1 00:00:05,030 --> 00:00:06,190 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Furtick. 2 00:00:06,210 --> 00:00:09,350 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church, and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:09,470 --> 00:00:11,570 Speaker 2: Be sure to subscribe so we can get you these 4 00:00:11,630 --> 00:00:14,860 Speaker 2: new sermons every week. I hope you're blessed today. 5 00:00:21,090 --> 00:00:24,870 Speaker 1: Y'all, I'm struggling because I'm trying to pull myself together. 6 00:00:24,970 --> 00:00:27,510 Speaker 1: I was sitting on this front row crying my eyes out, 7 00:00:27,550 --> 00:00:29,030 Speaker 1: and I don't want y'all to see me cry because 8 00:00:29,090 --> 00:00:32,990 Speaker 1: thugs don't cry, but I'm telling you, I'm so grateful 9 00:00:33,070 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: for the presence of God. Come on, anybody can testify. 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: Who am I? If you knew my story, if you 11 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: knew my journey, if you knew my detours, if you 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: knew my mistakes, but God has been faithful. Can anybody 13 00:00:46,260 --> 00:00:52,530 Speaker 1: testify that God... has been faithful. Well, I'm pumped. I'm excited. Y'all, 14 00:00:52,630 --> 00:00:56,490 Speaker 1: I'm at the Elevation Church, y'all. I'm ready to jump 15 00:00:56,510 --> 00:00:59,450 Speaker 1: out of my skin. It is such a privilege and 16 00:00:59,490 --> 00:01:03,029 Speaker 1: an honor to be in this house. And as you 17 00:01:03,050 --> 00:01:05,500 Speaker 1: guys know, y'all are just the most blessed people on 18 00:01:05,530 --> 00:01:07,860 Speaker 1: the planet because you have some of the greatest leaders 19 00:01:08,459 --> 00:01:12,020 Speaker 1: on the planet. Can you honor Pastor Stephen and Pastor 20 00:01:12,060 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 1: Holly Furtick? We love you. Pastor Stephen has been a 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,060 Speaker 1: giant in my life, a general in my life, a 22 00:01:19,060 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: role model, and has become a mentor and a friend. 23 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: And his impact on this generation, his name will go 24 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,340 Speaker 1: down with the Spurgeons and the Wesleys and those that 25 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,690 Speaker 1: have shifted the course of our faith in the kingdom 26 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:37,310 Speaker 1: of God. I couldn't decide which message to preach, so 27 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:40,509 Speaker 1: I'm going to preach both. Is that all right? I'm 28 00:01:40,970 --> 00:01:42,970 Speaker 1: going to give you the first one in 30 seconds 29 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,940 Speaker 1: to honor your pastor, and then I'll give you the 30 00:01:44,980 --> 00:01:48,460 Speaker 1: long one. I was reading Exodus chapter 15. In Exodus 31 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:50,460 Speaker 1: chapter 15, you don't got to turn their way. This 32 00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:53,580 Speaker 1: ain't the real preach. This is just Exodus 15. Watch this. 33 00:01:53,780 --> 00:01:59,620 Speaker 1: It's the first song ever recorded in Scripture. They sang 34 00:01:59,660 --> 00:02:02,340 Speaker 1: and worshiped God, but it's the first song that was 35 00:02:02,530 --> 00:02:06,290 Speaker 1: ever recorded in Scripture that we could sing after the 36 00:02:06,310 --> 00:02:10,290 Speaker 1: writer wrote it. And it was Moses saying, who is 37 00:02:10,470 --> 00:02:15,010 Speaker 1: like our God? There is no other God like our God. 38 00:02:15,030 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: He has defeated the horse and the rider. He's defeated 39 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:22,300 Speaker 1: the Egyptians. This was Moses, watch this, on the other 40 00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:26,100 Speaker 1: side of the Red Sea. Somebody say it's time to preach. 41 00:02:27,580 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: It took crossing through a death valley to be able 42 00:02:32,260 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: to pen a song that a nation can sing to 43 00:02:36,580 --> 00:02:38,700 Speaker 1: honor the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 44 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,780 Speaker 1: Somebody say amen. And as I was thinking about this 45 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: house and the songs that your pastor has penned and 46 00:02:44,980 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: the worship that has come out of this place, This 47 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,260 Speaker 1: isn't just a song. There's been a crossing over of battles. 48 00:02:51,300 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: There's been victories. There's been travailing. And one of the 49 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,340 Speaker 1: things I love about your pastor is he has walked 50 00:02:57,380 --> 00:02:59,470 Speaker 1: through some things that we will never have to walk 51 00:02:59,530 --> 00:03:02,490 Speaker 1: through and has written songs on the other side that 52 00:03:02,510 --> 00:03:04,970 Speaker 1: can give us faith and give us hope and give 53 00:03:05,030 --> 00:03:10,170 Speaker 1: us inspiration of who is like our God. So Pastor Stephen, 54 00:03:10,210 --> 00:03:12,690 Speaker 1: we thank you for what you've walked through, that you 55 00:03:12,730 --> 00:03:15,030 Speaker 1: can see a side of God and give us words 56 00:03:15,070 --> 00:03:16,970 Speaker 1: to describe our gratitude. 57 00:03:17,990 --> 00:03:18,510 Speaker 3: Amen. 58 00:03:19,690 --> 00:03:22,410 Speaker 1: Y'all ready to preach for real? Hey, before you grab 59 00:03:22,430 --> 00:03:24,650 Speaker 1: your seat, high five three people. Tell somebody buckle up. 60 00:03:25,410 --> 00:03:28,900 Speaker 1: It's going to be a bumpy ride. 61 00:03:31,780 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 3: Hallelujah. 62 00:03:32,380 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: Turn your Bible to the book of Psalms, Psalm chapter 105, 63 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:42,050 Speaker 1: Psalm chapter 105, verse 16. While you turn, normally I 64 00:03:42,090 --> 00:03:45,410 Speaker 1: would show you a picture of my family. I am 65 00:03:45,450 --> 00:03:48,790 Speaker 1: married to my beautiful wife, Zai, of 13 going on 66 00:03:48,790 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: 14 years. And we have three amazing... Come on, can 67 00:03:52,260 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: you give it up for my wife? And we have 68 00:03:56,980 --> 00:03:58,780 Speaker 1: three amazing children, a 10, an 8, and a 5. 69 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,150 Speaker 1: And I always say, I don't have three kids because 70 00:04:02,170 --> 00:04:03,750 Speaker 1: I like kids. I have three kids because I like 71 00:04:03,790 --> 00:04:07,290 Speaker 1: my wife. And that's what happens. You know, when pastors travel, 72 00:04:07,310 --> 00:04:08,950 Speaker 1: they have their spiel and they all deal. So I 73 00:04:08,970 --> 00:04:10,690 Speaker 1: usually do this whole deal and I'll show you a picture. 74 00:04:10,710 --> 00:04:12,630 Speaker 1: And I tell you, my kids are back in Maryland 75 00:04:12,670 --> 00:04:14,090 Speaker 1: and I'm well rested. So it's going to be a 76 00:04:14,110 --> 00:04:16,010 Speaker 1: three hour message because I haven't slept like this in 77 00:04:16,010 --> 00:04:18,089 Speaker 1: 10 hours. The only problem is this time I didn't 78 00:04:18,130 --> 00:04:20,650 Speaker 1: leave them home. I actually brought my children with me. 79 00:04:21,150 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: All of them are sitting right here. Come on. Can 80 00:04:22,820 --> 00:04:27,830 Speaker 1: you honor my family? I'm grateful. So here's the difference. 81 00:04:27,950 --> 00:04:31,289 Speaker 1: I am not resting. I'm exhausted. Somebody might have got 82 00:04:31,310 --> 00:04:35,020 Speaker 1: whooped last night. So if that message feels a little aggressive, 83 00:04:35,740 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: just understand I've been persevering all night. Psalm chapter 105 84 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,580 Speaker 1: verse 16. If you have it, somebody say yeah. It 85 00:04:43,620 --> 00:04:48,460 Speaker 1: says this. Moreover, he called for a famine in the land. 86 00:04:49,370 --> 00:04:51,890 Speaker 1: He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a 87 00:04:51,970 --> 00:04:56,030 Speaker 1: man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 88 00:04:56,710 --> 00:04:59,530 Speaker 1: They hurt his feet with fetters. He was laid in irons. 89 00:05:00,230 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: Until the time, here's the whole message, until the time 90 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: that his word came to pass, the word of the 91 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:13,790 Speaker 1: Lord tested him. Come on, look at your neighbor and say, 92 00:05:13,830 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: God's word will test you. Oh, I know it's not 93 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:19,540 Speaker 1: great to say there's certain things that I don't like 94 00:05:19,580 --> 00:05:22,020 Speaker 1: about the Bible. But one of the things I don't 95 00:05:22,060 --> 00:05:24,460 Speaker 1: like about the Bible is it does not just encourage you. 96 00:05:25,740 --> 00:05:30,380 Speaker 1: It will encourage you. It doesn't just convict you. It 97 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: doesn't just give you wisdom. God's word will also test you. 98 00:05:36,150 --> 00:05:38,910 Speaker 1: So the king sent and released him. The ruler of 99 00:05:38,970 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: the people let him go free. He made him lord 100 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,060 Speaker 1: of his house and ruler of all his possessions to 101 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:52,219 Speaker 1: bind his princes at his pleasure and teach his elders wisdom. 