE PRAYING FOR AN OPEN HEAVEN, BUT IF YOU DON'T

HAVE SEED IN THE GROUND, THEN THAT OPEN HEAVEN MIGHT BE

HITTING YOUR NEIGHBOR AND NOT YOU. AND I DON'T WANT MY

NEIGHBOR'S CROP. I WANT MY OWN CROP THAT I WORKED FOR THAT I

CAN SAY GOD BLESSED ME WITH BECAUSE I WAS DILIGENT AND I WAS

FAITHFUL. THAT'S WHY ABRAHAM COULD SAY, DON'T LET SOMEBODY

SAY THAT THEY MADE ABRAHAM RICH BECAUSE HE WANTED THE BLESSING

OF GOD. YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING. YOU KNOW, THERE'S

NOT A SHORTCUT TO YOUR HARVEST. SOMETIMES IT'S GONNA BE A THING

THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK AT. THAT'S WHY IT SAYS STAND, AND GO AHEAD

AND STAND WHEN YOU'RE DONE STANDING, KEEP STANDING. YOU

KNOW, AND THOSE THINGS AREN'T TO MAKE YOU GO, OH, WELL, GOD'S

HARSH, HE'S NOT HARSH. IT'S JUST THAT IF WE LIVE LIKE ALL OF THE

PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE TOSSED WITH EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT

ON THE NEWS, TOSSED AROUND WITH THE ECONOMY, TOSSED AROUND WITH,

WELL, I CAN'T TITHE BECAUSE THE GROCERY PRICES ARE TOO HIGH, I

CAN'T DO THIS. AND IF WE LIVE IN THE WORLD OF I CAN'T, THEN WE'RE

NEVER GONNA SEE THE TRUE HARVEST THAT GOD IS TRYING TO POUR OUT

ON HIS CHURCH. AND HERE'S THE THING, I BELIEVE, AND I KNOW

THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO HIT THE GREATEST DAYS THAT THE

CHURCH HAS EVER SEEN. THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEE AN

OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO PASS ME

BY BECAUSE I'M SITTING GOING AROUND THE SAME MOUNTAIN OVER

AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I'M NOT LEARNING ANYTHING. YOU KNOW,

WE HAVE GOT TO DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO, AND WE'VE GOT

TO DO IT BY FAITH. NOW, AGAIN, SO WHAT DO WE DO IF BAD TIDINGS

COME? WE'VE GOTTA GO INQUIRE OF THE LORD. OUR FIRST STOP NEEDS

TO BE GOD AND NOT, OH, THIS THING WAS BAD, YOU KNOW? AND OUR

FIRST STOP WHEN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE THING, MAYBE THERE'S

STRIFE HAPPENING IN YOUR FAMILY. WELL, YOUR FIRST STOP NEEDS TO

BE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. YOU KNOW, AND IT'S FUNNY. I MEAN,

YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND AND I, NOT THAT WE EVER HAVE FOUGHT. OKAY,

NO, WE HAVE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY TO ME. EVERY TIME, LIKE,

WE GET IN A LITTLE TIFF AND WE'RE IN SEPARATE ROOMS 'CAUSE

WE'RE MAD. YOU GUYS CAN STAND TO YOUR FEET. GOD NEVER SITS DOWN

AND TALKS TO ME ABOUT WHAT HE DID WRONG. NEVER, NOT ONCE. IT'S

NEVER HAPPENED IN ALL MY YEARS. MATTER OF FACT, HE'S NEVER EVEN

DONE IT ABOUT ANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS. HE ONLY EVER TALKS TO

ME ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO DO. AND SOMETIMES I'VE SAT THERE, I'M

LIKE, GOD, THAT'S A LITTLE UNFAIR, DON'T YOU THINK?

