The Harvest Is In You
Bro. Justin Montgomery Preached on 10/27/2026
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55:18
Summary
Drawing on the imagery of farming and gardening, this sermon explores how every believer is purposefully planted by God to bear fruit and carry the seeds of the Gospel to the next generation of souls.
Key points
- •Soul-winning is a process that mirrors gardening, requiring preparation of the soil, planting at the right depth, and patient watering before the harvest.
- •Every fruit carries within itself the seed for the next harvest; when we are won to Christ, we are empowered to carry that seed to others.
- •God is the source who provides the seed (His Word) and gives the increase, while our responsibility is to faithfully plant and water.
- •Pruning is a necessary part of growth where God removes things from our lives so that we can produce much fruit and fruit that remains.
- •We are purposefully planted by God in specific 'fields'-our workplaces, families, and communities-to be witnesses of His grace.
Scripture
Evangelism
Purpose
Spiritual Growth
Discipleship
Community
Life application
Identify one person in your specific 'field' (work, school, or neighborhood) this week and commit to watering the seed of the Gospel in their life through consistent love, listening, and sharing your testimony. Additionally, send a note of gratitude to the person who originally planted the seed of truth in your own life.
Reflection questions
- Who was the person who first prepared the 'soil' of your heart for the Gospel, and how did they do it?
- What 'thorns' or 'stones' in your current environment are hindering you from bearing much fruit?
- How does viewing yourself as a carrier of seeds change the way you interact with strangers or coworkers?
- In what areas is God currently 'pruning' you to prepare you for a greater harvest?
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Full transcript
0:02[music]
0:07[music]
0:07>> supposed to be on. There it is. How's
0:10everybody tonight?
0:12>> I see you all brave through the monsoon
0:14as well.
0:15>> You can be you can be seated. [music]
0:17>> I had been in Tennessee this weekend uh
0:20to visit my family.
0:22um for my Yeah, I was about to say that.
0:24So, if you hear my southern accent, it's
0:26because I've been with them.
0:28>> So, but as Sister Hail says, she always
0:31says, "We're not country, we're
0:33southern." So, if you hear my southern
0:35accent tonight, it's because I've been
0:37with my family.
0:39>> But as we as we landed last night um in
0:42Fort Lauderdale,
0:44uh the plane like hit so hard to the
0:47ground that it bounced up, went a little
0:48sideways. I was like, "What is going on
0:51here?" And this morning, the lady that
0:55cuts my hair, she was like, "Are you are
0:57you braving the monsoon?" I'm like,
0:58"What are you talking about?" I said, "I
1:00haven't really paid attention to the
1:02weather." And I walk out from her shop
1:04and then like the wind's like blowing me
1:05away. So, um I guess there's something
1:08going on out there right now. So, if you
1:10brave through it tonight, thank you. Um
1:13but it's good to be back home. It's good
1:15to be with you all tonight. and I always
1:19appreciate the time that I get to get to
1:22speak. [clears throat] And we're missing
1:24a few tonight. There's probably 20 or 30
1:26that's out tonight due to winds
1:28conference that's happening up in Palm
1:30Bay this week. Um so that's starting uh
1:33tomorrow through Friday and I think
1:35maybe Saturday as well. So if you're
1:37able to make it up, it's a two-hour
1:39drive. Um that's happening this week at
1:42WIN's conference. and give honor to
1:44brother and sister Elms. And I know
1:47they're pouring into that this weekend
1:49this week as well. And I want to remind
1:52you next week is home teams week.
1:54>> It's kind of hard to believe, right?
1:56Because it's next week is is going to be
1:58the Thanksgiving home team.
2:01>> Wow. Like, so plan your home teams.
2:05Whatever you do for Thanksgiving during
2:06your home teams, that is next week. So,
2:10>> yeah,
2:11>> time is marching on.
2:14Um and then next Friday night will be
2:16all church prayer, all night prayer. Um
2:19next Friday night as well. Um tonight I
2:24want to share a topic with you that
2:28there's two things you can talk to me
2:29about and I will talk your head off.
2:32Deep things of God and business. So if
2:35you ever need someone to talk to, give
2:37me a call. We'll grab coffee. We'll talk
2:39business or church, God, whatever it may
2:42be, and we can just talk for for hours.
2:45Um, I have tonight, the title for
2:47tonight is the harvest is in you.
2:51And
2:53>> I love soul-winning. I wish I was better
2:56at it, but I I I love it. It's something
2:59that is needed. And especially in a time
3:03as now, and I was sitting over here
3:05thinking about the weather, and then I
3:06was like, man, it's really raining. And
3:08then my mind went to the ark, you know,
3:11and the storm they were saying uh
3:13singing saying he was always on time.
3:16And I was thinking about Noah.
3:20Was it 120 years that God had them
3:23prepare the ark? People thought he was
3:25crazy. People had never seen rain. It
3:28never rained until the flood.
3:30And so God gives him these instructions
3:32to build the ark for these 120 years.
3:35So, he's following, he's building.
3:37People's like, "You're crazy."
3:40But, um, as time went on, God told him,
3:44"It's time to go into the ark."
3:47And God, it says, God shut the door.
3:51And the ark represents the church.
