Breath Of Life
Ministries Presents
00:00:02.03\00:00:07.60
Sermon B584 - "The Odd Couple "
00:00:07.64\00:00:16.88
[Breath Of Life
Ministries Theme Music]
00:00:16.91\00:00:20.95
PB:  I have two
verses, Hosea 1:1 and 2.
00:00:20.98\00:00:28.72
"The word of the
LORD that came unto Hosea,
00:00:28.76\00:00:34.00
the son of Beeri,
[Beerdi, excuse me] in the days
00:00:34.00\00:00:38.40
of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
and Hezekiah, kings of Judah,
00:00:38.43\00:00:44.31
and in the days of
Jeroboam the son of Joash,
00:00:44.34\00:00:48.48
king of Israel." Verse
2, "The beginning of the
00:00:48.51\00:00:53.88
word of the LORD by Hosea.
And the LORD said to Hosea,
00:00:53.92\00:00:59.39
Go, take unto thee a
wife of whoredoms and
00:00:59.42\00:01:05.33
children of
whoredoms: for the land hath
00:01:05.36\00:01:09.13
committed great whoredom,
departing from the LORD."
00:01:09.16\00:01:15.94
The odd couple. The odd
couple. When we hear the words
00:01:15.97\00:01:30.75
"the odd couple,"
seasoned saints go back to the
00:01:30.79\00:01:34.36
1970s to a television
sitcom of two divorced men who
00:01:34.39\00:01:41.46
lived in a New York
City apartment, and how their
00:01:41.50\00:01:45.27
different lifestyles
led to conflicts and laughs.
00:01:45.30\00:01:50.87
Now, when young people
hear the words "the odd couple,"
00:01:50.91\00:01:55.84
they think of a man and
a woman who get together,
00:01:55.88\00:02:00.65
but nobody can see
what they see in each other.
00:02:00.68\00:02:06.42
She's tall. He's
short. She's from the city.
00:02:06.45\00:02:13.50
He's from the country.
She's quiet. He talks a lot.
00:02:13.53\00:02:21.37
He likes Alabama. She likes
Auburn. He likes Golden State.--
00:02:21.40\00:02:32.05
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
--She likes Cleveland.
00:02:32.08\00:02:37.82
[Aud. reaction] 
PB:  He's a Lebron fan.
00:02:37.85\00:02:41.56
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
She's a Kevin Durant fan.
00:02:41.59\00:02:46.13
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
They're the odd couple.
00:02:46.16\00:02:52.27
In the text we have an
odd couple: Hosea, Gomer.
00:02:52.30\00:03:03.71
He's a prophet, she's a
prostitute.  [Aud. reaction]
00:03:03.75\00:03:09.42
PB:  He's a man of God.
She's a woman of the night.
00:03:09.45\00:03:16.19
He's faithful. She's
unfaithful. He preaches the
00:03:16.22\00:03:24.33
power of the loving God.
She provides considerations
00:03:24.37\00:03:29.54
for cash. They're the
odd couple. And let me throw
00:03:29.57\00:03:38.11
this in: ladies, you don't
have to lower your standards
00:03:38.15\00:03:43.59
or provide considerations
for cash just to get something.
00:03:43.62\00:03:49.92
Just because you need a
ride somewhere doesn't mean
00:03:49.96\00:03:55.30
you have to provide
ungodly considerations.
00:03:55.33\00:03:59.03
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
Just because you need help
00:03:59.07\00:04:02.44
on an assignment
doesn't mean you have to provide
00:04:02.47\00:04:06.74
ungodly considerations.
Just because you need
00:04:06.78\00:04:12.28
some money doesn't mean
you have to provide ungodly
00:04:12.31\00:04:15.05
considerations. In
fact, I'm thinking of a story
00:04:15.08\00:04:17.99
of a young lady who had
a male friend who came to
00:04:18.02\00:04:21.52
her with an article,
talking about "Hey, babe,
00:04:21.56\00:04:24.29
look at this article."
They got a little thing
00:04:24.33\00:04:28.03
in the newspaper, in the
classifieds, I can't believe it,
00:04:28.06\00:04:30.47
but it's something
somebody just might do. If you
00:04:30.50\00:04:34.97
have sexual relations
one time with a man for one
00:04:35.00\00:04:37.17
million dollars, there
are three things you are
00:04:37.21\00:04:40.48
guaranteed of. Number
one, nobody will ever know.
00:04:40.51\00:04:45.61
Number two, no disease.
Number three, no babies.
