Part I: They Are Hating. But I’m Here 

Posted on April 12, 2024 by growintheword

Synopsis of Sermon 04.07.24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

John 12: 9-11 NKJV
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

    I.          INTRODUCTION

  1. You will discover that everyone is not excited about what you are doing in your life. It can be disheartening for some people.
  2. Some people have seen you bounce back from attacks, and we have learned that where there are celebrators, there are also haters. Some people don’t want to see you survive. They feel in some way that your presence minimizes who they are. This is a true form of a hater.
  3. There is a biblical backdrop for haters. One of the first haters is found in 1 Samuel 18:6-9 NIV where it says, 6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. 7 As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” 8 Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” 9 And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. – Here we discover Saul was a hater towards David. He was angry about the song proclaiming his 1000 vs David’s 10,000. Some people don’t mind you being blessed as long as they control the blessing.
  4. Understand, haters will do what they do. The question is what are you going to do? Realize that it is not about you. You can’t own the emotional intelligence of others. You have to come to a place where no matter the plots, nothing is going to prevent God’s purposes from coming to past in your life.
    1. Keep on living, keep on loving, keep on doing what God has called you do. Do like Celie did in the movie “Color Purple” and say, “I may be all of this and all of that, but thank God I’m here”.
  5. John’s gospel is not part of the synoptic gospels. John approaches his gospel by focusing on the Divinity of Jesus. He starts out by saying, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God. John links the name of God. God’s name was not Jehovah Jireh. This was just an expressive name of who God is. God reveals his name as “I am”. He reminds us that He is who He says He was.
  6. When you read John’s gospel you see where Jesus turned the water into wine, along with other miracles. One of Jesus’ most memorable miracles was when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
    1. They summoned Jesus saying Lazarus was sick, but Jesus delayed his arrival purposefully. When Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus had died. Mary and Martha were angry about this, explaining to Jesus that if He had been there, their brother Lazarus wouldn’t have died.
    1. Jesus asked them to show Him where they laid Lazarus. Mary and Martha tried to assure Jesus that it was too late.
    1. Jesus calls Lazarus’ name and he comes out of the tomb with his burial clothes still on!
  7. John’s gospel shows the religious leaders have a problem with Jesus. When they are against Jesus, they were trying to kill him.
  8. The religious leaders didn’t just come for Jesus, they came for Lazarus also. They knew they could kill Jesus, but they also knew that if they left Lazarus alive, the Jews were going to believe that Jesus was who He said He was. In other words, Lazarus was evidence. Many attacks you receive is because you are evidence of what God can do!

   II.               IT IS NO SECRET YOU’VE BEEN RESURRECTED

  • Everyone knew Lazarus was raised from the dead. Recognize that you are evidence!

A.    There was a season they buried you and thought it was over.

  1. How did Lazarus end up in the tomb?
    1. Through Sickness – Regardless of his sickness, he was a friend of Jesus. Jesus calls us friend, regardless of our sickness.
    1. God’s sovereignty – God will allow things to get worse on purpose, so when he moves, nothing will get the glory but Him.  
    1. Grace that’s saved – When the devil said it was over, God said not so.

B.    God made sure your comeback was public.

  1. The funeral crowd will always be bigger than your crowd was when you were alive. The ones that buried you will be surprised. Jesus will turn the Pall Barriers in Armor Barriers.
  2. If you bury me in public, you have to be present at my resurrection publicly.

III.               SOME PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP TO SEE IF IT’S REAL

  • Religious Leaders came to see Jesus, but they also came to see Lazarus.

A.    You’ve got celebrators as well as spectators.

  1. Sometimes you just got to celebrate the people that are authentically there for you.
  2. Spectators are the ones that will not comment or clap. They’re just hanging around spectating.

B.    Your haters want to verify your miracle because it doesn’t make sense.

  1. Miracles are beyond logic. It doesn’t make sense. It’s when you look at something and realize that God has already performed miracles in your life the whole time.
  2. Your life doesn’t make sense, because it is beyond human comprehension. Many don’t know that they are sitting next to a miracle right now!

IV.               THE ENEMY IS SCARED OF WHAT YOU REPRESENT

  • Lazarus’ presence is intimidating. The enemy is afraid, because just you showing up destroys what they said about you and God.

