Finding Purpose in Discomfort (2) - Creflo Dollar - Vidéo Dailymotion

TRUE WORD OF YESHUA

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Transcript

00:00:00 [music]

00:00:10 You can have my heart. You can have my heart. You can have my heart. Jesus.

00:00:25 You can have my heart. You can have my heart. You can have my heart. Jesus.

00:00:41 Father, we give you praise.

00:00:47 Lord, I pray that you will speak through my vocal cords and think through my mind.

00:00:54 None of me and all of you. I give you glory today, Lord.

00:01:03 Think through my mind. Anoint every ear to hear.

00:01:10 And we give you praise ahead of time.

00:01:14 Jesus' name we pray. And everybody said, "Amen."

00:01:21 Would you give the Lord a big hand clap of praise?

00:01:25 Hallelujah. Give it up.

00:01:27 [speaking in tongues]

00:01:32 You may be seated.

00:01:37 If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of

00:01:40 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 2 through 7 in the NLT.

00:01:47 Last week, I began a series of teachings entitled

00:01:52 "Finding Purpose in Your Discomfort."

00:01:57 I thought it would be safe to start it last week since it was raining and not

00:02:00 many of you showed up, so I took a shot at it.

00:02:09 But I'm not ready to let it go yet because I still believe

00:02:16 that we've got to be careful that faith is not being defined as denial.

00:02:28 And that we pray to God to show us his will for our lives,

00:02:33 but we rarely pray to God to show us his will for our pain.

00:02:40 So, I want you to listen to me very carefully.

00:02:42 This is going to be a little raw.

00:02:47 You'll be all right. You're used to it.

00:02:51 You don't love me this many years.

00:02:53 Praise God. If you'd have been gone, you'd have been gone.

00:02:55 Amen?

00:02:58 2 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 2 through 7 in the NLT,

00:03:04 he says, "May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

00:03:09 give you grace and peace."

00:03:13 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:03:18 God is our merciful Father, and he is the source of all comfort.

00:03:26 Now, that's big to know because when you're in discomfort,

00:03:30 you need to know that God is the source of all comfort.

00:03:34 You have to be careful not to run to things that appear

00:03:38 to be comforting.

00:03:41 You gotta be careful that when you're depressed that you don't

00:03:44 run to a bottle of alcohol that appears to be comforting.

00:03:49 You gotta be careful that when you're lonely,

00:03:51 you don't run to pornography 'cause it appears

00:03:54 to be comforting.

00:03:56 It's important to know that God is the source of all comfort,

00:04:01 and if we're going to want to be comforted,

00:04:04 we need to go to the source of all comfort.

00:04:09 He comforts us in all our troubles.

00:04:13 Hmm.

00:04:15 So, you're gonna have some trouble, but he says,

00:04:17 "I'm the source of all comfort, and I'll comfort you

00:04:20 in all of your troubles so that we can comfort others."

00:04:24 Now, notice the objective.

00:04:26 I'm gonna comfort you so you can comfort others.

00:04:31 As the church, we gotta learn how to be more empathetic.

00:04:35 Wonder what happened to cause that guy to be homeless.

00:04:40 Wonder what went on with that guy that caused him to be hooked

00:04:44 on drugs rather than passing judgment so quick.

00:04:48 Wonder what happened here.

00:04:52 He says, "When they are troubled,

00:04:55 we will be able to give them the same comfort

00:04:58 God has given us.

00:05:02 For the more we suffer for Christ,

00:05:04 the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ."

00:05:08 So, there's not gonna be any discomfort in your life

00:05:11 where you're not gonna have Christ to get in there with you,

00:05:14 so stop praying that God will remove the fiery furnace.

00:05:17 He's not gonna remove the fiery furnace.

00:05:19 Stop praying that he gets the lions out of the lion's den.

00:05:22 The lion's gonna stay in the lion's den.

00:05:24 See, what God says is, "The fiery furnace is gonna be there,

00:05:28 but I am gonna show up in the furnace with you because the

00:05:32 furnace is gonna help you to grow.

00:05:34 The furnace is gonna help you to mature.

00:05:36 I'm not gonna remove those things and take away the

00:05:39 opportunity for you to grow and mature.

00:05:41 I'm gonna show up, and I'm gonna get in there with you as you

00:05:45 grow and mature," because as Christians, we gotta grow,

00:05:47 and we've got to mature because God's trying to get us

00:05:50 somewhere, and you can't show up at your destination.

00:05:54 You can't show up as a baby.

00:05:58 He's wired you a certain way, and he says,

00:06:02 "The more God will shower us with his comfort through

00:06:05 Jesus Christ," verse 6.

00:06:07 He says, "Even when we are weighed down with trouble."

00:06:12 Now, I've got to warn you, life is interesting.

00:06:15 Life to me is an experiment.

00:06:17 It's a journey, and on this journey,

00:06:20 you're gonna see trouble.

00:06:22 On this journey, you're gonna sit in discomfort.

00:06:25 On this journey, you may be weighed down

00:06:28 with a lot of trouble.

00:06:31 Somebody says, "But I operate by faith."

00:06:33 You're still gonna be weighed down with some trouble.

00:06:36 Somebody said, "But I've been doing good."

00:06:38 You're still gonna be weighed down with some trouble.

00:06:41 Somebody said, "I ain't did nothing wrong."

00:06:43 You're still gonna be weighed down with some trouble

00:06:46 because God knows how to use trouble to mature us

00:06:52 and to cause us to grow.

00:06:56 It's about learning how to grow, and as Christians,

00:07:00 we want to still stay stuck as babies,

00:07:02 babies walking unforgiveness, babies walking strife,

00:07:10 babies go around, "I ain't speaking to you

00:07:13 because you did--" That's a baby.

00:07:15 That's poop in the pamper baby,

00:07:21 and certainly babies can't handle certain things

00:07:24 that God needs to be done because you're a baby,

00:07:28 and the Bible says as long as you are a child,

00:07:31 you're no more than a servant.

00:07:34 I got a design for you.

00:07:36 I've wired you a certain way,

00:07:38 and I need you to grow up.

00:07:40 I need you to mature so that you can fulfill your design,

00:07:45 but some Christians remain babies, slandering people,

00:07:49 babies being in unforgiveness, babies.

00:07:52 That's baby stuff.

00:07:56 "I'm gonna leave the church 'cause I don't like

00:07:58 the way they talk."

00:07:59 They babies.

00:08:03 Even when we're weighed down with trouble,

00:08:05 it is for your comfort and salvation.

00:08:10 What?

00:08:11 Even when we are weighed down with trouble,

00:08:14 it is for your comfort and salvation,

00:08:17 so there is a purpose in discomfort.

00:08:23 There is a purpose in pain,

00:08:30 and pain and discomfort will visit us all.

00:08:37 No one is exempt.

00:08:43 "For when we ourselves are comforted,

00:08:46 we will certainly comfort you.

00:08:48 Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.

00:08:55 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings,

00:08:58 you will also share in the comfort God gives us."

00:09:06 I want to talk to you about finding purpose

00:09:09 in discomfort and pain,

00:09:12 finding purpose in discomfort and pain.

00:09:18 If you're experiencing a season of--and I got the audacity

00:09:22 to call this divine discomfort.

00:09:30 Listen to what God wants to say to you,

00:09:32 or maybe God's trying to, you know,

00:09:34 get you to do something.

00:09:36 Your uncomfortable heart may mean God is trying to--several

00:09:42 things--maybe have you to unlearn some old ways of

00:09:46 thinking or behaving, maybe to stretch you into a new area

00:09:51 of increased effectiveness.

00:09:54 Maybe you're in that place of discomfort to uncover an

00:09:59 ungodly character trait that's in you,

00:10:03 and he wants to transform you, maybe to raise your sights

00:10:07 beyond yourself to see others in their need instead of just

00:10:11 always seeing yourself.

00:10:13 Maybe it's to push you to become someone capable of much

00:10:16 greater responsibility.

00:10:17 Maybe it is to invite you to be an effective agent

00:10:22 in spiritual warfare.

00:10:25 What is it that God is trying to do by allowing you to be

00:10:30 in this place of discomfort?

00:10:33 Now, almost everyone is trying, or everyone that is living

00:10:39 with some kind of discomforting pain,

00:10:41 that's like almost everybody.

00:10:44 If I were to have to call and say,

00:10:47 "Anybody who's ever been in discomfort, come down,"

00:10:49 it'd be the whole church.

00:10:50 Somebody said, "Not me."

00:10:51 You're just lying.

00:10:52 It'd be the whole church.

00:10:53 Well, why?

00:10:57 Why is that?

00:10:58 Well, number one, we live in a world broken in sin.

00:11:02 We live in a fallen world.

00:11:05 Life is tough and sometimes painful.

00:11:09 Situations show up.

00:11:18 Most of us came to Jesus through the door of hell.

00:11:24 What do I mean by that?

00:11:25 Somebody said, "You need to get saved once you go into hell."

00:11:29 Somebody said, "You better get saved if you're going to hell."

00:11:31 So, most people got born again by walking through the door

00:11:34 of hell.

00:11:35 And I'm saying to you that no one is exempt from discomfort

00:11:40 and pain; however, there's a lot of truth learned through

00:11:43 discomfort that should not be wasted.

00:11:48 There's some wisdom that you get in the midst of discomfort

00:11:52 and pain that we don't want to waste.

00:11:54 We don't want to leave behind.

00:11:56 We don't want to leave the wisdom that was gained,

00:11:59 the lesson that was learned, the situation.

00:12:02 We don't want to leave it back there.

00:12:04 We don't want to come out--you know, some people,

00:12:06 we believe the story we tell ourselves.

00:12:08 "Well, you don't understand.

00:12:09 You know, they fired me because they didn't like me."

00:12:11 That's the story you tell yourself, but the reality is,

00:12:14 you ain't been showing up for work on time in the last month.

00:12:23 Let's look at a few Scriptures before I get started here.

00:12:27 I'm going to ease into this.

00:12:28 I'm going to say, "Get started."

00:12:32 I'm going to ease into this now.

00:12:34 Let's look at 1 Peter 4 and 12.

00:12:36 I need to let you know that this is in the book.

