#S054 - “This Is Just
The Beginning” (Part 1)
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And so today saints we want
to go ahead and jump into it.
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Do me a favor.
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Stand to your feet as
we get into the word today
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and identify those
who are in the hallways.
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Ushers, if you can kind
of let them slip on in now
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so that we can go seamlessly
into the teaching today.
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John chapter two
and verse number one.
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When you get there,
let me hear you say amen.
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Saint John, chapter two.
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And we're going to begin
together at verse number one.
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And in light of our
lunch and our investiture
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programs, we will
be very brief today.
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It's not just a goal.
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It's a promise today,
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not just a goal.
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It's a promise.
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John, chapter two and we're
going to begin together, verse
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number one. When you get
there, let me hear you say amen.
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All of our
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online apostles
are digital disciples.
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If you can do your work,
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if you can hit the
share button on Facebook,
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if you can
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copy the link on
YouTube and send it to somebody
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that they might
be blessed as well.
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The Bible says on the third day
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there was a
wedding in Qana of Galilee
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and the mother
of Jesus was there.
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Now both Jesus and
his disciples were invited
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to the wedding, and when
they had run out of wine,
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the mother of Jesus said to him,
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They have no what.
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And notice what
Jesus says to her.
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He says, Jesus,
Jesus says, Woman,
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what does your
concern have to do with me?
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My hour has not yet come.
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And notice what his mother does.
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His mother said to the
servant servants, whatever
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he says to you to do, do it.
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Now, there were set
there six water pots of stone,
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according to the manner
of purification of the Jews
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containing 20 or
30 gallons of peace.
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And Jesus said unto them,
fill the water pots with water,
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and they fill
them up to the brim.
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And he said to
them, Draw some out now
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and take it to the
master of the feast.
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And they took it.
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And when the master of the
feast had to sit, the water
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that was now made wine
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and did not know
where it had come from.
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But the servants who
had drummed the water knew
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the master of the
feast, called the bridegroom
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and said to him,
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Every man at the beginning
sets out the good wine.
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And when the guests have,
well, drunk them, the inferior
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you have kept the
good wine until now.
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This is the beginning of signs
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Jesus did in Cain of Galilee
and manifested His glory.
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And His
disciples believed in Him
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the day saints for
just a little while.
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I want to talk to
you under the subject.
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This is just the beginning.
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This is just the beginning.
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Let us pray together, Father.
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In this brief space,
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would you
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communicate,
hate, eternal truth.
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And, Lord, my prayer is
that in the hearing of the word
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that faith would be multiplied.
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Expand, insulate.
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So, Lord, would you give me
anointing to preach the word?
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But, Lord, would
you give us a special
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anointing to
receive and act on it?
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Bless us.
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To this end, we pray in
the wonderful name of Jesus.
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Let those who
believe say together.
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Amen. And a man.
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You may be seated in
the house of the Lord
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again talking
today on the subject.
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This is just the beginning.
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You know, church,
I want you to know
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that you serve a God who cares
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about the small things, beloved.
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I need you to be convinced
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that what ever
matters to you matters to God.
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There is no
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anxiety that He is unaware of.
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There is no stress
that he's not noted.
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There is no care that you
have that God is not tracking.
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In fact, God says He cares
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so specifically about you.
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That the very hairs on
your head have been numbered.
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God loves you so much.
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Church that he keeps record.
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Of every tier that has
ever fallen from your face
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so that God is so
particular in His love for.
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You that He's kept the record.
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Of the first tier.
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You cried when you came from
the womb up to the latest tier.
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You cried at the
funeral after a particular loss.
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I need you to know
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you serve a God that
cares about the small things.
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And it's weird
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because I used to operate
with this hierarchy of concerns
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because I thought
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that I was supposed to
take care of the little things
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and only take the
big things to Jesus.
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In other words, I
thought that I was supposed
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to take care of the promotion,
but give Jesus the termination.
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Shouldn't we
take care of the kids?
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But we take to Jesus the cancer.
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We operate with the belief
that we handle the minor things,
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but we give the
big things to God.
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But the reason you shouldn't
even try to handle the minor
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things is that there is a
way that seems right to a man.
