Faith in Motion: Turning Seasons into Your Testimony
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 9/28/2025James 1:3–4
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62:29
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez concludes the 'Seasons of Becoming' series by teaching that our reaction to life's trials determines our direction, urging believers to move from emotional instability to active, steadfast faith that turns every test into a testimony.
Key points
- •Seasons of life are not just events that happen to us, but invitations to become who God designed us to be. Your reaction determines your direction: faith moves you toward God's plan, while fear or rebellion causes delay.
- •Faith must be activated in the midst of chaos. True faith is not just a feeling or a trend; it requires action and often only becomes visible when life is not perfect.
- •The testing of faith produces steadfastness and endurance. A testimony is built from two parts: the 'test' and the 'money' (the blessing), but you cannot have the latter without enduring the former (James 1:3-4).
- •Maturity involves moving from emotional reactions to faith-led actions. Letting go of the 'steering wheel' of control and trusting God's invisible guidance prevents us from being derailed by toxic environments or temporary emotions.
Scripture
Faith
Perseverance
Holy Spirit
Restoration
Discipleship
Life application
This week, identify one area of 'chaos' or a 'test' in your life and intentionally respond with a fruit of the Spirit (like patience or kindness) instead of an emotional reaction, documenting how this shift helps you trust God's process.
Reflection questions
- In your current season, are you becoming 'bitter' or 'better' based on your responses to trials?
- Where in your life are you struggling to take your hands off the steering wheel and let God drive?
- How can you demonstrate the spirit of kindness and generosity to someone else this week as an act of faith?
- When you look at your recent 'track record,' do your actions reflect a character anchored in faith or one driven by trending emotions?
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Full transcript
0:00As we close this powerful series titled
0:05seasons of becoming,
0:09I couldn't think of a better way to
0:10conclude than with today's topic.
0:15And it is faith in motion
0:20turn in seasons
0:22in your testimony or into your
0:24testimonies.
0:26faith in motion,
0:29turning seasons
0:32into your testimony.
0:37Over the past several weeks, I have
0:40learned that every season in life
0:45carries with it an invitation.
0:49An invitation to do what? An invitation
0:52to become.
0:54to become
0:56whatever God has designed you to be. We
1:01have discovered that seasons are not
1:05just about what happens to us
1:09but also about how we respond to them.
1:13How do we respond to these seasons?
1:17See seasons reveal or reveal whether we
1:21are becoming better or bitter.
1:26>> That's the truth. Who are you becoming?
1:29Think about that. Are you becoming a
1:33better person or a person that's angry
1:37and bitter? So seasons will reveal
1:40whether you are bitter or better,
1:42whether you are growing or retreating,
1:45whether you are developing the to the
1:48becoming the best version of yourself,
1:50or are you allowing pain,
1:53disappointment, and fear
1:56to deform you. Remember that your
2:01reaction to life's seasons will always
2:05determine your direction. Let me say
2:07that again. Your reaction to life's
2:11seasons
2:12will always determine your direction.
2:17How you respond to things will determine
2:20where you're going. Are you heading
2:22towards success or failure? It's how you
2:26respond to whatever you're dealing with
2:28in life.
2:30If you are responding in faith, you will
2:35move closer. absolutely closer to God's
2:37plan for your life.
2:40If you respond in fear, anger, or
2:43rebellion, you can delay or even miss
2:47what God is trying to accomplish in you.
2:50That's why you've got to be careful of
2:53how you respond when you're in a bad
2:57season.
2:59>> How do you handle
3:01when you're struggling financially?
3:03What's your response? How do you handle
3:05when your love life doesn't work out?
3:08How do you handle when you're in a bit
3:10of divorce, a bit of separation? What's
3:13your response? What is your response to
3:16parenting and your children are just
3:19literally stretching you and and and and
3:22not doing what is right? What do you do
3:24when there's family drama? What do you
3:27do when you're at the workplace
3:29and things are toxic there? What's your
3:32response?
3:35Are you putting your faith in motion or
3:38are you responding out of your emotions,
3:40your pain, your anger, your frustration?
3:44Well, I don't deserve this. I'm going to
3:46fire back. What is your response
3:50in this season of your life? You see,
3:53faith must be in motion. It has to be in
3:57motion. You've got to activate faith.
4:00You cannot just speak faith. You've got
4:02to activate it. You got to act it out.
4:06And the only way you can operate in
4:09faith. Watch this. Chaos has to exist.
4:14>> The Bible tells us the just must live by
4:17faith. If you're a if you're a believer,
4:21your journey as a Christian consists of
4:24walking by faith. Not walking by your
4:28feelings. not walking by what's
4:30trending. You have to walk by faith. And
4:32listen, the only way faith is have the
4:37slightest chance of being active, chaos
4:40has to exist.
4:43So if you have to live by faith, God's
4:45going to allow chaos to be in your life
4:48so you can put faith in motion.
4:54If you understand that, then you won't
4:55get frustrated when things don't go your
4:58way on your faith journey.
5:01>> You won't walk away from the faith. You
5:02won't get angry at God. And you won't
5:04blame pastors and people about what's
5:07happening in your life. No, God will
5:09allow the chaos in your life so that you
5:13can activate faith because faith must be
5:16in motion.
5:18Must be in motion. So, here's what God
5:20will do. He'll give you some test.
5:24[Music]
5:26Let's talk about that, man. He'll allow
5:29some test to come into your life.
5:31Wouldn't it be wonderful? Wouldn't it be
5:33wonderful if when you give your life to
5:35the Lord Jesus Christ, come on, work
5:37with me here. When you give your life to
5:38the Lord Jesus Christ, no drama.
5:42>> I mean, come on now. Wouldn't it be
5:44wonderful as a Christian, you would just
5:47live your life happily ever after? No
5:51problems, no headache. Everybody loves
5:54you. You always have money in your
5:57pocket. Your love life is always one.
6:00Wouldn't it be wonderful if you end up
6:02dating somebody and oh my god, they're
6:06just the perfect person. I mean, every
6:10time I open my eyes, they're always just
6:12doing right. They're so beautiful.
