Sermon
08/05/26 Pastor Christy Hair
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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(MUSIC)
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COME ON CHURCH. WHO CAME ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT
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READY TO LIFT HIS NAME UP?
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I NEED SOME SAINTS IN HERE AND ONLINE
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THAT ARE A LITTLE EXCITED
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ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THEIR LIFE.
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DO I HAVE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO WILL HELP ME OUT?
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LET'S GET LOUD.
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(MUSIC)
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COME ON, ANYBODY IN HERE!
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(MUSIC)
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OH, SOMEBODY NEEDS TO PRAISE HIM
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I DON'T CARE IF IT'S A WEDNESDAY NIGHT
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OUR GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE
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I NEED SOMEBODY TO PRAISE HIM
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I NEED SOMEBODY TO PRAISE HIM
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OH, YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD A BAD WEEK SO FAR, YOU NEED TO
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LET LOOSE AND JUST GIVE HIM SOME PRAISE TONIGHT.
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IF YOU'RE ONLINE, KICK THE COFFEE TABLE OUT OF THE WAY,
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KICK THE COUCH OUT OF THE WAY AND GIVE YOUR GOD SOME PRAISE.
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(MUSIC)
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CAUSE HE'S WORTHY OF PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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OH, THERE'S NO HIGHER GOD.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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THERE'S NO ONE GREATER THAN OUR GOD.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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THERE'S NO ONE HIGHER THAN OUR GOD.
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HE'S WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE.
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(MUSIC)
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(MUSIC)
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COME ON.
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(MUSIC)
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OH, YOU'RE SO WORTHY
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OH, YOU'RE WORTHY, LORD
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YEAH, HEY.
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OH, YOU'RE WORTHY, LORD.
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FATHER, WE LIFT OUR HANDS IN YOUR PRESENCE TONIGHT
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'CAUSE YOU ARE WORTHY.
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YOU ARE WORTHY.
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YOU'RE WORTHY OF ALL OUR PRAISE,
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EVERYTHING WE CAN GIVE YOU, FATHER.
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WE GIVE OURSELVES TO YOU TONIGHT.
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WE GIVE OURSELVES INTO YOUR HANDS, JESUS.
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WE PUT OUR TRUST, OUR HOPE IN NO- NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU.
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(MUSIC)
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(MUSIC)
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(MUSIC)
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I DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS FOR TONIGHT, WHETHER YOU'RE IN
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THIS ROOM OR YOU'RE ONLINE, BUT DON'T BE MOVED BY WHAT
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YOU SEE, BY WHAT YOU FEEL, BY WHAT YOU HEAR.
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IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE HE'S STILL ON THE THRONE.
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DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR CHECKBOOK SAYS.
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IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE DOCTOR SAYS.
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IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW.
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CAUSE MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE.
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SEE, THIS IS A DECLARATION TONIGHT.
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I WILL NOT BE MOVED BY WHAT I HEAR.
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WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SAY,
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I WILL NOT BE MOVED BY WHAT I FEEL.
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'CAUSE MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE.
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MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE.
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SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HEAR THIS TONIGHT.
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(MUSIC)
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I DON'T KNOW WHO ALL NEEDED TO HEAR THAT TONIGHT.
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WHO NEEDED TO DECLARE THAT TONIGHT?
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BUT YOUR GOD, MY GOD, THE ONLY GOD
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WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
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YOU KNOW HE WAS THE ONLY ONE, NO BUDDHA, NO MUHAMMAD, NO OTHER
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SO-CALLED PROPHET. NONE OF THEM WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD.
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BUT MY GOD TOOK HIS ONLY SON, SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR US, AND
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HE ROSE HIM FROM THE GRAVE TO BE SEATED WITH HIM. AND WE CAN CALL
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ON HIS NAME. HE'S STILL ON THE THRONE, STILL DOING MIRACLES,
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STILL HEALING BODIES, STILL SETTING CAPTIVES FREE. MY GOD'S
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STILL ON THE THRONE, MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE. NO OTHER
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GODS ARE ANYWHERE AROUND, BUT MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE, STILL
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ON THE THRONE. SO IF YOU NEEDED TO HEAR THAT TONIGHT, KEEP
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SAYING THAT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU FEEL, WHAT YOU FEEL
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LIKE, WHAT YOU HEAR ON THE NEWS. YOU KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF JUNK
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ON THE NEWS. FAKE NEWS, AS PRESIDENT TRUMP ALWAYS SAYS,
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RIGHT? BUT THERE'S A LOT OF JUNK OUT THERE. THERE'S A LOT OF
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DOCTOR'S REPORTS THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT DOESN'T MATTER TO GOD.
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HE'LL TOUCH IT, HEAL IT, SET YOU FREE. MY GOD'S STILL ON THE
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THRONE. MY GOD'S STILL ON THE THRONE. ALRIGHT. WELL, LIKE I
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SAID, KEEP DECLARING THAT. IF YOU NEEDED TO HEAR THAT, IF YOU
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NEEDED TO HEAR THIS ONLINE, GO AHEAD AND KEEP DECLARING THAT
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TONIGHT, AND TOMORROW, AND THE NEXT DAY, AND THE NEXT DAY,
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UNTIL THE MANIFESTATION OF WHAT YOU HAVE PROPHESIED COMES TO
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PASS. AMEN? AMEN. WHY DON'T YOU GREET SOME PEOPLE AROUND YOU
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AS WE MOVE ON.
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(MUSIC)
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PRAISE GOD, GLORY BE TO GOD, HALLELUJAH. WOW, LOOK AT THIS
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CROWD, ELECTRIFYING. WEDNESDAY NIGHT OFFERING TIME AT LORD OF
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HOSTS CHURCH. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT
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WITH OUR SCRIPTURE. I'M GONNA GO TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES, IT'S
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A FAMILIAR ONE TO EVERYBODY, 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6. I'M GONNA READ
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IT FIRST FROM THE AMPLIFIED CLASSIC AND IT GOES LIKE THIS.
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REMEMBER THIS, HE WHO SOWS SPARINGLY AND GRUDGINGLY WILL
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ALSO REAP SPARINGLY AND GRUDGINGLY AND HE WHO SOWS
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GENEROUSLY THAT BLESSINGS MAY COME TO SOMEONE WILL ALSO REAP
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GENEROUSLY AND WITH BLESSINGS. LET EACH ONE GIVE AS HE HAS MADE
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UP HIS OWN MIND AND PURPOSED IN HIS HEART, NOT RELUCTANTLY OR
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SORROWFULLY OR UNDER COMPULSION. FOR GOD LOVES, HE TAKES PLEASURE
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IN, PRIZES ABOVE OTHER THINGS, AND IS UNWILLING TO ABANDON OR
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TO DO WITHOUT A CHEERFUL, JOYOUS, PROMPT TO DO IT GIVER
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WHOSE HEART IS IN HIS GIVING. AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL
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GRACE, EVERY FAVOR AND EARTHLY BLESSING COME TO YOU IN
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ABUNDANCE SO THAT YOU MAY ALWAYS AND UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES AND
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WHATEVER THE NEED BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, POSSESSING
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ENOUGH TO REQUIRE NO AID OR SUPPORT AND FURNISHED IN
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ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK AND CHARITABLE DONATION. I ALSO
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LIKE THIS A LOT IN THE MESSAGE BIBLE AND THERE HE SAYS,
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"REMEMBER A STINGY PLANTER GETS A STINGY CROP. A LAVISH PLANTER
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GETS A LAVISH CROP. I WANT EACH OF YOU TO TAKE PLENTY OF TIME TO
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THINK IT OVER AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND WHAT YOU WILL GIVE.
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THAT WILL PROTECT YOU AGAINST SOB STORIES AND ARM-TWISTING.
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GOD LOVES IT WHEN THE GIVER DELIGHTS IN THE GIVING. GOD CAN
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POUR ON THE BLESSINGS IN ASTONISHING WAYS SO THAT YOU'RE
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READY FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING MORE THAN JUST READY
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TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. HALLELUJAH. I WAS READING SOME
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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION RECENTLY ABOUT A FAMOUS
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EVANGELIST AND MISSIONARY FROM GERMANY NAMED GEORGE MUELLER.
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AND GEORGE LIVED IN THE 1800S. HE'S REMEMBERED, AMONG OTHER
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THINGS, FOR HIS RADICAL TRANSFORMATION FROM A DRINKING,
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GAMBLING, THIEVING, WOMANIZING, HEATHEN, WHO LATER DESCRIBED
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HIMSELF AS HAVING INDULGED IN "GROSS IMMORALITY" TO A MAN OF
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GREAT FAITH, PRAYER, AND GENEROSITY. HE GAVE REGULARLY
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AND RELIED TOTALLY ON GOD AFTER THAT TRANSFORMATION FOR
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EVERYTHING. HE CHANGED FROM A MOCKER TO WHAT I THINK IS
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ESSENTIALLY THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE SCRIPTURE I JUST READ. AS
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IT SAYS THERE IN 2 CORINTHIANS, GEORGE DETERMINED IN HIS HEART
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TO GIVE LAVISHLY AND CHEERFULLY, DEPENDING ON THE LORD FOR ALL
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HIS PROVISION, AND IN RETURN GOD SHOWED HIM FAVOR AND BLESSED HIM
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IN ASTONISHING WAYS. AFTER INITIALLY BLOWING ALL HIS MONEY
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ON SINFUL PLEASURES, GEORGE ANSWERED THE CALL OF GOD AND HE
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MOVED TO ENGLAND WHERE HE PASTORED AND HE PLANTED CHURCHES
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AND THEN AFTERWARD HE BEGAN ESTABLISHING ORPHANAGES. BY THE
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TIME OF HIS DEATH AT THE GOOD OLD AGE OF 93, HE HAD BUILT A
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TOTAL OF FIVE HOUSES THAT COULD CARE FOR 2,000 CHILDREN AT A
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TIME AND HAD A PAID STAFF OF OVER 600 PEOPLE. AND WHEN ASKED
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ABOUT HOW GIVING FIGURED INTO HIS LIFE'S JOURNEY, GEORGE
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TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW WE ARE TO GIVE AND THE
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CONSEQUENCES OF DOING IT THE WRONG WAY. AND HE'S QUOTED AS
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SAYING THE FOLLOWING, "FIX THE AMOUNT YOU PURPOSE TO GIVE OF
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YOUR INCOME AND GIVE THIS REGULARLY. IF YOU NEGLECT IN
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HABITUAL GIVING, A REGULAR GIVING, A GIVING PRINCIPLE BASED
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UPON SCRIPTURAL GROUNDS, AND LEAVE IT ONLY TO FEELING AN
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IMPULSE OR PARTICULAR AROUSING CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU WILL
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CERTAINLY BE A LOSER. NOW BACK IN THAT DAY, HE WASN'T SAYING
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LOSER LIKE THIS. I THINK HE'S SAYING, DON'T LOSE OUT ON YOUR
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BLESSING. WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT BEING A LOSER, HE'S TALKING
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ABOUT LOSING WEALTH AND RESOURCES INSTEAD OF GAINING
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THEM. HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE KINGDOM WAY AFTER ALL. HE
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DOESN'T WANT YOU TO MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BECAUSE HE'S
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ALSO TALKING ABOUT FAITHFULNESS IN GIVING, MAKING IT A HABIT,
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PART OF YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL. SO DON'T
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TAKE TIME OFF DURING THE SUMMER. DON'T GO ON VACATION AND NEGLECT
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TO GIVE. YOU MIGHT BE AT YOUR ISLAND RETREAT FOR A COUPLE OF
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WEEKS, BUT YOUR STOREHOUSE IS STILL HERE IN BUSINESS. STILL
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HAS TO PAY ITS OPERATING EXPENSES. SO BE FAITHFUL.