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But the end is the way of death.
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And how many of us know that
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the little things I try
to manage on my own today
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become the big things I
have to take to Jesus tomorrow.
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In other words, friends, I
need you to understand that
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Jesus cares.
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Help me, Holy
Spirit, about everything.
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I need you to know that Jesus
hears even your tiniest prayers
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so that if you
pray, Jesus will help you
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find your keys in the morning
when you can't find them.
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If you
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pray when your
gas tank is on empty
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and the gas
station is 12 miles away,
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God will add fuel to your tank
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until you can get to
the place of refueling.
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In other words, young people,
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God cares when you're
being bullied in school
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and because your name
is registered in heaven,
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God is aware of
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everything that pertain
is until you hear me today.
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In fact, let me say it this way.
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I remember one day I was
traveling to Columbus, Ohio, and
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and as I got
married to my layover,
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I was working on my iPad.
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And when I was
getting things together,
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I left the iPad in the
seat pocket in front of me
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when I got off of the plane, and
I had no idea that I left it.
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But how many of us know that
when you register your Apple
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devices in the cloud,
what happens is it keeps track
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of every device that
is connected to the cloud.
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And so when I get there to
the sky cloud, I get a notice.
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That said, you
left your iPad behind.
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Now, I thought this was wrong.
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And I looked in my backpack only
to notice that it was missing
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and it was there that
I went back to the plane
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and the lady at the
counter got it there.
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And I guess what
I'm saying, friends,
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is that because the device
was registered in the cloud,
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every one of those
devices is kept record up.
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And what I'm saying is
that if Apple keeps a record
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of where all of its devices are,
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if your name is
registered in heaven,
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thank God it keeps
track of your movements,
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your issue, your
sorrows, and your page
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because you've been
registered in the cloud
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by the Almighty God.
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Are you hear me today, friends?
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And so quickly.
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As we look.
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At the story of Jesus
turning the water into wine,
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don't be so Adventist
that you missed the miracle.
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I just have to say
that on the front end,
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because you spend the whole
sermon trying to figure out
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if it was all for a minute.
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Grape juice, all right,
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or if it was the real thing.
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Now, now, again,
this story just shows us
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three principles
how one is spouse.
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The first thing it teaches
us is the power of intercession.
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So the Bible says that
Jesus was invited to come
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to this particular wedding.
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Now, I understand.
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That Jewish weddings
could actually go up to.
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About seven days.
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And the reason it was
such a celebration is that
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it was not just a cause
for the bride and the groom.
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It was a community
rejoicing that two people
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had entered into
covenant, one with another.
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And the Bible says that
they go to this wedding.
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In fact, designer
of ages says that Mary
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and Jesus were actually
related to the bride and groom
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and that Mary was actually
one of the wedding coordinators.
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Now, I need you to take note
that Mary notices that the wine
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is beginning to run
out, and she begins to talk
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to Jesus on
behalf of the couple.
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Now, I'm
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not sure if you've noticed
this in the text that the bride
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and groom never even
know there's a crisis.
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The bride and groom never
know that something is wrong.
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They never become aware
there is a lack and the reason
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they never face this anxiety
is because Mary was already
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standing in the gap.
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Mary was already talking
to Jesus on their behalf.
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The reason they living
their best lives and acting like
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nothing wrong is because
somebody saw what was coming.
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Start talking
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to Jesus on their behalf
and the need was supplied
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before they even
recognized they had a need.
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In other words, how
many of us are thankful
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that there are certain
crisis that never showed up
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because somebody
was talking to Jesus
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before
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you even
recognized they had a need?
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In other words, I
don't usually like for people
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to talk about me behind my back,
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but I guess it depends
on who you're talking to.
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If you're talking to
Jesus about me behind my back,
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then you actually
become my best friend.
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And is there anybody thankful
that you had a praying grandma,
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a praying mama, a praying daddy
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that was talking to
Jesus behind your back?
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In other words,
I need you to know
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there were weapons
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that were formed
that never got to prosper
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because somebody
was talking the job
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to Jesus on your behalf
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and say, I love loving friends.
