7/22/26 Pastor Keith Hair

(MUSIC)

LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH, THIS IS YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

THAT THE ENEMY IS DEFEATED. HE'S STILL DEFEATED, AND HE WILL

CONTINUE TO BE DEFEATED. ARE YOU READY TO RAISE

IT UP TONIGHT IN VICTORY? LET'S GO.

(MUSIC)

COME ON, CHURCH.

COME ON, WE'RE GOING TO PROPHESY THIS AGAIN.

ONE MORE TIME, COME ON.

(MUSIC)

I FEEL THE SPIRIT OF GOD JUST POURING OUT OVER YOU RIGHT NOW.

JUST RAISE YOUR HANDS AND RECEIVE HIS LOVE. IF YOU HAVEN'T

DONE THIS IN A WHILE, THIS IS YOUR TIME TO TELL THE LORD, "I

TRUST YOU. I SURRENDER TO YOU." LORD, THIS IS NO LONGER ABOUT

YOU BEING WHERE I AM, BUT GOD, I DESIRE TO BE WHERE YOU NEED ME.

STEP INTO ANOTHER LEVEL OF SURRENDER IN HIM TONIGHT. FOR

SOME OF YOU, THIS IS A DIVINE MOMENT WHERE THERE IS A SHIFTING

AND A BREAKING OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HELD YOU IN A PLACE OF

DELAY. NO MORE, SAYS THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD.

CAUSE YOU RULE IN RAIN. YOU RULE IN RAIN.

(MUSIC)

YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE. AND YOU HAVE CHOSEN US BECAUSE WE

HAVE CHOSEN YOU. AND TODAY IS OUR DAY. MMM, LORD, LIKE NO

OTHER DAY, LET IT BE TODAY THAT MY HEART IS OPEN, MY HEART IS

OPEN TO YOUR WAYS, THAT I HEAR YOUR VOICE AND I RECEIVE A

FULLNESS OF YOUR PLAN FOR ME. TODAY, TODAY IS MY DAY. TODAY.

LET HIM BE GOD OVER YOU TODAY. LET HIM BE THE ONE WHO BLESSES

YOU WITH EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN HEAVEN, THEY PLACE

US IN CHRIST JESUS. THIS MAY SEEM AND SOUND A LITTLE STRANGE,

BUT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, GOD JUST DOES WHAT HE

WANTS TO DO. AND TONIGHT HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU ESPECIALLY.

AND FOR SOME REASON HE HAS CHOSEN A PARTICULAR WAY FOR

PARTICULAR PEOPLE. SO IF YOU'RE WEARING BROWN TONIGHT, GET UP

HERE. IF YOU'RE WEARING GRAY TONIGHT, GET UP HERE. IF YOU'RE

WEARING TURQUOISE TONIGHT, GET UP HERE. SOMEONE SAYS, "I DON'T

UNDERSTAND THAT." I DON'T EITHER, 'CAUSE I'M HALF

COLORBLIND, SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU WAS WEARING. SHADES

OF COLOR MEAN VERY LITTLE TO ME. SO I GUESS THAT'S WHY GOD DOES

IT SOMETIMES. SO I DIDN'T PICK YOU. GOD DID.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

KNOW THAT GOD DID. WELL, WHAT'S HE GOING TO DO? I DON'T KNOW. I

DON'T KNOW. BUT MY JOB IS TO RELEASE THE EMPOWERMENT OF GOD

TO DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. YOUR JOB IS SIMPLY TO SAY, "I

RECEIVE." THAT'S IT. DON'T TRY AND FIGURE IT OUT. DON'T TRY AND

ANALYZE IT. DON'T TRY AND MAKE ANYTHING OUT OF IT. JUST

RECEIVE. SO TAKE A BREATH AND GET READY. PASTOR ANTHONY, I'M

GOING TO HAVE YOU COME OUT HERE. I WANT YOU TO PRAY FOR THE

PEOPLE. THEY MIGHT BE OUT ONLINE. AND IF YOU'VE GOT THE

SAME COLORS, BELIEVE WITH IT. HE'S GOING TO DECLARE A BLESSING

OVER YOU, EVEN OUT ONLINE. AND YOU CAN RECEIVE IT AS THESE

PEOPLE RECEIVE IT RIGHT NOW. - RIGHT NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT THIS IS THE SEASON OF

ABUNDANT HARVEST, FRUITFUL SEASONS. WHERE THERE HAS BEEN

LACK, WE SPEAK INCREASE. WHERE THERE HAS BEEN DROUGHT, WE SPEAK

FLOODING AND ABUNDANCE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD HIMSELF. AND WHERE

THERE HAS BEEN DRYNESS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE DEPTHS AND THE

UNMEASURABLE RELEASE OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD HIMSELF THAT

SHALL SHAKE AND SHAKE AND SHAKE ALL THAT CAN BE SHAKEN IN YOUR

LIFE UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT OTHER THAN THE PERFECT WILL AND

PROMISE OF THE MANIFESTATION OF THE FRUITFUL SEASONS THAT GOD

HAS DECLARED SINCE BEFORE YOU WERE BORN. I DECLARE AND DEMAND

NOW SEVENFOLD FOR WHAT THE ENEMY HAS STOLEN PLUS INTEREST. I

DECREE AND DECLARE THAT THERE SHALL BE NOTHING MISSING,

NOTHING BROKEN, NOTHING WRONG, EVERYTHING RIGHT AND PERFECT

WHOLENESS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME.

GLORY TO GOD. IF YOU'RE OUT THERE, SAY, "I RECEIVE." NOW

I'LL DECLARE THIS OVER EVERYBODY. FATHER GOD, BY THE

POWER INVESTED IN ME, IN THE NAME OF JESUS OF NAZARETH, I

RELEASE THE POWER OF YOUR PRESENCE TO RESTORE AND BRING

LIFE INTO EVERY HEART THAT WILL RECEIVE RIGHT NOW. AND EVERYBODY

SAID, "AMEN." AS PASTOR MARK COMES. GREET ONE ANOTHER.

(MUSIC)

WELL, GLORY TO GOD, IT IS OFFERING TIME HERE AT LOH ON A

WEDNESDAY NIGHT. CAN WE SHOUT HALLELUJAH TO THE LORD GOD

ALMIGHTY WHO RULES AND REIGNS AND BLESSES THOSE WHO WEAR ANY

NUMBER OF COLORS. AMEN, AMEN. SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, PROBABLY

MANY OF YOU DON'T, THAT A LOT OF MY BACKGROUND OUTSIDE OF THE

MINISTRY IS IN THE FIELD OF SALES. AND IN SALES, WE OFTEN

TALK A LOT ABOUT OBJECTIONS AND HOW TO HANDLE THOSE. AND MORE

OFTEN THAN NOT, AN OBJECTION IS JUST VERY SIMPLY A STATEMENT.

