Hello, friends, welcome
to the 3ABN Worship Center.
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My name is John Lomacang.
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Welcome to
another Dare To Dream,
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Foundation Of Faith meeting.
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We have been tremendously
blessed by the message
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from Dr. Timothy Nixon.
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And I tell you, this
morning was a wonderful message
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about marriage.
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Relationships have been
the theme of this series.
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Boys To Men was Thursday,
Friday was Junk In The Trunk.
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And what was this
morning's message title?
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Grounds For Marriage.
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And this afternoon
is, Joseph Is Alive.
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Joseph Is Alive.
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Now we're trying to figure out
how that fits into relationship.
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But if you stay by, I am
sure that God will bring you to
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the place where you understand
how great relationships can be
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in the hand of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Now I've said this before,
but if you're tuning in for the
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first time, Pastor
Timothy Nixon and I go way back
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from boys to men, if I could
use that connection very well.
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He is presently serving
as the associate chaplain
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for Andrews University.
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He has his doctorate degree.
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He's a graduate of Oakwood
College, Oakwood University now.
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Also of Andrews University.
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Two wonderful
children and a lovely wife.
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She has a very unique name,
one I have not heard before;
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Sandria, and her
maiden name was Lalasingh.
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Yes, it's of an Indian origin.
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And she's here today.
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Both of them are well educated,
both have doctoral degrees.
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But what I've
discovered, even more than
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just the educational
component, both have a wonderful
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vibrant walking
relationship with Jesus Christ.
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Can we all say amen about that?
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And I know that you're going
to be blessed this afternoon
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as we go before the Lord
and open our hearts once again
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to be able to dare to dream.
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And the reason why this series
is called, Foundation Of Faith,
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is there is no other
foundation that anyone can lay
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than that which is
laid, which is Christ Jesus.
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Now just before we introduce
our music for this afternoon,
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I'd like for you to
bow your heads with me
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for us to invite the Lord's
presence to continue with us.
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Let us pray.
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Gracious Father in
heaven, what a blessing it is.
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We have been reminded
about the importance of
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growing up in Christ.
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We have been reminded
again of what it means to
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clean out our lives
and make room for Jesus.
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We have been brought back to
the place where we understand
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how important
relationships are in Your sight;
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the marriage relationship
and the Christian relationship.
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And now bless us again
as once again You visit us
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through Your
manservant, Dr. Timothy Nixon.
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We know that You have
filled him, now fill us.
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We do pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Have you been
blessed by the music?
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Amen?
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I tell you, I have
had the privilege of...
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You know, sometimes when
we have our Anchors series,
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we have different
singers every night.
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But it's been a blessing
to have the same musician
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the minister of music.
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And once again, our
hearts are going to be warmed
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by brother Brian Ezra Bates.
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Let's welcome him
with a hearty amen.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away.
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away.
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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Here I am, here I stand;
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Lord, my life is in Your hands.
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Lord, I'm longing to see
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Your desire revealed in me.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself away
so You can use me, Lord.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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Take my heart, take my life,
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as a living sacrifice.
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All my dreams,
Lord, and all my plans,
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Lord, I place
them in Your hands.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away, Lord.
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I give it all away
so You can use me, yes.
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I give my heart to You, Lord;
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heart and my mind.
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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My life is not my own;
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to You I belong.
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I give myself, I
give myself to You.
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Oh, my life is not my own;
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to You I belong.
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I give myself, I
give myself to You.
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Yes, my life is
not my own, Lord;
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to You I belong.
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I give myself, I
give myself to You.
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Oh Lord, I give
my will to You, Lord.
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Use me as You please, Lord.
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So I give myself,
I give myself to You.
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Oh Lord, I give
You my heart, Lord.
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Oh, I give You my mind, Lord.
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Lord, I give You my all.
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I give You my all.
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I give you my all, Lord.
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My life is not my own, Lord;
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oh, to You I belong.
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I give myself, I
give myself to You.
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Oh, I just want to
be in Your will, Lord.
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I just want to be
in Your way, Lord.
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Each and every
day, each and every day,
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I give it all to You.
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Oh, my life is not my own;
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to You I belong.
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I give myself, I
give myself to You.
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Oh, I give it all to You, Lord.
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I give it all to You, Lord.
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So use me in Your
service, Lord, yes.
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I give it all to You.
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My life is not my own, Lord;
00:10:04.37\00:10:07.58
to You I belong.
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I give myself, give
myself, I give myself,
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I give myself.
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I give myself away,
00:10:28.85\00:10:33.16
Lord, I give myself
away so You can use me.
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I give myself away,
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I give myself
away so You can use me.
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Let's give Brian
another hearty amen.
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We thank God for that song.
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I give myself away.
00:11:20.10\00:11:22.39
If you have your Bibles, turn
with me to Genesis chapter 45.
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And I will read in
your hearing verse 26.
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Genesis 45:26.
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I'm reading from the
New Living Translation.
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"'Joseph is still
alive,' they told him.
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'And he is ruler over
all of the land of Egypt.'
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Jacob was stunned at the news.
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He couldn't believe it."
00:12:01.31\00:12:03.35
The title of the message
this evening, Joseph Is Alive.
00:12:05.48\00:12:08.67
Let us pray.
00:12:09.18\00:12:10.52
Father, now again we ask You to
speak to us through Your Word.
00:12:10.83\00:12:14.63
Let nothing hinder Your message.
00:12:16.59\00:12:20.39
And we pray that we will
open our hearts to receive it.
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And give us the hope
that comes through Jesus.
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For we ask it in
Jesus' name, amen.
00:12:30.87\00:12:33.82
It was a tragic moment that
took the nation's breath away.
00:12:35.97\00:12:40.62
It brought tears to a
sorrowing president's eyes
00:12:42.23\00:12:47.84
as he announced with quivering
lips the almost unbearably
00:12:48.89\00:12:54.91
horrid news of another
tragic mass murder that rocked
00:12:54.94\00:13:00.93
a small suburban middle-class
northeastern community
00:13:00.96\00:13:06.34
in Newtown, Massachusetts.
00:13:06.99\00:13:09.40
This was not south central LA,
or the south side of Chicago,
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or Brownsville in Brooklyn,
or some other gang laden
00:13:17.44\00:13:23.34
violent ridden community that
with callous casual consistency
00:13:23.37\00:13:29.39
we associate such
acts of senseless violence.
00:13:29.69\00:13:33.13
No, this was in the serene
safe suburban surroundings
00:13:33.16\00:13:39.52
of America.
00:13:39.55\00:13:41.62
Where families go to escape the
violence of the urban centers.
00:13:42.47\00:13:48.82
And as the
perpetrator, the protagonist,
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of this unseemly act
was unveiled and analyzed,
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and his background was
revealed, it became apparent
00:14:00.42\00:14:04.43
that his problems
all began in his home.
00:14:06.06\00:14:10.77
Home.
00:14:12.23\00:14:13.58
A broken home.
00:14:14.81\00:14:16.37
Family secrets.
00:14:18.53\00:14:20.34
Family dysfunction.
00:14:21.07\00:14:23.16
A word that has become
common in our vocabulary
00:14:24.19\00:14:27.69
and vernacular today.
00:14:27.72\00:14:29.22
And family sins.
00:14:29.25\00:14:31.87
Sins that seem to be
generational in their
00:14:32.87\00:14:35.88
scope and impact.
00:14:35.91\00:14:38.67
Dysfunctions that
cannot be easily shaken
00:14:40.18\00:14:43.48
or overcome.
00:14:44.48\00:14:46.00
What must Jacob
have been thinking
00:14:48.28\00:14:51.19
as he waited for
his sons to make their
00:14:52.79\00:14:55.30
second return from Egypt.
00:14:55.33\00:14:57.58
Judah had already been held.
