1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:01,680 Amen. Thank you. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,320 Tonight you may be seated in Jesus name, Amen. 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,160 Good to be in the House of the Lord with each of you here this 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,120 evening looking toward, for toward resurrection Sunday, 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,440 Amen, and Wednesday night, Amen. Grateful that you're here this 6 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,280 evening, Amen. Tonight Doctor Mason's going to 7 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:18,920 come minister the word of the Lord to us. 8 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,000 Amen. Whenever, whenever I finally 9 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,920 figured out that we could go get these seats and it was going to 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,840 be soon, last this last Monday, then I reached out to him and 11 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,800 see if he wouldn't mind help carry the load here on Sunday. 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,120 And he of course landed his shoulder to get underneath the 13 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,320 load to help in that respect. And he has always been well to 14 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,640 do that if I needed him, sometimes at a short, short 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,040 notice. He's always been willing a man 16 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:51,440 to offer himself over the years, always been a crucial part of 17 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,600 this church for years and now for years. 18 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:58,560 Dependable, committed, faithful. All of those words describe him, 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,480 integral, so on and so forth. So we're thankful for him 20 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,120 tonight. Will you give the Lord a great 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,239 hand of praise this evening? Amen. 22 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:10,560 As Doctor Mason comes tonight, let's give the Lord some praise 23 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:14,120 together. Jesus, we magnify you. 24 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:24,720 What a wonderful day it is if you'll turn in your Bibles with 25 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,400 me to the book of Second Samuel, Chapter 5. 26 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,840 Give honor to our Bishop, to our pastor. 27 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,280 Thank you for those kind words tonight. 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,600 I hope somehow I can live up to that. 29 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:48,400 Give honor to our youth pastor, his wife, and his daughter, my 30 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:54,920 granddaughter Piper, if you're listening, Pops loves you. 31 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:04,240 Give honor to my wife tonight. I love her and I'm so thankful 32 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:10,520 she puts up with me. Second Samuel chapter 5, verse 33 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:16,000 #1 The Bible says, Then came all the tribes of Israel to David 34 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,280 unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy 35 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,920 flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was 36 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,440 king over us, thou was he that led us out and brought us in 37 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,320 Israel. And the Lord said to thee, Thou 38 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:35,960 shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over 39 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,960 Israel. So all the elders of Israel came 40 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,640 to the king, to Hebron, and asked David. 41 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,040 And King David made a league with them in Hebron before the 42 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:55,680 Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel with the help 43 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,120 of the Lord. And I sure need it. 44 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,320 I want to minister to you tonight on this subject. 45 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:06,680 Delayed but not denied. Delayed, but not denied. 46 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,000 Would you lift your hands and ask God to help us one more 47 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,080 time? Jesus, in your precious name 48 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,880 today, God, we're, we're grateful, Lord. 49 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:44,040 Help us Jesus, may the Lord bless you. 50 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,480 You may be seated tonight. That is a courtesy and not a 51 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:53,360 command. Doctor Mary Jackson, a brilliant 52 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:58,320 mathematician and aerospace engineer, faced significant 53 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,240 delays in her career path due to racial and gender 54 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:06,400 discrimination. Working at NASA during the 1950s 55 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,320 and 1960s, she faced barriers that could have easily denied 56 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:13,840 her the chance to fulfill her potential. 57 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,920 To become an engineer, Mary had to attend graduate level courses 58 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,880 at a segregated school in Virginia. 59 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,240 Even gaining permission to enroll into these classes 60 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,760 required determination and advocacy as societal norms were 61 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,800 working against her, for she had to petition the city of Hampton, 62 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:39,200 VA, for special permission to join her white peers in the 63 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,280 classroom. She finally completed the 64 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:44,960 courses and earned the qualifications to becoming 65 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:49,920 NASA's first Black female engineer in 1958. 66 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,360 Early in her career, Mary was often assigned menial tasks and 67 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,000 denied opportunities to work on significant projects. 68 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:02,080 She had to fight for her chance to prove her capabilities and 69 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,680 demonstrate her potential. Mary did not have access to the 70 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,520 same resources as her white male colleagues. 71 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,680 This disparity meant she had to work harder and longer to 72 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,800 achieve the same results. As a woman in a male dominated 73 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,480 field, Mary faced sexism and prejudice and was often 74 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:26,560 underestimated and had to overcome stereotypes to earn 75 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,560 respect and recognition. Her journey was undeniably 76 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,760 delayed. Obstacles slowed her progress, 77 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:39,800 but Mary Jackson's perseverance ensured that she was not denied 78 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:45,320 her rightful place in history. Her achievements paved the way 79 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,360 for countless others and contributed significantly to 80 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,960 NASA's space exploration efforts. 81 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,160 Nelson Mandela is a man whose journey to becoming a global 82 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,280 symbol of justice and equality was marked by significant 83 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:06,200 delays, but his ultimate impact has been undeniable on the world 84 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,240 at large. Mandela was arrested in 1962 for 85 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,240 opposing apartheid in South Africa and was sentenced to life 86 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:21,320 imprisonment in 1964. For 27 years, he remained behind 87 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:26,720 bars, separated from his family and unable to actively lead the 88 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,680 anti apartheid movement. During these decades of 89 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,240 imprisonment, Mandela faced immense personal and political 90 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:39,360 challenges, endured isolation, harsh living conditions, and the 91 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,000 pain of watching his loved ones suffer. 