Hello and welcome to
Foundation of Our Faith
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here at your 3ABN Worship Center
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located in Southern Illinois,
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where we believe
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this is the biggest
small city in the world.
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Can you all say amen to that?
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We know, you're
going to be blessed
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as we begin a series
in our Foundation of Faith
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with a very good friend of mine,
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Dr. Abraham Jules
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who is a man not only
connected educationally,
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but a man that's
connected spiritually to the God
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that has been
leading him for 32 years
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of pastoral ministry
including evangelism.
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He has traveled around the world
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and he's favored
tonight by the Lord to come
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and bring to you
a message entitled
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"How God makes it possible."
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He's also a native of
the country of Trinidad.
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He's a fourth generation
Seventh-day Adventists,
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a husband of one wife
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and the father of two
children, lovely children.
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He's been
married for 12 years now.
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He's the pastor of the
Community Worship Center
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in Queens, New York.
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In a conference, the
North Eastern Conference
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where he has pastored
for a number of years.
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He also has a doctorate degree.
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And I know that God
has very well equipped him,
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but he's a man of
the word and I know,
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you will not be sorry
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that you've taken
the time to sit down
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and listen to what the
Spirit has to say to the church.
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He also has been
featured, a number of years ago,
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at the 2010
General Conference session
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where he blessed thousands.
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And we are blessed here at 3ABN
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to have him on our world
stage at Foundation of Faith.
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But before he comes,
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our Mark Udo Williams
who is a musical evangelists,
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a resident of Houston, Texas
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is going to
bless us with a song.
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Mark has
traveled internationally.
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And he's going to sing a song
tonight entitled, "I will go."
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But before he comes,
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I like to invite you
to bow your heads with me
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as we invite
the Lord's presence.
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Let's pray together.
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Our Father in heaven, we
thank You for Your goodness,
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for Your mercy,
and for Your grace.
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Lord, we pray tonight as
the word is being divided
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that You will speak to
the hearts of Your children,
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whether they are
here, in the United States
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or joining us from
somewhere around the world.
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May You flow
through your servant,
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Dr Abraham Jules,
fill them with Your spirit.
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We pray Lord, that our
hearts may be challenged
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and changed as we
learn more about the God
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who knows no failure.
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So come Holy Spirit
and do what will uplift
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and honor your
holy and precious name,
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we pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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Now, Mark Udo
Wilson will bless us.
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And the next voice
that you'll hear after Mark
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is that of Dr Abraham Jules.
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Give me ears to hear Your Spirit
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Give me feet to follow through
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Give me hands to
touch the hurting
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And the faith to follow You
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Give me grace to be Your servant
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Give me mercy for the lost
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Give me passion for Your glory
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Give me passion for the cross
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And I will go where
there are no easy roads
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Leave the comforts that I know
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I will go and let
this journey be my home
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I will go
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I will go
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I'll let go of my ambition
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Cut the roots that run too deep
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I will learn to give away
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What I cannot really keep
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What I cannot really keep
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Help me see with eyes of faith
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Give me
strength to run this race
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And I will go where
there are no easy roads
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Leave the comforts that I know
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I will go and let
this journey be my home
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I will go
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I will go
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I will go Lord where
Your glory is unknown
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I will live for You alone
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I will go because
my life is not my own
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I will go
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I will go
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I will go
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Thank you, Mark,
for blessing us tonight.
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John, thank you for your
gracious words of introduction.
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It's a joy to be here with you
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for this
Foundations of Our Faith series.
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And there's a word
for us this evening.
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John 5:1-15,
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it reads after this.
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"There was a feast of the Jews.
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And Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
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Now, there is a Jerusalem
by the sheep market a pool
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which is called in the
Hebrew tongue Bethesda,
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having five porches.
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In these lay, a great
multitude of impotent folk,
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a blind hold with it,
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waiting for the
moving of the water.
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For an angel went
down at a certain season
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into the pole and
troubled the water.
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Whosoever then first after
the troubling of the water,
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stepped in was made whole
of whatsoever disease he had.
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And a certain man was
there which had an infirmity,
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thirty and eight years.
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When Jesus saw him lie
and knew that he had been
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now a long time in that case,
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he said on to him,
"Will thou be made whole?"
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The impotent man answered
him, "Sir, I have no man,
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when the war is troubled
to put me into the pool.
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But while I am coming
another step of down before me.
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Jesus said on to him,
Rise, take up thy bed and walk.
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And immediately
the man was made whole
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and he took up his
bed and walk, walked.
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And on the same
day, was the Sabbath.
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The Jews, therefore said
on to him that was cured,
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it is the Sabbath day.
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It is not lawful for
thee to carry thy bed.
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He answered them,
"He that made me whole,
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the same said on to me,
'Take up thy bed and walk.'
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"Then asked they him,
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"What man is that
with set on to thee,
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take up thy bed and walk?"
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And he that was
healed wist not who it was.
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For Jesus had
conveyed himself away,
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a multitude being in that place.
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Afterward Jesus
findeth him in the temple,
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and said unto him, Behold,
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thou art made
whole: sin no more,
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lest a worse
thing come on to thee."
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The man departed and told Jews
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that it was Jesus
which had made him whole."
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Please bow your
heads with me as we pray.
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Loving Lord, we pray that
You may give utterance tonight.
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Speak a word so that
Your people may be healed,
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and blessed, and made whole.
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We know that You are
the God of the impossible.
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You can break strongholds,
You can turn back the enemy,
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You can change us
from within and without.
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Thank you, oh, God,
for this word tonight,
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may be a blessing to one
and all we pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Jesus Christ is indeed the
Lord of our impossibilities.
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There are many Bethesda
hospitals around this country.
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And they are named
after the pool of Bethesda.
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Bethesda literally means mercy.
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So Bethesda was considered
to be the house of mercy.
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And the people who needed mercy
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had congregated themselves
around the pool of Bethesda.
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What was it like to go
to the pool of Bethesda?
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Well, imagine if you will,
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a nursing home
that is overcrowded
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and understaffed
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with no doctors, and
no medical attendance
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to look out for those in need.
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And if you can
imagine such a scenario,
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then you've got
a limited picture
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of what the pool
of Bethesda was like.
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Imagine going to
an intensive care unit
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where there are just
hundreds of people in that unit
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and there is nobody
to minister to them.
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And if you can just
imagine such a scene,
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then you've got a mental image
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of what the pool
of Bethesda was like.
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The pool of Bethesda
was not a pretty sight.
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The clientele around
the pool were the lame,
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the halt, the blind,
the paralyzed, the wounded,
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wounded in body,
wounded in spirit.
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And the closer you got
to the pool of Bethesda,
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you could immediately pick
up the odors of unkempt bodies.
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You can hear the
excruciating pain,
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the cries, the moans, he groans,
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and sense the
suffering and the hopelessness.
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They are all around
the pool of Bethesda.
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And why are they
around the pool of Bethesda?
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They are around this pool
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because of a superstition
that got started by somebody.
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A superstition
that was not true.
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The superstition was
that an angel would come down
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to that pool and
stir up the water.
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And agitate the pool
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and the first
person to get into the pool
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would be healed of
whatever infirmity he had.
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It was just a myth,
a silly superstition.
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But we know there
was no substance to it
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because the spade
of the archaeologists
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has unearthed
the pool of Bethesda.
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And we know now that
there was a subterranean stream
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that went underneath the pool
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that made bubbles
to rise periodically.
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They should have known
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that there was no
substance to this superstition.
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You see, the pool of Bethesda
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is literally the
size of a football field.
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And with all those
many people around there.
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And the story said one
guy was there for 38 years.
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Now, if you've been
around there that long
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and nothing has happened,
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then you should know
00:13:01.21\00:13:02.68
that there is no
substance to the superstition.
00:13:02.71\00:13:06.01
Here are some
superstitious people
00:13:06.05\00:13:08.48
putting their hopes in bubbles.
00:13:08.52\00:13:11.49
Fortune cookie
solutions to complex problems.
00:13:11.52\00:13:15.69
Just a superstition,
silly, silly people.
00:13:15.72\00:13:20.26
And it's, it's understandable.
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.13
It's pre-scientific,
it's pre-Galileo,
00:13:23.16\00:13:25.97
but aren't you glad
that in this postmodern age
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in which we live, this age
of the information superhighway
00:13:29.60\00:13:32.77
and manmade moons,
we call satellites.
00:13:32.81\00:13:36.04
Isn't it wonderful to know
00:13:36.08\00:13:37.41
that in our age of
eruditeness and sophistication
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that we have moved far
beyond these primitive people,
00:13:41.22\00:13:45.59
far beyond putting
our hopes in an angel
00:13:45.62\00:13:48.66
coming down and
stirring up some water,
00:13:48.69\00:13:50.99
and making bubbles rise.
00:13:51.03\00:13:53.36
And if we could be the first one
00:13:53.40\00:13:54.73
to get into the
water, isn't that silly?
