Theological Status: COMPROMISED (Worldly/Sloppy)
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Pergamum
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel
Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This ministry's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: Are your struggles random obstacles or specific requirements for your divine purpose? This sermon challenges listeners to view their difficulties as tailored tests designed to refine their faith and fulfill God's unique plan for their lives.
Pastoral Analysis: The sermon offers a compelling narrative on perseverance, using personal anecdotes and biblical examples to encourage endurance. However, the theological framework is compromised by a strong moralistic tendency that frames the Christian life as a series of behavioral tests to be passed for reward, rather than a response to grace. Additionally, the reliance on subjective authority claims undermines the sufficiency of Scripture.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — The sermon exhibits a compromised theological state characterized by homiletical imbalance and moralism. While it avoids active heresy, it tolerates a worldly compromise by reducing the Christian life to behavioral performance and human effort to earn divine reward, failing to anchor the congregation's endurance in the sufficiency of Gospel grace.
Big Idea: Your unique challenges are not random obstacles but specific requirements designed to refine and fulfill your distinct divine purpose. [00:02:07 ▶️ 📄]
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: Revelation 3:11
- Usage Classification: Thematic
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: Low
- Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - The use of coarse language ('wacky weed', 'musty sock') and subjective authority claims detract from the solemnity and clarity expected in pastoral teaching.
✝️ Christological Focus: Moralistic/Imitative
"Christ is presented primarily as the object of belief (touching wounds) or the source of provision, but the call to action is focused on human imitation and behavioral endurance rather than union with Christ."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 0 | Referenced: 9 | Alluded: 6
Key References: Revelation 3:11, Daniel 6, John 20:27, Luke 23:39-43, Genesis 6-9, Genesis 22, Acts, Jeremiah, Revelation
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 3,974 words
📌 View 8 Key Topics Addressed
-
Church Transition and Building
[00:02:48 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor discusses the church's goal to transition to a newer, paid-for building closer to town, framing it as an exciting direction guided by God. -
The Crown and Eternal Reward
[00:03:53 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor analyzes Revelation 3:11, initially citing a commentary on the 'crown' as a symbolic reward, but then corrects the focus to emphasize that the ultimate prize is simply being with Jesus, not holding a physical object. -
Individual Differences and Spiritual Challenges
[00:06:14 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor illustrates how people are 'very different' in their abilities and struggles (e.g., handyman skills, spiritual disciplines), arguing that these unique challenges are tailored to refine individual purposes. -
Perseverance and Divine Purpose
[00:12:22 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that specific struggles (like those faced by Eduardo or Sister Diana) are not random but are designed by God to refine and set up individuals for their specific purpose. -
Faith and Doubt
[00:14:08 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor addresses specific sticking points like dinosaurs or biblical literalism, framing them as unique challenges that refine one's faith rather than obstacles to be ignored. -
Biblical Examples of Purpose
[00:16:41 ▶️ 📄]
> Illustrates how figures like Daniel, Timothy, the thief on the cross, Abraham, Paul, and Jeremiah faced unique, often difficult challenges specifically required by their divine purpose. -
The Crown of Victories
[00:22:45 ▶️ 📄]
> Describes spiritual victories over doubt, pain, and family opposition as 'jewels' added to a believer's crown, emphasizing that enduring hardship is part of the reward. -
Youth Discipline
[00:24:04 ▶️ 📄]
> Uses the example of children waking up early for church despite losing sleep and lacking family support as a tangible example of overcoming challenges to fulfill their spiritual purpose.
🖼️ View 7 Illustrations & Stories
-
Sermon Illustration
[00:06:50 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his lack of 'handyman gene,' recounting a time he hung a chandelier that fell and crashed onto a thick glass dining table, contrasting his inability with others who can easily fix things. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:09:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor tells the story of Eduardo, a member who has missed very few services despite having many reasons not to attend (including a private story of bitterness and distance from California), illustrating how perseverance through challenge refines purpose. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:11:15 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recounts a business trip to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he observed people smoking 'wacky weed' in public dispensaries, using it to illustrate how different people have different struggles and 'buttons' that the devil pushes. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:16:41 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts Daniel, who slept in the lion's den without issue, with Timothy, who needed to touch Jesus' wounds to believe, and the two thieves on the cross who faced the same scenario but made different choices regarding faith. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:19:48 ▶️ 📄]
> The story of Abraham being tested with the sacrifice of Isaac, where Abraham told Isaac 'God will provide,' illustrating that some challenges are required for a specific purpose that others cannot fulfill. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:21:33 ▶️ 📄]
> The story of Jeremiah wearing a dirty girdle he retrieved from a cave as an object lesson to the king, demonstrating how God sometimes requires bizarre or difficult actions to get attention and convey a message. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:24:04 ▶️ 📄]
> A personal anecdote about children on the church van who woke up early, lost an hour of sleep, and still attended church with dirt on their jackets, serving as an example of young people overcoming personal and familial challenges.
🚀 View 1 Calls to Action
-
Pastoral Charge
[00:20:05 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor asks the congregation to demonstrate willingness to prioritize God's requests above all else, framing it as a test of their ability to pass.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Compromised / Weak
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ❌ FAIL | The Gospel Engine is compromised. The sermon failed to anchor the call to perseverance in the finished work of Christ, instead presenting obedience as a self-generated achievement to earn rewards. The Safe Harbor mechanism failed to correct this moralistic drift. |
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon implies a synergistic view of sanctification where human effort and behavioral 'passing' of tests are central to spiritual victory, minimizing the monergistic work of the Holy Spirit. |
| Bibliology | ⚠️ WEAK | The pastor elevated personal revelation ('hearing from the Lord') to a level that competes with the sufficiency of Scripture, suggesting extra-biblical dictation is the primary mode of authority for this message. |
| Hermeneutic | ⚠️ WEAK | The hermeneutic is heavily allegorical and application-driven, often bypassing the grammatical-historical context of the text in favor of deriving personal behavioral mandates. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | The sermon maintains orthodox views of God's sovereignty and purpose, though the application of these doctrines is skewed toward moralism. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | No sacramental errors detected; however, no sacraments were observed or discussed. |
| Confessional Depth | ❌ SHALLOW | The sermon lacks depth in explaining the theological 'why' behind suffering, focusing instead on the 'what' (behavioral response) and 'how' (endurance for reward). |
⚙️ The Core Gospel Framework
What is this? This section checks if the sermon contains the essential building blocks of the Gospel. We look for explicit, substantive mentions of God's holy standard, human inability, and Christ's finished work on the cross.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
❌ The Law And Wrath: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Total Depravity And Inability: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ The Cross And Atonement:
"The two thieves on the cross, what a great example. put there in almost the same circumstances, similar to the same. One had an issue with embracing what Jesus was saying. The other just embraced it. Man, isn't that wild? Two people, same scenario, same time. One chose one thing. The other chose another. And Jesus said, behold to that one man who received what he said, you'll be with me in paradise." [00:17:08 ▶️ 📄]
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 Major Homiletical Imbalance (Moralism)
Root Cause: Moralism
The Belief/Behavior: The teaching reduces perseverance to self-generated achievement, omitting the Gospel's grace and the Holy Spirit's empowering role.