92 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:47,360 Yet, despite being physically confined, his resolve never 93 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,680 wavered. Mandela used his imprisonment as 94 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,680 a time to reflect, educate himself, and strengthen his 95 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,640 vision for a democratic South Africa. 96 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:02,200 Finally, in 1990, as many of you history readers know, Mandela 97 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,360 was released after international and local pressure forced the 98 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:11,400 government to end apartheid policies. 4 years later, he 99 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,680 became South Africa's first black president in the country's 100 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:20,760 first democratic election. His long wait and sacrifices 101 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,800 paid off as he led the nation toward reconciliation and 102 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:29,040 justice, ensuring that his dream of equality was no longer 103 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:31,240 denied. Even in the face of profound 104 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,880 delays, he persevered and changed the course of history. 105 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:40,760 Bethany Hamilton is a professional surfer. 106 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:46,280 She faced unimaginable setbacks that could have ended her life, 107 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,640 much less her surfing dreams altogether. 108 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:55,000 At the age of 13, while surfing off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, 109 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:59,160 Bethany was attacked by a shark, which resulted in the loss of 110 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,360 her left arm. Many assumed her surfing career 111 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,200 was over and the challenge of adapting to life with one arm 112 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,080 seemed insurmountable. Bethany's. 113 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,560 Resilience. And determination proved 114 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,120 otherwise. Watch this now. 115 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:19,280 Within one month, she was back in the water, determined to 116 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,880 continue learning. To balance and paddle with one 117 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:27,640 arm instead of 2 required immense effort, but her passion 118 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,720 for the sport drove her forward. Bethany not only resumed surfing 119 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:34,039 but went on to compete professionally. 120 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,919 She overcame delays and challenges that would have 121 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:41,280 deterred most people, inspiring millions with her tenacity. 122 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,480 And today, she is an accomplished surfer, author, and 123 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:49,000 motivational speaker, proving that while her path was delayed, 124 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:57,040 her dreams were far from denied. Walt Disney, the visionary 125 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,760 behind the global entertainment empire, faced incredible 126 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,520 challenges and delays early in his career. 127 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:08,440 As a young man, Disney was fired from a newspaper for supposedly 128 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:13,240 lacking creativity. His first animation studio, 129 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:18,280 Laphogram, went bankrupt after he struggled to gain traction 130 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,560 and funding for his projects. Undeterred, Disney moved to 131 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:26,680 Hollywood in 1923 and began building a new studio. 132 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,680 Even then, his journey was filled with setbacks. 133 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:33,920 In one notable delay, his original creation, Oswald the 134 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:38,080 Lucky Rabbit, was taken from him in a contract dispute. 135 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,760 So instead of giving up, Disney channeled his energy into 136 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:47,240 creating a new character, a cheerful mouse named Mickey 137 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:51,400 Mouse, and he became an instant success and marked the beginning 138 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,160 of Walt Disney's ascent to fulfilment. 139 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,240 Despite years of delays and failures, Disney's vision grew 140 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:02,800 into one of the most influential entertainment companies in 141 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,000 history. His commitment to innovation and 142 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:11,160 storytelling proved that while setbacks may delay progress, 143 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:16,160 they cannot deny greatness when persistence prevails. 144 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,560 Last but not least, maybe my personal favorite, Michael 145 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:26,400 Jordan's journey to basketball greatness began with a set back 146 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:30,800 that has become legendary. As a sophomore at Laney High 147 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,920 School in Wilmington, NC, Jordan tried out for the varsity 148 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:39,800 basketball team. However, believe it or not, he 149 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:44,240 was not selected and he was placed on the JV junior varsity 150 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,200 squad. The decision was influenced by 151 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:51,000 practical factors. At the time, Jordan was only 5 152 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,800 foot 10 inches and lacked the physical maturity needed for 153 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,600 varsity level competition. Meanwhile, his close friend 154 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:04,760 Leroy Smith stood 6 foot 7 and made the varsity team due to his 155 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,080 height. This rejection deeply affected 156 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,960 Michael Jordan. He went home, locked himself in 157 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,720 his room, and he cried. But instead of giving up, he got 158 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:20,520 up and he used the experience as motivation to improve the things 159 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,720 that he needed to improve. During his sophomore year on the 160 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,600 JV team, he showcased his talent, scoring multiple 40 161 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:32,000 point games and attracting unprecedented crowds for JV 162 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,160 matches. Over the summer, he grew and 163 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,480 worked tirelessly to refine his skills. 164 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:42,560 By his junior year, he made the varsity team and quickly became 165 00:11:42,560 --> 00:11:45,920 its star player, averaging over 20 points per game. 166 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:51,200 His experience of being cut. Became a lifelong motivational 167 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,320 tool. Driving him to become widely 168 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:58,720 regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time. 169 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,800 Doctor Mary Jackson, Nelson Mandela, Bethany Hamilton, Walt 170 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:08,120 Disney and Michael Jordan, even though their stories and 171 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,920 backgrounds were different. They all had. 172 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:18,120 One thing in common, their success was delayed, but it was 173 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,880 not denied. The Bible is also rich. 174 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,880 With stories that beautifully illustrate the concept of 175 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,000 delays. Time does not. 176 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,960 Permit me to regale you with all of them, but here are a few 177 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,040 examples. Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 178 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:39,800 chapters 15 through 21. God promised Abraham and Sarah a 179 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:44,840 child, but it took many years of waiting and mistakes along the 180 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,440 way before their promise was born. 181 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:53,280 Joseph's journey to success in Genesis chapters 37 through 50. 182 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:58,560 He faced betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment before rising to 183 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:02,680 power in Egypt. God used the waiting period to 184 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:09,600 prepare him for his destiny. In chapters one and two of First 185 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:14,960 Samuel, Hannah prayed and longed for a child fervently for years. 186 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:19,000 Her delay in conceiving was not a denial, as God eventually 187 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,200 blessed her with Samuel, who became a great prophet. 188 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,600 This takes us to the man. David. 189 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,400 In our opening scripture text, David is being anointed the king 190 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:34,560 of all Israel. David. 191 00:13:34,560 --> 00:13:37,440 Is one of the most. Prominent figures in the history 192 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:41,200 of the world. He's a mountain peak among. 193 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:46,640 Bible characters and is the most famous ancestor of Jesus Christ. 194 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,840 Jesus is not referred to as the son of Abraham, or the son of 195 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,520 Isaac, or the son of Jacob. He is, however, referred to as 196 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,200 the son of David. The Life of David. 197 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,400 Was a strange mixture of good and evil. 198 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:06,320 It was filled with noble deeds. It was filled with fine 199 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,000 aspirations and splendid accomplishments. 200 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,960 Yet it was also stained with gross sins. 201 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:17,520 No Bible character fully illustrates anymore the moral 202 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:22,960 range of human nature and man's tendencies to fall in to sin. 203 00:14:23,160 --> 00:14:28,280 Can somebody say Hallelujah? It seems impossible to conceive 204 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,080 that. The man who wrote the 23rd song 205 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:35,000 could commit the sin that David did against Uriah the Hittite. 206 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,600 But still, in the early periods of David's life, he is 207 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:43,000 considered to be a man after God's own heart. 208 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,600 How, you might ask? Because even in the mistakes, 209 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:52,200 David never became an idolater. He remained true to the Lord in 210 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,120 all that he did. He was the youngest of eight 211 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:58,120 sons and worked in his young life as a humble shepherd, 212 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,600 keeping the flock of his father. The Bible does not specifically 213 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:06,720 state David's age. When Samuel anointed him to be 214 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,800 king. But in the review of history and 215 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:13,640 scrolls that have been written, scholars have estimated that he 216 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:19,920 was likely around the age of 15 years old when the prophet 217 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:25,520 anointed him to be king. Saul's successor, David, later 218 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:30,440 officially became king of Israel at the age of 30. 219 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,320 David's journey to kingship is a remarkable story of faith, 220 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:37,440 perseverance and divine timing. This. 221 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,320 Journey included anointing by Samuel David was. 222 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,200 Chosen not his brothers, David. Was chosen by God, the one who? 223 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,320 Didn't look the part the. One who may not have. 224 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:51,600 Felt the part. He may not have even. 225 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:55,320 Talked the part, but he definitely worked the part and 226 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,760 he was. Chosen by God and anointed. 227 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,960 By the prophet Samuel while he was still young, this marked the 228 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,440 beginning of. His journey, though, he did. 229 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:07,880 Not immediately ascend to the throne. 230 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,160 Ladies and gentlemen, I want to tell somebody tonight that this 231 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:15,120 is very important for us to understand and take to heart. 232 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,400 That God may anoint you today, but He. 233 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,400 May not fulfill your destiny until a much later time. 234 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,040 There are delays that occur in our. 235 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:29,960 Life and it is important. That we understand that I might 236 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:35,080 be delayed, but I will not be denied. 237 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:37,960 Somebody shout. Amen. 238 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,520 Victory over Goliath. David gained national 239 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:47,680 recognition by defeating the giant service in saul's court 240 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,920 was part of. David's journey, David. 241 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:55,360 Served King Saul as a harpist and as an armor bearer, gaining 242 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:59,760 favor initially, but later facing Saul's jealousy and 243 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:04,720 Saul's attempts on David's life as a result of his jealousy. 244 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:09,640 Please remember tonight David is serving in the court of the King 245 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:12,839 that he has been anointed to replace. 246 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:18,720 David knows that he is. Serving in the court of the king 247 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:24,319 that he has been anointed to replace, David is Privy to what 248 00:17:24,319 --> 00:17:27,560 the prophet. Said David knows and understands 249 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,400 what the anointing oil dripping down the back of. 250 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:35,720 His neck and rolling down. His spine meant in his life that 251 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:38,840 may be acceptable. In our human nature that when 252 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,640 things are going well that we will serve the the serve the 253 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:44,240 things that that. They don't. 254 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:48,080 They don't service at a later date, but David continued to 255 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:52,440 serve even when his. King became jealous of him and 256 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,640 even attempted to take his life. We must take record of. 257 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:01,720 David and somehow understand in our life that even after you've 258 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:06,800 been anointed by God Almighty for a calling of God, there is 259 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:09,080 no time and place that it's right. 