LXM XIV Graduation
LXM XIV 2/10/2026
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41:55
Summary
A multi-speaker graduation service emphasizing that divine purpose is often found in hidden seasons of struggle, private faithfulness, and a commitment to worship regardless of life's circumstances.
Key points
- •Purpose is not a motivational slogan or about personal comfort; it is a divine assignment that requires obedience, servanthood, and often involves sacrifice and labor in private before public display.
- •Worship is the universal and primary calling of every believer, regardless of specific skill sets or public visibility.
- •God is not limited by human perception; He often hides purpose within struggles, trials, and impossible situations to strengthen individuals to be supports (the 'three-fold cord') for others.
- •Consecration and the willingness to ask 'Why?' while still surrendering to God's plan are essential for spiritual growth and preparing for a divine harvest.
- •Legacy and intergenerational faith are vital; the obedience of one generation (like the parents of the graduates) becomes the platform for the next generation's ministry.
Scripture
Divine Purpose
Consecration
Generational Faithfulness
Worship under Pressure
Spiritual Growth
Life application
This week, commit to a private act of consecration or service that no one else will see, trusting that God honors faithfulness in the hidden moments and is using your current 'season'-whether of harvest or famine-to fulfill His larger purpose.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life are you currently seeking 'applause' instead of focusing on the 'assignment' God has given you?
- When you face a season that doesn't make sense, how can you shift your perspective from questioning 'Why?' to offering worship?
- Who in your life needs you to be the 'supporting cord' of strength, and how has your past struggle prepared you to help them?
- What are you currently being asked to sacrifice or consecrate that feels like a 'waste' to others but is a 'memorial' to God?
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Full transcript
0:00and amen to God be the glory. So opening
0:00this will be sister Alyssa
0:02Vitalis [music] and she will be speaking
0:05first. Following her will be Andrew
0:07Castleman, Gabrielle Perdomo, Elijah
0:11[music] Bright, Lauren Leonard, Leonard
0:15and Angelina Maldano
0:18Maldonado
0:22Maldonado.
0:25And you may be seated [music] in Jesus
0:27name.
0:37Praise the Lord, church.
0:41>> Purpose is one of the most misunderstood
0:45hype words that we use in Christianity.
0:49We post about it, we sing about it, we
0:52preach about it.
0:54But purpose is not a motivational slogan
0:59or a buzzword. Purpose is a divine
1:02assignment and assignments don't always
1:04come with applause.
1:06Assignments come with hard work,
1:09>> study, and devotion.
1:13>> Purpose is God- centered. It is not
1:15self-centered.
1:17Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all
1:21things work together for the good of
1:23them that love God, to them who are
1:26called according to his purpose."
1:30>> Now, I love the part that says, "All
1:32things work together for my good."
1:36However, it says for those called
1:39according to his purpose.
1:43Now, that's not my timeline. That's not
1:46my preference. It's not my comfort. It's
1:49his.
1:50Purpose is not about what feels good.
1:53It's not about what feels comfortable to
1:56us. It's about what fulfills God's will
1:59for our life. And if we're honest with
2:02ourselves, purpose often feels
2:04uncomfortable.
2:06>> Let's look at Moses.
2:08Moses didn't feel qualified.
2:10>> He said, "God, I'm slow of speech. I'm
2:14not good enough. Sometimes we say, "God,
2:17why me?" We say, "God, please. Please,
2:21someone else over there."
2:24>> But God still used him. Look at Esther.
2:28Esther risked her life to walk into the
2:32king's court to save her people. God
2:35calls us to be a living sacrifice, holy
2:38and acceptable. That's what our purpose
2:41is. [applause] That's what he's called
2:43us to do.
2:46>> I know it can hurt. It hurts our flesh
2:50to sacrifice our life for the Lord, for
2:53his will. But God calls us to die daily.
2:57Look at Paul. Paul went from a murderer,
3:00from a persecutor, and God turned him
3:03around. We know that our identity is in
3:06Christ. He went from murderer to child
3:08of God.
3:10God used him for his purpose and his
3:13will.
3:15>> In a world where people chase platforms,
3:17titles fame
3:20divine purpose is different. It's not
3:23about visibility. It's not about
3:26ourselves. It's not about what we want.
3:28It's about obedience,
3:30>> servantthood, humility, and sacrifice.
3:34>> Just like the Alex graduates who are
3:36coming to bring the word to you today.
3:39They've studied hard. They've showed up
3:41early. They've poured themselves out on
3:44Mondays. They've read the books, took
3:46the test, submitted to training molding
3:50over this year. And it's not always
3:53easy.
3:54But they showed up with purpose when no
3:58one was watching.
3:59>> That's right.
4:00>> When nobody was giving them credit or
4:02applause, they showed up with purpose.
