Breatyh of Life theme music
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PB:  This is Dr. Carlton Byrd,
speaker-director for Breath of
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Life. I'm in the sanctuary
of the Oakwood University Church
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here in Huntsville, Alabama.
Now, I'm always here, but this
evening is special,
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because I'm speaking
this evening during Oakwood
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University Homecoming Weekend
2016. And the people that are in
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the studio audience are
alumni of Oakwood University.
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And they're grateful to be here.
We have a message for them,
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but we also have a message for
you. And because we all love the
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Lord, I want to ask everyone
right now to put your hands
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together and let's give God
praise all over this building
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today. [Aud. reaction]    PB:
 Amen. If you will, take your
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Bibles and turn with me to the
book of Matthew. Matthew chapter
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14 is where we want to go this
evening. Matthew chapter 14,
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and we're going to verse
number 22. Matthew chapter 14
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and we are going to
verse number 22. Matthew 14:22.
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If you have it , let
me hear you say amen.
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Aud.:  Amen.   PB:  All right,
if you don't have it say hold
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on. [Aud. reaction]   PB: 
All right, we've got a lot of
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"hold ons" there, so we'll
hold on. Matthew, chapter 14,
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verse number 22. The Word
of God says to us tonight,
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Matthew chapter 14, verse 22,
I'm reading: "And straightway
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Jesus constrained his
disciples to get into a ship,
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and to go before him
unto the other side, while he
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sent the multitudes
away. And when he had sent the
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multitudes away, he went up
into a mountain apart to pray:
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and when the evening was
come, he was there alone."
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Everybody say
alone.    Aud.: Alone.
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PB:  "But the ship was
now in the midst of the sea,
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tossed with waves:
for the wind was contrary.
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And in the fourth
watch of the night Jesus went
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unto them, walking
on the sea. And when the
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disciples saw him
walking on the sea, they
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were troubled, saying,
It is a" what, everybody?
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Aud.:  Spirit.    PB: 
It is a what, everybody?
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Aud.:  Spirit.   PB: 
"And they cried out for fear.
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But straightway Jesus
spake unto them, saying,
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Be of good cheer;
it is I; be not afraid.
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And Peter answered
him and said, Lord,
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if it be thou, bid me
come unto thee on the water.
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And he said, Come. And
when Peter was come down
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out of the ship, he
walked on the water,
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to go to Jesus. But when
he saw the wind boisterous,
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he was afraid; and
beginning to sink, he cried,
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saying, Lord, save me. And
immediately Jesus stretched
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forth his hand, and
caught him, and said unto him,
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O thou of little faith,
wherefore didst thou doubt?
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And when they were come
into the ship, the wind ceased.
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Then they that were in the
ship came and worshipped him,
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saying, Of a truth
thou art the Son of God."
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We challenge you in
this, the final message during
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our Homecoming weekend:  Get
on the water. Get on the water.
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God, right now in this
place move by Your Spirit.
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Speak through this
servant, I pray, and God,
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we give You the praise
in advance for what You're
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going to do. Give me
clarity of mind and give Your
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people receptivity of
heart. It's in the name of
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Jesus we pray. Let all
those who love Him say amen.
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Aud.:  Amen.   PB: 
Amen. Get on the water.
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You know the story.
Can't take too much time.
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Jesus has just fed 5,000
men plus women and children.
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He fed them with two
fish and five loaves of bread.
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After feeding the 5,000,
Jesus sends the disciples
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ahead of Him in a boat.
He then dismisses the 5,000
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and goes up alone
in a mountain to pray.
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Somebody knows that
sometimes you have to talk
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with the Lord by
yourself. You have to have a
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little talk with Jesus
to make it right. But this
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talk sometimes has to be
alone, in your secret closet.
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I wish I had a witness
in this place. The disciples
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have been in their boat
for about seven or eight hours
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on a journey that should
have taken two or three hours,
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and it's now probably
about three in the morning,
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and they're battling a
storm with winds and waves.
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They're tired after
battling waves all night,
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fearful for their
lives, and then they think
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they see a ghost
that's walking on the water.
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But it's not a
ghost, it's Jesus. Jesus,
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an ever-present help
in time of trouble. Jesus.
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He may not come when
you want Him, but He's
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always right on time.
Jesus. He says, "ego eimi,"
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which means "It is I.
Be not afraid." Jesus.