IT'S A QUESTION IN THE FORM OF A STATEMENT. AND IT'S SEEKING MORE

INFORMATION. IT'S LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER. NOW TO EFFECTIVELY

OVERCOME THE OBJECTION, THE ANSWER SHOULD BE ONE THAT

EDUCATES, CONVINCES, AND FULLY PERSUADES. NOW IN THE MINISTRY,

WE OFTEN HEAR PEOPLE STATING VARIOUS REASONS IN DIFFERENT

FORMS FOR NOT GIVING AND FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN THIS TIME RIGHT

HERE, THE OFFERING. AND THEY'RE STATING THEIR OBJECTIONS.

THEY'RE MAKING A STATEMENT, BUT THERE'S A QUESTION BURIED IN

THERE. AND IT OCCURS TO ME THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE COMMON

OBJECTIONS THAT WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT WHY PEOPLE AREN'T GIVING,

THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY TO HANDLE THEM IS SIMPLY TO ANSWER

THEM WITH SCRIPTURE. AFTER ALL, AS WE'RE TOLD IN PSALM 119:89,

Psalms 119:89

GOD'S WORD IS FOREVER SETTLED IN THE HEAVENS, STANDING FIRM AND

UNCHANGEABLE. SO TONIGHT, WE'RE GONNA QUICKLY LOOK AT FIVE

COMMON OBJECTIONS TO GIVING AND OFFER SCRIPTURAL RESPONSES TO

THEM, AMEN? NOW, THE FIRST OBJECTION WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT,

IT TAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS, AND IT GOES SOMETHING

LIKE THIS. HEY, I WORK HARD FOR MY MONEY, I EARN IT, IT'S MINE.

I'M NOT LOOKING TO SHARE IT, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GIVE

IT AWAY, I PLAN TO HOLD ON TO IT. NOW THE WORD CONTAINS

ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION OF HOW TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH AND DEALS

WITH THAT ISSUE OF SELF-CENTEREDNESS IN MANY

DIFFERENT SCRIPTURES. SO THERE'S MORE THAN ONE ANSWER HERE, BUT

ONE OF THEM IS IN PROVERBS 11:24, 25, AND 28. I'M GOING TO

Proverbs 11:24

READ THAT FROM THE AMPLIFIED, AND IT GOES LIKE THIS, "THERE IS

ONE WHO GENEROUSLY SCATTERS ABROAD AND YET INCREASES ALL THE

MORE. AND THERE IS THE ONE WHO WITHHOLDS WHAT IS JUSTLY DUE,

BUT IT RESULTS ONLY IN WANT AND POVERTY. THE GENEROUS MAN IS A

SOURCE OF BLESSING AND SHALL BE PROSPEROUS AND ENRICHED. AND HE

WHO WATERS WILL HIMSELF BE WATERED, REAPING THE GENEROSITY

HE HAS SOWN. HE WHO LEANS ON AND TRUSTS IN AND IS CONFIDENT IN

HIS RICHES WILL FALL, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WHO TRUST IN GOD'S

PROVISION WILL FLOURISH LIKE A GREEN LEAF. OBJECTION NUMBER TWO

WE HEAR A LOT. I CAN'T GIVE TO THE CHURCH. I LIKE MY TOYS TOO

MUCH. I'M TOO FOND OF MY POSSESSIONS. I NEED TO SUPPORT

MY HOBBIES AND MY ACTIVITIES OR SOME VARIANT THEREOF. WELL, ONE

RESPONSE TO THIS MIGHT COME IN HEBREWS 13:5. AND AGAIN, THIS IS

Hebrews 13:5

AN AMPLIFIED CLASSIC, BUT HE SAYS HERE, "LET YOUR CHARACTER

OR MORAL DISPOSITION BE FREE FROM LOVE OF MONEY, INCLUDING

GREED, AVARICE, LUST, AND CRAVING FOR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.

AND BE SATISFIED WITH YOUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND WITH

WHAT YOU HAVE, FOR HE, GOD HIMSELF, HAS SAID, "I WILL NOT

IN ANY WAY FAIL YOU, NOR GIVE YOU UP, NOR LEAVE YOU WITHOUT

SUPPORT. I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT IN ANY DEGREE LEAVE

YOU HELPLESS, NOR FORSAKE, NOR LET YOU DOWN, OR RELAX MY HOLD

ON YOU. ASSUREDLY NOT. ANOTHER VERY COMMON OBJECTION IS THIS, I

DON'T HAVE A LOT. IF I GIVE TO THE CHURCH, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO

PAY MY BILLS, OR I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY

ADEQUATELY. MATTHEW 6:24-31 CAN HELP US ANSWER THIS QUESTION

Matthew 6:24–31

THAT'S ROOTED IN FEAR. HE SAYS HERE, "NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO

MASTERS, FOR YOU WILL HATE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER. YOU WILL BE

DEVOTED TO ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD

AND MONEY. THAT IS WHY I TELL YOU NOT TO WORRY ABOUT EVERYDAY

LIFE, WHETHER YOU HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND DRINK OR ENOUGH CLOTHES

TO WEAR. ISN'T LIFE MORE THAN FOOD AND YOUR BODY MORE THAN

CLOTHING? LOOK AT THE BIRDS. THEY DON'T PLANT OR HARVEST OR

STORE FOOD IN BARNS, FOR YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM. AND

AREN'T YOU FAR MORE VALUABLE TO HIM THAN THEY ARE? CAN ALL YOUR

WORRIES ADD A SINGLE MOMENT TO YOUR LIFE? AND WHY WORRY ABOUT

YOUR CLOTHING? LOOK AT THE LILIES OF THE FIELD AND HOW THEY

GROW. THEY DON'T WORK OR MAKE THEIR CLOTHING. YET SOLOMON IN

ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT DRESSED AS BEAUTIFULLY AS THEY ARE. AND IF

GOD CARES SO WONDERFULLY FOR WILDFLOWERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY

AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE TOMORROW, HE WILL CERTAINLY CARE

FOR YOU. WHY DO YOU HAVE SO LITTLE FAITH? SO DON'T WORRY

ABOUT THESE THINGS, SAYING, "WHAT WILL WE EAT? WHAT WILL WE

DRINK? WHAT WILL WE WEAR?" OKAY, THAT STUCK RIGHT THERE. "THESE

THINGS DOMINATE THE THOUGHTS OF UNBELIEVERS, BUT YOUR HEAVENLY

FATHER ALREADY KNOWS ALL YOUR NEEDS. SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD

ABOVE ALL ELSE AND LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY AND HE WILL GIVE YOU

