WEBVTT - Little By Little (Rich Wilkerson Jr.) 0:00:02.120 --> 0:00:04.680 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. I'm the pastor of Elevation 0:00:04.920 --> 0:00:07.160 Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:10.479 you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope 0:00:10.520 --> 0:00:12.560 it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective to 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:17.360 see Gods moving in your life. Enjoy the message, Hey, 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:20.799 listen to this. Each year we provide the opportunity to 0:00:20.840 --> 0:00:23.040 give toward the growth of our church, this ministry, and 0:00:23.079 --> 0:00:25.360 the Kingdom of God through a year end offering. A 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:27.720 couple of weeks ago, we all joined together to finish 0:00:27.720 --> 0:00:34.680 twenty twenty with favor d y'all remember thousands of you 0:00:34.760 --> 0:00:38.560 brought your best gift and offering of worship for the 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:41.840 King of Kings committed to tithe for the first time. 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:45.159 And I think that's absolutely amazing, and I want to 0:00:45.200 --> 0:00:48.280 congratulate you and tell you to expect God to move 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:51.040 in a great and supernatural way in your life because 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:56.840 of your faith. I want to tell you that somebody 0:00:56.920 --> 0:00:58.400 put it in the chat again or say it out 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:01.920 loud if you're here, He made a way and because 0:01:01.960 --> 0:01:06.600 of your giving, you made a way to give away. 0:01:06.760 --> 0:01:08.240 This is not how much we took in in the 0:01:08.280 --> 0:01:11.400 offerings so far, and there's still time to participate Elevation 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:16.680 Church dot org slash Favor. But I felt this, it's 0:01:16.680 --> 0:01:21.880 not too late for favor. I don't know who this 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:27.000 is for. It's not too late for favor, even if 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:29.240 you're watching this weeks after I preach it, and we're 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:31.600 already well into the year twenty twenty nine, living on 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:35.920 Mars with Elon. It's not too late for favor. But 0:01:37.040 --> 0:01:38.920 this is what I wanted to celebrate. And I knew 0:01:38.920 --> 0:01:40.679 you would want to rejoice in the Lord and give 0:01:40.720 --> 0:01:44.959 thanks about the outreach money that we've given away already 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:49.520 over one million dollars given not to the church but 0:01:49.600 --> 0:01:53.360 through the church. That's what's going back out. Come on, 0:01:53.440 --> 0:01:58.320 Let's give God a great praise for faithful people who 0:01:58.360 --> 0:02:01.440 know how to walk in the favor of God. We 0:02:01.520 --> 0:02:08.600 walk by faith, not by sight. So on, behalf of 0:02:08.720 --> 0:02:11.760 all of the pregnant mothers through the Human Coalition that 0:02:11.800 --> 0:02:14.720 we're helping on, behalf of those in Kenya, Haiti and 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:18.440 the Congo through the Medical Benevolence Foundation. On, behalf of 0:02:18.480 --> 0:02:21.639 those in our community that are receiving financial literacy education. 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:25.600 All of our mothers completing their degree across the country 0:02:25.639 --> 0:02:28.880 through safe journey and community and schools. I wanted to 0:02:28.919 --> 0:02:31.720 say thank you. You're the best church in the world. 0:02:32.040 --> 0:02:34.600 It's an honor to be your pastor, Holly, and I 0:02:34.680 --> 0:02:37.880 love you. Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? 0:02:38.320 --> 0:02:39.959 If not, put it in the chat and I'll see 0:02:39.960 --> 0:02:44.359 if I can. I'll see if i can work something out. 0:02:46.160 --> 0:02:48.400 That'd be fun. Everybody. If you didn't get what you 0:02:48.440 --> 0:02:51.000 wanted for Christmas, put it in the chat and I'm 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:53.520 going to pick one person and send you what you 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:57.119 didn't get this week. I'm going to do that. Put 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.760 it in the chat, but not until you've gone to 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:03.920 church dot Lord slash favor and given your tithe in 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:09.200 that order, who's ready for the Word of God. Pastor 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:15.079 rich Wilkerson Junior is in the house. This is my friend. 0:03:17.240 --> 0:03:19.720 He and his amazing wife Don Sheried are two of 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.400 the most brilliant lights for Jesus Christ burning on the 0:03:22.400 --> 0:03:26.240 planet today. They pastor the Great Voo Church in Miami, Florida. 0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:29.520 We're honored to know you, honored to be friends with you. 