Why It's Dangerous: This leads the congregation to rely on their own strength for spiritual victory, causing anxiety and pride rather than rest in Christ.
Biblical Correction: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
🟠 Major Subjective Authority / Direct Dictation Claim
Root Cause: Subjectivism
"And that's what all I can say today is hearing from the Lord." [00:16:37 ▶️ 📄]
The Belief/Behavior: The pastor states, 'And that's what all I can say today is hearing from the Lord,' elevating personal revelation above the sufficiency of Scripture.
Why It's Dangerous: This undermines the authority of the Bible and places the congregation under the subjective whims of the preacher rather than the objective Word of God.
Biblical Correction: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
✅ Commendations
Pastoral Empathy | Relatable Illustrations
The pastor effectively uses personal anecdotes (the chandelier, the children on the van) to connect with the congregation's everyday struggles, making the message accessible and relatable.
Encouragement | Hope in Perseverance
The sermon provides genuine comfort by reframing suffering not as random punishment but as a purposeful refinement, offering hope to those feeling stuck or confused.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:00:00] Never let me down. He is that jewel that I have found. Hallelujah. Somebody say hallelujah. Amen.
[00:00:10] We had to force Jackson to do that beat. That old 1990s to 2005 beat. But thank you Jackson for being a great sport on It Sounded Truly.
[00:00:25] We're going to focus our attention to Revelation chapter 3 verse 11 and then we'll look over to Revelation 22 and 12.
[00:00:37] primarily on Revelation 3 and 11.
[00:00:43] Then we'll dismiss our children from Children's Church.
[00:00:50] Thank you, those of you who work on the van.
[00:00:52] We appreciate your dedication to that.
[00:00:55] Generally speaking, when the time changes, some people have a hard time with that.
[00:00:59] It's a losing hour.
[00:01:02] Maybe you're feeling it now, but Sister Henry's got us going this morning.
[00:01:05] The Spirit of God has got us charged up this morning.
[00:01:11] Revelation 3 and 11.
[00:01:13] Say amen if you're there.
[00:01:13] behold quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown within revelation 22 12 you can't or just listen to it revelation 22 and 12 says that behold i come quickly and my reward is
[00:01:39] with me according his work shall preach today my challenge equals my purpose i i wanted to encourage somebody today, but also let people know that the Lord's coming back.
[00:02:04] He's coming back.
[00:02:07] And so I feel like the Lord laid these words on my heart today, and I feel it probably stronger now than I did then. I want to preach today. My challenge equals my purpose. Let's pray. Gracious
[00:02:18] God, we thank you so much for your glory, your namesake, your power, God. Believing you, trusting you, God, for all great things. Meet us in this place today. Resign with us in this house today, God. It's in Jesus' name. Amen, amen. You may be seated
[00:02:38] this morning. This is our Children for Children's Church. So good to see you in the house of God.
[00:02:48] You get re-situated this morning. We have on the wall in between the restrooms what our goals are as far as transitioning the church. I want you to be excited about that. It is an exciting thing,
[00:03:02] although it may have caught you off guard just a little bit, it is an exciting direction that we're trying to take the church to be closer to town, a newer building that is paid for.
[00:03:12] That's a big deal. Praise God.
[00:03:14] And so that's our goal.
[00:03:16] We believe God is in it.
[00:03:17] We believe that you're in it.
[00:03:19] Let's build an altar together.
[00:03:21] What do you say? Amen.
[00:03:22] And so every time I say that, I feel a little bit more excitement rising.
[00:03:26] The first time there was no excitement.
[00:03:28] Praise God.
[00:03:28] But the excitement I believe is rising because you understand it you're praying about it you're you're getting in the heartbeat with god and now you can actually physically see what we're trying to work towards if you look at that we also
[00:03:41] have a page dedicated to our website uh it is uh it is also dedicated to let's build an altar if you would like to look at that it also has video of me explaining the whole thing and and so
[00:03:53] make sure that you take a peek at that that will help you greatly my challenge equals my purpose revelation 3 and 11 talks about the crown it in looking at this it represents a symbolic reward
[00:04:08] of victory and honor that believers will receive from god in heaven for their faithfulness and perseverance through trials essentially signifying their internal inheritance and the recognition of their steadfast commitment to christ now i just took that from a commentary i don't know how much
[00:04:26] you receive that that much but I just want to let you know it is a it is somewhat of a metaphorical thought that you will receive a physical prize in heaven but let me just erase all of it regardless
[00:04:40] of whether it's a real crown or a metaphorical crown I get to be with Jesus in heaven that's my
[00:04:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:04:47] ultimate prize hallelujah my ultimate prize is not to hold something in my hand or to put something on my head, but the fact that I get to be with Jesus, that's, that's the ultimate prize.
[00:05:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:05:01] Hallelujah. This right here, any blessing that I get down here, it's just extra. It's just bonus.
[00:05:06] Amen. If I get a good wife, if I get a good, if I get a bonus on my job, that's literally just bonus.
[00:05:12] Amen. And so to God be the glory for that. Let me remind you that it is not about the crown, But it's about being with the Lord in eternity.
[00:05:22] I don't want to bypass it.
[00:05:25] And I don't think it's a mistake that the Bible says in the King James Version, thy crown.
[00:05:31] Or in other words, your crown.
[00:05:34] I don't think that's a mistake and I don't think it's a mistranslation in any way.
[00:05:38] Because it was trying to point out that this is yours.
[00:05:43] This belongs to you.
