Sermon #S004 - It Never
Goes Like You Planned It Part 2
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Pastor Snell: Greetings family,
I'm Pastor Debleaire Snell. I'm
very excited to be able to bring
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the gospel of Jesus Christ right
there to your living room. On
last week we began a message
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entitled "It Never Goes Like You
Planned It". You've seen this in
your life, you plan it one way
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but it goes another way but the
word of God teaches us how to
handle all those things. So this
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week we want to give you Part 2,
so won't you get comfortable
right there where you are as we
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get ready to go into the study
of God's Word. Pastor Snell: And
see, I need you all to get this,
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saints. Because somehow in our
time, staying married has become
a controversial position to
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take. But did you notice what
the Bible says in verse 6? The
Bible says in verse 6,
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watch this "That the Lord
visited his people with bread."
Where are you all at, church?
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No, no, the Word says that when
they were running out of the
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Promised Land, God had a date of
deliverance.[Congregation: Yes]
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God had a day of provision. That
God had set a day when he was
going to change things.
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God had already a
plan to end the famine.
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But they were so busy running
from the famine that they
forfeited the miracle
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because they left the Promised
Land too soon. And what I'm
saying to us today,
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the famine may be severe but how
many of us know that God has a
day that he's going to end the
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famine in your life?[
Congregation: Cheering]
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He's going to end the financial
famine. He's going to end the
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emotional famine. That God
has got a day that he's going to
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send bread, but don't abandon
the miracle too soon.
[Congregation: Yes. That's
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right. Cheering] See, you
realized that those who
remained, that's a hard thing.
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When you see your cabinet and
your pantry get down to the last
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slice of bread. They see it in
the pantry, the bottle gets down
to the last drop of oil.
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Somebody on that last day
gets their last piece of fish.
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But because they abode in
Promised Land, right when they
got down to nothing,
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they found out that God
was still up to something.
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And what I need somebody to know
today is that it's hard to
winter in this terrain,
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but sometimes, it's when you get
down to nothing, that you find
out that God was still up to
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something. But don't
forfeit the miracle prematurely.
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Are you all hearing what I'm
saying today,
saints?.[Congregation: Yes]
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Listen, I remember, one day,
I was in my old church office
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and the kids were with me
hanging out for the day. I was
going to go upstairs and get
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them some snacks. And there was
some little stale stuff that was
in the office already,
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but I told them I'm going to
go get you all some snacks, all
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three of you all, you all just
hang here and I'll be back with
something good for you all.
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But there were some little stale
potato chips that were already
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there and I guess I took too
long to come back. I need you to
know that I got two boys and a
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girl. I need you to know that
these boys, you know how they
are, they ain't going to wait
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for nothing. And so what the
boys do is they just go ahead
and they eat the stale potato
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chips. But then when I come back
with Dunkin
Donuts...[Congregation:
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Cheering] ... they're already
full and their appetite is
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spoiled because they couldn't
wait for what I told them was
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coming. But guess what? My baby
girl sat there and then touched
nothing.[Congregation: Cheering.
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Applause] She waited based
on the word that was spoken.
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Now, I think I need you to get
is this, not only does she get
what I got for her,
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I was able to give her the boys'
portion.[Congregation: Cheering.
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Applause] Because she was
willing to wait on what daddy
said. Are you all not hearing me
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today? And what I'm saying is
sometimes, you forfeit the
provision...[Congregation:
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Cheering] Pastor Snell: ... when
you don't wait on what daddy
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said. And how many of us know
why some people get a double
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portion? Some
people get a double portion
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because they get the portion
that God brought for those who
were too impatient to wait on
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Him. Are you all not hearing
me today, saints? [Congregation:
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Applause] And how many of us
know that God is going to give
you double for your trouble if
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you learn to wait on his Holy
Word? [Congregation: Cheering]
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Are you hearing the Word,
saints? So, the Word says here
in verse number 16.
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The Bible says, "But Ruth said,
'Entreat me not to leave you or
to turn back from following
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after you. For wherever you go,
I will go. Where you lodge, I
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will lodge. Your people will be
my people and your God will be
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my God.'" The third thing this
teaches us, beloved, is the
power of a family witness.
