02-13-23

The speaker starts by apologizing for being late and mentions watching the news about the Super Bowl. They greet and exchange pleasantries with various individuals. They ask where everyone is from and discuss the Super Bowl game. They mention a conversation about the Bible and faith with friends. The speaker talks about the importance of prayer and offers prayers for different individuals and situations. They discuss the concept of suffering and finding strength in weakness. They emphasize the need to trust in God's grace and not rely solely on evidence. The speaker encourages helping others and being part of the solution. They discuss the importance of enduring hardships and staying focused on God. They reference a Bible passage about making disciples and encourage discipline in following Jesus. They address doubts and difficulties in maintaining faith. mmm good morning I'm sorry I'm late sorry I'm running a little late this morning just watching the news regarding the Super Bowl good morning good morning good morning good morning hope hope you're all having a great morning so far praise God another day whoo all right good morning good morning good morning everybody I hope you're all doing good on this beautiful Monday morning amen good morning from Jenny and Ralph good morning Jenny and Ralph Ralph good morning good to see you good to see you Jenny good morning you do a big job for Jesus Christ well you know what it's Jesus thank you so much God is good all the time and all the time God is good praise God good morning Temple Texas good morning sir good to see you this morning good morning Melanie Brown miss Melanie Brown good morning this morning hope everybody's doing good tell you what real quick give me a shout out from where everybody's from I see Temple Texas where's everybody from where we going I'm just going to talk this morning just going to talk good morning pastor good morning good morning we got Dallas Texas you know I love the Dallas Cowboys what back-to-back folks from Dallas Texas we got Indiana Washington DC Raleigh North Carolina from Virginia we got some folks Reno Nevada Florida I love it San Francisco is there any other the Bay Area I love it I love it Fort Lauderdale Florida we got Indiana oh I love it look at this Massachusetts South Carolina I love it I love it look at this Wow Maryland I love it look at this what a great group of people from all over got Texas eat Texas Pennsylvania Mobile Alabama Arkansas I love Arkansas good folks there Arizona how you doing Arizona how come you haven't come by the church and seen us how come you haven't come by the church and say hello on a Sunday one day come on would love to meet you all right everybody Kentucky hey man thought I had my Kentucky Cup anybody watch the Super Bowl any thoughts on the Super Bowl any thoughts Johnson you better quit playing our matching day got a hoodie in the same color on today there you go great minds think alike right love it love it I wanted Eagles to lose all right great game it was a good game no doubt about it it was a good heartbreaking way to end the game with that call yeah did you watch it you know what we were at a friend's house and we didn't really get to watch it we it was on but we were fellowshipping and we didn't have time to report we had time but we were so into our conversation we didn't really get a chance to really watch it like we should have so I'm gonna have to say I was in the room it was on but I wasn't paying attention you know I saw maybe the end part I really watched but from what I saw it seemed like a pretty good game some comments live were filtered to protect the community experiment oh there you go where are you located I am located at Wyoming I'm located in Arizona exactly a place called Queen Creek Arizona to be exact so Arizona Wyoming good to see you good to see you those of you here in Arizona you should come by the church and visit especially on for study we got a young man named Ricky that's preaching and he's 27 just turned 27 years old just a wonderful preacher hey have the same scarf in that cool and that cool me too I was in the room the score was always closed I knew it was probably good yep God is watching all of us let us turn away from our sinful desires a man Tennessee Tennessee God is near matter of fact that was the conversation last night with this group of beautiful people a gentleman named Nick and his wife to Vita they invited us over and we just talked about probably 90% of our conversation was the Bible I got questions from them about tick-tock and you know some of the things I get asked and so on etc so we really didn't pay attention to game but we were talking about the Lord so a man a man all right that's a Palestinian scarf but I am NOT Palestinian I just love the scarf when I was in the military and we'd be a when we would be in the doing some things we I would wear my scarf to minimize the exposure to dust and wind so there you go there you go where else is anybody from where else is anybody from so let's let's bring up the obvious anybody here the National Anthem or I should say the National Black Anthem at the game and what's your thoughts on that anybody Tennessee Maryland yes Oklahoma Jamaica got Ohio Georgia Nebraska Tennessee you got Massachusetts again the Netherlands all right your father's lost my job a Monday due to the office could use prayer devil's been leaving okay father God would come in the name of Jesus with regard to this individual lost their job Lord you know the need father you said in your word if you do not work you do not eat father God and I pray that you would open the door Lord this door has been closed we will accept that but Lord we pray that you would just bless this individual who wants to work father I pray that you would just bless them with the opportunity to work father we ask this in the name of Jesus a man all right remember we say we do the possible God that's the impossible let's make something happen let's get out there and make something happen let's not sit back and and and feel sorry