EVERYTHING YOU NEED. NOW HERE'S ONE, NUMBER FOUR, IS ONE YOU'RE

PROBABLY ALL FAMILIAR WITH. I DON'T LIKE FEELING PRESSURED TO

GIVE. IT FEELS LIKE THE CHURCH IS PUSHING ME AND ALWAYS ASKING

FOR MORE. YOU'VE HEARD THIS. WELL, WE'RE ON RESPONSE TO THIS

OBJECTION IN 2 CORINTHIANS 9:6-8. IT SAYS HERE, "NOW

2 Corinthians 9:6–8

REMEMBER THIS, HE WHO SOWS SPARINGLY WILL ALSO REAP

SPARINGLY, AND HE WHO SOWS GENEROUSLY THAT BLESSINGS MAY

COME TO OTHERS WILL ALSO REAP GENEROUSLY AND BE BLESSED. LET

EACH ONE GIVE THOUGHTFULLY WITH PURPOSE, JUST AS HE HAS DECIDED

IN HIS HEART, NOT GRUDGINGLY OR UNDER COMPULSION. "FOR GOD LOVES

A CHEERFUL GIVER AND DELIGHTS IN THE ONE WHOSE HEART IS IN HIS

GIFT. AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE, EVERY FAVOR AND

EARTHLY BLESSING COME IN ABUNDANCE TO YOU SO THAT YOU MAY

ALWAYS, UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, REGARDLESS OF THE NEED, HAVE

COMPLETE SUFFICIENCY IN EVERYTHING, BEING COMPLETELY

SELF-SUFFICIENT IN HIM AND HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK

AND ACT OF CHARITY. AND THEN LASTLY, NUMBER FIVE, WE'RE GOING

TO DEAL WITH, IT'S THE OLD CLASSIC, "HEY, I'VE TRIED THAT

GIVING THING, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR ME." BUT GALATIANS 6,

Galatians 6:7–9

VERSES 7 THROUGH 9 IS A SCRIPTURE THAT DEALS ADEQUATELY

WITH THIS. EXCUSE ME. IT SAYS, "DO NOT BE DECEIVED. GOD IS NOT

MOCKED. HE WILL NOT ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE RIDICULED, NOR

TREATED WITH CONTEMPT, NOR ALLOW HIS PRECEPTS TO BE SCORNFULLY

SET ASIDE. FOR WHATEVER A MAN SOWS, THIS AND THIS ONLY IS WHAT

HE WILL REAP. FOR THE ONE WHO SOWS TO HIS FLESH, HIS SINFUL

CAPACITY, HIS WORLDLINESS, HIS DISGRACEFUL IMPULSES WILL REAP

FROM THE FLESH, RUIN AND DESTRUCTION. BUT THE ONE WHO

SOWS TO THE SPIRIT WILL FROM THE SPIRIT REAP ETERNAL LIFE. LET US

NOT GROW WEARY OR BECOME DISCOURAGED IN DOING GOOD, FOR

AT THE PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP IF WE DO NOT GIVE IN. I'LL JUST

FINISH WITH THIS. CURRENT SALES RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE MAJORITY

OF PEOPLE RAISE FOUR OBJECTIONS OR SAY NO FOUR TIMES BEFORE THEY

SAY YES. SO BY NOW, HAVING JUST HANDLED FIVE OBJECTIONS BY MY

COUNT, BY MY ESTIMATION, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MARK EVERYONE

DOWN AS A YES WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING GENEROUSLY HERE TONIGHT.

AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GIVE GENEROUSLY THIS

EVENING, I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THIS SATURDAY, JULY

25TH, FROM 9 TO 12, 9 A.M. TO 12 P.M., RIGHT HERE AT LORD OF

HOSTS CHURCH, IS OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE.

WE'VE GOT OVER 1,000 BACKPACKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN AWAY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FIRE TRUCK AND A POLICE CRUISER AND KONA

ICE AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER COOL THINGS FOR THE KIDS THAT ATTEND.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH THIS. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO GIVE

GENEROUSLY THIS EVENING, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GIVE INTO THIS A

GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM TO BLESS THE CHILDREN. AND I HOPE THAT

YOU WILL DO THAT. AND IF THEY WILL PUT THE GIVING INFORMATION

UP ON THE SCREENS. IF YOU'RE GIVEN BY ENVELOPE, YOU OUT THERE

ONLINE, I'M SURE THAT'S THE WAY YOU'RE GIVEN. AND WE WANT TO

TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND LET YOU KNOW HOW

MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. WITHOUT YOU, WE COULD NOT DO

HALF OF WHAT WE DO HERE IN THIS MINISTRY. WE WANT TO ALWAYS

THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. YOU CAN GET

THROUGH THE WEBSITE, MOBILE APP, TEXT TO GIVE, SCAN THE QR CODE.

IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY, WE CAN SET YOU UP WITH PASTOR

ANTHONY'S PERSONAL CELL PHONE AND HE'LL GET YOU. IF EVERYONE

IS READY, THE USHERS ARE ALL FINISHED SERVING EVERYBODY,

LET'S HOLD UP OUR OFFERINGS OR IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, HOLD UP YOUR

DEVICE WHERE YOU'VE TEXTED TO GIVE AND I'LL PRAY A BRIEF

BLESSING OVER ALL OF YOUR GIFTS. FATHER IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE

THANK YOU FOR THE GENEROSITY THAT WILL BE DISPLAYED BY

EVERYONE'S GIVING HERE TONIGHT AND I ASK YOU TO BLESS THEM AND

THEY'RE COMING AND THEN THEY'RE GOING AND THEY'RE WAKING AND

THEN THEY'RE LYING DOWN. KEEP THEM ALWAYS IN GOOD HEALTH AND

IN PERFECT PEACE. FATHER, RE PROSPER THEM IN EVERY WAY AND

MAKE THEM BENEFICIARIES OF THE ABUNDANT HARVEST TO COME IN THE

MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. AND NOW LET'S WELCOME BACK TO THE

PULPIT PASTOR KEITH. HE'S GOING TO SHARE WITH US EXACTLY HOW TO

BOLSTER THOSE FUTURE HARVESTS.

AMEN.

BEFORE I BEGIN, I HAVE THIS MESSAGE. I'M GOING TO SHARE A

WRITTEN AUTHOR'S FIRST PUBLISHED WORK. JUST A LITTLE TIDBIT OF

IT, BUT WELL. ANYWAY, LISTEN CAREFULLY. RALPH, WITH A BALL IN

HIS LEFT HAND, SWINGING THE BAT WITH THE OTHER, HEADED THROUGH

THE PART OF THE HOUSE THAT WAS, IN HIS MIND, THE JUNGLE. THIS

WAS PART OF THE HOUSE WHERE MOST OF MOM'S PLANTS WERE. THIS ROOM

WAS DANGEROUS. IT WAS ALSO THE PART OF THE HOUSE IN WHICH HE

WAS WALKING RIGHT NOW, SWINGING HIS BAT. HE ALWAYS FELT LIKE

RAMBO WHEN HE WENT THROUGH THIS PART OF THE HOUSE. AND NOW HE

RAISED HIS BAT LIKE A MACHINE GUN. AS IT CAME UP, IT HIT ONE

OF THE CHROMATIC POTS AND SHATTERED. HIS STOMACH FELL

SICK. HE KNEW HOW HIS MOM LOVED THESE PLANTS. RALPH, YEAH MOM?