00:12:40 1 Peter 4 and 12, and he says here, he says,

00:12:47 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial,

00:12:53 which is to try you."

00:12:56 That's almost a certainty.

00:12:59 And he says, "I want you to know that it is going to try you,

00:13:03 so don't think it strange when it happens."

00:13:08 "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial,

00:13:11 which is to try you, as though some strange thing

00:13:14 happened unto you."

00:13:17 Please understand something.

00:13:18 Following Christ doesn't exempt you from suffering

00:13:22 and discomfort, so don't think it's strange.

00:13:28 Most of us go to people and we make these false promises.

00:13:31 You know, "If you come to my Jesus,

00:13:33 you'll never have any more problems anymore."

00:13:36 And I say, "Oh, to the contrary.

00:13:38 When you come to Jesus, you may experience more hell than you've

00:13:41 ever experienced before in your life,

00:13:44 but he's going to redeem the pain."

00:13:48 I'll show you what that means in a minute.

00:13:51 So, don't think it's strange.

00:13:52 And some people think it's strange.

00:13:54 They say, "Well, you know, I got all the principles together,

00:13:56 and I'm a woman of faith, and I pray for two hours a day,

00:13:59 and I fast once a week, and I come to church,

00:14:03 and I do all of these things that you think will exempt you

00:14:09 from discomfort."

00:14:12 And you think it's strange when somebody slandered you.

00:14:17 You think it's strange when somebody lied about you.

00:14:21 You think it's strange that sickness hit your body.

00:14:26 Think it's strange when your heart got broke.

00:14:28 You thought it's strange, and immediately you blame the devil.

00:14:32 And let me say something about this.

00:14:33 This is so interesting.

00:14:34 Here's Jesus coming to the earth,

00:14:36 and the Bible says, "The Holy Spirit led Jesus in the

00:14:40 wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

00:14:47 Now, if the Spirit of God led Jesus in the wilderness to be

00:14:52 tempted by the devil, how do you think you're exempt?

00:14:56 So, maybe it came from the devil,

00:15:01 but God sure enough knows how to use it.

00:15:04 He not gonna waste the devil, nor anything he can throw at you,

00:15:11 'cause if he throws it at you, God let him throw it at you.

00:15:14 And while he's throwing it at you, he says,

00:15:16 "I'm gonna use all of this for your maturity and your growth."

00:15:21 And the devil don't even know he's being pimped out,

00:15:26 'cause Jesus said if the devil knew that by crucifying him on

00:15:30 the cross would cause all of this to happen,

00:15:33 he would've never did it.

00:15:41 John 16:33 tells us not only to not think it's strange,

00:15:46 but in John 16, 23, he says, "We're told to expect it."

00:15:54 It's only a problem when you didn't expect it.

00:15:56 It's only a problem when you told it wasn't supposed to

00:15:58 happen.

00:15:59 It's only a problem when you got saved on the promise that

00:16:02 everything in your life from that point on is gonna be

00:16:04 perfect.

00:16:05 Now, think about that scenario.

00:16:07 What if everything--think about it.

00:16:09 What if you live your life in a comfort zone?

00:16:13 Please understand me.

00:16:14 You can't grow in a comfort zone.

00:16:16 You cannot and will not mature in a comfort zone.

00:16:23 You have to be agitated in order to come out the way you need to

00:16:31 come out.

00:16:32 If you got a dirty cloth or something,

00:16:34 you gotta put it in the washing machine,

00:16:36 you gotta put it in the washing machine,

00:16:39 you gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:16:41 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

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00:23:57 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:23:59 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:01 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:03 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:05 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:07 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:09 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:11 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:13 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:15 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:17 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:19 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:21 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:23 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:25 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:27 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:29 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:31 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:33 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:35 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:37 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:39 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:41 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:43 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:45 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:47 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:49 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:51 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:53 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:55 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:57 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:24:59 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:01 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:03 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:05 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:07 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:09 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:11 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:13 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:15 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:17 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:19 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:21 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:23 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:25 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:27 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:29 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:31 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:33 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:35 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:37 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:39 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:41 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:43 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:45 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:47 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:49 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:51 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:53 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:55 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:57 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:25:59 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:01 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:03 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:05 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:07 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:09 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:11 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:13 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:15 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:17 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:19 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:21 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:23 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:25 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:27 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:29 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:31 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:33 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:35 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:37 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:39 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:41 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:43 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:45 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:47 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:49 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:51 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:53 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:55 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:57 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:26:59 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:01 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:03 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:05 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:07 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:09 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:11 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:13 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:15 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:17 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:19 You gotta put it in the washing machine.

00:27:21 And I want you to go through, not only to believe on Him,

00:27:25 but also to suffer for His sake.

00:27:27 We believe on Christ, and we're ready to suffer for His sake.

00:27:33 My part of the suffering is to maintain the victory

00:27:40 that He's already obtained.

00:27:43 He died, suffered, bled, and died to obtain the victory

00:27:48 that I can, through my suffering, maintain it,

00:27:52 which means that hard time and discomfort

00:27:56 won't change what I believe.

00:27:59 I maintain what I believe in the midst of what I'm going through.

00:28:03 Let me say that again.

00:28:04 I maintain what I believe in the midst of what I'm going through.

00:28:09 Haven't you met so many people who let go of what they believe

00:28:13 because they're in a place of discomfort?

00:28:15 No, no.

00:28:16 That's not the time you let it go.

00:28:17 You keep it.

00:28:18 You keep it more so at those times.

00:28:22 Maintain it.

00:28:23 Maintain it.

00:28:24 I still believe it.

00:28:26 I still believe the Word.

00:28:27 I still believe you're good.

00:28:29 I still believe you're awesome.

00:28:33 You're growing.

00:28:34 You're getting ready for something.

00:28:36 Look at this, 1 Peter chapter 4, 19 in the NLT.

00:28:39 Even submitting to God's will doesn't protect you from

00:28:46 suffering.

00:28:47 Doing right things create pain and discomfort.

00:28:50 You can do right things and it puts you in a place

00:28:54 of discomfort.

00:28:55 Well, I'm gonna go ahead and forgive her and speak to her

00:28:58 anyway, and then you say, "Praise God, I forgive you,"

00:29:00 and you speak to her, and she'll tell you, "Go to hell."

00:29:02 That's discomforting, isn't it?

00:29:07 What's discomforting about it is you won't get back with her.

00:29:12 So, doing right is not a promise that you won't suffer some

00:29:16 things or operate in discomfort.

00:29:18 Just 'cause you're doing something right,

00:29:22 that's not gonna excuse that.

00:29:24 1 Peter 4 and 19 in NLT says, "So,

00:29:26 if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God,"

00:29:30 that's the key, "keep on doing what's right and trust your

00:29:35 lives to the God who created you,

00:29:42 for he will never fail you."

00:29:44 Here's the key.

00:29:45 "So, if you're suffering in a manner that pleases God,

00:29:49 keep on doing right."

00:29:51 The temptation is stop doing right.

00:29:56 You know, he asked us to learn how to love our enemies.

00:30:00 Keep on doing right.

00:30:03 Trust your lives to God who created you.

00:30:08 Well, that's hard to do.

00:30:09 Ain't nobody said that was easy.

00:30:11 If it was easy, everybody have some of it.

00:30:13 This is how you grow.

00:30:16 You grow through the thing that's uncomfortable.

00:30:20 You go through, "I'm doing what's right.

00:30:22 I feel like I'm being used."

00:30:24 You go through all of those weird emotions.

00:30:27 You go through all of that stuff that happens when you chose to

00:30:30 do right.

00:30:32 You're growing.

00:30:33 You're maturing.

00:30:34 You're not gonna keep acting like babies,

00:30:36 going tit for tat.

00:30:37 You're not gonna keep doing that.

00:30:39 Yeah, you mad at me, but I'm gonna bless you.

00:30:41 He's working on something.

00:30:46 He's getting you ready for something.

00:30:48 As Christians, we have hope even in suffering,

00:30:53 discomfort, and in pain.

00:30:55 Our hope is that God can and will bring us out of anything if

00:31:01 we depend on him and if we trust him.

00:31:03 That's what we're doing in the midst of discomfort.

00:31:05 God's gonna bring me out of this.

00:31:07 I depend on him.

00:31:08 I'm leaning on him.

00:31:09 He's gonna bring me out of it.

00:31:11 I'm leaning on him.

00:31:12 I'm dependent on him, and he will.

00:31:15 Now, look at Romans chapter 8 and 28.

00:31:18 We're gonna look at something here because probably need to

00:31:22 deal with some things concerning interpretation

00:31:25 on this Scripture.

00:31:26 8, 28, "And we know that all things work together for good."

00:31:31 "All things work together for good to them that love God,

00:31:37 to them who are called according to his purpose."

00:31:41 All things work together for good.

00:31:44 Now, it does not say all things that happen to us are good,

00:31:51 right?

00:31:52 It doesn't say everything that happens to us are good,

00:31:56 and neither does it say all things will have a happy ending.

00:32:02 That's not what it said.

00:32:05 See, not everything is good, but God is always working for our

00:32:09 good in everything.

00:32:11 Everything's not good, but God is always working for our good

00:32:15 in everything, so God works for the good.

00:32:19 God's working for the good.

00:32:23 He's working for the good.

00:32:26 That's why you don't wanna quit in the middle of discomfort.

00:32:29 That's why you wanna keep on doing good because he's working

00:32:32 for the good.

00:32:34 So, you had to--you had to get--you had to go through a

00:32:36 place of discomfort to see the work that God did for the good,

00:32:41 and you won't really be able to appreciate it until you get to

00:32:43 that place where you see, "Oh, God was working that for the

00:32:47 good, so now it's all right that I had to experience that

00:32:50 discomfort.

00:32:51 Now it's all right that I had to go through that particular

00:32:54 thing 'cause I now see the good.

00:32:56 I now see the good."

00:33:00 God can bring good out of discomfort.

00:33:04 I mean, he turned crucifixion into resurrection, didn't he?

00:33:11 He turned blindness into sight, didn't he?

00:33:13 He turned water into wine, and he turned sinners into saints.

00:33:16 He specializes in that.

