Welcome to
Foundation of Our Faith.
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My name is John Dinzey,
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for me it's the
privilege to come before you
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to present this
powerful program,
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and we hope you'd
join us during this hour
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and study God's word together.
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We have a four part series
with Pastor Jaime Kowlessar
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and we encourage
you to watch and listen
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to every single one of
these powerful messages
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because we are
depending on the Holy Spirit.
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Amen?
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Amen.
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Today it is the first
topic, The Diminished Chord,
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next will be Access Granted,
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number three, Don't Hate
the Player, Hate the Game
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and number four,
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A Little Prayer That
Made a Big Difference.
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I'd like to share
a little bit with you
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about Pastor Kowlessar.
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He graduated from
Atlantic Union Collage,
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and completed his Master of
Divinity at Andrews University.
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And he is currently
pursuing a doctoral degree
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in social justice
and political activism.
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He is a happily married
man with his wife, Carlene,
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has two daughters,
Katelynn and Amber.
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And he loves his
family and he loves the Lord.
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God has used him in many ways.
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He began his
ministry in New York City
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where he is a native of,
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and the Lord
called him eventually
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to the Bethany SDA Church,
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where the attendance was 27,
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but the pastor
depended upon the Lord,
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and the Lord blessed
with a mighty harvest,
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300 people
eventually filled that church
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through the
ministry of Pastor Kowlessar.
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And so we are depending
upon the Lord to use him again,
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and we're going
to pray in a moment,
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but we want to encourage
you to gather a pen, your Bible
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and study God's word together.
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Before he preaches we
are also blessed to have
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the music of
Sister Sherice Tomlin.
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And Sister Sherice Tomlin...
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the Lord had
blessed her with a talent
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and she has a melodious voice
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and the Lord has
also blessed her so far
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to produce three albums,
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Without, You Lord, One
Day and Just Like Heaven.
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And she believes in ministry,
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she is one of those
that has found a ministry
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in opening her
home to foster children,
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and this has been a great
blessing to her and her family.
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She will be coming in a moment
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to share music with you,
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and the song is
entitled Lord I Believe in You.
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Amen?
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This is a message in song
that will prepare our hearts,
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lift our hearts towards heaven,
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to hear the
message for this evening.
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Right now I'd like to
invite you to join me in prayer,
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so if it's
possible for you to stand,
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we like to approach
God's throne of grace.
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Let us pray together.
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"Our loving Heavenly Father,
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we paused this moment
to ask for Your blessing
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upon Pastor
Kowlessar and Sister Sherice.
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We pray that You will bless
them with Your Holy Spirit.
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We pray that as
they lift their voice
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in song and to preach Your word,
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Your Holy Spirit
will accompany them.
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And we pray for a
blessing upon everyone here
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and everyone that is
joining us wherever they may be,
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whether it be in the hospital,
in their homes, in prison,
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we pray that wherever
they are you will reach them,
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reach them with Your
message of hope and salvation.
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And we thank You for
listening to our prayer
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for we bring it to
You in Jesus name, Amen.
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Amen.
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You may be seated.
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I like to invite
Sister Sherice to come forward
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and bring us to God's
throne of grace in music.
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God bless you.
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Though I can't see
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Your holy face
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And Your throne in Heaven above
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It seems so far away
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Though I can't touch
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Can't touch Your
nail pierced hands
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I have a deep
and unspeakable joy
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That makes my faith to stand
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Lord, I believe in You
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I'll always believe in You
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Though I can't
see You with my eyes
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Deep in my heart,
Your presence I find
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Lord, I believe in You
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And I place my trust in You
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Let the whole
world say what they may
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No one can take this joy away
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Lord, I believe
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Born from above
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You are God's only chosen one
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You're the way and only true way
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Way to the Father's heart
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You died for all sin
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And then You rose
and now live again
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Conquering death and the grave
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So that I might live
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Lord, I believe in You
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I'll always believe in You
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Though I can't
see You with my eyes
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Deep in my heart,
Your presence I find
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Lord, I believe in You
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And I'll put my trust in You
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Let the whole
world say what they may
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Nobody can take this joy away
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Lord, I believe
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Oh, Lord, I believe in You
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I'll always believe in You
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Though I can't
see You with my eyes
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Deep in my heart,
Your presence I find
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Lord, I believe in You
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And I'll place my trust in You
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Let the whole
world say what they may
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No one can take this joy away
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Lord, I believe
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I believe always
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Good evening,
brothers and sisters.
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Thank the Lord for
this opportunity to be here,
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on this evening
and to speak His words.
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And to speak it His way
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and what He would
like for you to receive.
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And so on this evening
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we're gonna look at the passage
found in 2 Kings 4:18-37.
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2 Kings 4:18-37,
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and I'm reading
you'll be hearing.
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Word of God says,
"And the child grew.
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Now it happened one day
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that he went out to
his father, to the reapers.
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And he said to his
father, 'My head, my head!'
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And so he said to a servant,
'Carry him to his mother.'
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And when he had taken him
and brought him to his mother,
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he sat on her knees
till noon, and then died.
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And she went up and laid him
on the bed of the man of God,
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shut the door
upon him, and went out.
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Then she called to her husband,
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and said, 'Please send
me one of the young men
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and one of the donkeys
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that I may run to the
man of God and come back.'
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So he said, 'Why are
you going to him today?
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It is neither the New
Moon nor the Sabbath.'
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And she said, 'It is well.'
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Then she saddled a donkey,
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and said to her
servant, 'Drive, and go forward,
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do not slacken the pace
for me unless I tell you.'
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And so she departed,
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and went to the man
of God at Mount Carmel.
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And so it was, when the
man of God saw her afar off,
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that he said to
his servant Gehazi,
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'Look, the Shunammite woman!
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Please run now to
meet her, and say to her,
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'Is it well with you?
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Is it well with your husband?
Is it well with the child?''
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And she answered, 'It is well.'
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Now when she came to
the man of God at the hill,
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she caught him by the feet,
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but Gehazi came
near to push her away.
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But the man of God said,
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'Let her alone, for her
soul is in deep distress,
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and the Lord has
hidden it from me,
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and has not told me.'
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So she said, 'Did I
ask a son of my lord?
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Did I not say,
'Do not deceive me?''
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Then he said to
Gehazi, 'Get yourself ready,
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and take my staff in
your hand, and be on your way.
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If you meet
anyone, do not greet him,
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and if anyone greets
you, do not answer him,
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but lay my staff on
the face of the child.'
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And the mother
of the child said,
00:12:16.37\00:12:18.27
'As the Lord lives,
and as your soul lives,
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I will not leave you.'
00:12:21.65\00:12:23.52
So he arose and followed her.
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Now Gehazi went
on ahead of them,
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and laid the staff on
the face of the child,
00:12:28.32\00:12:30.32
but there was
neither voice nor hearing.
00:12:30.35\00:12:32.94
Therefore he went back to
meet him, and told him, saying,
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'The child has not awakened.'
00:12:35.79\00:12:38.39
When Elisha came into the house,
00:12:38.42\00:12:40.48
there was the child,
lying dead on his bed.
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And he went in therefore,
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shut the door
behind the two of them,
00:12:45.17\00:12:47.11
and prayed to the Lord.
00:12:47.14\00:12:48.72
And he went up
and lay on the child,
00:12:48.75\00:12:50.47
and put his mouth on his mouth,
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and his eyes on his eyes,
and his hands on his hands,
00:12:52.11\00:12:55.03
and he stretched
himself out on the child,
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and the flesh of
the child became warm.
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He returned and walked
back and forth in the house,
00:12:59.21\00:13:01.92
and again went up and
stretched himself out on him,
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then the child
sneezed seven times,
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and the child opened his eyes.
00:13:08.07\00:13:09.79
And he called Gehazi and said,
00:13:09.82\00:13:11.35
'Call this Shunammite woman.'
00:13:11.38\00:13:13.16
So he called her.
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And when she came
in to him, he said,
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'Pick up your son.'
00:13:16.19\00:13:17.59
So she went in,
fell at his feet,
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and bowed to the ground,
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then she picked up
her son and went out."
00:13:22.57\00:13:25.82
Which our prayers this evening,
00:13:25.85\00:13:27.59
I want to speak
to you on the topic
00:13:27.62\00:13:29.41
entitled The Diminished Chord.
00:13:29.44\00:13:31.81
Let us pray.
00:13:31.84\00:13:33.47
"Lord, God Almighty,
00:13:33.50\00:13:35.22
now I thank You so
much for this opportunity
00:13:35.25\00:13:37.54
to speak Your words,
00:13:37.57\00:13:39.19
and I pray God that You would
touch my tongue with a hot coal
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from Your altar,
00:13:41.88\00:13:43.32
and now I also ask
Lord that I may not be seen,
00:13:43.35\00:13:45.51
but that You may be seen,
and that You'll be lifted up,
00:13:45.54\00:13:48.60
and that by the end
of this sermon Lord,
00:13:48.63\00:13:50.99
that we'd know and understand
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that You are in
control of all things.
00:13:52.38\00:13:55.24
And that You run all things
00:13:55.27\00:13:56.50
and that You are
the master of our lives,
00:13:56.53\00:13:58.97
so bless us Lord,
we pray once again,
00:13:59.00\00:14:01.34
we ask this in
Your name Jesus Christ.
00:14:01.37\00:14:03.63
Amen.
00:14:03.66\00:14:05.57
There is a need within all of us
00:14:05.60\00:14:07.60
to have control over our lives
00:14:07.63\00:14:10.34
and the pattern by
which these events happen,
00:14:10.37\00:14:13.62
and after all because of
our limitations as human beings,
00:14:13.65\00:14:17.55
we can't afford to have things
00:14:17.58\00:14:19.81
go other than the
way we planned it.
00:14:19.84\00:14:23.05
Psychology calls it
the need for synchronicity.
00:14:23.08\00:14:26.69
That everything
we do and possess
00:14:26.72\00:14:29.19
should fall into place
00:14:29.22\00:14:31.25
and culminate to the conclusion
00:14:31.28\00:14:33.62
and provide a
meaningful experience.
00:14:33.65\00:14:36.72
But such as the case with life
00:14:36.75\00:14:39.56
there is ever
hardly synchronicity.
00:14:39.59\00:14:42.74
I guess it's safe to say
00:14:42.77\00:14:43.94
that you can compare
life to the game of baseball,
00:14:43.97\00:14:47.11
that as you stand
in the batter's box
00:14:47.14\00:14:49.12
every now and then,
00:14:49.15\00:14:50.41
the pitcher may
throw you a curve ball
00:14:50.44\00:14:53.42
and throw you one
that you did not see
00:14:53.45\00:14:55.57
and it can mess up everything
that you've been trying to do.
00:14:55.60\00:14:59.22
You see, I could never
forget as I was a young budding,
00:14:59.25\00:15:03.43
theology major at AUC
in Atlantic Union Collage.