WHAT WAS THAT NOISE? NOTHING? NO REPLY. SHE BOUGHT IT. SHE WAS

ALMOST DONE DOING THE DISHES AND HE KNEW WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO. HE

HAD TO WAIT FOR HER TO LEAVE THE KITCHEN, GRAB THE DUST BUSTER

AND ANOTHER CHROMATIC POT. NOW SHE WAS HEADED DOWNSTAIRS TO THE

LAUNDRY. RALPH GOT THE DUST BUSTER AND THE POT AND HE RAN

QUIETLY AS POSSIBLE BACK TO THE LIVING ROOM. HE PUT THE PLANT IN

THE POT AND THREW AS MUCH DIRT IN IT AS HE COULD PICK UP AND

THEN VACUUMED UP THE DIRT AROUND IT. HE RAN BACK TO THE KITCHEN

TO PUT THE DUSTBUSTER AWAY. HIS MOM, COMING UP THE STAIRS WITH

CLEAN CLOTHES, AND AS SHE PASSED HIM, SHE ASKED,

"DID YOU GET IT CLEANED UP?”

NOW, YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION, IF YOU ENJOYED THAT, TO TELL MY SON

THAT YOU APPRECIATED HIS FIRST ARTICLE. AND BUG HIM ABOUT IT

GOOD, BECAUSE A WHILE BACK HE TOLD EVERYONE ABOUT MY BIRTHDAY.

PAYBACK. SO WHAT DID THAT HAVE TO DO WITH TODAY'S MESSAGE?

WELL, NOTHING IN A WAY, BUT IT IS ABOUT PLANS. AND I WANTED TO

START TODAY BY LOOKING AT THE BOOK OF MARK, THE FOURTH

CHAPTER, THE 26TH VERSE. BECAUSE THIS VERSE AND THIS CHAPTER, I

MEAN THIS SECTION, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'VE

EVER HEARD ANYONE PREACH ON BEFORE. IT'S KIND OF ONE OF

THOSE OFF THE SIDE VERSES THAT JUST DOESN'T GET PREACHED ON

VERY OFTEN. AND I WANT TO START WITH IT AND EXPAND. VERSE 26,

"THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AS IF A MAN SHOULD SCATTER SEED ON THE

GROUND AND SHOULD SLEEP BY NIGHT AND RISE UP IN THE DAY, AND THE

SEED SHOULD SPROUT AND GROW. HE HIMSELF DOES NOT KNOW HOW. FOR

THE EARTH YIELDS CROPS BY ITSELF. FIRST THE BLADE, THEN

THE HEAD, AND AFTER THAT THE FULL GRAIN IN THE YEAR. BUT WHEN

THE GRAIN RIPENS, IMMEDIATELY HE PUTS IN THE SICKLE BECAUSE THE

HARVEST HAS COME." SOUNDS PRETTY SIMPLE. YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE

KIDS WERE SMALL, AND I THINK MAYBE SOMEBODY STILL DOES THAT,

THEY TAKE THESE LITTLE CUPS AND THEY PUT A DOME FULL OF DIRT AND

THEY TAKE IT IN THERE AND TELL THE CHILD, PUT A SEED IN THERE,

WE'LL WATCH. THEY PUT THE SEED IN THAT LITTLE PILE OF DIRT AND

AFTER A LITTLE TIME, IT BEGINS TO SPROUT. AND IT SENDS OUT ITS

ROOT SYSTEM, AND IT SENDS OUT THE PLANT THAT BEGINS TO GROW,

AND THEY GET TO WATCH THIS MIRACLE OF LIFE. AND THAT SOUNDS

SO SIMPLE TO US. SEE, THAT'S WHY FARM FOLKS, WE UNDERSTAND THIS.

OKAY? WE UNDERSTAND SEED DONE. WE UNDERSTAND SOWING. WE

UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SEED DOES AND WHAT THE SEED IS. AND IT'S

PRETTY PLAIN. I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY IN YOUR FACE. JESUS JUST

LAID IT OUT. YOU PUT IT IN THE GROUND. YOU DON'T EVEN

UNDERSTAND NECESSARILY ALL THE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE AND HOW

IT HAPPENS AND HOW IT BREAKS DOWN AND HOW IT DISSOLVES AND

HOW IT TURNS IT ON AND HOW IT TAKES NUTRIENTS OUT OF THIS AND

NUTRIENTS OUT OF THAT, AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT ALL, YOU

DON'T SEE IT, BUT YOU KNOW THE PRINCIPLE OF HOW IT WORKS. AND

YOU PUT IT TO WORK. AND IT'S THAT SIMPLE, IT SEEMS TO BE. AND

THINKING ABOUT THAT, THEN I ALSO READ A SCRIPTURE IN ROMANS

Romans 10 · chapter mention

CHAPTER 10. AND THIS SCRIPTURE IS KIND OF ALWAYS KIND OF, HMM,

HOW? WHAT? SO FAITH COMES. SO FAITH COMES. FAITH COMES BY

HEARING. HEARING COMES BY THE WORD. I THOUGHT THE WORD

PRODUCED FAITH. NOT ACCORDING TO ROMANS CHAPTER 10:17. SO THEN I

GOT TO THINKING ABOUT THAT. AND THEN I GO BACK TO MARK CHAPTER

Mark 4 · chapter mention

4. AND IN MARK CHAPTER 4, JUST GOING BACK A FEW VERSES, IN

Mark 4 · chapter mention

VERSE 14, AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE LIVING BIBLE,

BECAUSE I WANTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

OF IT. THE FARMER I TALKED ABOUT IS IN ANY WAY BRINGS GOD'S

MESSAGE TO OTHERS, TRYING TO PLANT GOD'S SEED WITHIN THEIR

LIVES. THE HARD PATH WHERE SOME OF THE SEED FELL REPRESENTS THE

HARD HEARTS OF SOME OF THOSE WHO HEAR GOD'S MESSAGE. SO WE KNOW

AND RECOGNIZE THOSE. AND THEN HE GOES ON ABOUT SATAN COMING AND

STEALING IT. AND THEN HE SAYS AGAIN, THE ROCKY SOIL REPRESENTS

THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO HEAR THE MESSAGE WITH JOY. WHO HEAR

WHERE? IN THE HEART. THEN AGAIN, HE SAYS LATER ON IN THE 18TH

VERSE, "THE THORNY GROUND REPRESENTS THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE

WHO LISTENED TO THE GOOD NEWS AND RECEIVE IT." BUT IT QUICKLY

IS DONE AWAY WITH AND WE KNOW THE STORY. WE'LL GO OVER SOME OF

IT LATER, BUT GET MY POINT HERE. THE LAST ONE HE SAYS IN VERSE

20, HE SAYS, "BUT THE GOOD SOIL REPRESENTS THE HEARTS. IT

REPRESENTS THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO TRULY ACCEPT GOD'S MESSAGE

AND PRODUCE." NOW, LET'S UNDERSTAND. JESUS USES A PARABLE

TO GIVE US UNDERSTANDING OF SPIRITUAL REALITY, OF WHAT'S

TAKING PLACE THROUGH AND IN US. AND SO IF WE UNDERSTAND THIS

CONCEPT AS A FARMER, I CAN LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH, I GET IT. YOU

SEE, A FARMER DOESN'T HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO WITH THE SEED. HE

SIMPLY PICKS IT OUT, CHOOSES THE BEST PRODUCT HE CAN FIND FOR THE

PRICE HE CAN PAY, AND TAKES THAT SEED, WHICH WILL DO WHAT IT'S

DESIGNED TO DO. DO WHAT? PRODUCE A PLANT. WHICH WILL, IN THE

PROCESS, THEN PRODUCE A FRUIT. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE PLANT

MIGHT BE. IN THIS COUNTRY, WE CAN JUST DRIVE AROUND AND SEE

CORN, CORN, CORN. BUT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PLANTS.