00:33:18 God, he can do it.

00:33:20 Look at Proverbs 16, verses 18 and 25, verses 18 and 25.

00:33:28 "So all things work together for the good to them that love him,

00:33:32 to them that love him."

00:33:35 This is something I want to show you before I talk about that

00:33:37 next phrase, "them that love him."

00:33:39 He says, "Pride goeth before destruction,

00:33:41 and a heart of spirit before a fall."

00:33:44 Verse 25, "There's a way that seems right unto a man,

00:33:49 but the end thereof are the ways of death."

00:33:53 Now, what about this phrase, "of them who love them"?

00:33:58 "But if I reject God's love," hmm, "if I reject God's love,"

00:34:04 you know what happens?

00:34:08 Destruction and death, it's a result because you don't believe

00:34:12 the love that God has for you.

00:34:15 "I reject God's love."

00:34:16 And you know what discomfort is designed to do?

00:34:19 To try to tempt you to reject his love.

00:34:24 "Oh, but if God loved me, then this wouldn't have happened.

00:34:28 Oh, if God really loved me, then he would not allow

00:34:30 this person to die.

00:34:32 Oh, if God really loved me, then why did he--you know,

00:34:37 why my back hurt?

00:34:38 If God really loved me, why did I get cancer?

00:34:42 If God really loved me, why did I lose my house?

00:34:44 Why did they repossess my car?

00:34:46 If God really loved me, what's wrong with my children?

00:34:49 If God really loved me?"

00:34:53 I'm not gonna reject his love.

00:34:55 I know God loves me.

00:34:56 You have to get it to that point.

00:34:58 I know God loves me.

00:35:00 I know God loves me.

00:35:02 And you gotta say that in the midst of your crazy,

00:35:06 that even in the midst of my crazy, God still loves me.

00:35:08 He loved me before I got born again.

00:35:10 He loved me before I started reading the Bible.

00:35:12 He loved me before I started--God loves me.

00:35:15 I am sure that God loves me, and as long as you can stay there,

00:35:19 any place of discomfort will receive the deliverance

00:35:22 of the Lord, because that's the thing.

00:35:25 If anything, God wants to grow and mature you where his love

00:35:29 is concerned, and if there's one--if there's one thing

00:35:31 that tempts you where that love is concerned,

00:35:33 it's to try to figure out why is life throwing all of this stuff

00:35:37 at you.

00:35:38 Life is designed to mature you, ladies and gentlemen.

00:35:42 What we do, we get--we become Christians, and we act like we

00:35:45 no longer involved in the whole life experiment.

00:35:47 You became a Christian, and you're in the Word,

00:35:52 and you're in the Word.

00:35:53 If you get in the Word, the Word will give you some keys of how

00:35:55 to handle the stuff that life throws at you.

00:35:57 But we want to get in denial.

00:36:04 We want to act like, "Well, that's not really me."

00:36:06 It's kind of like a guy falling down the steps, and he says,

00:36:08 "That didn't hurt.

00:36:09 That didn't hurt.

00:36:10 That didn't hurt," and you know it did.

00:36:12 And we don't even know how to talk to people.

00:36:15 When something is wrong, we're so spiritually deep,

00:36:17 we don't even communicate right.

00:36:19 "How you doing today?"

00:36:20 "Well, bless the Lord, O my soul."

00:36:21 I ain't ask you that.

00:36:22 I ain't ask you that.

00:36:23 I ask you, "How you doing today?"

00:36:25 And if it's not going so well, you just simply say, "Well,

00:36:29 you know, this is happening, this is happening,

00:36:31 but I still believe God's promises will come to pass."

00:36:35 But you don't even know how to answer people.

00:36:37 You don't even--folks don't even know--we kind of depend on

00:36:40 people to read in between the lines.

00:36:42 I don't read in between the lines.

00:36:44 Talk to me.

00:36:45 "How you doing today?"

00:36:46 "I ain't feeling too good right now, but I still believe that

00:36:50 God is doing a work on me and I'll feel better."

00:36:53 "How your marriage doing?"

00:36:57 "Oh, it's flawless.

00:36:58 It's perfect.

00:36:59 All is well."

00:37:00 Uh-uh.

00:37:01 "How your marriage doing?"

00:37:02 "She getting on my God-dawg little nerves.

00:37:04 Excuse me, Jesus.

00:37:05 He make me sick.

00:37:06 Can't you see that's why I'm sick all the time?

00:37:08 Dealing with that big old head joker?

00:37:10 And I married him 'cause I just wanted my baby to have good

00:37:12 health.

00:37:13 Forget good health.

00:37:14 I take a nap every day.

00:37:15 I'm sick all the time.

00:37:16 I'm sick all the time.

00:37:17 I'm sick all the time.

00:37:18 Forget good health.

00:37:19 I take a nap of head baby right now if I could get treated

00:37:22 better than what I'm treating right now."

00:37:24 Tell the truth because what you're doing is you're practicing

00:37:29 lying all the time.

00:37:30 You're just lying all the time.

00:37:32 You don't know how to be honest with one another.

00:37:34 You're lying all the time.

00:37:35 And eventually that lie gonna hit the head and now you're

00:37:39 gonna have to tell the truth.

00:37:41 I'm all right, y'all.

00:37:47 I'm fine.

00:37:48 I'm fine.

00:37:49 I'm fine.

00:37:50 I'm fine.

00:37:51 And then this other part, you know,

00:37:53 "who have been called according to his purpose."

00:37:55 Now listen to this.

00:37:56 This is so strong.

00:37:57 "Been called according to his purpose."

00:37:59 We gotta understand God's purpose for our lives, yes,

00:38:01 but that also includes understanding his purpose for

00:38:03 our pain.

00:38:04 We pray, "God, show me the purpose for my life.

00:38:06 Show me the purpose for my life.

00:38:08 Show me the purpose for my life."

00:38:10 And we pray, "God, show me the purpose for my life.

00:38:12 Show me the purpose for my life."

00:38:14 And we pray, "God, show me the purpose for my life.

00:38:16 Show me the purpose for my life."

00:38:18 But we very rarely pray, "Show me the purpose for this

00:38:23 discomfort."

00:38:24 And every time you enter that place of discomfort,

00:38:29 "Lord, show me the purpose for this discomfort."

00:38:31 This is huge in the life of Christian people.

00:38:37 It's huge 'cause that's what life is designed to do.

00:38:45 He put you here.

00:38:46 That's why he wants you saved.

00:38:48 And then he'll use life, and life will start happening to

00:38:52 you as you're growing in the Word and growing in him,

00:38:55 but eventually, if you'll grow and mature,

00:38:59 eventually you'll start happening to life instead of

00:39:01 life happening to you.

00:39:12 If we'll begin to seek God for understanding of discomfort and

00:39:16 pain, then we can find understanding and even joy in

00:39:21 suffering discomfort, even joy in suffering discomfort.

00:39:24 Joy in suffering discomfort.

00:39:27 You really got to grow to that place of having joy in

00:39:30 suffering discomfort.

00:39:33 Doc, you done lost your mind?

00:39:34 Joy in suffering discomfort?

00:39:37 Well, first of all, you gotta understand that there's a

00:39:39 difference between joy and happiness.

00:39:41 Happiness is based on your comfort.

00:39:45 If you're comfortable, then you can be happy,

00:39:47 but joy is based on what you know.

00:39:50 Let me show you this, James chapter 1,

00:39:53 verse 2 through 4.

00:39:54 Joy is based on what you know, and if you don't have an

00:39:58 understanding about the discomfort that comes with this

00:40:02 experiment of life--I mean, think with me for a moment,

00:40:06 folks, surely it's gotta be more than,

00:40:10 you know, grow up, go to college,

00:40:14 get a degree, get a job, get married,

00:40:17 have some children, get a job, get a house,

00:40:20 get a car, go to work, eat dinner,

00:40:25 hey, baby, play with the kids, go to bed,

00:40:27 get up, do it all over again, go to work,

00:40:30 play with the kids, hey, baby, get up,

00:40:32 do it all over again for 50 years,

00:40:36 and then die.

00:40:38 You gotta know God is so much smarter than that.

00:40:42 There's something so much bigger than that.

00:40:49 What is he up to?

00:40:54 What are we maturing for?

00:41:01 What is he after?

00:41:03 Why I have to have a body first and then get rid of the body

00:41:07 and then get our spiritual bodies?

00:41:10 Why not just skip the body stage and just be in the Spirit?

00:41:14 Huh.

00:41:16 Look at this.

00:41:21 "My brethren, count it all joy."

00:41:23 When do I count it all joy?

00:41:25 When you fall into different temptations,

00:41:27 tests, and trials.

00:41:29 He didn't say count it joy when you were having a great day.

00:41:32 He said, "Count it joy when you fall into discomfort."

00:41:37 Three.

00:41:39 How can I count it joy when I'm just not comfortable?

00:41:42 Knowing this.

00:41:44 You can count it joy by knowing something.

00:41:46 Knowing this.

00:41:48 Knowing what?

00:41:49 That the trying of your faith is going to work or produce or

00:41:54 grow patience.

00:41:57 And he says what's going to happen after this, verse 4?

00:42:00 He says, "Let your patience have a perfect work that you may be

00:42:03 perfect entire, wanting nothing."

00:42:06 He says all of this is coming out of the trying of your faith

00:42:10 and you can have joy because of what you know.

00:42:14 And if you'll go through it based on what you know,

00:42:17 you'll come out wanting nothing.

00:42:18 This is the lesson in discomfort.

00:42:21 The lesson in discomfort is while you are in the place of

00:42:24 discomfort, have joy, not because you're comfortable,

00:42:28 but because you know what's coming out of this.

00:42:33 You know what's coming out of this.

00:42:36 It's tough right now.

00:42:38 We're weeping right now, but joy is coming in the morning and in

00:42:44 the morning may not be tomorrow.

00:42:46 Are you listening to me?

00:42:52 First Peter 1, 6 through 7.

00:42:54 First Peter 1, 6 through 7.