00:15:03.46\00:15:07.12
And I entertain the idea of
taking the preaching engagement
00:15:07.15\00:15:10.53
in Natick, Massachusetts.
00:15:10.56\00:15:12.61
I remember taking the engagement
00:15:12.64\00:15:14.13
four weeks in advance,
00:15:14.16\00:15:15.83
and I remember a study
00:15:15.86\00:15:17.53
and I remember
practicing before the mirror,
00:15:17.56\00:15:20.74
how I would speak in,
00:15:20.77\00:15:22.12
how I would
deliver this message?
00:15:22.15\00:15:24.50
It was my first
sermon as a theology major.
00:15:24.53\00:15:28.04
And so excited to
take the engagement,
00:15:28.07\00:15:30.85
I accepted,
00:15:30.88\00:15:32.17
you see there is nothing better
than for a young theology major
00:15:32.20\00:15:35.43
to get an
opportunity to put into practice
00:15:35.46\00:15:37.83
what you've been studying,
00:15:37.86\00:15:39.18
to make it
meaningful, to make it--
00:15:39.21\00:15:41.39
make it seem like
you're actually doing something
00:15:41.42\00:15:43.84
and that what you've
studied is gonna be good
00:15:43.87\00:15:46.15
for what other
people need to hear.
00:15:46.18\00:15:48.27
And I knew that God
had ordained this moment
00:15:48.30\00:15:53.18
and this invitation,
00:15:53.21\00:15:54.76
I was confident that God
was calling me to do this
00:15:54.79\00:15:58.20
because He wanted to use me.
00:15:58.23\00:16:00.20
And so I used my
time in between classes
00:16:00.23\00:16:02.62
to prepare the sermon
00:16:02.65\00:16:04.09
and since I didn't have a car,
00:16:04.12\00:16:05.62
I made sure that
I secured my ride
00:16:05.65\00:16:08.99
in advance to the church early.
00:16:09.02\00:16:11.56
And so my friend
obliged to do favor for me.
00:16:11.59\00:16:14.70
And as weeks went on it
was finally time to preach,
00:16:14.73\00:16:17.62
and
unfortunately in my excitement
00:16:17.65\00:16:20.26
I failed to write down
the address of the church.
00:16:20.29\00:16:24.12
But no need to
worry, there was a handbook
00:16:24.15\00:16:27.08
which had the
locations of all the churches
00:16:27.11\00:16:29.64
in the Southern
New England Conference.
00:16:29.67\00:16:31.98
And so as the day
came 8:30 in the morning,
00:16:32.01\00:16:35.97
we ensure that we'd get
there for Sabbath School
00:16:36.00\00:16:38.61
because I wanted to
sit in the congregation
00:16:38.64\00:16:40.89
and get a feel for the church
00:16:40.92\00:16:43.49
and who I would be speaking to.
00:16:43.52\00:16:45.79
I needed that
morning to be perfect,
00:16:45.82\00:16:47.84
I needed the car
to be filled with gas,
00:16:47.87\00:16:49.93
I needed
directions to be printed out,
00:16:49.96\00:16:51.79
I needed to make sure that
my sermon was written well,
00:16:51.82\00:16:54.61
and it was ready to be preached.
00:16:54.64\00:16:56.23
And we located the
church in the handbook
00:16:56.26\00:16:58.48
and made our journey
00:16:58.51\00:17:00.28
and I shared with my
friends the point of my sermon
00:17:00.31\00:17:03.16
and all the
things I was gonna say in
00:17:03.19\00:17:05.16
through good conversation
00:17:05.19\00:17:06.77
and talking about the Lord,
00:17:06.80\00:17:08.32
it was to our surprise
that we had the wrong address.
00:17:08.35\00:17:14.43
And when we
pulled up to the church,
00:17:14.46\00:17:16.41
it was only to
discover an abandoned building.
00:17:16.44\00:17:20.18
Perplexed and confused,
00:17:20.21\00:17:22.44
I wondered why in the world
00:17:22.47\00:17:24.85
would God allow
something like this to happen.
00:17:24.88\00:17:28.96
I mean why would God
allow me to write a sermon,
00:17:28.99\00:17:32.16
excite me about an opportunity
to preach at a church,
00:17:32.19\00:17:35.92
why would God allow me
00:17:35.95\00:17:37.14
to miss the opportunity to
call somebody to repent this.
00:17:37.17\00:17:40.36
Why would God allow
things to go so smoothly
00:17:40.39\00:17:44.08
and then all of a
sudden and unexcited,
00:17:44.11\00:17:47.21
uninvited event presents itself
00:17:47.24\00:17:49.60
and we are left to
deal with it by ourselves,
00:17:49.63\00:17:53.03
I was livid.
00:17:53.06\00:17:56.68
Because I needed synchronicity,
00:17:56.71\00:17:59.04
I needed
everything to fall in place,
00:17:59.07\00:18:00.74
I needed that day to be
exactly and perfectly right
00:18:00.77\00:18:04.03
because after all
00:18:04.06\00:18:05.10
I had planed the day
out four weeks in advance
00:18:05.13\00:18:07.96
and I needed this thing
to go the way that it did.
00:18:07.99\00:18:10.64
And so as I
thought about that day
00:18:10.67\00:18:12.85
and I thought about this text,
00:18:12.88\00:18:14.86
I said, 'that's what this
woman is having in this text.
00:18:14.89\00:18:18.18
Here is a woman,
a Shunammite woman
00:18:18.21\00:18:21.04
that's what the
Bible refers to her.
00:18:21.07\00:18:22.92
Scholars suggest
00:18:22.95\00:18:24.51
that the word of her name
means peaceable or pacified.
00:18:24.54\00:18:28.90
So she is a wealthy
peaceable and pacified woman.
00:18:28.93\00:18:33.06
Everything is
going perfect for her.
00:18:33.09\00:18:35.03
Everything is fine for
her. Everything is wonderful.
00:18:35.06\00:18:38.21
She enjoys her synchronicity.
00:18:38.24\00:18:40.68
Things just work out well
for this Shunammite woman.
00:18:40.71\00:18:43.77
It's amazing that the
Bible goes out of the way
00:18:43.80\00:18:45.90
to call her Shunammite woman
00:18:45.93\00:18:47.44
because they want us to
identify with who she is.
00:18:47.47\00:18:51.07
Sometimes in scripture
00:18:51.10\00:18:52.18
it just refers to
individuals as a certain woman
00:18:52.21\00:18:55.24
or a certain man.
00:18:55.27\00:18:56.42
But this one names
her as a Shunammite woman
00:18:56.45\00:18:58.81
it's where she from.
00:18:58.84\00:18:59.91
And the chapter tells us
00:18:59.94\00:19:01.40
that because God has
shown favor towards her,
00:19:01.43\00:19:04.46
and that she would reciprocate
00:19:04.49\00:19:06.92
some of those same
blessings on to this prophet.
00:19:06.95\00:19:09.68
She realizes
that it is a privilege
00:19:09.71\00:19:12.25
to show kindness
toward true servant of God,
00:19:12.28\00:19:14.66
that there was something
that impressed her about Elisha.
00:19:14.69\00:19:17.57
Perhaps it was because he
was a no nonsense preacher.
00:19:17.60\00:19:20.89
Perhaps she knew that
he was trained by Elijah
00:19:20.92\00:19:24.29
and that he had been
cut from the same fabric.
00:19:24.32\00:19:27.04
Perhaps she had just
admired the way he did things
00:19:27.07\00:19:30.21
that he didn't bend his back
00:19:30.24\00:19:32.51
and that he had
a backbone of steel
00:19:32.54\00:19:34.83
and that he would
stand for righteousness.
00:19:34.86\00:19:37.94
I mean we may not
know exactly, what it was,
00:19:37.97\00:19:41.28
but the story tell
us that she observes
00:19:41.31\00:19:44.04
Elisha's commitment drive
passion for the living God.
00:19:44.07\00:19:48.68
She suggest that
he should come inside
00:19:48.71\00:19:51.00
and have some
food with our family,
00:19:51.03\00:19:53.23
with my husband and I,
00:19:53.26\00:19:54.81
and I don't know
what was on the menu,
00:19:54.84\00:19:56.91
and I don't know
what they were serving,
00:19:56.94\00:19:59.10
but obviously it had to be good.
00:19:59.13\00:20:00.99
They often say that,
00:20:01.02\00:20:02.10
''The way to a man's
heart is through his stomach.''
00:20:02.13\00:20:04.83
And so she went to Elisha
00:20:04.86\00:20:06.80
thought if she cook
some wonderful food for him,
00:20:06.83\00:20:09.41
and not know
that it was wonderful
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.00
because the Bible tells us
00:20:11.03\00:20:12.07
that he would frequent
their house from time to time,
00:20:12.10\00:20:15.33
in so much that she
says to her husband,
00:20:15.36\00:20:19.08
let's make a small
room for him upstairs,
00:20:19.11\00:20:22.26
and a bed with desk,
00:20:22.29\00:20:23.85
so that when he passes by,
he can have somewhere to rest
00:20:23.88\00:20:26.72
because ministry is hard work
00:20:26.75\00:20:28.53
and doing the
work of God is not easy
00:20:28.56\00:20:30.38
and we want to make
sure that this man of God
00:20:30.41\00:20:32.99
has a place to study the word,
00:20:33.02\00:20:35.07
and a place to
prepare for what he is doing.
00:20:35.10\00:20:37.61
And because he works so hard,
00:20:37.64\00:20:39.09
we should be a
blessing to the man of God.
00:20:39.12\00:20:41.41
And it's obvious from the
text that her husband obliged
00:20:41.44\00:20:44.46
and that they
began to get the saw
00:20:44.49\00:20:46.29
and the hammer and the nails
00:20:46.32\00:20:47.51
and they built a
one bedroom for Elisha.
00:20:47.54\00:20:51.48
And the word tells us that
the next time Elisha came by,
00:20:51.51\00:20:54.53
he would take a nap and
he looked at his servant
00:20:54.56\00:20:57.07
and tells him to call
the Shunammite woman in.
00:20:57.10\00:20:59.83
She comes into the room
00:20:59.86\00:21:01.03
and he begins to have a
conversation with the woman,
00:21:01.06\00:21:03.88
and he says, "Since you've
gone beyond the call of duty
00:21:03.91\00:21:06.95
in taking good care of us,
00:21:06.98\00:21:08.40
what can we do for you?
00:21:08.43\00:21:10.30
How in the world can
we return the favor?"
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.99
Elisha says, you know,
I have a hook upon earth,
00:21:13.02\00:21:15.58
I know a Heavenly Father,
00:21:15.61\00:21:17.58
I can ask Him for things
00:21:17.61\00:21:18.87
and we can get
something working out for you,
00:21:18.90\00:21:21.53
I know the king, the
commander of the army,
00:21:21.56\00:21:23.75
but her answer is amazing,
00:21:23.78\00:21:26.03
she says, "I dwell
amongst my own people."