[00:05:45] and on all the things that we can talk about in the heavenlies the lord is talking about what he's giving back to you how about that can i say that this crown real or not real is something that is
[00:05:59] yours and can represent your walk with god in the heavenlies amen it's different it's interesting to me to realize just how different different people are and and you don't have to look around to know
[00:06:13] that we're very different.
[00:06:14] I mean, we're just real different.
[00:06:16] And I know I say this often, but it oftentimes kind of blows my mind how different we really are.
[00:06:22] Amen.
[00:06:23] And so what is a big deal to some people is not a big deal to other people.
[00:06:29] You're looking at a pastor that was not blessed with the handyman gene.
[00:06:36] It's not there.
[00:06:39] And every once in a while, I'll have moments of greatness and I'll change the light bulb nothing will happen. It'll just get fixed. I put these TVs up on the, on the walls and they
[00:06:50] haven't fallen, but I have put things, I have put fixtures up on the ceiling and they have fallen chandeliers. We were, we were upstairs one, one time, not long after we got married and I had
[00:07:05] hung a chandelier. It was nice. You know, it was a nice one. And next thing we hear, bam you know and we walked down and there was crashed on our glass dining room table now that glass dining room table was so thick it barely it barely didn't have any
[00:07:22] kind of problems with it at all but i was like i must have struck again praise god and so some people no big deal man they they just whip out the tool they got the tool
[00:07:34] they got the screws man they're going to go out to their car and they've got 500 screws I bet Alan could fix anything that you have need of today, even though he's never seen it or even
[00:07:42] touched it. He can make it work and make it get put together. Praise God. Amen. We still got an outlet over here that's not even working. We're running a drop cord from that TV right there to
[00:07:51] the, to this little outlet right here. It's, we still got an outlet that's out because pastor ain't fixed it yet, but somebody said they were going to fix it and they didn't fix it. Praise
[00:07:58] God. But Hey, you might be able to fix things that I can't fix. That's how different some people are to some people, it's a big deal. To some people, it's not. I can't fix a car. I can, I can change
[00:08:08] a tire. Praise God. I can check my oil. Thank God for that. But in this day and time, I don't need to. It's 2025. There's people who will change your oil in about 30 minutes or less. Praise God.
[00:08:24] So I don't have to get up underneath the car anymore. But with spiritual matters as much the saying. Hear what I'm saying. Some see it as a challenge to pray 10 minutes. Others don't.
[00:08:36] Some people see it a challenge to fast all day. Others don't. Some see it as a challenge to be at church every Sunday, but others don't. And I know that can be a challenge because
[00:08:50] in 2025, with all the things that are at our disposal, we also have busyness that will try to grab a hold of us. Amen. I look at, and oftentimes I think about this and we don't do
[00:09:04] volunteer of the month anymore because we ran out of volunteers. I have to stop it and then I bring it back in a couple months from now, but I still like to show people appreciation. And I thought
[00:09:16] this morning, I thought about Eduardo when I typed in that line today. Here, I don't know how many services Eduardo has missed since he's been coming to church and let me just say this he probably has
[00:09:29] every reason in the world to not be here every service he could probably think of a thousand other things to potentially do something could keep him from the house of God in fact there could
[00:09:38] be root of bitterness that could have kept him out of the house of God all the way to begin with you don't know his story so maybe you'll have to ask him about it sometime it's a very private
[00:09:46] story but it's a very great testimony this man I don't even I don't even know if this thing should be sitting here today, but God has made a way and God has seen fit to bring them all
[00:09:55] the way from California to a little, little small church in North Carolina. And he's saying,
[00:10:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:10:00] I'm going to pay. If I got opportunity to be a church, I'm going to be a church. Some people see it as a challenge. Others see it as a blessing. I'm going to be there. I'm
[00:10:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:10:12] going to be there. I'm going to do it. I'm going to participate. Amen. And you'll excuse me, I tend to repeat things a lot. Doesn't mean that they're not important. And it doesn't mean that I don't have anything else to say. So I'll say this again for the 10th time. The devil's
[00:10:28] the devil knows what button to push of you. He knows exactly what button to push and when to push it. I'll never forget going through a series on making sure that you don't cheat on your wife
[00:10:47] would cheat on your spouse and it was a week or two later somebody cheated on their spouse he knew what button to hit at the exact it's not that they didn't know they knew they had heard
[00:11:00] but the devil knew what button to push and when to push it i was in arizona i was in scottsdale arizona a few weeks ago on a business trip just a short business trip and we walked by they got
[00:11:15] dispensaries there and I guess it's legal and we walked by something we were like whoa what in the world somebody was smoking wacky weed like out and uh and and I thought I have no issue with this
[00:11:30] it smells like a musty sock it doesn't it doesn't do anything for me but for some people man I gotta get some of that you know man let me get some of that so people have different struggles
[00:11:47] and at different times and i dare say for some people it tends to run in a cycle you know what your buttons are and so therefore i say to you today your challenge will equal to
[00:11:59] your purpose hallelujah some of the things that you're struggling with even right now the enemy and the Lord knows that you've got an ultimate purpose that you're trying to strive for and both are competing
[00:12:10] to make sure that you ultimately reach that purpose in your life.
[00:12:14] And although my challenge is not your challenge, your challenge is not my challenge, our purpose will equal to our challenge.
[00:12:22] Why am I going through this and nobody else has to?
[00:12:25] Because we've got different purposes, honey.
[00:12:27] Why do you have to go through this and I don't? Because we've got different purposes. We just have different things that we're set up to achieve in this life. I would wish upon no one what Sister Diana has
[00:12:40] had to go through over the last year not to put her information out there once again.
[00:12:45] And she would ask the same thing at times.
[00:12:48] But I dare say the challenges that she's faced has set her up for a purpose.
[00:12:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:12:53] Has refined her for a purpose.
[00:12:55] My God, she's teaching Sunday school today.
[00:12:59] The devil ain't taking her out.
[00:13:01] The enemy can't take her out.
[00:13:03] because we've got a purpose.
[00:13:08] My challenge, it equals my purpose.
[00:13:11] My God, my God, somebody ought to give him thanks.
[00:13:15] My God, somebody ought to give him glory.
[00:13:17] This is why this is great.
[00:13:23] Do something.
[00:13:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:13:27] Hallelujah.
