1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,640 Hey man, look at your neighbor and say I I'm glad I know him. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,240 I'm glad I know him today. Amen. 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,880 You can return to your seats if you so Amen. 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,800 Please hear today. Our service structure is just a 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:14,560 little different this morning because we're going to be 6 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,960 hearing from brother McDonald, Pastor McDonald and doctor, 7 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,200 pastor, doctor, pastor, pastor, doctor Graham, a man here today 8 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,720 as well. And we're glad to have both of 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,160 these again, been in prison with us this weekend. 10 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:33,160 And so we just saw, thought it was fit for them to come this 11 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:36,120 way. We already knew Brother Mack was 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,480 going to be here ministering. And then I found out Brother 13 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:41,200 Graham was going to stop by too. And I'm just like, you know, 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:44,760 let's do it. And so I've affectionately 15 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,400 called today the Mack Graham Sunday, it's the Mack Graham 16 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,440 Sunday. Amen. 17 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,560 We're honored to have them today. 18 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,360 Rather MacDonald, Pastor McDonald's going to come and 19 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,440 minister the word to us today. I was looking back, I was trying 20 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:03,360 to remember when our lives really intertwined and their, 21 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,120 their son-in-law is actually my wife's cousin. 22 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:13,080 And we were, it was in 2018 that we got an invitation to come to 23 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,200 the Heartland camp and do Heartland camp. 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,560 And that's probably the main, the main spot where our lives 25 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,840 begin to get intertwined. Really. 26 00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:24,320 We just basically rubbed shoulders there. 27 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,480 Now it's just like a mess. It's a mess. 28 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,160 They call me names and everything. 29 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:35,440 And so it's like family now. We have been to so many prisons 30 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,040 together across the United States. 31 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,200 I've lost count. And these folks are workers. 32 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,720 They are servants that they, they drive hundreds of thousands 33 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:48,640 of miles all over the place, sometimes just for the point of 34 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:53,480 serving, just to serve. And so they're a precious, 35 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:55,160 precious group, every single one of them. 36 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,440 Just to give you the type, Sister Becky's birthday was 37 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,040 yesterday and she was in prison. That's the type of people they 38 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:02,360 are. She's like, I don't have to have 39 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,680 a special day. My special day is being with 40 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,199 other people that need the Lord. And so Beck was in there and, 41 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:15,920 and sister Cheryl, AKA Nana, I know she looks so young, but she 42 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:18,840 travels all these trips, every single one. 43 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,760 I'm talking about miles and miles on the road. 44 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,200 As long as she has some hard eggs to eat for breakfast in the 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,960 morning, she's a happy camper. A matter of fact, she she 46 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,880 brought her little time to egg thing that she used this weekend 47 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:37,920 and she donated it to me for for a future posterity, I guess. 48 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,440 And then there's Talatha and Cassandra and these two girls 49 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,080 testified yesterday. Oh, I was just back there 50 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,120 bawling like a baby. Amen over them. 51 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:48,760 And it wasn't because they was doing bad. 52 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,160 They were doing so good. And there are stories just writ 53 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:52,840 just just totally tore my heart out. 54 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,840 And so we love these folks. They've been kind to us. 55 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:58,520 Again, they are not minister friends. 56 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,480 They're just family. They're family. 57 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,800 We love and appreciate them. I'm going to ask Pastor McDonald 58 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,240 to come Amen today, greet this congregation and minister the 59 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,600 word Lord. Can we give God a hand of praise 60 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:16,030 in this house today as He comes? Amen. 61 00:03:16,030 --> 00:03:18,070 Amen. God is so good. 62 00:03:19,870 --> 00:03:26,670 I, my wife, she leaned over to me just before I got up here and 63 00:03:26,670 --> 00:03:32,670 said, remember to thank everybody because I get focused 64 00:03:32,670 --> 00:03:39,240 and I want to go, but I'd like to repeat that phrase. 65 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:47,680 We're family and, and the gram and Mcgee's and we've been 66 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,680 family for a while and that explains the name calling. 67 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:02,520 But God is, God has been so good And, and I don't know if I, I 68 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,120 should say I've been, I'm humbled to be here or I'm 69 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:11,800 humbled to be here. As long as I don't humiliate 70 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:17,560 myself, we'll be OK. Just just putting it out there. 