Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000403
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS, "EXPERIENCE THE POWER"
00:08 WITH WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:15 TODAY PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE IS ENTITLED 00:18 "THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN." 00:20 (music) WP: NOW, I NEED TO 00:26 GO TO THIS ONE. 00:27 DID YOU KIND OF GET A HINT FROM MY TITLE TONIGHT ? 00:30 THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING. 00:32 I'M GOING TO GO TO MALACHI, CHAPTER 3. 00:36 NOW, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T ALWAYS READ FROM MALACHI, AND I'M SURE 00:41 THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE, ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS FIND 00:46 MATTHEW AND GO BACKWARDS. 00:50 SO ACT LIKE YOU DIDN'T NEED THAT, OKAY ? 00:53 DON'T LET ANYBODY THINK YOU NEEDED THAT INSTRUCTION. 00:55 BUT DO THAT IF YOU HAVEN'T FOUND IT. 00:58 AND LET'S, I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU. 01:00 THE REASON WHY I'VE GOT THESE PIECES OF PAPER INSTEAD OF 01:02 READING FROM MY KING JAMES BIBLE AND, INCIDENTALLY, 01:05 WHEN I WAS PREACHING IN LONDON, A DEAR LADY WOULD TALK TO 01:08 ME FROM THE AUDIENCE. 01:10 AND ONE NIGHT I READ FROM THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 01:14 AND SHE TALKED TO ME. 01:15 SHE SAID, READ FROM THE REAL BIBLE. 01:19 AND I CHECKED WITH HER AND FOUND OUT SHE BELIEVES THERE'S 01:21 ONLY ONE REAL BIBLE AND THAT'S THE KING JAMES VERSION. 01:24 BUT TONIGHT, I GUESS I'M NOT READING FROM HER REAL VERSION. 01:28 I WANT TO GIVE YOU THIS FROM THE NEW INTERNATIONAL 01:30 VERSION JUST SO YOU GET THE IMPACT OF WHAT I READ. 01:35 THIS IS MALACHI, CHAPTER 3, STARTING WITH VERSE 6. 01:38 AND HERE IS WHAT IT SAYS: "I, THE LORD, DO NOT CHANGE 01:44 SO YOU, OH DESCENDANTS OF JACOB, ARE NOT DESTROYED." 01:50 "EVER SINCE THE TIME OF YOUR FOREFATHERS YOU HAVE TURNED 01:52 AWAY FROM MY DECREES AND HAVE NOT KEPT THEM. 01:57 RETURN TO ME AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY. 02:02 BUT YOU ASK HOW ARE WE TO RETURN ? 02:06 WILL A MAN ROB GOD ? 02:10 YET YOU ROB ME. 02:13 BUT YOU ASK HOW DO WE ROB YOU ? 02:15 IN TITHES AND IN OFFERINGS. 02:18 YOU ARE UNDER A CURSE, THE WHOLE NATION OF YOU, BECAUSE 02:21 YOU ARE ROBBING ME. 02:23 BRING THE WHOLE TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE THAT THERE 02:26 MAY BE FOOD IN MY HOUSE. 02:29 TEST ME IN THIS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY, AND SEE IF I WILL NOT 02:34 THROW OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN AND POUR OUT SO MUCH 02:38 BLESSING THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE ROOM ENOUGH FOR IT. 02:43 I WILL PREVENT PESTS FROM DEVOURING YOUR CROPS AND 02:46 THE VINES IN YOUR FIELDS WILL NOT CAST THEIR FRUIT, 02:49 SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY. 02:50 THEN ALL THE NATIONS WILL CALL YOU BLESSED, FOR YOURS 02:55 WILL BE A DELIGHTFUL LAND, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY." 02:59 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 03:01 FATHER IN HEAVEN, TONIGHT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE 03:06 INVOLVED, BECAUSE PART OF THIS PASSAGE SOUNDED AS 03:11 THOUGH THERE WERE A PROBLEM. 03:13 BUT THEN THE SECOND PART OF IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A GOD 03:17 WHO IS WILLING TO BLESS. 