A.    You represent the power of God.

  1. We represent the power of God. Every time someone sees you, they can’t deny the power of God.

B.    You represent what’s possible.

  1. They wanted to stop Lazarus, to keep people from believing in Jesus. It is possible to have a breakdown and still end up with a breakthrough. God uses you to show us that anything is possible.

  V.               KEEP SHOWING UP REGARDLESS

  • Lazarus is not bothered by the presence of the chief priest. There comes a moment where you show up and just don’t care what people say!
  • When you look at people and see them being emotional about what they are going through, talk to them about some of the stuff you’ve had to endure. They tried to get Lazarus to be quiet about his miracle. They did not want him to be a witness for Jesus’ miracles.

A.     When you show up, show up with Jesus.

  1. You might think I’m by myself, but I’m not by myself.
  2. I’ve got:
    1. His presence – God is always with me.
    1. His protection – I’m surrounded by his protection.
    1. His promise – God won’t bring you back from dead, just to let haters kill you again.

B.    After all I’ve been through, I’m still here.

  1. I give God glory that I was buried, and now I’m back. My breath is a privilege. They’re hating, but I’m still here!
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Part IV: Even Me 

Posted on March 29, 2024 by growintheword

 

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Synopsis of Sermon 03/24/24

Luke 23:39-43 NKJV
39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 
40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 
43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

I.          INTRODUCTION

  • When you think about the death of God, it is beyond explanation. It gives us the best revelation on how love should be given. God was willing to break the rules to bring us into relationship with Him. He looked at our hearts and defined us by our hearts instead of by our
  • Jesus would bless the young, heal the sick, bless those that were without, and many other things. We are in awe with how God would love someone like us.
  • If you have a desire to be in relationship with God, He is willing and able to give it to you.
  • In the scripture today, we have a guy on the cross who cries out, asking that God would remember him when He entered His Kingdom. Even me, we have a chance at redemption and the Promise of God, no matter what we have done in our past.
  • This is Palm Sunday commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. This sparks the beginning of Holy Week. Luke gives us perspective on the crucifixion. He emphasizes Jesus’ forgiveness during the crucifixion.
  • Pilot questions Jesus and finds no fault in him. Herod questions him too, hoping Jesus would perform a miracle, like the people had been talking about. Since He didn’t, Herod sent them back to Pilot. Pilot ends up eventually handing Jesus over to the crowd to be crucified.
  • Jesus is crucified beside two criminals. Nothing happens by accident. Some people say there was good thief and a bad thief meaning the bad thief was the one that had no remorse. Luke calls them both Robbers.
  • One of the Robbers pleaded with the Lord to be remembered when he entered His kingdom. The other one asked to Lord to get them down from the cross, if He was truly who He said He was.

II.          PROBLEM OF A SELFISH PETITION 

  • The thief that mocks Jesus, misses his chance at His conversation is based on self-centeredness. He asks Jesus to do something about getting them off the cross.

A.  Pride Blinds You of God’s Plan

  1. Pride can lead to arrogance, self-centeredness, and boastfulness. Pride goes before destruction. Pride is what got Lucifer kicked out of Heaven.
  2. This guy on the cross could not let go of his pride, even while on the cross waiting to be crucified.
  3. There are a lot of people that have missed opportunities, because they let pride get in the way.
  4. Issues with the thief and his pride:
    1. He is unrepentant. He wasn’t even remorseful for what he had done.
    2. He is uninformed. He doesn’t understand the purpose of Jesus and he really doesn’t know who He is.
    3. He is ungrateful. How can you be that close to Jesus and don’t even thank him for who he is. You’ve got to be grateful!

B.  God Does Not Respond When We Don’t Take Responsibility

  1. Jesus never responds to the prideful thief. The Bible says, in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The Word (Jesus) doesn’t respond to him, because he doesn’t use the word in his request.
    1. When you talk to God, respond with his word. Call His word back to himself. His word does not come back to Him void.
      1. Example: “Father, you said you would provide all my needs” or “You said, no weapon formed against me shall prosper” or “You said, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” or “You said, you will make a table for me in the presence of my enemy”. When you call God’s word back to him, that’s when miracles happen!
    2. God might not be talking to you, because you’re not talking to him right!