SOME PLANTS COME UP QUICKLY, SOME PLANTS COME SLOWLY, IT

DOESN'T MATTER. BUT IT TAKES THE PLANT TO HAVE THE PRODUCT. AND

QUITE FRANKLY, A FARMER CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT THE SEED OTHER THAN

PICK OUT THE SEED AND THEN PLANT IT. BUT THE FARMER HAS THE

ABILITY TO AFFECT THE SOIL. HE KNOWS IF THE SOIL GETS HARD,

THAT IT HAS TO BE SOFTENED. HE KNOWS IF THERE'S ROCKS OR PLACES

LIKE THAT, THAT MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN

ROCKS OUT OF THEIR FIELD YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR TO GET THE

SOIL SO THAT IT WILL COOPERATE, IT WILL WORK. HE KNOWS WHEN

THERE'S WEEDS IN THE FIELD, HE HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.

I'VE BEEN THERE. BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN WE DIDN'T USE

CHEMICALS FOR EVERYTHING. WHEN THE WEEDS WERE THIS HIGH AND THE

BEANS WERE THIS HIGH AND YOU WERE CUTTING THEM OFF. SO HE

KNOWS THAT HE HAS TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE SOIL BECAUSE

HE CAN'T AFFECT THE END HARVEST BY GOING JUST BY WHAT THE SEED

WILL DO, BUT HE CAN AFFECT THE SOIL. NOW JESUS GIVES THIS

EXAMPLE AND HE SAYS TO US, AND HE STARTS OUT GIVING US THE

EXAMPLE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOWER SOWING THE WORD. AND HE

LEAVES US WITH THIS CONCEPT. THE SEED DOES WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO

DO. SO IT'S NEVER THE SEED'S PROBLEM. SO NEVER BLAME THE

SEED. NEVER BLAME THE TRUTH. NEVER BLAME THE LIFE. NEVER

BLAME THE DNA OF THE SEED. THE SEED WORKS. SO WHAT DO WE HAVE

TO LOOK AT? THE SOIL. AND WHAT'S THE SOIL? THE HEART. A MAN HERE

ALWAYS TELLS ME I TALK ABOUT THE HEART A LOT. NOW YOU KNOW WHY.

THE HEART. BECAUSE THAT'S MY PART. I LITERALLY CAN'T DO

ANYTHING ABOUT THE SEED, BUT JUST RECEIVE. AND I LITERALLY

CAN'T MAKE THE SEED PRODUCE THE END RESULT, BUT I CAN AFFECT THE

PLANT. I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HOW I AFFECT THE PLANT. AND

THE PLANT IS THE PROCESS OF HEARING. HEARING. HEARING. AND

YOU'VE GOT TO GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU REALIZE IT'S NOT ABOUT

WHAT GOES IN THIS YEAR AND COMES OUT THIS YEAR. IT'S NOT ABOUT

THAT KIND OF HEARING. THAT'S JUST ON THE SURFACE. I LIKE IT,

ANYBODY THAT'S RAISED TEENAGERS KNOWS, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE,

YOU HAVE SAID, "CLEAN THAT ROOM." AND SIX HOURS LATER, YOU

HAVE SAID, "CLEAN THAT ROOM." AND TWO HOURS LATER, YOU'RE

SAYING, "DID YOU HEAR ME?" YOU GET IT? IT'S NOT JUST WHAT GOES

IN THE EAR, IT'S THE ACTIVITY OF THE RECEIVING HEART. BECAUSE THE

WAY YOU HEAR IT IS THE WAY IT WILL BE MEASURED BACK TO YOU.

YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOUR HEART IS GOING TO DO WITH THE PLANT, THE

HEARING. JESUS SAID THERE'S SOME FOLKS, THEY'RE SO WORLDLY AND

THEY'RE SO ALLOWING THE WORLD TO RUN OVER THEIR TERRITORY. THAT'S

WHAT THE PATH WAS ALL ABOUT. THE WORLD JUST KEPT WALKING ON THEIR

TERRITORY, WALKED OVER IT SO MANY TIMES THAT IT TRAMPLED IT

DOWN. AND IT GOT SO HARD THAT IT COULDN'T ACCEPT THE SEED BECAUSE

WORLD IDEOLOGY HAD WALKED ON IT SO MUCH. BECAUSE WHY? BECAUSE HE

DIDN'T PROTECT IT. THEN YOU CAN TURN TO PROVERBS CHAPTER FOUR.

IN PROVERBS CHAPTER FOUR, HE LAYS IT OUT. MY SON, GIVE

ATTENTION TO MY WORDS AND CLIMB YOUR EAR TO MY SAYINGS. DO NOT

LET THEM DEPART BEFORE YOUR EYES. KEEP THEM IN THE MIDST OF

YOUR HEART. FOR THEY ARE LIFE TO THOSE WHO FIND THEM, AND HEALTH

TO ALL THEIR FLESH. KEEP YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, FOR

OUT OF IT SPRING THE ISSUES OF LIFE. LIFE COMES OUT OF THE

HEART. THE AFFAIRS OF WHAT YOU DO COMES OUT OF YOUR HEART. WHAT

YOU DO IS PROCESSED BY YOUR HEART. JESUS SAID, "SO OUT OF A

GOOD MAN'S TREASURY, GOOD THINGS COME TO PASS. OUT OF AN EVIL

MAN'S TREASURY, EVIL THINGS COME TO PASS. FOR IT'S OUT OF THE

HEART THAT MAN RELEASES THE POWER." SO PROTECT YOUR HEART.

KEEP YOUR HEART. PUT AWAY FROM YOU A DECEITFUL MOUTH AND

PERVERSE LIPS FAR FROM YOU. THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT YOU

CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR HEART. IT'S WHAT YOU HEAR, AND WHAT YOU HEAR

IS NOT WHAT, IT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE OUTSIDE

SOURCES LIKE WE SAID, IT'S WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO RECEIVE AND ACT

UPON. FUNCTION. YOU PROVIDE THE FUNCTION, THE ACTION WHICH

RECEIVES THE TRUTH OF THE WORD. WHAT YOU SEE, WHAT YOU ALLOW TO

CREATE AN IMAGE IN YOUR THINKING AND IN YOUR PROCESS OF ACTION

BECAUSE AS ACTIONS COME ABOUT, YOU BEGIN TO SEE AND YOU BEGIN

TO ENVISION THINGS OUT OF THE HEART AND IN THE HEART. AND

THOSE THINGS PROGRESS TILL THEY TAKE YOU OVER. AND THEN HE SAID,

"A DECEITFUL MOUTH DOESN'T LET YOUR MOUTH COOPERATE WITH THAT

WHICH IS NOT OF GOD." BECAUSE THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH HAVE

MORE STRENGTH IN YOUR HEART THAN ANYBODY'S WORDS. SO YOU ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU SEE, HEAR, AND SAY INTO YOUR HEART.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PROTECT IT, KEEP IT, HOLD TIGHT, BECAUSE

OUT OF IT COME THE ISSUES. THE DECIDING FACTORS OF WHO YOU ARE.