00:21:26.06\00:21:29.88
In other words the
question and the answer suggest
00:21:29.91\00:21:33.15
that Elisha is asking her
00:21:33.18\00:21:35.11
if she wants some sort
of reward or relocation.
00:21:35.14\00:21:38.51
The text suggest
that Elisha is asking her,
00:21:38.54\00:21:41.39
if she wants to move
out of this neighborhood
00:21:41.42\00:21:43.55
and probably into a
much better neighborhood
00:21:43.58\00:21:45.80
with a better zip code,
00:21:45.83\00:21:47.60
gated community, high rise with
the door men, central airing,
00:21:47.63\00:21:51.85
all the amenities
that she could dream of,
00:21:51.88\00:21:54.24
but her answer of course is,
"I dwell among my own people."
00:21:54.27\00:21:58.82
In other words
00:21:58.85\00:21:59.89
she wants no recompense
for the good she has done.
00:21:59.92\00:22:02.54
She wants nothing to do
with the court of the king.
00:22:02.57\00:22:04.95
She wants nothing to do with
the great ones of this world.
00:22:04.98\00:22:07.56
She has no
desire for higher things
00:22:07.59\00:22:09.92
because she is a
peaceful and passable woman.
00:22:09.95\00:22:12.89
And I'm gonna park here
parenthetically for a moment
00:22:12.92\00:22:15.45
because you have
some folk out there
00:22:15.48\00:22:17.29
that will only
do things for people
00:22:17.32\00:22:19.48
because deep down inside,
00:22:19.51\00:22:21.04
they are doing it for their
own personal gain and promotion.
00:22:21.07\00:22:24.44
They only do it for
a photo walk as to say,
00:22:24.47\00:22:27.22
'Hey, look at me, I did
something good for somebody,
00:22:27.25\00:22:30.65
look at me I want
to cover other gleaner,
00:22:30.68\00:22:32.92
look at me, I got a
article in a magazine
00:22:32.95\00:22:35.70
and they are not
doing it to help those
00:22:35.73\00:22:37.55
that can't help themselves,
00:22:37.58\00:22:38.92
they are doing it just to
help themselves by using people,
00:22:38.95\00:22:42.23
and you got to watch
out for folk like that.
00:22:42.26\00:22:44.36
You got to watch out for people
00:22:44.39\00:22:45.71
that will attach
themselves to you
00:22:45.74\00:22:47.82
because they're only doing
it to make themselves feel good.
00:22:47.85\00:22:51.29
And you got to pray that
God surrounds you with people
00:22:51.32\00:22:54.79
that will be the kind of people
00:22:54.82\00:22:56.55
that want to help those
that can't help themselves.
00:22:56.58\00:23:00.02
You got to pray that God
chooses your friends for you.
00:23:00.05\00:23:02.93
You got to pray
that God puts a spirit,
00:23:02.96\00:23:05.02
a heart within you,
00:23:05.05\00:23:06.54
to want to serve people
00:23:06.57\00:23:08.28
not because of what
you can get from people,
00:23:08.31\00:23:10.72
but to serve people
00:23:10.75\00:23:11.94
because that's what Jesus Christ
00:23:11.97\00:23:14.49
would have done for
everybody on this earth.
00:23:14.52\00:23:17.55
And so you got to understand it,
00:23:17.58\00:23:19.11
this woman wants
to just help Elisha.
00:23:19.14\00:23:21.76
And you got to love those people
00:23:21.79\00:23:23.06
that do God's
work in the background,
00:23:23.09\00:23:25.10
that those folks they
don't look for their name
00:23:25.13\00:23:27.06
on a program or on the screen.
00:23:27.09\00:23:28.97
But those people
who make things work,
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.17
because you have some people
that once they get a title,
00:23:31.20\00:23:33.74
they feel like
they are entitled.
00:23:33.77\00:23:35.77
Once you give
them a set of keys,
00:23:35.80\00:23:37.35
they think that they
are large and in charge.
00:23:37.38\00:23:39.77
But you got to
thank God for the people
00:23:39.80\00:23:41.79
that do things behind the scenes
00:23:41.82\00:23:43.57
to make sure that
things operate properly,
00:23:43.60\00:23:45.87
to make sure that
the cameras are on,
00:23:45.90\00:23:47.75
to make sure that
the lights are on,
00:23:47.78\00:23:49.37
to make sure that the
program is running well,
00:23:49.40\00:23:51.93
even though you may
never see their face,
00:23:51.96\00:23:54.65
those are the people
that make things work
00:23:54.68\00:23:57.50
and those are
the kinds of people
00:23:57.53\00:23:58.72
that I love to be around.
00:23:58.75\00:24:00.78
And so all in this text,
00:24:00.81\00:24:02.18
and although she says,
00:24:02.21\00:24:03.24
she does not want
anything or need anything,
00:24:03.27\00:24:06.34
Gehazi notices
that she has no son.
00:24:06.37\00:24:08.92
And that her husband is old.
00:24:08.95\00:24:10.33
And with no
hesitation Elisha says,
00:24:10.36\00:24:12.73
a year from now you
will be nursing an infant.
00:24:12.76\00:24:16.49
And although she lacked a son
00:24:16.52\00:24:18.29
that which was essential
00:24:18.32\00:24:19.75
to the honor and
happiness of a Israeli wife,
00:24:19.78\00:24:22.74
yet still she was okay.
00:24:22.77\00:24:24.55
And no word of
complaint passed her lips
00:24:24.58\00:24:26.78
which was a sign
of great contentment,
00:24:26.81\00:24:28.70
but the Lord
according to His grace and truth
00:24:28.73\00:24:30.97
He remembers even the wishes
that we cherish in silence
00:24:31.00\00:24:34.77
and that we do not
express before men.
00:24:34.80\00:24:37.03
And He often gives to
those who yield to His Holy will
00:24:37.06\00:24:40.68
without murmurs or complaints
00:24:40.71\00:24:42.32
that just which they have
long endeared to hope for.
00:24:42.35\00:24:45.94
Because I love it,
00:24:45.97\00:24:47.00
God wanted to give
you your heart's desire,
00:24:47.03\00:24:49.53
but you got to keep on doing
00:24:49.56\00:24:50.89
what the Lord
commands you to do.
00:24:50.92\00:24:52.60
And I promise you,
00:24:52.63\00:24:53.75
if the desires of your heart
00:24:53.78\00:24:55.63
are in accordance with His will,
00:24:55.66\00:24:57.52
then my God will and
shall provide whatever it is
00:24:57.55\00:25:01.04
and it shall come to pass.
00:25:01.07\00:25:02.51
It is clear that she
had stop hoping for a son.
00:25:02.54\00:25:05.38
She had given up on the idea
00:25:05.41\00:25:06.97
because all the
odds were against her.
00:25:07.00\00:25:08.93
She is old now, her
husband is old and now--
00:25:08.96\00:25:12.26
look Elisha comes and says,
00:25:12.29\00:25:13.96
"I'm going to say that in a year
00:25:13.99\00:25:16.17
you'll have the son."
00:25:16.20\00:25:17.45
And I love the
text because she says,
00:25:17.48\00:25:18.99
"No, my lord.
00:25:19.02\00:25:20.06
Don't lie to me, don't play me,
00:25:20.09\00:25:22.57
don't come here around
here, handing out blesses."
00:25:22.60\00:25:25.19
And you know God
ain't gonna give me
00:25:25.22\00:25:26.71
and I could imagine
00:25:26.74\00:25:27.77
she probably had the neck
motion going on and the finger,
00:25:27.80\00:25:30.71
don't come around here
doing all this and that
00:25:30.74\00:25:33.02
because my husband is old,
don't give me no false dreams.
00:25:33.05\00:25:36.03
But isn't that
like the God we serve
00:25:36.06\00:25:38.24
that He blesses you
00:25:38.27\00:25:39.74
when everything around
you is working against you.
00:25:39.77\00:25:42.68
That God has a
way of taking a loss
00:25:42.71\00:25:45.30
and turning that into a profit.
00:25:45.33\00:25:47.30
He has a way of taking
things that are down and out
00:25:47.33\00:25:51.48
and raising them up
00:25:51.51\00:25:52.93
and showing them out
in a way that's amazing.
00:25:52.96\00:25:55.31
Because isn't that
like the God we serves,
00:25:55.34\00:25:57.48
He will wait until it
seems like you are finished
00:25:57.51\00:26:00.56
and He will open
up a unexpected door
00:26:00.59\00:26:02.98
that will bless you
at a unexpected time
00:26:03.01\00:26:05.29
with an unexpected gift
to bless you unexpectedly.
00:26:05.32\00:26:08.74
I have discovered that
it is those unexpected,
00:26:08.77\00:26:11.86
unwarranted
gratitude to his gifts
00:26:11.89\00:26:14.08
that finds the most
meaning in our lives.
00:26:14.11\00:26:16.46
It is those
times when you ask God,
00:26:16.49\00:26:18.52
let me pass this grass,
00:26:18.55\00:26:19.88
just give me a seed
so I can pass the grass,
00:26:19.91\00:26:22.45
and then God turns
around and gives you an aim.
00:26:22.48\00:26:24.98
I have seen it those times when
you ask God to give me a job
00:26:25.01\00:26:28.79
and then He blesses
you with another one
00:26:28.82\00:26:30.87
that you were making
more money in the first place.
00:26:30.90\00:26:33.33
It is those
times when you ask God
00:26:33.36\00:26:34.98
to give me strength to
deal with this sickness,
00:26:35.01\00:26:37.23
but God not only
gives you strength
00:26:37.26\00:26:38.89
to deal with the sickness,
00:26:38.92\00:26:40.09
God cures you off the sickness.
00:26:40.12\00:26:42.35
Because God blesses us
00:26:42.38\00:26:44.17
in unexpected ways
with unexpected gifts
00:26:44.20\00:26:47.35
so that we could give
Him unexpected praise.
00:26:47.38\00:26:49.67
And I love the
God that we serve.
00:26:49.70\00:26:51.55
And I'm sure I
have a witness in here
00:26:51.58\00:26:53.58
that there's somebody in
here or somebody in TV lens
00:26:53.61\00:26:56.69
that understands that
God is blessing them in a way
00:26:56.72\00:26:59.99
that they would
have never imagined.
00:27:00.02\00:27:02.33
And so picture this
woman's synchronicity.
00:27:02.36\00:27:05.15
Let them examine
the events of her life.
00:27:05.18\00:27:08.02
The series of unrelated events,
00:27:08.05\00:27:09.93
that resulted in a
meaningful experience.
00:27:09.96\00:27:12.11
She feeds Elisha,
00:27:12.14\00:27:13.70
then she makes the room for him,
00:27:13.73\00:27:15.64
he asks her what
can I do for you?