00:13:54.76\00:13:57.63
Is that good to know
that in this educated age,
00:13:57.67\00:14:00.60
in this enlightened
age in which we live
00:14:00.64\00:14:02.74
that we have moved beyond that.
00:14:02.77\00:14:05.77
But I ask you. Have we?
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.54
Because everywhere I
go around this country,
00:14:08.58\00:14:10.95
I think, I still see
the pool of Bethesda.
00:14:10.98\00:14:14.72
In corner stores,
people huddled around
00:14:14.75\00:14:16.89
something
called a lotto machine.
00:14:16.92\00:14:19.12
And guess why they're there?
00:14:19.15\00:14:20.72
They are waiting for
the angel to come down
00:14:20.76\00:14:23.26
and to stir up their water.
00:14:23.29\00:14:25.49
Hence they take food
money, utility money, rent money
00:14:25.53\00:14:29.50
and put their hopes
in that pool of Bethesda
00:14:29.53\00:14:33.23
hoping that an
angel is gonna come down
00:14:33.27\00:14:35.50
and stir up their water.
00:14:35.54\00:14:37.67
And they're in a city called
Las Vegas, I mean Las Vegas.
00:14:37.71\00:14:42.08
You find people at slot machines
00:14:42.11\00:14:44.65
and tables thinking they can
get some stirring up the water.
00:14:44.68\00:14:49.35
And then some of us
go to the mall and say,
00:14:49.38\00:14:52.12
"If I can just wear this?"
00:14:52.15\00:14:53.99
Is gonna stir up my water.
00:14:54.02\00:14:55.86
And then some of
us go to the car lot,
00:14:55.89\00:14:58.29
that is our pool.
00:14:58.33\00:14:59.66
And we say, "If I
can just drive this.
00:14:59.69\00:15:01.86
If I can just get the angel
to stir up my water, my call,
00:15:01.90\00:15:05.13
all my problems would be fixed."
00:15:05.17\00:15:08.24
We have not graduated
00:15:08.27\00:15:10.61
far beyond those
superstitious people.
00:15:10.64\00:15:13.27
Because everywhere you go,
you find a pools of Bethesda.
00:15:13.31\00:15:17.15
And they advertise to us.
00:15:17.18\00:15:18.98
They say taste me, buy me,
drive me, wave me, snot me,
00:15:19.01\00:15:25.52
smoke me, sip me, lay with me,
00:15:25.55\00:15:28.12
cover me, sleep with me, hold me
00:15:28.16\00:15:30.49
And we find ourselves
going to one of these pools.
00:15:30.53\00:15:34.70
And if we're honest, we'll admit
00:15:34.73\00:15:36.67
that we have all spent some time
00:15:36.70\00:15:38.67
around the pool of Bethesda.
00:15:38.70\00:15:40.70
As a matter of fact, some
of us have done more than that,
00:15:40.74\00:15:44.31
we have gotten into the pool.
00:15:44.34\00:15:46.47
We actually got in the
water, only to discover
00:15:46.51\00:15:50.38
that when we got out
of the water and dried off
00:15:50.41\00:15:52.85
that we were just as messed up
as when we went into the water.
00:15:52.88\00:15:57.09
Here is a man
00:15:57.12\00:15:58.49
who has been lying
around the pool for 38 years.
00:15:58.52\00:16:02.76
And Jesus
brought wholeness to him
00:16:02.79\00:16:05.83
with the hopes of teaching us
00:16:05.86\00:16:07.83
that he, Jesus is the
Lord of our impossibilities.
00:16:07.86\00:16:12.47
Now, you'll
notice that you and I
00:16:12.50\00:16:14.40
can experience the impossible
00:16:14.44\00:16:16.60
when we live by
three principles.
00:16:16.64\00:16:19.87
In order to activate
impossibility living,
00:16:19.91\00:16:22.71
there are three prerequisites
00:16:22.74\00:16:24.88
and they are right
here in this story.
00:16:24.91\00:16:27.48
Prerequisite number one,
00:16:27.52\00:16:29.82
in order to experience
the impossible in your life,
00:16:29.85\00:16:32.65
you have to first
want the impossible.
00:16:32.69\00:16:36.39
Notice, that Jesus asked
him a question in verse 8.
00:16:36.42\00:16:39.73
"Wilt thou be made whole?"
00:16:39.76\00:16:42.56
Now that question
doesn't seem necessary, does it?
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.80
Why would you ask a man
who has been sick for 38 years,
00:16:45.83\00:16:50.11
do you want me to heal you?
00:16:50.14\00:16:52.54
You would think that
that goes without saying.
00:16:52.57\00:16:55.18
You would think
that Jesus already knows
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.95
that he wants to be made whole.
00:16:57.98\00:17:00.48
That is like a live
God asking a drowning man,
00:17:00.52\00:17:03.39
do you want me to grab you?
00:17:03.42\00:17:05.62
Or that's like
someone just got shot
00:17:05.65\00:17:07.76
and the paramedics come
and asked this dying man,
00:17:07.79\00:17:10.79
"Would you like me to help you?"
00:17:10.83\00:17:13.29
Some things go
without saying or do they?
00:17:13.33\00:17:17.03
This man has been
there for 38 years
00:17:17.07\00:17:21.04
which means he's been
on his back for 13,870 days
00:17:21.07\00:17:26.37
and that's a long time.
00:17:26.41\00:17:28.31
More than half of his
life has been spent sick
00:17:28.34\00:17:31.91
and what Jesus realized
00:17:31.95\00:17:33.95
was what modern
psychologists have discovered.
00:17:33.98\00:17:36.89
And that is that many
of our physical ailments
00:17:36.92\00:17:40.06
are rooted in our
thinking processes.
00:17:40.09\00:17:43.26
To be sure, this
man was a paralytic.
00:17:43.29\00:17:46.59
But I would suggest,
00:17:46.63\00:17:47.96
he is probably
more of a neurotic
00:17:48.00\00:17:49.70
than he is a paralytic.
00:17:49.73\00:17:51.40
And his neurosis is what
has triggered his paralysis.
00:17:51.43\00:17:55.70
We are psychophysical organisms.
00:17:55.74\00:17:58.64
And whatever is
going on in the mind
00:17:58.67\00:18:01.38
will register in the body,
00:18:01.41\00:18:03.41
which is to say
the way you think
00:18:03.45\00:18:05.78
affects the way you feel.
00:18:05.81\00:18:08.18
It's all interconnected.
00:18:08.22\00:18:10.52
When you're
depressed for example,
00:18:10.55\00:18:12.35
you can tell depression
00:18:12.39\00:18:13.72
because of how it
impacts your body.
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.66
You lose weight
or you gain weight.
00:18:15.69\00:18:18.09
You are so hooked
up with your emotions.
00:18:18.13\00:18:20.50
Whatever goes on in
the mind affects your body
00:18:20.53\00:18:24.20
which is the basis
of a polygraph machine.
00:18:24.23\00:18:27.30
When you tell a lie,
00:18:27.34\00:18:28.90
emotionally it
triggers all kinds of endorphins
00:18:28.94\00:18:31.44
in your bloodstream.
00:18:31.47\00:18:32.81
It get nervous and
your blood pressure rises
00:18:32.84\00:18:35.21
just by lying because you
are not even wired up to lie.
00:18:35.24\00:18:40.52
So Jesus asked this man
who perhaps is a hypochondriac,
00:18:40.55\00:18:45.22
"Do you want to get up?
00:18:45.25\00:18:47.42
Do you really want to be healed?
00:18:47.46\00:18:50.09
Because you see
as long as he is sick
00:18:50.13\00:18:52.19
and on his
back, he's on welfare.
00:18:52.23\00:18:54.93
As long as he is
sick and on his back,
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.37
other people have to carry him.
00:18:57.40\00:18:59.67
They got to feed
him, clothe him, wash him,
00:18:59.70\00:19:02.40
pick up after him.
00:19:02.44\00:19:03.81
But the minute he gets hold,
00:19:03.84\00:19:06.57
that means he's
got to get a job.
00:19:06.61\00:19:09.14
That means he has to
take some responsibility.
00:19:09.18\00:19:12.31
And there are a
whole lot of folk
00:19:12.35\00:19:14.28
who like to hold
on to their illnesses
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.65
in order to evade
and dodge responsibility.
00:19:16.69\00:19:20.56
I know a whole lot of folks
00:19:20.59\00:19:21.92
who are bitter
who can be better,
00:19:21.96\00:19:23.86
but they just
hold on to the past.
00:19:23.89\00:19:26.66
Ten years have passed
and they wouldn't let it go
00:19:26.70\00:19:29.80
because they feel
good about feeling bad.
00:19:29.83\00:19:33.64
The other person has
gone on with his life,
00:19:33.67\00:19:36.10
but they just nurse and rehearse
00:19:36.14\00:19:38.57
all the negativity of the past.
00:19:38.61\00:19:40.98
Now, I know
there's an incubating time
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.48
when you've got to overcome
some things, but my God!
00:19:43.51\00:19:46.58
38 years, it happened
when you were in grade school.