102 00:05:53,500 --> 00:05:55,290 Speaker 1: I have a message today entitled, and I'm going to 103 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:56,580 Speaker 1: need you to look at your neighbor and give them 104 00:05:56,610 --> 00:05:58,630 Speaker 1: the title of the message. And you may not want 105 00:05:58,650 --> 00:06:00,450 Speaker 1: to talk to your neighbor. You may be an introvert. Pastor, 106 00:06:00,490 --> 00:06:01,950 Speaker 1: I didn't come for all of that. I'm telling you, 107 00:06:02,310 --> 00:06:04,930 Speaker 1: somebody sitting next to you, their life depends on what 108 00:06:04,950 --> 00:06:06,570 Speaker 1: you're getting ready to tell them. Look at your neighbor. 109 00:06:06,870 --> 00:06:10,330 Speaker 1: Pick your favorite neighbor, not either neighbor. Just pick one neighbor, 110 00:06:10,370 --> 00:06:13,010 Speaker 1: the one you like the most, and tell them, he 111 00:06:13,570 --> 00:06:18,460 Speaker 1: hasn't forgotten you. Come on. Come on. You have no 112 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,779 Speaker 1: idea how much they need to hear that today. Pick 113 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,290 Speaker 1: that neighbor and tell them, he hasn't... We're God's in you. 114 00:06:26,270 --> 00:06:31,950 Speaker 1: Father God, we're grateful. We're overwhelmed that you would meet 115 00:06:32,010 --> 00:06:36,990 Speaker 1: with us, speak with us, encounter us. God, you're here today, 116 00:06:37,050 --> 00:06:38,830 Speaker 1: and because you're here, miracles are going to break out 117 00:06:38,850 --> 00:06:42,630 Speaker 1: in this place. So we say, have your way, heal, deliver, transform, 118 00:06:42,690 --> 00:06:44,409 Speaker 1: do what only you can do, and we will be 119 00:06:44,490 --> 00:06:47,970 Speaker 1: ever so careful to give you all the glory, all 120 00:06:48,010 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: the honor, and all the praise. In the matchless name 121 00:06:50,950 --> 00:06:55,740 Speaker 1: of Jesus, we pray. Come on, somebody shout. Amen and 122 00:06:55,930 --> 00:07:00,810 Speaker 1: amen and amen. Anybody, I'm sure everybody in the room has, 123 00:07:01,010 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: grew up playing hide and go seek in college. Come on, 124 00:07:03,860 --> 00:07:06,539 Speaker 1: wave at me. Y'all remember that old school stuff, hide-and-go-seek? 125 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,820 Speaker 1: This was before tablets. This was before YouTube. When kids 126 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,770 Speaker 1: were kids, we had to play without electronics, without Wi-Fi. 127 00:07:15,190 --> 00:07:17,890 Speaker 1: My favorite place growing up to play hide-and-go-seek was my 128 00:07:17,970 --> 00:07:20,930 Speaker 1: grandmother's house. We live in Maryland. My grandmother lived in 129 00:07:20,970 --> 00:07:23,250 Speaker 1: New Jersey, and we would go up for the holidays, 130 00:07:23,310 --> 00:07:27,450 Speaker 1: for Thanksgiving, for Christmas. And my grandmother's house was, I mean, 131 00:07:27,500 --> 00:07:32,500 Speaker 1: it was like a movie. Think about this stereotypical 100-year-old 132 00:07:32,740 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: creepy house that you were terrified to go down in 133 00:07:36,380 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: the basement because you saw one of your uncles go 134 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: down there one time and he never came back up. 135 00:07:40,580 --> 00:07:43,590 Speaker 1: And we haven't seen him since. And we're like, what happened? 136 00:07:43,650 --> 00:07:46,730 Speaker 1: And she had the front porch out front that creaked 137 00:07:46,790 --> 00:07:50,070 Speaker 1: and every stair in the house made noises. And you 138 00:07:50,110 --> 00:07:54,010 Speaker 1: were hearing, it was terrifying. Come on now. The best 139 00:07:54,150 --> 00:07:57,180 Speaker 1: place to play hide-and-go-seek and I grew up in a 140 00:07:57,330 --> 00:08:00,500 Speaker 1: massive family. I had a million one cousins So every 141 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,460 Speaker 1: time Christmas or Thanksgiving would come around. Hey, let's play 142 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: hide-and-go-seek and I never wanted to be the seeker. I 143 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: always wanted to be the one who hides. Now I 144 00:08:09,980 --> 00:08:11,300 Speaker 1: was prepping this message I gotta figure out how I'm 145 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,180 Speaker 1: gonna preach this because my family's watching this and I'm 146 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:14,580 Speaker 1: getting in trouble for what I'm about to say next 147 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,950 Speaker 1: but I knew which family member in that house was 148 00:08:17,990 --> 00:08:21,650 Speaker 1: the dirtiest one. That's the statement that's gonna get me 149 00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:25,190 Speaker 1: in trouble. So I knew which bedroom to go in 150 00:08:25,250 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: and hide because there was going to be clothes piled 151 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,260 Speaker 1: up to the roof. There was going to be VHS 152 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:34,580 Speaker 1: cassette tapes, I mean, eight feet tall. And I knew 153 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,780 Speaker 1: I'd go in the room, in the closet. They would 154 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,860 Speaker 1: never find me behind all of that junk. So they said, 155 00:08:40,900 --> 00:08:43,900 Speaker 1: go hide. You know, one, two, three, four. And I'd 156 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:45,820 Speaker 1: run up right to the room in the closet. Got 157 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: all the dresses. That'll let me know who it is too. 158 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,540 Speaker 1: And all the VHS cassette tapes. And I'm sitting in 159 00:08:50,590 --> 00:08:53,790 Speaker 1: the closet. And I'm just like, they're never going to 160 00:08:53,809 --> 00:08:56,750 Speaker 1: find me. Then I'd hear my cousin say, here I come. 161 00:08:57,290 --> 00:08:59,490 Speaker 1: He'd go creaking up the stairs. And I'd hear my 162 00:08:59,530 --> 00:09:02,750 Speaker 1: brother get found. I'd hear a cousin get found. I 163 00:09:02,790 --> 00:09:06,470 Speaker 1: found you. And I'm sitting there like, they can't find me. 164 00:09:07,290 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: Two minutes will go by. Five minutes. Eight minutes, 10 minutes, 15. 165 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 1: I don't hear any screams anymore. There's no creaks on 166 00:09:20,980 --> 00:09:24,260 Speaker 1: the steps. No one's laughing, no one's screaming. I said, oh, 167 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,699 Speaker 1: I think I won. They'll never find me. And this 168 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,500 Speaker 1: always happens when you play hide and go seek. You 169 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,829 Speaker 1: got to tinkle every single time. And I'm sitting there 170 00:09:34,870 --> 00:09:37,830 Speaker 1: doing the pee-pee dance in the closet just... I got 171 00:09:37,850 --> 00:09:39,229 Speaker 1: to go, but I don't want to be found. And 172 00:09:39,230 --> 00:09:44,550 Speaker 1: 20 minutes goes by until I realize, hold on. I 173 00:09:44,590 --> 00:09:48,740 Speaker 1: think they forgot me. There were so many cousins. It's 174 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,319 Speaker 1: like you find eight of them and then you just 175 00:09:50,420 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: quit because it's too many. And I'm sitting there in 176 00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:58,970 Speaker 1: turmoil saying, have they found everybody else and forgot to 177 00:09:59,070 --> 00:09:59,650 Speaker 1: find me? 178 00:10:00,790 --> 00:10:01,030 Speaker 3: Me? 179 00:10:01,050 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 1: I'll be your neighbor and say, the message just started. 180 00:10:04,420 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: Have you ever felt like God found everyone else and 181 00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:17,580 Speaker 1: forgot to find you? Have you ever been in the 182 00:10:17,620 --> 00:10:20,950 Speaker 1: position where you said, God, I'm hiding. I'm in the 183 00:10:21,110 --> 00:10:24,730 Speaker 1: secret place. I'm seeking you. I'm praying. I'm living a 184 00:10:24,770 --> 00:10:27,410 Speaker 1: life that's honorable to you. I ain't out in these streets. 185 00:10:27,490 --> 00:10:29,069 Speaker 1: I'm not hanging out with people who are out in 186 00:10:29,090 --> 00:10:32,530 Speaker 1: these streets. God, I'm following you, but yet it seems 187 00:10:32,650 --> 00:10:37,980 Speaker 1: like you've forgotten me. It seems like you have not 188 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: looked for me lately. It seems like you're never going 189 00:10:43,340 --> 00:10:48,010 Speaker 1: to find me. Have you ever felt Like not only 190 00:10:48,070 --> 00:10:54,130 Speaker 1: God has forgotten you, but he's found everyone around you 191 00:10:55,110 --> 00:10:58,069 Speaker 1: and forgot to find you. You're going to hear me 192 00:10:58,130 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: say I get irritated a lot. I do. And I 193 00:11:00,420 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: promise you, I love God. I honor God. But I 194 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 1: get so irritated when I pray for something and God 195 00:11:05,740 --> 00:11:09,780 Speaker 1: gives it to my friend. Has that ever happened to you? 196 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:11,980 Speaker 1: You pray for an open door. You pray for a miracle. 