04/05/26 Resurrection Sunday Service

(MUSIC)

COME ON, LET'S GIVE HIM HONOR ON THIS RESURRECTION SUNDAY. OUR

KING IS ALIVE. COME ON, SOMEBODY GIVE HIM A SHOUT THIS MORNING.

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(MUSIC)

HE IS ALIVE. YESHUA, YOU ARE ALIVE! WE WORSHIP YOU.

LET'S JUST GIVE JESUS, OUR RISEN SAVIOR AND

KING, LET'S GIVE HIM PRAISE. HALLELUJAH! JESUS, YOU ARE ALIVE

AND WE HONOR YOU, WE BLESS YOU. AND WE THANK YOU TODAY, JESUS.

YES, LORD. THAT YOU ENDURED THE CROSS FOR US. YES. AND YOU'RE

ALIVE TODAY, SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, YOUR GOD, OUR GOD,

YOUR FATHER, OUR FATHER. AND WE CELEBRATE YOU, AND WE WANT TO

LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN THE EARTH,

IN THIS PLACE, THAT REMEMBERS, THAT HONORS, AND LOVES YOU VERY,

VERY MUCH. AND IF YOU LOVE YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD,

COME ON, JUST GIVE HIM ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE. HALLELUJAH!

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

PRAISE THE LORD. WELL, GOOD MORNING, RESURRECTION SUNDAY TO

EVERYBODY. HOW ARE YOU DOING? I STILL DON'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM

THIS SECTION TODAY. WOW, BOB, LOOK AT THIS GUY. I LOVE IT. DID

YOU GUYS SEE BOB? LOOK AT BOB, 'CAUSE LOOK AT THAT. THAT WAS,

YOU'RE REWEARING WHAT YOU WORE FOR YOUR WEDDING. I'VE KNOWN BOB

40 YEARS, I CAN SAY THAT. YOU LOOK SHARP, THAT'S THE TRUTH.

AND I'M JUST MESSING WITH YOU, 'CAUSE I CAN, 'CAUSE, BUT YOU

LOOK SHARP. AND DOESN'T HE LOOK SHARP? LET ME LOOK AROUND, I

JUST LOVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT OUTFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON

THIS SPECIAL DAY. AMAZING. ALL RIGHT, WELL HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE

BIG PLANS FOR LUNCH TODAY? ANYBODY WITH BIG PLANS? LET ME

SEE IF YOU HAVE BIG PLANS TODAY. HAM, TURKEY, HAM, HAM, TURKEY,

LAMB, STEAK, SPAGHETTI. OK. ANYWAY, I WANT TO DO THIS. I

WANT TO WELCOME ALL OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING AROUND THE WORLD.

JESUS IS ALIVE. AMEN. AND LET US KNOW WHERE YOU'RE WATCHING. WE

ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THE SUN CAME UP TODAY. YES. IT WAS SO

BEAUTIFUL. AND WE WENT BY SOME WATER AND YOU COULD JUST SEE THE

BEAUTIFUL SUN. SO LET US KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE WHERE YOU'RE AT.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT, GREAT SERVICE. BY THE WAY, I'VE

GOT A GREAT WORD. I'M EXCITED. YEAH. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT GREAT

THINGS. SO I'M PUMPED ABOUT IT. WELL, I WAS KIND OF, AS I WAS

STUDYING FOR TODAY'S MESSAGE, IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING WHERE

HOW MANY TIMES I NOTICED, WHETHER IT WAS THE GARDEN OF

GETHSEMANE LEADING UP TO THE TIME OF THE CROSS, AND THEN THAT

WAITING PERIOD FROM THE CROSS UNTIL THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY.

IT WAS A LOT OF WAITING. AND SO I STARTED LOOKING AT IT GOING,

WOW, THIS IS THINGS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN WAITING. I TOLD

YOU THAT WAS ONE OF THE WORDS I HATE WAS WAIT. AND THEN I

STARTED LOOKING AT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AND HOW THEY

REACTED. AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT? THOSE ARE GOOD LESSONS IN

LIFE TO REMEMBER. HOW MANY OF YOU HERE AND THOSE OF YOU THAT

ARE WATCHING, I'M GONNA SAY THIS, YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S

SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WAITING FOR. RAISE YOUR HAND, LOOK AT

THIS. AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING, JUST PUT YOUR HAND UP

SO I KIND OF KNOW THAT YOU'RE WITH US. I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE

ENCOURAGED BY TODAY'S MESSAGE. BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING, AT THE

END OF THE DAY, THE WAITING WAS OVER AND SOMETHING POWERFUL

EMERGED. AMEN? THAT'S AWESOME, I LOVE IT. JESUS, THAT'S WHAT

WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT. ALL RIGHT, WELL LASTLY, BEFORE WE

WORSHIP, LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS GORGEOUS. ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL?

WOW, THEY DID A GREAT JOB. THAT IS SO, SO BEAUTIFUL. WELL, I

GOTTA TELL YOU THIS. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE NOTICED ALL THE TRAFFIC

LATELY AROUND THE CITY? ANYBODY NOTICE THE INCREASE OF TRAFFIC?

SOME OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING NO, I HAVEN'T. IT'S ALWAYS BAD.

REALLY? SOME OF YOU ARE LIKE IN DALLAS AND NEW YORK AND STUFF

LIKE THAT. YEAH, RIGHT. WE ALL KNOW WHAT TRAFFIC IS HERE. SO

I'VE DECIDED SOMETHING WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC. BRENDA, I'M GONNA

GET ME A GUITAR. UH-OH. YEP. YEP, WE'RE GONNA GET ME A

GUITAR. ALL YOU GUITARISTS, I'M GONNA GET A GUITAR. I'M GONNA

LEAVE IT IN THE CAR. AND THAT WAY, WHEN THERE IS TRAFFIC, I

LEAVE MY GUITAR THERE FOR TRAFFIC JAMS.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

OKAY. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT ONE. THAT'S A GOOD

RESURRECTION SUNDAY CLAP. HOW MANY OF YOU KNEW I WAS SETTING

YOU UP? YES, WE DID. WE KNEW IT. ALL RIGHT, I THINK IT'S A GOOD

TIME TO LISTEN TO THEM AND NOT ME. LET'S DO IT. ALL RIGHT, ARE

YOU EXCITED TO BE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD RESURRECTION

WEEKEND? HALLELUJAH, COME ON. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, YOU'VE TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE,

ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE SO MUCH DISHONOR TO

GOD HAS EMERGED. BUT I JUST SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WANT TODAY TO

BE A DAY WHERE THE RESURRECTED LORD HEARS THE PRAISES AND THE

HONOR IN A WORLD THAT MUCH DISHONORS HIM. LET'S LIFT UP OUR

BEST PRAISE TODAY. LET'S HONOR THE LORD JESUS. AMEN, ARE YOU

READY FOR THAT? ALL RIGHT, THROW YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN. SAY, LORD

JESUS. LORD JESUS. YOU'RE ALIVE. YOU'RE ALIVE. AND YOU'RE ON THE

THRONE. YOU'RE ON THE THRONE. YOU'RE THE KING OF KINGS. YOU'RE

THE KING OF KINGS. YOU'RE THE LORD OF LORDS. AND SO I HONOR

YOU TODAY. I PRAISE YOU TODAY. AND LORD, ON THIS RESURRECTION

DAY, I PROMISE TO GIVE YOU, COME ON, MY VERY

BEST PRAISE. LET'S WORSHIP HIM THIS MORNING.

(CONGREGATION CHEERING)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

JUST KEEP WORSHIPPING HIM ON THE INSTRUMENTS. WE WORSHIP YOU.

COME ON, THE GREATEST INSTRUMENT YOU HAVE IS YOUR HEART AND YOUR

MOUTH CONNECTED. COME ON, JUST WORSHIP HIM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

LET OUR RISEN KING AND RISEN SAVIOR KNOW FROM YOUR HEART,

YOUR MOUTH, HOW MUCH YOU HONOR HIM AND LOVE HIM. AND YOU'RE SO

GRATEFUL FOR HIS SACRIFICE. WE HONOR YOU, WE WORSHIP YOU, WE

ARE SO GRATEFUL. LORD, HOW WE LOVE YOU. WE WORSHIP YOU. WE

WORSHIP YOU. LORD, IN THIS MOMENT, WE STAND IN AWE AND IN

AMAZEMENT OF OUR LIVING GOD. IN THIS DAY, I PRAY AS WE PRESENT

OUR HEARTS AFRESH, OUR LIVES AFRESH, IN SURRENDER,

SUBMISSION, HONOR, OBEDIENCE, SACRIFICE. WE GIVE OUR HEARTS

AND OUR LIVES TO YOU AFRESH. THAT YOU WOULD BE GLORIFIED,

THAT YOU WOULD BE HONORED, AND THAT GOD YOU WOULD TAKE OUR

HEARTS AND OUR LIVES AND YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH

IT THAT WOULD BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO YOU GOD, BUT WOULD BE A

BLESSING TO OTHERS. SO THAT THE NAME OF THE LORD CAN BE

GLORIFIED AND MAGNIFIED THROUGHOUT THE EARTH. AND SO

THIS DAY, NOT ONLY DOES IT MARK THAT THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY

IN JESUS, THAT YOU'RE ALIVE, BUT THIS DAY IT MARKS THAT THERE IS

A PEOPLE IN THE EARTH THAT YOU DIED FOR, YOU BLED FOR, JESUS,

THAT HONORS YOU, APPRECIATES YOU, GIVES THANKS TO YOU, AND

MOST OF ALL, WE GIVE OUR LIVES TO YOU TO BE OUR LORD AND OUR

SAVIOR. WHAT AN AMAZING SAVIOR, WHAT AN AMAZING LORD AND GOD.

AMEN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES IN OUR LIVES YOU HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE JUST SAY TO HIM, "HERE IS MY HEART, HERE IS MY LIFE. I GIVE

IT ALL TO YOU. YOU GAVE IT ALL TO ME, I GIVE IT ALL TO YOU. SO

THAT GOD, YOU CAN BE GLORIFIED AND DO WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO

WITH MY LIFE SO THAT HE CAN BE HONORED. ISN'T THAT THE REASON

WE LIVE? IS WE LIVE FOR HIM? AMEN. WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO

THIS? WHY DON'T YOU LOOK FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S LOOKING SHARP, AS

SOME OF YOU IN HERE, YOU ARE JUST LOOKING SHARP. WHY DON'T

YOU FIND SOMEBODY, SHARE YOUR NAME, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, TELL

'EM THIS, TELL 'EM, TELL 'EM THIS, SAY, YOUR FAVORITE

CHARACTERISTIC ABOUT JESUS THAT YOU LOVE. ALL RIGHT, GREET ONE

ANOTHER, WE GREET YOU, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING AS WELL,

AND WE ARE SO, SO GRATEFUL. WE LOVE YOU, WE LOVE YOUR

HEART, YOUR PRAYERS, YOUR SUPPORT, AND JESUS IS ALIVE,

AND I WANT YOU TO FEEL THAT PRESENCE IN YOUR

LIFE, BUT WE BLESS YOU TODAY AS WELL.

(MUSIC)

WELL, HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY, AMEN? ANYBODY EXCITED TO BE IN

HIS HOUSE THIS MORNING? WELL, IF THIS IS YOUR VERY FIRST TIME

WITH US IN THE BUILDING, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU FEEL

WELCOME. I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE YOU RECEIVED A BLUE GIFT BAG

WHEN YOU CAME INSIDE THE DOOR. IF YOU DID NOT, PLEASE WAVE YOUR

HAND AT AN USHER. WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET ONE, 'CAUSE

INSIDE THERE WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU. WE ALSO

HAVE SOME GOODIES TUCKED IN THERE FOR YOU, SO YOU WANNA MAKE

SURE YOU GET ONE. WE ALSO HAVE A GUEST REGISTRY PACKET IN THAT

BLUE GIFT BAG, SO IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE ALREADY, GO AHEAD

AND PULL OUT THE PICTURE OF THE STAGE, HAS A PICTURE OF THE

STAGE ON THE FRONT OF IT, THAT PACKET THAT'S IN THERE, PULL

THAT OUT, OPEN IT UP, THERE'S SOME INFORMATION TO SEND HOME

WITH YOU ABOUT THE MINISTRIES YOU HAVE HERE AT LORD OF HOSTS

CHURCH, AS WELL AS A BRIGHT ORANGE STAY CONNECTED CARD ON

THE LEFTHAND SIDE, GO AHEAD AND TEAR THAT OFF, FILL IT OUT, DROP

IT IN THE OFFERING BASKET WHEN IT COMES BY IN JUST A FEW

MOMENTS. WE JUST WANNA SEND YOU A THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SEE US

THIS MORNING, AND MAKE SURE YOU STAY CONNECTED WITH EVERYTHING

WE HAVE GOING ON HERE AT LORD OF HOSTS CHURCH. IF YOU'RE WATCHING

BY LIVESTREAM, FACEBOOK LIVE, ROKU, YOUTUBE, RUMBLE, ONE VOICE

TV, OR ANY OF THE OTHER DIGITAL PLATFORMS, THEY'RE ALL LISTED

RIGHT THERE. YOU CAN GET CONNECTED WITH US ON ANY OF

THOSE. HOWEVER, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET CONNECTED TO

ONEVOICETV.NET OR DOWNLOAD THE ONE VOICE TV APP TO YOUR DEVICES

BECAUSE YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO ALL THIS GREAT CONTENT. DAILY

DECREE, NEW LEVEL, GAME CHANGERS, FLASHPOINT, ALL OF

THAT IS OUT THERE FOR YOU. GET REAL WITH HANK. MAKE SURE YOU

GET CONNECTED SO YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO ALL THAT GREAT

CONTENT. YOU CAN WATCH IT LIVE OR ARCHIVED. AND WE'D LOVE FOR

YOU TO BE BLESSED BY IT. IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE ALL OF OUR

GUESTS HERE AND ONLINE A HAND. ASK PASTOR BRENDA COMES. AMEN,

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. WELL, ONE MORE TIME IN CASE ANYBODY ONLINE IS

JUST NOW JOINING US. HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY TO YOU. AND

LET'S JUST SAY IT 'CAUSE WE CAN, JESUS IS ALIVE, AMEN.

(CONGREGATION CHEERING)

WELL, JUST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS. BY THE WAY, LADIES,

WOMAN, YOU ARE ANOINTED CONFERENCE IS AROUND THE CORNER.

AND I DID SEE THE LATEST COUNT. I THINK WE'RE WELL OVER 700

WOMEN NOW FOR THE EVENT. THAT'S A GOOD GROUP OF LADIES. BUT

HERE'S THE THING, THEY'LL PUT UP THE INFORMATION UP THERE. YOU DO

HAVE TO REGISTER EVEN THOUGH IT'S FREE. THERE'S A QR CODE

THERE. GO OUT THERE, GET REGISTERED, AND I DO WANNA SAY,

IF YOU'RE THINKING OR TOYING WITH COMING TO THE LUNCHEON OR

INVITING SOMEBODY, THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR THE

LUNCHEON. SO YOU NEED TO GET OUT THERE QUICKLY AND REGISTER. AND

IT'S SUPER FUN. IF YOU'VE NOT DONE IT BEFORE, WE ALL SIT IN

HERE. LAST YEAR WE SAT IN HERE WITH BOXED LUNCHES AND IT WAS

LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CALLED IT PICNIC IN THE TABERNACLE. AND IT

WAS A BLAST. LADIES, WAS IT NOT AWESOME? SO GET OUT THERE, GET

REGISTERED. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT TIME. AND EVERY YEAR I

THINK IT JUST GETS BETTER AND BETTER. PRAISE THE LORD. WELL,

I'M GONNA JUST KIND OF HOLD OFF ON ALL THE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

TODAY, BUT GO OUT, IF YOU'RE NOT ON OUR MAILING LIST, YOU NEED TO

GET OUT THERE, GO TO HANKANDBRENDA.ORG, SIGN UP, GET

OUT AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT WITH THE

MINISTRY, OR IF YOU'VE NEVER SIGNED UP TO RECEIVE TEXT

MESSAGES, MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT, GET ON THE EMAIL LIST AS WELL,

AND THEY'LL PUT UP INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN GET ON THE TEXT,

TEXT INFORMATION. SO ALL KINDS OF THINGS ARE ALWAYS COMING OUT.