00:19:46.61\00:19:51.55
And here you're pushing
fifty and you're still upset
00:19:51.59\00:19:54.99
about something that
happened in the school yard.
00:19:55.02\00:19:57.76
There are a whole lot
of folks who can give up
00:19:57.79\00:20:00.23
drugging and alcohol but
they want to hold on to it.
00:20:00.26\00:20:03.20
They can't even imagine
life without the bottle.
00:20:03.23\00:20:06.97
A whole lot of folk
could live pure and more lives.
00:20:07.00\00:20:09.60
But they just want to
hold on and wouldn't let go.
00:20:09.64\00:20:13.34
God, I want to be
whole, but I can't let go.
00:20:13.38\00:20:18.81
I can't give up, can't
give up what she does for me.
00:20:18.85\00:20:22.95
She's my pool of Bethesda.
00:20:22.98\00:20:25.42
He is my pool of Bethesda.
00:20:25.45\00:20:28.19
So the question Jesus wants
answered is, "Do you want it?
00:20:28.22\00:20:34.83
Wilt thou be made whole."
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.27
Jesus can't help you
00:20:37.30\00:20:39.87
until you
desperately want to be helped.
00:20:39.90\00:20:44.04
If you're playing games,
00:20:44.07\00:20:45.41
you need to quit
wasting folk's times
00:20:45.44\00:20:46.81
who are trying to help you.
00:20:46.84\00:20:48.84
Before God can help anyone
they've got to want a change.
00:20:48.88\00:20:52.95
That's why it's
foolish for anybody
00:20:52.98\00:20:54.55
to spend a whole lot of time
00:20:54.58\00:20:56.25
trying to help somebody
who doesn't want to be helped.
00:20:56.28\00:21:00.62
God will never be able to
fix what you will not face.
00:21:00.66\00:21:07.33
You've got to want it.
00:21:07.36\00:21:09.60
Now secondly in
order to be healed, helped,
00:21:09.63\00:21:13.07
and to
experience the impossible,
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.54
you have got to obey.
00:21:15.57\00:21:17.84
The second
prerequisite is obedience.
00:21:17.87\00:21:21.04
The first is
you've got to want it.
00:21:21.08\00:21:24.01
Notice what the
man said to Jesus,
00:21:24.05\00:21:26.41
when Jesus asked him, "Do
you want to be made whole?"
00:21:26.45\00:21:29.62
Verse 7, he has
called Jesus, "Sir."
00:21:29.65\00:21:33.12
Listen to me.
00:21:33.15\00:21:34.49
He was willing to get under
the authority of Jesus Christ.
00:21:34.52\00:21:39.09
Whenever
something that is over you
00:21:39.13\00:21:42.16
is supposed to be under you,
00:21:42.20\00:21:44.37
it only gets under you
when you get under the God
00:21:44.40\00:21:47.70
who is supposed to be over you.
00:21:47.74\00:21:50.17
When you get under he who
is supposed to be over you,
00:21:50.21\00:21:53.48
that which is over
you gets under you.
00:21:53.51\00:21:56.98
That's the order.
00:21:57.01\00:21:58.35
You can't expect
things to get under you,
00:21:58.38\00:22:02.28
when you wouldn't get under
who is supposed to be over you.
00:22:02.32\00:22:05.62
So you're wondering
00:22:05.65\00:22:07.12
why some things can
get under your feet?
00:22:07.16\00:22:09.26
It's an issue with authority.
00:22:09.29\00:22:12.29
Couple of months ago,
00:22:12.33\00:22:13.90
I was driving
through New York City,
00:22:13.93\00:22:15.30
taking my kids to the
city for an appointment
00:22:15.33\00:22:18.03
and I was late.
00:22:18.07\00:22:19.93
Traffic had backed up.
00:22:19.97\00:22:21.80
I saw an opening,
got around all the cars,
00:22:21.84\00:22:25.17
passed everybody.
00:22:25.21\00:22:26.57
And as I made the right turn,
00:22:26.61\00:22:29.24
a cop was
standing on the sidewalk
00:22:29.28\00:22:31.08
and he did this, "Get over."
00:22:31.11\00:22:34.62
Well, I got over.
00:22:34.65\00:22:36.65
But I had a chaplain's badge
from the state of New York.
00:22:36.69\00:22:39.42
I gave him my badge.
00:22:39.45\00:22:40.79
He said, "I don't
want to see this."
00:22:40.82\00:22:42.69
Then I had a card
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.06
from one of the
lieutenants of the NYPD.
00:22:44.09\00:22:47.30
Gave him the card, he said,
"I don't want to see this."
00:22:47.33\00:22:50.03
And he gave me a lecture
on why I should drive safely.
00:22:50.07\00:22:56.57
And then he went
to his car, came back.
00:22:56.60\00:22:59.07
I thought he was
going to give me the ticket.
00:22:59.11\00:23:00.44
Didn't give me the ticket.
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.38
But gave me another
lecture and then let me go.
00:23:02.41\00:23:06.58
When I drove away, I
told my sister-in-law,
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.85
"I was about to give
him a piece of my mind."
00:23:08.88\00:23:13.19
But I didn't, that
I was under authority.
00:23:13.22\00:23:16.12
And when you're under authority,
00:23:16.16\00:23:18.26
you're in obedience.
00:23:18.29\00:23:21.16
Jesus said that if
you will experience
00:23:21.20\00:23:24.73
the impossible in your
life, you must be obedient.
00:23:24.77\00:23:28.67
That's the order.
00:23:28.70\00:23:30.04
You can't expect things
to get better in your life
00:23:30.07\00:23:32.41
unless you make God, indeed,
00:23:32.44\00:23:34.74
the authority
figure in your life.
00:23:34.78\00:23:37.15
It is because you wouldn't
get under the authority of God
00:23:37.18\00:23:40.18
that's why we
experience failure.
00:23:40.22\00:23:42.32
And the minute you start
saying to the Lord, "Sir"
00:23:42.35\00:23:44.65
which means get
under his authority,
00:23:44.69\00:23:46.76
certain demons, and
devils, and warlocks,
00:23:46.79\00:23:48.89
and witches will start
getting under your feet.
00:23:48.92\00:23:52.26
Things that once
caused you to worry and fret,
00:23:52.29\00:23:54.66
now don't bother you anymore
00:23:54.70\00:23:56.23
because you've got under the God
00:23:56.26\00:23:57.97
who is supposed to be over you.
00:23:58.00\00:24:00.10
Once he said, "Sir"
00:24:00.14\00:24:02.20
this man submitted to
the authority of Jesus Christ
00:24:02.24\00:24:05.87
and Jesus said,
"You're under new management."
00:24:05.91\00:24:10.35
And that's what some of us need,
00:24:10.38\00:24:12.18
to be under new management
because we are living a life
00:24:12.21\00:24:15.88
where the movie is
directed by somebody
00:24:15.92\00:24:18.15
who doesn't have our
best interests at heart.
00:24:18.19\00:24:20.52
And we are reciting alliance
00:24:20.56\00:24:22.39
that God didn't
write for us to recite.
00:24:22.42\00:24:25.09
So you've got to get
under the authority of Christ
00:24:25.13\00:24:27.16
and Christ said to him
in verse 8, three things.
00:24:27.20\00:24:31.00
Number one, rise.
00:24:31.03\00:24:32.80
Take up your bed and walk.
00:24:32.83\00:24:35.50
First he said, "Rise."
00:24:35.54\00:24:37.81
Now that seems
like a strange command
00:24:37.84\00:24:40.24
because that is the one thing
00:24:40.28\00:24:42.08
that was
impossible for this man to do,
00:24:42.11\00:24:44.71
that is to rise.
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.45
But Jesus said, "Rise."
00:24:46.48\00:24:48.58
Notice, Jesus
didn't ask the man,
00:24:48.62\00:24:50.85
"Do you feel like rising?"
00:24:50.89\00:24:53.86
Jesus said, "Rise."
00:24:53.89\00:24:55.59
He didn't ask him, "Do
you think you can rise?"
00:24:55.62\00:24:58.49
He said, "Rise" which is to
say act it and you will feel it.
00:24:58.53\00:25:05.17
Now, we think
we've got to feel it
00:25:05.20\00:25:07.24
before we can act it.
00:25:07.27\00:25:09.10
What's the sequence?
00:25:09.14\00:25:10.54
You have go to act
your way into a feeling,
00:25:10.57\00:25:13.11
instead of feeling
your way into an action.
00:25:13.14\00:25:16.04
In other words,
you have to act like
00:25:16.08\00:25:17.95
you've got it together,
00:25:17.98\00:25:19.31
when you don't feel
like you've got it together
00:25:19.35\00:25:21.55
because feeling comes
under heels of acting.
00:25:21.58\00:25:25.52
You've got to act confident
before you feel confident.
00:25:25.55\00:25:29.59
You've got to act blessed,
before you feel blessed.
00:25:29.62\00:25:32.99
You've got to act like
you're going to make it,
00:25:33.03\00:25:34.80
so you'll get up and quit
feeling sorry for yourself.