00:14:58.53\00:15:01.61
And now Benjamin,
his youngest, is gone.
00:15:01.64\00:15:05.35
Taken as collateral
for the return of Judah.
00:15:05.38\00:15:09.17
He is fearful, petrified.
00:15:10.35\00:15:12.47
He can only surmise the worse.
00:15:12.50\00:15:14.98
I think we can better
understand his anxiety now
00:15:17.44\00:15:19.84
after some years ago during
the Iraq and Afghanistan wars
00:15:19.87\00:15:25.77
seeing American
civilians taken hostage
00:15:25.80\00:15:28.18
and seeing some of
their gruesome beheadings
00:15:28.21\00:15:31.34
televised on internet.
00:15:31.37\00:15:33.32
It is compounded more
by the reminder of Joseph,
00:15:34.82\00:15:37.84
his favorite, who he
lost 17 years earlier,
00:15:37.87\00:15:41.40
sent on an errand by him
to see about his brothers.
00:15:41.50\00:15:45.38
His body never recovered.
00:15:45.41\00:15:46.87
Only the torn bloody
remains of the prize possession,
00:15:46.90\00:15:51.56
his coat of many colors.
00:15:51.59\00:15:52.92
And now he sits and waits.
00:15:52.95\00:15:55.71
And then his worst
fears are relieved with the
00:15:56.93\00:16:00.75
chorus of
voices, "Joseph is alive.
00:16:00.78\00:16:03.56
Joseph is alive."
00:16:03.59\00:16:05.98
The moment of
joy and exhilaration
00:16:06.93\00:16:09.37
that are immediate to Jacob.
00:16:10.91\00:16:12.78
And then suddenly, the
reality of this joyless message,
00:16:12.81\00:16:18.59
"Joseph is alive?
00:16:18.62\00:16:21.17
How could...? What? Why? How?"
00:16:22.49\00:16:26.73
Thirty years of deception
have reached their zenith,
00:16:30.18\00:16:35.54
their apex.
00:16:35.57\00:16:37.51
And what is even more
painful is who he sees
00:16:39.08\00:16:43.30
as he looks into the
devious eyes of his sons.
00:16:43.71\00:16:48.11
He sees himself.
00:16:48.14\00:16:51.39
And now in a sober moment,
he has time to reflect and
00:16:52.84\00:16:57.07
recount the years of
deception and intrigue,
00:16:57.10\00:17:00.25
and backroom deals,
and midnight escapes,
00:17:00.28\00:17:03.10
and wrestling
matches, and a divided home,
00:17:03.13\00:17:06.10
and contending sisters,
and a dysfunctional family,
00:17:06.13\00:17:09.75
and sibling rivalry.
00:17:09.78\00:17:11.46
What has all of his
deception gotten him but misery,
00:17:13.15\00:17:16.95
and pain, and
anxiety, and instability.
00:17:16.98\00:17:21.25
And as he reflects
and thinks more deeply,
00:17:22.54\00:17:24.73
he begins to realize
that the deception and lies
00:17:24.76\00:17:29.43
did not begin with him.
00:17:29.63\00:17:32.14
It went back two generations
to his grandfather, Abraham.
00:17:33.15\00:17:38.90
You see, there are
some family secrets
00:17:40.83\00:17:43.43
that haunted Jacob's life.
00:17:43.53\00:17:45.63
And we all have family secrets.
00:17:45.96\00:17:49.96
The family secrets
went back to Abraham.
00:17:51.27\00:17:54.06
Abraham, the
father of the faithful.
00:17:54.16\00:17:56.96
You know him.
00:17:56.99\00:17:58.02
Abraham, the one who is
called the friend of God.
00:17:58.63\00:18:01.55
Abraham, the one who
Jesus said saw His day.
00:18:02.17\00:18:05.60
That same
Abraham had feet of clay.
00:18:05.63\00:18:09.22
With all of his moral successes,
with all of the salvation
00:18:09.92\00:18:13.64
history that he lived,
there was one prevailing sin
00:18:13.67\00:18:18.20
that Abraham struggled with.
00:18:18.23\00:18:20.37
His besetting sin.
00:18:20.40\00:18:22.69
It was the sin of deception.
00:18:23.42\00:18:26.98
He had a problem with falsehood,
tail bearing, truthlessness.
00:18:27.67\00:18:35.58
Abraham had a problem
with telling the truth.
00:18:36.88\00:18:40.11
He was a big time liar.
00:18:40.14\00:18:42.89
Did you know that deception
reveals an inability to trust?
00:18:45.61\00:18:49.26
Distrusting
people are distrustful.
00:18:50.40\00:18:53.10
Lying undermines relationships.
00:18:53.13\00:18:55.97
Why?
00:18:56.17\00:18:57.26
Because relationships are
built on the foundation of
00:18:57.61\00:19:00.71
fidelity, faithfulness, truth.
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.44
But who can trust a liar?
00:19:04.18\00:19:06.01
Who can build a
relationship with a liar?
00:19:07.59\00:19:09.53
Who can develop
faith with a liar?
00:19:09.56\00:19:11.59
And if you have
problems with truthfulness,
00:19:12.79\00:19:14.84
problems with
building trust and faith,
00:19:14.87\00:19:17.11
then how can you form
a relationship with God?
00:19:17.24\00:19:21.45
The Bible says we are
saved by grace through faith.
00:19:23.79\00:19:26.68
The just shall live by faith.
00:19:26.71\00:19:28.42
Without faith, it is
impossible to please God.
00:19:28.45\00:19:31.37
No wonder the
Bible says lying lips
00:19:31.40\00:19:33.98
are an abomination to the Lord.
00:19:34.01\00:19:36.70
Deception and lying
reveals a lack of trust in God.
00:19:37.97\00:19:44.99
People who use deception to get
ahead or to preserve their lives
00:19:46.82\00:19:50.42
or to avoid trouble do it
because they do not trust God
00:19:50.45\00:19:54.96
to handle the problem.
00:19:54.99\00:19:56.50
And instead, by
lying trust themselves.
00:19:56.53\00:20:00.76
So God introduces Himself to
Abraham in Genesis chapter 12
00:20:02.49\00:20:05.86
and tells him, "I'm
going to make you the
00:20:05.89\00:20:08.00
father of many nations.
00:20:08.03\00:20:09.41
I'm going to bless you.
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.55
And I'm going to
bless those who bless you
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.09
and curse those who curse you.
00:20:14.12\00:20:15.79
I'm going to
make your name great.
00:20:15.82\00:20:17.71
And all the
families of the earth will be
00:20:17.74\00:20:19.92
blessed because of you."
00:20:19.95\00:20:21.64
And with this announcement,
Abraham leaves his family
00:20:21.67\00:20:24.97
and friends and
travels to the land of Canaan.
00:20:25.00\00:20:28.09
And when he gets there,
God tells him, "I'm going to
00:20:29.04\00:20:32.53
give this land
to your offspring."
00:20:32.56\00:20:35.32
And Abraham
worships and praises God
00:20:35.52\00:20:38.65
and offers sacrifices.
00:20:38.68\00:20:40.67
And then a famine strikes.
00:20:40.70\00:20:44.91
Famines are tests of faith.
00:20:46.42\00:20:48.75
The famine came and he had
to go to Egypt to find food
00:20:49.72\00:20:53.33
and sustenance for his family.
00:20:53.36\00:20:55.31
And on the way, he
suddenly forgot God's promise.
00:20:55.34\00:20:59.58
And he says to his wife,
Sarai, "You know, Shorty,
00:20:59.83\00:21:04.44
you so fine."
00:21:05.75\00:21:07.44
And she says,
"Oh stop, Abraham."
00:21:09.50\00:21:12.37
Now you know, ladies,
you ought to know that when
00:21:14.28\00:21:17.53
a man starts complimenting
you, that something's up.