197 00:11:12,020 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: You pray for this. You pray for that. And I 198 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,339 Speaker 1: know God is faithful. I know he's going to do it. 199 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:18,700 Speaker 1: And next thing you know, your friend calls you and says, 200 00:11:18,740 --> 00:11:21,420 Speaker 1: you won't believe what God just did for me. And 201 00:11:21,860 --> 00:11:27,079 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, wow. I'm so happy for you. I 202 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: don't know how it is where you live. Up in Maryland, 203 00:11:29,300 --> 00:11:30,860 Speaker 1: I'm going to get in trouble for everything I say today. 204 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,900 Speaker 1: We got some ghetto delivery people. I don't want to 205 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,460 Speaker 1: call any companies like Amazon or DoorDash or anything like that, 206 00:11:37,500 --> 00:11:40,940 Speaker 1: but folks in Maryland, they're not really committed to delivering 207 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:45,329 Speaker 1: your package to your front door. So we'll have a 208 00:11:45,380 --> 00:11:47,420 Speaker 1: delivery coming. You know how they take the picture and 209 00:11:47,450 --> 00:11:49,350 Speaker 1: they put it on the app of where you could 210 00:11:49,390 --> 00:11:52,910 Speaker 1: find your package. Multiple times they have taken a picture 211 00:11:53,710 --> 00:11:57,990 Speaker 1: of our neighbor's house three houses down with our package 212 00:11:58,130 --> 00:12:01,010 Speaker 1: on their front step saying package delivered. 213 00:12:01,429 --> 00:12:01,750 Speaker 3: No. 214 00:12:02,900 --> 00:12:07,620 Speaker 1: Wrong address. I paid for it. I don't live over there. 215 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,020 Speaker 1: There was one time we had a. 216 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 3: Food delivery driver who left my food three blocks away 217 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:18,490 Speaker 3: on a curb on a main road and had a 218 00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:20,250 Speaker 3: nerve to take a picture. 219 00:12:20,350 --> 00:12:22,890 Speaker 1: And say, here's where you can find your food. And 220 00:12:22,910 --> 00:12:24,689 Speaker 1: you know what I did because I was hungry. I 221 00:12:24,710 --> 00:12:26,290 Speaker 1: got in my car. I drove three blocks away. I 222 00:12:26,730 --> 00:12:29,329 Speaker 1: grabbed my food. I heated it up and I still 223 00:12:29,350 --> 00:12:37,630 Speaker 1: canceled the order. Pray for me. Have you ever felt, 224 00:12:38,870 --> 00:12:44,210 Speaker 1: that one's going to get me. Have you ever felt 225 00:12:44,309 --> 00:12:50,870 Speaker 1: like God was a disgruntled delivery driver who couldn't be 226 00:12:50,970 --> 00:12:53,850 Speaker 1: bothered to deliver your miracle where you asked it to 227 00:12:53,910 --> 00:12:59,699 Speaker 1: be and yet delivered it three friends away? And it's like, God, 228 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:05,250 Speaker 1: have you forgotten about me? You may be familiar with 229 00:13:05,290 --> 00:13:09,510 Speaker 1: the story of Joseph. Psalm 105 is the same story, 230 00:13:09,570 --> 00:13:12,449 Speaker 1: just a different vantage point or different lens. If you're 231 00:13:12,470 --> 00:13:14,590 Speaker 1: not familiar with the story of Joseph, Joseph was one 232 00:13:14,790 --> 00:13:19,930 Speaker 1: of 11 brothers, 11 sons. He unfortunately was declared to 233 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: be his father's favorite child. And like any father who 234 00:13:23,580 --> 00:13:25,780 Speaker 1: wants to ruin all of his children's lives, he said, hey, 235 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,780 Speaker 1: let me tell everybody who my favorite is and let 236 00:13:28,820 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 1: me buy him a Gucci coat so everybody knows That 237 00:13:32,220 --> 00:13:34,119 Speaker 1: may not be in your translation, but it's definitely in 238 00:13:34,140 --> 00:13:37,870 Speaker 1: my translation. So everybody knows who my favorite son is. 239 00:13:37,950 --> 00:13:40,630 Speaker 1: So he puts this coat on Joseph and now all 240 00:13:40,650 --> 00:13:43,850 Speaker 1: of his brothers hate him. To make matters worse, God 241 00:13:43,910 --> 00:13:46,330 Speaker 1: gives Joseph a dream that one day he would be 242 00:13:46,370 --> 00:13:48,809 Speaker 1: a prime minister and all of his brothers, his mother, 243 00:13:48,830 --> 00:13:51,610 Speaker 1: his father would all bow down and worship him. And 244 00:13:51,750 --> 00:13:56,730 Speaker 1: Joseph was immature enough to tell his brothers the dream. 245 00:13:57,950 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: Strike number one, I'm dad's favorite and you can see 246 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 1: it on me. Strike number two, apparently I'm God's favorite 247 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: and you can see that on me as well. There's 248 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,900 Speaker 1: only so much the brothers could take. So they took Joseph. 249 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: They thought they were going to kill him, but they said, no, no, no, no, 250 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,860 Speaker 1: we're Christians. We can't be murderers. Let's sell him into 251 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: slavery because that's so much better. By the way, if 252 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: you think your family is dysfunctional, just read the Bible 253 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: and you're going to realize we are doing a lot 254 00:14:24,740 --> 00:14:28,340 Speaker 1: better than we thought we were. So long story short, 255 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,780 Speaker 1: Joseph gets sold into slavery. He gets sold into a 256 00:14:30,820 --> 00:14:33,940 Speaker 1: house by the name of Potiphar, a noble, the Egyptian royalty. 257 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:35,610 Speaker 1: And he serves there for a number of years and 258 00:14:35,620 --> 00:14:38,180 Speaker 1: got caught up on false charges. I won't waste time 259 00:14:38,210 --> 00:14:41,730 Speaker 1: with that. But then he ends up in prison. In prison, 260 00:14:41,990 --> 00:14:45,350 Speaker 1: he is in prison with the king's cupbearer and baker. 261 00:14:45,650 --> 00:14:48,430 Speaker 1: And he says, hey, God has forgotten about me. Let 262 00:14:48,470 --> 00:14:51,470 Speaker 1: me take matters into my own hands. And he says, hey, 263 00:14:51,610 --> 00:14:54,550 Speaker 1: when you guys get out, could you remember a brother? 264 00:14:54,590 --> 00:14:56,950 Speaker 1: Could you put a word in for a homie that 265 00:14:56,970 --> 00:15:00,170 Speaker 1: does not deserve to be here? And I love how 266 00:15:00,210 --> 00:15:04,390 Speaker 1: the Bible gives you details that may not seem relevant, 267 00:15:04,410 --> 00:15:07,820 Speaker 1: but it's God trying to make a point. The Bible 268 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: says the cupbearer and the baker got out of prison. 269 00:15:12,180 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: Here's what the Bible says. But they forgot God. About Joseph. 270 00:15:18,420 --> 00:15:21,979 Speaker 1: God feels vindictive at this point. He's like, not only 271 00:15:22,020 --> 00:15:24,580 Speaker 1: will I not remember you, but I'm going to make 272 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:30,300 Speaker 1: sure that nobody is able to remember you. And I'm 273 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:35,450 Speaker 1: sitting here saying, okay, 13 years from when God gave 274 00:15:35,620 --> 00:15:38,930 Speaker 1: Joseph the dream and when he brought him out on 275 00:15:38,950 --> 00:15:42,430 Speaker 1: the other side, God, why did you make him wait 276 00:15:42,590 --> 00:15:47,170 Speaker 1: so long? And the writer of Psalm tells us, until 277 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: the time that the word came to pass, that word 278 00:15:55,330 --> 00:15:59,030 Speaker 1: tested him. You may not want to hear this message. 279 00:15:59,050 --> 00:16:00,430 Speaker 1: There's not going to be much more to laugh at 280 00:16:00,470 --> 00:16:02,650 Speaker 1: for the rest of the day. But let me just 281 00:16:02,690 --> 00:16:05,970 Speaker 1: tell you this. If there's something that you are waiting 282 00:16:06,150 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: on from God, there's a miracle, there's an open door, 283 00:16:09,290 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 1: and sometimes it's heavy things like a couple waiting to 284 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:14,700 Speaker 1: have their first child, I'm waiting for a healing, I'm 285 00:16:14,740 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: waiting for a marriage, I'm waiting for a breakthrough, for 286 00:16:17,340 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: a business to take off, whatever it is. If there's 287 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,470 Speaker 1: something that God has for you and you are waiting 288 00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:27,010 Speaker 1: on it, hear me, it is because he is preparing 289 00:16:27,070 --> 00:16:32,070 Speaker 1: you He is equipping you. He is testing you to 290 00:16:32,150 --> 00:16:35,510 Speaker 1: be prepared for what he is getting ready to bring 291 00:16:36,030 --> 00:16:41,910 Speaker 1: in your life. God has not forgotten you. Now, I 292 00:16:41,910 --> 00:16:43,770 Speaker 1: know nobody was going to say amen or applaud there. 293 00:16:43,790 --> 00:16:43,990 Speaker 3: Why? 294 00:16:44,150 --> 00:16:47,890 Speaker 1: Because nobody likes to be tested. Nobody likes to be equipped. 