6:15They're so handsome. Would it be
6:16wonderful if you got married and you
6:19could testify in all of my 20 years of
6:23getting married? We've never had an
6:25argument. We're just so sweet. We're so
6:28loving. Oh, all of my kids are so
6:31beautiful. They're so loving. They're so
6:33obedient. Wouldn't it be wonderful if
6:36you go on the job and you could clock in
6:38every day and say, "Oh my god, when I
6:40tell you I love this place." Oh,
6:47>> wouldn't it be wonderful?
6:49>> Cuz that's what we're looking for.
6:52>> We're looking for a feelgood experience.
6:54We're looking for life to be 100%
6:58perfect.
7:00>> We don't want the test.
7:03We don't want the test. Remember the
7:05word testimony cuz life is filled with a
7:08lot of test. But we don't want the
7:12testimony. We just want the money.
7:16The word testimony is broken up into two
7:18parts. Testimony. We just want the
7:20money. The happily ever after,
7:25but don't give me the test.
7:28>> Don't give me the trials.
7:31Don't give me the headache. Don't allow
7:33the temptations to come in my life.
7:35Here's what James 1:3 to verse 4 says.
7:39And I want us to all read it out loud to
7:41everybody. Let's go for it. For you know
7:44that the testing of your faith produces
7:47what?
7:48>> Let's stop there for a moment. You know,
7:52so the question is, do you really know?
7:56>> Do you know that the testing of your
7:59faith serves a purpose on your Christian
8:02journey?
8:02>> Yes, sir.
8:03>> Yes, sir.
8:04>> The testing of your faith is there to
8:06produce steadfastness. So you don't
8:09become a believer who constantly changes
8:14his or her mind.
8:16>> Wow.
8:17>> You become unstable in all of your ways.
8:22>> You should know that the testing of your
8:24faith that this season that you're in
8:27and you've been tested that maybe God is
8:30saying, "I want to anchor you in the
8:32faith.
8:34>> I want to see your faith in motion so
8:36you are steadfast. you're not moved too
8:40easy.
8:42>> That the next five years of your life
8:44when people look at your pattern,
8:46because I always tell people, do not
8:48tell me about your character. Your
8:51actions will prove it.
8:57>> Don't tell me, oh, you're this, you're
8:58that. What? Let me let me look at your
9:00track record
9:03>> because the test you go through in life
9:07will determine if you have a testimony.
9:11>> So he says it'll produce steadfastness
9:14and let your steadfastness watch this
9:17because it's your ability to stand firm
9:20in the midst of trials to come out of a
9:23test strong. It is that ability
9:26according to what Peter is or James is
9:28saying here that steadfastness will have
9:31its full effect
9:34full effect in you that you may be
9:37perfect and complete.
9:40Are you complete in God?
9:43>> Think about that. Are you complete? Have
9:46you maxed out to your full potential or
9:50you just operate an average?
9:54Think about that. Have you become the
9:56best version of yourself? Have you
9:59evolved into the person that God has
10:03designed you to be regardless of the
10:06season that you're in?
10:09Are you flunking the test?
10:12Are you getting an attitude?
10:16Are you allowing people to drag you into
10:21becoming someone you're not?
10:24A good friend told me this years ago,
10:26and I'll never forget it. He said to me,
10:28"Henry,
10:30if you're not a spider, stay out of the
10:33web."
10:36>> Let that settle for a moment. If you're
10:39not a spider, stay out of the web.
10:44When you allow people to drag you into
10:47things that is beneath your character,
10:53>> if you let them drag you into the web,
10:56the spider will always outplay you.
11:01>> Cuz that's his habitat.
11:05>> But when you stay on God's side,
11:08>> oh, some of you looking at me strange.
11:11I'm tell when you when you say, "God,
11:13I'm whatever I do, I'm going to do it
11:16according to your will.
11:18>> I I want my faith to be anchored in you.
11:22I want to make sure whatever I do, I do
11:24it according to your will. And I'm not
11:26going to let the test of life shape me."
11:30Because I'm telling you, if you're not
11:32careful, life will present some
11:34circumstances to you that will make you
11:38shape your character that one day you
11:41look in the mirror and you like, "Who is
11:43this?"
11:46Cuz your faith was not given to you to
11:50be still, for you to sit still. It was
11:53given to you to move, to act upon. You
11:57must activate it. Not just to believe
12:00something. You got to put faith in
12:02motion. Faith, the Bible says in James
12:042:17, faith without action is dead. So
12:10God will allow your faith to be
12:12stretched. Could it be that he's
12:14stretching you in this season?
12:16>> He'll allow your faith to be tested. And
12:19here's the thing we don't like to hear
12:21sometimes. He'll allow our faith to be
12:24shaken so that it can produce something
12:28in us
12:31that no easy season could ever produce.
12:35I wish we could have easy seasons.
12:39I wish I could stand here every Sunday
12:42and preach messages that make you feel
12:44good.
12:46messages to tell you, "Oh, the promises
12:48of God are this." And in the next three
12:50days, the floodgates are going to open.
12:53And I wish I could just come up here and
12:54just, you know, every Sunday just just
12:57tell you, listen, we're Christians.
12:59We're believer. We ought to just wake up
13:00every day. Hello. Good morning, God. Oh,
13:03pray. Hey, thank you, Jesus. The Lord
13:05bless you. Uh, this is a wonderful This
13:07is the day that the Lord has made and
13:09we're going to rejoice and be glad in it
13:11and walk around boastful that this is
13:14God's day and God's doing everything in
13:16our life. I wish I could tell you that
13:18because the truth is you're going to
13:20blame me that I lied.
13:23Cuz no one can promise you that every
13:25day of your life will be okay.
13:31There are people watching right now in
13:32this room. I hate to be the bearer of
13:35this news. Next month may not be good
13:37for you.
13:38>> Wow. Wow. Wow.
13:40>> And I know you don't like that. Don't
13:41Don't put that on me, Rev. Don't put it
13:43on me, pastor. Don't prophesy. Whether I
13:46say it or not,
13:48>> it's life.
13:50>> You don't know what next month is going
13:52to produce. You don't know what 20267
13:5528 is going to produce. The question is,
13:58are you ready? Are you trusting the
14:01process?
14:04That's the thing you have to ask
14:05yourself the question. Are you trusting
14:07the process? When you enter into a
14:10season, whether it's joy, breakthrough,
14:15or hardship,
14:17the first step is to trust God that he's
14:21with you. That's the first thing you
14:24ought to do. Trust that God is with you
14:29every step of the way.
