(Breath of Life Theme Music)
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Sermon #B646 - We All Need to
Be Adventrures and Pathfinders
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Pastor Byrd: Matthew 18 verse
number one, the Word of God
says, "At the same time,
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came the disciples unto Jesus
saying, “Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven?”
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Jesus called a little child unto
them, and set him in the midst
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of them and he said, “Verily I
say unto you, except ye be
converted.” Everybody say,
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converted, and become as little
children, ye should not enter
into the kingdom of heaven.
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Whosoever therefore shall humble
themself as this little child,
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the same as great in
the kingdom of heaven,
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and whoso shall receive one
such little child in my name
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receiveth me, but whoso shall
offend one of these little ones
which believe in me,
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it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his
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neck, and that he would
drown in the depth of the sea."
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Today, my simple challenge is we
all need to be adventurers and
pathfinders. Bless us now, Lord.
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Speak for your servants here and
forgive us of our sins. In the
name of Jesus, I pray this for
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and I ask these things, let
everyone say, amen and amen. We
all need to be adventurers and
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pathfinders. All right. So
Matthew 18 begins by picking up
where Matthew 17 left off.
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At the end of Matthew 17, if you
read it when you go home, Peter
is asked by the tax collectors,
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whether or not Jesus pays taxes.
They knew Jesus had not paid His
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taxes, but because they were
trying to discredit Jesus or
catch Jesus in some type of
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wrongdoing by any means
necessary, they asked Peter, who
was with Jesus, "Did Jesus pay
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taxes?" Now, I like Peter. I
know he had a big mouth but I
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like Peter. Peter was the type
of disciple I wish that I had
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around me because Peter was what
I call, "Ride or die for Jesus."
Peter will cut off somebody's
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ear for Jesus. Are you hearing
what I'm saying? Peter was ride
or die. I like Peter. Yes, he
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talked a lot, but I liked him.
So, Peter is going to cover up
for Jesus by lying,
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and so Peter says,
"Yes. He pay his taxes."
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When they get into the house,
Jesus says, "Look, Peter, you
don't have to lie for me.
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Do you think the tax collectors
collect taxes from their own
children or from others?"
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Peter responds, "From others."
Jesus then says, "Then, their
children are exempt.
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They don't have to pay taxes."
But Jesus says, "So we don't
offend anybody. Go to the lake,
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throw out your fishing rod, take
the first fish you catch, open
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its mouth and in the mouth of
the fish, you will find a coin."
Everybody say, coin.
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“Take the coin out of the
fish's mouth. Give it to the tax
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collectors and it will be enough
to cover my taxes and your
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taxes." Now, to understand
what's going on, the law said
that everybody was supposed to
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pay temple taxes, but the temple
tax collectors were making poor
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people pay taxes, but they
weren't collecting taxes from
their own children.
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They exempted the children who
were relatively well-off from
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paying taxes. They same
privileged children would grow
up and show favoritism to their
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own children, so it was a
continuous cycle, and consider
their children to be greater
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than the children of the
Israelites. So then, in light of
Matthew 17, Matthew 18 begins,
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and the disciples come to Jesus
and asked Jesus, “Who is greater
in the kingdom of God?” They
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knew Jesus came in the first
place, but they wanted to know
after Jesus, who was next.
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They had not really heard
what Jesus had said to Peter,
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so they were thinking just like
the tax collectors. They were
interested in worldly privilege.
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They wanted Jesus' positions in
the kingdom. They wanted to be
know, who would be next?
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These should not be strange to
us because it was the disciples
who would think this way,
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because you will remember in the
last supper, they wanted to know
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again, who would be greatest in
God's kingdom. Jesus rebuked
them and you will remember,
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He gave them the principle
of washing one another's feet.
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Let me comment here. I don't
care if I'm first or last in
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God's kingdom. I just want to be
in God's kingdom. Do I have a
witness in this place?
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In Matthew 18, after the
disciples asked Jesus who will
be the greatest in His kingdom.
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Jesus then, the Bible says,
“Finds a child in the midst.”
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Jesus tells the
disciples that they must go back
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and become like a child in order
to inherit the kingdom of God.
