#S077 - “False
Advertising” (Part 1)
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And so I'm going invite
you to stand to your feet
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as we go to the
scriptures this afternoon,
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as we look to see
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what it is that God
has to say to our campus.
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Matthew, Chapter 21.
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Matthew, Chapter 21.
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And we're going to look
together at verse number 18.
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Matthew, chapter 21
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and we will begin
together at verse 18.
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When you get there, just
say, pass the room there.
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Matthew Chapter 21 and verse 18.
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And so I'm going to invite
those that need to slip out
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if you need to do that
quickly, if you would do that
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and those who need to come
in, come in so that we can begin
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settling the movement
here in the service today.
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Matthew, Chapter 21.
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And we're going to
look together at verse 18.
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When you get
there, you say Amen.
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We get to same it.
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All right.
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The Bible says
now in the morning
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as he returned to the city,
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he was what he was hungry
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and seeing a fig
tree by the room.
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He came to it and found
nothing on it but what but
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leaves and said to it, let
no fruit grow on you ever again.
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And immediately the
fig tree withered away.
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And when the disciples
saw it, they marveled, See,
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how did the fig
tree wither away so soon?
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So Jesus answered and
said to them assuredly,
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I say to you, if you
have faith and do not doubt,
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you will not only do
what was done to the fig tree,
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but also if you say to
this mountain, be removed
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and be cast into the
sea, it will be what?
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And whatever things you ask in
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prayer,
believing you will receive.
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But I want to read for
emphasis, verse number 19
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and seeing a fig
tree by the root.
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He came to it and
found nothing on it but
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leaves and said to it, Let
no fruit grow on you ever again.
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And immediately, the fig
tree withered away today.
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Saints for just a
little while with God's help.
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I want to talk to you and I.
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Student leaders
under the subject.
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False advertising.
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False advertising.
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Let us fruit together.
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Father, in this little
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while, would
you please say much?
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Would you make the
simple truths of the Scripture
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something that we can all hear
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and digest and to
put into practice?
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And so, Lord, I'm praying that
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you give me power and
strength to declare the word.
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The Lord, would you give
the people the faith, Lord,
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and the courage to
receive and live it?
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So, Lord, would you please hype
me in the shadows of the cross
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that Jesus only might be seen,
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that Jesus alone might be hurt?
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And at the end of our
time together, let Jesus alone
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be praise.
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Blessings. To this end,
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we ask in the wonderful
name of Jesus, our Lord.
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Let them that believe.
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Shout together. Amen. And amen.
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You may be seated in the
House of the Lord tonight.
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Today, again,
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talking to you under the
subject of false advertising.
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You know, it's coming up.
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As a child, I spent
a considerable amount
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of time hanging out at
my grandmother's house.
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And about 2/10 of a mile from
her home was a country store
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that we would walk to
in order to get snacks.
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She would give us money
and we would go to the store
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and buy candy,
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like now and later in about
I remember Down Now and Laters.
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When we get to the
store, we would buy Lemonheads.
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Anybody know Lemonheads?
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We would buy red, hot, yellow.
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No, nothing about that.
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We were buying Chicco Sticks.
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You got to be a certain age.
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We would buy honey buns.
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Little Debbie's
nutty buddies are.
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And every now
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and then, we would get a
plain bag of potato chips.
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And back in the day,
they would do something
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very deceptive
with potato chips.
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Because when you picked
up the bag from the shelf,
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it would be very
full and very puffy.
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And because of that,
you assume that the bag
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would be filled with chips
from the bottom to the top,
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only to find out that they
had a way of sealing the bag
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so that only a third of
the bag was filled with chips.
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And the rest of the
bag was filled with air.
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And so it looked
for it looked abundant,
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but beneath the surface,
it was just full of air.
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And it was a form
of false advertising
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because they did not
increase the content.
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All they did was
manipulate the container.
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And at times church
there is disappointment
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in the body because we are
guilty of false advertising.
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You see, some of us in
character are like a 1980s
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bag of potato
chips in character.
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Some of us are only one
third spirit, so but two thirds
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hot air.
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And many of us don't
really grow in the Lord.
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We just pretend to be more
pious then we are more prayerful
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then we are more
spiritual then we are.
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And the problem
with false advertising
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is it ends,
writes the manufacturer.
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And there are
some of us that feel
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a need to bolster our witness
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by pretending to be more
pious and more prayerful.