14:31You don't need anybody to hype you up
14:34and to make you feel that you're going
14:36to make it. You have to put your own
14:39faith in motion and encourage yourself
14:43that you know what, my seasons will
14:45change, but he will never change. He's
14:48the same yesterday, today, and forever.
14:52And he's always going to be with you.
14:57And if you cannot believe that he is
14:59present in the middle of what you're
15:02going through, you will lose sight of
15:04the bigger picture in your life.
15:07If you don't believe that God is with
15:09you, if you can't muscle up the strength
15:11to believe that he's going to be with
15:13you, you're going to lose sight of that.
15:15Hebrews 10:36 says, "For you know, or
15:19for you have, I should say, need of
15:21what?" Endurance.
15:23So that when you have done the will of
15:26God, you may receive what is promised.
15:31So trusting the process means taking
15:34your hands off the steering wheel and
15:38letting God do his work.
15:41Some of you are too you have a spirit of
15:44control.
15:46like to be in control
15:49and you're you're you're messing your
15:50life up because you always have to be in
15:54control. And what God is saying in this
15:56season, let me drive.
16:00>> Let me drive.
16:01>> No. No. Go. No. God. No. No. No. No. I
16:03know where I'm going. I know where I
16:05want to go. I know where I want to go. I
16:06know I want to date this person. I know
16:08I want to marry this person. I want to
16:10leave this person. I want this job.
16:13I want to go. got let let me cuz cuz you
16:15think you know where you're going
16:19but you got to take your hands off the
16:21steering wheel.
16:24You got to trust God in this season of
16:26your life that he knows where to take
16:28you. And I know it's scary especially as
16:31a people. We need to know.
16:36>> Work with me here now. We need to know.
16:39I got to know where God is taking me. I
16:42was visiting California uh the last time
16:44Andrew if you remember last time I was
16:46in California uh me and my son was there
16:48Elijah and uh we were going out and we
16:51were walking and this thing freaked me
16:54out. I am walking and all of a sudden
16:57this car drove past me driving and ain't
17:01nobody in the car.
17:06Spooky stuff.
17:08No, seriously. The car was driving
17:11itself.
17:13No driver,
17:15no passenger.
17:17It's all over California. That's a
17:20common thing in California. Those are
17:22the taxes that people take. I'm I'm s I
17:25ain't going to no car.
17:29I'm sorry. I'm not there yet. I am not
17:33there yet.
17:36I'm not going to go into a car knowing
17:38the kind of person I am. I I I I feel
17:41more safe when when I see a driver. Now,
17:45watch this. Isn't it amazing how we take
17:47Uber and all of these transportation? We
17:49don't even know if these people have a
17:51license.
17:53I'm going somewhere with this. We don't
17:55even know if they have a license. We
17:57don't know if they're criminals. We
17:58don't we don't know. But yet still we
18:01step into a vehicle with a dead
18:04stranger. And we trust the eyes of what
18:07we see. But like me, I'm not getting in
18:11a vehicle with nobody driving it. How
18:15many times God the invisible one is
18:19right before ush and we have yet to
18:22trust him.
18:25We rather trust
18:27what we see.
18:29>> Yes.
18:31And no wonder the things what we see is
18:35taking us to dangerous places.
18:40>> But the God who asked of us
18:44to allow him to lead us, we refuse
18:49cuz we're scared.
18:51We rather work with the world's system,
18:54the kingdom of darkness, with our
18:56natural senses. I got to feel it. I got
18:59to see it. I got to taste it. And I have
19:01to touch it to believe. Remember Thomas?
19:07Remember Thomas?
19:09He saw the Savior. That didn't satisfy
19:13him. He knew the voice. He recognized
19:18that must be the resurrected Christ.
19:23But this image of Christ was not enough.
19:27I have to touch it.
19:30How many of us have messed up our lives
19:33because we refuse to put faith in
19:36motion? Oh, we are quick to put our
19:38emotions in motion
19:42sir.
19:43>> Go by feelings. We date people based on
19:46our feelings.
19:48>> Keep on doing that and see where you'll
19:50end up.
19:52>> We keep on marrying people with our
19:54feelings.
19:56We keep taking jobs with our feelings.
20:00We keep leaving jobs with our feelings.
20:03Some of you, the last 10 years, you've
20:05been on five jobs.
20:07>> Wow.
20:11Five five.
20:15Five.
20:17Because it's your emotions. You go
20:19there, you don't like what they're
20:20doing. You get bent out of shape, ticked
20:22off, and you're going to leave.
20:24emotions. Did you put your faith in it?
20:28Did you Okay, God. Is this a test at
20:30this workplace?
20:32What is What is the greater picture for
20:34this for me?
20:37Is there something in this for you to
20:39get the glory? Could it be that you want
20:41me to stay here for a reason for
20:44longevity? Because what you do what you
20:46do not understand the enemy, every time
20:49God puts you in a season, he knows it's
20:52a season to bless you. He's a thief.
20:56So he comes to kill steal
20:59what the season will produce. So he'll
21:02pull you out of a season and you leave
21:04that job. You only spend two, three
21:07years there. Develop no form of
21:10retirement. Some of you at your age,
21:17how you going to retire with that kind
21:20of a track record? where you stay
21:22nowhere. You don't stay anywhere long
21:25enough
21:29>> because maybe and then when you get to
21:31retirement now you blaming everybody in
21:33life for you not having nothing.
21:39Boy, it's tight, but it's right.
21:45>> See, this is this is the thing. We're
21:46putting our emotions
21:50in motion.
21:52Isn't that our faith
21:54>> that you stay where God has planted you?
21:58>> It gets uncomfortable.
22:00You stay where God has planted you. My
22:03own personal experience, I hated this
22:06job I was on. Hated the job every day. I
22:11hated it and I plotted to leave. I went
22:15and I got a job with Eastern Airlines.
22:18If you're if you're old enough, you
22:19remember that carrier. Eastern was big
22:22big. They had a huge headquarters in
22:25Miami. And I got the job and I was ready
22:29to leave North Broad Medical Center.
22:32I was tired of the job
22:35and I wrote my resume, my uh resignation
22:38letter. And before I took it to my boss,
22:42I prayed. And this is what we do a lot.
