1 00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:04,100 Welcome to the first episode Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:08,000 Our church mission is to love as God loves showing compassion 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,500 Every Soul, thus, winning those souls and equipping them to be 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:13,800 sent out to plant and to harvest. 5 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:17,000 Thank you for joining us today. And we hope that you are blessed 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:27,100 by today's podcast. Chapter number 18. 7 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,200 What a blessing it is to be in God's house today. 8 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,800 I am humbled and honored to stand before you this morning in 9 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:53,000 the absence of our pastor. If you are visiting today, I do 10 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,100 apologize. Please do not judge. 11 00:00:56,100 --> 00:01:00,300 This assembly based on me, come back when pastors here. 12 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,500 Hey man, but we are so thankful to have you this morning. 13 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,600 The Book of Psalms chapter 18. And verse number one, Says. 14 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,500 This is starting in the actual verse but just just hang there 15 00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:23,600 with me brother, Zach for just a moment, but in most Bibles there 16 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:28,800 is a heading or kind of a forwarding address to what is 17 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,500 about to be said. And those words I do not want to 18 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:36,900 overlook this morning because they kind of set the tone for 19 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:40,800 what David is saying. In Psalms chapter 18, it says to 20 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:46,400 the chief musician, a Psalm of David The servant of the Lord 21 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,500 who spake unto the Lord, the words of this song in the day 22 00:01:49,900 --> 00:01:54,300 that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies. 23 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:00,700 And from the hand of Saul and he David and he said this is where 24 00:02:00,700 --> 00:02:06,100 we pick up on the screen today. I will love thee O Lord my 25 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:11,100 strength. The Lord is. 26 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:17,000 My rock. And my Fortress, and my 27 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,800 deliverer, my God, my strength in whom, I will trust my Buckler 28 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,400 and the Horn of my salvation and my high tower. 29 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,000 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so 30 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,800 shall I be saved? From mine enemies. 31 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,500 Bishop, would you take us to the Lord today in prayer and ask God 32 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:46,300 to speak? What he would have to be spoken 33 00:02:46,300 --> 00:03:12,200 to us today? Amen. 34 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,300 I want to talk to you this morning on this subject. 35 00:03:14,300 --> 00:03:25,900 The place of safety, you may be seated. 13 months ago. 36 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:33,800 We witnessed a colossal change and shift away from what we have 37 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:37,400 known to be normal. In all of our lives. 38 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Life looked different. Life felt different. we went to 39 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,300 bed one evening and awoke to differences that, no living 40 00:03:49,300 --> 00:03:55,100 person on planet Earth had ever witnessed It was overwhelming to 41 00:03:55,100 --> 00:04:01,500 see restaurants closed businesses closed, and some 42 00:04:02,100 --> 00:04:06,600 regrettably shut down permanently pictures of 43 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,100 families, and social media talking to elderly. 44 00:04:10,100 --> 00:04:12,700 Loved ones through a glass window pane. 45 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:19,800 The death toll Rose each day. With no hope. 46 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:26,300 I watch the news everyday. I watched the numbers of new 47 00:04:26,300 --> 00:04:30,800 infections and death at both the state and federal levels. 48 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:35,800 As a local business leader, I was a member of a global daily 49 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,800 Global briefing on the State of Affairs of our local economy as 50 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,100 well as our state and federal conditions. 51 00:04:42,900 --> 00:04:47,000 As I continued to watch the news media, I continued to feel 52 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:53,800 oppressed by the complete and total lack of hope that I was 53 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,100 witnessing. Although, at the time, I did not 54 00:04:56,100 --> 00:05:02,200 recognize it as oppression. It just kind of happened. 55 00:05:03,500 --> 00:05:10,900 Because no hope was offered. Finally, about 12 weeks in. 56 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:14,800 I stopped watching the news except for maybe the weather. 57 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:21,600 Almost overnight. Most not all most of the 58 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,500 overwhelming fear. I was experiencing disappeared 59 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:33,500 But what I had not realized until about 8 weeks ago, when 60 00:05:33,500 --> 00:05:38,500 pastor preached and indicting message to this church on how 61 00:05:38,500 --> 00:05:43,800 far we are now from where we used to be as a congregation in 62 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:48,500 our worship. It was only then that I started 63 00:05:48,500 --> 00:05:54,000 realizing the damage Bishop that have been done in my life. 64 00:05:55,100 --> 00:06:01,300 The battle that I had been experiencing in my mind that if 65 00:06:01,300 --> 00:06:04,000 anybody else knew it. It wasn't because I told them 66 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,600 because I wasn't recognizing it myself. 