1 00:00:13,120 --> 00:00:15,040 Let's start in prayer Heavenly Father, we just thank you. 2 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,080 We praise you, we magnify your name. 3 00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:19,680 We thank you, father, for each and every person that's in this 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:21,520 room. And Father God, we thank you 5 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,160 tonight as we go to study your word. 6 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:24,880 We thank you that you where we're not returned void. 7 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,480 But Father God, that word will penetrate the hearts and lives 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,520 of each and every one of us and help us to be a a doer of the 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,080 word, not just a hero only, but we thank you that most of all, 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,200 we'll take forth the word word that we hear the spring forth 11 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,000 life on on the inside of us and we'll go out to the highways and 12 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,240 the byways and we'll share the love of Jesus Christ with the 13 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:41,560 lost and dying and hurting world. 14 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,280 Father God, we thank you for Bible to this nation. 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,000 We thank you Father for revival to this generation. 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,000 We thank you for signs, wonders, miracles and healing taking 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,600 place in our midst. And we thank you that we come 18 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:53,480 not in their own strengths, but we come not in their own power 19 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,200 or own ability. We come in your strengths and 20 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,560 your power and your ability that you be lifted up. 21 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:00,200 Father God, we thank you for the Holy Spirit lives big on the 22 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,480 inside of us that leads us and guides us and shows us the way 23 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:04,680 and give this utterance to speak with all boldness the 24 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:06,720 uncompromising gospel of Jesus Christ. 25 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,880 But most of all, Father, we thank you for the anointing of 26 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,800 God that's present tonight. And if anyone is here tonight 27 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,720 going to any kind of situation, whether it be physical, 28 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,920 financial, spiritual, emotional, mental, whatever it might be, we 29 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,680 think that the anointing of God will minister to their minds, 30 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,480 minister to their hearts, ministers to their bodies, 31 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,200 ministers to their souls, will set them free. 32 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,840 By the God, we thank you for everything you have done and 33 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,600 everything you are doing while tearing around the world. 34 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,160 And we give you the praise, the honor, the glory. 35 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,680 In Jesus Christ name we pray, Amen, Amen. 36 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,520 Praise God. So tonight's going to be a 37 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,680 little bit different. I am going to minister to the 38 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:40,640 sick. That's one thing that the Lord 39 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,840 really laid on my heart a number of years ago because God has 40 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:46,840 given me a supernatural healing anointing. 41 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,000 And if you're around when my grandfather was around, he 42 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,680 actually told everyone to have three times his healing 43 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,160 anointing. In fact, in his latter years, 44 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:57,400 most of the time there was sometimes he would actually 45 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,720 preach, he would line people up and then he would say, don't you 46 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,000 want the person who's most anointed to, to pray for the 47 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,880 sick And everyone say yes. And then he said, Craig, come up 48 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:08,560 here and, and pray for the sick. And, and it's interesting 49 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,720 because the other day actually, I happened to be, I was on 50 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,000 victory TVI was doing their victory thong they have, and 51 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,360 there was another minister that was there and we went out to eat 52 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,240 afterwards, a very healthy place called In-n-out Burger. 53 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,960 I'm really healthy. I love In-n-out Burger. 54 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,440 We don't, we don't have them in, in Oklahoma and they do have 55 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,480 them in Texas. And so I went to the healthy 56 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,360 place. And so this guy proceeds to tell 57 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:39,160 me, says now 30 years ago, you didn't priest, but you, you 58 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,320 prayed for the sick and I had debilitating, you know, back 59 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,440 issues that they didn't know if I'd be able to walk again. 60 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,960 And God instantly healed me. I said, it took you 30 years to 61 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,400 give you A to give me a testimony and like, well, Craig, 62 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:55,040 I never really have a that's the first time we probably ever had 63 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,360 eaten together. I said, you had two daughters 64 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,280 that went to rainbow. Your one daughter actually went 65 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,280 through the youth group. I taught the youth group. 66 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,360 She sat on the front row and every one of my classes. 67 00:03:06,920 --> 00:03:09,000 Couldn't your daughter actually give you me your testimony that 68 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,880 you have to weigh 30? You know, here's something else. 69 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,480 You know, when you have a testimony, tell us. 70 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,120 It actually helps us understand, you know what God does use us 71 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,160 sometimes, you know, you know, sometimes. 72 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,720 But also, you know, testimonies are important when people hear 73 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:26,080 and maybe someone else is going through a similar situation. 74 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,400 Well, if God can heal them, then he can heal me. 75 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:30,440 Amen. But tonight I'm going to 76 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:31,960 actually, you know, tonight's Wednesday night. 77 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,560 I know for us Wednesday night, it's almost more like a Bible 78 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,080 study. And I was because they lost, but 79 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:40,240 they didn't really lose my luggage. 80 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,600 I barely got. So I flew into Orlando because I 81 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,560 wanted to go find someplace between Plant City and here. 82 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,960 So I had a 10 minute layover. All right, I don't know if you 83 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:51,880 know a 10 minute layover. It's not enough time for them to 84 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,320 make the the bag connection. So my bags were stuck in 85 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,200 Orlando. They said, well, yeah, we can 86 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,160 mail them to Saint Augustine. It'll take two days. 87 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,480 I'm like, well, I have two days. And so, so I spent the night 88 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,880 last night and in Orlando, really, really super nice cheap 89 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,520 hotel. It's, it's a hotel room. 90 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:12,880 It doesn't matter. A bed's a bed. 91 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,560 And so then I went to pick up my, my luggage, But I'll, I'll 92 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,240 give you a testimony. So, so last night they actually 93 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,560 told me. I said I was, you know, no, I 94 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,840 wasn't complaining. I was just, is there any way you 95 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:25,600 can deliver? Because I tell you what, if 96 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,480 you'll pick it up tomorrow, I'll give you $150.00 travel voucher, 97 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,920 you know, for Southwest Airlines. 98 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,280 I'm like, OK, so I show up today. 99 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,400 They gave me a $250 travel voucher. 100 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:41,680 So, you know, so now I can fly somewhere free because they lost 101 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:43,320 my luggage. So hopefully on the way home, 102 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,000 they'll lose my luggage again, you know, and but anyway, I was 103 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,800 driving up from from Orlando today and I just really felt, 104 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,480 you know, I knew I always minister. 105 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,360 I always pray for the sick, but I just really felt LED to to 106 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,320 minister. I always at our church, I always 107 00:04:59,960 --> 00:05:04,920 the last Sunday in, in the old year or maybe the 1st Sunday in 108 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:06,800 the new year happened to be last Sunday in the old year. 109 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,280 See my, my, my parents, their anniversary is the, is the 30th 110 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:13,480 of December. So they're always out on their 111 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,280 anniversary. So sometimes it, the way it 112 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:17,640 works or whatever. I always have the word for the 113 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,640 year and the word for this year of 2025. 114 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:21,920 I don't know what did, at least for me, might not for you. 115 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,840 It was change changes, all right, and so the Lord gave me a 116 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,560 sermon. You know, we all deal with 117 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,560 changes now. We just changed our calendar. 