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Bring Me My Coat

Pastor Aaron Batchelor Preached on 8/10/2026

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Summary

Pastor Aaron Batchelor uses Paul's request for his cloak in 2 Timothy to explore how believers can maintain a 'warm' heart and a vibrant faith during the cold, difficult winter seasons of life. He encourages the congregation that weariness is not the end of one's calling and that God's strength is perfected in our weakness.

Key points
  • •Life is composed of seasons, and everyone eventually experiences a 'winter' of grief, disappointment, or aging.
  • •Needing a 'coat' (support, rest, or warmth) is not a sign of failure or a lack of faith, but a reality of the human experience.
  • •The greatest danger of difficult seasons is not the hardship itself, but the risk of allowing one's heart to become cold, cynical, or bitter.
  • •Faith is not just for 'summer' victories; a mature faith survives the winter by choosing to praise and trust God even when he is silent or circumstances are painful.
  • •Weakness or weariness does not mean God is finished with you; Paul asked for his coat but also his books, signifying he was still growing and pursuing his calling until the end.
Scripture
Faith
Perseverance
Trials
Hope
Spiritual Growth
Life application

When you feel 'cold' or weary from life's trials this week, stop trying to prove you are tough; instead, wrap yourself in the 'garments' of praise, the Word of God, and the community of believers to keep your heart from becoming cynical.

Reflection questions
  1. What 'winter' season are you currently facing, and how has it affected the 'temperature' of your heart toward God and others?
  2. Paul asked for his coat, his books, and his parchments. What spiritual 'supplies' do you need to gather to sustain your faith right now?
  3. How can you honor and 'cover' the elders in your life who have paved the way with their own winter faith?
  4. Is there an area where you have mistaken your weariness for God being 'finished' with you?
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Full transcript
0:04Oh, I feel the Holy Ghost in this house
0:06this morning. I feel faith in this house
0:10right now.
0:15Come on, let me just speak to you by
0:17faith this morning. It's going to be all
0:18right.
0:20I said it's going to be all right.
0:22Weeping may endure for the night, but
0:24joy, baby. Your joy is coming in the
0:26morning. [music] It's going to be all
0:28right. I wish you'd turn to somebody and
0:29tell them it's going to be all right.
0:31Come on. It's going to be all right. The
0:33money's going to come through.
0:34Relationship's going to work out. God's
0:36going to bring an answer. Wisdom is
0:38going to come. Peace like a river. It's
0:40going to be all right. Come on. Find
0:42somebody else. Tell them it's going to
0:43be all right, baby. Come on. You keep
0:45holding on to God's unchanging hand.
0:48He's never going to let you go. Never
0:50going to leave you or forsake you. Come
0:51on, find somebody else and tell them
0:53it's going to be all right.
1:06>> [music]
1:15>> Woo!
1:23And David
1:25encouraged himself
1:30in the Lord.
1:34Sometimes you just got to be your own
1:36encourager.
1:39Sometimes in a multitude of situations
1:41and people, sometimes you just got to
1:43lift your own voice and say, "Lyn, it's
1:45going to be all right.
1:47Aaron is going to be okay.
1:50Ginger, you're going to make it. You got
1:53to encourage yourself in the Lord cuz
1:57he's never failed me yet.
2:00>> He's never let me go. Brother Lovel,
2:02he's the same.
2:15And though our heart may be grieving,
2:20>> he said, "My strength is made perfect
2:25in your weakness."
2:30>> I didn't want to be weak.
2:33I want to be strong.
2:35>> I didn't want to look like I couldn't
2:37handle it.
2:40I didn't want to look like I was going
2:41to break down. Anybody know what I'm
2:43talking about?
2:46>> I didn't want to look like I didn't have
2:48all the answers, but it was there in my
2:50weakness.
2:54>> It was when I almost gave up.
2:58It was when I was tired.
3:01[panting]
3:02It was when I made a mistake.
3:06It was when I almost slept that his
3:09strength.
3:11[cheering]
3:14>> Yeah, you better believe a righteous man
3:15falls seven times, but he gets back up
3:17again.
3:20But it was the Lord's mercies that were
3:22not consumed.
3:26His strength got me back up.
3:30[laughter]
3:35You came in here weak. That's all right.
3:37You came to the right place. Come on.
3:40You came in tired. You came to the right
3:41place. You don't have it all together.
3:43Welcome to the club.
3:50>> Still figuring things out in your life?
3:52Still trying to get your finances in
3:53order? You still got addictions you're
3:56trying to break and you still got habits
3:57you're trying to overcome. Welcome to
4:00freedom here this morning because this
4:02is where Jesus sets the sinner free. And
4:05he covers he covers.
4:18I see you. I see you, Amanda.
4:22Her
4:23daddy passed away last night,
4:27>> but she's in the altar praising him with
4:30tears on her face this morning.
4:34I don't say that to boast or to lift her
4:37up. I say that because we serve a God
4:39who can handle you in whatever season
4:41you're in. I got a God who'll comfort
4:45the brokenhearted. He'll dance with
4:47those that are on the mountain. He'll
4:49rebuke the devour from those that are
4:51afflicted. He's the same God on the
4:53mountain as he is in the valley. And
4:55whatever season you walked in, he's got
4:57you.
5:03>> We lost our elder last night, Brother
5:05Larry Parks. Had an accident this week.
5:09The Lord saw fit to take him home.
5:13So, we're going to pray.
5:16This is when the body of Christ can
5:19shine.
5:22>> Not when everything seems like it's
5:24going well and everything's perfect, but
5:26in the pain that we can still find unity
5:29[music] and faith and hope. And so
5:33we're going to pray for sister Melissa
5:36who's lost her husband and pray for
5:39sister Amanda and the whole family
5:40today.
5:43I know we already did some prayer for
5:45some sickness, but is there anybody here
5:47today who just
5:49you need something extra today?
5:52Is there anybody that just needs [music]
5:54some extra? You know, we serve a God
5:56that deals in the extra.
6:03>> But my God shall supply your needs
6:07according to his riches and glory.
6:12Is there anybody today that just needs
6:15some extra? I want you to just step out
6:17[music] into an aisle or just lift your
6:18hand wherever you're at. If you need
6:21some extra,
6:23yeah,
6:25you need some extra today. I need some
6:28believers to share your faith. I need
6:31some believers to share some faith this
6:33morning. I need you to go by a brother,
6:36by a sister, and let there be an
6:39overflow. Because Jesus said, "From your
6:41belly shall flow rivers of living
6:44water." That's extra. That's [music]
6:46extra. What you got is not just for you.
6:49It's extra for the body. Come on, lift
6:52your hands all over this place and would
6:54you begin to cry out to the Lord? If
6:56you're watching online and you need some
6:58extra of Jesus today, you need some
7:01extra love, some extra health, I speak
7:04peace and strength into your body today
7:06in the precious name of Jesus. Come on
7:08in Jesus name.
7:13Come on. It's all right. We'll take a
7:14moment right now. Comfort, Lord. Bring
7:17peace that surpasses understanding.
7:19Bring [music] strength to those that are
7:21young, to those that are weak, to those
7:23that are faint. Lord, I pray mercy upon
7:26their life today in the precious name of
7:28Jesus. Oh God, we need you right now.
7:32Let it overflow in this househ. Come on,
7:35that's it. Speak the name that's above
7:37every name. Cuz the name of the Lord is
7:39a strong tower that the righteous run
7:42into and are saved. I feel his presence
7:44in this place right now. I feel Jesus
7:48all over this room. He's all over this
7:51room right now. He's in the balcony on
7:53the floor. He's everywhere in this space
7:56right now.
7:59Oh yes. I feel his angels. His angels
8:03are in this house right now delivering,
8:06setting free. His angels are coming.
8:11The angels of the Lord encamp round
8:14about them that fear him.
8:18Oh, that's it. Come on, mama. That's it.
8:20Lift up your voice and weep for those
8:22babies. Let him wipe away those tears.
8:25Let him strengthen your heart right now.
8:28Come on, sir. Let God deposit [music]
8:31wisdom into your spirit. Let him give
8:33you courage back. Let him give you
8:36boldness back. Let him give you peace
8:39back in the name of Jesus. Uh come on.
8:41Let him order those steps that have been
8:43crooked. Let him order those steps that
8:46have been misaligned. Uh let him put you
8:48back in order again this morning. Come
8:51on, sir. Come on, ma'am. Those sins that
8:54have burdened you down, let him lift the
8:57heavy burden. Let him cover the iniquity
8:59and sin.
9:11Overflow Jesus.
9:21Oh God.
9:24Hallelujah.
9:33Hallelujah.
9:36Hallelujah.
9:48Oh,
9:51come on. I know we've praised [music]
9:52and prayed for a while, but would
9:54somebody right now just lift your voice
9:56for somebody that's on the outside of
9:58this building. Come on. Would you lift
10:01your voice right now for an elder, for a
10:04brother, for a sister, for somebody lost
10:07or somebody who just is sick in bed?
10:10Would you just lift up your voice for
10:11somebody who couldn't make it this
10:13morning? Would you lift up your voice
10:15for somebody that's struggling right
10:17now?
10:20>> [laughter and gasps]
10:21>> Come on. Prayers. Prayers are eternal.
10:24Come on. Prayers, they last. Prayers can
10:27move outside of this building into
10:29situations where we're not physically
10:31[music] at. Prayers of the saints are
10:33working. The effectual fervent prayer of
10:36a righteous man or woman. It availth
10:39much. Oh God, hear our cry right now for
10:43those outside of this building. Lift
10:45them up. Forgive their sins. Heal their
10:49bodies. Strengthen their minds this
10:51morning, oh God.
11:01So be it unto them.
11:05So be it unto them in Jesus name.
11:15So [snorts] be it unto them.
11:33Hallelujah.
11:40>> Thank [snorts] you Jesus.
11:54Oh Jesus.
12:09[snorts] Surely
12:28[singing]
12:30the presence
12:34of the Lord
12:37is in this place.
12:42And I can feel
12:44his mighty power
12:49and his grace.
