? (Theme Song) ?
? Jesus is worthy ?
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? oh yes, he's worthy
? ? worthy of all... ?
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? all the praise... ?
Pastor Byrd: Job was going
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through it, while
Job was experiencing
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drama on every hand,
while drama kept coming to Job,
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Job said, "I cannot sin against
God." Job said, "I trust God."
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Job's relationship was tested.
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His relationship with
God was tested, his marriage
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was tested.
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His relationship with
his friends was tested.
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And in the midst of all this
test, Job's life was a testimony
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to all of us that no
matter what you're going through
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in life, no matter how
much drama you experience
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in your life, no matter
when the odds are stacked
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against you,
God's still going to
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make a way.
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God's still going to bring you.
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God still has your back.
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Do I have a
witness in this place?
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Who am I talking to
in this place today?
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You know who you are.
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You're broke.
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You come to church
looking good, but you're broke.
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Unemployed and broke.
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Somebody on the
verge of divorce.
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Somebody just
diagnosed with cancer.
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Somebody just lost a family
member, or you have no friend
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in the world.
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You feel like giving up.
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But I'm here to let
you know today that God's
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still in control.
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Remember, friends of mine,
that the intensity of your crown
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is measured by the
intensity of your cross.
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We all have a cross to bear.
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We all have had
some drama in our life.
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Don't sit there and act
like you don't have any drama.
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You have had drama in your life.
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But quickly, fast-forwarding
to Job, chapter 23, when we read
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verses 1-9, we
see Job's problem.
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Job laments over all the
drama he's going through.
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We see Job wrestling with God.
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We see Job
wrestling with himself.
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But here is the clincher.
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In verse 10, Job
runs into a conjunction.
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Job 23:10, that
wipes out the struggle.
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Verse 10 says, "But he
knoweth the way that I take."
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But. Whenever you
run into that word, but,
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what God has said is,
forget about what has been.
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Forget about yesterday.
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Quit living in rewind, because
you're about to walk into
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something that's greater
than what you've come out of.
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I'm about to lose my mind, but.
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I was about to give up, but.
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I didn't know how I
was going to make it, but.
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My friends
walked out on me, but.
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That man in 20 years
walked out on me, but.
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Weeping may endure
for a night, but joy.
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For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
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life through Jesus
Christ our Lord Job says,
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I know I've gone
through some drama, but.
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I know I've lost my oxen, but.
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I know I've
lost some sheep, but.
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I know I've lost
some camels, but.
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I know I've lost
my children, but.
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I know I've lost my wife, but.
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I know I've lost my
friends, but he knows the way
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that I take, and when
he had tried me, he says,
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I shall come forth as gold.
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The Bible says Job shaved
his head, tore off his clothes,
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fell down on the
ground, and worshiped God.
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Oh, I wish when we go through
trial, I wish somebody would
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just worship God.
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When we go through difficulty,
I wish somebody would come away
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from the complaint counter
and come to the claim window,
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and just worship God, and
say naked I came in this world,
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naked I shall leave this world.
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The Lord giveth,
the Lord taketh away.
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But blessed be the Lord.
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What do you do
when drama keeps coming?
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You better learn
how to worship God.
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You better learn how to
fall on your knees and say,
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though he slay me,
yet will I trust in him.
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I will bless the Lord at
all times, and his praise shall
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continually be in my mouth.
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In life, sometimes in life's
journey, sometimes on life's
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path, I've learned that
sometimes God doesn't tell us
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what's going to
happen until we get there.
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God doesn't let us
know what's going to happen
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when we get there.
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Why?
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Because we can't handle
it where we are right now.
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So on this path I've
learned one of two things
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is going to happen.
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Either it's going to
be a lesson or a blessing.
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Lesson or a blessing.
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God is never
obligated by my questions.
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God's just obligated
by giving me some answers.
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Let me say that again.
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God is not obligated to
respond to me as long I keep
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asking him questions.
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But when I respond back to
God based on the Word of God
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regarding my situation,
God then moves on my behalf.
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When I'm on God's path, God
will protect me, because God
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never sends me anywhere
where he doesn't have my back.
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God never sends me anywhere
where he doesn't have my back.
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So though I walk
through the valley of the shadow
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of death, I will
not fear, because God's
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got my back.
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God wouldn't take me to
it if God wasn't God enough
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to bring me through it.
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Wherever God leads me,
God is God enough to keep me.
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But while you're questioning
God and while you're weeping
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and while you're crying
and while you're complaining,
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the devil tries to use
that as a window to come
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in and attack.