118 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,680 All right, Some of you are changing your lifestyle and you 119 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,600 know, some of you probably what it was today. 120 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,920 Today's the 8th about three more probably after Friday. 121 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:39,920 You probably quit going to the gym. 122 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,840 But anyway, you know, you know, it is amazing, you know, if 123 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,040 people go to the gym quite a bit, you know, if you show up, 124 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,840 you know, the day after New Year's or whatever at the gym 125 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:54,080 and it's, it's super packed. If, if you'll hang on for three 126 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:58,640 weeks, you're going to find out it's just like it was in 2024. 127 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,920 You know, because people, you know, most changes don't don't 128 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,280 stick or whatever, you know, we have to make change. 129 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:09,600 But you know what? Change is always something that 130 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,160 that needs to take place and, and it's, it's healthy. 131 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:20,320 Change is a is a constant in life, but it's not always easy. 132 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,040 As humans, we often resist change because it disrupts our 133 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,080 comfort zones and challenges our routines. 134 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,960 However, the Bible is filled with stories and teachings that 135 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,280 remind us that change, while difficult, is both necessary and 136 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:37,720 good when it aligns with God's will. 137 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,080 Today we'll explore the difficulty of change, the 138 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,760 necessity of change, and how God equips us to embrace 139 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,120 transformation. You know, it's always good to 140 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:49,920 evolve. Now, you know, we say, people 141 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,320 say, well the word never changes and it doesn't. 142 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,880 But the way we distribute the word changes. 143 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:00,960 Do you realize that my grandfather has almost 250,000 144 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,600 followers on YouTube? Do you know, YouTube wasn't 145 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,800 around when he passed away? You don't know what a YouTube 146 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,880 was. I, I just got a, a thing the 147 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,960 other day that we had like 4 million downloads on YouTube. 148 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,400 You know, we have some, some things over 1,000,000 downloads. 149 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:20,080 And I'm thinking, you know, no one knew what YouTube was a few 150 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,360 years ago. You know, and, and you realize 151 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,080 that if you, for whatever reason, have the opportunity to 152 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,960 have some kind of viral cat video or something like that on 153 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,600 your social media, that now you have a new opportunity to speak 154 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:35,320 the word to these people that, that, that actually tune to 155 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,840 your, your, your social media site because you've put a cat 156 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,480 video. I don't know why you want to put 157 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:43,240 a cat video, but you know, people, stupid things, you know, 158 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:46,280 I will say this at any time that I perform a wedding, you know, 159 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,480 cuz weddings now are some, some of them are streamed live and 160 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,360 some of them are always video. I always tell everybody that I 161 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,880 own the video rights in case something crazy happens to the 162 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,000 wedding. I want to win the $100,000 or 163 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,040 whatever from America's funding some videos. 164 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,680 So, you know, so, so it's always a, a deal. 165 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:04,720 I make you sign a contract. No, I'm just kidding. 166 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:06,520 You know, I own the video rights thing. 167 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,040 But but change is, is evident. You know, there are some 168 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:13,560 companies that didn't that didn't, you know, promote with 169 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,720 the change and they're no longer everyone heard heard of Eastman 170 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,600 Kodak company company who founded in 1888. 171 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:22,920 And you know, the reason that they didn't they didn't really 172 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,720 get to the digital industry because they didn't want to 173 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,240 compete with their film. Now they're no longer in 174 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,400 existence. Remember the Polaroid cameras? 175 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,039 Speaking of cameras, I mean Polaroid remember of Blockbuster 176 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:33,240 video. I probably went to Blockbuster 177 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:37,039 video every Friday night. But you know what change 178 00:08:37,039 --> 00:08:41,240 basically on that situation, change made, made video stores 179 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,080 not not even relevant anymore, you know, and if we don't keep 180 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,000 up with changes, you know, like I said, the word never changes, 181 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,120 but how we, what we do and how we do does change. 182 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,240 I mean, you know, just like, you know, I mean, at one time 183 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:55,600 churches didn't have big screens, right? 184 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,480 You know, one time churches didn't have this that didn't 185 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,520 have that, you know, but but we, we, we were evolving. 186 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,000 And, you know, nowadays if you go into a church without a, a 187 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,520 screen with that puts the scriptures up, you're like, man, 188 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:10,000 where are these guys at? What are they doing? 189 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:11,800 I mean, you know, are we here in the 80s or something? 190 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,960 I mean, you know, I mean, do you realize that one time we didn't 191 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:18,920 carry smartphones, we didn't carry phones at all, right? 192 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,600 You know, but the world changes. And you know, the thing about 193 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,720 it, not everybody likes to change. 194 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:26,880 But you know what? There's 125 year old company 195 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,600 named Stanley. One of the hottest products 196 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:33,560 right now is a pink Stanley Cup. I mean, we're talking about used 197 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:36,440 to, they would sell to construction workers and, and 198 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,040 people that take their lunch to, you know, to, to work or to 199 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,320 school or, or whatever. And, and now they, they, they 200 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,480 reinvented themselves. And so sometimes we have to 201 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,760 reinvent, not reinvent ourselves, but reinvent the way 202 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,800 we do things. So we're talking about change. 203 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,280 Say a little bit, you know, point #1 change is difficult but 204 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,680 possible. The scripture reminds us that 205 00:09:54,680 --> 00:09:57,920 change is often uncomfortable and requires effort. 206 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,440 Ecclesiastes 31 New Living Translation says this for every 207 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:07,120 I think there is a season and a time for every activity under 208 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,480 heaven, there was a time in the season for everything you know 209 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,040 there is. I know a number of years ago we 210 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:18,000 actually had a meeting with my grandfather and from that 211 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,920 meeting spurned a book and it's a great book. 212 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,800 It's called The Midas Touch and it was the book was about 213 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,680 revelation, you know, and people being overabundance on on the 214 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:33,800 financial side, you know, and you know, and every time. 215 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,880 So what? My grandfather actually asked, 216 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,400 well, well, what are some of the teachings going on? 217 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,600 And it's funny because we said, well, this is a new teaching. 218 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,200 My grandfather said, no, you know, that one on the 40s, that 219 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,880 one on the 50s, that one. I mean, I mean, you know, he 220 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:48,280 goes, there is really nothing new. 221 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:50,800 It's just kind of comes around in waves or whatever. 222 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,160 But you know, sometimes we have to have changes. 223 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:55,920 There was a time in the season for everything. 