00:04:45.65\00:04:53.46
No one knows, no
disease, no babies. One million
00:04:53.49\00:04:58.86
dollars, no
questions asked, out the door.
00:04:58.89\00:05:02.70
Would you do it? 
She thought about it just
00:05:02.73\00:05:09.80
like somebody right
now is thinking about it.
00:05:09.84\00:05:13.17
[Aud. reaction] 
PB:  No one would know.
00:05:13.21\00:05:17.05
One million dollars,
no disease, no babies,
00:05:17.08\00:05:19.28
out the door. She
thought about it; she said
00:05:19.31\00:05:20.68
"Yes! I'll do it." He
said, "Then will you do
00:05:20.72\00:05:24.29
the same thing for
twenty-five dollars?"
00:05:24.32\00:05:27.62
She said, "What do you
think I am, a prostitute?"
00:05:27.66\00:05:30.13
He said, "We've
already established that,
00:05:30.16\00:05:31.69
we're just negotiating
price." [Aud. reaction]
00:05:31.73\00:05:37.80
PB:  So I got all
these young people here.
00:05:37.83\00:05:40.84
Listen to me good.
Young ladies, reach over
00:05:40.87\00:05:44.77
and tell that young
man "I'm not for sale."
00:05:44.81\00:05:50.65
[Aud. reaction]  PB:  And
because you're not for sale,
00:05:50.68\00:05:56.08
take off all these
for-sale and on-sale signs.
00:05:56.12\00:06:01.39
Preach, Pastor Byrd.
I'm doing the best I can.
00:06:01.42\00:06:05.26
[Aud. reaction]  PB:  Coming
to church with all this out.
00:06:05.29\00:06:15.00
I'm doing the best I
can.  [Aud. reaction]
00:06:15.04\00:06:18.64
PB:  It is not of God.
So all this come as you are.
00:06:18.67\00:06:25.85
I'm coming as a--God said,
come as you are with your heart.
00:06:25.88\00:06:29.15
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
But if you're coming to
00:06:29.18\00:06:32.99
meet the King of
kings and the Lord of lords,
00:06:33.02\00:06:37.39
you ought to come
with your best. Do I have a
00:06:37.43\00:06:39.56
witness in this
place?  [Aud. reaction]
00:06:39.59\00:06:41.76
PB:  Take these
for-sale and on-sale signs off.
00:06:41.80\00:06:48.77
Come to church
dressed right. [Aud. reaction]
00:06:48.80\00:06:54.64
PB:  Amen.  Aud.:  Amen.
00:06:54.68\00:06:57.38
PB:  Now, back to Hosea
and Gomer. God puts this
00:06:57.41\00:07:06.69
odd couple together.
God tells the prophet,
00:07:06.72\00:07:10.46
go marry a prostitute.
Now, it has been said
00:07:10.49\00:07:12.79
that most men marry
women hoping they never change,
00:07:12.83\00:07:16.00
and most women marry
men hoping they will change.
00:07:16.03\00:07:19.00
The situation here
is different though.
00:07:19.03\00:07:21.34
Hosea marries Gomer,
hoping she will change.
00:07:21.37\00:07:25.64
But Gomer is
entrenched in her lifestyle.
00:07:25.67\00:07:29.51
She's a prostitute.
A woman of the night.
00:07:29.54\00:07:33.08
She loves the bright
lights and big action.
00:07:33.11\00:07:35.38
She's not holy.
She's not righteous.
00:07:35.42\00:07:37.52
She's not pure. She's
been around the block.
00:07:37.55\00:07:40.12
People know her by what
she does not by her name.
00:07:40.16\00:07:44.26
So God says, "Hosea,  I
want you to take a wife."
00:07:44.29\00:07:49.26
Hosea, "Well, God,
where is she?" God,
00:07:49.30\00:07:52.30
"There she is, Hosea,
on the corner." "Where?"
00:07:52.33\00:07:56.57
"Over there, on the
corner with the fishnet
00:07:56.60\00:08:00.98
stockings on. With
the four-inch heels on.
00:08:01.01\00:08:05.05
With the wig on her
head. That's the woman
00:08:05.08\00:08:08.58
I want you to take
to be your wife." "Well,
00:08:08.62\00:08:12.39
God, I'll do
anything for you. But you want
00:08:12.42\00:08:15.49
me to go and take
that one to be my wife?"
00:08:15.52\00:08:18.69
"Yes." "But
God!" "I said, yes!."