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CONSISTENCY IS EVERYTHING. AND GEORGE ADDRESSES ALSO WHAT
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PASTOR BRENDA MENTIONED ON SUNDAY. HE SAYS, "IN ESSENCE,
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YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL IT TO BELIEVE IT. FAITH ISN'T ABOUT
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FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS, AND THOSE SHOULD NOT ENTER INTO YOUR
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GIVING DECISIONS." GEORGE SAYS, "DON'T LEAVE YOUR GIVING TO
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FEELING AND IMPULSE OR PARTICULAR AROUSING
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CIRCUMSTANCES. IF YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL CERTAINLY LOSE GROUND."
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WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE GROUND, DO WE? SO THE SCRIPTURE IS TELLING
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US IN 2 CORINTHIANS 9:7 THIS, "DON'T GIVE GRUDGINGLY,
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SORROWFULLY, OR BASED ON ARM TWISTING OR SOB STORIES." THIS
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WOULD BE GIVING UNDER COMPULSION, BASED ON FEELINGS,
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BASED ON EMOTION. BASE YOUR GIVING ON THOUGHTFUL DECISION.
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PURPOSE IN YOUR HEART TO GIVE LAVISHLY AND RECEIVE BOUNTIFULLY
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AND THEN DO IT. IN FACT, LET'S ALL DO IT TONIGHT. LET'S SOW
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WITH PURPOSE AND GIVE GENEROUSLY SO THAT WE CAN HARVEST
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BOUNTIFULLY AND ABUNDANTLY, SO WE CAN WIN AND NOT LOSE IN THE
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KINGDOM ECONOMY. THE GIVING INFORMATION IS ABOUT TO APPEAR
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ON YOUR SCREENS. AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE MULTIPLE METHODS
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AVAILABLE TO YOU. ENVELOPE, WEBSITE, MOBILE APP, TEXT TO
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GIVE, ALWAYS MY FAVORITE, AND SNAIL MAIL AND QR CODE. I THINK
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WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY COVERED. USHERS ARE IN THE AISLES WITH
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ENVELOPES IF YOU NEED THOSE. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL IN THIS
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ROOM IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THIS
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MINISTRY. AND YOU OUT THERE ONLINE, YOU CONSISTENTLY BLESS
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US WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF GIVING AND WE SO APPRECIATE THAT. AND
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TOGETHER, ALL OF US ARE MAKING A HUGE IMPACT FOR THE KINGDOM. SO
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IF YOU HAVE YOUR OFFERINGS READY IN HERE AND OUT THERE, WE'LL
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TAKE A MOMENT JUST TO PRAY A QUICK BLESSING OVER THOSE,
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HEAVENLY FATHER. WE THANK YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR WORD OF
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ENCOURAGEMENT AND EXHORTATION. I THANK YOU THAT WE ARE
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ESTABLISHED IN YOUR WAYS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THAT WE ARE
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CONSISTENT AND FAITHFUL IN OUR GIVING AND THAT WE WILL NEVER BE
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LOSERS, ONLY WINNERS IN THE KINGDOM, THAT YOU WILL OVERTAKE
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US WITH YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSING AND WOW US WITH YOUR FAVOR AS WE
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SOW TONIGHT FOR OUR GREAT HARVEST IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME
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AND EVERYONE WHO AGREED SHOUTED AMEN. NOW LET'S WELCOME BACK TO
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THE PULPIT OR TO THE PULPIT FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS EVENING,
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FIRST TIME IN A WHILE, PASTOR CHRISTY. AMEN. WELL, YOU CAN ALL
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BE SEATED. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW WE ALREADY HAD SOME GOOD CHURCH
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IN HERE? I WILL NOT BE MOVED BY WHAT I SEE. I WILL NOT BE MOVED
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BY WHAT I FEEL. I MEAN, THAT'S A GREAT SEGUE INTO WHAT WE'RE
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GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT. AMEN. YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT,
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I BELIEVE WHAT THE PROPHET HAS SAID, THAT WE'RE GETTING READY
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TO COME INTO THE GREATEST HARVEST THIS NATION HAS SEEN.
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NOT JUST A HARVEST OF SOULS, BUT A HARVEST FOR THE PEOPLE THAT
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HAVE LAID DOWN THEIR LIFE AND THEIR PRAYER TIME AND THEY HAVE
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STOOD WHEN IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE ANYTHING WAS GONNA CHANGE. AND
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WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE SEEDLINGS STARTING TO EMERGE
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ABOVE THE SOIL. BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK TONIGHT ABOUT UNLOCKING
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YOUR HARVEST SEASON. BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THE DEVIL
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HAS DONE SO MUCH TO TRY TO HOLD THE PEOPLE OF GOD BACK. AND YOU
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KNOW, I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY ONLINE RECENTLY THAT IF HE CAN
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KEEP THE CHURCH, IF THE DEVIL CAN KEEP THE CHURCH FROM
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PROSPERING, IF HE CAN KEEP THE CHURCH UNDERFUNDED, IF HE CAN
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KEEP PEOPLE FROM GIVING, IF THE DEVIL CAN DO THAT, HE WANTS TO
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DO IT BECAUSE WHEN THE GOSPEL OF THIS KINGDOM IS PREACHED HERE
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AND IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH, WE SEE THE GREATEST
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BLACK EYE TO THE ENEMY THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE. WHEN THE ENEMY,
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THE ENEMY IS DEFEATED BY WHEN THE CHURCH IS PROSPERING, WHEN
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THE CHURCH IS STRONG, WHEN THE CHURCH IS STANDING IN THE FACE
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OF EVIL, THAT IS WHAT TERRIFIES THE DEVIL THE MOST. SO I BELIEVE
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WE NEED TO COME INTO A HARVEST SEASON. AND LISTEN, A HARVEST
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ISN'T JUST AN ISSUE OF OUR FINANCES. LISTEN, WE NEED TO
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PROSPER ON ALL SIDES. WE NEED OUR CHILDREN SERVING THE LORD.
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WE NEED TO BE BLESSED WHEN WE'RE COMING IN, WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT,
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THAT OUR HOMES ARE BLESSED, OUR HOUSES ARE BLESSED, THAT GOD IS
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CAUSING US TO INCREASE ON EVERY SIDE, AMEN? ALL RIGHT, WELL,
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OPEN YOUR BIBLES WITH ME, IF YOU WILL, TO GENESIS CHAPTER EIGHT,
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VERSE 22. AND MOST OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THIS SCRIPTURE
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BEFORE, AND IT SAYS, "AS LONG AS THE EARTH REMAINS," NOW IS THE
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EARTH HERE RIGHT NOW? "AS LONG AS THE EARTH REMAINS, THERE IS
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THIS PRINCIPLE, "THERE WILL BE PLANTING AND HARVEST COLD AND
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HEAT." NOW, IN THE KING JAMES, WHICH IS WHERE I READ THIS FROM,
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AND IT'S WHERE I HAVE IT FROM, IT SAYS AS LONG AS THE EARTH
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REMAINS, THERE IS SEED, AND IT SAYS SEED TIME, BUT REALLY THERE
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IS SEED TIME AND THEN THERE IS HARVEST, BECAUSE HOW MANY OF YOU
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KNOW IF YOU PLANT A SEED, YOU DON'T GET FRUIT THE SAME DAY?
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YOU KNOW, THERE IS A TIME TO PLANT, AND THEN THERE IS A TIME
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FOR THAT SEED TO GROW UP. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHAT
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WE'RE DOING WHEN WE'VE PUT SEED IN THE GROUND SO THAT WE KNOW
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THAT BETWEEN THE PLANTING AND THE HARVEST, WHEN WE'RE DOING
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SOMETHING IN BETWEEN THE PLANTING AND THE HARVEST, IT'S
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GONNA DETERMINE YOUR OUTCOME. AND LISTEN, OUR PREPARATION FOR
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THE HARVEST, IT STARTS A LONG TIME BEFORE THE HARVEST ARRIVES.
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AND WE'RE THE INPATIENT GENERATION. WE WANT TO PUT OUR
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SEED IN THE GROUND, SET THE MICROWAVE FOR 30 SECONDS, AND
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PULL OUT OUR HARVESTS. AND I WISH, LISTEN, I WISH THAT IT
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WORKS LIKE THAT. NOW LISTEN, I'M TELLING YOU, WE ARE GETTING
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READY TO, BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IN THE LATTER DAYS, WHEN
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THERE'S THE SPRING RAIN AND THE HARVEST RAIN, IT SAYS THE
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PLOWMAN IS GONNA OVERTAKE THE REAPER, AND THAT'S HOW QUICKLY
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WE'RE GONNA SEE HARVEST COME. BUT I BELIEVE SOME OF THAT HAS
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BECOME BECAUSE WE COME INTO A REVELATION ON HOW TO BE PEOPLE
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THAT DRAW THE HARVEST TO US INSTEAD OF BEING PEOPLE THAT
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SHOVE THE HARVEST AWAY FROM US. AND SOMETIMES THAT IS THE REASON
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THAT WE DON'T RECEIVE. AND HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE YOUR HARVEST
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WAS RUNNING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION? I FELT LIKE THAT
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SOMETIMES. YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, GOLLY GOSH, MAN, I'VE BEEN
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SOWING SEED. I'VE BEEN DOING ALL THE THINGS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE MY
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HARVEST IS GOING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY. BUT YOU KNOW,
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LISTEN, OUR EXPECTATION FOR OUR HARVEST IS DETERMINED BY THE
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AMOUNT OF PREPARATION THAT WE PUT INTO OUR HARVEST.