224 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,280 Sometimes we go through certain seasons and sometimes we go 225 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,960 through certain times. Anyway, this first reminds us 226 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,200 that life is filled with season. Some seasons are joyful, others 227 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:11,000 are challenging, but each one requires us to adapt and grow. 228 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,800 You know, sometimes, you know, a challenging season, although was 229 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,840 a challenging time, you know, we turned out that that the things 230 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,960 that we learned during that challenging season can help us 231 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,480 for the rest of our lives. In fact, my, my dad always talks 232 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:28,880 about if you know, his story, he was going to Bible college and 233 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:32,840 because of, because of some things happening, this is during 234 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:37,680 Vietnam that, that he actually ended up dropping below. 235 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:41,680 He wasn't a full time student anymore and it ended up was 236 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:43,760 going to be drafted. So he decided to join the Army, 237 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:47,600 you know, so now he's, you know, he spent three years in Uncle 238 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:50,360 Sam's Army, but he says the things that he learned in the 239 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:55,480 Army, he uses them today. One thing because he has a top 240 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,720 secret crypto clearance or whatever. 241 00:11:58,720 --> 00:11:59,920 I'm not sure all of the stuff here. 242 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:01,200 Well, let's just put it this way. 243 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,000 The Secretary of State came to Taipei, Taiwan, where he 244 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:05,960 stationed and he carried the briefcase. 245 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,120 All right, so, so that's to tell you. 246 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,480 I mean, I mean, he actually had a higher clearance than some of 247 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,200 his superior officers. He couldn't even share. 248 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,200 So so he basically, he won't tell you this, but at one point 249 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,000 in time he was spying on China. But anyway, so that's the whole 250 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,640 a whole another thing. But if he says, you know, he 251 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,720 learned that the things that happened in the Comm center, he 252 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:28,960 couldn't share it with everybody. 253 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:31,360 In fact, there is some stuff he goes that's probably 254 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,160 declassified today, but I still won't share it with anyone 255 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:34,480 because I don't know if it is or not. 256 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,120 And you know, and it's such a big deal. 257 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,800 And so it says that has helped him sometimes to keep things at 258 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,480 work, at work and not bring them home with us. 259 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,240 Because you know, one of the things a lot of times people 260 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,520 have a bad day at work when they come home and they have a bad 261 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:50,440 day at home. But anyway, Hebrews 12/11 says 262 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,720 no discipline is enjoyable. While it's happening, it's 263 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,400 painful, but afterwards there will be a peaceful harvest of 264 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,400 right living. For those who are trained in 265 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:01,960 this way, change often feels like discipline. 266 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:05,160 Sometimes it stretches us and pushes us beyond our limits. 267 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,040 But God uses these moments of discomfort to shape our 268 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,080 character and to prepare us for greater things. 269 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:15,080 You know, sometimes it seems like it's not a, you know, it, 270 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,520 it's a tough season. But man, at the end of that 271 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:19,800 season, everything's going to be OK. 272 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,480 I mean, you know, in my own opinion, the last four years 273 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:24,960 have been a tough season. Praise God. 274 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:26,720 The change is on the way. But that's the whole another 275 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:31,080 thing. You know, think about the 276 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,120 Israelites in the wilderness. I mean, you know, they escaped 277 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,360 bondage from Egypt. But, you know, but while they're 278 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:43,040 doing that, they long for the comforts that they had, you 279 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,600 know, because see, even though they were going to experience a 280 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,040 great change, it's tough because everybody, everybody likes what 281 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,400 they're used to, whether it's good or whether it's not. 282 00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:55,360 You know, they long for the comfort of Eve, even though it 283 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,000 represented slavery. God was leading them to the 284 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,600 promised land, but their journey required them to trust Him and 285 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,680 let go of their old ways. And sometimes we don't want to 286 00:14:03,680 --> 00:14:07,280 let go of our old ways. Sometimes we're comfortable, but 287 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,760 it might not be the best way. You know, one of the things that 288 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,760 we often like in our ministry. I, I don't want to, to do 289 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,480 something because that's the way we've always done it. 290 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,120 And in life, we shouldn't do things. 291 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,400 That's the way, because that's the way we've always done it. 292 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,640 We should do something because it's the best way to do it. 293 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,440 Or, or, or it reaches the most amount of people or, or some the 294 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:29,160 most, you know, the, the, the best way. 295 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:32,440 So, you know, I'm all for change, of course. 296 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,240 I guess that's probably, you know, even though I'm, I'm 297 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,320 probably not one of the young adults, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm, 298 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,680 I mean, so for many, many years, actually, I, I, I did youth and 299 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,280 then young adults or, or whatever. 300 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:47,560 So one time I'm, I'm doing young adults and I put myself, I said, 301 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:50,160 you know, I said we instead of them. 302 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,440 And they're all like, whoa, whoa, whoa, you're not in our 303 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,600 class. I'm like, I'm not that old. 304 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,720 So anyway, but, but, but I used the word we kind of putting me 305 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,560 in there and, and they got offended. 306 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,560 I'm like, so you know, here's the thing. 307 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,880 What's funny, because I remember when I was a kid, my dad played 308 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,040 over 30 basketball and I thought, man, these people are 309 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,320 old, over 30. Well, my, my oldest son just 310 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,120 turned, he turned 30 last year. So I'm like, man, he can play 311 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,320 over 30 basketball. So he's getting old too. 312 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,560 Of course, he's getting old makes me older. 313 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:32,640 So it is what it is. All right, you know, anyway, 314 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,840 transformation requires us to renew our minds daily, seeking 315 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,600 God's truth and aligning our lives with his will. 316 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,840 Find out what God's will is. You know, it doesn't matter. 317 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,720 It's the way you used to do it. You know, it's, you know, like I 318 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,360 said, the word never changes what the methods do, the the way 319 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:50,720 we teach. Do you, you realize that we live 320 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,360 in a society that's more visual? I mean, you know, they're used 321 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,320 to, to, to visualization that they want to see things that 322 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,240 they, they, they learn visually. In fact, I mean, that's one 323 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,280 thing that that has struggled with, with teachers struggling 324 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,000 to, to be able to, to teach these young, these kids, you 325 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,320 know, you know, using the old methods. 326 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:12,320 Of course, I still haven't figured out new math. 327 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,680 I don't know if anyone wants to explain new math to me. 328 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,720 You know, it's just, it's, I get mad. 329 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,760 I help my granddaughter. She's 11 and I'm really good at 330 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:24,600 math. I mean, very good at math. 331 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:26,680 And I'm like, well, I don't understand. 332 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,680 She's like, but Pennsylvania, that's not the way the teacher 333 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,480 does it. I'm like, but then I talked to 334 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,960 the teacher, she goes, I don't really like new math either. 335 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,400 So it's just the way they want us to teach. 336 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,640 And I'm like, in fact, one of the things, one of one of the, 337 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,000 the ways to actually do this new math was to not actually get the 338 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,040 number. And you know, you round it up. 339 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,200 I'm like, why you want to, I want to know I can find the 340 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,920 right, the right number, but they wanted me just to round it. 341 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,320 I'm like, that makes no, I mean, it makes sense. 