AND AS YOU DO THAT PROCESS, YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT SEE, YOU'RE

TAKING CARE OF THE SOIL. YOU GOT TO TAKE CARE OF THE SOIL. YOU'RE

RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. IF THERE'S STONES IN IT, YOU NEED TO GET

THEM OUT. OH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT STONES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WELL, THE BOOK OF HEBREWS SAYS YOU CAN HAVE A HARD HEART OF

UNBELIEF. SEE, I ADD TO JESUS, JESUS GIVES US THE BASIC, BUT

YOU CAN ADD TO IT. BECAUSE THE BASICS ARE, IT'S THE STONES THAT

CAUSE THE HEART NOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE WHAT IT NEEDS TO

WITHSTAND THE STORMS, THE PROBLEMS, THE DIFFICULTIES, THE

SITUATIONS. IT'S NOT THAT THE SITUATION IS STRONGER THAN THE

WORD. IT'S THE HEART THAT HAS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT

WITH. JESUS KNEW THAT ABOUT US BECAUSE HE LOOKED AT THE MAN WHO

COME TO HIM AND SAYS, "MY SON, HE KEEPS FALLING INTO THE FIRE

AND HE KEEPS HAVING THESE EPISODES." AND IT'S JUST

CONTINUED SINCE HE'S BEEN A BOY. AND HE SAID, "NOW, IF YOU CAN DO

ANYTHING." I LOVE, JESUS WAS TOUGH, YOU KNOW THAT? THAT MAN

TURNED AROUND AND SAID, "IF YOU CAN BELIEVE." AND THE MAN HAD

ENOUGH MOXIE TO TURN AROUND AND SAY, "OKAY, I'LL BELIEVE. OH,

HELP MY UNBELIEF." AND JESUS DID. AND HE WILL YOU TOO. SO

WHEN THERE'S DOUBT, UNBELIEF, WHEN THERE'S FEAR, WHEN THE

STORM COMES, WHEN THE HEAT GETS TURNED UP, HELP MY UNBELIEF.

SHOW ME HOW. GIVE ME THE TRUTH. BREAK UP THE ROCKS, REMOVE THE

STONES. GET THOSE THINGS OUT OF MY LIFE. AND HE SAID, WHEN THE

WEEDS GROW UP, WHAT DO WE DO? WE GO AFTER THEM, TAKING CAPTIVE

EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF THE ANOINTING. BECAUSE THE

WEEDS WILL TRY AND GET IN YOUR GARDEN. THEY JUST WILL. ALL OF

US FARM BOYS KNOW THAT. WE'VE HAD TO HOE ENOUGH IN THE GARDEN,

WE KNOW THAT. IF YOU'VE GOT A GARDEN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO

HOE IN IT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP THE WEEDS OUT BECAUSE

THEY'RE GOING TO COME. AND THERE ARE PATCHES THAT GET WORSE THAN

OTHER PIT LACES. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK AT IT. OH,

YOU MEAN I GOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO? YES. YES. YOU SEE, THE

SOIL IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. THE HEART IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I'M

RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PLANT. I THOUGHT GOD WOULD

JUST DO IT. HE WILL. HE'S DOING IT. HE GAVE YOU THE SEED AND YOU

DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT WORKS. ALL YOU GOTTA BE IS SMART ENOUGH

TO PLANT IT AND KEEP IT AND TEND IT AND KEEP YOUR HEART OPEN.

THAT'S ALL YOU GOTTA DO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE FAITH HAPPEN.

YOU JUST HAVE TO PROTECT THE PLANT, THE HEARING. BECAUSE

THAT'S WHAT THE DEVIL'S AFTER. HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE

FAITH. HE CAN'T STOP IT. HE'S GOT TO STOP THE PLANT. HE'S GOT

TO STOP THE SEED FROM PRODUCING THE PLANT, AND THAT TAKES PLACE

IN MAN'S HEART. AND THAT'S WHERE THE FIGHT IS. THAT'S WHERE THE

BATTLE'S AT. THAT'S WHERE THE STRUGGLE IS. THAT'S WHAT WE

FACE. HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE HEART? EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY

YOU'LL FIND A NEW TERRITORY IN YOUR HEART WHERE THE WORLD'S

TRYING TO WALK ON IT. SEE, THIS IS ANOTHER PART OF THAT PROCESS.

HEAR WHAT HE SAYS, AND THIS IS OUT OF THE NEW KING JAMES

VERSION, BUT WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THIS SEED THAT COMES UP AND THE

GOOD SEED. "FOR THESE ARE THE ONES SOWN ON GOOD GROUND, THOSE

WHO HEAR THE WORD AND ACCEPT IT." MY TRANSLATION PUTS A

LITTLE "T" BY THAT AND SAYS "RECEIVE IT." SEE, REAL

RECEIVING IS REAL ACCEPTING. YOU CAN'T SAY YOU RECEIVE IT WITHOUT

TRULY ACCEPTING IT. AND ACCEPTING IT MEANS YOU OCCUPY

IT, YOU APPLY IT, YOU USE IT, YOU PUT IT IN ON PURPOSE. THAT'S

WHY WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, I BELIEVE, THEREFORE I SPEAK. I

CHOOSE WHAT I BELIEVE IN MY HEART, AND I SPEAK IT, AND I

SPEAK IT, AND I SPEAK IT, AND I SPEAK IT, AND I SPEAK IT, AND I

SPEAK IT. WHAT I DO? I PROTECT THE WORD. I PROTECT IT, I KEEP

IT. I KEEP IT, I RECEIVE IT, AND I ACCEPT IT. AND THEN IT BEARS

FRUIT, IT PRODUCES. IT PRODUCES. BECAUSE OUT OF THE HEARING, AS

HE EXPLAINED IN THE FIRST SCRIPTURES THAT WE READ, THE

PLANT WILL NATURALLY PRODUCE WHAT IT'S MEANT TO PRODUCE. IT'S

IN THE DNA. SO THE WORD OF GOD WILL NATURALLY PRODUCE FAITH. IT

CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE. IT IS THE WORD OF FAITH. SO DON'T EVER

BLAME IT. DISCOVER ANY ISSUE THAT IS HAVING A PROBLEM,

ANYTHING THAT'S-- IT'S IN THE HEART. IT'S IN THE HEART. IT'S A

HEART ISSUE. THAT'S WHAT JESUS EXPLAINED. WHETHER IT'S WEEDS,

WHETHER IT'S STONES, WHETHER IT'S THE WORLD, DOESN'T MAKE ANY

DIFFERENCE. BUT THEN HE SAYS, THERE'S GOOD GROUND. THERE'S

GOOD SOIL. BUT IT'S INTERESTING. I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT-- I THOUGHT

ABOUT THIS. HE SAYS, BUT SOME OF IT PRODUCES 30. SOME OF IT

PRODUCES 60. BUT SOME OF IT WILL PRODUCE 100. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT

THAT, AND I'M THINKING, FARM BOY. FARM BOY THINKING KICKS IN.