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:32.040 There's no one that we wanted to preach the last 0:03:32.040 --> 0:03:35.360 Sunday in the year, but you and trust me this church. 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:38.760 This church has so many different people that come through. 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:41.440 But I really prayed about it. Who should take us 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:43.640 out of one year and into the other. And the 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:49.040 Lord said, get rich, get rich. Everybody put in the chat, 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:52.200 get rich, and right now you're about to get him. 0:03:52.200 --> 0:03:56.560 Merry Christmas, everybody. I brought you an amazing preacher. Welcome 0:03:56.560 --> 0:04:11.240 to Elevation Ministries Global Apath. That's a rich Wilkerson. Oh, 0:04:11.280 --> 0:04:13.320 come on, church, why don't we go ahead and give Jesus, 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:17.080 Come on a big shot of praise. Come on, anybody 0:04:17.160 --> 0:04:19.320 thankful that you're still here right now, come on and 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:27.640 give him praise. It is so so good to be 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:29.840 I just noticed that they took away the real pulpit. 0:04:32.440 --> 0:04:34.600 It gave me the miniature pulpit. But I like this. 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:38.960 I love this church so very very much, and what 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:41.400 an honor it is to be here. And all of 0:04:41.400 --> 0:04:43.359 the epham We're so glad that you're joining us on 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.560 the last Sunday of the year. And help me think, man, 0:04:46.880 --> 0:04:48.840 it's not always how you start, but it's always about 0:04:48.880 --> 0:04:51.960 how you finish. Anybody grateful that you're finishing the year 0:04:52.400 --> 0:04:58.440 in church. I believe that God's gonna speak to us today. 0:04:58.440 --> 0:05:00.200 If you're in the auditorium, why don't you maybe you 0:05:00.200 --> 0:05:03.159 a airfist bump and say you look better than I remember. 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:05.479 If you're in your living room, why don't you just 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:08.240 hug that person because you're allowed to grab a seat 0:05:08.279 --> 0:05:17.040 all over the place, grab a bible. That's the cutest 0:05:17.040 --> 0:05:20.919 pulpit I have ever had in my entire life. It 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:23.719 is honestly, such an honor, such a joy to be 0:05:23.920 --> 0:05:27.479 in Charlotte, North Carolina at Elevation Church. I just think 0:05:27.480 --> 0:05:31.080 that this is the greatest church. Anybody proud and grateful 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:35.200 to be a part of Elevation Church. Oh, come on, 0:05:35.240 --> 0:05:37.400 we can do better than that. Come on. This is 0:05:37.440 --> 0:05:45.520 a church that's leading all across the world. And for 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:49.080 my wife and I, we just honestly count it as 0:05:49.120 --> 0:05:51.479 one of the real privileges of our life and of 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:53.360 our ministry to get to come and be here and 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:56.520 share today and things like this. A ministry like this 0:05:56.560 --> 0:06:00.520 doesn't just happen. It happens because God of a man, 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:03.160 and God appoints a woman and they give them a vision. 0:06:03.960 --> 0:06:06.400 And I just got to say to Pastor Stephen and 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:10.279 Pastor Hawley, I don't have the words to articulate just 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:13.360 how much your leadership and how much your friendship has 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:17.080 meant in our lives. For many, many years from Afar, 0:06:17.200 --> 0:06:20.599 we have watched from a distance and been inspired and 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:23.200 quite frankly, been so impressed with all that God has 0:06:23.240 --> 0:06:25.640 done with you. But it's been these last few years 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:28.200 getting to be up close and personal with you, that 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:31.240 I haven't just been impressed. I have been deeply encouraged 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:35.880 and your life it just speaks volume. And honestly, I've 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.640 got a message on my heart. But more importantly, honestly, 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:40.280 I's almost more important than the message is for me 0:06:40.320 --> 0:06:42.120 to get up on this stage today, after the year 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:44.840 we just had, after the year that so many of 0:06:44.920 --> 0:06:46.839 us in the Body of Price have gone through, and 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:49.160 I just felt like it was part of my assignment 0:06:49.200 --> 0:06:51.880 to make sure I took a moment to say thank you. 