00:21:17.56\00:21:21.49
And so he says to
her, "They will kill me
00:21:24.82\00:21:29.15
for a woman as fine as you.
00:21:29.61\00:21:32.63
So I'll tell you
what, when we get to Egypt,
00:21:34.02\00:21:37.50
just tell everybody
that you're my sister.
00:21:37.53\00:21:41.86
And you know,
it's not really a lie.
00:21:42.65\00:21:44.60
After all, we are
half brother and sister.
00:21:44.63\00:21:47.84
We're not really lying,
00:21:47.87\00:21:49.86
we're just not
telling the whole truth."
00:21:49.89\00:21:55.08
He did not trust God.
00:21:58.39\00:22:00.02
He did not trust God's word.
00:22:01.07\00:22:02.84
Instead, he trusted himself.
00:22:02.87\00:22:04.77
He trusted his deceptive
dealings and backroom plotting
00:22:04.80\00:22:08.56
and covert strategies
more than God's promises.
00:22:08.59\00:22:13.89
And some of us trust backroom
deals and secret handshakes
00:22:15.27\00:22:20.34
and alleyway
alliances to advance our careers
00:22:20.37\00:22:24.16
and promote our agendas.
00:22:24.19\00:22:26.16
But God does not use dirty
dealings and deceptive devising
00:22:26.19\00:22:30.86
to advance His agenda.
00:22:30.89\00:22:32.63
God does not need
the cloak of darkness
00:22:32.66\00:22:35.31
to fulfill His promises.
00:22:35.34\00:22:37.55
Jesus says in John
3:19, "Men love darkness
00:22:38.96\00:22:42.66
because their deeds are evil.
00:22:42.69\00:22:44.78
They hate the light because
they want to sin in darkness.
00:22:44.81\00:22:48.45
They stay away from the
light for fear their sins
00:22:48.48\00:22:51.93
will be exposed and
they will be punished."
00:22:51.96\00:22:54.75
If you're involved in
something that requires you
00:22:56.12\00:22:59.63
to sneak around
behind people's backs,
00:22:59.66\00:23:03.54
or under the cover of
darkness, sneaking into hotels
00:23:03.82\00:23:07.86
or off-road restaurants, that's
a tip-off that God is not in it.
00:23:07.89\00:23:13.85
God is not about concealing.
00:23:16.97\00:23:19.08
He's not about hiding,
He's not about sneaking around
00:23:19.56\00:23:22.73
and spreading
rumors and damaging
00:23:22.76\00:23:24.85
reputations in the darkness.
00:23:24.88\00:23:26.34
God turns on the light.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.95
Jesus says, "I am the light."
00:23:27.98\00:23:30.15
James 1:17 says, "In
Him is no variableness,
00:23:30.18\00:23:33.87
neither shadow of turning."
00:23:33.90\00:23:36.09
1 John 1:5 says, "God
is light, and there is no
00:23:37.61\00:23:40.94
darkness in Him at all."
00:23:40.97\00:23:43.94
Abraham had a dark side.
00:23:45.44\00:23:47.78
He had truth problems.
00:23:47.81\00:23:49.96
And his truth
problems were symptomatic
00:23:50.06\00:23:53.15
of a deeper trust problem.
00:23:53.35\00:23:56.03
And it kept re-emerging
and re-asserting himself.
00:23:56.06\00:24:00.10
You would think that
after the Egypt affair
00:24:02.12\00:24:04.88
Abraham would have
given up his deceptive ways.
00:24:04.91\00:24:07.70
But years later, in Genesis
20 in the Negev, he again lies
00:24:07.73\00:24:12.55
to King Abimelech and tells
him that his wife is his sister.
00:24:12.58\00:24:18.02
He did not trust God's word.
00:24:18.05\00:24:20.61
He didn't trust God's promise.
00:24:23.51\00:24:25.70
He didn't trust God.
00:24:25.73\00:24:27.51
His deception reveals
his lack of trust in God.
00:24:28.44\00:24:33.03
And he continued
to trust in himself.
00:24:33.06\00:24:35.99
This is why in Genesis
22 God had to test Abraham
00:24:36.02\00:24:41.34
on Mount Moriah with Isaac.
00:24:41.37\00:24:43.78
And when He stopped Abraham's
hand from taking Isaac's life,
00:24:45.09\00:24:50.18
He said in verse 12, "And now
I know that you truly fear Me."
00:24:50.21\00:24:56.35
This ultimate test
stripped from Abraham his
00:24:57.82\00:25:01.67
deceptive
dependence upon himself.
00:25:01.70\00:25:05.71
But the tragedy of
his deceptive disposition
00:25:06.52\00:25:09.69
is that it outlived him and was
passed onto the next generation.
00:25:09.86\00:25:16.19
In Genesis 26, Isaac is
confronted with a famine
00:25:17.74\00:25:21.35
like his father when
he moved near Abimelech.
00:25:21.38\00:25:25.07
And he used the same
deceptive lie as Abraham,
00:25:25.48\00:25:30.01
using the same rational,
and getting his wife to say
00:25:30.04\00:25:33.56
she was his sister.
00:25:33.59\00:25:35.31
It's a generational sin passed
down from Abraham to Isaac.
00:25:36.19\00:25:40.54
And then from Isaac to Jacob.
00:25:40.64\00:25:42.69
And with every
succeeding generation,
00:25:42.72\00:25:44.83
the sin becomes
progressively worse.
00:25:44.86\00:25:48.09
Jacob and Esau were
fighting in their mother's womb.
00:25:48.76\00:25:54.09
And when Rebekah asked
God what this was all about,
00:25:57.13\00:26:00.08
God told her, "You've got
two nations in your womb."
00:26:00.11\00:26:04.15
And then the prophecy
ended by God telling her
00:26:04.73\00:26:07.78
the elder will
serve the younger.
00:26:07.81\00:26:10.57
In other words,
trouble was on the way.
00:26:10.60\00:26:13.63
The master trickster.
00:26:15.50\00:26:17.12
The con artist of con artists.
00:26:17.65\00:26:20.62
Jacob would be born.
00:26:20.82\00:26:22.74
And from his birth
he was clutching his
00:26:23.05\00:26:26.71
elder brother's heel.
00:26:26.74\00:26:28.57
And his parents named
him, "He grasps the heel."
00:26:28.60\00:26:32.71
But figuratively his
name meant, "He deceives."
00:26:32.74\00:26:38.53
And immediately, in Genesis
25, we see Jacob's deception
00:26:40.43\00:26:44.11
at work as he swindles his
brother out of his birthright
00:26:44.14\00:26:48.77
for a bowl of lentil stew.
00:26:48.80\00:26:51.52
And from that point on,
his life becomes a succession
00:26:53.16\00:26:57.06
of deceptions.
00:26:57.09\00:26:58.54
And in each instance he
finds a way to justify them,
00:26:58.64\00:27:03.67
to rationalize why he did
it and what he did it for.
00:27:03.78\00:27:07.65
When he tricked his
father into blessing him
00:27:07.68\00:27:10.00
instead of his brother, he
humored himself into believing
00:27:10.03\00:27:12.95
that he was helping to
fulfill God's prophecy.
00:27:12.98\00:27:15.87
After all, God said the
elder would serve the younger.
00:27:16.12\00:27:19.70
But God doesn't use
trickery to triumph.
00:27:20.79\00:27:23.37
He doesn't use
deception to deliver.
00:27:24.52\00:27:27.02
He doesn't use
pranks to fulfill prophecy.
00:27:27.28\00:27:29.93
God is not man
that He should lie.
00:27:29.96\00:27:32.92
He means what He says
and says what He means.
00:27:33.58\00:27:36.41
And God does not need our
help to fulfill His prophecy.