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So, Naomi and her husband, they
moved into the land of Moab.
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As the boys grow into young
adult life, they marry Moabite
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women because that's all they
actually have to choose from.
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But one of the things that I
think is powerful about this
story is that after the husbands
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and the boys die, Naomi actually
was thinking that she is doing
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them a favor. Says, "Listen,
ladies, you all need to go and
make the most of your life while
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you're still young. You need to
contemplate getting remarried to
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someone else. I don't want to
drag you down the road that I am
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on. I need you to go back to
your people where you will have
an opportunity to start over."
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Now, understand that when most
folks get a chance to get away
from their mother-in-law...
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[laughing] ... most people
see that as a good opportunity.
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But I need you to get that Naomi
had such an attractive Christian
character...[Congregation:
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Cheering] That her unbelieving
daughters-in-law wanted to
follow after her even after
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their husbands had died and gone
to sleep. It's amazing how Naomi
literally has to try to push
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them away. And it's amazing how
Ruth ultimately decides that
she's just going to roll with
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Naomi wherever she goes. She
gets up in Naomi's face and it's
just like, "Listen, where you
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go, I'm going to go. Where you
lodge, I'm going to lodge. Your
people are going to be my people
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and your God is going to be
my God." Some of you all missed
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your shot already. Do you
realize that Naomi's witness was
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daughters-in-law that so strong
over her the daughter-in-laws
wanted to mimic her habits? They
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wanted to follow her customs,
they wanted to adopt her
lifestyle, and then they wanted
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to serve her God. [Congregation:
Cheering] See, the thing I liked
about Naomi is that Naomi is not
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condescending because she's got
the truth. You see the thing I
like about Naomi is that she
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doesn't condemn them because
they eat bacon, she does not
beat them up with doctrine, she
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does not wear them out because
they take mass instead of
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communion, she does not look
down on them because they
worship on a wrong day.
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What she simply does is
love them with the love of Jesus
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Christ, and it is the love that
awakens a willingness to follow
her tradition. [Congregation:
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Yes] And I need us to get this
that like us, it wasn't the
ideal situation for Naomi,
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this was not her preference.
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Her preference would have been
for her sons to marry spiritual
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Hebrew women so that the Godly
heritage will ultimately be able
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to be preserved. But once they
got married and the boys make up
their minds, she stops her
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protest and counsel and just
loves them with the love of God.
Are you with me today, saints?
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[Congregation: Yes]
Don't mishear me on this
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because I think it's appropriate
for you to want your children to
marry inside of the church,
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to want your siblings to
marry inside of the faith.
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It is appropriate for you to
want your grandchildren to be
equally yoked so that you can
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continue a Godly lineage and a
Godly heritage. But how many of
us know that once they get
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engaged or decide to get
married, you got to stop your
protest and you've got to start
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loving them with the love of
Jesus? Are you all hearing what
I'm saying? [Congregation: Yes]
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How many of us, really talk, you
know you can't make grown people
do anything they don't want to
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do? And the truth is that if you
are raising kids that are
rebelling against you,
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you realize the more
you try to break them up,
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you actually create the adhesive
that makes them stay closer
together. [Congregation: That's
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right] Sometimes, instead of
trying to break folk up, what
you got to simply learn how to
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do is pray, "Lord, let the
scales be removed from their
eyes. Help them to see what I'm
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able to see." And see, if they
choose not to be able to see,
what you got to simply do is
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attack and bum-rush them with
the love of Jesus. Are you all
hearing what I'm saying?
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[Congregation: Cheering] See,
when your child or your
grandchild gets engaged, or they
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get married, you know what you
got to learn? Is that at this
point, they're family now.
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[Congregation: That's right] You
can complain about it all but
that ain't going to change the
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si-- Am I preaching anybody
today? You all are related. In
other words, at this point,
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you are obligated to show
them the love of Jesus Christ.