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:55.760 Thank you for being stabled, thank you for walking in character, 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.240 thank you for not flinching, thank you for having integrity, 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:02.839 thank you for standing firm, thank you for not backing down. 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:06.200 Thank you for continuing to create, thank you for continuing 0:07:06.200 --> 0:07:09.400 to have bold vision. Come on, somebody, can we thank 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:12.040 God for the Man of God and the Woman of 0:07:12.080 --> 0:07:14.120 God and what they have meant for all of us. 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:21.120 Thank you, thank you, thank you. You make it look 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:25.559 way too easy, because what's happening here is not hard. 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:30.520 It's impossible. And right before I come up on the stage, 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:32.960 I was reminded that em Bounds quote the Great Scholar. 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:37.360 He says, the church is looking for a method, but 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:42.320 God is looking for a man. And people come from 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:43.680 the east and the west and north and south to 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:45.920 come and see the method of elevation Church. But guess 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:48.520 what you just got to get next to the man 0:07:48.560 --> 0:07:51.480 and the woman of God. And that's where it's happening. 0:07:51.480 --> 0:07:53.240 And I just came to honor you today. We give 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:55.960 honor where honors do all glory to God. But we 0:07:56.040 --> 0:07:58.960 give honor today to pastor Steve and Holly. Come on 0:07:58.840 --> 0:08:00.440 one more time in the chat. Can we just let 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.040 them know on the last Sunday how thankful we are 0:08:03.080 --> 0:08:05.920 for them. I love you. I gotta do it. I 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:09.560 gotta do it. My name is Rich I come from Miami, Florida. 0:08:09.800 --> 0:08:12.000 I lead a church called Vood Church. Really weird name 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:14.040 for a church, but it's working out okay so far. 0:08:15.400 --> 0:08:17.760 My wife dontree, she is here with me today. We 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:22.720 just celebrated fourteen years of marriage. I love your baby girl, 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:27.000 and our church we launched it five years ago, and 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:29.520 just so much of what's happening in Miami is due 0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:32.160 to the leadership of this house. And so what a joy, 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:34.000 what a privilege it is to open up God's word. 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:38.040 And I think this is an important Sunday because today, 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:40.880 wherever you're tuning in from, I believe the fact that 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:44.240 you're here it says a whole lot about you. I 0:08:44.320 --> 0:08:46.120 know this has been a shaky year, this has been 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:48.800 an uncertain year, but I'm believing that we are going 0:08:48.840 --> 0:08:52.400 to finish strong Today. Mark chapter eight is where I 0:08:52.400 --> 0:08:53.960 want to read from. We gonna read a few verses 0:08:54.559 --> 0:08:56.719 and then you know, I had a great Christmas. I 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:59.800 hope you had a great Christmas. But we've had the holidays, 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:02.280 and I'm just glad to be in church on this Sunday. 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:03.880 This is like one of the few times I've gotten 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:06.520 to preach in front of a live audience. So I'm 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:09.160 already feeling a little bit more normal. My faith is 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.319 already being built a little bit. And so for the 0:09:12.360 --> 0:09:14.560 next I don't know, thirty minutes or so, I'm a 0:09:14.800 --> 0:09:17.320 holler like I got a word in my heart, and 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:20.440 I'm all trust God that those of you on the 0:09:20.480 --> 0:09:23.079 other side of this camera are sensing what we are 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:27.679 sensing in this room today. Mark chapter eight. Uh, look 0:09:27.720 --> 0:09:29.600 at me holding this bible. I left my bible on 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:31.840 the airplane. The devil was already trying to mess with me. 