Second Time Single: Preparing For Promise After Pain

While the sermon offers compassionate encouragement to those experiencing relational devastation, it is fundamentally compromised by a critical soteriological error. The message reduces salvation to a human decision, undermining the Gospel's core truth that regeneration is God's sovereign work. This error necessitates a fundamental correction in how the church understands and proclaims the means of salvation.

🔴
Theological Status: DEAD ORTHODOXY / DECISIONISM Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Sardis
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Faithful Parallels Smyrna • Philadelphia
Teaching that parallels the churches that endure suffering with true spiritual riches (Rev 2:9) and keep the Word of Christ without denial despite having "little strength" (Rev 3:8).
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.
The Corrupted & Dead Parallels Thyatira • Sardis • Laodicea
Teaching that parallels churches with active heresy, synergism, therapeutic deism, or dead orthodoxy (Rev 2:20, Rev 3:1, Rev 3:17). These represent systemic, fundamental errors that corrupt the Gospel.
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.
Date: 2026-03-08 | Church: Transformation Church | Speaker: Michael Todd

🧐 Overview

Theological Verdict & Summary

Sermon Summary: A pastoral guide for those navigating the pain of 'second time single' seasons, offering hope through the biblical narrative of Ruth and Naomi.

Pastoral Analysis: While the sermon offers compassionate encouragement to those experiencing relational devastation, it is fundamentally compromised by a critical soteriological error. The message reduces salvation to a human decision, undermining the Gospel's core truth that regeneration is God's sovereign work. This error necessitates a fundamental correction in how the church understands and proclaims the means of salvation.

Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits 'Dead Orthodoxy' by replacing the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with human decisionism. By framing salvation as a 'greatest decision' to be made, the message shifts the ground of assurance from Christ's finished work to human performance, resulting in a spiritually dead orthodoxy that lacks the life-giving power of the Gospel.

Big Idea: For those who are 'second time single' after devastation, relational restoration and divine alignment are possible through making a faith decision, identifying loss without accepting negative labels, maintaining diligence over pity, and preserving character. 00:17:55 ▶️ 📄


📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus

  • Primary Text: Ruth 1-2
  • Usage Classification: Thematic
  • Text-to-Talk Ratio: High
  • Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - The use of coarse language ('broke ass', 'Cheap ass') is noted as a minor decorum issue, though it does not constitute a substantive theological error.

✝️ Christological Focus: Typological

"The sermon uses the typology of Boaz to point to Jesus as the Redeemer, but this is overshadowed by the decisionistic framework."

Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 31 | Referenced: 4 | Alluded: 0

📖 View 3 Passages Read Aloud
  • Ruth 1:1-16 00:23:31 ▶️ 📄
    "In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land so a man from Bethlehem and Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab taking his wife and two sons with him the man's name name was Elimelech and his wife Naomi their two sons were Mahalon and Gileon I don't know just try when you're reading the Bible just try people be so deep with that I'm KK I'm gonna make his own name still get the point they were from Bethlehem in the land of Judea Judea and one and when they reached Moab they settled there verse three then Elimelech died hold on Naomi's husband died was left with her two sons then the two sons followed after their daddy and they died hold on one married a woman named Oprah and the other one named a woman named Ruth but about 10 years after their relationship both of them died they left Naomi alone with her two sons of her husband so it's three women that are now walking in life second time single now for most of us this is when you would get your cup of wine put on movies eat all the things that bring you comfort and call it after a decade of being in relationship this wasn't somebody that was dating somebody this was a decade that ends in devastation. Ruth loses her person, which was her husband. She loses provision because back in that time, if you didn't have a husband, that means that you aren't secure. They literally were in the middle of a famine, so she cannot run to the grocery store and get food. She loses her place. She ends up having to move cities to be able to follow with Naomi, and she loses her protection from being in a relationship. She loses all of this in chapter one. I said, Mike, why are you why are you saying this because some of y'all have finished reading and it's only chapter one you stop believing and it's only chapter one y'all yes your relationship has sucked for 17 years but what if what if this was the backdrop to the greatest relational comeback in history it's only chapter one and Ruth is about to show all of us what to do when we find ourselves in chapter one drop down to verse nine this is her mother-in-law Naomi decide you know what I'm in a foreign land I got to go back home where I know stuff I'm leaving y'all babies y'all stay here hopefully you find a new man but I got to go home and this is what happened verse nine may the Lord bless y'all with security of another marriage because I got to get up out of here then she kissed him goodbye this was she kissed orpah and ruth goodbye and they all broke down crying no they said we want to go with you to your people but naomi replied why should you go with me can i still give birth give you other son i can't do nothing for you girl go find you a man this this is the interpretation she's saying go do it verse 16 but ruth replied don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I got to go forward. I cannot go back. Yes, I lost everything, but I'm not about to stay here and die with it. I got to go forward. Wherever you go, watch this. I will go wherever you live. I will live. Your people will be my people and watch the strongest statement and your God will be my God."
  • Ruth 2:2-11; Ruth 3:1 00:42:28 ▶️ 📄
    "one day Ruth, the Moabite said to Naomi, let me go out into the harvest field to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it Naomi replied all right girl go ahead my daughter go ahead so Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters and it so happened she found herself working in a field that belonged to that the relative of her father-in-law a limelight what I'm saying is your relationship is not on the other side of just disappointment it's on the other side of diligence what has God placed in your hands to still work even though you're in a season where it feels like I shouldn't have to do this and God is requiring all of us watch this to choose productivity not pity okay I know it's a hard word. I know she practiced a worth ethic, worth ethic, responsibility, and self-respect. Watch this. Her healing strategy was productivity, not pity. It was part of her healing to actually pick up what she had in front of her and do everything she could with it. Now I know this takes the power of the Holy Spirit because some of us, when we get sad, all we want to do is sleep. Can I get an Amen. Sometimes when we get disappointed, all we want to do is go into our little cave and quit. And God's saying, hey, that's not the strategy that you need to do. If you're deciding to get redemption in your relationships, if you want redeemed relationships, what could you be doing right now to stay productive? The productivity made her meet her person. Some of y'all ain't going to meet your person. Cause you don't do nothing productive. Oh God. One clap. Everybody's single. So I'm just telling you, I'm it's a little, a little, a little right. Cause y'all tight. What I'm saying is some of you are never, you're not, God's literally preparing the meetups, the connections, the actual, the actual being able to see each other in places that you can't be without. productivity. Check back with me in 10 years. Where you been? At the house. Why you be at the house? Because that's where I feel safe. That's my cocoon. That's my wound. That's where God is making me. I feel that. And where did the purpose take you? Some of y'all won't come to church. It's just too many people, but you want to be with somebody. Just write it down as a point. A second time, single strategy is productivity, not pity. [Proverbs 31](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31&version=KJV), seven. This is scripture that wrecked me for a lot of years of my life. And I want you to take it down because this is for men and women. She does not eat the bread of idleness. A woman that, that, and a man that is productive, they don't eat the bread of idleness. You ever been to Texas row house? now now i don't even know what their main thing is that they serve what what is it state what no no it's supposed to be state because there's like some horns or something but what texas roadhouse is known for what is it them rolls now i want you to go with me just for one second on the idea of idleness being those roles. They want you so full on what is easy to obtain that you have no appetite for real meat, real nourishment. Idleness makes you think that somehow this is the better life, man. I ain't doing nothing, bro. Like I getting this social security check. I'm getting this. Did my family help? No, I'm in your business. I don't do nothing. You live at this limit that doesn't trust God. No, just as long as this investment come on, I got six people and it makes you idle and your idleness becomes an idol. Being unbothered and comfortable is more important than my commitment to God. And it says, idleness shouldn't be the bread we eat. He says, I need you to be productive because I called you here for a purpose. and if you find yourself second time single this is where Ruth wins because she says I'm devastated but I'm still gonna do what God's called me to do her healing was in productivity not pity and then guess what she did if you find yourself..."
  • Ruth 3:1-5 00:51:41 ▶️ 📄
    "One day, Naomi said to Ruth, my daughter, it's time that we find you a permanent home. You got to get up out of here. This is what it said. Y'all ain't reading it? Okay. So that you will be for real provided for because you got to stop eating at my table. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he's been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight, he will be winnowing barely, gathering grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you. Now this is very spiritual and very practical. Listen up. Take a bath. Put on some perfume and a dress. Put on your nicest clothes. Brush your teeth. Then go to the threshing floor. But don't let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. be sure to notice where he lies down then go and uncover his feet and just lie down there with him he'll tell you what to do woman of god hey woman of god but look at ruth's response i'll do everything you say amen and amen"