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And see, the problem with us is
sometimes, we get so twisted in
our thinking that we want to
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always show our contempt for the
relationship, we want to show
our contempt for their decision,
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we want to shun them in our
religion. We show our
displeasure by voicing our
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doctrine and what we fail to
realize is that you can't shun
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people to Jesus. See, I need you
to get that it is love that
conquers all things. It is love
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that awakens curiosity. It is
love that awakens their
interest. It is true piety that
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garners your respect. It is the
fruit of your life that makes
them want to copy your habits
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and copy your customs and be
open to what you do. And God
will bring about the right
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circumstances to bring about a
harvest if you've sown seeds of
love. [Congregation: Applause]
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But you can't sow seeds of hate
and hope to get converted
fruits. [Congregation: Cheering]
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Are you all hearing what I'm
saying? At some point, you got
to stand down and let Jesus do
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the work. Are you all hearing
what I'm saying? Can we go to
the Bible? First Corinthians
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chapter 7 and verse 11. Can we
study the book together?
[Congregation: Yes]
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First Corinthians chapter 7 and
verse number 11. When you get
there, let me hear you say Amen.
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First Corinthians chapter 7 and
verse number 11. When you get
there, just say, "Pastor, I'm
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here." First Corinthians chapter
7 and verse number 11. The Bible
says, "But even if she does not
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depart, let her remain unmarried
or be reconciled to her husband
and the husband is not to
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divorce his wife. But to the
rest, I, not the Lord say, if a
brother has a wife who does not
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believe and she is willing
to live with him, let him not
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divorce her. And a woman who has
a husband who does not believe,
if he is willing to live with
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her, let her not divorce him.
For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified," by the what? Wife
00:12:07.59\00:12:12.86
"And the unbelieving wife is
sanctified," by the what?
Husband. "Otherwise, your
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children would be unclean.
But now, they are holy."
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In other words, if you decide to
go down that pattern or if
you've been converted after you
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got married and your spouse is
not, the Bible literally lets us
know that you are not to try to
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chide that person into the
faith. But the Bible literally
teaches that through a
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relationship with you, you get a
covering that is going to allow
them to experience the
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sanctifying power of God. Are
you all hearing me today,
saints? So go with me back in
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the Word. Go with me to First
Peter chapter 3 and verse 1.
First Peter chapter 3 and verse
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number 1. First Peter chapter 3
and verse1. When you get there,
say, "Pastor, I'm here."
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[Congregation: Pastor, I'm
here.] Pastor Snell: First Peter
chapter 3 and verse number 1.
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Come on, come on, hurry up.
First Peter 3 and number 1. My
feet are burning, help me Holy
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Spirit. First Peter 3 and verse
1. When you get there, say Amen.
[Congregation: Amen.]
00:13:21.93\00:13:23.47
The Bible says,
"Wives, likewise,
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be submissive to your own
husbands that even if some do
not obey the," what?
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[Congregation: Word.] Pastor
Snell: "Word. They, without a
word." Did you all catch that,
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saints? [Congregation: Yes.]
Pastor Snell: Oh, are you all
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seeing this? The Bible says,
"They, without a word, may be
won by the conduct of a Godly
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wife." [Congregation: Applause]
In other words, what's going to
win them is not a river of
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complaints and leading on them
but authentic Godly
conduct.[Congregation: Cheering]
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When they observe your chase
conduct accompanied by fear,
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do not let your dormant be
merely outward. Arranging the
hair, wearing gold, or putting
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on fine apparel. But rather, let
it be the hidden person of the
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heart, with the incorruptible
beauty of a gentle and quiet
spirit which is very precious in
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the sight of God. See, the
problem is we made this text
about wearing jewelry. That's
00:14:28.00\00:14:33.20
not what it's talking about.
What it's talking about is the
inner beauty of a converted
00:14:33.23\00:14:39.81
woman who doesn't have to preach
or sermon in order to win a man
00:14:39.84\00:14:42.94
into the faith. But if she just
lives like Jesus and loves like
Jesus, if a man leads like
00:14:42.98\00:14:49.82
Jesus, he ain't got to preach a
sermon if he just lives the
sermon. [Congregation: Amen]
00:14:49.85\00:14:57.83
Pastor Snell: Because your
witness is not in what you
teach. It's in how you love.