00:42:59 Verse 6 says, "Wherein you greatly rejoice,

00:43:05 though now for a season, if need be for a season,

00:43:08 you are in heaviness through many temptations,

00:43:12 tests and trials, that the trial of your faith being much more

00:43:17 precious than of gold that perishes,

00:43:20 though it be tried with fire, it's gonna be found unto praise

00:43:24 and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

00:43:28 This is life.

00:43:29 There's something that's gonna happen with all of the trials

00:43:32 that you have, and it's gonna be some rough ones.

00:43:36 Psalms 30 and 5.

00:43:38 Hallelujah.

00:43:42 "His anger endueth but for a moment."

00:43:47 I love this.

00:43:49 "And his favor is life.

00:43:51 Weeping may endure for a night, but joy coming from what you

00:43:57 know cometh in the morning."

00:44:00 It's not saying you might be crying tears at night,

00:44:03 but you're gonna be giggling in the morning.

00:44:05 That ain't what he's talking about.

00:44:07 He's saying you might be in discomfort at night,

00:44:12 but because you understand the purpose of discomfort--see,

00:44:16 if you don't understand the purpose for a thing,

00:44:19 abuse is inevitable.

00:44:21 And a lot of--we've abused this area.

00:44:25 We didn't know why.

00:44:26 We thought God was mad at us.

00:44:30 We thought, "Well, I'm just such a terrible person.

00:44:32 Look at what I'm going through."

00:44:34 Now, true enough, we do do some things in our life that causes

00:44:37 unnecessary trouble.

00:44:41 Sometimes it's our mouth.

00:44:42 Sometimes it causes unnecessary troubles.

00:44:44 The purpose of discomfort, here it is,

00:44:53 is to become more like Jesus.

00:44:59 I wanna say it like that because we have applied to the purpose

00:45:04 of this all kinds of things.

00:45:05 "Well, God's making me, you know,

00:45:07 discomfort 'cause he's trying to give me my bag."

00:45:09 'Cause your bag doesn't necessarily mean you're gonna

00:45:15 be looking like Jesus after you get your bag.

00:45:19 All these other reasons.

00:45:20 God's purpose for discomfort is to become more like Jesus.

00:45:25 All right, so if that's his purpose,

00:45:30 that leads me to two questions.

00:45:31 The first question, what is Jesus like?

00:45:36 If his whole purpose for this whole deal,

00:45:39 for this whole life is to be molded into the image of Jesus,

00:45:45 what is Jesus like?

00:45:48 "Oh, I know what Jesus like.

00:45:49 I know what Jesus like."

00:45:51 No, no, no, no, no, no.

00:45:52 Jesus is a black man.

00:45:53 I ain't talking about that.

00:45:55 Jesus got an Afro.

00:45:56 I ain't talking about that.

00:45:57 What is he like?

00:45:59 What does the final product look like on you?

00:46:03 Galatians chapter 5, 22 and 23.

00:46:09 What is Jesus like?

00:46:12 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

00:46:16 joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,

00:46:18 goodness, faith," or faithfulness.

00:46:20 You know the deal.

00:46:21 "Jesus is like the fruit of the Spirit."

00:46:23 Jesus is like the fruit of the Spirit.

00:46:28 To become Christ-like is to have these qualities in our life,

00:46:34 and to have these qualities in our life,

00:46:37 this has got to be something that's--I see a sculptor's hand.

00:46:45 This has got to be molded in us and shaped in us.

00:46:58 If you know anything, like, about bodybuilding,

00:47:02 to build a big bicep, you first of all have to tear it down.

00:47:08 And then if you do a good job of tearing it down,

00:47:10 going in there and lifting and working with heavy weights,

00:47:12 and then heavy weights are designed to tear it down so that

00:47:17 afterwards you can start through nutrition and rest,

00:47:24 it'll be rebuilt up bigger and stronger.

00:47:28 But we want to be bigger and stronger and develop with no

00:47:34 tearing down.

00:47:37 We're still looking for a pill to make us look perfect.

00:47:39 There's always a price.

00:47:43 There's always a price to pay, baby, always.

00:47:47 Nothing's free except salvation, and that costs you everything

00:47:52 you got.

00:47:54 So, that's the first question.

00:47:55 What is Jesus like?

00:47:56 The second question, how does God make us more like Jesus?

00:48:01 If he's like these qualities in Galatians 5,

00:48:06 how does he make us more like Jesus?

00:48:10 By taking us through experiences like Jesus himself went through.

00:48:15 He gonna take us through the same experience.

00:48:18 A lot of people, they kind of forget Jesus went through the

00:48:21 same experiences that you and I have to go through to get to

00:48:24 that certain point.

00:48:25 So, he's gonna take us through these experiences.

00:48:27 Was Jesus ever lonely?

00:48:30 Was he ever frustrated?

00:48:33 Was Jesus ever misunderstood?

00:48:36 Was Jesus ever criticized?

00:48:39 Did he ever experience pain?

00:48:41 Think about all the stuff Jesus went through.

00:48:47 The Bible says he learned--well, look at Hebrews chapter 5.

00:48:51 Hebrews 5, 8 through 9.

00:48:53 I have to show you these things.

00:48:54 I've got to convince you of this today.

00:48:58 Hebrews chapter 5, 8 through 9, he says, "Though he were a son,

00:49:03 yet learned he obedience by the things which he," what?

00:49:07 Suffered, verse 9.

00:49:09 "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal

00:49:14 salvation unto all them that obey."

00:49:19 Hebrews 2, chapter 2 and 52.

00:49:22 If God used suffering to develop Jesus, we should expect him to

00:49:27 use the same thing on us.

00:49:29 Verse 52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature," because

00:49:36 we think, you know, where Jesus, you know, he was born, he didn't

00:49:39 have to do nothing.

00:49:40 He was in a physical body.

00:49:41 He came as a human being, and Jesus increased in wisdom and

00:49:46 in favor with God and with man.

00:49:50 That's a process that was going on even with him.

00:49:52 There is no situation we cannot grow from if we choose to

00:50:01 respond correctly.

00:50:04 Every problem or pressure is an opportunity to grow

00:50:09 in Christlikeness.

00:50:11 Every problem you have, every pressure you experience is an

00:50:15 opportunity to grow in these qualities like Jesus.

00:50:21 And even the temptation that occurs in our lives, even the

00:50:24 temptation can help us mature and grow.

00:50:28 How?

00:50:29 Because look at it.

00:50:31 Temptation is just a choice between right and wrong.

00:50:36 It's an opportunity.

00:50:38 And so, every time we choose what's right when we're tempted,

00:50:44 we grow more like Christ.

00:50:47 So, just being tempted and choosing the right, making the

00:50:50 right choice causes you to grow.

00:50:53 You start growing like Christ.

00:50:56 But when you're tempted and you keep choosing the wrong way,

00:50:59 you're staying immature.

00:51:01 And your emotions are fighting you saying, "Cuss her out.

00:51:05 Cuss her out.

00:51:06 Cut 'em.

00:51:06 Cut 'em."

00:51:07 Your emotions are fighting you.

00:51:09 The temptation, just the temptation by itself is an

00:51:12 opportunity to grow you up.

00:51:14 Well, how does God produce the fruit of the Spirit in our

00:51:24 lives?

00:51:25 By putting us in the exact opposite circumstance.

00:51:32 What do you mean?

00:51:34 You'll learn love around hard-to-love people.

00:51:40 Can I get a witness?

00:51:42 You'll learn joy in the midst of grief.

00:51:50 You'll learn peace in the midst of chaos.

00:51:54 You will learn patience by being forced to wait.

00:51:57 There's something about discomfort.

00:52:03 Discomfort will hold a mirror up in front of you, and it'll

00:52:07 show you your soul.

00:52:09 And when that mirror is held up in front of you, it's not

00:52:16 showing you who you want to be.

00:52:19 It's showing you exactly who you are.

00:52:21 Every point of discomfort and pain will either become a

00:52:28 stepping stone to maturity or a stumbling block that keeps you

00:52:34 stuck in immaturity.

00:52:36 How you handle discomfort.

00:52:40 I'm sure you didn't expect to come to church and hear a whole

00:52:45 sermon on pain and discomfort.

00:52:48 But now when it come, you're not running no more.

00:52:53 You say, "I'm gonna take my medicine.

00:52:55 I'm gonna get better."

00:53:02 Look at 2 Corinthians 7 and 11.

00:53:04 Guys, if you have it in the message, would you put that up?

00:53:07 2 Corinthians 7 and 11 in the message.

00:53:11 Some lessons we only learn through pain.

00:53:13 When I went through blood clots around my--micro blood clots

00:53:23 around my lungs, shingles, perfect pattern, tumors in my

00:53:28 body, when I went through all of that, I became more empathetic

00:53:33 to people with pain, more empathetic to people with cancer.

00:53:36 When they said they had shingles, I was very empathetic.

00:53:41 It was no longer, "Oh, shingles.

00:53:43 Oh, my brother had that."

00:53:44 No, no, I was like, "Ooh, shingles is the devil."

00:53:49 [laughter]

00:53:54 I learned how to be patient.

00:53:57 I learned that certain things just don't matter.

00:53:59 It doesn't--I don't wanna get stressed out on stuff.

00:54:01 I don't wanna live my life always stretched and stressed.

00:54:05 I'm thankful that I'm alive.

00:54:10 I'm thankful--there's some things you're not gonna learn

00:54:14 except through some pain.

00:54:17 I learned that a lot of stuff just doesn't matter.

00:54:19 I learned keep the main thing the main thing.

00:54:23 I learned that it's never too late to love.

00:54:27 It's never too late to come out of regret, that you don't have

00:54:31 to live your life in regret, that God still loves you and

00:54:37 he's still rooting for you.

00:54:39 I learned to be free from people's approval.

00:54:46 I couldn't teach this if I was still in bondage

00:54:48 to people's approval.

00:54:49 Paul said, "I couldn't teach--I can't teach grace if I'm to

00:54:54 please men."

00:54:55 He says, "I'm not doing this to please men.

00:54:56 I'm doing this to please God."

00:54:58 Do you realize the stuff you can accomplish if you can get free

00:55:00 from people?

00:55:03 The very thing that God's trying to get you to do, you know why

00:55:06 you're not doing it?

00:55:07 'Cause you're still thinking about what they might say.

00:55:10 Forget a "they."