3:55>> We right now are telling people, you've
3:58got to know God. You've got to get to
4:01know God. You have got to get in to know
4:03God. you have to have a relationship
4:06with him.
4:07>> And some are like, "Yeah, yeah, maybe
4:09tomorrow, maybe next week." But when God
4:12shut that door on the ark, it was too
4:14late. And then the rain came
4:18and then the flood came and the people
4:21that were even outside the ark trying to
4:22get in, they couldn't get in. So, we're
4:25in this window of time right now called
4:27grace that God has given us.
4:31and we have to do our dead level best
4:34to be in the ark and to bring those in
4:36there with us to be in the church. And
4:40as they sung that song, um I was
4:43thinking about when the flood was
4:45happening, no one and his family were in
4:46the ark, even though they were in the
4:49ark, I'm sure it was a pretty rocky ride
4:52>> with the storm and the flood going out,
4:54right?
4:55>> But they were safe.
4:57So, even when you're in church, even
5:00when you come in church, you're there's
5:02things that's going to you're going to
5:04get your feelings hurt.
5:05>> I've had my feelings hurt. I probably
5:07hurt some feelings. But it's better to
5:09be in the church than it is to be
5:12outside right?
5:15[applause]
5:19>> So, tonight I just want to talk about
5:21the harvest is in you. And yesterday as
5:24I was flying back home,
5:26I guess I'm like my mom out. Some of you
5:28know her, some of you h don't know her,
5:31but she runs a mile a minute. That's a
5:34southern saying. Like she just goes all
5:36the time. She never sits down. So I
5:38catch myself sometime being the same
5:40way. So I just slow down, take a breath.
5:44So when I'm on a plane by myself, that's
5:48my time. It's just like, you know, you
5:50put some music on, you're praying,
5:52you're thanking, and sometimes I'm like
5:54crying, you know, and it's like I turn
5:56my head toward the window so no one
5:58sees. Um, but yesterday was one of those
6:02times when I was on my way home, you
6:03know, it's just a quiet time for me. Um,
6:06but yesterday I had this guy sitting
6:08next to me and I'm a bigger guy and he
6:10was too. So, you're fighting for your
6:12arm space. Whose arm's going to be in
6:14the front? You know, it's kind of
6:16awkward. But um I felt God spoke to me
6:20on that flight home um last night. So I
6:23was adding a few things to this lesson
6:25for tonight. So uh I have a slide if you
6:30want if you don't you won't hurt my
6:31feelings. But if you want to scan that,
6:33I took my my uh message tonight and put
6:37a brief page of notes together. So if
6:40you want to scan that and save it, you
6:41can. Totally up to you. Um, but that'll
6:45stay up there for a few minutes. So, I
6:49have a couple of questions for you all
6:50tonight.
6:53How many of you have ever grown a
6:55garden?
6:58Got a few. Okay. How many of you grew up
7:02on a farm or were around farming?
7:06>> Okay. See a few. So you will be able to
7:11dig deeper into some of the things
7:13tonight having that experience.
7:16So one thing you learn when you're
7:19growing a garden is you can't rush it.
7:22There's a process.
7:24You don't plant on Monday and then you
7:26don't pick your tomatoes on a Tuesday,
7:28right? So you have to work the soil. You
7:32have to plant the seed. You got to water
7:34it. You got to take care of it. You got
7:36to wait. Got to trust the sunshine does
7:39its job, right? There's all these steps
7:41that happen.
7:43And that's the way it is with
7:44soul-winning.
7:47And when you open a fruit, what do you
7:50see inside?
7:52>> Seeds.
7:55And there's one thing you learn in far
7:58in farming, in growing a garden,
8:00whichever way you want to look at it.
8:02Every fruit carries the seed for the
8:06next harvest.
8:08In soul-winning, it's very dynamic. It's
8:12not the same thing for me. It's not the
8:15same thing for you. It's not the same
8:16thing whoever you're talking to, whoever
8:18you're witnessing to. It's dynamic,
8:21right? It changes. So, it's not the same
8:24playbook. You can say for for for
8:26everyone.
8:28So, if you want to learn about
8:30soul-winning, grow a garden.
8:33If I taught Sunday school, my Sunday
8:35school will be growing a garden because
8:37there's a lot of things you can learn
8:39when you grow a garden.
8:42>> So tonight's topic is the harvest is in
8:45you. And our theme for this year for
8:482026, which is coming to a close, which
8:50is still blowing my mind, is revival.
8:55So tonight I want to tie our topic into
8:58our theme for this year.
9:01In where God has planted you.
9:05You were planted to bear fruit.
9:08And that fruit is meant to produce more
9:11fruit.
9:13Where God has you planted. You were
9:15planted to bear fruit. And that fruit is
9:18meant to produce more fruit.
9:22There's a couple of key verses. um that
9:26we'll read and then we'll kind of stem
9:28from there. This is John 15:16 and this
9:32is the amplified version. I like to read
9:35the KJV, but I also like to parallel
9:37with the amplified. That's just my
9:39thing. Um but this is John 15:16 and
9:43this is the amplified.