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Here Jesus says something
similar to what he was saying to
Brother Nicodemus in John
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chapter three. When he told
Nicodemus that in order to
inherit to the kingdom of God,
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he had to be born again. He had
to be born what everybody. But
Nicodemus with all his smarts,
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with all his intellectual
brilliance and philosophical
depth, was confused.
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How could he be born again? How
could he become like a child?
How could he be born again?
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He didn't understand how it
could happen. He said, "Jesus,
how can a man be born when he is
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old? How can he take his old
matured self all the way back to
a one celled embryo implanted in
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his mother's uterus? How?" He
said, "Can I go back?" Nicodemus
said, “Yes Lord, I want to be
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born again. Yes, Lord, I want to
be new. But Lord, how can I go
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back?" Jesus said, "You don't
know what I'm talking about. I'm
not talking about going
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backward. I'm talking about
going forward. I'm not trying to
decrease you. I'm trying to
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increase you. I'm not trying to
reduce you. I'm trying to raise
you. I'm not trying to subtract
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from you, but I'm trying to add
to you. You've got to become
like a child. You've got to
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become like a baby.
You must be born again."
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What Nicodemus didn't understand
was that there was a double
meaning to the Greek word Jesus
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used here in John chapter three,
when talking about being born
again. The Greek word was
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Anothen. Everybody say, Anothen.
Come on. Say it like you mean
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it. Say Anothen, which means
being born a second time and
being born from above.
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[Congregation: Yes] But don't
get it twisted, don't
misunderstand Jesus.
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Jesus wasn't saying only
children will go to heaven.
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What He was saying is we must
become like children in order to
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go to heaven. You all don't hear
what I'm saying. We must become
childlike. Now, you all know I'm
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young. I didn't hear any amens.
Let me try with DP. You all know
I'm young.[Congregation: Amen]
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That's why I love them. They
know when to say amen. Let me
try it for the church.
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You all know I am
young. [Congregation: Amen]
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But I'm not as young as I used
to be. I'm closer to 50 than I
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am to 40. Are you hearing what
I'm saying? My wife and I have a
daughter, not a child,
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but a daughter in college now.
We have a junior in high school
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now. Five years ago, we thought
we were through but it still
works, Hallelujah, somebody.
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The Lord blessed us with a
beautiful baby who's now five,
now in kindergarten.
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She is the joy of my life, the
joy of my wife's life, the joy
of our older two daughter's
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lives. She's not a young adult.
She's not a teenager, but she's
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a child. Praise God for this
wonderful child, Karissa, who
has taught me so many things,
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and reminded me of so many
things. When Jesus talks about
being like a child, being born
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again, being childlike to enter
into heaven. Through my child,
through Karissa, she preaches to
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me. I'm reminded through
our life of what it means to be
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childlike. I'm reminded number
one that you've got to be
humble. [Congregation: Amen]
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A child is humble. Jesus
said in verse four, "Therefore,
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whosoever humbles himself as
this little child is the
greatest in the kingdom of
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heaven." The disciples needed
this lesson and so do we today.
Humility, I'm preaching to
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myself now, is something we have
to work at. Being humble is not
easy. Humility is not given to
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us. We've got to work at it.
Humility doesn't mean you think
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less of yourself. Humility means
you think of yourself less.
[Congregation: Applause]
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Somebody going to get that
later. The Bible says, "Pride
goeth before destruction.
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A haughty spirit before a fall."
It was pride that changed angels
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into devils, but it's humility
that makes men as angels. I want
to throw this in. So often we
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talk about prayer. We read
Second Chronicles 7:14, "If my
people who are called by my name
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would humble themselves and
pray,” and we stop that, we stop
there. We love to talk about
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praying, but God says, “We not
need not just pray,” but God
says, “We need to humble
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ourselves.” Many times, the
reason God does not answer our
prayers in the way we ask is not
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because we're not praying,
but because we're not humbling
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ourselves. When we pray, humble
yourselves therefore to the
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mighty hand of God and He will
exalt you in due time. Isn't it
interesting that the Omnipotent,
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Omniscient and Omnipresent Jesus
didn't act all high and mighty,
that the Holy One wasn't holier
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than thou, that the one who knew
it all didn't act like I know it
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all, that the one who made the
stars didn't keep his head in
them? Humble yourself because if
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you don't, God has
a way of humbling you.