[00:13:29] You may be seated.
[00:13:30] The book of, some people don't see it as a necessity to speak in tongues.
[00:13:33] Others have no issue with it.
[00:13:35] No issue.
[00:13:37] It's interesting.
[00:13:38] The book of Revelation says seven times along, I come quickly.
[00:13:46] Other books in the Bible don't even say it, but about three times.
[00:13:48] And then it's kind of even the context is not the same.
[00:13:54] I do home Bible studies.
[00:13:55] And with generally every Bible study, there's a sticking point with everybody.
[00:14:01] Some people have two or three and everybody has at least one where they say, I don't know about that.
[00:14:08] I've never thought about that.
[00:14:10] For some people, it's dinosaurs.
[00:14:12] I know it sounds crazy to you, right?
[00:14:15] But it's not crazy to them.
[00:14:16] Maybe you're that person.
[00:14:18] Or this whole dinosaur sort of thing.
[00:14:20] How does this fit into creation?
[00:14:22] How does this work together?
[00:14:24] When we know that the Bible says great beasts and the word dinosaur wasn't coined until the late 1850s, so it didn't get into the King James Version of the Bible.
[00:14:32] We could talk about all of that.
[00:14:34] But there's different sticking points and it's different for different people.
[00:14:39] Every person has to come to that sticking point.
[00:14:42] Some preachers would call it a crossroads and have to figure out by faith how to get past that because that particular challenge for you is refining your purpose. Amen. I can look at this in several ways. Yes, when the Lord says,
[00:15:01] I come quickly. Yes, be ready. And we don't know when he's going to return.
[00:15:05] That's a great preaching point. We'll preach that again someday and we'll focus on that. Also, I'm not going to have these challenges forever.
[00:15:14] I can look at it that way.
[00:15:16] Behold, I come quickly.
[00:15:18] Thank you, Jesus, because I realize I don't have to fight these fights and face these challenges forever.
[00:15:26] I can look at it that way.
[00:15:27] This fight doesn't have to go on forever.
[00:15:30] There is an end and there is a prize.
[00:15:33] Hallelujah.
[00:15:34] Can I say that your challenge is unique today?
[00:15:37] Can I say that your purpose is unique this morning?
[00:15:40] He'd like nothing more than to take you out and to snub you out, your flesh and the enemy, to keep you from your purpose, to keep you stuck in questions, stuck in doubt, stuck in issues of deceit.
[00:15:55] But I realize that my purpose is even greater than my challenge.
[00:16:00] My heel is not your heel.
[00:16:01] My fight is not your fight.
[00:16:03] But you don't know the things that I fight.
[00:16:05] Some of the things I have to keep away from you because you don't need to know.
[00:16:08] You don't need to know everything.
[00:16:09] Oh, the pastors have got to be transparent to a degree.
[00:16:13] But there's some things you don't need to know that I fight.
[00:16:16] Praise God.
[00:16:18] Amen.
[00:16:20] What some of you are asking yourself today, why did this have to happen?
[00:16:25] I would say the same thing.
[00:16:27] I don't know.
[00:16:28] But I know that there's a purpose.
[00:16:31] I say that it's because your purpose has required this of you.
[00:16:37] And that's what all I can say today is hearing from the Lord.
[00:16:41] Sleeping in the lion's den wasn't that big of a deal for Daniel.
[00:16:45] But Timothy got hung up just on believing in God.
[00:16:50] Was this really, did he really rise?
[00:16:53] Is he really who he says he is?
[00:16:55] He had to go as far as sticking his fingers in the wounds of Jesus to actually believe that.
[00:17:02] But then you've got another guy over here whose faith is so great, he'll sleep with lions.
[00:17:08] The two thieves on the cross, what a great example.
[00:17:10] put there in almost the same circumstances, similar to the same.
[00:17:18] One had an issue with embracing what Jesus was saying.
[00:17:22] The other just embraced it.
[00:17:25] Man, isn't that wild?
[00:17:28] Two people, same scenario, same time.
[00:17:32] One chose one thing.
[00:17:33] The other chose another.
[00:17:36] And Jesus said, behold to that one man who received what he said, you'll be with me in paradise.
[00:17:42] why is that why is it some people in a family who sell out to God live for God other people's brothers and sisters would choose not to do it I can't answer that question but I can take this
[00:17:56] from what the Lord I believe has spoke to me today that your challenge will match your purpose in life some people will step up some people will step back some people will be able to live up to
[00:18:09] that challenge and equal that purpose in their life others will not that's all I can say about that, but I can say that the Lord wants us to fulfill not just our destiny, but our purpose
[00:18:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:18:19] in Him today. So there are challenges that are set along the way that equal what your purpose is all about. Somebody hear what I'm saying today. Hey, this is not a feel-good message.
[00:18:32] The message is this, because I know it matches my purpose. My God, it matches my purpose. Amen.
[00:18:44] Hallelujah.
[00:18:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:18:45] Maybe I had to have a dad the way that I had.
[00:18:48] Maybe you had to have the parents that you had.
[00:18:51] Why?
[00:18:51] Because it set you up for who you are right now.
[00:18:54] It set you up to speak the way that you speak.
[00:18:57] It set you up to pray the way that you pray.
[00:19:00] It was refining your purpose.
[00:19:04] Amen.
[00:19:09] Noah and his purpose was required.
[00:19:12] It required him to build a boat and it wasn't even raining.
[00:19:17] And nobody even believed him.
[00:19:18] How many did he save? Eight. Mostly his family. Am I wrong? Abraham's purpose required him to do things that nobody, that God has not asked anybody to do previous or since. Sacrifice your kid physically. Sacrifice your child upon an altar. That's not the word of God. That doesn't even
[00:19:48] line up to anything we don't do child sacrifice in the old testament to the new testament what are you saying challenging all i'm asking is are you willing to put anything in front of what i'm
[00:20:05] asking you to do it's a test and i really just want to see if you're able to pass it isaac looked at him and said ah where is the sacrificial lamb and abraham looked at him and
[00:20:16] said, God will provide. That's all I can say. I don't have any other answers for you. I don't have anything else to tell you except that God will provide. This was required of Abraham because he had a purpose that nobody else could fulfill. Paul's purpose required him to be
[00:20:38] imprisoned. It required him to be a spectacle at times in front of kings and in front of trials.