IF WE FORGET TO SAY IT IN THE PULPIT, THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT

TECHNOLOGY. THERE'S SO MANY OTHER WAYS TO COMMUNICATE. SO GO

OUT THERE AND BE SURE TO GET SIGNED UP FOR WHATEVER IT IS

THAT'S OUT THERE FOR YOU TO SIGN UP FOR. AMEN? ALL RIGHT, WELL,

VERY QUICKLY, WE WANNA GET INTO THIS MORNING'S REGULAR TITHES

AND OFFERINGS, IT'S SUNDAY. SO THIS IS OUR NORMAL SUNDAY TITHES

AND OFFERINGS. IT'S ALSO OUR PASSOVER GIVING TIME. SO I DO

WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU ARE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT,

THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE, AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW TO PARTICIPATE

IN THAT IN A MINUTE. BUT I WANNA GO BACK TO SOMETHING. YOU KNOW,

FRIDAY NIGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THE BLESSINGS OF FEAST GIVING. AND

HOW MANY OF YOU JUST LOVED THE LONG LIVE THE KING AND THE

SLIDES THAT WERE COMING UP? AND AS I LOOKED AT THOSE, I THOUGHT,

YOU KNOW, JESUS, ALL YOU'VE EVER EXHIBITED IS HOW MUCH YOU LOVE

TO BLESS. YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. AS HE'S HANGING THERE ON A

CROSS, AS HE'S BEING BEATEN, WHIPPED, YOU KNOW, GAVE, THE

BIBLE SAYS HE GAVE HIS BACK TO THE SMITERS. AS HE CHOSE TO DO

ALL THAT, IT WAS TO BLESS US. AND AS I LOOK AT THE BIBLE, YOU

KNOW, I CAN'T, THERE'S, YOU COULD HARDLY TURN A PAGE. I

MEAN, YEAH, THERE'S THE, SOME OF THEM, MAYBE LEVITICUS, THE

GENEALOGIES AND ALL OF THAT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING, IT'S HARD TO

TURN A PAGE IN SCRIPTURE AND NOT FIND A PLACE WHERE GOD, GOD'S

INTENT TO BLESS US, HEAL US, COME ON, DELIVER US IS NOT

PENNED IN THE PAGES OF SCRIPTURE. IT'S THROUGHOUT THE

BIBLE. AND AS I WAS TALKING FRIDAY NIGHT, AND I'LL READ

THESE BLESSINGS AGAIN, BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK OF IT IN THIS

LIGHT OF PASSOVER GIVING TIME, THE FEAST GIVING SEASONS. IT'S

ALWAYS AGAIN ENCAPSULATED IN BLESSING, GOD WANTING TO BLESS.

AND IT JUST AMAZES ME. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THAT SCRIPTURE.

IT SAYS GOD MAKES THE RAIN TO DESCEND ON THE EVIL AND THE

GOOD. GOD EVEN BLESSES THE WICKED. YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. HE

EVEN, THOSE THAT EVEN CURSE HIM, HE ALLOWS HIS BLESSING TO COME

ON THEIR LIFE. GOD IS A GOD THAT LOVES TO BLESS. AND DON'T EVER

THINK THAT IN YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, WE THINK, WELL, I HAVE TO

BE PERFECT. I HAVE TO DO ALL THESE THINGS. AND IT'S

IMPORTANT. WE'VE GOT TO PLEASE GOD. THE SCRIPTURE TALKS ABOUT

THAT IN EPHESIANS, THAT WE DO THINGS THAT PLEASE THE LORD. SO

IT'S IMPORTANT, OUR ACTIONS ARE IMPORTANT. BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO

REMEMBER IS WE DON'T HAVE TO ATTAIN PERFECTION. THAT'S WHAT

JESUS' SACRIFICE WAS ABOUT. WE'RE NOT ATTAINING PERFECTION

TO RECEIVE HIS BLESSING. PASTOR AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THE

SCRIPTURE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE LORD'S BENEFITS IN PSALM

103. AND DO YOU EVER NOTICE IN THERE, HE FORGIVES ALL OF OUR

INIQUITIES, BUT IT SAYS FIRST HE HEALS US OF ALL OUR DISEASES.

THE HEALING COMES BEFORE THE FORGIVENESS. WE DON'T HAVE TO BE

FORGIVEN IN ORDER TO BE HEALED. GOD HEALS PEOPLE BECAUSE OF HIS

LOVE FOR PEOPLE. IF YOU READ THE LORD'S SUPPER OR THE LORD'S

PRAYER, EXCUSE ME, IF YOU READ THE LORD'S PRAYER, IT SAYS,

"LORD, GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD." IN OTHER WORDS,

GOD, WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR YOUR BLESSING AND THEN THE REQUEST TO

BE FORGIVEN COMES AFTER. WELL, YOU MEAN YOU SHOULD JUST TAKE

FROM GOD AND THEN REPENT LATER? WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M

SAYING. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE HONOR GOD, YES, BUT

HE IS SO DISPOSED AND COMMITTED TO SHOW FAVORS. GOD IS A GOD OF

BLESSING. WRITE THAT DOWN AND UNDERLINE IT. HE LOVES TO BLESS.

AND SO I WAS THINKING OF THAT THIS MORNING. I'M GONNA READ

AGAIN, THESE BLESSINGS OF FEAST GIVING. THE BLESSINGS, GOD, YOU

KNOW, GOD DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. HE TELLS US TO TITHE. YOU KNOW,

THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT TITHING AND OFFERINGS, BUT IF YOU READ

MALACHI, MANY OF YOU HAVE IT MEMORIZED IN THIS ROOM, IF YOU

READ IT, YOU'LL FIND THAT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT IS SOME MORE

BLESSINGS. THINK ABOUT IT, TITHES AND OFFERINGS. GOD SAID,

"IF YOU'LL DO IT, "I WILL OPEN THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN." I

THOUGHT, LORD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, TO HAVE THE

WHOLE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN OPENED OVER MY LIFE. NOW, SOME OF YOU

HAVE HEARD ME TELL THIS STORY. I'LL READ THESE IN A MOMENT, BUT

SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME TELL THE STORY. I DID HAVE ONE LITTLE

EXAMPLE THAT I'LL NEVER, AND YOU KNOW, WELL, IT GOES ON IN

MALACHI, AND IT SAYS, "YOU'LL NOT HAVE ROOM ENOUGH "TO RECEIVE

THE BLESSING." AND I THOUGHT, LORD, WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?

WELL, ONE YEAR, MANY YEARS AGO, PASTOR AND I WERE JUST GETTING

STARTED IN THE MINISTRY. MATTHEW WAS JUST A BABY, AND YOU KNOW,

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE PINCHED EVERY PENNY. WE WERE, YOU KNOW,

USING THE CALCULATOR AT THE GROCERY STORE. HOW MANY OF YOU

EVER BEEN THERE? AND THEN YOU PUT SOME STUFF IN YOUR BASKET

AND YOUR CALCULATOR WENT OVER THE AMOUNT YOU HAD TO SPEND AND

SO YOU HAD TO PUT SOMETHING BACK. ANYBODY EVER BEEN THERE?

I'M THE ONLY ONE. YOU THOUGHT, I GOTTA PUT THAT BACK. I CAN'T GET

THAT. AND SO MANY OF OUR DAYS WERE LIKE THAT. WELL, WE HAD

THIS FARMER CALL US AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I HAVE JUST BUTCHERED

THIS COW. IT WAS A QUARTER SIDE OR SOMETHING. AND IN THE HOUSE

WE LIVED IN, WE JUST HAD ONE OF A REALLY SMALL REFRIGERATOR. IT

WAS THIS LITTLE REFRIGERATOR AND IT HAD THE FREEZER ON TOP. YOU

KNOW, THIS WAS BEFORE THE SIDE BY SIDES. I THINK THEY WERE JUST

BARELY COMING OUT AT THAT TIME. AND IT WAS NOT VERY BIG. AND

THIS FARMER CALLED AND HE SAYS, "I'VE GOT THIS WHOLE QUARTER

SIDE. "I'M GONNA BRING IT TO YOU." AND I'M ON THE PHONE AND I

SAID, "WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IT." AND HE SAID, "WELL, I GUESS

YOU JUST GOT A BLESSING. "YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE." I

SAID, "WELL, AND HOW DO YOU SAY NO TO THAT? "LIKE GOD'S TRYING

TO BLESS YOU AND YOU TELL GOD NO." SO PASTOR WAS AT WORK AND I

CALLED HIM AND I SAID, "HONEY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE WHAT'S

JUST HAPPENED. "WE'VE GOT THIS." AND HE GOES, "WELL, I GUESS THAT

MEANS "WE HAVE TO GO BUY A FREEZER." NOW WATCH THIS, WE

WENT TO, IT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE, SEARS AND ROEBUCK,

REMEMBER THEM? THEY WERE KIND OF LIKE THE APPLIANCE KING. BY THE

WAY, IF YOU STILL HAVE A SEARS WASHER, IT'S PROBABLY 35 YEARS

OLD AND IT PROBABLY STILL WORKS. I PROMISE YOU. SO THAT LITTLE

FREEZER, WE WENT AND BOUGHT IT AND WE HAD TO CHARGE IT ON A

SEARS CHARGE CARD. YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO CHARGE TO GET THE

BLESSING. LIKE, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? SO, AND I REMEMBER THE

PRICE TOO. YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS STICK IN MY MIND. IT WAS

A $700, WAY BACK THEN, FREEZER, WE WENT AND BOUGHT AT SEARS, A

LITTLE UPRIGHT, ALL FREEZER, SO WE COULD FIT THE BLESSING WE

DIDN'T HAVE ROOM TO RECEIVE. AND THAT FARMER CAME, BROUGHT A

BUNCH OF COOLERS WITH ALL OF THAT MEAT, AND WE FILLED THAT

FREEZER. I THOUGHT, WELL, LORD, WE JUST WENT IN DEBT TO RECEIVE

THE BLESSING. BUT YOU KNOW, GOD HAD IT PLANNED. YOU THINK WE

PAID THAT OFF YEARS LATER? OF COURSE. GOD JUST KNOWS WHAT HE

IS DOING. AND SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU, GOD LOVES TO BLESS

AND HE WILL DO THINGS YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR. SAY, WELL, PASTOR

BRENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN MY LIFE. WELL,

DO YOU HAVE FAITH FOR IT? YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT EVERY TIME

YOU TITHE, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE THIS? EVERY TIME YOU GIVE

YOUR TITHE OR MAYBE YOU'RE GIVEN A FEAST OFFERING AND YOU SAY

THINGS LIKE, "LORD, I RECEIVE AN OPEN HEAVEN." HOW MANY OF YOU

EVER PRAYED THAT? COME ON. HOW MANY OF YOU EVER SAID, "LORD, I

BELIEVE I WILL HAVE BLESSINGS THAT I WON'T HAVE ROOM TO

RECEIVE." HOW MANY OF YOU EVER PRAYED LIKE THAT? BUT THEN WHEN

IT COMES, DO WE BELIEVE IT? AND THAT DAY WE HARDLY BELIEVED IT,

BUT GOD DID IT. AND SO BE IN EXPECTATION. GOD LOVES TO BLESS.

WE SAW IT ALL OVER THE SLIDES THIS MORNING, A GOD WHO IS

COMMITTED TO BLESS. SO CAN I READ THESE BLESSINGS TO YOU

AGAIN? ALL RIGHT. THESE ARE THE BLESSINGS THAT COME OF GIVING AT

FEAST TIME. THIS IS GOD'S CHARACTER. I JUST CANNOT STOP

SMILING WHEN I READ IT. EXODUS 23, ALL OF THESE ARE WRITTEN IN

THERE. NUMBER ONE, GOD SAID, I WILL SEND MY ANGEL. HOW MANY OF

YOU WOULD LOVE TO SAY I COULD USE ANGELS AROUND MY LIFE? OKAY.

I WAS WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHING ONE NIGHT. I THOUGHT, OH LORD,

DID I, I FORGOT. YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER GONE OUT OF TOWN? IN

FACT, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. HAVE YOU EVER GONE OUT OF TOWN

AND THINK, DID I LOCK THE HOUSE? I MEAN, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN

THERE? AND YOU'RE GONE ON THE PLANE ALREADY AND YOU'RE LIKE,

AND IT'S TWO AND YOU KNOW, THE THING OF IT, IT ALWAYS HAPPENS

AT 2 A.M. YOU REMEMBER AT TWO IN THE MORNING OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE

ALREADY THERE IN THE HOTEL. AND I'M THINKING, LORD, AND THE LORD

SAID, "MY ANGELS GOT IT." NOW I HAD LOCKED IT, BUT MY ANGELS GOT

IT. SEE, THIS IS HOW GOD IS. SO GOD WILL SEND HIS ANGELS. WHEN

YOU GET IN YOUR CAR TO DRIVE, GOD WILL SEND HIS ANGELS. THAT'S

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PASTOR. EVERY TIME WE GET IN, HE SAYS, "NOPE,

THE ANGELS ARE GOING BEFORE US." OKAY, WE'LL NEVER BE IN AN

ACCIDENT, CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. COME ON, WE HAVE TO CLAIM THOSE

THINGS, RIGHT? DON'T LEAVE YOURSELF OPEN, PRAY TO THE

ENEMY. GOD SAID, "I WILL BRING YOU TO THE PLACE I'VE PREPARED."

WELL, THAT'S PURPOSE. YOU'LL BE GUIDED BY GOD. I WANT THAT IN MY

LIFE, 'CAUSE I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT TO DO. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN

THERE? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. SO YOU JUST SAY, "LORD, I

BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA GET ME "ON TRACK WHEREVER I NEED TO GO."

AND YOU KNOW WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT GOD? WE CAN EVEN TAKE A

STUPID DETOUR SOMETIME, AND GOD WILL GET YOU RIGHT BACK WHERE

YOU STARTED, AND HE'LL GET YOU WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. ISN'T THAT

GOOD? BECAUSE HE LOVES TO BLESS. TOUCH YOURSELF AND SAY YOUR

NAME. SAY, GOD, YOU LOVE TO BLESS. AND NOW SAY YOUR NAME.

YOU PUT A NAME ON IT. LET ME READ THE REST OF THESE QUICKLY.

HE SAID, I'LL BE AN ENEMY TO YOUR ENEMIES. COME ON, DON'T

WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT THE DEVIL. COME ON, THE LORD OF THE

COUNTER. YOU HAVE AUTHORITY OVER SATAN. USE IT. CAST HIM OUT.

DEVIL, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. GET OFF MY FINANCES, GET OUT OF MY

BODY. COME ON, GET OFF MY CHILDREN, GET OFF MY SPOUSE. I

BIND YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I'LL BE AN ENEMY TO YOUR

ENEMIES. THAT'S ONE OF GOD'S BLESSINGS. NEXT ONE, I'LL BLESS

YOUR BREAD AND YOUR WATER. THAT'S WHY JESUS COULD SAY, YOU

DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA EAT OR WHAT YOU'RE

GONNA WEAR. I MEAN, IT'S RESURRECTION SUNDAY. WE ALL HAD

TO THINK A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED TO WEAR. ALL RIGHT, THAT

WAS A JOKE. BUT GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU. SO IF YOU'RE IN A

SEASON WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE MONEY IS TIGHT, JUST KNOW THAT GOD

WILL PROVIDE. TRUST HIM IN THAT. THAT'S WHY PAUL SAID, "I KNOW

HOW TO BE A BASE AND I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND. I KNOW HOW TO RIDE

THROUGH THE SEASONS WHERE PROVISION SEEMS LITTLE, BUT I

KNOW HOW TO RIDE THE WAVE WHEN IT'S ABUNDANT. I KNOW HOW TO DO

BOTH BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED TO TRUST THE GOD THAT LOVES TO

BLESS. HALLELUJAH! ALL RIGHT, VERY QUICKLY, I'LL TAKE SICKNESS

AWAY FROM YOU. THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T MAKE HEALING A HARD THING.