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Number two I learned from
Karissa, if you're going to be
childlike, you got to learn how
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to forgive. A child is
forgiving. A child has a
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forgiving nature. A child can't
get upset with another child
very long. That's why children,
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when they get into it with each
other, I've learned to back up
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out of it. Someone get involved
in children's stuff, leave it
alone, let them work it out
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because we'll get all upset. But
then five minutes later, they
have forgotten about it
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and they've gone back to playing
with one another. Children know
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how to forgive and forget and
move on. If we can't learn to
forgive each other,
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how do we expect God
forgive us? I wish I had time.
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Number three I've learned from
Karissa, don't worry about
tomorrow. Now notice,
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I didn't say don't think about
tomorrow. I said, “Don't worry
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about tomorrow.” Why worry about
tomorrow when tomorrow is not
even here yet? At this moment,
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we are in the here and the now.
No matter what your past looks
like, no matter how scary the
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future might seem. If you choose
to stop worrying and really
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focus on what is, you will
realize that your worries were
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in vain. Yes. Think about
tomorrow. Plan for tomorrow.
Prepare for tomorrow. Practice
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for tomorrow, but don't worry
about tomorrow. God's got you.
He's the Alpha and the Omega,
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the first and the last, the
beginning and the end. He is the
same yesterday, today and
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tomorrow, so he's got tomorrow
so don't worry about tomorrow.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:34,
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"Take no thought for tomorrow,
for tomorrow shall take thought
for the things of itself."
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A child doesn't worry about
tomorrow. Karissa could care
less what's going on tomorrow.
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Don't you worry about tomorrow?
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But then number four I learned
from children. In the words of
Bobby McFerrin, "Don't worry, be
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happy." A child is happy. We're
talking about entering into the
kingdom of God. You got to be
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like a child, which
means you got to be happy.
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Be humble. Be forgiving. Don't
worry. Be happy. That's why we
all need to be adventurers
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and pathfinders. Be obedient. Be
pure. Be true. Be kind. Be
respectful. Be sensitive. Be
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helpful. Be cheerful. Be
thoughtful. Be reverent. A
pathfinder is to keep the
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morning what? Do my honest what?
Care for my what? Keep a level
what? Be courteous and oh? Walk
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softly in the what? Go on-- 
keep a song in my what? Go on
God's what? [Congregation: Amen]
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We all need to be like
adventurers and pathfinders
because except we become as
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little children, we will not
enter the kingdom of heaven. I'm
almost done, but I got to finish
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the text. I'm almost done. Jesus
says in verse number six, "If
anyone causes one of these
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little ones, those who believe
in me to stumble. It would be
better for them to have a large
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millstone around their neck and
to be drowned in the depths of
the sea." I love this.
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If you mess with my children,
Jesus says, "If you cause any of
my children to lose their faith
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in me, it would be better for
you to have a rock tied to your
neck, and you to be thrown in
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the sea." Oh, I love me some
Jesus right here. Jesus is not
playing in the texts.
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For those that think Jesus was
docile and soft and submissive,
you better think again.
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The same Jesus that threw money
changers out of the church is
the same Jesus who says,
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"If you mess with my children,
you're going to be thrown into
the sea with a rock tied to your
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neck." [Congregation: Amen]
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I like that.
[Congregation: Preach]
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Jesus was merciful, but Jesus
was also militants. Are you
hearing what I am saying?
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I said Jesus was merciful, but
Jesus was also militants. That's
why I fret not myself
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because of evildoers. God will
cut them down like the grass. He
will make my enemies my
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footstool. Hallelujah,
somebody. [Congregat ion: Amen]
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Jesus says, "Don't cause my
children to stumble. Don't cause
my children to fall,
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and that's all my children."
Black children, white children,
male children, female children,
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young children, old children,
new member children, season
member children, college student
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children, season church members
children. We are all God's
children. Beware of false
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preachers. Beware of false
teachers. It would be better to
go to heaven, he says, “Keep
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reading the text.” With one hand
or one foot than to go to hell
with both hands and both feet."
00:15:28.52\00:15:32.79
[Congregation: Amen]
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He says, "It would be better to
go to heaven with one eye than
to go to hell with two eyes."
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Jesus warns those who trouble
God's church. He warns those who
keep up mess in God's church.