03:19 YOU SAID YOU'D THROW OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN AND POUR 03:23 OUT SOMETHING FROM HEAVEN THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE ROOM FOR. 03:28 TONIGHT WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE LATTER PART OF THE 03:31 TEXT INSTEAD OF THE FORMER PART OF THE TEXT. 03:34 SO MAKE IT PLAIN TO US TONIGHT. 03:36 BRING THIS BLESSING HOME TO US TONIGHT AND WE'LL GIVE PRAISE 03:40 AND HONOR TO YOUR NAME. 03:42 IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WE PRAY, AMEN. 03:46 SO TONIGHT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR MONEY. 03:50 I SOMETIMES ASK HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALL THE MONEY THEY WANT. 03:54 BUT THEN, SOME PEOPLE ARE TEMPTED TO TRY AND SEEM LIKE 03:59 THEY'RE NOT INTO MONEY. 04:02 YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S A 04:06 PRIVILEGE, TO BE AROUND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. 04:09 AND WE'VE KIND OF PASSED THE MESSAGE ROUND: YOU MUST NOT 04:13 BE CONCERNED WITH MONEY. 04:16 SO IF THEY EVER ASK ABOUT MONEY, JUST SAY, I'M NOT 04:19 INTERESTED IN MONEY. 04:22 I DON'T CARE ABOUT MONEY AT ALL, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS HOLIER 04:27 THAN THE REST OF THE FOLKS. 04:28 WELL, I'M GOING TO BE REALLY HONEST WITH YOU; I'VE 04:30 DISCOVERED THAT MONEY IS NOT THE GREATEST THING IN THE 04:33 WORLD, BUT IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO GET BY WITHOUT IT. 04:36 SO TONIGHT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET DOWN TO THE NITTY 04:39 GRITTY AND TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO GET BY. 04:45 A MAN SAID TO ME ONE TIME AFTER I'D PREACHED A SERMON VERY 04:47 SIMILAR TO THIS, HE SAID, I DON'T THINK THAT MONEY IS MORE 04:51 IMPORTANT THAN EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT WHATEVER THE SECOND THING 04:54 IS I HAVE NOT DISCOVERED. 04:58 WHAT IT IS ABOVE MONEY I HAVE NOT DISCOVERED. 05:00 HE SAID, THE ONLY THING THAT CAN GET ME THROUGH IS MONEY. 05:03 WELL, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY, BECAUSE GOD SAYS, I WILL 05:07 OPEN THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN. 05:11 HE DOESN'T SAY I'LL POUR YOU OUT SO MUCH MONEY THAT 05:13 YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IT. 05:15 HE SAYS, I'LL POUR YOU OUT BLESSINGS SO YOU WON'T 05:18 HAVE ROOM FOR IT. 05:19 LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I'VE DISCOVERED ABOUT GOD. 05:21 GOD CAN WORK WITHOUT MONEY. 05:27 I'VE A VERY GOOD FRIEND RIGHT NOW. 05:29 I TALKED TO HIM JUST LAST NIGHT. 05:31 HE HAS NO IDEA THAT I'M GOING TO MENTION HIM AND I WON'T 05:33 CALL HIS NAME, OF COURSE, BUT THIS MAN HAS BEEN WITHOUT 05:36 WORK FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. 05:40 AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT UNTIL HE TOLD ME SO. 05:44 HE AND HIS WIFE STILL DRESS THE SAME WAY. 05:47 THEY STILL DRIVE THE SAME CAR. 05:49 THEY STILL LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE. 05:52 THEY STILL ACT THE SAME WAY. 05:54 THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE WELL FED. 05:56 NONE OF THEM HAS LOST WEIGHT DRAMATICALLY. 06:00 AND SO WHEN HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN WITHOUT WORK, I SAID, 06:03 WELL, HOW ARE YOU MAKING IT ? 06:05 HE SAID, GOD IS PROVIDING FOR OUR NEEDS WITHOUT A SALARY. 06:12 DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN DO THAT ? 