342 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,160 I'm trying to guess it, you know, if I'm trying to guess, 343 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,520 well, well, you know, is that 12 feet or is that 11 1/2? 344 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,000 You know, I, I, you know, but when it comes down to doing math 345 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:07,520 on paper, why would I round up anyway? 346 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,599 So I actually, I skipped, I skipped ahead. 347 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:15,680 Sorry. Anyway, change necessary for 348 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:16,560 growth. All right. 349 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,000 God's plan for our lives includes transformation. 350 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,640 Without change, we cannot fully step into the purpose He has for 351 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:26,839 us. 2nd Corinthians 517 This means that anyone who belongs to 352 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:30,640 Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone and a new 353 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,840 life has begun. You know what I you know in 354 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,880 Christ we are called to leave behind our old ways and embrace 355 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,520 the new life he offers. There's not just a one time 356 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,720 event, but a continual process of renewal. 357 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,480 I mean we continually to renew our mind. 358 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:49,200 The Bible talks about renewing our mind daily. 359 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,760 You just didn't change one time and it was over. 360 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,080 Now we continue to renew our minds and then sometimes that we 361 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,080 even follow it back into bad habits or old habits or, or 362 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,520 sometimes they're not bad, they're just habits. 363 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,720 We should mean, you know, you know, so you realize that that 364 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:09,720 sometimes the habit itself isn't bad, but, but the fact that I'm 365 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,200 taking too much time out of my, I mean, I should be spending 366 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,680 time doing other things, right? It's not bad to watch TV, not 367 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,960 bad to, to search the Internet or, or, or anything, like I just 368 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:21,200 can search some bad things on the Internet. 369 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,760 But anyway, but, but that's a whole another whole another 370 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,760 thing. But, but you know what, 371 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:30,080 sometimes things are time consuming and they, they take 372 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,760 away from our time with our family, from our time with God, 373 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,640 from our time from our prayer life, from our, from, you know, 374 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,040 all kinds of things. Even though it's not bad, you 375 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,080 know, it's not bad to go to the lake every once in a while. 376 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,360 But if you go to the lake every weekend, you're never going to 377 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:45,680 church. That's not good, you know, you 378 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,200 know, of course, I guess why go to the lake? 379 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:49,400 You guys live close to the ocean. 380 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,280 So I mean, that's, you know, we don't live close to the ocean. 381 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,240 We, we go to the lake. I mean, you know, Oklahoma. 382 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,040 I, I know you guys have lakes as well. 383 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,360 So if you have alligators in your lakes, I'm not really, I'm 384 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:02,280 not, I'm not really cool with the alligator thing. 385 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:06,080 You know, you know, I, I, I don't really want to because 386 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:08,480 I've had people said, so you can go swimming in there, except for 387 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,800 there is alligators there. I'm like, OK, forget I'm not 388 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:16,160 going swimming in there. I had a friend that lived in 389 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:20,160 lives still does live in Lakeland, FL was not too far 390 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:24,720 away and there's a they have this big, you know, I, I it's 391 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:26,280 more like a big pond. It's not really a lake. 392 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,760 It's only like a big pond and it's all seaman and around where 393 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,200 you can do you can walk your dog. 394 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,880 Well, one time they're walking their little dog and that dog 395 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,920 gets eaten by some alligator. What I mean, you know, I'm like, 396 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:38,040 I'm not walking my dog by the lake. 397 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,560 So actually I'm, I'm not even going to go there anyway. 398 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,840 I'm Romans 12/2. Let's go on says don't copy the 399 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:48,480 behavior. I'm reading from new living, by 400 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:49,960 the way. Don't copy the behavior and 401 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:53,080 customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new 402 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,720 person by changing the way you think. 403 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,960 Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is 404 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,200 good and pleasing and perfect. And like I said, transformation 405 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,160 requires us to renew our minds daily. 406 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,360 You know, think about this. A seed. 407 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,880 I mean, you know, seed doesn't say it's seed forever. 408 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,120 You know, basically a seed must change. 409 00:20:13,120 --> 00:20:16,400 It must break open and grow before it can become a tree. 410 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:19,640 The same is true for US. Growth requires change even when 411 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:21,720 it feels like it's breaking apart. 412 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,240 Sometimes it, it feels like everything's, you know, falling 413 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,400 apart. But sometimes what we're doing 414 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,800 is we're going into something new that God has for us. 415 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:31,960 You know, God is with us during the process of change. 416 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,360 You know, you, you know, he's always with you no matter what 417 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:37,120 you do. The Bible says he'll never leave 418 00:20:37,120 --> 00:20:40,120 you nor forsake you. You're never by yourself with 419 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,400 Jesus Christ. He's always there. 420 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:46,280 Now we might not can't see him, but he's always there. 421 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,240 You know, I, I always think about Bible stories. 422 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,600 Remember Zacchaeus, the wee little man, the wee little man 423 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,360 was he, you know, and so climb up Sycamore tree to see, to see 424 00:20:56,360 --> 00:20:58,800 Jesus and, and Jesus says Zacchaeus, I want to come to 425 00:20:58,800 --> 00:20:59,440 your house. He can't. 426 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:01,680 You're going to come to my house, Jesus, I don't want you 427 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,560 to come to my house. Here's the deal. 428 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,440 Whether you want Jesus to come to your house or not, he's there 429 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:08,800 because he's on the inside of you. 430 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:10,960 Wherever you go, you bring Jesus with you. 431 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:13,400 Whether you act like you do or not, he's still there. 432 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,880 All right, so this, this word warned all right, But God is 433 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:18,240 with us during the process of change. 434 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:23,400 One of the most comforting truths about change is that we 435 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,280 do not face it alone. God is with us every step of the 436 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:32,440 way, guiding and empowering. This Isaiah 4110 says don't be 437 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:36,240 afraid for I am with you. Don't be discouraged for I am 438 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,800 your God. I will strengthen you and help 439 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,800 you. I will hold you up with my 440 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,640 victorious right hand. You know what, God will help us 441 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:47,840 and when we have difficulties in life, God's going to help us. 442 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:53,080 He's always there, you know, 24/7, 365 it doesn't matter. 443 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:54,720 I mean, he's not a phone call away. 444 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,680 He all we have to do is call upon his name. 445 00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:59,640 He's always there to help you during your situations. 446 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,400 And I know, you know, for us, it's we're visual. 447 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:04,800 We can't see God, but God is there. 