67 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:14,600 It just kind of happened. Fear had left its Mark while all 68 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:19,900 of you except for pastor myself and my wife, but the Alex, but 69 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:23,900 the Zack can sister melin. We're at home, trying to press 70 00:06:23,900 --> 00:06:27,400 through the awkwardness of having Church in your living 71 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,900 room. We were here, trying to press 72 00:06:30,900 --> 00:06:34,400 through the awkwardness of having Church in an empty 73 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:40,600 Auditorium. The change affected My Worship. 74 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:48,700 I've come to be transparent with you this morning. 75 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:55,000 The oppressiveness and heaviness of the world's condition. 76 00:06:55,500 --> 00:07:02,600 Affected My Worship. Fear affected My Worship. 77 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:10,000 It also affected my fellowship. I started recognizing this about 78 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,900 eight weeks ago, that all of this oppressiveness in heavy 79 00:07:14,900 --> 00:07:19,000 mindedness and mental anguish and anxiety, had put me in a 80 00:07:19,008 --> 00:07:23,000 condition where I would come to church clock in and clock out at 81 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,100 the last a man and get to the car as fast as I could. 82 00:07:28,500 --> 00:07:33,400 Now on the back side of the story we can see clearly. 83 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,100 I hope you can. I trust that you can see clearly 84 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:44,600 exactly how politicize the media exposure of the virus was now 85 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,200 hang with me here before you tune me out. 86 00:07:47,700 --> 00:07:51,900 I mean, no disrespect to anyone affected by this, horrible 87 00:07:51,900 --> 00:07:54,000 virus. I know firsthand that it is 88 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,800 real. I'm not here to declare 89 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,100 otherwise But it is clear to me that media fear Monger set out 90 00:08:01,100 --> 00:08:05,700 to spend the story to fit a narrative of their own mission. 91 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,700 If you don't believe that recall, I would challenge you to 92 00:08:10,700 --> 00:08:14,800 recall to your mind today. The number one story the day 93 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,400 after our presidential election, for the first time in months, 94 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:24,500 the media headline was not covid-19 It wasn't. 95 00:08:24,500 --> 00:08:29,600 The Second Story, it wasn't even the third Story, the Twitter 96 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,100 trending topics. It had been the number one 97 00:08:33,100 --> 00:08:38,500 trending topic on Twitter for months going, it now ranked the 98 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:42,900 eighth or ninth topic of Interest somehow. 99 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:48,900 The priority of importance shifted, my point today is not 100 00:08:48,900 --> 00:08:51,200 to stir up your political passions. 101 00:08:51,700 --> 00:08:53,600 My point, this morning is to reveal. 102 00:08:53,800 --> 00:09:00,700 You how strategic your adversary can be at inciting fear into 103 00:09:00,700 --> 00:09:05,900 your life? No matter what the headline is, 104 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:10,900 the headline topic may change, but the fear is at the 105 00:09:10,900 --> 00:09:16,200 fundamental core of what he's doing, he wants to scare you 106 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,200 away from a relationship with God. 107 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:26,500 Somebody say, Amen. Fast forward to today. 108 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:32,400 Some 13 months after this beginning of colossal, change in 109 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,600 our nation. And in our world, you see a 110 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:43,400 world that is full of fear. Full of fear. 111 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:50,300 Fear a bounce and every corner fear is at the core of every 112 00:09:50,300 --> 00:09:54,700 news. Headline, fear is everywhere. 113 00:09:54,700 --> 00:10:00,500 You look, there are shootings stabbings and murdering of mass 114 00:10:00,500 --> 00:10:07,700 scale on nearly a daily basis. The racial divide in this 115 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:10,800 country is worse now than it's ever been. 116 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:17,000 Let me tell you something this morning. 117 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,000 You can't fight racism with racism. 118 00:10:25,300 --> 00:10:27,100 And I will declare to you this morning. 119 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,700 If you want to talk about lives, that matter. 120 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,200 Stop putting a color in front of it. 121 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:39,600 We need to wake up as the church today and realize that the enemy 122 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,400 is trying to back us into a corner where we're scared to say 123 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,700 anything. And I'll declare to you today 124 00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:47,800 that this this fight is not about color. 125 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:50,600 If you think it is you've missed it. 126 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,800 This is not about this is a spiritual warfare. 127 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,500 It's not about race, it's not about equality. 128 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,000 Those are Buzz words that are used to get our emotions stirred 129 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,100 up but that's not what's at the core of the story. 