00:55:12 Who is "they" anyway?

00:55:19 And then it says, "And now," listen to this, this is awesome,

00:55:21 "And now, isn't it wonderful all the ways in which this distress

00:55:25 has goaded you closer to God?"

00:55:29 Look at how this stuff has gotten you closer to God.

00:55:32 You're more alive, you're more concerned, you're more sensitive,

00:55:39 you're more reverent, you're more human.

00:55:43 Ooh, see, folks, you human, and sometimes you act like you're

00:55:51 not, which means you're gonna have some human moments.

00:55:58 It means you're gonna cry when you hurt.

00:56:01 It means you're gonna grieve when somebody leaves.

00:56:03 Let me tell you something about grief.

00:56:08 We've been taught, "Don't ever grieve."

00:56:13 And I've met people who held it in, and they end up getting sick

00:56:18 'cause of the stress.

00:56:20 But grief is love that don't have nowhere to go.

00:56:28 You don't grieve what you don't love.

00:56:32 You only grieve what you love.

00:56:34 People dying every day.

00:56:35 You ain't grieving over everybody dying every day.

00:56:37 You grieve what you love.

00:56:39 And sometimes you can grieve some of the stuff that you love

00:56:43 to do that's not happening no more.

00:56:45 Some of you might be in a process of grief right now

00:56:50 because there was a job you love that you don't have no more.

00:56:54 There was an assignment you had that's over with right now,

00:56:56 and you could be in the process of grieving.

00:56:58 So, how do I handle a situation where grief is love that doesn't

00:57:03 have anywhere to go?

00:57:04 I provided a path through gratitude and thanksgiving,

00:57:07 and instead of me having a hard time with that thing not

00:57:10 happening no more or that person not being here anymore,

00:57:12 I immediately go to gratitude and say, "Father,

00:57:15 I thank you that I had 70 years with that person.

00:57:18 Father, I give you praise that I had the opportunity to do that.

00:57:21 Lord, I am thankful that I had an opportunity to do that."

00:57:24 And now you start processing those human emotions.

00:57:27 And the New Testament didn't say, "Do not grieve."

00:57:32 It says, "Don't grieve as those that have no hope."

00:57:38 It doesn't have to be sorrow all the time.

00:57:43 It can just be, "I really love that.

00:57:48 Now I'm grateful for that."

00:57:56 And you can exhale.

00:57:58 I'm in a transition in my life in ministry right now.

00:58:04 Almost 42 years in ministry, and I'm thinking there's some

00:58:10 things that were awesome back then.

00:58:15 Speaking in stadiums with 100,000 people, nervous.

00:58:21 Oh, I loved every bit of it.

00:58:25 Getting out in the middle of the street in a foreign country and

00:58:29 ministering to people.

00:58:31 And now things have changed with technology and stuff.

00:58:35 I realized I was grieving what I used to do,

00:58:41 and I was also grieving people that had gone on to be with the

00:58:44 Lord that I never took the time to grieve.

00:58:47 When I went away on that sabbatical last year during

00:58:53 Father's Day, my first session was just a knock in the face

00:59:01 when obviously I was doing something that indicated I was

00:59:05 holding something in, and I had a vision.

00:59:07 I saw a closet that was so full of stuff,

00:59:09 all the stuff that I put in the closet,

00:59:11 all the stuff I put in the closet.

00:59:13 And then one day I was closing the closet door,

00:59:15 and it wouldn't latch 'cause I had so much stuff in it.

00:59:19 And I spent a whole day grieving people,

00:59:26 even grieving my father who's been dead for 20-something

00:59:31 years, I cried all day and just got all of it out and then went

00:59:39 back and began to be thankful and appreciative.

00:59:42 I had so much in that closet.

00:59:47 Working through the slander and the pain and wishing I could

00:59:52 respond to all of these negative things,

01:00:01 but I grew up with the belief that a man who defends his self

01:00:04 will always remain average.

01:00:10 But I was a human, hurting, tired,

01:00:16 not too sure if I wanted to keep going on with this journey

01:00:27 because I dismissed my humanity.

01:00:32 I ain't going to no doctor 'cause I'm a man of faith.

01:00:40 You can be a man of faith and still go get the operation.

01:00:42 'Cause there's a whole lot of stuff that can go wrong just

01:00:47 like there's a whole lot of stuff that can go right,

01:00:50 but you can't continue to serve God if you dead somewhere.

01:00:53 "Pastor, why are you sharing this with us?"

01:00:58 Don't you?

01:01:02 You don't mean to say this.

01:01:03 Yeah, I do.

01:01:05 'Cause when you're delivering for people,

01:01:07 I'm not sitting up here thinking,

01:01:09 "Oh, thank you, God, for giving me this opportunity to

01:01:12 talk about me, for saying all of this stuff."

01:01:15 You're going to think I'm human.

01:01:17 You're more human, the Bible says.

01:01:20 He says you're more passionate.

01:01:22 He says you're more responsible.

01:01:24 Look that from any angle, you've come out of this with purity of

01:01:29 heart, and that is what I was hoping for in the first place

01:01:37 when I wrote this letter.

01:01:39 And I came out of all that with a purity of heart.

01:01:44 It didn't matter who had the big doctrine.

01:01:46 I just wanted to love people.

01:01:48 I didn't want to be like the people when they saw that lady

01:01:53 who was at the well, or the woman who was called

01:01:55 in the act of adultery, and they said, "Jesus," you know,

01:01:58 "the law says Moses said we should stone her."

01:02:01 And I recognized they were more concerned about their doctrine,

01:02:04 who was right and wrong, versus the love that this woman needed,

01:02:07 having empathy and the love that--what had to happen for her

01:02:11 to end up in that situation.

01:02:13 And I realized that teachings may not always be agreed upon,

01:02:20 so I'm going to make sure that whatever I teach

01:02:22 is hooked in love.

01:02:24 That at the end of the day, if I flunk all of that other--in the

01:02:30 teaching, if I get all the doctrine wrong,

01:02:32 there's one thing I ain't going to get wrong,

01:02:34 and that's walking in love no matter what's going on with you,

01:02:37 no matter how you look, no matter what you done been

01:02:40 through, no matter what your battle is,

01:02:43 no matter what your sexual addiction is,

01:02:45 or your identity, whatever you might be going through,

01:02:47 I owe you love.

01:02:49 Yeah.

01:02:57 So, why you say all of that?

01:02:58 Well, for my next point, discomfort in relation

01:03:05 to ministry.

01:03:07 Listen to this.

01:03:10 Second Corinthians 11 and 30.

01:03:12 Turn there real quick.

01:03:14 Discomfort can be one of the most powerful--sharing your

01:03:20 discomfort in ministry will be more powerful than sharing your

01:03:27 discomfort in the revelation of the Scripture,

01:03:29 'cause not everybody will understand the Scripture,

01:03:34 but they will all be able to relate to your pain.

01:03:37 Look what he says.

01:03:42 "If I must needs," he says, "If I must needs glory,

01:03:46 I will glory of the things which concern my infirmities,"

01:03:51 or my weakness.

01:03:54 Second Corinthians chapter 12, 9 through 10.

01:03:56 We wouldn't dare think about doing what I'm getting ready

01:04:01 to suggest to you.

01:04:03 The nerve, the mitigated gall for you to exist said to me.

01:04:11 Now, I don't suspect you, you know,

01:04:13 you gotta learn discretion.

01:04:14 You know, don't tell everybody everything.

01:04:17 Some people can't handle everything.

01:04:19 You got to tell them, good or bad.

01:04:22 I realize some people can't handle the good things that

01:04:24 you're gonna get a nice house, and then they come over

01:04:26 and watch it.

01:04:27 They're gonna get real quiet real quick 'cause everybody

01:04:29 don't celebrate all of the blessings in your life.

01:04:31 Some of your blessings cause them pain,

01:04:38 and that pain is there to work out that jealousy and envy

01:04:41 in their life.

01:04:43 Somebody says, "I can't wait 'til this over."

01:04:49 Well, it's gonna be over when I finish.

01:04:53 I'm almost finished, but don't the clock say zero?

01:04:57 Put five more minutes on the clock.

01:04:59 And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee,

01:05:04 for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

01:05:09 Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities,

01:05:13 in my weaknesses, in my flesh."

01:05:15 Why?

01:05:16 "That the power of Christ may rest upon me."

01:05:19 When?

01:05:20 When I'm weak.

01:05:22 Every pain experience, every painful experience that you've

01:05:27 gone through in your life is a ministry opportunity.

01:05:33 Glory to God.

01:05:35 Every painful experience in your life is a ministry opportunity

01:05:40 because God wants to redeem your suffering.

01:05:44 What does that mean?

01:05:45 God wants to redeem your discomfort.

01:05:47 God wants to redeem your pain.

01:05:49 What does that mean?

01:05:50 Redemptive suffering uses your pain to help other people.

01:05:58 So, God will redeem your pain and use it as a ministry tool.

01:06:04 And it becomes an effective tool for evangelism.

01:06:09 And God wants you to share with somebody your pain while you're

01:06:14 going through it.

01:06:15 Don't wait 'til you finish it to share it right in the midst of

01:06:18 it, right when it's hot.

01:06:20 Share it when it's hot and it'll win somebody over to the Lord

01:06:24 and they'll look at you and say, "Oh, my God,

01:06:27 if you can go through what you're going through right now,

01:06:29 and by the way, I'm going through the same thing,

01:06:32 I'm gonna need the same help you got."

01:06:34 Praise God.

01:06:35 Don't be afraid to share your pain.

01:06:38 Our pain may be the most powerful tool for bringing others

01:06:46 to Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission to make

01:06:50 disciples of all people using pain and discomfort can be our

01:06:54 greatest witness.

01:06:56 Jesus' greatest witness was not his miracles.

01:07:01 Jesus' greatest witness was not his teachings.

01:07:09 Jesus' greatest witness was his suffering on the cross.

01:07:14 And our greatest witness can be the things we suffer.

01:07:20 It can be the things that we have sat in discomfort with.

01:07:24 It can be sitting down with a brother and say,

01:07:26 "I know what you're going through 'cause I'm going through

01:07:29 the same thing, but I'm trusting God that he's able to bring me

01:07:34 out of this situation.