448 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,920 You know, I, I know sometimes we, we want to feel like a Bible 449 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,560 character. You know, God, why are you 450 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,360 forsaken us? He hasn't forsaken us. 451 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:15,560 He's always there and he's always on his time. 452 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:17,680 Not always our, our time is not always his time. 453 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:21,440 The Bible says, and you know, a day with the Lord's like 1000 454 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,880 years. So you know, so if the Lord's 455 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,120 coming, if Jesus coming back in a day, that's 1000 years from 456 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:29,960 now. Now note to self, if you want to 457 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,880 predict when Jesus Christ is coming back, I, I, I would say 458 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,680 that chronologically you should do that when you probably will 459 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,640 be passed away by that time. If not, it destroys your 460 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:40,800 ministry. You know, like the guy that 461 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,640 wrote 88 reasons why the Lord's coming back in 1988 after 88 to 462 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,000 his ministry was kind of done. So, but then there's some people 463 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,920 who's a prophetic people and they prophecy all this stuff and 464 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:52,840 then somehow, some way they make it to the next year. 465 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:54,520 I don't know how, I don't know how people support them. 466 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,600 But anyway, whatever, that's just something's always kind of 467 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:02,040 when change feels overwhelming. God promises his presence and 468 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,080 strength. Of course, my mom's favorite 469 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,800 scripture, Philippians 413 for I can do everything through Christ 470 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:11,520 who gives me strength. You know, there's nothing you 471 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:13,240 can't do. In fact. 472 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,720 Now see, here's the thing working in our ministry, I can't 473 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,160 tell my mom we can't do it because he'll tell us what the 474 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:23,280 Bible says. You can do it because the Bible, 475 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:27,200 you know, I don't know how many you've ever been to our campus 476 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:32,320 or seen it online or whatever. On our stage, we have a globe 477 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,040 that comes down from the from the ceiling on a telescopical 478 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,280 thing, has lights on there around the world and spins 479 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,880 around or anyone seen that globe? 480 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,440 You know, when we dropped the globe, we all, everyone takes 481 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,520 pictures and things like that. Do you realize in 1992, I don't 482 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,920 know about today, 1992, my dad came up with the idea because 483 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:56,000 because in our old auditorium, we had maps of the countries on 484 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,960 the wall and we had lights in there where we had Ramos or 485 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:00,680 whatever. And so they weren't, I wasn't a 486 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,840 globe, but it was like, so we moved to the news thing. 487 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:07,200 My dad goes, let's have a globe. So we called around. 488 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,200 We actually called people at Disney, Universal, Six Flags, 489 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,640 different companies and says cuz surely someone has a globe that 490 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,160 comes down the ceiling. We couldn't find anybody. 491 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:23,280 I remember sitting in mom's office and telling my mom, man, 492 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,600 we can't find anyone that's that's ever done that. 493 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,120 And my mom's like, well, surely. Well, actually dad came around. 494 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,360 Well, I mean, how hard is, I mean, we can sings, telescope 495 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:32,960 and things spin around and put lights. 496 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,920 I mean how, how hard it can do so. 497 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,040 So then next time I sent my mom's office, I said, here's 498 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:39,880 what I said. We can do it. 499 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:41,800 You know, like the movie, you know, you can do it. 500 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,800 You know, we can do it. I don't know what it's going to 501 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:53,840 cost, but we can do it. That globe cost 6 figures and 502 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,160 who knows what would cost today to do it So anyway, But it's 503 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,720 there. So because we can do all things 504 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,520 through Christ, that strengthens us. 505 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,360 That's also how I ended up writing some of the Rainbow's 506 00:25:06,360 --> 00:25:10,240 alma mater because I don't write songs and anyone sings, unlike 507 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:12,960 Barry Manilow, the right songs that everyone sings. 508 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,880 But that was my mom came up with the idea because we had a song 509 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,240 that that David Ingalls had written that we've taken it for 510 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,040 our alma mater. And my, my mom came up with the 511 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,320 idea of, hey, we need to arrange an alma mater for our school, 512 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,600 everyone. So, so I had a guy who works for 513 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:29,240 me. That's what he does. 514 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,560 He writes, he writes music. I had him write the song for me. 515 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:34,440 He gave it to me. I played it for mom. 516 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,040 Mom's like that. That's a good start. 517 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:40,520 And, and it is part of the song he goes, but we need to add some 518 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,640 to it. And so I told Joel, I said, we 519 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,160 need to add some too. I'll give you a month to 520 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,680 rewrite. And he goes a month came and 521 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:50,200 went, Craig, I don't have anything. 522 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,000 So go sit at my mom's office once again and says, we, we 523 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,800 don't have anything for, you know, And so my mom goes, well, 524 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,040 we're going to write this alma mater. 525 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:03,480 And then she, she proceeds to tell me exactly what she I'm, 526 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,520 I'm looking at her. You know, at first I'm not 527 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,680 writing anything down, looking at her like, well, what, you 528 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,320 want me to write it? Because I don't care who writes 529 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,000 it. Someone's going to write this. 530 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,840 I'm a monitor. I'm like, so I mean, it's pretty 531 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:18,280 easy. My mom says if you know, random 532 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,040 graduation, he says, I want you to imagine this. 533 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:23,120 This song is written for random graduation. 534 00:26:23,120 --> 00:26:27,040 They're standing there, you know, at graduation, their 535 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,280 graduation night. So I wrote the first line 536 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:35,080 standing here today. Next line is and you're real 537 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,600 divine. And then then she was talking 538 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:41,360 about, you know, thinking about their two years I spent there. 539 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:45,120 So I came up with a reflecting back to a precious time. 540 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:47,880 So to the world. I was trained to go remember 541 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:48,600 top. We wanted to need it. 542 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,920 So anyway, we wrote the song. So, I mean, I don't write songs, 543 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,840 but you know, figured it out somehow, some way, because you 544 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:58,120 can't tell my mom. No, you know what you know, so 545 00:26:58,120 --> 00:27:03,080 she can't tell no is God you, you, you realize some of the 546 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,920 people God has called to do things, if you look at, at their 547 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,120 strengths and weaknesses and things like that, there, there's 548 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:09,440 no way they could have done that. 549 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:14,160 Now, one thing God does do is he doesn't give us the whole plan. 550 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,520 You know, he doesn't give you the 25 year plan in year 1 551 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,560 because if he did, it would scare the fire out of you. 552 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,000 You know, just take it step by step. 553 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,360 Some people ask me, you know, all the time said, whoa, whoa, 554 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:27,320 where's Raymond going to be in the next 25 years? 555 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,680 I got no clue. I'm just, I'm just here, I'm 556 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,800 just catching up. All right, You know what we're 557 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:32,880 going to do? We're going to have more 558 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:34,360 schools. We have 300 schools right now. 559 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:36,680 I mean, eventually we're going to have 1000 schools. 560 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,480 When is it going to happen? I don't know, you know, but you 561 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:42,320 know, I mean, you know, I always, I, I use the Back to the 562 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:43,640 future thing. We're going to do the same thing 563 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,440 over and over again because that's what that's what, you 564 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:50,400 know, that's what we do anyway. No matter how difficult to 565 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,760 change, we can endure and overcome through Christ's power. 566 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,360 He's always with us. You know, Remember when Peter 567 00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:59,880 stepped out of the boat? I mean, how tough is it a step 568 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:03,960 out of a boat on water? I mean, think about that. 569 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,920 I mean, you know, and I always, you know, a lot of times when we 570 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,560 hear the story about Peter stepping out in the in the boat 571 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:13,000 and you know, eventually Peter does fall and people laugh about 572 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,840 that. But you know what? 573 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,160 I'd rather be a wet water Walker than a dry boat center. 