295 00:16:47,930 --> 00:16:49,910 Speaker 1: Nobody likes to be built up. As I was preparing this, 296 00:16:49,930 --> 00:16:51,950 Speaker 1: I felt like the Holy Spirit gave me the analogy 297 00:16:52,010 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: of a boxer. I don't know if you are boxing 298 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 1: fans or anything like that, but you know they've got 299 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 1: these boxing matches, these pay-per-views at night, and millions of 300 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: people all over the world are watching. Tens of millions 301 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,659 Speaker 1: of dollars are on the light, on the match. But 302 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: here's the deal. They don't wait for the night of 303 00:17:10,460 --> 00:17:15,430 Speaker 1: the match to prepare. As I was looking at it, 304 00:17:15,430 --> 00:17:18,840 Speaker 1: 10 three-minute rounds, they are only in that ring for 305 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:23,199 Speaker 1: 30 minutes max. And that's assuming they don't get knocked out. 306 00:17:24,290 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: But prior to that 30-minute fight, eight to 12 months prior, 307 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:34,940 Speaker 1: they are in a gym training. Eight to 12 weeks prior, 308 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:37,820 Speaker 1: they go into fight camp. And I've never fought in 309 00:17:37,859 --> 00:17:39,379 Speaker 1: my life, but I saw the movie Creed, so I 310 00:17:39,420 --> 00:17:42,340 Speaker 1: know how it works. Come on now, they're pushing cars. 311 00:17:42,380 --> 00:17:45,179 Speaker 1: They're sledgehammering on tires. I'm sure they don't do any 312 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,070 Speaker 1: of those things, but it looked cool in the movie. 313 00:17:47,109 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 2: Why? 314 00:17:47,510 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: They are preparing. The main emphasis is on the preparation. Yes. 315 00:17:52,930 --> 00:17:57,590 Speaker 1: not the actual fight. Mom's preparing for a 30-minute bout. Why? 316 00:17:57,810 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 1: Because that 30 minutes could forever transform that boxer's life. 317 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: Here's what you need to understand. The longer God delays you, 318 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: the longer he's preparing you. The longer God is preparing you, 319 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,410 Speaker 1: the greater it is what he has for you on 320 00:18:13,450 --> 00:18:16,429 Speaker 1: the other side. If we could just focus flip our 321 00:18:16,530 --> 00:18:22,429 Speaker 1: frustration of being delayed and waiting into anticipation of, God, 322 00:18:22,490 --> 00:18:25,649 Speaker 1: if you've waited this long, if I've prayed this long, 323 00:18:25,850 --> 00:18:29,710 Speaker 1: it must be bigger than I thought it was. Y'all 324 00:18:29,750 --> 00:18:35,460 Speaker 1: want some useless information? It's literally useless information. A cat 325 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:42,460 Speaker 1: is pregnant with kittens for eight weeks, and those kittens 326 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:47,260 Speaker 1: come out at about three to four ounces. An elephant, 327 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,379 Speaker 1: I told you it was useless information. An elephant is 328 00:18:50,500 --> 00:18:56,940 Speaker 1: pregnant for 22 months, almost two years. And every woman 329 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,419 Speaker 1: in this room said, oh God, no. And when that 330 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:05,230 Speaker 1: baby elephant comes out, it comes out at about 250 pounds. 331 00:19:05,290 --> 00:19:08,530 Speaker 1: Hear me, the smaller what you're birthing, the less lime 332 00:19:08,590 --> 00:19:11,729 Speaker 1: it takes. But when you are trying to birth something massive, 333 00:19:12,830 --> 00:19:17,020 Speaker 1: come on now. It takes time. It takes a process. 334 00:19:17,340 --> 00:19:20,020 Speaker 1: And what a lot of people do not realize is 335 00:19:20,060 --> 00:19:22,619 Speaker 1: what God is trying to birth out of your life. 336 00:19:22,940 --> 00:19:27,859 Speaker 1: It's not small. It's not inconsequential. It's not insignificant. God 337 00:19:28,140 --> 00:19:31,439 Speaker 1: is looking to do something massive through your life. The 338 00:19:31,510 --> 00:19:35,390 Speaker 1: Bible says in Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 5, I knew you. 339 00:19:36,450 --> 00:19:38,790 Speaker 1: Before you were formed in your mother's womb, before you 340 00:19:38,830 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 1: were born, I sanctified you and appointed you as a 341 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:46,109 Speaker 1: spokesman to the world. Oh, if I could take the 342 00:19:46,140 --> 00:19:48,310 Speaker 1: rest of the message, which I want to convince you, 343 00:19:48,550 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: you're not small. you're not insignificant you're not overlooked God 344 00:19:55,100 --> 00:20:00,620 Speaker 1: has an earth shaking calling and destiny on your life 345 00:20:00,980 --> 00:20:05,100 Speaker 1: and he's got to prepare you for it here's the 346 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: problem a calling with no preparation will crush you The 347 00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:14,820 Speaker 1: first thing we have to catch is that God has 348 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: a massive call, a massive purpose on our life. But 349 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: hear me, if we're not prepared for it, we will 350 00:20:22,619 --> 00:20:26,780 Speaker 1: forfeit it. It will crush us. This is where it 351 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: gets awkward because I use an analogy and a specific 352 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,580 Speaker 1: person comes to your mind. But look straight ahead. Don't 353 00:20:31,660 --> 00:20:33,770 Speaker 1: act like you know who I'm talking about. But have 354 00:20:33,810 --> 00:20:36,369 Speaker 1: you ever seen someone walk into something that they're not 355 00:20:36,430 --> 00:20:41,010 Speaker 1: prepared for? It's pretty tragic to see. Maybe you had 356 00:20:41,030 --> 00:20:42,989 Speaker 1: a friend walk into a marriage and they were not 357 00:20:43,030 --> 00:20:47,130 Speaker 1: ready to be married. And you saw them not steward 358 00:20:47,150 --> 00:20:49,930 Speaker 1: it well, not manage it well. Maybe someone stepped into 359 00:20:49,970 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: a business and they were not ready for it and 360 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:55,220 Speaker 1: you saw it forfeited. Hear me, it's not just to 361 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,820 Speaker 1: have a great call, but God, I want to be prepared. 362 00:20:58,020 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 1: I want to be positioned to maximize that call. And 363 00:21:02,290 --> 00:21:05,129 Speaker 1: when I understand the magnitude of the call, hear me, 364 00:21:05,369 --> 00:21:11,340 Speaker 1: without preparation, there's a temptation to perform. When I see 365 00:21:11,380 --> 00:21:13,540 Speaker 1: the call of God on my life, but I haven't 366 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,699 Speaker 1: been properly prepared, I am now intimidated by man, and 367 00:21:17,780 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: I don't want them to know that I don't know 368 00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: what I'm doing. So the temptation to now perform and 369 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 1: pretend like I have it all together is now there 370 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: waiting for me. Not only is performance a temptation, but 371 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: hear me, premature launching is a temptation. So many of us, 372 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: here's what I've discovered about God. He will tell you 373 00:21:39,180 --> 00:21:40,770 Speaker 1: what he's called you to do before he's called you 374 00:21:40,790 --> 00:21:45,090 Speaker 1: to do it. And I'm like, dude, you could have 375 00:21:45,130 --> 00:21:49,970 Speaker 1: kept that to yourself. If it's three years from now, 376 00:21:50,530 --> 00:21:53,409 Speaker 1: tell me three years from now. Don't tell me. I'm 377 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,100 Speaker 1: going to get in trouble for this. Me and my 378 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:58,119 Speaker 1: wife always get in arguments because, you know, our three kids. 379 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: And we try to do special things for our kids, 380 00:22:00,619 --> 00:22:01,820 Speaker 1: you know, take them to see a little mouse in 381 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,170 Speaker 1: Orlando or whatever it may be. And we just parent differently. 382 00:22:05,230 --> 00:22:07,090 Speaker 1: I'm the type of parent that says don't tell them 383 00:22:07,130 --> 00:22:07,970 Speaker 1: until the day before. 384 00:22:09,220 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 3: Why? 385 00:22:09,619 --> 00:22:11,380 Speaker 1: Because they're going to talk about it for the weeks 386 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:13,260 Speaker 1: leading up and they're going to get on my nerves. 387 00:22:13,340 --> 00:22:15,180 Speaker 1: And the other thing is this, if I don't like 388 00:22:15,220 --> 00:22:17,060 Speaker 1: their attitude, I want to be able to change my 389 00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:19,300 Speaker 1: mind and they'll never know what was on the table. 390 00:22:21,980 --> 00:22:23,790 Speaker 1: My wife, on the other hand, she's like, as soon 391 00:22:23,830 --> 00:22:27,250 Speaker 1: as I hear it, they hear it. My wife is 392 00:22:27,270 --> 00:22:29,590 Speaker 1: more like God because God says, as soon as I 393 00:22:29,670 --> 00:22:31,370 Speaker 1: see it, as soon as I'm going to tell you, 394 00:22:31,650 --> 00:22:34,730 Speaker 1: because I want to see how you're going to steward 395 00:22:35,130 --> 00:22:39,570 Speaker 1: the word before you step into it. So what I 396 00:22:39,609 --> 00:22:41,190 Speaker 1: want to do over the next three hours of this message, 397 00:22:41,210 --> 00:22:42,830 Speaker 1: I want to give you just three quick thoughts, three. 398 00:22:42,850 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 1: I want to give you three lessons you need to 399 00:22:48,100 --> 00:22:52,870 Speaker 1: learn in that season of waiting, that season of preparation. 