130 00:11:07,300 --> 00:11:15,800 It is a Onslaught attack from hell and the enemy of your soul, 131 00:11:16,100 --> 00:11:20,900 in the enemy of my soul, wants to stir us up to the point that 132 00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:26,200 we get nothing, but fear, and hatred inside of us, the church 133 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:27,900 needs to be the light in the Darkness. 134 00:11:28,500 --> 00:11:33,700 Not another house of Darkness. Hatred and animosity of one 135 00:11:33,700 --> 00:11:36,300 human being to another is at an all-time high. 136 00:11:38,900 --> 00:11:42,900 But we need only turn to the word of God today in, see that 137 00:11:42,900 --> 00:11:45,100 Isaiah prophesied? That there are those who will 138 00:11:45,100 --> 00:11:52,200 call evil good. And good evil. 139 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:00,900 He says, and we have it in our society today. 140 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:09,000 Those who put Darkness for light, And Light. 141 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,800 For Darkness, you can't even rationalize what's happening 142 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,400 today. Some of the things that are 143 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:20,400 happening right in front of us are so blatantly evil and wrong 144 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:24,700 that, I scratch myself my head bishop and I think to myself. 145 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,700 How is this possible? How can the common man not see, 146 00:12:29,700 --> 00:12:36,800 clearly with 20/20 vision. How evil and wrong that is And 147 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:41,000 the the answer to how it's possible lies in the word of God 148 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,600 that we are seeing unfolded right in front of us. 149 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:54,200 Of those who would call evil. Those who would put evil on 150 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:57,200 display and demonstrate it and stand back and talk about how 151 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:02,900 good it is. We're seeing that unfolded in 152 00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:06,500 front of us. In the happenings of today, you 153 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:09,200 can't rationalize it because it's spiritual. 154 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,800 You can't rationalize it because it doesn't make sense because 155 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,500 it's a spiritual attack. It is a spiritual warfare. 156 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:20,800 And the words of Luke chapter 21 have never rang truer. 157 00:13:20,900 --> 00:13:24,500 When he wrote, and there shall be signs in the Sun, and in the 158 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:29,100 moon, and in the stars and upon the Earth distress of nations 159 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:35,000 with Plex City, the Sea, and the waves roaring men's Hearts, 160 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:40,100 failing them for fear, for looking after those things which 161 00:13:40,100 --> 00:13:43,200 are coming on the earth for the powers of Heaven shall be 162 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:45,700 shaken. And then, shall they see the son 163 00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:49,500 of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 164 00:13:49,500 --> 00:13:52,900 And this is where our hope lies today, and when these things 165 00:13:52,900 --> 00:13:59,200 begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads for your 166 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:06,700 Emption draw with not. Satan, your adversary is not 167 00:14:06,700 --> 00:14:09,500 worried about you robbing the local gas station. 168 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,600 Hear me today? He's not cared. 169 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:18,000 He is not cared one bit about you robbing the gas station or 170 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,700 robbing your neighbor. The enemy of your soul today is 171 00:14:20,700 --> 00:14:23,400 not worried about. You drinking yourself to a 172 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:27,000 drunken stupor, what he's worried about the name of the 173 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:35,400 game in 2021 is fear. If he can scare you. 174 00:14:36,900 --> 00:14:43,400 If he can immobilize you. That's what he wants. 175 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:51,200 He wants to take away from you. And he doesn't want to do it. 176 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:56,500 He doesn't see the game has changed from when I was a kid. 177 00:14:57,300 --> 00:15:00,400 When I was a kid, Sister Margaret growing up in the 178 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,900 church and listening to my dad, preach Sunday, morning, Sunday 179 00:15:03,900 --> 00:15:06,000 night, Wednesday night, and Friday night. 180 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,700 When I was a kid growing up, if you wanted to walk away from 181 00:15:10,700 --> 00:15:19,200 God, you didn't come to church. That's just the way it was. 182 00:15:20,700 --> 00:15:22,800 Right wrong or indifferent people. 183 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,600 Who did not want a relationship with God or who were walking 184 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,700 away from the relationship with God. 185 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:35,800 They did so publicly stage front and center by not going to his 186 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:37,600 house. Now, that's a subject all in of 187 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,600 itself that I'm not here to touch today but what I am here 188 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,700 to say today is that through fear and through intimidation 189 00:15:44,900 --> 00:15:48,700 and through the tactics of the 21st century today, your enemy 190 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:52,500 is not concerned about you now. Coming to church, he's concerned 191 00:15:52,500 --> 00:15:55,200 about you. Coming to church and not getting 192 00:15:55,200 --> 00:16:02,400 victory over your fear. He doesn't care us being in 193 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,000 church, hear me? I am not anti coming to church. 