WEBVTT - Faith for Your Future, Part 2 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:02.440 Do you believe God? I don't know what you believe 0:00:02.440 --> 0:00:05.359 in God for, but do you believe him for something? 0:00:05.400 --> 0:00:08.119 Then proclaim it. Stand on it. I don't care what 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:10.920 kind of opposition comes my way. This is where I'm going. 0:00:10.960 --> 0:00:13.720 This is where I'm headed. And nobody and nothing can 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:15.640 stop me. You want to know how I know? Because 0:00:15.680 --> 0:00:18.040 God done already told me where I'm going. 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:28.040 Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford, 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:30.720 junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:32.800 I'm Steve Hiller. Glad you're with us as we continue 0:00:32.800 --> 0:00:36.680 our message, faith for your future. And pastor, you know, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:40.040 I have flipped on the TV, usually late at night 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:44.080 on a weekend, and here comes some televangelist on who's saying, hey, 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:48.720 God wants you to have whatever that is, abundance. He 0:00:48.720 --> 0:00:51.440 wants you to have all of these things. You just 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:54.240 have to believe it. So I just heard you say, 0:00:54.520 --> 0:00:57.200 are you believing God for something? Well, then proclaim it. 0:00:57.200 --> 0:01:00.400 Stand on it. How do we know that, uh, what 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:03.520 we are asking God for, what we're standing, what we're 0:01:03.520 --> 0:01:07.720 claiming is really ours to claim, and not something that 0:01:07.720 --> 0:01:11.039 you might see on a late night infomercial televangelist thing. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:15.319 I can share that in one word. Purpose. 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:16.200 Okay. 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:23.920 Does what you want fit into God's purpose for your life? So, 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:27.080 for example, here's what people fail to do. They talk 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:30.560 about Joseph and they don't take it far enough. You see, 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:32.360 they say he went to the pit. Yeah. And then 0:01:32.360 --> 0:01:34.400 he went to Potiphar's. And then he went to prison. 0:01:34.400 --> 0:01:37.720 Then he went to the palace. But they forget the purpose. 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:41.880 Psalm 106. The commentary says that God allowed him to 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:46.800 go through these things because he sent him ahead to 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:51.280 preserve his people. See, the palace wasn't just for Joseph. 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:54.840 The palace was for God's purpose, to put him in 0:01:54.840 --> 0:02:00.440 a position where God could have not just safety for 0:02:00.600 --> 0:02:03.840 the people of Israel in their inception as a nation, sure, 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:09.560 but an incubator protected by Egypt, which really is hilarious because, 0:02:09.600 --> 0:02:12.480 you know, Egypt represents the world. Yeah. And so the 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:17.320 Israelites have an incubator. They're protected for God by the 0:02:17.320 --> 0:02:21.600 most powerful heathen nation in the world at that time, 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:24.160 you know. And so how does it connect to God's purpose? 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:28.040 One more thing. Hannah wanted a baby, right? And she'd 0:02:28.040 --> 0:02:30.679 go every year. As a matter of fact, Eli thought 0:02:30.680 --> 0:02:33.240 she was drunk on shame people, you know. And she said, no, 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:37.799 it's too early to be getting high. And she makes 0:02:37.800 --> 0:02:40.520 a vow to God. That's what God was waiting on. 