22:45Come on now. and don't leave me out here
22:47by myself. I prayed to God and I said,
22:49"God, I know you want to bless me. I
22:52know you've given me this job with
22:54Eastern Airlines and I'm about to turn
22:56in this resignation now. Would you bless
22:59my actions?"
23:02How many of us
23:04coordinate and organ or organize a plan
23:11>> that God is not in it, but we take it to
23:14him
23:15>> and say, "Here's the plan. Now bless
23:17it."
23:21And I'll never forget God said to me,
23:24"Don't go nowhere.
23:26Don't leave that job."
23:29I had a fit over that. Why? They're not
23:32paying me enough money. Hate it. Bunch
23:34of hypocrites on the job.
23:37I don't like it. I wanted to leave and
23:41go Eastern Airlines. You going they
23:43going to pay me all of this money plus
23:45the bonus? Free ticket.
23:48What? Me and my wife free ticket. We can
23:51do cuz you know we come up with reasons
23:54and God said don't you leave that job.
23:57True story. I obeyed God and I said,
24:00"Okay, I wouldn't leave." In two weeks,
24:02Eastern Airlines went bankrupt.
24:09I was willing to leave a secure job,
24:15might have not paid me enough money
24:19back then
24:21for
24:22two weeks of temporary sustainment.
24:27to be sustained just for two weeks. How
24:29many of us walk out of the will of God
24:30because it's not faith, it's emotion?
24:35>> Because sometimes some of you know this.
24:38I don't know if you're old enough to
24:39know it or what part of the world you ca
24:40you came from, but
24:43the grass always looks greener
24:48>> on the other side.
24:52Always. And I don't know who this is
24:55for. you. Your emotions is what's
24:58messing you up. It's not faith. You're
25:00not operating by faith. It's your
25:02feelings
25:04and you just moving and and that's why,
25:07you know, it's it's hard for you to
25:09avoid toxic conversations with people
25:12cuz it's your emotions. The devil know
25:14if I can get you to to work up your
25:18emotions then then then then you will
25:21react a certain way.
25:24people will manipulate you so that you
25:26can interpret the season that you're in
25:30to derail you from God's path for your
25:33life.
25:35What I want to say to you this morning,
25:37ladies and gentlemen,
25:39I want to encourage you
25:41according
25:43to what Hebrews 10:36 says, I want to
25:45read that again. For you have need of
25:47endurance. You have need of endurance.
25:49You have need of endurance. You got to
25:52learn to persevere. You got to learn to
25:54to to really stick things out.
26:00Your whole entire life depends on your
26:03ability
26:05to persevere,
26:08to trust the process, to trust where God
26:11is taking you so that you can become the
26:15best version of yourself. Some of you
26:17have allowed this season to bring out
26:19the worst in you. You're angry. You're
26:23frustrated. You're impatient.
26:26But God is using every season, watch
26:29this, to refine you, not to define you.
26:35>> Just because you're going through a bad
26:37season doesn't mean that that should
26:39define you. It's refining you.
26:42>> God is shaping you into becoming someone
26:45greater and better. And watch your
26:48attitude in this season.
26:50Look at your neighbor and say, "Watch
26:51your attitude in this season."
26:54>> You got to watch your attitude. What are
26:56you displaying?
26:58>> What are the fruit coming out of you? If
27:00you are a believer, these are the things
27:03you should be displaying in this season
27:06of your life. Regardless of how tough
27:08and how difficult or how unfair it may
27:12be, you have to demonstrate what Paul
27:15said in in Galatians 5, begin at verse
27:1822. the fruit of the spirit. You must
27:21demonstrate love,
27:26>> joy,
27:27peace patience.
27:30>> You got to I know it's hard.
27:34It's hard to love some people who quite
27:37honestly are unlovable.
27:42>> Now, I know most of you, most of you,
27:44everybody you love, everybody's easy to
27:46love. So, he says, "But listen, there's
27:47a few of us can tell the truth. There's
27:49some people, Lord. Oh, God. We got to
27:52pray, man. We got to pray to love them.
27:54Do I have a witness out there? We Oh,
27:57it's it ain't easy loving some people.
28:00Can I just be honest? I'm not trying to
28:01be a mean person. I'm just trying to be
28:04real. Some people, it's hard to love
28:07them. It's very difficult.
28:10>> Yes, sir.
28:10>> It's very difficult to love them.
28:15>> But you always have to demonstrate love.
28:16You have to have joy. You have to have
28:18peace. You have to have patience. You
28:20have to have kindness. Kindness. I told
28:22the early service this morning, it it's
28:25it's kind of almost impossible to be a
28:27Christian and not be generous.
28:30>> Christianity was birthed out of
28:32generosity. For God so loved the world
28:35that he gave. He was generous.
28:38>> Wow.
28:39>> When was the last time you demonstrated
28:41the fruit of kindness?
28:45Have you been kind to people lately?
28:48Have you been kind to the church? Do you
28:50give?
28:52Do you support the work of God? Beyond
28:54the work of God, when was the last time
28:56you helped someone who's hurting and
28:58maybe struggling financially? When was
29:01the last time you walked into a room and
29:04the Holy Spirit spoke to you and said,
29:06"Hey, maybe she maybe she's out of gas
29:08today. Give her $20."
29:11When was the last time you saw a need?
29:13You saw it. God put it before you, but
29:16you ignored it because you've lost the
29:18spirit of kindness.
29:20Remember la the last time you see these
29:22high school and college students who you
29:25know when you were going to college how
29:28tough it was.
29:31You lived on noodles.
29:35You lived on crackers and all these
29:38things. And you see these students
29:40today, you know how grocery prices are
29:43high? When was the last time you pulled
29:46a college student say, "Hey, here's $30.
29:49Here's $50."
29:52When was the last time you see somebody
29:53really in need, a single mom,
29:56single dad? Hey, I'll pay your light
29:59bill. And I know, I know it's like some
30:02of you looking at me like crazy. You
30:03expect me to do that? That say, we've
30:05lost the spirit of kindness.
30:09We've lost it
30:11because Christianity now is self-s
30:13serving. I just come to church. I just
30:16read my Bible because I just want God to
30:17bless me. Bless me. Bless me. Bless me.