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BECAUSE A FARMER DOESN'T GET TO JUST GO GET THE HARVEST. HE HAS
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TO START PLANNING, HE HAS TO PURCHASE THE SEED, HE HAS TO
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PLOW, HE HAS TO WORK FOR THE HARVEST. HE DOESN'T JUST GET TO
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GO OUT THERE, FLING SOME SEEDS IN SOME FIELD AND THEN HOPE THAT
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HE'S GONNA GET A HARVEST WHEN THE HARVEST SEASON SHOWS UP. SO,
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AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AND HARVEST IS NOT A HANDOUT. A HARVEST IS
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BECAUSE WE PLOWED, WE PLANTED, WE PRUNED, WE WEEDED, WE
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WATERED, AND THEN WE RECEIVED. DO YOU KNOW THERE IS WORK
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BETWEEN THE SEED AND THE HARVEST BECAUSE THEN THERE IS TIME IN
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THERE. AND LISTEN, YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE FIVE
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FOOLISH VIRGINS THAT DIDN'T FILL THEIR LAMP WITH THE OILS AND THE
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OIL, AND THEN THE BRIDEGROOM CAME, AND THEN THEY WANTED TO GO
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BORROW SOMEBODY ELSE'S OIL. LISTEN, WE ARE IN A SEASON OF
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LIFE. YOU CAN'T LIVE OFF OF SOMEBODY ELSE'S OIL. YOU HAVE TO
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HAVE THE OIL OF THE ANOINTING IN YOUR LIFE. YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW
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TO REAP YOUR OWN HARVEST. YOU CAN'T BE, YOU CAN'T BE, WE DON'T
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SERVE A SOCIALIST GOSPEL.
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(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
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YOU DON'T GET TO REAP SOMEBODY ELSE'S HARVEST. IF YOU DIDN'T
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PLANT IT, BABY, YOU DON'T GET TO REAP IT. SO YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN
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WHAT TO DO IN THE PART BETWEEN PLANTING THE SEED, AND ACTUALLY
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BEFORE PLANTING THE SEED, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT, AND
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WHEN THE HARVEST COMES. SO THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IF
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YOU'RE GONNA SOW SOME SEED OR YOU'RE GONNA GET A HARVEST IS
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YOU'VE GOT TO PLOW. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET
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AN ADEQUATE SEED OR A HARVEST IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FIELD PLOWED
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AND READY TO GO TO SOW SEED INTO. NO PLOWING EQUALS NO
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HARVEST. ALL RIGHT, TURN OVER TO PROVERBS CHAPTER 20, VERSE FOUR.
Proverbs 20 chapter mention
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AND IT SAYS, "THE SLUGGARD WILL NOT PLOW BY REASON OF THE COLD.
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"THEREFORE, HE SHALL BEG IN THE HARVEST AND HAVE NOTHING." WHAT
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DOES THAT MEAN? IT SAYS, BECAUSE YOU ARE LAZY AND YOU DON'T PLOW
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BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE, OH, IT'S TOO HARD, IT'S TOO MUCH, I DON'T
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WANNA, I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA TURN THAT OVER. YOU KNOW,
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HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT FUN TO GO DIG A GARDEN? HAS
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ANYBODY DUG A GARDEN IN THEIR LIFE BEFORE? I HAVE, AND YOU
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KNOW WHAT? IT STINKS. IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING
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FUN ABOUT GOING, NOW IF YOU GO GET ONE OF THOSE LITTLE TILLERS
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THAT TURNS THE SOIL UP, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER. BUT IT STILL
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WORKED. I SAID IT WAS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT IT STILL WORKED.
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AND YOU KNOW, YOUR SOIL, IF YOU DON'T PREPARE YOUR SOIL, DO YOU
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KNOW YOUR SOIL MATTERS? DO YOU KNOW THE DIRT MATTERS? YOU CAN'T
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SOW IN HARDENED CLAY. IT DOESN'T GROW. TURN OVER TO MARK CHAPTER
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FOUR. NOW, WE ALL KNOW THIS ONE. VERSE THREE, IT SAYS, "HEARKEN
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AND BEHOLD, "THERE WENT OUT A SOWER TO SOW. "AND IT SAID SOME
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FELL BY THE WAYSIDE." IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S THE SEED THAT JUST
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KINDA, WE'RE HOPING SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH IT. "AND THE
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FOWLS OF THE AIR CAME AND DEVOURED IT UP." SEE, HERE'S THE
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THING, IF YOU'RE JUST KINDA HOPING SOMETHING'S GONNA HAPPEN,
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SEE, THAT'S WHERE THE DEVIL GETS TO COME IN AND STEAL THE SEED.
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BECAUSE IT WASN'T PURPOSELY PLANTED. AND THEN IT SAYS, "AND
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SOME FELL ON STONY GROUND "WHERE IT HAD NOT MUCH EARTH, "AND
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IMMEDIATELY IT SPRANG UP BECAUSE IT HAD NO DEPTH." WHAT IS THAT?
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THAT'S ROCKY, HARD SOIL. A SEED CANNOT THRIVE IN ROCKY, HARD
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SOIL. LET'S GO ON. AND IT SAYS, "BUT THEN THE SUN WENT UP "AND
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IT WAS SCORCHED BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY ROOT "AND IT
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WITHERED AWAY." SEE, YOU CAN'T BE ROOTED, YOU CAN'T ROOT INTO
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SOMETHING THAT'S HARD. YOU KNOW, IF OUR HEART IS HARD, THE WORD
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OF GOD CAN'T ROOT IN THERE IF WE DON'T SOFTEN OURSELVES. ALL
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RIGHT, LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE. AND IT SAYS, "AND SOME FELL
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AMONG THE THORNS "AND GREW UP AND IT GOT CHOKED." WELL, THEY
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DIDN'T WEED. AND IT DIDN'T YIELD ANY FRUIT. AND THEN LET'S GO TO
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VERSE EIGHT, AND IT SAYS, "AND THE OTHER FELL ON GOOD GROUND,
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"AND DID YIELD FRUIT, AND SPRANG UP, "AND INCREASED, AND BROUGHT
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FORTH SOME 30, "AND SOME 60, AND SOME A HUNDREDFOLD." SO HERE'S
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THE THING, WHAT IS THE MORAL OF THE STORY? WE'VE GOTTA BREAK UP
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THE DRY GROUND. HOSEA 10, VERSE 12 SAYS, "THAT YOU SOW TO
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YOURSELVES IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, "YOU REAP IN MERCY." BREAK UP
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YOUR FALLOW GROUND. WHAT IS THE FALLOW GROUND? IT'S THE GROUND
-
THAT HASN'T BEEN TILLED, OR IT'S THE GROUND THAT'S BEEN HARDENED,
-
AND WHEN YOU GO AND YOU TILL IT, THEN YOU STIR IT UP SO THAT YOU
-
GET THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE EARTH, AND THEN
-
THE SEED CAN BE SOWN, AND IT CAN ROOT IN THE SOIL. BUT IF YOU
-
DON'T STIR THAT UP, THEN YOUR SEED CAN'T GROW. AND IT SAYS,
-
"FOR IT IS TIME TO SEEK THE LORD "TILL HE COMES AND HE RAINS
-
RIGHTEOUSNESS UPON YOU." AND YOU KNOW, DRY, CRUSTY GROUND, A LOT
-
OF TIMES IS WHERE WEEDS THRIVE. YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE THE THORNS
-
AND THE THISTLES THRIVE. BUT THE SEED, OR THE GROUND THAT IS GOOD
-
FOR PLANTING, THAT'S GOOD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT A CORN CROP,
-
YOU WANT SOME GOOD, RICH SOIL. AND YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S THE
-
THING, WHEN WE PLOW, YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY THAT MEANS TO US? IT
-
MEANS THAT WE'RE PREPARING OURSELVES TO DO IT GOD'S WAY. DO
-
YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER THING, A FARMER DOESN'T GO OUT AND JUST
-
DIG UP SOME DIRT HERE, DIG UP SOME DIRT THERE. DO YOU KNOW
-
THERE IS LINES, STRAIGHT LINES THAT THEY SOW, AND YOU KNOW WHY
-
THEY DO IT THAT WAY? BECAUSE IT YIELDS A BETTER HARVEST. IF YOU
-
JUST DIG UP A LITTLE DIRT HERE, DIG UP A LITTLE DIRT THERE, AND
-
DIG UP A LITTLE DIRT OVER HERE, AND YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE WAY
-
THAT GOD, THE ORDER AND THE PURPOSE OF GOD, THE PLAN OF GOD,
-
THEN YOU'RE NOT SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR THE BEST HARVEST. DO YOU
-
KNOW IT'S HARD TO CARE FOR SEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN JUST PLANTED ALL
-
OVER THE PLACE? SO, YOU KNOW, GOD, AND HERE'S THE THING, THE
-
MORE GROUND THAT YOU PLOW, IN OTHER WORDS, THE MORE THAT YOU
-
HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD, THE MORE THAT YOU'RE OBEDIENT TO
-
THE LORD, THE MORE THAT YOU FOLLOW AFTER HIM, THAT'S HOW WE
-
PLOW GROUND. THE MORE THAT WE FOLLOW AFTER THE LORD, THE MORE
-
GROUND THAT WE'RE SOWING, THE GREATER HARVEST WE HAVE THE
-
ABILITY TO HAVE BECAUSE WE HAVE GREATER SOIL TO PUT SEED INTO.
-
YOU KNOW, AND I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO SEE A FARMER GO OUT AND YOU
-
KNOW, JUST NOT USE THE TILLER, NOT, YOU KNOW, GO PLOW THE
-
LINES. AND HE'S JUST THROWING SOME SEEDS OUT INTO THE GROUND.