I'VE BEEN IN THOSE FIELDS. THE FIELDS HAS GOT ROCKS OVER THERE

IN THAT CORNER, WEEDS OVER IN THAT PATCH, AND A PATH SOMEPLACE

THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN. BUT THERE'S

GOOD SPOTS. BUT SOMETIMES THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH GOOD AND

THE SEED ONLY HITS ON 30% SO IT ONLY PRODUCES ABOUT 30%. THERE'S

OTHER PLACES WHERE IT CAN PRODUCE 60% BECAUSE THERE'S THAT

MUCH GOOD GROUND. BUT THEN THERE'S PLACES WHERE THE ROCKS

ARE PICKED UP, THE WEEDS ARE CUT DOWN, THE PATH IS SOFTENED, AND

GUESS WHAT? YOU GET 100. WHERE ARE YOU AT? HOW DO I GET THERE?

KEEPING YOUR HEARTS SOFT. HOW DO I KEEP MY HEART SOFT? IT ALL

BEGINS WITH THIS. WE'LL TURN TO THE BOOK OF JOHN, THE EIGHTH

CHAPTER. JESUS WARNS THESE PEOPLE IN JOHN, THE EIGHTH

CHAPTER, VERSES, VERSE 43. JESUS SAYS TO THE JEWS, "WHY DO YOU

NOT UNDERSTAND MY SPEECH? BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO

LISTEN TO MY WORDS." IN VERSE 47, HE SAYS, "HE WHO IS OF GOD

HEARS GOD'S WORDS. THEREFORE, YOU DO NOT HEAR BECAUSE YOU ARE

NOT OF GOD." AND YOU CAN READ THINGS LIKE THAT ALL THE WAY

THROUGH CHAPTERS FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT, AND NINE. BUT

I WANT TO TURN TO CHAPTER SEVEN AND READ WHAT I THINK IS THE

SYNOPSIS OF WHAT JESUS IS GETTING ACROSS. THE BEGINNING OF

CHOOSING TO HEARING BEGINS WITH THIS. IN JOHN CHAPTER SEVEN,

VERSE 16 AND 17, JESUS SAYS, "MY DOCTRINE IS NOT MINE, BUT HE WHO

SENT ME. IF ANYONE WILLS TO DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW

CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE, WHETHER IT IS FROM GOD OR WHETHER I

SPEAK ON MY OWN AUTHORITY." IF YOU WANT TO KNOW AND KNOW HOW TO

HEAR, THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE A DECISION. I WANT

HIS WILL, NOT MINE. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP TO HEARING. YOU'LL

NEVER HEAR, YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND. THAT'S WHY PEOPLE,

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T UNDERSTAND. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND

HEALING. YOU PROBABLY NEVER WILL, BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T WALK

IN IT. YOU WOULDN'T PRACTICE IT. YOU WOULDN'T LIVE BY IT. YOU

WOULDN'T BE MOTIVATED TO STEP OUT TO DO IT. YOU DON'T

UNDERSTAND IT. SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND FINANCE. LIKE PASTOR

MIKE SAID, THEY FIND A REASON AND EXCUSE. WHY? BECAUSE THEY

WON'T HEAR IT. THEY CAN'T HEAR IT BECAUSE THEY WON'T DO IT. THE

FIRST STEP, THE FIRST STEP IS I GOT TO BE WILLING. FOR A FARMER,

THE FIRST STEP, I GOT TO PUT THAT SEED IN THE GROUND. I GOT

TO PUT THAT SEED IN THE GROUND. I GOT TO BE WILLING TO PUT THAT

SEED IN THE GROUND. IF IT'S GOING TO GROW, IF IT'S GOING TO

PRODUCE, I GOT TO BE WILLING TO GO OUT THERE AND PUT IT IN THE

GROUND. AND THE NATURAL STATEMENT FOR ME IS, IF I'M

GOING TO HEAR THIS WORD AND BELIEVE THIS WORD AND RECEIVE

THIS WORD AND RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF THE PLANT THAT IT

WILL PRODUCE, THE HEARING THAT IT WILL ACCOMPLISH, I HAVE TO

RECEIVE IT. AND I HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LET IT BE HIS WILL,

HIS WAY. AND I HAVE TO CHANGE HOW I ACT, HOW I THINK, HOW I

TALK, HOW I AM. I HAVE TO CHANGE ME. NOT IN THE SENSE OF MY DOING

IT, BUT MY YIELDING TO IT. HE'LL PRODUCE THE RESULTS, BUT I GOT

TO YIELD. I GOT TO RECEIVE. I GOT TO RECEIVE. I GOT TO KEEP

RECEIVING. THAT'S WHY THE CONCEPT OF THE HEARING, AS IT

TALKS ABOUT, FAITH COMES BY HEARING. HEARING BY THE WORD OF

GOD IS A CONTINUAL WORD. WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE THE PLANTS HAVE TO

KEEP GROWING. THE PLANTS CAN NEVER STOP. WHEN THE PLANTS STOP

PRODUCING, WHEN THE PLANTS AREN'T THERE, WHEN THERE ISN'T

PLANTS GROWING, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY HARVEST. SO YOU GOT

THAT, YOU'RE NOT DONE JUST 'CAUSE YOU'VE HEARD IT ONCE, OR

YOU'VE HEARD IT TWICE, OR YOU'VE HEARD IT BEFORE, OR YOU'VE HEARD

IT, YOU GOTTA HEAR IT AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU GOTTA SEE THE PLANTS

ARE STILL GROWING, THE SEEDS STILL PRODUCING, THE SEEDS GOTTA

KEEP GOING, THE HEARING HAS TO CONTINUE, AND CONTINUE, AND GO

ON, AND ON, AND ON. AND WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT IN THIS

COUNTRY, BECAUSE WE WATCH THE CORN COME UP EVERY YEAR, AND THE

BEANS, AND WHATEVER ELSE IS PLANTED OUT THERE. AND WE EXPECT

THE HARVEST. BUT SOME HARVESTS TAKE YEARS, SOME TAKE MONTHS,

SOME TAKES WEEKS. AND IT'S THE SAME WITH THE WORDS OF GOD. IN

SOME SITUATIONS IT SEEMS LIKE IT HAPPENS THAT FAST, IN SOME

SITUATIONS IT TAKES LONGER. DON'T YOU, CAN'T YOU TELL ME

WHY? NO. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE

INGREDIENTS THAT IT TAKES FOR THE SEED TO GROW. ALL THE

NUTRIENTS AND ALL THE THINGS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT AT ALL IT TAKES

FOR IT TO WORK. I JUST KNOW IT WORKS. I JUST PUT THE SEED IN

AND GO TO SLEEP, AND WAKE UP THE NEXT DAY EXPECTING THE SEED TO

CONTINUE TO GROW. AND EVENTUALLY COMES THE PLANT, AND AS THE

PLANT GROWS AND THE HEARING GROWS, AND THE UNDERSTANDING

GROWS, AND THE POWER COMES, THEN IT EVENTUALLY, IT BEGINS TO

PRODUCE, AND SUDDENLY, THE SUBSTANCE OF THE THING HOPED

FOR. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, SEE, HEARING PRODUCES HOPE.