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Here goes the devil.
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The reason why you
haven't fallen to demonic attack
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is because God has
put a hedge around you.
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The reason why you've shown up
today, not just to see the σσσ,
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but you've shown up because
God has a hedge around you.
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That's what the devil says.
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Not because you've been
so good, but because God's
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been protecting you.
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Look at this story, it's simple.
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I'm going to tell it and
then I'm going to sit down.
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In Job, chapter 1, God says,
devil, where have you been?
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The devil says, I've been
going to and fro in the world,
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seeking whom I may devour.
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God, he's
bragging on his boy Job.
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Have you
considered my servant, Job?
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Now, remember,
sometimes God won't let you
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in the conversation.
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Because could you
imagine if Job had heard God
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and the devil talking?
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He would have been
like, God, send somebody else.
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I didn't sign up
to be your guinea pig.
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[laughter] But God knows
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the path I take.
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And so the devil
says, Oh, yes, I know Job.
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You've hooked him up.
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I can't get to him because
you put a hedge of protection
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around him.
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My question, if I
can put a kickstand here,
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is if the devil knows we have
protection, why don't we know?
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[applause] The
devil, ah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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The devil says, if
you just remove the hedge,
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everybody say permission.
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Aud: Permission.
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You see, the devil
just can't mess with you
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without permission.
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That's why I know God is
still in control, hallelujah,
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somebody.
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Here's the devil.
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If you remove the hedge, I'll
come in and I'll mess with him.
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I'll put him through major
drama, I'll take away stuff.
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God says, all right,
I'll remove the hedge.
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You can afflict his body
but you can't take his life,
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because his life belongs to me.
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In other words, you can
only do what I permit you to do.
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Somebody ought to shout
right there, knowing your life
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is in God's hand.
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Hallelujah, somebody.
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The devil can't do anything
to you without permission,
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and God won't put more
on you than you can bear.
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Somebody's still not getting it.
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Let me put it this way.
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The story is told of a little
boy who had a brother, and they
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had some friends, and
they would take the bus
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to school every day.
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When school was over, the boy
and his friends would get off
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the bus, go to the store, buy
some candy, buy some blow-pops,
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buy some pickles.
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And I don't know if
anybody remembers this,
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buy some Jungle Juice.
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Aud: Yeah, yeah.
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Somebody says,
what's Jungle Juice?
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Sugar water and food coloring.
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Come on, say Amen.
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Aud: [laughter] But when they
would get, and when they got to
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the store, there
would be this big dog.
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This big Great Dane dog.
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And that dog used to bark.
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Woof, woof, woof.
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And I mean, that young man
used to go back, woof, woof,
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woof, woof.
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And all they'd see would be
this dog running toward them,
00:09:07.50\00:09:10.33
and they'd take off running
once they saw the dog running
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toward them.
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And so the little
boy in the family,
00:09:14.03\00:09:16.03
he was a
take-charge kind of person.
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He was the
president of his family.
00:09:19.40\00:09:23.03
He was the spokesperson.
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So one day he decided,
look, I'm tired of all this.
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I'm going to go over
and talk to the owner.
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Because I'm tired of
this dog running after us.
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Now, you have to understand,
this boy was in the third grade.
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He walks up to
the door of the owner,
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rings the doorbell, ding-dong!
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And he's standing there
trembling, waiting for the door
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to open.
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A man comes and he opens
up the door, and the boy says,
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"Hello, sir, how
are you doing today?
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I don't mean any harm,
but as kids, we come down
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this street all the time.
00:10:02.10\00:10:05.13
But your dog chases us.
00:10:05.13\00:10:08.86
Now, we're not doing anything
to your dog, we're not messing
00:10:08.86\00:10:12.53
with your dog.
00:10:12.53\00:10:13.53
We're just going to the store
getting Blow-Pop, some pickles
00:10:13.53\00:10:17.16
and some Jungle Juice.
00:10:17.16\00:10:19.40
But your dog keeps chasing us."
00:10:19.40\00:10:22.66
The man said, "Son, are
you running from the dog?"
00:10:22.66\00:10:27.73
The young man said, "Yes."
00:10:27.73\00:10:31.40
The man said, "Are you
sure he's chasing you?"
00:10:31.40\00:10:36.63
The young man said, "Yes."