-
IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, GOD'S A GOD OF
-
ORDER. AND HE WANTS US TO BE BUILT LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT
-
UPON PRECEPT, AND THE MORE THAT WE'RE BUILT IN THE WAY OF GOD,
-
THE MORE THAT WE TURN OUR EAR TO THE WORD OF THE LORD, THE MORE
-
THAT WE'RE TILLING UP OUR HEART. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN GOD
-
SPEAKS TO US, IT'S NOT ALWAYS PLEASANT. DO YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
-
ALWAYS, WE LOVE THE GOOD WORDS. WE LOVE THE WORDS THAT SAYS, OH
-
MAN, YOU'RE DOING SO GREAT, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE SO AWESOME, AND
-
THERE ARE JUST GREAT THINGS COMING FOR YOU. WE DON'T LIKE
-
THE ONES THAT SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, DON'T TALK TO YOUR
-
SPOUSE THAT WAY. WE DON'T LIKE THE ONES THAT SAID, OH, YOU KNOW
-
WHAT, DON'T, BE KIND ONE TO ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED,
-
FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER. WELL, I DON'T WANNA DO THE FORGIVENESS
-
PART, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, GOD, THEY HURT MY HEART. WELL, YOU'RE NOT
-
PLOWING ACCORDING TO THE WAY THAT GOD TOLD US TO PLOW. WHEN
-
HE SAID, "WALK IN LOVE," THAT'S PLOWING ACCORDING TO THE WAY
-
THAT GOD TOLD US TO PLOW. WHEN HE'S TELLING US TO SOW SEED,
-
WHEN OUR BANK ACCOUNT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT LOW, WE'RE NOT
-
PLOWING THE WAY THAT GOD TOLD US TO PLOW. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S
-
THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU'VE GOTTA DO. IF YOU WANNA HARVEST,
-
YOU HAVE TO PLOW. AND BY THE WAY, ONCE YOU RECEIVE A HARVEST,
-
YOU DON'T STOP. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FARMER DOES IMMEDIATELY
-
AFTER HE GETS THE HARVEST AND HE'S BROUGHT IN ALL THE HARVEST?
-
THEY SAY THE BEST WAY TO GET A CROP FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS TO
-
TURN AROUND AND IMMEDIATELY PLOW THE FIELD. YOU DON'T KNOW WHY?
-
BECAUSE THE FRUIT OR THE PLANTING OF THE LAST SEASON IS
-
FERTILIZING THE SOIL FOR THE NEXT SEASON. AMEN? NOW, DAD, AM
-
I SAYING THAT WRONG? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU GREW UP ON A FARM, YOU
-
LIVED IN FARM COUNTRY. AND THEY DON'T JUST WAIT. AND LIKE, OH, I
-
GOT THE HARVEST. I'M GONNA SIT DOWN NOW AND JUST WAIT FOR
-
EVERYTHING. THEY'RE ALREADY PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SEASON,
-
AMEN. ALL RIGHT, THE SECOND THING WE GOTTA DO IS WE GOTTA
-
SOW. TURN OVER TO GALATIANS CHAPTER SIX, VERSE EIGHT. AND
-
HERE'S THE THING, AGAIN, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT OUR
-
FINANCES. I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK OF OUR SOWING IN
-
FINANCES ONLY, BUT LISTEN, YOU'VE GOTTA SOW TOWARDS YOUR
-
CHILDREN'S FUTURE. YOU GOTTA SOW, IF YOU WANNA SEE YOUR
-
NATION TURNED AROUND, YOU GOTTA SOW IN PRAYER, YOU GOTTA SOW
-
YOUR TIME, YOU GOTTA SOW FOR YOU TO SEE THE GOODNESS OF GOD,
-
GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING, AMEN? SO IT SAYS,
-
"FOR HE THAT SOWS TO HIS FLESH "SHALL OF THE FLESH REAP
-
CORRUPTION, "BUT HE THAT SOWS TO THE SPIRIT "SHALL OF THE SPIRIT
-
REAP EVERLASTING LIFE." AND YOU KNOW, GOD IS A GOD OF PRINCIPLE.
-
WHATEVER WE SOW, WE'RE GONNA REAP. ALL RIGHT, NOW PASTOR MARK
-
STOLE MY SCRIPTURE. TURN OVER TO 2 CORINTHIANS 9, VERSE 6.
-
ACTUALLY, HE JUST, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TILLING THE GROUND A LITTLE
-
BIT, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOING. AND IT SAYS, "BUT I SAY, HE
-
WHICH SOWS SPARINGLY "SHALL REAP ALSO SPARINGLY." ACTUALLY, I
-
LIKED HOW HIS TRANSLATION SAID IT SAYS, "STINGILY." AND SEE,
-
WHEN WE'RE STINGY, THAT USUALLY MEANS THAT WE DIDN'T WANNA SOW
-
IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND IF WE DIDN'T WANNA SOW IN THE FIRST
-
PLACE, SOMETIMES THAT'S GOING TO DETERMINE OUR OUTCOME. YOU KNOW,
-
AND HERE'S THE THING, I HATE TO SAY IT, SOMETIMES AS HUMAN
-
BEINGS, WE'RE A STUBBORN LOT. WE WANT THINGS OUR WAY, IN OUR
-
TIME, AND YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO BE, IF WE'RE FLESHLY, WE LIKE TO
-
BE SELFISH. SO IT SAYS, SO IF YOU'RE GONNA SOW SPARINGLY,
-
YOU'RE GONNA REAP SPARINGLY, BUT HE THAT SOWS BOUNTIFULLY SHALL
-
WHAT? - REAP. - BOUNTIFULLY. SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BE AFRAID OF
-
SOWING THE SEED. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IN SOWING, JUST
-
BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEE IT SPROUT UP IMMEDIATELY DOESN'T MEAN THAT
-
SOMETHING ISN'T HAPPENING UNDERNEATH THE EARTH. YOU KNOW,
-
PASTOR SHANE SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT GOD WAS THE ONLY ONE WITH
-
RESURRECTION POWER. BUT, AND HE IS, AND SEE, THAT'S WHY THE
-
POWER OF THE SEED IS SO POWERFUL. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
-
WHEN YOU CUT THE CORN OFF OF THE PLANT, DO YOU KNOW IT'S NO
-
LONGER LIVING? THE SEED IS NO LONGER ALIVE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT
-
ATTACHED ANYMORE TO A LIFE SOURCE. BUT BECAUSE THERE IS
-
RESURRECTION POWER INSIDE OF THAT SEED, WHEN IT GOES INTO
-
GOOD GROUND, IT CAN SPRING FORTH AND PRODUCE A HARVEST. SO THAT'S
-
WHY YOUR SEED'S POWERFUL. AND YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THAT WHEN
-
WE GET TO WHERE WE'RE LIKE, GOD, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T CARE. YOU
-
KNOW, I HEARD IT SAID, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD IT SAID
-
MANY TIMES, THAT IF GOD CAN GET IT THROUGH YOU, HE'S GONNA GET
-
IT TO YOU. DO YOU KNOW, HE IS THE ONE THAT PROVIDES SEED TO
-
THE SOWER. IF YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I DON'T HAVE SEED TO SOW, THEN,
-
YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SEED TO SOW. YOU START WITH SOMETHING.
-
YOU START SOMEWHERE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE, IF YOUR BANK
-
ACCOUNT'S IN THE NEGATIVE, THEN I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE
-
A CAN OF CORN OUT OF YOUR PANTRY OR OUT OF YOUR CUPBOARD AND RUN
-
IT DOWN TO HEARTLAND HOME MISSION AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
-
I'M FINDING A WAY TO SOW A SEED. I'M FINDING A WAY TO SOW A SEED.
-
YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES WE MAKE SOWING SEEDS SO MUCH
-
HARDER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE JUST
-
NEED TO ASK GOD, WHAT SEED DO I SOW? HOW DO I BECOME A PERSON
-
THAT SOWS ABUNDANTLY? HOW DO I BECOME A PERSON THAT SOWS
-
GENEROUSLY? YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING YOU CAN DO IS GO TAKE SOME
-
CLOTHES OUT OF YOUR CLOSET, RUN IT DOWN TO HEARTLAND HOPE
-
MISSION, SOW SOMETHING. GIVE GOD SOMETHING TO WORK WITH. IF YOU
-
WANNA HARVEST, YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE GOD SOMETHING TO WORK WITH. YOU
-
CAN'T SIT THERE AND GO, "WELL, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, AND I'M SO
-
POOR." WELL, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT TOO, BECAUSE NOW
-
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WEEDING. SEE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES
-
WE LET A LOT OF WEEDS GROW UP AND STEAL THE SEED. DID YOU GET,
-
SEE, YOU GOTTA GET RID OF THE WEEDS SO THE WEEDS DON'T KILL
-
THE SEED. I DON'T THINK YOU HEARD THAT. YOU GOTTA GET RID OF
-
THE WEEDS THAT KILL THE SEEDS. NOW, HEBREWS CHAPTER THREE,
-
VERSE 12, THE FIRST WEED THAT WE GOTTA WEED UP IS AN EVIL HEART
-
OF UNBELIEF. BECAUSE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER THREE, VERSE 12, IT
-
SAYS, "TAKE HEED, BRETHREN, "LEST THERE BE IN ANY OF YOU AN
-
EVIL HEART." IT'S NOT JUST A HEART OF UNBELIEF. SOMETIMES WE
-
LIKE TO EXCUSE OUR UNBELIEF AS HURT, PAIN, I'VE BEEN DONE
-
WRONG, I HAVE THIS REASON AND THAT REASON, AND GOD'S NOT
-
ANSWERING ME, AND WOE IS ME. AND REALLY, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF
-
ISRAEL, AND THEY HAD SEEN ALL THE MIRACLES OF GOD, AND SEE,
-
THAT'S THE OTHER THING. IF WE WANNA HARVEST, WE CAN'T BE JUST
-
THE SHOW-ME STATE. WE'RE NOT MISSOURI. WE'RE NOT THE SHOW ME
-
STATE. NO, WE'RE GONNA PROVE GOD. BECAUSE YOU SAID IT GOD, I
-
BELIEVE IT. AND IT SAYS THAT YOU HAVE AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF
-
IN DEPARTING FROM THE LIVING GOD. HOW ARE WE DEPARTING?
-
'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE CAN HAVE AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF AND WE
-
CAN BE SITTING RIGHT IN THE PEW AT THE CHURCH ON A SUNDAY,
-
SERVING IN THE CHURCH AND STILL HAVE AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF.