71 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:24,920 But God has been so good and, and I've, I, I kind of struggled 72 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,440 on what to say. I, I, I was like, OK, I can get, 73 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,400 I can get something together. We'll pray, we'll fast, we'll, 74 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,440 we'll get it together. And then I heard Brother Graham 75 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,120 was going to be here. And I'm like, oh, great. 76 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,560 But then I thought I started studying. 77 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,040 I thought, it's like, OK, I can say whatever because I'm the 78 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,960 first speaker. They'll remember him and we'll 79 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,040 let him do all the heavy lifting. 80 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,880 Yeah. I can just skate on through. 81 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,680 Yeah. Did I, did I mention that we're 82 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:58,920 family and we're friends here and we're. 83 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,120 Yeah. God is so good. 84 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:08,480 But I, I was trying to think of what to say and what to what to 85 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,560 do and, and, and I believe the Lord gave me a little something 86 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:21,040 and and I like, I like a little something from God. 87 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,840 Jeez. Let's all turn our attention to 88 00:05:24,840 --> 00:05:28,800 John. One if we could all stand. 89 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:39,320 John 1 and 27 says he it is. This is John referring to Jesus 90 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,280 as he. It is Who who cometh after me is 91 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:48,520 preferred before me, whose shoe latches I am not worthy to 92 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:53,320 unloose. I'd like to speak for just a few 93 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:59,600 moments here this morning on your shoes. 94 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:06,880 And where are they taking you? Where are they taking you? 95 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,320 Lord Jesus, we thank you for your goodness. 96 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,480 We thank you for your word. We thank you for your presence 97 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,320 that we feel in this place today. 98 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:20,800 And Lord Jesus, we pray right now, Lord, that you would let 99 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,520 your anointing flow continue to flow in this house today. 100 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:29,400 Lord Jesus, we love you. We thank you for your goodness 101 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:34,680 to us. Jesus, Oh Jesus, yes, Lord, 102 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:42,480 heavenly Father, Oh Jesus name and Jesus name, Amen. 103 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:51,240 And you may be seated. We're speaking on shoes and I'm 104 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:56,520 I my favorite person I'm wearing, actually wearing my 105 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:01,200 favorite style of shoes is, is a black wing tip. 106 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,560 I have brown wing tips. Yes, everything. 107 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:12,320 I, I, I was reminded yesterday we were, we were in prison and 108 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,600 I'm wearing my Skechers because I've noticed that we go into 109 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:23,000 prison and the ladies all wear sneakers and it's like there's 110 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:28,160 wisdom because my feet at the end of the prison, I always put 111 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,000 my feet up because they hurt everybody. 112 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,800 You're on concrete floor all day. 113 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,240 And then I hear Brother Graham say these words. 114 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:46,120 I would rather look good than be comfortable or something to that 115 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:47,640 effect. It was, it was close. 116 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:53,520 It was that was close. And I'm there thinking to 117 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,280 myself, yeah, I remember those days. 118 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,200 I remember those days when I had to have my dress shoes. 119 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,200 I'm going to go into prison. We're going to dress shoes going 120 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:13,360 to look good. I went to my wife and I met in 121 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:21,160 at Bible College in the 80s and my my wardrobe consisted of 1 122 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:26,120 suitcase. One cute suitcase in a small box 123 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,640 that I mailed to myself. That was my entire wardrobe 124 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,120 going to Bible college where all these guys showed up with 125 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,159 trailer loads of suits and shoes to match each one. 126 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:39,480 And you know now that that wasn't me. 127 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,559 I was and I knew I was going to be that guy. 128 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:51,440 We showed up on a Friday and my box didn't show up until Monday. 129 00:08:52,560 --> 00:08:59,720 My box had my dress shoes in it, so I went up to the local Kmart. 130 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,280 I'm going to buy some dress shoes. 131 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:11,800 And then my cheapness kicked in. Why would you buy dress shoes 132 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,520 when your dress shoes are going to be here tomorrow? 133 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,880 What you really need is another pair of sneakers. 134 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,800 So I got a nice white pair of Converse. 135 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:31,240 I want you to picture this white Converse sneakers. 136 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:37,200 The carpet is dark brown. The suit I'm wearing is dark 137 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,640 blue. White Converse. 