00:14:57.86\00:15:04.03
But how you love is what opens
the door to what you have to
00:15:04.07\00:15:07.94
teach. Are you all hearing words
today, saints? [Congregation:
00:15:07.97\00:15:12.67
Applause] Pastor Snell: The
fourth thing, the last thing
this teaches us friends,
00:15:12.71\00:15:14.68
is that it teaches us that when
it comes down with our family,
we got to live with greater
00:15:14.71\00:15:22.75
gratitude. And I'm not going to
get through all of this today,
do you know what Naomi's story
00:15:22.78\00:15:27.46
teaches us? It teaches us,
friends of mine... Oh, help me,
Holy Spirit, calm me down.
00:15:27.49\00:15:32.66
You better learn how to be more
thankful for the family you have
00:15:32.69\00:15:48.21
them.[Congregation: Applause]
while you have Pastor Snell: I
believe, friends of mine,
00:15:48.24\00:15:50.31
we've got to learn to abide with
one another with a lot more
gratitude and a lot less
00:15:50.35\00:15:59.39
scrutiny. See, the reason we
don't have gratitude for our
family is that we assume wrongly
00:15:59.42\00:16:04.66
that we're going
to always have them.
00:16:04.69\00:16:09.23
I'm not guessing when I tell you
that Naomi did not see her life
unfolding in the way that it
00:16:09.26\00:16:17.61
did. If you had talked to Naomi
as a young woman and she had
shared with you the way she
00:16:17.64\00:16:23.98
scripted out her life just like
young people sometimes do, she
had probably scripted out a
00:16:24.01\00:16:28.68
scenario where she and her
husband will grow old in the
00:16:28.72\00:16:32.99
city of Bethlehem. She could
foresee a day where she would
see her children grow up,
00:16:33.02\00:16:37.09
that she would see her
grandchildren grow up. And even
in an end-of-life scenario,
00:16:37.13\00:16:42.20
she could see her and Elimelech
buying a tomb right there in the
heart of the Promised Land.
00:16:42.23\00:16:48.24
That she would see her children
at her graveside, lowering her
down into the grave,
00:16:48.27\00:16:53.68
but understand she could never
foresee a day of having to bury
her husband in a land that was
00:16:53.71\00:17:01.25
not their own. She would never
foresee a time where life would
be so radically inverted
00:17:01.28\00:17:05.29
that instead of the
children burying the parent,
00:17:05.32\00:17:08.22
that the parent would have
to lower both kids down into the
00:17:08.26\00:17:12.46
ground, she would have never
seen herself going back to
Bethlehem with only the clothes
00:17:12.49\00:17:18.27
on her back, without a pot to
pee in or a window to throw it
00:17:18.30\00:17:22.20
out of. See, what Naomi teaches
us is that life never
goes...[Congregation: Like you
00:17:22.24\00:17:30.75
planned it. Yes. That's
right.] Like you planned it.
00:17:30.78\00:17:33.85
And I need somebody to
understand fundamentally that
there is an impenetrable veil
00:17:33.88\00:17:39.09
between the present and the
future, and it is unveiled one
00:17:39.12\00:17:45.09
second at a time. And the only
one that has stood on the other
side of the present is Jesus
00:17:45.13\00:17:50.60
Christ Himself. And the thing I
need somebody to get the reason
we are not walking around
00:17:50.63\00:17:57.17
assuming that we've got
tomorrow, thinking we can do
stuff later on down the line.
00:17:57.21\00:17:59.71
If being Adventist ought to
teach you one thing, is that
tomorrow is a promise to no one.
00:17:59.74\00:18:12.25
It's why we let the sun go down
on our wrath. It's why we let so
many things go without being
00:18:12.29\00:18:21.86
said. It's why we're so slow to
apologize. It's why it takes us
so long to pick up the phone and
00:18:21.90\00:18:29.74
be reconciled. It's why the only
time we get together is at a
funeral or a wedding.
00:18:29.77\00:18:33.84
It's the reason we allow family
drama to go unaddressed for
years and years and years. Why?
00:18:33.88\00:18:39.65
Because we assume there's going
to always be a day where we can
come together and get it right.
00:18:39.68\00:18:47.19
But one of the devil's greatest
deceptions, friends of mine, it
is not to get you to drink,
00:18:47.22\00:18:52.09
it's not to get you to smoke,
it's not to get you to shack up,
00:18:52.13\00:18:55.40
it is to make you believe you
got more time than you actually
00:18:55.43\00:19:00.84
have. [
Congregation: That's right.]