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Ironically, these
words "ego eimi" are the same
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words that God used to
declare His name to Moses
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at the burning bush,
when He said "I am." So what
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Jesus is really
saying in the text, ego eimi,
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"ain't no need to worry,
but I am that I am is here."
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Are you hearing what
I'm saying? Now, remember,
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Jesus is omniscient, which
means He's an all-knowing God.
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And it was Jesus who sent
the disciplines to the water,
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in the boat, in the
first place. Which means,
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Jesus knew they would
be at the sea for a while.
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Jesus knew a storm was
coming. Jesus knew they
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were going to be battling
the waters all night long.
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So why, then, if
Jesus knew this would He be
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sending them into a
situation that He knew
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would be difficult?
I've learned that there
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are times in our
lives when the Lord will
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send us into storms
so He can grow our faith.
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Grow out trust.
Grow our confidence,
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so we can step out
in faith, in what God is
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calling us to do.
Just because you have a
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relationship with God
doesn't mean you won't
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have trouble. Just
because you have a relationship
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with God doesn't mean
you won't have trials.
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The Bible says that
those that live godly lives
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will suffer persecution.
I believe I've got a
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witness in this place
this evening, that knows
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you can believe God and
still go through trouble.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB: 
Just because you're in a
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relationship with God
doesn't mean you won't
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go through anything.
You can go to church and
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still get cancer.
You can return tithe and
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offering and
still lose your house.
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You can go to
Oakwood and still go to hell.
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Are you hearing what I'm saying?
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[Aud. reaction]  
PB:  Bad stuff happens
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to good people.
Trouble will come in spite of
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your relationship with
the Lord. The rain falls
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on the just and the
unjust. But I still have to
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have faith in God. I
still have to believe in God,
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who can do things I
can't do. Who can reach things
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I can't reach. Who can
move things I can't move.
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Who can give me
things I can't give myself.
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Faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
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the evidence of things
not seen. Without faith
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it is impossible to
please God. You'd better
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know and be reminded
this evening, you have to
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go through something
where your faith is tried.
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You see, you can't have
a testimony without a test.
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The problem is too many
of us are not testifying
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but test-to-lyin'. I wish I
had a witness in this place.
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[Aud. reaction]   PB:  Faith
is proven not in abundance.
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Faith is proven in
tough times; dark days.
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Faith is proven
when the lights are off,
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when the car note
is due and you don't
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have a dollar to your
name. God can't let you
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go through life easily
because that won't build
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your faith. Sometimes
God sends us into storms,
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and sometimes people
create their own storms
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and then get mad when
it rains. [Aud. reaction]
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PB:  God sent the
disciples into the boat.
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God sent the
disciples into the water.
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Jesus is walking on
water. But while the
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other disciples
don't recognize Jesus,
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Peter does. Peter
wants to go to Jesus
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because he knows
that no matter how dark
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the night, no
matter how high the waves,
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no matter how much
the wind might blow or
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wet the water, Peter
knew that it was safer
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out of the ship in a
storm with Jesus than
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being in a ship in
a storm without Jesus.
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Do I have a
witness in this place?
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[Aud. reaction]   PB: 
I can hear the disciples
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saying Peter, you don't get it.
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You can't walk on
water. It's impossible.
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You're going to look foolish.
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You're going to get wet.
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You're going to drown.
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It's dangerous. The boat
is the safest place to be.
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But Jesus says one
word to Peter in the text.
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Jesus says "Come."
But the rules of normalcy
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say you should do
the very opposite.
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The laws of storm and
rain say stay in the boat.
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But when you hear
Jesus' voice. When you know
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that still small
voice, you've got to listen,
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because His thoughts
are not our thoughts;
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His ways are not our
ways. Peter shows his faith,
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gets out of the boat,
puts his life at risk,
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holds out his hand to
Jesus, and then he begins
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to walk on water.  
Now, we all know the story,
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and we recite this
narrative and then we condemn
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Peter because he
takes his eyes off Jesus and
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he begins to sink. That
Peter had a lapse of faith,
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which is why he begins
to fall. Even the Bible says
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that Jesus said to
him O ye of little faith.
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But while we condemn
Peter, let's give Peter a
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little credit.
Because at least Peter got out
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of the boat. The rest
of the disciples stayed
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in the boat. A little
faith is better than no faith.
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If Peter had little
faith, then the other disciples
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had no faith at all,
because if you remain in the
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boat you'll never know
what it's like to walk on water.
