Take A Chance At Hope
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 5/6/2024Jeremiah 17:7
Loading…
0:00
40:36
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez encourages listeners to stop seeking fulfillment in temporary things and instead 'take a chance at hope' by placing their total trust in Jesus Christ. Drawing from Jeremiah 17:7, he emphasizes that true joy and security are found only when we surrender our will and our pursuits to God.
Key points
- •True fulfillment cannot be found in material possessions, fame, or even other human beings, as these are often shallow and temporary.
- •Wisdom and direction should be sought from God rather than solely relying on one's own understanding or the counsel of those without spiritual grounding.
- •Challenges and trials are inevitable for everyone, but the believer has the advantage of knowing God as a 'keeper' and a 'way maker' during those times.
- •The pursuit of success and purpose is healthy as long as it does not surpass one's pursuit of God or lead to covetousness.
- •Surrendering to God is described as 'taking a chance at hope,' acknowledging that He is the only source of lasting peace and joy.
Scripture
Hope
Faith
Surrender
Wisdom
Purpose
Life application
Evaluate your current pursuits this week and identify if any material goals or relationships have become 'little gods' that overshadow your devotion to Christ. Commit to starting each day by asking God for wisdom as instructed in James 1:5, rather than relying on your own strength.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life have you been putting your hope in people or things instead of God?
- Bishop Fernandez mentioned 'forgetting the pleasures of the world' to pursue God; what is one distraction you need to sacrifice to grow closer to Him?
- How does the truth that God is a 'keeper' change your perspective on the current trials you are facing?
- Are you seeking wisdom from God for your future, or are you trying to navigate life based solely on your own intelligence?
Have a question about this sermon?
Ask our AI and get an answer with citations.
Full transcript
0:00Blessed is the man who trusts in the
0:02Lord
0:03and whose hope is the Lord.
0:08I want to talk to you for a brief moment
0:10on the subject take a chance at hope.
0:15We all take chances.
0:17Every single day you're taking a chance
0:20with your life.
0:22You're taking a chance leaving your
0:23home, getting in your car, on your way
0:26to work,
0:28you're taking a chance to go to
0:30somebody's job or your place of business
0:34believing that you'll make a living that
0:37day so that you can take care of your
0:39family.
0:40Most of you are taking a chance at love.
0:44Meet a dead stranger
0:47and somehow you've come together and
0:50you're taking a chance that maybe this
0:52person won't upset your peace,
0:56won't destroy your future.
0:59You know, people say, "Well, I find
1:01love." Love is not lost.
1:05So, I get the phrase, you know, "I'm
1:07looking for somebody who will love me
1:10and and somebody who will make me
1:12happy." Might I suggest to you today
1:16nobody can make you happy.
1:19And maybe that's why we're getting
1:20disappointed because we put the our own
1:24happiness in the hands of people.
1:27You see, you got to come to the table
1:29happy and then tell the other person,
1:32"Do not disturb my peace and my
1:36happiness."
1:39But we're all searching for
1:42things in life. We're looking for hope
1:45in in relationships. We're looking for
1:48hope in maybe one day we will,
1:52you know, get out of poverty and so
1:55forth. Some people are looking for hope
1:56to have children and so forth. Maybe
1:59walking down the aisles. So, we're all
2:02taking chances.
2:05But, are we taking
2:07the right
2:08chance or the right choice
2:12so that we can have fulfillment?
2:15You see, the more
2:17I immerse myself in the word of God and
2:20reflect on it,
2:22the stronger and more enthusiastic I
2:25become about my faith.
2:29Honestly, it's more
2:32than what I had imagined. Seriously.
2:36I grew up in church all my life.
2:39And I didn't know that this faith
2:44journey
2:45can be so fulfilling.
2:50It's more than I really hoped for.
2:53My trust in Jesus Christ
2:56has caused me to have big wins in life.
3:01Life has taught me a lot of lessons, and
3:04I am quite sure it has taught you some
3:07many lessons, too.
3:09And it's those lessons that have brought
3:12me closer to God, causing me to depend
3:17on God for answers and for directions.
3:22We're all searching. Every person in
3:24this room, and those of you who are
3:26streaming, we're all searching for a
3:29better life.
3:32We're searching that somehow
3:35maybe 5 years from now we'll be at a
3:37better place in all areas of our life.