Key References: Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5-6, Proverbs 31:7, Joel 2:25

💧 Liturgy & Sacraments

Altar Call / Invitation Observed: Yes

  • Theological Conditions: Receive Jesus as your Redeemer, Give your life to Jesus Christ, Make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and savior, Believe he lived, died, and rose again, Repent from the old and move forward into the new
  • Sinner's Prayer: "God, thank you for sending Jesus as my redeemer. Today, I believe he lived, he died, and he rose again with all power just for me. Here's my life. Change me. Renew me. Transform me. I'm yours. I repent from the old and I move forward into the new. I'm yours forever. In Jesus name. Amen." 01:07:02 ▶️ 📄
  • Pastoral Appeal: "I need you to pray because somebody's eternity is in the balance right now to your name is going to be written in the lamb's book of life for all eternity. And you're going to get to spend forever with Jesus." 01:06:13 ▶️ 📄

🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery

Word Count: 8,408 words

📌 View 16 Key Topics Addressed
  • Preparation for Promise After Pain 00:12:19 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor identifies the target audience as 'second time single' individuals who need to prepare for a promise after experiencing pain, divorce, or disaster.
  • Life After Devastation 00:13:26 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor lists various forms of devastation (divorce, disaster, disappointment, domestic abuse, detours, special needs children, destructive decisions, discovery, death) and asks how to live relationally after them.
  • Protecting Oneself vs. Divine Alignment 00:16:40 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor explains that many try to protect themselves from further hurt by closing off, which prevents God from developing areas of their life, resulting in a 'hard heart'.
  • Relational Restoration 00:17:55 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor defines restoration not just as romantic reconciliation, but as the ability to think well of someone you were previously angry with, applying this to spouses, children, and parents.
  • The 'First Chapter' Metaphor 00:19:08 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor uses the analogy of reading only the first chapter of a book to explain how people prematurely judge their entire life story based on early pain, urging them to 'turn the page' by faith.
  • The Story of Ruth and Boaz 00:22:02 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor introduces the biblical narrative of Ruth as a case study for 'second-time single' individuals, highlighting Ruth's loss in the first chapter and her subsequent faith decision.
  • Mimicry and Community 00:28:30 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor argues that those in devastation may lack the strength to make plans and should instead mimic or follow those who have 'practices' and principles, using the analogy of working out with a trainer.
  • Faith Decision 00:30:23 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor instructs the congregation to make a faith decision rather than stopping belief, citing Ruth's choice of faith over familiarity and the need to trust God even when circumstances are unfair.
  • Identity and Labels 00:35:15 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor advises identifying loss without accepting negative labels, using Naomi's self-labeling as 'Mara' (bitter) as a cautionary example of how labels can hinder God's work.
  • Productivity vs. Pity 00:41:12 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor argues that disappointment should not steal diligence, using Ruth's decision to work in the fields as a model for maintaining productivity and purpose despite grief.
  • Idleness as an Idol 00:46:21 ▶️ 📄
    > Using the metaphor of Texas Roadhouse rolls, the pastor describes idleness as something that fills a person with easy comfort, robbing them of appetite for 'real meat' and spiritual nourishment.
  • Integrity and Character 00:49:06 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor emphasizes that integrity invites interest and authenticates compatibility, warning against lowering standards or losing character during a second time single season.
  • Faith and Preparation 00:53:19 ▶️ 📄
    > Drawing from Ruth's story, the pastor advises changing one's 'wardrobe' (external presentation and internal mindset) by faith to prepare for the future God has planned.
  • Divine Restoration and Legacy 01:02:35 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor explains how God restored protection, provision, and legacy to Naomi and Ruth, leading to the lineage of King David and Jesus.
  • Faith in New Seasons 01:03:10 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor challenges the congregation to consider if their unwillingness to enter a new season by faith is delaying God's destiny for them.
  • Christ as the Ultimate Redeemer 01:04:34 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor draws a parallel between Boaz as a 'King's man redeemer' who paid debts for Ruth and Naomi, and Jesus as the Redeemer who pays the debt of sin for believers.
🖼️ View 11 Illustrations & Stories
  • Sermon Illustration 00:02:08 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about crying during a previous moment in the building, noting that he cried four times in 2026 already, and describes how his team came to pray for him, indicating a moment where God was moving.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:10:18 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor recounts a personal story of being 50-50 on whether to preach, consulting his colleague Charles, and waking up with a specific burden from God, illustrating the importance of partnership and divine specificity over pre-planned messages.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:18:45 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor references Netflix documentaries where people plot revenge (e.g., 'put something in their food') to illustrate the depth of bitterness that needs to be overcome for restoration.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:19:08 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor uses the analogy of watching only the first 30 minutes of a movie or reading only the first chapter of a book to explain how people judge a whole story based on its beginning.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:28:41 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about hiring a trainer to learn exercise form by watching someone else, illustrating how believers can mimic the practices of others when they lack their own strength or knowledge.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:31:26 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor references the biblical story of Ruth choosing to follow Naomi to an unfamiliar land by faith, comparing it to Abraham's journey.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:38:30 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor shares a humorous anecdote about an associate campus pastor who tried to rename himself 'Pastor Blaze' during a season of smoking weed, noting that the name did not stick.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:46:44 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor uses the analogy of Texas Roadhouse rolls to describe idleness, suggesting that just as the rolls fill people up with easy food so they lose appetite for real meat, idleness fills people with comfort so they lose appetite for spiritual nourishment.
  • Sermon Illustration 00:59:26 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor references the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold or platinum, to illustrate how God can take broken pieces of a person's life and restore them to a state of greater value and beauty.
  • Sermon Illustration 01:02:35 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor references the biblical narrative of Ruth and Naomi, noting that despite their losses, God restored their protection, provision, and legacy, resulting in the birth of Obed, Jesse, King David, and ultimately Jesus.
  • Sermon Illustration 01:04:09 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor explains the cultural practice of the 'Kinsman Redeemer,' where a financially reputable family member would marry a widowed woman to provide for her and pay off debts, using this as a type and shadow of Jesus paying the debt of sin.
🚀 View 13 Calls to Action
  • Pastoral Charge 00:01:24 ▶️ 📄
    > Gather family and friends to watch the online exclusive presentation of 'Ransom' and attend the Easter service.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:02:34 ▶️ 📄
    > Promise to share the sermon with others to facilitate their transformation.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:13:04 ▶️ 📄
    > Take notes during the sermon and apply the teachings to avoid becoming 'second time single'.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:17:34 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor instructs the congregation to take notes to learn from the story of Ruth and apply those lessons to their own future relationships.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:20:23 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor commands the congregation to write down the affirmation that their current difficult season is not the end of their story.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:21:07 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor leads the congregation in a verbal declaration to 'flip the page' on their past pain and open their hearts to God's future plans.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:30:23 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor commands the congregation to make a conscious decision to trust God and move forward in faith, rather than stopping belief due to hardship.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:35:00 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor explicitly commands those in a 'second time single' situation to prioritize deepening their relationship with God.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:41:12 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor commands the congregation to maintain productivity and work ethic despite feelings of disappointment or loss.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:48:51 ▶️ 📄
    > Write down the point about integrity inviting interest.
  • Pastoral Charge 00:56:02 ▶️ 📄
    > Verbally affirm faith by saying 'forward'.
  • Pastoral Charge 01:01:05 ▶️ 📄
    > Take a picture of the restored vase to symbolize personal relational restoration.
  • Pastoral Charge 01:05:06 ▶️ 📄
    > The pastor urges the congregation to personally experience the restorative power of Jesus Christ.

🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard

Overall Verdict: Fundamentally in Error

CategoryStatusReasoning
Gospel Framework ✅ PASS The sermon exhibits a fundamental departure from Reformed orthodoxy, aligning with the spiritual lethargy and doctrinal compromise characteristic of the church at Sardis. It fails to uphold the exclusive sufficiency of Christ's atoning work, instead promoting a synergistic approach to salvation that undermines the sovereignty of grace.
Soteriology ❌ FAIL The sermon contains a Critical error of Decisional Regeneration, framing salvation as a human decision rather than God's sovereign work.
Bibliology ✅ PASS Scripture is used appropriately for illustration and application, though the soteriological application is flawed.
Hermeneutic ⚠️ WEAK The hermeneutic leans heavily on moralistic application and decisionism, failing to anchor the text in the indicative of grace.
Theology Proper ❌ FAIL The sermon undermines the doctrine of God's sovereignty in salvation by promoting synergistic decisionism.
Sacramentology ✅ PASS No sacramental errors detected; communion was not observed or fenced incorrectly.
Confessional Depth ❌ SHALLOW The sermon lacks depth in explaining the mechanics of salvation, relying instead on emotional appeals and human effort.

⚙️ The Core Gospel Framework ✅ Intact

What is the Gospel Framework? This section audits whether the sermon proclaims the essential foundation of the Gospel: Christ's substitutionary sacrifice, humanity's spiritual need, and salvation by sovereign grace alone.

How this is evaluated:
  • Essential Gospel Pillars: The framework is verified intact when the sermon substantively preaches Christ's atonement, declares human inability (articulated through either Total Depravity or the Law's condemnation), and guards salvation by grace alone against works-righteousness.
  • Historic Confessional Depth: Deeper theological distinctives (such as the Active Obedience of Christ) enrich theological depth when expounded, but their absence in a focused topical or expository message is not an error and does not compromise the Gospel Framework.

🏛️ Essential Gospel Pillars

✅ The Cross & Atonement (Penal Substitution): Articulated

"what sin made a debt and you could not pay i'll pay for it" 01:04:49 ▶️ 📄

❌ Human Inability & Need: Not observed (neither human inability nor divine judgment was contextually proclaimed).

❌ Sola Gratia (Salvation by Grace Alone): Compromised

Soteriological errors detected regarding salvation by grace alone.

📜 Historic Confessional Depth

⚪ Active Obedience of Christ: Not explicitly expounded in this sermon.

Assessed under Confessional Depth diagnostic (SHALLOW). Its absence does not compromise the Gospel Framework.

⚠️ Theological Concerns

🔴 Critical Decisional Regeneration

Root Cause: Decisionism

"I want you to give your life’s to Jesus. And I’m telling you, it’s the greatest decision you’ll ever make." 01:06:01 ▶️ 📄

The Belief/Behavior: The pastor states, 'I want you to give your life to Jesus. And I'm telling you, it's the greatest decision you'll ever make.'

Why It's Dangerous: This phrasing reduces the sovereign, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration to a human decision, shifting the ground of salvation from Christ's finished work to human performance and providing false assurance.

Biblical Correction: Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

✅ Commendations

Pastoral Care | Compassionate Engagement with Pain

The pastor demonstrates genuine empathy for those in 'second time single' seasons, validating their pain and offering hope through the narrative of Ruth.

Illustrative Power | Effective Use of Kintsugi Analogy

The use of the Kintsugi analogy to illustrate God's restoration of brokenness is a powerful and accessible metaphor for the congregation.


📜 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_04]
[00:00:00] what's going on family I am so grateful that you are joining us right here at the place that transforms life how do I know because my life has been transformed and we've been reading the comments and your letters and your emails of how your life is being transformed through this series we are in week four of relationship goals help me in real life and today's message I believe is going to transform people in a way that's going to be significant it won't just be
[00:00:30] another church service, this will mark your life with healing. But before we get into today's message, I want to tell you how to prepare for the greatest season of our church calendar. Easter weekend is coming up. And Transformation Nation, this is a time where we want many of you to come
[00:00:48] and be a part of celebrating our risen Savior right here on Sunday morning, Easter Sunday. We got so much going on as a matter of fact let me tell you about a few things number one we are doing
[00:01:02] for the first time ever a literally online exclusive presentation of ransom and our team has been working so hard to put together this allegory in such an interactive and creative way for you to experience at your home on your big screen on your cell phone and we will be showing
[00:01:24] this online only on Friday, Saturday night and Sunday night. So I want you to gather all your family, all your friends, people who believe in God and people who are far from God, because we
[00:01:36] are about to represent the greatest love story ever told. And then you can get dressed up, come in your sweats and hoodie. It don't matter. We just want you here to come join us on Sunday morning
[00:01:48] as we have a traditional and exciting Easter service Sunday morning right here at Transformation Church. Join us because God is going to move and I believe this will be a Sunday you never forget that the sun is coming. Well, today's message, get your heart ready. Honestly, I'm going to take you
[00:02:08] into a moment that literally happened. God was moving in the building. My heart was stirred.
[00:02:14] I started crying. My team came up to pray for me and I knew I had to do this assignment and God just really started moving. And so I'm going to take you right into that moment so that your
[00:02:25] spirit can be open to receive the word that happens. And I'm telling you right now, if this blesses you at all, I want you to make me a promise that you'll share this with somebody
[00:02:34] so that they can be transformed. I hope you enjoy today's message.
[00:02:37] I don't I don't ever want to present that following God is easy I don't ever want to present to you that doing what God asks you to do will always uh make you feel good I wish that
[00:03:01] would have happened before I got up here it's the fourth time I've cried in 2026 and this only we only three months in huh that's for me that's a world record you needed that cry I did too you
[00:03:21] hear me and ain't nothing wrong but sometimes i told somebody i almost preached the message today called tender-hearted because i felt that one of the greatest um attacks of the enemy is not to take you out is to take your tenderness when you stop caring about people stop caring about things
[00:03:53] and stop caring about how it affects people and uh i never want to become a professional christian or professional pastor i never want to do this automatically i want to stay tender to god's voice
[00:04:07] and um i thank god that those moments can still happen i thank god for his grace somebody else

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:04:19] needed that said it don't always i promise i'm gonna preach yeah the lord will perfect concerning this telling you that sooner or later turning my face turning around yourself give god

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:04:55] a shout of praise nah i said if you believe it for yourself it's turning around look at your neighbor say it's turning around for me come on look at one more person say it's turning around
[00:05:09] turning around it's turning around for me i don't know why tears feel so heavy because you're sewing

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:05:24] they that soul in tears will reap in joy you better quit bro god's gonna give you something to cry about cause they that soul in tears will reap in joy hey somebody ought to just say i got

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:05:40] something to cry about i got something to cry about because they that's so it is will reap in joy i guess it's time to risk it's gonna because they that's so it that's so i got to move i have

