Breath of Life
Ministries presents:
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Sermon #B598 'We Walk
by Faith, Not by Feeling'
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[Breath of Life Music]
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Pastor Byrd: The
Word of God says in
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Second Corinthians,
5:6, “Therefore we are
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always confident,
knowing that whilst we are
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at home in the body we
are absent from the Lord.
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For we walk by
faith, and not by sight.
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We are confident, I
say, and willing rather to
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be absent from the
body, and to be present with
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the Lord.” Walk by
faith and not by feeling.
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Walk by faith and not
by feeling. Lord, bless
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us now. Be with us
as we preach this word,
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and forgive us for
our sins. When the appeal
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time comes, have your
way. Lord, I'm unworthy,
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but, Lord, make me
worth today. The only way I'm
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made worthy is through
the blood of Jesus. God,
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speak through me. Speak
to your people. In Jesus'
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name we pray begging
for forgiveness of sin.
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Let everyone say Amen. 
Walk by faith, not by feeling.
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This text is familiar to
us. We say it all the time.
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Walk by faith and not
by what, everybody? Sight.
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But the text also says,
it's better to be absent
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from the body and to
be present with the Lord.
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Now, when many people
read this text, they often
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misunderstand this text
or take this text out of
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context by trying to
justify that when a person
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dies they go straight
to heaven. They go straight
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to heaven and they
believe this with the statement
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that it's better to be
absent from the body and to
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be present with the
Lord. But remember, the Bible
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never contradicts
itself. The Bible teaches in
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Ecclesiastes 12:7 that
when a person dies the body
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returns to dust, the
spirit returns to God,
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which means the soul ceases
to exist. But not only that,
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the same person who
wrote 2 Corinthians 5 is also
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the person who
wrote 1 Thessalonians 4.
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In 1 Thessalonians 4,
Paul wrote that when Jesus
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comes back, the dead in
Christ are going to rise first.
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Then we which are
alive remain and be caught up
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together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord
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in the air. So, then
if a righteous dead person
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went straight to
heaven at their earthly death
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and they were already
in heaven, who would rise
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at Jesus' second
coming? Who would Jesus be
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coming back to get? But
I'm so glad for the Word.
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I'm so glad for the
Word of God that it doesn't
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contradict itself and
I'm so glad Paul doesn't
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contradict himself.
When Paul says to be absent
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from the body and to
be present with the Lord,
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what he's really
saying is, he longs to be with
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the Lord. And because he
longs to be with the Lord,
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he welcomed death.
Because the next voice he would
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hear on resurrection
morning would be the voice
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of Jesus Christ. Do I
have a witness in this place?
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But not only that, Paul
compares our earthly bodies
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with an earthly tabernacle.
And when this earthly
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tabernacle, he says, is
dissolved, we will have a
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new body, eternal, in
the heavens. So, we then need
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not fear death because
on resurrection day we will
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have new bodies. This
mortal will put on immortality.
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This corruptible will
put on incorruption and death
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is going to be swallowed up
in victory. Look at verse 8.
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Look at it again. Look at
it. Know the Word. Verse 8 does
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not say to be absent
from the body is to be present
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with the Lord. That's
not what the text says.
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It does not say to be
absent from the body is to
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be present with the
Lord. But the text says,
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I'd rather be absent
from the body and be present
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with the Lord. Not is
but and. Are you hearing
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what I'm saying? Now
that we cleared that up,
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let's go to the
meat of the message.
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Verse 7 says, we walk
by faith and not by what,
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everybody? Come on,
we walk by faith and not
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by what,
everybody? Everybody: Sight.
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PB: Sight. Which means
faith is simply believing
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what you can't see.
Faith is the substance of
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things hoped for. The
evidence of things not seen.
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Now, I want to talk
about some biblical characters
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today and I want to
first begin with Abraham.
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Everybody say
Abraham. Everybody: Abraham.
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PB: Now, Abraham was a
great man because Abraham
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had great faith.
Though he had a lapse of faith
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in the issue with
Hagar, Abraham, the Bible says,
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believed in the Lord.
And God counted it for him
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to him for righteousness.
Now, Abraham didn't slay
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any giants like David
did. Abraham didn't write any
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proverbs like Solomon
did. But Abraham believed God.