00:27:15.67\00:27:17.68
She response by saying nothing,
00:27:17.71\00:27:19.63
then Gehazi says, she has no son
00:27:19.66\00:27:21.91
and then in a year
she will have a son
00:27:21.94\00:27:24.49
that she will be nursing.
00:27:24.52\00:27:25.92
So the Bible says that she
has a son, a year passes by.
00:27:25.95\00:27:29.79
And he is out one day
working with his father,
00:27:29.82\00:27:32.23
and he cries out "My
head, my head is hurting me."
00:27:32.26\00:27:36.06
The father probably
too old to do anything,
00:27:36.09\00:27:38.82
tells the servant to
take his boy to his momma.
00:27:38.85\00:27:41.92
And then in verse 18 it says,
00:27:41.95\00:27:44.24
"When he had taken him
and brought him to his mother,
00:27:44.27\00:27:47.16
he sat on her knees
till noon, and then he died."
00:27:47.19\00:27:53.15
Her synchronicity had
come to a certain halt.
00:27:53.18\00:27:55.95
Her wonderful
wealthy life had just become
00:27:55.98\00:27:58.15
morally poor and destitute.
00:27:58.18\00:28:00.10
Her only son
that she had long for,
00:28:00.13\00:28:01.74
yet still that she did not
even ask for in the place for
00:28:01.77\00:28:04.78
had died on her lap.
00:28:04.81\00:28:06.80
In my minds that tells me
00:28:06.83\00:28:08.43
that she sat on the
chair holding her son
00:28:08.46\00:28:11.38
and as she laid her
head back on her chest
00:28:11.41\00:28:14.22
she fell a sleep
and never woke up again.
00:28:14.25\00:28:21.25
So may be some of you
listening to me today,
00:28:21.28\00:28:25.47
you don't have children
00:28:25.50\00:28:27.05
and you probably
can't really understand
00:28:27.08\00:28:28.87
what this mother is feeling,
00:28:28.90\00:28:30.48
but I'm sure that there
are parents in here today,
00:28:30.51\00:28:33.94
our parents listening to me
on TV who have lost the child,
00:28:33.97\00:28:37.70
that it's a pain that I
would not wish on any person,
00:28:37.73\00:28:41.13
that here a beautiful beginning
00:28:41.16\00:28:43.77
has appeared to have
ended in a terrible and sad way.
00:28:43.80\00:28:47.89
But isn't this like life?
00:28:47.92\00:28:49.47
And I'm sure this
woman must have felt
00:28:49.50\00:28:51.19
the same way I would--
00:28:51.22\00:28:52.37
I felt when I could not make
it to that preaching engagement.
00:28:52.40\00:28:55.35
It may not be
to the same degree,
00:28:55.38\00:28:57.48
but you may ask
yourself the question
00:28:57.51\00:28:59.11
every now and then,
00:28:59.14\00:29:00.18
why would God set me up to fail?
00:29:00.21\00:29:02.93
Why would God give me this gift
00:29:02.96\00:29:05.08
only to have him
snatch it away from me?
00:29:05.11\00:29:07.74
There are some of us
that are listening to me today
00:29:07.77\00:29:11.16
that may not have
an ordeal like this,
00:29:11.19\00:29:13.27
but you've had some
interruptions in your life.
00:29:13.30\00:29:16.61
That can you
press the reset button
00:29:16.64\00:29:18.97
and stop this
nightmare and start it all over,
00:29:19.00\00:29:21.70
I don't know what it
is, may be it was a death,
00:29:21.73\00:29:24.27
may be it was a heart break,
00:29:24.30\00:29:25.82
may be or may be
you just lost your job
00:29:25.85\00:29:28.30
that you so desperately needed.
00:29:28.33\00:29:29.96
You've been audited by the IRIS
00:29:29.99\00:29:32.21
and now you got more bills
00:29:32.24\00:29:34.28
than you could have ever
thought about in your life
00:29:34.31\00:29:36.78
and everything has
hit you at the same time
00:29:36.81\00:29:40.12
because bad news has a way
00:29:40.15\00:29:42.18
of hitting you
like a ton of bricks.
00:29:42.21\00:29:44.18
It was like somebody
said, "Life is like--
00:29:44.21\00:29:46.30
life is like
being on in the waters
00:29:46.33\00:29:48.73
and problems are like waves
00:29:48.76\00:29:50.76
and wave after wave
keeps coming and coming
00:29:50.79\00:29:54.05
and the more waves that come,
00:29:54.08\00:29:55.46
the larger the waves
are that crashes on you
00:29:55.49\00:29:58.16
and that's how
life is sometimes.
00:29:58.19\00:29:59.95
After you get through one wave,
00:29:59.98\00:30:01.70
it seems like there is another
wave that is crashing over you.
00:30:01.73\00:30:05.80
And as I thought about
this text throughout the week,
00:30:05.83\00:30:08.55
and I was arrested
00:30:08.58\00:30:09.62
when I was reminded
of a conversation I had
00:30:09.65\00:30:11.65
with some of my musicians.
00:30:11.68\00:30:13.06
And in that
conversation they brought up
00:30:13.09\00:30:15.18
what is called
The Diminished Chord,
00:30:15.21\00:30:17.03
and I did my research
00:30:17.06\00:30:18.35
and I learned
that a skilled composer
00:30:18.38\00:30:20.52
would intentionally
00:30:20.55\00:30:22.15
insert a Diminished
Chord into a musical piece,
00:30:22.18\00:30:25.64
it's called
consonance and dissonance,
00:30:25.67\00:30:27.81
and a skill composer
would intentionally insert
00:30:27.84\00:30:30.69
a discordant note
00:30:30.72\00:30:32.16
that does not sound harmonious
00:30:32.19\00:30:34.13
to the other notes in the score.
00:30:34.16\00:30:35.77
You see the goal of
course is to accentuate
00:30:35.80\00:30:39.11
the purity and
flawlessness of the music
00:30:39.14\00:30:42.51
surrounding the
diminished chord.
00:30:42.54\00:30:44.53
In other words, to make
the good notes stand out,
00:30:44.56\00:30:47.41
a composer would
insert a bad note
00:30:47.44\00:30:50.62
that draws your attention
to how pure the sound was
00:30:50.65\00:30:54.14
before the diminished note,
00:30:54.17\00:30:55.81
and to how flawless the music is
00:30:55.84\00:30:58.00
after the diminished note.
00:30:58.03\00:30:59.67
You see why in the
world would a composer do that
00:30:59.70\00:31:02.45
is because the temptation
00:31:02.48\00:31:04.36
is that the listener
would become so adjusted
00:31:04.39\00:31:07.53
to hearing good music
00:31:07.56\00:31:09.36
that they will take for granted
00:31:09.39\00:31:11.15
the notes that they are hearing,
00:31:11.18\00:31:12.67
that the listener
would begin to believe
00:31:12.70\00:31:14.46
that every note that follows
00:31:14.49\00:31:16.30
is supposed to be as perfect
as the ones that preceded it.
00:31:16.33\00:31:20.16
so the composer doesn't
want the air to fall asleep
00:31:20.19\00:31:23.53
and become so acclimated to
the things sounding so well,
00:31:23.56\00:31:27.21
they insert a diminished chord
somewhere in the musical score,
00:31:27.24\00:31:32.06
it does not fit,
00:31:32.09\00:31:33.26
it clashes against
the notes before and after
00:31:33.29\00:31:35.90
so that when they
hear that diminished chord
00:31:35.93\00:31:38.42
it shakes the
confidence of the leader,
00:31:38.45\00:31:41.18
it moves the mind
to wake up and realize
00:31:41.21\00:31:44.00
that there are transitions
00:31:44.03\00:31:45.88
and moves that I
need to appreciate.
00:31:45.91\00:31:48.83
And can I suggest for a second
00:31:48.86\00:31:51.49
that this diminished
chord is here to remind us
00:31:51.52\00:31:55.01
that things will not
always be smooth for us.
00:31:55.04\00:31:58.63
It is done to
shake us off our seats,
00:31:58.66\00:32:01.33
and to break us from the
place of comfort and expectancy
00:32:01.36\00:32:04.86
that everything from now on
is supposed to be easy sailing.
00:32:04.89\00:32:09.17
We all know that God is
the composer of our lives,
00:32:09.20\00:32:12.73
and we all know
that God is the one
00:32:12.76\00:32:14.53
who write in the musical
score of our human experience.
00:32:14.56\00:32:17.85
And may I suggest to
you every now and then
00:32:17.88\00:32:20.94
that God inserts
diminished chords in our lives.
00:32:20.97\00:32:25.93
See, wouldn't it be
great if the musical score
00:32:25.96\00:32:28.53
that described our lives
had no diminished chords in it.
00:32:28.56\00:32:31.80
Wouldn't it be great
if God didn't insert any
00:32:31.83\00:32:34.18
hard clashing notes in
our daily walk with Him.
00:32:34.21\00:32:38.06
But the God that we serve,
00:32:38.09\00:32:39.70
the creative
composer of our journey
00:32:39.73\00:32:42.01
includes diminished
chords in our lives to tell us
00:32:42.04\00:32:45.68
that life isn't always gonna
go the way you planned it to go.
00:32:45.71\00:32:49.76
Life isn't always going to
be how you expected it to be.
00:32:49.79\00:32:53.02
Now He inserts
diminished chords in our lives
00:32:53.05\00:32:55.60
because God does not
want you to fall asleep.
00:32:55.63\00:32:58.28
God does not want you to think
00:32:58.31\00:32:59.58
that just because you love Jesus
00:32:59.61\00:33:01.73
and Jesus loves you
00:33:01.76\00:33:03.44
that you will not
have difficult days ahead.
00:33:03.47\00:33:05.87
Now God allows these diminished
chords to enter our lives,
00:33:05.90\00:33:09.28
because God wants you to
appreciate the musical score.
00:33:09.31\00:33:12.73
God allows some things to die,
00:33:12.76\00:33:15.04
some things to live,
some things to walk away,
00:33:15.07\00:33:17.84
some things you have to lose
00:33:17.87\00:33:19.69
in order to hear the wonderful
music that God has planned.
00:33:19.72\00:33:23.79
Yes, God will allow
some bad news in your life,
00:33:23.82\00:33:27.05
God will allow
some people to get sick,
00:33:27.08\00:33:29.61
God will allow
some people to die,
00:33:29.64\00:33:31.93
God will allow
diminished chords to play
00:33:31.96\00:33:34.59
in the existence of our lives
00:33:34.62\00:33:36.53
because you already know
00:33:36.56\00:33:37.88
that not
everything you lose is a lost,
00:33:37.91\00:33:40.55
but sometimes you
have to lose some things
00:33:40.58\00:33:42.97
before you can
gain something better.
00:33:43.00\00:33:45.77
So my question
today is, I want to know,
00:33:45.80\00:33:49.15
are you having a
diminished chord experience
00:33:49.18\00:33:51.60
in life right now?