9:45You have not chosen me. He was talking
9:47to the disciples. You have not chosen
9:50me, but I have chosen you. And I have
9:54appointed
9:56and placed and purposefully planted you
9:59so that you would go and bear fruit and
10:02keep on bearing and that your fruit will
10:05remain and be lasting
10:08so that whatever you ask of the father
10:10in my name, he may give it to you.
10:14And in Genesis 1 and 11 says, "And God
10:19said, let the earth bring forth grass,
10:23the herb yielding seed, and the fruit
10:26tree yielding fruit after his kind,
10:29whose seed is in itself,
10:34whose seed is in itself." So those are
10:37our key verses tonight.
10:39In Mark 4, God talks about, it was a
10:42parable. He's talking about the swer and
10:45the seed. Jesus was speaking to a group
10:48of people. They were on the land and he
10:50was out in a boat um speaking to a
10:53group. And then later he came closer to
10:56the disciples and talked more about this
10:58topic.
11:00He was speaking to them about the sewer
11:01and the seed.
11:03It says the swer sweethth the word. And
11:07it mentioned four places in which the
11:09word fell. Right? the seed of the word
11:13first. It fell by the wayside.
11:16This was a place where the fowls of the
11:18air quickly came and grabbed it. Took it
11:20away. Well, this is where the devil, it
11:22says the devil came and took it. Took it
11:25away.
11:27It fell on stony ground. It says it grew
11:31quickly, but because it had no depth or
11:34no root, it withered away. And when the
11:36sun came, so when affliction and
11:39persecution came for the word's sake,
11:42they were immediately offended.
11:45So do not be stony ground.
11:52>> The third says it some fell some seed
11:55fell among thorns and the thorns grew up
12:00and choked it and it yielded no fruit.
12:04the cares of the world,
12:07the trials that we go through, those can
12:10be thorns to us.
12:12>> It can block out what God's trying to do
12:14in our lives. It can hinder, if we let
12:17it, the things that God has purposed for
12:20us.
12:21And they it choked it out and it became
12:24unfruitful.
12:26So do not be in a thorny patch.
12:30But the fourth one says, "But some fell
12:33on good ground.
12:36Those who hear the word, they received
12:38it and they brought forth fruit." And it
12:41says, "Some 30fold, some 60, and some
12:45100fold."
12:47And are you thankful to be good ground
12:49tonight?
12:51>> Lord, make us good ground.
12:55And if you come across someone that may
12:58be stony, they may have thorns in their
13:00life, you got to work that soil.
13:04>> You got to learn, you got to learn that
13:06person, learn how to work how learn how
13:07to talk to them because it's not when
13:09you're winning a soul, when you're
13:10winning someone, it's not the same for
13:12everyone.
13:14>> The way someone talked to me, for me, it
13:16took two years before I was like, "Wow,
13:19the Holy Ghost is real. I want it." And
13:21from the moment that I realized that it
13:23was real and that I wanted it more than
13:25anything else, it was like a month later
13:27that I that I received it.
13:32And there's a process of planting a
13:34fruit or a plant.
13:37And one thing I do know about gardening
13:39is you will get your hands dirty. You're
13:42going to have dirt in your fingernails.
13:44You're going to have it up to your
13:45elbows. You're going to have sweat.
13:47You're going to have things all over the
13:48place.
13:50It's not comfortable planting a garden.
13:54>> And before you plant a seed, you have to
13:56prepare the soil.
13:59And like I said, every soil is
14:01different.
14:02Florida sand is not Tennessee dirt. And
14:06Tennessee dirt is not Jamaican limestone
14:09and it's not Haitian soil. Right.
14:12>> Every soil is different.
14:14>> And so it's different for every person.
14:17And did you know? Do you know where the
14:19best soil in the world is?
14:22>> Does anyone know?
14:26>> Church where?
14:28>> No. It's Ukraine.
14:30>> Ukraine has the best soil in the world.
14:32Yep.
14:35So, the same goes for people when you're
14:37thinking about soil. So, when you're
14:40planting, you got to prepare the soil.
14:41You got to break it up. Get out the
14:43rocks. You got to weed it. You got to
14:45work in the compost. You got to make
14:46sure that the roots don't take place.
14:49Um, you got to plant it at the right
14:51depth at the right depth. You got to
14:54cover that seed
14:56and you got to plant it in season. When
14:59you plant a seed, timing matters.
15:03>> There is a time to plant a seed.
15:06>> And when I'm talking about plants and
15:08fruits tonight, we're paralleling it to
15:10people and souls. Okay?
15:14But as that plant takes root and it
15:17starts to grow, you have to care for it.
15:20You have to water it regularly. The sun
15:23has to do its job. You got to weed. You
15:26got to feed it. You got to protect it.
15:28You got to be patient and you got to
15:30prune it.
15:33>> Now the Bible says that we that our job
15:36is to plant and to water, but it is up
15:40to God to give the increase.
15:42Sometimes we want to stick our hands in
15:44his job,
15:46>> but we have to do our part and let him
15:48do his.
15:50>> So we plant, we water, and it's God that
15:52gives the increase. Amen.
15:55>> So God is the first source because he
15:59produced the seed.
16:02The seed is the word of God. And the
16:04Bible says in first Peter that we were
16:07born again of incorruptible seed by the
16:10word of God.