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There's some that feel the
need to strengthen our testimony
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through exaggeration.
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And how many of us know
that the witness of the believer
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is not that we are perfect.
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Our witness is
that we are progressing.
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In other words, you don't
have to have it all together.
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You simply got to be
growing in the faith.
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And how many can testify
that you might not be all that
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you ought to be, but you are
better than what you used to be.
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And you have the assurance that
if God has begun a good work
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in you, He'll continue it
until the day of Jesus Christ.
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Are you with me today?
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Church And so,
friends, this particular story,
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though brief and limp,
is filled with implication
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for the body of Christ
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and the first
thing this teaches us
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is that some of us should be
a bit more fruitful than we are.
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Let me say it again
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that some of us
ought to be more fruitful
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than we currently are
now to have the context.
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Remember that Jesus now
has entered into Jerusalem
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as He begins the
week of His passion,
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and as he enters the city,
he is met with cries of Hosanna.
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As the Jewish nation
look to coronate him as a key.
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Now, in order to understand
the Savior's frustration
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with the tree.
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You've got to understand
the season that we are in.
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You remember now
that Jesus is crucified
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about the same
time as the Passover,
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and during the
Passover they would receive
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what you called the
first fruit offering.
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And when the first
fruit offering was received,
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it meant that the vines
were putting forth their product
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and the branches were
putting forth their fruit.
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It meant that the harvest of the
wheat and barley was in place.
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And see, the reason that
Jesus even entertains the tree
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is because it is the season
for the tree to bear fruit.
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In other words,
you have this anomaly
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where this tree
is in harvest season.
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Yet this tree has
produced no fruit.
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In other words, the
climate is ripe for fruit.
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The soil is right for fruit.
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Everything is
conducive for fruit.
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And yet this tree
has produced no fruit.
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And it can.
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I suggest friends that like this
barren tree, that some of us
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should have more
fruit than we actually have.
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In fact, some have gone
through a planting season.
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Some have endured
a watering season,
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and God has made conditions ripe
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for you to bear more fruit
than you have in this season.
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And let me be clear asserts
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that I am not like
the prosperity preachers.
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I don't believe that
every season is your season.
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I don't believe that
every season produces a harvest,
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but every season
pushes you to your harvest.
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And see, this is the thing
for somebody is that somebody
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you can be in harvest
season and not know it.
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Let me say it
again that you can be
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in a season of
harvest and not know it.
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In fact, young people.
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I want to suggest that
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spiritually some of us should
have more fruit than we have.
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In fact, some of
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us here today have
grown up in the church.
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You spent every day of
your life in church school.
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You've gone to
Pathfinders and a y es.
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And even though you spent
your whole life in the church
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as it relates to character,
you're on the same level
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as those that
just started believing
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you should have
more fruit than you have.
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In fact,
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some our decisions should
be more fruitful than they are.
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Some of us are old enough where
we've been around the block.
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We've seen the
consequences of certain choices.
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And some of us are not in
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a bad season, and some
of us are in a bad cycle
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because our decision
course have not changed.
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There are some marriages that
should have more fruit by now.
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You see, how many of us know
that the witness of a marriage
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is not just in
the number of years,
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it is in the joy
that flows from the union.
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And there are some that
have been married 20 years,
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but you're having
newlywed arguments and fights.
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And the issue with some
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is that you're in a season
where things should be settled
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and you're still trying
to decide if there are some
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that should be in a more
financially fruitful season
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and see the problem is not
that we don't make enough money.
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The issue is that we're
trying to live according
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to other people's
expectations and as a result,
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we're asking God, just
help us make it through.
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When God wants to take us to
the next level and see friends.
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I don't save these things
in order to make you unhappy
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with your life.
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But I say these
things to remind you of what
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Jesus says in John ten
and verse ten that I come
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that you might have life
and have it more abundantly.
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In other words, Church, a
believer should never live
00:11:53.84\00:11:57.08
without the
expectation of a harvest.
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.38
We all that today.
00:12:00.42\00:12:01.75
In other words, a
believer should never live
00:12:01.78\00:12:04.45
without the expected tastes
and that things can change.
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And the reason we don't
know when a season changes
00:12:09.12\00:12:12.69
is that when a season changes,
it doesn't announce change.
00:12:13.93\00:12:17.47
It just changes.
00:12:17.50\00:12:19.87
It doesn't say I change.