[00:06:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:06:50] to get happy on that going for another level of joy another level of peace passion filled by the holy spirit it's turning around he turns my morning yes sir into dancing some of y'all y'all haven't danced in a while and I every tear boy that just changed everything every tear I'm
[00:07:33] sewing for something I'm not wasting a tear in this next season somebody better hear me I'm not wasting a tear it's coming back multiplied and it's coming back with joy that's what I needed today my god i needed that every tear every tear he bottles them all huh every tear joy is coming
[00:08:14] in another level some of y'all been crying so much crying yourself to sleep trying to figure out the next season it's not wasted it's about to do something that could not be done and it's here

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:08:30] it's coming on yeah my family joy in my soul joy life joy in my heart mind joy yes sir

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:08:46] every tear we sow abby every tear all right all right y'all that just made sense of the last season for some of us bryce the tears aren't wasted i'm telling you right now a harvest of joy
[00:09:17] y'all get ready for the best rest of the year it's a harvest of joy no you don't got to receive it but some of us we've been crying too long it's time for a season change we need the joy of the

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:09:32] lord because it will be our strength yes sir all right all right well that frames this whole message

[00:09:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:09:45] sit down i got 40 minutes you want every moment of this message you y'all gotta lead that in the in in the thing lead that in the broadcast because it's gonna make all this make sense
[00:10:02] all right well welcome to transformation church where we believe in god and we let the spirit move and um i felt a burden honestly i wasn't gonna preach today um i talked to charles two
[00:10:18] days ago. I was like, bro, you got a sermon ready? And he always got one locked and loaded.
[00:10:22] And that's my dog. And I told him last night, I was like, I'm 50-50 whether I'm going to preach tomorrow. I said, I'm going to wake up in the morning. And if God's like, no, you got it,
[00:10:33] then I'm going to go. If not, I'm going to be like, you got it. And that's the beauty of having partnership. And I woke up this morning with a burden. And the best messages are not something
[00:10:45] that I planned all week. I'm, I'm, I'm praying, I'm harvesting, I'm writing stuff down. I'll be having 15 different messages ready for y'all on Sunday, but I need God to give specificity on what he wants to say because the right thing at the wrong time is not a blessing. Y'all got what
[00:11:08] I'm saying? But today in this relationship goals in real life, y'all got to help me with the end.
[00:11:15] And this is week four. I think it's week four of relationship goals.
[00:11:19] Help me in real life. We wanted to actually work in your real life.
[00:11:24] And I believe that God wants everybody to win in relationships.
[00:11:29] But I also think as I went to the Holy Spirit about who I was supposed to talk to and what I was supposed to say today, he told me that there was a group that was forgotten in this scope of relationships.
[00:11:42] that today I needed to speak specifically to a group of people who are in this room watching online watching in the correctional facility that have been usually um not um um acknowledged when relationship series happen and and and and a lot of times it's focused on the people who single
[00:12:02] people who marry people who confused but today I want to preach a message for a new group of people that are entering the chat. Write this down. Today's message is for the second time single,
[00:12:19] the second time single. Today, I need to preach to a group of people who are preparing for a promise after pain. Today, I need to talk to the people who need to prepare after pain. And for everybody,
[00:12:37] this is going to apply to you because many times if a message is not directly for you, it's for somebody you're supposed to touch. And a lot of people tune out messages if it doesn't
[00:12:46] apply to their situation, but they don't know what they're about to run into with their children, their coworker, their boss. And God was trying to give you preparation for that thing. He was like, oh, that message is for them. No, no, no, no. It's for you to be a liaison hands and feet of God
[00:12:59] to somebody else. So I need everybody taking notes today and I need you to play your cards right.
[00:13:04] Cause I don't want you to end up second time single. Okay. Let's maybe that was too quick.
[00:13:10] Cause some of you, when you don't adhere to what God is asking you to do in the season, you forfeit your opportunity to make something good, great. I'm going too fast already. Okay, so let me slow down. Today, I have to talk to the people who are looking for what to do
[00:13:26] after the devastation. How do I have life after the divorce, life after the disaster, life after the disappointment, life after the deadbeat, baby daddy? How do I move on with life after the domestic abuse. Life after, watch this, a detour. How many people's life have taken the
[00:13:53] detour you didn't expect? Oh, come on, y'all. You was not expecting to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2026 in a tornado this weekend, asking yourself, Lord, why me? Somebody said, we here though. We hear God. We obeying you, God. There are people in this room and under the sound of my voice that
[00:14:19] don't know what to do with life after this distance that was created by raising a special needs child see i'm talking to people who are in a niche right now special people who raise special needs children the divorce rate is so high because their whole life then goes to being
[00:14:37] concentrated on raising this child that they both feel hopeless and in despair about what do we do after the diagnosis oh god the church don't want to talk about just pray hold on you got to give
[00:14:50] me some practical? How am I about to look and look? They don't want to make love to me no more.
[00:14:56] They don't want to. How do I deal with it after the disaster? I wasn't planning to lose them like that. That wasn't a part of the plan for me and my family. We wrote, we charted out the course.
[00:15:13] How do I live relational life after a destructive decision? Now, nobody wants to talk about it, but one decision could change your whole relational landscape. Oh, y'all don't want it.
[00:15:26] Y'all want to play with me off in here? One decision, one wrong test measure, one forgetful night. Okay, let me stop. I'm in people's business too much right now. What do I do with life after
[00:15:41] discovery? Y'all know what I'm talking about discovery. You were doing things one way. You find out that it's the wrong way. Now you want to do it God's way, but I only know the way that I've
[00:15:52] been doing it people who are deciding to not live in an alternate sexual lifestyle how do how do I do life after I've already been with these type of partners and those type of how do I do life
[00:16:05] after and nobody in the church wants to talk about it but the truth of the matter is what do we do with the life relationally after somebody dies who you gave your life to I pray it don't happen
[00:16:22] to nobody but what happens when you're staring death at the door with the person that you love second time single and the truth of the matter is so many people try to protect themselves when
[00:16:40] they get single again that they never let themselves be open to what God may have for them because I never imagined this I can't deal with it and what that is saying it when you get down
[00:16:53] to the core is there's an area that I will not let God develop in me period I've been hurt too bad God if you want this area of my life you're gonna have to pry it out of my hand and he said
[00:17:04] you want that hard heart keep it because it truly is a decision of what we do after so today if you are second time single if you are dealing with any of the things that i've been talking
[00:17:17] about or you know somebody i believe today is going to encourage you because i believe being single again is not the end it can be preparation for a divine alignment i gotta speak this oil to your soul right now because some of you have been so discarded so
[00:17:34] hurt so frustrated and for all those who not in the relationship take notes because this gonna help you pick right the first time okay today i believe that you can experience by god's grace relational watch this restoration write that down i want relational restoration and some of you
[00:17:55] it doesn't even have to be with a romantic partner it can be relational restoration with a child you have been a a parent without connection to your kids so this applies to you too they've been far away from God y'all have had some breaches that I ain't never and you ain't never and
[00:18:10] you said some words I shouldn't have had you or you couldn't have done this and da da da and there's been a gap and today God's saying I'm believing that by my word there can be relationship
[00:18:21] restoration and somebody just needs to get a glimmer of hope in your mind right now what would it look like for me to actually not be mad at them when I saw them some of y'all
[00:18:33] name it never even thought of that every time you think about them you think about bust them in the face. Triple. Put something in their food. I know you. You watch too many of them Netflix
[00:18:45] documentaries. But what would happen if you saw them and you could actually think the best form?
[00:18:52] That would be restoration. When you wouldn't have to jump over an evil thought to think a good one.