for ourselves let's get out there and make something happen you preach the righteousness talk to me what do you mean by that you preach the righteousness break that down for me by what you mean what you mean let me matter of fact hang on let's see man well it break that down for me righteousness the righteousness of God the righteousness of Jesus that we are saved by grace absolutely not not by works it is faith faith alone I preach that but break it down what you mean by that can I get a prayer from my boss he's gone through a rough time medically his name is Steve father God I come before the throne of grace regarding Steve you know his physical needs father you know you know what what is what what is what is needed in his body I provide for I pray for a miracle I pray for healing I pray for a restoration father God I pray that you would just bless his body I that you would bless body the body of Steve that he may be healed and may be restored that he may be back the way he needs to be father God I ask this in the name of Jesus a man then I'm getting tongue-tied this morning a man nope 15 years same job a man love it why not pray to the end of child what why not pray to in childhood hunger a man and you know what not only pray when I give why not help why not assist why not volunteer to food bank why not be a if you will a soul a part of the solution to a bigger problem all right that's that's that's a that's how I would answer that and and so with that being said I agree with you all right hey brother I haven't seen you a while may God bless you today pray for my work feels very hostile father God I pray for the the environment this individuals in I pray that you would use this individual to bring a peace and a joy that the hostility will be gone that that father God that the love of God will be presented father we ask this in the name of Jesus a man a man all right let's let's smile please I want to use a smile I want to use your pick as my profile pic all right and that might not I don't know if you want my you don't want with this face on your profile pic Bible obviously fiction ah okay seven your milestone coming up for me pray for me amen amen once I did I beg God to save her next day she went in to treatment okay I'm not sure but Bible says the poor will always be with this didn't it didn't Jesus say that that before would always be with this you're absolutely right absolutely right still no evidence of God Fred it's problem I don't think there's enough evidence to for you to prove that there is God I wake up in the morning that's evidence there's a God I I could look at my children that's evidence of God I look at the creation around me that's evidence of God I don't need a lot I don't I don't need a lot there I don't think there's enough proof that you would have even if the Lord Almighty would come here on earth for for 33 years go to the go to the cross resurrect from the grave and sit on the right-hand side of father would be enough evidence for you but you've got to surrender your life and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior I don't think there's enough evidence for you but I have faith the substance of things hope for evidence of things not seen I don't need a whole lot of evidence there that's where I'm at I don't need a lot of evidence I know what I know because I see what I see and I and even though I walk by faith and not by sight I know what I know end of subject end of subject I you know I have this where's it at I'm sorry I was gonna pick up my oats over there I have a cell phone I don't know I don't have the evidence how the cell phone works but I don't deny it but there you go I'm scientifically illiterate okay I'll that's your your your right to say that so there you go there you go please pray for my mom she's been having bad seizures lately and it's been hard father God I come in the name of Jesus with regards to this individual's mother Lord you know why she's having seizures you know the situation but Lord we pray for healing we pray that you were to restore her her body back to normalcy father we pray that you would just bless and show grace and show mercy father God we ask this in the name of Jesus amen amen amen is taught the word must share all good things okay was great to see a commercial was great to see a commercial about Jesus saw at a lot of non-believers mad at Twitter well you know anytime there is a conversation or something that reference Jesus the creator of the heavens and earth they're going to have people to get upset why Satan does not want people to know or hear about Jesus Christ there you go so amen amen wake up with air in your lungs that's a blessing a lot of people overlook sometimes amen I think when we wake up in the morning and we see another day we are experiencing God's grace we're experiencing God's grace and that was in itself to me to me I I just we I was gonna we were in a conversation last night over dinner with our friends and we were all talking about how even when we didn't have the full counsel of God's Word we had a reverence for God had a reverence for God and so with that being said it was just amazing I just always thought God was there while I didn't have the full counsel I always had a reverence that there was a creator that there was a God and and and I was just boom but some people don't get that they just don't get that I'm sorry somebody said he's they're so afraid of Colbert genuine question how may I feel God's grace when I feel as if I am suffering you know I you know what yesterday I spoke about this you know and I read it the other day but let's look at it again 2nd Corinthians 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 we read this the other day but let me let me read it again so Paul is is and I and I hope it's you know not redundant to some of you but Paul and this question genuine question how may I feel God's grace when I feel as if I am suffering and I think that's a great question but when we look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 Paul goes down the list and