3:40We're We're searching for happiness and
3:43joy and peace. And if you are like me,
3:47you know, you really All you want is to
3:50be at a place where you can say, "I've
3:53lived a good life."
3:57And I'm deeply devoted to my spiritual
4:01journey, and I believe my spiritual
4:03journey is what's going to bring me
4:05total fulfillment in this life. Now,
4:08there are few of us who can say that we
4:11took a chance
4:12at hope.
4:14Took a chance with hope.
4:16That our hope in God, for those of you
4:19are Christians, by the way. We took our
4:22chance with God saying to him that if we
4:26would just for a moment
4:29FORGET THE PLEASURES of the world.
4:33Cuz there are pleasures out there. There
4:35are things to enjoy
4:38in the world, but we've made a sacrifice
4:42that we're going to take a chance at
4:44hope. Our faith in Jesus Christ to the
4:47point that we're going to forget those
4:50things which are behind us.
4:53And reach forth for the things that God
4:56has put before us.
4:58And I am also dedicated to continual
5:03learning and embracing the unique life
5:06that God has planned for me. And I
5:09believe you too should dedicate some
5:11time for learning about the hope that is
5:15available in God.
5:18You cannot just live your life every
5:21single day
5:24not learning.
5:26It is the lessons you learn in life that
5:30will make you wiser and better, and it
5:33will make you maximize your time on the
5:36earth.
5:37I remember when I was younger, even my
5:40very my parents would say things to me,
5:42and people in ministry, I grew up in
5:44church all my life, would say things to
5:46me, and I didn't really embrace it. Now
5:49that I'm an older guy,
5:51I value those lessons. I remember many
5:54of them.
5:56And and I could look back in my life and
5:58see how I have also
6:02um forfeited so many blessings because I
6:06didn't pay attention.
6:08I didn't listen.
6:10And I want to talk to a little bit of
6:11the younger people just for a moment and
6:13especially those of you who are students
6:16at the University of Fort Lauderdale.
6:17What I'm about to tell you is what I
6:19constantly pour into my two boys.
6:24I get it. I get it. You're young
6:28and you feel like you've got the world
6:30before you and and you feel that you're
6:33smart enough
6:35to make your own decisions.
6:38And you got it and you don't really need
6:41the counsel of the elders,
6:43the seniors.
6:45Sometimes you think you're smarter than
6:46your parents.
6:48Sometimes you think you're smarter than
6:51other people who've been there, done
6:53that, and got plenty of t-shirts to show
6:55for it.
6:57And you think you know it all.
7:00Well, listen to me.
7:02I can tell you at 59, I'm not claiming
7:0560 yet.
7:07I'm going to hold on to it as long as I
7:09can.
7:11At 59,
7:13I wish to God
7:16I had listened
7:18to some of the instructions were that
7:20were given to me.
7:23I've had some losses because I didn't
7:26listen.
7:28I've wasted time because I didn't
7:31listen.
7:32I could have been much further in life.
7:35And and I know you're thinking, "BUT
7:37YOU'RE YOU'RE WAY AHEAD." BUT I COULD BE
7:39MUCH FURTHER.
7:41God never placed you on the planet to
7:43settle for average.
7:47He wants you to become your best self.
7:50And the only way you can become your
7:52best self is when your hope is in Jesus
7:55Christ and no one else. I want you to go
7:58with me to James chapter 5. James
8:03chapter 5.
8:05And I want you to see what the Apostle
8:09James is saying to us here. He says,
8:12"But
8:13anyone who needs wisdom
8:17should ask God,
8:20whose very nature is to give everyone
8:25without a second thought,
8:28without keeping score.
8:31Wisdom will certainly
8:34be given to those who ask."
8:38So, James is saying to us,
8:40every one of us should ask for wisdom.
8:44Ask for wisdom, but it says we should
8:47ask God for wisdom.
8:51So, be careful of who you're asking for
8:53instructions.
8:55Be careful of who you're putting your
8:56hopes in.
8:58And I'm not saying you're not supposed
9:00to put your faith in some people, but
9:03the greatest person you can put your
9:05hope in is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And
9:08in today's world, many, especially
9:10unbelievers,
9:12are searching for deeper meaning beyond
9:17the surface-level pursuits.