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:43.600 She wanted a baby for her and her husband. She 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:47.240 wanted a baby because she was in arguments with Panaina. 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:51.200 You know, but God, when she wanted a baby for 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:54.040 God's purpose. You give me a child, I'll give the 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:58.200 child back to you. Now God answers her prayer. Why? 0:02:58.320 --> 0:03:03.430 Because her prayer fits in with his purpose. So that's it. Purpose. Purpose. 0:03:03.470 --> 0:03:06.310 And I always ask myself whatever I'm asking God for. 0:03:06.389 --> 0:03:11.669 I usually tack this on. How does this fit in 0:03:11.669 --> 0:03:13.270 your purpose? You know. 0:03:13.310 --> 0:03:14.030 That's a great question. 0:03:14.070 --> 0:03:16.830 And sometimes he'll tell me it doesn't. 0:03:16.870 --> 0:03:18.630 And then you have to change your prayer. That's right. 0:03:18.710 --> 0:03:19.350 That's it. 0:03:19.389 --> 0:03:22.510 Okay. And you have to change what you want. Yeah. 0:03:22.550 --> 0:03:25.510 Because when you want what God wants, then God wants 0:03:25.550 --> 0:03:28.190 what you want. You get that on the way up. 0:03:28.230 --> 0:03:33.149 Oh, yeah. Well, if whether you're on the way home 0:03:33.150 --> 0:03:35.670 right now or you're heading to work or however you 0:03:35.670 --> 0:03:37.470 happen to be listening to us right now, glad that 0:03:37.470 --> 0:03:39.790 you're there. And if you can, I hope you'll open 0:03:39.790 --> 0:03:43.590 your Bible to Philippians chapter one as we continue this message. 0:03:43.630 --> 0:03:46.630 Faith for your future. Here is Pastor Ford. 0:03:47.310 --> 0:03:50.350 And so let's look at what Paul says. Reason number one. 0:03:50.390 --> 0:03:53.470 He says, here's here's how you get faith for the future. 0:03:53.470 --> 0:03:55.470 You have to be enlightened by Christ's. 0:03:55.510 --> 0:03:57.910 Purpose for your life. Listen to what he says, for 0:03:57.910 --> 0:04:01.350 I know that this shall turn to my salvation. Now 0:04:01.350 --> 0:04:03.430 I need to tell you, the word no is from 0:04:03.430 --> 0:04:07.150 the Greek word oida say oida. It literally means to 0:04:07.190 --> 0:04:10.590 know comprehensively. It means to know without a shadow of 0:04:10.590 --> 0:04:18.910 a doubt. It means full, accurate knowledge. So then Paul says, 0:04:19.029 --> 0:04:23.469 I'm in prison, but I will be set free. That 0:04:23.470 --> 0:04:27.710 prison is not prison, because whom the son sets free 0:04:27.710 --> 0:04:32.150 is free indeed. So I may be locked up, but 0:04:32.150 --> 0:04:38.070 I'm not locked out of Jesus Christ. See, Paul expected 0:04:38.070 --> 0:04:41.029 to be free. Let me read verse 26 to you 0:04:41.430 --> 0:04:43.830 that your rejoicing. There it is again. I want you 0:04:43.830 --> 0:04:47.110 to have joy. Wait a minute. Joy. Now may be 0:04:47.110 --> 0:04:50.550 more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming 0:04:50.550 --> 0:04:53.270 to you again. See what he said? I'm coming again. 0:04:53.510 --> 0:04:56.630 I'm not in here to stay. I'm just passing through. 0:04:57.029 --> 0:04:59.390 And so you need to understand it. Let me bottom 0:04:59.390 --> 0:05:01.150 line it for you because I know you say. I 0:05:01.150 --> 0:05:03.070 thought you said you were going to. Bottom line, I am. 0:05:03.630 --> 0:05:08.190 Here's what Paul is saying. Where I am is not 0:05:08.230 --> 0:05:13.230 where I'm going. Therefore, since I know that where I 0:05:13.270 --> 0:05:17.190 am will not affect where I'm going, where I am 0:05:17.190 --> 0:05:20.229 will not stop me from where I'm going. So what 0:05:20.230 --> 0:05:25.430 I'm going through now cannot hinder me from getting to 0:05:25.470 --> 0:05:27.950 where God is going to take me. Let me say 0:05:27.950 --> 0:05:32.190 it this way. Too many people let their history mess 0:05:32.190 --> 0:05:38.830 up their destiny. See, some of you, your past is 0:05:38.830 --> 0:05:42.510 too active in your present and it's hindering your future. 