00:12:19.90\00:12:21.77
It just changes the season.
00:12:21.80\00:12:23.91
In other words, sometimes
spring comes right after winter.
00:12:23.94\00:12:28.24
But how many of us know
that the first few weeks
00:12:29.24\00:12:31.21
of spring can still be cold?
00:12:31.25\00:12:34.25
Because the season changes
before the temperature does that
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that the same way fall
comes after the summer.
00:12:40.16\00:12:42.49
But the first few weeks of
fall can still be hot and muggy
00:12:43.66\00:12:47.10
because the season changes
before the temperature does.
00:12:48.23\00:12:51.10
And see, you can't wait
for the temperature to change
00:12:52.27\00:12:54.60
in order to know
that the season has.
00:12:55.47\00:12:57.41
And the reason that some of us
00:12:58.11\00:12:59.51
don't realize that
the trial is about to end
00:12:59.54\00:13:02.81
is because you're
00:13:03.31\00:13:04.35
measuring the season by
the temperature of the trial.
00:13:04.38\00:13:08.18
But sometimes the
season can change before
00:13:09.15\00:13:11.92
the temperature actually does.
00:13:11.95\00:13:13.89
On that here today.
00:13:13.92\00:13:15.22
In other words, I need somebody
in a tough season to know
00:13:15.26\00:13:18.56
that the
termination from the top
00:13:19.36\00:13:21.06
doesn't mean the
season won't change.
00:13:21.86\00:13:23.60
Sometimes the termination
00:13:24.23\00:13:25.73
is an announcement
that the season has changed.
00:13:25.77\00:13:28.84
It is a call to stop
working for them and start
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.84
working for yourself. Help.
00:13:32.87\00:13:34.94
In other words, the
blow up in the marriage
00:13:35.94\00:13:37.81
doesn't mean the
season won't change.
00:13:38.61\00:13:40.12
Sometimes the blow up is proof
00:13:40.82\00:13:42.32
that you can no longer live
according to the status quo.
00:13:43.52\00:13:45.92
You see, how many of us know
00:13:46.59\00:13:47.72
that a fight is not
proof that there is no love?
00:13:47.76\00:13:51.09
You see, anger is
proof that there is love.
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.03
When love is gone,
indifference is what shows up.
00:13:55.10\00:13:57.97
Let me say to my single
your single season is about to
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.84
change.
00:14:01.87\00:14:03.04
In other words,
God has put the person
00:14:03.07\00:14:06.01
you're supposed to be
with in your life already.
00:14:06.04\00:14:09.51
But the problem is you've
got them in the friend zone
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.91
and God has got to
remove the scales from your eyes
00:14:14.05\00:14:17.12
so that you can see
00:14:17.65\00:14:18.79
who God has positioned
them to be in your life.
00:14:18.82\00:14:22.26
Y'all hear me today?
00:14:22.79\00:14:23.96
And I guess what I'm saying
is that like a good farmer,
00:14:23.99\00:14:28.36
he doesn't just wait
for the season to change,
00:14:29.40\00:14:31.40
to check on his harvest,
because if he waits for the
00:14:32.53\00:14:35.34
temperature to change,
00:14:35.90\00:14:37.01
then the fruit will die
while attached to the vine.
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.48
He goes and looks for a
harvest based upon the calendar
00:14:41.61\00:14:44.71
and not the temperature,
along with the past of the date.
00:14:45.85\00:14:47.65
And what I'm saying
to somebody is, don't
00:14:48.58\00:14:50.12
wait for the
temperature to change.
00:14:50.15\00:14:52.29
In order to
claim a harvest season.
00:14:53.12\00:14:55.09
I don't know about you,
00:14:55.66\00:14:56.79
but I don't want to let my
fruit die attached to the vine.
00:14:56.83\00:15:00.26
I want everything
that God has for me.
00:15:01.13\00:15:03.53
And I'm not going
wait for the temperature
00:15:04.43\00:15:06.50
in order to reap
what I have shown.
00:15:07.34\00:15:09.44
In other words, I
need you to get that
00:15:10.34\00:15:12.21
the season changes
before the temperature.
00:15:12.24\00:15:14.51
In fact,
00:15:14.81\00:15:15.94
let me say it this way up to
probably about two years ago.
00:15:15.98\00:15:18.51
You know,
00:15:19.05\00:15:20.12
I didn't really care a
whole lot about my travel status
00:15:20.15\00:15:22.75
when I fly, but
I fly a little bit.