[00:19:00] Okay. Restoration. Have you ever watched a movie and only saw like the first 30 minutes of it?
[00:19:08] or you ever watched a book and only read the first chapter and then somebody that's cool because most of us feel like we're a better writer and director than the people who write and direct movies oh y'all come on right now y'all know he'd be like I know what's gonna happen she
[00:19:24] to kill her and they gonna get together at the end how many people like that when y'all watch stories and movies like first chapter of the book it's cool until somebody who saw the whole thing
[00:19:37] ask you what you thought about it and i'm like so how did you like the book boy how did you like the book you remember that part i mean tell me the part that you remember and and it's one of those
[00:19:51] things that you try to put together the dots you try to connect it because you didn't read past the beginning today i came to tell you how devastating would it be that you stopped living
[00:20:02] after the first chapter of your relational life for those who are second time single or will find themselves in this position your first chapter write this down is not your last chapter a whole story can change in one chapter of a book so some of y'all need to today decide by faith i'm turning
[00:20:23] the page i'm turning the page i know this last season has been despair i know i've hated all men for the last decade the mailman the amazon man i hate them all that was your pain talking though
[00:20:38] could we make a decision today all men aren't bad because you ain't met all men these absolutes all women ain't mean and downgrade and talk they're not because you ain't met all of them but some
[00:20:53] of us have decided that our relational chapter is over because we had a bad beginning and today i want you to tell yourself by faith flip the page come on say it say flip the page what could
[00:21:07] happen this year if you would open up your heart to see what God had for you relationally. God is not finished writing your story. I got to believe this. Either Romans 8, 28 is real or it's not.
[00:21:25] It either is all things, even this first bad chapter or second chapter. Some of y'all on your sixth chapter and it's still bad. Turn the page, turn the page because all things are working together for the good of those who are called and that love him. So today I want to help you
[00:21:45] because there is a relational story that I want to bring your attention to that everybody loves to preach, but they don't have the context to it. Today I'm preaching the story of Ruth and Boaz.
[00:22:02] And most ladies look at Boaz. He paid. The Bible tells us he's a man of good stature.
[00:22:20] the bible tells us that he he shot calling and bawling i don't know how he looked but all the girl like but i think everybody skips the part of this story that is actually the intention of how
[00:22:38] ruth even is discovered by boaz because ruth is second time single did y'all know that ruth is not just somebody looking for a man this is her after devastation after grieving this is her after losing everything she gets paired up with her mother-in-law naomi and you can read
[00:23:08] this in ruth one two three and four i can't go through the whole thing but i'm gonna point out some scriptures for you literally ruth loses everything that made her secure in the first chapter of Ruth. What chapter did she lose it in? This is why you cannot stop believing God
[00:23:31] because the end is going to be better than the beginning. If you posture yourself right after the loss in the first chapter, I'm about to preach this thing. Ruth chapter one, verse one, preparing for a promise after pain in the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine
[00:23:50] came upon the land so a man from Bethlehem and Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab taking his wife and two sons with him the man's name name was Elimelech and his wife
[00:24:04] Naomi their two sons were Mahalon and Gileon I don't know just try when you're reading the Bible just try people be so deep with that I'm KK I'm gonna make his own name still get the point they
[00:24:27] were from Bethlehem in the land of Judea Judea and one and when they reached Moab they settled there verse three then Elimelech died hold on Naomi's husband died was left with her two sons then the two sons followed after their daddy and they died hold on one married a woman named
[00:24:48] Oprah and the other one named a woman named Ruth but about 10 years after their relationship both of them died they left Naomi alone with her two sons of her husband so it's three women that are
[00:25:02] now walking in life second time single now for most of us this is when you would get your cup of wine put on movies eat all the things that bring you comfort and call it after a decade of
[00:25:22] being in relationship this wasn't somebody that was dating somebody this was a decade that ends in devastation. Ruth loses her person, which was her husband. She loses provision because back in that time, if you didn't have a husband, that means that you aren't secure. They literally
[00:25:42] were in the middle of a famine, so she cannot run to the grocery store and get food. She loses her place. She ends up having to move cities to be able to follow with Naomi, and she loses her
[00:25:53] protection from being in a relationship. She loses all of this in chapter one. I said, Mike, why are you why are you saying this because some of y'all have finished reading and it's only chapter one
[00:26:09] you stop believing and it's only chapter one y'all yes your relationship has sucked for 17 years but what if what if this was the backdrop to the greatest relational comeback in history it's only chapter one and Ruth is about to show all of us what to do when we find ourselves in chapter one
[00:26:39] drop down to verse nine this is her mother-in-law Naomi decide you know what I'm in a foreign land I got to go back home where I know stuff I'm leaving y'all babies y'all stay here hopefully
[00:26:52] you find a new man but I got to go home and this is what happened verse nine may the Lord bless y'all with security of another marriage because I got to get up out of here then she kissed him
[00:27:01] goodbye this was she kissed orpah and ruth goodbye and they all broke down crying no they said we want to go with you to your people but naomi replied why should you go with me can i still
[00:27:13] give birth give you other son i can't do nothing for you girl go find you a man this this is the interpretation she's saying go do it verse 16 but ruth replied don't ask me to leave you
[00:27:26] and turn back. I got to go forward. I cannot go back. Yes, I lost everything, but I'm not about to stay here and die with it. I got to go forward. Wherever you go, watch this. I will go wherever
[00:27:43] you live. I will live. Your people will be my people and watch the strongest statement and your God will be my God. Now I want you to understand a point that I didn't write down, but the Holy
[00:28:00] Spirit just dropped it on me. When you literally are coming out of devastation, you just might need somebody to hold on to. She literally didn't say, I'm going to make this plan. She said, whatever
[00:28:14] you do, I'm a do. I think there was a prophet ludicrous. He said, when I move, you move just like some of y'all studied with me. What I'm saying to you is sometimes you don't have the
[00:28:30] strength to make it up you just need to follow or mimic somebody you pray i'm gonna pray i don't know what to say what you're saying i'm gonna say what you're saying this is why it's important to
[00:28:41] be around the right people because sometimes you don't have the words you don't have the practices the best way to get in shape is go work out with somebody in shape why because i don't know what this movie is the reason i got a trainer is because i need to know
[00:29:00] what does this do? Y'all hear what I'm saying? And I don't even got to know the name. I don't got to know what muscle it works. I don't have to know how this applies. If I watch you, somehow
[00:29:16] my form changes. Somehow my desire changes. And some of you have been going in life after devastation by yourself. And today I want you to grab onto somebody who at least has some practices.
[00:29:36] We're going to see in a moment, Naomi ain't out of the woods. Naomi still got her issues. That's why around here we believe in progression, not perfection. But you might want to find somebody with some practices, some principles. You cuss your kids out, find somebody how they discipline
[00:29:49] their kids without cussing their kids out. Johnny, stop it or I'll take your stuff. I'm saying you might have to watch this mimic before you see a miracle. Okay. So I just need to give you a few
[00:30:10] steps to do after you find yourself in second time single okay this is going to help everybody number one make a decision based in faith or let me say it like this make a faith decision
[00:30:23] the reason why most people never come out of the season that they're in when they're in the second time single is they stop believing God because if God was good this would have never happened
[00:30:35] oh can we talk about it if God was good this would have never happened I would have found out about this before. He'd been a player for this long. She'd been creeping this long. Why would I lose
[00:30:46] them like that? Why would he even let us get married if he was going to be tragically taken like that? Why could we, why, why, why, why, why, why? And what ends up happening is in the
[00:30:55] wise of this fallen world, the whole tactic of the enemy is for us to lose our faith.
[00:31:01] But I want you to see very distinctly that when something bad happened, Ruth had to anchor her faith immediately. She had to make a decision of faith right now. The easiest thing would have been