00:27:36.70\00:27:40.67
And when we attach
God's name to our deception,
00:27:41.08\00:27:43.64
God is not pleased.
00:27:43.67\00:27:45.44
Everything we pray
over is not blessed.
00:27:46.67\00:27:49.19
Every sermon preached is
not always spiritually inspired.
00:27:49.38\00:27:52.93
Jacob had indeed received
the birthright and blessing,
00:27:56.03\00:27:59.34
but Galatians 6:7
says, "Be not deceived;
00:27:59.37\00:28:02.52
God is not mocked.
00:28:02.55\00:28:03.78
Whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."
00:28:03.81\00:28:07.25
Hosea 8:7 says,
"He hath sown the wind,
00:28:07.35\00:28:10.70
and he shall
reap the whirlwind."
00:28:10.73\00:28:14.32
Every trick he played on
others was eventually meted out
00:28:16.18\00:28:19.95
to him ten times worse.
00:28:19.98\00:28:22.52
He deceived his
father and brother out of the
00:28:23.72\00:28:25.90
birthright and blessing, yet he
was tricked into marrying Leah
00:28:25.93\00:28:30.39
instead of Rachel, the
women he worked for seven years.
00:28:30.42\00:28:34.26
His Uncle Laban
changed his wages ten times.
00:28:34.79\00:28:39.28
Then the domestic conflicts
with four different women
00:28:40.29\00:28:44.27
under the same roof.
00:28:44.30\00:28:45.99
Lord, have mercy.
00:28:46.02\00:28:47.63
And finally, the
next generation is born.
00:28:50.33\00:28:52.95
And Jacob sees the
same deception and trickery
00:28:52.98\00:28:58.34
and lies among his children.
00:28:58.37\00:29:00.65
And he could not control them.
00:29:00.68\00:29:02.80
He could not restrain them.
00:29:03.33\00:29:05.37
You know, it's hard to correct
the sins of your children
00:29:07.82\00:29:13.81
when you know
where they came from.
00:29:14.88\00:29:17.95
No, they didn't pick
this up from television.
00:29:20.25\00:29:22.83
No, this did not come
from gangster rap or hip-hop.
00:29:24.45\00:29:28.71
It's not the other
kids they're hanging around.
00:29:29.97\00:29:32.52
Your granddaddy had a temper,
your daddy did, and so did you.
00:29:33.35\00:29:37.35
Lying runs in the family line.
00:29:38.49\00:29:40.97
From auntie, to uncle, to
cousins, first and second.
00:29:41.38\00:29:44.79
Stealing is a part
of your family culture.
00:29:45.71\00:29:48.86
Sexual promiscuity
has a hold on your family.
00:29:49.30\00:29:52.85
Nobody in your family has been
able to stay in a relationship.
00:29:52.88\00:29:56.22
Everybody divorces.
00:29:56.25\00:29:58.03
Substance abuse
has always had its way
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.58
through your generations.
00:30:00.61\00:30:01.94
Racism has wreaked
havoc in your clan.
00:30:01.97\00:30:05.32
Pride and self-ambition
has clung to your kinfolk.
00:30:05.35\00:30:09.47
Self-righteous folk
have run in your bloodline.
00:30:09.50\00:30:13.38
That need for self-promotion,
that spirit of rebellion,
00:30:14.22\00:30:18.20
that negativity,
that criticizing spirit,
00:30:18.23\00:30:21.02
that obsession with materialism,
00:30:21.05\00:30:22.91
it's a family trait that
will not easily be shaken.
00:30:22.94\00:30:26.81
And the devil wants you
to believe that no matter
00:30:26.84\00:30:29.77
how much therapy you
get, no matter how much
00:30:29.80\00:30:32.93
counseling you
receive, no matter how much
00:30:32.96\00:30:35.38
you fast and pray, how
many Bible studies you get,
00:30:35.41\00:30:39.99
no matter how many
times you get baptized,
00:30:40.02\00:30:42.77
you will never be set free.
00:30:42.80\00:30:45.14
But I'm here to tell you
tonight that the devil is a lie.
00:30:47.26\00:30:51.91
Every yoke can be broken.
00:30:52.60\00:30:55.16
Every chain of
sin can be shattered.
00:30:55.19\00:30:58.58
Every generational
curse can be erased.
00:30:58.61\00:31:02.94
It may have begun with
you, but it can end with you.
00:31:04.36\00:31:09.87
God has the
power to set you free.
00:31:10.43\00:31:14.55
I was born the son of
Harry and Julie Nixon,
00:31:16.15\00:31:18.96
but when I surrendered
my life to Jesus Christ
00:31:18.99\00:31:21.56
I entered into a new bloodline.
00:31:21.59\00:31:24.27
1 John 3:2 says, "Now
are we the sons of God."
00:31:24.98\00:31:29.47
Not next week, not
next month, not next year,
00:31:29.50\00:31:33.06
but now.
00:31:33.09\00:31:34.63
The yoke of deception that
was passed down from Abraham
00:31:36.87\00:31:40.18
to Isaac to Jacob
was broken with Joseph.
00:31:40.21\00:31:45.71
When he was born
to his mother Rachel,
00:31:48.49\00:31:50.57
she said his birth
came to remove her shame.
00:31:52.47\00:31:56.57
His name means, may he add.
00:31:56.94\00:32:00.23
Lord, I've received
a lot of subtraction,
00:32:02.06\00:32:04.81
a lot of negativity in my
life, but now I need something
00:32:05.23\00:32:08.84
positive, some addition.
00:32:08.87\00:32:10.90
And if you haven't thought
about it, God gives Joseph
00:32:12.45\00:32:16.24
essentially the same promise
that he gave his father, Jacob.
00:32:16.27\00:32:22.03
And in Joseph God wants
to teach Jacob what happens
00:32:23.50\00:32:28.68
when you trust in
God and not in self,
00:32:28.71\00:32:32.55
when you trust in God's
plan and not your own plans
00:32:33.13\00:32:38.20
and your own trickery.
00:32:38.23\00:32:39.99
God gives Joseph a dream that
said his brothers and parents
00:32:40.02\00:32:44.73
would bow and worship him;
the elder serving the younger.
00:32:44.76\00:32:49.00
Huh?
00:32:49.03\00:32:50.08
Now we tend to be
very hard and unforgiving
00:32:51.36\00:32:53.85
to Joseph's brothers.
00:32:53.88\00:32:55.34
But here's where
growing and growing up in a
00:32:56.02\00:32:59.31
dysfunctional family
shapes how you respond
00:32:59.34\00:33:02.68
to certain situations.
00:33:02.71\00:33:04.45
Because when they
heard of Joseph's dream,
00:33:05.08\00:33:08.16
they could not appreciate it.
00:33:08.67\00:33:10.46
As a matter of fact,
they were threatened by it.
00:33:10.96\00:33:13.37
Instead of celebrating
with him, they became insecure.
00:33:13.40\00:33:17.31
They despised him and were
filled with anger and rage.
00:33:18.27\00:33:22.92
They saw the
specter of his advancement
00:33:23.52\00:33:26.30
as a detriment to
them, and determined
00:33:26.71\00:33:30.59
that they would do everything
in their power to stop it.
00:33:30.62\00:33:33.57
And do you know
where they got that from?
00:33:35.80\00:33:37.71
They got it from
their father, Jacob.
00:33:38.93\00:33:40.68
They knew the story of how he
stole his brother's birthright
00:33:41.79\00:33:45.83
to fulfill God's
promise about his life.
00:33:45.86\00:33:48.12
They knew that their father,
in order to make his dream
00:33:48.84\00:33:52.13
come true, tricked his brother.
00:33:52.16\00:33:54.93
And so they decided
they were not going to be
00:33:55.46\00:33:58.52
out maneuvered by Joseph.