30:19Bless me. But the previous scripture we
30:21read during the offering, he gives seed
30:24to the swer. What are you doing with the
30:26seed?
30:29Right? What are you doing with the seed?
30:31Are you so comfortable as a believer
30:33that you have no issues with saying
30:36you're a Christian, but you don't care
30:39about showing kindness?
30:41You don't share about goodness. I try
30:44I'm not trying to toot my own horn. This
30:46is my life. My test has become my
30:48testimony, right? I try to the best of
30:51my ability. Now, it doesn't mean that
30:52I've been 100% accurate all the time,
30:55but to live up to the word of God when
30:57it comes to the spirit of kindness. I
30:59try to demonstrate that everywhere I go.
31:02It's a very common thing for me to do to
31:04go into a restaurant and and just
31:06somebody come and say, "Hey, Bishop
31:08Fernandez, how you doing?" I don't know
31:10if they're members of my church or not.
31:12And the moment they acknowledge me, I
31:14quickly will call their waiter.
31:17Anybody who go to a restaurant with me,
31:19I quickly say, "Hey, I'll pay for that
31:21table." Now, if you see me tomorrow or
31:25next week
31:27in a restaurant,
31:31that doesn't mean that Henry Fernandez
31:34is going to pay your bill. Let me just
31:36put that disclaimer out there now, cuz I
31:39know some of you going to follow me now
31:41to see where I'm going to eat after
31:43church because the pastor is going to
31:44pay the bill.
31:47The point I am making is, watch this. I
31:51look for opportunities.
31:55>> I seriously look for opportunities to be
31:57a blessing. Faithfulness,
32:00gentleness,
32:02self control.
32:04Have you controlled yourself lately?
32:09How do you react when people attack you?
32:13How do you react when people falsely
32:15accuse you?
32:17How do you react? Because a the part of
32:20the fruit of the spirit says you ought
32:22to learn to have self-control
32:25even in the midst of difficult moments.
32:29That's your responsibility. That's your
32:32duty to have it. So I ask you these
32:35three questions and I close the sermon
32:37today. You need to ask yourself actually
32:41these questions. I'm not even going to
32:43ask you. You ask yourself these three
32:46questions. Number one,
32:48do I need to put my faith in action and
32:53change from some faithless
32:57habits?
33:00Are faithless habits dominating in your
33:03life versus you putting your faith in
33:06motion
33:08so that the trials of your life can
33:12become
33:14your testimony. See, the reason why I
33:16shared with you some of the testimonies
33:18I shared with you, they are mine.
33:20They're mine.
33:23I was tested on the job.
33:27And thank God I was able to get a second
33:30chance cuz I messed it up. I was walking
33:33out of God's will. But my test produces
33:38a testimony that years later, I can
33:41share this with you in this sermon.
33:43Number two,
33:45am I blaming others
33:48for where I am or am I taking
33:51responsibility for my own growth? Who
33:54are you blaming for where you are?
33:57Are you taking responsibility for your
33:59own growth? Number three, am I allowing
34:02arrogance,
34:05anger, or rebellion to lead me away from
34:09God's plan?
34:11One of the stories in the Bible is found
34:14in Luke 15
34:16beginning at verse 11.
34:20Jesus is given a parable. You know what
34:23a parable is? It's really a fictitious
34:25story. It never really happened.
34:28He was using this to give an example of
34:33what the kingdom is like, how we
34:36function as kingdom citizens. Next week
34:39we're releasing a brand new series
34:41titled Kingdom Culture.
34:44We have got to understand that we must
34:46operate different from the world.
34:49>> So here's what Jesus is doing. He's
34:51saying here's what the kingdom is like.
34:54This man, a single parent, had two sons.
34:58The youngest of the two came to his
35:01father and said, "Daddy, I think I'm of
35:05age now. I think I'm ready. I'm mature
35:08enough. I I I want to I want to go out
35:12there. I want to make life on my own.
35:14Give me my inheritance. Now remember, it
35:16is a story that is a reflection of who
35:20we are as kingdom citizens. Just like
35:22all of us, God in the story represents
35:25the father. Children in the story
35:28represent us as kingdom citizens. Two
35:31sons. The oldest was fine. He was
35:34content. He was okay. He stayed home.
35:38But like for some of us that not not
35:40everybody may maybe you are like the
35:42older son and you're well. You you've
35:45never sinned. You've never done
35:46anything. God bless you. But a lot of us
35:49are like this one. Son
35:53was arrogant,
35:55presumptuous.
35:57He had everything made. He didn't have
35:59to leave his father's house, but he
36:02thought he could make it on his own. He
36:04didn't put his faith in motion. It was
36:06his emotions.
36:09I'm big. I'm grown. I know what I'm
36:12doing. And notice what the father did.
36:15Like God, he never stopped him. God's
36:18not going to stop you from doing what
36:21you want to do.
36:25He'll tell you, "Don't go down that
36:27road.
36:29Don't say that. Don't do that." But
36:32he'll never stop you.
36:34He gives every one of us a free will
36:38like the father.
36:40The boy left. Watch this. That's why
36:44young people please listen to me. When
36:47you hear your parents, when you hear
36:49older people who have experience
36:52will tell you, don't do that. And you
36:56may say they're oldfashioned. They're
36:58crazy.
37:00Don't you go down that path and you
37:02laugh at the parents. You need to go
37:04read that story
37:06because I can't tell you how many times
37:07I've watched people, young, middle-aged,
37:11and old people
37:13who are in a season of plenty like this
37:16boy. He got the money and he walked out
37:19of his daddy's house. Cuz when you have
37:21money, you can be a little bit arrogant.
37:27When you have your career,
37:29when your business is striving, you can
37:31be a little bit arrogant. I don't need
37:33God.
37:35I don't need nobody to watch and
37:36supervise over me. I don't need these
37:39older people to tell me nothing. I know
37:41what I'm doing. Don't you see the new
37:42trend?
37:44This the things trending.
37:47>> So you you you know cuz you going with
37:50the flow.
37:52Here's what the Bible says. Watch this.
37:55cuz your money will run out.
37:57>> Yes, sir.
37:58>> Your fame will run out. Your support
38:01system. He had all kinds of friends. Cuz
38:04I have learned this. When you have
38:05money, somehow you attract some people.