12:56>> I can feel [singing]
12:59the brush of angels wings.
13:03I see glory [singing]
13:06on each face.
13:11For surely
13:14the presence
13:17of the [singing] Lord
13:21is in this place.
13:24Surely
13:29the presence
13:32of the Lord [singing]
13:35is in this place.
13:39I can feel
13:43his mighty [music and singing] power
13:46and
13:48his grace.
13:54I can feel
13:57the brush of angels wings.
14:01I see glory
14:04on each face.
14:09For surely
14:12the presence
14:14of [singing] the Lord
14:18is in this place.
14:21[snorts]
14:23I know that we could just
14:27linger in this moment all day long and
14:30there's nothing wrong with that.
14:33But I
14:36I sense in my spirit that the Lord has a
14:39word for us right now.
14:45and uh
14:47I'm going to go ahead
14:50and I'm going to deliver that word.
14:55And I'm I'm so appreciative of the
14:59musicians and the singers [music] and
15:01the media and the sound
15:04people that have gotten here so early. I
15:06know you've practiced and run through
15:08things.
15:11I I do want to ask you this. Whatever
15:14God does here in the next few moments,
15:16we're going to give [music] space and
15:18time for God to speak
15:22to do what he wants to do.
15:25At the conclusion, when it's all said
15:27and done, I do have something very
15:30important about Friends Day that I want
15:33to do together with you. We're going to
15:35reserve it to the end. I know we've got
15:37offering that you've come prepared
15:38[music] to give. We'll just do it at the
15:41end if you'll hang with me for a little
15:43bit. Is that all right? Can I just have
15:46a vote in the house and see if we can
15:48get a majority [music] just to say it's
15:49all right just to flow with what the
15:52spirit wants to do today.
15:57Amen.
16:00One verse of scripture from 2 Timothy 4
16:03and verse 13.
16:092 Timothy 4 and verse 13.
16:16It's the last time Paul is writing to
16:19young man Timothy.
16:22Winter's coming. It's getting cold.
16:27The end of Paul's life is [music] at
16:29hand.
16:32He's been on missionary journeys. He's
16:35planted churches.
16:37He's preached. He's given everything
16:39that he can.
16:42And he writes in 2 Timothy 4:13 with an
16:45unusual request.
16:50He said, "Hey, Timothy,
16:52the cloak
16:54that I left at [snorts] Trrowaz with
16:57Carpass,
16:59when thou comest,
17:01bring with thee."
17:05Such a strange request for God to
17:08inspire
17:11Paul to put in this letter.
17:15He could have just sent a word with the
17:17messenger without having to write it
17:19down.
17:20But everything God has in his word has
17:23purpose.
17:25All scripture
17:28is given by inspiration of God and
17:31[music] is profitable
17:34for doctrine for reproof, for
17:37correction, for instruction and
17:39righteousness.
17:41the cloak
17:43that I left at Trrowaz with carpass.
17:45When thou comest,
17:48bring with thee and the books,
17:51but especially
17:53the parchments.
17:56I want to lovingly dedicate this message
17:59to
18:02those that are 55
18:05plus in age.
18:08You don't have to raise your hand or nod
18:09your head as to blow your cover, but
18:12I see you.
18:15Brother Bullock, he raised his hand. He
18:17said, "I worked for those years. I'm
18:19It's me.
18:23I'm going dedicate it to you."
18:26When the winter seasons of life steal
18:28our strength and chill our souls,
18:31[snorts]
18:32we desperately need a faith that will
18:36keep us warm enough to keep trusting
18:39God.
18:41You don't need a faith that only works
18:43in summer. You need a faith [music] that
18:45survives the winter.
18:47And so I've come to preach just [music]
18:49for a few moments this morning. Bring me
18:53my coat.
18:57Bring me my coats.
19:01>> Amen.
19:03Lord, I thank you for this incredible
19:05group of people here this morning and
19:07watching online.
19:09I want to do my best to preach the word
19:12that you've given to me. And I can't do
19:13it without your help. I don't want to
19:16waste a word. I don't want to waste a
19:18moment. But I pray that your word would
19:21pierce every heart. I pray God that you
19:24would speak faith and hope and comfort
19:27to every man, woman, and child under the
19:30sound of my voice. And we give you all
19:32the glory in Jesus name we pray. And
19:36everybody said, "Amen."
19:38>> The Lord bless you. You may be seated.
19:46I'm in a strange
19:48season of life.
19:51I'm too young to be numbered among our
19:54group called the sages,
19:57but I'm old enough that nobody's
19:59confusing me with the youth group
20:01anymore.
20:03I'm in this hazy, funky middle of
20:06adulthood.
20:09And lately, I've found myself thinking
20:11more about what it means to grow older.
20:14When you're young, you don't think much
20:15about getting old. You assume your
20:18body's always going to cooperate.
20:20You assume your strength is always going
20:22to be there. You assume that the people
20:25sitting around your table will always be
20:27sitting around your table. You assume
20:30there'll always be another Christmas,
20:31another birthday, another Sunday,
20:34another opportunity. But somewhere along
20:36the way, you begin to realize that life
20:39changes and changes fast.
20:42Your strength changes, your body
20:44changes, your circle changes. People you
20:47thought would always be there aren't
20:50there anymore. And eventually all of us
20:53discover what the wise men found out
20:56that life has seasons.
21:00Some feel like spring, some feel like
21:01autumn, some feel like summer. But
21:05everybody eventually experiences winter.
21:09Winter comes for everybody.
21:14Paul writing second Timothy from prison.
21:17This isn't the Paul of Acts 19 with
21:19miracles happening everywhere. It's not
21:21Paul standing on Mars Hill who's
21:24conversing and commanding the attention
21:26of brilliant philosophers. This isn't
21:28Paul that's watching prison doors fly
21:30open at midnight with Silas. This is an
21:33older Paul, a tired Paul, a scarred
21:36Paul, a lonely Paul. He knows his death
21:40is approaching. He's already written,
21:43"For I am now ready to be offered, and
21:46the time of my departure is at hand." He
21:50says, "I fought a good fight. I have
21:53finished my course. I have kept the
21:55faith." But tucked away into these
21:58magnificent final words is one
22:00remarkable human quest request that I
22:03read for you this morning because Paul
22:05asked the cloak that I left at Trrowaz
22:08with Carpass. When thou comest, bring
22:12with thee. Paul says, Timothy, bring my
22:16coat. I need my coat, Timothy. I must
22:19have left it at the house of Carpus and
22:21Trrowaz. You'll you'll notice it right
22:23away, Timothy. It's it's an old thing.
22:26It's been on my back through bitter
22:27winters before. It's been wet with the
22:30brine of the great sea when we were
22:32shipwrecked. White with the snows of the
22:34rugged peaks of Panilia. It's brown from
22:37the dust of the Ignatian way and crimson
22:40with my own blood from that awful
22:42stoning at Lististra. The coat that's
22:45stained and torn. Timothy that coat. But
22:49winter's coming. I need my coat.
22:53Think about that. The man who preached
22:57to thousands, he doesn't ask for a
22:59pulpit. The man who planted churches
23:01doesn't ask for a crowd. He just says,
23:04"Bring me my coat." Because Paul's cold
23:09and winter is coming. And he tells
23:12Timothy in verse 21, "Do thy diligence
23:15to come before winter." Timothy, don't
23:18wait too long. There's some things that
23:21matter more when winter is approaching.
23:24There's some people you want close when
23:26winter is approaching. There's some
23:28things you need you didn't think you
23:30needed when you were younger.
23:33Reminds me of another great man of God
23:35in First Kings 1:1. I was reading
23:37earlier this year. And the scripture
23:40says, "Now King David was old and
23:42stricken in years, and they covered him
23:45with clothes, but he got no heat." This
23:48is David. David that killed the lion and
23:51the bear. David killed Goliath. David
23:54survived Saul. David fought battles.
23:57David conquered kingdoms. But eventually
24:01the giant killer couldn't get warm.
24:04>> That's not a lack of faith. I said it's
24:07not a lack of faith. It's just life.
24:10>> I think sometimes we're afraid to talk
24:12about that in church. We celebrate the
24:15strengths. We celebrate the victories.
24:17We celebrate young people running, but
24:19scriptur is real enough to show us David
24:22when he can't get warm and Paul when he
24:24needs his coat.
24:26It reminds me of Granny Great. Granny
24:30Great and how she was always offering
24:32blankets,
24:34always coming around. You need a
24:36blanket,
24:37knocking on the door. You need a
24:39blanket. No, we're okay, Granny. You
24:41need a blanket. Remember one particular
24:44night she circled about three or four
24:45times, "You need a blanket." Finally, I
24:48told her, I said, 'Yes, granny, great.
24:50Just set it outside the door. And I
24:51figured just a blanket outside. She
24:53won't ask no more. And she didn't.
24:55[snorts]
24:56Need a blanket?
24:58You sure you're not cold?
25:00When you're young, you're thinking, "I'm
25:02fine." But the older I get, the more I
25:04understand the need for blankets.
25:06[snorts]
25:07[applause]
25:09I remember the morning Grandma Bachelor
25:12went to heaven. Walked down and I found
25:15her snuggled up in bed. Really snuggled.
25:18She was a faithful woman of God, but she
25:22got cold in those latter years. And
25:24she'd covered up in blankets. I mean, it
25:26looked like she had six or seven
25:27blankets on top of her. No exaggeration.
25:30Wearing this warm night coat and
25:32snuggled up trying to stay warm. And
25:34when I went down, all that was showing
25:36was just her head right there. all the
25:37blankets on top of her.
25:41There's something tender about that
25:42moment to me now because there comes a
25:45season when the person who spent a
25:48lifetime covering everybody else needs
25:50somebody to cover them.
25:53That's why today I want you to hear me.
25:55I want to honor the elders of the church
25:56today. I want to honor those that have
25:59covered others in their lives. I want to
26:02honor you. Not because you're finished,
26:05not because we're putting you out to
26:06pasture, not because your best days are
26:09necessarily behind you. We honor you
26:11because you walked through enough
26:12winters to teach the rest of us
26:14something about keeping the faith.