00:33:51.63\00:33:52.94
I want to know who is having
that clashing chord experience
00:33:52.97\00:33:55.91
in their walk with God.
00:33:55.94\00:33:57.39
I need to know, you
probably think that just because
00:33:57.42\00:33:59.64
you are going through
something tough and rough
00:33:59.67\00:34:01.73
that in some way you imagine
00:34:01.76\00:34:03.05
that God does not
love you any more,
00:34:03.08\00:34:04.89
that you are not special
00:34:04.92\00:34:06.13
and that God has no use
for you that unpleasant note,
00:34:06.16\00:34:10.17
that inconsistent clashing chord
00:34:10.20\00:34:12.72
that bang
against what was perfect,
00:34:12.75\00:34:15.18
pleasant and
pleasing in your life
00:34:15.21\00:34:17.46
and could it be that God
send these diminished chords
00:34:17.49\00:34:20.83
and His notes to wake us up
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.97
that God is
calling us not to sleep
00:34:23.00\00:34:25.26
but could it be that
these diminished chords
00:34:25.29\00:34:27.54
that we have to
learn to appreciate them
00:34:27.57\00:34:30.28
and thank God
00:34:30.31\00:34:31.65
that you have some
diminished chords in your life.
00:34:31.68\00:34:34.10
Because you got to thank God,
00:34:34.13\00:34:35.54
that God brought you
out of some relationships
00:34:35.57\00:34:37.79
that you had no business
being in the first place.
00:34:37.82\00:34:40.36
You got to thank God
00:34:40.39\00:34:41.76
that God allowed
you to leave a job
00:34:41.79\00:34:43.96
or to get fired from a job
00:34:43.99\00:34:45.55
because that probably
wasn't the job that you wanted
00:34:45.58\00:34:47.92
that God wanted you to
have in the first place.
00:34:47.95\00:34:49.93
You got to thank God,
00:34:49.96\00:34:51.36
that God delivered
you from some things
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.78
that if you did not fail
00:34:53.81\00:34:55.60
test after test
after test after test,
00:34:55.63\00:34:58.61
then you probably wouldn't
have appreciate the victory
00:34:58.64\00:35:01.37
when you finally pass the test.
00:35:01.40\00:35:03.23
Yeah, you got to thank God
00:35:03.26\00:35:04.69
for those
diminished chords sometimes.
00:35:04.72\00:35:06.45
You got to thank
God sometimes that
00:35:06.48\00:35:08.40
when there is
trouble in your life,
00:35:08.43\00:35:10.12
that peace will come
out at the other end.
00:35:10.15\00:35:12.24
You got to thank God
sometimes that even if it--
00:35:12.27\00:35:14.88
because you had
told me that I was ugly
00:35:14.91\00:35:17.27
and that I'll never
amount to being anything,
00:35:17.30\00:35:19.30
but it was the force that
drove me to go closer to God
00:35:19.33\00:35:22.65
and to be the
person that I'm today
00:35:22.68\00:35:24.85
because that's what
diminished chords do.
00:35:24.88\00:35:27.05
They wake you up so that you
can stay on the track with God
00:35:27.08\00:35:30.51
that you can
stay moving with God
00:35:30.54\00:35:32.61
and so that you can have
a good outcome at the end.
00:35:32.64\00:35:35.22
And so here is this woman as
we begin to wrap this thing up.
00:35:35.25\00:35:39.06
She loses the one
thing that is dear to her,
00:35:39.09\00:35:41.55
and her diminished note
was the death of her son,
00:35:41.58\00:35:44.37
but it wasn't--
00:35:44.40\00:35:45.43
but is what she does
with her diminished chord
00:35:45.46\00:35:48.00
that makes the difference.
00:35:48.03\00:35:49.45
She saddled up the donkey,
00:35:49.48\00:35:51.28
got up and went
to the man of God.
00:35:51.31\00:35:53.64
She was
determined not to give up.
00:35:53.67\00:35:55.76
She knew in her heart
00:35:55.79\00:35:57.17
that although it
had appeared to be over,
00:35:57.20\00:35:59.90
she had to hear it
from the man of God.
00:35:59.93\00:36:02.79
You see, although problematic
destitutes are inevitable
00:36:02.82\00:36:07.08
and although diminished
chords are a part of our life,
00:36:07.11\00:36:09.65
you have to make up in your mind
00:36:09.68\00:36:11.28
that I will not allow
myself to become a victim.
00:36:11.31\00:36:14.33
Problems are a part of my life,
00:36:14.36\00:36:16.09
but becoming and acting
like a victim is a choice,
00:36:16.12\00:36:19.37
but I choose to be a conqueror.
00:36:19.40\00:36:21.43
As a matter of fact, God says,
00:36:21.46\00:36:22.85
"I'm more than a conqueror
through Him that loves us."
00:36:22.88\00:36:25.62
And so the question is,
00:36:25.65\00:36:26.88
what will you do with
your diminished chord?
00:36:26.91\00:36:28.91
Do you turn the music off
or do you keep on listening
00:36:28.94\00:36:32.05
because you know
God's got something better.
00:36:32.08\00:36:34.12
You see the thing
about diminished chords
00:36:34.15\00:36:35.94
is not as this
00:36:35.97\00:36:37.73
that not everybody hears them
00:36:37.76\00:36:39.95
and knows what to do with them.
00:36:39.98\00:36:42.13
You see often times some
people hear diminished chords
00:36:42.16\00:36:45.87
and they
certainly turn off the song,
00:36:45.90\00:36:48.33
because when they
hear the diminished chord,
00:36:48.36\00:36:50.12
they say that does not
sound too good to my ear
00:36:50.15\00:36:53.01
and so they turn the song off
00:36:53.04\00:36:54.53
and they try to
listen to something else.
00:36:54.56\00:36:56.55
But most people don't understand
00:36:56.58\00:36:58.50
that when you
hear a diminished chord
00:36:58.53\00:37:00.53
is to bless you
00:37:00.56\00:37:01.62
because something
good is coming next.
00:37:01.65\00:37:04.32
So you got to realize that
God inserts diminished chords
00:37:04.35\00:37:07.38
because He uses spaces
and places to help us grow.
00:37:07.41\00:37:10.69
You see, you got to understand
00:37:10.72\00:37:11.83
that God puts us
in some situations
00:37:11.86\00:37:14.22
because it is strengthening us
00:37:14.25\00:37:16.01
to become
stronger for the situation.
00:37:16.04\00:37:18.79
You see, I've never been a
person that goes to the gym,
00:37:18.82\00:37:21.48
but often times I do
try to take myself there.
00:37:21.51\00:37:24.20
And when I force
myself to go to the gym,
00:37:24.23\00:37:26.35
I'm what you
call the pretty boy.
00:37:26.38\00:37:28.01
And so I come into the gym
with a head band, wrist bands,
00:37:28.04\00:37:31.05
you know, all sorts of bands
that don't need to be on me,
00:37:31.08\00:37:34.18
that's gonna
help me push weights.
00:37:34.21\00:37:35.58
And so I get on the treadmill
00:37:35.61\00:37:37.20
and I start running
for about 10 minutes
00:37:37.23\00:37:40.08
and then after I
finish running for 10 minutes,
00:37:40.11\00:37:42.08
I wipe the sweat off of my brow
00:37:42.11\00:37:44.12
and I start hunching over
00:37:44.15\00:37:45.75
and I feel like I have just done
00:37:45.78\00:37:47.51
a meaningful
and healthy workout.
00:37:47.54\00:37:49.86
And I feel like I
have done what I need to do
00:37:49.89\00:37:52.30
in order to make me stronger,
00:37:52.33\00:37:53.82
but the sad reality
00:37:53.85\00:37:55.19
is that a lot of us
come to church like that.
00:37:55.22\00:37:57.51
We come all
dressed up for the part.
00:37:57.54\00:37:59.48
We look better than the part,
00:37:59.51\00:38:01.13
but we're not really exercising
and working our faith in God
00:38:01.16\00:38:05.55
to make us
stronger when trials come.
00:38:05.58\00:38:07.90
And so that's what happens,
00:38:07.93\00:38:08.96
that's why sometimes we
fall by the wayside so easily,
00:38:08.99\00:38:12.42
that's why we end up
turning off the music
00:38:12.45\00:38:15.22
in our life so easily
00:38:15.25\00:38:17.03
because we are not
training in the word of God
00:38:17.06\00:38:20.11
and training in prayer
00:38:20.14\00:38:21.63
so that we can make it
through tough situations.
00:38:21.66\00:38:24.21
And so I love this woman,
00:38:24.24\00:38:25.63
because this woman
trains in the word of God.
00:38:25.66\00:38:28.09
This woman is committed to God
00:38:28.12\00:38:29.96
and she goes and she
seeks out the man of God.
00:38:29.99\00:38:33.54
and as she is going to
seek out the man of God,
00:38:33.57\00:38:35.77
and she is
getting closer to her,
00:38:35.80\00:38:37.57
her husband tries
to discourage her.
00:38:37.60\00:38:39.71
He says it's not the
New Moon or a Sabbath,
00:38:39.74\00:38:42.38
why are going to the man of God?
00:38:42.41\00:38:44.25
You need to stay home and
let's deal with this situation.
00:38:44.28\00:38:46.98
But she said, this
is one of those days
00:38:47.01\00:38:48.88
when the wife has
made an executive decision,
00:38:48.91\00:38:51.38
and say, honey, I'm
not going to listen to you,
00:38:51.41\00:38:53.40
I'm going to see the man of God.
00:38:53.43\00:38:55.24
I know wives have
done that a few times.
00:38:55.27\00:38:56.96
My wife has done
it to me a few times
00:38:56.99\00:38:58.79
in the case of other where she
says I'm gonna make a decision.
00:38:58.82\00:39:02.10
And so she goes and she
goes to see the man of God.
00:39:02.13\00:39:04.87
And as she is getting
closer to the mountain,
00:39:04.90\00:39:06.69
she sees Gehazi and Elisha sees,
00:39:06.72\00:39:09.22
and Gehazi goes to see her,
00:39:09.25\00:39:10.89
and Gehazi ask her is
it okay with your husband?
00:39:10.92\00:39:13.39
Is it okay with your son?
00:39:13.42\00:39:14.84
And she simply
says "It is well."
00:39:14.87\00:39:18.62
You see the text tells
me that there are moments
00:39:18.65\00:39:21.08
when everybody doesn't need
to be all up in your business.
00:39:21.11\00:39:24.37
Folk don't need to know
what you're going through,
00:39:24.40\00:39:27.13
and what has happened to you,
that's none of their business.
00:39:27.16\00:39:30.56
Maybe the Shunammite woman
knew something about Gehazi
00:39:30.59\00:39:33.34
that could not have been trusted
00:39:33.37\00:39:35.02
and that probably
would have discouraged her
00:39:35.05\00:39:36.99
just like her husband did.