00:08:18.73\00:08:23.37
God is telling this
holy man to marry this
00:08:23.40\00:08:25.77
unholy woman who is
sure to break his heart.
00:08:25.80\00:08:27.70
One that Hosea knows
will not be faithful.
00:08:27.74\00:08:29.74
A woman that by her own
wicked nature is certain
00:08:29.77\00:08:32.21
to commit adultery. A
promiscuous woman that is
00:08:32.24\00:08:34.71
destined to cause
endless frustration and
00:08:34.74\00:08:37.25
monumental grief.
But God still tells him,
00:08:37.28\00:08:40.98
"Go, marry Gomer." 
Now why does God tell a
00:08:41.02\00:08:47.29
prophet to go marry a
prostitute? Verse 2 gives
00:08:47.32\00:08:52.36
us our answer. The
Lord God said to Hosea,
00:08:52.39\00:08:55.16
"Go, take unto thee
a wife of whoredoms and
00:08:55.20\00:08:56.90
children of
whoredoms: for the land hath
00:08:56.93\00:08:58.53
committed great whoredom,
departing from the LORD."
00:08:58.57\00:09:00.47
I like the way the New
International Version puts it.
00:09:00.50\00:09:02.77
It says, "Go marry
a promiscuous woman.
00:09:02.80\00:09:05.21
Have children with her,
for like an adulterous wife,
00:09:05.24\00:09:10.55
this land is guilty of
unfaithfulness to the Lord."
00:09:10.58\00:09:15.02
You see, what I love
about God is, God never asks us,
00:09:15.05\00:09:18.62
asks us, to do
anything He hasn't done himself.
00:09:18.65\00:09:23.79
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
What do I mean? In the text,
00:09:23.83\00:09:26.29
Hosea represents God.
Gomer represents the people
00:09:26.33\00:09:31.70
of God. And the text
illustrates that because
00:09:31.73\00:09:35.50
God loves us so much,
that God does not stop
00:09:35.54\00:09:38.61
tugging at us until
He brings us back into
00:09:38.64\00:09:41.78
relationship with
Him. We wonder, we stray,
00:09:41.81\00:09:46.01
we've walked away.
We've been unfaithful,
00:09:46.05\00:09:49.65
we've cheated on Him,
but God is not willing
00:09:49.68\00:09:53.02
that any should perish but
all should come to repentance.
00:09:53.05\00:09:57.43
Now, can you imagine
Hosea's boys, his groomsmen,
00:09:57.46\00:10:02.53
his friends saying
"Hosea, you're respected among
00:10:02.56\00:10:06.00
the prophets. Your
name is among other prophets
00:10:06.03\00:10:08.97
in the land: Joel,
Jonah, Obadiah, Micah, Amos,
00:10:09.00\00:10:11.71
Isaiah. But your
decision making is in question.
00:10:11.74\00:10:16.38
Your wife is a
disgrace. Why in the world are
00:10:16.41\00:10:21.18
you married to a
woman like that? But then,
00:10:21.22\00:10:24.72
I can picture an
offended Hosea responding,
00:10:24.75\00:10:27.56
"You're asking me why
I'm married to a woman
00:10:27.59\00:10:30.29
like that? The better
question is, why is such
00:10:30.33\00:10:32.96
a good and loving God
married to an adulterous
00:10:32.99\00:10:35.66
people like
you?"  [Aud. reaction]
00:10:35.70\00:10:39.67
PB:  Hosea was
married to an adulterous woman
00:10:39.70\00:10:44.67
because God was married
to an adulterous people.
00:10:44.71\00:10:48.81
Gomer was unfaithful, and God's
church has been unfaithful.
00:10:48.84\00:10:55.28
Israel  had failed to
acknowledge God and therefore
00:10:55.32\00:10:58.69
Israel would be punished
and disloyalty to God was
00:10:58.72\00:11:02.39
the same as spiritual adultery.
Israel had turned their
00:11:02.42\00:11:06.96
attention to worshiping
the idols of Baal, sacrificing
00:11:07.00\00:11:10.17
on the altars of pagan
gods, and their women were
00:11:10.20\00:11:12.80
prostituting
themselves in pagan temples.
00:11:12.83\00:11:16.34
But God still loved
them in spite of them.
00:11:16.37\00:11:23.68
Church of the Living
God, I could stop right here.
00:11:23.71\00:11:28.58
We've been unfaithful
to Him. I said, we've been
00:11:28.62\00:11:34.89
unfaithful to Him.