III.          POWER OF SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

  • You have to understand the first thief didn’t fear God. The second thief asked the first thief if he knew who Jesus was?

A.  Before You Ask, Acknowledge Who He Is

  1. It is insulting when people ask you for something, without acknowledging you first.
  2. The 2nd thief is showing us something. He acknowledged that they deserved the punishment they were receiving. If you want God to do something, you have to acknowledge that you are guilty.
    1. Because I recognize I’m guilty, I recognize that God is great! Acknowledge who God is. Acknowledge his glory! Whether he does what we want or not, he is still great.
  3. When we pray, we need his grace. God is our Master, our savior, our healer, our way out of no way, and our deliverer. When I acknowledge who he is, I realize what he is able to do

B.  He Is in It with You

  1. Nothing happens by accident. Everything that happens is on purpose!
  2. Guess who is in the middle? It is Jesus. Just like the two thieves on the cross, no matter what we go through, Jesus is in the middle of it with us. He walks with me and talks with me and tells me that I am his own!

 

IV.          PERSONAL AND SINCERE PRAYER

  • The 2nd thief realizes who Jesus is. He demonstrates humility. He owns to Jesus, about what he has done.
  • The 2nd thief recognizes that he deserves what he is getting (being crucified). If you don’t own it, you can’t be delivered from it.
  • Because the second thief realizes who Jesus’ really is, he asks Jesus to remember him, when He went into his kingdom.
  • You have to declare that you want more!

A.  The Prayer of Faith Declares I Have a Future

  1. Every king has a Kingdom. Jesus turns a situation that looks like a period, into a comma. If I am being crucified with Jesus, it is a comma, not a period, meaning that there is more to come.
  2. When we say remember me when you come into the kingdom, then we realize that there is something greater on the other side. Know that you will always outlive what is trying to outlive you.

B.  Doesn’t Matter Who Forgets Me, As Long as He Remembers Me

  1. We are through whining over who left us. Our savior remembers us!

V.          PRAISE THE SAVIOR’S PROMISE

  • When you get a promise from God, you have to give him glory. When God makes a promise, you can take it to the bank.

A.  Relationship Is Greater Than the Rules of Religion 

  1. The second thief asks Jesus to remember him. This man now has a relationship with Jesus. He hasn’t been baptized and he haan’t gone to any bible studies or anything. However, he has a relationship with Jesus Christ.
    1. Don’t allow your rules to prevent people from being in relationship with God.
    2. If you remember back in the old days, they would ask if they could get a motion to accept you into the church as a member. Then that motion had to be seconded and then a vote would be done. When you are born, you were born regardless. Nobody had to make a motion or vote whether you could be born or not. When you are in a relationship with God, you have it whether there is a motion or not.

B.  God Will Give You A “Today” Testimony

  1. Everything that happens in life is by divine providence. The thieves on both sides of Jesus shows that God is in the middle, standing with us in everything we go through.
  2. One thief represents pride and the other represents acknowledgement.

C. This day will be different.

  1. God has you here this day on purpose. God wouldn’t give you this word if things weren’t going to be different. God is changing things to bring his will into your life.
  2. You got something this day to give God glory for!

D. He will disrupt how you were defined.

  1. The Bible identifies the two individuals as thieves. The culture associates them as thieves, because of what they have done in the past. Some people look at what you have done in the past and as a result, they treat you in a certain way. People have a different perception of you, because of your name or what you have been called.
    1. Jesus says you are not what they’ve called you. You are what Jesus called you. This is why Jesus said to the thief, “This day you will be with me in paradise”.
  2. Be intentional about speaking to people that other people have shun. That same Jesus that loves you, loves them too!

 

E.  He determines my destiny.

  1. They are in a punitive situation. Religion has put Jesus on the cross. High priest had crucified him in the name of religion.
    1. People love to see you fall. People will email you a crucifixion.
    2. Actually, crucifixion was a rare thing in Rome, but the Religious leaders wanted Jesus to be killed.
  2. Jesus granted entry to paradise, to a man that everyone thought was going to hell.
  3. The thief died. Jesus then says, “it is finished” and the bible says afterwards, He gave up the ghost. This means Jesus gave his life up, they didn’t take it. Jesus could have stopped the crucifixion at any time if he wanted to, but he chose to finish His assignment.
  4. When the thief died, he was no longer present with people. He was in the company of the Lord. When you die from people, know that you will present to the Lord!