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Being safe is easy.
It's not hard work. Do what
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everybody else is doing.
Do what we've always done.
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But change is never
easy. Change is hard.
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At least Peter got
up out of the boat,
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which is more than
the other disciples did.
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How many of us stay
in the boat without ever
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exercising faith and
walking in the fullness
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of what God has for
our lives? We're creatures
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of habit, and when we
do things a certain we're
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comfortable with
doing it that way. You see,
00:11:25.85\00:11:28.88
we put the toilet
paper roll on a certain way.
00:11:28.92\00:11:32.62
Some over; some under. Are
you hearing what I'm saying?
00:11:32.65\00:11:37.69
[Aud. reaction]   PB: 
Change is a hard thing.
00:11:37.73\00:11:40.23
We drive to work a certain
way. Some use the streets;
00:11:40.26\00:11:45.47
some use the Interstate.
Change is a hard thing.
00:11:45.50\00:11:50.14
We make eggs a
certain way. Some scrambled,
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some fried, some
sunny side up. But change is
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hard thing. We s tart
church at a certain time:
00:11:59.58\00:12:03.35
9:15; 11:00. But if
we change it, we've got a
00:12:03.39\00:12:08.12
problem because
change is a hard thing.
00:12:08.16\00:12:11.19
We do what we're used
to doing because change
00:12:11.23\00:12:14.46
is not easy. But the
reality is we're living in
00:12:14.46\00:12:17.20
a changing world. You
see, we've gone from black
00:12:17.23\00:12:20.70
boards to chalk boards.
White boards to smart boards.
00:12:20.74\00:12:26.81
We've gone from record
albums to eight-track tapes
00:12:26.84\00:12:31.48
to cassette tapes, to CDs,
to MP3s, and now downloads.
00:12:31.51\00:12:36.89
We've gone from film
strips to VHS tapes to DVDs
00:12:36.92\00:12:42.02
to download streaming.
We've gone from the rotary
00:12:42.06\00:12:44.93
phone to the touch
tone phone to the cell phone
00:12:44.96\00:12:49.73
and now we have the
smart phone. We live in a
00:12:49.76\00:12:53.90
changing world. Gone
are the days when aides were
00:12:53.94\00:12:59.01
teachers' assistants.
That gay meant happy.
00:12:59.04\00:13:04.01
Straight meant not
curved or bent. A pot was
00:13:04.05\00:13:09.68
something you cooked
in. Coke was a cold drink.
00:13:09.72\00:13:14.72
Weed was an unwanted
plant you pulled out of
00:13:14.76\00:13:18.16
your garden. Snakes
were reptiles that crawled
00:13:18.19\00:13:21.80
on the ground. Decisions
were made by eeny meeny
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.80
miney moe. And the
only race issues were who
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.60
ran faster. We live
in a changing world.
00:13:29.64\00:13:34.44
How many of us
frown upon new ideas;
00:13:34.48\00:13:37.25
new methods simply
because we have not
00:13:37.28\00:13:40.15
done it that way.
Lunacy is defined as
00:13:40.18\00:13:43.15
doing the same
things over and over again
00:13:43.18\00:13:46.32
and then you
expect a different result;
00:13:46.35\00:13:49.32
but you'll never
see new oceans until you
00:13:49.36\00:13:51.93
have the courage to
lose sight of the shore.
00:13:51.96\00:13:54.13
It's all right to be
cautious, but a turtle
00:13:54.20\00:13:56.93
never gets anywhere
until he sticks his head out.
00:13:56.97\00:14:00.10
The great Helen Keller
was asked "What's worse
00:14:00.14\00:14:02.54
than being born
blind?" She said,
00:14:02.57\00:14:05.41
"Having sight with no
vision." [Aud. reaction]
00:14:05.44\00:14:09.11
PB:  Don't be
afraid to go out on a limb.
00:14:09.14\00:14:12.05
Don't be afraid to
stick your head out.
00:14:12.08\00:14:14.65
Don't be afraid to
try something different.
00:14:14.68\00:14:17.69
Don't be afraid to
get out of the boat.
00:14:17.72\00:14:20.76
Don't be afraid
to get on the water.
00:14:20.79\00:14:23.79
Pastor Byrd,
where are you going with
00:14:23.83\00:14:25.89
all of this? We're
here for alumni weekend.