[00:20:49] Beaten, left for dead, starved, shipwrecked, beaten many times.
[00:20:58] This was Paul's purpose that required him because he had so much more to achieve.
[00:21:06] Over a third, two thirds of the New Testament is given credit by being written by Paul, mostly in prison, mostly by being incarcerated.
[00:21:16] Jeremiah's repurpose required him to be a spectacle and lose everything just to get attention of a few people he walked before kings and he had pots of clay and he broke them to pieces as an object lesson before the king
[00:21:33] to say if you don't fall and turn back to God your kingdoms are going to be turned and ripped into pieces just like these pots of clay he put on a girdle one time that had been thrown into a cave
[00:21:46] and he pulled it out.
[00:21:47] It was disgusting.
[00:21:49] It was dirty.
[00:21:50] I don't know why he picked a girdle.
[00:21:51] I don't know why God told him to do it.
[00:21:53] You see, it doesn't even make any sense.
[00:21:56] But it was required of Jeremiah because it was his purpose.
[00:21:59] He walked in to the king's palace another day wearing that dirty girdle around his waist and around his body to say that we have allowed our walk with God to become old and dirty to the king.
[00:22:15] Spectacle.
[00:22:16] And we look at that and we say, why that?
[00:22:20] Why that for Jeremiah?
[00:22:22] And Jeremiah asked the same question.
[00:22:25] I don't want to do this.
[00:22:28] That's why Jeremiah has been given credit for the book of Jeremiah and the book of limitations, because he weeped so much for what God was asking him to do just to get the attention of a few people.
[00:22:41] His challenge refined his purpose.
[00:22:45] we said it before it's your crown this crown could be equipped with a few jewels could I say if this was truly a crown it's equipped with jewels of victories that you have won if this truly is a crown that the Lord is trying to put before us in some way shape or form I would
[00:23:08] go on to say that these jewels that go on this crown is from every victory that you've been able to overcome during this time here on earth. Hey, every time that you were able to overcome doubt,
[00:23:19] God, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time that you were able to overcome somebody talking trash about you, but you continue to serve the Lord, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time that you were able to fast when you didn't want to fast,
[00:23:32] there's another jewel on that crown. Every time you raised your hand, but you knew you were in pain, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time I cried out to God for answers and I didn't
[00:23:48] hear anything, but I kept praying. There's another jewel on that crown. When I served God and nobody else in my family served God and I continue to do it. You want to think about these young people
[00:24:04] that ride this church van. I just want to, I want to point this out. You might think they're not the best kids, but I'm just telling you something. They get themselves up. I'm about to weep
[00:24:12] over this.
[00:24:14] They get themselves up.
[00:24:16] They get their own time.
[00:24:18] Today the time changed. They lost an hour of sleep. And I was thinking to myself, well, we're probably not going to have any kids today.
[00:24:26] Lost an hour of sleep.
[00:24:27] Kind of messed the kids up from time to time.
[00:24:29] They were out there waiting.
[00:24:31] They jumped on the church van, happy.
[00:24:34] Got themselves dressed.
[00:24:36] Fed themselves if they ate anything at all. Rode the church van. Walked in here like absolutely nothing's wrong. Walked up to the front and prayed with dirt on their jackets.
[00:24:50] They did this and there's nobody else in their family that's even doing this.
[00:24:55] Another jewel on their crown. There's another jewel on their crown.
[00:25:02] Seven, eight, nine years old getting themselves up and we have a hard time just even rolling out of bed sometimes.
[00:25:08] your challenge will match your purpose let's all stand i usually don't ever know it i don't ever know it till i have to take a look back and see that purpose has been fulfilled it takes maybe sometimes a couple years to look back and say man look at what god did right there
[00:25:32] i didn't even see it at the time and we all love to celebrate the breakthrough I love it when people break through at an altar we cry tears it's wonderful that exact moment there's breakthrough we can say God moved in that moment but
[00:25:52] sometimes many times we have to look back and say he was blessing and I didn't even see it was progressive it wasn't all in one moment and I'm gonna say this unequivocally the reason why you're facing what you're
[00:26:23] facing is because your purpose is lined up to that challenge and having
[00:00:00] Never let me down. He is that jewel that I have found. Hallelujah. Somebody say hallelujah. Amen.
[00:00:10] We had to force Jackson to do that beat. That old 1990s to 2005 beat. But thank you Jackson for being a great sport on It Sounded Truly.
[00:00:25] We're going to focus our attention to Revelation chapter 3 verse 11 and then we'll look over to Revelation 22 and 12.
[00:00:37] primarily on Revelation 3 and 11.
[00:00:43] Then we'll dismiss our children from Children's Church.
[00:00:50] Thank you, those of you who work on the van.
[00:00:52] We appreciate your dedication to that.
[00:00:55] Generally speaking, when the time changes, some people have a hard time with that.
[00:00:59] It's a losing hour.
[00:01:02] Maybe you're feeling it now, but Sister Henry's got us going this morning.
[00:01:05] The Spirit of God has got us charged up this morning.
[00:01:11] Revelation 3 and 11.
[00:01:13] Say amen if you're there.
[00:01:13] behold quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown within revelation 22 12 you can't or just listen to it revelation 22 and 12 says that behold i come quickly and my reward is
[00:01:39] with me according his work shall preach today my challenge equals my purpose i i wanted to encourage somebody today, but also let people know that the Lord's coming back.
[00:02:04] He's coming back.
[00:02:07] And so I feel like the Lord laid these words on my heart today, and I feel it probably stronger now than I did then. I want to preach today. My challenge equals my purpose. Let's pray. Gracious
[00:02:18] God, we thank you so much for your glory, your namesake, your power, God. Believing you, trusting you, God, for all great things. Meet us in this place today. Resign with us in this house today, God. It's in Jesus' name. Amen, amen. You may be seated
[00:02:38] this morning. This is our Children for Children's Church. So good to see you in the house of God.
[00:02:48] You get re-situated this morning. We have on the wall in between the restrooms what our goals are as far as transitioning the church. I want you to be excited about that. It is an exciting thing,
[00:03:02] although it may have caught you off guard just a little bit, it is an exciting direction that we're trying to take the church to be closer to town, a newer building that is paid for.
[00:03:12] That's a big deal. Praise God.
[00:03:14] And so that's our goal.
[00:03:16] We believe God is in it.