260 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,480 There is no time and place that it's proper for you to step 261 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:17,760 outside the the the boundaries of that anointing and try to 262 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,720 rush the things of God. Because God not only gave you an 263 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:26,200 anointing, God gave you a timeline and God set a journey 264 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:30,760 in front of you to prepare you for the fulfillment of your 265 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,000 destiny. But you cannot quit. 266 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:41,520 You cannot quit. There were fugitive years in 267 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,600 David's journey. He spent years fleeing from King 268 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:50,240 Saul after Saul had went from favor to jealousy despite being 269 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,800 anointed to be king in modern day terms. 270 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,040 In the 21st century. I see an Instagram reel of David 271 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,920 complaining of David. If we put him into modern day 272 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,520 dialect, it would be normal and customary for us for David to 273 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,880 get on on, on on a video and tell all of the people that's 274 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,160 following him. Hey, I've been wronged. 275 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:14,720 Hey, this guy's tried to. Kill me, I need some people on 276 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,840 my. Side I need some help with me. 277 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,320 I, I just, I just can't make it by myself. 278 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,600 I need somebody. Surrounding me and helping. 279 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,080 If you see him, you take him out first. 280 00:19:25,360 --> 00:19:26,240 And when? I see him. 281 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:30,320 No, no, no, no, no, no. David had an opportunity to take 282 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,240 the. King out inside a cave. 283 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,160 It was dark. Saul would have never known 284 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,040 that. David was the one that took him, 285 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:39,800 but David and his anointing would have known. 286 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:42,000 Their integrity would have known. 287 00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:45,840 Their spirit would have known. It's important for us to 288 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:50,400 understand when God gives it to you, He will establish it 289 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,720 through you, but He will not do it until the day of his 290 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:59,400 anointing is revealed and it becomes necessary for you to 291 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,720 fulfill what God has delivered to you. 292 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:14,880 You can't rush God. David spent years fleeing from 293 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,720 Saul. Then he became the king of 294 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:23,080 Judah. After Saul's death, he was 295 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:25,240 anointed over the tribe of Judah in Hebron. 296 00:20:26,360 --> 00:20:30,360 He spent seven years there and ruled over Judah. 297 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,120 I don't think it's strange that given the worshipper that David 298 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:38,240 was, that he was the king over the worshippers. 299 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,720 After seven years of being the king in Hebron, he became the 300 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:55,480 king over all Israel. His reign was marked with 301 00:20:55,480 --> 00:21:03,280 military victories, political alliance, and a deep devotion to 302 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:07,000 God. His reign as king of Israel was 303 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:12,080 to unite the tribes, and he established Jerusalem as the 304 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:17,120 nation's capital. David's journey reminds us that 305 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:20,920 God's plan often unfolds over time. 306 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:25,000 I know. That that's that's the least. 307 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,160 Favorable part. I understand tonight that I'm 308 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,880 talking to people that are just as human as I, and I understand 309 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,800 even men, my own humanity, that God unfolding His will and 310 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:39,480 purpose over time is my least favorite part of the journey. 311 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:43,680 But yet the. Psalmist in king of Israel 312 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:48,640 reigned because he was. Faithful and because he had 313 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,560 patience. And because he had commitment 314 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:55,920 and because he trusted his God. And, I might add, because he 315 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:02,080 maintained a worship spirit. Because when you're in, I don't 316 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:03,800 want to get outside. My notes here because I've got a 317 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:05,840 lot of ground to cover and I need the Lord's help. 318 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:10,200 But when you're delayed, the first temptation that you are. 319 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:16,320 Going to. Face is just stop when you're 320 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,080 delayed and you know that what God has called you to do is 321 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:22,400 there. And you standing. 322 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,680 Here, and you've been here. Longer than you think you 323 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:29,480 should. And the doors and the obstacles 324 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,720 and the barriers to getting between point A and point B. 325 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:40,600 You just can't seem to remove. It gets old, it wears on your 326 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,120 mind, it wears on your your body, it wears on your spirit. 327 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:51,080 But it's important to understand that God often unfolds His plan 328 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:56,040 over time. What an impact David had 329 00:22:57,640 --> 00:23:01,200 anointed by the prophet of God Samuel to be the successor to 330 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,640 King Saul. You must understand something 331 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:09,480 about this anointing. David was anointed for. 332 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:12,840 His calling, but it was. Not yet. 333 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:16,560 Time for him. To fulfill his calling. 334 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,440 So if you don't. Understand the calling of God. 335 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:25,880 In your life, you will become frustrated with having an 336 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:28,280 anointing. And not being able to do 337 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,680 anything with it you've. Got to. 338 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,800 Understand God's call. You need. 339 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,720 Clarity on God's call. For your life, God anointed. 340 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,800 David. And David was aware of this 341 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,200 anointing for years, but it was approximately 15 years or so 342 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:50,200 later that David has had this anointing and he's watched and 343 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:52,680 observed the throne. And he's understood in his heart 344 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:54,920 of hearts that throne belongs to me. 345 00:23:54,920 --> 00:24:00,040 Because God said so. But for 15 years or so, he 346 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,240 couldn't touch the throne. Because God had said it, but 347 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,080 God. Wasn't ready to fulfill it yet 348 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,360 David was anointed for his calling, but he could not 349 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:15,640 fulfill his calling until later. When you are at the fore stage 350 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,480 of your calling, you might be delayed, but when you. 351 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:21,240 Get to the fulfill stage of your calling. 