Like Israel of old, we have
00:11:34.92\00:11:40.80
been unfaithful to God. I
don't care how long you've
00:11:40.83\00:11:44.33
been in the church. I
don't care how long you've
00:11:44.37\00:11:46.94
read your Bible. There
is a tendency among all of
00:11:46.97\00:11:49.74
us to break our
commitment to God. There's a
00:11:49.77\00:11:52.64
propensity among all of
us to break God's heart.
00:11:52.67\00:11:55.94
All of us have
sinned and come short of the
00:11:55.98\00:11:58.11
glory of God. All
of us have messed up.
00:11:58.15\00:12:01.22
That's why you can't
judge folk and look down
00:12:01.25\00:12:04.95
on folk just because
they've made a mistake.
00:12:04.99\00:12:07.19
Because the only
difference between you and
00:12:07.22\00:12:08.96
them is, they got
caught and you didn't.
00:12:08.99\00:12:11.76
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
We are all gone as sheep
00:12:11.79\00:12:14.20
to the slaughter. If
it weren't for the grace
00:12:14.23\00:12:18.03
of God, none of us
would be here today.
00:12:18.07\00:12:21.90
Don't act like you don't
know what I'm talking about.
00:12:21.94\00:12:24.04
Don't act all holy and
pious, because people who
00:12:24.07\00:12:27.24
perceive themselves to be holy
are never great worshippers.
00:12:27.28\00:12:30.58
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
Teach all the seminars you want,
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.38
but you'll never worship
God when you feel He ought
00:12:33.42\00:12:35.55
to be happy that
you're here. [Aud. reaction]
00:12:35.58\00:12:38.32
PB:  But when you've been
to an earthly hell and back;
00:12:38.35\00:12:41.76
when you've slept
around and fooled around,
00:12:41.79\00:12:46.03
you've messed
around and played around,
00:12:46.06\00:12:49.10
you could have been
in jail, you could have
00:12:49.13\00:12:50.97
been dead, you could have
been strung out somewhere;
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.50
shoulda been arrested,
but somehow God in His mercy
00:12:53.54\00:12:58.67
gave you another
chance. It'll make you praise
00:12:58.71\00:13:03.31
God like you just
don't care. [Aud. reaction]
00:13:03.35\00:13:06.92
PB:  We sit up and we
act all holy, but everybody
00:13:06.95\00:13:10.59
in here has a past and has
done something that's dark,
00:13:10.62\00:13:13.36
so don't point the
finger at somebody else.
00:13:13.39\00:13:14.82
Look at yourself.
You'd better tell somebody,
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.76
I'm not here
because I've been so good,
00:13:16.79\00:13:18.43
but I'm here
because God's been so good.
00:13:18.46\00:13:20.80
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
I'm here today because
00:13:20.83\00:13:22.30
of God's grace.
Amazing grace, how sweet the
00:13:22.33\00:13:23.47
sound that saved a
wretch like me. God is an
00:13:23.50\00:13:27.60
awesome God.
Somebody oughta thank God for
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.01
using you in spite
of you. Somebody oughta
00:13:30.04\00:13:32.67
thank God for working
on you in spite of all
00:13:32.71\00:13:35.11
the mess in your
life. I just came to let
00:13:35.14\00:13:37.85
somebody know that God
is going to keep loving
00:13:37.88\00:13:40.52
you until you learn
how to love Him back.
00:13:40.55\00:13:42.98
Gomer wasn't used to
boundaries. Gomer wasn't
00:13:43.02\00:13:49.02
used to commitment,
Gomer wasn't used to
00:13:49.06\00:13:50.79
accountability.
Her reputation is bad.
00:13:50.83\00:13:53.13
Life has lived her.
And this is why it's
00:13:53.16\00:13:56.70
difficult for
people, many a people,
00:13:56.73\00:13:58.73
to understand the
love of God, because you
00:13:58.77\00:14:01.07
can't imagine why
God would want to invest
00:14:01.10\00:14:03.87
in you, after all
you've done. But what I
00:14:03.91\00:14:08.51
love about the
Lord is this. It doesn't
00:14:08.54\00:14:10.18
matter how bad your
story is. It doesn't
00:14:10.21\00:14:12.78
matter what you've
done. It doesn't matter
00:14:12.81\00:14:14.48
what people remember
you for. God still loves ya.