0:05:42.830 --> 0:05:45.270 Y'all ain't going to pray with me, okay? I really 0:05:45.270 --> 0:05:49.070 gotta get. I gotta get plain for some of you. See, uh, 0:05:49.190 --> 0:05:54.510 you with Little Willie physically. But you still with Pookie emotionally. 0:05:55.150 --> 0:05:58.310 You ain't been with Pookie in two years, but you 0:05:58.350 --> 0:06:01.270 tore up from the floor up. Got your mind all 0:06:01.270 --> 0:06:07.990 messed up emotionally. You know what I'm talking about. You're 0:06:07.990 --> 0:06:13.430 with Shaquita, but you're making her pay for what Bianca 0:06:13.430 --> 0:06:17.029 did to you. Oh, y'all ain't going to pray with 0:06:17.029 --> 0:06:21.110 me up in here. You got hurt at the old church, 0:06:21.670 --> 0:06:26.229 and now you sitting back won't tithe or serve in 0:06:26.230 --> 0:06:34.029 the new church. Mhm. Mhm. Yeah. See, the old boss 0:06:34.029 --> 0:06:39.830 was nasty. Now you won't give the new boss a chance. Mhm. 0:06:40.790 --> 0:06:45.310 Paul was saying my pain is a platform to my purpose. 0:06:45.550 --> 0:06:49.230 Hey listen don't let the devil put a period where 0:06:49.270 --> 0:06:52.950 God has put a comma. Because I tell you I've 0:06:52.950 --> 0:06:56.550 seen it so many times when the devil says the end. 0:06:56.589 --> 0:07:00.230 God says to be continued. Amen. Okay, let me, let me, 0:07:00.230 --> 0:07:01.190 let me let me show you some. Let me show 0:07:01.190 --> 0:07:02.670 you some. Let me show you some. Turn to Luke. 0:07:02.710 --> 0:07:05.110 Turn to Luke. Turn to Luke. Luke. Chapter 22. Let 0:07:05.110 --> 0:07:07.710 me show you something here. This thing. This thing rocks 0:07:07.710 --> 0:07:10.790 me every time I look at it. Luke 22. Listen 0:07:10.790 --> 0:07:14.870 to what it says in Luke 22 verse 31, listen 0:07:14.870 --> 0:07:17.870 to this. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan 0:07:17.870 --> 0:07:20.070 hath desired to have you, that he may sift you 0:07:20.070 --> 0:07:22.470 as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy 0:07:22.470 --> 0:07:25.750 faith fail not. And when thou art converted, strengthen thy brothers. 0:07:25.750 --> 0:07:28.590 And he said, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, 0:07:28.590 --> 0:07:30.750 both into prison and to death. And he said, I 0:07:30.750 --> 0:07:33.150 tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day 0:07:33.150 --> 0:07:35.950 before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knoweth me. Now 0:07:35.950 --> 0:07:37.790 you know what's going on here. We talked about it 0:07:37.790 --> 0:07:40.110 Wednesday night, that that we talked about. We're talking about 0:07:40.110 --> 0:07:42.430 something else. And we said, Peter is an example of 0:07:42.430 --> 0:07:45.830 people who deny what they will do. Uh, in other words, 0:07:45.830 --> 0:07:49.910 Peter was serious. Peter didn't know that betrayal was in him. 0:07:50.590 --> 0:07:53.990 And he even told Jesus, uh, you don't know what 0:07:53.990 --> 0:07:59.790 you're talking about. So what is this? Peter's failure. Her. 0:08:00.470 --> 0:08:03.910 He failed him. He's going to abandon him. He's going 0:08:03.950 --> 0:08:09.350 to deny Christ. But wait a minute. Look at verse 3029. 0:08:09.350 --> 0:08:11.510 And I appoint unto you a kingdom as to my father, 0:08:11.550 --> 0:08:13.830 as my father hath appointed to me, that you may 0:08:13.830 --> 0:08:16.110 eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and 0:08:16.110 --> 0:08:18.830 sit on thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel. What 0:08:18.830 --> 0:08:23.310 did Jesus just tell the disciples? Was Peter included in this? Okay, 0:08:23.350 --> 0:08:26.670 now get this. Here it is, verse 31. You're going 0:08:26.710 --> 0:08:30.230 to fail me. Verse 30. Let me tell you your future. 