00:25:34.83\00:25:38.13
You don't have to
feel it to act it.
00:25:38.17\00:25:41.30
So smile, laugh, dry your
eyes, get on with your life.
00:25:41.34\00:25:47.71
Act the thing and
the feeling will come.
00:25:47.74\00:25:51.81
There were times when I
didn't feel like preaching,
00:25:51.85\00:25:54.32
but I got up
and preached anyhow.
00:25:54.35\00:25:56.35
And the Holy Spirit came
00:25:56.38\00:25:57.72
and when he came, he
made me feel like doing it.
00:25:57.75\00:26:01.02
Jesus said, "Rise."
00:26:01.06\00:26:04.09
The best time to
act is in front of folks
00:26:04.13\00:26:06.56
who don't think
you're supposed to make it.
00:26:06.59\00:26:09.76
The second thing, he
said was take up your bed.
00:26:09.80\00:26:13.07
Why?
00:26:13.10\00:26:14.77
The bed is what he's
been lying on for 38 years.
00:26:14.80\00:26:19.81
Let me tell you
how the devil works.
00:26:19.84\00:26:21.41
How demonic spirits work.
00:26:21.44\00:26:24.05
The minute God gives
you a rise breakthrough,
00:26:24.08\00:26:27.75
that's when the devil will come
and plant doubt in your mind.
00:26:27.78\00:26:31.05
And he will say,
"Wait a minute, man.
00:26:31.09\00:26:32.62
Wait a minute. You've
been down for 38 years.
00:26:32.65\00:26:35.79
How do you know your
legs are going to hold you up?
00:26:35.82\00:26:39.53
How do you know your
ankles aren't going to buckle
00:26:39.56\00:26:41.63
and your knees are not going
to give out from under you?
00:26:41.66\00:26:44.53
How do you know?
00:26:44.57\00:26:45.90
Look fellow, you've got
seniority back at the pool.
00:26:45.93\00:26:49.87
You've been there for 38 years.
00:26:49.90\00:26:53.24
You're getting ready to
lose your place in line.
00:26:53.27\00:26:56.48
So what you need to
do is, just in case,
00:26:56.51\00:26:59.48
Jesus doesn't really
come through for you,
00:26:59.51\00:27:01.85
and just in case, you don't
get what Jesus promised you.
00:27:01.88\00:27:05.55
And just in case, a week
from now or month from now,
00:27:05.59\00:27:08.99
you'll start feeling weak again,
00:27:09.02\00:27:10.96
you better make sure that
you at least have your bed
00:27:10.99\00:27:14.43
back at the pool,
so you can go back.
00:27:14.46\00:27:18.73
Listen to me, folk,
00:27:18.77\00:27:20.10
whenever Jesus gives
you a rise breakthrough,
00:27:20.14\00:27:23.71
He wants you to cancel
00:27:23.74\00:27:25.74
whatever reservations you had
00:27:25.77\00:27:27.58
at the place he
delivered you from.
00:27:27.61\00:27:30.35
Which means you've
got to burn some bridges
00:27:30.38\00:27:33.38
once He heals you
and once He delivers you.
00:27:33.42\00:27:38.15
For example, if you've
been delivered from drinking,
00:27:38.19\00:27:41.42
was it, watch the devil?
00:27:41.46\00:27:43.12
He'll tell you to stay in touch
with your drinking buddies.
00:27:43.16\00:27:46.70
Just in case,
you have a relapse.
00:27:46.73\00:27:48.80
Or just in case, you say,
00:27:48.83\00:27:50.17
"I'm not going to
be shacking up anymore.
00:27:50.20\00:27:51.70
I'm tired of this,
been doing it for 38 years.
00:27:51.73\00:27:54.00
Time to go on with my life."
00:27:54.04\00:27:55.37
The devil says,
"That's good. Congratulations.
00:27:55.40\00:27:57.67
But just in case, you
become emotionally unglued,
00:27:57.71\00:28:00.44
you've got to make sure
00:28:00.48\00:28:01.81
you don't burn a
bridge with him or her,
00:28:01.84\00:28:03.58
so you could always go back.
00:28:03.61\00:28:06.48
But God says us tonight,
00:28:06.51\00:28:08.48
"If I'm gonna
deliver you from something,
00:28:08.52\00:28:10.35
you've got to
cancel your reservation.
00:28:10.39\00:28:13.46
Rise, take up your bed.
00:28:13.49\00:28:17.19
And then He says, walk.
00:28:17.23\00:28:19.46
He said walk because he
had been down for 38 years
00:28:19.49\00:28:24.20
and that means his
legs were not strong
00:28:24.23\00:28:27.07
when he first got up.
00:28:27.10\00:28:28.74
And guess what?
00:28:28.77\00:28:30.11
When you first get up,
00:28:30.14\00:28:31.97
you're not going
to be that strong.
00:28:32.01\00:28:35.81
But I dare you to
take one little step.
00:28:35.84\00:28:38.61
And if you keep on walking,
00:28:38.65\00:28:40.48
God will take you places
you've never dreamed possible.
00:28:40.52\00:28:45.05
Do you want to be made whole?
00:28:45.09\00:28:49.12
That's why, folk, when people
joined the body of Christ,
00:28:49.16\00:28:52.99
we need to be
very patient with them
00:28:53.03\00:28:55.43
because they've
just started walking.
00:28:55.46\00:28:58.67
You've got to want it.
00:28:58.70\00:29:00.40
You've got to obey the Lord.
00:29:00.44\00:29:02.90
Rise, take up your bed and walk.
00:29:02.94\00:29:07.74
Say sir.
00:29:07.78\00:29:09.28
Yes, sir, I will.
You're under new authority.
00:29:09.31\00:29:12.65
And then finally you've
got to know for yourself
00:29:12.68\00:29:15.18
the Lord of the impossible
00:29:15.22\00:29:17.82
because after
this man is healed,
00:29:17.85\00:29:20.46
the enemies of Jesus
see him carrying his palate
00:29:20.49\00:29:23.32
on the Sabbath day which
means he is breaking Jewish law,
00:29:23.36\00:29:26.80
and so they asked him,
00:29:26.83\00:29:28.16
"Who told you
to carry your bed?"
00:29:28.20\00:29:30.87
Isn't it amazing how
sometimes religious people
00:29:30.90\00:29:34.14
don't have a clue
as to what's important.
00:29:34.17\00:29:36.71
This man has been
down for 38 years.
00:29:36.74\00:29:39.17
Instead of the church of
the living God rejoicing,
00:29:39.21\00:29:42.14
that now he is able to walk,
00:29:42.18\00:29:44.05
they're getting caught
up in a theological issue
00:29:44.08\00:29:47.28
about how to keep the Sabbath.
00:29:47.32\00:29:50.22
But look at what this
man said in verses 12 and 13,
00:29:50.25\00:29:53.05
the man said, "I don't
known who it is that healed me.
00:29:53.09\00:29:56.29
All I know is that I
couldn't walk at one time,
00:29:56.32\00:30:00.20
but now I'm on my feet
00:30:00.23\00:30:03.53
after Jesus healed and He left."
00:30:03.57\00:30:06.33
Because Jesus
didn't want the attention.
00:30:06.37\00:30:08.74
He had never met Jesus before.
00:30:08.77\00:30:10.57
This man had
never met Him before.
00:30:10.61\00:30:12.17
All he knew that he was healed.
00:30:12.21\00:30:13.81
All he knew was that
he was doing something
00:30:13.84\00:30:15.78
that he hadn't done in 38 years,
00:30:15.81\00:30:19.68
but he didn't know who had
given him the ability do it.
00:30:19.71\00:30:22.92
And in verse 14, Jesus
finds him in the temple
00:30:22.95\00:30:26.29
and says to him,
"Thou art made whole."
00:30:26.32\00:30:30.93
And anybody that is whole
is operating on three things.
00:30:30.96\00:30:35.63
He's whole because he's walking.
00:30:35.66\00:30:39.00
His body is healed.
00:30:39.03\00:30:41.14
He was being
carried to the pool,
00:30:41.17\00:30:43.17
but he's walking on his own.
00:30:43.20\00:30:45.37
And one way you
experienced wholeness,
00:30:45.41\00:30:47.51
is when you are
walking on your own.
00:30:47.54\00:30:50.28
You don't need
anybody to carry you.
00:30:50.31\00:30:52.65
You don't need anybody
to carry you emotionally.
00:30:52.68\00:30:56.28
You don't need
anybody to affirm you,
00:30:56.32\00:30:58.92
or to celebrate you.
00:30:58.95\00:31:00.32
You don't need
anybody to applaud you.
00:31:00.36\00:31:02.46
You don't need anybody
to pat you on the back.
00:31:02.49\00:31:04.99
You don't need
anybody to tell you
00:31:05.03\00:31:06.56
that you are going to make it.
00:31:06.59\00:31:08.00
And if some folk
didn't affirm us,
00:31:08.03\00:31:10.30
we would fall apart.