138 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:43,160 Brand new white Converse sneakers. 139 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:52,000 You're either really weird or you're making an extreme fashion 140 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:56,240 statement. You can decide. 141 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,640 I'll, I'll, I'll give you that liberty. 142 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:00,640 I'll give you that liberty to decide. 143 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:04,840 They were, I was comfortable. My feet were comfortable. 144 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:07,880 My feet were comfortable that day. 145 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,600 You know, there are a lot of running people have a lot of 146 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:14,880 different shoes. The running shoes, the athletic 147 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,880 shoes, the CrossFit shoes, the dress shoes, the church shoes. 148 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:20,240 See, there's a guy talking about shoes. 149 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,440 Normally it's women talking about shoes. 150 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:27,920 We went through the closet and counted shoes the other day and 151 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,480 I didn't realize how much into shoes I am. 152 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,960 My my sister Mcgee's cousin bought me a few pairs of shoes. 153 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,400 I've got some really comfortable shoes and some shoes that I only 154 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,560 wear when my feet are feeling really good. 155 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,480 And those you younger folks that don't understand your feet 156 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:54,040 feeling really good or really bad, your day will come. 157 00:10:55,640 --> 00:11:00,640 Your day will come. When I was, when I was, I worked 158 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,280 at a bakery for, for quite a number of years, 26 years. 159 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:06,960 Everybody says, oh, that's sweet, you know, and you think 160 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,440 of a guy with an apron and a hat and flour and flour everywhere, 161 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:15,160 you know, and making bread. And no, we loaded 12 semis a 162 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,320 day. And that was my job. 163 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:20,800 I walked eight to 10 miles every night. 164 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:28,280 So the comfort of your feet are very important to me. 165 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,240 It's very important, the comfort of your feet. 166 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:40,640 John talked about Jesus, his latches of his shoes. 167 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:45,640 He's not worthy to unloose. Apparently that was important to 168 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:54,400 John as well. The idea he considered, he 169 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,240 considered. John considered Jesus great, the 170 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:02,960 Messiah. That I'm not even worthy, not 171 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,400 even worthy. But our shoes can say a lot 172 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,440 about us. There are people that said you 173 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,280 they have to have the nicest, they have to have the best. 174 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,560 They have to. They'll spend thousands on 175 00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:23,600 shoes, on sneakers. Do they still a question, Do 176 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,920 they still have the old canvas Converse? 177 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:31,360 But they don't cost 15 to $12.00 anymore. 178 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,000 No, no. When I wore them, that's about 179 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,440 how much they cost. And that's what we wore. 180 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,120 And we wore them all summer until they were flat on the 181 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,200 bottom because we were always outside running. 182 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:43,920 Because. Because the parents were like, 183 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,040 yeah, yeah, go outside, go outside and play. 184 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,600 Go outside and play. Yes, that's that's where we were 185 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,840 all the time. That canvas high top. 186 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:57,560 We'd wear them all, all the time. 187 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,880 There was a time when my wife and I went into Burlington, 188 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,680 can't remember where we were. We went to a Burlington. 189 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,960 There was a lady there. I think she was wearing high 190 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:18,600 heels for the first time. I've seen newborn calves with 191 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:23,960 more grace, like a little baby fawn. 192 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:28,560 She was trying to walk down the aisle with those with those 193 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:33,920 heels on. You see a lot of that we're all 194 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:39,600 blessed with. We're blessed with a lot more 195 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,480 than one pair of shoes. Most of us in here, we can 196 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:52,840 consider ourselves blessed. And Acts 13 and 25 says, and as 197 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:57,920 John fulfilled his course, he said, whom think ye that I am am 198 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:03,800 not he. But behold, there cometh there 199 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:08,200 cometh one after me whose shoes his feet I am not worthy to one 200 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:09,560 lose. It's kind of a repeat. 201 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,200 It's kind of a repeat of what just happened in John. 202 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,800 He's repeating it. He's telling, hey, hey, pay 203 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,720 attention here. He John feel that felt he 204 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:30,280 fulfilled his course they're talking about. 