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Abraham didn't confront
any pharaohs or dispense any
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laws like Moses did,
but Abraham believed God.
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Abraham wasn't a learned
scribe like Ezra or a builder
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like Nehemiah. But
Abraham believed God.
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Somebody's going to
get this in a minute.
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Abraham didn't
have Samson's strength,
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he didn't have
Mordecai's political acumen,
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but Abraham believed
God. Abraham didn't command
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the sun to stand
still like Joshua or defeat
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mighty armies like
Gideon did. Abraham just
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believed God. Abraham
didn't walk into any fiery
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furnaces like the three
Hebrew boys or spend any
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time in a lion's den,
but Abraham believed God.
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When God told a 75-year-old
Abraham to get his stuff,
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pack up and go to a land
not knowing where he was going,
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Abraham believed God
and he went. When God told
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Abraham that he and
his wife Sarah would bear
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a child, that their
decendents would be as
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numerous as the
sand of the sea, Abraham
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believed God. When
Abraham was 99, Sarah was 90,
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and they bore a son
Isaac. They believed God
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because before
there were blue pills,
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there was faith
in God. Do I have a
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witness in this
place? Abraham was a
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walking example of
faith and not by sight.
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He couldn't see
it, but he believed it.
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And somebody needs to
be reminded today that
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in the name of
Jesus miracles can still
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happen when you
believe long enough and
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strong enough.
Somebody needs to be reminded
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today that sick
folk that have been given
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up for dead can still
be healed when we believe.
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A way can be made out
of no way when we believe.
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Problems can still be
solved when we believe.
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Answers to questions can
be given when we believe.
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Mountains can still
be moved when we believe.
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Satan can be
conquered when we believe.
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All things are
possible when we believe.
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That's what faith
is, believing what you
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can't see. We walk by
faith and not by what,
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everybody? Come on,
we walk by faith and
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not by what,
everybody?  Aud: Sight.
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PB: But for too many
of us, if we can't see it,
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we don't believe it.
If we can't handle it,
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we don't trust. If
we can't compute it,
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we won't risk it.
If we can't touch it,
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we don't rely on it, and
if we can't understand it,
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we don't even try
it. But our faith is not
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determined by human
sight. Sight impedes faith.
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Sight distorts
faith. Sight hinders faith.
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But faith mean, Lord,
that something is real
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even if we don't see
it.  Don't let your eyes
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fool you. What you
think is a burden just might
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be a blessing. What you
think is a negative just
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might be a positive.
Just because we can't see it,
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doesn't mean God
can't do it. I wish I had a
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witness in this
place.  But not only is sight
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an impediment to our
faith, how we feel is also
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an impediment to our
faith. Because how you
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feel can
negatively impact your faith.
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Faith is believing
what you can't see,
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and faith is also
believing when you're
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not feeling it.
When I say feeling it,
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I'm not talking
about what you can touch.
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I'm talking about
how you feel. I'm talking
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about your
emotional state. I'm not,
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I'm talking about
believing when you
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don't feel it can
happen, not just when
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you can't see it,
but also when you don't
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feel it. Walk by
faith, not by feeling.
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Too often what we
believe is determined
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by how we feel. I'm
so glad Jesus didn't say,
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I'm not going to
Calvary because I don't feel it.
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Faith can't be
based on how you feel.
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Too often what you
feel governs what you
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believe God can do
through you, to you,
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and for you.
Somebody's still not getting it.
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Let me try it this
way. If you feel scared
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about something, it
would decrease your faith
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in what God can do.
If the three Hebrew boys
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had let fear
overtake them, they would have
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never stood tall
in the fiery furnace.
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If Daniel had let
fear overcome him,
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he would have never
continued to pray in
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front of people for
fear of the lion's den.
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Faith can't be
based on how you feel.
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You've got to walk by
faith and not by feeling.
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You're still not
getting it. Let me try it
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this way. A recently
licensed pilot was flying
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his private
plane on a cloudy day.
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The pilot was not
very experienced with
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flying or in
landing, so when the
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tower him to land
his plane, the man began
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to panic. But all of
a sudden, a stern voice
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came over the radio
waves. The voice said,
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“You just obey the instructions.
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We'll take care
of the obstructions.”
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That's what God's
trying to tell somebody today.