he says unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelation a thorn in the flesh was given to me a messenger of Satan to buffet me less I'd be exalted above measure so let's stop right there so Paul is talking about in this particular case he talks about this this thorn and once again I said the other day on tick-tock like we're not quite sure what that thorn is but it was a discomfort it hurt it somehow caused a pain in his flesh but he prayed according to the word three times to the Lord to take this away let's stop right there how do I feel God's grace when I feel like I'm suffering life within itself is going to bring suffering there's there's the suffering of loss there's the suffering of division there's the suffering of sickness there's a suffering of finances and the list goes on there are things in life that we deal with that we go through that we endure and Paul is saying that he had something in his bust him to to to to but in the end I want you to see what he says and I think this is a very powerful statement he says he says right here he says I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart for me and he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in your weakness once again we talked about this the other day I want to emphasize that you are made strong in your weakness in your suffering there seems to be an intensified prayer in your discouragement in your depression in your your your circumstance you're going through and if you're a follower of Christ if you're a Christian you seem to find yourself in prayer intensified in prayer intensified in your wording because he says in the very end and let me read this at the end of chapter 12 he says this he says Paul says I take pleasures in my in in in infirmities in reproaches and needs a persecution in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then I'm made strong see that's that's where we have to take it to and let me please let me go to the NLT version to read that for you because I want you to know what Paul is saying Paul is basically saying suffering he's suffering are there any moderators here I don't know I haven't seen any come across but you know what people say what they want to say they can say what they want to say I'm gonna I'm just going to share and help some people that might have to hear something important here you can use folks if you want to say something crazy say what you want but I'm here oh there's Ray he says I'm here so we're repeating what we read the other day right we're repeating what we were talking about just last week Paul is asking for prayer he said and then the Lord says my graces is all you need my power works best in weakness but then at the very end he says in verse 10 that's why I take pleasure Paul says that's why I take pleasure in my weakness folks you you say I'm suffering you need to take pleasure in that suffering he says I take pleasure in my weakness and in in in the insults in the hardships the persecution and troubles that I suffer for Christ for when I'm weak it is then I am strong why is it that we want everything to be easy why is it that we want everything to be cushy why is it that we want everything to be so light-hearted see this is the problem with people today we don't we don't we don't want to struggle we don't want to go through the if you will the tough route we want everything to be perfect we want precision we want it easy and that's the problem with with a lot of parents raising their kids you're making it too easy why let me let me I just I was just asked this question at church after church somebody said pastor Paul how is it that your kids are so independent let me repeat how are your kids so independent my my kids are independent let me tell you why I raised my kids to thin for themselves I raised my children to be independent why because dad and mom must leave this country this country yeah this country must leave this world eventually but I want to leave them able to take care of themselves and why is that what I want them to defend for themselves but I get back to Paul if we understand in my weakness I'm made strong if they can sin for themselves and say I'm going to have some tough times but I must endure I'm going to go through some stuff but I must endure I'm going to have some hardship some pain some suffering but the key to this verse right here watch what he says and I don't think if you caught it watch this are you ready some of you didn't catch it watch this he says I take pleasure in my weakness and insults and hardships and persecution and troubles watch this did y'all hear that let me read it one more time he says Paul says I take pleasure in my weaknesses insults hardships persecution and troubles how many of you have ever endured those things hardships how many of you have endured hardships let me know real quick yes or no how many of you are enduring a hardship right now right now please tell me right there tell me please let me know how many of you have endured hardships right here amen rate thank you there you go how many of you have dealt with persecution maybe sharing the gospel with a family member how many come on how many all right how many have you are dealing with troubles right now in your life huh okay now look at the end of the verse look at the end of the verse because people say well you know pastor Paul I'm why do I feel like God's grace is sufficient when I'm going through these things the end of the verse tells you he says I take pleasure in my weakness and in insults and hardships and persecution and troubles that I suffer for Christ when you are not serving the Lord and that's why I tell my kids you're going to endure hardships in those lives but do it in the name of Jesus you're going to suffer persecution in this life but do it in the name of Jesus you're going to endure troubles circumstances are going to your life but when you are a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ you understand this thing called grace but when you do not have Jesus when you don't understand grace you