00:14:14.52\00:14:19.09
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
In fact, you can never
00:14:19.12\00:14:21.49
get God to stop loving
you. Gomer, you've done
00:14:21.52\00:14:25.13
some things
you're still paying for,
00:14:25.16\00:14:26.70
but God wants to
still love on you. Gomer,
00:14:26.73\00:14:29.53
when people see you,
and when you show up,
00:14:29.56\00:14:31.80
they roll their eyes
at you. But God still
00:14:31.83\00:14:34.44
wants to love you.
When you walk away, Gomer,
00:14:34.47\00:14:37.17
people then begin to
huddle and they talk about you,
00:14:37.21\00:14:39.27
but God still wants to love
you. Understanding the text,
00:14:39.31\00:14:43.58
and I'm moving quickly,
that Gomer is unfaithful
00:14:43.61\00:14:46.15
in the relationship. Over
and over again she's unfaithful.
00:14:46.18\00:14:49.32
But Hosea is faithful in
his commitment to the marriage.
00:14:49.35\00:14:52.69
He goes to bed at night,
she's not there. She wakes
00:14:52.72\00:15:00.16
up in strange places,
but he goes looking for her.
00:15:00.20\00:15:04.27
Brings her back home.
Nurses her back to health,
00:15:04.30\00:15:09.57
because he loves her. Y'all
don't hear what I'm saying.
00:15:09.60\00:15:12.54
Can you imagine what
this must have looked like?
00:15:12.57\00:15:14.94
Here is a holy man, the
man of God, the prophet of God,
00:15:14.98\00:15:17.18
standing outside a
brothel, in line, waiting with
00:15:17.21\00:15:20.35
strange men who are waiting
to pay for the affections
00:15:20.38\00:15:23.05
of his wife.  Somebody's
gonna get this in a minute.
00:15:23.08\00:15:26.29
When Hosea found
Gomer, Gomer was a prostitute,
00:15:26.32\00:15:32.33
and because she was a
prostitute she was still
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.06
being controlled by
her pimp. Listen to me.
00:15:35.10\00:15:38.83
And the pimp in her
life represents the thing
00:15:38.87\00:15:41.94
that has controlled her
so long that also though
00:15:41.97\00:15:45.17
she now has everything
she wants, she now has
00:15:45.21\00:15:48.01
everything she
needs, she is still bound by
00:15:48.04\00:15:50.98
the past that
manipulates her future.
00:15:51.01\00:15:54.08
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
So when her pimp calls,
00:15:54.12\00:15:58.02
she sneaks out of
bed with her husband to
00:15:58.05\00:16:00.59
go back to that old
life. When he calls,
00:16:00.62\00:16:03.36
she loses all sense
of reason. And that's
00:16:03.39\00:16:05.93
how we do God. We
allow Satan to pimp us,
00:16:05.96\00:16:10.13
and although we say
we love God, we enter
00:16:10.17\00:16:13.47
into a relationship
with Him and we come to
00:16:13.50\00:16:15.60
the altar. We cry,
we pray, we kneel down,
00:16:15.64\00:16:18.04
we sing, we
shout, we wave our hands.
00:16:18.07\00:16:20.04
But as soon as the
pimp calls, we go running.
00:16:20.08\00:16:25.81
How is it that you
can talk about how you
00:16:25.85\00:16:28.62
love God so much,
but when the pimp calls,
00:16:28.65\00:16:30.99
you're unfaithful
to your relationship to
00:16:31.02\00:16:32.59
the Lord? So
today, who's pimping you?
00:16:32.62\00:16:35.49
[Aud. reaction]  PB: 
What is it in your life
00:16:35.52\00:16:39.39
that's so strong that
it takes priority over
00:16:39.43\00:16:42.60
your relationship
with God? What is her name?
00:16:42.63\00:16:46.53
What is his name?
What's the job's name?
00:16:46.57\00:16:50.24
What's the food's name?
What's the drink's name?
00:16:50.27\00:16:54.61
What's the drug's name?
What or who is pimping you,
00:16:54.64\00:16:57.81
because it's causing God
pain. It's breaking His heart.
00:16:57.85\00:17:02.95
God says, every job I
give you, you mean to tell
00:17:02.98\00:17:06.15
Me that you don't
have it in you to tithe?
00:17:06.19\00:17:07.86
Why do you keep
breaking My heart? I got you
00:17:07.89\00:17:10.29
in school, I got you
to Oakwood, I financially
00:17:10.33\00:17:12.09
cleared you, I
helped you pass the class.
00:17:12.13\00:17:13.56
Why do you keep breaking
My heart? You were sick,
00:17:13.60\00:17:16.60
you had cancer. I
healed your body, but why do
00:17:16.63\00:17:18.63
you keep breaking My heart?