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Because Mary, what she
did, what she stood in the gap,
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see, interceded
on behalf of those
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that did not even
recognize that was a need.
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And it was her petitions
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for these young people
that bless their household.
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When I want to say quickly
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to some of our seniors
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is to make sure that
no matter how it looks,
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no matter how they act up,
never give up your petition
00:11:51.77\00:11:54.68
for your children
or your grandchildren.
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I need you to
know friends of mine,
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that even if you fall asleep
before the prayers, answer
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that the prayer
doesn't get canceled
00:12:06.32\00:12:09.02
when your breath is
taken away because God
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has a way of answering prayers
even after you go to the grave.
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Why do you think? Sorry, Jacob.
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God bless everyone.
00:12:21.44\00:12:23.51
Because Jacob deserves death.
00:12:23.54\00:12:25.64
But because God made a
covenant with his granddaddy
00:12:25.67\00:12:29.04
that God continue to
bless Jacob and his descendants.
00:12:30.11\00:12:34.55
You are hearing
me today, friends.
00:12:35.38\00:12:37.52
And so this story
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anguish like Malcolm, it
kind of it kind of trips me out
00:12:39.15\00:12:41.76
because I'm
00:12:42.42\00:12:43.49
trying to figure out, see,
like, why would Jesus start
00:12:43.53\00:12:46.80
his miracle.
00:12:47.20\00:12:47.86
Ministry at a wedding?
00:12:47.86\00:12:51.17
Like, in my mind
when I look at this, that
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there is a real, real
sense of urgency here.
00:12:53.27\00:12:55.50
If Jesus does know
miracle, guess what, man?
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Nobody dies.
00:12:59.07\00:13:00.38
Nobody strokes out.
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Nobody begins to code.
00:13:02.18\00:13:03.98
I'm beginning to wonder, like,
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why is it, man, that
Jesus feels so impress
00:13:05.18\00:13:09.48
to do his first miracle
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by turning water into wine?
00:13:12.12\00:13:14.69
But I need you to know what the
miracle is and what it is not.
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The miracle
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is not that he
turned water into wine.
00:13:20.30\00:13:22.56
I need you to know
what the disaster is.
00:13:23.50\00:13:25.30
You see?
00:13:25.33\00:13:26.17
Understand that a
wedding was a time
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where your social status
would be placed on display.
00:13:29.30\00:13:32.21
So that.
00:13:32.51\00:13:33.58
Guess what if no one
Jesus does nothing, no one dies,
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no one is in pain, no
one suffers physical ailment.
00:13:37.78\00:13:40.38
The only thing that
suffers is their reputation.
00:13:41.45\00:13:45.72
Okay, somebody out and get it.
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So his first miracle
00:13:47.82\00:13:50.13
was to save
somebody's reputation.
00:13:50.16\00:13:53.09
Oh, God.
00:13:53.63\00:13:54.76
His first miracle was keeping
their lack from being exposed.
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Y'all still acting brand new?
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How many of us know it
ain't no miracle for him
00:14:01.54\00:14:04.01
to turn water into wine because
water and create a thing.
00:14:04.04\00:14:08.01
Although always obey the
command of their creator.
00:14:09.11\00:14:11.25
But the greatest
miracle is when God is able
00:14:12.25\00:14:14.38
to cover the
reputation of his children.
00:14:14.42\00:14:17.99
Oh, y'all acting brand new.
00:14:18.65\00:14:19.82
Anybody thankful today
00:14:19.85\00:14:22.12
that God kept your reputation?
00:14:22.82\00:14:27.30
That God
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.16
kept your reputation intact?
00:14:28.20\00:14:31.97
Somebody out of praise him for
the stuff that never came out.
00:14:32.00\00:14:36.37
For the things
that never got exposed,
00:14:37.21\00:14:39.51
for the things
that never hit Facebook.
00:14:40.44\00:14:42.34
Some of us have good character.
00:14:43.04\00:14:45.41
Some just have a good reputation
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.32
because God covered it.
00:14:48.88\00:14:52.02
Are you hearing the
word today, friends?
00:14:52.05\00:14:54.32
And see, God just
kept your reputation
00:14:54.36\00:14:57.49
until your character
could catch up to it.