 

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Part III: Don’t Let the Bull Block Your Blessings 

Posted on March 22, 2024 by growintheword

 

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Synopsis of 3.17.24 Sermon

Exodus 32:1-14 NKJV
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 
2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. 
Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!” 
5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.” 6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 
7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ” 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.” 
11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

 

I.          INTRODUCTION 

  1. One of the most important things to a believer is the power of relationship. A relationship with God is a give and take relationship. By that we mean, God pours in and we pour out and likewise, we pour in and God pours out. The relationship is reciprocal.
    1. For example, as a result of the Children of Israel following God, he called them His chosen people. God delivered them from bondage and brought them out of Egypt.
  2. It is important to know that God claims us. There are many however that do not claim Him. For example, many people wonder if we really go to church, because of how we act outside of the church.
    1. The relationship we portray in the church ought to be the same in public. We can’t act like we are not in relationship with God, when we get around other people.
  3. God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. The older people of this time often said this to show the consistency of God throughout the generations.
  4. There are things that can get between us and the blessings of God. The Children of Israel allowed a golden calf to make them loose focus from God.
  5. A calf may be cute when it starts out, but at the end of the day, it is still a bull. This is the moment you have to renew your commitment to God and not let the bull hinder you from what God called you to do.
  6. The children of Israel came out of Israel. They were liberated from Egyptian bondage. They began to rejoice and give God glory after they were freed.
  7. They saw God get them through the Red Sea. They sang the song of Moses when they got on the other side.
  8. Moses goes up the mountain to get instructions from God. They wanted laws to govern them in the ways of God (later we find out that these lawns would be called. the 10 Commandments). While Moses was up there, it took too long for some of the people. They thought Moses wasn’t coming back, so they wanted a new God. They got impatient.
  9. Aaron told them to give him their gold and he melted it and created a bull or a golden calf. The idol worship of bulls was common in Egypt. Now the Children of Israel’s focus is on the bull, instead of on God.
  10. God was angered by this. As a result, God told Moses that he was going to destroy them. Moses asked God to spare them and give them another chance.
  11. When you come out of Egypt, there will be a lot of things that try to get your attention. This is the last day the bull is going to block your blessing!

 

II.          REALITY OF IMPATIENT PEOPLE

  • Some people get anxious when God doesn’t move when they think He ought to move. We insert our own agenda in the process when we should be waiting on God.

A.  God Does Not Move on Our Time Frame 

  1. God is not in time. He is in eternity. God doesn’t operate in our time.
  2. God will step out of eternity and work things out in the future for you. God can step in and out of time.
  3. You’re not waiting on God; He is waiting on you.
  4. Things to know about God’s time:
  5. Don’t whine and worry. Know that God has everything under control.
  6. He’s working while you’re waiting. God is at work concerning your situation.
  7. The wait will be worth it. God may move similar to cooking something in a crockpot. Anything cooked slow is always better than something that was just microwaved. There is a little something different about the crockpot compared to the microwave.

B.  Getting Ahead of God Always Leads to Poor Decisions 

  1. When we get ahead of God, we are led by our emotions. This gets us into trouble. You have to wait with patience.
    1. Example: Instead of waiting on God, we hook up with last chance Johnny or Last chance Sally and then we wonder why things don’t turn out good.
    2. If you think about it, all the headache and heartache in our lives was usually because we didn’t wait on God.

III.          RESORTING TO IDOLATRY IS A PROBLEM 

  • They took the gold and repurposed it. They had gold. When they left Egypt, they brought the gold. God won’t let you leave empty-handed.
  • They took the gold that God intended for them to use for the kingdom and repurposed it for bull. It was supposed to be a blessing for them, but they sacrificed it for the bull.

A.   Idols Attempt to Fill a Gap Only God Can Fill 

  1. God says thou shalt not have any gods before me. As God was giving this out to Moses, Aaron and the Children of Israel were yet making an idol. Don’t let anything take priority over God himself!
  2. When you have an idol, you are saying God is no longer enough. When you don’t know what you have in God, you will use some bull to fill it. This might be a job, a relationship, money, socializing, and etc…
  3. Whatever you need, God’s got it!