574 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:20,760 There's eleven other disciples that sat in the boat and watched 575 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,120 Peter walk on the water. And you realize, besides Jesus, 576 00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:25,560 Peter's the only man on record that walked on the water. 577 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,600 All right? But it was a step of faith. 578 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:35,040 It wasn't a natural thing. It wasn't a normal thing. 579 00:28:35,240 --> 00:28:37,480 But when Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on the water, 580 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:40,600 he had to embrace change. I mean, this probably felt 581 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:45,080 pretty weird to step out walking on water, leaving the safety of 582 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,680 the boat and trusting Jesus completely. 583 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:52,680 You know what, as long as he focused on Jesus, there was no 584 00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:54,920 problem. But Peter began to look at the 585 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,640 winds and the waves and all the things around about him, and he 586 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:01,400 faltered. But when he faltered, Jesus was 587 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,680 there to catch him and help him continue on his journey. 588 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,960 I'm here to tell you, when we have changes in life, we have to 589 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:12,480 focus in on Jesus. You know, and sometimes the 590 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,880 reason we're have to change because of winds and waves and 591 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,760 different things like that, but we have to not look at the 592 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,400 winds, not look at the waves, because even though winds and 593 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:23,480 waves do come, it doesn't matter because we got Jesus. 594 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,880 Why worry about winds and waves when Jesus is with you? 595 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:31,320 Because as long as he focusing on Jesus, he was able to walk on 596 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,600 the water. But when you begin to look at 597 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:35,760 the outside and look at the thing, you know, there's 598 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,880 sometimes people are going on doing things for God or or 599 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:41,160 whatever. Then they begin to to you know, 600 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,240 people say, well, you can't do that. 601 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:45,760 I mean, like, you know, who has started church in the day, 602 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:47,560 today's climate or all these kind of things. 603 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,760 You know what, it doesn't matter whether it it's naturally sound, 604 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,440 sound or not, as long as it's God's plan. 605 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:58,080 That's something else. God's plan is not man's plan. 606 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:03,760 See, sometimes that we as men were like, well, they're doing 607 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:06,240 it, so we should do it too. Well, you know what? 608 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,080 That's the same mentality. If everybody else comes up, jump 609 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:09,520 off the Cliff, you're gonna jump off after him. 610 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,520 I mean, you know, just because somebody else is doing, because 611 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,840 some, you know, there used to be people, well, they're not doing 612 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,720 that in Tulsa anymore. Well, who cares what we do in 613 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,160 Tulsa? It's cold in Tulsa anyway right 614 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,600 now. So you know, I know you guys 615 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:27,720 think it's cold, but OK, the other day that it was 15° in 616 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,160 Tulsa with the windshield effector, it says it feels like 617 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:40,280 1 and I was out walking dogs. It's cold. 618 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:45,960 So, you know, we'll, I'll take your 48° or 50° weather or 619 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:47,680 whatever. I know you might be bundled up 620 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:48,960 in a coat and I'm wearing shorts. 621 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:51,800 OK, You know, maybe not wearing shorts because it was kind of 622 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,040 cold, especially when I landed in Orlando. 623 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:57,240 It was like 40 something. It was 41 last night, felt like 624 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:00,520 30-4. And Craig put his coat in his 625 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:02,200 luggage. That didn't show up in Orlando. 626 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:07,200 So so Walmart hadn't actually I had trouble finding a sweatshirt 627 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,160 at Walmart by the way, because you know, you guys don't 628 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,240 normally I mean that if I wanted a swimsuit or shorts, no 629 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:16,320 problem. You guys have you know, and you 630 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,680 have lots of short sleeved shirts that just came out, you 631 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:20,680 know, brand new. I haven't seen them are Walmart. 632 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:23,840 We don't got that yet. You know, you guys have the you 633 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:25,920 know, swimsuits out. Your Walmarts are all ready for 634 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,120 the summertime. That was cold. 635 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,080 So I did find a Florida sweatshirt and I got a Florida 636 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:36,640 Gators T-shirt too as well. So, you know, so I actually have 637 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:40,720 most of the SEC T-shirts starting with Alabama. 638 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,080 You know, I'm a huge, I'm not really a huge Alabama fan, but I 639 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,240 went to an Alabama game which and I posted it on social media, 640 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:49,240 which became I was a huge Alabama thing. 641 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,280 So every time Alabama gets beat, I get yelled. 642 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,360 I mean, it's like, ha ha, Craig, Alabama got beat. 643 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:58,560 I'm like, I don't care. I'm an Oklahoma State fan, but 644 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,160 that's even worse. But you know what I mean? 645 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:04,280 That's it's just terrible. I mean, we did terrible in 646 00:32:04,320 --> 00:32:05,280 football. Maybe we'll do better 647 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:06,480 basketball. I don't know. 648 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:10,720 But So what happened? And so I had Alabama gear. 649 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,320 So when I had Alabama gear, other people from the SCC. 650 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,920 So so then I showed up, someone showed up with an Auburn shirt 651 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,320 and then I had a Kentucky shirt. Then I got a Tennessee shirt. 652 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,120 So I'm working on the whole SCC. So, you know, actually Oklahoma 653 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:25,080 now is an SEC. I still have an Oklahoma serve 654 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:27,240 for whatever I've had them over the years, but I'll have one 655 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:31,520 right now, all right? So embracing change can bring 656 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:34,280 blessings, all right. When we submit to God's leading 657 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,160 and embrace change, He brings about blessings and growth we 658 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:41,360 could never achieve on our own. Jeremiah 2911 says, for I know 659 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,920 the plans I have for you, says, O Lord, they are plans for good 660 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:49,240 and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope. 661 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:51,960 I'm here to tell you, sometimes when you're following that plan, 662 00:32:51,960 --> 00:32:53,840 you're like, God, is this really your plan? 663 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,320 Is this really the plan that you have for my life? 664 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,720 Because it doesn't seem like it's, it's a plan for a future 665 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,560 and a hope. But you know what, stay in the 666 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,840 boat, maybe get out of the boat. I don't know what you need to 667 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,720 do, but but just, you know, stay with Jesus because sometimes 668 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:11,840 he'll navigate us through a a tough season, but at the end of 669 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:14,360 the tough season, you know, things are going to be a lot 670 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:16,480 better. You you never know. 671 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,880 And then sometimes, I mean, you know, if you hear my dad's, you 672 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:21,880 know, story when he came to work for Kenneth take in ministries, 673 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:23,920 he didn't preach. He wasn't a preacher, even 674 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,640 though he became a so he was an associate pastor and preached 675 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:29,040 every Sunday night. He came to work for the ministry 676 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:32,760 and he was the announcement guy. That's all he did make 677 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,400 announcements and book meetings, you know, and so he says it 678 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:40,240 seemed like that that it wasn't it wasn't going to be promotion. 679 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:42,640 It seems like it it was a demotion, but God had other 680 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,200 plans, you know, that that was just a stepping stone for what 681 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,120 God really had. I don't care. 682 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:49,640 I still like making announcements. 