00:39:37.02\00:39:38.43
May be she perceived that
Gehazi would have told her
00:39:38.46\00:39:41.18
that there is nothing we
could do for you, go back home.
00:39:41.21\00:39:43.76
But she said, I'm
not focused on you,
00:39:43.79\00:39:46.14
I'm focused on
seeing the man of God.
00:39:46.17\00:39:48.41
Because that's
the goal ahead of me,
00:39:48.44\00:39:50.18
to see the man of God,
00:39:50.21\00:39:51.82
and I'm going to do
everything in my power
00:39:51.85\00:39:53.73
not to accept victim status
00:39:53.76\00:39:55.90
unless I know what
the man of God has to say.
00:39:55.93\00:39:58.89
Because at the end of the
day, let me tell you this,
00:39:58.92\00:40:00.95
that no doctor
has the final word,
00:40:00.98\00:40:03.20
no man on earth
has the final word,
00:40:03.23\00:40:05.21
only God has the final word.
00:40:05.24\00:40:07.25
As the matter of fact my
favorite preacher says this,
00:40:07.28\00:40:09.48
he says "Don't ever put
periods where God puts commas.
00:40:09.51\00:40:13.44
Where you think
there is a period,
00:40:13.47\00:40:15.04
God's always got a comma
00:40:15.07\00:40:16.56
because "Weeping
may endure for a night,
00:40:16.59\00:40:19.43
but joy cometh in the morning."
00:40:19.46\00:40:21.39
He says, know--
00:40:21.42\00:40:22.81
hear what does he say,
there is another text that says,
00:40:22.84\00:40:25.12
"Satan desires to
sift you like wheat,
00:40:25.15\00:40:27.89
but I have prayed for you."
00:40:27.92\00:40:29.41
You got to always thank God
for the commas in your life.
00:40:29.44\00:40:32.66
Because what,
there was a old cartoon
00:40:32.69\00:40:34.80
that some of you might remember,
00:40:34.83\00:40:36.46
if you grew up like me,
you remember, it's called
00:40:36.49\00:40:38.61
"Conjunction
Junction, what's your function?"
00:40:38.64\00:40:41.71
And in that cartoon it explained
00:40:41.74\00:40:43.60
what conjunctions were.
00:40:43.63\00:40:45.01
And so and would
mean that is connected
00:40:45.04\00:40:47.63
what comes prior to it to
what is gonna come after it
00:40:47.66\00:40:51.62
or says that I'm
gonna give you an option,
00:40:51.65\00:40:54.07
you can have this
or you can have that.
00:40:54.10\00:40:56.36
But when the conjunction
but is in a sentence,
00:40:56.39\00:40:59.24
the but often
nullifies what comes before it
00:40:59.27\00:41:02.85
and it helps you look
forward to what comes after it.
00:41:02.88\00:41:06.01
And so I thank God because
God puts buts in our lives,
00:41:06.04\00:41:09.73
God inserts buts in our lives.
00:41:09.76\00:41:11.52
And so even when you think
00:41:11.55\00:41:13.08
the beginning part
of your life was bad,
00:41:13.11\00:41:15.25
God says, but I'm
gonna turn this thing around.
00:41:15.28\00:41:18.20
God says, but I'm
gonna bless you in a way,
00:41:18.23\00:41:20.75
and so she is focused on God,
00:41:20.78\00:41:22.60
she is focused
to make it to Him.
00:41:22.63\00:41:24.49
She is focused to
find out what the answer is
00:41:24.52\00:41:27.25
and what I'm telling you this
evening is stay focused on God
00:41:27.28\00:41:31.47
and let God give you
the final benediction.
00:41:31.50\00:41:34.30
Let God tell you
what He has to say,
00:41:34.33\00:41:36.70
just make sure that even as life
00:41:36.73\00:41:38.41
shakes and bounces before you,
00:41:38.44\00:41:40.55
that your stay focus
on the God that you serve.
00:41:40.58\00:41:43.05
I'll tell you another story.
00:41:43.08\00:41:44.98
As we went over to Honduras,
a group of young adults,
00:41:45.01\00:41:48.04
we were going over there
00:41:48.07\00:41:49.10
with Maranatha
Missions to build the school.
00:41:49.13\00:41:51.34
We had to take a boat
over to a smaller island,
00:41:51.37\00:41:54.86
just so that we can do the work
00:41:54.89\00:41:56.40
and as we got on the boat,
00:41:56.43\00:41:58.27
the young man, there
was a small narrow boat,
00:41:58.30\00:42:00.63
the young man that
was leading the ship,
00:42:00.66\00:42:02.66
leading the
boat, was not a ship,
00:42:02.69\00:42:03.91
it was a little
boat, leading the boat,
00:42:03.94\00:42:05.52
told us that the waters
will rock from left to right.
00:42:05.55\00:42:08.81
As a matter of fact it
was a windy and cloudy day,
00:42:08.84\00:42:11.41
and I was scared out of mind
00:42:11.44\00:42:12.75
because I didn't
want to die in Honduras,
00:42:12.78\00:42:14.77
I wanted to live to come
back home, to tell the story.
00:42:14.80\00:42:17.81
And so I'm
holding on to the boat,
00:42:17.84\00:42:19.46
but the young man said something
00:42:19.49\00:42:20.93
that blessed my heart.
00:42:20.96\00:42:22.38
He said that if you--
00:42:22.41\00:42:23.53
if you feel like
you're getting sick
00:42:23.56\00:42:25.45
or you feel worried?
00:42:25.48\00:42:26.68
Just focus on those
rocks that are ahead of you.
00:42:26.71\00:42:29.52
Once you focus
on something steady,
00:42:29.55\00:42:31.73
it will keep your mind steady
00:42:31.76\00:42:33.36
and you won't even realize that
00:42:33.39\00:42:35.10
but you'll be
at your destination
00:42:35.13\00:42:37.02
sooner than you
thought you would.
00:42:37.05\00:42:38.68
And I said to myself
that's a blessing right there,
00:42:38.71\00:42:41.13
that's a wonderful thing.
00:42:41.16\00:42:42.35
Because I understand
that in this life that we live
00:42:42.38\00:42:45.43
that it will rock
us from left to right
00:42:45.46\00:42:47.51
from time to time,
00:42:47.54\00:42:48.65
but if I focused on the
rock which is Jesus Christ
00:42:48.68\00:42:52.38
that I will make
it to my destination
00:42:52.41\00:42:54.67
and I'll make it
there in one piece.
00:42:54.70\00:42:56.54
And so I love this
woman because she was focused
00:42:56.57\00:42:59.18
and she was determined to
go and see the man of God.
00:42:59.21\00:43:02.73
Don't ever seek advice from men
00:43:02.76\00:43:04.95
before you seek
the advice of God.
00:43:04.98\00:43:07.16
But ask God to lead you to
the right people to talk to.
00:43:07.19\00:43:10.32
Don't let an
elder, don't let a deacon,
00:43:10.35\00:43:12.57
no usher, no
singer, no preacher,
00:43:12.60\00:43:15.02
no member keep you from
petitioning the throne of God,
00:43:15.05\00:43:18.37
just say, nothing
in my hands I bring,
00:43:18.40\00:43:20.74
but simply to the cross I cling.
00:43:20.77\00:43:23.13
Nobody on earth
has the final word,
00:43:23.16\00:43:25.31
but only God has the final word
00:43:25.34\00:43:27.58
and when you feel like
you can't make it no more,
00:43:27.61\00:43:30.25
just know that God
has something for you.
00:43:30.28\00:43:32.94
As a matter of fact one
of my favorite preacher says,
00:43:32.97\00:43:35.46
"I have found God's address,
it's at the end of my road."
00:43:35.49\00:43:39.27
Have you ever been
to the end of your road
00:43:39.30\00:43:41.25
because that's where God
00:43:41.28\00:43:42.31
is ready and willing
to meet you right there."
00:43:42.34\00:43:44.54
And so she says to Elisha,
00:43:44.57\00:43:46.30
"I didn't ask for no son,
00:43:46.33\00:43:47.42
I believe the attitudes
started coming out again,
00:43:47.45\00:43:49.70
I ain't ask you for no
son, I didn't want none,
00:43:49.73\00:43:52.41
but you spoke one into my life,
00:43:52.44\00:43:53.96
now he is dead and
you got to do something."
00:43:53.99\00:43:56.55
She didn't want anyone
else's hand so but from God.
00:43:56.58\00:43:59.74
And so Elisha sends
Gehazi to go a head of them.
00:43:59.77\00:44:04.08
And as it with the
staff, but it is powerless
00:44:04.11\00:44:06.57
and Elisha goes and he saw
the boy motionless on the bed,
00:44:06.60\00:44:10.17
and so he locked the door
00:44:10.20\00:44:11.25
with only him and
the boy in the room,
00:44:11.28\00:44:13.21
and he proceeds to
do a strange miracle
00:44:13.24\00:44:16.45
of divine
intervention on his behalf.
00:44:16.48\00:44:19.13
Elisha decides to
move into the danger zone,
00:44:19.16\00:44:22.73
Elisha knows that Levitical law
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.27
that is forbidden to
touch the body of a dead person,
00:44:25.30\00:44:29.38
it is if you will
become ceremonial unclean.
00:44:29.41\00:44:32.76
But he understands that it
is his will to restore life.
00:44:32.79\00:44:36.25
Elisha understands that
if it is our job to heal
00:44:36.28\00:44:40.52
spiritually dead boys and girls,
00:44:40.55\00:44:43.37
then we cannot just
speak to them from afar,
00:44:43.40\00:44:45.77
but we got to get close to them.
00:44:45.80\00:44:47.61
As the matter of fact,
00:44:47.64\00:44:48.67
we have to be willing to
put ourselves into danger zone
00:44:48.70\00:44:52.33
and risk the
ridicule of being called out,
00:44:52.36\00:44:54.87
but to God be the glory,
00:44:54.90\00:44:56.58
at least the child will
be brought back to life,
00:44:56.61\00:44:59.25
that calls for us sometimes
to leave our humble abodes
00:44:59.28\00:45:02.67
and walk into some of the most
destitute places on this earth
00:45:02.70\00:45:06.99
to find those
boys that are dead,
00:45:07.02\00:45:08.98
that are sleeping in the alley.
00:45:09.01\00:45:10.40
To find those
girls that are dead,
00:45:10.43\00:45:12.50
that are sleeping
on a street corner,
00:45:12.53\00:45:14.52
to find these
young men and women
00:45:14.55\00:45:16.65
who need to be healed
00:45:16.68\00:45:18.21
and not just talk to them
from behind the microphone,
00:45:18.24\00:45:21.33
not just talk to them
from inside the church,
00:45:21.36\00:45:23.87
but bring the church
to them, lay on them,
00:45:23.90\00:45:26.91
touch their
hands and pick them up.