B.  When Our Priorities Shift We Start Playing

  1. While they were down there with the bull, they were playing. Moses is up on the mountain praying and they were at the foot of the mountain playing. Imagine, the Leader was up on the mountain getting instructions for their future, and they were down at the foot of the mountain having a party!
  2. When you start playing too much, it indicates you have shifted from your commitment from God. You have gotten caught up in the bull. What we need now are people who are serious about the things of God.
    1. The Bible says, “When I was a child, I thought as a child, but when I grew up, I put away childish things!”

IV.          RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION IS PROVOKED

A.  Ingratitude Angers God 

  1. You can get over someone saying something crazy to you, but when someone looks at you as you haven’t done anything for them, this angers you. This is called
  2. When you think about all that God has given us, and we decide to give more allegiance to a bull than Him, how do you think this makes God feel?
  3. When you have shifted your allegiance:
    1. Your priorities will be out of wack. Your priorities will be where your possessions
    2. You passion has shifted – How is that you can come out of what God brought you out of and then you be tired when it comes to the things of God? When it comes to worldly things, we can stay up all night, but when it comes to the things of God, we get tired.

 

B.  Wickedness Provokes God’s Wrath

  1. Wickedness provoked God to the point where he wanted to destroy the Children of Israel. God is merciful, but there are things He doesn’t tolerate.
  2. Iniquity is the bending towards something. It is likely something that you shouldn’t do, but you desire it anyway.
  3. Iniquity will create trespass. My iniquity has grown so strong, it builds curiosity, and together they make you want to trespass.
  4. Miss the Mark. This is trespassing causing you to miss the mark. This is sin! When you have iniquity, trespassing, and sin, and you begin to like and be comfortable with sin. This causes you to fall into
  5. Wickedness– This is when you justify what’s in God’s law in order to make provisions for your sin. When you are in wickedness, this brings God’s wrath against you!
  6. Thank God for Mosses! He was negotiating on the behalf of the Children of Israel.
  7. God is angered by some of the things we are doing. God will deliver us out of something, just for us to go right back and get caught up in it again. God will provide us with something we need, and we will go right back and lose it again.

V.          REJOICE FOR WHAT INTERCESSION PREVENTED 

  • Thank God for the intercessions. Intercessions matter. Moses is standing in the gap of God’s people.
  • Intercession is an advocate that speaks on behalf of those that have been oppressed. They stand in the gap and act as a conduit for grace and mercy.
  • Sometimes our grandparents acted as intercessors for us, when we were in the streets.

A.  God Hears the Plea of His Leaders

  1. Moses was their leader. God spoke to Moses, for the Bible says, “and the Lord said to Moses…”
  2. The Lord speaks to your leader to get the Word you need to you. Moses spoke to the people on behalf of God.
  3. Moses pleaded with God, so that He wouldn’t kill the Children of Israel for what they had done. God was angered so much, He told Moses that he would start over and make Moses name great!
  4. Moses still prayed for the people, despite what they had done. There is no telling how many things you were delivered from, because of your leader and their prayers on your behalf. God changed his mind and spared them, because of the intercessions of Moses. Remember, somebody prayed for you!

B.  It Could Have Gone Another Way

  1. If you need something to thank God for, know that it could have gone another way!
  2. They were at Mount Sinai. If they messed up this mountain moment, they would mess up their post mountain blessings.
  3. This is your defining moment. Either you’re going for the blessing or you’re going for the bull.
  4. 4 ways to unlock blessings:
    1. Release the bull – Let it go! It is holding up your blessing.
    2. Return to how it all began – Get back to what first got you out. Get back to where no one had to beg you to come to church. Go back to your first love!
    3. Restore the benefits – No good thing will God withhold from them that walk upright.
    4. Rejoice in the blessing – Know that God will always be there.
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Part I: Never Forget 

Posted on March 8, 2024 by growintheword

 

Synopsis of sermon 3.2.24

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Psalm 103:1-12 NKJV
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, 
Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

