Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000049
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00:01 ♪ [Island Music] ♪ PB: Hello.
01:01 My name is Dr. Carlton Byrd and I'm the speaker-director 01:05 of the Breath of Life television ministry. 01:07 Right now I'm standing on the beautiful island of Bermuda. 01:11 That's right, Breath of Life is in the county of Bermuda. 01:14 This wonderful island nation of 20 miles long, pink sand, 01:19 beautiful beaches, palm trees, it's just paradise on earth. 01:25 But when I think about how beautiful it is, 01:27 I say to myself, God must have something 01:30 even that much better for us because the Word 01:33 of God says, eyes have not seen, neither have ears heard 01:37 the things that God has prepared for them 01:39 that love him. 01:41 Heaven is going to be that much better than this, and 01:44 while I can come here and vacation, I can come here and 01:47 swim and jet ski, we've come, Breath of Life has, to preach 01:51 the Word of God. 01:53 That's right, we're here for their camp meeting and we're 01:56 preaching that Jesus Christ loves us and he 01:59 is soon to return. 02:01 May God bless you as you watch as we minister to you to tell 02:05 a dying world that Jesus saves. 02:10 ♪ [Music] ♪ ♪ (Theme Song) ♪ 02:16 ♪ Jesus is worthy oh yes, ♪ ♪ he's worthy ♪ 02:25 ♪ worthy of all... ♪ ♪ all the praise. ♪ 02:30 PB: Jesus is on his way there. 02:33 He's in motion. 02:35 Lazarus, his friend, dies. 02:38 And when Jesus shows up, Lazarus' sisters say, If you 02:45 had been here, our brother wouldn't have died. 02:53 But they didn't know, they missed something 02:56 we often miss. 02:58 If you had been here, Jesus, I wouldn't have lost this. 03:03 If you had been here, Jesus, this wouldn't have happened. 03:05 Ellen White said in "Desire of Ages," when Christ heard the 03:08 message that Lazarus had died, the disciples thought he 03:11 received it coldly. 03:15 But we miss something. 03:19 Remember, the Lord is sovereign. 03:22 Remember, when you're sovereign, that means you can 03:26 do what you want, when you want, where you want, how you 03:29 want, and you don't have to ask permission to do 03:32 what you want. 03:34 The issue here is not so much what God does, but how we 03:38 react to what God does, because in God's permissive 03:43 will, he allows Lazarus to die. 03:49 There's a big difference between God's expressed will 03:54 and God's permissive will. 03:56 I wish I had time. 03:57 Now, we don't talk about this much in the church. 04:00 But what happens when God says, "I know what you really 04:04 want to happen, but I think I'm gonna let it 04:06 happen this way"? 04:09 I know you really want this job, but I think I'm not 04:12 gonna let you have it. 04:14 I know you really wanted that house, but I'm thinking you're 04:18 not going to have that house. 04:19 How do you do this for that? 04:21 How do you proclaim victory when God says no? 04:30 I have to take my k-n-o-w, know, and it's able to give me 04:45 a perspective on God's n-o, no. 04:52 God let Lazarus die. 04:54 Sometimes God will let things die. 04:59 God, but you love me, but you let this die. 05:02 You let that die. 05:03 But there was a spiritual revolution that Jesus 05:05 was trying to give. 05:06 They were missing it. 05:07 Look at verse 11: "These things said he: and after that 05:11 he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, 05:15 that I may awake him out of sleep." His disciples said 05:19 unto him, But Jesus, if he sleeps he's all right. 05:24 If he sleeps he's okay. 05:26 But Jesus said he was speaking of his death. 05:30 But they thought he had taken rest in sleep. 05:35 In other words, in verse 13, the disciples are on FM. 05:43 Jesus is on AM. 05:45 They're seeing this thing in the physical. 05:48 Jesus is seeing it in the spiritual. 05:50 They're seeing it in the natural, but Jesus is 05:53 speaking in the supernatural. 05:54 So verse 14, Jesus says plainly, "Lazarus is dead." 06:00 Now, watch this. 06:01 Listen to me carefully. 06:03 Anyone who is in an eternal relationship with God does not 06:09 experience eternal death. 06:12 You follow me now, listen to me good. 06:16 Anyone who is in an eternal relationship with God does not 06:21 experience eternal death. 