9:20These are things that we pursue
9:23that are shallow and have no lasting
9:27impact.
9:29It is evident that life holds more
9:31significance
9:33than mere material satisfaction.
9:37You got to get that.
9:39Life is more than just the things we
9:42acquire in life.
9:44Because I GOT TO TELL YOU TODAY, THERE'S
9:46A THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE
9:48POSSESSED A LOT OF MATERIAL THINGS, BUT
9:51THEY'RE NOT FULFILLED.
9:54THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE GOT IT
9:56ALL, THE FAME AND THE FORTUNE, but they
9:59do not have fulfillment.
10:03And there's got to be more to life than
10:06these pursuits and these fleshly
10:09satisfactions.
10:12I I may offend YOU TODAY, BUT AS MUCH AS
10:15YOU MAY BE PURSUING a woman, a woman can
10:19truly, truly not satisfy you.
10:24Now, it's good to have one,
10:26but it doesn't mean that she can satisfy
10:29you. The same THING WITH A MAN. AND MEN,
10:32I KNOW YOU MAY BE PURSUING A MAN IN YOUR
10:34LIFE, AND THAT'S THE HUMAN NATURE. The
10:37human NATURE FOR OF ALL OF US IS IS TO
10:40SEEK THE OPPOSITE SEX, TO LOVE ON THE
10:44OPPOSITE SEX. GO TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS.
10:47God created Adam, AND IN THE CREATION OF
10:51ADAM, THE BIBLE SAYS, READ YOUR BIBLE.
10:54THE BIBLE SAYS IT WAS GOD WHO LOOKED at
10:56Adam and says,
10:58"It's not good
11:01for him to be in this position."
11:05Because he was looking for more. So,
11:07what God did, he created another human
11:11as a companion. So, it is our nature,
11:15but the danger is is when you put all of
11:18your hopes in another human being, and
11:21you forget that your help comes from the
11:24Lord.
11:28Your help doesn't come from a human
11:30being. So, for those of you who think
11:32that your financial support and your
11:35happiness and your peace and your joy
11:37will come from a human being, you're
11:40making a huge mistake.
11:43In Luke 12, let's go there. We find here
11:47these words. Luke 12:15, it says, "And
11:50he said to them, watch this, take care
11:54and be on your guard against
11:56covetousness,
11:58for one's life does not consist
12:02in the abundance of his possession."
12:06The abundance of his possessions.
12:09Now, this is not saying that you should
12:11not go get it all.
12:14It didn't say that you shouldn't possess
12:16things.
12:18There are some PEOPLE WHO EVEN PREACH
12:20THIS RELIGION that that that YOU
12:22SHOULDN'T BE BOTHERED BY THE THINGS AND
12:25THE PURSUIT OF LIFE. MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE
12:28SO CONCERNED AND FOCUSED ON GETTING to
12:31heaven.
12:33So, therefore, don't do business on the
12:36earth. Just live your life to get to
12:38heaven.
12:40That's not what the word of God is
12:41saying here.
12:43The word OF GOD IS SAYING THAT YOU
12:45SHOULD FULFILL YOUR ASSIGNMENT ON THE
12:47EARTH. YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO DO SOME
12:50THINGS ON THE EARTH. WHAT IS YOUR
12:51PURPOSE ON THE EARTH? REMEMBER, I'VE
12:53BEEN telling you lately THAT GOD DIDN'T
12:55PLACE YOU HERE BY ACCIDENT.
12:58YOU GOT HERE FOR A REASON. YOU WERE BORN
13:01FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS. He has put
13:04purpose in you. THE PROBLEM IS DON'T LET
13:08YOUR PURSUIT BECOMES GREATER THAN YOUR
13:11PURSUIT FOR GOD.