00:14:58.46\00:15:04.37
Are y'all hear me today?
00:15:04.40\00:15:06.60
So, so real quick.
00:15:07.10\00:15:08.47
So something in Jesus
message comes to Jesus
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.17
and is like, man Jesus
day running out of mind.
00:15:12.21\00:15:13.51
I need you to show up. I
need you to do something.
00:15:14.61\00:15:16.28
And it's crazy
because Jesus, the.
00:15:16.31\00:15:18.88
Ancestor, her
woman, which was a.
00:15:18.91\00:15:21.32
Term of endearment or respect
that will be paid in that time,
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.59
he says This ain't
got nothing to do with me.
00:15:25.59\00:15:29.26
He says, I don't even know why
you bringing this matter to me.
00:15:29.29\00:15:32.03
He says, My
time is not yet come.
00:15:32.86\00:15:35.30
Now notice what Mary
then turns around and does.
00:15:36.36\00:15:38.73
She turns around and
says to the servants, Do
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.74
whatever he asks you to do.
00:15:41.77\00:15:45.31
Now I'm tripping
because the way she reacts
00:15:45.34\00:15:48.14
is not congruent
with the answer he gave.
00:15:49.01\00:15:51.95
In other words,
00:15:52.81\00:15:53.68
I have to read it
three or four times,
00:15:53.72\00:15:54.68
and maybe there's a
clause that I missed that
00:15:54.72\00:15:56.85
I don't understand why
she's telling the servants
00:15:56.89\00:15:59.29
to stand in the
face of obedience
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.22
when Jesus said, I ain't
got nothing to do with this.
00:16:01.26\00:16:05.43
But see, one of the reasons
she acted in the way she did,
00:16:05.46\00:16:08.83
where she was
convinced by his consistency.
00:16:09.83\00:16:13.60
Let me share with you
real quick desire of ages.
00:16:13.64\00:16:16.04
Page 68.
00:16:16.07\00:16:17.27
She talks about how Jesus
as a child talks about he,
00:16:17.31\00:16:20.94
how he had willing hands
that were ever ready to serve,
00:16:20.98\00:16:26.01
and he never left a
situation like he found it.
00:16:27.08\00:16:31.12
Okay, you out and get it.
00:16:31.15\00:16:32.92
In other words,
there was a consistency
00:16:32.95\00:16:36.12
about Christ that let her know
00:16:36.83\00:16:40.00
he would never leave a situation
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.93
the way he found it.
00:16:43.47\00:16:46.03
Okay.
00:16:46.07\00:16:46.77
It was her history with him
00:16:47.70\00:16:50.81
that anchored her in
the moment of great lack.
00:16:50.84\00:16:54.51
So in other words,
even as Jesus, as a child
00:16:54.54\00:16:56.75
from a babe up to the age
of about 30, whenever Jesus saw
00:16:57.91\00:17:01.85
a sparrow with a broken
wing, he didn't just walk by.
00:17:01.88\00:17:05.32
He picked it up
and he helped it.
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.99
When Jesus saw you carrying
a heavy burden down the road,
00:17:08.02\00:17:11.69
he didn't just go
about his business,
00:17:12.59\00:17:13.63
but he put his
shoulder up under the burden
00:17:13.66\00:17:15.90
and help you get where
he is that you needed to go.
00:17:17.00\00:17:18.70
When Jesus was a child and
saw an elderly person carrying
00:17:19.90\00:17:22.64
something heavy
across the street,
00:17:22.67\00:17:24.34
he would stop
00:17:24.37\00:17:25.14
whatever it was
that he was doing
00:17:25.17\00:17:26.98
and he would help you get
that burden across the street.
00:17:27.01\00:17:30.01
In other words, she
noticed something about her
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.41
baby boy is that he was
so consistent in his health.
00:17:32.45\00:17:36.08
He was so
consistent and helping others.
00:17:37.02\00:17:38.59
He never left a
situation like he found it.