GOD SAID, "I WANT TO, I'LL HEAL YOU." COME ON, HEALING

SCRIPTURES ARE PLASTERED THROUGH THE BIBLE. GOD LOVES TO HEAL.

MATTHEW 12:15, WRITE THIS SCRIPTURE DOWN. IT SAYS, "AND

Matthew 12:15

JESUS HEALED THEM ALL." MEMORIZE THAT. HE DIDN'T PICK AND CHOOSE,

HE HEALED THEM ALL. NEXT ONE IS, "NONE SHALL BE BARREN." THAT

COULD BE NATURAL IF YOU'RE TRYING TO HAVE CHILDREN, OR IT'S

ALSO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BEAR FRUIT AS A CHRISTIAN AND A

BELIEVER. YOU'LL LIVE A LONG LIFE. OKAY? DON'T JUST RESORT

TO, "WELL, IT WAS THEIR TIME." NO, GOD IS NOT ABOUT PREMATURE

DEATH. NOW, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN IT TODAY. IN FACT, IT'S

IN MY MANUSCRIPT COMING OUT ON COMMANDING PEACE, AND I TALK

ABOUT THE BLESSING OF LONG LIFE IN THERE AND THINGS THAT DO TAKE

PEOPLE OUT, BUT GOD'S INTENT IS ALWAYS FOR US TO LIVE THE FULL

LENGTH OF DAYS. THAT'S GOD'S BLESSING. HE LOVES TO BLESS. SAY

YOUR NAME AGAIN. SAY YOUR NAME. SAY, GOD LOVES TO BLESS YOU.

LAST ONE, YOU WILL HAVE INFLUENCE AND FAVOR. GOD SAID, I

WILL SEND MY FEAR BEFORE YOU. JUST KNOW THAT GOD GOES BEFORE

US. HE IS THE GOD THAT LOVES TO BLESS. AMEN. ARE YOU READY TO

GIVE IN THAT ATMOSPHERE? ALL RIGHT, LET'S PUT THE GIVING

INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREEN FOR EVERYBODY AROUND THE WORLD. AND

IF YOU'RE GIVING YOUR PASSOVER OFFERING AND YOU WANT TO SOW

INTO THAT KEY TIME, THIS IS WHAT WE READ ABOUT WAS THE KEY

BLESSINGS OF FEAST GIVING. THERE'S AN ENVELOPE ON YOUR

CHAIR OR THERE'S A PLACE THAT SAYS PASSOVER RESURRECTION

OFFERING UP ON THE DROP DOWN. AND YOU CAN GIVE THERE AS WELL

AND THE QR CODE TO GIVE. IF YOU HAVE YOUR OFFERING READY, YOU

CAN GO AHEAD AND STAND OR IF YOU'RE STILL WRITING, I'LL GIVE

YOU JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. AND I'M EXCITED. WE'RE GONNA,

I'M GONNA PRAY OVER YOU FIRST, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT. AND THEN

WE'RE GONNA KIND OF LIKE NOT DO OUR NORMAL DECREE BECAUSE OUR

WORSHIP TEAM HAS PUT TOGETHER AN AMAZING MUSIC SPECIAL. THEY'RE

GONNA SING A SONG, BUT LET'S JUST DO THIS. IF YOU HAVE YOUR

OFFERING READY AND YOU'RE READY TO STAND, LET'S STAND UP AND

HOLD IT UP HIGH. AND I WANT YOU TO JUST PAUSE AND THINK FOR A

MOMENT AND REMIND YOURSELF THAT GOD LOVES TO BLESS YOU. OKAY,

MAYBE YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE SPIRIT OF FAILURE TODAY AND YOU

FEEL LIKE, WELL, GOD, I'VE DONE ALL OF THESE THINGS. I JUST NEED

TO MAKE A SHIFT. REMIND YOURSELF, GOD LOVES TO BLESS. IF

YOU'VE MESSED UP, MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN AWAY FROM GOD. IF YOU'RE

HERE OR YOU'RE ONLINE, MAYBE YOU'VE MADE SOME MISTAKES. DON'T

RUN FROM GOD TODAY, RUN TO HIM. RUN TO THE ARMS OF JESUS. HE IS

WAITING TO RECEIVE YOU. AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO, MAYBE YOU'VE

NEVER ASKED JESUS TO COME IN YOUR HEART AND FORGIVE YOUR SINS

AND BE THE LORD OF YOUR LIFE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY,

JESUS, COME IN MY HEART. IN FACT, I FEEL THE ANOINTING. I

THINK WE OUGHT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. IF YOU'RE IN THIS ROOM AND

YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN, YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN SAVED, MAYBE

YOU'RE AWAY OR YOU'RE AWAY FROM THE LORD. THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE

WATCHING ONLINE, IT IS NOT HARD TO COME BACK TO GOD. AND I'M

JUST GONNA SAY IT FOR THE RECORD. HE IS WAITING FOR YOU

TODAY. HE IS WAITING FOR YOU TODAY. HE'S WAITING FOR YOU.

HE'S BEEN WAITING. HE'S CALLING YOUR NAME. SO IF THAT'S YOU,

LET'S JUST PRAY. I'M GOING TO PRAY THE SINNER'S PRAYER. I WANT

ALL OF US TO PRAY IT TOGETHER. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT THE LORD

WANTS US TO DO RIGHT NOW. CAN YOU DO THAT AT OFFERING TIME?

YOU COULD DO THAT AT ANY TIME. SO IF YOU NEED TO COME BACK TO

GOD TODAY, BEFORE WE EVEN GIVE, I WANT YOU TO HAVE THAT

OPPORTUNITY. I WANT YOU TO SAY THESE WORDS. I MEAN THEM WITH

EVERY OUNCE OF YOUR HEART AND YOUR SOUL. SAY THESE WORDS. SAY,

"LORD JESUS, I BELIEVE IN YOU. YOU DIED FOR ME. AND ON THE

THIRD DAY, YOU WERE RAISED." THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING

TODAY. AND JESUS, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I NEED YOU. I NEED YOU IN

MY LIFE. I ASK YOU TO COME INTO MY HEART. WASH AWAY ALL MY SINS.

GOD, I NEED A DO-OVER. I NEED TO START FRESH. AND I TRUST YOU

TODAY THAT YOU WILL TAKE MY SINS, ALL MY WRONGDOING, AND

THROW IT AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST. THAT'S WHAT THE

BIBLE SAYS. JESUS, I COMMIT MYSELF TO YOU IN A FRESH WAY. I

CALL YOU MY LORD. I CALL YOU MY SAVIOR. I CALL YOU MY MASTER.

AND I MAKE A COMMITMENT AND A VOW TODAY TO SERVE YOU TO THE

BEST OF MY ABILITY. I TURN FROM MY PAST. I TURN FROM MY SINS AND

I TURN TO YOU. THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR LOVING ME. IN JESUS' NAME,

AMEN. WOO! HALLELUJAH! IF YOU PRAYED THAT, THEY'LL BE POSTING

ONLINE. IF YOU'RE ONLINE, AND PASTOR DOUG, AT THE END OF THE

SERVICE, WE'LL HAVE PRAYER ALTAR WORKERS WILL BE READY TO HELP

YOU AND GET STARTED ON YOUR JOURNEY. AND BY THE WAY, GET TO

KNOW CHRISTIANS. DON'T HANG AROUND ALL THOSE FOOLS OUT THERE

ANYMORE. GET AROUND SOME GOOD QUALITY FOLKS. WELL, YEAH, BUT

CHURCH PEOPLE ARE HYPOCRITES. COME ON, IF YOU THINK THAT, THEN

YOU'RE ALREADY MESSED UP. DON'T DO THAT. COME, THERE ARE GOOD

CHURCH PEOPLE. ARE THEY PERFECT? NO. IT'S LIKE ONE GUY SAID, I

THOUGHT ALL CHRISTIANS HAD ANGEL WINGS SPROUTING OUT, AND I FOUND

OUT THEY WERE JUST SHOULDER BLADES. ALL RIGHT, HOLD YOUR

OFFERING UP REAL HIGH. THAT WAS GOOD. HOLD IT UP HIGH. SAY THIS,

SAY, LORD, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BLESSING ME. I TRUST THAT YOU

ARE A GOD WHO LOVES TO BLESS. BLESS ME TODAY. I BELIEVE ALL

THE BLESSINGS IN THE BIBLE. AND AS I GIVE THIS OFFERING TODAY, I

THANK YOU THAT ALL THE BLESSINGS CONNECTED TO IT THAT YOU WROTE

IN SCRIPTURE WILL BE A REALITY IN MY LIFE, AND I THANK YOU FOR

IT. COME ON, GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG SHOUT AS THE USHERS SERVE

YOU, AND LET'S WELCOME OUR WORSHIP TEAM.

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

(WORSHIP MUSIC)

HALLELUJAH, GIVE HIM SOME PRAISE THIS MORNING. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR

YOUR LOVE, LORD. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT SACRIFICE YOU GAVE US.

AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. WELL, BEFORE PASTOR HANK COMES UP, I GOTTA

MENTION ONE QUICK THING. I FORGOT TO MENTION IT EARLIER. I

AM, I'M PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, SO I WANT YOU ALL TO

SUPPORT IT. WE HAVE A SPECIAL IN THE CAFE THIS MORNING. PUT THE

PICTURE UP. AND I WANT YOU ALL TO GO BUY THEM. CAN YOU DO THAT

FOR ME? SO I DON'T LOOK BAD FOR ALICIA. SHE WORKS SO HARD. SHE

PUT THESE TOGETHER. I ASKED HER TO PUT THEM TOGETHER. I THOUGHT

THEY WERE CUTE. GO OUT AND GET THEM FROM THE CAFE AFTER

SERVICE. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ADORABLE. SO GO SUPPORT THEM AS

PASTOR HANK COMES. ALL RIGHT. I THINK YOU OUGHT TO GO OUT AND

GET ONE OF THOSE. AMEN. WELL, GIVE SOMEBODY AROUND YOU A

KNUCKLE TOUCH, FIST PUNCH. THAT'S GOOD. SO DID THEY MAKE

THOSE THINGS? IS THAT RIGHT? WOW, THAT'S PRETTY CREATIVE, I

LIKE THAT. THAT'S REALLY GOOD. BRENDA MADE ME LAMB STEW FOR

PASSOVER, MAN. SHE'S A FANTASTIC COOK, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY

GOOD. AND EVEN HAD IT, IT WAS SO GOOD, I HAD IT TWICE FOR

LEFTOVERS. SO, AND TALKING ABOUT PASTOR BRENDA, YOU KNOW, JESUS

2,000 YEARS AGO, OVER 2,000 YEARS AGO, ROLLED AWAY THE

STONE. 37 YEARS AGO, I PRESENTED THE STONE.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

AMEN, I DID, YOU LIKE THAT? YEAH, SO 37 YEARS AGO, ON

RESURRECTION SUNDAY, I PROPOSED TO MY LADY. AND I WAS DRESSED

LIKE JESUS. NOW, LET ME JUST SAY THIS, I DIDN'T GO OUT AND GET A

JESUS EASTER COSTUME SO I COULD PROPOSE TO HER, I WAS PLAYING

JESUS IN A EASTER DRAMA. BILL, YOU REMEMBER THAT, YEAH. AND

MATTHEW, YOU LOOKED A LOT LIKE HOW I DID WHEN I PORTRAYED

JESUS. SO, BUT ANYWAY, IN FACT, WHEN I MET JIM CAVIEZEL, I TOLD

HIM, I SAID, WELL, JIM, SORRY THAT YOU HAVE COMPETITION.

YOU'RE ALL LAUGHING, I WASN'T. NO, NO, I'M MESSING. I HAD A

FAKE BEARD 'CAUSE I CAN'T GROW A BEARD. EVERY TIME I'D TALK, THE

DISCIPLES WOULD LAUGH 'CAUSE IT'D GO LIKE THIS. 'CAUSE THE

GLUE WOULD SEPARATE FROM MY NERVOUS SWEAT. SO ANYWAY, BOB,

YOU AND TASHA WERE THERE. AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SO AFTER THE

RESURRECTION PLAY AND EVERYTHING, I TOLD BRENDA, I

SAID, "MEET ME IN THE UPPER ROOM." AND I SAID, "THEN WE'LL

GO TO YOUR PARENTS FOR LUNCH." SHE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS COMING

AND WHAT WAS ABOUT TO ENTER INTO THE UPPER ROOM. AND JUST LIKE

JESUS, I WALKED IN LIKE THIS. SHE LOOKED AT ME, AND I KNELT

DOWN, AND I ASKED HER TO MARRY ME. AND YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAID?

"I WILL FOR THE ROCK." NO, SHE DIDN'T, SHE DIDN'T. NO, SHE SAID

YES, AND OUR FIRST RINGS WERE $99 AT SERVICE MERCHANDISE. IT

WAS SO LITTLE, YOU COULDN'T EVEN SEE IT. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR

SAYING YES. IT'S BEEN A GREAT 37 YEARS, BUT ANYWAY. SO, YEAH, I

FIGURED IT THIS WAY. HOW CAN YOU TURN SOMEBODY DOWN WHO LOOKED

AND ACTED LIKE JESUS, ESPECIALLY WITH MARRIAGE, I MEAN... I MEAN,

I JUST FEEL LIKE AS I'M SITTING HERE, Y'ALL ARE JUST LIKE, HUH?

OKAY, NEVER MIND. MUST BE THE DAY. BUT I JUST WANTED TO HONOR

GOD AND HONOR THAT. ALL RIGHT, I WANT YOU TO OPEN YOUR BIBLES,

PLEASE, TO, WE'LL GO TO MARK CHAPTER, LET'S GO TO MARK

Mark 15:37

CHAPTER 15, VERSE 37. WE'LL START THERE. AND THANK YOU FOR

BEING HERE TODAY. AND THIS IS A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE BECAUSE

HE'S ALIVE, AMEN? NOW, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING TODAY AS

YOU'RE OPENING YOUR BIBLE, WE MENTIONED EARLIER, IS THERE

SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU'RE WAITING FOR? IS THERE

SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU HAVE MAYBE GIVEN UP ON? MAYBE

YOU FELT HOPELESS OR YOU FEEL HOPELESS ABOUT IT. YOU'RE LIKE,

YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TIRED OF WAITING. IS THAT THING EVER

GONNA HAPPEN? SOMETIMES, AND WE'RE GONNA FIND IN THIS MESSAGE

TODAY THAT WHEN WE ARE IN A SEASON OF WAITING OR WE'RE

WAITING FOR SOMETHING, THAT WE TOO CAN DOUBT. WE TOO CAN STOP

BELIEVING IN THE MIRACULOUS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND IN

THE STORIES THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, THE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.