00:10:36.63\00:10:40.20
"Well, how do you know
he's chasing you when your
00:10:40.20\00:10:44.33
back is to the dog?" "We're
just running, sir, because we
00:10:44.33\00:10:51.53
see him running, coming toward
us." He said, "Well, I'll tell
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you what.
00:10:55.83\00:10:57.30
You're right, my
dog is a big dog.
00:10:57.30\00:11:00.83
My dog is a vicious dog.
00:11:00.83\00:11:03.40
And if my dog gets ahold
of you, he's going to bite
00:11:03.40\00:11:05.96
your head off.
00:11:05.96\00:11:06.96
But let me tell you a secret,
and you can tell your brother
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.80
and your little
friends this secret too.
00:11:09.80\00:11:11.80
The dog's on a leash.
00:11:11.80\00:11:18.50
You wouldn't know that
because your back is turned.
00:11:18.50\00:11:25.20
But if you just turn around,
you might realize that even
00:11:25.20\00:11:30.96
though he's barking, he can
only go so far." I wish I had
00:11:30.96\00:11:37.10
a witness in this place.
00:11:37.10\00:11:38.26
You better tell somebody
that that's why you're still
00:11:38.26\00:11:45.50
here today.
00:11:45.50\00:11:46.50
That's why the
devil couldn't kill ya.
00:11:46.50\00:11:50.30
That's why the devil
couldn't take ya out.
00:11:50.30\00:11:53.30
That's why the devil could
only do so much to your family,
00:11:53.30\00:11:56.80
your finances, your friends.
00:11:56.80\00:11:58.36
That's why the devil could
only do so much to your child.
00:11:58.36\00:12:01.66
That's why the devil could
only do so much to your body,
00:12:01.66\00:12:04.66
because the devil's on a leash.
00:12:04.66\00:12:06.66
[applause] He can
only, oh, hallelujah,
00:12:06.66\00:12:10.90
he can only go so far.
00:12:10.90\00:12:15.26
God has a plan for your life.
00:12:15.26\00:12:17.93
Young people, God
has a plan for your life.
00:12:17.93\00:12:20.63
The devil is on a leash,
God has a plan for your life.
00:12:20.63\00:12:24.40
God's got that
thing figured out.
00:12:24.40\00:12:26.40
God has finished the thing
before you started the thing.
00:12:26.40\00:12:29.23
So when the Bible says, when
he has tried me, in other words,
00:12:29.23\00:12:32.26
you ask, why does
drama keep coming to me?
00:12:32.26\00:12:34.46
You gotta go through
some drama, you've got to go
00:12:34.46\00:12:38.46
through a process.
00:12:38.46\00:12:40.60
I've learned in life, you
can't skip around the process.
00:12:40.60\00:12:43.73
You can't detour the process.
00:12:43.73\00:12:46.03
You can't pray
around the process.
00:12:46.03\00:12:48.03
You have to go through there.
00:12:48.03\00:12:49.03
So the devil's sitting
back to God, saying, we know
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.03
what happens
when you give to them.
00:12:51.03\00:12:53.03
They show up to
church, they tithe, they return
00:12:53.03\00:12:55.30
offering, they say
Amen, they clap their hands,
00:12:55.30\00:12:58.13
they do all of
that when you're giving.
00:12:58.13\00:13:01.73
But let's see what
happens when you take.
00:13:01.73\00:13:05.80
Let's see what happens when you
go through some drama, when you
00:13:05.80\00:13:09.90
go through some time.
00:13:09.90\00:13:10.90
You see, it's easy to
tell Micah, God is going
00:13:10.90\00:13:12.96
to be with you.
00:13:12.96\00:13:13.96
But what happens
when cancer hits you?
00:13:13.96\00:13:17.20
When you go through a process.
00:13:17.20\00:13:18.26
Let's see what happens then.
00:13:18.26\00:13:19.33
Let's see, will
you say Amen then?
00:13:19.33\00:13:22.46
Will you shout then?
00:13:22.46\00:13:24.20
Will you show up to church then?
00:13:24.20\00:13:28.03
But I like what Job says.
00:13:28.03\00:13:30.30
He said, look, I had nothing
when I entered this world,
00:13:30.30\00:13:34.23
and I'll have nothing
when I leave this world.
00:13:34.23\00:13:37.73
That's okay.
00:13:37.73\00:13:38.73
But the Lord giveth
and the Lord taketh away.
00:13:38.73\00:13:44.33
But blessed be
the name of the Lord.
00:13:44.33\00:13:47.66
Job realized, wait a
minute, God is allowing me
00:13:47.66\00:13:49.83
to be tested, which
means God has to prove me.