-
BECAUSE WE'RE EXPECTING GOD TO SHOW US OR WE THINK WE'RE OWED.
-
WELL, HELLO, CULTURE. I MEAN, THAT'S THE SOCIALISM MINDSET. DO
-
YOU WANNA KNOW WHY GOD IS AGAINST SOCIALISM? BECAUSE HE'S
-
A GOD OF HARVEST. HE'S A GOD OF SEED, TIME, AND THEN HARVEST.
-
YOU DON'T GET A PLOW IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S FIELD AND TRY TO TAKE
-
THEIR HARVEST. YOU GOTTA PLOW YOUR OWN FIELD. THE BIBLE SAYS,
-
"HE THAT DOESN'T WORK DOESN'T EAT." YOU KNOW? THAT'S WHY IT'S
-
EVIL. BECAUSE REALLY WHAT IT IS, IS IT'S RAISING UP A BUNCH OF
-
PEOPLE THAT ARE SELF-ENTITLED AND THINK THEY CAN THIEVE AND
-
STEAL AND TAKE WHATEVER THEY WANT THAT THEY DIDN'T EARN. JUST
-
BECAUSE THAT SOMEWHERE, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, THEY
-
FELT LIKE THEY GOT HURT AND USED AND ABUSED. WELL, MY HURT IS A
-
WEED THAT CAN DESTROY MY HARVEST BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS THAT HE
-
CAME TO BIND UP THE BROKENHEARTED. SO LET ME JUST
-
PUT THAT OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT, GO OVER TO, AND HERE'S THE
-
THING, HEBREWS 11, VERSE SIX, THIS IS A FAMILIAR VERSE TO ALL
-
OF US, BUT IT SAYS, "IN ORDER FOR US TO PLEASE GOD," SAYS,
-
"WITHOUT FAITH, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE." IMPOSSIBLE. DO YOU
-
REALIZE YOU CANNOT PLEASE GOD? HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR
-
SERVICE. HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR ACTS. HE CARES ABOUT YOUR
-
FAITH. AND SEE, OUR FAITH IS BUILT BECAUSE WE KNOW IN WHOM WE
-
HAVE BELIEVED THAT HE IS ABLE, HE IS ABLE, HE'S GONNA DO WHAT
-
HE SAID HE WOULD DO. HE IS THE GOD OF THE PROMISE. HE IS THE
-
GOD THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. HE IS THE GOD, IF HE SAID IT, HE'S
-
GONNA DO IT. AND SO IT SAYS, "WITHOUT FAITH, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE
-
"TO PLEASE HIM BECAUSE HE THAT COMES TO GOD "MUST BELIEVE FIRST
-
OF ALL THAT HE IS." AND SEE, BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GET INTO A
-
PLACE WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, OH MAN, GOD'S NOT DOING ANYTHING
-
FOR ME, YOU'RE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF SAYING, WELL, GOD MAY
-
NOT EXIST BECAUSE WHERE IS HE? HE CAN'T HEAR ME WHEN I'M
-
CALLING, AND THAT IS AN EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF. SO WE HAVE TO
-
BE CAREFUL. SO AND THEN IT SAYS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT
-
HE, NUMBER ONE, HE IS. AND IF I BELIEVE THAT HE IS, THEN I HAVE
-
TO SEE HIS GOODNESS. IF I BELIEVE THAT HE IS, I HAVE TO
-
SEE THAT HE WAS THE CREATOR. IF I BELIEVE THAT HE IS, I HAVE TO
-
SEE THAT HE IS ALMIGHTY, HE IS YAHWEH, THE LORD GOD, THE ONE
-
WHO SITS UPON THE THRONE, HE IS SEATED. AND THEN I HAVE TO
-
BELIEVE IN HIS GOODNESS AND IT SAYS THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF
-
THOSE THAT NOT HALF-HEARTEDLY SEEK HIM. YOU KNOW, WE HEAR SO
-
MANY TIMES, WELL, GOD'S GONNA MEET YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT. YES,
-
HE WILL, BECAUSE HE DOES COME RUNNING AFTER THE PRODIGAL, BUT
-
AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO ADVANCE FROM BEING THE PRODIGAL
-
AND THE HARD-HEARTED AND THE, OH GOD, FIND ME IN MY DARKNESS AND
-
SAY, NO GOD, YOU SAID YOU REWARDED, YOU'RE GONNA REWARD ME
-
IF I DILIGENTLY SEEK YOU, SO I'M GONNA RUN AFTER YOU, I'M GONNA
-
PRESS HARD, I'M GONNA PRAY, I'M GONNA COME INTO YOUR PRESENCE
-
WITH THANKSGIVING, I'M GONNA ENTER YOUR COURTS WITH PRAISE
-
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOD, YOU ARE GOOD, YOU ARE FAITHFUL,
-
YOU ARE KIND, YOU ARE THE ALMIGHTY GOD WHO CAN STAND
-
AGAINST THE LIVING GOD, I KNOW.
-
AND WE KEEP PRESSING AND PRESSING. AND YOU KNOW,
-
SOMETIMES YOUR FLESH DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE RUNNING OUT AND
-
SEEKING THE LORD. SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THE ALARM CLOCK GOES OFF
-
AND YOU'RE LIKE, I COULD PRAY. OR I KINDA HAD A BAD NIGHT OF
-
SLEEP, OR I COULD GET ANOTHER LITTLE HOUR IN HERE. I MEAN,
-
IT'S REAL, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M NOT SAYING? THAT EVERY TIME
-
YOU SLEEP IN A LITTLE BIT, GOD, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT DILIGENTLY
-
SEEKING THE LORD. IT'S JUST THE PATTERN. SO A HEART OF UNBELIEF
-
IS A WEED THAT'S GONNA KILL YOUR HARVEST. ALL RIGHT, THE SECOND
-
ONE, JUST THREW MY GLASSES ON THE GROUND, IS STOP LOOKING AT
-
THE IMPOSSIBILITY AND THE PROBLEMS. IF YOU WANT A HARVEST,
-
BUT ALL YOU CAN SEE IS THE REASONS THAT IT SHOULDN'T COME
-
TO PASS, THEN IT'S A WEED. AND IT'S BLOCKING YOU. LISTEN, THOSE
-
THINGS WILL BLOCK YOU FROM SEEING YOUR HARVEST. HEBREWS
Hebrews 11 chapter mention
-
CHAPTER 11, VERSE ONE SAYS THAT FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND
-
HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. AND, OR, AND, AND IT'S, IT, OR NOT,
-
I'M SORRY, IT DOESN'T SAY IT. IT SAYS NOW FAITH IS, I'M SORRY,
-
I'M QUOTING THE WRONG VERSES. "NOW FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF
-
THINGS HOPED FOR. IT'S THE EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN. BUT
-
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WRONG THING AND YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT
-
THE HARVEST THAT IS TO COME, THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WEEDS.
-
AND YOU GOTTA DIG THOSE WEEDS OUT. AND HERE'S THE THING,
-
SOMETIMES GETTING WEEDS OUT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST CLIP OFF
-
THE TOP, YOU GOTTA GET THE ROOT. YOU GOTTA GET THE ROOT OF THE
-
WEED. BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THE ROOT OF THE WEED IS COMPETING
-
WITH THE ROOT OF THE SEED. THAT WAS POWERFUL. WHETHER YOU
-
THOUGHT SO OR NOT, THAT WAS POWERFUL.