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He warns those who keep up
discord in God's church. He
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says, "False teachers will find
their eternal future in hell
whether it's wailing and
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gnashing of teeth." He says, "So
don't mess with my children, but
rather invest in my children."
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Because when you invest in
something, you're preparing for
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the future. Any financier will
tell you, "Don't invest in
stocks one day so that you will
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have a return the very next day.
But you invest in stocks today
because you're preparing for the
00:16:12.97\00:16:20.34
future.” You all don't hear what
I'm saying. Anybody know Warren
Buffett? Do you know Warren
00:16:20.38\00:16:25.51
Buffett? I know
of Warren Buffett
00:16:25.55\00:16:27.22
but I'm trying to get to know
Warren Buffett so he can pay off
that Family Life Center.
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You all don't
hear what I'm saying.
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Warren Buffet knows
something about money. He said,
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"If you aren't thinking about
owning a stock for 10 years,
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don't even think about owning
it for 10 minutes." He said,
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"Because somebody is sitting in
the shade today because somebody
planted a tree a long time ago."
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Adults, don't forget where you
came from. [Congregation: Amen]
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Many of the adults who are
sitting right here today are
Christians because a church
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invested in them,
when they were children.
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Let me tell you something. We're
all going to die. We all are
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terminally ill. We just have
different times. If we don't
invest in children at Oakwood,
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this church is going to die,
too. So you have to invest in
children, but investing in
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children comes with a cost.
According to investonmedia.com,
the average cost of raising a
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child to the age of 18 in the
United States is $233,610, which
is roughly $13,000 a year which
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is a little over $1,000 per
child per month. That's over a
quarter, almost a quarter of a--
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that's over a quarter of
a million dollars per child.
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When a church commits to being a
kid-friendly church, that comes
with a cost as well.
00:17:58.61\00:18:05.65
But the good news is, we must
become like little children.
When we invest in children,
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it also comes with a return.
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The first practical return is
that if we invest in children,
the church will continue to
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survive. But more than that,
when we invest in children, we
are investing in their
00:18:22.83\00:18:28.94
eternities. When we invest in
children, we're investing in the
00:18:28.97\00:18:35.11
kingdom. We'll invest in houses
that will get eaten by termites,
00:18:35.14\00:18:40.82
burned or blown away in a
tornado or a hurricane. We'll
invest in cars that will rust,
00:18:40.85\00:18:50.56
break down, and get crushed for
scrap and metal. We'll invest in
clothes that go out of style,
00:18:50.59\00:19:00.10
get too small or too big.
00:19:00.14\00:19:02.20
I won't need to take
my house with me to heaven
00:19:02.24\00:19:06.61
because I've got a mansion
with my name written all on it
00:19:06.64\00:19:13.45
waiting for me. I won't need to
take my car with me to heaven
because I'm going to take up
00:19:13.48\00:19:19.22
wings and fly from my mansion to
your mansion. I won't need any
00:19:19.25\00:19:26.36
clothes in heaven because God
already has a long white robe of
righteousness waiting for me.
00:19:26.39\00:19:32.50
The things I spend my time and
money here on Earth won't mean a
00:19:32.53\00:19:38.67
thing in heaven. But oh, when we
invest in our children, it will
count for eternity.
00:19:38.71\00:19:46.28
I'm almost done, told
you I won't going to be long,
00:19:46.31\00:19:48.32
but somebody is not getting this
so let me throw it in this and
I'm going to sit down.
00:19:48.35\00:19:51.59
When you invest your money, you
all know I'm a financier, I'm a
00:19:51.62\00:19:56.16
business person. When you invest
your money, you're engaging in a
certain amount of risk.
00:19:56.19\00:20:04.53
Everybody say, risk. Listen to
me good. Risk means that your
investments actual return maybe
00:20:04.57\00:20:12.67
different than expected. Risk
includes the possibility of
losing some or all of your
00:20:12.71\00:20:19.68
original investment, which means
there's a correlative
relationship between risk and
00:20:19.71\00:20:25.15
return. Are you
hearing what I'm saying?
00:20:25.19\00:20:26.82
But the greater, the amount of
risk that you take, the greater
the potential return.
00:20:26.86\00:20:33.73
The reason for that is,
investors need to be compensated
for taking on additional risk.