[00:31:13] for her to stay where she was at but she chose faith over familiarity she chose purpose over the past she chose a covenant over comfort and she chose forward over fear how do we know that
[00:31:26] she goes with Naomi to a place she ain't got no connections in she literally is like Abraham when God says go to the land I will show you the only way you go to somewhere and don't know where you
[00:31:39] going is by faith. Somebody say by faith. For you to get in the place you need to be relationally, God may ask you to go to unfamiliar places like counseling. Okay. Some of y'all might have to show
[00:31:54] up in unfamiliar places like therapy. You might have to show up in unfamiliar places like the doctor's office. Why are y'all so scared to go to the doctor? You're praying that what's real can't be healed in a different way. And I know, and I'm especially talking to black people. What?
[00:32:13] is wrong with you y'all thought i've been hurting for 16 years and you and i plead the blood over you better go get your blood checked no i'm there's cures for stuff did y'all hear what i'm
[00:32:35] saying i'm just i'm literally telling you right now it might take a step off and some of y'all safe decisions it's not clear i was devastated because that's what happened but you still the bible says the just shall live by that's even when it sucks even when it's unfair
[00:32:57] even when it doesn't feel like this should have happened i still have to you don't get a pass on using faith just because you're in a hard season i'm i'm telling you from what i know some people
[00:33:11] be like god time out time out time out time out and god's like that i'm sorry but it don't work like that i'll comfort you i'll encourage you i'll be there with you i even told you in this world
[00:33:30] you will have trouble but take heart because i've overcome the world and everybody be like but god can i get a 20 24 month break come on can anybody be with me has anybody asked god for a 24 month
[00:33:44] break bills paid losing weight no workout can i can i just have good you say you wanted good hair growing good but faith without oh y'all know the bible faith without works is dead and so
[00:34:06] i found out that ruth did something that all of us have to do when we're second time single we have to make a faith decision and and and i want to just say this for those who desire to be in a
[00:34:18] relationship again in real life your next relationship should come after your next level with god if your relationship with him didn't grow i it you may not have used the season that god has you in in the best way that you could and that's what proverbs 3 5 and 6 says trust in the
[00:34:37] lord with all your heart lean not to your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and what is he going to do direct your path he's saying would you just please level up with me
[00:34:48] and and roof shows us you know what i'm gonna trust the god that this woman's got i'm gonna know God better. So if you find yourself in a second time, single situation, make a faith
[00:35:00] decision to know God better. Second thing I need you to do. If you're in second time, single situation, identify the loss, but don't accept the label. See, this is not just happening to Ruth.
[00:35:15] That's also happened to Naomi. She lost her husband first. And I want to go to Ruth chapter one, verse 20, because Ruth was in her first chapter, but so was Naomi. And this book of the
[00:35:28] Bible is not called Naomi. And I think this might be a little bit of reason why it's not called Naomi. It's because of Naomi's stance when she became second time single was not necessarily the stance of faith. Watch it. She said, don't call me Naomi and I'm out. Instead,
[00:35:50] after all that's happened to me call me Mara for the almighty has made my life bitter very bitter for me I went away full but the Lord has brought me home empty why call me Naomi
[00:36:09] when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the almighty has sent such tragedy upon me I can't even be mad at her situation. I want to be, I want to be clear with you. She has every right to feel
[00:36:28] what she feels, but she blamed God for what he was trying to use, not as something that happened to her. He uses the things because we're in this fallen world that happened to us as places where
[00:36:47] he can get glory, redemption and transformation out of your life. But she decided to label the season instead of just identify with the pain she was feeling. Let me say it to you like this.
[00:37:00] It's okay to identify with the grief, but don't let it become your identity. This hurts. This sucks. I don't want to be here. Why would this happen? But she named herself bitter. Don't call mean nothing else but bitter and you might have not named yourself bitter but I want you to know
[00:37:25] that all of us have named ourselves something there's something that we have started calling ourself that nobody else knows that we call ourself but we try to rename ours no I'm just I'm just I'm just shy but God's called you to do things on a big scale how can you why would you
[00:37:45] claim that title well I'm just not a people person hold on but he called you to people you you you could say like i'm getting more comfortable you don't have to identify what what you don't have to disassociate with what's happening i'm getting more comfortable
[00:38:01] talking to people but i'm not a people person that's a label and what i'm asking you church is what label have you accepted even tried to convince other people to call you i don't know about you but when you were young if you don't like your name you'd be trying to
[00:38:18] make up new names? Y'all, anybody ever make up a new name for themselves? And did it stick? Did it not? You know, we have a pastor, an associate campus pastor here that tried to rename himself
[00:38:30] Blaze. Pastor Blaze, would you stand up? Pastor Will Heckenbach at one season of his life was trying to get people to call him Blaze based on how much weed he was smoking. He wanted that season
[00:38:54] to identify him forever, Pastor Blaze. Thank God it didn't stick. No, no, no. But what I'm saying is, I'm using that as a light joke, but I'm just saying like, some of y'all have identified as
[00:39:10] lonely, identified as angry. Be angry, but don't accept the label. And because Naomi accepted the label of bitter, I bet it worked against what God was trying to give her in her life. Some of y'all
[00:39:28] have just accepted, well, I'm just a mean person. What? No, no, no, no, no, no. You're hurting and hurt people, hurt people. And you've been ignoring and fighting counseling and therapy and accountability and transformation. But please don't own the label because that's not who God
[00:39:56] created you to be. Does everybody hear what I'm saying? And I need you. I don't got time, but if i sat down with you we could identify either a known label or one that you've accepted
[00:40:06] that only you know that you need to divorce yourself from but i love god because even when naomi decided that she was gonna be bitter god still saw her better do you know that the name
[00:40:24] mara the only time it's recorded in this is when she said it every place after that you can read chapter one two three four they never call her mara again it's almost like a girl shut up naomi
[00:40:39] like she was like i'm mara but girl be quiet naomi and so naomi and roof and naomi and roof and they he was calling her who she was until it started to change who she was and some of y'all need to
[00:40:55] say i'm blessed i'm happy i'm secure i'm faithful until it starts to line up with the identity that God has given you. Name yourself, whatever you want. God's not acknowledging it. Okay.
[00:41:12] That's the grace of God. All right, let's keep going. Third thing. If you find yourself second time, single, don't let disappointment steal your diligence. If you find yourself in a, in a second time, single situation, a lot of times this is where people, um, their pro
[00:41:34] productivity goes down because they think somehow that their calling and their purpose is now forfeited because they don't have that person. And I know it's quiet in here, but I got to talk to a lot of people that this never gets talked about. And so church people
[00:41:53] don't even know how to deal with this. Like, let me just pray for you. Lord bless them. Thanks.
[00:42:01] But the truth of the matter is I needed you to tell me how can I still be diligent when my heart is hurting? How do I still encourage somebody else when I don't feel encouraged? Come on,
[00:42:12] let's get practical. How do I actually wake up and command my day in joy? And I actually feel like everything is stolen from me. Ruth chapter two, verse two, it says, one day Ruth, the Moabite
[00:42:28] said to Naomi, let me go out into the harvest field to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it Naomi replied all right girl go ahead my daughter
[00:42:41] go ahead so Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters and it so happened she found herself working in a field that belonged to that the relative of her father-in-law a limelight what I'm saying is your relationship is not on the other side of just disappointment
[00:43:07] it's on the other side of diligence what has God placed in your hands to still work even though you're in a season where it feels like I shouldn't have to do this and God is
[00:43:22] requiring all of us watch this to choose productivity not pity okay I know it's a hard word. I know she practiced a worth ethic, worth ethic, responsibility, and self-respect. Watch this. Her healing strategy was productivity, not pity. It was part of her healing to actually pick
[00:43:46] up what she had in front of her and do everything she could with it. Now I know this takes the power of the Holy Spirit because some of us, when we get sad, all we want to do is sleep. Can I get an