-
ALL RIGHT, SO STOP LOOKING AT ALL THE REASONS WHY IT SHOULDN'T
-
COME TO PASS. IF YOU'RE BELIEVING FOR HEALING, YOU HAVE
-
PAIN IN YOUR BODY, YOU HAVE SICKNESS IN YOUR BODY, OR IT WAS
-
A DEVASTATING DIAGNOSIS. DON'T LOOK AT THE WEED, LOOK AT THE
-
GOD THAT SAID THAT HE IS THE GOD OF OUR HEALING. THE GOD WE SANG
-
TONIGHT, HE'S STILL ON THE THRONE. ALL RIGHT, THE THIRD
-
WEED, COMPLAINING. LISTEN, YOUR MOUTH CAN UPROOT YOUR SEED. I,
-
IT CAN, OKAY, TURN OVER TO JAMES CHAPTER THREE, VERSE FIVE. WE'RE
-
GONNA READ, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE BOOK OF JAMES. 'CAUSE
-
THE BOOK OF JAMES, IT FIXES A WHOLE LOT THAT GOES ON SOMETIMES
-
IN OUR HEART AND OUR MIND. IT SAYS, "EVEN SO, THE TONGUE IS A
-
LITTLE MEMBER, AND IT BOASTS GREAT THINGS." HOW MANY OF YOU
-
EVER BOASTED AND YOUR MOUTH GOT YOU IN TROUBLE? OR YOU SAID
-
SOMETHING THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, "OH GOD, I WISH I
-
COULD TAKE THAT BACK." AND IT SAYS, "BEHOLD, HOW GREAT A
-
MATTER A LITTLE FIRE KINDLETH." LET'S GO ON. AND IT SAYS, "AND
-
THE TONGUE IS A FIRE, "A WORLD OF INIQUITY." SO THE TONGUE
-
AMONG OUR MEMBERS, THAT IT DEFILES THE WHOLE BODY. THAT'S
-
HOW POWERFUL YOUR MOUTH IS. AND IT SAYS, "IT SETS ON FIRE THE
-
COURSE OF NATURE, "AND IT IS SET ON FIRE OF HELL." I DON'T WANT
-
HELL COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH. I DON'T WANT TO BE SETTING ON FIRE
-
NATURE. YOU KNOW, LISTEN, IF YOU'RE SETTING THINGS ON FIRE,
-
YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GETTING A HARVEST OUT OF IT. DON'T BURN
-
YOUR CROP. "FOR EVERY KIND OF BEAST AND OF BIRDS AND SERPENTS
-
"AND OF THINGS IN THE SEA IS TAME "AND HATH BEEN TAMED OF
-
MANKIND." NOW THAT'S A POWERFUL WORD. BUT THE TONGUE NO MAN CAN
-
TAME, IT'S UNRULY, EVIL, FULL OF DEADLY POISON. KEEP GOING, AND
-
IT SAYS, THEREWITH BLESS WE GOD THE FATHER, AND THEREWITH CURSE
-
WE MEN, WHICH ARE MADE AFTER THE SIMILITUDE OF GOD. OUT OF THE
-
SAME MOUTH PROCEEDS BLESSINGS AND CURSINGS. MY BRETHREN, THESE
-
THINGS OUGHT NOT SO TO BE. AND IT SAYS, DOES A FOUNTAIN SEND
-
FORTH AT THE SAME PLACE SWEET WATER AND BITTER? CAN THE FIG
-
TREE, MY BRETHREN, BEAR OLIVE BERRIES, EITHER OF VINE FIGS, SO
-
THAT NO FOUNTAIN CAN BOTH YIELD SALT, WATER, AND FRESH? AND IT
-
SAYS, IF IT'S SALT WATER AND FRESH WATER, I WANT THE RIVER OF
-
LIFE FLOWING OUT OF MY MOUTH. AMEN. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO
-
WATCH THE THINGS THAT WE SAY. NOW TURN OVER TO PROVERBS
-
CHAPTER 21, VERSE 23. AND IT SAYS, "WHOSO KEEPS HIS MOUTH AND
-
HIS TONGUE "KEEPS HIS SOUL FROM TROUBLE." WHEN WE KEEP OUR
-
MOUTH, WE KEEP OUR SOUL. YOU KNOW, LISTEN, PASTOR TALKED
-
ABOUT FEELINGS. FEELINGS ARE GREAT, BUT FEELINGS ARE NOT WHAT
-
WE LIVE OUR LIFE BY. BECAUSE YOUR FEELINGS CAN BE ALL OVER
-
THE MAP. HAPPY ON A SUNNY DAY, SAD ON A RAINY DAY. YOU HAD A
-
BAD NIGHT'S SLEEP, AND SO YOU WOKE UP, YOU'RE KIND OF GRUMPY,
-
AND SO NOW YOU DON'T SEE EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY. YOU
-
KNOW, FELL IN LOVE WITH YOUR SPOUSE. YOU'RE LIKE, OH MAN,
-
THEY'RE THE GREATEST THING. GOT MARRIED AND SAW THAT THEY, YOU
-
KNOW, THREW THEIR DIRTY CLOTHES ON THE FLOOR INSTEAD OF THE
-
HAMPER. NOW YOU'RE MAD. OR THEY CHEWED TOO LOUD. SNORED,
-
WHATEVER. NOW YOU'RE LIKE, OH MAN, THAT BLESSING ISN'T SUCH A
-
BLESSING ANYMORE. AND SEE, WHAT'S SAD IS WE LIVE IN A VERY
-
ME-CENTERED GENERATION. AND SPOUSES, DIVORCE, WELL, WE GREW
-
APART. NO, YOU GOT SELFISH. YOU GOT SELFISH. YOU QUIT WALKING IN
-
FORGIVENESS. YOU FORGOT TO BE KIND. YOU THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR OWN
-
SELF, NOT THE NEEDS OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSE. AND
-
LISTEN, YOU KNOW WHAT? SOMETIMES THINGS ARE GONNA GO WRONG IN
-
LIFE. SOMETIMES THINGS AREN'T GONNA ALWAYS GO THE WAY WE
-
THOUGHT IT SHOULD. AND BY THE WAY, THERE ARE STORMS THAT ARE
-
IN LIFE. BUT YOU KNOW, JESUS, WHEN HE WAS ON THE EARTH, NOW
-
SEE, HERE'S THE THING, HE WAS FULLY GOD, BUT HE WAS FULLY MAN.
-
HE WAS FULLY GOD, AND HE HAD THE AUTHORITY OF GOD, BUT HE HAD TO
-
OPERATE THROUGH HUMAN FLESH. SO IT CHANGED. I MEAN, HE DIDN'T
-
COME DOWN HERE AND JUST BLOW IT ALL UP. HE CAME DOWN AND PAID
-
THE PRICE. BUT WHAT DID JESUS DO IN THE MIDST OF THE STORMS? HE
-
SLEPT IN THE BOAT. WE'RE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, IT'S STORMING. OH,
-
OH JESUS, YOU FORGOT. IS GOD EVEN HEARING MY PRAYER? THERE'S
-
A STORM. AND JESUS WAS SO FULL OF PEACE BECAUSE HE KNEW THE GOD
-
THAT HE SERVED, AND HE WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO BE TAKEN OUT
-
BECAUSE HE HAD A PURPOSE TO FULFILL. HE JUST WENT TO SLEEP.
-
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN GET UP AND HAVE TO GO,
-
(SPEAKING IN TONGUES)
-
I'M GONNA SPEAK TO THIS, OR HE JUST SAID, "PEACE, BE STILL."
-
YOU KNOW, LISTEN, IT'S OKAY TO ASK WHY, BUT DON'T STAY IN THE
-
WHY. THE PSALMIST SOMETIMES WOULD SAY, HOW LONG WILL YOU NOT
-
HEAR ME, OH GOD? BUT THEN WOULD TURN AROUND AND REMIND HIMSELF
-
OF WHO GOD IS. NOW HABAKKUK 3:17, AND THIS IS A PSALM IN
-
HABAKKUK, OR A SONG, AND IT SAYS, "ALTHOUGH THE FIG TREE
-
SHALL NOT BLOSSOM, "NEITHER SHALL FRUIT BE IN THE VINES,
-
"AND THE LABOR OF THE OLIVES SHALL NOT FAIL, "AND THE FIELDS
-
SHALL YIELD NO MEAT, "AND THE FLOCKS SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM THE
-
FOLD, "AND THERE SHALL BE NO HERD IN THE STALLS." IT SAYS,
-
"YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, "I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY
-
SALVATION." GO TO VERSE 19, IT SAYS, "BECAUSE THE LORD GOD IS
-
MY STRENGTH, "AND HE WILL MAKE MY FEET LIKE HINDS FEET, "AND HE
-
WILL MAKE ME TO WALK UPON MY HIGH PLACES." WHAT IS THE HIGH
-
PLACES? THE MOUNTAIN THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T OVERCOME.
-
AND THAT'S A HARVEST. WHEN YOU OVERCOME A MOUNTAIN, IT'S A
-
HARVEST. SEE, SOMETIMES AGAIN, WE'RE BUSY LOOKING AT THE WEEDS.
-
AND LISTEN, IF YOU GOT A WHOLE LOT OF WEEDS, THEN MAYBE, MAYBE,
-
MAYBE YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR LOCATION SO THAT YOU CAN SEE
-
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU, IF
-
YOU'RE HANGING AROUND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BROKE,
-
DEPRESSED, AND HURT AND UPSET, SOMETIMES THAT SPIRIT CAN JUMP
-
OFF ON YOU. IF YOU WANNA BE A PROSPEROUS PERSON, HANG AROUND
-
PEOPLE THAT TALK PROSPERITY. IF YOU WANNA BE A PROSPEROUS
-
PERSON, BE AROUND PEOPLE THAT ARE PROSPEROUS PEOPLE. DON'T
-
JUST GO HANG AROUND WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALWAYS NEEDING
-
THE HANDOUTS ALL THE TIME. AND LISTEN, IT'S NOTHING, WE NEED TO
-
BE GIVERS. WE NEED TO GIVE TO THE POOR. THE BIBLE COMMANDS
-
THAT WE GIVE TO THE POOR. BUT IF YOU WANNA BE A PERSON THAT'S A
-
PERSON OF PROSPERITY, DON'T HANG AROUND TRASHY MOUTH, OKAY? AND
-
LISTEN, IF YOU'VE MADE SOME POOR CHOICES, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE
-
MADE SOME POOR CHOICES IN YOUR LIFE? OKAY, WE'VE ALL DONE IT.
-
IT'S LIKE IT'S A PART OF GROWING UP. YOU'RE LIKE, MAN, IF I COULD
-
TAKE, THAT WAS STUPID. IT'S JUST DUMB. JAMES 1:5 SAYS THAT IF ANY
-
OF US LACK WISDOM TO ASK OF GOD WHO GIVES TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY,
-
AND THAT WORD ABRADETH SAYS THAT HE DOESN'T FIND FAULT WITH US.
-
HE'S NOT THERE TO BLOW US UP 'CAUSE WE MESSED UP. HE'S THERE
-
TO GET US OUT OF IT. BUT LISTEN, SOME OF OUR POOR CHOICES, WE'VE
-
MADE, YOU KNOW, DEBT. YOU KNOW, DEBT SOMETIMES, IT'S A POOR
-
CHOICE, AND THEN YOU FIND YOURSELF, YOU KNOW, DUG INTO
-
DEBT, AND SOMETIMES IT'S A CHOICE, AND THEN SOMETIMES IT'S
-
BEEN BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A SPIRIT TRACKING YOU. SO MAKE
-
SURE YOU SPEAK TO THAT. AND JUST 'CAUSE YOU MADE THE POOR CHOICE,
-
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE BOUND FOREVER TO LIVE LIKE THAT. YOU
-
NEED TO START SPEAKING TO THE THING AND SAY, DEBT, THAT BURDEN
-
OF DEBT, GET OFF MY BACK IN JESUS' NAME. THE OTHER ONE
-
THAT'S A POOR CHOICE IS LACK OF HONOR. YOU KNOW, WHEN GOD TALKED
-
ABOUT THE TITHE, IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A POINT OF HONOR. AND
-
SEE, WE LIVE IN A CULTURE THAT DOESN'T WANNA HONOR ANYTHING.
-
THEY DON'T WANNA HONOR AUTHORITY. THEY DON'T WANNA
-
HONOR WHAT ANYBODY ELSE IS OWED. I WATCHED THIS THING ON
-
INSTAGRAM AND THIS LADY WALKED INTO A STORE, HELPED HERSELF
-
WITH STUFF AND WALKED OUT. AND WHEN THEY WERE CHASING HER DOWN,
-
SHE WAS LIKE, "NO, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO THIS IS MY
-
STUFF." NO, IT ISN'T YOUR STUFF, YOU DIDN'T PAY FOR IT. YOU'RE
-
STEALING. BUT IT WAS ENTITLED AND READY TO THROW HANDS TO
-
STEAL. SEE, IT'S MESSED UP THINKING. AND IT'S A LACK OF
-
HONOR. IT'S HONORABLE THAT YOU DON'T WALK INTO YOUR NEIGHBOR'S
-
HOUSE AND WALK OUT WITH THEIR TV. OKAY. ANOTHER ONE IS BE
-
TEACHABLE. PROVERBS 24, THREE THROUGH FOUR SAYS, "THROUGH
-
WISDOM IS A HOUSE BUILT, "AND BY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ESTABLISHED,
-
"AND BY KNOWLEDGE SHALL THY CHAMBERS, "BY KNOWLEDGE SHALL
-
YOUR CHAMBERS BE FILLED "WITH ALL PRECIOUS AND PLEASANT
-
RICHES." IF YOU WANNA HARVEST, BE A PERSON THAT HAS HONOR IN
-
YOUR HEART. MATTER OF FACT, OVER IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER SIX, VERSE
-
TWO, IT SAYS, "HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER," WHICH IS THE FIRST
-
COMMANDMENT WITH PROMISE, "THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU." YOU
-
KNOW? WE DON'T WANNA, WE DON'T LIKE BEING A PERSON OF HONOR.