400 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,550 Speaker 1: The first lesson is this, write this down. Rejection is 401 00:22:56,590 --> 00:22:59,830 Speaker 1: a teacher. The first thing that God is going to 402 00:22:59,910 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: teach you in this season of waiting is that rejection 403 00:23:04,170 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: is a teacher. And hear me, if you do not 404 00:23:07,380 --> 00:23:11,740 Speaker 1: have a tolerance for rejection in your life, If you 405 00:23:11,780 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: don't have an immunity to people not liking you, you 406 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,980 Speaker 1: will never walk out the call of God on your life. 407 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: Hear me. You cannot walk out all that God has 408 00:23:23,850 --> 00:23:27,949 Speaker 1: for you and have everybody like you and everybody believing 409 00:23:28,010 --> 00:23:33,740 Speaker 1: you at the same time if rejection paralyzes you. If 410 00:23:33,859 --> 00:23:37,740 Speaker 1: someone doesn't like you and it keeps you from walking 411 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,170 Speaker 1: out all that God has for you, you will forfeit 412 00:23:40,210 --> 00:23:42,290 Speaker 1: the call of God on your life. Here's what the 413 00:23:42,330 --> 00:23:47,250 Speaker 1: Bible says. The Bible says 13 years before there was 414 00:23:47,310 --> 00:23:53,139 Speaker 1: a famine in Egypt, God sent Joseph because Joseph was 415 00:23:53,180 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 1: going to make sure there was enough provision for the 416 00:23:55,400 --> 00:24:01,300 Speaker 1: entire region to eat through the famine. Somebody say 13 years. Before. Before. 417 00:24:03,510 --> 00:24:09,969 Speaker 1: One more time, 13 years before. So imagine Joseph rolls 418 00:24:10,190 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: up in Egypt and says, hey y'all, there's about to 419 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:23,939 Speaker 1: be a famine. Fields full, Chick-fil-A stopped, food everywhere. And 420 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 1: he's saying, hey guys, there's a famine coming. Watch this. 421 00:24:26,940 --> 00:24:31,470 Speaker 1: They would have laughed him out of town. Why? Because 422 00:24:31,550 --> 00:24:36,470 Speaker 1: his calling was sent ahead of the problem. The problem 423 00:24:36,530 --> 00:24:40,129 Speaker 1: did not yet exist. So nobody was going to understand 424 00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:42,910 Speaker 1: the call of God on his life because the problem 425 00:24:42,950 --> 00:24:45,570 Speaker 1: he was sent to be a solution to. had not 426 00:24:45,650 --> 00:24:48,990 Speaker 1: yet existed. Here's why your mama don't understand the path 427 00:24:49,030 --> 00:24:51,260 Speaker 1: that God is leading you on. Here's why the people 428 00:24:51,300 --> 00:24:53,660 Speaker 1: around you don't understand the path that God is leading 429 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:57,139 Speaker 1: you on. Because God has sent you before the problem 430 00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: and they don't see your calling because they don't see 431 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:03,770 Speaker 1: the problem yet. You can't wait for them to understand. 432 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: for you to walk out all that God has for you, 433 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,900 Speaker 1: 1 Corinthians 2, 9. But as it is written, eye 434 00:25:09,980 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 1: has not seen, nor ear heard, nor is it entered 435 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,570 Speaker 1: into the heart of man, the things which God has 436 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:22,850 Speaker 1: prepared for those who love him. Those around you will 437 00:25:23,030 --> 00:25:27,010 Speaker 1: always misunderstand the call of God on your life because 438 00:25:27,050 --> 00:25:31,750 Speaker 1: you are before your time. And people just have a 439 00:25:32,210 --> 00:25:37,659 Speaker 1: tendency to reject God what they don't understand. Can I 440 00:25:37,700 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 1: mess with you just a little bit? Not only will 441 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: they not understand the path that God is taking you on, 442 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,780 Speaker 1: sometimes you won't even understand the path that God is 443 00:25:46,820 --> 00:25:49,739 Speaker 1: taking you on. I grew up in church. My dad 444 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:52,100 Speaker 1: was a pastor my entire life. So like all pastors' kids, 445 00:25:52,140 --> 00:25:55,620 Speaker 1: I said, God, I'll do everything but be a pastor. 446 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: So I went to the greatest university on the planet, 447 00:25:57,740 --> 00:26:04,900 Speaker 1: University of Maryland, College Park, Fear the Turtle. Graduated graduate 448 00:26:04,940 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: college and I got I got I got two solid 449 00:26:07,619 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: job offers One of the jobs paid me $ 42, 000. It 450 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: was in Maryland. The other job the sally was $ 90, 000 451 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,739 Speaker 1: with a $ 15, 000 signing bonus. I didn't even know they 452 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,619 Speaker 1: gave non-athletes signing bonuses Yeah, when I tell you I 453 00:26:23,660 --> 00:26:27,950 Speaker 1: was praising God. I'm Lord. You're good Jehovah Jireh my 454 00:26:27,990 --> 00:26:34,790 Speaker 1: provider And I go to sign the $ 90, 000 job offer 455 00:26:35,130 --> 00:26:37,530 Speaker 1: and the Holy Spirit, you know how you just feel, 456 00:26:37,570 --> 00:26:40,030 Speaker 1: I don't feel good about this. And I've been walking 457 00:26:40,050 --> 00:26:41,810 Speaker 1: with God long enough to know that that check was 458 00:26:41,830 --> 00:26:44,709 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. God said, don't take that job. I said, 459 00:26:44,730 --> 00:26:49,929 Speaker 1: what you talking about, Willis? I know you've been in 460 00:26:49,950 --> 00:26:52,820 Speaker 1: heaven so long, you probably forget how numbers work, but 461 00:26:52,820 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 1: 90 plus 15 is more than 42. Clearly, God, you 462 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: want me to walk in abundance. And every time I 463 00:27:02,580 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: went to take the job, I felt this check of, no, 464 00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:07,260 Speaker 1: that's not what I have for you. Have you ever 465 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 1: tried to convince God to let you do what you 466 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 1: want to do? I'm shady, y'all. I tried to convince 467 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: him by telling him I would tithe. God, I'm going 468 00:27:16,540 --> 00:27:19,530 Speaker 1: to give 10% of my income to the kingdom of God. 469 00:27:19,770 --> 00:27:22,690 Speaker 1: Don't you want 10% of 105 instead of... I'm trying 470 00:27:22,710 --> 00:27:28,030 Speaker 1: to negotiate with God. Let me... And the check never left. 471 00:27:28,230 --> 00:27:31,170 Speaker 1: Here was the problem with the $ 90, 000 job. It was 472 00:27:31,250 --> 00:27:34,810 Speaker 1: causing me to leave Maryland. And what the Holy Spirit 473 00:27:34,830 --> 00:27:36,530 Speaker 1: said is, I need you to stay in Maryland. Now 474 00:27:36,550 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: watch this. I had not yet even accepted the call 475 00:27:39,340 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: of God into ministry on my life. I had no 476 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,260 Speaker 1: idea I'd be pastoring in Maryland for the rest of 477 00:27:44,300 --> 00:27:46,939 Speaker 1: my life. And I'm saying, God, this is not my path. 478 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:49,100 Speaker 1: And he said, your path is out of alignment with 479 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:52,369 Speaker 1: the calling on your life. You may not understand it, 480 00:27:52,609 --> 00:27:56,450 Speaker 1: but if you would allow me to lead you, you're 481 00:27:56,470 --> 00:27:59,810 Speaker 1: going to end up where you're supposed to be. You 482 00:27:59,910 --> 00:28:04,020 Speaker 1: can't expect people around you to understand what God is 483 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,140 Speaker 1: doing in your life. And when they don't understand, they 484 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,139 Speaker 1: will laugh, they will mock, they will manipulate, they will lie. 485 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: And it's all a lesson. God is trying to figure 486 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:16,220 Speaker 1: out whose voice do you listen to? If people around 487 00:28:16,260 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: you not understanding what God has called you to do 488 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,850 Speaker 1: causes you to question what God has caused you to do, 489 00:28:21,140 --> 00:28:26,270 Speaker 1: that means they've become your idol. Because it means their 490 00:28:26,350 --> 00:28:30,890 Speaker 1: voice is drowning out the voice of almighty God. Now here, 491 00:28:31,109 --> 00:28:33,310 Speaker 1: Joseph's father gets involved in verse 10. It says this 492 00:28:33,350 --> 00:28:36,609 Speaker 1: of chapter 37 of Genesis. He told it to his 493 00:28:36,670 --> 00:28:38,630 Speaker 1: father and his brothers. His father rebuked him and said 494 00:28:38,650 --> 00:28:41,850 Speaker 1: to him, what is this dream that you have dreamed? 