00:19:00.87\00:19:03.30
Pastor Snell: And so, I believe,
friends of mine, that if we're
going to function with more
00:19:03.34\00:19:06.64
gratitude, there are some things
we need to learn how to do with
00:19:06.68\00:19:10.21
each other. Are you all still
with me, church? [Congregation:
00:19:10.25\00:19:12.78
Yes] I believe as you function
in your marriage or in your
00:19:12.81\00:19:15.65
home, you would need to learn
how to focus on the good.
[Congregation: Yes. Amen.]
00:19:15.68\00:19:25.73
Pastor Snell: No. No. No. No.
No. No. Let me say this again.
Let me preach to you all on this
00:19:25.76\00:19:29.20
side. If you're going
to function with gratitude,
00:19:29.23\00:19:31.17
learn how to focus on the good
that's in your house.
[Congregation: Amen.]
00:19:31.20\00:19:36.91
Pastor Snell: See, you got
a good hand. [Congregation:
00:19:36.94\00:19:39.51
Applause] Pastor Snell: But you
don't know what to do with it
because you're looking with so
00:19:39.54\00:19:45.88
much scrutiny, that you can't
even see the good that everybody
00:19:45.91\00:19:50.92
you.[Congregation: Cheering]
else sees with Pastor Snell:
Pastor Ross, I see this all
00:19:50.95\00:19:52.99
too... Ain't it amazing how the
wife, she'll be married to a man
and he-- and listen, it'd be
00:19:53.02\00:19:56.99
true. He ain't no good, he was
a liar, he was a cheat, he was a
00:19:57.03\00:19:59.89
dog. He did all this stuff
wrong, didn't have anything good
to say about Him while he was
00:19:59.93\00:20:08.97
alive. But when she's standing
at the head of his casket, it's
00:20:09.00\00:20:13.88
amazing, she can talk for an
hour about some good things that
she would never say while he was
00:20:13.91\00:20:21.32
still living. And I need you to
know that those good traits
didn't show up after he died.
00:20:21.35\00:20:27.52
The hurt you had while he was
living just kept you from being
00:20:27.56\00:20:33.76
able to see it. And what I'm
saying is, beloved, if you can
find something that's good to
00:20:33.80\00:20:40.34
say about them when they die,
you can find something good to
say to them while they are still
00:20:40.37\00:20:46.64
alive. [Congregation: Applause]
Is there anybody that can make
it up in your mind to say,
00:20:46.68\00:20:50.41
"I'm going to live with
more gratitude in my house,
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.55
that I'm not going to spend
so much time looking at somebody
00:20:53.58\00:20:57.89
else's hand, I'm going to be
grateful for what God has put in
00:20:57.92\00:21:02.56
my hand." Are you all hear what
I'm saying today, church?
[Congregation: Yes]
00:21:02.59\00:21:06.19
Listen, there was a sister I
was counseling where she and her
00:21:06.23\00:21:09.26
husband-- She wanted him to be
more romantic. She said,
"Pastor, he just makes me so
00:21:09.30\00:21:13.60
sick. All he wants to do is go
to work and go to church and go
home."[Congregation: Laughing]
00:21:13.64\00:21:20.81
Pastor Snell: I looked at
her with a little cross-eyed and
00:21:20.84\00:21:23.75
said, "You better thank God, you
got a man that wants to go to
00:21:23.78\00:21:27.35
work." Where are you all
at? [Congregation: Applause]
00:21:27.38\00:21:29.42
Pastor Snell: Wants to go to
church and ain't sitting up in
the club. He likes to come home
00:21:29.45\00:21:32.85
every night. Are you all hear
what I'm saying? [Congregation:
00:21:32.89\00:21:35.02
Applause] Pastor Snell: It's
learning how to focus on the
good. In other words,
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.93
instead of complaining
that he works so hard,
00:21:38.96\00:21:41.43
maybe you ought to say, "Lord,
I thank you."[Congregation:
00:21:41.46\00:21:44.90
Cheering] Pastor Snell: Okay,
out of the frying pan, and thank
God that he works hard.