26:16[applause]
26:17[cheering] Yeah. You buried people that
26:20you love. You survived disappointments
26:22we know nothing about. You prayed
26:23prayers that didn't get answered the way
26:26that you wanted. And you watched the
26:27world change. And you've watched the
26:29church change. And you've watched your
26:31family change. And somehow you're still
26:33here by the grace of God. Still
26:35worshiping and still praising and still
26:38believing and still loving. I saw some
26:40of you step out into the aisle and raise
26:42those arthritic arms and hands high as
26:44you could get them to heaven. And though
26:46in pain, you still got too much to be
26:48thankful for to keep you silent on a
26:51pew. I've just come to say thank you.
26:53I've come to honor some elder of God
26:55who's here today who was in in pain
26:58getting ready for church this morning,
26:59but you dragged yourself here today. I
27:02want to say thank you for keeping the
27:04faith. I want to say thank you for being
27:06the example. I wonder as a church today,
27:08could we take a moment of our time and
27:11just thank every elder in our life that
27:14paved the way and kept [clears throat]
27:16the faith? [applause and cheering]
27:27>> [applause]
27:30>> You teach us that faith can survive
27:33winter.
27:36>> But what I want you to know this
27:37morning, too, is that you don't have to
27:39be old to experience winter.
27:44This isn't just a sermon for our elders
27:47because you don't have to have gray hair
27:49to experience winter.
27:52>> The Bible tells us so. In Isaiah 40, it
27:55says, "Even the youth shall faint
27:57>> and be weary and the young men shall
28:01utterly fall. Even the young get tired."
28:05There are winters that have nothing to
28:06do with the temperature outside. There's
28:09winters of grief and disappointment and
28:11sickness and betrayal. There's winters
28:14of unanswered prayer and financial
28:16pressure and loneliness. The winter
28:18where your marriage is struggling. The
28:20winter where your children aren't
28:22walking with God. The winter when you
28:24prayed and nothing seemed to happen yet.
28:26The winter when you did everything you
28:28knew to do, but life still got cold.
28:32>> Because eventually everybody meets
28:35winter.
28:37Now, when I was younger, I didn't want a
28:39coat. You remember being young, your
28:41mama would tell you before you go
28:42outside, make sure you put a coat on,
28:44I'm not cold.
28:46>> It's five below outside. It's okay. I'm
28:49fine. Because somehow freezing to death
28:52proves how tough you are.
28:55But I've noticed something. The older I
28:57get, the less interested I am in proving
28:59how tough I am. Where's my coat?
29:04I'm cold and it's cold outside. Bring me
29:07my coat.
29:08Maybe maturity is finally realizing that
29:11I don't have to prove that the cold
29:12doesn't bother me. Some of you maybe
29:15have been trying to prove that you're
29:17okay and you're not okay. You're cold.
29:20You're cold. You've been through
29:21something. You've been hurt. You've been
29:23disappointed and you're still showing
29:25up, but something inside of you has
29:26gotten cold. You're still singing, but
29:29you're cold. You're still serving, but
29:30you're cold. You're still preaching, but
29:33you're cold. You're still smiling, but
29:35you're cold. You're still showing up,
29:37but you're cold. And there's no shame in
29:39admitting it. I need my coat.
29:43[cheering]
29:44[screaming]
29:46We got to get real with one another. If
29:48we're going to be united in the body of
29:50Christ, we got to lay aside the
29:52pretense. And we got to lay aside all
29:54the facads. And we got to lay aside
29:56everything that's that's just playing
29:58around and playing church and be real
30:01with one another. And sometimes you just
30:03got to say, "I need my coat." [cheering]
30:07[applause]
30:10>> Cuz the greatest danger of winter is not
30:13the cold.
30:16The greatest danger is what the cold can
30:19do to your heart.
30:21Cuz
30:23if you live live long enough, you'll
30:26accumulate scars. [snorts]
30:28>> You'll experience enough disappointment
30:30to become cynical.
30:31>> You'll meet enough hypocrites to be
30:33suspicious of the church.
30:36>> You'll have enough unanswered questions
30:37to become skeptical. You'll lose enough
30:39people to be guarded. Eventually
30:42trusting God can begin to feel dangerous
30:47>> because our faith requires a
30:49transparency and a vulnerability we're
30:52not always comfortable with.
30:56>> Faith says, "I'm going to trust you
30:58again." Faith is the substance of things
31:00hoped for, the evidence of things not
31:02seen. Faith is holding on when holding
31:05on doesn't seem logical.
31:09Even after what happened, faith says,
31:10"I'm going to pray again. I'm going to
31:12believe again. I'm going to love again.
31:14I'm going to hope again."
31:16But there's a temptation in winter to
31:18say, "I've been hurt too many times.
31:22>> I've seen too much. I know how this
31:25ends. I don't get excited anymore. I
31:27don't expect anything anymore." And
31:29that's when your soul starts getting
31:31cold. And a cold soul eventually becomes
31:35a cynical soul. Even Jesus said in
31:38Matthew chapter 24 when the end times
31:40would come, he said, "Because iniquity
31:42shall abound, the love of many shall wax
31:45cold."
31:47Jesus said, "It's possible for you to
31:49start out warm and compassionate and
31:52understanding and patient and excited
31:55and loving and serving and still end up
31:58cold because of iniquity,
32:02>> because of what they did to you, because
32:04of the anger in your heart, because of
32:07sin increasing everywhere. It's the
32:09temptation to say, "Nothing's going to
32:11change. Nothing can be done. They'll
32:13never change. I don't have time for this
32:15anymore." and you become distant and
32:17isolated and callous and cold. So
32:20somewhere along the way, you've got to
32:22lift up your voice and you've got to
32:24say, "Bring me [screaming] my coats."
32:29Because I refuse to let what happened to
32:32me change what I believe about him.
32:37That's why I had to start off this
32:39morning giving him praise. That's why I
32:41had to open up my mouth and remind
32:44myself that God's still good. That's why
32:46I can't get silent when it gets hard and
32:49cold and difficult. I got to It's not
32:52positive thinking. It's not just mind
32:54over matter. It's a reality that God has
32:57not left me and he's still the same
32:59yesterday, today, and forever. And he's
33:02been better to me than I've been to
33:04myself. How can I keep from praising?
33:07How can I keep from lifting my hands?
33:10[cheering]
33:12>> [applause]
33:14>> So, I got to wrestle myself to my feet.
33:16And I've got to struggle to get that
33:18voice out of my chest. And I got to lift
33:21up my head. And I got to shout at the
33:23top of my lungs, he's still good.
33:26[cheering]
33:29[applause]
33:32Cuz I need a faith that works in the
33:34winter. I said I need a faith that works
33:37in the winter because summer faith is
33:39easy.
33:41It's easy to believe God when the
33:42prayers get answered. It's easy to
33:44worship when everybody's healthy. It's
33:46easy to testify when the money's all
33:48there. It's easy to praise when your
33:50children are doing well. But I don't
33:52need a faith that just works in the
33:53fireworks of July. I need a faith that
33:55works in dreary October and bitter
33:57November and cold December and in
34:00January. I need a faith when I don't
34:02understand. I need a faith when I'm
34:04tired, when I'm grieving, when God is
34:06silent. I need a miracle. I need a
34:09miracle now. And it's a miracle of
34:11faith. Faith when everything hasn't
34:13happened the way I thought it was going
34:14to happen. Faith when my body hurts and
34:17when people leave me. And when I don't
34:19know what tomorrow holds. I need a faith
34:21that survives winter.
34:24[cheering]
34:26[applause]
34:30>> Look at Paul. Paul's cold, but he hasn't
34:35become cold.
34:37That's the miracle.
34:39>> His body is cold, but his spirit isn't.
34:43>> Damp and dark cells, but his spirit is
34:47still filled with light. People have
34:49abandoned him and walked away. Deeus
34:51hath forsaken me, having loved this
34:53present world. But he has not abandoned
34:56God. Paul is still in it to win it. 2
34:59Timothy 4:16 says, he said, "At my first
35:03answer, no man stood with me, but all
35:06men forsook me." That's winter.
35:12>> Everybody experiences a winter when
35:14people walk away from you.
35:17>> You said yes to follow Jesus. You want
35:20to be like Jesus. Jesus stood in the
35:22garden at the moment whenever it was the
35:24heaviest and darkest hour he had ever
35:26had to face. And he said, "If there's
35:28any way, let this cup pass from me.
35:30Nevertheless, not my will, but thy will
35:32be done." And when he looked around,
35:35every one of his disciples were running
35:37away from him. And one of them was
35:38naked.
35:41>> Left his clothes, didn't even come back
35:43for him.
35:46>> At my first answer, nobody stood with
35:48me, but all men forsook me. But listen,
35:51listen to the next line because he said,
35:53"All men forsook me. I pray God that it
35:57may not be laid to their charge.
36:00A man who has painfully been betrayed
36:06and beaten and they can still say, "I
36:08pray God it won't be laid to their
36:11charge." I pray when they stand before
36:13God that when he opens up the book of
36:15their life, they don't even see where
36:17they hurt me.
36:20[applause]
36:21[cheering]
36:24You prayed a prayer like that. That's a
36:26tough prayer to pray. He said, 'I prayed
36:29God that it wouldn't be laid to. That's
36:30real forgiveness right there.
36:33>> I'm not just saying I forgive you. I'm
36:34actually going to do it. I'm going to
36:36I'm going to be forgiving in my life.
36:38And he prayed. He said, "Pray, I pray
36:40God that whenever they stand before you,
36:42whatever they did to me, you wouldn't
36:44even lay it to their charge. Don't even
36:46hold them accountable for it."
36:49Stephen getting stoned, the first martyr
36:51of the church, and he's getting stoned.
36:53And he said, "Father, forgive them.
36:56>> Whatever they're doing right now,
36:58forgive them." And he is literally
37:00dying,
37:02>> forgive them.
37:04>> How can a man or a woman who's been hurt
37:08so bad,
37:10>> wounded so deep,
37:13>> how can a man or woman pray like that?