194 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:06,600 If that's what you get out of what I'm saying. 195 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,600 Then I'm doing a really poor job at saying it. 196 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:12,500 We need to come to the house of God, but the devil is not scared 197 00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:17,800 for you to come to church. Come to church. 198 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,900 I think you scared the devil. I don't think that scares him 199 00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:25,900 anymore because the 21st century church has gotten to the point 200 00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:28,800 that unfortunately I say this with all due respect we have 201 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,100 gotten to the place where that we are comfortable coming to 202 00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:33,600 church and comfortable not having Church. 203 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:44,300 God, help us today. And we one of the blockages, one 204 00:16:44,300 --> 00:16:49,000 of the brigades to us coming to church and having church is 205 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,700 fear. It's mind games. 206 00:16:54,800 --> 00:17:00,200 I may only be talking to myself this morning and if I am, sorry 207 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,000 for you. Thank you, God, for what you're 208 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,400 doing for me, but I'm telling you today, mine games are real. 209 00:17:07,300 --> 00:17:09,700 And it's very difficult to get out of your own head. 210 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,000 It's nearly impossible without a move of God to get out of your 211 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,599 own way sometimes. That's why, that's why I've come 212 00:17:18,599 --> 00:17:21,000 to tell you today. That if he can take away your 213 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,800 peace, he's going to do it. If he can take away your joy, he 214 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:28,400 will do it. If he can take, if he can 215 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,600 oppress you with fear, he is going to do it. 216 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:36,200 And in doing so if he can create enough mental, anguish and 217 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:40,200 anxiety, and fear in you and overwhelm you with worried, he's 218 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,700 going to do it and when he does it, he is going to take away 219 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:53,500 your worship. But they said, why do you keep 220 00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:54,700 what? Are you keep referencing 221 00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:57,000 worship? Because worship is where our 222 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,700 relationship with God is deepened. 223 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,900 Worship is where my relationship with God is demonstrated to him 224 00:18:04,100 --> 00:18:08,800 that I believe he's worth my duty worship is where the 225 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,900 victory is won. Worship is more than a shout. 226 00:18:16,300 --> 00:18:20,500 Worship is more than a dance, but worship should not exempt us 227 00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:25,400 from dancing and shouting. Worship comes from a place in 228 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,900 the depths of the heart worship. Let's the heart overcome the 229 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:34,000 mind. Ladies and gentlemen, I'll 230 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,300 declare to you this morning. That if you lose your worship, 231 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:38,400 you will lose your relationship with God. 232 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,400 I did not realize how impressed I was. 233 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:51,800 I did Rip not realize Bishop today until 8 weeks or so ago 234 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,800 that I was simply going through motions. 235 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:58,400 My wife knew it the night that he preached it because it moved 236 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,400 me to tears sitting in the Pew because I was feeling. 237 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,900 So indicted, I was feeling. So, so convicted over where I 238 00:19:05,900 --> 00:19:09,300 had been and I didn't even realize the journey. 239 00:19:11,700 --> 00:19:15,200 Because he's so subtle. He's so subtle with what he 240 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,500 does. He's so slick when he lies that 241 00:19:18,500 --> 00:19:30,300 he can trick us into believing that we're okay. but if you lose 242 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:35,500 your worship, if you don't maintain your worship, you will 243 00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:37,900 not develop a deeper walk with God. 244 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,000 To your enemy. This is non-negotiable. 245 00:19:45,700 --> 00:19:49,600 He will stop at nothing less than ownership of your soul. 246 00:19:54,300 --> 00:19:58,200 That's what he's after. He's after full. 247 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:04,200 Ownership he is like, please forgive the carnal reference, 248 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:07,900 I'm sure anyone who watches television has probably seen 249 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,900 this reference before but he is like the the drug dealer. 250 00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:17,400 That passes out a bag of drugs. And I'll probably I hope I get 251 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,300 the terminology here wrong because trust me I don't know 252 00:20:19,300 --> 00:20:22,400 what I'm talking about hardly but he though give out freebies. 