352 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:24,280 There is. Absolutely nothing that can deny 353 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:26,120 you. God's anointing is. 354 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:31,560 Greater than man's denial. I said God's anointing is 355 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:37,160 greater than man's denial. God, don't quit just because 356 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,120 you've been delayed. Don't stop because you've been 357 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:42,800 delayed. Don't just attend church because 358 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:44,880 you've been delayed and stop worshipping. 359 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,120 God, be like David. You've got to have a worship. 360 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:50,120 Spirit. David might have been an. 361 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:52,560 Adulterer. But he was not an idolater. 362 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,160 He knew in the God he served. He knew in the God that he 363 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,360 believed. He knew in the God that he 364 00:24:58,360 --> 00:25:03,120 worshipped with all of his mind. Don't walk away because you've 365 00:25:03,120 --> 00:25:05,480 been delayed. Hang on through the delay. 366 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,040 You've got to get to the fulfillment of your God calling, 367 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:14,840 and you will never get to the fulfillment stage if you don't 368 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:20,880 hold on. So you might be. 369 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:32,560 Delayed, but you're not denied. The people that I talked to you 370 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,960 about when I started this message, each of them have some 371 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:41,600 very, very good popular quotes regarding perseverance. 372 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,800 Doctor Mary Jackson says you can't just sit there and wait 373 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,160 for someone to open a door. You have to knock it down 374 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,880 yourself. Now, from a from a church 375 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,960 perspective, we might say when God opens the door, you better 376 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:01,280 walk through it because sometimes God opens doors. 377 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:06,320 We don't walk yet, but you cannot complain about not being 378 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,760 fulfilled in your God calling if when God opens the door you 379 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:17,480 don't take the step. Nelson Mandela said the greatest 380 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,040 glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising. 381 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,800 Every time we fall. What's the Bible say when I fall 382 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,960 I shall arise? Bethany Hamilton says I don't 383 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,840 need easy, I just need possible. Our Bible tells us that. 384 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:37,720 With God, all things are possible, Walt Disney said the. 385 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,720 Difference in winning and losing is most often not quitting 386 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,720 Michael. Jordan said I have failed. 387 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,480 Over and over and over again in my. 388 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,200 Life and that. Is why I. 389 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:53,880 Succeed. Quite often we see delays and 390 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:55,680 failures. As an indicator to quit. 391 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,880 But I want to remind somebody tonight that the absence. 392 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:03,120 Of immediate success is often the marker. 393 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:08,400 Of a genuine call. Being delayed doesn't mean God's 394 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,680 against you. Being delayed just may very well 395 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,360 be. God's got anointing on you and 396 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:16,960 the oil is still trying to find its spot. 397 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:23,560 God's got something for you that you can't imagine. 398 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,160 Delay is not an indicator to quit. 399 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,440 Delay is not an indicator of the lack of God's favor. 400 00:27:35,120 --> 00:27:37,440 Even let me say this tonight. Even if. 401 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:45,840 Your delay was caused by you. I need no other Bible story to 402 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:54,360 look at than the man David. If where you're at feels like 403 00:27:54,360 --> 00:27:58,000 rejection, understand that God calls it direction. 404 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:09,160 God has a calling delays. Will. 405 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:16,240 Happen, but you have to. Build a determination to not 406 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:21,360 allow delays to deny you of your God calling. 407 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:29,240 Now I'm going to give a bit of a personal testimony here that I 408 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:33,160 have, I have waited for over 4 years to give because I haven't 409 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:39,040 personally been ready and I'm not doing this because I'm not 410 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:43,400 telling for myself. I have, I have sought means of 411 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:48,560 therapy and talked about this and I still have days that I 412 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:52,120 struggle emotionally because scars run deep. 413 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:54,760 Yes I do. Come on. 414 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,520 But I'm telling this tonight because I'm, I'm hoping, I'm 415 00:28:57,520 --> 00:28:59,200 trusting. I had AI had a minister friend 416 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,560 tell me four or five years ago when I shared this with him, he 417 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:04,680 said there's going to come a day where you need to share your 418 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:09,040 testimony. And that day is today. 419 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,240 My calling. I need to say a little little 420 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:17,720 quick background here. My calling is leadership. 421 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:22,520 I believe it with all that is within me and I have found that 422 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:26,560 calling, I call it a God calling in the world of business. 423 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:32,280 Now before anybody checks out on me, yes, I, I believe, I believe 424 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,240 with all of my heart that I have a calling in the church. 425 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:39,440 That's right. But God did not call me to 426 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,240 exercise that in a way to provide for my family. 427 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,320 And I have accepted that that's that's not a disparaging 428 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,680 comment. I believe, and this is a very 429 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:53,560 strongly held opinion on my part. 430 00:29:53,560 --> 00:29:56,680 And if you want to chalk it up to an opinion and ignore it, you 431 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:59,640 have that right to do so. But I believe that each of us 432 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:05,040 should not just get a job, but we should find meaning and 433 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,920 purpose in our life by fulfilling God's design for our 434 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:19,200 life, no matter what. That is banker, Body Shop owner, 435 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:22,440 painter extraordinaire. That's a sincere statement. 436 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,280 That's not sarcasm. That was sincerity. 437 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:31,200 Bus driver. School. 