01:07:35 I'm trusting God that he's gonna redeem this pain."

01:07:39 But when they listen to you talk about this,

01:07:42 it may be the greatest tool to win them over to the Lord.

01:07:47 Sharing what is hurting us adds credibility to our witness.

01:07:55 Preachers thought that we get together and talk

01:08:01 about our successes.

01:08:03 Let me talk to you about the five things I did to get 2,000

01:08:07 people in my church.

01:08:08 Let me talk to you about the three things I did to fatten up

01:08:12 our bank account.

01:08:13 Let me talk to you about the things that I did that caused us

01:08:16 to have a worldwide ministry.

01:08:19 Those things don't really bring intimate relationship,

01:08:25 but what brings real intimate relationship, when you say,

01:08:29 "Let me tell you what I'm going through."

01:08:33 I was speaking at a pastor's conference.

01:08:35 They invited me to talk to the young pastors that are coming up

01:08:37 today, and the room was full of pastors that were there,

01:08:41 and they thought I was gonna give them all of the secrets

01:08:46 of whatever.

01:08:48 And I started off with the story about the closet being full.

01:08:53 And I thought of this.

01:08:54 I started off with, "Oh, yeah, by the way,

01:08:56 I went to see a therapist.

01:08:59 Oh, and by the way, I had a four-hour operation.

01:09:02 I was believing God for all of that."

01:09:04 And you could see their faces changing.

01:09:06 And I was so intrigued with why was I becoming so transparent

01:09:10 and so vulnerable with the preachers in the room,

01:09:14 because I knew that in the room that we were all on this same

01:09:20 plane, and we all could share this common denominator,

01:09:24 and it was that everybody in that room,

01:09:27 whether they wanted to admit it or not,

01:09:29 had some kind of discomfort and pain.

01:09:31 And immediately afterwards, it wasn't this or that or the

01:09:36 Scripture I shared.

01:09:39 It was, "Wow, he became so vulnerable that I feel like I'm

01:09:44 okay, that I can make it."

01:09:51 I was gonna jump off a building, but I think I can make it.

01:09:55 I was gonna blow my brains out, because just in case you don't

01:09:57 know it, preachers have blown their brains out.

01:10:00 Pastor right around the corner came in his office early,

01:10:03 sat down and blew his brains out.

01:10:06 A friend of Bishop Fullerton's and I,

01:10:09 bishop in an amazing organization,

01:10:11 blew his brains out.

01:10:13 And we wanna be quiet and walk around in a fable and tell these

01:10:25 blown-up stories to make people feel worse,

01:10:31 like you ain't got no problems.

01:10:33 And I used to feel like that when people get up and say how

01:10:37 wonderful fathers they were, and, "Oh, they're so wonderful,

01:10:39 and their kids are just so wonderful."

01:10:41 And I say, "Well, what's wrong with me?

01:10:43 What's wrong with me?"

01:10:53 And the condemnation came, and I just thought I wasn't useful

01:10:57 for God no more because I couldn't be that false

01:11:01 impression of a Christian.

01:11:05 We naturally like people who admit they don't have it all

01:11:12 together instead of pretending that they do.

01:11:16 And many Christians believe God expects us to pretend to live a

01:11:21 perfect life in front of our non-believing neighbors,

01:11:26 to hide our problems, to mask our pain,

01:11:31 to cover up our sins, and the result is that Christians are

01:11:39 labeled hypocrites and phonies.

01:11:43 Everyone already knows we don't have it all together,

01:11:50 but we keep trying to convince them that we have it all

01:11:53 together, and it's all right that you don't.

01:11:57 Why?

01:11:58 Because Jesus is molding you and making you,

01:12:03 and you might not have it all together right now,

01:12:07 but you're on your way.

01:12:09 You're not what you used to be.

01:12:12 So, maybe you still cuss, but you're not using them big cussing

01:12:17 words and them compound cussing words that you used to use.

01:12:20 You're making progress.

01:12:22 You're getting better.

01:12:28 Celebrate the progress.

01:12:31 Praise him for the progress, and know that if he can get you

01:12:36 where you are right now, you can continue to go on,

01:12:39 and one day you're gonna look up, praise God,

01:12:43 and you're gonna look just like him.

01:12:46 The promise was kept.

01:12:48 You have been molded into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ.

01:12:53 I bought a little book.

01:13:07 It says, "My Spiritual Journey," and all this year,

01:13:10 all of these convicting revelations I'm putting in this.

01:13:17 God told me to teach on how to do life,

01:13:19 'cause people don't know how to do life.

01:13:28 They know how to do church, but they don't know how to do life,

01:13:31 and I'm feeling pretty good these days.

01:13:36 I'm feeling pretty human these days.

01:13:44 And I'm glad and have no problem being human because God

01:13:49 made an anointing to put on humans so we can no longer just

01:14:05 walk in the natural.

01:14:06 We can walk in the supernatural.

01:14:08 Did you get anything out of that this morning?

01:14:13 Listen to me.

01:14:15 Listen to me.

01:14:18 Every head bowed, every eye closed, no walking, please.

01:14:21 Could somebody go get my checkbook and a pen?

01:14:26 I forgot to--Father, we're ready for you to continue to mold us,

01:14:29 to make us.

01:14:32 We're ready for you to continue to mold us,

01:14:35 to make us.

01:14:38 That your objective is clearly that we be formed into the image

01:14:44 of Jesus.

01:14:56 We're ready.

01:14:59 We're ready to take off the mask.

01:15:01 We're ready to take off the phoniness.

01:15:05 We're ready to take off the hypocrisy.

01:15:08 Thank you.

01:15:10 We're ready.

01:15:12 We're ready for the pain.

01:15:15 We're ready for the discomfort if necessary.

01:15:21 Don't let us deceive ourselves, O God.

01:15:28 Don't let us deceive ourselves.

01:15:32 Please help us.

01:15:38 May we have an intimate relationship with you.

01:15:41 May we come to know you like we've never known you.

01:15:47 Teach us how to walk in love with what's not lovely.

01:15:52 Teach us how to walk in love with what's ugly.

01:15:57 Teach us how to walk in love with what society has completely

01:16:01 thrown away.

01:16:02 Teach us to love like you.

01:16:08 And then, Lord, help us to receive completely and totally

01:16:15 forgiveness that you have already given us,

01:16:18 righteousness that you've already given us.

01:16:22 I rebuke condemnation, fear, stress,

01:16:25 and the manifestation of the curse.

01:16:27 Lord, I know you take us just like we are and you make a

01:16:33 masterpiece out of a mess.

01:16:41 Take the shame away.

01:16:45 Take the guilt away.

01:16:53 Lord, we believe in you, and as we believe in you,

01:16:59 we shall not be put to shame.

01:17:01 You promised us that you're able to keep us from falling and to

01:17:10 present to us this beautiful opportunity to be like Jesus.

01:17:19 And, Lord, I pray that there would be an inward revival to

01:17:23 take place in our church, that there will be a revival in our

01:17:27 emotions, there will be a revival in our approach,

01:17:31 that we will come to know the will of God,

01:17:37 not just for our lives, but we will come to know the will of

01:17:40 God for our pain, the will of God for our discomfort,

01:17:43 and that we will not walk in shame not one more day.

01:17:49 You are still working on each of us in the journey that we are

01:17:54 taking, and for that, we will praise your name.

01:18:00 Now, I declare that whatever's wrong,

01:18:07 you're gonna make it right.

01:18:09 Send every devil to flight.

01:18:11 I thank you that supernaturally you're moving in all of our

01:18:17 lives, that we're being matured and that we're growing to

01:18:23 fulfill the ultimate objective of being like you.

01:18:30 Deliver us from the fables.

01:18:34 Deliver us from playing church.

01:18:36 Deliver us from not being empathetic or sympathetic,

01:18:40 and help us to walk the way you walked is my prayer.

01:18:48 Now, Father, as we prepare to involve our giving in our

01:18:54 living, what would you have us to give?

01:19:00 That our giving is not a separate part.

01:19:05 What would you have us to give?

01:19:07 You've been so generous to us.

01:19:08 Lord, teach us how to be generous to you.

01:19:13 Lord, teach us that our giving is our worship.

01:19:18 As we bring unto you glory due to your name,

01:19:21 we bring an offering and we worship you in the beauty of

01:19:24 your holiness, and we don't turn it into some scheme,

01:19:30 but we don't give out of necessity.

01:19:33 We don't give 'cause we got to.

01:19:36 We give 'cause we get to, and we want to.

01:19:42 Lord, teach us today as we worship you in this way that we

01:19:47 may give you the praise of knowing that out of our heart,

01:19:52 all that we do out of our heart, our living and our giving out of

01:19:57 our heart, not out of duty, not a sense of obligation,

01:20:01 but out of our heart, we praise you for it now.

01:20:05 In Jesus' name, amen.

01:20:11 And we're going to read an offering envelope.

01:20:14 Ushers, if you lift your hands up,

01:20:16 the ushers will pass them out to you right now.

01:20:18 And again, I say to you, we got to stop separating this part

01:20:22 from the rest of our worship service.

01:20:25 We are worshiping God with our finances and blessing him as he

01:20:30 has blessed us, but we're not doing it out of pressure.

01:20:35 We're not doing it out of any of those things.

01:20:37 We're doing it because we are in love with him.

01:20:42 I don't--I don't know sometimes when God gives me things like

01:20:54 this to teach.

01:20:56 I don't know.

01:20:59 I don't--I don't fuss about it no more.

01:21:01 "Well, Brother Duff, you teach this,

01:21:05 now you know folk gonna have a problem with that.

01:21:07 I got a problem.

01:21:08 This is just add to it."

01:21:13 Right after, right after we take off.

01:21:18 You want to add something to what I said?

01:21:23 Now, we're going to--after we do the offering,

01:21:32 we're going to give away some tickets for Lemon Bliss,

01:21:37 10 of them.

01:21:40 So, don't rush to your car now.

01:21:42 You know, you might be you 'cause we're going to call out

01:21:44 your initials and the initial might be walking out of

01:21:47 the door, Taff.

01:21:49 You're going to do something different?