00:33:58.55\00:34:00.69
"He's not going to trick us out
of our birthright and blessing
00:34:01.17\00:34:03.61
to fulfill his dream, like
our daddy did our Uncle Esau."
00:34:03.64\00:34:06.99
Joseph's brothers were
envious of Joseph's dream
00:34:08.71\00:34:13.20
and did not realize that the
fulfillment of Joseph's dream
00:34:13.41\00:34:18.32
would be a blessing to them.
00:34:18.35\00:34:20.66
They thought his advancement
would be a barrier to them.
00:34:22.08\00:34:26.60
But his advancement
would be to their benefit.
00:34:26.63\00:34:30.30
Listen to what
I'm saying tonight.
00:34:30.81\00:34:32.60
That's how it
always is in God's kingdom.
00:34:33.23\00:34:37.08
When God advances
someone, He never advances them
00:34:37.96\00:34:42.81
just for them.
00:34:42.84\00:34:45.31
God advances us so that
we can become a blessing
00:34:47.04\00:34:52.31
to someone else.
00:34:52.84\00:34:54.80
If your advancement only
benefits you, only blesses you,
00:34:55.81\00:35:00.26
only advances you,
then that is an indication
00:35:00.29\00:35:03.48
it did not come from God.
00:35:03.51\00:35:05.35
You didn't hear what I said.
00:35:06.91\00:35:08.38
If you have been
advanced somewhere and it only
00:35:09.05\00:35:11.95
benefits you, that
blessing did not come from God.
00:35:11.98\00:35:14.84
There are people who want
to be wealthy and rich and have
00:35:16.41\00:35:19.55
many possessions for themselves.
00:35:19.58\00:35:21.38
God never makes someone wealthy
just to benefit themselves.
00:35:21.41\00:35:25.76
With wealth
comes responsibility.
00:35:26.89\00:35:29.51
The Bible says in Acts chapter
4 that Barnabas, one of the
00:35:29.89\00:35:33.59
early believers,
received a financial windfall.
00:35:33.62\00:35:37.63
And it says he gave the
entire proceeds to the church.
00:35:37.93\00:35:43.16
And the Bible says
there was no poverty
00:35:43.51\00:35:47.81
among the early
Christian believers.
00:35:48.28\00:35:51.90
Oh, y'all
getting real quiet now.
00:35:53.10\00:35:55.23
God never
blesses you just for you.
00:35:57.53\00:36:03.10
When God blesses
you, He blesses us.
00:36:03.30\00:36:07.49
There are people who
obtain leadership positions,
00:36:09.19\00:36:11.95
and when we hear about
it some of us get angry.
00:36:12.24\00:36:14.92
You know why?
00:36:14.95\00:36:15.98
Because in our
concept of leadership,
00:36:16.60\00:36:18.74
the only person who is
advanced is the leader.
00:36:18.77\00:36:21.62
Jesus taught servant leadership.
00:36:23.47\00:36:25.75
He got on His knees and washed
all of His disciples' feet,
00:36:26.47\00:36:30.11
and then He told them,
"As I have done to you,
00:36:30.14\00:36:32.70
so you must do to one another."
00:36:32.73\00:36:34.48
Huh?
00:36:34.51\00:36:35.54
The reason Joseph's
brothers acted the way they did
00:36:36.69\00:36:39.90
and did not celebrate
Joseph's dream was because
00:36:39.93\00:36:43.01
they had a
dysfunctional example of rivalry
00:36:43.04\00:36:46.49
and deceit and competition that
they learned from their father.
00:36:46.52\00:36:50.98
If Jacob had believed God
and celebrated Esau's birthright
00:36:51.01\00:36:55.99
and blessing, and waited
on God to fulfill His promise,
00:36:56.02\00:37:00.81
his son's would have
had their father's example
00:37:01.06\00:37:05.08
of trusting in God and
seeing how God does things.
00:37:05.11\00:37:09.22
And when they
heard of Joseph's dream,
00:37:09.25\00:37:11.94
they would have celebrated
his dream and waited with him
00:37:11.97\00:37:16.43
to see how God was
going to fulfill his dream
00:37:16.46\00:37:19.88
just as God
fulfilled their father's dream.
00:37:19.91\00:37:23.40
You ought to be happy
and celebrate when someone
00:37:25.61\00:37:29.89
has something
good happen to them.
00:37:29.92\00:37:32.13
Because if it's God's blessing,
it's a shared blessing.
00:37:33.26\00:37:36.93
The reason we don't feel
good about someone else's
00:37:39.80\00:37:42.26
good fortune is
because we're selfish and
00:37:42.29\00:37:44.51
self-centered beings.
00:37:44.54\00:37:46.21
If it's not our
blessing it's not a blessing.
00:37:46.54\00:37:49.54
Huh?
00:37:50.29\00:37:51.38
How we respond to
things that happen to us
00:37:52.17\00:37:56.93
not only shapes us, it shapes
our families and our children.
00:37:57.11\00:38:03.06
We are creating a legacy
in our homes, in our families,
00:38:03.31\00:38:09.48
in our churches,
and with our children.
00:38:09.72\00:38:13.26
You ought to be careful about
what you do around other people.
00:38:13.93\00:38:17.79
You never know the lessons
they are learning from you.
00:38:17.82\00:38:21.34
Joseph's brothers learned
from their father's example.
00:38:23.42\00:38:27.30
And they will not
wait for Joseph to act.
00:38:27.58\00:38:30.80
Instead, they act.
00:38:30.83\00:38:33.17
They sell him into
slavery thinking that is the
00:38:34.38\00:38:38.28
end of the story for him.
00:38:38.31\00:38:40.43
But men's plots cannot
overturn God's promises.
00:38:40.97\00:38:45.11
And I want to say
something here to someone
00:38:46.23\00:38:48.44
who has gone through
some kind of separation.
00:38:48.47\00:38:50.98
Maybe you were
given up for adoption,
00:38:51.01\00:38:54.15
or maybe
abandoned by your parents,
00:38:55.03\00:38:57.36
or maybe someone walked
out on you and left you alone,
00:38:57.39\00:39:00.64
I'm here to tell you today,
00:39:00.67\00:39:02.33
every separation
is not a condemnation.
00:39:02.36\00:39:06.09
Some have been ordained
by God, not for your evil
00:39:06.97\00:39:11.15
but for your good.
00:39:11.18\00:39:13.35
You thought it was
the worse thing that
00:39:13.71\00:39:15.32
could have happened to you.
00:39:15.35\00:39:16.39
But God was
trying to preserve you.
00:39:16.42\00:39:19.21
In order to break the yoke
of sin, in you or around you,
00:39:19.24\00:39:24.58
God had to separate you from
your family or the situation
00:39:24.61\00:39:28.83
or the
circumstances that you were in.
00:39:28.86\00:39:31.20
I know it's
difficult, I know you've been
00:39:31.23\00:39:33.85
questioning God's
justice, but the Bible is true,
00:39:33.88\00:39:37.34
"All things work
together for good
00:39:37.37\00:39:41.39
to them that love the Lord."
00:39:42.14\00:39:44.57
It may not seem that way
now, but God was working it out
00:39:45.97\00:39:50.03
for your good.
00:39:50.06\00:39:51.37
It didn't seem that
way to Joseph at first.
00:39:52.92\00:39:55.86
But that separation from
his family was a separation
00:39:56.67\00:40:00.13
from the evil influences
and the generational sins
00:40:00.16\00:40:03.98
that bound them.
00:40:04.01\00:40:05.60
He was sold into Potiphar's
house not by accident,
00:40:05.63\00:40:09.41
for the steps of a good
man are ordered by the Lord.
00:40:09.44\00:40:12.74
And He delights in
every detail of their lives.