Gomer was the type of wife,
00:17:18.67\00:17:22.24
much like today's
church, who ignores her husband
00:17:22.27\00:17:25.41
and secretly wishes he
wasn't around so she can go
00:17:25.44\00:17:28.58
enjoy his money, his
gifts, and what he brings to
00:17:28.61\00:17:31.58
the marriage. She
loves his affection,
00:17:31.61\00:17:33.45
loves his
protection, she loves eventually
00:17:33.48\00:17:35.85
sometimes being called by
his name, and sadly that's
00:17:35.88\00:17:38.49
like many church
folk. We love being called
00:17:38.52\00:17:42.66
Christian but we hate
being married to Christ.
00:17:42.69\00:17:45.96
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
 But today I'm so glad
00:17:45.99\00:17:49.36
that God's love is
not measured by our love,
00:17:49.40\00:17:56.91
that He keeps on
loving us. Cause the Bible
00:17:56.94\00:18:00.78
says while we were yet
sinners, He died for us.
00:18:00.81\00:18:05.75
Which means, He still
loved me when I was still
00:18:05.78\00:18:10.55
hurting Him. He loved
you while you were still
00:18:10.59\00:18:14.66
dippin' and sippin'.
Pimpin' and trippin'.
00:18:14.69\00:18:18.29
While you were still
doing your own thing,
00:18:18.33\00:18:20.96
He still loved you.
Think about it. Hosea would
00:18:21.00\00:18:25.20
go out every day, go to
work and go to do God's work,
00:18:25.23\00:18:29.57
and then he'd come
home in the evening only to
00:18:29.60\00:18:31.81
find their child in the
crib, crying, unattended,
00:18:31.84\00:18:34.61
dishes in the sink,
house a mess, and his wife
00:18:34.64\00:18:37.71
was out on a street
corner. Coming home at two
00:18:37.75\00:18:41.88
or three in the
morning, beat up, black-eyed,
00:18:41.92\00:18:43.65
bruised. But Hosea
would never condemn her.
00:18:43.69\00:18:46.49
He would just bring
her home, tuck her in,
00:18:46.52\00:18:49.92
and put her to bed.
The next day he would
00:18:49.96\00:18:53.23
go out again. He
would do God's work,
00:18:53.26\00:18:54.76
calling out to God,
doing what God would
00:18:54.83\00:18:56.20
have him to do. And
the next day, again,
00:18:56.23\00:18:58.30
she was nowhere to
be found. Every day she
00:18:58.33\00:19:03.04
would do the same
thing.  God told me to tell
00:19:03.07\00:19:07.14
you today, I've been
looking for you. Every
00:19:07.18\00:19:10.88
day I've been giving
you every thing. I see you,
00:19:10.91\00:19:12.75
this Sabbath, but I was
looking for you last Sabbath.
00:19:12.78\00:19:15.45
I was looking for you
the Sabbath before that.
00:19:15.48\00:19:18.42
I've been good to
you, I got you in school,
00:19:18.45\00:19:20.72
I got you that
job, I healed your body,
00:19:20.76\00:19:22.62
I got you in your right
mind. I gave you a house,
00:19:22.66\00:19:24.79
a car, but I'm looking
for you and I'm just trying
00:19:24.83\00:19:27.73
to figure out, do you
love Me enough that you can
00:19:27.76\00:19:31.27
say bye to your
pimp and hello to Me.
00:19:31.30\00:19:35.57
[Aud. reaction]  PB:  I'm done.
00:19:35.60\00:19:40.11
I didn't want to be
long, cause I knew it
00:19:40.14\00:19:45.51
would be long
today. I thank God that He
00:19:45.55\00:19:48.58
never gave up on
me.  [Aud. reaction]
00:19:48.62\00:19:51.12
PB:  When the world
and the church are ready
00:19:51.15\00:19:55.29
to throw you away,
God said I'm gonna keep
00:19:55.32\00:19:58.06
loving you till you
learn how to love Me back.
00:19:58.09\00:20:01.86
Then I know one day
you're gonna outgrow this
00:20:01.90\00:20:04.70
foolishness. You're
gonna outgrow this mess,
00:20:04.73\00:20:07.94
that one day you're
gonna get this thing together.
00:20:07.97\00:20:09.57
God could've given up on
me, God could've left me.
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.11
But I'm so glad that
if any man be in Christ,
00:20:12.14\00:20:16.24
he's a new creature.
Old things are passed away,
00:20:16.28\00:20:18.95
all things become new.