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:34.960 Got off the airplane, left my preaching bible, left my 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:39.120 sword on the airplane. But praise God for Pastor Stephen. 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:42.959 I got a different Bible, so it's going to work. 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:46.920 Mark chapter eight. Here we go. I hope this one's anointed. 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:49.679 Here we go. Mark chapter eight, verse twenty two. It 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:53.840 says this. It says they came to Bethsadia, and some 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:58.000 people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 0:09:59.040 --> 0:10:01.840 He Jesus took the line man by the hand and 0:10:01.960 --> 0:10:05.920 let him outside the village. When he had spit on 0:10:06.000 --> 0:10:10.240 the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:15.920 do you see anything? He looked up and said, I 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:21.160 see people. They looked like trees walking around. Watch this 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:26.400 verse twenty five. Once more, everyone say once more. Once more. 0:10:26.520 --> 0:10:28.800 Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:33.560 eyes were opened. His sight was restored and he saw 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:41.120 everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, don't go into 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:44.560 the village. I want to take a few moments today 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:46.840 and I want to use this text the last Sunday 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:50.840 of twenty twenty we made it. I want to preach 0:10:50.840 --> 0:10:57.720 from this subject little by little, little by little, and 0:10:58.240 --> 0:10:59.760 I believe this is going to be a word in 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:03.320 your This is gonna be a word in your heart today, 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:05.680 and would just pray with me. Let's just invite God's 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:08.000 presence into this place. Let's invite God to do what 0:11:08.080 --> 0:11:11.240 only he can do through this word. Lois, thank you 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:13.920 that you're here, We thank you that you're moving. We 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:16.880 thank you today God for this incredible year that we've 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:20.560 walked through. While it was at times turbulent, Lord, we 0:11:20.600 --> 0:11:23.240 believe that we're coming out stronger than how we started. 0:11:24.240 --> 0:11:26.760 I pray now today, God that you would have your 0:11:26.800 --> 0:11:29.920 way in this place, that the e faan that's watching 0:11:29.960 --> 0:11:34.360 Lord would sense your presence in a mighty way, change us, 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:38.920 transform us, heal us. May we never be the same again. 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:43.200 We love you, Jesus, and in jesus mighty name, come on, 0:11:43.240 --> 0:11:45.199 if you grew with that prayer, all of God's people said, 0:11:46.040 --> 0:11:48.520 come on, All of God's people said, come on, if 0:11:48.559 --> 0:11:50.280 you love Jesus, make a little bit of noise all 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.040 over this place. Oh, come on, you can do better 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:59.160 than that. Give him a big shout. I grew up 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:04.079 in a in a strong, strict Christian home. In fact, 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:09.400 i'm four generations Pentecostal preacher. Amen. I like that he 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:13.840 knows the cue right there, Amen. And I was just 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:17.760 thinking about my childhood throughout this season. It's holiday season, 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:20.760 and in my home, my parents just they had rules 0:12:20.800 --> 0:12:23.960 for rules, right, They just it was strict guidelines, just 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:28.240 strong traditions. The fall is full of all these different holidays, 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:30.199 you know, But in our house we would change holidays 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:32.400 up or we would have traditions. For instance, we didn't 0:12:32.440 --> 0:12:38.200 celebrate Halloween. It was Hallelujah Day. Where's the real saints 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:43.080 at Harvest Fest? Hello? You know what can you dress up? 