00:13:49.83\00:13:53.26
Prove is where we
get the word test.
00:13:53.26\00:13:55.26
It's the same thing
in Malachi 3:8 when we
00:13:55.26\00:13:57.40
were talking about
tithe and offering.
00:13:57.40\00:13:59.40
Prove me, God says, and see
if I will open up the windows
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.70
of heaven and pour you
out a blessing that there
00:14:01.70\00:14:03.70
shall not be room
enough to receive it.
00:14:03.70\00:14:05.70
Put me on trial, test me,
and see if I won't pass it.
00:14:05.70\00:14:07.70
God says, I've got to
take you through the test,
00:14:07.70\00:14:10.70
because the test is significant.
00:14:10.70\00:14:12.70
It's just like school;
we're in an academic setting.
00:14:12.70\00:14:14.70
Any professor at
Oakwood will tell you,
00:14:14.70\00:14:16.66
most examinations are
designed to be an indicator
00:14:16.66\00:14:18.66
of your readiness to
go to the next level.
00:14:18.66\00:14:20.66
Now, you can say to the
teacher all you want, I'm ready,
00:14:20.66\00:14:22.66
I'm ready, I'm ready.
00:14:22.66\00:14:23.66
But they're going
to say you, prove it.
00:14:23.66\00:14:28.53
Student: I'm
ready to go to college.
00:14:28.53\00:14:31.03
Prove it.
00:14:31.03\00:14:32.43
I'm ready to go
to graduate school.
00:14:32.43\00:14:36.16
Prove it.
00:14:36.16\00:14:37.20
Now, tests in their purest form
are designed to be an indicator
00:14:37.20\00:14:41.83
of your readiness to
go to the next level.
00:14:41.83\00:14:43.83
Now, you do undersnd
that you do not get promoted
00:14:43.83\00:14:46.20
on seniority.
00:14:46.20\00:14:49.06
Too many people
think that tenure
00:14:49.06\00:14:51.06
is the sole
criterion for promotion.
00:14:51.06\00:14:55.00
Little boy: I've been in
the third grade for three years.
00:14:55.00\00:15:00.20
It's it about time for
y'all to let me up out of here?
00:15:00.20\00:15:04.43
Teacher says, no.
00:15:04.43\00:15:05.66
Prove it.
00:15:05.66\00:15:08.63
That's how some
saints are in the church.
00:15:08.63\00:15:11.46
I've been in church 50 years,
I've been serving for 30 years.
00:15:11.46\00:15:14.70
But God said, that
doesn't mean a thing.
00:15:14.70\00:15:17.70
Prove it.
00:15:17.70\00:15:18.70
Prove that you're ready
to go to the next level.
00:15:18.70\00:15:20.70
Prove that you're ready
to go to a higher level,
00:15:20.70\00:15:22.66
because the higher the
level, the higher the devil.
00:15:22.66\00:15:24.66
The trouble with many of us
is, we don't want to change.
00:15:24.66\00:15:27.10
We want to stay the same.
00:15:27.10\00:15:28.10
I've learned that many
people want to still be the best
00:15:28.10\00:15:30.10
player in a game that's
not being played anymore.
00:15:30.10\00:15:34.26
And yet God is so merciful.
00:15:34.26\00:15:36.23
But God gives us
an open book test.
00:15:36.23\00:15:44.20
The Book says, "And we know
that all things work together
00:15:44.20\00:15:47.33
for good to them who
love the Lord and are called
00:15:47.33\00:15:50.23
according to his purpose."
00:15:50.23\00:15:51.23
The Book says, "I once
was young, but now I'm old;
00:15:51.23\00:15:54.56
but I've never seen
the righteous forsaken,
00:15:54.56\00:15:57.23
nor his seed begging bread."
00:15:57.23\00:15:58.30
The Book says, "We are more
than conquerors." The Book says,
00:15:58.30\00:16:03.53
"Fret not thyself because
of evildoers, neither be thou
00:16:03.53\00:16:07.13
envious against the
workers of iniquity."
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.13
God's going to cut
them down like the grass.
00:16:09.13\00:16:11.13
And so when you go through
drama you've got to recognize
00:16:11.13\00:16:13.13
that when God is proving me,
God is doing it to perfect me,
00:16:13.13\00:16:17.16
to grow me, to grow
you, to grow all of us,
00:16:17.16\00:16:21.80
so we will stop
whining and complaining when we
00:16:21.80\00:16:25.03
go through drama.