253 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,000 And then they'll Jack the price up to 25 cents a bag. 254 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,400 And then once they get good and addicted then it's five dollars 255 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:36,000 a bag then it's $10 and oh oh I'm sorry the price just went up 256 00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:41,200 Market competition, it's 50 dollars a bag now, That's what 257 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,400 he does. It may not be by drugs, but it's 258 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:48,700 through some type of subtle activity that he comes in. 259 00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:53,300 And this is a freebie and then he starts charging a price. 260 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,900 And the price is intimidation in our worship. 261 00:20:57,100 --> 00:20:59,500 The price is intimidation. In our fellowship. 262 00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:01,300 Me tell you something, we need each other. 263 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:06,000 We need we need each other and I have, I have recognized this 264 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,100 recently just for my own walk with God but we need each other 265 00:21:09,100 --> 00:21:11,300 more than what we've ever needed each other. 266 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:13,300 And I'll say that. We need each other more than we 267 00:21:13,300 --> 00:21:20,500 know we need each other. We need and I don't Pastor has 268 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:23,700 talked about it recently and I know in his heart we set the 269 00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:30,600 Kinect theme for 2020 and then 2020 happened and when on his 270 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:35,700 heart is still connect and there is there is little things, less 271 00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:40,200 powerful than are more powerful than the connection that we 272 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,900 have. When we come to God, I need to 273 00:21:42,900 --> 00:21:45,600 connect with him and I need to connect with you. 274 00:21:51,100 --> 00:21:56,100 But our enemy doesn't want that. Our scripture text and Psalms 18 275 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,300 finds David making a declaration. 276 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,800 He's making a declaration of how great and wonderful God had been 277 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,600 to him. All of you Bible readers. 278 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:13,400 Know how David ran from his ran for his life, from King Saul. 279 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,100 We don't have time to go deep into the story here. 280 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,900 But we need to understand today that David had feared for his 281 00:22:20,900 --> 00:22:24,200 life. David have been anointed king by 282 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,200 the hand of the Prophet it's possible today, I can only 283 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,500 imagine in my mind's eye that David might have also been 284 00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:34,100 afraid of disappointing God because of the anointing that he 285 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:38,700 had placed on him but yet in all of David's issues, the Bible 286 00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:42,100 declares to us that God took care of him. 287 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,000 God had proven himself faithful to David. 288 00:22:46,100 --> 00:22:50,000 Our primary focus today in this scripture text is less about 289 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:54,000 what happened to David in God's provision, although that's very 290 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,200 good and very great. My focus today in this message 291 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:02,100 to you is more about where God took care of David. 292 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,800 Less about the walk and more about the where for the Bible 293 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:13,600 declares in Psalms, 18 and verse 2, the Lord is my rock. 294 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,600 Everybody say rock. We're going to stop right there 295 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,100 and just focus on that portion of scripture. 296 00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:24,700 The Lord is my rock. The word Rock here is from a 297 00:23:24,708 --> 00:23:29,000 very particular word form in the Hebrew language. 298 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,000 It is se la. It is not the Salah that we see 299 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,900 in other. Farms versus that is just simply 300 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:38,500 a musical, rest pronounced the same different word. 301 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:42,700 It is a word that represents more than just your typical rock 302 00:23:42,700 --> 00:23:44,900 or Boulder that you could imagine. 303 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:50,900 But it is the formation of what's known, as a craggy Rock 304 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:53,200 anybody ever heard of a craggy Rock? 305 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,100 I'll feel so much better because I hadn't either. 306 00:23:57,100 --> 00:24:00,300 I had to look it up, craggy Rock. 307 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:04,200 It's, I don't know if it's fun to say or weird to say, but 308 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,900 nonetheless. That's what Salah in the Hebrew 309 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:14,400 stands for is a rock formation that is developed with Crags. 310 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:19,400 A Crag is a rugged, harsh, and tough formation. 311 00:24:20,500 --> 00:24:24,300 They are steep high and uneven brother. 312 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:29,700 Zach if you could help me today and put up the photo, this is a 313 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:36,200 photo in the Judean desert of a craggy Rock. 314 00:24:37,100 --> 00:24:41,700 And if you can just see here this is It's zoomed in, but this 315 00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:46,500 is kind of high up lofty area and you can see it's not smooth. 