'CAUSE WHEN YOU TRULY HEAR, YOU BEGIN TO GET A VISION FOR WHAT'S

GOING TO BE. THAT'S WHAT THE FARMER SEES OUT THERE IN THE

FIELD, YOU KNOW. HE'S NOW LOOKING OUT THERE IN THAT FIELD

AND HE SEES HOPE. THE PLANTS ARE GROWING, THE PLANTS ARE TALL,

THE STOCKS ARE STRONG. HE SEES HOPE. HE SEES THE VISION.

THERE'S A HARVEST COMING. AND THEY'LL BE OUT THERE NOW GETTING

ALL THEIR MACHINERY READY FOR THE HARVEST. THAT'S HOPE. WHAT'S

YOUR EXPECTATION? YOUR EXPECTATION IS TIED TO YOUR

HOPE. YOUR HOPE IS TIED TO YOUR VISION. YOUR VISION IS TIED TO

HOW MUCH YOU HEAR. FOR WITH THE MEASURE YOU MEASURE IT. THAT'S

HOW IT'S GOING TO COME. ARE YOU WILLING? ARE YOU FAITHFUL? WHAT

DO YOU MEAN FAITHFUL? FAITHFUL TO THE SOIL. FAITHFUL TO PLANT

THE SEED. FAITHFUL TO RECEIVE. FAITHFUL TO KEEP YOUR HEART

OPEN. KEEP YOUR HEART RECEPTIVE. KEEP YOUR HEART ACTIVELY DEALING

WITH THE CHALLENGES AND THE PROBLEMS AND THE SITUATIONS AND

THE CIRCUMSTANCES. ACTIVELY LETTING GOD BE GOD. IT'S YOUR

HEART. SEE, THIS IS WHAT THE DEVIL DON'T WANT. HE DON'T WANT

YOU TO KNOW. IT'S YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS UP TO GOD. NO, IT'S

ALREADY BEEN UP TO HIM. HE'S ALREADY GIVEN HIS WORD. HE'S

ALREADY DECLARED HIS TRUTH. HE'S ALREADY PLANTED THE SEED OF HIS

SON. AND HE'S ALREADY GIVEN US THE WORD OF EXPECTATION AND THE

WORD OF POWER. NOW IT'S UP TO THAT WORD TO DO ITS WORK IN US.

AND IT'S OUR POSITION HOW MUCH OF IT WE GET, HOW MUCH OF IT WE

DON'T. IT'S UP TO US. YOU MEAN GOD'S COUNTING ON ME? THAT'S

WHERE HE SET UP THE SYSTEM. HE GAVE YOU THE HEART. AND THE

HEART WILL PRODUCE THE SEED THAT IS IN IT. PLANT THE RIGHT SEED,

KEEP IT IN YOUR HEART, PROTECT IT, AND IT'LL PRODUCE LIFE.

IT'LL PRODUCE LIFE EVERY TIME. AND LIFE IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO

FAITH. BECAUSE WITHOUT FAITH YOU CAN'T PLEASE HIM. AND IT'LL

PRODUCE THAT LIFE OF FAITH. FOR WE LIVE BY FAITH. I WANT YOU TO

REALIZE IT'S SIMPLE. BUT I'VE BEEN A FARM BOY, AND FARMING IS

NOT EASY. IT'S THE CHALLENGES OF DOING ALL THAT IT TAKES TO KEEP

THE SOIL, TO WORK THE SOIL, AND TO BELIEVE FOR THE SOIL. BUT

IT'S SIMPLE. PLANT A SEED FROM THE RIGHT SOURCE AND LET IT

GROW. IT'S THAT SIMPLE AND THAT HARD ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

FATHER, I THANK YOU THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE KEYS TO THE

KINGDOM, THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND THE REVELATION AND THE KNOWING

OF WHAT WE CAN BE AS WE COME TO YOU, THE AUTHOR AND THE FINISHER

OF OUR FAITH. I THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT AS THESE WORDS GO

FORTH, THAT THEY WOULD BRING REVELATION AND UNDERSTANDING

INTO THE HEARTS OF THE HEARERS, THAT AS THEY ARE RECEIVED, THAT

YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR POWER WILL PLACE YOUR ANOINTING UPON

THEM. TO BRING A FRESH UNDERSTANDING AND A FRESH

REVELATION SO THAT THEY CAN WALK IN THE POWER, WE CAN WALK IN

THAT POWER OF POSITION, OF PRODUCING YOUR RESULTS, THE LIFE

THAT YOU HAVE FOR US, THE LIFE OF VICTORY, THE LIFE OF POWER,

THE LIFE OF GOOD. I ASK YOU, FATHER, BY THE SPIRIT OF

REVELATION AND WISDOM, OPEN OUR EYES. I ASK YOU, FATHER, INSTILL

IN US A DETERMINATION AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO DEAL

WITH THE PARTS OF OUR HEART THAT WE'VE SOMETIMES JUST IGNORED,

ALLOWING DOUBTS OR FEARS OR UNCERTAINTIES OR WORRY OR

WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. REVEAL IT TO US, LORD,

SO THAT WE CAN BE CLEANSED AND WE CAN BE OPEN VESSELS FOR YOU.

THANK YOU LORD GOD THAT AS YOU TAKE THE TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE PUT

BEFORE US, THAT YOU CAN REVEAL THE LIFE AND THE LIGHT OF THAT

TRUTH INTO OUR LIVES SO WE CAN LIVE IT, NOT JUST BELIEVE IT AND

LET IT GO, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT IN THE SENSE OF DOING

IT, THAT WE WILL BE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT HEARERS ONLY. I

THANK YOU FOR IT, FATHER. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE AND

YOUR POWER AND YOUR PRESENCE. STAND UP WITH ME. DECLARE THIS

WITH ME. I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD. AND I

RECEIVE THAT POWER TO KNOW AND WALK IN HIS GOODNESS AND HIS

REVELATION FOR MY LIFE SO THAT I CAN SEE THE POWER OF HIS WORD

COME TO FRUITION, COMPLETING HIS GOOD

WORK THAT HE HAS BEGUN IN ME.

AND EVERYBODY SAID, AMEN. BE BLESSED.

(APPLAUSE)