00:31:10.33\00:31:11.97
But now because you
are getting yourself whole,
00:31:12.00\00:31:14.57
you are fine.
00:31:14.60\00:31:16.87
If nobody
invites to the bank with,
00:31:16.91\00:31:19.47
go head and take yourself.
00:31:19.51\00:31:22.91
You know, I was
single for many years
00:31:22.94\00:31:24.28
and when I would get paid,
I'll take myself out to dinner,
00:31:24.31\00:31:30.59
and I'll talk to
myself while I was eating.
00:31:30.62\00:31:34.16
And on my way back
home, I'll say to myself,
00:31:34.19\00:31:36.36
"Jules, didn't we
have a good time tonight?"
00:31:36.39\00:31:40.13
Because you've got to learn
to enjoy being by yourself.
00:31:40.16\00:31:44.40
When you get
whole, you've got Jesus.
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.74
And when you've got
Jesus, He's all you really need.
00:31:46.77\00:31:50.24
That's why I get sick
and tired of Christian folk
00:31:50.27\00:31:52.77
talking about who
they need to make it,
00:31:52.81\00:31:54.84
and talking about I'm
tired of being by myself.
00:31:54.88\00:31:57.38
Well, if you are
tired of being by yourself,
00:31:57.41\00:31:59.18
who wants to be
with tired old you?
00:31:59.21\00:32:03.85
Until you can say,
"I like being by myself.
00:32:03.89\00:32:07.29
I'm walking on my
own. I'm self-reliant."
00:32:07.32\00:32:10.76
When you are whole, not
only does your body change.
00:32:10.79\00:32:14.53
The Bible says, he was walking,
00:32:14.56\00:32:16.46
but his behavior changed.
00:32:16.50\00:32:18.43
He was worshipping.
00:32:18.47\00:32:20.74
Where did Jesus find him?
00:32:20.77\00:32:22.94
Verse 14 says, "In the temple."
00:32:22.97\00:32:25.87
Whenever you get whole,
not only does your body change,
00:32:25.91\00:32:31.08
your walking, but
your behavior changes,
00:32:31.11\00:32:34.48
you're worshipping,
00:32:34.52\00:32:35.85
which means when
Jesus comes in to your life,
00:32:35.88\00:32:39.19
habits will be broken.
00:32:39.22\00:32:41.52
You known you are getting whole
00:32:41.56\00:32:43.12
when things that
once had a grip on you,
00:32:43.16\00:32:45.66
you now have a grip on it.
00:32:45.69\00:32:48.16
You know you are getting whole
00:32:48.20\00:32:49.90
when you used to
have a nasty attitude.
00:32:49.93\00:32:52.43
But now your
attitude has changed
00:32:52.47\00:32:54.44
because your
behavior has changed.
00:32:54.47\00:32:57.34
There was a time when you
said, "I'm gonna get even."
00:32:57.37\00:33:01.04
But since Christ has come
into your life, you realize,
00:33:01.08\00:33:05.28
you can't get
ahead by getting even.
00:33:05.31\00:33:09.05
There was a time
when you came to church,
00:33:09.08\00:33:10.99
and just watched
other people worship.
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.49
But now you've come to church
and your behavior has changed.
00:33:13.52\00:33:17.29
You are
worshipping all by yourself.
00:33:17.33\00:33:20.53
You don't need any
choir to prompt you.
00:33:20.56\00:33:23.30
And you don't need any
preacher to invoke you.
00:33:23.33\00:33:25.90
And you don't need cheerleaders
around to incite you.
00:33:25.93\00:33:29.20
All you do is just think
of the goodness of Jesus,
00:33:29.24\00:33:33.14
and all He has done for
you, and your behavior changes.
00:33:33.17\00:33:39.01
You used to be
worried about this
00:33:39.05\00:33:40.38
and worried about that,
00:33:40.42\00:33:42.32
but you are not worried anymore.
00:33:42.35\00:33:44.45
Because you know the
Lord woke you up this morning,
00:33:44.49\00:33:47.46
started you on your way,
00:33:47.49\00:33:49.52
put food on your table,
made a way out of no way.
00:33:49.56\00:33:52.06
God got a roof over your head
and He is the one that did it.
00:33:52.09\00:33:55.66
Your behavior
changes and you are whole.
00:33:55.70\00:33:58.40
And when you are whole,
00:33:58.43\00:33:59.83
you do not worry about
things like you used to.
00:33:59.87\00:34:03.20
You know, Ellen White
says that it is a sin to worry.
00:34:03.24\00:34:07.64
And can I give you a principle
00:34:07.68\00:34:09.24
that I believe
will bless your life?
00:34:09.28\00:34:10.85
If there are things in your life
00:34:10.88\00:34:12.41
that you don't like
00:34:12.45\00:34:13.78
and you have
ability to change it,
00:34:13.82\00:34:15.78
go ahead and change them.
00:34:15.82\00:34:18.22
But if there is
something in your life
00:34:18.25\00:34:20.26
that you don't like
00:34:20.29\00:34:21.62
and you do not have
the ability to change it,
00:34:21.66\00:34:24.23
do not worry about it,
00:34:24.26\00:34:27.20
because worry has
never changed anything here.
00:34:27.23\00:34:31.10
Worry has never paid a bill.
00:34:31.13\00:34:33.10
Worry has never brought a
straying husband back home.
00:34:33.13\00:34:36.57
Worry has never
ever fixed a problem.
00:34:36.60\00:34:40.08
Worry is a useless activity,
and to worry is to sin.
00:34:40.11\00:34:46.45
Learn to leave it
in the hands of God
00:34:46.48\00:34:49.68
and let God take care of it.
00:34:49.72\00:34:52.49
He is witnessing.
00:34:52.52\00:34:54.26
He didn't know who
it was that healed him.
00:34:54.29\00:34:57.26
But the Bible says,
after Jesus introduced himself,
00:34:57.29\00:35:00.76
this man went and
found the enemies of Jesus.
00:35:00.80\00:35:04.97
And in verse 15, he tells them,
00:35:05.00\00:35:07.60
"Let me tell, you enemies,
who it was that healed me."
00:35:07.64\00:35:11.27
He said, "I that I used
to be ashamed to tell you.
00:35:11.31\00:35:15.08
Now I'm bold and
I'm not ashamed."
00:35:15.11\00:35:17.88
Because one of the
ways you know you are whole
00:35:17.91\00:35:22.48
is because you are bold
and you've got confidence.
00:35:22.52\00:35:26.92
You really believe that you
can do all things through Christ
00:35:26.96\00:35:31.53
who strengthens you.
00:35:31.56\00:35:33.29
You're not walking
around with your head down
00:35:33.33\00:35:36.26
and even if don't
have a new suit on.
00:35:36.30\00:35:38.97
And even if don't
have new shoes on,
00:35:39.00\00:35:41.20
there is a new 'you'.
00:35:41.24\00:35:43.14
You looked at your
hands and your hands look new.
00:35:43.17\00:35:44.81
You look at your feet
and your feet look new too.
00:35:44.84\00:35:47.48
Do you want to be made whole
00:35:47.51\00:35:50.68
before Jesus can take
you to the next level?
00:35:50.71\00:35:54.98
He's got to get you
right on the inside.
00:35:55.02\00:35:58.69
Here you are
talking about a new house,
00:35:58.72\00:36:01.16
when what you
really need is a new heart.
00:36:01.19\00:36:04.06
Here you are
talking about a new car,
00:36:04.09\00:36:06.66
when what you really
needs is a new cause.
00:36:06.70\00:36:09.63
Here you are
talking about a new man
00:36:09.66\00:36:12.07
when what you really
needs is a new 'you.'
00:36:12.10\00:36:14.97
If you get yourself together,
00:36:15.00\00:36:17.44
then some of the things
you really need you realize,
00:36:17.47\00:36:21.04
you'll realize that
you really don't need them.
00:36:21.08\00:36:24.61
I thought I needed him
00:36:24.65\00:36:27.22
but what I really needed
was just to be made whole.
00:36:27.25\00:36:32.59
Jesus can do it because
He's the God of the impossible,
00:36:32.62\00:36:38.39
so quit being so
pitiful, quit acting depressed.
00:36:38.43\00:36:42.83
Our God is the
God of the impossible,
00:36:42.86\00:36:46.43
but He needs your cooperation.
00:36:46.47\00:36:48.90
You've got a great God.
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.94
Quit being defeated.
00:36:50.97\00:36:52.57
He's the God of the impossible.
00:36:52.61\00:36:55.84
Quit livening
what you can't have.
00:36:55.88\00:36:58.48
Quit thinking
everybody can have it, but you.
00:36:58.51\00:37:01.92
Impossible what?
00:37:01.95\00:37:03.65
He's the God of the Impossible.
00:37:03.69\00:37:06.86
Impossible relationships,
impossible crises in your life.
00:37:06.89\00:37:12.19
Crazy children in your home.
00:37:12.23\00:37:15.63
Marriage falling apart.
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.87
God is the God
of the impossible.
00:37:17.90\00:37:20.90
There is no limit
to what my God can do.