06:26 Your God-fearing loved ones, they are not in heaven, those 06:30 who have died in the Lord. 06:33 They are not in heaven right now. 06:36 Your God-fearing loved ones who have passed on 06:40 are just asleep. 06:42 Brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant concerning 06:47 them which are asleep. 06:50 Now, let's expand our minds. 06:51 If your God-fearing loved one was already in heaven 06:56 at the time of their death, then that would make 07:00 I Thessalonians 4:16-17 out to be a lie. 07:03 The Bible says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from 07:08 heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the 07:12 trump of God, and at that time the dead in Christ shall rise 07:16 first." If your loved one who died in the Lord was already 07:20 in heaven, who would Jesus be coming back for 07:24 at his second coming? 07:31 The wages of sin is death. 07:37 But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 07:43 Christ our Lord. 07:44 So then when I'm in a true relationship with Jesus, 07:48 though my situation may look dead on the surface, to the 07:52 natural eye, spiritually it's sleep and it's just a matter 07:58 of time before God resurrects that thing. 08:01 So no matter what looks dead in my life, it's just a matter 08:04 of time before God gets ready for it to come back. 08:10 That's why when things start happening in your life that 08:12 you can't explain and you don't understand, it's not 08:15 time to start getting mad at God. 08:17 It's time to give God glory, because you ought to know God 08:20 is up to something. 08:21 You see, if God permitted that thing to happen, a child of 08:25 God has to be so hooked up with God that they understand 08:29 that if God let this happen, God must know something, he 08:33 must know something greater in store for my life. 08:37 If God let this thing die, there must be a reason. 08:40 He's getting ready to move me to something better. 08:43 I wish I had a witness in this place? 08:45 If God permits this thing, because all things we know, 08:47 k-n-o-w, that all things work together for God to whoever 08:50 love the Lord and have been called according to his 08:53 purpose, I've got to get to a point in my life that I learn 08:55 how to thank God for his sovereignty. 08:57 Lord, whatever you do, I'll still bless your name. 09:01 Lord, whatever you don't do, I'll bless your name. 09:05 If you bring me out, hallelujah. 09:08 If you choose not to bring me out, hallelujah. 09:11 If you keep me in, hallelujah. 09:13 If you let me come out, hallelujah. 09:14 If you heal me, hallelujah. 09:15 And if you don't, hallelujah. 09:19 Because I know some way, somehow, it's going to work 09:26 out for my good. 09:28 God has to allow us to go through certain things to 09:31 bring validity to our testimony. 09:34 Our testimonies are shallow; they have no validity unless 09:38 you've been through some stuff. 09:41 Don't tell me how to get off this and get off that and 09:43 you've never had to deal with it in your life. 09:46 Don't tell me it's easy to be single and celibate and you've 09:49 got a husband or wife that you go home to every night. 09:52 Don't tell me it's easy to get off cigarettes and you've 09:55 never smoked a cigarette in your life. 09:58 But if you've been lied on, cheated on, and you've gone 10:02 through addiction issues and struggles and strongholds in 10:05 your life, you have a true testimony, because you can't 10:09 have a testimony without a test. 10:12 Because God says, the reason why I didn't do it that time, 10:16 because I wanted to know if you would praise me when I 10:19 said no. 10:23 See, our problem, many of us, myself included, we have what 10:26 we call a "yes" praise. 10:31 We have what I call y-e-s praise. 10:34 For God says, if you would just learn how to praise me, 10:37 when I say no, that by the time you get through praising 10:43 me, that no will be a yes. 10:46 Let's be real tonight. 10:48 How would you know if he was a healer if you've never been 10:52 sick? 10:53 How would you know he was a lawyer if you've never had a 10:55 case? 10:56 How would you know that he was a rent payer if you never had 10:59 rent to pay? 11:00 How would you know that he would come through and pay 11:03 your tuition on the last day of registration had you not 11:05 been there? 