0:08:30.230 --> 0:08:32.390 I'm going to tell you your future before I tell 0:08:32.390 --> 0:08:36.670 you your failure. Why, Jesus? Because your failure is what is. 0:08:36.670 --> 0:08:39.310 Your future is what shall be. So I'm going to 0:08:39.309 --> 0:08:43.309 tell you what shall be before what is so that 0:08:43.309 --> 0:08:46.630 whenever what is happened, you won't focus in on what is. 0:08:46.630 --> 0:08:49.950 You'll focus on what shall be, that your failure will 0:08:49.950 --> 0:08:53.510 not stop you, that your failure will not cause you 0:08:53.510 --> 0:08:56.350 to say, I know he can't use me anymore. I 0:08:56.350 --> 0:08:59.790 done messed up too many times, I messed. No, no. 0:08:59.830 --> 0:09:04.660 Get yourself up, pick yourself up and start walking. Jesus 0:09:04.700 --> 0:09:07.580 is able to restore you. He's able to give you 0:09:07.580 --> 0:09:10.300 another chance. What are you talking about? Second chance? No, 0:09:10.340 --> 0:09:13.699 we're way beyond that. Yes. Okay. I speak for myself. 0:09:13.700 --> 0:09:17.260 I'm way beyond second, third, fourth. I'm up in the 0:09:17.260 --> 0:09:22.620 millions somewhere. Amen. Amen. So you see what he's saying? 0:09:23.140 --> 0:09:26.420 He's saying, man, I know God's will for my life. 0:09:26.700 --> 0:09:29.579 And because I know it, nothing's going to stop me. 0:09:29.580 --> 0:09:32.580 Not even my failure is going to stop me. Nothing's 0:09:32.580 --> 0:09:35.939 going to stop me because I know that God has 0:09:35.940 --> 0:09:40.140 a better plan for me. Notice what it takes. First 0:09:40.140 --> 0:09:43.380 of all, notice he has an awareness of God's will 0:09:43.660 --> 0:09:50.060 for his life. Here's the question that the Philippians were 0:09:50.059 --> 0:09:55.699 asking what is God doing allowing you to go to jail? You, 0:09:55.740 --> 0:09:59.100 Apostle Paul, one of the greatest servants. He has you, 0:09:59.140 --> 0:10:03.020 the Apostle Paul, who starts churches. Who heals the sick? 0:10:03.260 --> 0:10:08.340 Raises the dead. Like you ain't never thought that. God, 0:10:08.380 --> 0:10:12.740 why am I going through this? I tired. I, I 0:10:12.740 --> 0:10:14.340 witnessed this the other day. I was in the club. 0:10:14.340 --> 0:10:15.540 I said I just said, you. 0:10:15.540 --> 0:10:19.179 Know, Jesus. Just out of the blue with holy boldness. 0:10:20.700 --> 0:10:27.780 Why am I going through this, Lord? Mm. Because God 0:10:28.860 --> 0:10:33.060 will let things happen to you that never happened before. 0:10:33.820 --> 0:10:37.339 So he can take you to places you've never been before. 0:10:40.660 --> 0:10:43.860 You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford. Something for 0:10:43.860 --> 0:10:46.980 us to really think about today. Our message is called 0:10:46.980 --> 0:10:50.939 Faith for Your Future. And we're looking at Philippians chapter one. 0:10:51.460 --> 0:10:53.459 If you ever miss a broadcast in the series, come 0:10:53.460 --> 0:10:57.459 to our website. It's Treasure Truth radio.org. You can download MP3, 0:10:57.500 --> 0:11:01.300 stream the program or order copies on CD. Another way 0:11:01.300 --> 0:11:04.140 to listen is to begin podcasting this program. That way 0:11:04.140 --> 0:11:06.540 you won't miss a future broadcast. And if you happen 0:11:06.540 --> 0:11:09.220 to use iTunes for your podcasting, would you go ahead 0:11:09.220 --> 0:11:12.500 and rate the podcast? By doing that, you'll help us 0:11:12.540 --> 0:11:14.980 be found by even more people. You'll find all those 0:11:14.980 --> 0:11:19.540 links at Treasure Truth Radio. Again, here's Pastor Ford. 0:11:20.540 --> 0:11:22.900 I have a friend. I'm not going to call his name. 0:11:23.059 --> 0:11:24.540 He called me up. He said, man, look like my 0:11:24.540 --> 0:11:26.580 church going split. I said, oh man, I feel bad 0:11:26.580 --> 0:11:28.980 about that. I've almost had that happen a couple times too. 0:11:29.020 --> 0:11:32.220 That's bad man, that's bad. And he said, man, guess 0:11:32.220 --> 0:11:33.940 what happened? I said, what happened? It was it made 0:11:33.940 --> 0:11:36.660 national news. He said, uh, we went to church that 0:11:36.660 --> 0:11:38.380 Sunday because we had a fight. Me and the deacon 0:11:38.380 --> 0:11:40.500 boy had a fight that Friday. We went to church 0:11:40.500 --> 0:11:44.980 that Sunday and the deacons, uh, had surrounded the church. 