00:40:13.18\00:40:16.21
He advances, though a foreigner,
until he is placed in charge
00:40:16.81\00:40:21.79
of Potiphar's entire house.
00:40:21.82\00:40:23.61
But then
Joseph's famine strikes.
00:40:24.47\00:40:27.27
Joseph's test comes
with Potiphar's wife.
00:40:27.78\00:40:31.06
And with the test is
the temptation to scheme
00:40:31.09\00:40:34.65
and surmise and use the
same deceptive practices
00:40:34.68\00:40:38.64
as his father's did.
00:40:38.67\00:40:39.89
To rationalize his actions,
00:40:39.92\00:40:42.55
to try to justify his sins.
00:40:43.62\00:40:45.90
But the Bible says that
when the moment of truth comes,
00:40:46.32\00:40:50.49
Joseph says to her,
"My master trusts me
00:40:50.52\00:40:54.20
with everything in his house."
00:40:54.23\00:40:56.30
If he was still a trickster,
he would not have been trusted.
00:40:57.45\00:41:01.82
He said, "I will
not betray his trust.
00:41:03.54\00:41:05.92
I will not use the
deceptive practices of my
00:41:05.95\00:41:08.87
great grandfather, and my
grandfather, and my father."
00:41:08.90\00:41:12.74
How was he able
to break the curse?
00:41:13.91\00:41:15.70
He goes on to say, "How could
I ever do such a wicked thing
00:41:15.73\00:41:21.69
and sin against God?"
00:41:21.72\00:41:25.81
Joseph was able to
break the curse of deception
00:41:27.38\00:41:31.56
in his family, because
instead of trusting in himself
00:41:31.59\00:41:35.01
he trusted in God.
00:41:35.04\00:41:38.44
And by the way,
when he did God's will,
00:41:40.45\00:41:44.10
it did not turn out
well for him at first.
00:41:44.13\00:41:47.32
God allowed another deception,
the lie of Potiphar's wife,
00:41:49.47\00:41:53.05
to cause him
negative consequences.
00:41:53.08\00:41:55.88
You know why? Because Joseph was
not ready for the blessing yet.
00:41:55.91\00:42:00.36
And the time wasn't right.
00:42:00.39\00:42:02.18
You see, some of
us want to be blessed,
00:42:03.75\00:42:06.10
but we don't want to
have to suffer anything
00:42:06.71\00:42:08.85
to receive the blessing.
00:42:08.88\00:42:10.31
Joseph was not ready
to receive his dream.
00:42:11.90\00:42:14.52
You see, before God can bless
us the way He wants to bless us,
00:42:14.79\00:42:18.43
sometimes He's got to break us.
00:42:18.46\00:42:20.86
The way to the balcony
is through the basement.
00:42:23.01\00:42:25.74
Before God can crown
you, He's got to convert you.
00:42:26.96\00:42:29.87
Before success comes suffering.
00:42:30.49\00:42:32.81
Before you can be saluted,
you've got to be sanctified.
00:42:32.84\00:42:35.82
You've got to be tried in the
fire to come out like pure gold.
00:42:35.85\00:42:39.88
Joseph needed seventeen
years of breaking and melting
00:42:41.98\00:42:45.45
and molding and mending
and shaping and humbling.
00:42:45.48\00:42:49.42
And while in prison
waiting on prisoners,
00:42:49.73\00:42:53.39
becoming caring and
sensitive enough to notice
00:42:53.89\00:42:57.61
that when they were troubled.
00:42:57.64\00:43:00.22
You see, if he had been into
himself, filled with self-pity,
00:43:01.55\00:43:05.80
angry with God for
allowing him to be imprisoned
00:43:05.83\00:43:09.08
for something he did not
do, he would have never noticed
00:43:09.11\00:43:12.71
the cupbearer and
the baker being troubled,
00:43:12.74\00:43:16.03
and would have never asked
them about their condition,
00:43:16.06\00:43:18.92
and would have never
interpreted their dreams.
00:43:18.95\00:43:22.39
Don't ever think you're
too big and too important
00:43:23.02\00:43:26.94
to stop and help out
somebody who seems little
00:43:26.97\00:43:30.70
and who's in trouble.
00:43:30.73\00:43:32.15
You never know how it
might bless you in the future.
00:43:32.72\00:43:35.99
He stopped and asked
them what their problem was.
00:43:38.36\00:43:41.00
When Joseph first
began this journey with God,
00:43:42.72\00:43:45.47
God gave him a dream.
00:43:45.50\00:43:46.85
But now God blesses him to
be able to interpret dreams.
00:43:46.88\00:43:50.46
And so he
interprets their dream.
00:43:51.64\00:43:53.89
And when the cupbearer
is released, he asks him
00:43:56.42\00:43:59.43
to remember him
when he gets out.
00:43:59.46\00:44:01.72
And the Bible
says in Genesis 40:23,
00:44:01.75\00:44:04.73
"The cupbearer promptly
forgot all about Joseph,
00:44:04.76\00:44:08.12
never giving him
another thought."
00:44:08.15\00:44:09.73
Isn't that how people are?
00:44:09.76\00:44:11.16
But God is going to bless him.
00:44:13.54\00:44:15.24
But he's not going
to use human ingenuity
00:44:16.10\00:44:18.74
like his father did.
00:44:18.77\00:44:20.21
When Joseph's dream is
fulfilled, he will know
00:44:20.93\00:44:23.95
that, "If it had not
been for the Lord on my side,
00:44:23.98\00:44:27.67
where would I be?"
00:44:27.70\00:44:29.25
The Bible says, one
day two years later,
00:44:30.89\00:44:34.86
God gives a dream
to the right person.
00:44:35.17\00:44:38.92
A dream that nobody
else could interpret.
00:44:40.31\00:44:43.24
And suddenly the cupbearer's
memory comes back to him.
00:44:43.27\00:44:47.77
He says, "I remember a
fellow when I was in prison
00:44:49.24\00:44:53.51
who interpreted my dream."
00:44:53.70\00:44:56.45
And he said, "Go get
him. We need him now."
00:44:57.25\00:45:00.99
And suddenly, the prisoner
is pulled out of prison.
00:45:01.57\00:45:07.26
You know, God can flip
your situation in an instant.
00:45:08.20\00:45:10.72
Come on say amen, somebody.
00:45:10.75\00:45:12.32
And Joseph comes out
and he explains the dream,
00:45:13.38\00:45:18.66
that there will be
seven years of plenty
00:45:18.69\00:45:21.25
and seven years of famine.
00:45:21.28\00:45:23.15
And he tells the
Pharaoh, "Pharaoh, what you need
00:45:23.18\00:45:26.14
to do is you need,
during these years of plenty,
00:45:26.17\00:45:29.38
to build up resources
for the years of famine.
00:45:30.57\00:45:34.03
You better get
ready. It's coming.
00:45:34.58\00:45:36.43
You better find
someone to do this for you."
00:45:38.34\00:45:40.66
And so the Pharaoh looks
around, "Who shall I get?"
00:45:42.62\00:45:45.48
And the Pharaoh turns and
says, "You the man I want."
00:45:45.97\00:45:49.34
And so in an instant, he moves
from prisoner to Prime Minister.
00:45:49.97\00:45:53.66
Come on say amen, somebody.
00:45:53.69\00:45:55.37
And God teaches Jacob a
valuable lesson through Joseph.
00:45:56.88\00:46:02.77
So as Joseph tells him
the story, he begins to
00:46:05.10\00:46:09.17
realize that if he
had waited for God,
00:46:09.20\00:46:14.63
God could have done for
him what he did for Joseph.
00:46:15.03\00:46:20.23
He wouldn't have
had to trick his father,
00:46:20.91\00:46:23.49
lie on his brother.