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:47.400 We're not goblins or skeletons. Were disciples. I mean, how 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:49.440 many disciples can you be? You know, like, how do 0:12:49.480 --> 0:12:51.560 you differentiate yourself? You know, I got an ear in 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:53.079 my hand. I'm Peter. Okay, we get it, you know, 0:12:53.280 --> 0:12:56.000 Like it's just how I grew up. Thanksgiving we do 0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:58.520 these big recitals. Everyone had to come and perform at 0:12:58.520 --> 0:13:02.040 the Thanksgiving Chris, My mom used to have this closet 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:05.559 true Story in our house that gifts that were given 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:08.680 to us that she didn't think that we needed true story, 0:13:09.120 --> 0:13:12.120 she would put them in the gift closet. Why so 0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:14.400 that when we had a function the following year that 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:17.480 we needed a gift, there was always a gift on 0:13:17.720 --> 0:13:21.680 supplied to gift. Pray for me. I know my childhood 0:13:21.720 --> 0:13:24.920 was messed up. My first slow dance. Our God is 0:13:24.920 --> 0:13:31.200 an awesome God. I think some of you all parents 0:13:31.240 --> 0:13:32.880 out there, how to make your kids, you know, dance 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:37.120 to do it again? I think we need to up 0:13:37.120 --> 0:13:39.040 the game with the DJ. The DJ at the party 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:41.080 his name was Crazy Larry, had a red and stint 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:43.560 pee tie on. He's like, all right, everybody, who's ready 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:46.800 for the slow dance? Our God? He's an awesome gody. 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:51.200 I'm like, what is this. It's just my childhood and 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:53.600 we had traditions and I was just thinking about traditions 0:13:53.600 --> 0:13:55.640 on the way over here, and one of the traditions 0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:58.600 my mom had that that I appreciate now is maybe 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:01.559 your parents did this too. But every year, like clockwork. 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:04.000 My mom used to have this food pantry and she 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:07.120 would take us inside the food pantry and on the 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:09.360 backside of the door, she would line up all of 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:11.040 my brothers. There's four of us. I have an older 0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:14.400 brother than two younger brothers. And every year she would 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:17.240 line us up on this back of this pantry door 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:20.960 and she would measure our height. And every year she 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:23.000 would take a sharpie marker and she would mark the 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:25.920 place of where a height is. And throughout the years, 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:27.360 you know, it was fun to kind of come in 0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:29.360 there because you could you could see your growth from 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:32.440 the year before, and to be honest with you, like 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:36.680 most years, like there wasn't some big thing to see. 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:38.400 I think the one year I hit puberty, you know, 0:14:38.440 --> 0:14:40.960 I gained a couple more inches than normal. But for 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:44.120 the most part, if I'm being honest with you, the 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:49.840 growth was gradual. In fact, if I'm really being honest 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:53.720 as I'm thinking about it, unless I was measuring the growth, 0:14:55.720 --> 0:15:00.400 I wouldn't have even known I had grown, because the 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:08.000 growth was just little by little. I wonder today if 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:12.800 this is actually how faith works. I wonder if some 0:15:12.880 --> 0:15:14.720 of us in this room and those of us that 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:17.120 are watching online. I wonder if part of our problem, 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:20.800 especially with twenty twenty, is that when we think about faith, 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:31.440 we only have one category of words associated with faith supernatural, phenomenal, suddenly, suddenly, immediate. 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.360 And I'm not against these words. I like these words, 0:15:35.920 --> 0:15:38.200 but I'm concerned if these are the only words that 0:15:38.200 --> 0:15:41.640 are associated with your faith. What happens is is we 0:15:41.680 --> 0:15:44.880 find ourselves in seasons where we are struggling, and the 0:15:44.920 --> 0:15:47.480 reason why we're struggling is because we only have one 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.360 picture of what faith looks like. And there's people today 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:52.600 that are watching on the last Sunday of the year, 0:15:52.920 --> 0:15:55.280 and you're struggling in your faith. In many cases, you're 0:15:55.320 --> 0:16:00.240 frustrated with God, maybe you're disappointed with yourself, maybe you're 0:16:00.240 --> 0:16:04.440 offended with other people. Why because you've got the wrong 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:09.880 measuring stick? You say, why do I feel this way? 