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You just obey the
instructions, I'll take
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care of the
obstructions. Walk by faith
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and not by feeling.
So then, Pastor Byrd,
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how do I do that?
Number one, you've got
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to have a relationship.
Everybody say relationship.
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Aud: Relationship. PB: You've
got to have a relationship.
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Very practical. You've
got to have a relationship
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with God. I'm not
talking about religion with God.
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There's a difference
between religion with God
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and relationship with
God. A lot of folk have
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religion but no
relationship. I see too many
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people who are
trying to exercise faith who
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don't have a
relationship with God. The only
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time they come to
God is when they are in a
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tough spot and they
need God to get them out
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of their crisis. We call
this jailhouse salvation.
00:11:09.83\00:11:13.30
An inmate will claim
to follow Jesus because
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they're in jail, but
just as soon as they get
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out of jail, they have
no more need for Jesus.
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This is not true for
all inmates, but for some.
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You'd be amazed at
people who only come to God
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because they had a
car wreck. Because they've
00:11:26.25\00:11:29.72
had a lump on their
body. But this is not the
00:11:29.75\00:11:32.99
kind of faith I'm
talking about today.
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Too many people
have relationships based
00:11:34.59\00:11:36.39
solely on the perspective
of, what can you do for me.
00:11:36.42\00:11:40.16
Be careful of folk like
this. Watch out for people
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who want to start a
relationship with you for the
00:11:43.70\00:11:45.57
purpose of seeing what
they can get out of you.
00:11:45.60\00:11:47.60
We call these people,
users, takers, opportunists.
00:11:47.64\00:11:54.08
As you know, I thank God,
He's granted me the privilege
00:11:54.11\00:11:57.25
and the opportunity to
preach a lot of places across
00:11:57.28\00:12:00.28
the country, across the
globe, and given my business
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background, people
always come up to me and they
00:12:02.62\00:12:05.32
always have a hustle. You
know, but game knows game.
00:12:05.35\00:12:10.93
Do I have a witness in
this place? Pastor Byrd,
00:12:10.96\00:12:14.83
I've got this invention.
I've got this product.
00:12:14.86\00:12:20.27
I've got this idea.
And they'll say, if we,
00:12:20.30\00:12:24.74
you and me, if we get
together on business together
00:12:24.77\00:12:30.78
we can go all over the
world and market this product.
00:12:30.81\00:12:35.95
I am a CEO of a company
and this product can be a
00:12:35.98\00:12:42.09
blessing to you.
Well, first of all,
00:12:42.12\00:12:44.49
they say they're a
CEO of their company,
00:12:44.53\00:12:46.19
but they're not the
CEO, they're the OE,
00:12:46.23\00:12:47.73
the only employee. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:12:47.76\00:12:52.10
Secondly, they're
saying we can go all over the
00:12:52.13\00:12:55.57
world and market the
product, but at present I'm
00:12:55.60\00:12:58.04
the one traveling.
They've the ones at home.
00:12:58.07\00:13:02.41
Are you hearing what
I'm saying? And so I'll say,
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hold up, brother, hold
up, sister, wait a minute.
00:13:04.51\00:13:07.08
My problem is not your
product. My problem is you.
00:13:07.12\00:13:12.62
I don't even know you.
And it concerns me that you've
00:13:12.65\00:13:16.86
got this product and the
only person that can help
00:13:16.89\00:13:19.33
you with this product
going is somebody you just met.
00:13:19.36\00:13:23.57
Where all these people who've
known you your entire life,
00:13:23.60\00:13:27.00
who trust your character,
and they don't understand
00:13:27.04\00:13:29.04
what you're about. You can't
ask them, you've got to ask me.
00:13:29.07\00:13:31.91
People invest in
things they can trust. Are you
00:13:31.94\00:13:34.31
hearing what I'm saying?
 Some people don't have a
00:13:34.34\00:13:36.78
relationship with God. But
they want God to do something
00:13:36.81\00:13:40.32
for them. Stop trying to
get God to do things for you.
00:13:40.35\00:13:45.15
You're trying to get a
God to move for you who you
00:13:45.19\00:13:47.92
don't speak to. Who
you don't even talk to.
00:13:47.96\00:13:52.69
You don't even
worship. You don't even serve.
00:13:52.73\00:13:54.63
You don't even live for
Him. You don't seek Him.