00:17:39.59\00:17:41.29
And it was his consistency
00:17:41.92\00:17:44.66
that gave her
00:17:44.69\00:17:45.53
courage to know
that he would act, even
00:17:45.56\00:17:48.80
in the light of his response
to I'm still not here yet.
00:17:48.83\00:17:51.47
How many of us know
00:17:52.17\00:17:53.27
that Christ has been
consistent in your life?
00:17:53.30\00:17:57.27
Oh, God.
00:17:57.31\00:17:58.61
In other words,
00:17:58.64\00:17:59.74
he hadn't just come
through seven out of ten times.
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.58
But for me, he's come through
ten times out of ten times,
00:18:03.81\00:18:06.41
and he didn't
always come when I want it.
00:18:07.38\00:18:09.65
But he's always there right on
00:18:09.68\00:18:11.85
time.
00:18:11.89\00:18:15.76
And see, friends of
mine, one of the things I need,
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.46
you know, one
of the things that.
00:18:17.49\00:18:18.69
Will anchor you in the present
is if you keep a record of.
00:18:18.73\00:18:21.46
How God has
blessed you in the past.
00:18:21.50\00:18:23.97
You see, one of the reasons
we don't have any faith for
00:18:24.00\00:18:26.27
this moment is because
we've got spiritual amnesia.
00:18:26.30\00:18:31.11
We have forgetfulness about the
blessings and miracles of God.
00:18:31.14\00:18:35.08
And as some of you heard me say,
00:18:35.78\00:18:36.91
and it crazy how
we remember our curses
00:18:36.95\00:18:41.22
more than we
remember our blessings.
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.05
Somebody does
something wrong to you.
00:18:44.09\00:18:45.62
You remember it for 50 years.
00:18:45.65\00:18:48.56
God pays the bill.
00:18:48.59\00:18:49.76
You act like he ain't never done
nothing in your life before.
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.66
And what I'm saying to
00:18:53.23\00:18:54.46
somebody today is that if you
look at the consistency of God
00:18:54.46\00:18:57.50
and the faithfulness of God,
00:18:58.17\00:18:59.50
that if you look
back on your history,
00:18:59.53\00:19:01.54
you will have strength
to face a difficult destiny.
00:19:01.57\00:19:05.77
This man I remember
one time I was on a flight
00:19:05.81\00:19:07.81
and on this particular flight.
00:19:08.51\00:19:09.41
Malcolm, it began to
get a little turbulent.
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.41
We began to have.
00:19:11.45\00:19:11.95
Drops in the flight.
00:19:11.98\00:19:13.18
And I'll be honest with you, I'm
00:19:13.21\00:19:14.15
not one of those folk
that's a nervous flier.
00:19:14.18\00:19:15.95
I don't even really get
scared because of turbulence.
00:19:15.98\00:19:18.09
But on this day, man,
it was dropping hard, man.
00:19:19.15\00:19:20.72
The little luggage racks
were starting to come open.
00:19:20.76\00:19:22.86
And one of the things I do
00:19:23.49\00:19:24.29
when I see
turbulence that bad is
00:19:24.33\00:19:25.83
I just look at the flight
attendants to see how they move.
00:19:25.86\00:19:28.30
And in that situation.
00:19:28.33\00:19:29.76
And so I remember
this particular day,
00:19:29.80\00:19:31.27
I was sitting near the exit
row and the flight attendant
00:19:31.30\00:19:33.54
was sitting
right across from me.
00:19:33.57\00:19:35.20
And it's funny
00:19:35.24\00:19:36.10
because we're in
the storm, dead drops
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.54
and the plane is
shifting and moving
00:19:37.57\00:19:39.44
and the flight attendant
00:19:39.47\00:19:40.41
right in front of me,
she don't even look up.
00:19:40.44\00:19:42.31
She's playing the
board games on her phone.
00:19:42.34\00:19:44.38
She's playing with her hair.
00:19:45.05\00:19:46.05
She's acting like
nothing and going on.
00:19:46.08\00:19:48.18
And so when
00:19:48.58\00:19:49.72
we get down to the floor,
did I ask her the question?
00:19:49.75\00:19:51.95
I say, I know you
got to play it cool
00:19:52.79\00:19:54.32
for the customers on the flight,
but when it gets this bad,
00:19:55.49\00:19:57.46
you got to get a
little bit nervous, don't you?