4:06[applause]
4:07Purpose
4:10is proven in private before it is
4:13displayed in public and that is the
4:16epitome of this class.
4:19Andrew Castleman, Gabriel Pradomo,
4:22Elijah Bright, Lauren Leonard, and
4:24Angelina Maldonado have all demonstrated
4:27traits of purpose throughout this year.
4:31>> Tonight, you are not just going to hear
4:34five young ministers speak. You're going
4:36to hear the evidence of purpose
4:38cultivated.
4:40>> So let's lift our hands and let's pray
4:42that we have our hearts and our minds
4:44ready for the word that we are going to
4:46receive today.
4:48>> Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that you
4:51graduate, that you cover us, that you
4:54prepare [applause] the word, that your
4:56will be done, Lord, that you use them,
5:00and that we're ready to receive, Lord.
5:02that we praise you and we worship you in
5:06Jesus name [applause] as we lift it up
5:08to you. Amen.
5:16>> Praise the Lord, church.
5:17>> Praise the Lord.
5:19>> He is worthy, is he not?
5:23>> So, like many of you, some of you at
5:26least, I grew up in Pentecost. I grew up
5:29in church. My dad, his seat was on the
5:32second row and I grew up there. I could
5:36not lift my toys above the rim of the
5:39pew.
5:41In fact, I spent quite a number of years
5:45sleeping under the front pew and
5:48watching the preaching from the
5:50horizontal.
5:52>> It was some great preaching.
5:54>> The high heels stomped close to my face
5:56and the bobby pins flew. It was
5:59wonderful.
6:01And then I reach my teenage years and
6:04things became weird.
6:07I go to youth camp and I go to youth
6:10retreat and I go to holiday youth
6:12convention
6:13and I'm praying and someone inevitably
6:17comes up to me and they pray for me and
6:19they whisper in my ear, "God has a
6:21calling on your life." It's awesome. the
6:25first time and the second and the eighth
6:29and the dozen and eventually I'm
6:32standing there praying and it's like
6:34okay I want to stop and ask them where
6:40calling do you have do what did God just
6:42tell you that I'm supposed to do tell me
6:46>> inevitably I don't because I'm scared of
6:50stopping and putting them on the spot
6:52just as much as myself.
6:55But we all have struggled with that
6:58exact same question. What calling
7:01>> Yeah.
7:01>> do you have for me?
7:04>> What calling is on my life? What what am
7:07I supposed to do for the kingdom?
7:11>> Now, we've heard over the last few weeks
7:13and months some great preaching about
7:16David. David, brother Elms said it just
7:19a couple months ago. David was a weapon.
7:23>> He was a warrior.
7:25>> If you think about it, if Israel wanted
7:27to conquer the world, David would have
7:29tried to do it.
7:31>> He would have probably been comparable
7:33to Alexander the Great.
7:36>> But he didn't want the world. He wanted
7:38something else. He wanted the ark.
7:40>> Yes.
7:41>> The ark of the covenant. He He sought
7:44for it when he was king.
7:48>> And he sought for it. He wanted it so
7:50much that he decided he was going to
7:53drag it back to Jerusalem.
7:57It didn't work the first time. So, he
8:00had to go back and he did some research
8:02and he talked to the the priests and the
8:04priests helped him and he led the
8:06procession
8:08down the road. As the priests carried
8:11the ark, he car he led them to Jerusalem
8:15because that that was his calling. David
8:18was called and anointed to be their king
8:21and their leader.
8:23>> Yeah.
8:25>> Now, in that moment,
8:28it took years for me to realize it, but
8:31David exuded something else in that
8:34exact time frame that I I can do, too.
8:39David may be larger than life, but you
8:42see, in that moment, he made himself
8:44like any one of us.
8:47He he chose to give up his kingly robes.
8:50He chose to give up his status and his
8:52position and his his grandeur.
8:56And he became like me.
8:59>> And in that moment, he showed me what I
9:01can do, what what my most basic calling
9:04may be.
9:06>> To give worship and praise and adoration
9:09and and to pour everything to him.
9:13[applause]
9:22Now, in today's society, there's there's
9:25all sorts of other things and we have we
9:26each have skills and talents and things
9:30that we can give to God.
9:33I am a terrible Sunday school teacher
9:35and I know it.
9:38But if you're in here and you have a
9:40bunch of kids, you would probably make
9:43the best Sunday school teacher.
9:46Honestly, you would. You have prayed for
9:49more patience than I have cuz God has
9:52blessed you with it.
9:55And I have to say, if you can sing in
9:57the shower and your family doesn't run
9:59screaming from the house,
10:02you could probably sing for God,
10:05talk to Sister Elms. She might put you
10:06in the praise team.