0:11:44.980 --> 0:11:47.500 And at every door there were two deacons. And when 0:11:47.500 --> 0:11:49.460 people came to get in church, they had the church 0:11:49.500 --> 0:11:51.580 padlocked with a chain. And when the people came up 0:11:51.580 --> 0:11:53.420 and said, we're going to take those chains off, they 0:11:53.420 --> 0:11:55.660 flipped their coats back now, not like when they was 0:11:55.660 --> 0:11:57.660 on the front row and the preacher was getting ready 0:11:57.660 --> 0:11:59.860 to go into the squall, and they stand up and 0:11:59.940 --> 0:12:02.900 button them up. They unbutton them and when they unbutton them, 0:12:02.900 --> 0:12:08.380 every one of them was packing. Yeah, yeah, they was packing. 0:12:08.740 --> 0:12:12.700 And they said, nobody's coming in here. And, uh, the 0:12:12.740 --> 0:12:16.980 police came. It made national news. And I said, I said, brother, 0:12:16.980 --> 0:12:18.780 let me tell you something. I said, I don't know 0:12:18.780 --> 0:12:20.740 what God is doing, but I will tell you this. 0:12:20.740 --> 0:12:22.620 You're going to look back on this one day and 0:12:22.620 --> 0:12:25.819 you're going to thank God for this. He said, no, no, no, no, no, 0:12:25.860 --> 0:12:28.140 that's too rough. I ain't never had this happen. I said, 0:12:28.380 --> 0:12:30.140 I said, man. And then he called me up. We 0:12:30.179 --> 0:12:32.179 got to meet in the library. I said, man, one 0:12:32.179 --> 0:12:33.819 day you're going to look back on this. You're going 0:12:33.820 --> 0:12:35.780 to thank God for this. Let me bottom line it 0:12:35.780 --> 0:12:38.340 let me tell you what happened. Fast forward to video. 0:12:38.420 --> 0:12:41.020 So whenever they had the split, about 60 people went 0:12:41.020 --> 0:12:44.340 with him. And all the people that stayed with the deacons, 0:12:44.340 --> 0:12:48.060 those were the recalcitrant members. Don't look around. You don't 0:12:48.059 --> 0:12:53.180 want to reveal who you are. You know, don't serve, 0:12:53.220 --> 0:12:57.420 don't give, but complain about everything and don't do anything. 0:12:57.460 --> 0:13:00.140 And so he went with 60 people who were committed. 0:13:00.140 --> 0:13:02.660 He said, well, I'm gone from 200 to 60. I said, 0:13:02.660 --> 0:13:05.420 but you got 60 faithful, committed people. 0:13:05.460 --> 0:13:05.900 Yes. 0:13:06.220 --> 0:13:09.420 And I'd rather have 60 committed people than a thousand 0:13:09.420 --> 0:13:11.220 people who merely nilly. 0:13:11.420 --> 0:13:13.260 Amen. Amen. Amen. 0:13:13.500 --> 0:13:14.940 I said, you going to look back on this and 0:13:14.940 --> 0:13:17.100 you going to thank God. So then he said, you 0:13:17.100 --> 0:13:18.900 know what? We have an opportunity to get a building. Uh, 0:13:18.900 --> 0:13:21.380 pray for us. I pray for him and everything. And, uh, 0:13:21.380 --> 0:13:23.380 he went to find out the building and the property 0:13:23.380 --> 0:13:27.660 is about 30 acres of property, and it was $6.3 million. 0:13:27.660 --> 0:13:30.020 And he said, I only have 900,000. I ain't going 0:13:30.020 --> 0:13:32.220 to qualify. I said, man, look, you have not because 0:13:32.220 --> 0:13:34.459 you ask, not submit it anyway. I said, I will 0:13:34.460 --> 0:13:36.980 submit it anyway. And so he submitted it. He called 0:13:36.980 --> 0:13:39.340 me up. He said, guess what, there's a cult that 0:13:39.380 --> 0:13:42.700 that's going to pay cash. And uh, I said, man, 0:13:42.700 --> 0:13:44.620 keep praying, keep praying. I said, one day you're going 0:13:44.620 --> 0:13:46.540 to look back on this and you're going to say, man, 0:13:46.700 --> 0:13:48.900 all of this was a blessing. So anyway, long story short, 0:13:48.900 --> 0:13:51.540 here's what happened. The people there was about 14 to 0:13:51.540 --> 0:13:54.180 20 people. They had plenty of money. So they built 0:13:54.179 --> 0:13:58.860 this humongous sanctuary and this humongous building. There are over 0:13:58.860 --> 0:14:01.860 40 classrooms in this building. As a matter of fact, 0:14:01.860 --> 0:14:05.620 my friends membership is a little over 900 and they 0:14:05.620 --> 0:14:10.140 don't even use one half of the building yet. And 0:14:10.140 --> 0:14:12.300 so they said, listen, we thought if we built it, 0:14:12.300 --> 0:14:14.860 they would come and they built it and they didn't come. 0:14:14.900 --> 0:14:17.300 They said, well, then this church can come in and 0:14:17.300 --> 0:14:20.400 