16:12And that incorruptible seed that we're
16:14born of is what we are sewing out to
16:17others, to our loved ones, to our
16:19friends, to whoever God puts in our
16:21path.
16:23And the word also says in 2 Corinthians
16:25that God ministers to the swer.
16:29So if you sow, he keeps on supplying.
16:34So as you think, oh, I only have like
16:36these five seeds. Let me go plant those.
16:39Well, as you sow, he's going to give you
16:40more. And he's going to give you more.
16:42Someone else is going to show up in your
16:44life that you need to talk to. Then
16:45there's someone else. And before you
16:47know it, they're bringing someone and
16:48then more. And it just grows.
16:52God gives seed. Seed becomes fruit.
16:56The fruit carries new seed
16:59and that fruit produces more fruit. So
17:02it's a process.
17:05So, who planted the seed in your life?
17:10And how many of you came to the truth
17:13through someone that witnessed to you or
17:15talked to you about God?
17:19A few. How many of you came into the
17:21truth because someone talked to your
17:23parents or your grandparents about God?
17:31We have some really amazing stories
17:33about how God spoke to people in the
17:36dream. We have amazing stories that
17:38people have drove by churches and saw
17:39the sign and came in, found you online.
17:43And those are amazing stories, but those
17:46are the outliers.
17:48The majority of people that come to know
17:50God is because someone told them of the
17:53truth.
17:55>> And it wasn't just a, "Hey, do you know
17:57God? Do you want to do Do you want to
17:58know more about him? No. It's a friend.
18:01It's a family. It's loving. It's caring.
18:04It's watering. It's taking care of that
18:06seed. Right.
18:10And if you listen to someone long
18:11enough, they will tell you how to win
18:14them.
18:16>> Right.
18:18>> There's a lot of a lot of people that
18:20believe, well, you just got to shove the
18:22truth down someone's throat.
18:25that soil is not ready for that at that
18:26moment.
18:28>> So, you have to know your soil. You have
18:31to know who you're working with.
18:33>> And as you go through the process,
18:35you're going to have you can have fun
18:36with with with these people that you
18:38meet. You're they become friends. Polo's
18:41become a lifelong friend. He's going to
18:42always be in my life, you know. So, you
18:44always you always look at these
18:47processes. It's not just let me witness
18:49to you, but Jesus had 12 disciples,
18:52>> right,
18:52>> for three and a half years, three years
18:55that he poured into. So sometimes when
18:58we think about revival, we think of this
19:01big conglomerate thing that's going to
19:03happen and that people are miraculously
19:04going to come in.
19:07But the harvest is in each of us.
19:09>> Those seeds are in each of us. those
19:12seeds we have to go and plant
19:15>> and then those seeds will produce more
19:16fruit and more fruit.
19:20>> And something I learned um a few months
19:24ago was you know the story of the five
19:26loaves and the two fish and I never saw
19:29this before until this time when I was
19:31reading it.
19:33When Jesus performed the miracle of the
19:35five loaves and two fish for five, it
19:37says 5,000 men, but that didn't account
19:39the women and the children. So, there
19:42were more than 5,000.
19:45It said he did. Jesus himself didn't
19:48hand out the food.
19:50Jesus was the source
19:53and he multiplied it and he put it in
19:55the disciples hands and the disciples
19:58were the ones that took it and placed it
20:00in the people's hands.
20:03This is the bread of life.
20:06>> This is the bread that we have. This is
20:08what he's put into our hands. And this
20:10is what we're supposed to take to the
20:12individuals.
20:13>> It is up to us to take this and to
20:16spread his truth and his love.
20:20[applause]
20:24>> And just like it was in the disciples
20:26hands on that day, this bread is in our
20:28hands now.
20:30>> And it's in our hearts. Right?
20:32>> You may be out somewhere
20:33>> and you don't have the word with you
20:35physically, but it's in your heart.
20:38>> And if it's not, it should be.
20:42>> And it does not matter how long you have
20:44lived for God, whether it was yesterday,
20:46whether it was today, or whether you've
20:48lived for him for 50 years, there's
20:50always someone that needs you,
20:53>> right? Someone needs to hear about what
20:56God has done in your life.
20:59And the people that's around me are not
21:01the same people that's around you. So
21:03you got to look at who's around you and
21:04who what soil that you have around you.
21:12Jesus said he is the vine and we are the
21:14branches.
21:16And the Bible says every branch does not
21:19bear fruit that does not bear fruit it's
21:21removed and thrown into fire.
21:26But every branch that produces fruit, he
21:28purges.
21:30He prunes so that it may bring forth
21:32more fruit.
21:34>> And have you ever pruned a plant before?
21:37If you were that planted, it wouldn't be
21:39comfortable. You're cutting off limbs,
21:41you're cutting leaves, you're trimming
21:42this, you're trimming that. So sometimes
21:45as you grow in your relationship and
21:47your walk with God,
21:49there's moments that God may cut
21:52something off out of your life, right?
21:55It may be a way that you thought. It may
21:57be your group of friends. Whatever it
21:59may be, there's a pruning that happens
22:01as we grow in God.
22:03>> So to produce more fruit, plants have to
22:06be pruned.