01:21:53 Uh-oh, Taff said she changed it.

01:21:54 We're not going to do it like that no more.

01:21:56 Still going to be good though.

01:22:01 Hold your offerings up.

01:22:03 Father, we give because we want to,

01:22:10 'cause we're in love with you.

01:22:12 This is a reflex of our love.

01:22:15 And I pray that as we give, your promise is still true,

01:22:19 that you will multiply back to us what we sow.

01:22:23 We give out of a cheerful heart, not of a grudging heart,

01:22:27 but a heart that gives because we're in love with you.

01:22:33 Bless those who give and those who plant.

01:22:37 We thank you for the opportunity now in Jesus' name, amen.

01:22:42 Ushers, go ahead and receive the offering.

01:22:44 [music]

01:22:46 [music]

01:23:15 If you're here and you've never been born again,

01:23:21 now think about this.

01:23:22 You've never made Jesus the Lord of your life.

01:23:24 It's like, what are you waiting on?

01:23:29 People don't go to hell for their behavior.

01:23:34 They go to hell for rejecting Jesus and what his blood has

01:23:39 finished for us.

01:23:41 Don't reject him, not another day.

01:23:44 Make him your Lord and personal Savior today.

01:23:48 Secondly, if you want to recommit yourself to the Lord,

01:23:54 we used to call it rededicating yourself to God.

01:23:56 That's just for your own awareness that says,

01:23:59 "Somehow I disconnected and I want to continue my walk

01:24:03 with the Lord."

01:24:05 Thirdly, if you want to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit

01:24:11 and the confidence of speaking in tongues,

01:24:13 we understand that.

01:24:14 We know how to minister that to you.

01:24:16 And last but certainly not least is God calling you to join

01:24:21 World Changes Church International today.

01:24:23 He said to Elijah, "Go to a certain brook and there

01:24:26 will I sustain thee."

01:24:28 I believe that God leads people to certain churches and there

01:24:35 they will be sustained.

01:24:40 I'm gonna tell you a few things.

01:24:42 Number one, if you've not been born again and you say,

01:24:46 "You know what?

01:24:47 Let me go ahead and handle this right now," then I want you to

01:24:51 get out of your seats and come to this altar right now.

01:24:54 You mean business.

01:24:56 I'm gonna give my life to Jesus today.

01:24:58 Secondly, rededication.

01:24:59 Come on down.

01:25:00 Thirdly, baptism in the Holy Spirit.

01:25:03 Come on down.

01:25:04 And if you want to join this church today, come on down.

01:25:08 Take this opportunity in Jesus' name.

01:25:10 You can respond now.

01:25:12 [congregation applauding]

01:25:14 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:25:27 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:25:32 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:25:37 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:25:44 [congregation applauding]

01:25:46 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:25:50 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:25:53 [congregation applauding]

01:25:55 ♪ If you have some questions ♪

01:25:59 ♪ In the corners of your mind ♪

01:26:03 ♪ Traces of discouragement ♪

01:26:08 ♪ Peace you cannot find ♪

01:26:12 ♪ Reflections of your past ♪

01:26:16 ♪ Seem to face you every day ♪

01:26:20 ♪ But this one thing I do know ♪

01:26:25 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:26:29 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:26:37 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:26:42 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:26:46 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:26:55 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:26:59 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:27:02 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:27:12 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:27:16 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:27:21 ♪ Jesus is the answer for the world today ♪

01:27:29 ♪ Above him there's no one ♪

01:27:34 ♪ Jesus is the way ♪

01:27:37 - Congregation, could you give those who've come down

01:27:39 a big hand and clap and thank God for their presence today

01:27:41 in Jesus' name?

01:27:43 [congregation applauding]

01:27:45 Father, we thank you that their lives will be revolutionized

01:27:49 in your spirit, in Jesus' name.

01:27:51 All that agree, say it, amen.

01:27:53 - Amen.

01:27:54 - At this time, if you would turn this way and follow

01:27:56 this gentleman to the prayer room, they're gonna take

01:27:58 your ministry to you, give you a biblical understanding

01:28:00 of how to attain and maintain what you came to receive.

01:28:02 We thank God that you will never be the same again, amen.

01:28:07 - Amen.

01:28:08 - Ready?

01:28:09 - Amen.

01:28:10 - Real quick, in the spirit of giving and just as a part

01:28:14 of radical women's ministry, we wanna celebrate

01:28:18 the achievements of women who are here today

01:28:21 and those who are watching online, dedicating

01:28:24 to empower women and recognize extraordinary women

01:28:27 who've done significant impact in their families

01:28:30 and communities.

01:28:31 So today, we are offering a chance for a deserving

01:28:35 mother of four.

01:28:38 If you are a mother of four, please make your way

01:28:41 down front.

01:28:43 We would like to sow into your life--

01:28:46 [congregation applauding]

01:28:49 Just raise your hand if you're coming this way,

01:28:51 mother of four.

01:28:53 [congregation applauding]

01:28:56 - We got your team.

01:28:57 [congregation applauding]

01:29:00 - Wow.

01:29:02 [congregation applauding]

01:29:05 [congregation applauding]

01:29:08 [congregation applauding]

01:29:11 [congregation applauding]

01:29:14 [congregation applauding]

01:29:17 - Wow, wow, wow.

01:29:20 - I already did that before, I know that.

01:29:22 - Okay.

01:29:23 - Okay, we're done, so let's see, how many we got?

01:29:26 How many we got?

01:29:27 Count.

01:29:28 So I need a count for everybody that came in.

01:29:30 - Right here, across the front.

01:29:32 - Y'all come on down front.

01:29:33 Come on down front this way.

01:29:35 Okay, just come on down front so we can count 'cause we

01:29:39 wasn't gonna do but 10, but--

01:29:41 [congregation laughing]

01:29:43 - One more.

01:29:45 Blessed to be a blessing.

01:29:46 - That's right.

01:29:47 All right, how many we got?

01:29:49 Give me a count.

01:29:50 [congregation laughing]

01:29:57 Now, if you ain't got four kids, you're lying.

01:29:59 [congregation laughing]

01:30:01 All right, don't--

01:30:03 Wait, y'all coming late, y'all coming late.

01:30:05 What y'all been doing?

01:30:06 You didn't know you had four kids three minutes ago?

01:30:08 [congregation laughing]

01:30:11 Come on, I'm wondering.

01:30:13 I'm wondering.

01:30:16 Come on.

01:30:18 Four kids, I wanna say, "Where they at?"

01:30:20 [congregation laughing]

01:30:23 Come on down.

01:30:24 I need an accurate count.

01:30:25 All right, so, all right, we're done.

01:30:27 If you didn't come already, you done missed it.

01:30:29 We got this one lady right here, come on, and we're done.

01:30:31 - Yeah.

01:30:32 - So even if you got four, we done.

01:30:34 Y'all messing up what I'm trying to do.

01:30:38 What's your count?

01:30:41 - 33.

01:30:42 - 33, that's with everybody who came down?

01:30:44 All right, how much the tickets, Taff?

01:30:47 - The tickets are 58.

01:30:49 - 58 bucks?

01:30:50 - Mm-hmm.

01:30:51 - All right, I'm gonna sell a seat for 33 people.

01:30:54 - Yes.

01:30:55 [congregation cheering]

01:30:56 - Okay?

01:30:57 - That's right.

01:30:58 - I'm gonna sell a seat for 33 people.

01:31:00 Now, but you have to register, like, now, before you leave.

01:31:05 - Yes, what you have to do is go out to the lobby immediately

01:31:09 after service and go to the information desk,

01:31:13 go to the information desk to get your ticket, okay?

01:31:18 - Y'all told me 33, not 40.

01:31:21 [laughter]

01:31:24 - And so, ladies, this is your last--this is the last day,

01:31:27 so if you've not gotten your ticket and you want to attend

01:31:31 next Saturday's Lemon Bliss, be sure to get your ticket

01:31:34 today.

01:31:35 Today is the last day.

01:31:36 It's upcoming Saturday, so today is the last day.

01:31:40 - Okay, so I'm gonna sell seats for 40 ladies.

01:31:43 - Okay.

01:31:44 - 40 ladies.

01:31:45 - All right.

01:31:46 - And how much the tickets?

01:31:48 - 58.

01:31:49 [laughter]

01:31:54 - And so, anybody else, if you want to sew,

01:31:56 you're welcome to do that.

01:31:58 Creflo and I are sewing.

01:31:59 - Got it.

01:32:00 - We'll make it 50.

01:32:01 We're gonna do 50 tickets.

01:32:02 We're gonna do 50.

01:32:04 We're gonna do 50, and if you want to sew,

01:32:07 be led, be blessed.

01:32:09 - Okay.

01:32:10 - All right.

01:32:11 - Okay, just--just--

01:32:12 - Brother Jimmy said he'll do 10.

01:32:13 - Jimmy gonna do 10.

01:32:14 I'm gonna do 50, and we gonna--we gonna--we finna go home.

01:32:18 [laughter]

01:32:20 No, it's a privilege.

01:32:21 We want y'all to enjoy it, and God bless you,

01:32:24 and we're sewing this seat in the good ground, amen?

01:32:26 - Yes, we love you.

01:32:27 - Praise God.

01:32:28 - Thanks for all you do.

01:32:29 - You can return back to your seats.

01:32:31 - Mm-hmm.

01:32:32 - Let's stand for our final blessing.

01:32:35 Some people are respecting you,

01:32:36 and they giving away money in there?

01:32:38 [laughter]

01:32:41 You can come over here.

01:32:43 - Y'all, real quickly, we're in the political season,

01:32:47 and we have a special guest here with us today.

01:32:49 We want to recognize him real quick.

01:32:51 If you would, raise your hand, Brother Ray Mills.

01:32:54 He is running for the Georgia State Representative

01:32:57 for South Fulton District 69,

01:33:00 so we got that time coming up.

01:33:03 - Ray, come here.

01:33:04 Ray, look. Let me see.

01:33:06 Almost, come here.

01:33:08 Boy, you know you sharp this morning.

01:33:11 Look here.

01:33:12 Look here.

01:33:13 - Just a little bit.

01:33:14 - Look at that.