00:16:25.03\00:16:26.20
Had I not gone through
some drama early on in my life,
00:16:26.20\00:16:28.66
I wouldn't be able
to stand here today.
00:16:28.66\00:16:31.03
Had I not gone through some
education in pastoral ministry
00:16:31.03\00:16:34.20
down in σσσ in Columbia,
Mississippi, where now I've got
00:16:34.20\00:16:38.50
2,500 members,
but there I had two.
00:16:38.50\00:16:41.50
Two.
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.20
You all know the story.
00:16:44.20\00:16:45.20
Everybody thinks, oh, Dr. Byrd
got this big old church now,
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.03
Breath of Life,
all that and then some.
00:16:48.03\00:16:50.03
I had two members.
00:16:50.03\00:16:51.03
Two.
00:16:51.03\00:16:52.13
One, two.
00:16:52.13\00:16:53.13
[laughter] And one sat here,
00:16:53.13\00:16:59.36
and one sat there, and they
were both over 65 years old.
00:16:59.36\00:17:03.96
Shoot.
00:17:03.96\00:17:05.33
I cut the grass, I mowed
the lawn, painted the church.
00:17:05.33\00:17:09.66
There was no deacon.
00:17:09.66\00:17:10.66
I was the deacon.
00:17:10.66\00:17:11.76
I was the elder, I was
the Sabbath School teacher.
00:17:11.76\00:17:14.06
At communion time, I had
to wash those ladies' feet.
00:17:14.06\00:17:16.66
[laughter] But
as I've gotten older
00:17:16.66\00:17:20.93
I understand that God
was just preparing me.
00:17:20.93\00:17:23.96
God was growing me.
00:17:23.96\00:17:28.03
God was getting me ready
for a higher level in Him,
00:17:28.03\00:17:31.53
because the higher the
level, the higher the devil.
00:17:31.53\00:17:36.66
Had I not gone through
what I've gone through.
00:17:36.66\00:17:38.66
I told you last night, my wife
and I, we lost a little baby
00:17:38.66\00:17:41.53
girl, four and a half
months old, in a car accident
00:17:41.53\00:17:44.33
fourteen years ago.
00:17:44.33\00:17:45.33
Had I not gone through
the drama I've gone through,
00:17:45.33\00:17:47.46
I wouldn't pray like I now pray.
00:17:47.46\00:17:49.46
Now, nobody has
to beg me to pray.
00:17:49.46\00:17:55.93
Nobody has to beg me to
testify, nobody has to beg me
00:17:55.93\00:17:59.83
to sing, nobody has to
beg me to come to church.
00:17:59.83\00:18:02.56
That's why somebody says,
why are you at that church
00:18:02.56\00:18:05.20
every day?
00:18:05.20\00:18:06.20
Because when I think
of the goodness of Jesus
00:18:06.20\00:18:09.43
[applause] and
all He's done for me.
00:18:09.43\00:18:12.96
Oh, I've got a
witness in this place.
00:18:12.96\00:18:16.83
[organ] My soul
cries out hallelujah.
00:18:16.83\00:18:22.20
Thank God for saving me.
00:18:22.20\00:18:24.23
So now I'm to the point, all
this is good, but I don't have
00:18:24.23\00:18:28.53
to have all this to praise God.
00:18:28.53\00:18:30.20
I have praise and
worship by myself.
00:18:30.20\00:18:34.66
I have praise and worship
when I get to the stoplight,
00:18:34.66\00:18:37.30
and folk will be wondering,
what's wrong with him,
00:18:37.30\00:18:39.80
why are his hands lifted?
00:18:39.80\00:18:40.80
He's singing,
take me to the King.
00:18:40.80\00:18:43.26
[applause] And
when you go through
00:18:43.26\00:18:48.86
this process, folk
will think you're crazy.
00:18:48.86\00:18:54.03
They'll think you're crazy.
00:18:54.03\00:18:55.13
They don't understand
your worship, they don't
00:18:55.13\00:18:57.13
understand your praise.
00:18:57.13\00:18:58.13
But my worship is for real.
00:18:58.13\00:18:59.63
I've gotten to the point in
my life I can't be bothered,
00:18:59.63\00:19:02.80
I can't have
foolishness, I don't have time
00:19:02.80\00:19:06.00
for your mess, I don't
have time for your trouble.
00:19:06.00\00:19:09.46
Jesus is coming back.