00:37:20.94\00:37:25.27
If you are broke, He can fix it.
00:37:25.31\00:37:28.38
If you are in
trouble, He can deliver you.
00:37:28.41\00:37:31.58
"Come here, Abraham.
00:37:31.61\00:37:33.78
Come here, Sister Sarah."
00:37:33.82\00:37:36.48
Brother Abraham and Sister Sarah
00:37:36.52\00:37:38.85
were in an impossible situation,
00:37:38.89\00:37:41.82
but God blessed that old couple
to have an impossible baby
00:37:41.86\00:37:46.86
at an impossible age.
00:37:46.90\00:37:48.86
Come here, Moses.
00:37:48.90\00:37:50.97
You're at an impossible Red Sea,
00:37:51.00\00:37:54.04
but God made an
impossible Red Sea open up
00:37:54.07\00:37:57.44
for the children of Israel.
00:37:57.47\00:37:59.41
"Come here,
Gideon." You are outnumbered.
00:37:59.44\00:38:03.01
You had an impossible task,
00:38:03.04\00:38:04.98
but God gave you victory
in an impossible situation.
00:38:05.01\00:38:09.55
"Come here, David."
00:38:09.58\00:38:11.35
You are facing
an impossible giant,
00:38:11.39\00:38:13.69
but the giant of impossibility
came crashing down.
00:38:13.72\00:38:17.66
"Come here, women
with an issue of blood."
00:38:17.69\00:38:20.43
You had an impossible
sickness, but you said,
00:38:20.46\00:38:24.03
"If I can just touch
the hem of His garment,
00:38:24.07\00:38:28.30
I don't have to talk to Him.
00:38:28.34\00:38:30.67
And the Bible says, she had
an impossible sickness reversed,
00:38:30.71\00:38:35.08
because He is the
Lord of the impossible.
00:38:35.11\00:38:40.02
So have you any rivers
that you think are un-crossable?
00:38:40.05\00:38:44.09
Have you any
mountains you can't climb?
00:38:44.12\00:38:46.69
God specializes in
things that seem impossible.
00:38:46.72\00:38:53.33
Remember the devil
wants you to stay at the pool.
00:38:53.36\00:38:56.87
He doesn't want you to obey.
00:38:56.90\00:39:00.04
He doesn't want
you to want a change
00:39:00.07\00:39:02.24
or a miracle in your life.
00:39:02.27\00:39:05.34
He doesn't want you to
rise, pick up your bed and walk.
00:39:05.37\00:39:09.58
He doesn't want you to
establish intimacy with Christ.
00:39:09.61\00:39:13.95
What will you do today?
00:39:13.98\00:39:16.65
Will you stay at the
pool or will you get up?
00:39:16.69\00:39:21.62
Will you give God a
chance in your life?
00:39:21.66\00:39:25.49
He wants to make you whole.
00:39:25.53\00:39:28.76
The story says this man
never experienced wholeness,
00:39:28.80\00:39:32.37
until he went
back to the temple.
00:39:32.40\00:39:34.67
He was healed
but he wasn't whole.
00:39:34.70\00:39:37.97
Wholeness only comes
00:39:38.01\00:39:40.84
when you develop
intimacy with Jesus Christ.
00:39:40.88\00:39:45.08
He was healed and
he was made whole.
00:39:45.11\00:39:49.68
God keeps every promise,
00:39:49.72\00:39:53.56
and one of my favorite promises
00:39:53.59\00:39:55.59
comes through the start
of the Book of Philippians.
00:39:55.62\00:39:58.46
I can do all things through
Christ, who strengthens me.
00:39:58.49\00:40:03.80
I can do all
things through Christ.
00:40:03.83\00:40:07.87
I can, hypernicus victory.
00:40:07.90\00:40:11.31
I can have all
victory through Jesus Christ.
00:40:11.34\00:40:15.98
God is able and He
keeps His promises.
00:40:16.01\00:40:20.12
For somebody who is
listening to me today,
00:40:20.15\00:40:22.62
it might just be that God
is speaking to your heart.
00:40:22.65\00:40:26.62
It might just be that
God is talking to you,
00:40:26.65\00:40:30.23
and He wants you to
develop intimacy with Him.
00:40:30.26\00:40:33.53
He wants you to trust His power.
00:40:33.56\00:40:36.50
He wants you to believe
00:40:36.53\00:40:38.43
that He can make
the impossible possible.
00:40:38.47\00:40:42.20
If we would only
believe His word,
00:40:42.24\00:40:45.04
if we would only trust His word,
00:40:45.07\00:40:47.31
He has promised to make
the impossible possible.
00:40:47.34\00:40:51.48
You know, some years
ago, I was overseas preaching
00:40:51.51\00:40:54.52
and I was gone for a
while and my wife called,
00:40:54.55\00:40:57.75
and my daughter got on to
phone and she said, "Daddy.
00:40:57.79\00:41:03.63
There's something I want
and when you get back home,
00:41:03.66\00:41:07.20
I want you to
purchase it for me."
00:41:07.23\00:41:08.93
And I said to her,
I say, "Sweetheart,
00:41:08.96\00:41:11.60
whatever you
want, when I get home,
00:41:11.63\00:41:16.54
I'm gonna purchase it for you."
00:41:16.57\00:41:18.67
Well, I flew back to
New York, landed at JFK.
00:41:18.71\00:41:22.08
I was tired, it was
about six hour flight.
00:41:22.11\00:41:25.58
Got in my car, drove
another two hours to my house.
00:41:25.61\00:41:28.02
When I got home I was tired.
00:41:28.05\00:41:29.48
Took of my clothes,
sat on my favorite chair.
00:41:29.52\00:41:32.62
My daughters comes
running. She says, "Daddy.
00:41:32.65\00:41:37.59
You remember?" I said, "What?"
00:41:37.63\00:41:40.93
She said, "Daddy, you promised.
00:41:40.96\00:41:43.40
When you got back home,
00:41:43.43\00:41:46.07
you'll purchase for
me whatever I want."
00:41:46.10\00:41:49.20
I said, "What is it?"
She says, "Well, Daddy.
00:41:49.24\00:41:51.97
We knew you were
coming home today,
00:41:52.01\00:41:53.38
so mommy got dressed.
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.98
My brother Dylan got dressed.
00:41:56.01\00:41:58.18
Aunty Helen got
dressed. And we are ready."
00:41:58.21\00:42:00.92
I said, "What are
you talking about?"
00:42:00.95\00:42:02.48
She says, "Daddy,
00:42:02.52\00:42:05.09
I want you to
purchase a little dog for me."
00:42:05.12\00:42:08.39
Now that's story is
only interesting because
00:42:08.42\00:42:11.29
I love animals.
00:42:11.33\00:42:12.66
Forgive me, but I
don't want to live with them.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.26
And so I said, "Sweetheart..."
trying to put it off.
00:42:19.13\00:42:22.30
I said, "Sweetheart, listen.
00:42:22.34\00:42:24.47
Daddy is going to do
this another day for you."
00:42:24.51\00:42:26.81
So she ran
upstairs and started crying.
00:42:26.84\00:42:29.64
My wife came down she said,
00:42:29.68\00:42:31.01
"What did you say
to her? She's crying."
00:42:31.05\00:42:33.85
I said, "Sweetheart.
00:42:33.88\00:42:35.38
I told her I'll get the
dog another day for her."
00:42:35.42\00:42:39.95
Well, my daughter
came back downstairs.
00:42:39.99\00:42:42.02
She says, "Daddy, when
you are away, you said."
00:42:42.06\00:42:47.20
When she said "You
said," I put on my clothes,
00:42:47.23\00:42:49.93
we got into car,
drove to Westchester County,
00:42:49.96\00:42:53.27
got to the pet store.
00:42:53.30\00:42:54.94
And she is now,
uh, looking at the dogs
00:42:54.97\00:42:58.54
and she scared of them.
00:42:58.57\00:43:00.54
And I said, "Lord,
You are Mighty God."
00:43:00.58\00:43:02.08
I've been praying.
00:43:02.11\00:43:04.81
And she's scared of the dogs.
00:43:04.85\00:43:06.55
Finally, my
wife, I said to my wife
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.98
and to the rest of
the family, "Let's go.
00:43:09.02\00:43:12.05
Let's get back in the
car." And they said, "No."
00:43:12.09\00:43:15.16
And my wife goes to her
takes one of this little dogs
00:43:15.19\00:43:17.46
and puts it in her arms
00:43:17.49\00:43:18.83
and she finally
begins to get comfortable.
00:43:18.86\00:43:22.93
That day I spend
over $1,200 for a dog,
00:43:22.96\00:43:26.90
I'm still paying for it.
00:43:26.94\00:43:30.74
But you know, in
the Book of Isaiah,
00:43:30.77\00:43:32.97
you know what the Lord said?
00:43:33.01\00:43:34.81
The Lord said,
00:43:34.84\00:43:36.41
whenever you face
your impossible situations,
00:43:36.44\00:43:39.01
remind me of my promises.