10:10>> [laughter]
10:12>> But even if that is not what God has
10:15called you to do, even if that is not
10:17what you're supposed to be doing, God
10:20still has that calling for you to
10:22worship,
10:23>> to praise. The New Testament in second
10:26pet uh let me see [snorts]
10:28ah first Peter 2:9
10:31it talks about we are called
10:35>> you know he has called us into his glory
10:38so we bring him praise we bring him
10:40worship we bring him our prayers and our
10:43sacrifice and we pour it all out to him
10:46at the altar
10:48>> and in that way we fulfill our calling
10:51as the bride of Christ we fulfill our
10:53calling falling unto his glory.
10:56>> And in our presence, where two or three
10:58are gathered, there he is in our midst.
11:01>> And he comes down and he inhabits with
11:03us. Inhabits our praise.
11:06>> And in that moment,
11:08>> in that moment, we fulfill our greatest
11:12calling.
11:13>> Praise God.
11:15[applause]
11:19>> Praise the Lord. church.
11:22[applause and cheering]
11:23>> I want to say I'm nervous, but I can't
11:25because I know it's excitement for what
11:26God is doing.
11:29>> Now, Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that
11:32all things work together for good."
11:36>> That's exciting. But guess what? It's
11:38not that easy to live out
11:40>> cuz we as humans, we can't see into the
11:42future. Sadly, I I can't we can't see
11:45how God is going to turn the mess or the
11:48impossible situation that I'm facing
11:49into something good. It's to me it makes
11:52no sense.
11:54>> I wish I could see into the future. That
11:56way I can win the Powerball and we could
11:58build this temple, but that's not
12:00possible.
12:03But guess what? We also can't really see
12:04what's in the present. And you may be
12:07asking, what do you what do I mean?
12:10There's things happening around us that
12:13we can't see,
12:14>> right?
12:14>> There's things happening that we don't
12:16understand because we are living in this
12:20flesh
12:21>> and I can only see as far as my eyes can
12:23see and I can only understand as far as
12:26my brain can comprehend whatever I'm
12:28looking at, whatever I'm touching.
12:29>> Amen.
12:31Now, there's this great movie, and if
12:34you can get past the weird almost
12:36psychotic premise, uh it starts off by
12:40saying, "According to all known laws of
12:42aviation, there is no way that a bee
12:46should be able to fly. Its wings are too
12:48small to lift its fat little body off of
12:51the ground."
12:52>> This is the introduction to the bee
12:54movie, if anyone's ever watched it.
12:56[laughter]
12:57>> Hence why the bright yellow tie.
13:00Now I keep saying the bee of course
13:03flies anyways because it does not care
13:06what humans thinks it think
13:08>> what humans think is impossible and that
13:10by itself is a powerful summer but
13:11that's not my point here.
13:14My point is that about a hundred years
13:16ago there was a bunch of scientists that
13:17were just looking at this bee. They're
13:18like how is it possible? Their
13:20calculations just weren't adding up.
13:22Everything they knew was not making
13:24sense. It's almost like me calculating
13:26on my physics exam that this little girl
13:28threw a ball 3,000 miles. It just makes
13:29no sense.
13:31>> Something isn't adding up
13:34now.
13:36[laughter]
13:37Something is not adding up because we
13:40are limited by what we can see.
13:42>> That's true.
13:43>> We are limited by what we can
13:45understand. And a few decades later,
13:48they discovered through a bunch of
13:50camera technologies that is the way that
13:52the bee moves its wings, not the size of
13:55its wings. And this is much like the
13:58purpose in our lives. It's not how much
14:00we're given.
14:01>> It's how we use what we've been given
14:04>> to fulfill his purpose. [applause]
14:08>> We want some many times we want purpose
14:11to be so clear and so obvious, but a lot
14:14of times it's hidden.
14:16>> It's hidden in our struggles.
14:18>> It's hidden in that situation that comes
14:21exactly at the wrong time.
14:22>> Come on now.
14:24It just makes no sense how God is going
14:27to turn that around.
14:29>> But guess what? You're not alone
14:32>> because I face the same struggles.
14:34>> The people around you face the same
14:35struggles.
14:36>> Even people not in church face the same
14:38struggles. We're all human.
14:40>> And there are people that God has put
14:42next to you, the people that you sit
14:44next to every day that are fighting
14:46battles in private.
14:48>> That's true.
14:49>> That's true.
14:49>> Now, there's this great song that
14:51someone sent me recently. It's called
14:53Help Me by Court Chavis. And I like the
14:57song because it it tells a bunch of
14:58different perspectives. And you haven't
15:00if you haven't listened to it, I I
15:01invite you to.
15:02>> And it starts off by saying, "I'm the
15:04man on the street. Don't mind my sign. I
15:06need more than money."
15:08>> Right. Right.