683 00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:52,200 I still make announcements all the time is one of my favorite 684 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,120 things to do. And you know, I like making 685 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:57,040 announcements. So, you know, in fact, one time 686 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:00,400 when, when I had a person that says Craig, you know, I always 687 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,640 when you make announcements or whatever, I never took you 688 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:04,400 seriously. I actually heard you preach one 689 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,040 time. He goes, you know, you should 690 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:07,040 have quit and making announcements. 691 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:08,800 I'm like, why? I like making announcements. 692 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:12,120 You know, I like having fun. Sometimes it doesn't matter. 693 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:13,800 But you know what, God knows the plans. 694 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,280 And sometimes we're like, man, God, is this really the plan? 695 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:20,320 I mean, stick with the plan, but make sure it's God's plan, not 696 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,560 your plan. It's not man's plan. 697 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,199 It's God's plan. Gleason, 69, says this. 698 00:34:26,199 --> 00:34:31,280 So let's not get tired of doing what is good at just the right 699 00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:33,960 time. We will reap a harvest of 700 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,840 blessings if we don't give up. You know what? 701 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:40,719 Don't give up. The only way you lose is you 702 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:44,440 give up. As long as you keep fighting, 703 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:47,600 you are victorious in crises. The Bible already says we win. 704 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,239 We're winners and not losers. We're head and not tails. 705 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,440 We're above and not beneath. But there are sometimes when it 706 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,560 seems like the score is 49 to 0 and you're in the fourth quarter 707 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,720 and you're backed up to fix the score, another touchdown and 708 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:05,000 you're thinking, you know, whatever. 709 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:08,360 And and that's when I bring in Tom Brady. 710 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:12,120 I think about the, remember the Super Bowl, Atlanta Falcons, you 711 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:16,920 know, and it was Atlanta, you know, it seemed like the game 712 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,840 was over at half time. And the New England Patriots, 713 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,280 not one of my favorite teams, but but they came back and they 714 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,120 won the game. Why? 715 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,120 Because they decided just to keep playing. 716 00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:28,800 They couldn't. You know, a lot of teams give up 717 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:33,200 at halftime. A lot of people give up, you 718 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:35,720 know, It's just too tough. It's too hard, you know, How can 719 00:35:35,720 --> 00:35:38,560 these things be too tough or too hard when you have Jesus Christ 720 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:41,760 with us at all times? It can't be too tough and too 721 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:42,880 hard. You know what? 722 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:46,280 Persevering through change allows us to experience the 723 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:50,120 harvest God has promised. If you just keep at it, you 724 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,920 know, you don't reap the harvest overnight, you know? 725 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:57,440 I know my grandfather tells the story that when him and my 726 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:01,480 grandmother got married, he said he had, he had a dime in his 727 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,640 pocket. That's all the money he had. 728 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,520 He says at that time a candy bar was $0.05. 729 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:09,440 So he went and purchased 2 candy bars and said, you know, the 730 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:13,080 only place that God can take us now is up because we, we can't 731 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:15,840 go any further. I mean, we, we can't go any 732 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:17,680 further. I mean we're, we're already at 733 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,280 0. So he said I started my marriage 734 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,480 with nothing, but God blessed him. 735 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:25,640 And I know God can bless you when you sneeze, but that's a 736 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,440 whole other thing. But, you know, I don't know what 737 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,440 some of you guys said. Whenever you see these people 738 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:32,400 used to say God bless you, even though they don't care whether 739 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:33,880 you're blessed or not. But anyway, they say that, all 740 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:37,720 right, Well, you know, consider Paul's transformation. 741 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:41,080 You know, he once was a persecutor of Christians, and 742 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:46,040 then he embraced a radical change after encountering Jesus. 743 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:48,960 Through that change, Paul became one of the greatest apostles, 744 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,280 spreading the gospel to countless people. 745 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:55,920 And Paul pinned things that I quote on a daily basis. 746 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,080 I mean, think about that. What if Paul would have never 747 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:04,960 changed Our Bible look a lot different, you know, and, and 748 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:08,240 the thing about it is, is that, you know, sometimes too, it's 749 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:12,400 hard, you know, to think about what Paul's former life, you 750 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,680 know, you know, I mean, do you realize that there were probably 751 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:18,360 times where he encountered the families of some Christians that 752 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,840 he put to death, you know, and something, you know, I don't 753 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,160 know what Paul thorn, but that might have been for me. 754 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,760 That would have been kind of a thorn, you know, feeling bad or 755 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:28,560 whatever. But you know what, God had a 756 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:31,160 plan for him. He had a plan for him. 757 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:33,680 And it was a radical change, though some changes aren't that 758 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:35,720 that radical, you know, like that. 759 00:37:35,720 --> 00:37:41,440 But you know, you know, God can help us through every season. 760 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:43,520 You know, how do we embrace change? 761 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:45,680 Well, number one, we pray for guidance. 762 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:49,680 We, we should seek God's wisdom and direction through prayer. 763 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:52,720 Now, most of you probably know the Scripture, James 15 says, if 764 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:56,280 you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give 765 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:59,320 you, give it to you. He will not rebuke you for 766 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,880 asking. You know, if you need anything, 767 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:03,600 all you have to do is ask our generous God. 768 00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:07,520 Not just wisdom, but you know what, sometimes we need wisdom 769 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:12,280 in life and some of the last. It is interesting because our 770 00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,880 human nature, a lot of times the last thing we do is pray. 771 00:38:16,200 --> 00:38:18,560 The first thing we do is like, well, how, how am I going to do 772 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:19,440 it? Well, first of all, you got to 773 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:21,680 get rid of the eye mentality and think about the weed mentality. 774 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:23,840 How are we going to do it? Because everything you do should 775 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,120 should be with God on your side anyway. 776 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:31,480 Number two, trust God's timing. Remember that God worked in his 777 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,640 perfect timing. All right, Proverbs 3 five and 778 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:39,000 six says trust the Lord with all your heart and do not depend on 779 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,560 your own understanding. Seek his will and all you do and 780 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,960 he will show you which path to take. 781 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:48,520 I like the point where it it says do not depend on your own 782 00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,760 understanding. Sometimes whenever you're 783 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:54,800 embracing change, you don't understand why it doesn't seem 784 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,000 like like this is what God wants me to do. 785 00:38:57,200 --> 00:38:59,800 But you know what, quit trying to figure it out in your own 786 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:02,080 head because there's so many times we can't figure out in our 787 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,200 own head. And you know, you just quit 788 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:08,160 asking and seek his will. Trust Him with all your complete 789 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:12,400 heart 110% Give us, say God, you're in control. 790 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:14,400 You're, you're, you're going to have to help me through this. 791 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:16,440 I, I don't know how to do it myself. 