00:43:39.05\00:43:43.18
And on that day,
00:43:43.22\00:43:44.75
when my daughter
reminded me of my promise,
00:43:44.79\00:43:48.72
it caused me to
get up and to act.
00:43:48.76\00:43:52.46
I'm a sinful man.
00:43:52.49\00:43:53.83
Can you imagine how God feels
00:43:53.86\00:43:56.30
when we remind
Him of His promises?
00:43:56.33\00:43:58.40
And He gave us over
7,000 promises in His word,
00:43:58.43\00:44:02.57
so that we can
remind Him of His promises.
00:44:02.60\00:44:05.77
And He says, nothing is
impossible because I'm able.
00:44:05.81\00:44:11.18
Today, I believe that God
can change our circumstances.
00:44:11.21\00:44:16.55
He can remedy our situations.
00:44:16.58\00:44:18.75
He can change us
from the inside out.
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.42
And God can give us victory.
00:44:22.46\00:44:24.59
If we would claim His promises,
nothing is impossible with God.
00:44:24.63\00:44:29.60
With all, with God,
all things are possible.
00:44:29.63\00:44:36.30
I want you to bow your
heads with me as we pray.
00:44:36.34\00:44:41.88
Loving Lord and our Father,
00:44:41.91\00:44:46.82
we are in Your presence this day
00:44:46.85\00:44:48.88
and we have heard
that You are Mighty,
00:44:48.92\00:44:53.25
that You are
Powerful, that You are Great.
00:44:53.29\00:44:57.39
We have been sitting
by the pool for 38 years,
00:44:57.43\00:45:01.30
some of us...
00:45:01.33\00:45:04.17
our lives have been in shambles.
00:45:04.20\00:45:07.34
And it's hard for
us to believe that
00:45:07.37\00:45:10.47
You can do anything for us.
00:45:10.51\00:45:14.18
We feel
neglected, we feel abandoned
00:45:14.21\00:45:17.15
and for some of
us, there is no hope.
00:45:17.18\00:45:20.42
But I'm happy
today, Lord, that You said
00:45:20.45\00:45:24.02
that if we want to experience
the impossible in our lives.
00:45:24.05\00:45:29.69
We got to want
it, we got to want it.
00:45:29.72\00:45:33.86
And so far that
there is somebody
00:45:33.90\00:45:35.70
who wants a
change in his life today.
00:45:35.73\00:45:38.37
Somebody wants to
experience a victory.
00:45:38.40\00:45:41.77
Somebody wants to see a change.
00:45:41.80\00:45:46.98
Somebody needs today Lord
also, to not only want it,
00:45:47.01\00:45:52.18
but certainly need to
align His life with Yours.
00:45:52.21\00:45:57.79
Somebody needs
to surrender to You.
00:45:57.82\00:46:01.99
You said, we not
only have to want it,
00:46:02.02\00:46:03.89
but we've got be obedient.
00:46:03.93\00:46:06.29
And then we've got to rise,
00:46:06.33\00:46:07.66
we've got to rise
above our feelings.
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.77
We've got to walk
away from our past.
00:46:10.80\00:46:14.50
We've got to pick up
our bed and not leave it,
00:46:14.54\00:46:16.81
so that we can go back.
00:46:16.84\00:46:19.54
Today I pray for someone's life
who might just be listening,
00:46:19.57\00:46:24.88
and has lost hope
00:46:24.91\00:46:27.55
that you would have helped
that soul to find you today.
00:46:27.58\00:46:32.15
Forgive us of our sins.
00:46:32.19\00:46:34.32
Help us to get away
from the Pool of Bethesda
00:46:34.36\00:46:37.79
and find a
healing for our souls.
00:46:37.83\00:46:40.43
Take us to the
temple where we can find
00:46:40.46\00:46:42.46
not only healing but wholeness,
00:46:42.50\00:46:45.70
and save us we pray, Father,
00:46:45.73\00:46:47.84
in your eternal
kingdom, we ask it, amen.
00:46:47.87\00:46:51.51
All right. Then we
got to go back out.
00:47:05.35\00:47:08.82
Not a problem.
00:47:08.86\00:47:10.49
I am weak, but Thou art strong
00:47:16.50\00:47:24.47
Jesus, keep me from all wrong
00:47:24.51\00:47:32.48
I'll be satisfied as long
00:47:32.51\00:47:39.12
As I walk
00:47:39.15\00:47:40.89
Let me walk close to Thee
00:47:40.92\00:47:47.80
Just a closer walk with Thee
00:47:47.83\00:47:55.30
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
00:47:55.34\00:48:02.71
Daily walking close to Thee
00:48:02.74\00:48:08.98
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
00:48:09.02\00:48:15.92
Through this world
of toils and snares
00:48:17.69\00:48:25.27
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
00:48:25.30\00:48:32.84
Who with me my burden shares?
00:48:32.87\00:48:39.05
None but Thee,
Dear Lord, none but Thee
00:48:39.08\00:48:45.19
Just a closer walk with Thee
00:48:47.99\00:48:55.83
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
00:48:55.86\00:49:03.37
Daily walking close to Thee
00:49:03.41\00:49:09.91
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
00:49:09.94\00:49:17.75
When my feeble life is o'er
00:49:18.75\00:49:26.63
Time for me will be no more
00:49:26.66\00:49:34.54
Guide me gently o'er
00:49:34.57\00:49:40.64
To Thy kingdom shore
00:49:40.68\00:49:44.51
To Thy shore
00:49:44.55\00:49:49.35
Just a closer walk with Thee
00:49:49.38\00:49:57.23
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
00:49:57.26\00:50:05.13
Daily walking close to Thee
00:50:05.17\00:50:11.91
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be
00:50:11.94\00:50:18.98
Can we say amen
again to that song?
00:50:29.72\00:50:32.49
What a
wonderful message tonight,
00:50:32.53\00:50:33.86
how God makes it possible.
00:50:33.90\00:50:37.37
Pastor Jules, come and join me.
00:50:37.40\00:50:38.73
You know, as you've preached
00:50:38.77\00:50:40.80
that sermon
tonight with passion,
00:50:40.84\00:50:42.97
I know that it's more than
just a sermon from scripture.
00:50:43.00\00:50:45.74
It's a sermon that
express the places in your life
00:50:45.77\00:50:49.11
where God found you
00:50:49.14\00:50:50.48
and how God remove
all the impossible things.
00:50:50.51\00:50:52.91
Take us, you are from
the country of Trinidad,
00:50:52.95\00:50:56.08
the island of
Trinidad, the West Indies.
00:50:56.12\00:50:59.12
Takes us at to the
beginning of your journey
00:50:59.15\00:51:01.49
and talk about how God
00:51:01.52\00:51:02.86
removed some of
those early impossibilities
00:51:02.89\00:51:05.36
to begin your
journey in ministry.
00:51:05.39\00:51:08.00
I have always been
amazed at the fact that,
00:51:08.03\00:51:11.90
you know, when I was
born we were reared in a house
00:51:11.93\00:51:16.20
that was adjacent to
the Adventist church.
00:51:16.24\00:51:19.04
We were fourth
generation Adventists.
00:51:19.07\00:51:21.18
My great
grandmother was an Adventist,
00:51:21.21\00:51:23.55
came from India to Trinidad,
couldn't read or write,
00:51:23.58\00:51:26.72
but heard the message of the
Seventh-day Adventist church,
00:51:26.75\00:51:29.75
accepted Christ as her Savior,
00:51:29.78\00:51:31.85
and was
faithful until her death.
00:51:31.89\00:51:33.66
But while we
were in our own home,
00:51:33.69\00:51:35.56
in our house
adjacent to the church,
00:51:35.59\00:51:37.96
we would hear
everything that went on
00:51:37.99\00:51:39.66
in the Adventist church.
00:51:39.69\00:51:41.53
And I believe, in my
life I've seen God prepare me
00:51:41.56\00:51:44.80
even for this day for
service to His world church
00:51:44.83\00:51:48.14
from that very humble beginning.
00:51:48.17\00:51:50.97
And God has
removed many obstacles
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.54
out of my way to
make this possible.
00:51:52.57\00:51:54.41
Each step of the
way I have been honored
00:51:54.44\00:51:56.04
that He has called me
and continues to use me.
00:51:56.08\00:51:59.45
But I've seen
God break down walls,
00:51:59.48\00:52:01.22
I've seen Him put me in places.
00:52:01.25\00:52:02.58
I've seen Him giving me favor.
00:52:02.62\00:52:05.05
When I had no one
there to speak for me,
00:52:05.09\00:52:06.96
someone stood up.
00:52:06.99\00:52:09.32
In all of these situations
and preparation movements,
00:52:09.36\00:52:13.90
I've sensed the hand of God
00:52:13.93\00:52:16.77
doing what he
needed to do for me,
00:52:16.80\00:52:19.20
because He's the
God of the impossible.
00:52:19.23\00:52:20.84
That's right.