00:19:09.46\00:19:11.43
I've made up my mind, you
all, that instead of focusing on
00:19:11.43\00:19:14.83
what's bad, I
focus on what's good.
00:19:14.83\00:19:17.23
Instead of focusing on what's
wrong, I focus on what's right.
00:19:17.23\00:19:20.46
Rather than sit
around and complain,
00:19:20.46\00:19:22.56
I'm going to give God
the praise, I'm going to give
00:19:22.56\00:19:24.70
God the honor, I'm
going to give God the glory.
00:19:24.70\00:19:27.70
I'm not going to
sit at home [organ]
00:19:27.70\00:19:30.36
and have a pity party
just 'cause things aren't going
00:19:30.36\00:19:33.46
right in my life.
00:19:33.46\00:19:34.46
And sit around
talking about what's wrong.
00:19:34.46\00:19:36.46
I hear people, Dr.
Pollard, this is what's wrong
00:19:36.46\00:19:38.46
with Oakwood.
00:19:38.46\00:19:39.46
I am Oakwood.
00:19:39.46\00:19:41.90
We are Oakwood.
00:19:41.90\00:19:43.40
So if this is
what's wrong with Oakwood,
00:19:43.40\00:19:45.40
this is what's wrong with us.
00:19:45.40\00:19:46.40
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:19:46.40\00:19:48.40
I know too much about
God to sit back and be
00:19:48.40\00:19:52.36
consumed with drama.
00:19:52.36\00:19:53.36
Let me tell you something.
00:19:53.36\00:19:54.36
God's getting ready to
do something in your life.
00:19:54.36\00:19:56.36
God's getting ready to
do something on this campus.
00:19:56.36\00:19:59.86
God's getting ready to
do something in this church.
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.86
You've gone through the fire.
00:20:01.86\00:20:04.76
But you come out as pure gold.
00:20:04.76\00:20:09.33
Stop being pitiful and
declare to folk, goodbye, drama.
00:20:09.33\00:20:16.26
Goodbye, life drama.
00:20:16.26\00:20:20.16
Goodbye, financial drama.
00:20:20.16\00:20:22.70
Goodbye, relationship drama.
00:20:22.70\00:20:24.53
Goodbye, drama.
00:20:24.53\00:20:28.43
I've been depressed,
but I'm not going back.
00:20:28.43\00:20:33.30
Somebody, you've been in
some crazy relationships,
00:20:33.30\00:20:35.30
but you're not going back.
00:20:35.30\00:20:37.20
Somebody, you were suicidal,
no one knew it, but you're not
00:20:37.20\00:20:40.40
going back there.
00:20:40.40\00:20:41.40
You've been broke,
but you're not going back.
00:20:41.40\00:20:43.40
Strung out on drugs,
but you're not going back.
00:20:43.40\00:20:45.40
Forgetting those
things which are behind me,
00:20:45.40\00:20:48.93
I'm reaching and pressing
toward those things which
00:20:48.93\00:20:51.93
are before me.
00:20:51.93\00:20:52.93
Why do bad things
happen to good people?
00:20:52.93\00:20:55.43
Why do good people
have to go through fire?
00:20:55.43\00:21:01.16
Let me close with this
story, this illustration.
00:21:01.16\00:21:05.76
Dr. Caroline Ann
Knight, assistant professor
00:21:05.76\00:21:10.66
of homiletics in Atlanta,
at the Interdenominational
00:21:10.66\00:21:14.53
Theological Center,
she's an avid golfer.
00:21:14.53\00:21:17.36
And she tells a story about
going through drama, and why
00:21:17.36\00:21:23.80
bad things happen to good
people, through the illustration
00:21:23.80\00:21:26.90
of a tree.
00:21:26.90\00:21:28.13
She says, "I was playing golf
at the renowned Pinehurst Golf
00:21:28.13\00:21:33.30
Club in North Carolina.
00:21:33.30\00:21:34.33
One of the greatest
golf courses in the world."
00:21:34.33\00:21:37.50
She said, "And while I
was playing, and I was playing
00:21:37.50\00:21:40.26
well," she says, "it
went from a sunny day
00:21:40.26\00:21:44.23
to a stormy day.
00:21:44.23\00:21:47.66
The clouds rolled in,
00:21:47.66\00:21:49.66
and the thunder began to sound.
00:21:51.40\00:21:53.20
Followed by
lightning," she says.
00:21:53.20\00:21:57.56
She said, "We needed to run
for cover." Having never been
00:21:57.56\00:21:59.83
in this situation
before, she said she ran toward
00:21:59.83\00:22:03.33
the tallest tree
on the golf course.