00:15:22.78\00:15:25.52
But once they begin to change
your stance from silver to gold
00:15:26.76\00:15:29.26
and from gold to platinum,
00:15:29.29\00:15:30.99
they don't make
a big announcement.
00:15:31.03\00:15:32.63
They just automatically
update it in the app.
00:15:32.66\00:15:35.30
And because I
wasn't paying attention,
00:15:36.20\00:15:38.07
I was actually
losing access to benefits.
00:15:39.00\00:15:40.97
I should have had.
00:15:41.00\00:15:42.34
And see what the
flight attendants won't do
00:15:42.37\00:15:44.77
is they won't tell
you all your benefits.
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.61
You've got to know your status
00:15:48.31\00:15:49.71
so you can claim
your own benefits.
00:15:49.74\00:15:52.55
And see, I didn't even
realize that I had privileges
00:15:53.68\00:15:56.42
to not pay for a
certain amount of badge
00:15:57.35\00:15:58.92
I was able to claim
upgrades into first class.
00:15:59.95\00:16:02.42
I was able to not pay for
luggage and certain privileges
00:16:03.63\00:16:06.96
and see if you don't
know what status you have,
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.13
then you don't know
what questions to ask
00:16:11.10\00:16:12.93
and you don't know
what privileges to claim.
00:16:13.94\00:16:15.57
And what I'm saying to
somebody as a child of God
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.71
is if you don't know
00:16:19.24\00:16:20.31
your status, you don't
know what questions to ask,
00:16:20.34\00:16:23.75
you don't know what
00:16:24.28\00:16:25.45
blessings to claim because
they're not going to tell you
00:16:25.48\00:16:28.58
it stays.
00:16:28.62\00:16:29.68
You've just got to
know that it's changed.
00:16:29.72\00:16:32.09
You are hearing
me today, friends.
00:16:32.92\00:16:33.36
Second things
that I story teaches
00:16:34.42\00:16:35.96
and I won't be
here with you long.
00:16:35.99\00:16:38.13
The second thing this teaches
is that sometimes trees can look
00:16:39.36\00:16:42.56
fruitful from a distance,
00:16:42.60\00:16:48.14
but you can't see
its true character
00:16:48.17\00:16:51.14
till you get up close.
00:16:51.71\00:16:54.21
So. So, friends,
you've got to see this thing.
00:16:54.24\00:16:56.44
As Jesus now enters
into the city of Jerusalem,
00:16:56.48\00:17:00.38
his activity has been
filled with hustle and bustle.
00:17:01.52\00:17:04.62
From the time he got there.
00:17:05.29\00:17:06.55
They look to
coronate him as king.
00:17:06.59\00:17:09.22
He goes into the temple
00:17:09.79\00:17:11.39
and he cleanses
it a second time.
00:17:12.19\00:17:14.23
He goes to Bethany,
where he fellowships with Mary
00:17:15.33\00:17:17.87
and Martha.
00:17:17.90\00:17:19.07
He spends the night there.
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.97
And as he begins
the next day's journey,
00:17:21.00\00:17:24.04
the Bible says
that Jesus was hungry.
00:17:24.94\00:17:27.64
And so across the street
00:17:28.21\00:17:29.88
he noticed his
friends, a fruit tree that looks
00:17:29.91\00:17:33.55
as if it is ready to
feed those that pass by.
00:17:33.58\00:17:38.12
And remember, the
only reason he entertains
00:17:39.12\00:17:41.99
the tree
00:17:42.02\00:17:43.19
is because it is the season
for it to yield its fruits.
00:17:43.22\00:17:47.10
In addition to that,
it's got sturdy branches,
00:17:48.10\00:17:50.87
it's got
uncorrupted roots, and the tree
00:17:51.80\00:17:54.10
is filled with an
abundance of leaves.
00:17:54.14\00:17:56.91
Now, the reason
Matthew points that out
00:17:57.77\00:17:59.87
is that a fig
tree is kind of tricky.
00:18:00.78\00:18:02.88
In other words, the leaves don't
grow in before the figs, but
00:18:04.08\00:18:08.25
on a fig tree the leaves grow
in after the figs are developed.
00:18:08.28\00:18:13.36
In other words,
the presence of leaves
00:18:14.26\00:18:16.52
is an announcement that the tree
should be ready to bear fruit.