we're going to bless them. So they gave him $6.3 0:14:20.400 --> 0:14:29.420 million worth of property and building for $900,000. He took 0:14:29.420 --> 0:14:34.900 me out to Pappadeaux. We got our eat on and 0:14:34.900 --> 0:14:39.820 he said, Jimmy the boat. You told me that one 0:14:39.820 --> 0:14:43.100 day I'd look back and thank God for the rebellion 0:14:43.100 --> 0:14:46.460 and thank God for the struggle. I understand what you 0:14:46.460 --> 0:14:49.820 always say, and that you always hear that the struggle 0:14:49.820 --> 0:14:52.820 that I'm going through is for the future that I'm 0:14:52.860 --> 0:14:56.460 going to. If there is no struggle, there will be 0:14:56.460 --> 0:15:00.010 no future. And some of you right now, you're. 0:15:00.010 --> 0:15:01.970 Wondering why, why, why. 0:15:02.170 --> 0:15:04.570 You ought to be saying, what are you taking me to? 0:15:04.610 --> 0:15:08.090 Where am I headed? Oh, this this is a big problem. 0:15:08.090 --> 0:15:14.890 It's going to be a great privilege. Look at the people. 0:15:14.890 --> 0:15:20.050 Look at the people. Famous people. Alright. Who started with nothing. 0:15:20.250 --> 0:15:20.810 Come on. 0:15:21.490 --> 0:15:26.770 Mm. How about Oprah? Abused as a child. Kicked around. 0:15:26.810 --> 0:15:28.250 Now she got her own. 0:15:28.650 --> 0:15:31.450 Amen. Amen. Amen. 0:15:32.410 --> 0:15:33.410 Worth over 2. 0:15:33.410 --> 0:15:33.890 Billion. 0:15:35.130 --> 0:15:38.450 Yeah. She struggled. Don't hate her glory. You don't know 0:15:38.450 --> 0:15:43.170 her story. How about Tyler Perry? Abused. 0:15:43.770 --> 0:15:44.290 Homeless. 0:15:45.490 --> 0:15:51.850 Homeless, sleeping in a cardboard box under a bridge. Anybody 0:15:51.850 --> 0:15:57.450 seen his his layout in Ebony, his mansion? Don't hate 0:15:57.450 --> 0:16:01.690 his glory if you don't know his story. How about 0:16:01.690 --> 0:16:12.450 Maya Angelou? Raped by relatives. Couldn't express herself. Couldn't get 0:16:12.450 --> 0:16:15.850 it off of her. And somebody said, write. And so 0:16:15.850 --> 0:16:20.930 she wrote. I know why the caged birds sing. And 0:16:20.930 --> 0:16:25.330 the rest is history. She's with the Lord now. But 0:16:25.330 --> 0:16:29.570 you know what I'm saying? See, you know, the nightingale 0:16:29.570 --> 0:16:33.730 is called the nightingale because it sings the sweetest song 0:16:33.730 --> 0:16:37.970 in the darkness. Other birds sing when the sun comes up. Huh? 0:16:38.610 --> 0:16:41.130 We got any robins in here that sing in the 0:16:41.130 --> 0:16:45.130 morning when the sun rises. Yeah, I'm blessed and highly 0:16:45.130 --> 0:16:48.410 favored of the Lord. He got me the job I 0:16:48.450 --> 0:16:54.330 got my house, I got my car. But the nightingale 0:16:54.330 --> 0:16:59.010 sings best. In the darkness of the night. When the 0:16:59.010 --> 0:17:02.010 night is the darkest, it sings the best. And I 0:17:02.010 --> 0:17:08.090 want to tell you I know Jesus has some nightingale 0:17:08.090 --> 0:17:12.330 Christians up in here. Up in here. You done been 0:17:12.330 --> 0:17:15.090 through some stuff, but you were singing in the midst 0:17:15.090 --> 0:17:17.330 of it. You done been through some stuff, but you 0:17:17.369 --> 0:17:20.290 giving God the glory even in spite of it. You 0:17:20.290 --> 0:17:22.570 done been through the stuff, and people are looking at 0:17:22.570 --> 0:17:25.370 you and wondering how in the world can you go 0:17:25.369 --> 0:17:28.970 through that? And you just sing the praises of Jesus. 0:17:28.970 --> 0:17:32.609 You sing the glory of God. You sing about the 0:17:32.609 --> 0:17:35.810 power of the Holy Spirit. I can take it and 0:17:35.810 --> 0:17:38.210 I can make it. I don't have to fake it 0:17:38.210 --> 0:17:44.450 because I've got God in my life. Mm. I tell you, 0:17:44.450 --> 0:17:46.689 I tell you, yeah. And then. And then you gotta 0:17:46.690 --> 0:17:50.649 apply God's word to your life. You gotta apply it. See? See, 0:17:50.690 --> 0:17:53.410 he's aware of it, but he's applying it. What's he saying? 0:17:53.770 --> 0:17:55.770 I'm in jail right now, but I'm not going to 0:17:55.770 --> 0:17:59.850 be for long. Amen. Hey. Oh, I didn't bring my phone. 