13:13THAT'S IT. SO, WHEN HE BLESSES YOU, HE
13:16BLESSES you with material things, don't
13:19allow your material things to BECOME
13:21GREATER THAN GOD. WHEN HE WHEN HE
13:23BLESSES you with your body and and your
13:26personality and so forth. YOU GOT TO
13:28REMEMBER WHO IT COMES FROM. WHEN HE
13:30BLESSES YOU WITH A HOUSE AND WITH A CAR,
13:33WHEN HE BLESSES YOU WITH A JOB, WHEN HE
13:35BLESSES YOU WITH MATERIAL THINGS, JUST
13:38be careful THAT YOU DON'T DO LIKE THE
13:40CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. WHEN HE BLESSED THEM
13:43WITH THE GOLD, BY THE WAY, THEY DID NOT
13:46EVEN PAY FOR IT. REMEMBER, THEY EARNED
13:49THEY THEY WORKED, I SHOULD SAY, IN FOR
13:51400 PLUS YEARS IN EGYPT AND ON THEIR WAY
13:55OUT, GOD SAYS, "GO GET THE MONEY. GO GET
13:57IT." AND ON THEIR WAY OUT IN THE
13:59WILDERNESS, THEY TOOK THE gold and they
14:02melted it and THEY MADE AN IMAGE. AND
14:05THAT WAS A violation to the will of God.
14:10So, could it be that we're taking the
14:12very things
14:15that he blessed us with
14:18and turn them into our own little gods?
14:22Mhm.
14:24Little gods.
14:26You know?
14:28You know, he blessed you.
14:30Remember before you got that job?
14:33Before you got the degree?
14:35You would pray to him and call the
14:37intercessors and people to pray for you.
14:40Well, you walked down the aisles and now
14:41you got the degree.
14:43Is that degree more important to you
14:46than him?
14:49Remember when you didn't have the car?
14:52And you prayed, you remember it, right?
14:54And and you prayed and he now blesses
14:57you with the car.
14:59Is the car now interfering with your
15:01relationship with him?
15:03Remember when you you you really really
15:06wanted that house and you were believing
15:08and you were declaring, some of you even
15:10sold INTO THE MINISTRY AND NOW YOU GOT
15:12THE HOUSE. NOW THAT YOU HAVE the house,
15:15has the house become more important?
15:19Have you put your your hopes and your
15:21trust more in material things
15:25than God.
15:27What about your
15:28personal faith journey?
15:32Is has it become weak
15:35even though you're gaining more material
15:38things? He said, "Take care. Be on guard
15:43against covetousness."
15:46He's not telling you not to go after
15:47things, but he says, "Be very careful
15:51that your pursuit is so great that
15:54you're beginning to watch one another
15:57and watch what our possessions are."
16:00And perhaps maybe the thing you're going
16:03after, maybe it's not even for you.
16:07But you want it because she has it.
16:11You want it because he possess it. And
16:14because it's become a culture,
16:16especially in the western western
16:18hemisphere, it has become a culture now
16:21where where we we we're just jealous
16:23over each other. It's a competition.
16:26Well, you drive that, I drive that. You
16:28live there, I live there. And you wear
16:30that, I wear I mean, and and and we're
16:32consumed ourselves with covetousness.
16:37And then he's saying, "Wait a minute
16:39here."
16:40He says, "Your life should not only
16:42consist
16:44of these material things. The fact that
16:47God has placed each and every one of us
16:49on the planet indicates his intention
16:52for our success
16:54and our fulfillment. You're here for a
16:56reason. You got to put your hope knowing
16:59that when God decided to put you here on
17:01the planet, he knew you were going to
17:03need somewhere to sleep. He knew you
17:05were going to need
17:06some food to eat. He knew you're going
17:08to need some good company. He knew that
17:10you're going to need a job. All these
17:12things. And remember, we talked about it
17:14lately, Matthew 6. In Matthew 6, the
17:17questions was asked. They were asking,
17:20"What are we going to eat? Where are we
17:22going to sleep? The clothes we're going
17:23to wear?" And Jesus had to really
17:26comfort them. He says, "Stop it. When
17:29your hope is in me,
17:31please hear this. When your hope is in
17:33me, when you're looking to me, you don't
17:36have to worry about what you're going to
17:38eat.
17:39You don't have to worry about the
17:40clothes you're going to wear. You don't
17:42have to worry about where you're going
17:44to sleep. If If the birds don't have to
17:47worry about that, IF THE ANIMALS DON'T
17:49HAVE to worry about that, how much more
17:52should you as humans
17:55put your faith in him? You see, it is a
17:57fact that God wants you
18:00and me to have an abundant life even
18:03while we're going through the challenges
18:05of life. It's It's called balance. Come
18:08on. Stick with me here now. It's called
18:10balance. You see, for those of you who
18:13are believers, come on now. I'm talking
18:15to you who thinking that maybe because
18:17you're a Christian, YOU SHOULDN'T GO
18:19THROUGH TRIALS.