00:45:26.94\00:45:28.89
And so Elisha goes to
the house of the young man,
00:45:28.92\00:45:31.90
he could have spoke a
blessing from the mountain,
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.95
but Elisha said, no I'm
going to the danger zone,
00:45:33.98\00:45:36.80
I'm going where it's
called ceremonial unclean,
00:45:36.83\00:45:40.02
I'm gonna touch something
00:45:40.05\00:45:41.22
that other people
ordinarily would not touch,
00:45:41.25\00:45:44.24
I'm gonna look
at the drug addict,
00:45:44.27\00:45:46.15
I'm gonna talk to the alcoholic,
00:45:46.18\00:45:48.16
I'm gonna hug the
person that is down and out.
00:45:48.19\00:45:51.22
And I'm going to heal them.
00:45:51.25\00:45:52.80
And so Elisha goes
to this little boy,
00:45:52.83\00:45:55.25
twice he puts
his eyes to his eyes,
00:45:55.28\00:45:57.51
his mouth to his mouth
00:45:57.54\00:45:58.87
and his hands on his hands,
00:45:58.90\00:46:00.57
see what I see,
hear what I hear,
00:46:00.60\00:46:03.17
feel what I feel,
00:46:03.20\00:46:04.27
and as he did it,
the boy began to sneeze,
00:46:04.30\00:46:07.11
his mother came
back in the room,
00:46:07.14\00:46:09.09
she picked up the boy and bowed
in reverent awe because why?
00:46:09.12\00:46:13.42
A dead young man has
been brought to life.
00:46:13.45\00:46:16.55
And that's my word to
somebody in here today.
00:46:16.58\00:46:19.10
You may have a son or
a daughter who is dead.
00:46:19.13\00:46:21.97
You may have a son or a daughter
00:46:22.00\00:46:24.15
who is out there walking around
00:46:24.18\00:46:26.32
as if life
means nothing to them.
00:46:26.35\00:46:28.55
But I serve a God, who
sits high and looks low.
00:46:28.58\00:46:31.97
I serve a God who
looks beyond our faults
00:46:32.00\00:46:34.67
and He sees our needs.
00:46:34.70\00:46:35.96
I serve a God that realizes
that people are not dead,
00:46:35.99\00:46:39.59
they are simply
asleep, and He can pick you up,
00:46:39.62\00:46:42.31
turn you around and plant
your feet on solid ground.
00:46:42.34\00:46:46.04
And so as we begin
to wrap this thing up,
00:46:46.07\00:46:48.84
I left this part for the last
00:46:48.87\00:46:50.79
because I thought that
this thing really blessed me
00:46:50.82\00:46:53.35
and I hope that it
blesses you as well.
00:46:53.38\00:46:55.75
As I was having a
conversation with my musicians,
00:46:55.78\00:46:58.34
my keyboarder has
told me two things,
00:46:58.37\00:47:00.42
he said that in the
Apostolic and Baptist churches
00:47:00.45\00:47:03.39
when they hear a
diminished chord,
00:47:03.42\00:47:05.64
they know that
something good is about to come,
00:47:05.67\00:47:08.68
so when you see them
dancing and shouting,
00:47:08.71\00:47:11.30
you probably don't realize
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.14
that before there
was a shout and dancing
00:47:13.17\00:47:16.05
there was a diminished chord,
00:47:16.08\00:47:17.67
and so they start
praising after the diminish--
00:47:17.70\00:47:20.85
they don't start praising
after the diminished chord,
00:47:20.88\00:47:23.33
they start praising
during the diminished chord.
00:47:23.36\00:47:26.36
And that's what I
want to know this evening.
00:47:26.39\00:47:28.45
Can you praise God in the
midst of your diminished chord?
00:47:28.48\00:47:31.44
Can you still dance?
00:47:31.47\00:47:32.80
Can you still raise your hands?
00:47:32.83\00:47:34.34
Can you still
call out text and say
00:47:34.37\00:47:36.32
my God is a very present
in help in a time of trouble.
00:47:36.35\00:47:39.77
Because you got to understand
00:47:39.80\00:47:40.91
it is important to
give God praise in the ups
00:47:40.94\00:47:43.84
and to give God
praise in the downs.
00:47:43.87\00:47:45.92
When I was younger, we
would go to great adventure,
00:47:45.95\00:47:48.63
my group of friends and I.
00:47:48.66\00:47:50.77
And as we have great adventure,
00:47:50.80\00:47:52.00
we would line up to go
00:47:52.03\00:47:53.66
on the front of
the rollercoaster.
00:47:53.69\00:47:55.59
Now, the agreement about
00:47:55.62\00:47:56.78
going on to front of a
rollercoaster was this,
00:47:56.81\00:47:59.40
that when you get on the front,
00:47:59.43\00:48:01.07
you have to put
your hands up in the air.
00:48:01.10\00:48:04.36
You cannot get on the front
and do not put your hands up
00:48:04.39\00:48:07.14
because if we get off this
rollercoaster and we realized,
00:48:07.17\00:48:10.19
you didn't put your hands up,
00:48:10.22\00:48:11.25
you were gonna hear it
for the rest of the time
00:48:11.28\00:48:13.70
at great adventure.
00:48:13.73\00:48:14.96
But the beautiful thing
about putting your hands up
00:48:14.99\00:48:17.39
when you're on the rollercoaster
00:48:17.42\00:48:19.12
is suggested that the
bar that's in front of me
00:48:19.15\00:48:21.95
is gonna hold me down
00:48:21.98\00:48:23.84
even when the rollercoaster
is going up and down,
00:48:23.87\00:48:26.73
that I'm gonna put trust in
this little thing called a bar,
00:48:26.76\00:48:30.00
I'm gonna put faith in it
00:48:30.03\00:48:31.51
saying that you
gonna hold me down
00:48:31.54\00:48:33.80
and you gonna keep me even
while it's going up and down.
00:48:33.83\00:48:37.04
And so sometimes
we got to understand
00:48:37.07\00:48:39.16
that when we raise our hands,
we are surrendering to God
00:48:39.19\00:48:42.71
and we are
surrendering and saying,
00:48:42.74\00:48:44.47
God, I got faith in you,
00:48:44.50\00:48:46.16
that You gonna hold me down
even as life goes up and down.
00:48:46.19\00:48:49.51
I got faith in you and I trust
that in Your word You said,
00:48:49.54\00:48:53.24
that You will keep me,
00:48:53.27\00:48:54.47
that You will
never cause me to fall.
00:48:54.50\00:48:56.45
But the beautiful thing
about raising your hands
00:48:56.48\00:48:59.03
is that you
don't raise your hands
00:48:59.06\00:49:01.01
when you are going
up the rollercoaster,
00:49:01.04\00:49:03.01
you always raise your
hand when you're going down.
00:49:03.04\00:49:05.88
And all I'm saying this evening
is can you raise your hands
00:49:05.91\00:49:09.59
when you feel like
you are going down.
00:49:09.62\00:49:11.58
Can you raise your
hands and give God praise,
00:49:11.61\00:49:14.06
even when the
bank account is low,
00:49:14.09\00:49:16.24
even when there is
no food in the cupboard,
00:49:16.27\00:49:18.70
even when you lose your job,
00:49:18.73\00:49:20.72
even when you're
faced with divorce papers,
00:49:20.75\00:49:23.44
even when you get
a eviction notice,
00:49:23.47\00:49:25.89
even when everything
around you is against you,
00:49:25.92\00:49:28.85
can you still praise God
for what you are going through.
00:49:28.88\00:49:32.45
I'm reminded of the story of
the lady as we begin to close,
00:49:32.48\00:49:36.72
and she said,
00:49:36.75\00:49:37.82
every morning she would
come out on her front step
00:49:37.85\00:49:40.52
and she would
raise her hands and say,
00:49:40.55\00:49:42.03
hallelujah, thank You, Jesus,
00:49:42.06\00:49:43.95
thank You for
waking me up this morning.
00:49:43.98\00:49:45.93
Where everybody in
the neighborhood knew
00:49:45.96\00:49:47.94
that she didn't have a job,
00:49:47.97\00:49:49.64
she didn't have
money to pay her rent
00:49:49.67\00:49:51.64
and that she had no
food inside of her house,
00:49:51.67\00:49:54.55
but every morning
she would come out
00:49:54.58\00:49:56.30
and raise her hands and say,
00:49:56.33\00:49:57.73
hallelujah, thank You, Jesus,
00:49:57.76\00:49:59.69
for all You've done for me.
00:49:59.72\00:50:01.04
Well, it turns out
00:50:01.07\00:50:02.11
that her neighbor
didn't appreciate the fact
00:50:02.14\00:50:04.21
that she was
always praising God,
00:50:04.24\00:50:05.99
even though she was
having the bad situation.
00:50:06.02\00:50:08.44
And so that neighbor said,
00:50:08.47\00:50:09.88
I'm gonna go and
buy that lady groceries
00:50:09.91\00:50:12.60
and I'm going to put
it on her front step,
00:50:12.63\00:50:14.74
and so the next morning
came he went a hour before,
00:50:14.77\00:50:18.30
he brought groceries
00:50:18.33\00:50:19.47
and he put those two
bags of groceries on her--
00:50:19.50\00:50:22.41
on her front step.
00:50:22.44\00:50:23.67
And the women came out
00:50:23.70\00:50:24.96
and she started
praising God the same chant,
00:50:24.99\00:50:27.11
she said,
hallelujah, thank You, Jesus,
00:50:27.14\00:50:29.42
I have groceries in
front of me praising God,
00:50:29.45\00:50:31.89
and the man jumped
out from behind the bush,
00:50:31.92\00:50:34.27
and he said, God didn't
buy you those groceries,
00:50:34.30\00:50:37.15
I brought you those groceries,
00:50:37.18\00:50:38.79
why are you praising God for?
00:50:38.82\00:50:40.62
And she said, I'm
still praising God
00:50:40.65\00:50:42.66
because the devil used--
00:50:42.69\00:50:44.03
because God used the
devil to buy me some groceries.
00:50:44.06\00:50:47.41
And so why I love that story
00:50:47.44\00:50:49.19
is because often
times God will use things
00:50:49.22\00:50:52.04
that are unexpected to you
00:50:52.07\00:50:53.47
to bless you in a
way that's unimaginable.
00:50:53.50\00:50:56.03
So when you think it's
over, God still write a music,
00:50:56.06\00:50:59.14
just make sure
00:50:59.17\00:51:00.20
you sing the songs
that brought you out before,
00:51:00.23\00:51:02.96
because they're
gonna bring you out again,
00:51:02.99\00:51:04.87
because your
redemption draweth nigh.