38:10When you broke,
38:12that's what happened to him. When he
38:14lost everything,
38:16this guy who was in a decent home now
38:20found himself with a job
38:24working feeding pigs. You have to
38:26understand the context. Back in those
38:28days, fe first of all, you were not even
38:32allowed as a Jew to touch the pig, much
38:37less to work, to feed pigs.
38:40That's how low this boy went.
38:44So, I know he messed up. I get that. He
38:47screwed up, man. He dumb. Some of us
38:50say, "I ain't leaving my parents' house.
38:52You know, I don't care how much money
38:53they got from." No, he messed it up. But
38:56here is the message of the parable, the
39:00bigger picture of it. though he messed
39:03up. The boy was sitting there one day in
39:06the pig's pin eating pig's food like
39:09some of us right now. We don't even know
39:12that the diet we're eating is dirty.
39:15It's filthy. It's unrighteousness.
39:18And finally, it just hit him. The Bible
39:22says he came to himself.
39:28Every one of you, you keep rejecting
39:32and rejecting God.
39:34Life is going to position you somewhere
39:38that one day you going to finally come
39:40to your senses
39:42>> that you need God in every area of your
39:46life. In him you live and move and
39:49exist.
39:52And he ran home to the father.
39:55Trying to wrap this up real quick. He
39:57ran home to the father. Football is
39:59about to start. Praise Jesus.
40:01He ran home to the father. And here's
40:04the story. Remember, it's a parable what
40:07the kingdom is like. The father saw him
40:10coming. Father, run and hug him. Come on
40:13now. Come on. Most parents, especially
40:15if they're from the Caribbean,
40:18the locks would have been changed.
40:22>> Hello.
40:23We Oh, them that you you coming what?
40:25You spent all that money. You coming
40:27back home. Well, boy, go back to them
40:29friends. You go back to that pig pen
40:32that you coming from.
40:35But the father, come on.
40:38>> Isn't that how God operates?
40:43>> That when you've lost your way and you
40:45didn't put your faith in motion, he's
40:47not here to judge you this morning. See,
40:49this thing I love about God in his
40:51church. No one have a right in here this
40:53morning to tell you you don't belong to
40:55the kingdom. I don't care how you've
40:57strayed. I don't care the stuff you've
40:58done. The father is waiting
41:02>> with arms open.
41:05>> Come on home.
41:08Come on home.
41:11He didn't judge him. He didn't judge
41:13him. Remember in the series I
41:15demonstrated where Jesus walked into
41:17Galilee with the 11 disciples and
41:19instead of screaming at them and said,
41:21"Where were you when I was being
41:23crucified? Where were you when I was
41:27going to be raised from the dead, it was
41:28the women." He never argued. He kept the
41:31bigger picture before them. He said, "Go
41:33into the world." The same thing with
41:34this father. The moment the boy came
41:36home, the father could have said, "You
41:38spent all my money and you out there. I
41:41heard you were with women. I heard you
41:43were in the clubs. I I heard that you
41:45went and you spent all that and you
41:47going to come home. I ain't got no room
41:48here for you. No, no, no, no. The first
41:50thing the father did, come hugged him.
41:53Oh, isn't it wonderful that no matter
41:56how you mess up your life, religion
41:58preachers and church people, they will
42:02scan you first. They'll try to figure
42:04out what did you do? They got to get the
42:07details. But when it comes to the Lord
42:09Jesus Christ, he cares nothing about
42:12that because whom the sun set free
42:16[Applause]
42:17indeed. Bow your heads with me. Bow your
42:19heads. I got to pray for some people
42:21here this morning and release you.
42:25This is a series I preached out of my
42:27heart
42:30because I believe somebody's walking
42:32through a season.
42:35And what you don't realize is yet though
42:38it may be a season that you've created
42:40by making bad decisions or whatever it
42:44may be.
42:46I want to encourage you this morning
42:49to come home.
42:52Come home.
42:55Don't be embarrassed about who's going
42:57to look at you, who's going to argue
42:58about you. Will will will will God
43:00forgive you. Come home.
43:03Put your faith in motion
43:06so that everything you've been through
43:09can now become a part of your testimony.
43:13You're streaming. And if that's you, you
43:16feel that this word touched you and God
43:18has spoken to you, please put your first
43:20name in the chat. I'm about to pray with
43:23you now. You're in this room and you
43:26say, "Henry, you know,
43:29maybe not all of the message, but
43:32there's parts of this message that
43:33really touch me this morning. And I just
43:36kind of feel like I'm in this season,
43:39like a prodigal son, a prodigal
43:42daughter and
43:44I just want to turn everything over to
43:45God today, Henry. I want to come back to
43:48God. I I can't I don't know how to
43:50figure this out.
43:51But I want to come back to God. If
43:53that's you, do me a favor. I want you to
43:56to step out of your seat
43:58with confidence and I want you to come
44:00down here. I want to pray with you.
44:02Don't wait for nobody. You make the
44:04move. This is between you and your God
44:07right now.
44:09That I want I I want to stop allowing my
44:11emotions to drive me.
44:14I want to do it God's way from now on.
44:17Come on. We ought to be celebrating
44:18these people.
44:23Come on.
44:24Come on. They're coming. Come on. Keep
44:27encouraging them. Come on. Keep
44:29encouraging them. Keep encouraging them.
44:33Come on. Give it all to him. Surrender
44:35this morning.
44:40Sing it. Sing it.
44:42Sing it. Sing it. I surrender.
44:48I surrender.
44:51[Music]
44:53Hallelujah.
44:56>> I want to know you, Lord.
44:59>> Come on,
45:00[Music]
45:02sing it. Sing it.
45:05Come on, church. Let's sing it. I
45:07surrender.
45:09[Music]
45:11>> Yeah.
45:13[Music]
45:14I want to know you.
45:18I want to know you.
45:22[Music]
45:24>> Yes, I surrender.
45:28>> Sing it. Sing it one more time.
45:33>> Yes, I want to know you.
45:37I surrender.
45:42>> Now listen to me.
45:45While you're standing here, I want you
45:47to hear my heart this morning.
45:51The thing I love about this gospel that
45:53I preach,
45:55and I'm kind of getting emotional now.
45:59Thing I love about this gospel,
46:02it comes to redeem.