00:21:44.93\00:21:49.84
Brothers, instead of complaining
that she gained weight,
00:21:49.87\00:21:53.21
maybe you ought to thank
God that he knows how to cook.
00:21:53.24\00:21:56.11
Come on and say
Amen. [Congregation: Amen]
00:21:56.14\00:21:57.88
Pastor Snell: You ought to thank
God for the mother she is. Thank
God for the husband he is.
00:21:57.91\00:22:03.52
Thank God for the children that
you have. If you know where your
children are right now,
00:22:03.55\00:22:08.42
you ought to put your hands
together and bless the name of
the Lord that you can locate
00:22:08.46\00:22:16.00
where they are. Are you all
hearing what I'm saying,
brothers? Instead of running
00:22:16.03\00:22:20.74
around in the strip club, making
it rain on the woman on the
00:22:20.77\00:22:22.84
pole, you ought to make it rain
on that one that's cooking food
in your kitchen.[Congregation:
00:22:22.87\00:22:27.11
Applause] Make it rain on the
one that's making up the bed.
00:22:27.14\00:22:31.21
Make it rain on the one
that's raising your kids.
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.98
Make it rain on the one that
wipes the urine off the lip of
the toilet seat.[Congregation:
00:22:34.02\00:22:40.12
Cheering] You better celebrate
the one that God has given you.
00:22:40.16\00:22:46.83
Are you all hearing me today,
saints? [Congregation: Praise to
00:22:46.86\00:22:52.40
God] Pastor Snell: You
better learn how to have some
00:22:52.43\00:22:53.64
gratitude. Are you all hearing
what I'm saying? [Congregation:
00:22:53.67\00:22:59.44
Cheering] Pastor Snell: Second
thing, if you don't function
with gratitude, saints,
00:22:59.47\00:23:02.48
I want to encourage us to
learn how to forgive sooner and
00:23:02.51\00:23:13.09
apologize quicker. Pastor Snell:
Because, you know, one of the
things about real love...
00:23:13.12\00:23:15.66
Do you know what
1st Corinthians 13 says?
00:23:15.69\00:23:17.53
It says, "Love keeps no
record of wrongs."[Congregation:
00:23:17.56\00:23:22.70
Applause] Pastor Snell: So, to
the spouse that's keeping score,
that ain't godliness.
00:23:22.73\00:23:30.04
It's crazy, I've been married
almost 18, it will be 19 years
00:23:30.07\00:23:33.17
this year. It's crazy because
there are fights that we wasted
00:23:33.21\00:23:37.08
at the time. And I'm in my side
of the house and she's in her
side of the house and we're mad
00:23:37.11\00:23:40.75
at each other, and it's crazy
because I look back on it and
the crazy thing is, do you know
00:23:40.78\00:23:44.42
what? I can't remember what we
were fighting about.
[Congregation: That's right.]
00:23:44.45\00:23:49.56
Pastor Snell: And if you can't
remember what the fight was
about, do you know what that
00:23:49.59\00:23:54.23
means? It wasn't that deep in
the first place. [Congregation:
00:23:54.30\00:23:59.93
Applause] Pastor Snell:
But do you know what we do?
00:24:00.04\00:24:02.07
We like to draw a line and a
stance and we'd like to take a
00:24:02.10\00:24:08.54
stand. [laughing] Pastor Snell:
And do you know what's so crazy
00:24:08.58\00:24:12.41
about us? We'll take a stand
on matters of preference, not
00:24:12.45\00:24:22.79
principle. What is the last
principle you took a stand on?
00:24:22.82\00:24:27.76
You're going to take a stand
over Taco Bell versus KFC?
[Congregation: Laughing]
00:24:27.76\00:24:33.74
Pastor Snell: That's where
you're going to take your stand?
00:24:33.77\00:24:37.74
Over what? show you're all
going to watch on TV tonight?
00:24:37.77\00:24:39.81
That's where you're
going to take your stand?
00:24:39.84\00:24:41.78
You're going to take your stand
over what side of the bed to lay
00:24:41.81\00:24:44.91
on at night when you ain't took
no stand over family worship,
over your finances,
00:24:44.95\00:24:49.15
over the education of your kids,
over whether or not to go come
00:24:49.18\00:24:53.36
to church, and we take stands
over matters of preference.