BUT I WANT US TO LOOK AT MARK CHAPTER 15, VERSE 37. I WANNA

Mark 15:37

BRING US BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE RESURRECTION. AND

JESUS CRIED, VERSE 37, WITH A LOUD VOICE, AND HE SAID, "IT IS

FINISHED," AND GAVE UP THE GHOST. AND THE VEIL OF THE

TEMPLE WAS RENT IN TWO, FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM. AND WHEN THE

CENTURION WHICH STOOD OVER AGAINST HIM SAW THAT, HE CRIED

OUT AND GAVE UP THE GHOST. HE SAID, "TRULY THIS MAN WAS THE

SON OF GOD." POWERFUL. ALL RIGHT, I WANT YOU JUST TO COME

DOWN TO VERSE 46. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE, WHICH IS

ALL GOOD. YOU COULD READ IT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE

VERSES THAT I'M SKIPPING THROUGH, THAT THEY CAME TO

PILATE ASKING, REQUESTING FOR THE BODY OF JESUS. NOW LOOK AT

VERSE 46, "AND SO THEY BOUGHT FINE LINEN AND TOOK HIM DOWN AND

WRAPPED JESUS IN THE LINEN AND THEY LAID HIM IN THE SEPULCHER

WHICH WAS CARVED OUT OF A ROCK AND ROLLED A STONE UPON THE DOOR

OF THAT GRAVE. AND MARY MAGDALENE AND MARY THE MOTHER OF

HOSEA, BEHOLD WHERE HE WAS LAID. SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT

HAPPENED NOW. JESUS DIED, HE SAID TO GOD AND SPOKE IT OUT,

"IT IS FINISHED." THEY WENT AND THEY GATHERED THE BODY OF JESUS

THAT HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED ON THE CROSS AND NOW THEY HAD LAID IT

IN A TOMB. THERE WAS A WAITING PERIOD. IT WAS FROM FRIDAY, GOOD

FRIDAY, ALL THE WAY TO THAT SUNDAY MORNING. THERE WAS A

WAITING PERIOD. THERE WAS A MOMENT OF, DID HE REALLY SAY HE

WAS GONNA RISE AGAIN? YOU'RE GONNA FIND THAT THAT'S WHAT SOME

OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID. YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT JESUS TOLD HIS

DISCIPLES WHERE TO MEET HIM AND THEY WEREN'T THERE. THEY WERE 15

MILES OFF COURSE. YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT THERE ARE THOSE THAT

BEGAN TO QUESTION, WELL, WAS IT REALLY TRUE? BECAUSE OF THE

WAITING PERIOD THAT HAPPENED FROM THE TIME THAT THEY TOOK HIM

OFF THE CROSS, PUT HIM IN THE GRAVE TILL THE TIME, I'M GONNA

READ YOU THE NEXT PASSAGE. LOOK AT MATTHEW CHAPTER 28, VERSES 2

Matthew 28:2–6

THROUGH 6. "THREE DAYS, THREE NIGHTS, BEHOLD, "THERE WAS A

GREAT EARTHQUAKE. "FOR THE ANGEL OF THE LORD DESCENDED FROM

HEAVEN "AND CAME AND ROLLED BACK THE STONE FROM THE DOOR "AND SAT

ON IT." NOW YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE

WATCHING TODAY, LITERALLY THERE IS ONE VERSION OF THIS AND THE

LITERAL TRANSLATION IS THE STONE WASN'T JUST ROLLED BACK. ONE

TRANSLATION SAYS THAT IT WAS BACK UP ON THE HILL. IT WAS SUCH

THE BLAST OF NUCLEAR POWER. HE DIDN'T JUST ROLL AWAY THE STONE.

IT'S LIKE IF YOU WOULD SHAKE UP, I GUESS YOU'VE SEEN LIKE WITH

CHAMPAGNE, IF YOU SHAKE IT UP, YOU'VE SEEN THAT ON LIKE

COMMERCIALS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND YOU POP THE CORK, EXCEPT

THIS WAS AT A WHOLE ‘NOTHER LEVEL. THE STONE WASN'T JUST

ROLLED BACK, IT WAS LIKE NUCLEAR ENERGY. IT BLASTED OFF AND WAS

PUT BACK ON TOP OF THE HILL. NOW THAT ROCK WAS SEVERAL TONS. YOU

CAN IMAGINE THE SIGN AND THE WONDER. THEY FORMULATED A LIE,

THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, THAT THE DISCIPLES LIED ABOUT THE

WHOLE THING, THE BODY WAS STOLEN, THEY MADE THIS WHOLE

THING UP, BUT HERE'S WHAT THEY COULD NOT DENY. THEY ALL KNEW

WHAT I JUST READ YOU, THAT THAT STONE WAS PUT IN FRONT OF THE

GRAVE. THEY ALL KNEW THAT IT WAS SEALED, AND THEY ALL KNEW THAT

PILATE, UNDER THE ORDERS OF THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT, HAD PUT THAT

STONE IN PLACE WITH A BUNCH OF ROMAN SOLDIERS, THEY SAY TWO TO

400 OF THEM. AND LET ME SAY THIS, THEY ALSO WERE UNDER SUCH

ORDERS THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, IT'S YOUR LIFE NOW. SO THEY

WERE, THESE SOLDIERS WEREN'T PART OF A LIE. BUT NOBODY COULD

DENY, GO BACK TO THAT VERSE, MATTHEW 28, WHAT HAPPENED, THOSE

OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING AS WELL AS THOSE IN THIS ROOM, THAT THE

POWER OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST WAS SO GREAT THAT THIS MASSIVE

TON ROCK, BOULDER, HAD BLASTED OFF OF THE GRAVE DOOR AND NOW

WAS BACK UP ON THE HILL. THAT IS POWERFUL. KEEP READING, WATCH

WHAT HAPPENS. VERSE THREE, "AND HIS COUNTENANCE, HIS ANGEL, "WAS

LIKE LIGHTNING, AND HIS RAIMENT WAS WHITE AS SNOW. "AND FOR FEAR

OF HIM, THE SOLDIERS BEGAN TO SHAKE, "AND BECAME AS DEAD MEN."

THEY FELL UNDER THE POWER OF GOD. LOOK AT VERSE FIVE. "AND

THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE WOMAN," WHO'S THERE, "FEAR

NOT, FOR I KNOW THAT YOU SEEK JESUS, "WHICH WAS CRUCIFIED."

YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR HIM. HE'S NOT HERE. SOMETIMES WHEN

WE'RE WAITING, WHAT'S THE THING THAT WE DO? WE START DOUBTING.

"FOR HE IS RISEN, AS HE HAD SAID." SOMETIMES WHEN IT COMES

TO WAITING, WE FORGET SOMETIMES WHAT WE'RE WAITING FOR.

SOMETIMES WE FORGET REALLY WHAT THE PROMISE WAS THAT WE WERE

STANDING ON. WE FORGET ABOUT THE PRAYERS THAT WE PRAYED THAT GOD

DID IN FACT HEAR. BUT THE ANGEL SAID, HE SAID HE WOULD RISE

AGAIN. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WAITING. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT

THIS, BECAUSE THERE IS A WAITING PERIOD. ALL OF THESE EVENTS HAD

TO DO WITH WAITING. HOPE WAS AND SEEMED DELAYED. WAITING BECAME

SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY FOR SOME, IT WAS A SENSE OF

EMPTINESS, IT WAS A SENSE OF PAIN, IT WAS A SENSE OF

HOPELESSNESS. MAYBE THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE AT TODAY AND YOU THAT ARE

AROUND THE WORLD WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, I'M JUST TIRED OF WAITING.

I'M TIRED OF BELIEVING FOR SOMETHING THAT IT SEEMS LIKE IS

NOT HERE. BUT HERE'S THE THING, SOMETIMES IN WAITING, WE HAVE TO

BE VERY WISE ABOUT SOMETHING. WHERE WE TAKE THE FOCUS AND WE

PUT IT ON OURSELVES RATHER THAN ON THE THING THAT WE'RE WAITING

FOR. I REMEMBER MANY YEARS WAITING FOR THIS. I HAD PROMISE

AFTER PROMISE AFTER PROMISE, PROPHECY AFTER PROPHECY. I WOULD

SEE, AND I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WAS TRYING TO SHOW ME,

THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENT CHURCH. I WOULD SEE MYSELF IN A

DIFFERENT CONGREGATIONAL STRUCTURE THAN WHAT WE WERE IN.

BUT I KEPT LOOKING AT THE MOMENT AND MY WAITING THAT I LOST

GLIMPSE OF THIS, THE PROMISE. MANY TIMES, AND I GOT

DISCOURAGED. I STARTED THINKING THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH

ME AS A PASTOR. I THOUGHT I WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. THERE WAS

TIMES THAT I WOULD PREACH A MESSAGE AND THINK, BRENDA, I AM

JUST A TERRIBLE PREACHER. SHE'D SAY, NO, THAT WAS A GREAT, I

SAID, NO, IF I WAS A BETTER PREACHER, PEOPLE WOULD COME.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, AROUND THE WORLD, STADIUMS STARTED OPENING,

BIG ARENAS, AND I WAS PREACHING IN THOSE, AND I THOUGHT, WELL,

EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS THAT I'M AN OKAY PREACHER, BUT MY OWN

TOWN. I GOT TIRED OF WAITING. GOT TIRED OF WAITING. COME ON,

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THERE BEFORE? I GOT TIRED OF WAITING. I DIDN'T

BELIEVE IT ANYMORE. THERE'S TIMES I DOUBTED IT, GOT MAD, GOT

UPSET. THERE'S TIMES I WENT TO GOD AND I SAID, "GOD, I'M NOT

EVEN GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT ANYMORE "BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU

AND I AREN'T CONNECTING ON THIS." SO I LEAVE IT IN YOUR

HANDS. I REMEMBER MY CHILDREN'S BOOKS. I PUT THAT THING ON THE

SHELF FOR 20 YEARS. SAID, "I CREATED ALL OF THIS, GOD, FOR

YOU, FOR KIDS, FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDREN, AND WHAT GOOD IS IT IF

THEY'RE JUST SITTING IN A BUNCH OF BOXES, THE FIRST EDITIONS?" I

GUESS MAYBE I MISSED IT, GOD. AND I SHOVED 'EM AWAY, PUT 'EM

IN BOXES, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL I MET NORRIS HALL, OUR

ILLUSTRATOR, THAT GOD SAID, "IT'S TIME." BUT IN ALL THOSE

YEARS, I WAS READY TO JUST WALK AWAY FROM IT ALL. YOU GETTING A

LITTLE BITTER? WELL, GOD'S SPONGEBOB SEEMS TO, YOU LIKE HIM

BETTER THAN ME. OH NO, I PRAYED THAT PRAYER. I GUESS YOU DON'T

CARE THAT THERE'S NASTY CARTOONS OUT THERE AND I'M TRYING TO GIVE

GOOD STUFF. YES, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO YOU, GOD. NOW, YOU

KNOW HOW STUPID THAT IS, OKAY? AND I KNOW GOD WELL ENOUGH. AND

HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND PROBABLY SMILED AND

THOUGHT, YOU ARE A SNOTTY LITTLE BOY.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

BUT HE LOVES ME ENOUGH TO PUT UP WITH THAT, RIGHT? LOOK AT WHAT

PROVERBS 13, VERSE 22 SAYS. THIS MIGHT BE WHERE SOME OF YOU ARE

Proverbs 13:22

AT TODAY. BUT HERE'S THE PROMISE OF WHY WE CELEBRATE TODAY. WE

CELEBRATE A RISEN CHRIST, WHO EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THREE DAYS

AND THREE NIGHTS, AS HE SAID, AND THERE WAS A WAITING PERIOD,

SOMETHING POWERFUL EMERGED. COME ON, FOLKS, LOOK AT THIS CHURCH.

SOME OF YOU, YOU NEED TO COME, WATCH US, AND SEE WHAT YOU AND

GOD TOGETHER, NOT IN THAT ORDER, BUT GOD IN YOU. SOMETHING

POWERFUL EMERGED, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A PASTOR AT TIMES THAT

GOT FRUSTRATED, GOT DISCOURAGED, GOT UPSET, STARTED BLAMING

HIMSELF, STARTED LISTENING TO, WATCH THIS, I EVEN STARTED

LISTENING TO THOSE THAT HATED ME. THEY USED TO CALL ME PASTOR.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S ALWAYS GOOD

SELF-EXAMINATION. SOMETIMES YOUR CRITICS ARE GOOD 'CAUSE IT KINDA

HELPS YOU EXAMINE YOURSELF SO THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE

WALKING IN A LEVEL OF HONOR BEFORE GOD AND THE PEOPLE THAT

YOU ARE CALLED TO. RIGHT? SO YOU HAVE TO WATCH VOICES, BUT IT

SAYS, "A GOOD MAN," NO, THAT'S NOT IT. 13:12, DID I SAY 22? IT

LOOKED LIKE A 2 WITHOUT MY GLASSES. SO THERE YOU GO. "HOPE

DELAYED MAKES THE HEART SICK." COME ON, WHEN SOMETHING THAT

YOU'RE WAITING FOR, YOU CAN SEE THAT WITH MARY MAGDALENE, YOU

CAN SEE THAT WITH THE DISCIPLES. THEY DID NOT LIKE THE THREE

DAYS, FROM GOOD FRIDAY TO SUNDAY, THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.

THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE TIMEFRAME. THEY BEGAN TO GET SICK IN THEIR

HEART. THEY BEGAN TO GET DISCOURAGED. THEY BEGAN TO QUIT.

THEY BEGAN TO GIVE UP. AND IT SAYS, "HOPE DELAYED, IT'LL MAKE

YOUR HEART SICK." YOU GOTTA WATCH IT, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW

SOME PEOPLE'S HEARTS GET SICK? IS YOU GET NASTY, YOU GET MEAN,

YOU GET BITTER. YOU GET CRITICAL, YOU QUIT, YOU GIVE UP.

NOBODY CAN TALK TO YOU. YOU STOP BEING ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS

BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE MAD AT GOD, YOU'RE MAD BECAUSE YOU'RE

WAITING, AND YOU'RE MAD AT LIFE. IT AFFECTS YOUR HEART, YOU'VE

GOT TO BE CAREFUL. THANK GOD IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE YEARS THAT

I WAITED FOR THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPHESIED TO ME THAT

YOU APPRECIATE IT, YOU'RE SEEING THE FRUIT OF IT. BUT LISTEN, THE

JOURNEY, THE WAIT TO GET HERE, THAT WE ARE ENJOYING THE FRUIT

OF THIS VESSEL'S LIFE. THANK GOD IN ALL OF IT, AS STUPID AS I WAS

SOMETIMES, I KEPT MY HEART RIGHT. BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD WANT

A BITTER PASTOR. NOBODY WOULD WANT A PASTOR THAT WALKED AROUND

ANGRY AND BITTER AND MAD AND, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT. YOU'RE THE

REASON THAT MY CHURCH WAS THE UGLIEST CHURCH IN TOWN. YOU EVER

BEEN THERE? AM I THE ONLY ONE? LORD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME

THIS MESSAGE SO I CAN PREACH IT FOR MYSELF. NOW, BUT HERE'S THE

THING, JUST LIKE THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, SOMETHING POWERFUL

WAS ABOUT TO EMERGE. A STONE THAT WAS SEVERAL TONS IN ITS

WEIGHT WAS BLASTED. COME ON, WHAT IS READY TO BLAST OPEN FOR

YOU? THAT'S WHAT THE RESURRECTION IS ABOUT. YOUR

WAITING IS NOT IN VAIN. SOMETHING OF GOD AND THE

SUPERNATURAL POWER OF GOD IS ABOUT TO BRING SOMETHING TO

MANIFESTATION IN YOUR LIFE, THIS NATION, THE EARTH.

(CONGREGATION APPLAUDING)

HOPE DELAYED, IT MAKES YOUR HEART SICK, BUT WHEN

IT FINALLY HAPPENS, IT'S ABOUT TO BUST OPEN.