00:14:25.93\00:14:28.43
What does Peter
getting out of the boat and
00:14:28.46\00:14:31.13
walking on water
have to do with Oakwood
00:14:31.17\00:14:33.00
celebrating 120
years and the alumni
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.44
association
celebrating 90 years?
00:14:35.47\00:14:38.61
Our world has
changed, and Oakwood,
00:14:38.64\00:14:43.81
our churches, our
schools, our conferences,
00:14:43.85\00:14:49.35
our ministries,
still have a message.
00:14:49.38\00:14:54.32
Still have a
mandate. Still have a mission
00:14:54.36\00:14:58.19
to take the gospel
to the entire world
00:14:58.23\00:15:01.06
to expedite the
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:15:01.10\00:15:04.70
We can no longer
play it safe. We can no
00:15:04.73\00:15:09.37
longer be cautious.
Students aren't just
00:15:09.40\00:15:13.01
going to our schools
anymore. People aren't
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.14
going to just walk in
and join our churches.
00:15:16.18\00:15:19.01
We've got to be
radical; we've got to sound
00:15:19.05\00:15:21.92
the loud cry; we've
got to be willing to get
00:15:21.95\00:15:25.25
up out of the boat
and walk on water because
00:15:25.29\00:15:28.26
Jesus is soon to
come.   Think about it,
00:15:28.29\00:15:31.59
friends of mine, we
live in a world where with
00:15:31.63\00:15:33.86
all of this security,
with all of our intelligence,
00:15:33.90\00:15:36.60
with all of our technology,
with all of our cameras,
00:15:36.63\00:15:39.43
terrorists can still
bomb and plant a bomb
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.87
in Brussels and kill 31
people and wound hundreds
00:15:42.90\00:15:46.27
of others.  We live in
a world--I was just there
00:15:46.31\00:15:48.88
last week--in 2016, in
a country that is supposed
00:15:48.91\00:15:51.98
to be the most
advanced in the world.
00:15:52.01\00:15:54.05
But we still have
residents who live in a city
00:15:54.08\00:15:56.48
who can't drink water,
because a few people in
00:15:56.52\00:15:59.59
leadership are
unwilling to spend the necessary
00:15:59.62\00:16:02.16
money to look out for the
least, the lost, the last,
00:16:02.19\00:16:04.56
the unlucky and the left
out. We live in a country
00:16:04.59\00:16:08.36
that's engaged right now
in a presidential election
00:16:08.40\00:16:12.20
where the forerunner
for a political party is
00:16:12.23\00:16:14.87
talking about
building a wall to keep certain
00:16:14.90\00:16:17.17
people out of the
country and banning others
00:16:17.21\00:16:19.81
from entering the
country. Now, what's funny is,
00:16:19.84\00:16:22.51
his party members
call him a loose cannon.
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.55
They say he's lost his
mind. But in the meantime,
00:16:25.58\00:16:30.52
he keeps winning
primaries, state after state
00:16:30.55\00:16:35.66
and state, which means
somebody must like what
00:16:35.69\00:16:39.76
he's saying because
they keep voting for him.
00:16:39.79\00:16:43.16
Are you hearing what
I'm saying? [Aud. reaction]
00:16:43.20\00:16:45.13
PB:  We've got to get out
of the boat. If the enemies
00:16:45.17\00:16:49.47
of God are rising up, then
the people of God must rise up.
00:16:49.50\00:16:55.44
Times have changed.
Attitudes are different.
00:16:55.48\00:16:59.95
Philosophies are not
the same. Respect levels
00:17:00.05\00:17:03.99
are not what they used
to be 30, 40 and 20 and
00:17:04.02\00:17:06.76
10 years ago. Regard
for human life is not
00:17:06.79\00:17:09.36
what it used to be.
God's got to do a new thing,
00:17:09.39\00:17:12.63
and doing a new
thing, friends, means change.
00:17:12.66\00:17:15.20
A change in our
thinking and our ideas and
00:17:15.23\00:17:16.97
our methods,
because if you don't change
00:17:17.00\00:17:18.57
direction you may end
up where you're heading.
00:17:18.60\00:17:21.20
Now, let me be clear.
The world may be changing
00:17:21.24\00:17:27.48
but God is still the
same. [Aud. reaction]
00:17:27.51\00:17:32.75
PB:  God's truths
are still the same.
00:17:32.78\00:17:36.52
I tell the young
people in this church, listen:
00:17:36.55\00:17:39.65
the Sabbath is
still the Sabbath.