37:16How can they keep standing when
37:18everything life has to throw their way
37:21has been thrown at them and people have
37:24walked away from them? How can somebody
37:27keep standing? Oh, keep on reading down
37:30to the next verse. The very next verse,
37:32listen to what Paul said. He said,
37:34"Notwithstanding,
37:36the Lord stood with me [cheering]
37:40and he strengthened me."
37:43You missed it. There it is right there.
37:45He said, "Notwithstanding, the Lord
37:48stood with me." That's the coat that I
37:50needed. That was the coat. That's the
37:52winter faith. My circumstances changed,
37:54but God didn't. My friends left, but God
37:57didn't. My body got weaker, but God
38:00didn't. My season changed, but God
38:02didn't. The Lord stood with me and he
38:06strengthened me.
38:10Come on. And that's why I can say if it
38:11had not been for the Lord who was on my
38:14side, where could I be? I could talk to
38:17you about people who's left me. I could
38:18talk to you about people who's wounded
38:20me and talked about me and hurt my
38:22feelings and and caused me to be
38:24offended. But here I am today by the
38:27grace of God, able to pray for them and
38:29able to keep on walking. Why? Because
38:32the Lord stood with me and he
38:34strengthened me and he did not leave me
38:37and he did not forsake me. And though he
38:41slay me, yet will I trust him.
38:45[cheering and applause]
38:50>> Listen to what Paul said. Brother Jones,
38:53Paul said, "I have kept the faith.
38:59>> Fought a good fight, finished my
39:02course." One thing he's happy about, he
39:04said, "I've kept
39:08Oh,
39:10>> listen to what he said. I kept my faith.
39:14He didn't say I kept my strength because
39:16he didn't keep his strength. He didn't
39:17say I kept all my friends because he
39:19didn't keep all his friends. He didn't
39:21say I kept my freedom cuz he's right in
39:23front of a prison. He didn't say I kept
39:25everything I started with because he
39:26didn't. But there's one thing he said
39:28I've never let go of. He said there's
39:29one thing that's not getting away from
39:31me. He said there's one thing that's too
39:33valuable and important for anybody to
39:35discourage me from. He said, "I have
39:36kept the faith."
39:40[applause]
39:41Life took some things from me, but it
39:43didn't get my faith. I lost some people,
39:45but I kept the faith. And my body got
39:47sick, but I kept the faith. I had some
39:49prayers that didn't get answered, but I
39:51kept the faith. I got scars, but I kept
39:53the faith. And I've cried tears, but I
39:55kept the faith. I've had lonely nights,
39:57but I kept the faith.
40:01Whatever I do, I've got to keep my
40:04faith. [screaming]
40:05I've got to guard it. I got to fight for
40:07it. I've got to keep my faith.
40:10[cheering]
40:12[applause]
40:13I may not be able to keep you. I I may
40:15not be able to keep my position. I I may
40:18not be able to keep my job. But one
40:20thing I want to say that I've got at the
40:23end of my life is I kept my faith.
40:27[cheering]
40:28[applause]
40:33When the son of man
40:36comes back on the earth, Jesus had just
40:38one question. When he comes back on the
40:41earth, just one thing he was looking
40:42for. He said, "When I return again, just
40:46one thing that he's looking for. Will
40:49the son of man find faith?"
40:54>> Oh, mama. I've been in some dark
40:55valleys. She told me about him and
40:57prayed over me. I've been in some times
40:59when my faith has been shaken. There
41:00have been times when I've ever come real
41:03close to the edge of giving up. I came
41:05real close to just jumping into the dark
41:07abyss of emotions. I've come real close
41:09to just giving up on God. Come on. You
41:11think I'm just hyperboleing right now,
41:13but I'm not. I'm talking about real
41:15moments that I've had where I've come to
41:17the edge thinking what's the use and
41:19what does it matter and where is God in
41:21the middle of this? But somewhere uh God
41:23gave me the mercy and gave me a glimmer
41:26of hope from his word uh that helped me
41:28to see that the one thing that I do have
41:30that's going to keep me in every
41:32difficulty in every circumstance is my
41:35faith uh and as long as I keep my faith
41:38as long as I've got my faith it'll
41:40quench every fiery dart of the wicked
41:43one. As long as I keep my faith uh God
41:45will fight my battles. And as long as I
41:48keep my faith, uh, come hell or high
41:50water, I'll still be here. As long as I
41:52got my faith, uh, my house will keep on
41:54standing. As long as I've got my faith,
41:57I can keep on preaching. I can keep on
42:00singing. I can keep on pastoring. I can
42:02keep on living. I can keep on loving cuz
42:05I've got my faith.
42:08[applause and cheering]
42:15>> [applause]
42:18>> Hey. [screaming]
42:19Oh, I'm talking to somebody who needs to
42:21get a bulldog grip on faith again. I'm
42:24talking to somebody who needs to get
42:25tenacity like a weed and say, "I'm still
42:28going to live for God. I'm still going
42:30to pray. Uh, I'm not giving up in this
42:32battle. I'm not giving up in this fight.
42:35[cheering and applause]
42:42I'm going to keep my faith.
42:47>> Loose the shirt off my back, but I'm
42:49going to keep my faith. Business deal
42:51fell through, but I'm going to keep my
42:53faith. [laughter] Marriage broke down,
42:55but I'm going to keep my faith. Lost my
42:58loved ones, Sister Amanda, but I'm going
42:59to keep my faith. [laughter] They walked
43:01away from me, but I'm going to keep my
43:03faith. Young man hurt my feelings, but
43:05I'm going to keep my faith. She walked
43:07away, but I'm going to keep my faith.
43:10[screaming]
43:17>> That's what I want to be said about me
43:20at the end of my life when they look at
43:22me. I want them to say, "He kept the
43:25faith."
43:27Not that I got everything I I wanted.
43:29Not that I never struggled. Not that I
43:31never questioned. Not that I never hurt,
43:33but I kept the faith. So, bring me my
43:35coat. Bring me my coat this morning
43:37because I need to keep my faith. Bring
43:40me my coat
43:42cuz I'm cold.
43:45But here's what I want to correct
43:46something this morning.
43:50The coat doesn't mean you're finished.
43:56>> When Paul says, "Bring me my coat,"
43:59>> he's not asking Timothy to bring him
44:01something so he can just curl up in a
44:03corner and die.
44:07Look at what he requests. He says, "The
44:09coat I left at Trrowaz with carpass.
44:12When thou comest, bring with me and the
44:14books,
44:16but especially the parchment." You see
44:18that? I love that part right there
44:20because Paul knows that he's nearing the
44:22end, but he's still reading. He's still
44:25studying. He's still thinking. He's
44:27still growing. He's still writing. He's
44:29still pouring into Timothy. Paul needs a
44:31coat, but he also wants his books. His
44:33body might be slowing down, but his
44:36calling has not disappeared. Hear me,
44:38elders. Needing a coat does not mean
44:41that you're finished. Saying that you're
44:43cold doesn't mean that it's over. Hear
44:45me, church. Being tired doesn't mean
44:47that you're finished. Being wounded does
44:50not mean that you're finished. Being
44:52disappointed doesn't mean that you're
44:53finished. Walking through winter doesn't
44:56mean that you're finished. Maybe you're
44:58not supposed to quit. Maybe you're just
45:00supposed to put your coat on.
45:01[screaming]
45:04Maybe you don't need to abandon your
45:06assignment. Maybe you just need to
45:07approach it differently in this season.
45:10Maybe you just need some warmth. Maybe
45:12you just need some rest. Uh maybe you
45:14just need some people around you. Maybe
45:15you just need to sit at Jesus's feet
45:18again. But don't confuse weariness uh
45:21with completion. Uh do not be weary and
45:24welloing uh for in due season. You're
45:27going to reaph if you faint.
45:31Come on. But I'm trying to tell you,
45:32pastor is trying to preach it as best as
45:34I can, but you're not finished yet.
45:36There's [laughter]
45:39you're not finished yet. There's still
45:41more inside of you. God still has
45:43purpose on your life. Uh he's not done
45:46with you yet. There's still better days
45:48and better moments and still healing and
45:51still strength ahead of you. You're not
45:53finished yet. G up the loins of your
45:56mind. Get your faith back. Put
45:59[screaming] your coat on. You're not
46:01done. [cheering]
46:03[applause]
46:10Bring me my coach. Yeah. Come on.
46:14Good-looking armor bearer this morning.
46:16Bring me my coat. Thank you, Sir Bryson.
46:19[gasps]
46:32It's cold, but I need my coat on.
46:37I need some warmth. [gasps]
46:41Let me tell you, there's a coat that God
46:44has for your life. And the there's some
46:46threads in this coat. There's some
46:48there's some things that God has put in
46:50this coat. It's why you got to keep it
46:52on. Scripture tells us what this coat is
46:56made of. It tells us what kind of coat
47:00this is. In Colossians 3:14, the Bible
47:03says that this coat is made with love.
47:08Colossians 3:14. And above all these
47:11things, put on charity.
47:15Put on love. Come on, put on love. Tell
47:18somebody, put on love. Winter will tempt
47:22you to stop loving. You got to love
47:24anyway.
47:26>> Come on. Don't let age make you angry.
47:28Don't let disappointment make you
47:30bitter. Don't let betrayal make you
47:32cruel. Put on love. Don't let what
47:34somebody did to you determine what kind
47:36of person that you're going to become.
47:38You got to put on love. I'm still going
47:39to pray for them. I'm still going to
47:41forgive them. I'm still going to go out
47:43and reach people for Jesus. I'm still
47:46going to love. Come on. You got to put
47:48that coat on. When Jesus was hanging on
47:50a cross, they took his coat from him.
47:53They gambled for it, but they couldn't
47:55take his love. He said, "Father, forgive
47:57them for they know not what they do." He
47:59said, "Father, into your hands, I still
48:02commend my spirit." What was he saying?
48:05"I still trust you. I still love you. I
48:08still love them. Uh, put on love." Uh,
48:11when it's cold outside, when you're
48:13disappointed, put love on. [screaming]
48:16[cheering]
48:20>> [sighs]
48:22>> I can't stop loving.