PSALM 37, VERSE 7, THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT MANY TIMES WHERE

Psalms 37:7

PEOPLE HAD TO WAIT, TELLS US THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT. I TOLD YOU

ABOUT SHILOH, THE LAST WORD I HEARD, I SAID, "GOD, HE KEPT

POKING AT ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT "I WOULD TURN OVER AND

I KNEW IT, I SAID, "GOD, QUIT POKING ON ME LIKE THE PILLSBURY

DOUGHBOY." I TOLD HIM THAT. I SAID, "I HATE THAT WORD." HE

SAID, "WAIT." I SAID, "LORD, I'LL WAIT AS LONG AS YOU LET

SOMETHING POWERFUL EMERGE." AND I KEPT ROLLING OVER. HE SAID,

"WAIT." I SAID, "LORD, I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD." SOMETHING

POWERFUL IS ABOUT TO EMERGE. WE WILL HAVE OUR SHILOH. YOU WATCH.

NOW, HERE'S WHAT'S AMAZING. REST IN THE LORD. OH, THAT'S THE

HARDEST ONE. NO, WE'RE GONNA BE LIKE THE DISCIPLES. WE'RE GONNA

LOCK THE DOORS AND SHUT OURSELVES IN AND QUIT GOING TO

CHURCH. THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. WE'RE GONNA SHUT PEOPLE OFF. NO,

REST IN THE LORD. REST IN THE LORD. NOW, I MUST SAY WITH THE

CHURCH, AS MUCH AS I GAVE YOU THIS STORY, AND EVEN MY

CHILDREN'S BOOKS, CAN I TELL YOU ONE THING THAT I DID FINALLY DO

IN KEEPING MY HEART RIGHT IS I WENT FROM STINKING THINKING,

STINKING ATTITUDES TO HONESTLY, BRENDA KNOWS, I CAME TO A PLACE

OF FAITH. I CAME TO A PLACE OF REST. I SAID, GOD, I AM NO

LONGER BEING CRITICAL OF YOU AND YOUR WAYS. I'M RESTING IN THE

FACT THAT I HAVE PRAYED, I LIVE HONORABLY, I SERVE YOU WITH MY

WHOLE HEART, I LOVE YOU LIKE EVERYTHING INSIDE OF ME. AND I'M

RESTING IN THE FACT THAT YOU SAID IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN, IT'S

YOUR JOB TO BRING IT TO PASS. AND THAT'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS,

CAST YOUR CARES, THROW IT OVER YOUR SHOULDER AND QUIT TRYING TO

FISH IT BACK LIKE FISHERMEN. THROW IT OVER YOUR SHOULDER, NOT

IN FRONT OF YOU. BUT I CAN TELL YOU ONE THING I KNOW, I'M NOT

SAYING I'M THE GREATEST THING, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I REMEMBER

OVER THIS CHURCH, OVER MY LIFE, OVER THE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, I

MEAN, WE'RE GETTING READY TO ROLL OUT FOUR NEW ANIMATION

VIDEOS. I'M WORKING ON NINE MORE STORIES. THE PUBLISHER'S GOING

CRAZY, GOING, "WE WANNA CONTRACT YOU FOR ALL OF THEM "'CAUSE

THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS." AND I'M PUTTING THEM ALL IN STORIES. AND

THANK GOD, GOD BROUGHT ME SOMEBODY, GOT ME A GREAT

ILLUSTRATOR, BROUGHT ME COREY EDWARDS WHO WRITES, USED TO

WRITE FOR VEGGIETALES, AND HE LAUGHS AT ALL MY STUFF. HE

SPENDS HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH ME, AND I TELL HIM IDEAS, I TELL

HIM HOW I WANT THE OUTLINES, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT

CAN HELP PUT THE THINGS TOGETHER, AND THEN I HELP PUT

THE DIALOGUE IN, AND THE STORIES GO QUICKER. I WOULD HAVE NEVER

IMAGINED THAT GOD WOULD HAVE DONE THIS. BUT YOU HAVE TO REST

IN THE LORD, AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM. OH, WE DON'T LIKE THAT

WORD, WAIT PATIENTLY. DON'T FRET. AS ANOTHER THING, WHAT DID

THE DISCIPLES DO? THEY FRETTED, GOT INTO FEAR. ALL RIGHT, LET'S

GO ON. LET'S LOOK AT SOME EXAMPLES. NOW IN THE BIBLE,

ABRAHAM HAD TO WAIT 25 YEARS FOR A SON. WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

JACOB WAITED 14 YEARS BEFORE HE COULD MARRY HIS TRUE BELOVED.

SOME OF YOU THAT ARE WAITING FOR YOUR SPOUSE, "I'M JUST GONNA

LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE SINGLE." WOMAN, YOU'RE ONLY 26.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

JOSEPH WAITED 13 YEARS BEFORE HE WAS FINALLY VINDICATED. JESUS

HAD TO WAIT 30 YEARS, AND THEN ONLY TO SERVE THREE AND A HALF

YEARS OF MINISTRY AND TO GET CRUCIFIED ON A CROSS FOR IT.

LET'S GO TO MARK 14. LET'S GO BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION. LET'S GO

TO THE GARDEN. I WANNA TEACH YOU SOME PRINCIPLES. LOOK AT MARK

Mark 14:32

14, VERSE 32 AND 33. SO NOW JESUS, BEFORE HE GOES TO THIS

CROSS RIGHT HERE, HE GOES TO A GARDEN. AND JESUS IS SO AT A

PLACE WHERE HE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL THE DISCIPLES, ALL OF

HIS FOLLOWERS, AND EVEN HIMSELF, IT WOULD BE WORTH THE WAIT. BUT

HE SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, HE SAID, "HEY," COMES TO THE PLACE

NAMED GETHSEMANE, SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, "SIT HERE AND I'M

GONNA PRAY." NOW LOOK AT WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE 33. HE SAYS,

"WOW." HE TAKES WITH HIM PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. NOW, YOU HAVE

TO UNDERSTAND, GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS VERSE. HE TELLS HIS

DISCIPLES, HE TOLD HIS OTHER EIGHT, 'CAUSE THERE WERE 11

DISCIPLES AT THAT POINT. THERE USED TO BE 12, BUT WE KNOW WHAT

HAPPENED TO JUDAS. HE BETRAYED JESUS, RIGHT? HE WAS OFF GETTING

READY TO BETRAY HIM. SO THERE WAS ONLY 11 DISCIPLES. JUDAS WAS

GOING OFF ON HIS BUSINESS TO GET READY TO MEET JESUS IN THE

GARDEN WITH THE SOLDIERS TO ARREST HIM. SO THERE WERE ONLY

11. SO IMAGINE EIGHT. HE'S SAYING RIGHT THERE IN VERSE 32,

YOU NEED TO WAIT OVER HERE. AND THEN NOW LOOK AT VERSE 33. HE

TAKES OUT OF THAT 11, 3, PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN. AND HE TELLS

THEM TO COME PRAY WITH HIM AND HE TELLS THE OTHERS TO WAIT AND

HE TELLS THESE THREE TO ALSO PRAY AND WAIT. NOW, LET'S GO

BACK TO VERSE 32. CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING THOSE EIGHT? I

DON'T KNOW, WHAT WERE THEIR NAMES? BARTHOLOMEW AND MATTHEW

AND ALL THAT. OKAY, THEY'RE HAVING TO WAIT AND THEY SEE HIM

TAKE THREE AND THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING, WHAT? WE'RE SUPPOSED TO

WAIT? WHAT DID WE DO WRONG? OH, STOP RIGHT THERE. WHAT HAPPENS?

I TOLD YOU MY STORY. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? IT WAS NOT WHAT I

WAS DOING WRONG THAT I HAD THE UGLIEST CHURCH IN TOWN, OR THAT

MY CHILDREN'S BOOKS WERE SITTING ON A SHELF FOR 20 YEARS. IT WAS

WHAT I WAS DOING RIGHT THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE MY

EYES WERE ON OTHERS. OTHER CHURCHES, COME ON, CAN I TELL

YOU? I REMEMBER ONE SUNDAY, I SAID TO BRENDA, RESURRECTION

SUNDAY IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA, IN THAT SEASON, I SAID, BRENDA, I

WANT YOU, LET'S JUST TAKE SEPARATE CARS TODAY. SHE SAID,

"WHY?" I SAID, "I JUST WANNA GO BY OTHER CHURCHES BEFORE OURS

"AND I WANNA SEE IF THEIR PARKING LOTS ARE FULL "'CAUSE

OURS NEVER ARE." OUR RESURRECTION SERVICES WERE

SOMETIMES THE LEAST ATTENDED SERVICES. AND YET EVERY PASTOR

THAT I KNEW IN TOWN, "OH MY GOODNESS, WE HAD A QUINTUPLE AND

WE HAD 70 PEOPLE COME TO THE ALTAR. "WHAT'D YOU HAVE, HANK?"

"I DON'T EVEN THINK I HAD 70 PEOPLE IN THE SERVICE."

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

AND MY EYES WERE ON OTHER CHURCHES, OTHER PASTORS. AND I

CAME AND I WAS DRIVING BY AND THERE WERE SOME BIG CHURCHES.

AND I DROVE BY AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD SAID TO ME, HE SAID, "WHAT

ARE YOU DOING?" "I'M LOOKING AT OTHER CHURCHES," 'CAUSE I HAD AN

ATTITUDE. I SAID, "I'M LOOKING AT OTHER CHURCHES "BECAUSE THEY

ALWAYS HAVE A PACKED EASTER SERVICE "AND I DON'T." THAT'S

WHAT I SAID TO HIM. HE SAID, "WELL, CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING?

"MANY OF YOUR PEOPLE ARE IN THOSE CHURCHES." I SAID, "WHAT?"

HE SAID, "YES. "MANY OF THOSE THAT HAVE CALLED YOU "TO BE

THEIR PASTOR IN THOSE." I SAID, "LORD, I'M NOT TRYING TO PULL

ANYBODY FROM A CHURCH." HE SAID, "NO, BUT I AM, AND I WILL,

"BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT "AND WHAT IS

HONORABLE." HE SAID, "IT WILL COME IN A DAY." NOW, I'M NOT

HERE TO CRITICIZE ANY OTHER CHURCHES, ANY OTHER PASTORS, BUT

THERE IS A POINT WHERE GOD DID CALL OUT PASTORS IN THE BIBLE

'CAUSE SOME OF THEM WEREN'T DOING WHAT HE HAD CALLED THEM TO

DO, AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR TRUE PASTORS THAT WOULD HAVE HIS

HEART. AND SO NOW, JUST LIKE THOSE EIGHT, WE GO, "WELL, THAT

DUDE'S UGLY, "AND HOW COME HE GOT THAT GOOD-LOOKING GIRL TO

MARRY? "I'M BETTER LOOKING THAN THAT GUY, AND HE'S MARRIED. "I'M

BETTER LOOKING THAN HER, AND SHE'S MARRIED. "I TITHE AND GIVE

OFFERINGS, "AND HOW COME HE'S DRIVING IN

TO THE PARKING LOT WITH THE MERCEDES?"

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT? WHAT WERE THE EIGHT THINKING? I MEAN,

THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING, PETER, YOU'RE AN IDIOT. YOU ALWAYS

MOUTH OFF AND SAY THE WRONG THINGS. JESUS CALLED YOU SATAN,

AND YOU GET TO GO WITH HIM? WHAT UP? AND THOSE EIGHT WERE

PROBABLY SITTING OVER THERE, "MAN, I'M GONNA KNOCK PETER

UPSIDE HIS HEAD. "HE GETS TO SPEND TIME WITH JESUS, "AND I

GOTTA SIT OVER HERE FOR WHAT?" OKAY, I DISTRIBUTED MORE BREAD

TO THE 5,000 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. I'M THE BETTER USHER

THAN PETER. YOU KNOW WHAT PETER KEPT DOING? PETER KEPT CLEANING

HIS NAILS WITH HIS FISHING KNIFE. YEAH, WE GET OUR EYES ON

OTHER PEOPLE. NOW LET'S GO TO THE THREE. SO NOW THE THREE

LUNKHEADS, PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN, AND I COULD JUST SEE, AND

I KNOW ME, IF I WAS ONE OF THOSE PETER, JAMES, AND HANK, I'D BE

LIKE LOOKING AT THE EGG GOING, SORRY, YOU'RE LOST.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

AND I'D BE DOING MY BEST STRUT MOVE. AND THEN JESUS LOOKED AT

ME, I'D BE LIKE, WE'RE HERE TO PRAY, WE'RE HERE TO PRAY. RIGHT?

YOU EVER LOOKED AT IT THAT WAY? I DID. BUT NOW, HERE'S THE

THING, LOOK AT WHAT JESUS TELLS THEM. "THEY FALL ASLEEP." LOOK

AT VERSE 38, HE COMES BACK AND HE REBUKES THEM BECAUSE HERE'S

WHAT HAPPENS IN WAITING. IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, THREE THINGS

CAN HAPPEN IN OUR WAITING PERIOD. WE GET STRESSED. JESUS

SAID IT, "MY SOUL IS VEXED." WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT YOU

DON'T GET YOUR HEART, YOUR SOUL, YOUR MIND, YOUR WILL SICK,

STRESSED IN YOUR WAITING. HERE'S ANOTHER THING. YOU GET TIRED, HE

COMES BACK AND HE SAYS, "HEY MAN, YOU ALL SLEEPING?" YEAH, I

KNOW PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED OF WAITING FOR SOMETHING

IN THEIR LIFE. GUESS WHAT? THEY WALK AROUND LIKE THEY'RE TIRED

ALL THE TIME. 'CAUSE THAT'S HOW WE COPE. NOW, BRENDA AND I ARE

DIFFERENT. SOMETIMES WHEN I'M WAITING FOR SOMEONE, I'M LIKE,

"BRENDA, I JUST WANNA GO TAKE A NAP." WHEN I DON'T WANNA DEAL

WITH SOMETHING, SOMETIMES I'M LIKE, "BRENDA, I JUST NEED TO

TAKE A NAP." I'M JUST LIKE THAT. I TAKE A NAP EVERY SUNDAY, BUT

THAT'S NOT WHY, 'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS DEALING WITH SOMETHING. I

JUST LIKE MY SUNDAY NAPS. BUT HERE'S THE OTHER THING. HERE'S

THE ONE YOU HAVE TO REALLY WATCH. LOOK AT VERSE 38. THIS IS

INTERESTING. IN YOUR TIME OF WAITING, JESUS SAID, YOU NEED TO

WAIT AND PRAY. SOMETIMES WE DON'T MIX PRAYER WITH OUR

WAITING SEASON, BUT WE SURE MIX IT WITH A LOT OF WORDS. THE

PROBLEM IS THEY'RE THE WRONG WORDS. AND WE KNOW THAT PROVERBS

6 SAYS, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING AS WELL, WE BECOME

SNARED, TRAPPED BY OUR WORDS. GOD MOVES BY WORDS, THAT'S HOW

HE FRAMED THE WORLD AND CREATED IT, BUT SO DOES THE DEVIL.

THAT'S HOW HE CREATES, HE DOESN'T CREATE, BUT IT'S HOW HE

FRAMES A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN YOUR WORLD. BY YOUR WORDS THAT YOU

CHOOSE TO SPEAK IN YOUR TIME OF WAITING. BUT HERE'S WHAT

HAPPENS. HE SAID THE SPIRIT IS READY. IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS IS

TELLING THEM, I KNOW YOU'RE WAITING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? KEEP

YOUR SPIRIT READY. YOU KNOW WHY? 'CAUSE SOMETHING POWERFUL IS

ABOUT TO EMERGE. KEEP IN THE GAME. WITH MY CHILDREN'S BOOKS,

YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN I PUT THEM ON 20 YEARS, I ALMOST SIGNED A

DEAL. I HAD NEVER SEEN SO MANY ZEROS BEHIND ONE NUMBER ONE IN

ALL MY LIFE. AND THEY HAD ALL THE HIGH-POWERED LAWYERS THERE,

AND THEY WANTED ALL MY CHARACTERS AND STUFF, AND I'LL

NEVER FORGET IT. I WOKE UP, I WAS SO EXCITED. I SAID, "GOD,

TODAY WE ARE GONNA TAKE "THESE CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO THE WORLD.

"WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANIMATION AND TOYS," 'CAUSE THAT'S ALL THAT

THEY WERE PROMISING, THESE ATTORNEYS AND EVERYTHING. AND

THEY WROTE OUT A CHECK OF THEIR INVESTMENT, NOT TO ME, BUT FOR

THE PROJECT. ONE WITH A LOT OF ZEROS, A LOT OF ZEROS, AND IT

WAS MORE THAN $100,000 IF YOU WANNA KNOW. LIKE, A LOT OF

MONEY. AND THE LORD SAID TO ME, HE SAID, DISASSOCIATE,

DISASSEMBLE, AND PULL AWAY FROM THE TABLE AND DO NOT SIGN. I

LOOKED UP AT HIM AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

YOU EVER DONE THAT TO GOD IN YOUR WAITING? THERE'S A SHOW

THAT USED TO BE CALLED FATHER KNOWS BEST. WELL, OUR FATHER

KNOWS BEST, BUT HOW COME IT IS THAT WE ACT LIKE IN OUR SEASON

OF WAITING THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S BEST? WE HAVE THE BETTER CHOICE

OF A SPOUSE THAN GOD. WE HAVE A BETTER CHOICE OF A VEHICLE THAN

WHAT GOD WOULD CHOOSE, OR A JOB, OR A HOUSE, OR A DREAM, RIGHT?

WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING BETTER THAN WHAT GOD HAD IN MIND.

THAT'S NOT WHAT EPHESIANS 3:20 SAYS, "GOD DOES EXCEEDINGLY

Ephesians 3:20

ABUNDANTLY "BEYOND ALL WE ASK OR THINK." THE KEY IS, GO BACK TO

VERSE 38, WATCH AND PRAY, WAIT AND PRAY. IF YOU WOULD SPEND AS

MUCH TIME PRAYING AND WORSHIPING AND HONORING THAN COMPLAINING,

GETTING MAD, NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS. THE SPIRIT IS, HE SAYS,

"DON'T ENTER INTO TEMPTATION." I KNOW PEOPLE IN THEIR WAITING

PERIOD. THEY GOT TIRED OF WAITING FOR SOMETHING. SO GUESS

WHAT THEY DID? THEY ENTERED INTO THE TEMPTATION OF TAKING THE

DEAL. I'VE WATCHED PEOPLE MARRY THE WRONG PERSON 'CAUSE THEY GOT

TIRED OF WAITING. I'VE WATCHED PEOPLE TAKE THE WRONG JOB

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LISTEN. I'VE WATCHED PEOPLE GO AND START

CHURCHES AND THEY WERE CALLED TO BE PASTORS, I TOLD THEM THAT,

BUT THEY WOULDN'T WAIT AND LET. I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER WHEN

SOMEBODY HAS TO BE ORDAINED. I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER WHEN GOD

SETS SOMEONE IN AS A PASTOR IN A CHURCH IF THE LORD HAS ME SEND

SOMEBODY OUT. BUT I'VE HAD, IN 29 YEARS, MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME

AND TELL ME THAT THEY ARE PASTORS AND THAT I DIDN'T

RECOGNIZE THEIR GIFT. AND EVERY TIME I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M

NOT DOUBTING. MANY OF THEM, I SAID, YOU'RE NOT A PASTOR. ONE

PERSON TRIED, GOT OUT, GOT MAD ONE TIME AND STARTED FIVE

DIFFERENT CHURCHES THAT NEVER SUCCEEDED IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA,

AND THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THEY HURT. SOME WERE ACTUALLY

PASTORS, BUT IF THEY WOULD HAVE JUST WAITED AND ALLOW THAT THING

TO EMERGE IN THEM, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ENTERED INTO TEMPTATION. I

KNOW PEOPLE THAT TAKE MONEY DEALS. I'VE HAD TIMES WHERE I

WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT, I

FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GONNA SIGN SOMETHING, DON'T DO IT. THE

MONEY ISN'T WORTH IT. AND THEY WOULD SIGN IT, AND THEN AT THE

END OF A YEAR, TWO YEARS, IT'S ALL GONE. 'CAUSE THEY ENTERED

INTO TEMPTATION, AND THEY DIDN'T WAIT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE

NEXT ONE. MATTHEW 26, I GOTTA MOVE FAST. LOOK AT THIS ONE. NOW

LET'S TALK ABOUT PETER. SO HE'S ONE OF THE GUYS THAT GOT TO GO

WITH JESUS. AFTER A WHILE, VERSE 73, VERSE 74, PETER, REMEMBER

JESUS TOLD HIM, YOU'RE GONNA DENY ME THREE TIMES JUST LIKE

THE ROOSTER WHEN IT CROWS. IN VERSE 75, PETER REMEMBERED WHEN

HE DENIED JESUS THREE TIMES AND HE HEARD THE COCK CROW AND HE

HEARD JESUS REMIND HIM, YOU'RE GONNA DENY ME THREE TIMES "AND

HE WENT OUT AND WEPT BITTERLY." WHY DID PETER WEEP BITTERLY?

BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO A WAITING SEASON, SOMETIMES THEY

FORGET ABOUT GOD AND WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE PROMISED. AND SO

THEY GET INTO DENIAL. COME ON, I KNOW PEOPLE. I KNOW PEOPLE. I

KNOW PEOPLE THAT GET TIRED OF WAITING IN MINISTRY AND THEY

START DENYING THAT THEY'RE CALLED. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT GET

TIRED OF WAITING IN MARRIAGE AND THEN THEY START BEING IN DENIAL

THAT THEY'RE EVER CALLED TO BE MARRIED. I KNEW A 70-YEAR-OLD

PERSON ONE TIME THAT SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I

PRAYED AND, YOU KNOW, "IT JUST NEVER HAPPENED." I KNOW PEOPLE

THAT LIVE IN THE SAME LIVING CONDITIONS AND THEY DENY, WELL,

I JUST DON'T THINK GOD WANTS ME TO HAVE ANYTHING BETTER. I'VE

TRIED, I'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED MANY TIMES. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT

ARE, MAYBE YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING TODAY AND YOU

JUST HAPPEN TO VIEW OUR CHANNEL AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'VE HAD

BAD EXPERIENCES, YOU'RE TIRED OF FINDING THE WRONG CHURCH AND THE

WRONG PASTOR AND GETTING YOUR HOPES UP, SO NOW YOU DENY THE

FACT THAT THERE COULD EVER BE A GOOD CHURCH FOR YOU. AND YOU

KNOW WHAT PETER DID? HE CUSSED. THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT

HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO WAITING. BOY, CAN THEY CUSS LIKE

A SAILOR. SORRY FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE NAVY, I'M A MARINE GUY,

BUT THAT'S OKAY. BUT, HOORAH, CRAIG, WHERE ARE YOU?

I CAN'T EVEN DO IT LIKE HIM, 'CAUSE HE'S A REAL

MARINE AND I JUST THOUGHT I WAS. BUT NOW HERE'S THE POINT. THERE

ARE THOSE, THEY GET CARNAL. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED SOMEBODY, MAN,

WHEN THEY'RE WAITING, THEY CAN'T FIND THE RIGHT JOB, MAN, THEY'RE

A PISTOL TO BE AROUND. THEY FORGET THEIR SPIRITUALITY, THEY

FORGET, JUST LIKE PETER, THEY FORGET THEY'RE JESUS. THEY

FORGET THEY'RE A CHRISTIAN. WHAT GIVES US A RIGHT WHEN WE'RE

WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO EMERGE, THAT NOW WE CAN GO CARNAL? WE

GET MAD. WE SPORT AN ATTITUDE. WE WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW. LOOK

AT MATTHEW 27, THIS WILL PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE. SO JUST BEFORE

THIS VERSE, IT SAYS, "WHEN MORNING WAS COME," MATTHEW 27,

Matthew 27:1

VERSE 1 AND 2. "WHEN THE MORNING WAS COME, ALL THE CHIEF PRIESTS

"AND THE ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE TOOK COUNSEL TO JESUS, "AGAINST

JESUS." SO NOW, MAN, HE HAD ACCUSERS, THEY WERE PUNCHING

HIM. YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MATTHEW 26, THE

CHAPTER BEFORE, THEY WERE GOING AND THEY WERE SPITTING ON HIM.

COME ON, SOME OF YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU THAT ARE WATCHING,

YOU'VE BEEN SPIT ON. YOU'RE WAITING SEASON, YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU'RE GETTING SPIT ON. YOU'RE GETTING PUNCHED, YOU'RE HAVING

TO TAKE THE PUNCHES. NOTHING'S EVER HAPPENING, PEOPLE ARE JUST

TAKING CRACKS AT YOU, LIFE IS TAKING PUNCHES AT YOU, LIFE

ISN'T FAIR. YET JESUS STOOD THERE WHILE THEY GOT TO GO,

PROBABLY A HUNDRED OF THEM, AND PUNCH HIM AS HARD AS THEY COULD,

TEAR HIS BEARD OUT, SPIT IN HIS FACE. AND NOW, MATTHEW 27, VERSE

Matthew 27:1

1 SAYS, "IN THE MORNING." WHOA, WAIT, WAIT, I WAS READING

THIS AND I IMMEDIATELY SLAMMED MY BIBLE SHUT AND I STOOD UP AND

I SAID, "YESHUA!" YESHUA. IN THE MORNING, AND IT DAWNED ON ME,

AND I LOOKED UP AT HIM AND I SAID, JESUS, THAT MEANS ALL

NIGHT AFTER BEING BEATEN, SPIT ON, YOUR BEARD PULLED OUT, YOU

WERE HAVING TO BE ALONE IN A PRISON CELL. I SAID, WHAT WAS

GOING ON IN YOUR MIND? I MEAN, YOU ALREADY HAD TO DEAL WITH

THAT IN THE GARDEN. WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR MIND, IN YOUR

ALONE MOMENT OF WAITING? AND YOU KNEW WHAT WAS GETTING READY TO

EMERGE. YOU KNEW THAT THE STONE WOULD BE ROLLED AWAY, THAT THE

FATHER WOULD SAY TO YOU, THE BELOVED, ARISE, MY LOVE. YET

JESUS, YOU WERE ALONE IN YOUR WAITING. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

WHAT KIND OF THOUGHTS DID THE DEVIL PUT IN YOUR HEAD? COME ON,

THAT IN OUR TIME OF WAITING. I'M SERIOUS, MAN, I'VE HAD TIMES

WHERE I HAD HAD TO GUARD MY HEAD BECAUSE OF THE PUNCHES THAT I

TOOK FOR STANDING FOR GOD AND A NATION, FOR STANDING FOR

CHILDREN SO THEY COULDN'T BE TRANSGENDER MUTILATED, STANDING

FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE AND GETTING HIT BY THOSE WHO LIE

THROUGH THE MEDIA. YOU GOT TO WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS. YOU GOT TO

STAY WITH THE MISSION OF WHAT YOU'RE BELIEVING FOR AND WHAT

YOU BELIEVE GOD CALLED YOU TO. LET'S GO ON. ALL RIGHT. NOW

WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. THEY'RE WAITING NOW. JESUS IS GOING TO

BE TRIED BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. REMEMBER

AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR TEXT THAT HE'S PUT IN THE GRAVE. THEY

ROLL THE STONE IN BUT NOW WE KNOW MATTHEW 28. I READ IT TO

YOU. THE STONE BOULDER WAS POPPED UP, ROLLED BACK UP ON THE

HILL. BUT NOW WATCH, WATCH WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS CLOSEST

FOLLOWERS. THIS IS OFTEN WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN SOMETHING IS

TRYING TO EMERGE IN OUR LIVES. SOMETHING WAS TRYING TO EMERGE

WITH THIS GREAT TABERNACLE. AND WATCH WHERE PEOPLE'S MINDSETS

ARE. IT'S ALMOST LIKE I'VE SAID TO GOD MANY TIMES, LORD, IF I

COULD JUST STEP INTO THE FUTURE. AND WHAT'S SO CRAZY IS IN THE

PROPHETIC MINISTRY, OFTENTIMES, COME ON, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE

HAD GOD GIVE YOU A VISION OR A DREAM PROPHETICALLY, OR TOLD YOU

SOMETHING PROPHETICALLY, AND YOU KNOW THE END FROM THE VERY

BEGINNING, YOU SEE THE FUTURE, YOU LIVE IN THE FUTURE, THAT

FUTURE IS SO REAL TO YOU. THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES WHEN I'VE

PROPHESIED THINGS IN THE EARTH, MY HEAD GOES, BLUH. BUT YET I'M

LIKE, I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE SEEN IT, I KNOW IT, I KNOW WHAT I

HEARD, I KNOW WHAT I FELT, AND I KNOW WHERE I'VE BEEN. YOU HAVE

TO REMIND YOURSELF OF THE PROMISE. RIGHT, GOD WANTS YOU

BLESSED. GOD WANTS YOU BLESSED. LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS. JOHN 20,

John 20:19

VERSE 19, JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD. YOU THINK HIS DISCIPLES

WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE OR LOOKING FOR HIM, WAITING FOR HIM? NO, IN

THEIR TIME OF WAITING, LOOK WHAT THEY DID. AND THE SAME DAY,

VERSE 19, THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK WHEN THE DOORS WERE SHUT,

ONE TRANSLATION SAYS THEY WERE LOCKED. ALL RIGHT, HERE'S THE

OTHER THING. WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE IN

OUR WAITING THAT DOORS ARE SHUT. SOMETIMES THE THING THAT WE WERE

WAITING FOR, BELIEVING FOR THAT GOT SHUT, THE DOOR, SOMETIMES

IT'S A POINT OF REFERENCE. YOU KNOW HOW MANY HOUSES IN MY YEARS

THAT I, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THEM THAT I WANTED REALLY BAD.

AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON. I REMEMBER ONE

HOUSE WHEN WE FIRST MOVED TO OMAHA, IT DIDN'T WORK OUT AND I

SAID, BRENDA, COME ON, GOD, YOU KNOW, AND I STARTED DOING THIS.

AND NOW WE LOOK BACK, WE DROVE BY THAT HOUSE SEVERAL YEARS AGO

THAT WE WERE WANTING, BELIEVING WAS OUR GOD HOUSE. AND WE'RE

LIKE, MAN, WE THANK YOU GOD. WE WOULD HAVE NEVER WANTED TO LIVE

THERE BECAUSE WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE. OUR KIDS

WOULD HAVE HAD TO DRIVE A LONG WAYS TO SCHOOL. THAT WOULDN'T

HAVE BEEN GOOD. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN LIKE

THE STYLE OF THE HOUSE 10 YEARS LATER.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

SOMETIMES GOD WILL PUT THE GRAPES IN FRONT OF YOU LIKE

JOSHUA AND CALEB DID WITH THE WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL AND GIVE

YOU A POINT OF REFERENCE. THIS IS A PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE,

THE PROMISED LAND. THIS HOUSE IS A POINT OF REFERENCE. SOMETIMES

POINTS OF REFERENCES ARE THINGS THAT YOU ARE TO DO OR NOT TO DO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR DATING RELATIONSHIPS. RATHER THAN CRY

OVER SPILLED MILK, OH, HE WAS SO HANDSOME, HE WAS SO NICE.

SOMETIMES IT'S A POINT OF REFERENCE. TWO THINGS, IT COULD

EITHER BE, YEAH, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THAT NICE, HANDSOME

GUY THAT WOULD HAVE DESTROYED YOU. WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR

YOU, AND BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THEIR HEART AND KNOWS WHO THEY REALLY

ARE, HE SAID, EH, NO. ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA TELL 'EM MYSELF. SO,

YOU EVER HAD A FACEBOOK FEED COME UP OF A SUGGESTED PERSON?