00:20:33.76\00:20:41.17
You all don't hear what I'm
saying. For example, any
investor knows that a United
00:20:41.20\00:20:48.31
States' T-bond or treasury bond
is considered one of the safest,
risk-free investments an
00:20:48.34\00:20:55.98
investor can make, but when it's
compared to a corporate bond, it
provides a lower rate of return.
00:20:56.02\00:21:02.32
But a corporate bond, though
riskier, provides a higher rate
of return or payoff.
00:21:02.36\00:21:09.46
The reason for this is that a
corporation is much more likely
00:21:09.50\00:21:14.94
to go bankrupt than the United
States government. Are you
hearing what I'm saying? So when
00:21:14.97\00:21:20.44
you invest your money, the
investor or the bank is going to
ask you, "Do you want low risk,
00:21:20.48\00:21:29.95
moderate risk, or high risks?"
I'm here to let somebody know
that when you become as a child,
00:21:29.98\00:21:38.83
there's no risk in following
Jesus. There's no risk in being
a disciple of Christ. There's
00:21:38.86\00:21:45.93
only return. There's only
reward. The risk for you today
is, are you willing to risk
00:21:45.97\00:21:53.17
everything for the Lord?
Somebody asked me one day, "Why
does it take everything to serve
00:21:53.21\00:21:58.75
the Lord?" It takes your
everything to serve the Lord
because it took Jesus everything
00:21:58.78\00:22:05.99
to save us. It took His hands.
It took His head. It took His
heart. It took His divinity.
00:22:06.02\00:22:07.79
Go with me to Heaven's divinity
room over 6,000 years ago before
the foundation of the world.
00:22:07.82\00:22:13.80
The Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost had a conversation in
00:22:13.83\00:22:17.97
Heaven. God knew that there
would come a time when men would
sin. God knew men would mess up.
00:22:18.00\00:22:23.47
So God asked God.
[Congregation: Whining]
00:22:23.51\00:22:29.41
What if, they don't accept our
sacrifice? What if, they don't
00:22:29.44\00:22:37.49
accept our gifts? What if, they
don't accept our blood?" It's a
risk. So low risk said, "Let's
00:22:37.52\00:22:49.40
kill them and let's start over."
Moderate risk said, "Let's save
the good ones and kill the bad
00:22:49.43\00:22:58.07
ones." But high risk said,
"Jesus would have to go to
Calvary and save everybody."
00:22:58.11\00:23:08.35
Jesus went to Calvary to save
a wretched like you and me. They
00:23:08.38\00:23:17.13
hung Him high. They stretched
Him wide. He hung His hand. For
me, He died. But that's not how
00:23:17.16\00:23:25.87
the story ends. In three days,
he rose again. High risk gives
00:23:25.90\00:23:32.57
high return. Are you willing to
risk everything for the Lord?
Are you willing to become
00:23:32.61\00:23:41.68
childlike? [Congregation: Yes]
00:23:41.72\00:23:43.39
In order to inherit the kingdom
of God, are you willing to be
born [music plays] again?
00:23:43.42\00:23:58.97
Because if you are, you got to
become childlike. If you are,
you got to become an adventurer,
00:23:59.00\00:24:13.01
you got to become a pathfinder.
00:24:13.05\00:24:16.65
[singing] Jesus went, to
Calvary, to save a wretch,
00:24:16.69\00:24:31.53
like you and me.
00:24:31.57\00:24:35.10
[singing] Jesus went to Calvary.
00:24:35.14\00:24:40.81
to save a wretch--
00:24:40.84\00:24:43.71
Like you--
00:24:43.75\00:24:44.61
[singing] You
and me, that's love.
00:24:44.65\00:24:56.99
Thank you very much for tuning
in to this week's Breath of Life
00:24:57.03\00:25:01.40
broadcast. We hope and pray that
you've been blessed by Dr.
Byrd's inspirational message.