[00:03:17] We believe that you're in it.
[00:03:19] Let's build an altar together.
[00:03:21] What do you say? Amen.
[00:03:22] And so every time I say that, I feel a little bit more excitement rising.
[00:03:26] The first time there was no excitement.
[00:03:28] Praise God.
[00:03:28] But the excitement I believe is rising because you understand it you're praying about it you're you're getting in the heartbeat with god and now you can actually physically see what we're trying to work towards if you look at that we also
[00:03:41] have a page dedicated to our website uh it is uh it is also dedicated to let's build an altar if you would like to look at that it also has video of me explaining the whole thing and and so
[00:03:53] make sure that you take a peek at that that will help you greatly my challenge equals my purpose revelation 3 and 11 talks about the crown it in looking at this it represents a symbolic reward
[00:04:08] of victory and honor that believers will receive from god in heaven for their faithfulness and perseverance through trials essentially signifying their internal inheritance and the recognition of their steadfast commitment to christ now i just took that from a commentary i don't know how much
[00:04:26] you receive that that much but I just want to let you know it is a it is somewhat of a metaphorical thought that you will receive a physical prize in heaven but let me just erase all of it regardless
[00:04:40] of whether it's a real crown or a metaphorical crown I get to be with Jesus in heaven that's my
[00:04:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:04:47] ultimate prize hallelujah my ultimate prize is not to hold something in my hand or to put something on my head, but the fact that I get to be with Jesus, that's, that's the ultimate prize.
[00:05:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:05:01] Hallelujah. This right here, any blessing that I get down here, it's just extra. It's just bonus.
[00:05:06] Amen. If I get a good wife, if I get a good, if I get a bonus on my job, that's literally just bonus.
[00:05:12] Amen. And so to God be the glory for that. Let me remind you that it is not about the crown, But it's about being with the Lord in eternity.
[00:05:22] I don't want to bypass it.
[00:05:25] And I don't think it's a mistake that the Bible says in the King James Version, thy crown.
[00:05:31] Or in other words, your crown.
[00:05:34] I don't think that's a mistake and I don't think it's a mistranslation in any way.
[00:05:38] Because it was trying to point out that this is yours.
[00:05:43] This belongs to you.
[00:05:45] and on all the things that we can talk about in the heavenlies the lord is talking about what he's giving back to you how about that can i say that this crown real or not real is something that is
[00:05:59] yours and can represent your walk with god in the heavenlies amen it's different it's interesting to me to realize just how different different people are and and you don't have to look around to know
[00:06:13] that we're very different.
[00:06:14] I mean, we're just real different.
[00:06:16] And I know I say this often, but it oftentimes kind of blows my mind how different we really are.
[00:06:22] Amen.
[00:06:23] And so what is a big deal to some people is not a big deal to other people.
[00:06:29] You're looking at a pastor that was not blessed with the handyman gene.
[00:06:36] It's not there.
[00:06:39] And every once in a while, I'll have moments of greatness and I'll change the light bulb nothing will happen. It'll just get fixed. I put these TVs up on the, on the walls and they
[00:06:50] haven't fallen, but I have put things, I have put fixtures up on the ceiling and they have fallen chandeliers. We were, we were upstairs one, one time, not long after we got married and I had
[00:07:05] hung a chandelier. It was nice. You know, it was a nice one. And next thing we hear, bam you know and we walked down and there was crashed on our glass dining room table now that glass dining room table was so thick it barely it barely didn't have any
[00:07:22] kind of problems with it at all but i was like i must have struck again praise god and so some people no big deal man they they just whip out the tool they got the tool
[00:07:34] they got the screws man they're going to go out to their car and they've got 500 screws I bet Alan could fix anything that you have need of today, even though he's never seen it or even
[00:07:42] touched it. He can make it work and make it get put together. Praise God. Amen. We still got an outlet over here that's not even working. We're running a drop cord from that TV right there to
[00:07:51] the, to this little outlet right here. It's, we still got an outlet that's out because pastor ain't fixed it yet, but somebody said they were going to fix it and they didn't fix it. Praise
[00:07:58] God. But Hey, you might be able to fix things that I can't fix. That's how different some people are to some people, it's a big deal. To some people, it's not. I can't fix a car. I can, I can change
[00:08:08] a tire. Praise God. I can check my oil. Thank God for that. But in this day and time, I don't need to. It's 2025. There's people who will change your oil in about 30 minutes or less. Praise God.
[00:08:24] So I don't have to get up underneath the car anymore. But with spiritual matters as much the saying. Hear what I'm saying. Some see it as a challenge to pray 10 minutes. Others don't.
[00:08:36] Some people see it a challenge to fast all day. Others don't. Some see it as a challenge to be at church every Sunday, but others don't. And I know that can be a challenge because
[00:08:50] in 2025, with all the things that are at our disposal, we also have busyness that will try to grab a hold of us. Amen. I look at, and oftentimes I think about this and we don't do
[00:09:04] volunteer of the month anymore because we ran out of volunteers. I have to stop it and then I bring it back in a couple months from now, but I still like to show people appreciation. And I thought
[00:09:16] this morning, I thought about Eduardo when I typed in that line today. Here, I don't know how many services Eduardo has missed since he's been coming to church and let me just say this he probably has
[00:09:29] every reason in the world to not be here every service he could probably think of a thousand other things to potentially do something could keep him from the house of God in fact there could
[00:09:38] be root of bitterness that could have kept him out of the house of God all the way to begin with you don't know his story so maybe you'll have to ask him about it sometime it's a very private
[00:09:46] story but it's a very great testimony this man I don't even I don't even know if this thing should be sitting here today, but God has made a way and God has seen fit to bring them all
[00:09:55] the way from California to a little, little small church in North Carolina. And he's saying,
[00:10:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:10:00] I'm going to pay. If I got opportunity to be a church, I'm going to be a church. Some people see it as a challenge. Others see it as a blessing. I'm going to be there. I'm
[00:10:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:10:12] going to be there. I'm going to do it. I'm going to participate. Amen. And you'll excuse me, I tend to repeat things a lot. Doesn't mean that they're not important. And it doesn't mean that I don't have anything else to say. So I'll say this again for the 10th time. The devil's
[00:10:28] the devil knows what button to push of you. He knows exactly what button to push and when to push it. I'll never forget going through a series on making sure that you don't cheat on your wife
[00:10:47] would cheat on your spouse and it was a week or two later somebody cheated on their spouse he knew what button to hit at the exact it's not that they didn't know they knew they had heard
[00:11:00] but the devil knew what button to push and when to push it i was in arizona i was in scottsdale arizona a few weeks ago on a business trip just a short business trip and we walked by they got
[00:11:15] dispensaries there and I guess it's legal and we walked by something we were like whoa what in the world somebody was smoking wacky weed like out and uh and and I thought I have no issue with this
[00:11:30] it smells like a musty sock it doesn't it doesn't do anything for me but for some people man I gotta get some of that you know man let me get some of that so people have different struggles
[00:11:47] and at different times and i dare say for some people it tends to run in a cycle you know what your buttons are and so therefore i say to you today your challenge will equal to
[00:11:59] your purpose hallelujah some of the things that you're struggling with even right now the enemy and the Lord knows that you've got an ultimate purpose that you're trying to strive for and both are competing
[00:12:10] to make sure that you ultimately reach that purpose in your life.