00:18:17.76\00:18:21.43
And so gets this
moment where Jesus is hungry
00:18:22.40\00:18:25.57
and he sees this tree that
is now filled with pointless.
00:18:26.77\00:18:29.90
Its leaves are
announcing to the world
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.71
that I've got something here
that's going to satisfy you.
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.48
And so Jesus now marches
and He begins to salivate
00:18:37.58\00:18:40.45
as he approaches, as he goes
to the tree, his hunger content
00:18:40.48\00:18:44.89
used to increase his
body, prepares for digestion.
00:18:44.92\00:18:48.89
The tree look good
from a distance, but it
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.13
wasn't until he got up on it
00:18:52.16\00:18:55.10
that he
00:18:56.36\00:18:57.37
can see how barren it
actually was and see friends.
00:18:57.40\00:19:00.60
I need you to understand
why Jesus is actually moved
00:19:00.64\00:19:04.64
with such
00:19:05.01\00:19:06.31
vitriol toward the tree.
00:19:06.88\00:19:08.84
In other words, He
does not curse the tree.
00:19:08.88\00:19:11.55
If somebody had just gone
ahead and plucked the tree,
00:19:12.65\00:19:15.88
he wouldn't have gotten
mad if somebody got to the tree
00:19:17.09\00:19:19.19
before he did.
00:19:19.62\00:19:20.82
In fact, he's not even upset
just by the fact that the tree
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.86
does not have any fruit.
00:19:24.89\00:19:26.66
In other words, he's
00:19:26.70\00:19:27.60
not mad that the
tree doesn't have fruit.
00:19:27.66\00:19:30.50
He is mad that the
tree has leaves, that
00:19:31.43\00:19:34.44
the tree says, I
got something, that
00:19:34.47\00:19:37.64
the tree is posing as fruit fall
00:19:37.67\00:19:40.61
and it's got leaves,
but it has no fruits.
00:19:41.58\00:19:44.01
In other words,
what he's upset about
00:19:44.91\00:19:46.88
is that this tree poses
as something that it's not,
00:19:46.92\00:19:51.35
as he understand that
there is a spiritual eruption
00:19:52.49\00:19:55.39
that takes place
in the mind of Jesus
00:19:56.22\00:19:58.16
because this tree represents
00:19:58.83\00:20:01.10
the condition of
Israel in that time
00:20:01.13\00:20:04.73
and that it had
00:20:05.17\00:20:06.20
great religious
spoilage, but it had no content.
00:20:06.23\00:20:09.47
He realized that this tree
was a symbol of the last day
00:20:10.64\00:20:14.04
Church of Leon DC that
outwardly would be rich
00:20:14.08\00:20:18.35
and increase with goods and
say, I have a need of nothing
00:20:19.48\00:20:23.05
but inwardly it would
be as barren as a fig tree.
00:20:24.15\00:20:27.19
And it's crazy
00:20:28.32\00:20:29.56
because there are a lot of folk
that look good from a distance,
00:20:29.59\00:20:34.73
but you can't see the true
00:20:34.73\00:20:36.13
character of that
person until you get up close.
00:20:36.16\00:20:38.87
And can I say to those who
are new members of the church
00:20:40.07\00:20:42.67
and to those who are
young people trying to negotiate
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.34
the landscape of church life,
the thing I want to say to you
00:20:47.61\00:20:50.11
today is never
judge somebody character
00:20:50.15\00:20:53.98
based upon what
you see up front.
00:20:54.78\00:20:56.65
Never judge somebody's character
00:20:58.15\00:21:00.46
based upon what you
see from a distance.
00:21:01.39\00:21:03.22
Because how many of us know
that people have layers to them?
00:21:04.43\00:21:07.36
So? So that
because we are layered,
00:21:08.26\00:21:10.37
we don't put our
weaknesses on display.
00:21:11.30\00:21:13.17
We tend to put our
strengths on display
00:21:13.20\00:21:16.07
because we are layered.
00:21:16.64\00:21:17.67
We don't put our
fears on display.
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.21
We put our bravado on display.
00:21:20.91\00:21:23.18
And the truth is, you can't
judge someone from a distance.
00:21:23.21\00:21:26.68
You can only know them
when you get close to them
00:21:27.75\00:21:29.78
and see friends.
00:21:30.39\00:21:31.05
This is what you've got
00:21:31.09\00:21:32.02
to be mindful in
church, especially in the post
00:21:32.05\00:21:35.56
pandemic entertainment
culture that we now call church.