18:22MAYBE YOU'RE THINKING IT'S HARD ON THIS
18:25FAITH JOURNEY. HOW CAN I PUT MY HOPE IN
18:27A GOD THAT WILL ALLOW MY LOVED ONES TO
18:30DIE? HOW CAN I PUT MY FAITH IN JESUS
18:34CHRIST WHEN I PRAY FOR STUFF, WHEN I
18:37REALLY WANT IT, and he DOESN'T GIVE IT
18:39TO ME?
18:40HOW CAN I PUT MY FAITH IN HIM WHEN HE
18:43ALLOW MY KIDS to do certain things, WHEN
18:45HE ALLOW my my boss TO FIRE ME, OR WHEN
18:48HE ALLOW me to experience foreclosure?
18:51HOW CAN I TRUST this kind of God when
18:54I'm going through the challenges of
18:56life?
18:58May I just be honest with you right now?
19:00Whether you're a Christian or not,
19:04you're going to have challenges.
19:08Let's just face the fact.
19:10So, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE considering
19:12to walk away from the faith because
19:14YOU'RE JUST GOING THROUGH TOO MUCH, good
19:17luck.
19:19LET ME SEE IF YOU'RE GOING TO WALK OUT
19:21OF THE FAITH, OUT OF THE kingdom of God,
19:24and you're going TO TRY TO NAVIGATE
19:26THROUGH LIFE BY YOURSELF WITHOUT GOD,
19:29good luck.
19:31At least when YOU PUT YOUR FAITH IN
19:33JESUS CHRIST, YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR HELP
19:36COMES FROM.
19:38YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE
19:41THERE for you. And I don't know if I
19:43have witnesses in this room today. I'm
19:45telling YOU GOD IS A KEEPER. I'm telling
19:49you God is a keeper. He will keep you
19:52from falling. GOD WILL ALWAYS WATCH OVER
19:56YOU. WITH ALL THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE IN
19:59LIFE, GOD WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU
20:02IN THE midnight hour if you put your
20:05trust in him. And somebody ought to give
20:07him a praise this morning.
20:10You can always trust him.
20:15Many are seeking to gain real abundance
20:19in life
20:20by choosing a different route
20:23other than the one that God has
20:25ordained. Look at Psalm 16
20:28verse 11. I'm giving you scriptures here
20:30because this is important. It has to
20:33back up what I'm saying. It says here,
20:36"You make known to me personal, you make
20:40known to me the path of life, the path
20:42of life.
20:44In your presence there's fullness of
20:46joy. At your right hand
20:48there pledges forevermore."
20:50The psalmist is saying, "You, God, have
20:52made known your path to me.
20:56You've shown me the way." So, for those
20:58of you who are confused today, and you
21:00don't know which route to take, he says,
21:02"You made known if you go after God and
21:05you seek him and you put your hopes in
21:09him, the Bible says he'll show you the
21:12path
21:13to a fulfilled life filled with joy and
21:17pleasure.
21:19This verse is actually telling us joy
21:23and pleasure is possible on the faith
21:26journey.
21:28It is possible. Let me tell you
21:30something, there is no pleasure in the
21:33kingdom of darkness.
21:35It is so-called. There is no pleasure. I
21:38am telling you, I don't care Listen, you
21:41know, again, I'm not I just I don't want
21:44to really go into stuff I have no
21:46experience in. I grew up in church all
21:48my life. I do not know what it means to
21:51club it, to do clubbing, if that's what
21:53they call it. I don't know I've never
21:56Seriously, at the age of 59, I have
22:00never entered into a club.
22:04Never.
22:06Never. And there's nothing Listen, AND
22:09YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT.
22:11YOU KNOW, MAYBE I NEED TO GO IN there to
22:13experience some things in life. I could
22:15probably preach to y'all better. I don't
22:17know.
22:18I don't know. BUT I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A
22:21CLUB. BUT HERE'S THE POINT THAT I AM
22:22MAKING. I'VE NEVER BUT I KNOW YOU CAN
22:25CLUB ALL YOU WANT. THERE ARE PEOPLE in
22:29this room and streaming who can tell you
22:31they have done all of that and found no
22:35pleasure in it.