I. INTRODUCTION 

  1. One thing important in child of God’s life is remembrance. You have not subscribed to the spirit of amnesia.
  2. Memory serves as record of God’s past deeds, and it gives us strength to go forward.
    1. Remember the children of Israel would say, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob? What about the 12 smooth stones they left behind when they crossed the Jordon?
  3. It is important we don’t forget what God has made available to us. He has protected us and made stuff available to us, stuff we thought we would never have.
  4. Our posture and our pride are evidence that God is with us.
  5. This Psalm in the lesson today is written by David. David was anointed as King by Although David was anointed, he didn’t take the position of king until much later.
  6. David has incredible victories, including his victory over Goliath.
  7. David had many gifts too. David would play the harp and sooth King Saul when he would have episodes of depression.
  8. David was not always the best. We see David in a bad light with his incident with Bathsheba, yet God still used him.
    1. Just like David, there were episodes that happen in life that make you wonder who the person really is.
  9. Some people are not kind about your low times. Some people try to hold you to the stuff that you did in your 20s, but God looks beyond your faults.
  10. Don’t lose your empathy. Because of your past, you can’t be critical of others. We can’t lose sight of where God has brought us from.
  11. David is giving us an understanding of how God takes our flawed life and still uses us. God’s faithfulness is greater than any flaw you have. God can still use you.

II. REMEMBER WHY YOUR SOUL SHOULD REJOICE 

  • We don’t praise God out of reaction. Instead, we praise God out of what He has done in our lives and who He is to us.
  • Forget not his benefits!

A. He Gives Us Benefits That Money Can’t Buy 

  1. God forgives my iniquities. Money can’t buy that.
  2. God heals our diseases. All healing doesn’t mean you had the disease. Some healing is based off His preventing you from getting it. You ought to thank God for the stuff you didn’t get, the stuff that God blocked!
  3. God redeemed my life from destruction. He saved me from myself. The enemy sometimes is what’s inside of me.
  4. How did God keep us from destruction?
    1. He didn’t let the car start at that time we were headed for trouble.
    2. God let you get sick the time you were going out to turn up. There are many ways that God kept us from destruction, and we didn’t even know it.

B. He Fills Us with Good Things and Renews Our Strength 

  1. God fills my mouth. That means that He fills it with the Word of God.
  2. God has a tendency to train us. God gives me what I need to be
    1. You can be on the edge and God can give you the right word, at the exact time you need it. In the world, you thought another drink was going to strengthen you or maybe even another smoke. Later, you matured and realized this is why you have the Word of God. The Word of God strengthens us. We get our strength through the Word of God.
  3. The scripture says he strengthens me like an eagle. The eagle has strength because it welcomes the storm. Instead of avoiding the storm, the eagle flies into the pressure of the atmosphere. This is how the eagle gets so strong.
    1. Look at how you pray. It is much like an eagle. You wouldn’t pray like you do, if you hadn’t gone through all that you’ve gone through. The storms made you stronger.
  4. We thank God for the Word for the storm, but it doesn’t dismiss the fact that we have become tired. Sometimes we get tired of trying, tired of our supervisor, tired of people, tired of work, and tired of church folk.
    1. Isaiah 40:29-31 says He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

III. REMEMBER THE STRENGTH OF HIS RECORD 

A. He Always Takes Care of Who Did Us Wrong 

 

  1. God brings just to those who are oppressed.
  2. Many of us want God to get people in our name. We act like God is supposed to be our personal bodyguard. Romans 15:4 says ”For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.“ – God will handle people that did you wrong. This means that you have to be spiritual enough to know that God fights your battles.

B. His Record Is a Public Reference 

1.     God told the children of Israel to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. God told Jehoshaphat to put the Praise Leaders out front and the enemies turned on each other. Know that your praise is your weapon!

  1. If God will be for us, who can be against us? God’s word demonstrates this over and over.
  2. God will release me of fear. God fights your battles every day!
    1. When you know God fight your battles, you are freed to focus on your assignment.
  3. God said of David that he was one after His own heart, even though he had messed up a few times.

IV. REMEMBER THAT GOD DOES NOT SEVER THE RELATIONSHIP 

  • God is still concerned about maintaining a relationship with you. After all we have done, we would think God would be done with us.
  • We have to remember that God is not like us. He is merciful and long suffering.