feel the life of the whole world is coming against you you feel like you feel like the domino effect is pointed directly to you but Paul says I endure these things because I suffer for who Christ Christ see I'm not alone in this the Lord says I will never leave you nor forsake you see that's that's that's the difference between some of us who believe in Jesus and some of us who don't I and you who love Jesus follow Jesus consider him our Lord and Savior are not alone and we are able to suffer the persecution the insults the hardships and the troubles because we do it for Christ or Christ's sake in this subject so what I have to say for your question if you are enduring discomfort if you are if you're enduring persecution if you're enduring insults or troubles in your life keep your focus on the Lord this is why the scripture is quite clear walk by faith and not by sight good morning brother walk by faith and not by sight too many times hear me out too many times Satan wants to distract you and what do you see use your senses too many times you get distracted you get you get you get caught off focus and then you find yourself not in your word then that cultivates more distraction you find yourself not praying that cultivates more distraction you find yourself not in church that cultivates more distraction and then you find yourself not even having the joy of your salvation and folks let me be very honest with you turn to the book of Matthew turn to the book of Matthew I know we've heard this a thousand times Matthew 2018 and Jesus came and told his disciples I have been given all authority in heaven and earth therefore go and make disciples let's stop right there that word disciple I say it all the time that word disciple means discipline student keep your focus on the Lord as discipline students you pastor Paul what if I legitimately can't make it to church on Sundays that's different the Lord knows your heart I'm talking to people who are able to go I'm talking about people that can get there and not forsake the assembly I'm talking about once again being disciplined students you know over my I'm gonna be 60 in March and I've studied people over the years I I've met a variety of people from all walks of life all right in December it's hard to keep faith brother let me stop right there let me stop right there Oh Zack if I could just speak to you Zack if I could just I just looked at that Zack 49 I'm gonna tell you right now I'm gonna tell you right now friend that would be hard all right that would be hard but let me just share this from a very sincere place I've met men and women that have gone through similar storms myself I will not compare the passing of a parent to a passing of a child I I believe in the mindset that's two different subjects to deal with however I've met people that have lost children loved ones and by the grace of God they got through by the grace of God I I remember one time I was working at st. Agnes Hospital in Fresno California I was working in the lab and I remember they asked me they said Paul can you can you go over there we've got somebody thank you we've got a young kid that no one can get his blood would you please go over there and would you draw this child's blood and I'll never forget that when I when I started approaching the ER I remember going to the particular room where this child was at the door was halfway open and I saw the child on the gurney I saw the mother holding another child and then I saw the father and the father at that time and he's still well known he was a pro football player at the time at that in that day I was in the 90s he was well known he was you know pro quarterback and and and and I remember him having his his hand on his face and I knew who he was and matter of fact he was a Christian and I heard him speak a few weeks prior to what was going on in the ER that day and all I remember it he looked up at me he said do you think you could get it because everybody's been poking my son and I said I I hope by God's grace I did get the blood work I remember taking it back to the lab and I remember praying and this little boy was some some sickness and illness at that time no one knew and then I got word that they were going to take the child and get him over to Valley children there in Fresno long story short and what I'm trying to get to in response to this beautiful person that lost their baby this ballplayers child died and I remember my going home and looking at my children because my children were roughly the same age as this ballplayers child good morning mercy me and I remember that just I used to ask myself how would I overcome that how how could I few months went by and I was watching a football game and there was this ballplayer he was he was he had just retired from the pros he he was announcing a game and I could see something on his face good morning ma'am I could see the joy of his salvation you know what I you know what I feel comfortable it it was it was a no I better not I better not I could see on his face there was a joy I never got to talk to him I'd love to meet him talk to him and let him know that I was the one that day that drew his son's blood which led to them making a decision the young little boy died but the father eventually I would assume that God showed him grace to understand that God took his child to be home with the Lord I believe this gentleman this just this gentleman that that I would have to assume he had he had fame he had fortune he was he you know he he he was his life was secure and in that moment he lost his son but I believe in my heart that he eventually what would I call that breakthrough eventually he got that spiritual breakthrough where he he said to himself Lord let thou will be done he found peace to you friend you keep your focus on Christ you will find that peace do not allow Satan to rob you of your faith do not allow because Satan is going to whisper in your ear everything that a parent would fear about losing a child where is your God now why your child thank you Brian why why why why