495 00:28:42,150 --> 00:28:45,780 Speaker 1: Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come 496 00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: to bow down to the earth before you? Not only 497 00:28:52,740 --> 00:28:57,860 Speaker 1: is God trying to develop people rejection, immunity in your life. 498 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:01,660 Speaker 1: But God is also trying to develop the parts of you. 499 00:29:01,700 --> 00:29:03,140 Speaker 1: I don't want to be mean and call you a jerk, 500 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:07,910 Speaker 1: but I just did. He's trying to develop the parts 501 00:29:07,950 --> 00:29:11,850 Speaker 1: of you that are repulsive to other people. Hear me. 502 00:29:12,750 --> 00:29:15,330 Speaker 1: When we get rejected, we always blame the other person. 503 00:29:16,330 --> 00:29:19,070 Speaker 1: We always assume there's something wrong with them and there's 504 00:29:19,210 --> 00:29:21,870 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with me. Matter of fact, we have this, 505 00:29:21,890 --> 00:29:23,260 Speaker 1: I'm going to get in trouble for this. So many 506 00:29:23,300 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: people now, I just got to protect my peace. I 507 00:29:25,500 --> 00:29:27,140 Speaker 1: have to cut them out of my life because they were, 508 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: I've got to protect my peace. I've got, yeah, yeah, yeah. 509 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: Some people you've got to cut off because you've got 510 00:29:32,620 --> 00:29:35,690 Speaker 1: to protect your peace. Some people were not challenging your peace. 511 00:29:35,730 --> 00:29:38,450 Speaker 1: They were challenging your pride and they were causing you 512 00:29:38,490 --> 00:29:40,959 Speaker 1: to grow up and develop. And you said, no, no, no, no. 513 00:29:41,020 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: I don't want to grow. I don't want to change. 514 00:29:42,300 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: I got to cut you off. Hear me. They didn't 515 00:29:45,010 --> 00:29:48,570 Speaker 1: just reject Joseph because they were jealous. They rejected him 516 00:29:48,610 --> 00:29:54,030 Speaker 1: because he was arrogant. God gave you a dream. So what? 517 00:29:54,070 --> 00:29:58,010 Speaker 1: Keep it to yourself. God never told you to declare 518 00:29:58,070 --> 00:30:00,870 Speaker 1: that to everybody, to rub it in their face. Here's 519 00:30:00,930 --> 00:30:04,030 Speaker 1: what rejection will teach you. It will teach you to 520 00:30:04,290 --> 00:30:09,000 Speaker 1: incubate a word from God. How are you telling the world, 521 00:30:09,260 --> 00:30:10,780 Speaker 1: and you're not even convinced it was the voice of 522 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: God yet. It could have just been that bad movie 523 00:30:13,740 --> 00:30:15,620 Speaker 1: and the bad pizza you ate last night. You're trying 524 00:30:15,660 --> 00:30:19,010 Speaker 1: to figure out, is this God speaking? But you're, God is, 525 00:30:19,190 --> 00:30:24,670 Speaker 1: keep it to yourself. God, give me signs. God, lead me. God, 526 00:30:24,790 --> 00:30:27,890 Speaker 1: guide me. Don't blurt it. I just needed to tell 527 00:30:27,930 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 1: my group. I just needed accountability partners. No, no, no, no, no. 528 00:30:33,140 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: You need to be accountable to the Holy Spirit before 529 00:30:37,900 --> 00:30:41,270 Speaker 1: you can be accountable to anybody else. It's rejection that 530 00:30:41,330 --> 00:30:44,490 Speaker 1: teaches you to incubate a word from God. Watch this. 531 00:30:44,830 --> 00:30:49,340 Speaker 1: Rejection will teach you to celebrate other people. Here's what 532 00:30:49,380 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: God is trying to teach you in that season. Don't 533 00:30:51,660 --> 00:30:53,740 Speaker 1: just talk about what God is doing in your life. 534 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,660 Speaker 1: Can you learn how to celebrate what God is doing 535 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,750 Speaker 1: in somebody else's life? We know the story of Joseph. 536 00:31:00,810 --> 00:31:03,590 Speaker 1: Watch this. Do you know after Joseph led them through 537 00:31:03,630 --> 00:31:05,710 Speaker 1: the famine, it's the last time in scripture we heard 538 00:31:05,750 --> 00:31:09,100 Speaker 1: about Joseph? Joseph was not even the most significant brother 539 00:31:09,260 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: of the 11. It was Judah that Jesus came through 540 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:17,340 Speaker 1: centuries later. There was God's work in every brother's life. Joseph, 541 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: don't just make it about you. Learn how to celebrate 542 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: other people. Second thing God's going to teach you in 543 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: this season of delay is faithfulness precedes promotion. In a 544 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:36,540 Speaker 1: season of delay, we've got to learn, watch this, to 545 00:31:36,580 --> 00:31:43,530 Speaker 1: be fruitful outside of our calling. Before God puts me 546 00:31:43,550 --> 00:31:46,620 Speaker 1: where I want to be, can I wane where I 547 00:31:46,660 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: have to be? In Genesis 39, verse three, it says this, 548 00:31:49,620 --> 00:31:51,380 Speaker 1: and his master saw the Lord was with him and 549 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: that Joseph made all he did prosper in his hand. 550 00:31:54,180 --> 00:31:56,479 Speaker 1: So Joseph found favor in his sight and served him. 551 00:31:56,700 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: Then he made him overseer of his house and all 552 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:02,500 Speaker 1: that he had put under his authority. Genesis 39, 22, 553 00:32:02,500 --> 00:32:05,140 Speaker 1: and the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand. 554 00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: All the prisoners who were in the prison, whatever they 555 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:11,100 Speaker 1: did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the 556 00:32:11,180 --> 00:32:15,110 Speaker 1: prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's 557 00:32:15,140 --> 00:32:18,850 Speaker 1: authority because the Lord was with him and whatever he did, 558 00:32:19,150 --> 00:32:26,470 Speaker 1: the Lord made it prosper. Everywhere Joseph went, he maximized 559 00:32:26,530 --> 00:32:30,090 Speaker 1: the moment even though he was not in the center 560 00:32:30,390 --> 00:32:35,110 Speaker 1: of what God ultimately had for him. As long as 561 00:32:35,210 --> 00:32:41,350 Speaker 1: you are complaining, about what's not fair in your situation. 562 00:32:42,010 --> 00:32:46,190 Speaker 1: You are not yet ready to step in to all 563 00:32:46,270 --> 00:32:49,900 Speaker 1: that God has for you. God is trying to teach you. 564 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:55,940 Speaker 1: Can you be faithful with a disadvantage before I give 565 00:32:56,000 --> 00:32:59,540 Speaker 1: you the kingdom advantage that I have? Here's the problem. 566 00:32:59,900 --> 00:33:03,780 Speaker 1: Most people can't even be faithful at what they're passionate about. 567 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,350 Speaker 1: Most people can't even stay focused on what they feel 568 00:33:08,460 --> 00:33:11,970 Speaker 1: called to. It is even a smaller minority of people 569 00:33:12,190 --> 00:33:15,410 Speaker 1: that can be faithful in something that, this isn't my calling, 570 00:33:15,450 --> 00:33:17,870 Speaker 1: this isn't my gifting, this isn't my skill set, this 571 00:33:17,910 --> 00:33:20,550 Speaker 1: isn't my gift mix, but it's where God has me 572 00:33:20,810 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: for this season of my life, and I'm going to 573 00:33:23,630 --> 00:33:26,960 Speaker 1: be faithful. faithful where I am because there's something he 574 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: has called me to do. So here's Joe up in 575 00:33:29,740 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: Potiphar's house. And Joe said, guess what? I'm going to 576 00:33:31,540 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: be the best slave they've ever had. You're going to 577 00:33:33,700 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 1: put me in here? 578 00:33:34,340 --> 00:33:34,610 Speaker 3: All right. 579 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,870 Speaker 1: Watch me work. Watch God's hand of favor on my life. 580 00:33:38,150 --> 00:33:41,690 Speaker 1: And his promotion was false charges in a prison. He 581 00:33:41,750 --> 00:33:43,070 Speaker 1: now is in prison. He said, I'm going to be 582 00:33:43,090 --> 00:33:46,100 Speaker 1: the valedictor prisoner of all. I'm going to be the 583 00:33:46,130 --> 00:33:49,380 Speaker 1: best prisoner that you've ever had. I'm going to win 584 00:33:49,660 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 1: wherever God has placed me. I have a question for you. 585 00:33:53,580 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: Can you win as a slave? Can you win as 586 00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:58,459 Speaker 1: a prisoner? Can you win as an employee before you 587 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,730 Speaker 1: become the CEO? Can you win in the background before 588 00:34:01,790 --> 00:34:05,110 Speaker 1: God puts you in the foreground? So many people are like, boy, 589 00:34:05,170 --> 00:34:08,390 Speaker 1: when my door opens, I can't wait to say, listen, 590 00:34:08,690 --> 00:34:14,110 Speaker 1: if you can't win when the door is closed, Why 591 00:34:14,150 --> 00:34:16,270 Speaker 1: would you expect to be able to win when the 592 00:34:16,330 --> 00:34:19,310 Speaker 1: door is open? It's behind closed doors that God builds 593 00:34:19,330 --> 00:34:26,759 Speaker 1: your confidence. When you are at a disadvantage, watch this, 594 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,210 Speaker 1: in Potiphar's house, and you still see God blessing you, 595 00:34:30,989 --> 00:34:35,100 Speaker 1: You see miracles breaking out. You still see favor all around. 