48:25[laughter]
48:27>> I can't give up on him.
48:30I can't give up on him yet.
48:33>> I got to keep loving. [laughter] I can't
48:35give up on God right now. I got to keep
48:37on loving him. I don't understand his
48:40ways, but I got to put on love. I got to
48:42put it on this garment cuz it's cold out
48:44there and I can't let this cold get down
48:47deep into my soul. This coat is woven
48:49with love and this coat is also woven
48:52with praise.
48:54[gasps] Isaiah 61:3 says Jesus came to
48:57bring us the garment of praise
49:01for the spirit of heaviness.
49:04It's the great exchange. I had to look
49:06up that word heaviness. What does that
49:07heaviness mean? Cuz I could define it. I
49:09could try to tell you. I feel like I
49:11know what heavy is, but what really is
49:13the Bible talking about here in
49:14heaviness is the Hebrew word kahhei. Kei
49:18means dim and dull and colorless and
49:21dark and faint. I've I've worn that
49:24garment before. I've been in the dark
49:26colorless places of life. When I've been
49:29faint and when things didn't seem to
49:30make sense and weren't fitting together,
49:32I've worn that coat before. I've had
49:34that coat on and it's made me cynical
49:36and it's made me upset and angry and
49:39I've given over to emotions and said
49:41words that I should not have said and
49:43and and there's a coat that Jesus died
49:45for that he's trying to give to me and
49:48it's tahila. Tahila is the word for
49:51praise in Isaiah 61. Tahila means a
49:54song, celebration, thanksgiving. In
49:57other words, when heaviness settles in
49:59on you, you got to put praise on.
50:03Come on. Come on. When darkness starts
50:04to surround you, you got to get your
50:06song back. It's a song of deliverance.
50:09Come on. When the enemy comes in like a
50:11flood, the spirit of the Lord raises up
50:13a standard against. You got to lift up a
50:15praise again. You got to put on the coat
50:17of worship again. I will bless the Lord
50:20at all times. And his praise shall
50:22continually be in my mouth. Uh when
50:25heaviness settles in on you, begin to
50:27worship. Not because you feel like it,
50:29but because you know who God is. Cuz
50:32sometimes praise is not the overflow of
50:35emotions. Praise is how you fight for
50:38your soul.
50:41[cheering and applause]
50:46>> Cuz my feelings are fickle, but my faith
50:49is settled.
50:52I settled it a long time ago, Brother
50:54Austin. I shall not I shall not be
50:57moved. Just like a tree planted by the
51:00rivers of water.
51:01>> [laughter]
51:02>> I didn't understand that song in my
51:03youth, but I'm starting to understand it
51:05now. I thought I knew what it meant to
51:07stand still and see the salvation of the
51:09Lord. Uh, but I really didn't know until
51:12everything started shaking around me.
51:13Until hell came up against me, until I
51:16felt like I was drowning. And then, uh,
51:18I heard the sweet whisper of the voice
51:20of God say, "Stand still and see my
51:23salvation and I'll part the waters." And
51:25you know what happened? I got a praise
51:27back in my spirit. I could come and
51:29dancing not cuz I felt like it, but
51:32because he's good. I could lift up my
51:34voice cuz I know he's faithful. I could
51:37praise him cuz I still got breath and
51:39the enemy couldn't take me out. The
51:41enemy couldn't take me out. I'm still
51:44here by the grace of God. Give me my
51:47coach.
51:52Not taking it off. I said I'm not taking
51:55it off. I don't care what you do with
51:57your life, but I can't take off my
51:59faith. I can't take off my love. I can't
52:01take off my praise. I got to keep my
52:04coat on, Sister Shane. I got to keep it
52:06on. No matter what they said about me, I
52:08got to keep my card on.
52:12[cheering]
52:16>> Listen to what Paul wrote in Acts
52:18chapter 20 verse 22. And now, behold, I
52:22go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem. I
52:26don't know the things that are going to
52:27befall me there.
52:29He said, I don't know what's going to
52:31happen to me except
52:33the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city,
52:38>> saying that bonds and afflictions abide
52:40me.
52:42He said, 'I don't know what's going to
52:43happen, but every city I go, there just
52:46seems to be a prophet now
52:48>> that'll come and just raise his hands
52:49over me come to me like Agabus and say,
52:52"Oh, Paul, don't go to Jerusalem.
52:54There's trouble waiting for you. They're
52:56going to kill you there. Every city."
52:58And he I like that. I like that, Sister
53:00Austin, because even though he got a
53:02word in one city, it didn't keep him
53:04from moving to the next city.
53:07Even though he got a word that perhaps
53:09he didn't want to hear, it didn't stop
53:10him from keep on witnessing and keep on
53:13loving and keep on planting churches.
53:15Watch out, pal. They're going to kill
53:17you. [snorts] Watch out, Paul. It's
53:18going to be bad for you. Okay. Thanks
53:21for the word,
53:24>> Paul. You better watch out, man. Cesar
53:26going to lop your head off. You better
53:27watch out. They're coming after you.
53:29Okay. Thank you. Thank you for your
53:31tears. Thank you for crying over me.
53:34Thank you for prophesying.
53:37I got Where you going? I'm going to the
53:39next city. Where you going? I'm getting
53:41up and going to church. Where you going?
53:43I'm still getting up and living for God.
53:45Where you going? I'm still going to keep
53:46praying. Where you going? I'm still
53:48going to go back home and be a faithful
53:50spouse. Where you going? I'm still going
53:52to keep on singing. Where you going? I'm
53:54going to prayer meeting. Where you
53:56going? I'm still going to live for God.
53:58[cheering and applause]
54:05>> [applause]
54:07>> saved that the Holy Ghost witness in
54:09every city, saying that bonds and
54:10affliction bide me. Could you put up for
54:13me Acts chapter I want them to seat it.
54:15I don't want to just read it. Acts
54:16chapter 20 and verse 24. Would you just
54:19put up verse 24 for me from Acts chapter
54:2120? Help me out media right now because
54:24Paul says everywhere that I go, it's
54:26afflictions and bonds. And the Holy
54:27Ghost just keeps speaking to me and
54:29telling me that trouble is coming my
54:31way. But then he says this, "But none
54:36>> of these things move me,
54:39[screaming]
54:41>> neither count I my life dear unto myself
54:47>> so that I might finish my course
54:50>> with joy."
54:53>> You know what I've discovered? The
54:56number one reason why I lose my joy is I
55:01put too much credence in my own life
55:06>> and not in his. [applause]
55:10>> I become more concerned about me.
55:16>> How does it feel for me?
55:19>> I ain't talking about you. You just let
55:21pastor step on his own toes right now.
55:25My joy gets robbed
55:29>> when I look around and say, "Well, I
55:30haven't received what I've been asking
55:33for."
55:36And then something else pops up and I
55:38go, "Well, here we go again.
55:40Here's another trial. Here's another
55:43person leaving the church. Here's
55:45another person I can't seem to help.
55:48Here's another issue my family's looking
55:51for. I I I can't answer it." and I start
55:54counting my life too dear
55:57>> and I lose my joy.
56:02>> But let's look at Jesus
56:04who for the joy that was set before him
56:08endured the cross. [snorts]
56:15>> He did not count his life so dear.
56:19and he still kept his joy
56:22that was before him.
56:25You want to know how to be established
56:27and how not to move,
56:29you got to look unto Jesus,
56:32the author and the finisher of our
56:34faith, so that you don't become weary in
56:36your own minds. Whenever all these
56:39things of life seem to pile up on you,
56:41you need to look at Jesus and say, you
56:42know what? If he could make it through,
56:45his spirit is within me. I can make it
56:47through. [applause]
56:49I can overcome.
56:52It's the secret, and we miss it.
56:54But none of these things move me.
56:57Neither count I my life dear unto
57:00myself,
57:01so that I may finish my course with joy
57:03and the ministry which I received of the
57:06Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the
57:09grace of God.
57:12This coat, it's got a praise in it.
57:16Musicians, if you want to come, I'll try
57:17to find a landing place. This coat also
57:20has righteousness.
57:22Isaiah chapter 61. I will greatly
57:25rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall exalt
57:29in him for he has clothed me with the
57:34garments of salvation.
57:38Is there any greater gift
57:41that God has given to a sister Darla
57:45than the salvation he purchased
57:48with his own blood?
57:51He laid down his life
57:54for me.
57:56He died,
57:58suffered a shameful death
58:03so that he could put on me
58:06the garments
58:08of salvation.
58:10He covered me with a robe of
58:14righteousness.
58:17You know what I got to tell somebody
58:18this morning is you got to get your coat
58:21on. In other words, you got to keep
58:23living right.
58:26Even in winter, don't use pain as a
58:30permission to compromise.
58:32>> Don't let disappointment give you an
58:34excuse to go backward. He's done too
58:37much for me.
58:39He sacrificed too much for me.
58:43There's still something so beautiful
58:44about a saint who keeps on walking with
58:47God
58:49for decades and still wants to please
58:51him.
58:53I want to live the way he wants me to
58:58live.
58:59So, I got to keep the coat of
59:02righteousness on. Cuz this salvation was
59:05too costly for me to toss it away
59:09because I didn't get what I wanted. I've
59:12already got more than I've ever needed.
59:16I've got his salvation
59:20and this coat. Lastly,
59:23it's woven
59:25with the faithful word.
59:28Paul said, "Bring my coat
59:32and bring the books,
59:35but especially the parchments,
59:38paparus scrolls, the scholars say, Old
59:40Testament scriptures perhaps that were
59:43written down that Paul wanted. When
59:46winter comes,
59:48you got to get in the word.
59:52You need promises. Armor bear, could you
59:54do me one more thing? Could you bring me
59:55my Bible?
60:00Could you bring me my Bible?
60:06Sir Bryson,
60:08you got to keep the word. But
60:12you're going to grow up one day. You
60:14going to figure out some of these things
60:15that pastor's talking about. how life is
60:18going to bring some hard things your
60:19way, but he's called you into something
60:21great.