00:25:01.43\00:25:06.00
If you would like to hear
this sermon in its entirety,
00:25:06.03\00:25:08.44
please feel free to visit
us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:25:08.47\00:25:14.34
Or, call us at (256) 929-646
00:25:14.38\00:25:22.28
[END]
00:25:22.32\00:25:26.79
[Music]
00:25:26.82\00:25:36.53
Our Breath of Life revival
held in Kingston, Jamaica
00:25:36.56\00:25:39.73
was marked by standing room only
attendance in the sanctuary of
the Andrews Church;
00:25:39.77\00:25:44.97
But not just inside the church
but outside the church, overflow
seating to accommodate the
00:25:45.01\00:25:53.85
crowd. In fact, when the appeal
was made on the culminating day
00:25:53.88\00:25:57.99
of the revival hundreds of
individuals responded to God's
call; making decisions to follow
00:25:58.02\00:26:04.39
Jesus Christ. We were also
pleased to meet another 
minister of the gospel, Pastor
00:26:04.43\00:26:09.10
Carl Brown, who heard about
Breath of Life and our ministry
00:26:09.13\00:26:11.83
and came to hear the
word of God for himself.
00:26:11.87\00:26:15.47
Dr. Byrd has been really a
dynamic, powerful, enthusiastic,
might I say “Holy Ghost filled”
00:26:15.50\00:26:23.51
preacher. Who has really changed
my perspective of seventh day
adventist preachers.
00:26:23.55\00:26:29.28
Cause-- For the most part
I think Dr. Byrd has been so
00:26:29.32\00:26:34.32
different. He has really gotten
my interest and--  that word
today was on point, it was just
00:26:34.36\00:26:41.86
amazing. Again, my perspective
on the seventh day churches is
changing; I must tell you.
00:26:41.90\00:26:48.80
Because even the
atmosphere today,
00:26:48.84\00:26:51.27
that's not something I'd
anticipated. I never knew it was
00:26:51.31\00:26:56.58
like this. It's been very
amazing and I must express my
sincere gratitude and
00:26:56.61\00:27:05.55
appreciation for Dr. Byrd, to
come into Jamaica and allowing
the Lord to use him in such a
00:27:05.59\00:27:12.29
mighty way; He along with his
team. It's been refreshing, It's
been a revival and I really
00:27:12.33\00:27:18.07
appreciate him. And I say Dr.
Byrd, continue to allow the Holy
00:27:18.10\00:27:22.37
Ghost to use you. You are a
force to reckon with, in this
time and season. God bless you
00:27:22.40\00:27:28.11
sir. I am so blessed that
Breath of Life is afforded the
00:27:28.14\00:27:33.35
opportunity to break down
misunderstandings and
misinterpretations about God's
00:27:33.38\00:27:39.02
people. In addition to
connecting with Pastor Brown,
00:27:39.05\00:27:41.89
we were given the tremendous
invitation by the president of
the East Jamaica Conference,
00:27:41.92\00:27:47.40
to return to this wonder island
country and share in an
additional revival in the very
00:27:47.46\00:27:54.57
near future. But reality my
friends is simply this, we
cannot do this without you.
00:27:54.60\00:27:59.44
To help Breath of Life continue
its mission of spreading this
wonderful gospel of Jesus
00:27:59.47\00:28:05.18
Christ. Please share a gift with
us today. Make your tax
deductible gift payable to
00:28:05.21\00:28:11.95
Breath of Life by mail, at
Breath of Life PO BOX 5960,
Huntsville, AL 35814
00:28:11.99\00:28:17.73
Give us all call the
number is 256.929.6460
00:28:17.76\00:28:23.43
Or you can visit us
online at www.breathoflife.tv
00:28:23.47\00:28:37.88
Breath of Life Television
Ministries is coming to the DMV.
00:28:37.91\00:28:41.08
Our Fall Revival be held
at the Dupont Park Church,
00:28:41.12\00:28:43.92
3985 Massachusetts Ave
SE, Washington, DC 20019.
00:28:43.95\00:28:47.86
We begin Saturday
evening October 5th at 7 P.M.
00:28:47.89\00:28:51.36
and continue through
Saturday October 19th.
00:28:51.39\00:28:54.10
We'll have  special
musical guest including
00:28:54.10\00:28:56.20
Lady Tramaine Hawkins,
Jonathan Nelson and Maurette
00:28:56.23\00:28:59.43
Brown-Clarke. For more
information the number is
00:28:59.47\00:29:03.67
256.929.6460, or visit us
online at www.breathoflife.tv
00:29:03.71\00:29:18.72