00:22:03.33\00:22:06.93
But suddenly, her
golfing partner grabbed her arm,
00:22:06.93\00:22:13.20
snatched her collar, pulled her
toward a tree that was not even
00:22:13.20\00:22:19.93
the height of a shrub.
00:22:19.93\00:22:21.33
She said, "What you doing?
00:22:21.33\00:22:25.06
We should be running for cover.
00:22:25.06\00:22:26.16
The tree is not going to
even stop us from getting wet,
00:22:26.16\00:22:30.00
let alone prevent
us from getting struck
00:22:30.00\00:22:32.20
by lightning." Her golf
partner said, "Caroline, you're
00:22:32.20\00:22:37.06
a new golfer, and you need
to know that lightning always
00:22:37.06\00:22:41.13
strikes the tallest tree."
00:22:41.13\00:22:43.93
What am I trying to say?
00:22:43.93\00:22:48.40
When trouble comes to us,
it's not necessarily because
00:22:48.40\00:22:52.76
we are the worst.
00:22:52.76\00:22:54.86
Sometimes we are the
best that God has to offer.
00:22:54.86\00:23:00.90
In a world like this, in a
day such as this, in a time like
00:23:00.90\00:23:04.43
this, God needs some people
who are doing something right.
00:23:04.43\00:23:08.16
God needs some good people,
some good church members,
00:23:08.16\00:23:13.73
some good community residents,
some good Bible-loving students.
00:23:13.73\00:23:19.93
God needs some folk
who are keeping the faith,
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.10
standing for
truth, and not selling out
00:23:23.10\00:23:25.70
to this casual, do-anything
Christianity that will not
00:23:25.70\00:23:28.90
change anybody.
00:23:28.90\00:23:31.60
God needs, God needs people
with a testimony, some people
00:23:31.60\00:23:38.00
with a song, with a prayer,
with a word, with a walk,
00:23:38.00\00:23:41.20
with a will.
00:23:41.20\00:23:42.20
Job got the call to go
through the process because Job
00:23:42.20\00:23:45.06
was the best God has to offer.
00:23:45.06\00:23:46.80
The devil makes you
look at your circumstances,
00:23:46.80\00:23:50.13
the devil makes you talk
about what you don't have
00:23:50.13\00:23:52.33
and wants you to
start experiencing drama.
00:23:52.33\00:23:54.33
The devil wants you to
move from the Word of God.
00:23:54.33\00:23:56.33
The devil would
rather you sit at home.
00:23:56.33\00:23:58.53
The devil would rather
you not come to the church
00:23:58.53\00:24:00.60
to hear the Word of God.
00:24:00.60\00:24:01.60
That's why for some of
you it was a battle to come
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.60
to church today.
00:24:03.60\00:24:04.60
But "goodbye, drama" is
tied to your ability to overcome
00:24:04.60\00:24:07.60
the negativity with
the goodness of God.
00:24:07.60\00:24:10.60
God has been too good to
you to focus on what's wrong.
00:24:10.60\00:24:13.93
God didn't let me fall.
00:24:13.93\00:24:18.43
God didn't let
me hit rock bottom.
00:24:18.43\00:24:20.43
If the devil could have
killed you, he would have
00:24:20.43\00:24:23.50
done it by now.
00:24:23.50\00:24:24.50
If the devil could have beaten
you up, he would have done it
00:24:24.50\00:24:27.00
by now.
00:24:27.00\00:24:28.00
If the devil could have taken
you out, he would have done it
00:24:28.00\00:24:31.40
by now.
00:24:31.40\00:24:32.63
And so the fact that we're
here today suggests that God
00:24:32.63\00:24:39.33
is my salvation.
00:24:39.33\00:24:40.33
And I'm so glad
troubles don't last always.
00:24:40.33\00:24:46.43
And I'm so glad that weeping
may endure for a night, but joy
00:24:46.43\00:24:52.03
comes in the morningtime.
00:24:52.03\00:24:53.03
And I'm so glad that
after it rains, the sun is going
00:24:53.03\00:24:59.23
to shine again.
00:24:59.23\00:25:00.76
I'm so glad when they
said unto me, let us go
00:25:00.76\00:25:08.43
into the house of the Lord,
and that's why I come in here
00:25:08.43\00:25:12.23
and I praise God
in His sanctuary.
00:25:12.23\00:25:15.76
Praise Him in the
firmament of His power.