-
AND YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE THING, LISTEN. I'M GONNA SAY THIS TOO,
-
TO SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE OLDER, YOU KNOW, PARENTS, YOU'RE ADULTS
-
NOW. EVEN IF YOUR PARENTS TELL YOU SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE,
-
SOMETIMES, AND YOU'RE OLDER, AND YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE PAYING YOUR
-
OWN BILLS WITH YOUR OWN KIDS AND YOUR OWN HOUSE AND YOUR OWN CAR,
-
AND THEY TRY TO GIVE YOU A PIECE OF WISDOM, SOMETIMES JUST
-
RECEIVE IT AND LET THE SEED GROW AND DECIDE IF THAT'S THE WAY
-
THAT YOU'RE GONNA GO. WE'RE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, NOBODY CAN
-
TELL ME WHAT TO DO. NOBODY CAN SAY ANYTHING TO ME, 'CAUSE I
-
KNOW. I'M GROWN, I HAVE A COLLEGE EDUCATION. A COLLEGE
-
EDUCATION DID NEVER HAND OUT COMMON SENSE, I'LL TELL YOU
-
THAT. THAT'S FREE. IT TURNED OUT A WHOLE LOT OF UNTEACHABLE,
-
UNREASONABLE, STUPID PEOPLE. NO, SERIOUSLY. MOST OF THE COLLEGE
-
DEGREES THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW AREN'T EVEN WORTH THE PAPER
-
THEY'RE WRITTEN ON. AND PEOPLE COME OUT WITH COLLEGE DEBT AND
-
NO JOB. BETTER OFF TO GO BE AN ELECTRICIAN OR A PLUMBER OR
-
SOMETHING ELSE AND START GETTING MONEY IN THE DOOR. NOW IF YOU
-
WANT TO BE A DOCTOR, PLEASE GO TO COLLEGE. AMEN? THE OTHER WEED
-
IS THE DEVIL AND SIN. LISTEN, SIN, WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
-
SIN, WHEN IT'S CONCEIVED, OR WHEN IT'S FULLY GROWN, IT BRINGS
-
FORTH DEATH. SO DON'T BE A PERSON THAT DABBLES IN SIN ALL
-
THE TIME, THAT HAS TO DABBLE IN THE WORLD ALL THE TIME, DO A
-
LITTLE FEW THINGS ON THE SIDE, AND OH GOD, FORGIVE ME. I MEAN,
-
YES, HE DOES FORGIVE US WHEN WE MESS UP, BUT DON'T KEEP PLAYING
-
AND DOING THE THINGS THAT YOU KNOW YOU OUGHT NOT BE DOING, THE
-
THINGS YOU OUGHT NOT BE WATCHING, THE PEOPLE YOU OUGHT
-
NOT BE TALKING TO, THE PEOPLE YOU OUGHT NOT BE HANGING OUT
-
WITH, LETTING YOUR EYES ROVE AROUND WHEN YOU GO TO THE GYM.
-
SERIOUSLY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT STEAL OUR
-
HARVEST. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WONDER, WELL, I SOWED SEED. THE
-
PRINCIPLE IS I SOW THE SEED, AND THEN, BUT THERE'S WEEDS COMING
-
UP, AND YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE WEEDS. YOU'RE LETTING SIN
-
COME IN. AND THEN, AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING. THE OTHER ONE'S
-
THE DEVIL IS PART OF THAT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOUR
-
THOUGHTS ARE BEING BOMBARDED, THAT SOMETHING'S NOT ABOUT TO
-
CHANGE, IF YOU'RE NOT READY TO SAY THIS TIME TOMORROW, THINGS
-
ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE, AND YOUR THOUGHTS ARE BEING BOMBARDED,
-
SAYING IT'S GETTING WORSE, IT'S GETTING BAD, YOU'RE FALLING
-
RIGHT INTO THE DEVIL'S PLAYBOOK. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LIBERAL
-
MEDIA IS OUT THERE DOING? THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE US
-
BELIEVE THAT GOD IS NOT MOVING IN THE NATION OF AMERICA. THEY
-
WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT SPRINGING
-
FORTH. THEY WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE A
-
PROSPEROUS NATION ANYMORE. THEY KEEP SAYING, OH, THE EVIL,
-
YOU'RE STANDING ON STOLEN LAND. OH, SHUT UP.
-
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU JUST GOTTA SAY SHUT UP. YOU GOTTA
-
TAKE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL. I SAW A THING, THEY JUST HAD
-
SOUTHWEST BELIEVERS, AND YOU KNOW, BROTHER COPELAND, HE'S
-
BEEN DEALING WITH SOME PAIN IN HIS BODY, AND SO HE SAT DOWN TO
-
PREACH. KEPT PREACHING THOUGH, HE'S NOT QUITTING, KEPT
-
PREACHING. PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE GOING, OH LOOK, HE'S SITTING
-
DOWN. OH MAN, HIS FAITH'S NOT WORKING, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. AH,
-
SHUT UP. LISTEN, PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ARE A WEED. DON'T QUIT
-
BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S, YOU DON'T LIKE SOMEBODY'S OPINION. DON'T
-
STOP BECAUSE SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING NEGATIVE. WELL, YOU
-
KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE GOTTEN CALLED FAT ON THE INTERNET?
-
WELL, SHUT UP. MY BODY ISN'T ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS. AND YOU DON'T
-
KNOW WHAT I DEAL WITH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DEAL WITH. AND YOU
-
KNOW WHAT? I DON'T CARE. ARE WE PRESSING INTO THE KINGDOM? ARE
-
WE PRESSING IN FOR A HARVEST?
-
WELL, YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST. WELL, SHUT UP. WE
-
NEED TO GET HOLD OF THE WORD SHUT UP. AND WE NEED TO SAY IT
-
TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE. AND THE RIGHT THINGS AND THE RIGHT
-
DEMONS. YOU KNOW, LISTEN, I FOUND IT FUNNY WHEN THE LIBERAL
-
MEDIA HAS A NARRATIVE, YOU CAN GO TO EVERY OUTLET AND THEY HAVE
-
THE SAME TALKING POINT VERBATIM. BECAUSE IT'S SCRIPTED. 'CAUSE
-
YOU KNOW, AND SEE, THAT'S THE THING. WE FALL FOR THE DEVIL'S
-
LIES BECAUSE HE SAYS IT TO US OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
-
AND WE DON'T PLUCK UP THE WEED. WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WELL, I'M
-
NOT ENOUGH. I'M NOT DOING ENOUGH. I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH. AND
-
WE FORGET THAT IT SAYS THAT I WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF
-
ALMIGHTY GOD, THAT THROUGH JESUS, I CAN DO ALL THINGS. WE
-
SANG IT TONIGHT. BECAUSE OF THE POWER THAT IS ON THE INSIDE OF
-
ME, I HAVE THE POWER TO WALK IN FREEDOM. I HAVE THE POWER TO
-
WALK IN AUTHORITY. I HAVE THE POWER TO COMMAND MY ATMOSPHERE.
-
BY THE WAY, PASTOR BRENDA'S BOOK, COMMANDING PEACE IS COMING
-
OUT. YOU BETTER GET A HOLD OF IT, IT'S A GOOD ONE. ALL RIGHT,
-
I GOTTA HURRY, 'CAUSE I'M ALMOST OUT OF TIME. NUMBER FOUR. YOU
-
GOTTA WATER. YOUR PLANTS DON'T GROW IF YOU DON'T WATER THEM. BY
-
THE WAY, DO YOU KNOW IT'S SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT IF
-
YOU SPEAK TO A GROWING PLANT, IT'S GONNA GROW BETTER THAN THE
-
ONE THAT YOU JUST LEAVE ALONE? BECAUSE THERE'S POWER IN OUR
-
WORDS. THERE'S POWER IN OUR WORDS. AND IF A PLANT CAN GROW
-
BECAUSE WE SPEAK TO IT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SPEAK TO THE
-
SEEDS THAT WE'VE SOWN? AND WE SPEAK TO THEM FAVORABLY, WE
-
SPEAK FAITH. TURN OVER TO ROMANS CHAPTER FOUR, VERSE 17. AND IT
-
SAYS, "AS IT IS WRITTEN, "I HAVE MADE THEE A FATHER OF MANY
-
NATIONS." AND BY THE WAY, WHEN ABRAM, BEFORE HE BECAME ABRAHAM,
-
WENT UP AND HE WAS BARREN AND DESOLATE, IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE
-
ANYTHING WAS GONNA CHANGE. DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE WAS A
-
HARVEST COMING. AND IT SAYS, "BEFORE HIM WHOM HE BELIEVED,
-
"EVEN GOD WHO QUICKENS THE DEAD AND CALLETH THOSE THINGS "WHICH
-
BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE." ABRAHAM WENT AROUND CALLING
-
HIMSELF ABRAHAM, WHICH MEANS THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS, AND HE
-
HAD ZERO CHILDREN. DON'T TELL ME PEOPLE DIDN'T LAUGH AT HIM. THEY
-
LAUGHED AT NOAH, BUT SOMETIMES WE JUST GOTTA BE, "AH, SHUT UP."
-
THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR TAKEAWAY, IS JUST SHUT UP. I'M GONNA WALK
-
INTO MY HARVEST SEASON. 'CAUSE WE LET SO MANY VOICES COME INTO
-
OUR HEAD. OKAY? AND HERE'S THE THING, THE OTHER WAY THAT WE
-
WATER IS WITH THE WORD OF GOD. DO YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
-
THE WORD OF GOD IS A LIVING THING, IT'S QUICK AND A POWERFUL
-
AND IT DIVIDES US UNDER THE SOUL AND THE SPIRIT, THE JOINTS AND
-
THE MARROW. IF YOU READ YOUR BIBLE IN THE MORNING BEFORE YOU
-
GET STARTED, I PROMISE YOU IT'S GONNA FIX YOUR MOTIVATION.