438 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:33,920 I'm I'm I'm going to get in waters here that I I have 439 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,320 absolutely no idea what I'm saying, but school pair pro and 440 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:41,440 all that jazz. Whatever it is, you need a God 441 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:48,040 calling in those roles because no matter what just about feel 442 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:50,920 my help coming. The Bible tells us that 443 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,880 whatsoever your hands find to do do with all your mind. 444 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,480 I believe this is me. This is Mason 101. 445 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,360 I believe. No matter what you choose to do, 446 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,240 it needs to be God's call for you, even if it's flipping 447 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,240 burgers. If that's God's call. 448 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:11,480 For you, then there's. No need to feel insecure. 449 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:14,240 Own it. Embrace it. 450 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,400 And allow God to minister through you by it. 451 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:28,520 So that's my preface. Yeah, come on. 452 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:33,920 Many of you know I'll spare you my resume, but God's purpose has 453 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:35,960 unfolded in my life in the world of business. 454 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:40,520 Over the last 25 years in various roles and various 455 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:45,120 business disciplines, I have never stayed in one particular 456 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:51,680 role very long. Most of you know I have lost my 457 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:56,840 job three times. The first was due to corporate 458 00:31:56,840 --> 00:32:01,880 downsizing. 14 people were cut that day without prior notice. 459 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:06,120 The next two were for reasons that were never clear to me. 460 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,120 It can be best summarized. The best way I can summarize it 461 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:16,360 is using a sports analogy. When the team isn't performing, 462 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:22,040 the coach is most often the one that's first to go, even if he's 463 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:24,280 not the one that personally did something wrong. 464 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:30,120 That is the same in business now. 465 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,560 Trust me, I have asked myself and I have asked God to no 466 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:35,720 avail. Why me? 467 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,480 And I still don't have an answer, and that's OK. 468 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,560 But each time I struggled with this loss for several reasons. 469 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,800 One, I felt I had let my family down and disappointed them. 470 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:53,440 I felt like a failure. I felt like what I thought God 471 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,520 had called me to do. Because again, my preface, it's 472 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,240 a calling for me, not just a job. 473 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:03,240 So I questioned whether or not what God had called me to do, 474 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:05,680 whether I was right or not. Did I understand it correctly? 475 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:09,880 I lost my faith in myself and the gifts that God has enabled 476 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:14,800 me with. The most recent occurrence was 477 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:19,480 absolute hardest for me. There are there are times I have 478 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:25,000 nightmares still and there are days out of nowhere imposter 479 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:28,280 syndrome will hit me hard and I will feel like you have no 480 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:29,560 business doing what you're doing. 481 00:33:29,560 --> 00:33:33,440 Just go take a seat. A lot of things in the business 482 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:38,280 world changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and where I 483 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,840 was at, and I will use discretion to the fullest extent 484 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,480 of my ability tonight because I intend not to be disparaging 485 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,640 toward any company or any person, but I still have a story 486 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:53,680 to tell. Things got hard, things got very 487 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:58,040 hard. Things got 118 hours a week 488 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:01,200 hard. And what I didn't see at the 489 00:34:01,200 --> 00:34:05,320 time, I knew I was tired. Obviously, what I didn't see at 490 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:08,000 the time was how harmful and unhealthy it was for me 491 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:10,920 mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. 492 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:16,159 Even though it was hard, God orchestrated the whole event for 493 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:19,480 my good. If you could please put the 494 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:24,400 photo up. This, this photo. 495 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:27,320 Well, the, the box label is going to give it away just a 496 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:30,880 bit, but that's fine. But this, this photo, well, the 497 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:33,199 the box label is going to give it away just a bit, but that's 498 00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:35,719 fine. But this, this photo is a photo 499 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,000 of the corner office. Now if anybody knows any other 500 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:44,440 office, this photo was taken on January 18th of 2021. 501 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:52,040 I had a dream about what you see in this photo in February of 502 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:57,080 2013. In the month of February 13, I 503 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:01,280 was driving to Rural King for some supplies and as I started 504 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:06,120 driving by this business, I felt an undeniable presence of God 505 00:35:06,720 --> 00:35:09,920 come into my car in a in a very spontaneous way. 506 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:15,120 Anybody that knows me knows I'm not a spontaneous person, but I 507 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:19,000 quickly put my brakes on and I pulled into the parking lot of a 508 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:24,320 business that I had never pulled into and I stopped the car and I 509 00:35:24,320 --> 00:35:26,120 said, God, I, these are the exact words. 510 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:29,400 I said, God, I don't know what you're trying to tell me right 511 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,880 now, but I receive it in Jesus name. 512 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:37,240 In March of 2013, a month later, I had a recruiter call me about 513 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:39,800 a job opening right here in Mount Carmel. 514 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,880 The place that I was at I was very unhappy with. 515 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,280 I had been praying for God to allow me to be released from 516 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,800 there. He had given me that job as a 517 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:56,320 blessing to come out of job loss #2 and unfortunately, I knew on 518 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:00,720 day #2 that it was God providing a bridge, not a place. 519 00:36:02,240 --> 00:36:08,120 And the following 2 1/2 years were hard, but I was praying for 520 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:12,160 God to release me and I and I I even was specific enough with 521 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,720 God to make sure that I gently prayed this because I did not 522 00:36:15,720 --> 00:36:16,680 want Him to. Think. 523 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,560 That I was ungrateful because he had delivered me from loss #2 524 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:23,000 with it. So it was a bit of a tough 525 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:30,640 emotional state. On April 1st of 2013, I started 526 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:37,640 a new job there as operations manager at the same place as my 527 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:38,800 parking lot. Prayer. 