AND THERE WAS A PERSON, AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT WATCHING, YOU

DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO I AM, WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT THERE WAS

A PERSON THAT I HAD DATED IN MY SECULAR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL.

EVERYBODY THOUGHT THEY WERE GREAT LOOKING. I THOUGHT SHE WAS

GREAT LOOKING. WENT OUT WITH HER A FEW TIMES. SORRY, BRENDA, I'M

NOT TRYING TO OVEREMPHASIZE IT. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT.

AND THIS NAME, I TOLD HER, I SHOWED IT TO HER. I SAID, I

DON'T EVEN WANT TO SHOW YOU, BUT I USED TO DATE THAT, AND SHE

WENT, HUH? I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW. SOME HAPPENED FROM THE

TIME OF HIGH SCHOOL TO NOW, BRENDA, AND IT AIN'T PRETTY.

SOMETIMES IT'S A POINT OF REFERENCE. AND I REMEMBER HOW

UPSET I WAS WHEN WE BROKE UP. POINT OF REFERENCE OF WHAT GOD

DOESN'T HAVE FOR YOU, DIDN'T HAVE FOR YOU, AND THANK GOD,

LOOK AT THAT GIRL. AMEN, LOOK AT THAT WOMAN. SO THAT'S MY POINT.

DID Y'ALL GET MY POINT WITHOUT BEING WEIRD? I DON'T LIKE TO

TALK ABOUT PAST RELATIONSHIPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHO CARES?

BUT THAT IS A GREAT POINT. I'M A PREACHER, SO I HAD TO MAKE THAT

POINT. HERE'S THE THING. WHEN THE DOORS ARE SHUT, THEY

ASSEMBLED IN FEAR. FEAR, COME ON. WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR WAITING

TIME, IT'S EASY TO SHUT PEOPLE OUT, TO SHUT YOUR PROMISE OFF,

TO LOCK THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART. THEY LOCK THE DOOR OF THEIR

HOUSE. DON'T LOCK YOUR HEART CONCERNING WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED

YOU. HOW ABOUT THE WOMEN, JOHN 20, VERSES 1 THROUGH 5. WHEN IT

John 20:1–5

WAS THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, MARY MAGDALENE, WHEN IT WAS

DARK, COME ON, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE WAITING AND IT'S DARK,

YOU GOTTA AVOID THAT FEELING OF DARK, THAT FEELING OF

LONELINESS, THAT FEELING OF PAIN. AND THEN HERE'S THIS, MARY

MAGDALENE IN JOHN CHAPTER 20, GUESS WHAT, IF YOU KEEP READING,

John 20 · chapter mention

SHE GOES AND SHE LOOKS INTO, IN HER MOMENT OF WAITING, AND YET

SHE DIDN'T REALIZE HER PRAYER WAS ALREADY ANSWERED. SOMETIMES

I'VE HAD GOD TELL ME THAT. HE SAID, HANK, JUST REST. LORD, HOW

CAN I REST? I'VE BEEN PRAYING AND BELIEVING FOR THIS. HE SAID,

IF YOU CAN SEE IT, IT'S ALREADY BEEN AGREED UPON. IT'S YES AND

AMEN. I PUT THE GAVEL DOWN AND IT'S IN PROCESS OF COMING TO

YOU. THAT'S WHY IT SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH AND PATIENCE. BUT

SHE DIDN'T REALIZE JESUS HAD ALREADY RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND

ALL SHE CAN FOCUS ON IS HER FEELINGS. YOU EVER DONE THAT

WHEN YOU'RE WAITING? YOU JUST FOCUS ON YOUR FEELINGS. I'M

HURT, I'M DISAPPOINTED, I'M MAD, I'M EMPTY. SHE LOOKED INSIDE THE

TOMB. TALK ABOUT A FEELING OF EMPTINESS. I MEAN, THAT WAS A

POWERFUL EASTER EXAMPLE RIGHT THERE. ARE YOU ENJOYING THIS?

YES. MAYBE IT'S TOO SOMBERING OF AN EASTER MESSAGE OR SOMETHING,

I DON'T KNOW, MAN, Y'ALL ARE JUST SO QUIET. I'M JUST TELLING

YOU THE TRUTH. SO THE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, MARY WENT

OUTSIDE THE EMPTY TOMB, HER WAITING WAS MARKED BY DEEP

SORROW, A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. THE KEY TO THIS TIME IS DON'T

LOOK AT THINGS ALWAYS NEGATIVE, RESIST THOSE EMPTY FEELINGS OF

HOPELESSNESS. WE'RE IN A WAITING PERIOD, WE DON'T OFTEN KNOW

EVERYTHING AND WHAT'S GOING TO EMERGE, BUT STAY WITH THE

PROMISE AND THE HOPE. LET'S LOOK AT MATTHEW 27. THIS IS AN

INTERESTING ONE. WE'RE ALMOST DONE ACTUALLY. MATTHEW 27,

PASTOR DOUG, YOU CAN START MAKING YOUR WAY UP HERE, MAN.

LOOK AT MATTHEW 27:62-66, AND YOU CAN GET ONE OF THOSE DONUTS,

Matthew 27:62–66

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU WAITING FOR THAT.

(CONGREGATION LAUGHING)

I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU WAITING. SOMEBODY GOT YOUR HAM

IN THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO KEEP IT WAITING. NOW WATCH THIS, THIS

IS THE ROMAN GUARDS. LET ME SHOW YOU THE EXAMPLE WITH THE ROMAN

GUARDS, WHAT HAPPENS IN A SEASON OF WAITING. THIS IS REALLY

IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE BELIEVING GOD FOR HEALING IN YOUR BODY.

AND YOU'RE WAITING FOR THAT MANIFESTATION. YOU'RE WAITING

FOR THAT PROMISE OF WHAT JESUS PAID FOR TO HAPPEN. CAN I TELL

YOU SOMETHING? THIS IS A GREAT, THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE WATCHING,

THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. ALL RIGHT, WATCH THIS. NOW THE NEXT

DAY, THEY FOLLOWED THE DAY OF THE PREPARATION. THE CHIEF

PRIESTS AND THE PHARISEES CAME TOGETHER UNTO PILATE, SAYING,

"SIR, WE REMEMBER "THAT THAT DECEIVER SAID," ALL RIGHT, STOP

RIGHT THERE, "IN YOUR TIME OF WAITING, BE CAREFUL WHAT "AND

WHO YOU LISTEN TO." SOMETIMES WE GET ON THE PHONE, OR WE TEXT

WITH OUR PHONE, LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW ABOUT WHAT IT IS

THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR, FRUSTRATED ABOUT IN LIFE. AND IF

YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, YOU GET SO MANY VOICES, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO

HEAR THE TRUE VOICE, OR THE RIGHT VOICES IN YOUR LIFE, OR

HOW ABOUT THIS, THE VOICE OF GOD. ALL RIGHT, CALL JESUS A

DECEIVER. IN THREE DAYS I'LL RISE AGAIN. NOW WATCH THIS. NOW

THEY MADE UP A STORY, LEST HIS DISCIPLES COME BY NIGHT AND

STEAL HIM AWAY. BE CAREFUL, BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU ARE IN A

WAITING PERIOD AND YOU KNOW WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS. YOU KNOW BEFORE

THE WAITING PERIOD WHAT WAS PROMISED. PEOPLE WILL MAKE UP

ALL KINDS OF STUFF. AND LET ME TELL YOU THIS, THE DEVIL WILL

TRY TO CONVINCE YOU OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS. NOTICE WHAT PILATE

SAID, HE SAID, "GO AND WATCH, GO AND WAIT." BUT HERE'S WHAT WE

HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IN THIS TIME. WHEN YOU'RE IN A WAITING PERIOD,

YOU HAVE TO BE WISE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EXPECTATION HERE.

THOSE SOLDIERS, THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING ANYTHING. AND THIS IS

WHAT IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. THOSE SOLDIERS, THEY WERE NOT

EXPECTING THAT BIG OLD MULTI-TON BOULDER IN FRONT OF THE

SEPULCHER TO BE BLOWN OFF. THEY DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING

SUPERNATURAL WAS ABOUT TO EMERGE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL WAS ABOUT TO EMERGE. IT DID EMERGE. JESUS

ROSE FROM THE DEAD WITH SUCH POWER. SOMETIMES WHEN WE'RE

BELIEVING FOR OUR HEALING, WE CAN THROW THE SUPERNATURAL OUT.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT, LORD, WE TRIED THAT. I TRIED THOSE

HEALING SCRIPTURES. I TRIED, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PRAYER LINES

I'VE BEEN IN. WHAT IS IT, 271. SO NOW YOU START DENYING THE

SUPERNATURAL. YOU DON'T EXPECT THE SUPERNATURAL. YOU DON'T LOOK

FOR THE SUPERNATURAL ANYMORE. THAT'S WHAT THOSE SOLDIERS DID.

BUT YET THE SUPERNATURAL HIT THEM UPSIDE THE HEAD, KNOCKED

THEM ALL OVER AS DEAD MEN BECAUSE SOMETHING DID EMERGE.

LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE. THIS ONE, PASTOR BRENDA HAS

OFTEN PREACHED ABOUT IT. IT'S LUKE 24, VERSE 13. AND THESE ARE

Luke 24:13

THE TWO DISCIPLES. IT DIDN'T REALLY SAY WHICH ONES THEY WERE.

WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS. AND THEY WERE IN A STATE OF WAITING

FOR ANSWERS. CAN YOU IMAGINE SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT WERE

GOING ON IN THEIR HEAD? THEIR DISCUSSIONS. WELL, IT GIVES YOU

A GLIMPSE OF THEIR DISCUSSION, OF WHAT THEY WERE THINKING THAT

OFTEN IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE WAITING. VERSE 13, "AND BEHOLD,

TWO OF THEM WENT THE SAME DAY "TO A VILLAGE CALLED EMMAUS."

NOW THAT'S 15 MILES OR SO OFF OF WHERE JESUS SAID THE PROMISE

WOULD BE. AND IT CAME TO PASS, VERSE 15, "WHILE THEY COMMUNED

TOGETHER AND REASONED," THAT'S THE DANGER OF WAITING. WE REASON

AMONG OURSELVES, WE GET IN OUR HEAD AND START FORMULATING IDEAS

ABOUT WHY IT'S NOT HAPPENING, WHY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, WHY IT

SHOULD HAPPEN, WHY, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN? WE START

GETTING OVER INTO HUMAN REASONING. AND CAN I TELL YOU,

THEY WERE 15 MILES OFF COURSE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR

WAITING TIME WHEN WE START GETTING INTO OUR HEAD AND

REASONING AMONG OURSELVES, YOU'RE GONNA GET OFF COURSE IN

LIFE, RIGHT? I'VE SEEN IT AFFECT PEOPLE WITH MARRIAGE, SPOUSE

BELIEVING. I'VE SEEN IT IN PEOPLE WHEN IT CAME TO JOBS AND

OCCUPATION, MINISTRY CALLINGS, BUSINESSES, BLESSINGS. THEY

START REASONING AND FIGURING OUT IN THEIR HEAD HOW TO MAKE IT

HAPPEN. OR THEY START REASONING WHY IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, SO NOW

THEY GOT OTHER PLANS. BUT THE PROBLEM IS YOU'RE 15 MILES OFF

COURSE. YOU'RE OFF COURSE OF WHERE YOU NEED TO BE 'CAUSE YOU

DIDN'T STAY WITH WHAT GOD HAD TOLD YOU OR PLANNED OR HIS

PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE. VERSE 21, NEW CENTURY VERSION. THIS IS

WHAT THEY SAID, THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID. WE WERE HOPING THAT

JESUS WOULD FREE ISRAEL. BESIDES, IT'S NOW THE THIRD DAY.

I PUT UP THE CENTURY, CEV IF THEY DON'T MIND. I DON'T KNOW

WHO DOES THAT IN THE BACK, BUT YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB TODAY.

LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND CLAP. I WANT YOU THAT ARE WATCHING

AROUND THE WORLD TO SEE THE CEV VERSION, WHICH IS WHAT, IS THAT

THE CHURCH? NO, IT'S THE COMMON CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH VERSION,

YEAH. WE HOPED, COME ON, WE HOPED, AGAIN, HOPE DEFERRED. WE

HOPED THAT HE WOULD BE THE ONE, BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN THREE DAYS

SINCE ALL THIS HAPPENED, OR ONE TRANSLATION SAID, I DON'T

REMEMBER WHICH ONE I HAD HERE, SAYS, "BUT NOTHING HAS

HAPPENED." NOTHING HAS HAPPENED, OKAY? YEAH, IT DID. IT WAS RIGHT

THERE WALKING WITH THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE IT.

SOMETIMES WE CAN GET SO CAUGHT UP IN OUR MOMENT OF FRUSTRATION,

WE DON'T SEE THE BLESSING SLAPPING US RIGHT IN THE FACE.

ALL RIGHT, LOOK AT THIS, JOHN 20, VERSE 19, AMPLIFIED. SO WHEN

John 20:19

IT WAS EVENING OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, THE DISCIPLES WERE

MEETING BEHIND LOCKED DOORS, AND JESUS CAME AND STOOD BEHIND THEM

AND SAID, "PEACE BE UNTO YOU." HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS IN WAITING

PERIOD, WE LIVE BOUND. WE PUT UP WALLS, BUT HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE

TO DO. WE HAVE TO LEARN TO PURSUE PEACE, RECEIVE PEACE, AND

WALK IN PEACE WHEN YOU DON'T THINK THAT IT'S HAPPENED. THAT'S

WHY JESUS CAME. ALL RIGHT, LET'S STAND TO OUR FEET. THE LAST ONE,

THIS IS REALLY POWERFUL. I GOT TWO MORE TO SHOW. LOOK AT JOHN

John 21:3

21, VERSE 3, OUT OF THE AMPLIFIED. HERE'S THE ONE THAT

PROBABLY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES. AND I CAN TELL YOU, I HAD

THIS HAPPEN TO ME A FEW TIMES IN MY LIFE. AND I HAD TO JUST GRAB

AHOLD OF MY HEART STRINGS AND SAY, NO, NO, NO. SIMON PETER

SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE WAITING PERIOD,

NOTHING WAS HAPPENING, NOTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, NOTHING

GOOD. COME ON, WHAT DOES ROMANS 8 SAY? AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE

WATCHING TODAY, REMEMBER ALL THINGS, NOT SOME, ALL THINGS

WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE FACING, IT'S

ALWAYS GONNA TURN OUT GOOD FOR THOSE THAT LOVE GOD AND ARE

CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. WE KNOW THAT GOD IS GOOD. NOW,

LET'S GO BACK TO THAT VERSE OF JOHN 21. I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS.

LOOK AT WHAT PETER SAID. SO IN HIS TIME OF WAITING, HE SAYS TO

HIS DISCIPLES, HEY MAN, I'M OUTTA HERE, BOYS. I'M GONNA GO

FISHING. I'M OUTTA HERE, I'M GONNA GO BACK TO WHAT MAKES ME

FEEL GOOD, MAKES ME FEEL COMFORTABLE. BUT AGAIN, JUST

LIKE THE TWO ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, HE WAS OFF COURSE.

THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE CALLED TO DO, PETER. YOU WEREN'T CALLED TO

GO BACK TO FISHING. YOU WERE CALLED TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST

POWERFUL EMERGING VESSELS THAT WOULD BE KNOWN IN THE HISTORY OF

THE CHURCH. AND YOU'RE GOING BACK TO FISHING, WHY? 'CAUSE IN

WAITING, AVOID THE TEMPTATION, AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE

LISTENING TO ME IN YOUR LIVING ROOM, AVOID QUITTING. GET RID OF

THE QUIT SPIRIT. GET RID OF THE I CAN'T SPIRIT. GET RID OF THE

IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL HAPPEN. YOU'RE

NO DIFFERENT THAN PETER. YOU'RE GONNA QUIT GOING TO CHURCH AND

YOU'RE GONNA QUIT. YOU'RE GONNA QUIT GETTING INVOLVED. YOU'RE

NOT GONNA BECOME A MEMBER, AN E-MEMBER, A MEMBER IN THE CHURCH

BECAUSE, OH I'M GONNA GO BACK TO FISHING. I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE

HURT AGAIN. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PETER WAS SAYING, HE WAS HURT.

BUT HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS TODAY. AS I END THIS MESSAGE, WE'RE

STILL NOW AFTER THE STONE HAS BEEN BLOWN OFF THE GRAVE AND

BACK UP ON THE HILL. WE AS CHRISTIANS, THE CROSS IS EMPTY,

THE GRAVE IS EMPTY, BUT IN HEAVEN, HE'S SEATED AT THE RIGHT

HAND OF GOD THE FATHER. AND NOW, ONCE AGAIN, HIS PEOPLE ARE IN A

TIME OF WAITING AGAIN. AND THIS IS WHY THE BIBLE SAYS YOU NEED

TO SAY "MARANATHA" IN THE BIBLE. PERHAPS TODAY, PERHAPS TODAY FOR

WHAT? HE'S TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING. LOOK AT THIS, ACTS

Acts 1 · chapter mention

CHAPTER 1. JESUS IS GETTING READY TO ASCEND AFTER 50 DAYS.

HE DIED ON THE CROSS, HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE, WENT DOWN INTO

HELL, TOOK AWAY FROM THE DEVIL AND EVERY DEMON, STRIPPED HIM OF

ALL THE RUBIES AND EVERYTHING, RIGHT? THE JEWELS THAT WERE IN

SATAN, AND SNATCHED THE KEYS TO DEATH, HELL, AND THE GRAVE,

KICKED EVERY ONE OF SATAN AND HIS DEMONS, IT'S EASTER SUNDAY,

GLUTEUS MAXIMUS, THAT'S HEBREW FOR BOOTY. KICKED IT ALL. AND

THEN NOW, 50 DAYS LATER, WATCH THIS, LOOK AT WHAT, "AND WHEN HE

HAD SPOKEN THESE THINGS, "WHILE BEHOLD, HE WAS TAKEN UP AND

RECEIVED OUT OF SIGHT. "ALL THE DISCIPLES, ALL THE PEOPLE, "500

OF THEM AT ONE TIME SAID, "THE ANGEL SAID, YOU MEN OF GALILEE,

"WHY ARE YOU STANDING UP HERE LOOKING? "THIS SAME JESUS WHICH

WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN, "I'M SORRY, BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO

WAIT. "HE'S GONNA COME AGAIN." LAST SCRIPTURE, TITUS 2, VERSE

Titus 2:13

13, LOOK AT WHAT THIS ONE SAYS. IT SAYS, I THINK THE NIV, THIS

IS LOOKING, BUT THAT WORD IS WAITING. WE ARE NOW WAITING FOR

THAT BLESSED HOPE OF THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF THE GREAT

GOD AND OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE

HONOR YOU TODAY. IN OUR WAITING, WE WILL NOT GET DISCOURAGED, WE

WILL NOT QUIT, WE WILL NOT LOOK FOR THINGS THAT APPEAR EMPTY. WE

WILL LOOK RATHER FOR THE THINGS OF YOUR WORD THAT YOU'VE

PROMISED AND THE THINGS OF YOUR SPIRIT THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN

PROPHETICALLY OVER OUR LIVES, TO OUR LIVES, ABOUT OUR LIVES, OUR

FAMILY, AND ALL THINGS THAT CONCERN US. AND TODAY WE REFUSE

TO BE LIKE PETER. WE WILL NOT QUIT. WE WILL NOT GO BACK AND

GET OFF COURSE LIKE THE TWO ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS. WE WILL NOT

LOCK THE DOORS AND SHUT YOU OUT OF THE PEOPLE. BUT THIS DAY WE

RECEIVE YOUR PEACE AND YOUR PROMISE AND WE GO FORWARD AND

LIKE THE BOOK OF TITUS, WE WAIT WITH GREAT EXPECTATION OF YOU,

OUR GOD, AND OUR RISEN KING TO RETURN FOR US, YOUR PEOPLE. AND

ALL THE PEOPLE SAID, AMEN. PASTOR DOUG, COME. PRAISE GOD.

GIVE PASTOR HANK A HAND. WHAT AN EXCELLENT MESSAGE FOR

RESURRECTION DAY. YOU CAN BE SEATED FOR JUST A MOMENT. IF YOU

ARE ASSIGNED TO WORK SOMEWHERE, LIKE THE CONNECT CAFE, TO

CONTINUE PUTTING THOSE LITTLE SPECIAL RESURRECTION TOMB DONUTS

TOGETHER I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL THEM. THAT WAS GREAT. BUT

YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO TO YOUR SPOT. THE REST OF YOU, I'M JUST

GOING TO KEEP YOU I WON'T KEEP YOU MORE THAN ANOTHER HALF AN

HOUR OR SOMETHING. NO, I'M JUST JOKING. JUST A COUPLE MINUTES

HERE. AND AS WE WIND UP, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO ASK THE ALTAR

TEAM IF YOU'D COME FORWARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE HAVE A

GREAT ALTAR TEAM HERE. AND IF YOU HAVE PRAYER NEEDS TODAY, YOU

WANT SOMEONE TO JOIN WITH YOU FOR PRAYER IN YOUR LIFE, OUR

ALTAR TEAM ARE EXPERIENCED PRAYER WARRIORS, AND THEY ARE

READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO PRAY AND AGREE WITH YOU FOR YOUR

NEEDS TODAY, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE. BUT LET ME JUST ADDRESS ONE

MORE THING BEFORE I ASK YOU TO COME UP AND WE DISMISS TODAY.

PASTOR BRENDA PRAYED A WONDERFUL PRAYER THIS MORNING, AND IT WAS

A PRAYER OF SALVATION. AND THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOU

HERE, I KNOW WE HAVE GUESTS HERE TODAY, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR

FIRST TIME TO PRAY THAT PRAYER, ASKING JESUS TO COME INTO YOUR

HEART. AND THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTS. AND PASTOR AND PASTOR

BRENDA DID A WONDERFUL JOB TALKING ABOUT THE ABUNDANT LIFE

AND ALL THE BENEFITS OF HAVING JESUS IN YOUR LIFE. IN ADDITION

TO THAT, IF YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER TODAY, IT SECURES YOUR

FUTURE ALSO, BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS ALLOW YOU TO TRANSITION

INTO WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS THE NEW BIRTH. BECOMING A CHRISTIAN

IS A GREAT THING BECAUSE IT ALSO MEANS THAT YOU HAVE ETERNITY

WITH JESUS CHRIST. SOMEDAY WE'RE ALL GONNA LEAVE THIS EARTH.

WE'RE ALL GONNA LEAVE. WE'RE ALL GONNA EITHER PASS AWAY OR WE'LL

GO IN THE RAPTURE WHEN JESUS COMES BACK. ONE OF THE TWO. BUT

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO RECEIVE HIM AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE

PART OF THAT GROUP. MANY OF YOU DID THAT TODAY, I BELIEVE. MANY

OF YOU HAVE BEEN CHRISTIANS FOR MANY YEARS. I'M JUST GONNA DO

ONE MORE THING, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU

KNOW WHAT TO DO TO WALK IT OUT. WE REFER TO IT SOMETIMES LIKE

FOUR LEGS ON A TABLE. ONCE YOU RECEIVE JESUS, THERE'S FOUR LEGS

TO THE TABLE TO KEEP THE TABLE SECURE. IF YOU ONLY HAVE TWO

LEGS OR YOU ONLY HAVE ONE, THAT TABLE WILL FALL OVER EASILY. SO

THE FOUR LEGS ARE THIS. YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO READ GOD'S WORD.

YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PRAY OR COMMUNICATE WITH GOD. AND IT'S

JUST TALKING TO GOD. IN OTHER WORDS, IT STARTS WITH A SIMPLE

PRAYER OF SALVATION, BUT THEN YOU NEED TO MOVE ON. IT'S ALSO

IMPORTANT TO BE IN ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE OR

HERE PHYSICALLY. AND THEN FOURTHLY, RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO

IMPORTANT. WHO DO YOU HANG AROUND WITH? WHO'S YOUR FRIENDS?

WHO DO YOU SPEND TIME WITH? I WANNA HELP YOU WITH THAT TODAY.

I'M JUST GONNA ASK YOU TO BOW YOUR HEADS AGAIN ONE MORE TIME

WITH ME AND WE'RE GONNA DISMISS SHORTLY. IT'S ONLY 11 O'CLOCK,

WE'RE OUT OF HERE EARLY TODAY ON EASTER SUNDAY. BUT IF TODAY YOU

MADE THAT DECISION FOR JESUS CHRIST, YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER

FOR THE FIRST TIME OR YOU RECOMMITTED YOUR LIFE TO GOD, I

WANNA KNOW, NO ONE'S LOOKING AROUND, EVERYONE'S HEAD IS

BOWED, I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN SEE YOU TODAY. IF THAT WAS YOU,

I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR HAND QUICKLY AND SAY, "PASTOR

DOUG, I PRAYED THAT INITIAL PRAYER, "I WANNA KNOW THAT I'M

ON MY WAY TO HEAVEN, "I WANNA SECURE MY FUTURE, IT WAS A GREAT

THING TO DO." YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME,

JUST RAISE YOUR HAND QUICKLY AND PUT IT DOWN, I WANNA SEE YOUR

HANDS TODAY. IF YOU PRAYED THAT PRAYER WITH PASTOR BRENDA AND

THAT WAS YOUR FIRST TIME TO MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST, YOU WANNA

KNOW THAT YOU WERE, OR MAYBE YOU DIDN'T PRAY ALONG WITH THAT

PRAYER, BUT TODAY IS YOUR DAY AND YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR SURE

YOU WANNA MAKE THAT DECISION. I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR

HAND. ANYONE HERE IN THE PLACE MADE THAT DECISION FOR JESUS? DO

WE HAVE A HAND? OKAY, I SEE ONE UP THERE. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE

ELSE? THERE'S A COUPLE OTHERS HERE, I BELIEVE. ONE MORE THING,

THE HOLY SPIRIT'S SHOWING ME SOMETHING. YOU'RE HERE TODAY AND

YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, BUT YOU HAVE GOTTEN INTO RELATIONSHIPS WITH

FRIENDS, JUST WHAT I MENTIONED, AND THAT'S YOU THAT I'M SPEAKING

TO. YOU'VE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN SOME FRIENDSHIPS AND

RELATIONSHIPS, PEOPLE YOU'RE SPENDING TIME WITH, THAT YOU

KNOW IN YOUR HEART AREN'T GODLY. THEY'VE PULLED YOU BACK, THEY'VE

PULLED YOU AWAY FROM GOD, AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SERVE

GOD IN THE WAY THAT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD. YOU FELT CONVICTION

ABOUT THAT, AND THAT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKING IN YOUR LIFE. BUT

NOW YOU NEED TO JUST COME FORWARD TODAY AND SAY, I WANNA

MAKE THIS A NEW DAY OF COMMITMENT. I'M GONNA START

ASSOCIATING WITH PEOPLE THAT WILL KEEP ME ON TRACK. THAT'S SO

IMPORTANT, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN PULL YOU THE WRONG DIRECTION.

BECAUSE YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN LONELY, YOU GOT OFF TRACK.

THAT'S OKAY, YOU JUST MAKE A DECISION TO TURN FROM THAT. WHO

IS THAT TODAY AND YOU SAY, I NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION, I

NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION, RAISE YOUR HAND QUICKLY, IF

THAT'S YOU, OKAY, I SEE THE HANDS. EVERYONE THAT RAISED YOUR

HAND TODAY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THIS ALTAR TEAM HERE IS PREPARED

AND HONORED TO PRAY WITH YOU, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU

INFORMATION, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU ON YOUR WALK SO THAT YOU CAN

MAKE THIS COMMITMENT, BUT THEN WALK FORWARD IN IT. IT'S YOUR

DECISION TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT FOR JESUS, BUT THEN YOU ALSO

HAVE TO DECIDE, I'M GONNA CONTINUE WITH HIM. IT'S SO

IMPORTANT. AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING ONLINE, WE HAVE A

PRAYER LINE YOU CAN CALL, AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL PRAY AND GIVE

YOU INFORMATION TOO. BUT IF THAT'S YOU TODAY AND YOU RAISED

YOUR HAND, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING. COME FORWARD RIGHT

NOW. LET'S BRING THAT UP A LITTLE BIT, EDDIE. COME FORWARD

RIGHT NOW, GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT, BE BOLD, COME FORWARD, AND

LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND AS THEY COME TODAY AND MAKE THAT

DECISION OF CONFIRMATION FOR JESUS CHRIST. I SAW HANDS IN THE

BACK THERE. JUST GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT, SIR, COME ON ON DOWN.

IF YOU WERE INVOLVED IN OTHER RELATIONSHIPS, I SAW SEVERAL

HANDS. WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU INFORMATION, WE'RE GONNA GIVE

YOU HELP, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU ON YOUR WALK. WE'VE GOT MORE

COMING HERE, GIVE THEM TIME TO COME. THANK YOU, JESUS. WHETHER

YOU'RE A FIRST-TIME GUEST OR YOU'VE BEEN HERE MANY TIMES, IT

DOESN'T MATTER. YOU KNOW, JESUS HAS OPEN ARMS, AND HE'S READY TO

RECEIVE AS YOU MAKE DECISIONS FOR HIM. AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING

ONLINE AND YOU CALLED TODAY TO OUR PRAYER LINE, WE'LL SEND YOU

INFORMATION TO HELP YOU IN YOUR WALK. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING

FORWARD. LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. WE'VE GOT MORE COMING. THANK YOU

FOR DOING THAT. IT'S THE BEST DECISION YOU'LL EVER MAKE TODAY.

WE'LL GIVE YOU INFORMATION. WE HAVE A CLASS COMING UP LATER

THIS MONTH THAT WILL HELP YOU AS A NEW BELIEVER TO GET GROUNDED

IN THE WORD OF GOD, TO HELP YOU TO REALLY MOVE FORWARD IN

EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO. GIVE THESE A HAND AS

THEY'RE COMING TODAY. THANK YOU, FOLKS, FOR DOING THAT. OUR ALTAR

TEAM WILL HELP FIND SOMEONE TO PRAY WITH YOU. THANK YOU, JESUS.

AND NOW YOU KNOW THAT APRIL 5, 2026, RESURRECTION SUNDAY, IS A

VERY SPECIAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE. AND YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD

TO SOME GREAT THINGS. ALTAR TEAM, CAN YOU HELP THEM TO MAKE

SURE THEY FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN PRAY WITH THEM SO WE HAVE PEOPLE

WITH THEM? AND WHILE THEY'RE PRAYING, IF THERE'S STILL

SOMEONE ELSE AND YOU NEED PRAYER, YOU CAN COME UP HERE AND

LINE UP. LET ME REMIND YOU, THERE'S NO IN-PERSON WEDNESDAY

NIGHT MIDWEEK RECHARGE THIS WEEK. WE'RE ONLINE ONLY, ONLINE

ONLY THIS COMING WEDNESDAY. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING

TODAY. WE JUST PRAY THAT THIS IS THE BEST RESURRECTION SUNDAY

YOU'VE EVER HAD. GO ENJOY YOUR DAY AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. THANK YOU ONLINE AUDIENCE FOR TUNING IN.

(MUSIC)