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.97
And then, in the time of
trouble you're talking about,
00:13:57.00\00:14:00.07
God, do something for
me. And then if He doesn't do
00:14:00.10\00:14:03.17
it for you, you want to
get an attitude. But miracles,
00:14:03.20\00:14:07.74
listen to me, begin
with relationship. That's why
00:14:07.78\00:14:13.38
I'm a praiser.
That's why I'm a worshiper.
00:14:13.42\00:14:18.19
That's why I lift my
hands and I bless Him.
00:14:18.22\00:14:21.29
Not just when I'm in
trouble, but when things
00:14:21.32\00:14:24.33
are going well in my
life. Because I will bless
00:14:24.36\00:14:27.36
the Lord at all
times and His praise shall
00:14:27.40\00:14:30.17
continually be in my
mouth.  But by the same token,
00:14:30.20\00:14:33.10
listen to me. You need
to understand that just
00:14:33.13\00:14:35.07
because you have a
relationship with God doesn't
00:14:35.10\00:14:36.74
mean that you won't
have trouble. Some people
00:14:36.77\00:14:39.81
think that if they
worship God and that they
00:14:39.84\00:14:41.74
serve God, that if
they pray to God, if they
00:14:41.78\00:14:43.88
have a relationship
with God, all your children
00:14:43.91\00:14:45.55
are going to make
straight A's. That your knees
00:14:45.58\00:14:47.92
will never go out,
your back will never go out.
00:14:47.95\00:14:49.75
You won't contract
cancer. You'll never get in a
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.39
car wreck. You'll
always pass the test or you are
00:14:52.42\00:14:55.32
always financially
clear.  But hello! Those that
00:14:55.36\00:14:58.49
live Godly lives will
suffer persecution. Let me
00:14:58.53\00:15:02.70
tell you something. I've
learned it and I've learned
00:15:02.73\00:15:04.47
it the hard way. You
can believe in God and still
00:15:04.50\00:15:06.84
go through trouble.
You can believe in God,
00:15:06.87\00:15:10.37
you can return your
tithes and offerings,
00:15:10.41\00:15:11.84
you can study your
Sabbath school lesson.
00:15:11.87\00:15:13.27
You can come to
church Sabbath after Sabbath
00:15:13.31\00:15:14.94
and still go through
tests. Go through trial.
00:15:14.98\00:15:18.61
Go through trouble.
When you came down this
00:15:18.65\00:15:21.25
aisle and gave your
life to the Lord, you did
00:15:21.28\00:15:22.92
not take up an
insurance policy that exempted
00:15:22.95\00:15:26.05
you from tests,
trials, and tribulation.
00:15:26.09\00:15:28.59
Just because you have
a relationship with God
00:15:28.62\00:15:30.59
doesn't mean you
won't go through anything.
00:15:30.63\00:15:33.56
Bad stuff happens to
good people. It happens to
00:15:33.60\00:15:38.13
bad people, rich people,
poor people, black people,
00:15:38.17\00:15:41.07
white people, all
kinds of people. Trouble will
00:15:41.10\00:15:43.54
come in spite of your
relationship with the Lord.
00:15:43.57\00:15:45.81
In spite of your
commitment to the church.
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.14
In spite of the
fact that you sing in the
00:15:48.18\00:15:50.38
choir or teach
Sabbath school, trouble will
00:15:50.41\00:15:52.15
come in your
life. But remember this,
00:15:52.18\00:15:55.18
the world may
shake our faith, but our
00:15:55.22\00:15:57.35
faith can shake
the world. Hallelujah,
00:15:57.39\00:15:59.29
somebody. We walk by
faith and not by feeling.
00:15:59.32\00:16:04.43
Number two, after a
relationship, everybody
00:16:04.46\00:16:07.76
say rationale.  Aud: Rationale.
00:16:07.83\00:16:09.76
PB: Come on, say it like
you mean it. Say rationale.
00:16:09.80\00:16:11.37
Aud: Rationale!  PB: Now,
rationale. When you're rational,
00:16:11.40\00:16:14.50
it demands that we
don't ask God to do for us
00:16:14.54\00:16:17.61
what we're not
willing to do for ourselves.