I'm so glad that God so
00:20:18.98\00:20:22.08
loved the world that
He gave His only begotten
00:20:22.12\00:20:24.45
Son that whosoever
believeth in Him should not
00:20:24.49\00:20:26.32
perish but have everlasting
life. Somebody looking
00:20:26.35\00:20:28.62
at me right now ought to
thank God that God so loved you.
00:20:28.66\00:20:33.16
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
 What does that mean?
00:20:33.19\00:20:37.00
It means what you
oughta be saying is,
00:20:37.03\00:20:40.17
I was so messed
up. I was so pitiful.
00:20:40.20\00:20:44.31
I was so
unfaithful. I was so trifling.
00:20:44.34\00:20:50.01
But God looked beyond
my faults and saw my need,
00:20:50.05\00:20:58.92
and I'm today glad
that He paid a price on a
00:20:58.95\00:21:02.52
debt He didn't even
owe. That He loved me
00:21:02.56\00:21:05.73
enough to go to
Calvary and die for me,
00:21:05.76\00:21:07.50
and the only reason
I'm here, Carlton Byrd
00:21:07.50\00:21:10.33
is here today, is
because God's desire for
00:21:10.37\00:21:12.70
me is to be
saved.  [Aud. reaction]
00:21:12.73\00:21:16.97
PB:  Now, let me
end with a reminder that
00:21:17.01\00:21:19.64
the name
"Hosea"--everybody say "Hosea."
00:21:19.67\00:21:22.14
Aud.:  Hosea.  PB:  Is
also pronounced Ho-shay-ah.
00:21:22.18\00:21:26.78
The same root for the
word "Joshua," and "Jeshua,"
00:21:26.82\00:21:33.32
the Hebrew name for
Jesus, which further illustrates
00:21:33.36\00:21:37.93
then that Hosea is a
foreshadow and a symbol of
00:21:37.96\00:21:43.13
Christ to His church. Now,
there's an odd couple for you.
00:21:43.16\00:21:49.97
Christ and convicts.
Righteous and unrighteous.
00:21:50.01\00:21:56.88
Savior and sinners.
Redeemer and reprobates.
00:21:56.91\00:22:05.25
Prince and prisoners.
Deliverer and delinquents.
00:22:05.29\00:22:15.13
But He loves you. He
loves me. He loved you when
00:22:15.16\00:22:22.00
you were unlovable. He
didn't wait till you got
00:22:22.04\00:22:25.11
right to love you. But He
loved you when you wouldn't
00:22:25.14\00:22:28.88
do right, when you
wouldn't act right. He loved
00:22:28.91\00:22:33.31
you when you were shacking
up, when you were shooting up.
00:22:33.35\00:22:35.65
He stopped the car from
crashing. He stopped you from
00:22:35.68\00:22:40.66
dying, stopped you from being
destroyed. And if none of you
00:22:40.69\00:22:43.73
all will praise Him, I will
bless the Lord at all times,
00:22:43.76\00:22:50.77
and His praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
00:22:50.80\00:22:55.87
When they put Jesus on
the cross, they hung Him
00:22:55.90\00:23:00.08
high and they stretched
Him wide. And I can hear
00:23:00.11\00:23:04.45
the devil saying, "Why
are you staying up there
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.98
if you know they're gonna
be unfaithful? Why are you
00:23:07.02\00:23:10.22
staying up there if you
know they're not gonna come
00:23:10.25\00:23:12.45
to church every Sabbath,
they're not going to study
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.36
their Bible. Why are you
staying up there if you know
00:23:14.39\00:23:16.89
that next week they're
gonna be drunk as a skunk,
00:23:16.93\00:23:19.49
talking about folk,
judging folk, robbing folk,
00:23:19.53\00:23:22.26
stealing from
folk, cheating on folk."
00:23:22.30\00:23:24.47
I want to hear God
say, "Devil, you didn't die
00:23:24.50\00:23:30.04
for 'em, I
did."  [Aud. reaction]
00:23:30.07\00:23:34.71
PB:  "Devil, you
didn't bleed for them. I did.
00:23:34.74\00:23:38.75
Devil, you didn't
rise for them. I did.
00:23:38.78\00:23:44.62
So you can't define
my love for them, because
00:23:44.65\00:23:48.76
I love them and one
day they're gonna learn
00:23:48.79\00:23:51.33
how to love Me back."
 The Bible says that He
00:23:51.36\00:23:56.43
hung from the sixth
hour till the ninth hour.