[00:43:59] Amen. Sometimes when we get disappointed, all we want to do is go into our little cave and quit.
[00:44:07] And God's saying, hey, that's not the strategy that you need to do.
[00:44:12] If you're deciding to get redemption in your relationships, if you want redeemed relationships, what could you be doing right now to stay productive?
[00:44:23] The productivity made her meet her person. Some of y'all ain't going to meet your person.
[00:44:31] Cause you don't do nothing productive. Oh God. One clap. Everybody's single. So I'm just telling you, I'm it's a little, it's a little, it's a little right. Cause y'all tight. What I'm saying is some of you are never, you're not, God's literally preparing the meetups, the connections,
[00:44:57] the actual, the actual being able to see each other in places that you can't be without.
[00:45:04] productivity. Check back with me in 10 years. Where you been? At the house. Why you be at the house? Because that's where I feel safe. That's my cocoon. That's my wound. That's where God is
[00:45:25] making me. I feel that. And where did the purpose take you? Some of y'all won't come to church.
[00:45:37] It's just too many people, but you want to be with somebody. Just write it down as a point.
[00:45:51] A second time, single strategy is productivity, not pity. Proverbs 31, seven. This is scripture that wrecked me for a lot of years of my life. And I want you to take it down because this is
[00:46:04] for men and women. She does not eat the bread of idleness. A woman that, that, and a man that is productive, they don't eat the bread of idleness. You ever been to Texas row house?
[00:46:21] now now i don't even know what their main thing is that they serve what what is it state what no no it's supposed to be state because there's like some horns or something but what texas
[00:46:44] roadhouse is known for what is it them rolls now i want you to go with me just for one second on the idea of idleness being those roles. They want you so full on what is easy to obtain
[00:47:04] that you have no appetite for real meat, real nourishment. Idleness makes you think that somehow this is the better life, man. I ain't doing nothing, bro. Like I getting this social security check. I'm getting this. Did my family help? No, I'm in your business. I don't
[00:47:24] do nothing. You live at this limit that doesn't trust God. No, just as long as this investment come on, I got six people and it makes you idle and your idleness becomes an idol. Being unbothered
[00:47:42] and comfortable is more important than my commitment to God. And it says, idleness shouldn't be the bread we eat. He says, I need you to be productive because I called you here for a purpose.
[00:47:56] and if you find yourself second time single this is where Ruth wins because she says I'm devastated but I'm still gonna do what God's called me to do her healing was in productivity not pity
[00:48:13] and then guess what she did if you find yourself a second time single I only got two more keep your character I don't know what happens when some people get single again they just while out it's like well i guess i guess we're gonna try every flavor come on read between the
[00:48:35] lines i guess i'm not gonna have any standards or i'm gonna make so many standards that nobody will ever be able to hurt me again come on you either on one side of the and the thing about
[00:48:51] ruth and she kept her character write this down integrity invites interest oh that was good and Y'all didn't even catch it. When you live in integrity, people are interested in you.
[00:49:06] Dang, they always do what they say. Dang, they always look like that. They always have that attitude. This is what attracted Boaz. Boaz could have had anybody in that society. The theologians say it's a miracle that he's even single. But Ruth chapter 2 verse 11 says, yes, I know Boaz
[00:49:32] replied he's talking to uh Ruth but I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband I have heard how you have left your father and mother and your own
[00:49:45] land to live here among complete stranger what he was saying is your reputation precedes you if your reputation precedes you does it speak well of you if you find yourself in a second times single situation. What is your reputation? Keep your character. This is not a season to
[00:50:11] while out and forget the principles of God. It's a season to dig deeper in, to find out your self worth, to know what God has called you to, to stand on business. Even when nobody's looking,
[00:50:22] that's what integrity is. And she demonstrates integrity, loyal, humility, kindness, respect, because character watch this authenticates compatibility how do you know if you're equally yoked with somebody it shouldn't be by how fine they are it has to be by character
[00:50:45] and a lot of people are disappointed 15 years into a relationship because stuff starts falling gravity starts taking effect people start changing and aging because you married them for what they look like on the outside and not what they look like on the inside. Character is the thing that
[00:51:09] authenticates compatibility. I'm with you because we match on a level that is, this is how we're going to act. This is how we tell the truth. This is how we prioritize God. This is how we laugh at
[00:51:25] stuff. We don't laugh at stuff like that because that's evil. Chapter three, verse one. This is where we end. One day, Naomi said to Ruth, my daughter, it's time that we find you a permanent
[00:51:41] home. You got to get up out of here. This is what it said. Y'all ain't reading it? Okay.
[00:51:46] So that you will be for real provided for because you got to stop eating at my table.
[00:51:50] Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he's been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight, he will be winnowing barely, gathering grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you.
[00:52:10] Now this is very spiritual and very practical. Listen up. Take a bath. Put on some perfume and a dress. Put on your nicest clothes. Brush your teeth. Then go to the threshing floor.
[00:52:36] But don't let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking.
[00:52:40] be sure to notice where he lies down then go and uncover his feet and just lie down there with him he'll tell you what to do woman of god hey woman of god but look at ruth's response i'll do
[00:53:00] everything you say amen and amen no i'm just here here this this is the point this was wise counsel huh i think there's there's a message there for for all of us there there is i want
[00:53:19] to say it in a point change your wardrobe while you're waiting the reason why she was telling Ruth to change her clothes is because customarily when you become a widow you stay in your widowed
[00:53:33] clothes you want something greater than this change your clothes you you want to come out of this stop telling everybody you are that just by the way you present yourself you don't want to be
[00:53:49] a thug no more brother buy some pants that fit come on let's just be you you don't you don't want to be thought as a thought put on something that put on something that's like change the
[00:54:07] wardrobe to where you believe by faith you're going and i believe this is a physical sign but it also is a spiritual sign you don't want to talk certain ways stop listening to certain stuff
[00:54:20] you don't want to see certain things play out in your life stop watching those things and let that be the visual image you have put the wardrobe on for where you're going somebody needs to hear me say that by faith put the wardrobe on for where you believe it take a
[00:54:39] bath if I tell you that if I send you Elmo rub-a-dub-dub and I'm saying you're going somewhere take a bath watch this she had to prepare by faith for what she was believing for that's Mike why are
[00:54:58] you saying this because there are a lot of people in here who are paralyzed stuck confused frustrated because you found yourself in a season where it's like, dang, I don't want to be hurt like that
[00:55:12] again. I wasn't expecting for this to happen, but what do I do? I was in a real good relationship with that person and we almost got to being married and something got broke off or I thought
[00:55:25] they were the one or you don't have to have been married before. I'm just saying, if you find yourself out of relationship with someone and now you're in this disconnected season again, maybe it's not a punishment maybe it's a season for you to connect to god deeper
[00:55:44] and prepare some of you need to trade in the frustration of the last season for the faith of the future god has more for you somebody say forward say it like you got faith somebody say
[00:56:02] forward and ladies while you're waiting on your bow ass i heard an old preacher say it like this don't settle for any of his relatives y'all know what i'm talking about his broke ass Po ass. You know what I'm saying. Don't settle for them.
[00:56:34] Cheap ass. Don't settle. Make sure he respects your ass. Ass. A-Z. Respect. A-Z. I just had to bring it up. I had to bring it up. Because some of y'all, you wouldn't pick him for your enemy.
[00:57:00] You wouldn't pick him for your children. You wouldn't pick him for your daughter, but you entertain it. Bitterness will make you settle. I'm done. This is your life.
[00:57:23] right here. And what happens in our lives is sometimes things happen. Oh, you valuable, priceless, made, crafted, designed, beautiful life, hurt, pain, frustration, broken homes, abuse, molestation. What happens when life hits very fragile people? What happens
[00:58:15] when they get just that quick and what happens when there's still a remnant that you try to show people the most complete side of you so maybe they won't see maybe they won't see the hole in my soul maybe i present this on instagram and facebook and maybe i show everybody