[Congregation: Cheering]
00:24:53.39\00:24:59.69
And we let real
principle go by the wayside.
00:24:59.73\00:25:04.23
Do you know what the story of
Naomi teaches us? Do you know
what we ought to do, friends of
00:25:04.27\00:25:08.14
mine? We ought to learn in our
families to thank God for every
tragedy-free day. [Congregation:
00:25:08.17\00:25:18.55
Yes] Pastor Snell: You want to
thank God for every tragedy-free
00:25:18.58\00:25:25.52
day in your life. How many of us
recognize that we are all one
doctor's visit away, one stray
00:25:25.55\00:25:34.10
bullet, one texting teenager
while driving from having your
whole life turned upside down.
00:25:34.13\00:25:41.37
And what I'm
saying to this, beloved,
00:25:41.40\00:25:44.01
is that we've just got to get to
a place where we stop sweating
00:25:44.04\00:25:48.28
the small stuff, where we stop
dying over heels that are not
00:25:48.31\00:25:51.48
calvary. How many of us know
that every battle is not worth
00:25:51.51\00:25:54.82
fighting? But every day that God
wakes you up and you are still
in the land of the living,
00:25:54.85\00:26:00.56
instead of complaining about
what's wrong, maybe you ought to
00:26:00.59\00:26:04.83
just say, "Lord, I thank you
that you allowed us to
experience one more day."
00:26:04.86\00:26:09.56
Is there anybody that can say,
"Lord, I thank you that my bed
didn't become my cooling
00:26:09.60\00:26:15.67
board,"? Pastor Snell: Is there
anybody that can say, "Lord, I
thank you that when I got out of
00:26:15.70\00:26:21.68
the car last night, I made
it safely to my destination,"?
00:26:21.71\00:26:24.68
Is there anybody like the old
folk that can say, "Lord, I
thank you for waking me up one
00:26:24.71\00:26:31.99
more morning, thank you for
allowing me to be clothed in my
00:26:32.02\00:26:37.09
right mind,"? Is there anybody
that can just say, "I'm not
going to complain about today,"?
00:26:37.13\00:26:41.76
You're going to wake up and say,
"This is the day that the Lord
00:26:41.80\00:26:46.63
has made. I will
rejoice and be glad in it."
00:26:46.67\00:26:50.21
Instead of complaining, you
had to wake up in the morning,
00:26:50.24\00:26:53.44
you're going to say from the
rising of the sun to the going
00:26:53.48\00:26:59.38
down of the sun, that the name
of the Lord is to be praised!
00:26:59.41\00:27:03.65
You realize that it is because
of the Lord's mercies...
[Congregation: Applause]
00:27:03.69\00:27:08.66
Pastor Snell: ... that you are
not consumed. His compassions
they fail not, they are new
00:27:08.69\00:27:15.20
every morning. Let Oakwood
say great. [Congregation: Great]
00:27:15.23\00:27:17.13
Is thy faithfulness. It is why
the Bible says, "Let everything.
00:27:17.17\00:27:26.11
Let everything." Oh, I
see something, let everything.
00:27:26.14\00:27:28.58
I see someone, but let everyone
that has breath praise Ye, the
00:27:28.61\00:27:39.75
Lord! Give Him praise!
[Congregation: Cheering]
00:27:39.79\00:27:42.29
Thank Him if there's no cancer.
Thank Him if there's no lupus.
00:27:42.32\00:27:46.39
Thank Him if there was no
miscarriage. Thank Him if your
husband came home last night.
00:27:46.43\00:27:51.83
Thank Him if your wife made it
home from the doctor. Thank Him
that there is no diagnosis.
00:27:51.87\00:27:57.77
You've got a reason to praise
Him. You've got a right to
00:27:57.81\00:28:02.11
praise Him. You've got a
responsibility to praise Him. It
could have been different.
00:28:02.14\00:28:08.12
The outcome could have been
different, but God blocked it
and He would not let it be so!
00:28:08.15\00:28:18.13
Pastor Snell: And God is just
trying to get us to a place,
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.76
saints. (Breath
of Life Theme Music)
00:28:19.79\00:28:42.28
[End]
00:28:42.32\00:28:57.30