11:06 How would you know that he can give you food on your table, 11:09 clothing on your back, if you hadn't tried him for yourself? 11:13 That's why verse 4 says, "This sickness is not unto death, 11:20 but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be 11:25 glorified thereby." You better understand, friends of mine, I 11:30 don't know who I'm speaking to in the name of Jesus, you 11:34 better understand that what you're going through is not 11:37 unto death, but it is that God might be glorified, because 11:41 when you come out you're going to give God some glory. 11:47 There's one thing you need to see, and I've got to learn how 11:50 to respond to God's sovereignty. 11:52 I've got to learn that when I go, when you go to the car lot 11:55 and say, I want that car, and God says no, I can still leave 12:01 there shouting hallelujah, thank you, Jesus. 12:04 You're all not hearing me. 12:06 Some of us, we've got to learn. 12:08 When you're engaged and then the person you're engaged to 12:11 says, "I can't marry you," you've got to learn how to say 12:15 hallelujah, thank you, Jesus. 12:16 Praise the Lord. 12:18 The wedding's off, hallelujah. 12:19 It must, hallelujah, it must be a reason, thank you, Jesus. 12:23 You all hear what I'm saying? 12:25 Somebody, you all broke down and sad because somebody said 12:28 no. 12:29 But you better realize that no could have been a blessing. 12:31 Some of you all sitting up in here wish you had said no. 12:37 [applause] Hey! 12:42 Don't you know, there are some blessings in some no's. 12:49 Preach, Pastor Byrd! 12:55 I'm doing the best I can. 12:56 One more thing. 13:02 Last, we see this. 13:07 If you're going to be resurrected, resurrection 13:12 occurs only through the Savior. 13:15 If you're going to be resurrected, only Jesus 13:18 can do that. 13:21 There are some things in this life that only Jesus can do. 13:25 I can't do it, your preacher can't do it, your mommy, your 13:29 daddy can't do it, government can't do it. 13:31 There are some things that only Jesus can do. 13:34 Lazarus was placed in a tomb, a cold, dark place where 13:40 nobody visits. 13:41 No prospects, no possibilities, the phone 13:45 doesn't ring, no e-mail. 13:47 And then the Bible says a stone was rolled over, 13:51 separating that which outside the tomb from that 13:54 which was inside the tomb. 13:55 Today that's where somebody is. 13:59 They've said it's hopeless. 14:00 No possibilities, no chance of you ever coming back. 14:04 I don't know why you're trying to get that; 14:09 it's over for you. 14:10 I don't care who you are. 14:12 The Holy Ghost has your address. 14:14 But yet you're in this cold place. 14:17 Can't hear anything. 14:19 Can't see anything. 14:21 By yourself. 14:22 And although there are people in your face smiling at you, 14:26 shaking your hand, hugging you, you're all by yourself. 14:30 And the tragedy, friends of mine, of Lazarus' situation 14:33 was that his own sisters, his own sisters, when Jesus showed 14:39 up, they said, Jesus, Jesus! 14:44 He's been dead four days. 14:49 He stinks. 14:53 Hebrew law said that after four days decomposition sets 14:57 in and there is no chance of resurrection now. 15:04 He's dead, he stinks, he's old. 15:08 His own sisters named him stink. 15:16 They let his condition define him. 15:21 They said because he's in this situation we have no other 15:24 choice but to label him stink. 15:29 Now, it's not Lazarus' fault that he's in the tomb, but 15:34 they name him stink. 15:37 Everybody who's in the tomb, it's not their fault, 15:44 but sometimes the closest people to you will start 15:46 naming you stink. 15:49 Isn't it amazing how people will start naming you. 15:54 Look at you, you're a good person. 15:57 Know who you are. 15:58 You may not want to be in that situation, but you're there, 16:00 and people start looking at you, saying, look at you. 16:04 Shame on you. 16:06 You just stink, you're just this, you're just that. 16:09 But Jesus says, show me where you have laid him. 16:15 And I'm glad to know tonight that when everybody else gives 16:19 up on me, Jesus will come and see about me. 16:23 I wish I had a witness in this place? 