22:38IT FELT GOOD FOR A MOMENT.
22:41BUT AFTER THAT, THERE'S absolutely
22:44nothing. It is empty. MANY OF US USED TO
22:48DRINK.
22:52Come on now.
22:54You take your shots.
22:58I'm not talking about the spiritual
22:59shots now.
23:01Right? WE TAKE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND
23:03WE DO ALL OF THESE THINGS. THERE'S NO
23:05FULFILLMENT IN IT.
23:07You ask e- anybody who's intoxicated
23:12can tell when you Have you ever seen
23:14somebody drunk?
23:18It's a pitiful thing.
23:22You tell it's absolutely pitiful. People
23:26smoke, drink, and do all these things.
23:28You know why? To just to get away from
23:31their
23:33the stuff. But aren't you glad
23:37that even we when we are pressured
23:39because Lord knows
23:41we get pressured too.
23:45But we don't have to take a shot. We
23:48don't have to inject stuff into us. We
23:51don't have to sniff nothing. We run to
23:54the word OF GOD. WE CRY OUT TO GOD AND
23:58WE SAID, "GOD, I'M in the need of
24:01prayer. I NEED HELP RIGHT NOW, GOD." AND
24:04HE'S always an on-time God. He will
24:08bring comfort in the midnight HOUR. AM I
24:11PREACHING TO ANYBODY IN this room today?
24:16WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL, HE
24:18IS AN ABSOLUTE WAY MAKER.
24:22WE DON'T NEED TO DRINK NOTHING. WE JUST
24:25NEED TO PRAY. WE NEED JUST NEED TO LIFT
24:27UP OUR HANDS AND LOOK TO THE HILLS FROM
24:30WHENCE COMETH OUR HELP AND SAID, "GOD, I
24:33NEED YOUR HELP. TOUCH YOUR BROTHER.
24:36TOUCH YOUR SISTER. TOUCH ME, OH GOD.
24:40TOUCH MY CHILDREN. TOUCH MY FINANCES.
24:44TOUCH MY BODY IN THE NAME OF JESUS."
24:47KNOWING THAT GOD IS A GOD THAT WILL
24:50ANSWER OUR PRAYERS.
24:53YES, he will.
24:55So despite
24:57the pursuit of various things,
25:01many find themselves unfulfilled.
25:05And they're searching for more. Perhaps
25:08you're in this room or you're streaming
25:09today, you're searching for more.
25:13You're searching for more, man.
25:15You're looking for more. Maybe this
25:16message doesn't entice you. Maybe you
25:18consider it boring. May you can you
25:20consider well, it's irrelevant and so
25:22forth. But, let me tell you something,
25:24honey. You keep on living. Life has a
25:26way of throwing some stuff at you. And
25:30when your back is against the wall, you
25:33can't look to your boyfriend. You can't
25:35look to your spouse. You can't look to
25:38your children. Your siblings can't help
25:40you. The government certainly can't help
25:43you. The only one that can help you is
25:46your God. It's your God that can help
25:50you WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST the wall.
25:57Now, searching for more is not really a
25:59bad thing. It's not It's not a bad thing
26:01to search for more. But, here's the
26:02thing. Here's the question.
26:04Here's two questions I'd like just like
26:06to pose to you today.
26:09Where are you searching?
26:11W- W- W- Where's your search? Who are
26:15you looking to?
26:16Are you searching IN THE WRONG PLACES?
26:20And are you looking TO THE WRONG PEOPLE
26:23for fulfillment?
26:26MAYBE I'M GOING TO UPSET SOMEBODY THIS
26:28MORNING. MAYBE THE VERY PERSON YOU'RE
26:30SITTING NEXT TO, THEY WANT YOU TO PUT
26:34YOUR COMPLETE TRUST IN THEM.
26:39BUT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU GOOD NEWS THIS
26:41MORNING.
26:43NEVER PUT YOUR TRUST IN PEOPLE.
26:49NEVER.
26:51NEVER PUT YOUR IN PEOPLE.
26:54YOU BETTER PUT YOUR TRUST in God.
26:57Oh, glory to God. YOU BETTER PUT YOUR
27:00TRUST IN GOD. NOBODY ELSE BUT YOUR GOD.