316 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:52,700 It would be hard to stand on, right, because where you going 317 00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:55,400 to put your feet. You might put a left foot there, 318 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:59,300 but your right foot, maybe over here, that it's not even ground. 319 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,300 It's firm. It's firm Like a Rock but it's 320 00:25:03,300 --> 00:25:06,600 uneven. And if you've got balance 321 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,800 issues, it would be hard to climb. 322 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,200 I'd probably take two steps and fall backwards down the hill 323 00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:18,200 because it's uneven, and it's not death, not easy to navigate. 324 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:23,100 Thank you, brother. Zach, God is Not only a rock, 325 00:25:23,900 --> 00:25:28,600 he's not only the foundation on when we which we stand, but we 326 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:34,200 God delivers us when God puts us in a place that we need to be. 327 00:25:34,700 --> 00:25:38,800 Sometimes we don't know that we are in the place of his 328 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:44,100 Deliverance just yet. We often try to rationalize God 329 00:25:44,100 --> 00:25:47,900 and say, God, I thank you for Lifting me up above my enemy. 330 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,900 I thank you for providing for me and giving me protection, but 331 00:25:51,900 --> 00:25:55,900 God, I can't move here. I can't navigate the situation. 332 00:25:55,900 --> 00:25:58,600 This is not the right place for me. 333 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:02,500 This situation is too tough. These rock formations are too. 334 00:26:02,500 --> 00:26:04,500 Rugged for me. These the cry. 335 00:26:04,700 --> 00:26:06,900 Rags. And these rocks are too abrasive 336 00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:11,200 and harsh for me to walk on. God, what are you expecting me 337 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:13,400 to do here? And the thing that we need to 338 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:18,400 understand today is that God requires total surrender and 339 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,500 total trust when he we need him to deliver us. 340 00:26:23,500 --> 00:26:27,800 When God gets you to a place of safety, your feet might feel 341 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,100 uneven. You're standing might fit not 342 00:26:30,100 --> 00:26:32,800 feel too firm. You might not recognize your 343 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,100 surroundings, but understand today that if God puts you 344 00:26:36,100 --> 00:26:38,400 there, God will prosper you there. 345 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:43,600 Just trust God, trust the hand of God, your situation might not 346 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,000 feel secure. You might be facing hard 347 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,200 decisions. You might be dealing with a 348 00:26:48,208 --> 00:26:50,900 broken heart today. Your life might not. 349 00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:53,100 Look today what it looked like yesterday. 350 00:26:53,600 --> 00:27:01,000 But if you will, hold on to God. And worship him and serve him. 351 00:27:01,300 --> 00:27:03,800 God has got you in the place of safety. 352 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,400 God has got you in a place that you can't navigate it on your 353 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,300 own because he doesn't want you doing it on your own, he wants 354 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:12,200 you trusting him for the next step. 355 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:20,000 David sang in the Psalms 18 and verse to the Lord is my rock. 356 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,100 And my Fortress and my deliverer. 357 00:27:25,300 --> 00:27:30,700 My God, my strength in whom I will trust. 358 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:41,000 Do you understand today what it means to trust? 359 00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:50,300 Total trust. Complete Trust. 360 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:56,800 It requires. Everything. 361 00:28:00,700 --> 00:28:08,600 Trust requires everything. Nearly three years ago I went in 362 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,300 for a routine surgery and as Pastor closed as prayer. 363 00:28:12,300 --> 00:28:14,800 The last words that I said were God, I trust you. 364 00:28:15,900 --> 00:28:18,700 And when I came out, I found out that I had nearly died three 365 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:24,300 times on the table. Vocal cords, slam shut. 366 00:28:27,300 --> 00:28:29,700 Last words out of my mouth Sister Margaret and I meant 367 00:28:29,700 --> 00:28:33,100 every one of them or God I trust you. 368 00:28:35,700 --> 00:28:38,200 And, when I came out, I had asked them. 369 00:28:38,900 --> 00:28:41,800 I had asked them. How would, I know when I wake 370 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:43,400 up? If the surgery went bad. 371 00:28:48,700 --> 00:28:51,800 I asked too many questions sometimes probably but this was 372 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:54,000 a good one. How will I know? 373 00:28:55,100 --> 00:29:00,800 and they said, It was a sinus surgery and he said when you 374 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:06,300 wake up, if things did not go as expected, you'll be surrounded 375 00:29:06,300 --> 00:29:09,100 by a team of nurses, holding your legs and your feet. 376 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,500 So that you don't Go for the face. 377 00:29:15,500 --> 00:29:17,700 Okay, fair enough. Because I want to know what to 378 00:29:17,700 --> 00:29:19,700 expect. I hate surprises. 379 00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:23,300 I'm a recovering control freak. I hate surprises. 