46:05>> It comes to give hope. It doesn't come
46:07to condemn.
46:09What Satan wants you to do is to look in
46:13your past and your seasons and blame
46:16yourselves for the mistakes that you've
46:19made, the decisions that you've made.
46:23And if you keep doing that, he's going
46:25to rob you of your future.
46:30If you allow
46:32total surrender to God
46:35to be based on people's opinions of you,
46:39cuz this young man could have said cuz
46:41his brother, his older brother had a
46:43fit. There always there will always be
46:46people in your life will have issues
46:49with your surrender.
46:53This boy had a problem with his brother
46:57because his father
46:59treated him according to him better
47:02because he threw a party for him and no
47:05party was done for him. He missed the
47:07message. The purpose of the message. God
47:10doesn't reward.
47:12He doesn't reward those who are perfect.
47:18So for the Christians who think, "Oh, I
47:20haven't sinned. I haven't done anything.
47:22They ain't get nothing from God.
47:25It is those of us who with a sincere
47:27heart
47:29will go to God and say, "God,
47:32I surrender my life.
47:35I'm young, middle-aged, old. I
47:38surrender.
47:40I'm not going to do things my way
47:42anymore.
47:44God, I I give you me. This is this not
47:48this journey is about me and you. I cut
47:51off friends who are pulling me back
47:55cuz I surrender.
47:58I walk away from toxic environments. I
48:00get in my word. You do that, I promise
48:04you, you put faith in motion. And let me
48:07tell you something, and I'm going to
48:08pray with you. I got to tell you this
48:11because sometimes I think we preachers,
48:12we hype you up and we don't tell you the
48:14truth.
48:16This faith journey, watch this.
48:20can be lonely
48:26>> cuz sometimes you are left by yourself.
48:30>> You can't depend on no friends. You
48:33can't depend on relatives. You can't
48:35depend on church people. Trust me, it's
48:38lonely. That's why you have to work out
48:41your own soul salvation.
48:45It's lonely. But here's the thing, it's
48:48rewarding.
48:49>> Would you stretch your hands? I'm going
48:52to ask the church, would you stand?
48:54Everybody, we're getting out of here
48:56now. Do me a favor. Those of you in your
48:58seat, would you just stretch both hands
49:01towards them? Those of you are
49:03streaming, stretch your hands towards
49:05your screen.
49:07And as they lift up their spiritual
49:09antennas, which is their hands,
49:12let it go. Whatever that is, please let
49:15it go. Young lady, please let it go. Let
49:21it go. Surrender to God. Father, we lift
49:24up all of these individuals before you
49:27this morning, this afternoon. Thank you
49:30for the service, the word, the impact
49:33that you've made on them. Ah,
49:40thank you. Thank you. Give Bishop Turner
49:43a mic. I just heard the Lord said,
49:46"Bishop, you need to pray.
49:48Stay right there. Nobody. Just stay
49:51right there.
49:53There's a prayer out of Bishop that's
49:55coming.
49:57I want him to pray." Keep your antennas
49:59up. I know. We We promise we won't let
50:01it be up too long. I want him to finish
50:04this prayer. I want it to finish. Come
50:07on, intercessors, you should be praying.
50:10You should be praying. You should be
50:11praying. Bishop,
50:13you finish this prayer. You finish.
50:16Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you,
50:19Jesus.
50:21>> Thank you, Jesus. Well, your hands are
50:24raised Jesus.
50:27There's 12 of you that did not walk down
50:35and you're broken.
50:38And one thing about brokenness
50:41comes embarrassment
50:44>> because you don't want anyone to see
50:46you.
50:49But would you rather come down broken
50:52and go back healed
50:56delivered and restored?
51:02And before I pray, and I'm not going to
51:04be long,
51:06I want you 12 to walk out of that aisle
51:08and just trust God.
51:12>> You saw it on the screen.
51:15Bishop talked about trusting
51:18and you're hurting.
51:20You've made some mistakes in life.
51:23But today,
51:26I want to invite you 12 to walk in this.
51:31Just step and just watch them come.
51:35Watch them come.
51:37Watch them come.
51:40Come on.
51:42Come on. Come on. Celebrate them as they
51:45come. They're coming. You couldn't
51:48worship like this and not
51:51see them come. Come on. Come on. Come
51:54on. Press in. Press in. Press in. Press
51:57in.
51:59That's your sister. That's your brother
52:01that just has got a pain that they
52:04cannot even explain.
52:06But we got a God that can heal in the
52:08midst of everything that we're going
52:10through. God Shanner,
52:14we got a healer. I'm so reminded of the
52:17woman who had an issue of blood and she
52:19said, "I got to press my way
52:23through the crowd."
52:25It's not easy when you're broken to
52:28press your way.
52:30And somebody, the enemy wants you to
52:32give up before you press your way.
52:35>> But I want you to speak it out of your
52:37mouth. I shall live and not die.
52:40>> I shall live and not die. I shall be the
52:43head and not the tail. I shall be
52:46blessed in the city, blessed in the
52:48field when I come and I go. And I hear a
52:52word from this house called restoration.
52:54And I don't even know where that came
52:56from.
52:57Sh. Hey ho ho. I hear a word that's
53:00saying restoration that I'm going to
53:02restore everything that the cankerorm
53:04and the locust has eaten up in your
53:06life. And so you had to experience the
53:09loss before you get the restoration. And
53:12not only will he restore, but he will
53:15fill your cup and it will overflow. And
53:18I need you to enlarge your territory.
53:20Tell your neighbor, God, give me some
53:22room because God's getting ready to
53:25expand. He's about to renew. He's
53:27getting ready to restore. And I know
53:30right now that it may look dreary, but
53:33when you keep pressing and you keep
53:35praying and and coming through. We saw
53:38the rain clouds the other day. And but
53:40if you just hold on, the sun's going to
53:43shine again. And I need you to hear God.
53:46I need you to hear God not in your ear,
53:49but I need you to hear God in your
53:51belly. know deep down inside of you that
53:55he's creating. There's a will in the
53:58middle of the wheel, there is a fire
54:01shut up in you. Oh, taste and see that
54:05the Lord is good. Oh, taste and see. And
54:08you know how good he is. I pronounce to
54:11you if you lift your hands, you will
54:14feel the presence of the Lord. Say to
54:17the Lord, "Come into my heart. Come,
54:19come now. Come now, Lord. Come now.