[00:12:14] And although my challenge is not your challenge, your challenge is not my challenge, our purpose will equal to our challenge.
[00:12:22] Why am I going through this and nobody else has to?
[00:12:25] Because we've got different purposes, honey.
[00:12:27] Why do you have to go through this and I don't? Because we've got different purposes. We just have different things that we're set up to achieve in this life. I would wish upon no one what Sister Diana has
[00:12:40] had to go through over the last year not to put her information out there once again.
[00:12:45] And she would ask the same thing at times.
[00:12:48] But I dare say the challenges that she's faced has set her up for a purpose.
[00:12:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:12:53] Has refined her for a purpose.
[00:12:55] My God, she's teaching Sunday school today.
[00:12:59] The devil ain't taking her out.
[00:13:01] The enemy can't take her out.
[00:13:03] because we've got a purpose.
[00:13:08] My challenge, it equals my purpose.
[00:13:11] My God, my God, somebody ought to give him thanks.
[00:13:15] My God, somebody ought to give him glory.
[00:13:17] This is why this is great.
[00:13:23] Do something.
[00:13:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:13:27] Hallelujah.
[00:13:29] You may be seated.
[00:13:30] The book of, some people don't see it as a necessity to speak in tongues.
[00:13:33] Others have no issue with it.
[00:13:35] No issue.
[00:13:37] It's interesting.
[00:13:38] The book of Revelation says seven times along, I come quickly.
[00:13:46] Other books in the Bible don't even say it, but about three times.
[00:13:48] And then it's kind of even the context is not the same.
[00:13:54] I do home Bible studies.
[00:13:55] And with generally every Bible study, there's a sticking point with everybody.
[00:14:01] Some people have two or three and everybody has at least one where they say, I don't know about that.
[00:14:08] I've never thought about that.
[00:14:10] For some people, it's dinosaurs.
[00:14:12] I know it sounds crazy to you, right?
[00:14:15] But it's not crazy to them.
[00:14:16] Maybe you're that person.
[00:14:18] Or this whole dinosaur sort of thing.
[00:14:20] How does this fit into creation?
[00:14:22] How does this work together?
[00:14:24] When we know that the Bible says great beasts and the word dinosaur wasn't coined until the late 1850s, so it didn't get into the King James Version of the Bible.
[00:14:32] We could talk about all of that.
[00:14:34] But there's different sticking points and it's different for different people.
[00:14:39] Every person has to come to that sticking point.
[00:14:42] Some preachers would call it a crossroads and have to figure out by faith how to get past that because that particular challenge for you is refining your purpose. Amen. I can look at this in several ways. Yes, when the Lord says,
[00:15:01] I come quickly. Yes, be ready. And we don't know when he's going to return.
[00:15:05] That's a great preaching point. We'll preach that again someday and we'll focus on that. Also, I'm not going to have these challenges forever.
[00:15:14] I can look at it that way.
[00:15:16] Behold, I come quickly.
[00:15:18] Thank you, Jesus, because I realize I don't have to fight these fights and face these challenges forever.
[00:15:26] I can look at it that way.
[00:15:27] This fight doesn't have to go on forever.
[00:15:30] There is an end and there is a prize.
[00:15:33] Hallelujah.
[00:15:34] Can I say that your challenge is unique today?
[00:15:37] Can I say that your purpose is unique this morning?
[00:15:40] He'd like nothing more than to take you out and to snub you out, your flesh and the enemy, to keep you from your purpose, to keep you stuck in questions, stuck in doubt, stuck in issues of deceit.
[00:15:55] But I realize that my purpose is even greater than my challenge.
[00:16:00] My heel is not your heel.
[00:16:01] My fight is not your fight.
[00:16:03] But you don't know the things that I fight.
[00:16:05] Some of the things I have to keep away from you because you don't need to know.
[00:16:08] You don't need to know everything.
[00:16:09] Oh, the pastors have got to be transparent to a degree.
[00:16:13] But there's some things you don't need to know that I fight.
[00:16:16] Praise God.
[00:16:18] Amen.
[00:16:20] What some of you are asking yourself today, why did this have to happen?
[00:16:25] I would say the same thing.
[00:16:27] I don't know.
[00:16:28] But I know that there's a purpose.
[00:16:31] I say that it's because your purpose has required this of you.
[00:16:37] And that's what all I can say today is hearing from the Lord.
[00:16:41] Sleeping in the lion's den wasn't that big of a deal for Daniel.
[00:16:45] But Timothy got hung up just on believing in God.
[00:16:50] Was this really, did he really rise?
[00:16:53] Is he really who he says he is?
[00:16:55] He had to go as far as sticking his fingers in the wounds of Jesus to actually believe that.
[00:17:02] But then you've got another guy over here whose faith is so great, he'll sleep with lions.
[00:17:08] The two thieves on the cross, what a great example.
[00:17:10] put there in almost the same circumstances, similar to the same.
[00:17:18] One had an issue with embracing what Jesus was saying.
[00:17:22] The other just embraced it.
[00:17:25] Man, isn't that wild?
[00:17:28] Two people, same scenario, same time.
[00:17:32] One chose one thing.
[00:17:33] The other chose another.
[00:17:36] And Jesus said, behold to that one man who received what he said, you'll be with me in paradise.