15:09>> And then it says, "I'm the single mother
15:11of three.
15:12>> I know how my situation looks, but I
15:14need someone to reach out to me."
15:16>> And to many people,
15:18>> it's clear that they're struggling. But
15:21this song also goes deeper and it goes
15:23to say, "I'm the lawyer that you met at
15:25the coffee shop. On the outside, I seem
15:27fine, but on the inside, my life is
15:29crashing."
15:31>> Then it says, "I'm the city that you
15:32drive through every day. Can you hear
15:34the cry of my streets
15:36>> of pain and hurt? I need someone to
15:38preach to me.
15:41>> God is not limited."
15:43>> No, sir.
15:44>> We are limited in what we see. But God
15:46is not limited. And he puts you in
15:48situations. He puts you next to people
15:50that need to hear his word, that need to
15:53feel his love through you. [cheering]
15:56>> Hallelujah.
15:57>> Cuz Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, "And if one
16:00prevail against them, two shall
16:01withstand him, and the three-fold cord
16:03is not quickly broken."
16:05>> But there's a caveat to all of this.
16:07It's in part of the second the second
16:09half of Romans 8:28 that I didn't read.
16:12Yes.
16:12>> It says together for good to them that
16:15love God
16:16>> and to them who are called according to
16:18his purpose.
16:19>> Cuz guess what? If you put the homeless
16:22homeless man and the single mother of
16:23three and the lawyer whose life is
16:25crashing down,
16:26>> you're not going to get a very strong
16:27rope there.
16:28>> You need someone. You need a friend
16:30>> that is faithful to to God's word,
16:34>> that loves God, and that is living
16:36according to his will.
16:37>> Yes.
16:38>> And guess what? I want to be that
16:40friend. I want to be that.
16:43>> Yes. [applause]
16:45>> Not every situation is going to feel
16:47good. But guess what? God is putting you
16:49through that for a purpose.
16:52>> Amen.
16:53>> For the purpose of strengthening you
16:56>> to be that cord, that supporting friend
16:58that someone else needs.
16:59>> That's right, sir.
17:04>> Name of Jesus. Thank you.
17:06>> I want God. And this is going to sound
17:09very extreme, but I want God to put me
17:11whatever through whatever he needs to
17:13put me through to strengthen me, to be
17:16that cord that someone else needs
17:19>> because I don't want it to be my will. I
17:21want it to be his will and I want him to
17:24work through me
17:25>> so that someone else can feel his love
17:28and understand and get to know his word.
17:31Name of Jesus. Thank you.
17:34[applause]
17:39>> [applause]
17:41>> Well, praise the Lord, everyone.
17:43>> Praise the Lord.
17:45>> Well, I pray what I'm about to speak on
17:47makes sense uh tonight with you all.
17:51We're preaching with no notes. So,
17:53please bear with us.
17:56So,
17:58scripture I would like to start off with
18:00here today is Ecclesiastes chapter 3
18:02verse one.
18:05where it says there is a time for
18:07everything and a season for every
18:10activity under the heavens.
18:13>> Now our overall topic tonight is the
18:16purpose in this place.
18:19>> So this scripture here talks about if we
18:22could summarize it, it's saying that
18:24there is a time to plant.
18:26>> Yes,
18:26>> there's a time to uproot. Yes,
18:29>> there's seasons of our lives where
18:31there's times of distances between
18:32friendships families
18:35>> there's a time to question,
18:37>> and there's even a season of a time of
18:40doubting.
18:43>> Tonight, I just want to talk to you a
18:45little bit about my story.
18:48>> I g for many of you know, I grew up in
18:50this church.
18:52>> Came my family and I came here in 2006,
18:55somewhere around that time.
18:57>> Yes, sir. I got the Holy Ghost probably
18:59staying right over here.
19:01>> Hallelujah.
19:02>> When I was probably about 11 years old,
19:06>> probably a couple months later after
19:08that, I was baptized right back here
19:10where we used to have a baptismal tank.
19:13>> That's right. Yes, sir.
19:16>> I grew up now throughout my life, I grew
19:19up with through many seasons
19:22>> of confusion in my life.
19:23>> Yes.
19:27came here to Florida and you know my
19:30family did fall apart.
19:32>> My parents were divorced.
19:34>> Yes, sir.
19:34>> It was a hard time,
19:36>> right?
19:37>> My family was broken
19:40>> once we came here.
19:43I didn't let it affect me that much. I
19:45kind of turned it inwards
19:48>> and I was like, "Okay, whatever."
19:53And throughout the years that really
19:55affected me and I didn't talk about it
19:58with much for people.
20:04>> My relationship with God has always been
20:06a tricky thing throughout my life. It's
20:09always been a questionable thing.
20:13But through all that, I had to learn
20:15that those seasons I had to go through
20:17know how no matter how hard it was.