00:46:23.76\00:46:25.76
He could have waited for
God and watched God's hand move,
00:46:26.20\00:46:30.51
just as God's
hand moved for Joseph.
00:46:30.54\00:46:33.81
And Joseph becomes
the savior of his family.
00:46:38.68\00:46:42.22
And as such, he
becomes a type of Christ.
00:46:42.25\00:46:46.02
Have you noticed the Messianic
similarities in the life
00:46:47.63\00:46:50.96
of Joseph and Jesus?
00:46:50.99\00:46:52.21
Joseph was despised and
rejected by his own family,
00:46:52.31\00:46:56.33
just as Jesus was
rejected by his home town.
00:46:56.36\00:46:59.77
John 1 says, "He
came to His own people,
00:47:00.41\00:47:03.11
and His own kind
received Him not."
00:47:03.22\00:47:05.94
He was lied on by
Potiphar's wife and punished,
00:47:07.17\00:47:10.80
and yet he opened not his mouth.
00:47:11.08\00:47:12.82
Isaiah says Jesus was lied upon,
yet He opened not His mouth.
00:47:12.85\00:47:16.87
Joseph came into rulership
in Egypt through obscurity,
00:47:17.47\00:47:21.68
a foreigner.
00:47:21.71\00:47:22.93
First Potiphar's
slave, and then a prisoner.
00:47:23.13\00:47:25.53
Philippians 2 says,
"Jesus, though equal with God,
00:47:25.63\00:47:28.84
made Himself of no
reputation; took upon Himself
00:47:28.87\00:47:31.43
the form of a servant."
00:47:31.46\00:47:32.88
Joseph, the son that had
been rejected by his brothers
00:47:33.88\00:47:37.71
became the foundation
of his family's salvation,
00:47:37.74\00:47:40.63
just as Jesus, the Stone
rejected by the builders,
00:47:40.66\00:47:43.97
became the head cornerstone.
00:47:44.00\00:47:45.93
Joseph saved Jacob's
seed, the children of Israel,
00:47:47.07\00:47:50.23
just as Jesus saved
the spiritual Israel.
00:47:50.26\00:47:53.64
"For if we be
Christ's, we are Abraham's seed;
00:47:54.66\00:47:58.19
heirs according to the promise."
00:47:58.22\00:47:59.94
But the greatest
symbolism is found in the change
00:47:59.97\00:48:04.05
that took place
in Joseph's life.
00:48:04.08\00:48:06.85
His life is an example of
God's power to break the curses
00:48:07.46\00:48:12.38
and sins that bind you.
00:48:12.41\00:48:14.86
Even inborn family sins.
00:48:14.89\00:48:18.16
As Jacob's sons tell
the whole sordid story
00:48:19.50\00:48:23.69
of Joseph's 17 year odyssey and
how God fulfilled His promise
00:48:23.72\00:48:29.05
to Joseph in spite of
his brother's deceptive ways
00:48:29.08\00:48:32.53
he learns that
God's way is the best way.
00:48:32.56\00:48:36.98
Let me illustrate it like this.
00:48:43.44\00:48:45.14
There's a science that
organizes living things
00:48:46.30\00:48:51.08
according to families.
00:48:51.60\00:48:53.30
It's called taxonomy.
00:48:54.09\00:48:56.02
Animals are grouped
according to likenesses;
00:48:57.22\00:49:00.77
anatomically, behaviorally,
physiologically, biochemically.
00:49:01.18\00:49:07.86
Fish swim.
00:49:09.05\00:49:10.91
They do not breath air, they
derive oxygen from the water.
00:49:11.96\00:49:16.08
Dolphins swim,
but they are not fish.
00:49:17.18\00:49:20.94
They have no gills.
00:49:20.97\00:49:22.50
They are
warm-blooded, they grow hair.
00:49:22.75\00:49:25.01
Dolphins are
mammals, a different family.
00:49:25.04\00:49:28.54
Many kinds of
feline; small, some large.
00:49:29.85\00:49:34.19
Some can be domesticated.
00:49:34.54\00:49:36.76
But let a house cat go
outside, around small creatures,
00:49:37.80\00:49:42.00
and immediately they exhibit the
same predatory characteristics
00:49:42.03\00:49:46.49
of all felines.
00:49:46.52\00:49:48.18
They belong to the family.
00:49:48.21\00:49:50.19
Birds fly.
00:49:50.98\00:49:52.54
They have feathers.
00:49:52.80\00:49:53.92
And even the birds
that you don't recognize,
00:49:53.95\00:49:57.55
all are a part of the family.
00:49:58.53\00:50:00.96
But there is a fixed law
of nature; that creatures
00:50:01.71\00:50:05.33
cannot change families.
00:50:05.36\00:50:07.96
You can't cross
a fish with a bird.
00:50:08.50\00:50:12.00
A feline can
never become a reptile.
00:50:12.62\00:50:16.07
Each creature must
remain in their own family,
00:50:16.65\00:50:20.36
for better or for worse.
00:50:20.39\00:50:22.02
Even if it means
extinction, the creature cannot
00:50:22.05\00:50:26.05
escape his family.
00:50:26.08\00:50:27.12
Can a leopard change his spots?
00:50:27.15\00:50:29.76
But here is the miracle of
the Word that became flesh.
00:50:32.25\00:50:35.88
Jesus comes and combines
two families that were divided
00:50:36.88\00:50:42.59
by the
insurmountable obstacle of sin.
00:50:42.62\00:50:45.62
He joins Himself to the
family headed for extinction
00:50:45.65\00:50:49.98
and reconciles it to the
family headed for eternity.
00:50:50.01\00:50:53.99
And a whole new
category is created.
00:50:54.02\00:50:57.10
One that taxonomy cannot name.
00:50:57.13\00:51:01.28
The Bible says, "If
any man be in Christ,
00:51:02.25\00:51:05.94
he is a new creature.
00:51:05.97\00:51:08.12
Old things are passed away.
00:51:08.57\00:51:10.40
Behold, all
things are become new."
00:51:10.43\00:51:13.02
Jesus does more than
patch up old human nature.
00:51:13.22\00:51:17.76
He imparts a new divine nature.
00:51:17.79\00:51:21.26
And we can become a
part of His divinity.
00:51:23.96\00:51:26.63
Who else can do it but Jesus?
00:51:28.69\00:51:30.77
Who else?
00:51:31.25\00:51:32.68
It's like a mosquito
wakes up and becomes an eagle.
00:51:33.32\00:51:37.62
It's like a worm
who goes to sleep
00:51:39.50\00:51:42.09
and wakes up to become a lion.
00:51:42.12\00:51:44.60
No wonder the devil
trembles when he sees us
00:51:46.92\00:51:49.24
on our knees in prayer.
00:51:49.27\00:51:51.24
And He can do it for us tonight.
00:51:55.09\00:51:57.23
He can do it for you,
and He can do it for me.
00:51:57.26\00:52:00.58
He can break the curses that are
passed down through our genes
00:52:00.61\00:52:07.62
if we surrender
our lives to Him.
00:52:08.12\00:52:12.25
Let's bow our
heads and pray together.
00:52:14.26\00:52:16.11
Father, we thank You
tonight for the power of grace,
00:52:17.06\00:52:22.32
for the power that You
have to break the curse,
00:52:23.81\00:52:28.75
the curse that binds us.
00:52:30.22\00:52:32.30
Generational curses; things
that have been passed down to us
00:52:32.33\00:52:37.64
that we had no part in.
00:52:37.67\00:52:39.89
But we are grateful tonight
that we have an elder Brother
00:52:40.66\00:52:44.84
who is able to break
those curses, those chains
00:52:45.79\00:52:49.61
that bind us, and set us free.
00:52:49.64\00:52:52.27
Tonight, Lord, we pray
that You will come into us
00:52:53.53\00:52:57.48
and impart us that
saving grace and power.