380 00:29:24,500 --> 00:29:27,000 Went into surgery. Come out. 381 00:29:28,100 --> 00:29:29,600 And I don't know how long I was out. 382 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,800 I don't know how long all the happenings went. 383 00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:38,100 But when I came out, how surrounded I wanted my head to 384 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:41,300 on the leash this arm to on this arm and a couple at the feet. 385 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,400 And whenever my eyes opened and I saw all those people, I said, 386 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:52,000 dear God, what happened? And the anesthesiologist did it 387 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,600 had gotten so critical the anesthesiologist, stood by my 388 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:59,700 side, the entire time. I was in recovery, waiting on me 389 00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:02,200 to wake up to make sure that I woke up. 390 00:30:04,700 --> 00:30:09,400 And she's patting me. And she say, you're all right. 391 00:30:09,900 --> 00:30:12,600 You're all right. Trying to keep keep everything 392 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,400 down. You're all right. 393 00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:15,800 What happened here? All right. 394 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:17,900 What happened your? You're all right? 395 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:19,900 They wouldn't tell me for a while. 396 00:30:27,700 --> 00:30:31,900 I asked for my wife. You couldn't find her. 397 00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:35,300 We don't have any record of her being here. 398 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:41,400 I got six people holding me down. 399 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,600 And they can't find my wife. And she's telling me, hon, 400 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:49,900 you're alright. Trust. 401 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:56,700 I told him I trusted him. I don't know if all that was a 402 00:30:56,708 --> 00:31:00,400 means to an end for him to find out how much or not, I don't 403 00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:04,800 know today, but what I can tell you is whenever I was in the ICU 404 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,700 ICU room for the next two days, guess where the struggle was? 405 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,200 Right here in my mind in between the ears. 406 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:21,600 And yes, what the enemy of my soul started telling me. 407 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:30,000 Look what trust got you? It was subtle, it was quiet but 408 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:34,100 he was speaking to me. It was it was so obvious that it 409 00:31:34,100 --> 00:31:36,500 was almost Bishop. It was almost as if it were 410 00:31:36,500 --> 00:31:39,200 audible, it wasn't. But it was that's how much in my 411 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:42,100 spirit. I could hear him saying look 412 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:45,700 what Trust. And laying there in bed. 413 00:31:45,700 --> 00:31:47,500 I don't remember. It was the middle of the night. 414 00:31:47,500 --> 00:31:50,200 I don't remember what time it was, but laying there in bed. 415 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:52,600 I remember etching out the words. 416 00:31:53,000 --> 00:32:00,000 I rebuke you in Jesus name, Me tell you something church, if he 417 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:05,300 can steal your trust in God, he will take it away. 418 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:11,600 If he can steal your dependency on God, he will take it away. 419 00:32:12,700 --> 00:32:15,500 I will say to you and I say this with respect to day, but the 420 00:32:15,500 --> 00:32:18,600 reason in this is good not only for this assembly but for every 421 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:22,000 assembly, if you're listening today by way of the internet, I 422 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,200 will tell you that. If you are struggling in your 423 00:32:24,200 --> 00:32:28,100 relationship with God and you have not yet, put your trust in 424 00:32:28,100 --> 00:32:30,900 him. That that is exactly what he 425 00:32:30,900 --> 00:32:35,900 wants from you. Just care for you to come to 426 00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:39,900 church. It's probably a bit happier when 427 00:32:39,900 --> 00:32:43,600 you miss but he doesn't care for you to come as long as you come 428 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,900 and you don't find a place of safety while you're here. 429 00:32:52,300 --> 00:32:55,300 If we go back to verse to brother Zach, he's my Buckler. 430 00:32:56,500 --> 00:32:59,200 That's a bit of a peculiar translation word, but it just 431 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:04,700 simply translates as Shield. Because what happens whenever I 432 00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:10,000 put my trust in him. God puts a shield up, he's 433 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,300 protecting me. I don't always recognize it as 434 00:33:14,300 --> 00:33:18,100 protection because I'm standing on craggy rocks, and I'm 435 00:33:18,100 --> 00:33:20,100 thinking called, watch what you put me here. 436 00:33:22,500 --> 00:33:25,500 God of all places. I thought you were forming. 437 00:33:25,500 --> 00:33:28,000 Why did you put me here? He is for you. 438 00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:32,400 He puts you there on purpose because your next step needs to 439 00:33:32,408 --> 00:33:37,500 be designed by him. He puts you there because he 440 00:33:37,500 --> 00:33:40,400 needs you to trust him for your next step. 441 00:33:43,200 --> 00:33:46,900 It's the Horn of my salvation. He is my high tower. 442 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:52,600 I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised so shall I 443 00:33:52,600 --> 00:34:09,500 be saved from mine enemies? we had, we had a What I would 444 00:34:09,500 --> 00:34:14,000 say. Incredible season of worship 445 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:20,400 last Sunday. One. 446 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:22,900 Now I can only tell you how I feel. 447 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:29,900 All right. One that I believe was way past 448 00:34:29,900 --> 00:34:47,199 due The only reason it happened. was because people, Continue to 449 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:54,100 push continue to press and begin to obey the voice of God. 450 00:34:59,200 --> 00:35:01,600 You want to know where we start to lose our trust in God? 451 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:11,700 Sitting on a church, pew. Filling the worship in here. but 452 00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:18,200 saying, it's not really me. They don't want to hear me 453 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:24,100 tonight. They don't, they don't want to 454 00:35:24,107 --> 00:35:26,400 see me jump. They don't want to, they don't 455 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,100 want to see me. They don't see me, pray. 456 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:30,700 They don't want to see me cry again. 