01:33:15 - Just a little bit.

01:33:16 - Like we talked to each other last night, almost.

01:33:18 God bless you, sir.

01:33:19 Oh, God bless you.

01:33:21 Lift your hands up for the final blessing.

01:33:26 May the grace and the peace of God Almighty

01:33:30 be extended to you and your family.

01:33:33 May the Spirit of God walk with you throughout this week,

01:33:37 protecting you from all hurt, harm, and danger.

01:33:42 May the power of God's Spirit dwell in you and upon you

01:33:48 in a heavy way, and may you experience promotion

01:33:53 in tsunami portions.

01:33:57 May the power of his love flow from your heart

01:34:01 into the lives of others.

01:34:04 May you have opportunity to minister to those

01:34:07 who are less fortunate than you are,

01:34:10 and may the promises of God be seen in your lives

01:34:14 throughout this week.

01:34:17 For you walk in safety, healing, protection,

01:34:22 joy, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

01:34:27 And now unto him who is able to keep you from falling

01:34:31 and to present you faultless before the Almighty God,

01:34:34 be glory, majesty, dominion, and power both now and forever.

01:34:39 And everybody said amen.

01:34:41 God bless you, world changers.

01:34:43 Thank you for coming today.

01:34:45 - Amen.

01:34:49 - Amen.

01:34:50 - Tsunami of promotion.

01:34:51 - Tsunami, right?

01:34:52 - Yes.

01:34:53 - I received that.

01:34:54 I received that.

01:34:55 Well, world changers, we are so excited.

01:34:57 Today has been an amazing service.

01:34:59 I'm talking about this word.

01:35:00 - Yes.

01:35:01 - This word and just the way God is just so transparent,

01:35:05 so real, coming down to our level,

01:35:08 speaking to us directly where we are, man.

01:35:10 Today was awesome, awesome.

01:35:12 - Absolutely.

01:35:13 What did you get out of service today?

01:35:14 What's a nugget that's a takeaway for you?

01:35:16 - I got one little nugget.

01:35:17 Well, I got many nuggets, but I have one I'm gonna share.

01:35:20 The nugget I want to share with you is I maintain what I believe

01:35:23 in the midst of what I've been going through.

01:35:26 And when I tell you that hit me so hard,

01:35:28 simply because it's easy to believe when you're so focused on the results.

01:35:32 When you just believe because you believe.

01:35:34 - Come on.

01:35:35 - Like that's what it is.

01:35:36 Just believe.

01:35:37 So regardless of what I see, and it reminds me of the three Hebrew boys,

01:35:40 like even if God don't come through, I'm still not going to bow.

01:35:43 - Come on.

01:35:44 He's still not bowing to anything other than God.

01:35:46 - Watch out now.

01:35:47 - Come on, Sebastian.

01:35:48 - Too good.

01:35:49 - That's an amazing takeaway.

01:35:50 And we have a question for you.

01:35:52 The question for you today is are you aware of the needs of the most vulnerable

01:35:58 people in your life or in your community today?

01:36:01 Really think about that.

01:36:02 Are you really aware of the needs of others that are directly connected to you

01:36:06 or around you?

01:36:07 Sometimes the smallest act of your generosity can make somebody else's

01:36:11 entire day.

01:36:13 And for years, World Changers Church has been intentional about not just meeting

01:36:17 the spiritual needs of people, but Sylvester, you've been here, you know,

01:36:20 also meeting the material needs of people through food giveaways,

01:36:24 school supply giveaways, free family events throughout the year,

01:36:28 and so much more.

01:36:30 And so we want to share a scripture with you from Proverbs 22,

01:36:33 verse number 9 in the NLT.

01:36:36 It says, "Blessed are those who are generous because they feed the poor."

01:36:42 When you are giving to others who can give you nothing in return materially,

01:36:46 there is a blessing of the Lord on you and your house.

01:36:50 And so today we encourage you to look around you and be cheerfully generous.

01:36:57 Amen.

01:36:58 Amen.

01:36:59 Listen, and if all them mothers, our pastors are so generous, like,

01:37:04 "Hey, you know,

01:37:05 we want to make sure that you all can also experience living bliss."

01:37:07 Like, listen.

01:37:08 It started with 10-ticket giveaway, and now I think it ended up being 50

01:37:11 or 55 tickets given away in service.

01:37:14 Hey, look at God.

01:37:16 Come on.

01:37:17 That's all I got to say.

01:37:18 So we want to make sure and share with you the four different ways that we have

01:37:21 that we can also give that you can participate.

01:37:24 If you did not get an opportunity before,

01:37:26 so you can simply text the word "worldchangers," leave a space,

01:37:29 and then your amount, and you'll text that to 74483.

01:37:32 You can also call in your gifts to 866-477-7683.

01:37:37 You can also mail in your gifts to 2500 Burnett Road, College Park, Georgia,

01:37:42 30349.

01:37:44 Of course, lastly, you can simply give online at worldchangers.org,

01:37:47 creflodollarministries.org, or simply scan the QR code that's on your screen.

01:37:51 And you mentioned mothers, so shout-out to the Radical Women Ministry.

01:37:56 Ladies, you showed up and you showed out and conquered Stone Mountain yesterday.

01:38:01 Amazing job.

01:38:03 If you missed the opportunity to be with the Radical Women's Ministry yesterday

01:38:06 for the Stone Mountain hike in Georgia,

01:38:09 there is more fun and good times right around the corner this weekend

01:38:13 with Lemon Bliss.

01:38:15 Tell them about Mothers Day event celebration.

01:38:18 Ladies, ladies, for sure, make sure that you treat yourself to something sweet,

01:38:23 so sweet.

01:38:24 Now, Lemon Bliss 2024 is back and classier than ever.

01:38:27 So this Saturday, May 4th, we want to make sure that you are there in the building

01:38:32 at 11 o'clock a.m.

01:38:33 It's going to be at the Starling downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

01:38:36 So as we honor all women who nurture and inspire,

01:38:39 because every woman deserves to be--

01:38:41 Come on, say it, Sylvester.

01:38:43 I said every woman.

01:38:44 Say it.

01:38:45 Not just the mothers, the sisters, the nieces.

01:38:47 That's right.

01:38:48 Every woman deserves to be celebrated, so we are going to be joined by Jade Warshaw.

01:38:53 She's the co-host of the nationally acclaimed radio show, The Dave Ramsey Show.

01:38:58 Well, The Ramsey Show, as it's been changed to.

01:39:00 But tickets are only $58.

01:39:02 Brunch is included.

01:39:04 So be sure to get your tickets because this is happening not next week,

01:39:08 not in two weeks, this is happening this Saturday.

01:39:11 So make sure and text the word Lemon Bliss to 51555 to register today.

01:39:16 We saw our man of God and our woman of God, they're sending different mothers out.

01:39:21 So, fellas, listen, fellas, you watching, send them ladies, okay?

01:39:25 Send your mama, send your niece, send your aunt, send your daughters.

01:39:29 Let it be a mother-daughter, a sister-sister.

01:39:31 Just send the ladies that you love.

01:39:33 Let's celebrate.

01:39:34 I know I'm sending my wife, I'm sending my mother-in-law.

01:39:37 So listen, it's going to be amazing.

01:39:39 It is.

01:39:40 And then the next opportunity where the whole family can come out and participate is Grace Life Conference 2024.

01:39:46 The reunion is almost here.

01:39:49 World Changers, get your tickets now by texting Grace Life to 51555 or visiting worldchangers.org.

01:39:58 We are excited to welcome everyone home July 11 through the 13th here in College Park, Georgia.

01:40:04 This will be a reunion you won't forget.

01:40:06 And if you are used to experiencing this atmosphere at home virtually, we invite you, make this the one time that you come on out to the Dome.

01:40:15 It will be worth the drive, the flight, the hike, the snow sled, whatever it is.

01:40:21 It will be worth it.

01:40:22 Come on out and join us for Grace Life July 11 through the 13th.

01:40:26 Now listen, if you need to get on a snow sled, listen, God bless you.

01:40:29 Okay, I just want to say that.

01:40:31 But make your way down here to Atlanta, Georgia.

01:40:33 It's going to be great weather.

01:40:35 It's going to be hot in hotlanta, as they say.

01:40:37 But it's going to be amazing.

01:40:39 And I'm so looking forward to Grace Life.

01:40:41 If you haven't seen all the details, be sure to check it out.

01:40:44 Register right now.

01:40:45 It's free for the free 99.

01:40:47 Amen.

01:40:48 Amen.

01:40:49 So now, of course, to stay up to date with not only the current events that we just mentioned, but everything that's going on here at World Changers,

01:40:55 be sure to just visit worldchangers.org.

01:40:58 You can click on the Events tab and be sure to just stay tuned, mark your calendars, and stay locked in

01:41:03 in everything that's going on here at World Changers.

01:41:06 Absolutely.

01:41:07 And we encourage you.

01:41:08 The nugget that you got from service was so amazing.

01:41:10 Maintain your stance on what you believe throughout the rest of this week.

01:41:13 Don't let anything shake you.

01:41:15 Stay firm on the Word.

01:41:16 But also share that message with someone that you love or someone who you know may be going through an uncomfortable time

01:41:22 and they need to know what's going on, that no, you're not crazy.

01:41:25 God may be up to something in your life.

01:41:27 Have a great week, y'all.

01:41:28 You better preach.

01:41:30 Y'all have a great Sunday.

01:41:31 Love you guys.

01:41:34 Are you ready to come home?

01:41:36 Grace Life Conference 2024, the reunion is coming.

01:41:39 Creflo and Taffi Dollar will be joined by special guests Andrea Creighton, Gregory Dickhow, Bishop Clarence McClendon,

01:41:46 Inky Johnson, Michael Smith, Hezekiah Walker, and Brian Courtney Wilson, July 11th through 13th.

01:41:53 Don't miss this experience that includes our annual Mentality and Ministers and Leaders Conferences.

01:41:59 Text RACE LIFE to 51555.

01:42:03 [Music]

01:42:32 [Music]

01:42:54 [Music]

01:42:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Finding Purpose in Discomfort (2) - Creflo Dollar

Catégorie

Transcription

Recommandations