22:08And if you continue to abide in him, you
22:10will produce much fruit
22:15and then there's fruit that remains. So
22:18the stages of fruit is there's the
22:20fruit,
22:22there's more fruit, then there's much
22:25fruit and then there's the fruit that
22:28remains.
22:30And pruning always comes before the next
22:32level of harvest.
22:34We are the fruit and we carry the seed
22:38to produce more fruit.
22:41And I have a video if you're able to
22:44play it.
22:56Heat.
23:10Heat.
23:28Heat. Heat. [music]
23:39Awkward.
23:51[music]
24:09Word.
24:17>> Will it play anymore?
24:20Okay. Well,
24:25the video shows you fruit,
24:27then it goes to more fruit, and then it
24:30goes to much fruit. And then in the end,
24:32it shows the fruit being cut open and
24:34showing the seeds. So, AI, I guess. So
24:38sorry that didn't work for you.
24:41But I am going to ask Sister Morgan and
24:45Sister Anna if you will come and join me
24:48for a few moments.
24:54[snorts]
24:58Oh, you have a mic. Okay, perfect.
25:01Y'all can come up here with me.
25:07These two ladies I admire very much.
25:11They have come into the truth through
25:15um like most of us being witnessed to
25:18through friends. So there's a couple of
25:20questions I want to ask them and let
25:23them answer in their own words um about
25:27that process. So sister Anna,
25:32how did you first get introduced to
25:34church and the truth?
25:42There you go.
25:45>> Yes. Okay. [laughter]
25:48So, I was
25:50I had an aunt that would my family
25:55originally grew up in church, but my
25:57mother departed from church uh when she
26:00was 18 and met my father. And I don't
26:02know who to look at. I don't know if
26:03it's you or the audience, but so, you
26:06know, growing up, my aunt would always,
26:09not always, but there was times where
26:11she would take us to church and
26:15yeah, that's how I kind of I knew of
26:17God, but not to the, you know, magnitude
26:19that I do now. Yes.
26:21>> And then when you came to the cathedral
26:22that was through
26:24>> So when I came
26:27now go forward a lot. I'm 23 and I got
26:33invited by Lisa which is Johnny's mom.
26:36Um she's my cousin. So I got invited by
26:40her and a lot of us family members who
26:42are also now attending church. I got
26:45invited by her and then I just fell in
26:48love. I met Jesus. I really met Jesus.
26:51And that's where truth was really
26:53introduced to me. And it was a whole
26:55another level.
26:56>> And a few years ago, um, Sister Lisa,
27:00she came up here and then all the ones
27:02that came through her, the platform was
27:05full.
27:06>> Yeah.
27:07>> Because they invited someone. They
27:09invited someone. And that's the way that
27:12God works, right?
27:14>> And I tried to find that photo, but I
27:15couldn't find it. But this whole thing
27:16was full. 30, 40 people were up here.
27:18Yeah.
27:19>> So, Morgan, what about you? What how did
27:21you get introduced to the truth?
27:25>> So, I was 17 years old um working at
27:29Papa John's with Sue and she was my
27:34manager. I was a delivery driver and our
27:37manager, our other manager invited us
27:40here. His name is Anthony Rivers. If any
27:42of you remember him, he doesn't live
27:43here anymore. He lives in Jacksonville,
27:45but he invited us. This was back in 2017
27:49and it was a big group of us. He said,
27:51"I'll pick you guys up. We'll get coffee
27:54before. That's an easy way to win
27:56somebody." Pro tip. So, he picked all of
27:59us up. He picked me up from my house,
28:01picked Sue up from her house. We had
28:03another friend, another girlfriend who
28:04came and then another one of our guy
28:06friends. So, we would all come every
28:08Sunday. And I
28:11knew of God, but didn't know God. I grew
28:14up in an Episcopalian church, stopped
28:17going when I was very young. I don't
28:19remember a thing from Sunday school. So
28:21when I was 17, it was very new to me.
28:24The concept of Jesus being a savior,
28:28>> a real savior was very new to me. So
28:30when I walked through these doors for
28:32the first time, I was like, "Wow, never
28:35seen worship like this, never seen
28:37people dress like this." I mean, it was
28:40very new to me. And um we kept coming
28:43faithfully every Sunday.
28:46>> So what do you remember most? Like is
28:48there something that stands out to you
28:50about that time maybe when Lisa invited
28:52you or when Anthony brought you? Is
28:54there something that's just like a wow
28:56moment?
28:57>> Well, my wow moment was in Ocala at a
29:00woman's retreat. Um the ladies were
29:03praying with me and they stayed with me
29:05for like 45 minutes just praying and
29:08praying and you know at that moment I
29:11received the Holy Ghost and it was like
29:13an utterance very quick
29:15>> but what I felt after so after the
29:18ladies prayed I I was like walking on
29:22air it was I had no weight on me. I
29:25can't even explain it but it was the
29:26most spiritual thing that I have ever
29:28had encountered. And then it was, you
29:31know, some of the ladies, Lisa had told
29:34me that some of the ladies had mentioned
29:35that, you know, a lot of demons were
29:37being cast out. And I I I didn't even
29:41know what to think of it, but I knew
29:42that I felt light. So, I knew this was
29:45real because I went in very heavy. And
29:47then I was just walking like I was on
29:50air. It was floating. And then, you
29:53know, that was something that I was
29:54like, if anyone tells me God's not real,
29:57there's no way because I know what I
29:58felt. You can't take that from me. I
30:00experienced what that was.