-
SOMETIMES WHEN I GET UP TO GO CLEAN AND DO THE THINGS AROUND
-
THE HOUSE, AND I'M LIKE, "IF I HAVEN'T READ MY BIBLE, "MY
-
MOTIVATION IS KINDA, EH." I GO READ THE BIBLE, AND SUDDENLY I'M
-
LIKE, "WOOHOO, LET'S GO!" AND I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO READ
-
ANYTHING ABOUT, "MY YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE," OR ANY
-
ENERGIZING SCRIPTURES. I JUST READ SOMETHING, AND SOMETHING
-
STARTS HAPPENING IN YOUR PHYSICAL BODY. IT STARTS
-
CHANGING. NEUROSCIENCE IS PROVING THE FACT THAT THE WORD
-
OF GOD CHANGES YOUR MIND. IT AFFECTS YOUR MIND. SO WATER YOUR
-
SEEDS. OKAY, THE OTHER WAY WE WATER OUR SEEDS IS THROUGH
-
PRAYER. PRAY PRAYERS OF FAITH. AND BY THE WAY, ANOTHER BIG WAY
-
TO WATER SEEDS IS THANKFULNESS. WE HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY AT OUR
-
HOUSE. THE FIRST ONE WE REALLY HAD ANY, WHERE MY KIDS HAD
-
FRIENDS OVER. WE'RE NOT THE MOST SOCIAL OF PEOPLE. AND, YOU KNOW,
-
I MEAN, I GREW UP THAT WAY. WE GREW UP IN THE MILITARY. THERE
-
WAS JUST ALWAYS THE FOUR OF US. SO, YOU KNOW, WE MOVED FROM
-
PLACE TO PLACE. YOU HAD FRIENDS, THEN YOU LEFT, AND YOU'RE LIKE,
-
SEE YA. AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INTERNET BACK THEN, YOU KNOW,
-
WHERE YOU COULD KEEP UP WITH THEM BY FACEBOOK OR SOMETHING
-
LIKE THAT. YOU HAD TO TAKE TIME TO WRITE LETTERS. AND YOU KNOW,
-
AFTER A WHILE, YOU GROW AND YOU FORGET ABOUT WRITING THE LETTER
-
TO SOMEBODY THAT YOU ONLY KNEW FOR A LITTLE WHILE. SO IT WAS
-
ALWAYS US FOUR. AND WE MOVED AROUND. SO THAT'S HOW, WE SPENT
-
CHRISTMAS AS US FOUR AND US FOUR ONLY. 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
-
CAN'T ALWAYS FLY TO GUAM. FLY TO ITALY. YOU KNOW, IT'S EXPENSIVE.
-
AND BACK THEN WE USED TO HAVE TO PAY FOR LONG DISTANCE AND THAT
-
WAS EXPENSIVE TOO. SO, YOU KNOW. BUT WE HAD SOME FRIENDS OVER
-
AND, AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING THANKFUL FOR THE
-
LITTLE THINGS. AND WE HAD PUT A LOT OF MONEY OUT FOR FOOD AND
-
DRINKS AND ALL THE THINGS, 'CAUSE WE WANTED, IT WAS HER
-
16TH BIRTHDAY AND WE WANTED HER TO HAVE A SPECIAL AND FUN TIME.
-
AND WE ORDERED PROBABLY NOT VERY GOOD FOR YOU COOKIES THAT WERE
-
LIKE FIVE BUCKS A COOKIE. THEY'RE GOOD COOKIES, THEY'RE
-
TOO SWEET FOR ME, BUT DIRTY DOUGH, MY DAUGHTER LOVES DIRTY
-
DOUGH COOKIES. AND THE COOKIES ARE LIKE A LITTLE MINI CAKE. YOU
-
KNOW, THEY'RE ABOUT THIS THICK, THAT BIG AROUND. AND SO WE GOT
-
THOSE. AND SO I SENT MY HUSBAND TO THE STORE TO GET SOME BAGS OF
-
ICE, 'CAUSE THEY WANTED TO DO, YOU KNOW, MAKE ICEES AND ALL THE
-
THINGS, AND WE JUST, WE NEEDED SOME ICE. SO HE GOES TO THE
-
STORE AND HE PULLS UP AND THERE'S THE ICE TRUCK THERE.
-
THEY'RE GETTING READY TO LOAD THE ICE. AND MY HUSBAND WALKS UP
-
AND SAYS, "HEY," HE GOES, "I'LL GRAB A COUPLE BAGS. "I NEED TO
-
GO, I'M GONNA GO IN AND PAY FOR 'EM. "I NEED SOME ICE." AND I
-
GOES, "OH NO." HE GOES, "DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH ICE WE THROW AWAY?
-
"I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU THESE BAGS OF ICE." AND HE DIDN'T GIVE
-
HIM THE SMALL BAG. HE GOES, "YOU WANT THE BIG BAGS?" MY HUSBAND'S
-
LIKE, "WELL, SURE. "I'LL TAKE THE BIG BAGS. "WE MIGHT STILL
-
HAVE ICE IN THE FREEZER." AND I JUST SAID, "WELL, GOD, THANK
-
YOU." SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE THANKFUL FOR SMALL BLESSINGS,
-
GOD GIVES YOU BIGGER BLESSINGS. AMEN? ALL RIGHT. THE LAST ONE IS
-
WAIT. NOW THAT'S THE ONE WE DON'T LIKE IN OUR HARVEST TIME.
-
AND LISTEN, WAITING MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S THE HARDEST PART, BUT
-
IT'S SHORTENED WHEN WE PREPARE OUR BARNS. WHEN YOU'RE IN THE
-
SEASON OF WAITING, BUILD A BARN. BECAUSE WHAT THAT'S SAYING IS,
-
IS I HAVE EXPECTATION FOR A HARVEST. WHEN WE WERE BELIEVING
-
GOD FOR CHILDREN, AND AGAIN, NOTHING, AND YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD
-
ME TELL THE STORY, NOTHING WAS CHANGING. MARILYN HICKEY WAS
-
HERE ONE DAY, AND THEY WERE SELLING THESE BABY BLANKETS. AND
-
MY MOM WAS HERE, AND SHE RAN OUT, SHE GOES, "I'M BUYING A
-
BABY BLANKET, "AND I'M GIVING IT TO THEM." AND SHE GOES, "YOU
-
GUYS ARE GONNA USE THAT "AS A POINT OF CONTACT, "AND YOU'RE
-
GONNA PRAY OVER THAT BABY BLANKET "UNTIL WE SEE THE FRUIT
-
OF WHAT WE'RE PRAYING FOR." WE STILL HAVE THAT BABY BLANKET.
-
BECAUSE WHAT WERE WE DOING? WE WERE BUILDING A BARN. WE WERE
-
BUILDING A PLACE. AND SO WE STARTED JUST PREPPING OUR FAITH
-
FOR THAT. AMEN? TURN OVER TO PROVERBS 3, CHAPTER 9 AND 10,
-
AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN STAND TO YOUR FEET. AND IT SAYS, "HONOR
-
THE LORD WITH YOUR SUBSTANCE "AND THE FIRSTFRUITS OF ALL YOUR
-
INCREASE." GO TO VERSE 10, AND IT SAYS, "SO SHALL THY BARNS BE
-
FILLED WITH PLENTY "AND THY PRESSES SHALL BURST OUT WITH NEW
-
WINE." SEE, IN THE WAITING IS WHERE WE WATER, WE WEED, WE
-
PREPARE, AND IF WE DO THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW THAT'S GONNA
-
HELP SHORTEN YOUR HARVEST TIME. BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE PURSUING A
-
HARVEST, WE HAVE TO BE ACTIVE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. INSTEAD
-
OF JUST SAYING, OH, I'M JUST GONNA STAND HERE TILL IT FALLS
-
IN MY LAP. NO, PROPHESY TO IT, SPEAK TO IT, DECREE. SAY, MY
-
HARVEST IS COMING BECAUSE GOD SAID, I PLANTED, I'VE PLOWED,
-
I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I KNOW TO DO, AND IT'S UP TO GOD TO
-
SUPPLY. BUT YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S THE THING, WHEN WE STAY IN
-
FAITH, YOU KNOW, GOD IS GONNA ANSWER US. HE'S GONNA DO WHAT HE
-
SAID HE WOULD DO, AND WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE A HARVEST. AND
-
HERE'S THE THING, I AM TELLING YOU, WE ARE GETTING READY AS THE
-
BODY OF CHRIST, IF WE REMAIN FAITHFUL, TO SEE THE WINDOWS OF
-
HEAVEN OPEN LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. AND SOMETIMES
-
WE'VE SEEN THE TRICKLE. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REASON THAT
-
ELIJAH SAID, "I HEAR THE SOUND OF AN ABUNDANT RAIN." AND IF
-
YOU'RE NOT HEARING THE SOUND OF AN ABUNDANT RAIN, MAY I SUGGEST,
-
CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO. STOP LISTENING TO ALL THE
-
NEGATIVE. STOP LISTENING TO ALL THE NAYSAYERS. STOP LISTENING TO
-
THE ONES THAT SAY YOU CAN'T, YOU WON'T, YOU'RE NOT THIS, YOU'RE
-
NOT THAT, SHUT UP. I LEAN MY EAR INTO THE VOICE OF MY KING. I
-
PRESS TO THE MARK OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD. I KNOW THAT HE
-
IS A REWARDER OF THOSE THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM, SO I'M
-
GONNA CONTINUE SEEKING, I'M GONNA KEEP PRESSING. I'M NOT
-
GONNA CHANGE MY STANCE, I'M NOT GONNA GET MOVED WHEN IT LOOKS
-
LIKE THEY'RE SAYING THE OPPOSITE. AMEN? AMEN, WELL DID
-
THAT HELP ANYBODY TONIGHT?
-
(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)
-
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I HOPE YOU'RE READY 'CAUSE I KNOW WE GOT
-
PASTOR HANK COMING ON SUNDAY AND HE'S ALWAYS READY AND LOADED AND
-
WE'RE GONNA RECEIVE A GOOD AND AN AMAZING WORD. WELL, GOD BLESS
-
YOU ALL, HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEK. GOOD NIGHT.