00:17:39.69\00:17:40.72
When a person dies,
they don't go to heaven,
00:17:40.76\00:17:42.26
their body returns
to dust, their spirit
00:17:42.29\00:17:45.06
returns to God and
the soul ceases to exist.
00:17:45.09\00:17:48.00
God's principles are the same.
00:17:48.03\00:17:50.13
God's message of
salvation is the same.
00:17:50.17\00:17:52.50
God says I am the
Lord; I change not.
00:17:52.53\00:17:55.14
But God does use
different methods to save us.
00:17:55.17\00:17:58.17
You see, in Noah's
day in order to be saved
00:17:58.21\00:18:00.51
the people had to
get in the ark. In Moses'
00:18:00.54\00:18:02.94
day they had to put
blood on the doorposts.
00:18:02.98\00:18:05.61
But in our day all
we've got to do is accept
00:18:05.65\00:18:08.05
Jesus as our
personal Savior. If we confess
00:18:08.08\00:18:10.59
our sins He is
faithful and just to forgive
00:18:10.62\00:18:13.96
us of our sins and cleans
us from all unrighteousness.
00:18:13.99\00:18:16.62
But are we so caught up
in our past that we're not
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.29
ready to take God's
message in the future?
00:18:19.33\00:18:21.63
Are we so enslaved
in the way that it used
00:18:21.66\00:18:25.10
to be that we can't
be liberated by the way
00:18:25.13\00:18:27.14
it ought to be. Are we so
trapped by our traditions,
00:18:27.17\00:18:29.97
our customs and practices
that we're paralyzed by
00:18:30.01\00:18:32.47
the need for seeker-sensitive
ministry and education
00:18:32.51\00:18:35.81
in our postmodern world?
Somebody said that sacred
00:18:35.84\00:18:39.75
cows make good
hamburgers. [Aud. reaction]
00:18:39.78\00:18:43.79
PB:  But I'm not into
making good hamburgers;
00:18:43.82\00:18:48.96
I'm into veggie
burgers. Come on, say amen.
00:18:48.99\00:18:52.39
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 I'm into Ready Burger.
00:18:52.43\00:18:54.93
I'm into making
disciples of God's kingdom.
00:18:54.93\00:18:58.20
And so this evening
my cry to my church,
00:18:58.23\00:19:00.37
to Oakwood's alumni
tonight is where are we?
00:19:00.40\00:19:05.64
What are we doing?
Where are we going?
00:19:05.67\00:19:10.98
Are we willing to
constantly grow and
00:19:11.01\00:19:13.85
continually
change for God's glory?
00:19:13.88\00:19:16.48
Are we willing to
passionately take God's
00:19:16.52\00:19:18.62
timeless method to
our ever-changing culture?
00:19:18.65\00:19:20.86
Are we willing to
get out of the boat and
00:19:20.89\00:19:24.36
walk on water? Or
we do, we just want to
00:19:24.39\00:19:27.46
do eight-track
ministry in a digital society.
00:19:27.50\00:19:30.10
We have a great
history, a great heritage,
00:19:30.13\00:19:34.07
a great past, a
great legacy. But if we're
00:19:34.10\00:19:38.57
not careful, we can
become so caught up in
00:19:38.61\00:19:40.58
our greatness that we
forget God's greatness
00:19:40.61\00:19:42.34
that He wants to
work in us. You see,
00:19:42.38\00:19:45.01
there's always a
danger in looking back
00:19:45.05\00:19:47.15
all the time.
Living in the past and not
00:19:47.18\00:19:49.55
embracing the
future. Too many schools,
00:19:49.58\00:19:51.92
too many churches,
too many institutions
00:19:51.95\00:19:53.29
have allowed
themselves to become shells
00:19:53.32\00:19:55.59
of what they formerly
were. Too many churches,
00:19:55.62\00:19:59.83
too many of our
church schools, want to go
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.26
on living in the
past instead of thriving
00:20:02.30\00:20:03.06
in the future.
The story is told of
00:20:03.10\00:20:05.73
two Buddhist monks who
were walking in a thunderstorm.
00:20:05.77\00:20:08.50
They walked upon a
stream of water and a beautiful
00:20:08.54\00:20:10.74
lady stood there
wanting to cross to the other
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.34
side of the stream.