00:16:17.64\00:16:20.04
Okay. I didn't wake
up this morning and say,
00:16:20.08\00:16:24.78
Lord, I believe in
you to give me a shower.
00:16:24.81\00:16:29.12
I'm just going to
lay here, [laughs], Lord,
00:16:29.15\00:16:36.46
have mercy is right.
And wait on you, God,
00:16:36.49\00:16:40.63
to give it to me. I
don't talk to the Lord,
00:16:40.66\00:16:43.93
I know you've got
water, and I know you own
00:16:43.97\00:16:48.30
all the soap, and I'm
coming to you right now
00:16:48.34\00:16:53.88
in the name of Jesus for
you to wash me real good.
00:16:53.91\00:16:57.58
No, no, no, no,
no, no. No, no, no, no.
00:16:57.61\00:17:01.32
That's when I run a
seminar on church growth,
00:17:01.35\00:17:04.79
I tell the
preachers, I tell the elders,
00:17:04.82\00:17:06.52
I say make sure you
wash and you smell good.
00:17:06.55\00:17:08.56
I tell the ushers and
greeters, make you smell good.
00:17:08.59\00:17:11.66
You are the first line
of attack. You are not to
00:17:11.69\00:17:13.80
be a repellant, but an
attraction. Do I have a
00:17:13.83\00:17:15.66
witness in this place?
 Don't ask God to do for
00:17:15.70\00:17:18.77
you what you're not
willing to do for yourself.
00:17:18.80\00:17:21.04
And this is why a lot
of people get in church
00:17:21.07\00:17:23.00
and their life doesn't
change, because they're
00:17:23.04\00:17:24.91
expecting God to do things
that they are supposed to do.
00:17:24.94\00:17:27.71
Let's go to biblical
character number two,
00:17:27.74\00:17:29.88
1 Abraham, now the
woman with the issue of blood.
00:17:29.91\00:17:32.11
Jesus healed the
woman after she had done all
00:17:32.15\00:17:35.78
she could. He healed the
woman after she had spent
00:17:35.82\00:17:39.82
all of her money on
doctors everywhere. It was then,
00:17:39.85\00:17:43.29
after, that she went to
Jesus. She didn't ask God to
00:17:43.32\00:17:47.23
do for her what she
hadn't tried to do for herself.
00:17:47.30\00:17:51.00
Some people are irrational.
Just down right delusional.
00:17:51.03\00:17:55.67
Just because I'm a
person of faith doesn't mean I'm
00:17:55.70\00:17:58.64
not a rational thinking,
intelligent individual.
00:17:58.67\00:18:01.08
Do I have a witness in
this place? Just because I'm a
00:18:01.11\00:18:03.71
person of faith doesn't
mean I don't lock my house
00:18:03.75\00:18:05.71
when I leave it. Just because
you are a person of faith
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.32
doesn't mean you don't
have to study for a test.
00:18:08.35\00:18:10.49
I hear young people
all the time, I teach class
00:18:10.52\00:18:12.12
here at Oakwood, and
they pray before the test,
00:18:12.15\00:18:14.09
Lord, bless me to
remember what I haven't studied.
00:18:14.12\00:18:16.22
You can't ask God to remember
what you haven't studied.
00:18:16.26\00:18:18.36
Just because you are a person
of faith and you need a job,
00:18:18.39\00:18:21.93
doesn't mean you don't
have to get a resume together.
00:18:21.96\00:18:24.27
Get up, your nice outfit on,
and go have, apply for a job.
00:18:24.30\00:18:28.87
Don't ask God to do for
you what you're not willing to
00:18:28.90\00:18:31.54
do yourself.  But you better
be careful. Balance that thing.
00:18:31.57\00:18:37.21
While I encourage
people to be spiritual,
00:18:37.25\00:18:39.58
spiritual people to be
rational, I want to caution
00:18:39.61\00:18:41.58
those who are overly
rational not to think that your
00:18:41.62\00:18:44.15
experience ends at the
end of the your intellect.
00:18:44.19\00:18:47.39
Because some people are
so rational that they don't
00:18:47.42\00:18:50.46
leave room for the
supernatural move of God.
00:18:50.49\00:18:53.53
Let's go back to
that woman. Notice,
00:18:53.56\00:18:56.60
she didn't give up
based on her experience or
00:18:56.63\00:18:59.53
her feelings. She could
have said, I've done all
00:18:59.57\00:19:03.41
I could do. Forget
it. I'm done. I'm through.