205 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:34,040 That's what we're talking about Jesus began his ministry in 206 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:42,280 John's course was fulfilled, but where are our shoes taking us? 207 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,160 David said, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the 208 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:53,120 House of the Lord. He wanted his shoes to take him 209 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,720 to the House of the Lord. Be glad to go into the House of 210 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,760 the Lord, be glad to go to church. 211 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:06,720 Be glad to go and do the things of God, to do the things of God. 212 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,920 Are they taking you down a road that you wish you wouldn't have 213 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,920 gone? Down a road of no turning back? 214 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:27,480 Are they taking you to a closer walk with God, to walk with him, 215 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:32,040 to talk with him? Do they take you to an altar 216 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:40,880 where you can get a hold of God? But how far do you have to go? 217 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:48,880 Where are you headed? I was thinking the other day of 218 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:54,880 how blessed we really are. We were in the Philippines a few 219 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,600 years back, people living in pallet houses. 220 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:05,200 My my introduction to the Philippines was a six lane 221 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:10,320 highway going into Manila and there was about 8 lanes of 222 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:15,360 traffic. And I can explain it to you all 223 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,560 day, but until you experience it, we used to have missionaries 224 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,480 come, they've come from the Philippines and they tell us all 225 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,720 about it. And it's like you don't really 226 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:29,480 get it till you've been there. And there was little kids 227 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:36,360 running around through the traffic, panhandling, wearing 228 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:44,080 rags and no shoes, barefooted. And I was watching all this, 229 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,720 really realizing how blessed I am. 230 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,240 You take a moment to think of how blessed you are. 231 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,160 I'm talking. I'm sitting in a church in the 232 00:16:56,160 --> 00:17:00,520 United States talking about extra pairs of shoes. 233 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,400 There's some places where they're just happy to have a 234 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:14,040 pair of shoes to realize how truly blessed we are, how truly 235 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:19,440 blessed we are. And Luke 1517, I'm going to go 236 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:31,600 there in a moment. The young man, his, he had spent 237 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:41,160 all his inheritance, his walk in life had taken him to spend all 238 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:45,560 of his inheritance. And I look at this story and I 239 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:50,400 think to myself, how far gone do you have to be to be talking to 240 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:59,120 a pig? He's talking and saying in 1517, 241 00:17:59,120 --> 00:18:03,120 he says, when he came to himself, how many higher 242 00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:07,480 servants of my father have bred enough to eat, I have bread 243 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:11,880 enough to spare, and I perish with hunger. 244 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:20,920 And as we begin to read this, we see in Luke 15 and 18 that I 245 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:25,400 will rise and go to my Father and I will say to him, Father, I 246 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:30,520 have sinned against heaven and before thee, and I'm not worthy 247 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,200 to be called a son. Make me one of that hired 248 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,440 servants. You see, this is his perception. 249 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,800 His perception is I'm going to be a hired servant. 250 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,040 I'll just work for him. I don't have to. 251 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,360 I don't have to be live in the main house even. 252 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:53,840 I'll just work for him. And then we read on to 20. 253 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:56,160 And he arose and came to his father. 254 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:02,360 But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, had 255 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:05,800 compassion, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 256 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,120 And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against 257 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:13,720 heaven, and in thy sight, and I'm not more more, no more 258 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:18,360 worthy to be called thy son. But his father said to his 259 00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:25,560 servants, Bring forth the best robe, bring forth the best 260 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,720 probe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hands, shoes 261 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:32,080 on his feet, bring forth the fatted calf and kill it. 262 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,640 Let us eat and be merry, for this is my son was dead and is 263 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,960 alive again. He was lost and is found. 264 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:47,800 And they began to be merry, the perception of what he thought 265 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:52,280 was to happen and what actually happened. 266 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:59,920 I'm just so thankful when our perception doesn't match what 267 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:04,360 actually happened when we come to the presence of God and our 268 00:20:04,360 --> 00:20:09,560 perception doesn't match what actually happened when we walk 269 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:23,160 in and walk to an altar. Oh Jesus, Jesus. 