30:01>> Amen.
30:02>> Like I experienced it. [applause]
30:06>> What about you, Morgan? Is there like a
30:07a wow moment or something that you look
30:09back on and that stands out to you?
30:12>> Um, yes. When I first received the Holy
30:15Ghost, I was 17 years old. I was, it was
30:19my first time ever actually walking into
30:22a church who believed in Acts 2:38. and
30:27pastor of course preached the message
30:30had our usual altra call and I've always
30:32been a very open-minded person. So even
30:34though I wasn't familiar with this
30:35teaching I had an open heart walked to
30:38the front probably every Sunday because
30:41usually when you come with a guest you
30:42come and sit right up in the front
30:44especially if you come with me. So I was
30:45already there. So I came up, I received
30:48the gift of the Holy Ghost and that was
30:50a wow moment for me cuz you are speaking
30:52in a language not learned and that was a
30:55wow moment.
30:57Things obviously I went to college
30:59things changed but that moment never
31:01left my mind. I tried to invalidate it.
31:04My flesh tried to invalidate it but I
31:07knew in my heart that that was real and
31:10it later was introduced to me again at
31:1223 years old when I was refilled.
31:14>> Amen. So last question I have for both
31:17of you is what is something that has
31:19kept you all of these years?
31:21>> Oh, coming to church. Even in my
31:23backsliding moments, coming to church.
31:26So faith cometh by hearing, hearing of
31:30the word. So for me, it was more so I
31:32knew that I didn't want to be in that
31:34atmosphere anymore. So I I made sure
31:37like it became,
31:39you know, I'm no longer this person, but
31:41there was a time where I had like a
31:43schedule. I would go out and party and
31:46then one time I came to church and okay
31:49I'm being very transparent but I came to
31:51church and I was I could smell the
31:54alcohol from me and I was like I would
31:56never do that again. So then I was like
31:57I'll never go partying on a Saturday but
31:59instead Friday. And then eventually it
32:02was like no I don't want to live this.
32:05I'm being so honest. But then eventually
32:07it just got to a point where I'm like I
32:09don't want to live like this. This is I
32:11knew what I wanted and I knew that I
32:13wanted Jesus. I wanted his way. I wanted
32:15to live for him. And eventually I mean
32:1816 years I am who I am today at 39 years
32:22old and you know by that my baby.
32:27>> Amen. Amen. That's that's something to
32:30be thankful for.
32:31>> Yes.
32:32>> What about you? What's what's what's
32:33kept you all these years?
32:35>> Um well when I was first filled I was
32:3717. Of course, I wasn't kept after that.
32:40I went to college and I lived your
32:42typical college lifestyle. I was a
32:44college athlete. So, I enjoyed myself to
32:46put it in simple terms. But when I came
32:49back after 5 years of school, um there
32:53was someone who planted a very small
32:54seed in me and told me, "Hey, do you
32:56know the truth?" Literally pointed out
32:58Acts 238. And I was like, "You know
32:59what? That looks familiar." And when I
33:02finally came home, I was looking for
33:03churches. I visited a few different
33:05churches. wasn't feeling a thing. Not
33:08that church is all about feeling, but I
33:10also didn't feel conviction from the
33:12pulpit. I didn't feel like I was being
33:13taught the actual truth. And so when I
33:16came back here, I came on a Friday night
33:19youth service. I locked eyes with Sue
33:22through that back door over there while
33:24they were in prayer. And I didn't tell
33:27anyone I was coming because I didn't
33:28think anybody remembered me from five
33:30years prior. And I refilled. I got
33:34refilled with the Holy Ghost up here
33:36over there. Sister Wendy was my witness.
33:38And what kept me was the love. Nobody
33:42ever said, "Hey, where have you been?"
33:44or "Why are you dressing like that?" or
33:47"What were you doing in all those
33:49different countries and doing all those
33:51different things? What was going on?"
33:52No, it was the love. I was treated like
33:56family. And I would say the biggest,
33:58most amazing thing that I always try to
34:00tell other people about this church is
34:02that it is a family. You meet your
34:04family here. You don't meet friends, you
34:05meet family. People of different ages,
34:08colors, races will come through for you
34:10in different ways that your family, if
34:13they're not in church, may not even come
34:14through for you. So that's what's kept
34:16me, this community and this family.
34:21>> Thank you, ladies. [applause]
34:23Thank you very much.
34:25Now I have two mics. I don't know what
34:27to do with them.
34:31Polo, can you come join me up here?
34:44So, most of you know Polo, some of you
34:46may not. This is Polo. He's from Peru
34:50originally
34:52and he has shown me a lot. We first met
34:57maybe two years ago on the pickle ball
34:59court and it was just a normal night and
35:04I'm like who is this guy being arrogant
35:06with all these tattoos and [laughter]
35:08beating me? You know, I wish I was
35:11athletic. I act like I am. I'm not
35:13really. But he beat me that night and
35:16then he we played one game. He put his
35:17pickle ball paddle in his bag. I'm like,
35:19"Hey, where you going?" He just left.