16:26 Jesus cares so much for me that Jesus will make 16:30 a cemetery visit. 16:32 He'll show up in a cemetery, and that's where a whole lot 16:35 of folk are right now. 16:37 Dead in sin. 16:40 You're around dead folk. 16:42 I knowome of you have forgotten, but if you would 16:44 just be a witness in here and tell how the Lord came and got 16:47 you out of the cemetery, how God took your feet out of the 16:50 miry clay and placed your feet on solid ground, and say how 16:53 the Lord turned your life around-once you were 16:57 lost but now you're found. 16:59 How the Lord opened up your eyes, eyes that were 17:00 blind but now see. 17:02 Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone." The stone 17:06 represents a barrier. 17:09 It's not that Jesus couldn't bring Lazarus through the 17:13 stone, but Jesus made them move the stone, to let us know 17:20 that when you do what you can do, then God will do 17:23 what you can't do. 17:24 You see, your stone may be changing addresses. 17:29 While you're talking about, Lord, get me out of this 17:31 situation, God may be saying, but what are you doing? 17:35 If you'd just move the stone. 17:37 Lord, help me to find a job, I need a job. 17:40 Well, why don't you move the stone of laziness and 17:43 self-pity, get dressed, fill out an application, 17:48 get your resume together and go for an interview? 17:52 But why don't, Lord, help me pass this test. 17:56 But why don't you move the stone of lying in the bed 17:59 rather than studying? 18:01 Why don't you go move the stone? 18:04 And when you move the stone, the miracle will come. 18:07 Lord, bless me financially, I'm strapped financially. 18:09 But you need to move the stone of disobedience, and return 18:13 your tithe and offerings, and then the miracle will come. 18:18 You all hear what I'm saying? 18:19 But look at what Jesus did. 18:23 The same people-follow me carefully-that rolled the 18:28 stone over Lazarus were the same people instructed 18:36 to take the stone away. 18:41 Isn't it amazing what God will do? 18:44 The same folk who buried you, the same folk who called you 18:51 stink, God will make them the same folk who will 19:00 make a way for you. 19:04 Be not deceived. 19:07 God is not mocked. 19:09 Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap? 19:15 You all hear what I'm saying? 19:16 So Jesus said, "Lazarus, come forth." His sisters called him 19:21 stink, his sisters called him old, his sisters 19:26 called him dead. 19:27 But Jesus called him by name. 19:31 It doesn't make a difference what folk have been 19:34 calling you. 19:35 It doesn't make a difference what you say I am. 19:38 I'm not listening to you anyhow. 19:41 I'm glad Jesus calls me by name. 19:46 Somebody, hallelujah, is calling my name. 19:50 The Lord, think about it, y'all, the Lord has so much 19:55 power that he had to be specific that day. 19:59 Because of Jesus had just said, "Get up," everybody in 20:05 the cemetery would have gotten up. 20:08 So he had to be specific, by calling Lazarus by name. 20:14 He's only calling the names of folk who are 20:17 in relationship with him. 20:19 That's why God will look over some folk, not you, not you, 20:24 not you, but you come here. 20:28 God will look over some folk in your office. 20:32 Not you, not you, but you. 20:36 Lazarus came out. 20:37 Church, I want to show you something. 20:42 When Lazarus came out, he came out, and I want you to 20:51 see this in your mind's eye. 20:54 I want you to see how Lazarus came out. 21:00 He came out looking like this. 21:02 They mummified him, they wrapped him up. 21:07 This is what I want you to see tonight. 21:10 When Lazarus came out, Lazarus had on grave clothes. 21:15 The stuff that reminds me of me. 21:19 When Lazarus came out, Lazarus was still bound. 21:23 I'm delivered, but I still have some of that old 21:27 stuff on me. 21:28 That's where somebody is tonight. 21:30 You're out of the situation but you still have 21:34 that old stuff on you. 21:35 You're not hearing what I'm saying. 