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:12.240 Many of us the big problem when it comes to 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:14.520 our faith. If we could just really narrow it down, 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:16.840 if we could just really simplify it, if we could 0:16:16.840 --> 0:16:20.000 really get to the root problem. The problem is it's 0:16:20.080 --> 0:16:29.000 just all going too slow. It's just not happening as 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:33.560 fast as I thought it would. I thought by now 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:37.040 I would have had the promotion. I thought by now 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:41.800 I wouldn't still be controlled by my schedule. I thought 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:45.080 by now I would be married. Hello, there's still time 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:49.320 in twenty twenty. I thought by now we would have 0:16:49.400 --> 0:16:52.920 conceived a child. I thought by now that I would 0:16:52.920 --> 0:16:55.360 have had a breakthrough. I thought by now I would 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:57.360 have been healed. I thought by now I would have 0:16:57.400 --> 0:16:59.840 paid off my bills. I thought by now I would 0:16:59.880 --> 0:17:04.280 be farther than I really actually am. All but, friends, 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.640 I wish today that we had a pantry door measuring 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:12.679 stick for your faith, because something tells me, if you 0:17:12.720 --> 0:17:15.960 could look back throughout the years, what you would discover 0:17:16.440 --> 0:17:19.480 is that mark by mark, you have been maturing, you 0:17:19.640 --> 0:17:22.920 have been growing. It's just been gradual. It's just been 0:17:23.000 --> 0:17:25.480 little by little. I know you're not where you want 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:29.399 to be yet, but baby, you have come a long way. 0:17:29.720 --> 0:17:32.760 Come on, anybody thankful that you've come a long way 0:17:32.800 --> 0:17:37.119 on this journey. You're growing gradually. In fact, say that 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:44.320 all I'll say. I'm growing gradually. I'm growing gradually. It's 0:17:44.480 --> 0:17:48.120 little by little. I love the quote by J. R. Tolkien. 0:17:48.520 --> 0:17:50.200 He's the one who wrote The Hobbit and Lord of 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:55.000 the Rings, and he says, little by little, one travels far. 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:00.160 God speaks to the Israelites in Deuteronomy, and he says, 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:05.760 little by little, you will take the nations. Don't be 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:10.679 surprised when you ask God for miracles if he answers 0:18:10.720 --> 0:18:20.960 you with gradual change. I just think, when I look 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:25.520 back on this year, if I had the pantry door 0:18:25.720 --> 0:18:29.879 measuring stick, it wouldn't be impressive. It would just be 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:35.600 little by little, I'm further than when I started. See 0:18:35.600 --> 0:18:38.080 what I love about God, and I just this is 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:39.640 just where I feel like we're supposed to end this year. 0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:41.640 What I love about God is not all of God's 0:18:41.720 --> 0:18:49.840 miracles are immediate. Some of God's miracles are progressive. They 0:18:49.880 --> 0:18:56.480 don't happen overnight. They happen over time. What if I 0:18:56.560 --> 0:18:58.439 told you, come on you, fam, I could teach you 0:18:58.480 --> 0:19:01.680 how to grow. I just can't teach you how to 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:07.520 grow overnight. What if I told you I could teach 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:10.520 you some principles and some keys and some think steps 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:12.439 you could take. I just can't teach you how to 0:19:12.560 --> 0:19:15.240 grow overnight. I can teach you how to grow over time. 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:18.280 And what I love about Mark chapter eight, the text 0:19:18.280 --> 0:19:19.720 that we have today in front of us, I just think. 