0:17:59.850 --> 0:18:01.730 I was going to have everybody take your phone out. 0:18:01.770 --> 0:18:06.610 Take your phone out. Take your phone out. All right, 0:18:06.609 --> 0:18:11.250 put it on camera. Put your phone on camera. Thank you. 0:18:12.850 --> 0:18:16.050 Now take a selfie. Take a selfie. Come on, take 0:18:16.050 --> 0:18:19.690 a selfie. Take a selfie. Okay, now, if you go 0:18:19.690 --> 0:18:21.649 on social media, here's what I want you to do. 0:18:21.690 --> 0:18:25.210 Take a selfie, put it on Facebook or whatever your 0:18:25.210 --> 0:18:27.810 social media is and then put this under it. Everybody 0:18:27.810 --> 0:18:33.050 put this under it. Look at me right now because 0:18:33.050 --> 0:18:35.450 it's the last time you're going to see me like this. 0:18:35.890 --> 0:18:40.010 I'm going somewhere. Come on, come on, take that selfie. 0:18:40.010 --> 0:18:42.170 Put it on, put it on. Look at me right now. 0:18:43.210 --> 0:18:44.730 This is the last time you're going to see me 0:18:44.730 --> 0:18:50.729 like this. Because I'm going somewhere. Come on, put it 0:18:50.730 --> 0:18:53.810 on Facebook. Put on. Let everybody know. Yeah. That's right. 0:18:53.810 --> 0:18:56.010 Do you believe? God, I don't know what you believe 0:18:56.010 --> 0:18:58.810 in God for, but do you believe him for something? 0:18:59.690 --> 0:19:04.490 Oh yeah? Yeah. Then proclaim it. Stand on it. Come 0:19:04.530 --> 0:19:07.010 hell or high water. This is where I'm going. I 0:19:07.010 --> 0:19:09.290 don't care what kind of opposition comes my way. This 0:19:09.290 --> 0:19:11.889 is where I'm going. This is where I'm headed. And 0:19:11.890 --> 0:19:14.209 nobody and nothing can stop me. You want to know 0:19:14.210 --> 0:19:16.690 how I know? Because God done already told me where 0:19:16.690 --> 0:19:23.730 I'm going. Hey, man. Yeah. That's it, that's it, that's it. Okay, 0:19:23.730 --> 0:19:25.930 now you ain't put it on there by now. You slow. 0:19:28.690 --> 0:19:32.450 Paul had a word from God that his work was 0:19:32.450 --> 0:19:37.169 not done. Now, you know, we talk about all the time. Uh, 0:19:37.170 --> 0:19:41.370 James was beheaded. Peter was not. Two reasons. I'm going 0:19:41.369 --> 0:19:43.930 to give you both of them today. Here's the first reason. 0:19:43.930 --> 0:19:47.850 John 2118. Jesus told him, I'm going to read it 0:19:47.850 --> 0:19:50.090 to you. I'm going to read it to you. John 2118. 0:19:50.130 --> 0:19:53.530 He's talking to Peter. He said to him, uh, Peter, 0:19:53.530 --> 0:19:57.090 feed my sheep, feed my sheep, feed my lambs. Verse 18. Verily, verily, 0:19:57.090 --> 0:20:00.250 I say unto you, when you were young, You gird yourself, 0:20:00.250 --> 0:20:03.250 you clothe yourself, you walk wherever you would. But when 0:20:03.250 --> 0:20:06.330 you are old, you will stretch forth your hands, and 0:20:06.330 --> 0:20:09.530 another shall gird thee, and carry thee where you would 0:20:09.530 --> 0:20:12.929 not go. This he spake, signifying the death. He would die. 0:20:13.130 --> 0:20:15.290 Do you see that in there? When Peter's in prison, 0:20:15.290 --> 0:20:20.530 he's somewhere between 33 and 36 years old. And guess what? 0:20:20.930 --> 0:20:23.169 Jesus told him he wasn't going to die until he 0:20:23.170 --> 0:20:26.330 became an old man. So when he was in prison, 0:20:26.330 --> 0:20:28.930 one of the reasons why he knew that he was 0:20:28.930 --> 0:20:31.929 going to get out was because God had already told 0:20:31.930 --> 0:20:34.369 him he was going to live to be an old man. 0:20:34.410 --> 0:20:37.570 So he knew even though Herod had beheaded James, he 0:20:37.570 --> 0:20:41.290 couldn't behead him because he had a word from God. Amen. 0:20:41.650 --> 0:20:43.450 Do you got a word? Do you got a word 0:20:43.450 --> 0:20:46.850 from God? You need to get a word from God. 0:20:46.850 --> 0:20:50.530 Job said in job 2312 I have esteemed the words 0:20:50.530 --> 0:20:53.889 of thy mouth more than my necessary food. Matthew chapter four. 0:20:53.930 --> 0:20:56.050 Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 0:20:56.050 --> 0:20:58.810 word that comes from the mouth of God. Psalm one. 0:20:58.810 --> 0:21:00.879 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel 0:21:00.880 --> 0:21:02.919 of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, 0:21:02.960 --> 0:21:05.119 nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his 0:21:05.119 --> 0:21:07.239 delight is in the law of the Lord, and in 0:21:07.240 --> 0:21:10.280 his law he doth meditate day and night. So the 0:21:10.280 --> 0:21:14.400 question on the floor is not, do you own a Bible? 