your child why what could you have done different and every possible scenario will be whispered in your spirit to the point that you even deny who God is but don't let it come to that because I will quote what Paul says even at the moment that you shake your fist at God he still loves you but if you would just hang on eventually you will wake up and you will say my baby is with the Lord eventually you will say in your heart and it won't be easy it won't be easy it won't it won't be in a celebration but eventually you'll wake up and say the Lord took my child and that child is with the Lord and I will see that child again one day but do not allow Satan to steal your joy don't and friend father God I come before the throne of grace you have heard this individuals cry with regards to their baby and father well I will never be able to explain why I can always say that your will be done Lord but Lord I pray that you will comfort this person that you will give them a peace that surpasses all understanding father I pray that you would just put a hedge of protection around their heart for as the as the adversary of God and humanity would whisper the negativity in their life I pray for a hedge protection to be around them that they would just keep their eyes on you Oh Lord father I just pray this as a humble servant as a father for Lord I ask this as your child in the name of Jesus amen amen friend that's grace that's grace back to what Paul was saying we must endure these things for the sake of Jesus and I know some people don't get that nor do they understand life brings challenges obstacles hurts pains highs lows but we must keep our focus on the Lord you have to understand that sometimes the Lord brings us to certain things events circumstance and situations I give an example I can count on one hand it real-life military operations one hand but I don't have enough fingers or hands to count the training that to those events my point is this everything that we experience in life is preparing us for something all the training I did in the military was preparing me for certain events but I like what Paul says and I and I want to reiterate let me turn back to 2nd Corinthians and oh I'm sorry let me read this real quick cuz Brian so graciously put that up there Brian this is the NLT version a little bit different he says hang on Romans 828 as of course we know this but the NLT versions just a little bit different let's listen to what it says it says this it says and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them so we know that things are working together for us even when it's discomfort even when it hurts even when when we are going through the storms it is for our development but let me take you once again because Paul said right there and I want you to reiterate reiterate this he says for in my weakness for when I am weak then I am strong in my weakness I am made strong it's when I get and go through the storms of life and I get through it that I look back that God was developing me to be a stronger believer to intensify my faith that I may affect and infect others so that I can use to help facilitate them to get through certain things in their life see my point is this we for you to help others you've got to go through something yourself for you to encourage others you have to go through some things yourself and this is why I speak the way I do because when I when I go through something and I see how God operated within me it gives me the ability to help others because I've been through it and God got me through it and I can look back and say there's a smile on my face there's a peace in my heart there's a joy in my heart why because God got me through and this is why Paul says that grace that God said for my grace is sufficient this is why Paul says I am made strong in my weakness this is why it's hard for us as older people to listen to young people complain I'm not picking on young people here but I'm just saying this is why us older people now what I mean by that you could be 25 years old and you're listening to a 50 year old complaint and you're like keep living you might you might you might be 60 years old and you're listening to 30 or complain and you say keep living because you know that you've been through it you know that you've endured it you know that God prevailed and got you through so what you want to say don't complain but trust in God because if he did it for me he'll do it for you good morning Jasmine amen this Jasmine says something there there's a song I don't know if y'all heard it the song and I wish I could sing but it's a I will not complain I will not complain good morning miss Jasmine I will not complain this is why when I hear a younger person whining or complaining or anybody I tell them don't complain because God has got you the Lord has you you got a trust in the Lord you have to believe that he is God you have to believe that he's a he's a giver of good things that he's God and if he's giving me something when my father passed away I remember just asking God why why I remember asking God why would you take my father away and I just couldn't wrap my mind around that I wrestled with that but then God's grace stepped in and I was okay God's grace stepped in and and and and everything became okay why because I accepted the Lord's will and this is why if you hear me I will say at the end of my prayers not all of them but the the bigger ones let your will be done let your will be done because when it's all said and done it's not my will it's not your will it's God's will end of subject end of subject when if y'all remember I don't know a year ago I don't remember me and miss Debbie both came down with COVID and we were both sick in the room together and I thought for sure we were so sick that one of us wasn't going to make it out of that room I remember the neighbor down the street bringing Gatorade to the fence and I shuffle out then I remember one of us is not going to make it out of this room we are we are going to die one of us but I also remember saying Lord if