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

BUT AGAIN, MY PEACE CAN'T LIVE IN SOMEBODY ELSE, MY HARVEST

CAN'T LIVE IN SOMEBODY ELSE. AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING, HUSBANDS

AND WIVES, IF YOU ARE HAVING STRIFE IN YOUR HOME, GRAB HANDS

AND BE PEOPLE OF PRAYER. I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT GONNA FEEL

LIKE IT. THERE MIGHT BE TIMES YOU'RE GONNA LIKE, I DON'T WANNA

PRAY RIGHT NOW. I DON'T EVEN SAY SORRY, 'CAUSE I'M NOT READY TO

BE SORRY YET.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

BUT WHEN WE'RE LIKE, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GONNA

BE A PERSON OF THE SPIRIT BECAUSE GOD ASKED ME TO, NOT

'CAUSE I FELT LIKE IT. BECAUSE STRIFE IS GONNA UPEND MY HARVEST

TOO, AND I DON'T WANT THAT. I DON'T WANT STRIFE FOR MY

CHILDREN. I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE DEVIL AN INCH. AND HERE'S

THE THING, IF YOU DID, THEN UNDO IT. SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I TAKE

IT BACK, GET OUT OF HERE. I MIGHT HAVE LET YOU IN WITH MY

WORDS RIGHT THERE, BUT I'M TAKING THE KEY BACK, GET OUT.

YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, YOU CAN UNDO BAD HARVEST, BUT YOU GOTTA

STAY WITH IT. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN UNDO THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW,

CONSEQUENCES YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR, BUT YOU GOTTA STAY WITH IT. SO

WAS THAT A HELP FOR ANYBODY TONIGHT?

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

I DIDN'T MEAN TO SOUND SERIOUS, IT'S JUST, IT'S SORT OF JUST HOW

IT KINDA CAME OUT, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN

ON ME. I'M LIKE GOD, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU THINK I'M PREACHING

THAT AT ANY ONE OF YOU, I'M NOT, I'M PREACHING THAT TO ME. I'M

LIKE, MAN, I WANT CHRISTY TO BE A PERSON OF THE SPIRIT. I WANNA

LEAD BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF HOW I FEEL, AND

NOT JUST 'CAUSE I GOT MAD. AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO LET SOMEBODY

OFFEND ME. AGAIN, THAT'S A THEM PROBLEM. I'VE GOTTA BE CONCERNED

ABOUT THE ME PROBLEM BECAUSE I WANT THE HAND OF GOD ON MY LIFE

BECAUSE WHEN THE HAND OF GOD IS ON MY LIFE, THAT'S WHEN I'M

WALKING IN THE HARVEST OF GOD. THAT'S WHEN I'M WALKING IN THE

BLESSING OF GOD. 'CAUSE IT SAYS THAT HE THAT DWELLS IN THE

SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL ABIDE UNDER THE SHADOW OF

THE ALMIGHTY AND THAT I WILL SAY OF THE LORD, HE IS MY REFUGE AND

MY FORTRESS, MY GOD, IN HIM WILL I TRUST. SURELY HE SHALL DELIVER

ME FROM THE SNARE OF THE FOWLER. IN OTHER WORDS, SURELY HE'S

GONNA DELIVER ME FROM THE TRAP OF THE ENEMY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN,

WELL, STRETCH YOUR HANDS TO THE LORD. FATHER, WE BLESS YOU

TONIGHT. WE THANK YOU. YOU ARE A GOOD, YOU'RE NOT JUST A GOOD

FATHER, YOU ARE A GOOD, GOOD FATHER, AND WE HONOR YOU. GOD,

WE KNOW THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR YOU, AND FATHER, I PRAY

THAT FOR EVERY ONE OF US HERE, INCLUDING MYSELF AND OUR FAMILY,

THAT FATHER, WE WOULD BE A PEOPLE THAT SET OUR FACE TO SEEK

YOUR FACE, TO SEEK YOUR KINGDOM, TO SEEK YOUR WAY, AND TO NOT BE

MOVED BY ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SEE, BUT WE'RE MOVED BECAUSE

WE'RE MOVED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WE LOVE YOU, LORD. YOU ARE

SO GOOD. IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, AMEN, AMEN. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, AND WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE ON SUNDAY.