596 00:34:35,380 --> 00:34:37,940 Speaker 1: And then somebody lies on you. You lose your job, 597 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: end up in a worse situation, and you're still blessed. 598 00:34:40,980 --> 00:34:43,970 Speaker 1: You're still favored. You're still anointed. Do you know the 599 00:34:44,090 --> 00:34:47,230 Speaker 1: confidence that comes on you? Wait, hold on. It don't 600 00:34:47,290 --> 00:34:49,650 Speaker 1: matter what they do to me. God is still with me. 601 00:34:49,870 --> 00:34:52,290 Speaker 1: He's still for me. He still is going to make 602 00:34:52,330 --> 00:34:55,430 Speaker 1: a way where there is no way. Hear me. It 603 00:34:55,510 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 1: is in the prison that God builds a confidence. Push 604 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:02,890 Speaker 1: your neighbor and say, don't skip it, don't skip it, 605 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:06,890 Speaker 1: don't skip it. It's easier to preach than it is 606 00:35:06,930 --> 00:35:10,290 Speaker 1: to live. I would love to skip a prison. I 607 00:35:10,330 --> 00:35:13,710 Speaker 1: would love to skip those moments of tears crying at night, 608 00:35:13,989 --> 00:35:17,660 Speaker 1: but it's in those moments of disadvantage that God proves, 609 00:35:18,180 --> 00:35:21,660 Speaker 1: I don't need a perfect environment. Amen. to be able 610 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 1: to bless you and open doors for you and favor you. 611 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,700 Speaker 1: All I need is a broken and a contrite heart. 612 00:35:27,739 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 1: In Luke chapter 16, verse 12, it says this. If 613 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,980 Speaker 1: you have not been faithful in what is another man's, 614 00:35:34,900 --> 00:35:39,460 Speaker 1: who will give you what is your own? One of 615 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: the things I learned is God will test you by 616 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:46,029 Speaker 1: seeing what you will do with somebody else's dream. I've 617 00:35:46,050 --> 00:35:47,950 Speaker 1: been the senior pastor of Union Church in Maryland for 618 00:35:47,969 --> 00:35:51,070 Speaker 1: the last 15 years. but I've been a member of 619 00:35:51,130 --> 00:35:55,060 Speaker 1: that church for 30 years. Because before I was the 620 00:35:55,120 --> 00:35:59,700 Speaker 1: senior pastor, I was the pastor's son. So for 15 years, 621 00:35:59,860 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 1: I woke up at 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning, 622 00:36:02,500 --> 00:36:04,430 Speaker 1: drove down to the church and turned all the lights 623 00:36:04,610 --> 00:36:06,810 Speaker 1: on and put all the batteries in the microphone and 624 00:36:07,050 --> 00:36:09,669 Speaker 1: made sure the screens were on. Y'all don't remember church 625 00:36:09,710 --> 00:36:11,930 Speaker 1: back in the day. Ain't no screens, ain't no light. 626 00:36:12,130 --> 00:36:14,610 Speaker 1: This was that overhead projector, y'all. Come on, you remember? 627 00:36:15,290 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 1: Where they would have the hymn with the four verses, 628 00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 1: but we never sang all four verses and you gotta 629 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,580 Speaker 1: sit there and only slide it up as they would sing. 630 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:25,160 Speaker 1: And don't judge me, I can't sing. I led worship. 631 00:36:26,010 --> 00:36:30,130 Speaker 1: for seven of those years. Year after year after year. Monday, 632 00:36:30,190 --> 00:36:33,229 Speaker 1: I would lead Bible study. Wednesday, I drive 45 minutes 633 00:36:33,310 --> 00:36:35,830 Speaker 1: up from college to be a part of the leadership meeting. 634 00:36:36,090 --> 00:36:38,710 Speaker 1: Get back to school 11 o'clock that night. Friday night, 635 00:36:38,750 --> 00:36:41,750 Speaker 1: I drive back up to lead student night. Saturday morning, 636 00:36:41,770 --> 00:36:44,669 Speaker 1: I'm leading prayer in the morning. Back on Sunday, leading 637 00:36:44,710 --> 00:36:49,210 Speaker 1: for 15 years. Now, let me be petty and get 638 00:36:49,230 --> 00:36:50,989 Speaker 1: in trouble, but that's all right. So when I became 639 00:36:51,010 --> 00:36:53,700 Speaker 1: the pastor at 23 years old, People start to grow. 640 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:55,980 Speaker 1: I don't think he deserves to be a pastor. I 641 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,569 Speaker 1: don't know. This seems to be nepotism. You're just mad 642 00:36:59,590 --> 00:37:01,740 Speaker 1: because your dad didn't leave you anything. I'm just saying. 643 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:06,340 Speaker 1: I'm not saying I have a right to hold a 644 00:37:06,380 --> 00:37:08,700 Speaker 1: microphone in my hand, but it's not wrong because before 645 00:37:08,739 --> 00:37:11,100 Speaker 1: I ever held it, I put batteries in these things 646 00:37:11,140 --> 00:37:15,140 Speaker 1: for two decades straight, building somebody else's dream and somebody 647 00:37:15,219 --> 00:37:18,989 Speaker 1: else's vision and somebody else's. Here's what I've learned. When 648 00:37:19,050 --> 00:37:22,209 Speaker 1: I serve somebody else's dream, God will give me my own. 649 00:37:22,830 --> 00:37:26,609 Speaker 1: When I serve somebody else's kingdom, somebody else's business, somebody 650 00:37:26,650 --> 00:37:30,690 Speaker 1: else's car, watch you be faithful with somebody else's dream 651 00:37:30,969 --> 00:37:34,380 Speaker 1: and watch God give you your own. I always worry 652 00:37:34,390 --> 00:37:35,900 Speaker 1: because my church is used to me. Y'all don't know 653 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 1: me like that. I really love you. But sometimes I 654 00:37:38,780 --> 00:37:42,660 Speaker 1: come across a little cranky. Everybody got a business card. 655 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:45,460 Speaker 1: Everybody's an entrepreneur. Everybody's a CEO. But you've never been 656 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:50,469 Speaker 1: a W-2. And I'm not saying God hasn't called you 657 00:37:50,510 --> 00:37:52,330 Speaker 1: to own a business. I'm not saying God hasn't called 658 00:37:52,350 --> 00:37:55,049 Speaker 1: you to employ thousands of people. But maybe before you 659 00:37:55,090 --> 00:38:02,830 Speaker 1: start your own, you should serve somebody else. Amen. How 660 00:38:03,050 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 1: I steward what is not mine prepares me to steward 661 00:38:09,239 --> 00:38:12,640 Speaker 1: what God has for me. So this isn't a part 662 00:38:12,660 --> 00:38:14,620 Speaker 1: of it. I'm just being petty. How are you going 663 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 1: to live in your mama's house and not do the dishes? 664 00:38:21,140 --> 00:38:22,860 Speaker 1: How are you going to borrow somebody's car and not 665 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:26,890 Speaker 1: put gas in it before you return it? I'm just 666 00:38:26,910 --> 00:38:29,450 Speaker 1: being petty to be petty. But how about I learn 667 00:38:30,190 --> 00:38:34,009 Speaker 1: how to steward what does not belong to me so 668 00:38:34,030 --> 00:38:36,489 Speaker 1: that God can trust me with what does. Last thing 669 00:38:36,530 --> 00:38:41,060 Speaker 1: is this, write this down and we out. Delay is 670 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:45,150 Speaker 1: a multiplier. The three things God's trying to teach me, 671 00:38:45,380 --> 00:38:48,219 Speaker 1: he's trying to teach me how to be immune to rejection. 672 00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:51,540 Speaker 1: He's trying to teach me, watch this, how to be 673 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:57,360 Speaker 1: faithful when I don't feel like it. God's trying to 674 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:03,279 Speaker 1: teach me how to manage disappointment. In Proverbs 13, verse 12, 675 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:09,410 Speaker 1: it says this, hope deferred makes the heart sick. But 676 00:39:09,450 --> 00:39:14,170 Speaker 1: when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. 677 00:39:14,790 --> 00:39:18,690 Speaker 1: This is why sermons need so much laughter. Because a 678 00:39:18,730 --> 00:39:24,660 Speaker 1: lot of people understand the pain of disappointment. It's easy 679 00:39:24,719 --> 00:39:29,450 Speaker 1: to laugh about delay, but when you've been in it 680 00:39:29,550 --> 00:39:33,319 Speaker 1: for three years, years, four years, five years, saying, God, why, when, 681 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:37,299 Speaker 1: where have you forgotten? And hear me, God knows the 682 00:39:37,380 --> 00:39:41,200 Speaker 1: pain of hoping for something and not seeing it come 683 00:39:41,219 --> 00:39:48,380 Speaker 1: to pass. One theologian said this, long delayed expectations cause 684 00:39:48,580 --> 00:39:56,170 Speaker 1: emotional mental, and spiritual pain? Can you deal with the 685 00:39:56,270 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 1: emotional turmoil of a calling? Can you deal with the 686 00:40:01,700 --> 00:40:08,440 Speaker 1: disappointment of delay? Watch this. And yet not have your 687 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:17,080 Speaker 1: faith diminish even though your heart is broken. Romans chapter four, 688 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:20,460 Speaker 1: verse 19, it says this, without weakening in his faith, 689 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:27,330 Speaker 1: slow down, Stephen. Without weakening in his faith. Sometimes you 690 00:40:27,370 --> 00:40:30,759 Speaker 1: don't gotta preach, you just gotta read the Bible. Without 691 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: weakening in his face, he faced the fact that his 692 00:40:37,460 --> 00:40:40,939 Speaker 1: body was as good as dead since he was about 693 00:40:40,940 --> 00:40:44,990 Speaker 1: 100 years old and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 694 00:40:45,010 --> 00:40:51,390 Speaker 1: Watch this. Yet he did not waver. through unbelief regarding 695 00:40:51,430 --> 00:40:55,270 Speaker 1: the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith 696 00:40:55,550 --> 00:40:58,950 Speaker 1: and gave glory to God. I love this phrase, being 697 00:40:59,450 --> 00:41:05,200 Speaker 1: fully persuaded that God had power to do what he 698 00:41:05,260 --> 00:41:08,700 Speaker 1: had promised to do. Here's why God keeps delaying you, 699 00:41:08,900 --> 00:41:12,830 Speaker 1: because he's waiting for you to be fully persuaded that 700 00:41:13,010 --> 00:41:18,830 Speaker 1: God will do what he said he will do. Delayed 701 00:41:19,030 --> 00:41:26,040 Speaker 1: dreams either kills dreams or it develops faith. You decide. 