06:19 I'VEISCOVERED THAT HE CAN. 06:21 BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THIS TEXT AFTER I'VE GIVEN 06:24 YOU ANOTHER VIEW. 06:26 BECAUSE I'VE DISCOVERED THAT BIBLE NOT ONLY KNOWS HOW TO 06:29 BLESS THROUGH GOD'S TITHING SYSTEM, BUT GOD SEEMS TO HAVE A 06:34 PRETTY GOOD INSIGHT INTO THE WAY SOME PEOPLE'S BUDGETS FLOW. 06:39 AND I'M GOING TO READ YOU THIS FROM A BOOK CALLED HAGGAI. 06:43 IF YOU GO BACK A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM MALACHI, 06:45 YOU'LL FIND HAGGAI. 06:48 AND THIS IS GOING TO SOUND LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN YESTERDAY OR 06:51 MAYBE TONIGHT AFTER GOD HAD LOOKED AT YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT. 06:58 YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THIS NEW THING HAPPENING NOW, AT 07:00 LEAST IN AMERICA, FOLKS. 07:02 SO IF YOU WANT TO COME TO AMERICA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO 07:04 WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS UNTIL WE GET THIS THING WORKED OUT. 07:07 YOU CAN'T FLOAT CHECKS ANYMORE. 07:10 HAVE YOU HEARD THAT ? 07:12 WELL, LET ME BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU. 07:15 I, TOO, HAVE BEEN GUILTY OF DOING THAT. 07:17 I'D SAY, LOOK, I'VE GOT A BILL THAT'S DUE ON THE FIRST, 07:21 BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS SEND IT TO THEM ABOUT THREE OR 07:25 FOUR DAYS EARLY, AND THEY WON'T GET IT UNTIL THE FIRST. 07:31 IN FACT, I HAVE BEEN SO KIND TO YOU EVEN, THAT WHEN I SEE 07:34 THOSE TRUCKS, I KNOW THE NAME OF THE TRUCKS THAT CARRY CHECKS, 07:39 AND BECAUSE I SUSPECT THAT THEY MAY BE CARRYING ONE OF YOUR 07:41 CHECKS THAT YOU WROTE EARLY, I TRY TO GET IN FRONT OF 07:44 THEM AND SLOW THEM DOWN. 07:50 BUT IN AMERICA WE'VE GOT A NEW THING. 07:51 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FLOAT THEM ANY LONGER. 07:53 THEY'VE GOT AN INSTANT WAY THEY CAN DO THAT. 07:55 WELL, GOD MIGHT HAVE LOOKED IN SOMEBODY'S CHECKING ACCOUNT AND 07:58 HERE'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. 07:59 SEE IF YOU CAN RELATE. 08:02 THIS IS HAGGAI, CHAPTER 1, STARTING WITH VERSE 3. 08:04 "THEN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME THROUGH THE PROPHET 08:06 HAGGAI, IS IT TIME FOR YOU YOURSELVES TO BE LIVING IN 08:10 YOUR PANELED HOUSES WHILE THIS HOUSE REMAINS A RUIN ?" 08:15 NOW, HE'S TALKING NOW ABOUT HIS HOUSE, GOD'S HOUSE, WHICH 08:20 IS THE PLACE OF WORSHIP. 08:22 LET'S READ FURTHER. 08:23 "NOW THIS IS WHAT THE LORD ALMIGHTY SAYS. 08:26 GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS. 08:29 YOU HAVE PLANTED MUCH, BUT YOU HARVESTED LITTLE. 08:36 YOU EAT, BUT NEVER HAVE ENOUGH. 08:39 YOU DRINK, BUT NEVER HAVE YOUR FILL. 08:43 YOU PUT ON CLOTHES, BUT ARE NOT WARM. 08:46 YOU EARN WAGES ONLY TO PUT THEM IN A PURSE WITH HOLES IN IT. 08:53 THIS IS WHAT THE LORD ALMIGHTY SAYS. 08:55 GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS." 08:58 NOW YOU'LL FORGIVE ME FOR A MINUTE. 09:00 I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE YOUR ENEMY FOR A FEW SECONDS HERE. 09:05 BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAKE VERY WONDERFUL 09:09 SALARIES, WHO HAVE JOBS THAT BRING IN MONEY THAT'S MORE THAN 09:15 THEY EVER THOUGHT THEY'D HAVE. 09:17 IN FACT, I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID, WHEN I GET 09:19 TO A CERTAIN AGE I'M GOING TO BE A MILLIONAIRE. 