00:19:57.49\00:19:59.66
As she said, without a hit,
she says, I would get a little
00:20:00.90\00:20:03.33
nervous normally.
00:20:03.37\00:20:04.57
But she says, I've
been flying with this one
00:20:04.60\00:20:06.80
pilot so long, and
because I've seen him
00:20:06.84\00:20:11.51
bring God through worse, I
don't get nervous and stones.
00:20:11.54\00:20:16.81
Has anybody been
flying with Jesus?
00:20:16.85\00:20:19.35
So you do that.
00:20:19.38\00:20:22.42
You don't get
nervous in the storm
00:20:23.18\00:20:27.22
because you've seen him
00:20:27.26\00:20:29.69
bring you through worse.
00:20:29.72\00:20:32.56
I hear me today.
00:20:32.59\00:20:33.50
France.
00:20:33.53\00:20:36.93
So, so.
00:20:36.97\00:20:38.20
So Jesus tells them,
they say, feel the warp, but
00:20:38.23\00:20:42.37
the water pops up to the brim.
00:20:43.07\00:20:46.24
And notice that the Bible says
00:20:46.27\00:20:47.58
that they feel the water
pots all the way up to the top.
00:20:47.61\00:20:50.31
Anthony I see.
00:20:50.35\00:20:51.55
One of the things this teaches
us is that man partial obedience
00:20:51.58\00:20:57.22
will lead to partial blessings.
00:20:57.25\00:21:01.46
Are You're going to
cancel me in a minute,
00:21:01.49\00:21:04.43
but I'm going to stand here
in the strength of the Lord.
00:21:04.46\00:21:07.40
So if they only feel the parts
00:21:07.46\00:21:09.83
a third of the way up,
00:21:10.40\00:21:12.57
they only get a
third of the one.
00:21:13.40\00:21:17.41
If they only for
that half of the way up,
00:21:17.44\00:21:19.97
they only get half of the why.
00:21:20.01\00:21:22.54
But guess what?
00:21:22.58\00:21:23.41
Because they fill
it all the way up.
00:21:23.45\00:21:27.02
They got one that's
overflowing from the vats
00:21:27.05\00:21:30.92
because they operate in
obedience to what has been said.
00:21:32.05\00:21:36.36
I see.
00:21:36.39\00:21:37.46
What I need somebody to
understand about obedience
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.23
is that you cannot have
an obedience deficit and
00:21:40.23\00:21:43.10
operate in spiritual overflow
00:21:43.13\00:21:49.87
to. The
00:21:49.90\00:21:50.81
problem is we have
used grace as a reason
00:21:50.84\00:21:53.41
to not obey what it is
that God has told us to do.
00:21:53.44\00:21:57.61
And say, I need us
to understand this.
00:21:57.65\00:21:59.18
Fundamental. Truth.
00:21:59.21\00:22:00.38
The reason the issue is
that how many of us realize.
00:22:00.42\00:22:03.39
Certain covenant
blessings that God has made
00:22:03.42\00:22:05.99
are certain covenant
promises that He's made.
00:22:07.02\00:22:08.29
They are conditional.
00:22:08.32\00:22:10.73
They are conditional upon
you operating in obedience
00:22:11.86\00:22:13.43
with the covenant
that God has made.
00:22:13.46\00:22:15.63
And so what I'm saying to
us is that if we're not going
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.77
to obey the condition, why
are you running around here
00:22:18.80\00:22:23.24
trying to claim the promise?
00:22:23.27\00:22:27.11
Oh. Oh, you're all quiet now.
00:22:27.14\00:22:31.75
Doesn't the word say bring ye
00:22:31.78\00:22:34.98
all the time.
00:22:35.02\00:22:37.35
And you're.
00:22:37.75\00:22:38.35
Going to look happy? Grace
00:22:38.39\00:22:39.42
No, it doesn't say bring some.
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.49
No, don't look at your phone.
00:22:42.52\00:22:43.56
It doesn't say bring most.
00:22:44.63\00:22:46.70
It says bring you all
the time into the storehouse.