00:19:03.44\00:19:08.44
I'm not feeling it. But,
no. She still sought Jesus.
00:19:08.48\00:19:13.45
What do you do when
life has handed you a problem
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.32
that you can't fix yourself
and you've done everything
00:19:15.35\00:19:19.05
you know how to do, but
you're still in a critical
00:19:19.09\00:19:20.99
situation. You're in a crisis.
You need a text from God.
00:19:21.02\00:19:24.29
You've exhausted all of
your resources. You've tried
00:19:24.33\00:19:27.00
everything you could to
help yourself, but you're still
00:19:27.03\00:19:29.43
in a crisis. You still
need a miracle from the Lord,
00:19:29.46\00:19:32.87
and that's, my friends,
what brings me to Oakwood
00:19:32.90\00:19:35.57
every Sabbath. Even
when it's raining, I still
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.61
want to come. Even when
it's snowing, I come. Why?
00:19:38.64\00:19:42.01
Because I still believe
in a God who can do things
00:19:42.04\00:19:46.05
I can't do. Who can
move things I can't move.
00:19:46.08\00:19:49.45
Who can see things I
can't see. Who can feel things
00:19:49.48\00:19:53.25
I can't feel. If I didn't
believe in a God like that,
00:19:53.29\00:19:56.39
I wouldn't be the
pastor of this church.
00:19:56.42\00:19:58.86
I didn't come here to
show you my suit or my new
00:19:58.89\00:20:03.26
shirt my wife bought
me, Amen. I didn't come here
00:20:03.30\00:20:08.67
to show you a car. I
didn't come here to prove to
00:20:08.70\00:20:12.01
you I got an education.
I came in here to build
00:20:12.04\00:20:15.88
up my faith. Faith
covered by hearing. Hearing by
00:20:15.91\00:20:22.52
the Word of God. Faith is a
substance of things hoped for,
00:20:22.55\00:20:26.15
the evidence of things
not seen. Those who need God,
00:20:26.19\00:20:28.79
who want God, hope to
have God, must come to God,
00:20:28.82\00:20:32.36
because God is a ward of
those that diligently seek Him.
00:20:32.39\00:20:35.16
I still believe in
miracles. I still believe we
00:20:35.20\00:20:39.40
serve a God who can
do things I can't do.
00:20:39.43\00:20:41.97
I still believe in a
God who can do some stuff
00:20:42.00\00:20:44.71
that doesn't make sense.
I believe God rolled back
00:20:44.74\00:20:47.74
the Red Sea and the
children of Israel walked on
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.44
dry ground. I believe that
God provided air conditioning
00:20:49.48\00:20:52.48
in a fiery furnace. I
believe that God locked the
00:20:52.51\00:20:55.75
lion's jaw. I do
believe that God raised Lazarus
00:20:55.78\00:20:59.62
from the dead. I believe
that God turned water into wine.
00:20:59.65\00:21:03.36
I do believe that we
serve a God who's able to do
00:21:03.39\00:21:06.43
exceedingly abundantly
and above all we can ever ask
00:21:06.46\00:21:08.60
or think. I believe in
miracles. I believe God can
00:21:08.63\00:21:11.63
put cancer in remission. I
believe that God can shrink
00:21:11.67\00:21:15.57
tumors in our bodies. I
believe God can provided money
00:21:15.60\00:21:19.21
from unlikely sources.
I believe that you can get
00:21:19.24\00:21:22.74
in school with God
when you don't have money.
00:21:22.78\00:21:25.68
I believe God can
stop somebody's bad habits.
00:21:25.71\00:21:29.52
I believe in
miracles. Do you believe today?
00:21:29.55\00:21:33.99
Do you believe today?
Then walk by faith and
00:21:34.02\00:21:37.39
not by your feeling.  Last
point and then I'm through.
00:21:37.43\00:21:40.93
Number three. After
relationship, after rationale,
00:21:40.96\00:21:44.23
get ready for release.
Release is when you step back
00:21:44.27\00:21:49.27
and you just let it go. Release
is when you let God be God.
00:21:49.30\00:21:54.91
Release is when you say,
okay, I've done all I know
00:21:54.94\00:21:58.95
how to do. It didn't
work, but here it is, God.