09:22 WELL, THEY TELL ME THAT BEING A MILLIONAIRE IS NOT THE SAME. 09:24 I HAVE NO IDEA. 09:26 I HAVE NO PERSONAL INFORMATION ON THIS. 09:28 BUT THEY TELL ME IT'S NOT QUITE THE SAME ANYMORE BECAUSE 09:31 MONEY DOESN'T DO WHAT IT USED TO DO NO MATTER WHAT THE 09:35 ECONOMISTS CLAIM. 09:38 I'M GOING TO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT WITHOUT THE BLESSING OF 09:42 GOD, ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD CAN'T MAKE YOU HAPPY. 09:50 AND GOD SAYS, I'VE GOT A PLAN TO TAKE CARE OF MY HOUSE. 09:57 AND THIS VERY TEXT THAT WE READ SAID, HOW DARE YOU 09:59 MAKE YOUR HOUSE SUMPTUOUS ? 10:03 AND YOU KNOW, MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED. 10:06 WE'VE BEEN IN SOME GREAT HOUSES. 10:07 WE'VE BEEN IN HOUSES WITH THOSE GIGANTIC TELEVISION SCREENS. 10:12 HAVE YOU SEEN THEM ? 10:14 WHEN YOU SEE THEM, YOU CAN'T ACT AS THOUGH YOU ARE EXCITED. 10:19 I'VE LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU HANG OUT WITH THE RICH AND 10:23 FAMOUS, YOU MUST ALWAYS ACT BORED, SO YOU BLEND RIGHT IN. 10:28 NOTHING CAN SURPRISE YOU. 10:30 SO, WHEN I GO INTO THESE HOUSES, AS I OFTEN DO, GOD IS GOOD. 10:33 HE LET'S ME VISIT SOME PLACES LIKE THAT. 10:36 AND YOU'LL SEE A TELEVISION THAT'S FLAT AGAINST THE WALL. 10:45 AND IT'S GIGANTIC. 10:47 YOU'VE GOT TO BACK AWAY FROM IT TO SEE IT. 10:51 IT'S SO BIG YOU CAN'T GET CLOSE TO IT. 10:53 BUT WHEN I SEE THEM, I DON'T SAY A LOT BECAUSE 10:55 THAT WOULD MEAN I AM NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SUCH THINGS. 10:59 SO I JUST PASS BY IT AND SAY, NICE. 11:06 I'VE BEEN IN PLACES WHERE THE CARPET WAS SO SUMPTUOUS 11:10 THAT YOU STEP IN IT AND YOUR SHOE GOT LOST. 11:15 I'VE BEEN IN KITCHENS WHERE EVERYTHING M 11:18 AND LOOK, GOD IS NOT DISTURBED WHEN YOU DO WELL. 11:23 GOD INTENDS--IN FACT, I'LL GIVE YOU A TEXT YOU'LL LOVE. 11:26 THIRD JOHN, CHAPTER 1, VERSE 2: 11:30 "BELOVED, I WISH ABOVE ALL THINGS THAT THOU MAY PROSPER 11:35 AND BE IN HEALTH EVEN AS THY SOUL PROSPERETH." 11:40 GOD SAYS, THROUGH HIS MAN, THAT HE WANTS YOU TO PROSPER. 11:45 DON'T EVER LET ANYBODY FOOL YOU AND MAKE YOU THINK 11:47 THAT'S ANYTHING OTHER THAN DOING WELL FINANCIALLY. 11:51 GOD WANTS YOU TO PROSPER AND BE IN HEALTH. 11:54 IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH, PROSPERITY IS OF NO 11:57 USE WHATEVER. 11:59 THEN HE SAYS, EVEN AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS. 12:02 SO WHAT GOD INTENDS IS THAT YOU BE WEALTHY IN SPIRITUAL TERMS, 12:07 THAT YOU BE WEALTHY IN HEALTH, AND THAT YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES 12:12 TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEEDS AS WELL AS A FEW LITTLE 12:16 WANTS EVERY NOWAND THEN. 12:17 DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD, ANDHE WILL GIVE YOU THE 12:20 DESIRES OF YOUR HEART. 12:22 I'VE GOTTEN SOME THINGS FROM GOD THAT I DIDN'T NEED. 12:26 I ASKED HIM FOR SOMETHING I NEEDED, BUT HE ANSWERED 12:29 WITH SOMETHING I DIDN'T. 12:31 HE GAVE ME WHAT I NEEDED AND THREW IN JUST A 12:33 LITTLE WONDERFUL GIFT. 12:37 IS THAT THE WAY YOUR GOD TREATS YOU ? 12:39 (APPLAUSE) I DON'T LOVE HIM ONLY FOR 12:46 THE THINGS HE GIVES. 12:47 IN FACT, I HAVE LEARNED THAT SOMETIMES LIKE WHEN HE FOUND 12:53 JOB DOING WELL, AND WHEN THE DEVIL CAME AND SAID, I'VE 12:59 LOOKED AT JOB AND HE SAID TO GOD, HAVE YOU SEEN HIM ? 13:05 AND GOD SAYS, YEAH, HE LOVES ME AND DISLIKES YOU. 13:11 DEVIL SAYS, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, YOU KNOW THE REASON 13:14 WHY JOB LOVES YOU IS BECAUSE YOU GIVE HIM SO MUCH. 13:18 AND HERE'S WHAT GOD DID. 13:19 IN FACT, YOU OUGHT TO SHIVER. 