60:23And the only thing that's going to keep
60:25you, son, is you got to keep the word.
60:31[applause]
60:37Life is going to change.
60:41People may change.
60:44You may get a new pastor someday, 40
60:46years down the road.
60:50Don't vote me out this year. Okay?
60:52[snorts]
60:54Things may change,
60:56but the word,
60:59the word. Thank you, bud.
61:02Thy word
61:04have I hid in my heart.
61:09That I might not sin
61:12against God.
61:14[snorts]
61:17I can't tell you how much I love this
61:18word.
61:21I can't tell you how many times it's
61:23comforted me and strengthened me when
61:28nobody else or nothing else could. It
61:30was the word
61:32that's kept me grounded.
61:35It's the word that gave me answers I was
61:37looking for. It was the word that
61:39comforted me and wrapped itself around
61:42me. I I can't imagine brothers and
61:45sisters around the world that aren't
61:48allowed to have the word.
61:53I can't imagine.
61:56I can't imagine people
61:59that could just leave it behind
62:02and walk away. I I don't know where I'm
62:05going without the word.
62:09Thy word
62:11is the lamp unto my feet.
62:15It's the light
62:18unto my path.
62:22You know, when I was younger, I used to
62:23open up this thing and try to get
62:25sermons out of it.
62:27I used to open this up and try to find
62:29something real good to preach.
62:32But now, when I open it up, it's
62:33different.
62:36When I open it up now, I just want to
62:38discover something about him. [snorts]
62:41I just want to know him.
62:43And now when I open it up, sometimes I
62:45don't even understand what I'm reading.
62:48[snorts]
62:49And I just ask him to give me wisdom,
62:53give me understanding.
62:56It's his word.
62:58It's as simple as that.
63:01But I got to keep my coat on me cuz
63:04there's [snorts] a lot of lies out
63:05there.
63:07There's a lot of deception,
63:09a lot of falsehood,
63:11a lot of things that sound like light,
63:14but they're darkness.
63:16And I got to keep a grounding in the
63:19word [snorts]
63:21so that my house will be established.
63:26When my kids
63:28when they leave home,
63:31they get married, get careers, and get
63:33jobs. I know they're here, and I'm not
63:35trying to embarrass them. But when they
63:36leave and they make their own decisions,
63:40I want them to remember
63:43that as for me in my house,
63:47We'll serve the Lord.
63:50>> I want them to remember that when we had
63:51questions, where'd we go? We went to the
63:55word. [snorts]
63:56I want them to remember that whenever
63:59winds assailed and problems popped up,
64:03where was our hope? Our hope was in the
64:07word.
64:10Church,
64:12look around this room right now.
64:15>> [snorts]
64:15>> Go ahead and just
64:17look around. You're looking at coats.
64:22You're looking at people who have
64:24discovered that God can keep you.
64:26Some of these people have served God
64:28longer than you and I have been alive.
64:30They got stories you don't know. They've
64:32had funerals. They've had hospital
64:34rooms. They've had betrayals. They've
64:36had financial struggles. They've had
64:38family problems. [snorts] They still
64:40have promises that are waiting to be
64:42fulfilled. prayers that are still
64:43waiting to be answered. They've had
64:45nights when they've wondered how they're
64:46going to make it. And yet, they're still
64:49here, hands raised, tears flowing,
64:54but they got their coats on with faith
64:56and love and praise.
65:01I just wonder who's here today. I'm
65:03finished.
65:05I wonder who's here today that get up
65:08out of your seat.
65:11Walk down to the front of this place.
65:14Put your coat back on.
65:18Say, "God, I need your faith.
65:21I need your praise back in my life. It's
65:24cold.
65:27You don't have to shy away from God. You
65:30don't have to pretend with him and come
65:32to me." Say, "I just need a coat. I just
65:34need you to warm my spirit. I don't want
65:37to get cynical,
65:39Lord. I don't want to live in fear. I
65:41don't want to live, God, apart from you.
65:44I just need my code. I need you to wrap
65:46your arms around me and forgive me. I
65:49need your righteousness. I I need your
65:51salvation. Is there anybody like that
65:53today who would just be willing to get
65:55up and come down to the front of this
65:57place and confess that you still need
66:00him and say that he's still my God. He's
66:02He's still my savior. He's still my
66:05light. And I need his word. I need him
66:07to speak to me. I I need him to talk to
66:09me. Is there anyone else just willing to
66:12get up and walk down to the front of
66:14this place and keep on taking steps?
66:16Though life has hit you hard. Though the
66:19enemy has come in like a flood, can you
66:22still get up and say, "Though though God
66:24slay me, I yet will I trust him. I I
66:27don't understand what's going on, but
66:29I'm gonna put my coat back on.
66:32[laughter]
66:33I'm gonna put my coat of faith back on.
66:35>> [snorts]
66:36>> I'm going to put my hope back on. I'm
66:38going to put righteousness back on. I
66:40may have made some mistakes and sinned
66:42against God. We've all fallen short. I
66:44may have I may have blown it a few
66:46times, but I'm going to put that coat of
66:48salvation back on. And and [laughter]
66:50God's going to keep me. Oh, I feel his
66:52presence right now. Come on. He's here
66:55in this house. He's here in this altar
66:57right now. If you need him, wherever
66:58you're at in whatever season of life
67:00you're in, if you'll make your way down
67:02to the front of this altar and just take
67:04a step of faith, that's all he's asking.
67:07Just take a step of faith. Come on.
67:08Whatever burden you carried and
67:10whatever's been in your [music] family,
67:11in your life, whatever questions you've
67:13had and prayers that have gone
67:15unanswered, bring it all to the altar
67:17this morning. Let him robe you. Let him
67:19put a coat back on you. Let him bring
67:22hope back into your spirit. Let his
67:24mercy rest on you right now in the name
67:26of Jesus.
67:28Come on. I feel his presence. I feel his
67:30grace right now in this house.
67:36Come on. If you want to find somebody to
67:38pray with, maybe you're doing fine.
67:40Maybe you've got your coat on.
67:41Everything's okay. You're living on the
67:43mountain. You've got everything that you
67:45need. Maybe you could just let love flow
67:47through you today and find a couple,
67:49find an individual and pray over them in
67:51the name of Jesus. I wonder if you could
67:54bear their [music] burdens this morning.
67:56I wonder if you could just get up under
67:57the weight that they've been carrying
67:58and lift it together with them and say,
68:00"God, we're going to make it through
68:02this thing. God, we know you're going to
68:04work it out for the good because we love
68:06you and are called according to your
68:07purpose." Uh could a believer find
68:10somebody this morning and just lay a
68:12hand on their shoulder and pray with
68:14them today, right now before they leave
68:16this place and say, "You're not alone.
68:18I'm here with you. You're not in this by
68:21yourself. His grace is sufficient.
68:26His grace is sufficient.
68:31Come on. Lift your voice. Let those
68:34tears fall if they have to. Let your
68:37anguish out. Let your pain out. Cry to
68:40the Lord. He'll hear you. He'll answer
68:43you. He'll comfort you.
68:47Come on. You'll find mercy at this
68:49altar. Lay your burdens down. Lay your
68:51sins down at this altar. Come on. Now's
68:53a good time to seek the Lord. Now's a
68:56good time. There's still room at the
68:58altar for you. There's still room at
69:00this altar for you, [snorts]
69:03Jesus.
69:11Oh
69:14my life. You have been so so good.
69:21with every breath.
69:23>> I am.
69:25>> Oh, I receive.
69:27>> I receive.
69:28>> Yes, God. You're still good. You're
69:31[music] still faithful. You're still
69:34merciful, oh God.
69:35>> Hallelujah.
69:37>> Oh my life. [music and singing] You have
69:39been faithful.
69:42>> You're never going to leave me. You're
69:43never going to forsake me. Not when I'm
69:45weak.
69:46>> Not when I'm sick. Not when I'm hurting.
69:49You're not going to walk away from me,
69:50Lord. Not now, not never.
69:56>> Oh, I can still trust you. I I can still
69:59hope in you.
70:01>> Come on. That's it. Be filled with the
70:02spirit this morning. Be filled with his
70:05grace [music] and his power. Be filled
70:07this morning with his peace.
70:10[music]
70:11>> Mercy is yours. If you want it, mercy is
70:14yours this morning.
70:16>> It's yours. Whatever sins you've got,
70:18they can be forgiven. It's yours today.
70:22>> With every breath [music and singing]
70:24that I am,
70:28I will sing [music]
70:30of the goodness
70:32of God. [singing]
70:38All [music] my life you have.
70:42>> Oh, he's here. He's here. He's here.
70:45>> He's here. [music and singing] You have
70:47been so so good.
70:52[music]
70:53Every breath that I have made,
70:58I will sing
71:01of [music] the goodness [singing]
71:03of God.
71:07[music] Your goodness is running after.
71:11It's running after me. [music]
71:15Your goodness is running after. It's
71:18running after [music]
71:20me. With my life [singing] laid down,
71:23I'm surrender now. I give you
71:27everything.
71:30Your goodness is running
71:32[music and singing] after. It's running
71:34after me.
71:38Your goodness is [music] running after.
71:41It's running after [singing]
71:43me.
71:44after me. [music]
71:50[music]
71:51>> My life right now
71:57give you everything.
72:00[music]
72:01Your goodness is running out. It's
72:04running after me. [music]
72:08Your goodness is running out. He's
72:12running [music] after me.
72:16Your goodness is running after [music]
72:23my life. I [music] surrender now. I give
72:27you everything.
72:31Your goodness [music] is running after
72:34is running [singing] after me.
72:39Oh my
72:42greatness.
72:45[music]
72:51So [music] God
72:54with every breath that I am [music]
73:00I will sing of the goodness [music]
73:05of God.
73:10>> [music]
73:20>> Heat. Heat.
73:23[music]
73:31>> [music]
73:40>> Your goodness is enough. [music]
73:43It's not enough to me.
73:48Your goodness is coming down. [music]
73:51It's not enough to me.
73:54My life down. Surrender now. I give you
73:59everything.