0:21:14.400 --> 0:21:18.880 But does the Bible own you? Let me say that again. 0:21:19.480 --> 0:21:22.000 It's not whether you own a Bible, but does the 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:25.560 Bible own you? So we are to listen to it eagerly. 0:21:25.560 --> 0:21:28.440 We're to look to it expectantly. We are to learn 0:21:28.440 --> 0:21:32.560 from it enthusiastically. We're to languish in it entirely. We're 0:21:32.560 --> 0:21:35.080 to let it work in us effectively, and we're to 0:21:35.119 --> 0:21:40.320 love it eternally. Amen. Mm. See, what we need to 0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:43.520 be is Bible holics. You know that? What do you mean? 0:21:43.560 --> 0:21:45.359 God's word is what we need. See if you got 0:21:45.359 --> 0:21:47.840 a headache. You take a Tylenol pill. If you have 0:21:47.840 --> 0:21:50.800 acid indigestion, you take a pill. If you have a heartache, 0:21:50.840 --> 0:21:52.080 you take a pill. 0:21:56.880 --> 0:21:59.760 You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford and a 0:21:59.760 --> 0:22:03.159 message called Faith for Your Future. You know, becoming a 0:22:03.160 --> 0:22:06.280 Bible holic doesn't just happen on its own. It takes 0:22:06.280 --> 0:22:08.840 an effort as you immerse yourself in Scripture and spend 0:22:08.840 --> 0:22:11.640 time with God every day. While we provide these daily 0:22:11.640 --> 0:22:15.159 messages on treasure truth to help deepen your faith and 0:22:15.160 --> 0:22:17.760 help you grow in your understanding of God's Word and 0:22:17.760 --> 0:22:19.560 the fact that you're listening. Well, it's a good sign 0:22:19.560 --> 0:22:22.520 that you take these things seriously. But think for just 0:22:22.520 --> 0:22:24.320 a moment what it would be like if this program 0:22:24.320 --> 0:22:27.840 didn't exist. How would your life be different? If you've 0:22:27.840 --> 0:22:30.800 come to rely on this program for your spiritual nourishment? 0:22:31.080 --> 0:22:33.760 Would you become a monthly partner and support our ongoing 0:22:33.800 --> 0:22:36.960 work here on the station? Become a monthly partner by 0:22:36.960 --> 0:22:42.840 calling us at 888644 7660 or go online to Treasure 0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:46.400 Truth Radio.com. You can also send a check in the mail. 0:22:46.440 --> 0:22:51.080 Our address is Treasure Truth, 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, 0:22:51.080 --> 0:22:56.280 Illinois 610. You know, as a listener supported ministry, every 0:22:56.280 --> 0:22:58.919 gift makes a difference, whether it comes from a monthly 0:22:59.000 --> 0:23:01.960 partner or when you give a single gift. And today, 0:23:01.960 --> 0:23:04.440 as a way of showing our thanks for your support, 0:23:04.440 --> 0:23:06.520 we want to send you a book by R.A. Torrey 0:23:06.520 --> 0:23:09.919 called How to Witness to Anyone. Doctor Torrey was one 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:12.600 of the great evangelists of modern times, and he served 0:23:12.600 --> 0:23:15.359 as the president of the Moody Bible Institute and founded 0:23:15.359 --> 0:23:18.919 Biola University in Los Angeles. In his book, How to 0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:22.719 Witness to Anyone, he shares practical scripture verses that will 0:23:22.720 --> 0:23:25.399 help you answer objections and reach your friends and neighbors 0:23:25.400 --> 0:23:28.240 with the good news. So give a donation of any 0:23:28.280 --> 0:23:32.119 size and request. How to witness to anyone. Again, our 0:23:32.119 --> 0:23:38.160 phone number is 888644 7660. And our website is treasure. 0:23:38.160 --> 0:23:42.640 Truth Radio.com. I'm Steve Hiller, our producer is Amy Rios. 0:23:42.800 --> 0:23:46.280 Join us again tomorrow here on Treasure Truth. A production 0:23:46.280 --> 0:23:50.159 of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.