00:52:20.87\00:52:22.47
Talk about one of
those impossible moments,
00:52:22.50\00:52:24.41
'cause you are in Trinidad
but you, you make your way...
00:52:24.44\00:52:27.41
Now was it to New
York was your next stop.
00:52:27.44\00:52:30.08
Talk about ministry in New York?
00:52:30.11\00:52:31.45
Came to New York
when I was a teenager.
00:52:31.48\00:52:32.81
My parents lived in New York
and that they came and got us.
00:52:32.85\00:52:36.99
We lived in
Brooklyn for many years
00:52:37.02\00:52:38.75
before I went off to Oakwood.
00:52:38.79\00:52:41.72
I finished high school at
16 and went to work at a bank.
00:52:41.76\00:52:46.49
And spent two
years working there
00:52:46.53\00:52:48.50
but it was restless, restless.
00:52:48.53\00:52:51.40
And, there were
people at my local church,
00:52:51.43\00:52:53.74
Brooklyn Temple in
Brooklyn, who would say to me,
00:52:53.77\00:52:56.40
"Young man, I see you
being a minister of the gospel.
00:52:56.44\00:53:02.08
And if you go to
church, we'll help you.
00:53:02.11\00:53:04.01
Go to school, we'll help you."
00:53:04.05\00:53:05.81
And some of those older
people lived long enough,
00:53:05.85\00:53:08.58
who helped me and
aided me in school
00:53:08.62\00:53:11.62
to hear me preach the gospel.
00:53:11.65\00:53:13.39
Now, was that a desire of
yours when you were young,
00:53:13.42\00:53:15.92
did you want to preach?
00:53:15.96\00:53:17.29
Was that something
that was in your bones?
00:53:17.33\00:53:19.39
When I was four years old,
00:53:19.43\00:53:20.76
I knew I was gonna
be a preacher. Okay.
00:53:20.80\00:53:22.70
And I never wanted to be
anything else but a preacher.
00:53:22.73\00:53:25.07
All right.
00:53:25.10\00:53:26.43
So, so that was a
lifelong dream of yours,
00:53:26.47\00:53:28.30
but now the streets of New York,
00:53:28.34\00:53:29.67
where there any challenges there
00:53:29.70\00:53:31.04
that tried to
preempt that dream?
00:53:31.07\00:53:33.21
Many challenges and I
quickly I'll tell you.
00:53:33.24\00:53:36.75
When I was 17 years old,
00:53:36.78\00:53:39.45
four of my friends
died in an accident,
00:53:39.48\00:53:43.22
where I was the one
who took little canoe out,
00:53:43.25\00:53:45.79
took them for rides.
00:53:45.82\00:53:47.26
And they died and they brought
their bodies to the show.
00:53:47.29\00:53:52.79
We all saw four
young people dead.
00:53:52.83\00:53:56.60
And that caused
me to turn my back
00:53:56.63\00:53:59.20
on the church for about a year.
00:53:59.23\00:54:01.20
And there were people
who are praying for me.
00:54:01.24\00:54:04.17
And about a year
after I went back to church,
00:54:04.21\00:54:07.81
about six months
later, I was at Oakwood.
00:54:07.84\00:54:09.91
And here I am today because
God doesn't give up on us,
00:54:09.94\00:54:13.05
even when we give upon Him.
00:54:13.08\00:54:14.42
Praise the Lord for that.
00:54:14.45\00:54:15.78
Now at Oakwood
College, I know that
00:54:15.82\00:54:17.15
whenever we go to
Oakwood, I went to Oakwood too.
00:54:17.19\00:54:18.79
Matter of fact, you
went to Oakwood the year
00:54:18.82\00:54:20.16
that my wife and I
got married in 1983.
00:54:20.19\00:54:22.72
At Oakwood, what were
some of the obstacles there
00:54:22.76\00:54:24.76
because we known
anybody that goes to Oakwood
00:54:24.79\00:54:26.53
understands obstacles.
00:54:26.56\00:54:27.90
Talk about some of those there?
00:54:27.93\00:54:29.26
I think my
challenge was less financial
00:54:29.30\00:54:31.93
and it was much more of a
defining my life's purpose.
00:54:31.97\00:54:38.04
It was at Oakwood
00:54:38.07\00:54:39.41
that I really found my
footing and found my center.
00:54:39.44\00:54:43.75
It was at Oakwood
that who I am today,
00:54:43.78\00:54:47.55
the imprint was made there.
00:54:47.58\00:54:49.45
I was affected by many
people who're spiritual people,
00:54:49.48\00:54:52.92
teachers,
professors, faculty, staff
00:54:52.95\00:54:55.96
and I praise God to
this day for Oakwood.
00:54:55.99\00:54:59.03
Those four years
were probably the best
00:54:59.06\00:55:01.60
and most meaningful
four years of my life.
00:55:01.63\00:55:03.93
Now you mentioned in your sermon
00:55:03.97\00:55:05.30
that you've been
single for a number of years,
00:55:05.33\00:55:06.97
and you had to encourage
yourself when you went out.
00:55:07.00\00:55:09.07
I smiled when I heard that.
00:55:09.10\00:55:10.61
Didn't we have a
good time tonight,
00:55:10.64\00:55:11.97
Dr. Jules or, Abraham?
00:55:12.01\00:55:14.01
Talk about the obstacles that
you overcame to find a wife,
00:55:14.04\00:55:17.55
'cause you've been married now,
00:55:17.58\00:55:18.91
going on 12 years,
two wonderful children.
00:55:18.95\00:55:20.35
Talk about that?
00:55:20.38\00:55:21.85
I was very
selective, and I took too long.
00:55:21.88\00:55:27.06
I was 42 when I got married,
but I wanted to be certain
00:55:27.09\00:55:30.46
that I found someone
who had like passions.
00:55:30.49\00:55:34.36
My wife loves the Lord
and loves church like I do.
00:55:34.40\00:55:39.27
It's very easy to
be around my wife.
00:55:39.30\00:55:41.34
I wanted to be
comfortable with someone
00:55:41.37\00:55:43.64
and someone who I felt
had the same goal in mind
00:55:43.67\00:55:48.51
which was to make
heaven their home.
00:55:48.54\00:55:50.65
And finding my wife was...
00:55:50.68\00:55:53.48
the Lord really gave her to me.
00:55:53.52\00:55:56.42
She was a member of my church.
00:55:56.45\00:55:58.39
And the pastor would
often admire the member
00:55:58.42\00:56:02.46
and finally I
invited her out to dinner,
00:56:02.49\00:56:06.23
and the rest is history.
00:56:06.26\00:56:07.96
Okay, and I know you
know, there's somebody watching
00:56:08.00\00:56:10.17
that may have missed the
early part of the sermon.
00:56:10.20\00:56:12.23
I'm going to give you
about 30 seconds or so
00:56:12.27\00:56:14.10
to extend a
challenge to somebody
00:56:14.14\00:56:16.14
that maybe at that place
of impossibilities tonight.
00:56:16.17\00:56:19.44
I shared with you tonight,
that our impossible situations,
00:56:19.47\00:56:24.48
our strongholds, our
burdens, whatever they are.
00:56:24.51\00:56:27.82
If they are something
literally dragging you back
00:56:27.85\00:56:30.35
to this planetary level,
robbing you of advancement,
00:56:30.39\00:56:34.39
I preach tonight about the man
00:56:34.42\00:56:37.16
sitting at the Pool
of Bethesda for 38 years,
00:56:37.19\00:56:39.23
how by him being
an obedience to God,
00:56:39.26\00:56:42.80
wanting a change,
wanting a miracle,
00:56:42.83\00:56:45.77
that he followed
what Christ told him,
00:56:45.80\00:56:47.80
to rise, take up
his bed and walk.
00:56:47.84\00:56:50.01
Turn his back on his
past and embrace his future.
00:56:50.04\00:56:53.17
And tonight, I believe
that God can do that for you,
00:56:53.21\00:56:56.54
if you would trust
Him and claim His promise,
00:56:56.58\00:56:59.55
He can bless you
by changing your life.
00:56:59.58\00:57:02.15
Thank you, Dr.
Jules. Praise the Lord.
00:57:02.18\00:57:04.05
And, friends, just
want to encourage you
00:57:04.09\00:57:05.92
that this is the first
in a series of messages
00:57:05.95\00:57:08.32
by Dr. Abraham Jules.
00:57:08.36\00:57:10.56
As you know, a man
connected to the word of God
00:57:10.59\00:57:12.69
but as He
challenged you tonight,
00:57:12.73\00:57:14.63
if you are at
that place in your life
00:57:14.66\00:57:16.43
where you are waiting for some
great miracle to come along,
00:57:16.46\00:57:20.14
the miracle is
happening tonight.
00:57:20.17\00:57:22.00
Jesus is there
waiting to embrace you
00:57:22.04\00:57:25.14
and lift you from
your place of dormancy
00:57:25.17\00:57:27.48
and show you that He can
move all your impossibilities.
00:57:27.51\00:57:31.11
May God bless you.
00:57:31.15\00:57:32.61