you do not heal me let your will be done why because I had received God's grace and because God's grace was upon me I knew if he kept me here he would keep me here to preach but if he took me I would be in his presence so either way I was in God's unmerited favor and I finished that by saying that your will be done that's it that's it matter of fact my father hours before he died he quoted Paul when Paul said I'm torn between the two and I paraphrase he hours before he died he had some friends the Pierce's they're good friends of our family like my godparents they they were there and my father told him I'm torn between the two I you know I would love to stay here to preach the gospel but I would love to go home and be with the Lord y'all know the verse y'all know the verse I would love to be here to preach the gospel and it would be beneficial if I stayed here and preach the gospel but I wanted to go home and be with the Lord and do you know that in a few hours he took his last breath and he woke up in the presence of God why because he understood grace grace so all the questions with regards to the joy of your salvation the faith that you're struggling to grasp lean not to your own understanding but put all your trust all your faith in the Lord don't don't lean to your own understanding don't lean to your own understanding just keep saying God I trust in you that your will be done if you would just do that with every aspect of your life uh we'll go to Lambriel there Lambriel sent out a message please pray for my husband at his uh in his occupation what he does they're they're they're laying people off I know the group prayed I prayed I I know I I know that he probably had in his mind said wow what's going on I just got this job with this that I got a family to feed and and and and watch this and I'm sure there had to be a moment when Lambriel said Lord I trust in you let your will be done there had to be a moment that her husband had to say Lord I trust in you let your will be done there had to be a moment where Alex's parents and friends and relatives and family said Lord let let your will be done and do you know within 48 hours his department was spared and he still has a job come on now it doesn't always work out that way what if what if it did go we're out were her husband almost said the police room where her husband did get that last check God is still on the throne God is still uh the same God that that that that that that that allowed that to happen because his will was done but don't let that rob you of your faith because trust me trust me if her husband when he came home with the last paycheck on that last day God still sits on the throne but trust me here would have come Satan to whisper what are you going to do now how are you going to provide for your family how are you going to pay the house note how are you going to pay for gas how are you going to buy a dozen of eggs Satan would have came and whispered those thoughts and that could have caused some turbulence but we got to step back and say my God is doing something my God is doing something and get behind me Satan for the word says that God will provide my every need for the man shall not live by bread alone but every word that person that every word that every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God that is how lamb and her husband and and family addressed this I know that they didn't tell me but I know that that's how they addressed it God is in charge and you have to take that beautiful illustration and apply it in your lives with everything I have to I was just notified by a company I consult for they said well we don't need you for they said well we don't need you to consult for us anymore and I was dependent on that for at least a couple years but God has a plan he has a plan and I'm trusting in God because when God opens a door hear me out when God opens a door man cannot close it God did y'all hear me when God opens a door no man can close it the problem with a lot of us we try to force the door open we try to kick the door open we try to put a rock in front of the door to keep it open but when God opens a door it's open it's open open and all you have to do is acknowledge God let your will be done watch this if God closes the door consider it closed don't try to kick it open don't try to push it open don't try to put a rock in front of it say God you close this because Lamriel's husband could easily could easily want a different way but the door wasn't closed but I guarantee you Lam and the family was in prayer and God revealed to them this door wasn't closed it's open and it's still open but if I do close it I'm still God and I change not I'm the same God I'm the same God I'm the same God it's open and it's still open but if I do close it I'm still God and I change not I'm the same yesterday today and forevermore that is God that's it that's it that's it now that was not the stuff I was going to talk about this morning we we talked about uh uh the other day second Corinthians but folks we have to really Abba Father amen amen Lam we really must wrap our minds around grace grace grace thank you unmerited favor grace the favor of God on your life grace something given to us that we cannot earn we cannot rent it we cannot buy it we can't uh uh uh borrow for it or barter for it it is grace and it is a meritly given to us as his children grace I can't earn it and I don't deserve it but God gives us grace and I never want to take grace for granted wake up every day praising our creator during the course thank you during the course of your day as you're driving down the road just give honor to God as you speak to your children as you speak to your neighbor as you as you as you communicate with your co-workers let them know if it wasn't for God's grace I wouldn't be here today I praise him I honor him lift him up let them know where your help comes from because when you think here we go here we go because when you think about the other word we brought up his mercy mercy for we did not receive what we deserved when