00:21:58.98\00:22:01.95
I release it. I turn it
over to you. I'm through
00:22:01.98\00:22:06.05
with it. God, in the
name of Jesus through the
00:22:06.09\00:22:08.62
power of the Holy
Ghost, I release it. You see,
00:22:08.66\00:22:12.83
if you're going to walk
by faith and not by feeling,
00:22:12.86\00:22:15.23
it's important to release.
Because as long as you hold
00:22:15.26\00:22:18.57
onto your problem by
yourself, God can't touch it.
00:22:18.60\00:22:21.57
As long as you think you
can handle it, you're not
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.54
eligible to receive the
miracle working power of God.
00:22:23.57\00:22:26.51
You have to have something
that has gotten so bad,
00:22:26.54\00:22:28.58
where you're through
with it, you release it,
00:22:28.61\00:22:30.65
and you turn it over to
Jesus. Can I testify just
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.08
for a moment today? Can I
testify for a moment today?
00:22:33.11\00:22:36.18
I think about the Family
Life Center. I think about
00:22:36.22\00:22:40.79
the school. People think
our church has all this money.
00:22:40.82\00:22:46.90
If you only knew. We are
not rich. Let me say that
00:22:46.93\00:22:53.70
one more time. If
Brother Jackson was in here he'd
00:22:53.74\00:22:55.54
be shouting on the
front row. We are not rich.
00:22:55.57\00:23:00.04
We didn't know how it
was going to happen. But God,
00:23:00.08\00:23:06.21
God made a way. God did
it. We released it and we
00:23:06.25\00:23:16.56
gave it to God. God did
it. When I was pastor in
00:23:16.59\00:23:22.66
Nashville, Tennessee,
I was assigned to pastor
00:23:22.70\00:23:25.20
a new church plant.
We didn't have money.
00:23:25.23\00:23:28.30
We didn't have a big
membership. Our membership
00:23:28.34\00:23:31.27
was composed of
people that we had knocked on
00:23:31.31\00:23:33.31
their door, so they
had come to the revival,
00:23:33.34\00:23:34.94
and they were
baptized. We had people in our
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.41
church who didn't know
a thing about tithe and
00:23:37.45\00:23:40.12
offering. But we
needed a church building.
00:23:40.15\00:23:43.49
We were worshiping in
a store front. We didn't
00:23:43.52\00:23:46.25
know how it was going to
happen, but God made a way.
00:23:46.29\00:23:51.29
God did it. We built a
church from the ground up
00:23:51.33\00:23:58.37
and next month I'm
going there to celebrate the
00:23:58.40\00:24:01.50
20th anniversary of
that church. [Applause]
00:24:01.54\00:24:06.61
PB: But it didn't stop
there. Because every round
00:24:06.64\00:24:08.81
goes higher and higher.
When I was pastoring in Atlanta,
00:24:08.84\00:24:11.98
we were trying to
construct, some of you all know,
00:24:12.01\00:24:14.42
a senior citizens housing
complex. But we needed a grant.
00:24:14.45\00:24:17.65
We needed the money. And
this story is close to my
00:24:17.69\00:24:21.89
heart because I can
clearly see the move of God.
00:24:21.92\00:24:25.03
We applied for the
grant. God gave us the grant.
00:24:25.06\00:24:28.50
God gave us 5.2 million dollars.
But after we had the money,
00:24:28.53\00:24:35.17
we still had to get the
city to approve the construction
00:24:35.20\00:24:41.48
and the building. Now, in
Atlanta, they, they have what
00:24:41.51\00:24:44.55
they call NPUs. They have
neighborhoods, the city can
00:24:44.58\00:24:49.08
approve something, but
the neighborhood residents,
00:24:49.12\00:24:51.45
they have to approve it. Right?
So, neighbors were complaining.
00:24:51.49\00:24:56.02
Neighbors were making a fuss.
If you build this building,
00:24:56.06\00:25:00.40
it's going to bring gangsters.
Now, mind you, there was
00:25:00.43\00:25:03.73
nothing on the property at
the time. And it was bringing
00:25:03.77\00:25:08.97
gangsters. Here we are trying
to put something on the property
00:25:09.00\00:25:12.41
and the folk in the city
trying to stop us saying it's
00:25:12.44\00:25:14.64
going to bring gangsters.