She, however, was afraid of
00:20:13.38\00:20:15.58
the river current, so
one of the monks asked her,
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.95
"Can I help you?"
The woman replied,
00:20:18.98\00:20:22.25
"I need to cross this stream."
00:20:22.28\00:20:25.39
So the monk picked
the young woman up,
00:20:25.42\00:20:27.86
put her on his
shoulder, carried her through
00:20:27.89\00:20:30.73
the rushing waters and put
her down on the other side.
00:20:30.76\00:20:33.50
He and his companion monk
then went on to the monastery.
00:20:33.53\00:20:36.97
Later that night, the
monk's companion said to him,
00:20:37.00\00:20:40.07
"I have a bone to pick with
you. I have taught with you.
00:20:40.10\00:20:44.81
As Buddhist monks, we
have taken vows not to
00:20:44.84\00:20:48.28
look on a woman,
much less touch her body.
00:20:48.31\00:20:52.71
But back there at
the river, you did both."
00:20:52.75\00:20:57.15
The other monk
then said, "My brother,
00:20:57.19\00:20:59.32
I put that woman down on
the other side of the river,
00:20:59.35\00:21:01.76
but you're still
carrying her in your mind."
00:21:01.79\00:21:05.69
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 How easy is it for us
00:21:05.73\00:21:09.56
to become obsessed
with our past at the expense
00:21:09.60\00:21:13.80
of our future. Let
me make this practical,
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.97
because somebody's
still not getting it.
00:21:17.01\00:21:18.81
There was a period
of time where just after
00:21:18.84\00:21:22.28
I had the
privilege of becoming the new
00:21:22.31\00:21:24.41
speaker-director
of Breath of Life,
00:21:24.45\00:21:26.31
that it seemed
like I was preaching,
00:21:26.35\00:21:27.85
traveling and
doing workshops daily.
00:21:27.88\00:21:31.75
Everywhere I
was in another city.
00:21:31.79\00:21:34.32
But praise God, I got
frequent flying miles,
00:21:34.36\00:21:36.06
I'm diamond status
now. Come on, say amen!
00:21:36.09\00:21:39.09
[Aud. reaction]  
PB:  But I remember one
00:21:39.13\00:21:41.10
Sabbath afternoon
leaving Atlanta Georgia,
00:21:41.13\00:21:44.33
right after preaching
and catching a flight to
00:21:44.37\00:21:46.07
Omaha, Nebraska.
When I got to Omaha,
00:21:46.10\00:21:48.27
I had to get a
rental car and drive
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.77
40 miles to Lincoln.
I had to go to Lincoln
00:21:50.81\00:21:53.58
because I had to do a
worship for pastors at
00:21:53.61\00:21:55.81
Union College
early Sunday morning.
00:21:55.84\00:21:58.15
I would present all day
Sunday morning at Union College,
00:21:58.18\00:22:00.78
three sessions, morning,
noon and night. I was tired,
00:22:00.82\00:22:03.62
I was worn out. I got
back to the hotel that
00:22:03.65\00:22:06.12
Sunday night in Lincoln,
opened my hotel room door.
00:22:06.15\00:22:08.99
I put my hotel key
in my pants back pocket.
00:22:09.02\00:22:13.83
I take my suit off. I
take a shower. I call my wife,
00:22:13.86\00:22:19.70
Danielle. I go to sleep, but
I can't sleep too hard because
00:22:19.73\00:22:23.07
I don't want to
oversleep Sunday night,
00:22:23.10\00:22:24.84
because I have to
wake up early Monday
00:22:24.87\00:22:26.84
morning to catch the
flight to Los Angeles
00:22:26.88\00:22:28.64
to preach Monday
evening for workers' meetings
00:22:28.68\00:22:30.78
for the Southern
California Conference.
00:22:30.81\00:22:33.11
I have to wake up
early the next day,
00:22:33.15\00:22:34.82
Monday morning, in
Lincoln because I have
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.39
to drive 40 miles
back to Omaha, turn the
00:22:37.42\00:22:40.52
rental car in, and
catch a flight to L.A.
00:22:40.56\00:22:43.79
I wake up early Monday
morning. I take another
00:22:43.83\00:22:47.40
shower because cleanliness
is next to godliness.
00:22:47.46\00:22:50.33
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 I put my suit back on.
00:22:50.37\00:22:54.47
I put a different
shirt and bowtie on,
00:22:54.50\00:22:57.61
but I have my good
ol' faithful black suit.