00:21:36.73\00:21:40.73
You see, never confuse
00:21:41.63\00:21:44.07
spiritual gifts
with spiritual character.
00:21:44.10\00:21:47.64
You see, there is
a difference friends
00:21:48.77\00:21:50.67
between the gifts of the spirit
00:21:50.71\00:21:53.21
and the fruit of the spirit.
00:21:53.88\00:21:55.81
And see, there is
some in the body of Christ
00:21:56.81\00:21:58.68
that have great demonstration
of the gifts of the Spirit.
00:21:59.91\00:22:02.55
They are some folk here
00:22:03.12\00:22:04.19
at Oakwood that can sing
you underneath the table.
00:22:04.22\00:22:08.12
There are some that can
preach you into a frenzy.
00:22:09.22\00:22:11.46
There are some that
have theological knowledge
00:22:12.43\00:22:14.40
that would suggest
that they know God.
00:22:15.30\00:22:16.67
There are some
00:22:17.10\00:22:18.20
that dress with a modesty
that suggests true piety.
00:22:18.23\00:22:21.70
There is some that can smile
00:22:22.37\00:22:23.81
as if they got
the Holy Ghost inside.
00:22:23.84\00:22:26.51
But where we get messed
up is we sometimes confuse
00:22:27.61\00:22:30.65
the gifts of the Spirit
with the fruit of the Spirit.
00:22:30.68\00:22:34.88
And Jesus made it clear
00:22:35.45\00:22:36.99
that if you want to know
the character of the tree,
00:22:37.02\00:22:40.06
don't necessarily
look at what it says.
00:22:40.99\00:22:42.96
Don't look at
what it demonstrates.
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.83
If you want to know
what kind of tree it is,
00:22:46.76\00:22:48.30
you've got to look at
the fruit that it bears.
00:22:49.26\00:22:51.73
And it's funny
phrase because there is
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.30
an interesting contradiction
sometimes in church life,
00:22:53.34\00:22:57.27
because this is the crazy thing
that Jesus does, is that Jesus
00:22:58.51\00:23:01.31
gives spiritual gifts sometimes
to un spiritual people.
00:23:01.34\00:23:06.35
Okay,
00:23:07.28\00:23:08.02
see, this is why you
cannot always access these
00:23:09.05\00:23:11.59
and begin to
assess it from a distance,
00:23:12.52\00:23:14.36
because Paul literally
00:23:14.92\00:23:15.99
says, Mark, that he
says, I've got to beat my body
00:23:16.02\00:23:19.73
and I've got to
make it my slave less.
00:23:20.56\00:23:22.96
After I've preached to others,
I myself become a castaway.
00:23:23.00\00:23:28.74
Because how many of us
know that it is possible
00:23:29.80\00:23:32.21
for the Spirit of
God to flow through you
00:23:33.17\00:23:35.11
and not live inside of you?
00:23:35.78\00:23:38.18
In other words,
it is the same way
00:23:38.21\00:23:40.45
that the Bible says the
Spirit of the Lord will come
00:23:41.52\00:23:44.09
upon Sam set and He
will do great exploits.
00:23:44.12\00:23:47.79
While He was still
laying up with prostitutes
00:23:48.79\00:23:50.76
and being a bad
buddy with Delilah.
00:23:51.63\00:23:53.90
Are you hearing me today
00:23:53.93\00:23:55.43
the same way that the Spirit
00:23:55.46\00:23:57.20
was with David and
he would still win wars
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.67
after he first became
his adultery with Bathsheba,
00:24:01.77\00:24:04.67
Paul says that Satan is able
00:24:05.34\00:24:07.54
to transform himself
into an angel of light,
00:24:07.58\00:24:11.68
even while Jesus calls
him the Prince of Darkness.
00:24:12.78\00:24:15.82
In other words, it's possible
for the Spirit to flow through
00:24:17.09\00:24:19.52
you and not live in you.
00:24:19.55\00:24:21.29
In fact,
00:24:21.32\00:24:21.86
let me say it this way
00:24:21.89\00:24:22.99
for some of us, our bodies
are not a spiritual house.
00:24:23.02\00:24:26.36
Our bodies are
a spiritual hotel.
00:24:27.13\00:24:29.33
In other words, it is not a
place where the spirit lives.
00:24:30.50\00:24:33.77
It's just a place the
spirit comes and it goes.