A. We Are Here Because Of His Grace and Mercy 

  1. We are able to do what we do, because of God’s grace and mercy. God has always been holding back the consequences.
  2. Peter was hood and holy at the same time. You would think Jesus would have stopped dealing with him, but Jesus never gives up on us. He knew that this was something Peter would outgrow through
    1. Example: Bishop said he was a terror as a kid. He was the kind of child that gave the teachers a headache. He would not sit down, he wouldn’t stop talking, and he was always into something. Who would have thought he would have ended up as a Pastor and better yet, Presiding Bishop over the Full Gospel.
    2. Bishop’s parents never gave up on him. Just like this, God never gives up on us.


B. God Does Not Hold a Grudge

  1. We have generational issues going on where we don’t even speak to some of our family members. We have a habit of holding grudges. If God doesn’t hold a grudge, then why should we?
  2. God doesn’t keep up with all that we have done. Psalm 30:5 NKJV says 5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But [a]joy comes in the morning.– Concerning anything you may have done, God is over it!  
  3. If God is over it, what did he do with it?

 
V. REMEMBER OUR SINS HAVE BEEN REMOVED

  • Roman 8:1 NIV says 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,- There is no condemnation. Religion condemns, but Relationship doesn’t.
  • Church people love to pile on when people fall. It makes some people feel good to kick a person while they are down. Remember though, it could have been you that fell.


A. He Could Have Punished Us, but He Was Patient

  1. We are not in a position to make light of someone else’s situation. We were only one more drink from being in their same situation. We were one person shy of being in a situation, because of someone we slept with.
  2. It could have been us outdoors with no clothes or no food to eat.
  3. God took your issues as far as the 3rd heaven. You have 3 heavens. The first heaven is the place where the birds fly. The second heaven is where space and the solar system are. The 3rd heaven is where we believe God resides. God took you issue all the way to the 3rd
    1. Psalm 107:2-3 NKJV says 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, 3 And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.
    2. Psalm 103:9-12 NKJV says 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
      1. As far as the East is from the West. When you look at this, this is really amazing!
      2. North and South are different from East and West in that North and South are absolutes — you can go north only until you hit the North Pole. Once you are at the North Pole, any direction you go is South, and the same thing at the South Pole — there, any direction is North.
  • East and West, though, are relative. There is no “East Pole” or “West Pole”. Any point on Earth is east of somewhere and west of somewhere else. You can keep going East or West forever, and just wrap around the Earth again and again. – So, the phrase “… far as the East is from the West…” is a really a Big Deal.
  1. Reaching towards those things that are behind me I press towards the mark of the High Calling. I can’t dwell over what was done in the past.

B. He Puts Distance Between Our Past and Promise

  1. Can God use me? Romans 6:1-4 KJV says 1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
  2. Openbox:
  3. Bishop explains going to the store and seeing sign that said, “Sale Open Box”, so he asked the Manager what this meant. The Manager told him that this is Product that came from the Manufacturer with a minor cosmetic flaw. Since it had that flaw in it, they could no longer sell it as “New”.
  4. Bishop wanted to know, does it still have the same warranty, and does it still work like it should? The Manager said “yes.”
    1. We are open Box too. We’ve got flaws, but we still work like everyone else. Some people send me back, but that doesn’t mean God can’t use me. I’m open box, but I still function the way God intended.
  5. Refurbished Section:
  6. Bishop moved to another section of the store and saw a sign that said “Refurbished”. He asked the Manager what this meant and the Manager said, “This product was broken, so it was sent back to the Manufacture to be Repaired, and now it is good as new”.
    1. If you take a look back over your life, you will realize that you have been broken. You found out that a drink couldn’t do it! You found out that a smoke couldn’t do it, so you went back to the Manufacturer and God fixed you up!
  7. Recycle:
  8. Finally, Bishop went to a section that had a sign that read “Recycle”. Bishop asked the Manager what this meant. The manager said this is Product that was used, thrown away, cleaned up, and prepared for
  9. Just like this, you’ve been used, messed up, and dirty, but God picked you up and cleaned you up. He recycled you and made you where He could use you again!
  10. Never forget what God has done for you!

 

 

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