13:21 THIS IS NOT THE EXPERIENCE THE POWER MOMENT, BUT IT MIGHT BE A 13:24 MOMENT TO SHIVER A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE GOD BRAGGED ON JOB. 13:31 HE SAID, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU DO. 13:33 TAKE EVERYTHING HE'S GOT AND HE'LL STILL LOVE ME. 13:39 THE QUESTION COMES TO YOU TONIGHT IS IF GOD WERE 13:41 TO TAKE ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU LIKE, ALL THE 13:45 THINGS THAT MAKE YOU YOU. 13:48 AND YOU KNOW SOME OF US MAKE THE MISTAKES OF LISTENING TO THESE 13:51 COMMERCIALS AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE THINGS WE POSSESS DEFINE US. 13:56 I REFUSE TO BE DEFINED BY POSSESSIONS. 14:04 IN FACT, ONE TIME I WAS PASTORING A CHURCH. 14:07 THEY WILL RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES WHEN I SAY THIS. 14:10 AND I WAS DRIVING A VERY NICE CAR. 14:12 YOU KNOW, THE LORD GIVETH, THE LORD TAKETH AWAY. 14:17 I HAD A VERY NICE CAR. 14:18 IT WAS ONE OF THOSE CARS THAT MINISTERS LOVE TO DRIVE. 14:24 AND ONE OF OUR CHILDREN NEEDED TO GO TO COLLEGE AND I 14:27 DISCOVERED THAT I COULD SELL THE CAR AND GET ENOUGH MONEY 14:31 TO GET THE KID IN COLLEGE. 14:32 GUESS WHAT I DID ? 14:34 SOLD THE CAR. 14:36 AND THEN I SAID, WHAT AM I GOING TO DRIVE ? 14:39 I WENT TO A USED CAR LOT. 14:40 THEY HAD ONE OF THE MOST BEAT-UP DATSUNS. 14:43 IT WAS NOT EVEN A NISSAN. 14:47 NISSANS ARE MUCH NICER. 14:49 IT WAS A DATSUN B210. 14:52 IT HAD A DENT EVERYWHERE YOU COULD HAVE A DENT. 14:56 BUT IT FIT WHAT I HAD IN MY BUDGET, SO I BOUGHT IT. 15:00 I DROVE IT BACK TO THAT SAME CHURCH AND PARKED 15:03 IT IN MY PARKING SPOT. 15:05 AND BEFORE LONG THE MEMBERS STARTED TO GATHER AROUND IT. 15:08 THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHO HAS GOTTEN IN OUR PASTOR'S 15:12 PARKING SPACE. 15:13 AND THEY CAME IN AND SHARED THEIR CONCERN WITH ME. 15:15 THEY SAID, "PASTOR, SOMEONE HAS PARKED A HORRIBLE CAR 15:20 IN YOUR PARKING SPACE. 15:21 PEOPLE WILL PASS BY AND THINK IT'S YOURS." 15:25 I SAID, "IT IS !" 15:31 AND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THEM SAID, YOU CAN'T, YOU 15:37 CAN'T DRIVE THAT AND BE THE PASTOR OF OUR CHURCH. 15:40 I SAID, WELL, GO GET ME ANOTHER ONE. 15:46 FOLKS, YOU CAN'T BE DEFINED BY POSSESSIONS. 15:49 JOB HAD GOD BRAG ON HIM AND THE DEVIL WENT IN AND TOOK, FIRST, 15:54 ALL OF HIS POSSESSIONS, THEN HE WENT AND TOUCHED HIS FAMILY, 16:00 THEN HE TOUCHED HIS BODY. 16:01 IN FACT, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS THE PROGRESSION 16:05 THAT THE DEVIL USES. 16:07 IF YOU'RE COMPLAINING TONIGHT BECAUSE ALL THE DEVIL DID 16:09 WAS TAKE YOUR STUFF, HE'S ONLY IN PHASE ONE. 16:19 THE NEXT ROUND IS YOUR FAMILY. 16:23 AND THAT HURTS. 16:25 BUT IF YOUR FAMILY HAS TURNED AGAINST YOU, 16:27 YOU'RE ONLY IN PHASE 2. 16:29 WHEN HE TOUCHES YOUR BODY, GOD SAID TO THE DEVIL: 16:33 YOU CAN TAKE HIS HEALTH AND HE'LL STILL LOVE ME. 16:37 AND WHAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS THIS. 16:40 I WANT TO ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO 16:42 TAKE HOME AND PONDER. 16:44 IF GOD TOOK EVERYTHING, IF HE TOOK YOUR POSSESSIONS, IF YOUR 16:48 FAMILY TURNED AGAINST YOU, AND IF THE DOCTOR STOOD OVER YOU 16:52 IN A HOSPITAL ROOM AND SHOOK HIS HEAD THE WRONG WAY, 16:58 WOULD YOU STILL LOVE GOD ? 17:00 IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. 