00:24:34.84\00:24:37.41
It visits while we
minister, while we preach
00:24:38.41\00:24:40.84
or while we sing.
00:24:41.34\00:24:42.28
But as soon
00:24:42.31\00:24:43.48
as the benediction is gone,
the Holy Ghost says goodbye
00:24:43.51\00:24:46.98
and see friends of mine.
00:24:48.42\00:24:49.45
This is the crazy
thing about Jesus,
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.52
because Jesus
doesn't repossess your gifts
00:24:51.55\00:24:55.02
when Satan
possesses your character
00:24:55.86\00:24:57.63
so that everybody
that can sing and saved
00:24:59.16\00:25:02.46
everybody that can preach.
00:25:03.57\00:25:05.43
And in practicing it, you
can be mighty and still be me.
00:25:05.47\00:25:09.87
And don't confuse the
prosperity that your gifts
00:25:10.87\00:25:13.91
bring as an endorsement of
the way that you are living.
00:25:13.94\00:25:17.68
Because just because
it's going well doesn't
00:25:18.61\00:25:20.98
mean that it is
well with your soul.
00:25:21.02\00:25:23.89
You are here in the
past. So today I see.
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.55
This is what I need.
00:25:26.59\00:25:27.76
Somebody, the fundamental of
the embrace is this is that God.
00:25:27.79\00:25:31.09
God says, even when you
don't serve me authentically,
00:25:32.26\00:25:34.76
I'll still let you
hold on to your gifts
00:25:35.70\00:25:37.47
and see.
00:25:38.53\00:25:39.60
I'm trying to wrestle
with this thing, Brother Perry,
00:25:39.63\00:25:40.90
because I'm trying
to figure out how is it
00:25:40.94\00:25:42.37
that God will let us
hold on to the gifts,
00:25:42.40\00:25:44.74
even when we don't use them
as we should, and the reason God
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.98
lets you hold on to the gift
is because Grace never gives up.
00:25:50.18\00:25:53.85
He, in other
words, the grace of God
00:25:54.72\00:25:58.05
is able to see a
day that you can't see.
00:25:58.99\00:26:01.59
The grace of God is
able to see a shift coming
00:26:02.62\00:26:05.29
that we cannot perceive.
00:26:05.86\00:26:07.23
The grace of God is
able to see a change
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.86
that your coworkers or
friends cannot notarize.
00:26:10.90\00:26:12.80
In other words,
Grace is able to see a day
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.04
when you turn
your life toward Him.
00:26:16.84\00:26:18.84
And so God doesn't say,
I'll wait till you change
00:26:19.94\00:26:22.58
to start loading my gifts.
00:26:23.21\00:26:24.78
He says, I'm going to give
you the gift in anticipation
00:26:24.81\00:26:28.68
of the day that you
turn your life around
00:26:28.72\00:26:31.62
and give your gifts to me
and use them for my glory.
00:26:32.75\00:26:36.06
In other words,
your gifts are a deposit.
00:26:37.03\00:26:39.36
Your gifts are the proof.
00:26:40.00\00:26:41.56
Your gifts are the evidence
that he's not giving up on you.
00:26:41.60\00:26:45.53
He's leaving the light on you.
00:26:46.23\00:26:47.70
He's holding the
door open for you.
00:26:47.74\00:26:49.84
And is there anybody
grateful that the grace of God
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.68
is still extended
toward his children?
00:26:54.58\00:26:56.78
Can anybody praise him that
He has not turn the light off,
00:26:58.01\00:27:00.98
that he has not closed the door,
that he has not repossessed
00:27:02.18\00:27:05.65
the gifts, but he
lit them to you and said,
00:27:05.69\00:27:09.09
Hold on to them until you
turn them back over to me.
00:27:09.12\00:27:13.29
Are you hearing
the word today Church.
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.76
Thank you for joining
us for the Breath Of Life
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.50
Television Ministries Broadcast
with Pastor Debleaire Snell.
00:27:18.53\00:27:22.94
We hope and pray
that you have been blessed
00:27:22.97\00:27:25.34
by this powerful message.
00:27:25.97\00:27:27.41
Join us next week for
part two of the message
00:27:27.44\00:27:30.35
“False Advertising”
you don't want to miss it!
00:27:31.45\00:27:34.85
(Breath Of lIfe Music)
00:28:04.98\00:28:11.42