528 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:44,000 Two months earlier when I saw the office in the photo after 529 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:46,600 after starting there, I knew it was from the dream that I had 530 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:48,800 two months prior. It was not my office. 531 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:53,360 That was a bit of a let down. It's like I had a dream worth. 532 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:59,480 All right, Joseph. In 2015, I was promoted to 533 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,800 director. 2017, I was promoted to vice president. 534 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:05,480 Things were going good right here in town. 535 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,280 In late 2019, the company started to look at buying a 536 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:11,880 division of one of its largest competitors. 537 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,960 I was asked to put an integration plan together on how 538 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:17,480 to accomplish this from an operations perspective. 539 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:23,200 On February 14th, Valentine's Day of 2020, the purchase was 540 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,360 made and I anxiously we were all excited. 541 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,560 I anxiously awaited the opportunity to get started on 542 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:33,920 the plan that was made. In March 2020, the world shut 543 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:41,000 down. Everything changed, brought a 544 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,680 high amount of financial stress and unknowns to what the future 545 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:46,800 looked like. Not just for us as individuals, 546 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:50,920 but for companies as well. Two months later, in May of 547 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:53,520 2020, I was finally given the clearance to begin the 548 00:37:53,520 --> 00:37:56,560 integration project that I had planned seven months earlier. 549 00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:02,720 I was very excited, but the project that I had prepared 550 00:38:02,720 --> 00:38:05,200 seven months earlier took on a much different shape. 551 00:38:06,920 --> 00:38:08,760 The expectations remain the same. 552 00:38:09,720 --> 00:38:14,840 The resources were a fraction of what was necessary to be 553 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:19,200 successful. From May 2020 through November 554 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,560 2020, things were the most difficult I had experienced in 555 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:26,560 my entire adult life and career. Slowly, some things started 556 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:29,680 getting better in December and January, although there were 557 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:31,760 several difficulties still to overcome. 558 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:34,600 But I had hope. I was starting to get my 559 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:38,120 optimism back because things were starting to slowly turn 560 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,320 around. On February 19th, it was a 561 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:47,240 Friday 2020, my boss flew up from Atlanta pay a visit on a 562 00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:51,560 Friday. It didn't register with me. 563 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:57,760 Why is he here on a Friday? Because he never flew up just 564 00:38:57,760 --> 00:38:59,440 for a Friday. It don't make sense. 565 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:05,920 Around 1:00 that afternoon he sat me down and informed me that 566 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:11,080 they were replacing me effective Monday, February 22nd. 3 days 567 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:24,120 later I lost it. I bawled like a baby because my 568 00:39:24,120 --> 00:39:26,240 God calling was just stripped away from me. 569 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:37,720 Everything I'd worked hard for just disappeared in a moment. 570 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:45,800 That Monday on February 2020, the 22nd of 2020, I met my 571 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:51,760 replacement. He visited church here one 572 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:59,680 Sunday morning. I spent the next 10 weeks doing 573 00:39:59,680 --> 00:40:01,880 the unthinkable in the corporate world. 574 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,320 And I'm not saying this to pat me on the back. 575 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,800 It was a God thing that I survived Bishop mentally. 576 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:15,480 But the next 10 weeks I spent working with him and actually 577 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:19,880 working for him to help him succeed in my absence. 578 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:24,920 After that 10 weeks was up, I walked away on April the 30th of 579 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:27,840 2020. I was a shell of myself. 580 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:33,600 I didn't really know how much healing I needed to do from the 581 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,640 impact of the previous eleven months. 582 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:40,880 Similar to Joseph, now I can tell you what I went through 583 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:42,520 prepared me for the next chapter. 584 00:40:44,080 --> 00:40:47,640 So back to the photo. This photo was taken January 585 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:55,680 18th, 2021, because while I knew the office, this was the image 586 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:01,640 of the dream. January 18th I was moving into 587 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:07,160 the corner office. So naturally, I thought the 588 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,640 dream from February 2013 was about me moving in. 589 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:17,200 So in January 18th, part of my optimism came from this photo 590 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:22,720 because when I saw this and God prompted me to the dream that I 591 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:29,280 had had eight years earlier, my first thought was, everything's 592 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:33,120 going to be all right. God put me here and He just let 593 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:35,840 me know eight years ago that when I got to this season of my 594 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:38,000 life that everything was going to be all right. 595 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:43,040 That was what I thought. But one month later, on a 596 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:47,120 Saturday, February 20th, my wife and I were in this office using 597 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:53,360 these boxes not to move out of, but to pack into because I 598 00:41:53,360 --> 00:41:55,920 needed to make room for my replacement who was arriving 599 00:41:55,920 --> 00:41:59,320 that Monday. I shared my story with my family 600 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:05,520 and my son said to me, because I didn't understand, I didn't 601 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:08,520 understand the dream anymore because I thought what it meant, 602 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:12,960 it no longer meant. And my son with wisdom in his 603 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:14,160 words. He said Dad. 604 00:42:15,160 --> 00:42:18,080 Your dream wasn't about you moving in, Your dream was about 605 00:42:18,080 --> 00:42:22,760 you moving out. So what I've come to? 606 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,840 Share with you tonight is in February 2013. 607 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:32,880 Our God is so good, He gave me a dream about a temporary 608 00:42:32,880 --> 00:42:38,360 departure from my calling. And a job that I didn't even 609 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:44,560 have yet, just to make. Sure that I remembered. 610 00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:48,560 That he knows my end. From my beginning. 611 00:42:50,360 --> 00:42:59,440 And that he has everything. He has everything under control. 612 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:09,720 I was delayed, I felt denied. There were days I wanted to go 613 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:12,320 back to driving A. Forklift to just say forget it. 614 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:14,840 I don't want to be boss. I don't want to lead. 615 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:19,080 People, I'm over it. I'm over it, I'm over it. 616 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:23,800 But I declare to you today that God had a plan, and God's plan 617 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:31,200 always supersedes every delay that you encounter in your life. 618 00:43:31,320 --> 00:43:33,280 Could you lift your? Hands and praise and. 619 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:35,880 Could you lift your hands and thank him? 620 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,920 Musicians, come stand with me please. 