35:22But he thought the same of me. He
35:23thought I was some arrogant, you know,
35:26whatever. So,
35:29>> but no, I thought that. I thought that.
35:32>> But we uh
35:36from that moment, just playing pickle
35:38ball with someone on a court, you don't
35:41see what the future holds, what God's
35:45purpose is in it all. Right. So, fast
35:48forward to almost two years. We spent
35:52all of last year me and him in a group
35:54in a Bible study and we all became like
35:57family. And if you haven't got to know
36:00Polo, get to know him. Um, I had the
36:03honor of baptizing him last July.
36:06And it's one of these things that you
36:11say, "Thank you, God, for using me."
36:14You know, and it's not that you want to
36:15take credit for it, but that is
36:18something that you're going to say,
36:19"God, I want to give you the glory for
36:20that."
36:21>> Because even though I may have been
36:22having a bad day and I was just focused
36:25on a game, I was in a place where God
36:28needed me to be at that time.
36:30>> And I have watched Polo grow. I have
36:33watched him change. His love for people,
36:35his love for God, his love for the word.
36:39>> And Polo's in a process, too. We're all
36:40in processes. Amen.
36:43>> Even after we're in a saved condition or
36:45in have the Holy Ghost and been bapt
36:47there's a process for us all. There's
36:49still things that I'm going to learn,
36:50still lessons I have to go through.
36:52There's still going to be heartaches.
36:53There's still going to be burdens. But
36:56like we said before, being in the church
36:59matters right?
37:01>> So Polo has been in a process as well,
37:04but I'm so thankful to see the heart
37:06that he has after God
37:08>> and the people that he touches
37:09everywhere he goes. He brought even
37:11brought it up here.
37:12>> We'll go play pickle ball. His Bible
37:13will be sitting on the top bleacher.
37:15This this Bible does not leave him
37:17>> and I'm so thankful for that. And I love
37:21this young guy. And if you haven't got
37:23to know him, get to know him. Love you,
37:26Polo.
37:29[applause]
37:35And last night, one of my crying moments
37:37on the plane, I was like, "What's the
37:40purpose of fruit?" Does anybody know
37:42what the purpose of fruit is?
37:46>> Have something sweet.
37:49>> Anybody else? What's the purpose of
37:50fruit?
37:52>> Vitamins.
37:53>> Fiber.
37:54>> Fiber.
37:55>> Do you know what the purpose of fruit
37:57is?
38:01to decompose and become something else.
38:05[laughter]
38:07>> The purpose of fruit is this.
38:10The fruit protects the seed.
38:15>> It covers it and it carries it until
38:18it's time to sew it.
38:21>> And then the process starts all over
38:24again.
38:25So that seed in you, there's a time and
38:28there's a place for you to plant it.
38:30>> Amen.
38:33>> You were once a seed in someone else.
38:37Someone carried you. They protected you
38:41and sold you.
38:43And now you are a fruit. And you're
38:46carrying the seed for the next harvest.
38:50So real fruit isn't meant to stop with
38:52us.
38:53It's meant to remain and to multiply.
38:58And when you open the word again, go
39:00read John 15. We didn't have time to get
39:02into it tonight, but it talks about the
39:05fruit, the more fruit, the much fruit,
39:07and the fruit that remains.
39:10Fruit is meant to remain and multiply.
39:13And the word says, "He that wins souls
39:16is wise."
39:18So tonight I ask you, are you wise?
39:21>> Lord, make us wise. give us the
39:23knowledge. Give us the wisdom to win
39:26souls. [applause]
39:30>> So last night on the plane, I'm like
39:31having, you know, I got my head turned
39:33toward the window so no one sees my
39:35tears. I got the lights out and kind of
39:37wiping my tears.
39:40And then that verse comes to my mind. It
39:42says, "Lift up your eyes and look on the
39:44fields
39:46for they are white and all ready to
39:48harvest."
39:50Brother Gabe, you can come on on the
39:51keys if you will.
39:56>> The word says, "Lift up your eyes and
39:57look on the fields, for they are white
40:00and they're ready to harvest."
40:03And I looked out the plain window
40:06and this is what I saw.
40:09>> I didn't see any towns, any cities. I
40:13just saw fields
40:16and I thought, "My God." And there came
40:18more tears, you know, and I was like, I
40:21have to take a picture of this.
40:24>> It's just fields.
40:27>> Sister Pam, I see you there. There's
40:28your field.
40:30>> Polo, there's yours.
40:33>> Sue, there's yours.
40:35>> We all have fields that we have to take
40:38care of.
40:44>> Thank you, Jesus.
40:47Your field is where you're planted to
40:49work.
40:53>> And going back to the key verse,
40:59>> John 15:16, you have not chosen me,
41:04but I have chosen you, and I have
41:08appointed, and I have placed, and I have
41:12purposefully planted you. You have a
41:15purpose. And there's moments in our
41:17lives, in every one of our lives, we
41:18feel like we don't have a purpose.
41:20>> We're always aiming for this big purpose
41:22in our life that we think we're going to
41:23reach.