74:05[music]
74:11[music]
74:17to me. [music]
74:24My life [music]
74:28now
74:30everything
74:34[music] is running
74:38to me.
74:41Goodness is running down is running
74:45[music and singing]
74:46to me.
74:48Your goodness is running down
74:52[music]
74:55with my [singing] life down.
74:59I [music] hear you
75:04[music] is running down.
75:08[singing]
75:11to [music] generation.
75:14There's no world reser
75:18[music]
75:25[music]
75:27to generation.
75:29This all to his greatness. I have seen
75:35[music] he has another [singing]
75:39From generation
75:42to generation [music]
75:44there's no
75:48I [music] will sing you
75:52[singing]
75:58there.
75:59>> There's no [music]
76:07[music]
76:09>> generation
76:11generation
76:12to generation. There's no [music]
76:18>> I have seen
76:19>> I have seen
76:20>> it has
76:22not [music and singing] done yet
76:25>> from generation generation to
76:28generation.
76:29>> There's no boundary.
76:30>> There's no boundary [music]
76:32to his face.
76:33>> I have seen
76:34>> I have seen
76:35>> he has [music]
76:37You're not done [singing]
76:39yet.
76:39>> You're not done yet. You're not done
76:42[music]
76:43yet.
76:43>> You're not done yet.
76:45>> You're not done yet.
76:47>> You're not [music] done yet.
76:49>> You're not done yet.
76:51>> You're not done yet.
76:52>> You're not done [music]
76:54yet.
76:55>> Afraid of things. You're not done yet.
77:00>> You're not done [music and singing]
77:02yet.
77:02>> You're not done yet.
77:04>> You're not done yet.
77:08>> You're not [music] done [singing] yet.
77:10Heat. Heat.
77:13[music]
77:26[music]
77:32[music]
77:34Heat. Heat.
77:40[music]
77:54Heat. Heat.
77:59[music]
78:04[music]
78:12[music]
78:18>> [music]
78:33>> Heat.
78:36Heat.
78:44>> [music]
78:45>> I will build my life.
78:50[music and singing]
78:54is the perfect [music and singing]
78:57foundation.
79:00I will put [music] my
79:05you
79:09[music and singing]
79:10will not be
79:17Yeah. [music]
79:19Heat.
79:21[singing]
79:26[music]
79:29Heat. Heat.
79:32[music]
79:38[music]
79:40Heat. Heat.
79:47[music]
79:52>> [music]
79:57[music and singing]
79:59>> I will put my trust
80:02in you
80:04[music]
80:05in you.
80:10[music] I will not [singing] be s.
80:16I [music] will
80:24Jesus.
80:26[music]
80:29I will put my trust
80:33[music] in you alone.
80:35You alone.
80:40And I will not be saved. [music]
80:56Heat. Heat. [music]
81:16[music]
81:31>> [music]
81:37>> Praise God.
81:40If you want to be baptized today,
81:46you want your sins remitted.
81:50If you want to identify as the Bible
81:53says with Jesus's burial
81:56and you want to bury some things [music]
81:58in the water today,
82:02today's your day.
82:06Today's your day.
82:08If you're ready to be saved and baptized
82:12in the only saving name of Jesus,
82:15I want you to walk over here to [music]
82:16I have decided.
82:19We've got rooms and robes and water. The
82:22only thing that's missing right now is
82:25you just taking a step forward.
82:28That's all it takes. Just take a step
82:31forward
82:33cuz today is your day of salvation.
82:37I want to make mention, I know we've
82:39been here a bit. I'm going to let you
82:40go. I see the time.
82:45My wonderful elder, one of the oldest
82:47members of this church, Brother Bullock,
82:49was over here and we were talking.
82:52He said, 'I don't understand
82:56why God wanted
82:59Saul,
83:01Paul
83:03to die in that fashion.
83:08I don't either. I don't know. I don't
83:11know. I was reading the Old Testament.
83:15Elijah is one of my favorite prophets. A
83:18lot of favorites, I guess. But Elijah,
83:20Elijah was that man of God that was
83:23taken up in a fiery chariot.
83:28Yes, please. That's the way I'll go.
83:32Fiery chariot for one.
83:37That's how he was taken up into heaven.
83:41His predecessor Elisha
83:44did twice as many miracles. twice as
83:47many.
83:49I mean, whoa.
83:54>> I mean, he outdid Elisha by twice as
83:56many miracles.
83:59Certainly,
84:00there's going to be another chariot, two
84:02chariots of fire, an extra-l large
84:05chariot of fire for him.
84:09The Bible says in 2 Kings 13,
84:13Elisha
84:15was on his bed sick.
84:18And the Bible says of the sickness
84:21of which he was to die.
84:27>> Sister Julie, he did twice as many
84:29miracles
84:31and he's dying from sickness.
84:36I can understand why God allows one to
84:38go up in a chariot
84:41and why one dies of a sickness.
84:45We'll understand it better by and by, I
84:46guess.
84:49But you won't lose your faith and you
84:52won't lose your hope if you'll make up
84:54your mind right now.
84:57My life does not belong to me.
85:00It belongs to him.
85:02And if it doesn't turn out the way that
85:04I'd hoped it turned out, he's still got
85:06a plan that's better than anything I
85:08could even imagine.
85:10>> He is not done with you yet. You hear
85:13me? He's not done with you yet. He's
85:15just getting started. The steps of a
85:18good man and good woman are ordered of
85:20the Lord. Many are the plans in a man's
85:23heart, but it is the purpose of the Lord
85:25that will prevail. You just keep on
85:27trusting God. You keep on putting your
85:29faith in God. You keep on holding to his
85:31unchanging hand like grandma used to
85:33sing about. And God will keep on
85:34ordering your step. There's another day
85:36coming. There's another door that's
85:37going to open. I wish somebody would
85:39hear me right now cuz I'm prophesying in
85:40the Holy Ghost to somebody that the
85:42enemy has told you it's over. But God
85:45says I'm not done yet working. It may
85:47look like it was meant for evil, but God
85:49is turning it around for good. Come on.
85:52Do we serve a God like that? Or do we
85:54serve a God like that? Do we serve a God
85:56who can open up the blinded eyes and
85:58open up doors no man can shut? Do we
86:00serve a God who can forgive sins and
86:03heal the lame? Do we serve a God who can
86:05bring peace? If so, would you give him
86:07praise one more time in this house? Come
86:09on. Would you let your faith explode
86:11right now in this moment? And would you
86:14just lift your voice and tell him,
86:15"Lord, I still believe. I got my code of
86:18praise. I've got my code of faith. I've
86:21got my code of love. I'm not giving up.
86:24Jesus, you're still the same.
86:32Praise God.
86:35Praise God.
86:37>> Amen.
86:38>> Somebody say, "Amen."
86:40>> Amen.
86:41>> So be it. Let it be done.
86:45>> Praise God.
86:49>> Yeah.
86:51>> God's not done with you yet.
86:57Not done with you yet.
87:00Praise God. Just lift our hands one more
87:02time. Could we all over this place at
87:05the Holy Ghost work right now for a
87:07moment?
87:23Jesus in your name.
87:31Hallelujah. Jesus.
87:33Somebody just say it. He's not done with
87:35me yet.
87:37He's not done with you yet.
87:42Praise God. Praise God. I feel a hope in
87:45my spirit right now. I feel a faith.
87:49This couple that's standing in the front
87:50right now, things did not work out the
87:52way that they had hoped, but they're
87:54here. And I just hear the spirit saying,
87:56"He's not done with you yet."
87:59[applause]
88:02Cuz here's what the word says. I told
88:04you I stand on the word. Here's what the
88:05word said. Humble yourself under the
88:07mighty hand of God that he may exalt you
88:10in due time. You may have thought it was
88:12the time, but your due time is still on
88:14its way and it's still going to happen.
88:16And if you'll humble yourself under the
88:18mighty hand of God, he's going to lift
88:20you up where nobody else can tear you
88:22down. [applause]
88:25He's going to lift you up where nobody
88:26else can tear you. Don't let it trouble
88:29you. Don't be afraid. Don't let it rob
88:31your sleep in the mighty name of Jesus.
88:35The devil's a liar [applause] and the
88:37truth is not in him. But I speak hope
88:39over you in the name of Jesus. I wish I
88:41had somebody in the body of Christ right
88:43now that would just believe. Come on. If
88:45you can believe it for them, you can
88:46believe it for yourself. Come on. If you
88:48can believe it for them, you can believe
88:50it for your family and your sons and
88:51your daughters. Come on. If God can do
88:53it for them, I wish somebody right now
88:55would just agree and say, "Yeah, God
88:56bless them. Yes, God, do it for them.
88:59Yes, God, draw them near. Open up their
89:01eyes. Open up their hearts. Open up the
89:03doors in Jesus name." Come on. If you
89:05can pray it for them, God will do it for
89:07you. I wish you just lift your voice
89:09right now.
89:15>> [music]
89:32>> Praise God.
89:57Thank you Jesus.
90:02Thank [snorts] you Jesus.
90:10Hallelujah.
90:17Praise God.
90:20I say this
90:23to the church as a whole here at New
90:24Life. God is taking us
90:29to the next level.
90:33Now, I know some have mocked that and
90:34said, "Well, what level is he taking us?
90:36What what are we doing? What level we
90:37going to
90:40faith to faith,
90:42from glory to glory?"
90:45God is raising us up to sit in heavenly
90:47places with him. He's taking us as a
90:50church to the next level of commitment
90:53and sacrifice and faith where we have
90:56never been before. And so, we can't
90:57allow our old mentalities of the past to
91:00keep us back.
91:01We can't allow the old victories we used
91:03to have to tie us just keep us in the
91:06past. We got to move forward because
91:08greater things are yet to come. I said
91:10greater things are yet to come. This
91:12church has already doubled once. It's
91:14going to double again. I said it's going
91:16to double again. It's going to double
91:18again. Balcony going to double again.