17:02 BUT TONIGHT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE BEST 17:06 INSURANCE AGAINST POVERTY. 17:11 IN FACT, I SHOULD CHARGE YOU. 17:16 IF I HAD THE ABILITY, I SHOULD CHECK EVERY PLACE THAT THIS 17:21 PICTURE IS GOING TO AND HAVE THEM GIVE YOU AN ENVELOPE 17:26 TO CHARGE YOU FOR WHAT I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU. 17:28 THE ONLY THING IS THAT IT'S FREE IN THE BIBLE. 17:31 HALLELUJAH IT'S FREE. 17:33 SO WATCH WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. 17:35 AND I'M GOING TO BREAK THIS DOWN. 17:37 I'M ONE OF THOSE FOLKS WHO CAN'T JUST READ THE BIBLE AND LET 17:40 IT BE INK STAINS ON PAPER. 17:42 SO WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT GOD WILL LET YOU TEST HIM, PROVE ME, 17:51 THE KING JAMES VERSION SAYS. 17:54 GOD SAYS, I'M GOING TO LET YOU TEST ME TO SEE IF 17:57 I'M TELLING THE TRUTH. 17:59 NOW, LET ME SHOW YOU HIS CREDENTIALS. 18:01 ISAIAH, CHAPTER 55 AND VERSES 8 AND 9. 18:04 I COULD READ ALL OF THIS, BUT I'VE GOT A CLOCK 18:06 TICKING IN FRONT OF ME. 18:09 IT SAYS THERE GOD'S THOUGHTS, GOD IS SPEAKING. 18:12 MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER 18:17 MY WAYS, YOUR WAYS. 18:20 AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, SO ARE 18:25 MY THOUGHTS ABOVE YOURS AND MY WAYS ABOVE YOURS. 18:31 SO DON'T EVER JUDGE GOD BY YOUR POWER. 18:38 GOD TALKS WITH US, BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE HE LOVES US. 18:41 I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY LEVELS HE'S GOT TO BREAK 18:44 HIS CONVERSATION DOWN FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND IT, BUT 18:46 I THANK GOD THAT HE SPEAKS WITH ME FROM TIME TO TIME. 18:50 I WALK WITH HIM AND I TALK WITH HIM, BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE 18:55 I SPEATHE SAME LANGUAGE. 18:57 GOD SAYS MY THOUGHTS ARE WAY HIGH ABOVE YOURS AND WHEN 19:00 I'M TALKING TO YOU AND YOU UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S A MIRACLE. 19:05 WELL, DON'T GET ME STARTED. 19:08 SO THE FIRST THING YOU MUST UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE RESOURCES 19:12 OF GOD CANNOT BE LOCKED IN BY THE RULES OF YOUR LIFE. 19:17 GOD CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD WITH A FEASIBILITY STUDY. 19:23 BECAUSE IF YOU LISTEN TO THE SERMON TONIGHT AND YOU DON'T 19:26 HAVE ANY FAITH IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WILL NEVER GET PAST 101. 19:31 THE FIRST THING THAT YOU MUST KNOW IS THAT GOD 19:32 THINKS ON A HIGHER LEVEL. 19:34 DO YOU SEE THAT PART ? 19:35 WELL, IN FIRST KINGS, CHAPTER 17, VERSE 8 FOR THOSE WHO WANT 19:40 TO PICK IT UP AND FOLLOW IT NOW. 19:42 THERE WAS A MOMENT WHEN ELIJAH, GOD'S PR0PHET, HAD MADE A 19:47 PROPHECY TO THE ERRANT LEADERSHIP OF GOD'S PEOPLE 19:52 THAT AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUED IN THEIR SIN THERE WOULD 19:56 BE NO MORE RAIN. 20:00 THERE SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAD FAILED TO WORSHIP THE 20:03 GOD OF HEAVEN AND HAD STARTED TO WORSHIP BAAL. 20:06 BAAL, THEY THOUGHT, BROUGHT RAIN. 20:10 SO THEY SAID, WE DON'T NEED THE GOD OF HEAVEN. 20:14 WE'VE GOT BAAL AND HE CONTROLS RAIN. 20:19 WELL, GOD SAID, ELIJAH, YOU GO DOWN AND TELL 20:23 THEM SOMETHING FOR ME. 20:24 TELL THEM THAT IF THEY THINK HE CAN BRING THEM RAIN, CALL HIM. 20:29 TELL HIM THAT I WILL SEAL UP THE HEAVENS AS THOUGH THE 20:32 CLOUDS HAD TURNED TO BRASS. 