00:52:57.51\00:53:01.71
Bless us tonight. Keep us.
00:53:03.10\00:53:06.98
And as we
surrender our lives to You
00:53:07.21\00:53:10.39
change us, remold us, remake us
so that we will become like You.
00:53:10.42\00:53:19.16
For we ask all of these
things in Jesus' name, amen.
00:53:20.51\00:53:26.74
Can the church say amen?
00:53:34.33\00:53:35.71
We have learned what
it means to become a man
00:53:37.03\00:53:40.73
instead of a boy.
00:53:41.12\00:53:42.49
We have learned what it means
to empty the trunk of our past
00:53:43.64\00:53:47.93
and to allow our
lives to be the place where
00:53:48.53\00:53:50.52
the Lord abides.
00:53:50.55\00:53:51.69
I want to invite
Pastor Nixon to come and just,
00:53:51.72\00:53:55.92
as we are about to
close our Dare To Dream,
00:53:55.95\00:53:58.81
Foundation Of Faith
series, we have learned so much.
00:53:58.84\00:54:03.10
Have we not, church?
Can you say amen to that?
00:54:03.13\00:54:05.05
I know those viewing
the program have probably
00:54:05.48\00:54:08.35
said to themselves, "What
more could God do to remind us
00:54:08.38\00:54:12.22
that we are more in
His sight than we are even
00:54:12.25\00:54:15.43
in our own sight?"
00:54:15.46\00:54:16.54
Pastor Nixon, we are closing
out this first Dare To Dream,
00:54:16.72\00:54:20.98
Foundation of Faith series.
00:54:21.40\00:54:22.93
And I want you to give
our audience, and even those
00:54:22.96\00:54:26.10
who are gathered here,
some words of encouragement.
00:54:26.13\00:54:27.97
You just did so in the sermon,
but cap off our weekend for us.
00:54:28.00\00:54:31.37
What can we do to
go from this place?
00:54:31.58\00:54:33.32
We just spent the last
four meetings listening to
00:54:33.35\00:54:36.30
God remind us of the
veracity of a relationship
00:54:36.33\00:54:38.83
that's built on Him.
00:54:39.08\00:54:41.00
Give us some encouraging
words as we close out.
00:54:41.03\00:54:43.39
Well I'm reminded of the
words of Psalms that says,
00:54:43.59\00:54:47.34
a just man falls down seven
times and gets back up again.
00:54:47.37\00:54:50.70
And what it means is, that
we must be willing to persevere.
00:54:51.42\00:54:56.23
No one changes overnight.
00:54:57.34\00:55:01.60
And God understands that.
00:55:01.63\00:55:03.52
And what He really wants
is for to have an attitude
00:55:04.18\00:55:07.96
that we will be willing to keep
fighting and keep persevering.
00:55:07.99\00:55:11.89
Because He says that
He will always be with us.
00:55:11.99\00:55:14.92
He'll never leave
us nor forsake us.
00:55:14.95\00:55:17.89
He recognizes that He's
working on a building with us.
00:55:17.92\00:55:21.47
And it's a process,
and it will take time.
00:55:21.72\00:55:24.22
And so if we are
willing to stay in the game,
00:55:24.72\00:55:28.91
He's willing to be with us.
00:55:29.21\00:55:31.45
And so that's really
what I hope that we will
00:55:31.66\00:55:35.25
all gather from this.
00:55:35.28\00:55:36.45
No one changes
overnight. It's a process.
00:55:36.48\00:55:39.63
And God is
willing to be with us.
00:55:39.66\00:55:41.63
You made a statement on
one of my favorite Scriptures
00:55:41.73\00:55:43.73
in 1 John
chapter 3 when you said,
00:55:43.76\00:55:46.81
"Now are we the sons of God."
00:55:46.84\00:55:49.29
I think sometimes people
think that one day we are
00:55:49.49\00:55:51.43
going to be the sons of God,
or one day we are going to be
00:55:51.46\00:55:53.65
the children of God.
00:55:53.68\00:55:54.71
But we are in the process of
becoming the children of God.
00:55:54.74\00:55:57.40
Spend a few moments on that.
00:55:57.70\00:55:58.83
We just have about two minutes.
00:55:58.86\00:56:00.34
Remind us of that,
because some people
00:56:00.64\00:56:02.02
don't know who
they are in Christ.
00:56:02.05\00:56:03.54
They think they're going
to become someone in Christ.
00:56:03.57\00:56:05.15
But talk about that.
00:56:05.18\00:56:06.29
It's interesting
that God does something
00:56:06.32\00:56:09.15
very interesting for us.
00:56:09.18\00:56:10.93
He gives us the
gift of son-ship,
00:56:11.87\00:56:16.37
or the gift of being
sons and daughters of God.
00:56:16.91\00:56:19.82
And then He tells us to
act like we are His children.
00:56:20.28\00:56:23.60
It's not something that we earn,
it's something that He gives us.
00:56:24.39\00:56:28.06
And then He tells us,
"Act like you're My children."
00:56:28.44\00:56:31.23
And so it's an interesting...
00:56:32.36\00:56:34.48
You know, we live in a
world where you perform,
00:56:34.95\00:56:37.22
and then you receive rewards.
00:56:37.25\00:56:39.05
God works that
process in reverse.
00:56:39.25\00:56:40.99
He says, "I'll reward you,
and now I want you to act like
00:56:41.02\00:56:44.46
you've been rewarded."
00:56:44.49\00:56:45.97
And that's what He's
saying to us when He says that,
00:56:46.49\00:56:49.93
"Now you're the sons, now
you're the daughters of God.
00:56:49.96\00:56:52.56
Now I want you to act
like you're My children."
00:56:52.59\00:56:54.55
Okay, we are more
than conquerors now.
00:56:54.58\00:56:56.29
We're not going to
become more than conquerors.
00:56:56.32\00:56:57.61
That's right.
00:56:57.64\00:56:58.67
Okay, I can embrace that.
00:56:58.70\00:56:59.77
Can you say amen to that?
00:56:59.80\00:57:00.84
And Pastor Nixon,
now one more word.
00:57:01.24\00:57:03.71
What do we do from this point
on to take hold of that promise?
00:57:03.74\00:57:07.19
It's about each and every day
surrendering ourself to Christ.
00:57:08.21\00:57:13.56
It's a daily commitment,
a daily commitment to Him,
00:57:14.30\00:57:17.49
and surrendering to Him.
00:57:17.60\00:57:18.68
And recognizing that it's
not by might nor by power,
00:57:18.71\00:57:21.24
but by His Spirit.
00:57:21.27\00:57:22.62
Praise the Lord.
00:57:22.65\00:57:23.72
And I want to just pray for
you as you are about to depart
00:57:23.82\00:57:26.46
and continue your
work at Andrews University.
00:57:26.49\00:57:29.57
Your wife, your
children, your family.
00:57:29.81\00:57:31.69
It's imperative that we remember
those that labor among us
00:57:32.04\00:57:35.31
and are over us in the
Lord, and admonish then.
00:57:35.34\00:57:37.75
Let's bow our heads together.
00:57:37.78\00:57:39.01
Gracious Father, you have
called us to accountability.
00:57:39.24\00:57:42.71
You have sent Dr.
Nixon here to remind us of
00:57:43.04\00:57:45.25
the stages of our walk with You.
00:57:45.28\00:57:47.15
Lord, cause us by
Your indwelling Spirit
00:57:47.26\00:57:49.95
to dare to dream.
00:57:49.98\00:57:51.39
But to do so as we build
on the foundation of Christ.
00:57:51.57\00:57:55.73
This we ask for
and this we pray.
00:57:55.76\00:57:57.95
In Jesus' precious
and holy name, amen.
00:57:58.26\00:58:02.73