457 00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:38,000 It's fear and intimidation tactic of the enemy. 458 00:35:39,700 --> 00:35:43,200 And he's trying to, he's trying to transform the Apostolic 459 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:48,800 Church into something that we can't even recognize because 460 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:52,300 we're scared of the people that we supposed to love. 461 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:55,700 Tell me how much sense that makes. 462 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,600 We're supposed to love each other, right? 463 00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:04,800 This is what we call our church family, right? 464 00:36:06,100 --> 00:36:09,600 We're supposed to support each other, right? 465 00:36:10,300 --> 00:36:14,300 We're supposed to be the arm in the elbow to help lift somebody 466 00:36:14,300 --> 00:36:18,800 up, right? So why would be be scared of 467 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,800 them or their thoughts, or their actions? 468 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:27,600 If I worship Weekly in, it's not the people. 469 00:36:31,900 --> 00:36:41,200 It's your, it's your Enemy. The person across the aisle from 470 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:51,800 you is not your enemy. The Devil is sometimes we come 471 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:55,800 into the house of God feeling hopeless, I'm about done. 472 00:36:57,500 --> 00:36:59,300 But there is a place of safety here. 473 00:37:00,700 --> 00:37:03,100 If you feel like you've lost what you need today, there is a 474 00:37:03,100 --> 00:37:09,700 place of safety for you. There is a painting of a chess 475 00:37:09,700 --> 00:37:14,300 player. Show the final move on the board 476 00:37:15,100 --> 00:37:18,900 that have been made. The name of the painting 477 00:37:19,900 --> 00:37:23,500 checkmate. Now, if you don't know anything 478 00:37:23,500 --> 00:37:27,800 about chest today, let me explain briefly that checkmate 479 00:37:29,300 --> 00:37:33,700 When you hear the words Checkmate from your opponent, 480 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,800 that means you have no other move left. 481 00:37:38,500 --> 00:37:43,700 You just lost. Over the moon, a man, saw this 482 00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:46,300 painting in an art gallery and it caught his attention. 483 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:51,100 He stared at the painting for a long while and then he, he asked 484 00:37:51,100 --> 00:37:54,900 the attendant in the art gallery for a chair a table. 485 00:37:54,900 --> 00:38:03,200 And a chessboard, The man. Gave the attendee, gave the man 486 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,300 a table, a chair, and a chessboard. 487 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:10,600 And he set that up right in front of that, painting called 488 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:16,100 Checkmate and he studied the painting longer trying to work 489 00:38:16,100 --> 00:38:20,000 out what he saw on the board, that was painted. 490 00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:24,700 He studied it and suddenly a smile came across his face. 491 00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:28,200 He called for the attendee at the art gallery and he said, 492 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:33,700 please Don't get the name of the man who painted this painting 493 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:40,000 and call him. I am a world-class chess 494 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,600 champion. And after studying this 495 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:49,300 painting, I can tell you he still has one move left. 496 00:38:51,700 --> 00:38:54,400 That's where I believe we are today. 497 00:38:54,500 --> 00:38:58,400 If you'll stand with me this morning, if you are here today 498 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:03,000 and you have felt like you've lost ground with God and fear in 499 00:39:03,000 --> 00:39:06,500 life have taken its toll on you emotionally, physically and 500 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:08,400 spiritually. I've come to offer you hope 501 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:11,300 today. You still got one more move. 502 00:39:12,900 --> 00:39:17,400 Hope is not lost. We serve a god of Hope today. 503 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:21,200 We serve a god of Hope. Could you lift your hands this 504 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:26,800 morning all over this sanctuary and just in your own way, quiet 505 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,300 or loud. Just begin to talk to the Lord. 506 00:39:31,100 --> 00:39:33,600 Begin to declare unto him that he is your hope. 507 00:39:34,700 --> 00:39:37,100 He is your peace. He is your deliverance. 508 00:39:38,100 --> 00:39:41,900 I've not come to a Checkmate today, I've come to a place of 509 00:39:41,900 --> 00:39:44,300 safety and I still have a move left. 510 00:39:44,300 --> 00:39:46,200 I still have something that I can do. 511 00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:48,300 I still have a place that I can go to? 512 00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:54,400 And that's the house of God. As many as would this morning. 513 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,400 Thank you for listening. If you would like more 514 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,600 information about our services and activities, you can find us 515 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,800 on Facebook Instagram and Twitter with the username fac 516 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:12,000 MC. Again that's fac MC, thank you 517 00:40:12,100 --> 00:40:13,100 and have a blessed day.