00:25:15.76\00:25:19.43
Praise Him for His mighty acts.
00:25:19.43\00:25:21.40
Praise Him according to
his excellent greatness.
00:25:21.40\00:25:24.46
[organ playing loudly] Praise
00:25:24.46\00:25:26.20
Him with the
sound of the trumpets.
00:25:26.20\00:25:29.03
Praise Him with the
Psaltery and the harp.
00:25:29.03\00:25:31.66
Praise him with
theTimbrel and the Dance.
00:25:31.66\00:25:34.96
Praise him with the
sweet instruments and organs.
00:25:34.96\00:25:37.83
Praise him upon
the loud cymbals.
00:25:37.83\00:25:41.50
Praise him upon the
high sounding cymbals.
00:25:41.50\00:25:45.20
Let everything, let everything,
let everything that have breath
00:25:45.20\00:25:58.23
praise ye the Lord.
00:25:58.23\00:26:05.13
Goodbye, drama.
00:26:05.13\00:26:08.30
Goodbye, financial drama.
00:26:08.30\00:26:09.76
Goodbye, relationship drama.
00:26:09.76\00:26:12.83
Goodbye, baby mama drama.
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.93
Goodbye, daddy
drama and mama drama.
00:26:14.93\00:26:19.36
Goodbye, drama.
00:26:19.36\00:26:22.56
>: The Breath of Life gift
offer this week is the book
00:26:22.56\00:26:25.10
"What the Bible Says
About the Sabbath." God blessed
00:26:25.10\00:26:28.10
the seventh day,
Saturday, and made it holy.
00:26:28.10\00:26:30.50
In this book you'll discover
the truth in the blessings
00:26:30.50\00:26:32.86
about God's gift to mankind.
00:26:32.86\00:26:34.93
It's a time for building our
relationship with God, to serve
00:26:34.93\00:26:37.86
others, to restore our souls,
grow spiritually, and to get in
00:26:37.86\00:26:41.63
touch with the peace and
beauty of God's natural world.
00:26:41.63\00:26:44.76
Learn how to make Sabbath
special, the truth about Sabbath
00:26:44.76\00:26:48.36
and Sunday observance,
what Jesus said about
00:26:48.36\00:26:50.36
the Sabbath, and how those
24 hours can change your life.
00:26:50.36\00:26:53.30
"What the Bible Says
About the Sabbath" is yours
00:26:53.30\00:26:55.96
for a gift of $5 or more.
00:26:55.96\00:26:58.83
Just call our
toll-free number, 877-BOL-OFFER.
00:26:58.83\00:27:03.73
That's 877-265-6333.
00:27:03.73\00:27:06.93
Please have your credit
card ready when you call.
00:27:06.93\00:27:09.70
Or you may write us
to request your copy.
00:27:09.70\00:27:11.90
Just send your check to
Breath of Life, P.O. Box 340,
00:27:11.90\00:27:15.56
Newbury Park, California 91319.
00:27:15.56\00:27:19.06
Get your copy of "What the
Bible Says About the Sabbath"
00:27:19.06\00:27:21.66
and find out what a
difference a day makes.
00:27:21.66\00:27:24.70
PB: Thank you very much
for tuning in and watching
00:27:25.20\00:27:27.40
Breath of Life today.
00:27:27.40\00:27:29.33
We do hope that you
were blessed by our ministry
00:27:29.33\00:27:31.13
and that we gave a
healing word in a hurting world.
00:27:31.13\00:27:35.30
In order for Breath of
Life to continue ministry,
00:27:35.30\00:27:38.80
we need you.
00:27:38.80\00:27:40.30
We need your
prayers, we need your support.
00:27:40.30\00:27:41.23
We want you to know that
any and all donations, small
00:27:41.23\00:27:43.96
or great, they are sincerely
welcomed and appreciated.
00:27:43.96\00:27:48.03
To contact us or
to make your donation,
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.63
please feel free to give
us a call at 877-BOL-OFFER.
00:27:50.63\00:27:55.70
That's 877-BOL-OFFER.
00:27:55.70\00:28:02.56
Or you may write to us at
Breath of Life, P.O. Box 340,
00:28:02.56\00:28:08.33
Newbury Park, California 91319.
00:28:08.33\00:28:12.16
P.O. Box 340, Newbury
Park, California 91319.
00:28:12.16\00:28:17.23
Or log onto our web
site at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:28:17.23\00:28:22.76
Why do bad things
happen to good people?
00:28:23.80\00:28:29.90