621 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:59,440 On January 3rd of 2022, I stepped back into my God calling 622 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:05,040 after eight months of no employment and an exhausting 623 00:44:05,040 --> 00:44:07,640 search. Not just for a job. 624 00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:11,880 Please understand that it was a search for the will of God. 625 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:17,400 That's right, it was a search for when I would hit submit with 626 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:21,520 a resume. There were times it looked so 627 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:28,880 good and my heart was so hungry. But I will say nevertheless, not 628 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:32,720 my will, but God, let your will be done. 629 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:41,600 And the one thing. That I refused to apply for. 630 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:49,520 My wife had seen the job in early August and she said she 631 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:52,360 said, read this, I read it. She said that's you. 632 00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:56,960 I said I don't want that. I've worked for those type of 633 00:44:56,960 --> 00:44:59,960 companies before and I don't want to go back to that. 634 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:09,360 I was having a vertical issue August the 15th. 635 00:45:09,360 --> 00:45:11,840 I still remember it. I was home. 636 00:45:13,880 --> 00:45:18,360 I was home on a Sunday night during church and church was 637 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:22,040 over, but I was home before my wife got home. 638 00:45:23,160 --> 00:45:26,800 I went back to that AD and I looked at it and she was right. 639 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,320 She always is. That's OK. 640 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:38,600 I typed up my cover letter highlighted how what they were 641 00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:44,080 looking for I had experience in. I prayed a prayer and I said, 642 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,880 God, you know in my heart I don't want to relive certain 643 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:52,880 chapters that I have already lived, but if this is different 644 00:45:54,200 --> 00:46:00,680 and I just don't know it, fine. But if it's not different, I'm 645 00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:08,840 asking you to block it. So I hit send right before NYCI 646 00:46:08,840 --> 00:46:15,680 got a phone call and I found out they had put the job on hold a 647 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:19,880 couple of months earlier. I'm not saying it was a result 648 00:46:19,880 --> 00:46:23,680 of my prayer, but I believe in God enough that it could have 649 00:46:23,680 --> 00:46:29,320 been. Long story short, got the job. 650 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:33,840 After a series of additional promotions there over the last 651 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:39,120 three years, I now find myself leading in a capacity that far 652 00:46:39,120 --> 00:46:41,120 surpasses anything I've ever done. 653 00:46:42,680 --> 00:46:48,160 The scope is so large, there are days it overwhelms me that I am 654 00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:52,560 responsible for 750 people every day. 655 00:46:53,760 --> 00:47:00,160 And the sum total of business needs that I am responsible for 656 00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:08,160 is the total of every individual thing I have done collectively 657 00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:17,160 over the last 25 years. 2000, it was warehousing and I told you I 658 00:47:17,160 --> 00:47:19,080 wouldn't give you my resume and I'm not, but I'm going to give 659 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:24,440 you some examples. 2003 it was accounting and sales, 2006 660 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:29,680 purchasing and distribution, and then into production and then 661 00:47:29,680 --> 00:47:34,840 into logistics and IT everything. 662 00:47:34,880 --> 00:47:39,920 But what he does, I can't do that. 663 00:47:43,560 --> 00:47:50,480 Bishop, All of it rolled. In It took me about two years to 664 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:53,600 figure this out, but when God revealed it to me, I got really 665 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:58,160 excited. All rolled into one position 666 00:47:59,360 --> 00:48:06,680 that the delays prepared me for. If there had been no delays, 667 00:48:07,240 --> 00:48:10,640 certain life seasons and changes would not have changed. 668 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:14,560 Other experiences would not have been learned or gained in other 669 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:20,520 places. God prepared me through the 670 00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:22,720 struggles and through the delays. 671 00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:25,280 Like Joseph, things didn't always go the way that I thought 672 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,880 they should go. But I'm telling you today, God 673 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:31,160 had a plan And what? God had a plan for me. 674 00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:35,120 He has got an equal plan for you. 675 00:48:38,760 --> 00:48:40,800 But you cannot give up in the waiting. 676 00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,600 You cannot give up in the waiting. 677 00:48:51,400 --> 00:48:57,040 You might be delayed, but I've come to tell somebody tonight 678 00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:03,520 you're not denied. That photo is a representation 679 00:49:03,520 --> 00:49:08,000 to me of God's divine protection and order. 680 00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:14,600 He cared so much that he told me 8 years, eight years. 681 00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:18,480 Before I would go into that season, he told me some things 682 00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:22,040 through that, that image, although I didn't understand it 683 00:49:22,040 --> 00:49:26,160 at first, but whenever I came to understanding, I understood just 684 00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:32,680 just exactly how much God's hand was holding me and helping me 685 00:49:32,680 --> 00:49:35,000 and protecting me. This altar is open tonight. 686 00:49:35,320 --> 00:49:37,600 There's somebody that you might feel delayed in this house 687 00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:39,120 tonight and you don't understand. 688 00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:41,960 You believe God has called you, but you believe you've had an 689 00:49:41,960 --> 00:49:44,320 anointing. But where did the anointing go? 690 00:49:44,320 --> 00:49:47,280 Because your delay makes it feel like that God's not there. 691 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:49,400 God doesn't care and God hasn't called you. 692 00:49:49,400 --> 00:49:52,600 Still, I've come to tell somebody tonight that God has 693 00:49:52,600 --> 00:49:56,280 not taken your anointing away. God has not taken your calling 694 00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:58,640 away. He is ready at the He is 695 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:01,680 standing at the ready to anoint you again. 696 00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:14,960 You still have purpose. The delay is not the end. 697 00:50:16,560 --> 00:50:19,080 The delay is not the end of the story. 698 00:50:23,400 --> 00:50:25,960 Don't deny. Yourself of an opportunity of 699 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:31,360 fulfillment in God's order. By stopping on him too soon. 700 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:39,760 He's waiting on you. He's waiting. 701 00:50:41,840 --> 00:50:44,720 And all he needs is a willing vessel to say God. 702 00:50:44,720 --> 00:50:50,760 I give God in spite of the delays, in spite of the things 703 00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:53,560 I've done myself, in spite of the things that I don't even 704 00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:56,720 understand. God, I surrender to you if you 705 00:50:56,720 --> 00:50:59,200 want me to step out to do. Such and such. 706 00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:01,680 Whatever you put on my. Heart God if it's. 707 00:51:01,680 --> 00:51:02,440 Really. Your will? 708 00:51:02,440 --> 00:51:05,080 And you want me to do that? God, I will do it. 709 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,760 You make a way you. Open the door and God. 710 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:10,520 When you open the door, I promise you I won't say no. 711 00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:16,640 Let's pray if. If you're not praying 712 00:51:16,640 --> 00:51:19,680 personally, please find someone to pray for and with tonight. 713 00:51:21,000 --> 00:51:23,880 You might be delayed, but you're not denied.