27:04SO, God is sending today's message to
27:06offer you
27:08a life of fulfillment and joy
27:11that no one else, nothing else in this
27:14world can offer you.
27:17No, and I know this is
27:20true because of my own personal
27:23commitment
27:25to look to God for a better
27:27and more fulfilled future.
27:30I want to wrap it up with this
27:33by just sharing with you yesterday
27:36I had the pleasure
27:39and it was a baptism that
27:42man, it was different yesterday.
27:45I had the pleasure of baptizing 65
27:47individuals.
27:50Yesterday.
27:52Some of which are here in the room this
27:54morning.
27:56They've made this public declaration
28:00of their commitment to serving God.
28:04I was
28:05really filled with joy
28:09to just witness these people get
28:12baptized.
28:14I saw the joy
28:16and the deep sense of fulfillment
28:20radiating through their
28:22facial expressions.
28:25I really saw it yesterday.
28:27And believe me, it was really something
28:30else
28:31to watch them one by one
28:34enter the water.
28:37From the youngest to the oldest.
28:41Each expressed their
28:44decision
28:46by their actions.
28:48Watch this to follow Jesus.
28:54Ooh.
28:55It was a moment I'll never forget.
29:00I saw these young
29:02It
29:03There were some middle-aged people
29:05there, but I saw these young people.
29:10Ooh.
29:15I watched them come in the water.
29:20And I'll never forget the last guy. I
29:22don't know if he's in here today.
29:25But the VERY LAST GUY
29:29HE WAS NOT ON THE LIST to be baptized.
29:33This one guy
29:36He made his way to the front row.
29:39And he sat there and when the call was
29:41given
29:43If you're in the room and
29:46You feel convicted that you need to be
29:47baptized today.
29:51And without hesitation, I watched that
29:53guy jumped up out of his seat.
29:57And he came into the water, you know,
29:58and I stood there.
30:01And I watched him.
30:03Could be my son.
30:05Tall guy and I watched him.
30:08And I thought for a moment how the devil
30:12wants to destroy
30:15the younger generation.
30:18They're looking for answers. They're
30:21looking for hope in all kinds of things.
30:26They're looking for hope in drugs.
30:28They're looking for hope in sex. They're
30:31looking for hope in bad company and
30:34crime. And they're looking for hope. And
30:37the when I watched this one guy, I don't
30:40know his name.
30:44But what I know I felt.
30:47I know I felt it.
30:56I remember holding him and
31:00when he
31:01was going down.
31:04And the image that will never leave my
31:05mind
31:07is when he came up, the first thing he
31:09did, he went like this.
31:18Can I tell you something?
31:20That's it.
31:24The only time you're going to find hope
31:30is when you do this.
31:42It's when you say, "God, I tried
31:44everything
31:47and it didn't work.
31:51So I'm trying you.
31:55I give it all to you."
31:57We used to sing a song, all to Jesus.
32:01I I I hold nothing nothing back.
32:06I give it all to you. When I watch those
32:08young people,
32:10children,
32:13the teens,
32:15getting that water,
32:18it gives me hope
32:21that the church still
32:24has its place.
32:27The church is the answer.
32:32We are the salt
32:36and the light.
32:40AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU JUST BOW YOUR
32:41HEADS, close your eyes everybody. Nobody
32:43moving around, please, please, I beg of
32:46you.
32:48But I don't know
32:50who is in this room this morning.
32:54You've been
32:55searching
32:57searching
33:02and you're at
33:05your final moment
33:07and God is saying to you today
33:11the only hope you have
33:15to be fulfilled
33:18is in him.
33:22In him.
33:23You can mock me as a preacher.
33:26That's okay.
33:28You can MOCK CHRISTIANITY, YOU CAN MOCK
33:30THE CHURCH, YOU CAN DO ALL OF THESE
33:31THINGS, BUT I PROMISE YOU
33:35YOU WILL NEVER FIND FULFILLMENT ANYWHERE
33:38ELSE
33:40BUT in Jesus Christ.
33:44And my COUNSEL MEANT TO YOU IS DO NOT
33:47DIE WITHOUT HIM.
33:50THAT'S IT.
33:53YOUR CARS AND the women and the men and
33:57the money, NONE OF THAT CAN SAVE YOU IN
33:59THE END.