20:23I used to sit there and question, Lord,
20:25why would you allow this to happen?
20:28>> Why would you break my family apart
20:30coming here? Why would you do that?
20:32>> Why would you bring me through seasons
20:34of joy and then suddenly it all comes
20:36crumbling down?
20:40>> It's the hardest things ever.
20:43>> Absolutely.
20:44>> Absolutely.
20:44>> How many of you guys know that there's
20:46purpose in your seasons whether you
20:48realize it or not?
20:51his purpose there. [cheering]
20:53[applause]
20:57>> I remember throughout those years when
20:58my family wasn't coming to church, I
21:00remember
21:01pastor and sister Elms Austin,
21:05Winter, Scarlet, and Ethan
21:09without fail. Every Sunday morning,
21:13every Tuesday night, without fail,
21:16they picked us up. Oh, we got to go pick
21:18up Elijah and Isaac. Doesn't matter.
21:20Hey, David, I got to go pick up Elijah
21:22and Isaac. I I'll be there a little bit
21:24later. All right. And sister Elm's
21:27taking us to Wendy's. And then when we
21:29tried to be humble and order the small,
21:32she would tell us, "No, no, why you
21:33ordering that? Order the large."
21:36Okay. I was just trying to be nice.
21:42But I joke with that to say
21:44[clears throat]
21:46is that throughout those seasons, no
21:47matter how hard it was, that these
21:49church doors are open no matter what.
21:52[applause]
21:53For me, being a person
21:56that is so quiet, I don't really like to
21:58be in the spotlight of attention at all.
22:01I like to be hidden in the back and
22:03quiet.
22:05I never really understood what my
22:07purpose was in life or what I was
22:09created to do. Like Andrew, I would hear
22:12the 50 million prophets and prophetesses
22:16at altar calls saying, "You have a great
22:18calling on your life."
22:20>> Well, great. I wonder what it is cuz I
22:24don't have a clue.
22:29I got to say coming here is what
22:31probably made me find purpose in those
22:34seasons when I didn't know what it was
22:38>> where I didn't know which direction to
22:40go in. I would just say, you know what,
22:43I'm just going to show up faithfully to
22:45church even if I don't feel like it.
22:48>> When I don't feel like praying,
22:50[applause]
22:52>> when I feel like maybe God's not with
22:54me, I'm just going to keep showing up
22:56>> no matter how I feel.
22:58>> [applause]
23:05>> And that changed a lot of me.
23:07>> Oh yes.
23:08>> I really didn't realize it in the end
23:11that everything that I that I went
23:13through was helping me become who I am
23:15today.
23:17>> Hallelujah.
23:19>> Hallelujah.
23:20>> Even when this even through the lonely
23:22seasons where no one could see you,
23:24>> right?
23:25>> There is a purpose in that.
23:26>> Oh yes. There's a God saying, "Look, I
23:29know it's hard, but you know, I'm I'm
23:30with you in this season. I want you to
23:32see it.
23:35>> I care about you, Elijah. I know it's
23:36it's it's hard, but I just want you to
23:39trust in me right now.
23:43>> Hallelujah.
23:45>> Look, I'm a living example of how
23:47purpose can be found in the church."
23:52>> Many of you know, I'm probably the
23:54church sound guy here. Guess that's my
23:56title. Okay. I try my best at it.
24:00Not successful at it,
24:03>> but I try my best.
24:06But just by showing up here, that gave
24:08me a sense of responsibility to always
24:10come here.
24:12>> I remember at a young age, pastor
24:14putting me back there at 11 years old. I
24:16had no had no idea what what I was
24:18doing. It's like, why? What? I'm in
24:21control over this? Oh my gosh, this is
24:23so terrifying.
24:26But I learned to love that later on in
24:28life. Went to school for it, studied for
24:30it. It was amazing how God opened some
24:33doors after that. Throughout the years,
24:37[applause]
24:38>> I've had the privilege to go to South
24:39Dakota about two times and serve there
24:42at their camp meeting,
24:44>> which was a life-changing thing.
24:48never would have thought that I would
24:49have been ever able to walk work under
24:52Bishop Mark Brown which is a very
24:54amazing preacher in this movement
24:57which is probably an impactful message
25:00that he spoke about atmospheres in 2019
25:02when I came back to church
25:07but
25:10it's amazing to see that God could God
25:13can surely change something into
25:16something beautiful
25:19>> regardless of anything
25:21>> and many people could see the many faces
25:23that I've had throughout life
25:27and to where I am today. I would never
25:29be here speaking in Alex. It's something
25:31I never wanted to do. Kind of ran away
25:34from it for many years till some people
25:37finally convinced me to do it.
25:42But I'm here to tell you that
25:46purpose is found through growth in our
25:48life.