702 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:30,880 Speaker 1: The longer it takes, I either come to the conclusion 703 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,980 Speaker 1: God's not gonna do it, or I come to the conclusion, 704 00:41:35,140 --> 00:41:38,490 Speaker 1: oh man, this must be an elephant type of miracle. 705 00:41:39,830 --> 00:41:41,750 Speaker 1: This must be a lot bigger than I thought it 706 00:41:41,790 --> 00:41:44,850 Speaker 1: was going. No wonder it's taking so long. God is 707 00:41:44,989 --> 00:41:48,589 Speaker 1: cultivating something. That's bigger and greater than I could ever 708 00:41:48,730 --> 00:41:54,370 Speaker 1: ask for or imagine. Earlier this year, as you know, 709 00:41:54,390 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 1: there's a little bit of drama in our great nation. 710 00:41:57,860 --> 00:42:01,040 Speaker 1: Earlier this year, TSA was trying to figure out funding 711 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:03,560 Speaker 1: and all that other good stuff. And the TSA workers 712 00:42:03,620 --> 00:42:05,430 Speaker 1: of Maryland said, hey, well, y'all figure it out. We 713 00:42:05,469 --> 00:42:08,970 Speaker 1: gonna be home. We ain't coming. We ain't coming. So 714 00:42:08,989 --> 00:42:11,260 Speaker 1: you know the delays and the long, not all airports, 715 00:42:11,300 --> 00:42:14,360 Speaker 1: but airport in Maryland, the delays got pretty long. At 716 00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:18,910 Speaker 1: one point, it was three to four hours wait to 717 00:42:18,989 --> 00:42:22,170 Speaker 1: get through security check to get on your flight. Now, 718 00:42:22,190 --> 00:42:23,669 Speaker 1: I don't know how much faith you have. You probably 719 00:42:23,690 --> 00:42:25,690 Speaker 1: have a lot more faith than I do. If I 720 00:42:25,730 --> 00:42:28,700 Speaker 1: have to wait four hours to get on my flight, 721 00:42:29,340 --> 00:42:33,609 Speaker 1: I ain't coming. I'm not driving. I'll see y'all next. 722 00:42:33,810 --> 00:42:35,430 Speaker 1: We'll figure it out. I'm not getting on a plane. 723 00:42:35,910 --> 00:42:38,990 Speaker 1: Lines were three to four hours long and people went 724 00:42:39,030 --> 00:42:43,140 Speaker 1: to the airport and stood in that line being delayed 725 00:42:43,420 --> 00:42:48,110 Speaker 1: four hours, sometimes for a two-hour flight. They waited in 726 00:42:48,170 --> 00:42:50,430 Speaker 1: line to check bags longer than they were going to 727 00:42:50,450 --> 00:42:52,489 Speaker 1: be on the plane itself. You might have seen it 728 00:42:52,510 --> 00:42:54,489 Speaker 1: became this big national thing all over the news and 729 00:42:54,510 --> 00:42:56,799 Speaker 1: all that. So news stations started to go down to 730 00:42:56,820 --> 00:42:59,860 Speaker 1: the airport to interview people that were in line waiting. 731 00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:01,460 Speaker 1: They ain't got nothing better to do, so we might 732 00:43:01,500 --> 00:43:04,219 Speaker 1: as well talk to them. And they went up to 733 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:07,020 Speaker 1: the first person. They said, why in the world would 734 00:43:07,060 --> 00:43:11,529 Speaker 1: you wait four hours to take this flight? This young 735 00:43:11,570 --> 00:43:14,890 Speaker 1: lady looked in the camera. She said, if you knew 736 00:43:16,650 --> 00:43:22,560 Speaker 1: How much I paid for this trip and how much 737 00:43:22,780 --> 00:43:27,319 Speaker 1: it costs me, there is no way I'm gonna let 738 00:43:27,420 --> 00:43:33,839 Speaker 1: a little inconvenience keep me from my destination. It might 739 00:43:33,940 --> 00:43:37,020 Speaker 1: take me longer than I wanted it to, but based 740 00:43:37,100 --> 00:43:39,540 Speaker 1: on what I've had to sacrifice to go to it, 741 00:43:39,940 --> 00:43:41,890 Speaker 1: I am not going to forfeit it based on this 742 00:43:41,969 --> 00:43:46,049 Speaker 1: little inconvenience. Here's what happens. When God doesn't delay you, 743 00:43:46,090 --> 00:43:50,339 Speaker 1: you are cavalier with the miracle. When God doesn't develop you, 744 00:43:50,380 --> 00:43:53,299 Speaker 1: you act entitled like I deserve it. And I'm this 745 00:43:53,380 --> 00:43:56,279 Speaker 1: smart and this intelligent and this much charisma. But when 746 00:43:56,340 --> 00:44:00,000 Speaker 1: I've been through something before God gives, if you knew 747 00:44:00,060 --> 00:44:02,899 Speaker 1: what I had to walk through, if you knew what 748 00:44:02,940 --> 00:44:07,500 Speaker 1: it cost me to get here, a little delay won't 749 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:10,600 Speaker 1: deter me. They go to the next gentleman. They said, 750 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:12,620 Speaker 1: how long have you been waiting? He said, five hours. 751 00:44:13,160 --> 00:44:15,620 Speaker 1: Smile on his face. These people had more Holy Spirit 752 00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:19,200 Speaker 1: than I do. They said, so you got here five 753 00:44:19,260 --> 00:44:22,109 Speaker 1: hours before your flight. He said, I sure did. They said, 754 00:44:22,260 --> 00:44:25,470 Speaker 1: why in the world would you get here that early 755 00:44:25,570 --> 00:44:28,170 Speaker 1: for your flight? He said, let me tell you about 756 00:44:28,210 --> 00:44:31,469 Speaker 1: my destination. I'm going to the Caribbean and here's the 757 00:44:31,510 --> 00:44:34,180 Speaker 1: hotel I'm staying at. It's all inclusive. And he began 758 00:44:34,219 --> 00:44:37,439 Speaker 1: to tell them how beautiful the destination he was getting 759 00:44:37,480 --> 00:44:39,939 Speaker 1: ready to go to. And he said, I spent so 760 00:44:40,020 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 1: much time planning. planning and preparing and envisioning where I 761 00:44:44,140 --> 00:44:48,890 Speaker 1: was going, even this moment of inconvenience is not enough 762 00:44:48,950 --> 00:44:52,470 Speaker 1: to keep me from the amazing destination on the other side. 763 00:44:52,870 --> 00:44:55,230 Speaker 1: This message is for that person that's getting ready to 764 00:44:55,270 --> 00:44:59,200 Speaker 1: give up, that you're discouraged, that you're overwhelmed, that you're like, God, 765 00:44:59,260 --> 00:45:02,439 Speaker 1: why me? Have you forgotten about me? If you can 766 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:06,100 Speaker 1: just get a glimpse of the destination on the other side. 767 00:45:06,420 --> 00:45:09,279 Speaker 1: If you could just see what God is getting ready 768 00:45:09,320 --> 00:45:12,420 Speaker 1: to take you through, your whole story would change. You 769 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:14,919 Speaker 1: begin to say, you know what? I'll wait. You know what? 770 00:45:15,140 --> 00:45:17,620 Speaker 1: It's no big deal. You know what? They can walk 771 00:45:17,660 --> 00:45:20,560 Speaker 1: away from me. You know what? It doesn't even matter 772 00:45:20,780 --> 00:45:24,010 Speaker 1: because I've got a glimpse. what God is getting ready 773 00:45:24,050 --> 00:45:27,169 Speaker 1: to do on the other side and whatever he takes 774 00:45:27,350 --> 00:45:31,590 Speaker 1: me through it's worth it it's worth it it's worth 775 00:45:31,670 --> 00:45:34,710 Speaker 1: it hear me you may cry but don't you quit 776 00:45:34,950 --> 00:45:37,390 Speaker 1: you may be discouraged but don't you throw away your 777 00:45:37,450 --> 00:45:40,770 Speaker 1: faith you may be overwhelmed but you keep putting one 778 00:45:40,910 --> 00:45:44,750 Speaker 1: foot in front of the other because in due season 779 00:45:45,130 --> 00:45:47,839 Speaker 1: It will come to pass. And I'm telling you, no 780 00:45:47,950 --> 00:45:50,900 Speaker 1: eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can 781 00:45:50,940 --> 00:45:53,620 Speaker 1: conceive what God is getting ready to take you through. 782 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:58,279 Speaker 1: It will be above and beyond all that you can 783 00:45:58,340 --> 00:46:02,779 Speaker 1: ever ask, think, or imagine. If you believe it, can 784 00:46:02,800 --> 00:46:06,109 Speaker 1: you take about 10 seconds? Can you celebrate God as 785 00:46:06,310 --> 00:46:08,890 Speaker 1: if you are on the other side? Can you thank 786 00:46:08,930 --> 00:46:12,590 Speaker 1: him that he is faithful to his word? If he 787 00:46:12,770 --> 00:46:18,590 Speaker 1: said it, He will do it. Somebody shout hallelujah in 788 00:46:18,610 --> 00:46:26,420 Speaker 1: this place. God, we bless you. God, we reference you. Hey, 789 00:46:26,460 --> 00:46:28,060 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoyed the podcast. 790 00:46:28,140 --> 00:46:30,700 Speaker 2: And if you did, make sure to share it and 791 00:46:30,739 --> 00:46:33,259 Speaker 2: subscribe so we can get you all of these new 792 00:46:33,320 --> 00:46:36,310 Speaker 2: messages as soon as they're available. I also want to 793 00:46:36,350 --> 00:46:38,350 Speaker 2: take a moment and thank all of you who are 794 00:46:38,370 --> 00:46:41,830 Speaker 2: a part of Elevation. Whether you support us financially or 795 00:46:42,050 --> 00:46:45,590 Speaker 2: serve with us or just share these messages, it's because 796 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:48,180 Speaker 2: of you that we're able to reach people all around 797 00:46:48,219 --> 00:46:51,219 Speaker 2: the world. And if you want more information on how 798 00:46:51,239 --> 00:46:53,960 Speaker 2: to be a part of Elevation, Click the link in 799 00:46:53,980 --> 00:46:56,710 Speaker 2: the description. Thanks again for listening. Make sure to leave 800 00:46:56,750 --> 00:46:59,430 Speaker 2: a review, share the message, and subscribe. 801 00:46:59,820 --> 00:47:00,330 Speaker 1: God bless you.