20:36 AND THERE WON'T BE ANYMORE RAIN UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES. 20:41 ELIJAH WENT DOWN AND TOLD THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY GOT MAD, CAME 20:43 TO SEEK HIS LIFE, TO KILL HIM. 20:45 HE WENT TO HIDE BECAUSE HE WAS IN DANGER OF BEING MURDERED. 20:49 WELL, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED AN EXECUTION. 20:51 IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. 20:52 AT THE END OF BOTH PROCESSES, YOU ARE DEAD. 20:56 THEY WENT TO FIND HIM. 20:56 GOD SAID, GO AND HIDE. 20:57 HE WENT TO A PLACE WHERE HE WAS FED BY RAVENS. 21:01 WELL, I'M GETTING THERE. 21:02 BUT IF YOU CAN'T FEEL THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO 21:04 BE LOST IN A MINUTE. 21:06 IF GOD WANTS YOU TO BE FED BY BIRDS, GOD CAN CALL THE BIRDS 21:11 AND TELL THEM WHAT TO DO. 21:19 SO, THE RAVENS FED HIM FOR A WHILE, THEN GOD 21:22 SENT HIM THE MESSAGE. 21:22 HE SAID, LOOK, LEAVE THAT PLACE WHERE YOU ARE. 21:25 AND THIS IS A WONDERFUL STORY. 21:27 I WISH I HAD TIME TO REALLY DO IT JUSTICE. 21:29 GO TO A WOMAN, WHO IS A WIDOW, AT ZARAPHATH. 21:35 AND WHEN YOU GET THERE TELL HER THAT I TOLD YOU TO FEED 21:38 YOU, TO FEED YOU FIRST. 21:43 NOW, LET'S GET REAL FOR A MINUTE. 21:44 REALITY CHECK. 21:46 PREACHER COMES TO YOUR HOUSE, PREACHER COMES TO YOUR HOUSE, 21:57 YOU'VE NEVER MET HIM BEFORE; YOU'RE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER 22:00 THE LAST MEAL THAT YOU HAVE, YOU AND YOUR SON ARE ABOUT 22:06 TO EAT AND DIE. 22:08 PREACHER COMES AND SAYS, GOD TOLD ME TO TELL 22:11 YOU FEED ME FIRST. 22:18 CAN WE GET REAL FOR A MINUTE ? 22:21 I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO ASK. 22:22 I DON'T WANT YOU TO SAY ANYTHING WRONG IN THE HOUSE OF 22:25 GOD, SO I WON'T ASK YOU HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD DO THAT. 22:28 I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'D DO. 22:30 I THINK I KNOW YOUR ANSWER. 22:32 EXCUSE ME, SIR, WE DON'T WANT TO BE RUDE, BUT MY SON 22:37 AND I ARE ABOUT TO EAT THE LAST FOOD THAT WE HAVE. 22:39 AND, SIR, WE DON'T KNOW YOU. 22:43 OKAY ? 22:44 SO WHY DON'T YOU MAYBE CHECK AT SOME OTHER HOUSES. 22:52 I GET A LITTLE FARTHER INTO THAT PICTURE. 22:55 BECAUSE, SEE, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE MOTHER. 22:58 I'M LOOKING AT THE SON. 23:00 CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THAT BOY LOOKED LIKE WHEN HE LOOKED 23:02 AT THAT PREACHER ? 23:06 HEY, MOM, DID HE JUST ASK WHAT I THOUGHT HE ASKED ? 23:10 WE'RE DOWN TO ONE LITTLE CAKE OF MEAL--DID THAT PREACHER ASK 23:15 COULD HE HAVE OUR LAST.... 23:17 THAT'S WHAT HE ASKED, SON. 23:18 MOM, COME OVER HERE A MINUTE. 23:25 YOU'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT DOING THIS ARE YOU ? 23:28 SON, WE'VE GOT TO DO IT BECAUSE GOD SAID IT. 23:33 NOW SEE, THE REASON WHY SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVER KNOW HOW 23:35 POWERFUL GOD IS, IS BECAUSE THEY NEVER OBEY HIM. 23:46 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO GOD IS, DO WHAT HE SAYS. 23:50 SEE, IF YOU JUST ALWAYS SAY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, 23:53 YOU WILL NEVER KNOW. 23:54 YOU'LL THINK SOME PEOPLE WHO TRUST GOD ARE OUT 23:56 OF THEIR MINDS. 23:57 BUT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW THE POWER OF GOD UNTIL YOU LEARN 24:01 HOW TO TRUST HIM. 24:03 SO THE WOMAN SAID, OKAY. 24:04 SO HE GETS THAT MEAL. 24:06 I CAN DESCRIBE IT TO YOU BUT IT WOULD MAKE YOU HUNGRY. 