0:19:20.080 --> 0:19:21.480 I think it's such a great text for us to 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:23.760 end this year on, because what you have in Mark 0:19:23.840 --> 0:19:26.200 chapter eight is you have a story of a miracle 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:30.359 in motion. You have a progressive miracle, you have a 0:19:30.560 --> 0:19:35.080 gradual game, you have a phenomenon in process. It's a 0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:40.320 slow bro Sometimes when you grow, it feels slow. And 0:19:40.359 --> 0:19:42.199 today I just want us to walk through the verses, 0:19:42.400 --> 0:19:45.200 and I want to encourage your spirit as you're coming 0:19:45.280 --> 0:19:47.879 to the end of this year, do not miss the 0:19:47.920 --> 0:19:50.879 praise party. Why would you want to step into twenty 0:19:50.880 --> 0:19:53.520 twenty Listen, I'm telling you an If you can get 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:57.600 a revelation to praise God in twenty twenty, woo, there's 0:19:57.640 --> 0:19:59.439 no telling what the praise is going to be like 0:19:59.480 --> 0:20:02.000 in twenty t twenty one. I would step into this 0:20:02.119 --> 0:20:06.240 year praising God with your spiritual family. But before we 0:20:06.280 --> 0:20:08.600 get there, let's just start right here today with Mark 0:20:08.720 --> 0:20:12.280 chapter eight, and let's look at this picture, this story 0:20:12.320 --> 0:20:15.480 of a little by little miracle. The scripture says in 0:20:15.520 --> 0:20:18.120 Mark chapter eight, verse twenty two, it says they came 0:20:18.160 --> 0:20:22.840 to Bethsadia and some people, everyone say some people. Some 0:20:22.880 --> 0:20:26.840 people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:28.879 I just want to stop because I want to give 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:30.880 you the context of what's taking place in Mark eight. 0:20:31.400 --> 0:20:35.679 In Mark eight, Jesus has just finished feeding four thousand people, 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:39.440 and now he has got his crew, his posse, his disciples, 0:20:39.880 --> 0:20:43.280 and they are walking into this village known as beth Sadia. 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:47.159 And when he gets to beth Sadia, a group of 0:20:47.240 --> 0:20:51.720 people come over and they begged Jesus. They say, Jesus, please, 0:20:52.000 --> 0:20:54.679 can you touch this man who is blind? He can't 0:20:54.720 --> 0:20:58.119 see anything, and we believe if you touch him, you 0:20:58.160 --> 0:21:01.840 can heal him. What I wanted to stop for just 0:21:01.880 --> 0:21:03.439 for a moment, because I just know that there's some 0:21:03.480 --> 0:21:06.280 faithful people that have been a part of Elevation Church 0:21:06.320 --> 0:21:08.720 for many years, that had been on the journey for 0:21:08.840 --> 0:21:11.560 a decade, that had been sowing, that had been giving, 0:21:11.760 --> 0:21:18.040 that had been praying. Please understand that God uses people 0:21:18.359 --> 0:21:23.359 to bring people to Jesus. I just want you to 0:21:23.400 --> 0:21:26.679 see it. It's just it's really simple. We don't know 0:21:26.760 --> 0:21:33.480 their names. All we know is some people see. If 0:21:33.480 --> 0:21:35.560 we're all being honest, that no doubt right, God gets 0:21:35.600 --> 0:21:38.159 the glory. He's the one who performs the miracle. But 0:21:38.240 --> 0:21:40.760 what you'll notice throughout the scriptures is the scriptures don't 0:21:40.760 --> 0:21:42.600 shy away from the fact that He invites you and 0:21:42.640 --> 0:21:45.280 I in to be a part of the process of 0:21:45.320 --> 0:21:48.800 the miracle. Remember in One Corinthians chapter three, where Paul says, 0:21:48.800 --> 0:21:52.160 I planted seed a Paula's watered seed, but only God 0:21:52.200 --> 0:21:55.600 makes it grow. He's giving God glory, but he doesn't 0:21:55.640 --> 0:21:58.399 stop or negate the simple truth that you and I 0:21:58.440 --> 0:22:01.600 get to plant. You and I get to water. And 0:22:01.600 --> 0:22:03.119 if you're watching it, I know there's some people that 0:22:03.119 --> 0:22:04.600 I watched it. If you just think about it for 0:22:04.600 --> 0:22:07.600 a moment, just consider how many people were a part 0:22:07.960 --> 0:22:11.800 of you coming to know Jesus. Just none of us 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:15.480 can truly say it was just me and God. All 0:22:15.520 --> 0:22:18.040 of us have to say, oh man, there was that 0:22:18.119 --> 0:22:21.760 coworker who kept inviting me. There was that friend that said, hey, 0:22:21.800 --> 0:22:24.280 why don't you turn your browser onto Elevation Church and 0:22:24.359 --> 0:22:27.800 listen to my pastor. There was that spouse who was gracious. 0:22:27.920 --> 0:22:30.640 Come on. There was that book that captured you. There 0:22:30.720 --> 0:22:33.560 was that song that melt you. There was that grandmother 0:22:33.640 --> 0:22:36.680 who never quit praying for you. Come on, anybody thankful 0:22:36.680 --> 0:22:39.119 out there for a loved one who said I'll stand 0:22:39.119 --> 0:22:42.040 in the gap. I'll keep on praying I will be 0:22:42.080 --> 0:22:48.200 a part of the some people. I wonder today, do 0:22:48.280 --> 0:22:50.720 we want to be a part of the some people? 0:22:52.640 --> 0:22:56.160 That's how God moves. He finds some people that will 0:22:56.200 --> 0:23:01.399 say no, Servian is not beneath me. Therefore, leadership is 0:23:01.440 --> 0:23:09.000 not beyond me. It's just about It's just about some people. 0:23:09.240 --> 0:23:12.040 The question comes to all of us. And this is 0:23:12.080 --> 0:23:14.080 the question you have to ask, do you care more 0:23:14.119 --> 0:23:24.040 about titles or testimonies because we don't get their names, 0:23:24.520 --> 0:23:27.879 Like I could just camp here all day. It doesn't 0:23:27.920 --> 0:23:30.280