91:21Floor going to double again. Cuz there's
91:23too great a work to do in St. Louis. Too
91:26many people that need food and clothes
91:27and salvation. too many people that need
91:29healing and hope and love. And so it's
91:31going to double again. I wish you would
91:33just speak it right now and tell
91:34somebody. Say, "It's going to double
91:36again." Come on, get it in your mouth
91:37and in your spirit. Tell somebody, "It's
91:39going to double again. It's going to
91:41double again. It's going to double
91:42again. It's going to double again." I'm
91:44going to speak it by faith in the name
91:45of Jesus. And the enemy isn't going to
91:47steal what God has already placed into
91:49our spirits. It's going to survive. It's
91:51going to thrive. It's going to grow.
91:52It's going to double again in Jesus
91:54name. [applause]
92:00Hallelujah.
92:03>> So God is not done with you yet.
92:07>> He's not finished with you yet.
92:13>> Man, I feel a song in my spirit and one
92:16of you may have to help me with it.
92:23>> Y'all going to laugh at me whenever I
92:24pull it up. So you just hang with me. I
92:25don't know. You got to go go. But uh
92:27just hang with me for a second because
92:28I'm using Google.
92:39>> Yeah, here it is.
92:42Whatever key you were in will work.
92:49I hope
92:54your latter will
92:56>> be greater than
92:59>> your past [music]
93:04>> and you will [singing] be blessed
93:09>> more than you could [music] ask
93:14[snorts]
93:14>> despite all that's been done.
93:19The best is yet to come.
93:24Your latter will be gater.
93:29>> The latter will be great.
93:32>> You're the man. Your lad will be greater
93:37than the rest.
93:40>> Come on. Can we sing it one more time?
93:43Your lad will [music] be greater than
93:47your past.
93:52Oh, and you will [singing]
93:54be blessed.
93:57[music] More than you could ask. Despite
94:02>> despite what's been done, the best the
94:07best [music and singing] is yet to come.
94:11And your latter will be great.
94:14>> Your ladder will be great.
94:16>> Your ladder will [music] be great.
94:18>> Say your ladder will
94:22be greater than ever.
94:27All things all things are possible.
94:34Possible. [screaming]
94:39possible. [music and singing]
94:42>> They are possible.
94:45>> All things are possible. [music]
94:51>> They possible. [music]
94:54>> All things are possible to them that
94:56believe.
95:02[music and singing]
95:03>> Your latter. Your latter will be great.
95:07>> Yeah, we got this. It's your ladder.
95:09>> Your ladder will be [music] great.
95:12>> I said your ladder.
95:13>> Your ladder will be great.
95:19>> Come on, just lift [music] those hands
95:21if you believe it right now and confess
95:23with your mouth. [laughter]
95:26He's not done with me yet. He's not done
95:28with me yet. He's not done with me yet.
95:34Heat. Heat.
95:56Woo!
95:59>> Dad, your ladder is going to be greater.
96:04The glory of the ladder is going to be
96:05greater than the former. Dad,
96:09>> seen some good things in your life, but
96:11the best is yet to come in Jesus name.
96:15Woo! I got a code of faith on me. I
96:16can't explain it right now, but I got a
96:18code of faith on me right now that says
96:20the ladder's going to be greater, Alex,
96:22than the
96:26praise God.
96:28>> All right.
96:30Praise God. I know you got Sunday lunch.
96:33Got your crockpot on. You're ready to
96:35get out and eat some lunch. We got our
96:37next steps. I'm speaking at next steps.
96:39I promise I'll be quicker than I am
96:41today. I promise. So help me, God.
96:45I will do my best. We're going to be
96:47quick today at Next Steps. Get you out.
96:49I have one more thing to do. You got to
96:52go back to your seat anyway. You got to
96:54get all your belongings and your things
96:56together. So, this ain't going to kill
96:57nothing. But as you walk back, will you
97:00just grab your phones? Would you just go
97:01back? This probably be the only time
97:02you'll hear a pastor say, "Grab your
97:04phones in church." But just walk on
97:06back. Just grab your phones. You can sit
97:08or you can stand and keep on playing
97:09that lovely music back there. It just
97:13makes it even better.
97:17Thank y'all. If y'all want to grab your
97:18phones or stay up here and sing, it's up
97:20to you.
97:22Praise God.
97:26Possible.
97:30All things are possible.
97:33All things are possible.
97:39possible.
97:48All right, it's going to be real quick.
97:49All right, we're going to get you out of
97:50here. I promise. Friends Day is
97:52happening. It is upon us. Anybody
97:54excited about Friends Day? It's coming.
97:59Amen.
98:01Now, Friends Day is one of our largest
98:03events of the year. We packed [music] it
98:05out last year. We had a record
98:07attendance. It was so packed in here.
98:09And could you take that off the screen
98:10for a quick second? I'll tell you when
98:12to put it right on. I I promise. Thank
98:13you so much. But uh Friends Day is upon
98:16us. We were packed out. And so we're
98:19starting something new this year that I
98:21want to walk us through. And I have to
98:22start now cuz Friends Day is happening
98:24in just a few weeks. So we're going to
98:25do this real quick. I need your help
98:26today. Today we're launching free
98:29registration for Friends Day. It is a
98:31registration and I need your help if you
98:34would to register for Friends Day.
98:36Whether you're a member or a guest, this
98:39helps us to make sure that we have
98:40enough food, we've got enough seats, we
98:42have enough child care, it ensures that
98:44we have a good follow-up process. And
98:47this is also, listen, because this is
98:49going to mark it down. It's a soft
98:51launch for Christmas because when
98:53Christmas comes, we're going to be
98:55having two services.
98:58Get ready. Get ready. Get ready. as
99:00somebody said. Okay, so this
99:02registration is very important and I
99:04need your help just for a brief moment
99:06before you head out. So, we're going to
99:08take a few minutes to get everyone today
99:10registered for free for Friends Day. As
99:13we do this, I've got staff [music] and
99:15we've got leaders that are still, I
99:17believe, station on. Just wave your hand
99:18if you're here. Yep, we got you around.
99:20Okay. They're stationed around the
99:21auditorium here. They'll be up in the
99:23balcony to help answer any questions or
99:25problems you may encounter. [music] If
99:27you have trouble registering for Friends
99:30Day, they're going to answer it if they
99:32can. If they can't help you today, no
99:34problem. We're going to write it down
99:36and our staff is going to fix it this
99:38week. All right? Our leaders are going
99:40to fix the registration. So, this is
99:42just a soft launch for you to help us
99:44make sure. I know it's new for our
99:45church, but we're going to try to do
99:47this together very quickly. So, when you
99:49register today for Friends Day, when you
99:51come on Friends Day, it's going to be
99:53super easy to check in. You'll just be
99:55able to take your little scan, just scan
99:57it and get right into the service. Okay?
99:59And so, here's what we're going to do
100:00together. Everybody's got their phone or
100:02their device in their hand. I got mine.
100:03Get your camera. So, get your camera
100:05ready. If you've never done a QR code,
100:07it's super simple and easy. If you don't
100:10have your phone today, but you want to
100:11register. If you don't have your phone
100:14today and you brought your Bible, you
100:16still brought your Bible. You don't have
100:17your phone, you get extra points. But if
100:19you if you don't have your phone today,
100:21just go to Life Central. They'll
100:23register you for friends day. Okay,
100:25super easy. If you do have your phones
100:27and device, in just a moment, I'll ask
100:29them in just a moment to put it on the
100:30screen. You're going to scan the Q QR
100:33code. When you scan the QR code, it's
100:36going to open up to the Friends Day
100:38registration page. If you have church
100:42center, what is Church Center? The
100:44church I'm glad you asked. The Church
100:46Center app and link is where we have our
100:49whole calendar. Everything from New Life
100:51is on Church Center. It's where we have
100:53all of our life groups listed. [music]
100:54Church Center is where you can register
100:56for any event. Church Center is our
100:58church's group. Okay? So, if you don't
101:01have Church Center, no problem. Scan the
101:04QR code in just a minute. It'll take you
101:06to Church Center. Just answer a few
101:08questions and then you can register for
101:10Friends Day. If you're a saint that has
101:14Church Center already, you also get
101:17extra bonus points today. I'm People are
101:19just going with extra bonus points
101:20today. If you got it and you scan it,
101:22it's going to go straight to friends.
101:23Say, "All right, let's throw it up.
101:24Let's just do it. Just take your camera,
101:26point it right there towards that QR
101:28code, like so, just like pastor's doing.
101:31Zoom in if you got to, but just click
101:33the link. It's going to open it up right
101:36here. Now, since I have the church
101:38center app, it's opening up to my church
101:40center app, [music]
101:41and I can register for Friends Day." I'm
101:44just going to enter in a little bit of
101:45information. If you would do that, that
101:48would just help us out so much. I would
101:51be so grateful if you'll just register
101:53right now. You got any problems, any
101:55questions, if it's not working for you,
101:57just wave your hand right now and one of
101:59our staff or leaders around the
102:01auditorium, they're going to come
102:02straight to you. They're going to help
102:03you. Don't even worry about it. If
102:05you're technologic, I see a hand over
102:07here. A hand right over here in the
102:08center. Go ahead. Yep. Right here,
102:10Sister Stanfill. Right here. Just come
102:12up a few rows [music] right there. Yep.
102:15just help out. Awesome. Any questions?
102:18If you're technologically
102:21uh what's the word I'm looking for? But
102:24you need help with your technology. We
102:27can do that. All right. We can do that.
102:30Thank you so much for doing this. Don't
102:32forget for those of you that are coming
102:34back to Next Steps, come back to Next
102:36Steps. We'll keep it brief. We got some
102:37refreshments and child care. pastor will
102:39do it quick and we'll get you home just
102:42in time for a great lunch. After you've
102:44registered, you are dismissed. If you
102:46want to give in the offering, our
102:48ushers, ushers, if you would go ahead
102:50and just bring the boxes out in the
102:51front, they'll be back at the door. If
102:53you want to give your offering today,
102:55just feel free to give right up here in
102:57the front of the boxes and in the back.
102:59God bless you. I love you. I'm so glad
103:02that you are here today. You're
103:03dismissed in the wonderful name of
103:05Jesus.