24:08 SOME OF YOU WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY, SO I WON'T DESCRIBE IT. 24:11 WHEN I LIVED IN THE SOUTH, MY MOM USED TO MAKE CAKES OUT OF 24:16 CORNMEAL WITH A LITTLE OIL. 24:23 AND SHE WOULD FRY, WELL, I CAN'T GO FURTHER. 24:27 BUT I KNOW WHAT THAT CAKE WAS LIKE. 24:29 AND SHE FINISHED IT AND GAVE IT TO THE MAN OF GOD. 24:32 SOME OF YOU WOULD SAY THAT SHE WAS OUT OF HER MIND. 24:34 BUT THE FACT IS THAT EVERY DAY AFTER THAT WHEN MOM TOLD THAT 24:40 SAME LITTLE BOY, WHO I IMAGINE THOUGHT MOM HAD LOST HER MIND, 24:44 SON, GO GET ME SOME MORE MEAL. 24:47 UH, MOM, MOTHER DEAR, REMEMBER I BROUGHT IT ALL YESTERDAY ? 24:53 BUT GOD SAID IF WE WOULD OBEY HIM, WE'D HAVE SOME MORE. 24:57 SO WOULD YOU GO ? 24:59 JUST HUMOR ME. 25:01 GO LOOK IN THE MEAL BARREL. 25:03 AND THE BOY, I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN WITH HIM 25:05 WHEN HE WENT IN THERE. 25:07 YOU KNOW ? 25:12 BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO BE THERE. 25:14 BUT WHENE GETS HIS LITTLE CONTAINER OR EVEN WITH 25:17 HIS HAND, HE FINDS ENOUGH MEAL TO MAKE ANOTHER. 25:20 SHE SAYS, NOW, DID YOU FORGET THE OIL ? 25:23 WELL, BY NOW HE KNOWS THAT IF GOD SAYS IT, GOD CAN MAKE IT SO. 25:29 SO HE GOES AND GETS THE OIL AND EVERY DAY AFTER 25:34 THAT GOD DID THIS MIRACLE, HE ADDED BY SUBTRACTION. 25:52 GOT ANOTHER ONE. 25:53 I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU DON'T DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON GOD. 25:57 MATTHEW, CHAPTER 14, START WITH VERSE 14. 26:00 JESUS WAS PREACHING AND A MULTITUDE HAD 26:03 COME TO HEAR HIM PREACH. 26:05 AND AFTER A WHILE THE DISCIPLES STARTED COMING TO HIM AND 26:07 SAYING, I THINK WE NEED TO LET THEM GO BECAUSE SOME OF 26:13 THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING HUNGRY AND YOU KNOW HOW THEY GET 26:20 WHEN THEY GET HUNGRY. 26:22 AND JESUS KEEPS PREACHING. 26:24 AND SOMEBODY COMES BACK. 26:25 UH, EXCUSE ME. 26:27 I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LET THEM GO. 26:30 THERE ARE NO STORES. 26:32 THEY CAN'T BUY ANYTHING. 26:34 WE ARE OUT HERE KIND OF IN THE RURAL AREA. 26:39 SO MAYBE LET'S LET THEM GO HOME. 26:42 JESUS SAYS, TELL THEM TO SIT ON THE GROUND. 26:47 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE OF PASTOR 26:49 PEARSON'S MESSAGE ENTITLED, "THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN." 26:56 Announcer: LIFE IS FULL OF QUESTIONS. 26:58 SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO OR WHERE TO TURN. 27:00 WE HAVE DOUBTS AND FEARS AND WE WONDER WHAT IT ALL MEANS. 27:03 BUT THERE ARE ANSWERS, AND THERE IS HOPE WAITING FOR YOU IN GOD'S 27:07 WORD, THE BIBLE, AND THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO START EXPLORING 27:10 THE PLANS HE HAS FOR YOU THAN IN THE DISCOVER BIBLE GUIDES. 27:14 IT'S THE BREATH OF LIFE GIFT OFFER THIS WEEK, AND YOUR 27:17 TICKET TO THE HEART AND SOUL OF GOD'S WORD. 27:19 THESE EASY-TO-READ AND ILLUSTRATED BIBLE STUDIES 27:22 GET TO WHAT'S ON GOD'S MIND FOR YOU, QUICKLY AND CLEARLY. 27:25 YOU'LL BE ENLIGHTENED BY STUDIES SUCH AS "IS GOD FAIR ?" 27:29 "WHEN JESUS COMES FOR YOU." 27:31 "THE SECRET OF ANSWERED PRAYER," AND "BRIDGE TO A 27:34 SATISFYING LIFE." 27:36 JUST CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER AT 1-877-BOL-OFFER. 27:39 THAT'S 1-877-265-6333, AND ASK FOR YOUR COPY OF 27:45 THE DISCOVER BIBLE GUIDES, OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: 27:47 BREATH OF LIFE, P.O. 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