00:22:57.64\00:23:01.34
Nobody knows it's
the same suit, because I
00:23:01.38\00:23:03.85
have on a
different bowtie. You see,
00:23:03.88\00:23:05.68
men can do that but women can't.
00:23:05.71\00:23:07.45
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:23:07.48\00:23:09.38
[Aud. reaction] 
 PB:  I'm rushing.
00:23:09.42\00:23:11.62
I make it through
security. I can't miss my
00:23:11.65\00:23:16.06
flight because I've
got to preach in L.A.
00:23:16.09\00:23:18.39
Monday night. I'm
tired. My body's out of whack.
00:23:18.43\00:23:21.33
I'm sleeping in hotels,
I'm sleeping on airplanes,
00:23:21.36\00:23:24.43
and I'm sleeping
and I'm tired. All these
00:23:24.47\00:23:26.80
different time zones
and changes are killing me.
00:23:26.84\00:23:29.80
When I get to L.A.,
I make my way down to
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.17
baggage claim. I
see a man with a sign,
00:23:33.21\00:23:36.24
and it says "Dr. Carlton P.
Byrd." I'm feeling important.
00:23:36.28\00:23:43.82
I've got my suit on.
I've got my bowtie on.
00:23:43.85\00:23:48.52
My shoes are
shined. My hair is in place,
00:23:48.56\00:23:53.70
because you can feel
bad but you can't look bad.
00:23:53.73\00:23:56.83
Do I have a witness in
this place? They take my bags;
00:23:56.87\00:24:00.17
I follow them to the
car they're driving for me.
00:24:00.20\00:24:03.27
It's an SUV Escalade.
Black, tinted windows.
00:24:03.30\00:24:08.14
They open the door
for me; they offer me a
00:24:08.18\00:24:11.55
bottled water to
drink. I take it,
00:24:11.58\00:24:13.15
but if it had not been bottled,
00:24:13.18\00:24:14.95
I wouldn't have taken
it. Come on, say amen.
00:24:14.98\00:24:17.22
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 When I get in the car,
00:24:17.25\00:24:19.15
the assistant to the
president says "How are
00:24:19.19\00:24:22.42
you doing, Dr.
Byrd?" I say, "I'm fine,
00:24:22.46\00:24:24.66
but I'm hungry.
I've been traveling.
00:24:24.69\00:24:26.63
I've been
preaching. I've been rushing.
00:24:26.66\00:24:28.63
I've been traveling
from one city to the next.
00:24:28.66\00:24:30.67
I really didn't get a
good night's rest last night.
00:24:30.70\00:24:33.34
I'm hungry, I need to
eat something." The man says,
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.27
"Pastor it's 4 p.m.
Service starts at 7.
00:24:36.30\00:24:39.41
It's a weekday, and
L.A. traffic is horrible.
00:24:39.44\00:24:43.04
We can't stop at a restaurant
and get something to eat,
00:24:43.08\00:24:46.41
but tell you what. We'll
go by the hotel where you're
00:24:46.45\00:24:49.45
staying, and we have a fruit
basket in your room for you.
00:24:49.48\00:24:54.46
We have juice in your
room, so we'll take you to
00:24:54.49\00:24:59.06
the hotel first. Go up
to your room, freshen up,
00:24:59.09\00:25:02.86
eat from your fruit
basket, and then that will
00:25:02.90\00:25:06.23
hold you until after
service." I said to myself,
00:25:06.27\00:25:09.27
"Thank You, Jesus, because
I'm going to the hotel first,
00:25:09.30\00:25:12.74
and if the fruit tray isn't
good I'm ordering room service."
00:25:12.77\00:25:15.08
Do I have a witness in
this place?   [Aud. reaction]
00:25:15.11\00:25:17.78
PB:  We pull up to the
hotel. They open my door for me;
00:25:17.81\00:25:21.45
they help me out; they get
my bags. I get out of the car
00:25:21.48\00:25:24.29
and stop by the front
desk. Get my room key.
00:25:24.32\00:25:27.06
I put it in my front pocket.
They have a suite for me.
00:25:27.09\00:25:32.66
They're treating me
like a king. I'm on my way
00:25:32.69\00:25:36.43
up the elevator. I'm
hungry, I'm starving,
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.43
but I'm excited
because I know I have about
00:25:38.47\00:25:40.90
30 minutes to freshen
up, eat that fruit basket
00:25:40.94\00:25:43.44
on the other side of
the door. I get to the
00:25:43.47\00:25:46.37
seventh floor. I go
down to the hall to my room.