34:03Jesus is the answer.
34:07He's your only hope
34:09and I'm telling you IF YOU TRY HIM
34:13IF YOU TRY him
34:16he'll radically change your life.
34:22And I don't know for those of you who
34:24are in this room
34:27you're at that place where you are
34:29saying God
34:32I give up.
34:36I'm not going to search nowhere else,
34:39but I'm going to now
34:41focus my attention on you.
34:44If that's you,
34:46and somehow God spoke to you,
34:48right where you're seated, I want you to
34:50stand.
34:52And I'm going to pray with you this
34:54morning. If that's you, just stand
34:56and say God, I've been searching,
35:00and I just want
35:02I just want to stick with you.
35:05Come on.
35:06I just want to stick I just want to
35:08stick with you right where you're
35:10standing.
35:11Right where you're standing, quickly.
35:13As you're standing, could you do what
35:15that like that gentleman yesterday in
35:17the water? Would you lift up both hands?
35:21You're just saying Lord, I surrender.
35:24That's all you're saying.
35:27You you you're just saying Lord, I give
35:29I give it all to you. I give you all my
35:32problems, I give you all my issues. I
35:35give it to you. Those of you who are
35:36streaming,
35:38indicate in the chat
35:39that you need that prayer to you need
35:41the special prayer. Come on now. Would
35:43you I just think we need to just sing it
35:45as a congregation at least twice and
35:47then I pray with you.
35:49I surrender
35:53Come on, sing it.
35:55I surrender all.
36:04All to thee, all to thee. Hallelujah.
36:09To thee my blessed savior.
36:16Come on, lift those hands.
36:19Thank you, Lord.
36:21Come on, let's sing it again.
36:24With voices lifted up towards him, I
36:27surrender all.
36:31Thank you, Jesus.
36:35I surrender all.
36:46All to thee.
37:05Father, we come to you today
37:11because all of us are making this
37:13confession.
37:16We're going to take a chance at hope.
37:19You are
37:21our only hope for fulfillment.
37:26Many
37:28are standing with hands lifted up
37:30towards you.
37:33Like that gentleman in the pool
37:35yesterday,
37:37they're saying,
37:39I give it all to you.
37:42I surrender my will,
37:46all of my pursuits.
37:49They're now yours.
37:51Holy Spirit,
37:53would you touch them?
37:55You know exactly what each and every one
37:57of them are going through.
38:00I ask you today
38:03that they will follow the path of
38:05righteousness in your word
38:08so that they too
38:10can say like the Apostle Paul, I fought
38:12a good fight.
38:15I've kept the faith. I've finished my
38:16course. Cuz at the end of the day, you
38:19want
38:20to say to all us, "Well done,
38:25good and faithful
38:28servant."
38:30May you bless.
38:32May you prosper.
38:35May your will be done in that person's
38:38life, I pray today.
38:42Bring healing
38:44in every area of their lives.
38:47And the things that we hold on to
38:50that sometimes we cannot let go,
38:53let today be the day we break it.
38:57Let today be the day we totally
38:59surrender to you.
39:02And as we go into the lobby today,
39:05just as a public declaration
39:09to take our shot,
39:11we're saying we're taking
39:13a shot at faith.
39:16We're taking a shot of putting our trust
39:19in you
39:20cuz you are our only hope.
39:25May you bless us.
39:27Father, we put before you our giving
39:29this morning
39:32that as we sow our seed
39:35to further your work here on the earth,
39:38that Lord, you will continue to prosper
39:40our storehouses.
39:42And we give you praise for it now in
39:45Jesus' mighty name. Stand right where
39:47you are, nobody moving.
39:51If you don't know the Lord as your
39:52personal savior,
39:54please do me a favor today.
39:57Say the sinner's prayer.
40:00Ask him into your life. Ask him into
40:02your heart.
40:04And start this new journey.
40:07This new journey of faith with us.
40:10Trust me when I tell you it's worth it
40:12all.
40:13Would you say, "Lord Jesus, am a
40:16I am a sinner.
40:18I repent of my sins.
40:21I embrace the free gift of salvation.
40:25I declare with my mouth
40:28I believe in my heart
40:31that I'm now born again
40:33in Jesus' name.
40:35Amen.