25:50Okay?
25:52It's found there.
25:54We can all go through there's a quote
25:56that I like it that says we can all
25:59evolve while staying true to who we are.
26:02>> We can honor who we've been and choose
26:04who we want to be next. Yes.
26:07>> Now, there's a scripture that comes to
26:09mind when I say that that's found in 2
26:12Corinthians 3:18 that says, "And we all
26:16who with unfailed faces contemplate the
26:18Lord's glory are being transformed into
26:21his image with everinccreasing glory."
26:24>> Yes.
26:24>> Which comes from the Lord who is the
26:27spirit.
26:31That's saying that we're all we're
26:32always going to be changing. Our purpose
26:35overall is to be there for each other.
26:38>> It may not feel like it in certain
26:40seasons of your life,
26:42but keep showing up faithfully.
26:45>> Keep showing up faithfully here.
26:48>> There's a reason why our church motto is
26:50says helping people become
26:55>> because we're helping build people up.
26:59>> [applause and cheering]
27:04>> Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus.
27:07[applause] Thank you Lord.
27:09>> Thank you Jesus. Praise the Lord church.
27:13>> He has made everything appropriate in
27:16its time.
27:17He has also put eternity in their
27:20hearts.
27:21>> But no one can discover the work God has
27:24done from beginning to end.
27:28That's what Ecclesiastes 3:11 states.
27:31>> Yes,
27:32>> we've already touched on Ecclesiastes 3
27:35a little bit um in the previous sermons,
27:39but a couple of these verses speaks on a
27:42story of a laborer working in a field.
27:45>> Yes.
27:46And this verse is the epitome
27:49of the imagery of what he's getting at
27:54>> is that even though he works hard days
27:57and hard nights,
28:02>> what he's working for is not
28:06the stories that he has written on his
28:08hands, the the scars that he acquires.
28:10It's
28:12>> it's the eternity that is in his heart.
28:15Right.
28:16>> The eternity that there will be a
28:18harvest that the Lord will provide.
28:22>> And and we often see that now as that
28:25the harvest as a revival.
28:28>> That that's what our theme is this year.
28:29Revival.
28:34>> We see a story that kind of relates
28:38um of a man who was beloved,
28:41a man named Joseph,
28:43>> right?
28:44He was loved by his father, but he was
28:46so loved by his father that he was
28:49betrayed by his own brothers.
28:52>> They threw him in a pit,
28:54>> but the Lord delivered him out of that
28:58pit
28:59>> and showed favor upon him
29:02>> again and again,
29:03>> again and again
29:06>> with with dream after dream after dream.
29:09The Lord
29:10>> gave him a purpose.
29:16Because the Lord showed Pharaoh
29:20>> to which Joseph revealed that there was
29:22going to be seven years of of harvest.
29:25>> Yes.
29:26>> In preparation for seven years of
29:28famine.
29:29>> And so Joseph was put in charge of that.
29:31And
29:32and in the midst of the famine, his
29:35brothers out of desperation and hunger
29:38came to Joseph.
29:39>> Right
29:40>> now, they didn't know it was Joseph at
29:41the time.
29:43They just knew
29:45that it was the person that they needed
29:47to get to to get food,
29:48>> right?
29:50>> And then Joseph revealed himself to his
29:52brothers and they were sorrowful and
29:54they were grieved.
29:55>> Uhhuh.
29:56>> But in in Genesis 45:5, it says that
30:00Joseph was saying, "Don't be angry.
30:02Don't be grieved at yourself
30:04>> by because you sold me because God sent
30:07me before you to preserve life." His
30:11purpose was hidden in the betrayal of
30:14his brothers. His purpose, it wasn't
30:16hidden, it was found.
30:18>> His purpose was found in in being thrown
30:21in prison. His purpose was found in in
30:24being brought before Pharaoh. And none
30:25of that would have happened
30:27>> if the valleys before him didn't occur.
30:30Yes.
30:31>> Two verses later in in verse 7, he says,
30:33"God sent me before you to preserve
30:36you."
30:36>> Yes.
30:37>> A prosperity in the earth and to save
30:40your life by a great deliverance.
30:45>> Oh yes.
30:46>> Now, this story, it reflects Jesus, a
30:50beloved son who's betrayed by the people
30:53closest to him,
30:54>> right? But he was delivered
30:58and sent before us to preserve us.
31:01>> To preserve us.
31:03>> To preserve us. To save us as a ransom
31:07>> because we were not we didn't have the
31:10provision to see that we needed harvest
31:14to prepare us for famine.
31:19We also see that in the midst of every
31:22season, Joseph chose to worship.
31:26>> And that is our purpose is to worship.
31:30>> Whether you're beloved,
31:32>> keep worshiping.