It's going to bring thugs.
00:25:14.68\00:25:17.78
Nothing was there and it
was already bringing thugs,
00:25:17.81\00:25:20.22
but we were trying to
put something on the building
00:25:20.25\00:25:22.22
to stop the thugs. It's
going to increase traffic,
00:25:22.25\00:25:25.15
they argued. More
cars, but yet, I would argue,
00:25:25.19\00:25:27.69
many senior adults
don't even have cars because
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.89
they don't even drive. But
folk were just making a fuss.
00:25:30.93\00:25:35.13
I will never forget, I was
young, when I got to Berean
00:25:35.16\00:25:39.77
I was 34 years old. I was
36 years old, I went downtown
00:25:39.80\00:25:45.07
to city hall. And I'm at
city hall trembling because
00:25:45.11\00:25:50.11
I feel this is going to
be the deciding moment in
00:25:50.15\00:25:52.18
my ministry. Yeah, I
got vision and all that kind
00:25:52.21\00:25:54.82
of stuff. God, I've got
to have faith. I preach all
00:25:54.85\00:25:57.59
this all the time. I've
got to see, but I also, God,
00:25:57.62\00:26:00.22
I've got to feel it.
There they ask, Doctor Byrd,
00:26:00.26\00:26:02.92
stand up and come before
the people. I walked up in
00:26:02.96\00:26:06.19
front of the people and
I made my pitch for why we
00:26:06.23\00:26:08.43
needed this senior
citizen center. I never forget,
00:26:08.46\00:26:11.53
one neighbor stood up and
said, Preacher, we're going
00:26:11.57\00:26:15.20
to fight you. Don't
mess with us. Now you know
00:26:15.24\00:26:21.44
[Chatter]  PB: Since I
believed in the spirit of
00:26:21.48\00:26:28.45
reciprocity, which
means, if you say what you going
00:26:28.48\00:26:31.72
to say, you better
be ready to receive what
00:26:31.75\00:26:34.12
I'm going to say. Are
you hearing what I'm saying?
00:26:34.16\00:26:36.42
I said, you can mess
and talk about messing with
00:26:36.46\00:26:39.43
you all me, you all
you want, but let me tell
00:26:39.46\00:26:41.70
you something. Don't you mess
with God. Hallelujah, somebody.
00:26:41.73\00:26:47.74
What happened? The
rezoning was approved.
00:26:47.77\00:26:53.51
Aud: Amen.  PB: We had
to move it from residential
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.24
to commercial. Somebody
knows what I'm talking about.
00:26:55.28\00:26:57.68
The parking requirements
were approved. The buffer
00:26:57.71\00:27:02.02
barriers was approved.
And today in Atlanta, Georgia,
00:27:02.05\00:27:07.29
a 5.2 million dollar, 50
apartment, senior citizen
00:27:07.32\00:27:12.03
complex is standing there
with the Seventh-day Adventist
00:27:12.06\00:27:15.23
name on it.  [Applause]
 PB: Don't mess with God.
00:27:15.26\00:27:22.04
Say to the devil. Running
over. God will make a way.
00:27:22.07\00:27:27.98
And then, here's the irony.
After we moved in, some of
00:27:28.01\00:27:33.92
them same folk, some of
those same folk, you know,
00:27:33.95\00:27:40.86
the show-me people, the doubting
people, the opportunists,
00:27:40.89\00:27:45.09
some of them same folk who
were fussing about construction
00:27:45.13\00:27:47.10
were calling the church
talking about, how can we apply
00:27:47.13\00:27:50.17
for an apartment in the senior
complex? God will make your
00:27:50.20\00:27:53.03
enemies your footstool.  [Organ]
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PB: That's what I
say, my haters, you know
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who they are?
They're my elevators.
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>: Thank you very much
for tuning in to this week's
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Breath of Life broadcast.
We hope and pray that you've
00:28:05.45\00:28:08.28
been blessed by Dr.
Byrd's inspirational message.
00:28:08.32\00:28:11.75
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:28:11.79\00:28:14.16
please feel free to visit
us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:28:14.19\00:28:20.20
Or call us at 256-929-6460.
00:28:20.23\00:28:26.17
[Music]
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END
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