you think about his mercy the the things that we did that completely went against the word of God and he showed mercy upon us he held back what we deserve so that eventually we would wake up and receive Jesus his grace think about it I don't know maybe y'all were perfect maybe y'all didn't do anything wrong maybe you've had it all together from the day you were born father God we thank you for allowing that pacemaker procedure to be a great outcome but lord I pray right now for this individual's mental health I pray that you would just bless them with a peace and a comfort on knowing that you are God and you are on the throne father I pray right now for this individual in the name of Jesus amen maybe you you you you never ever did anything wrong but the bible's quite clear that we're all sinners and we needed his grace and his mercy thank you we needed his grace and his mercy we needed it so keep your focus on that back to paul what he says because it's in your weakness you are made strong watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this watch this if you look in the old testament in general they would put altars they would build altars and they would name that altar always to be a reminder as an example I want you to make a mental note or if you want to go a little bit further I want you to start writing in a notebook the prayers that have been answered by the lord I want you to write in a notebook uh uh the the things that that that you've called up on the name of the lord I mean those things that are epic in proportion and I want you a year from now lord willing or two years from now go back and I want you to look in that notebook and you're going to see some prayers that haven't been answered yet and you're going to have some other prayers that say no and I want you to focus on those but here's the ones I really I want you to look at the ones where god made a way not your way but his way I want you to look at those those prayers that you ask and god made a way and you look at that and you're looking at that notebook and you'll say there is no way thank you that should have happened but god made a way because what happens is watch this watch this hear me out we forget the goodness of god we forget just like the children of israel um why did god go to to what i'm sorry why did god go to egypt because his children were crying in prayer because the pharaoh who forgot about joseph who forgot about that crew the pharaoh started abusing and enslaving the children of israel and they started praying to their creator god jehovah but then they forgot we do the same thing we forget and lamb i'm using you as an example i'm not picking on you because i know you don't forget but i don't want you to forget that one day you saw an email saying that the job might be dissipated but then in the next day and i think it was the next day if i'm correct me let me know but the next day god stepped in and said no don't forget that don't forget that because what we do we forget and satan doesn't want you to to to to remember satan doesn't want you to recall so in the old testament they would build altars and that altar represented what god had done make sure that you write down what god has done has done there are tons of stories that me and miss debbie have tons of stories where we like and we we have to go back to those stories we really had a little house in california and we long story short i asked the lord lord i need this amount when we sell this house and it was an it was an amount that that we shouldn't the let's put it the comps the comparison of the neighborhood would not even justify the amount that we wanted for this little house i'm not a prosperity guy i'm just telling you what god did for me but i remember distinctly saying this is the amount of money we need for this house and when we went to the realtor the realtor said you'll never get that because the comps the comparisons will never support that good morning i said well that's what we want the realtor said well you're you're you're you're you're the homeowner you're the boss if that's what you want that's what we're going to put it up for the house went on the market and we had an offer in 72 hours three days wait a minute i'm not finished yet and we were excited the individual was going to buy the house and we were excited to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house and we were going to sell the house we were excited the individual was going to buy the house they were going to buy it at the the amount that we wanted uh the realtor and everyone involved couldn't believe it and then the loan fell through and i remember miss debbie and i i remember this so so vividly we were at the kitchen table in this little house we joined hands and then we prayed and we remembered our altars how god had delivered us we remembered the things the lord had done historically we were we recalled the things that we had read in the the the scriptures and we prayed you know the bible talks about two or more gathered what happens somebody answered this question i'm gonna see if anybody's listening when two or more gathered what happens in the name of jesus let me know let me know anybody who knows you have two or more together what happens what happens in the name of jesus what happens somebody answer this please he's there we prayed and when we got done praying we went it we went we went we went on to the bedroom we went to bed and safe and we woke up to the phone ringing and mind you when the deal fell through the realtor was the first one to tell me we need to lower the price i need to put that there the moment that that deal fell through we need to lower the price we need to lower the price but when we prayed and we woke up the next morning a preacher who knew that i was going to sell this house and move back to arizona to take care of my mom and dad to take the ministry bought the house straight up with cash the very next day and at the price we were asking and he wanted the house because in the back of the yard it was a little piece of