00:25:46.41\00:25:49.71
There I am,
standing at my room door.
00:25:49.74\00:25:53.05
I'm exhausted, I'm
hungry, but I'm excited that
00:25:53.08\00:25:56.99
there's a fruit basket on
the other side of that door.
00:25:57.02\00:25:59.59
Hallelujah! I take out
my key, in my back pocket.
00:25:59.62\00:26:04.53
I put it in the door.
It beeps. It turns red.
00:26:04.56\00:26:12.10
I said, don't tell me
this key's not working.
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.70
I try it again. I
put the key in. It beeps.
00:26:15.74\00:26:19.57
It turns red. I go down
the hall; back to the elevator.
00:26:19.61\00:26:24.18
I'm going downstairs,
back to the lobby. On the
00:26:24.21\00:26:27.68
way down it seems as if
the elevator is stopping
00:26:27.72\00:26:30.89
at every floor. Has
anybody ever had that?
00:26:30.92\00:26:34.49
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 I'm hungry. I'm tired.
00:26:34.52\00:26:37.63
I'm mad. And for one
minute I lose--just one
00:26:37.66\00:26:40.33
minute--I lose my
religion. I'm thinking about
00:26:40.36\00:26:42.80
all the stuff I'm
going to say to the man at
00:26:42.83\00:26:44.87
the front desk who
gave me the wrong key.
00:26:44.90\00:26:46.84
Some of you all know
what I'm talking about,
00:26:46.87\00:26:48.60
when you're hungry
and sleepy, you can get
00:26:48.64\00:26:50.34
bad religion. Are you
hearing what I'm saying?
00:26:50.37\00:26:52.57
[Aud. reaction]   PB:  I'm
on my way down the elevator;
00:26:52.61\00:26:54.31
I've got some choice
words for that brother.
00:26:54.34\00:26:56.11
I'm preparing my speech.
Don't you know who I am?!
00:26:56.14\00:26:58.68
I'm Dr. Carlton P.
Byrd, of Breath of Life.
00:26:58.71\00:27:01.62
Like he really
cares. [Aud. reaction]
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.32
PB:  You've
given me the wrong key.
00:27:04.35\00:27:05.79
But back on my
way down the elevator,
00:27:05.82\00:27:08.16
something hits me.
Before I get back to
00:27:08.19\00:27:13.09
the front desk,
something says look at your key.
00:27:13.13\00:27:18.27
I look at my key and I
realize that I was using
00:27:18.30\00:27:24.64
the hotel key
from Lincoln, Nebraska.
00:27:24.67\00:27:29.44
Which means I'm
trying to open up today's
00:27:29.48\00:27:32.85
door with
yesterday's key. I wish I had a
00:27:32.88\00:27:37.02
witness in this
place.   [Aud. reaction]
00:27:37.05\00:27:39.79
PB:  And the
problem with a lot of our
00:27:39.82\00:27:42.29
churches and ministries is this:
00:27:42.32\00:27:43.76
We're trying to
get today's blessings
00:27:43.79\00:27:47.76
with yesterday's
key. But God said
00:27:47.76\00:27:52.03
I'm going to do a new thing.
00:27:52.07\00:27:54.77
I will do a new
thing. God wants to
00:27:54.80\00:27:58.67
do something new in
the life of the church.
00:27:58.71\00:28:01.24
New in the life
of Oakwood. You see,
00:28:01.28\00:28:03.41
folk are tired of
revelation without relevance.
00:28:03.45\00:28:06.95
Folk are tired of Christianity
without Christ-likeness.
00:28:06.98\00:28:11.65
Folk are tired of
seeing emphasis placed on --
00:28:11.69\00:28:14.19
>:  Thank you for
joining us for another exciting
00:28:14.22\00:28:15.69
Breath of Life
television broadcast.
00:28:15.72\00:28:18.26
Tune in next
week at the same time,
00:28:18.29\00:28:20.10
as Dr. Byrd will deliver another
00:28:20.13\00:28:22.03
dynamic message from the Lord,
00:28:22.06\00:28:23.80
just for you. Until
next time, may God bless you.
00:28:23.83\00:28:27.47
END:
00:28:27.50\00:28:42.52