31:33>> Whether you're in a pit, keep
31:35worshiping. Whether you're before
31:38Pharaoh, keep worshiping. Whether you're
31:41in harvest, whether you're in famine,
31:43keep worshiping because Jesus will use
31:46it for your [cheering] glory, for his
31:48glory, for his purpose. [applause]
31:52>> Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, [cheering]
31:54Jesus.
31:58>> So, I want to try something in in Psalms
32:01145:4. It says, "One generation will
32:04declare your works to the next and will
32:06proclaim your mighty acts. We we we
32:10prayed over that um chapter in in a
32:13woman's prayer early in the morning um
32:16last month. [crying]
32:18And and the reason I got inspired by
32:21this verse was because I was on that
32:23phone call, but Sister Lynn was also on
32:26that phone call. Sister Maggie was on
32:29that phone call. Sister Anna was on that
32:31phone call. Many other women were on
32:32that phone call. And it was one
32:35generation declaring to the next
32:39his mighty acts. And so I want us to do
32:41that today. I want the elders to lift up
32:45a praise and worship. But I want the
32:48young people to have an ear listen
32:52because they have labored. They have
32:55been laborers in the field for a long
32:57time. And they have when they could have
33:01chose to give up, they had many
33:04opportunities too.
33:06>> They still chose to worship the Lord. So
33:08I want you to lift up praise.
33:10>> Oh Lord, I bless you. I thank you for
33:13your power over the generations. I thank
33:15you for the children. I thank you for
33:17the children's children. I thank you for
33:19your faithfulness over the [applause]
33:21days of our lives [cheering] and the
33:22midnight hours
33:26and the setbacks.
33:29>> Thank you Lord God in Jesus name.
33:34>> Thank you Jesus.
33:37Thank you, Jesus.
33:39>> Thank you, Jesus.
33:42>> Thank you, Lord.
33:44>> Thank you, Jesus. And and I want Thank
33:48you, Lord. And and I want the young
33:50people to do the same, but I want the
33:52elders to now listen because although we
33:56may have not gone through all the trials
33:57that you guys have been through, our
33:59prayers might not be as loud, but we
34:01have such a fresh fire for the Lord, for
34:04this generation. that that the Lord has
34:07placed us into. So I want us to lift up
34:09a shout. Thank you Jesus. [cheering]
34:31Jesus
34:35Lord you are worthy. Thank you Jesus.
34:37Thank you Jesus.
34:39>> Thank you Lord God [applause]
34:42>> in Jesus name.
34:43>> Hallelujah.
34:45>> Because from one generation to the next
34:48>> hallelujah
34:49>> our worship will never change because we
34:51serve a God that never changes.
34:55>> [applause]
35:00>> THANK you Jesus. Hallelujah.
35:03>> Yesterday, today, and forever. Nobody
35:06likes you, Jesus.
35:09>> Praise the Lord, everybody.
35:12>> I have one question. Why?
35:15It's one of the most often asked
35:17questions I get working with kids.
35:20If you're a parent and a teacher or if
35:23you work with kids, you can testify to
35:25this.
35:25>> Why?
35:27>> Here, I'll give you an example.
35:29>> Matthew, can you please go pick up the
35:30blocks?
35:32>> Why?
35:33>> Well, because they're in the middle of
35:35the floor. So, if a friend walks by,
35:36they might trip on them. You know why?
35:41Well, you know, the the their foot's
35:43going to get caught on the block and
35:44then they're knee's going to hit the
35:45ground and it's going to hurt. Why?
35:49And at one point my answer will never
35:51satisfy them.
35:52>> Right. That's true.
35:53>> I'm not a medical professional. I cannot
35:55unfortunately explain the physics behind
35:57how you fall.
36:00>> But they keep asking. And it's so cool
36:03to see that human nature, that human
36:05curiosity that we have from such a young
36:07age.
36:09>> The question why is how we figured out
36:12so many things. Why the sun rises, why
36:14the sun sets, why the grass grows, why
36:16do we breathe?
36:18And I can also see how this same human
36:20nature impacts our relationship when it
36:22comes to God in the supernatural.
36:25>> Some things we ask why and it's not
36:27obvious to us, but it's so obvious to
36:28him, but we cannot understand it.
36:33>> Lord, why why do why do you call me to
36:35dress a certain way? Why do you call me
36:36to act a certain way? Why does the why
36:39does your word say to remain consecrated
36:41unto you?
36:43>> But there's a purpose in our
36:44consecration. Yes.
36:47>> When I think of consecration, I think of
36:49Mary in her alabaster box.
36:52>> She had this ointment, this oil that was
36:55estimated to be a year's worth of of
36:58wages,
36:59but she poured it out on Jesus because
37:01she loved him and she wanted to be close
37:03with him. In fact, in Matthew 26 verse
37:10verse 8, the disciples asked this same
37:13question. Why?