792 00:39:17,360 --> 00:39:20,240 You know, sometimes I have a saying, let go and let God just 793 00:39:20,240 --> 00:39:23,400 let you know, let God work. Because if you could have done 794 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,080 it on your own, you would have already done it on your own. 795 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:27,560 But you can't, you're not able to. 796 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:32,440 You know, sometimes we have to take small steps of faith, you 797 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:36,320 know, embrace one change, one step at a time, trusting God is 798 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,560 leading you forward. You know, sometimes, and I, I 799 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:43,040 think it's better when God only gives us one step, because I 800 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,120 think when he gives us too many steps, you know, it, it, your, 801 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:47,520 your brain's like, I can't do that. 802 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,680 I mean, one time I was there was one of one of my employees and, 803 00:39:53,480 --> 00:40:01,040 and actually she had a, a, a young gentleman ask her to, to 804 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:04,480 marry him. And at the time she, she was a 805 00:40:04,480 --> 00:40:07,040 Raymond graduate. He was not he, he sang on his, 806 00:40:07,240 --> 00:40:10,000 on his local, you know, church. And that's why they, they met 807 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:12,800 because she was a singer, singer was a Raymond singer in a band. 808 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:15,240 And they, they met. He, she went to go do a worship 809 00:40:15,240 --> 00:40:17,240 thing at, at their church. They ended up meeting, they 810 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:19,920 ended up starting dating and all, all these kind of things. 811 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:23,600 And so she's like, so the guy asked her to marry him and he 812 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:24,760 goes, well, let me talk to Craig. 813 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:28,400 I mean, that was actually what she said, but that was so she 814 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,600 came talk to me. She says, I don't know what to 815 00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:35,360 do because, you know, I said, well, what do you feel that God 816 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:37,000 has for you? She goes, I don't want to tell 817 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:38,640 you. I'm like, I'm like, well, why? 818 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:41,320 Because if I tell you, then you're going to think I can't do 819 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:42,480 it. I said I would never think you 820 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:46,280 can't do it, you know, but because my, my whole point was 821 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:48,800 if you marry this guy, he's not in the ministry. 822 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:51,800 And if he never gets in the ministry, you knew that whenever 823 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:55,520 you married him. So if that's something, you 824 00:40:55,520 --> 00:40:58,480 know, now I know. I mean, you know, Joyce Meyer, 825 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:00,960 her husband's not really in the ministry your per SE. 826 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:03,680 They've gone pretty well. But you know, not everybody 827 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:06,640 wants to to be Joyce Meyer's type husband, you know, you 828 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:09,480 know, or whatever. I mean, he was a businessman, 829 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:13,280 did very well financially as well as stuff. 830 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:17,280 And, you know, so they end up they end up did get married, you 831 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:19,280 know, because we talked, we talked it out. 832 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:22,200 I mean, you know, I mean, I said, I can't tell you what to 833 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:24,240 do. I'm not here to, to, to, to be. 834 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:27,360 I mean, I'm here to give you, give you things to think about, 835 00:41:27,360 --> 00:41:29,480 to pray about or whatever. And they end up getting married 836 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:31,360 or whatever. Lo and behold, three years 837 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:32,760 later, he end up coming to Raymond. 838 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:36,440 Now he's a pastor, all right. And so God still worked 839 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:38,320 everything out. But at the time she didn't, you 840 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:42,960 know, she didn't know that, you know, and he didn't know that. 841 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,720 I mean, he was, and actually because of his job, he was 842 00:41:46,720 --> 00:41:50,720 actually able to transfer his job into work from home. 843 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:53,160 And I think he actually still works for that same company 844 00:41:53,160 --> 00:41:55,400 because able to do it wherever he is. 845 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:59,520 And God has blessed him, you know, and you know, but you 846 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:01,840 know, it was, it was a radical change and she didn't know if 847 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:03,880 that's what she wanted to do. And I didn't know if that's what 848 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:06,080 she wanted to do. And it wasn't my, my decision 849 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,240 to, to help her or to not. But thank God, she just took it 850 00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:13,080 one step at a time and God worked it out, you know, God 851 00:42:13,080 --> 00:42:14,960 worked it out. And some, you know, just one 852 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,760 step at a time. You know, that's the thing with 853 00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:19,360 Peter. He's had to take one step at a 854 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:20,880 time. If you take one step at a time 855 00:42:21,080 --> 00:42:24,240 and focus in on Jesus, you're going to make it, you know. 856 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:28,040 So also we should stay in the community. 857 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:31,720 Surround yourself with others who encourage and support you in 858 00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:36,480 your journey of transformation. Everybody needs 4 good friends, 859 00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:39,720 you know. Think about there in Luke 860 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:43,640 chapter 5, whenever there was a paralytic man and they'll let 861 00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:48,160 him down before Jesus. It says the place was filled and 862 00:42:48,280 --> 00:42:51,800 it says the power of God was present to heal them all. 863 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:54,600 Only one person that got healed. That's the guy that came from 864 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:56,480 the roof. But you know what these four 865 00:42:56,480 --> 00:42:59,080 friends without any kind of ropes or any kind of what 866 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:01,440 whatever, they figured out a way to get this guy to the house up, 867 00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:03,800 tear off the people's roof and let him down before Jesus. 868 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:06,680 Thank God, you know, if it wasn't for those four friends, 869 00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:08,680 this guy could have never gotten in the in the place. 870 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:12,680 Thank God he surrounded himself with four guys that weren't they 871 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:15,160 weren't going to leave that place until that man got healed. 872 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:20,680 I preached a sermon one time is who would drive your white 873 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:26,080 Bronco. Now when I said that most of you 874 00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:31,720 and if you Google white Bronco, you are going to see the OJ 875 00:43:31,720 --> 00:43:34,960 Simpson chase. Does anyone know who drove the 876 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:38,320 OJ Simpson white Bronco? His name is Al Callings. 877 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:43,920 Al Callings risk his life. Maybe, you know, I mean, when Al 878 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,480 Callings went on to who knows what's going to happen to Al 879 00:43:46,480 --> 00:43:49,280 Callings? Anybody went to prison for for 880 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:52,240 harboring a fugitive. But you know what? 881 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:55,160 This guy cared enough about his friend that he was willing to 882 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:58,720 drive a white Bronco being chased by police, being chased 883 00:43:58,720 --> 00:44:01,520 by helicopters, being chased by all kinds of things. 884 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:04,360 You know, and actually, I actually freaked the sermon to 885 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:07,640 young adults who would do you have someone that that loves you 886 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:11,080 that much that'd be willing to risk everything to drive your 887 00:44:11,080 --> 00:44:12,720 white Bronco, because those are the kind of people you go to 888 00:44:12,720 --> 00:44:16,440 surround yourself with someone who's willing to to go to bat 889 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:18,760 for you because they care about you enough. 890 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:20,440 Now, hopefully you're not obeying the law. 891 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:21,760 That wouldn't probably be a good thing. 892 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:24,320 But but you got my point. All right, You know, somebody 893 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,160 who's there and thick or thin, they're, they're there to back 894 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:32,280 you, to stand with you, to pray with you, to encourage you to to 895 00:44:32,280 --> 00:44:35,520 be your strength whenever, whenever you're weak and and to 896 00:44:35,520 --> 00:44:37,320 be there for you. We we all need those kind of 897 00:44:37,320 --> 00:44:40,800 people and then, you know, and a lot of times people try to do 898 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:42,280 things alone. All right. 899 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:45,880 In conclusion, change is never easy, but it's necessary for 900 00:44:45,880 --> 00:44:49,640 growth and transformation. Through His Word, God reminds us 901 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:53,040 that He is with us in every season of change, equipping us 902 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:55,920 with His strength and guiding us toward His purpose. 903 00:44:56,160 --> 00:45:00,000 As we face change, let us hold on to His promises, trust His 904 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:04,120 plans, and embrace the new life He is creating within us. 905 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:07,080 Remember the words of Philippians 16. 906 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,640 I didn't give them the scripture, being confident of 907 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:13,440 this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to 908 00:45:13,440 --> 00:45:16,040 completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 909 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:20,520 Let us move forward with faith, knowing that God is making all 910 00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:22,960 things new. You know God will help you 911 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:25,680 through the changes of seasons, through the changes of life, 912 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:28,520 through whatever you, whatever you, but I want you to focus in 913 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:30,160 on God. Amen.