00:51:04.90\00:51:06.91
Just remember, don't let
a diminished chord change,
00:51:06.94\00:51:09.66
cause you to change
your pitch or to stay--
00:51:09.69\00:51:12.87
or stay
unfocused, just focus on God,
00:51:12.90\00:51:15.69
you don't need
to quote a rap star,
00:51:15.72\00:51:17.46
you don't need to
quote an entertainer,
00:51:17.49\00:51:19.21
you just stay on
pitch and you say,
00:51:19.24\00:51:21.51
"Pass me not, oh, gentle Savior,
00:51:21.54\00:51:23.93
hear my humble cry,
00:51:23.96\00:51:25.76
while on others
thou art calling,
00:51:25.79\00:51:28.19
Do not pass me by."
00:51:28.22\00:51:29.92
Sing "I am Thine, O Lord,
00:51:29.95\00:51:32.00
and I have heard Thy voice,
00:51:32.03\00:51:33.81
And I hold Thy love to me,
00:51:33.84\00:51:35.89
But I long to rise
in the arms of faith
00:51:35.92\00:51:38.93
And be drawn closer to Thee.
00:51:38.96\00:51:41.32
Draw me nearer,
nearer blessed Lord,
00:51:41.35\00:51:44.34
To the cross
where Thou hast died,
00:51:44.37\00:51:46.68
Draw me nearer,
nearer blessed Lord,
00:51:46.71\00:51:49.46
To Thy precious, bleeding side."
00:51:49.49\00:51:51.71
Here is another good old song,
00:51:51.74\00:51:53.04
"At the cross, at the cross
when I first saw the light,
00:51:53.07\00:51:56.91
And the burden of
my soul washed away,
00:51:56.94\00:51:59.92
it was there by
faith I received my sight,
00:51:59.95\00:52:04.17
and now I am happy all the day.
00:52:04.20\00:52:07.10
When peace, like a
river, attendeth my way,
00:52:07.13\00:52:10.69
When sorrows like sea
billows keep on rolling,
00:52:10.72\00:52:14.25
Whatever, whatever my lot,
00:52:14.28\00:52:16.88
That was taught me to say,
00:52:16.91\00:52:18.90
it is well, it is well,
it is well with my soul.
00:52:18.93\00:52:22.92
This is my story
and this is my song,
00:52:22.95\00:52:25.86
I'm praising my
Savior all the day long."
00:52:25.89\00:52:29.57
Friends, don't give up on God,
00:52:29.60\00:52:31.63
because He won't give up on you.
00:52:31.66\00:52:33.45
You stay with God and hold
on because I believe one day
00:52:33.48\00:52:37.97
He will make
everything all right.
00:52:38.00\00:52:40.40
And just no one
believe that for some of us
00:52:40.43\00:52:43.38
our diminished chord
might last longer than others,
00:52:43.41\00:52:46.95
but if you just
stay in the will of God,
00:52:46.98\00:52:49.38
trust Him and believe,
00:52:49.41\00:52:51.02
it will end into a
beautiful harmonious note.
00:52:51.05\00:52:54.49
And the final note will be
our blessed Savior and Lord,
00:52:54.52\00:52:57.73
and Jesus Christ,
00:52:57.76\00:52:59.16
who will descend in
the clouds of heaven
00:52:59.19\00:53:02.16
with a host of angels,
00:53:02.19\00:53:03.91
and He will hear those words.
00:53:03.94\00:53:05.61
Say those words
and we will hear.
00:53:05.64\00:53:07.74
Enter now that good
and faithful servant
00:53:07.77\00:53:10.74
into the joy of the Lord.
00:53:10.77\00:53:12.52
I don't know about you,
00:53:12.55\00:53:13.72
but that's the note
that I want to hear,
00:53:13.75\00:53:15.82
that's the song
that I want to hear.
00:53:15.85\00:53:17.70
And I want to sing the
song of Moses and the Lamb,
00:53:17.73\00:53:20.75
standing on the sea of glass
00:53:20.78\00:53:22.81
because I know that this
diminished chord call earth
00:53:22.84\00:53:27.04
one day will come to pass
00:53:27.07\00:53:28.96
and we will be with
our Lord and Savior.
00:53:28.99\00:53:31.12
And so mothers,
fathers, young men, young women,
00:53:31.15\00:53:35.44
if you feel like you are dead,
00:53:35.47\00:53:37.29
if you feel like you
can't make it anymore,
00:53:37.32\00:53:39.58
just hold on to
God's unchanging hand.
00:53:39.61\00:53:42.33
And I promise
you'll see the end.
00:53:42.36\00:53:45.01
Let's pray.
00:53:45.04\00:53:46.74
"God, Almighty,
00:53:46.77\00:53:48.56
we do thank You so much
00:53:48.59\00:53:50.85
for being in
control of our lives,
00:53:50.88\00:53:54.33
for taking all things
00:53:54.36\00:53:56.22
and for making them
into a meaningful experience,
00:53:56.25\00:54:00.24
and as much as Lord
that we want to know
00:54:00.27\00:54:02.97
what's gonna happen the next day
00:54:03.00\00:54:05.31
and the next
moment or next hour,
00:54:05.34\00:54:07.40
we have to learn to
put our faith in You,
00:54:07.43\00:54:09.74
and to trust and believe
00:54:09.77\00:54:10.88
that in Your word you said
00:54:10.91\00:54:12.60
that "Don't worry for tomorrow,
00:54:12.63\00:54:15.08
for tomorrow will
worry about itself."
00:54:15.11\00:54:17.51
So God, Almighty,
00:54:17.54\00:54:18.79
I pray right now a word
into the lives of those parents,
00:54:18.82\00:54:22.84
Lord, that may
have lost a child,
00:54:22.87\00:54:25.48
they may have lost
someone that was dear to them,
00:54:25.51\00:54:28.57
enter the lives of those that,
00:54:28.60\00:54:30.10
Lord, that have lost
something that they thought
00:54:30.13\00:54:32.69
that they were
gonna have forever.
00:54:32.72\00:54:34.21
Who is having a diminished
chord experience as we speak,
00:54:34.24\00:54:38.47
God, Almighty, may
You play the music louder
00:54:38.50\00:54:42.01
that they will
know and understand
00:54:42.04\00:54:43.81
that You're still writing,
00:54:43.84\00:54:45.44
that You have
not put your pen down
00:54:45.47\00:54:47.67
that the story will come to end,
00:54:47.70\00:54:49.64
but if we are
committed to hold on to You,
00:54:49.67\00:54:52.36
that the final
chapter, the final verse
00:54:52.39\00:54:55.50
would be the right lyrics
for all of our experience.
00:54:55.53\00:54:58.34
We thank You so
much for everything.
00:54:58.37\00:55:00.53
We thank You
for being in control
00:55:00.56\00:55:02.50
and we thank You
for Your saving grace.
00:55:02.53\00:55:04.67
Bless us and keep us Lord,
00:55:04.70\00:55:05.84
we ask this in
your name Jesus Christ.
00:55:05.87\00:55:08.12
Amen and Amen.
00:55:08.15\00:55:09.93
Amen and amen. Praise the Lord.
00:55:13.16\00:55:15.65
Pastor, what a
blessing it has been.
00:55:15.68\00:55:18.33
I praise the
Lord for this message
00:55:18.36\00:55:20.46
The Diminished Chord.
00:55:20.49\00:55:21.55
I didn't know about
the diminished chord,
00:55:21.58\00:55:23.34
but I learned
through this message,
00:55:23.37\00:55:26.74
beautiful illustration,
helps us to understand
00:55:26.77\00:55:30.42
that even when things look bad,
00:55:30.45\00:55:34.67
there's a
blessing on the other side,
00:55:34.70\00:55:36.76
blessing on the other side.
00:55:36.79\00:55:37.83
Praise the Lord.
00:55:37.86\00:55:39.07
I'm looking forward already
00:55:39.10\00:55:40.43
to the next
message in this series.
00:55:40.46\00:55:42.88
Four messages,
00:55:42.91\00:55:43.95
four messages in this
series with Pastor Kowlessar.
00:55:43.98\00:55:47.16
Pastor Kowlessar, the
next message is entitled
00:55:47.19\00:55:50.38
Access Granted.
00:55:50.41\00:55:52.52
Yes.
00:55:52.55\00:55:53.58
Can you give us a little taste
00:55:53.61\00:55:54.64
or what we're gonna be
looking at in this next message
00:55:54.67\00:55:57.80
and we want to make sure
00:55:57.83\00:55:59.08
that the people are
ready for this message.
00:55:59.11\00:56:01.04
Give us a little taste
of what this topic is about?
00:56:01.07\00:56:03.49
Oh, yeah, absolutely.
00:56:03.52\00:56:04.82
In the next sermon
00:56:04.85\00:56:05.88
we'll be looking at the
story of blind Bartimaeus,
00:56:05.91\00:56:08.95
about a man who they
pushed and ostracized
00:56:08.98\00:56:12.81
to the corners of society.
00:56:12.84\00:56:14.63
But still had the
faith and determination
00:56:14.66\00:56:16.84
to call out to Jesus Christ
00:56:16.87\00:56:18.90
and say, Son of Naz--
00:56:18.93\00:56:20.39
Jesus, Son of David, please
bless me and open my eyes.
00:56:20.42\00:56:24.18
And so we'll look at
how God gave him access,
00:56:24.21\00:56:26.86
granted him access to a blessing
00:56:26.89\00:56:29.50
that he'd never thought
or imagined would have come--
00:56:29.53\00:56:31.89
come his way,
00:56:31.92\00:56:32.95
even in the midst of
other people telling them
00:56:32.98\00:56:35.34
close your mouth,
00:56:35.37\00:56:36.57
Jesus has
nothing to do with you.
00:56:36.60\00:56:38.55
And so we're gonna be
looking at that tomorrow.
00:56:38.58\00:56:40.25
So I'm looking forward to
sharing that with all of you
00:56:40.28\00:56:42.72
and to our viewers.
00:56:42.75\00:56:44.08
And I pray that it
will be a blessing.
00:56:44.11\00:56:46.19
Amen. Amen.
00:56:46.22\00:56:47.36
Well, we want to thank you
00:56:47.39\00:56:48.42
for being with
us during this hour
00:56:48.45\00:56:50.53
and we want to invite
you to continue to tune in
00:56:50.56\00:56:53.56
to the Foundation
Of Our Faith program,
00:56:53.59\00:56:55.99
Pastor Kowlessar will be
with us in the next program
00:56:56.02\00:56:59.55
Access Granted.
00:56:59.58\00:57:01.02
And God has a message for you
00:57:01.05\00:57:03.45
in God's holy word there
are many inspiring stories
00:57:03.48\00:57:09.00
that communicate to us
00:57:09.03\00:57:10.50
something that we
need to hang on to
00:57:10.53\00:57:13.42
because through Jesus
Christ we have Access Granted.
00:57:13.45\00:57:18.47
And so we want to
invite you to tune in next time
00:57:18.50\00:57:20.86
to the Foundation Of Our Faith
on the Dare to Dream Network.
00:57:20.89\00:57:25.47
God bless you.
00:57:25.50\00:57:27.77