00:22:47.76\00:22:51.40
And he says, if you do it, I
open up the windows of heaven
00:22:52.57\00:22:55.74
and pour out such a blessing
00:22:56.40\00:22:58.07
that you don't have
room enough to receive it.
00:22:59.04\00:23:01.61
He has shown us, in his word,
00:23:02.31\00:23:04.15
how we are to
care for our bodies
00:23:04.95\00:23:06.72
if we want to
experience maximum health.
00:23:07.58\00:23:09.68
But I cannot experience
it if I want to abandon
00:23:09.72\00:23:12.89
the principles of say, amen
to the pastor the day church.
00:23:12.92\00:23:16.62
Amen.
00:23:17.13\00:23:18.19
The word says give and
this shall be given back to you.
00:23:18.23\00:23:20.46
Good measure pressed down,
second together and running over
00:23:20.50\00:23:26.13
and see.
00:23:26.17\00:23:27.04
The reason I need
to kind of say this.
00:23:27.07\00:23:28.60
Is because some of
us say I have faith
00:23:28.64\00:23:32.24
without
00:23:32.27\00:23:33.24
obedience, but I need
you to understand that
00:23:33.27\00:23:35.81
obedience is not what
qualifies you for the miracle.
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.48
Obedience is simply what
authenticates your faith.
00:23:39.58\00:23:43.92
No, no.
00:23:43.95\00:23:44.75
Obedience is the
price you believe.
00:23:44.79\00:23:47.69
Because for many of
us, faith is just theology.
00:23:48.69\00:23:52.26
It is just mental
assent to the word.
00:23:52.29\00:23:54.93
But I need you to know
00:23:55.46\00:23:56.26
that you ain't
believing for something
00:23:56.30\00:23:58.60
if you're not
acting in obedience
00:23:59.40\00:24:00.97
to the promise that God made.
00:24:01.00\00:24:03.37
So I need you to
know until you obey,
00:24:03.41\00:24:07.01
your faith is
going to remain dormant.
00:24:07.91\00:24:11.51
So I remember one time when.
00:24:12.18\00:24:13.72
My oldest son, he was a.
00:24:13.75\00:24:14.92
Baby, he wanted to kind
of help wash the dishes.
00:24:14.95\00:24:16.82
And so I told
him to run the water.
00:24:16.85\00:24:18.45
And get the sink full
of bubbles. And and so.
00:24:18.49\00:24:20.82
He made a little mistake.
00:24:21.46\00:24:21.82
What he did
00:24:21.86\00:24:22.82
was he filled the
sink halfway up with water
00:24:22.86\00:24:24.89
and then let
the water sit still.
00:24:25.69\00:24:26.73
Then he put the
dishwashing liquid in it,
00:24:26.76\00:24:29.86
and then
00:24:29.90\00:24:30.80
he was like, Daddy,
we ain't got no bubbles.
00:24:30.83\00:24:33.27
And the reason
we have no bubbles
00:24:33.30\00:24:35.17
is he let the water sit still
before he put the bubbles in.
00:24:35.20\00:24:40.01
And when you let the
bubbles pour in, steal water,
00:24:41.11\00:24:43.48
it's just gone, lie dormant
and it's not going bubble.
00:24:44.65\00:24:47.42
And so I said, Son, you've
got to pour and store the water
00:24:48.58\00:24:51.49
so that you engage the
bubbles so that it bubbles
00:24:52.55\00:24:55.96
up to overflowing.
Y'all missed it already.
00:24:55.99\00:24:58.33
So I need you to
understand, faith ain't nothing
00:24:59.39\00:25:02.23
but a half sink of water
00:25:02.80\00:25:05.17
with dishwater, dishwashing
liquid laying dormant.
00:25:05.20\00:25:08.40
But obedience is
what stirs our faith.
00:25:09.30\00:25:11.51
Or obedience is
what makes it bubble.
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.48
Obedience. Well,
it makes it flow.
00:25:15.31\00:25:16.91
And if you never obey,
it's just going to sit there
00:25:18.01\00:25:21.85
and nothing's going to
ever grow or develop from it.