270 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:35,800 Now the elder son was in the field, older brothers I have AI 271 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:41,080 have a few. And he heard music and dancing, 272 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:43,920 and he called one of the servants and asked what these 273 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,720 things meant. And he said unto him, Thy 274 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:50,200 brother has come, and thy father hath killed a fatted calf, 275 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,960 because he has received him safe and sound. 276 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:57,840 And he was angry and would not go in. 277 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:05,160 Your brother who thought was dead, and they're having a party 278 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:11,120 because he's alive. And all you can do is gripe 279 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:23,200 about it. Oh Jesus, I know a few of these 280 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:28,560 those people too. God help us that we don't become 281 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:36,530 those people. I'm going to take a 282 00:21:36,530 --> 00:21:39,130 parenthetical break this little break here. 283 00:21:41,210 --> 00:21:46,530 Prison has taught me that. We say that the ground is level 284 00:21:46,530 --> 00:21:50,730 at the foot of the cross. But what happens when they walk 285 00:21:50,730 --> 00:21:57,840 into our church? I'm just preaching like I'm at 286 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,920 home. What happens when they walk into 287 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,960 our Are we still labeled to say the ground is level at the foot 288 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,120 of the cross? You've sinned. 289 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:10,880 You've done time, you've done you. 290 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:15,840 Fill in the blank and they walk into the back of our church. 291 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,360 Are we willing to say yes, we're praying? 292 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,040 Yes, we're fasting? Yes, the ground is level at the 293 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,080 foot of the cross. Yes, there is a place for you 294 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:32,480 Jesus. And he was angry he would not go 295 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:38,800 in, therefore came to his Father and entreated him. 296 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,080 And he answered and said unto his father, Lo, these many years 297 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:47,400 do I serve thee neither transgress I at any time thy 298 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,200 commandment. And yet thou never gave me a 299 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,440 kid, and I might make merry with my friends. 300 00:22:56,200 --> 00:23:02,760 But as soon as thy son was come, and hath devoured thy living in 301 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:07,640 thy with harlots, and hath killed for him the fatted calf, 302 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,760 and he said unto him, Son, thou hast, thou art ever with me, and 303 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:19,440 all I have is thine. This is the self-righteous Son. 304 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,800 This is the one that can't see beyond himself. 305 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:33,280 Oh God, don't let me be there. Don't let me be there ever. 306 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:47,120 And 32 says it was met that I would make merry and be glad. 307 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:52,680 For thy brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is 308 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:59,960 found. You have everything that's left. 309 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:03,760 Let me remind you what you have today. 310 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:09,520 You have the blessings of God on your life. 311 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:17,080 Count your blessings. Count your. 312 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:19,360 You say, well, things aren't going my way. 313 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,160 That's all right. You're blessed. 314 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,960 You're blessed. You're sitting here today. 315 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:34,200 You're blessed. We can take the road to 316 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,640 bitterness or we can take the road to a grateful heart. 317 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,720 Be grateful. Be thankful for what God has 318 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:46,840 done in your life. You say, well, I'm just sitting 319 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:53,200 here in a church. We come to church and Sunday. 320 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:57,320 Be thankful that you can come and feel the presence of God. 321 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:03,120 Be thankful that you can come to church and you can hear about a 322 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:06,040 guy who has more than one pair of shoes. 323 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:18,720 How crazy is that? It's like only in America, but 324 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,240 you can consider yourself blessed. 325 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:28,640 Consider yourself blessed that God is moving in your life. 326 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,520 If you'll let him, if you'll let him. 327 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:42,160 Amen. God is so we all stand to our 328 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:49,320 feet for just a moment and just lift our hands and begin to 329 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:54,280 thank Him for our blessings. Thank Him for what He's done in 330 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,720 our lives. Thank Him that we had a place to 331 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,440 sleep. It may not have been the biggest 332 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,080 house in town, but it was a roof over our head. 333 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:13,480 Our shoes may not cost more than $1000, they may be just 334 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:20,600 something we picked up, but they brought it brought us here into 335 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,920 the House of God. They brought us into the 336 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:32,800 presence of God so we can just lift our hands and worship Him 337 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,960 and thank Him for all of His goodness. 338 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:49,520 When I was lost in all alone your presence was when I found 339 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:50,640 my home.