00:23:56.46\00:24:01.70
They took his body down
from the cross on Friday.
00:24:01.74\00:24:05.17
He lay resting in the
grave, according to the
00:24:05.21\00:24:07.64
commandment, on the
Sabbath. But early--
00:24:07.68\00:24:09.84
[Aud. reaction]  PB:  --early,
the first day of the week,
00:24:09.88\00:24:15.72
on the third appointed
day, He got up with all
00:24:15.75\00:24:20.66
power in His name, and
somebody oughta give Him glory,
00:24:20.69\00:24:26.23
because when He got up, you
got up, I got up, we got up!
00:24:26.26\00:24:36.04
Do I have a witness in
this place?  [Aud. reaction]
00:24:36.07\00:24:38.64
PB:  And is there
anybody in here today that says,
00:24:38.67\00:24:40.71
Lord, I know how I've
messed up. But this time I'm
00:24:40.74\00:24:46.68
gonna be more committed.
I messed up. But this time,
00:24:46.72\00:24:53.22
when I pray, I'm gonna
mean it. I messed up. But this
00:24:53.25\00:25:00.83
time I'm not gonna let
my job, I'm not gonna let my
00:25:00.86\00:25:03.00
girlfriend, my boyfriend,
I'm not gonna let anything
00:25:03.03\00:25:05.27
get ahead of You. This
time, it's nothing but You.
00:25:05.30\00:25:09.90
Because when I think
about how far God brought me,
00:25:09.94\00:25:14.38
when I think about how
much God has done in my life,
00:25:14.41\00:25:19.18
I can't help but give Him
glory. I can't help but give
00:25:19.21\00:25:23.85
Him honor, I can't help
but give Him praise. I can't
00:25:23.89\00:25:27.66
help but shout hallelujah.
If you knew, like I knew,
00:25:27.69\00:25:36.97
what I've been through,
you'd know why I preach like
00:25:37.00\00:25:41.54
I preach. Why I run
meetings like I run meetings,
00:25:41.57\00:25:44.54
why I shout like I shout,
why I stomp this foot like I do.
00:25:44.57\00:25:47.44
You'd understand why I
give Him glory. You don't have
00:25:47.48\00:25:51.15
time to be stuck
up. [Aud. reaction]
00:25:51.18\00:25:55.65
PB:  You don't have time to
be cute. Because you could be
00:25:55.68\00:26:03.32
somewhere on a corner somewhere.
He could have left you
00:26:03.36\00:26:10.47
in your mess. Somebody
oughta be excited because He's
00:26:10.50\00:26:17.94
been good to you.
Listen, Hosea went to a brothel.
00:26:17.97\00:26:25.61
Hosea went to the red-light
district, Hosea went to
00:26:25.65\00:26:32.29
the worst places
imaginable to get his bride.
00:26:32.32\00:26:37.16
But you know what? So did Jesus.
00:26:37.19\00:26:44.60
[Aud. reaction]  PB:  He left
the celestial courts of heaven.
00:26:44.63\00:26:53.01
He left the
palatial palace of paradise.
00:26:53.04\00:26:57.91
And He left to get
you and get me. So where
00:26:57.95\00:27:05.42
would I be if Jesus
didn't love me? Where would
00:27:05.45\00:27:10.19
I be if Jesus didn't
care? Where would I be
00:27:10.23\00:27:12.09
if He had not sacrificed
His life. Today I'm glad.
00:27:12.13\00:27:17.23
I'm glad He did. He
made a way--[Aud. reaction]
00:27:17.27\00:27:30.38
PB:  I don't know why He
did it, but He made a way.
00:27:30.41\00:27:45.56
I don't know how He
did it, but He made a way.
00:27:45.59\00:27:53.23
When my back was
against the wall, He made a way.
00:27:53.27\00:28:00.71
"Thank you very
much for tuning into this
00:28:00.74\00:28:02.74
week's Breath of Life Broadcast.
00:28:02.78\00:28:04.58
We hope and pray
that you have been blessed
00:28:04.61\00:28:06.65
by Dr. Byrd's
inspirational message.
00:28:06.68\00:28:09.22
If you would like
to hear this sermon in
00:28:09.25\00:28:10.79
its entirety, please
feel free to visit us at
00:28:10.82\00:28:13.59
www.breathoflife.tv or
call us at 256.929.6460.
00:28:13.62\00:28:23.37
Again, thank you
very much for joining us,
00:28:23.40\00:28:29.07
[END]
00:28:29.10\00:28:44.12