00:25:21.88\00:25:24.15
I go hear me today friends
00:25:24.19\00:25:26.49
and this crazy
because I'm wondering like
00:25:27.42\00:25:28.96
why is this such a big
deal for Mary Rochelle?
00:25:28.99\00:25:33.13
But why is it
so critical for her
00:25:33.16\00:25:35.03
that she ministers
that she intercedes
00:25:35.06\00:25:37.07
and makes sure
00:25:37.10\00:25:38.27
that this young woman receives
the wedding of her dreams
00:25:38.30\00:25:42.17
And it shows us something
very powerful about ministry.
00:25:42.20\00:25:45.11
To the most powerful ministry.
00:25:46.01\00:25:48.04
Is not.
00:25:48.08\00:25:49.01
Necessarily when I
just volun teer for a.
00:25:49.04\00:25:50.91
Task,
00:25:50.95\00:25:52.55
but when I minister
out of my own experience.
00:25:53.58\00:25:58.25
What do you mean, Pastor?
00:25:58.29\00:25:59.95
Because this
woman, this young girl,
00:26:00.06\00:26:01.26
she's about to be embarrassed.
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.39
Cheap, not to be ashamed.
00:26:03.43\00:26:05.26
Do you realize, as this
young girl runs out of wine,
00:26:05.29\00:26:07.96
that they're
00:26:08.36\00:26:09.53
going to be talking about
her wedding 40 years from now?
00:26:09.56\00:26:11.63
Come on, y'all know
how y'all is, y'all.
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.80
Y'all know how we all come
on and same in like and like.
00:26:14.84\00:26:17.64
She won't be known as
his wife is her profession.
00:26:17.67\00:26:20.28
She'll be known forever
00:26:20.84\00:26:21.81
as the girl that ran
out of wine at her wedding.
00:26:21.84\00:26:24.35
In other words, it's
going to be filled with scandal.
00:26:25.41\00:26:27.42
I mean, seeing I'll be able
to post wedding pictures online,
00:26:28.62\00:26:30.55
because this is
going to remind everybody
00:26:31.45\00:26:32.39
that her stuff ran out
of wine and her wedding.
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.82
But why does Mary make sure
00:26:35.49\00:26:38.26
that Jesus does
something for her wedding?
00:26:39.16\00:26:41.66
Because remember,
00:26:43.06\00:26:44.57
because of Percy scandal,
00:26:44.60\00:26:47.20
Mary couldn't have hers.
00:26:47.77\00:26:52.31
So remember
because Mary got pregnant
00:26:52.34\00:26:56.64
and was going to start showing
00:26:56.68\00:26:59.05
she had to run to
the justice of the peace.
00:26:59.08\00:27:01.92
And there was
always a certain scandal
00:27:02.82\00:27:04.82
or a sense of what went wrong
00:27:05.52\00:27:07.02
that followed her
wherever she went.
00:27:07.89\00:27:09.79
And because Mary had
now found her redemption
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.56
through the son,
Jesus Christ, she says, I'm
00:27:14.60\00:27:18.63
not just going to keep
this redeemed sin all to myself.
00:27:18.67\00:27:22.74
I'm going to make sure
00:27:23.30\00:27:24.37
that this redemption
carries over to somebody else.
00:27:24.41\00:27:28.44
In other words, she
didn't just keep her salvation
00:27:29.54\00:27:32.41
and bottled it up, but
she made sure that she shares
00:27:33.55\00:27:36.48
the blessing that she's received
with those that need it.
00:27:37.62\00:27:41.19
Thank you so much for joining
us for The Breath of Life
00:27:42.56\00:27:45.59
Television Ministry Broadcast
with Pastor Debleaire Snell.
00:27:45.63\00:27:49.90
Now we hope and pray
00:27:49.93\00:27:51.33
that you have been blessed
by his powerful message today.
00:27:51.37\00:27:55.07
Join us next week for
part two of the message.
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.84
“This is just the
beginning.” You don't want
00:27:58.87\00:28:02.71
to miss it.
00:28:02.74\00:28:03.68
(Breath Of Life Music)
00:28:03.71\00:28:26.53