property there was a the house and there was a little guest house in the back he wanted that for his family member and the house was perfect within proximity of the church he was going to be pastoring because he was moving from the bay area to fresno to take over a church and this house fit the needs so when he sold his house in the bay area he had enough revenue to pay what we were asking for on top of getting the guest house in the back now that altar is forever etched in my mind so when i go through the turmoils of life we refer back to that and say if god can do it there he can do it here if he can do it then he can do it now so right now my wife was born and raised in fresno my wife went to fresno high i i came to fred the central valley area in the uh in the 80s nsa lemore i found myself connected to fresno and i'm in fresno at least three to four times a year because my wife's family lives there we live that little house one god that little house right there is on princeton right off christmas tree lane that little house i'm talking about princeton you might know christmas tree lane i know you know if you live in fresno right on princeton right off christmas tree lane right there that little house matter of fact if you go off christmas tree lane uh and turn right uh let's see what would that what would that is that first street i think that's first street if you take a right you'll see that it's the smallest house in the neighborhood it's right there it's right there there you go but i i when i pass that house when i when i drive by that house uh behind saint agnes oh beautiful i love that area i love those houses in there i love those houses my one of my uh kids lives back in there right near saint agnes but let me let me follow let me follow this person this this is this is uh my fresno person god has me forever amen do you have a radio program i don't i don't um i i probably should the way i run my mouth uh really important please pray for my son joseph he's in jail father god i pray for joseph right now lord i don't i don't know the details nor the circumstances but you know but lord i pray that you would touch joseph in his circumstance and situation that you would bring somebody to joseph that he would hear the message the gospel and lord whatever it is why ever what whatever reason joseph is there lord i pray that you would just heal him that you would restore him that you would just bring him into your kingdom father i pray that you'd show favor upon him lord i ask in the name of jesus amen amen that's my name joseph that's my name uh you're doing the works of god thank you god has blessed me god has blessed me so um i i'm just here to serve god i'm here i'm humble to to to honor my father my god um i you know i'm just humble that's all i can say uh uh it is he who is amen it's it's all i got god is all i need he's all i got and and and amen thank you thank you thank you thank you he was having prayer call every night but he has given up and losing his faith amen no he can't lose his faith but we're going to keep him lifted up in prayer we're going to keep him lifted up in prayer that's that's that's that's bottom line folks if y'all would just keep him lifted up in prayer i would i would really appreciate it can you please pray that i can see the cardiologist soon who can help me with my heart issue father god we pray in the name of jesus that this individual will get to see the cardiologist that lord we know that you can heal that you can restore but lord you've given this this knowledge and ability through individuals who who are physicians like luke and father i pray that you would open the door that this individual could see that cardiologist that that that that that you would use that cardiologist that this individual will experience a healing a restoration a miracle father we ask this in the name of jesus amen amen let's all write them in our prayer journals amen amen amen amen well everybody could you pray for my friend i have no car and wait could you pray for could you pray for me my friend i have no car and i've been struggling lately father god you know the need i i pray for this individual's friend lord i pray father god that you will provide them with with the ability to get from point a to point b father god i i pray father god that you will just bless whatever that is let your will be done lord i pray this in the name of jesus but lord i pray that they would just keep their focus and faith in you and father everybody under the sound of my voice i pray that we just keep our faith and focus on you that we will we'll we'll we'll we'll call upon your name father god i pray that we will just pray to you that we'll be in our word father god i pray dear lord that that you would use us lord to bless us that you would use us to pray that you would use us to to to to to be a vessel that you may get all the glory that you may get all the praise and lord i thank you for all the prayers that have been answered and i thank you lord for the prayers that that that that are on hold i pray father god for the prayers that you would not give us because for whatever reason you felt we didn't need them but lord we pray that in all things your will be done for you are god our creator you are you you you are the alpha the omega the beginning and the ending for lord we know that what you start you will be to you will bring to completion father we thank you we praise you we honor you we lift you up and we ask all of this in the precious name of jesus and we all say amen all right everybody lord willing i will see you all tomorrow at 6 30 please remember remember keep your faith in the lord trust in him do not allow anybody or anything to persuade you to think any other way thank you so much for you are created in the image of god which makes you an image bearer and you are a child of god and god shows favor upon his children keep your head up walk by faith not by sight and know that god is on the throne god bless you all have a beautiful day and remember miss debbie and i love you take care