[00:17:42] why is that why is it some people in a family who sell out to God live for God other people's brothers and sisters would choose not to do it I can't answer that question but I can take this
[00:17:56] from what the Lord I believe has spoke to me today that your challenge will match your purpose in life some people will step up some people will step back some people will be able to live up to
[00:18:09] that challenge and equal that purpose in their life others will not that's all I can say about that, but I can say that the Lord wants us to fulfill not just our destiny, but our purpose
[00:18:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:18:19] in Him today. So there are challenges that are set along the way that equal what your purpose is all about. Somebody hear what I'm saying today. Hey, this is not a feel-good message.
[00:18:32] The message is this, because I know it matches my purpose. My God, it matches my purpose. Amen.
[00:18:44] Hallelujah.
[00:18:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:18:45] Maybe I had to have a dad the way that I had.
[00:18:48] Maybe you had to have the parents that you had.
[00:18:51] Why?
[00:18:51] Because it set you up for who you are right now.
[00:18:54] It set you up to speak the way that you speak.
[00:18:57] It set you up to pray the way that you pray.
[00:19:00] It was refining your purpose.
[00:19:04] Amen.
[00:19:09] Noah and his purpose was required.
[00:19:12] It required him to build a boat and it wasn't even raining.
[00:19:17] And nobody even believed him.
[00:19:18] How many did he save? Eight. Mostly his family. Am I wrong? Abraham's purpose required him to do things that nobody, that God has not asked anybody to do previous or since. Sacrifice your kid physically. Sacrifice your child upon an altar. That's not the word of God. That doesn't even
[00:19:48] line up to anything we don't do child sacrifice in the old testament to the new testament what are you saying challenging all i'm asking is are you willing to put anything in front of what i'm
[00:20:05] asking you to do it's a test and i really just want to see if you're able to pass it isaac looked at him and said ah where is the sacrificial lamb and abraham looked at him and
[00:20:16] said, God will provide. That's all I can say. I don't have any other answers for you. I don't have anything else to tell you except that God will provide. This was required of Abraham because he had a purpose that nobody else could fulfill. Paul's purpose required him to be
[00:20:38] imprisoned. It required him to be a spectacle at times in front of kings and in front of trials.
[00:20:49] Beaten, left for dead, starved, shipwrecked, beaten many times.
[00:20:58] This was Paul's purpose that required him because he had so much more to achieve.
[00:21:06] Over a third, two thirds of the New Testament is given credit by being written by Paul, mostly in prison, mostly by being incarcerated.
[00:21:16] Jeremiah's repurpose required him to be a spectacle and lose everything just to get attention of a few people he walked before kings and he had pots of clay and he broke them to pieces as an object lesson before the king
[00:21:33] to say if you don't fall and turn back to God your kingdoms are going to be turned and ripped into pieces just like these pots of clay he put on a girdle one time that had been thrown into a cave
[00:21:46] and he pulled it out.
[00:21:47] It was disgusting.
[00:21:49] It was dirty.
[00:21:50] I don't know why he picked a girdle.
[00:21:51] I don't know why God told him to do it.
[00:21:53] You see, it doesn't even make any sense.
[00:21:56] But it was required of Jeremiah because it was his purpose.
[00:21:59] He walked in to the king's palace another day wearing that dirty girdle around his waist and around his body to say that we have allowed our walk with God to become old and dirty to the king.
[00:22:15] Spectacle.
[00:22:16] And we look at that and we say, why that?
[00:22:20] Why that for Jeremiah?
[00:22:22] And Jeremiah asked the same question.
[00:22:25] I don't want to do this.
[00:22:28] That's why Jeremiah has been given credit for the book of Jeremiah and the book of limitations, because he weeped so much for what God was asking him to do just to get the attention of a few people.
[00:22:41] His challenge refined his purpose.
[00:22:45] we said it before it's your crown this crown could be equipped with a few jewels could I say if this was truly a crown it's equipped with jewels of victories that you have won if this truly is a crown that the Lord is trying to put before us in some way shape or form I would
[00:23:08] go on to say that these jewels that go on this crown is from every victory that you've been able to overcome during this time here on earth. Hey, every time that you were able to overcome doubt,
[00:23:19] God, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time that you were able to overcome somebody talking trash about you, but you continue to serve the Lord, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time that you were able to fast when you didn't want to fast,
[00:23:32] there's another jewel on that crown. Every time you raised your hand, but you knew you were in pain, there's another jewel on that crown. Every time I cried out to God for answers and I didn't
[00:23:48] hear anything, but I kept praying. There's another jewel on that crown. When I served God and nobody else in my family served God and I continue to do it. You want to think about these young people
[00:24:04] that ride this church van. I just want to, I want to point this out. You might think they're not the best kids, but I'm just telling you something. They get themselves up. I'm about to weep
[00:24:12] over this.
[00:24:14] They get themselves up.
[00:24:16] They get their own time.
[00:24:18] Today the time changed. They lost an hour of sleep. And I was thinking to myself, well, we're probably not going to have any kids today.
[00:24:26] Lost an hour of sleep.
[00:24:27] Kind of messed the kids up from time to time.
[00:24:29] They were out there waiting.
[00:24:31] They jumped on the church van, happy.
[00:24:34] Got themselves dressed.
[00:24:36] Fed themselves if they ate anything at all. Rode the church van. Walked in here like absolutely nothing's wrong. Walked up to the front and prayed with dirt on their jackets.
[00:24:50] They did this and there's nobody else in their family that's even doing this.
[00:24:55] Another jewel on their crown. There's another jewel on their crown.
[00:25:02] Seven, eight, nine years old getting themselves up and we have a hard time just even rolling out of bed sometimes.
[00:25:08] your challenge will match your purpose let's all stand i usually don't ever know it i don't ever know it till i have to take a look back and see that purpose has been fulfilled it takes maybe sometimes a couple years to look back and say man look at what god did right there
[00:25:32] i didn't even see it at the time and we all love to celebrate the breakthrough I love it when people break through at an altar we cry tears it's wonderful that exact moment there's breakthrough we can say God moved in that moment but
[00:25:52] sometimes many times we have to look back and say he was blessing and I didn't even see it was progressive it wasn't all in one moment and I'm gonna say this unequivocally the reason why you're facing what you're
[00:26:23] facing is because your purpose is lined up to that challenge and having