21:38 But Jesus said, "Loose him." 21:39 Let him go. 21:41 And so what I thank God for is that every now and then God 21:44 starts unwrapping me. 21:47 He starts unwrapping me. 21:50 It's a process that every now and then God unwraps me. 21:54 Is there anybody today who knows that God has 21:57 unwrapped you? 21:57 He takes off the guilt. 21:59 He's unwrapping me. 22:01 He takes off the pride. 22:04 He's unwrapping me. 22:04 He takes out the doubt. 22:06 He's unwrapping me. 22:08 He takes off the lust. 22:12 He's unwrapping me. 22:13 I wish I had a witness in this place. 22:17 So I'm here to tell the devil, devil, I'm back. 22:25 Put your hands together, give God some praise. 22:28 I was wrapped up in sin, I was wrapped up in 22:32 my own self, but now I'm wrapped up, tied up, 22:37 tangled up in Jesus. 22:40 He's all I need. 22:46 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved 22:51 a wretch like me. 22:54 I once was lost but now I'm found. 22:58 Was blind, I said, I was blind, but now I see. 23:05 Put your hands together and give God some praise 23:07 all over the building. 23:12 They that wait upon the Lord, God shall renew their strength. 23:17 They shall mount upon wings as eagles. 23:19 They shall run and not get weary, walk and not faint. 23:22 I'm back. 23:24 Wait on the Lord. 23:26 Be of good courage. 23:29 Jesus, strengthen thine heart. 23:31 I'm back. 23:33 The race is not given to the swift or to the strong, but to 23:43 the one that endures unto the end. 23:51 Devil, I'm back. 23:56 He thought he would kill me 12 years ago, but I'm back. 24:06 You thought you were down for the count in your life. 24:11 You thought that the devil had knocked you down 24:14 and knocked you out. 24:15 He thought he was through with you. 24:18 But you tell devil, devil, I'm back. 24:21 That little boy or little girl was not the way you wanted, it 24:32 was not the way God designed. 24:36 The devil thought he was going to knock you out. 24:39 He even used church folk to try to knock you out. 24:44 But tonight, say, I'm back. 24:54 There's someone, you've wandered from this wonderful 24:58 church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, because you 25:01 got caught up in arguing about methodology. 25:10 You got caught up arguing about men, women, instead of 25:13 remembering the mission and the message. 25:19 And you let somebody run you out of here. 25:24 Tell the devil, I'm back. 25:31 There's a preacher out there tonight, there's a church 25:33 elder out there tonight. 25:36 You've been serving in ministry and feel that 25:38 you're underappreciated. 25:42 You're not loved, your gifts are taken for granted. 25:46 You're in a low place spiritually right now, a low 25:52 place emotionally, but God sent me to tell you to tell 25:58 the devil, I'm back. 26:05 The second half of 2011 is going to be better 26:07 than the first half. 26:12 Your latter is going to be greater. 26:18 I'm back. 26:21 Dr. Brown, I go back to Atlanta, I go back with Breath 26:26 of Life with a vengeance. 26:29 What the devil has meant for evil, God transposed it 26:32 into good. 26:34 I got my mojo in the Lord back. 26:36 I'm back. 26:42 You're back. 26:46 I'm back. 26:49 Don't let the devil win. 26:52 Tell him, I'm back. 26:59 >: Two thousand years ago Jesus did something 27:01 especially for you. 27:02 He died on the cross at Calvary. 27:05 That day you were on His mind. 27:06 Our offer this week is Max Lucado's, "He Did This Just 27:09 For You." This easy to read, inspirational book reveals 27:14 what God did to win your heart. 27:17 Let Max Lucado beautifully lay out the way home to our 27:20 heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 27:24 Call today and ask for "He Did This Just For You." It's yours 27:27 for a gift of $5 or more. 27:29 The toll free number is 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:33 That's 877-265-6333. 27:36 Or you may write to: Breath of Life, 27:39 Box 340, Newbury Park, CA 91319. 27:41 Remember to include your gift of $5 or more. 27:48 Get up close and personal with the passion and promise of God 27:51 Almighty in "He Did This Just For You." 27:57 [music] PB: Tell the devil, I'm back. 28:05 Just because you found Jesus doesn't mean every day is 28:09 going to be a bed of roses, a day of peaches and cream. 28:11 I'm sick, but I'm in your hands. |
Revised 2015-02-06