37:16>> They said, "To what purpose is this
37:18waste?"
37:18>> For this ointment might have been sold
37:20for much and given to the poor.
37:22>> They didn't understand the purpose
37:24behind why she anointed Jesus with that.
37:28>> But Jesus answered them in verse 10. He
37:30said, "Why trouble ye the woman? For she
37:32hath brought a good work upon me.
37:35>> For ye have the poor always with you,
37:36but me ye have not always."
37:39>> Jesus loved what what she did. He
37:42honored it. In fact, in verse 13, he
37:44says, "Verily, I say unto you, whosoever
37:46this gospel shall be preached in the
37:48whole world, there shall also this that
37:50this woman hath done be told a memorial
37:52of her."
37:53>> That's right.
37:54>> He saw what she did and he loved it. In
37:56fact, a memorial was placed for her that
37:58we talk about it today thousands of
38:00years later.
38:02>> And this same act of devotion and
38:05sacrifice and consecration is also seen
38:07in Daniel's story. He was known for his
38:09faithfulness. He was known for his
38:11excellent spirit.
38:12>> He was known for not eating from the
38:14king's table and praying every morning,
38:16every night and every or every morning,
38:19every afternoon, and every night,
38:20>> even when faced with death.
38:22>> Yes,
38:23>> he loved the Lord and he wanted to stay
38:25committed to him. And every time he
38:27spent keeping those commitments and
38:29refusing to stop praying prepared him
38:31for what he was going to do. He was
38:33going to interpret visions and dreams
38:35and be raised up in that area.
38:38And I'm so glad that I've been able to
38:40see the example of consecration through
38:41Mary and through Daniel and also through
38:44my dad.
38:46>> If you could please put up the picture.
38:49>> Oh, it's sideways.
38:52Well, just imagine it's, you know, the
38:54right way. [laughter]
38:57>> This is my dad. Um,
39:00he's sideways, but I promise you he
39:02doesn't stand like that. [laughter]
39:05In this photo, he's on his phone in
39:07front of a storage unit. It doesn't look
39:08like much. It looks like, you know, he's
39:10just taking care of business um
39:12sideways. [laughter]
39:14But in front of this storage unit would
39:17be where we would pack all of our
39:18belongings in for months while we waited
39:21for the next steps in our journey to
39:22move down to South Florida. And when God
39:25called and asked my dad, who called him
39:28to move down to South Florida, and he
39:29said yes, he gave up some of his biggest
39:32accomplishments and some of his biggest
39:35dreams to say yes.
39:37And I'm sure there's many times that he
39:39asked why. Even now, he still sacrifices
39:41for us to be here.
39:44>> I can tell you he hasn't been here for
39:45the month of January, but he's been
39:47fasting with us. He's been praying. He's
39:51been watching the services. He's been
39:53consecrating himself even in the hardest
39:54moments. That's what he's been doing.
39:57[applause]
39:57[cheering]
39:59>> And dad, I want to take this moment. I
40:02want I want to honor you
40:04>> for your sacrifice
40:05>> and for your consecration [applause] cuz
40:07I'm fruit of it.
40:16[applause]
40:17I would not be here standing here
40:19graduating from LXM if it wasn't for the
40:21Lord
40:22>> if it wasn't for my dad's willingness
40:24and consecration and love for the go for
40:27God.
40:27>> Hallelujah.
40:28>> To those who are sitting here tonight
40:30and you may be asking why
40:34ask your questions but give them to the
40:36only go only person that can answer it
40:38and his name is Jesus.
40:42[applause]
40:42>> I don't know why I have to go through
40:44the things I go through. I don't know
40:46why you asked me to give up myself when
40:48it seems like nothing is happening in
40:50return. But Lord, I give this question
40:52to you because you're preparing me for a
40:55purpose, God. A divine assignment that
40:58no one can take away, but you give to
41:00me, God, and I trust you and I surrender
41:02to you. I yield my purpose to you, God.
41:05And I yield this unanswered why. And in
41:07fact, I refuse for for it to discourage
41:09me and become a roadblock. But God, I'm
41:11going to let IT BE A MOTIVATING FACTOR
41:13to give what I have to you
41:17to see your plan unfold in my life.
41:20[applause and cheering]
41:22Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for
41:25hearing every prayer for the [applause]
41:28for keeping me and sustaining me, God.
41:30Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.
41:34[applause]
41:35>> Keep fasting.
41:37>> Keep praying.
41:38Keep surrendering to him cuz he's using
41:41you to prepare you for his glory, for
41:43the revival that's coming to South
41:45Florida.
41:48>> There's purpose in our consecration and
41:50there's purpose in our sacrifice.
41:53[applause and cheering]