54:22That's where my pain is. Come now, Lord
54:25God. Come into my thoughts. Lord God, I
54:28don't understand everything, but I know
54:31you have created the end before the
54:34beginning. And I'm going to bless you
54:36right now. I want you, somebody, please,
54:39could you just open your mouth?
54:43I God tell if you just open my people,
54:46my people which are called by my name,
54:49if they humble themselves and pray and
54:52seek my face and I need you to tell your
54:56neighbor, let's search for him. He's
54:59right there by you. He's never left you.
55:02He will never leave nor forsake you. And
55:04he says, when you get in trouble, I'll
55:07be right there and I'm hiding you. You
55:10are covered. You're covered. You're
55:12covered in the majestic praise and the
55:15glory of God. There's an angel over you
55:19in this house. Angels are over this
55:22house in you that are at this altar.
55:25I need you to know something. When you
55:27turn around, you're not going back to
55:30the chair the way you came, but you're
55:32being restored, renewed, uplifted,
55:36encouraged. Oh, magnify the Lord with
55:40me.
55:43>> And magnify the Lord with me.
55:46>> Woman of God, open your mouth. And I
55:49need a few brothers that know how to
55:51holler at it again. Holler at the glory
55:54of God and just begin to bless him.
55:59>> Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh,
56:04taste and see.
56:07Oh, experience the goodness of the Lord.
56:10There's a move of God. There's a fresh
56:13wind. Look again. Look again. Lift up
56:18your hand. Oh, your gates. Watch the
56:20King of glory come in. I hear him
56:23saying, "I was waiting for you to come
56:26down here so I could restore everything
56:30that you thought you lost."
56:33>> Oh, magnify God with me. I need a
56:37praiser in this house. I need somebody
56:40to lose their mind and just give God
56:43some glory and start thanking him.
56:47Bless him. Thank him. Bless him. Thank
56:51him. Bless him. Thank him. Cuz he said
56:54it's already done and you can bless him.
57:00Bless him today.
57:02Bless him. Bless him, Lord. magnifying
57:06God. Woman of God, you just got to open
57:08your mouth.
57:11You trying to tell me nobody understand,
57:14but I'm telling you, he's already
57:16answered your prayer. And I just asked
57:19you to lift your hand and give God some
57:21glory.
57:25Hallelujah.
57:27Hallelujah.
57:29I know some of you don't know how to get
57:31ugly with God, but you need to just get
57:34down and let it come out of your belly
57:36and tell God, "I may not understand
57:39everything, but I know you are able.
57:44You're willing.
57:46He's willing. He's able.
57:49He's able. He's able." And I want you to
57:54point your hand at pastor at bishop this
57:57morning and tell him it's already done
58:00in the name of Jesus. I want you to just
58:04lift him up. And if we lift him up, he
58:07said if I be lifted up, I'll draw all
58:09men. And I came here today to tell you
58:13that no weapon formed against you going
58:15to prosper.
58:20I need somebody to shout with a voice of
58:22triumph.
58:26>> You know how the storms fly. I want you
58:29to lift this roof off with a praise this
58:32Sunday.
58:38>> Let's make some noise in the house.
58:43[Music]
58:44Hallelujah.
58:47The prayer says, "Make a joyful noise
58:49unto the Lord.
58:51>> Serve the Lord with gladness
58:52>> and serve him with gladness." Yes, sir.
58:54>> Now, Bishop, my I was sitting over there
58:57minding my business.
59:01But I hear God saying before I leave
59:03here today, I had one assignment.
59:07remind these that are in his house. When
59:10he said, "I never will leave
59:14nor forsake
59:17you."
59:17>> He meant it. Amen.
59:18>> He said to remind them that I meant it.
59:21>> Yes, sir.
59:21>> Never means never. And it's in this
59:25house you're going to see God work a
59:28miracle in your life. But somebody in
59:31here came down here today with a broken
59:34heart.
59:36Discouraged.
59:37I'm looking at you cuz you got your
59:40broken heart. She trying to hide out.
59:42And God saying it's her. But he says if
59:45you just step one step closer to this
59:48altar, young lady, God says, I'm going
59:50to build you up like you've never been
59:52built. And I need some of you. There you
59:55go, woman of God. Just begin to just
59:58praise God. See, it's the foolish things
60:00that turn the things around and and if
60:03even just taking a step. That's right. I
60:06put your makeup back on after it gets
60:08all messed up. But you got to just learn
60:10how I I can't be cute while I'm getting
60:12delivered. I got to be delivered and
60:14I'll get cute after I'm delivered. So,
60:17somebody in here today, tell your
60:19sister, "This deliverance is yours."
60:22Every chain is broken in this house
60:24today.
60:26>> Come on, give God some praise. Give God
60:29some praise. Let's give God some praise.
60:33Let's give God some praise. And you 12
60:36that walk down here, I want you to
60:39rejoice like you never rejoice.
60:45Let's give some noise of glory in this
60:48house.
60:51The writer said to make a joyful noise
60:53unto the Lord.
60:58Show your neighbor how to make some
61:00joyful noise.
61:03I'm getting ready to leave here.
61:05You say, "Neighbor, you don't know how
61:07to make joyful noise. Cuz out of my
61:10belly is getting ready to flow. Out of
61:13my belly is getting ready to flow. Out
61:16of my belly is getting ready to flow.
61:19It's not coming out of my voice. It's
61:22coming out of my belly. cuz I'm thinking
61:24of the goodness of Jesus and all that
61:27he's ever done for me. And my soul faith
61:30center my soul my soul is crying out and
61:36let's cry out thank you.
61:45[Music]
61:52I don't want to interrupt what God is
61:55doing here. But what I will tell you,
61:57those who want to remain at the altar to
61:59just just let God finish. I'm just going
62:03to dismiss.
62:05I hope we can see you in church on
62:07Wednesday. It's going to be an
62:09incredible Bible study. Next Sunday, I
62:13hope you'll invite someone to either the
62:159 or the 11 a.m. service. Let's lift our
62:19hands and declare it. Faith in God will
62:23always move mountains out of our lives.
62:26God bless you. God bless you.