41:25>> But what I have learned, our purpose
41:28changes over time. What my purpose was
41:3110 years ago is not going to be what
41:32it's in 10 years from now.
41:34>> It is not what it is today.
41:36But where you are, he has you appointed.
41:39He has you placed. And he has you
41:41planted for a purpose.
41:43so that you would go and bear fruit and
41:46keep on bearing that your fruit will
41:49remain
41:51and be lasting.
41:56>> So take care of who you talk to. Do it
41:59in love. Do it with purpose.
42:03>> That's a soul that needs to hear the
42:05truth.
42:07And this week, I want to challenge you
42:08with two things as we close. [music]
42:13I challenge you to send a thank you
42:16to the person who planted a seed in you.
42:20[music] It might be your parents,
42:22might be your grandparents, it might be
42:24a friend, it might be a coworker,
42:26[music] but think back and send them a
42:28thank you and said, "I thank you. I
42:30thank you for sharing this truth."
42:32And last night when I was on the plane,
42:34I did that. I did I did that. [music]
42:38And what I did, I sent a thank you my
42:41friend Lindsay. I was in the seventh
42:43grade when I when she introduced me
42:45[music] to the truth.
42:47Her mom introduced her. But there was a
42:50lady that gave her mom a Bible study.
42:55This lady doesn't know me. We've kind of
42:57been in the same circles and things,
42:59[music] but last night I found her name
43:01while I was on the plane.
43:04And I sent her a thank you. And I said,
43:06I just want to thank you. I just want to
43:08thank you for giving that Bible study
43:11because through that Bible study, I came
43:14out of that.
43:16>> And [snorts] you know what she replied
43:17to me?
43:19She said, "Oh, I'm so [music] grateful."
43:23She said, "Someone gave a Bible study to
43:25me and it changed the trajectory of my
43:28life." And she says, "I have been so
43:30blessed because of it."
43:32>> [music]
43:33>> So challenge number one this week,
43:37tell them thank [music] you.
43:41[snorts] And then the second challenge I
43:42have for you,
43:45we can all stand.
43:49[snorts]
43:50I want you to look around your life,
43:53your [music] job, your school, the
43:55clubs, the community, whatever it is
43:57you're involved with, [music] whether
43:58you're in school or working or retired.
44:02Look [snorts] around and see where God
44:03has planted you [music]
44:05and go to that field with authority like
44:08you have been there. You have been
44:09planted there with a purpose [music]
44:12knowing that God has sent you
44:15and he has placed you there.
44:18Guys, we don't have much time left. And
44:21whatever that time is that we have, we
44:23have to share this truth. [music]
44:26>> Your field is already planted with
44:28people. your coworker, your neighbor,
44:30the cashier, you see a family member
44:32who's quit church.
44:35Ask God to open your eyes and show
44:37[music] you and look upon the fields
44:41for they are [music] white and they're
44:43ready to harvest.
44:45>> And as I close, I ask you to come
44:47tonight and pray that God shows you
44:50those fields. The Bible says, "How then
44:54shall they call on him in whom they have
44:57not believed?
44:59And how shall they believe in him of
45:02whom they have not heard?
45:05And how shall they hear without [music]
45:08a preacher?
45:10You are sent on purpose to the places
45:12that you're [music] planted." Let's give
45:14God thanks tonight and show us where he
45:16wants us. Lord, we thank you for your
45:18love. [music] We thank you for your
45:20truth come reveal to us Lord. We thank
45:23you Jesus.
45:24>> [singing]
45:25>> Your kingom
45:27come
45:30Lord [singing and music] we pray.
45:34Your will be done
45:38[music]
45:39every
45:43[singing]
45:44[music]
45:47seed. [singing]
45:53Sing [music]
45:56Lord we praise
45:59[music] your kingom.
46:04[music]
46:10[music]
46:18[music] Heat. Heat.
46:25[music]
46:29[music]
46:38Heat. Heat. [music]
46:45[music]
46:50[music]
47:00[music]
47:01Heat. Heat.
47:07[music]
47:14[music]
47:34>> [music]
47:38>> Heat.
47:43Heat. [music]
47:47Heat.
47:51[music]
48:00Heat.
48:04[music]
48:13>> [music]
48:20[music]
48:22>> Heat. Heat.
48:27[music]
48:35>> [music]
48:40[music]
48:43>> Heat. Heat.
48:51[music]
48:57>> [music]
49:14[music]
49:24[music]
49:31[music]
49:44>> Heat. Heat.
50:08Heat. Heat.
50:19[music]
50:27[music]
50:31Heat.
50:51[music]
50:56Heat.
51:03Heat. Heat.
51:07[music]
51:14Heat. [music]
51:28Heat. [music]
51:36Hey [music]
51:43[music]
51:52[music]
52:11>> [music]
52:16[music]
52:17>> Heat up
52:21[music]
52:23here.
52:26[music]
52:30Heat
52:44up here.
52:50[music]
53:02>> [music]
53:21>> Heat. Heat. [music]
53:41Heat.
54:00Heat.
54:05Heat.
54:12[music]
54:20[music]
54:21Heat.
54:28Heat. Heat.
54:49Heat. [music]
55:02[music]
55:03Heat.
55:13>> [music]