[00:58:45] that no no no we're pretty much good until something else happens and now we're left with fragments and this is where we say what can God do with somebody like me I only come to church
[00:59:04] to gather the pieces I only pray to try to just get them so they don't hurt nobody else but I don't know if anything good can be done with all my pieces I'm a mess I'm hurting but I found out
[00:59:26] about this ancient japanese art it's the art that takes broken pieces king suji i believe is what it's called and it would take a vase like this and what they would do is they would take all of
[00:59:47] the broken pieces and put it back together with gold or platinum could you put a picture up of this vase that has now been put into a master's hand i want you to look at what restoration
[01:00:05] could potentially look this is now sold for over 10 times the value of what the broken usually discarded by faith i believe this is the season you're coming into relationally that joel 225 will be real over your life i will restore everything that the locust has tried to
[01:00:35] steal by faith i need somebody to believe it you're coming into a season of more value you're coming into a season that the last season will not define. I'm going to turn the page and keep
[01:00:46] reading. I'm going to see everything. I want you to notice that this same vase is now put behind glass. It's protected and put on display. I pray that this next season for you, relationally, God
[01:01:05] puts you in a place where he increases your value. He protects you and he puts you on display for his glory standing all over this place take a picture because this is you relational restoration why because God will write a love story after divorce after disaster
[01:01:34] after disappointment after a deadbeat after domestic abuse after deception after a detour after distance god is the one who still writes love stories after loss everybody listen to what i'm saying after loss he still writes love stories somebody's gonna hope again somebody's gonna
[01:01:59] believe again some of y'all who've been keeping her you you've been keeping her your girlfriend for 20 years man of god the time has come pastor mike why is this important everybody you're gonna miss the best part of the message stay right here for one minute gets remembered as she has a son
[01:02:35] because God restores everything not just to Ruth but to Naomi too through Ruth everything they thought they lost protection provision legacy they get it all back Ruth and Boaz get together they have a son her son's name is Obed Obed has a son named Jesse Jesse has a son named David
[01:03:10] King David and David is in the line of Jesus if Ruth doesn't take this posture of faith in being second time single it affects our savior could you be delaying their destiny based on your willingness or unwillingness to go into this next season by faith.
[01:03:46] They called Boaz the Kingsman Redeemer. And back in this day, if you study the actual culture, if somebody was widowed or lost their husband, you would find the most financially reputable person in your family line. And they were to marry so that they could at least be
[01:04:09] provided for what ended up happening is Naomi was relatives of Boaz but by Ruth following Naomi they get in connection and he becomes their king's men redeemer what they couldn't provide for themselves he provided what they had made debt and they couldn't pay he provided this is
[01:04:34] a type and shadow of our jesus our lord and our savior who then comes as a type of boaz to say what you can't provide for yourself i'll provide for you what sin made a debt and you could not
[01:04:49] pay i'll pay for it and today you might be in this room and you're saying i need a king's men redeemer that song i believe my redeemer lives today you need to experience the restorer and
[01:05:06] the Redeemer. If that's you under the sound of my voice, I feel something very powerful happen.
[01:05:12] I'm going to pray for two groups of people. I'm going to pray for somebody, number one, that wants to receive Jesus as your Redeemer. It's the greatest decision I've ever made. I don't care where you've been, how much money you've made, what you're planning on doing after this. The
[01:05:25] greatest decision you can make right now is to give your life to Jesus Christ. It took me from being a liar, a manipulator, addicted to pornography, somebody who was so dark in my heart, And it didn't make me perfect, but it made me progressing.
[01:05:39] And I'm on a path right now that I'll never get off of until I meet him face to face.
[01:05:44] But I'm telling you, it has given me so much peace, understanding, revelation, and it's changed my family line because I surrendered to Jesus.
[01:05:54] Today, you have an opportunity to be in right relationship in real life.
[01:05:59] And I want to pray for you.
[01:06:01] If that's you on the count of three in this room, watching online on the Pando app, wherever you're at right now, somebody sent you this today. I want you to give your life to Jesus. And I'm telling you,
[01:06:13] it's the greatest decision you'll ever make. One, you're making the greatest decision of your life church. I need you to pray because somebody's eternity is in the balance right now to your name is going to be written in the lamb's book of life for all eternity. And you're going to get to
[01:06:27] spend forever with Jesus. Three, if you want to make Jesus Christ, your personal Lord and savior, why don't you lift your hand right now i see you i see you i see you i see you ma'am i see you
[01:06:38] brother come on i see and more than that god sees you can we thank god if you're watching online come on put it in the chat glory to god you know why this is so important because the bible says
[01:06:50] all of heaven rejoices over one person one and i saw several hands in here and i know there's more online for the benefit of those coming to jesus today because we're all a family nobody prays
[01:07:02] alone. Can we pray this prayer together? Say, God, thank you for sending Jesus as my redeemer.
[01:07:10] Today, I believe he lived, he died, and he rose again with all power just for me. Here's my life.
[01:07:22] Change me. Renew me. Transform me. I'm yours. I repent from the old and I move forward into the new. I'm yours forever. In Jesus name. Amen. Can we celebrate all over transformation?
[01:07:42] Oh, y'all can do better than that. Can we celebrate? Welcome to the family. If you just decided for Jesus, would you do me a favor? Take out your phone real quick and text save to 828282.
[01:07:57] We want to send you some resources and we want to help walk with you. There's another group of people in here whose hearts still look like what shattered on this ground and i don't want you to
[01:08:08] leave here without prayer as the altar team comes and i know some people have to leave but there's some other people that need surgery today and if you're online i want you to receive this moment
[01:08:20] the worship team is going to sing people are going to exit if you need to get your kids and then there's other others of us that got to stay in this for a second because we don't want to
[01:08:30] repeat another week, another month, another year, walking with this same level of brokenness. We want God to put us back together again. I hear that song that says, Lord, make me over. Lord, make me over. This can be your prayer. Say, make me over again. He's putting the pieces back
[01:09:05] together. If you need prayer for broken pieces, just sing that and just come to the altar. Say, Lord. Today, I want to let you know that our God, the potter, wants to put his hands back on
[01:09:20] your life and put you back together. If you have broken pieces, he wants to now put purity and peace and love and joy and put you back together and make you more valuable than you've ever been
[01:09:34] before. Our God is the God of restoration. I believe that this marks a moment in your life that you will no longer go back and label yourself through the situation you've been in.
[01:09:48] God, if you are second time single, is going to restore everything that the enemy thought he took from you. I hope you were blessed today. And if you gave your life to Jesus, us, please text saved to 828282. We want to send you some information, celebrate with you, walk
[01:10:05] with you. And for many of you that are watching this, don't let the work stop here. Even in our service for almost another hour, people begin to worship. They're probably still out there right now because this is what I'm saying. God wants to do heart surgery and we need to say law, pause,
[01:10:21] stop, let him do the work so that we can really be healed in real life. I love you so much Transformation Church next week. Get ready. We got another one and it's just like the other one
[01:10:32] and it's going to cause transformation to happen in your life. I'm asking you for two things. Number one, if this message blessed you at all, would you please share it with somebody? Transformation starts with an invitation and you know somebody that I don't and your sending of this message
[01:10:47] through text message or email or just talking about it will invite them into transformation that nobody else can get to them except you.
[01:10:56] So go ahead and send this, post about it and let somebody else know.
[01:10:59] Number two, if this ministry is a resource to you and blesses you, would you please pray about giving?
[01:11:04] And whatever amount that God says for you to give, send that in.
[01:11:08] You could do it through text.
[01:11:09] You can do it through any means that you think is available to you.
[01:11:14] And I just wanna let you know, it's gonna help us reach more people.
[01:11:17] I can't wait to tell you the testimonies and the stories of people's lives who are being transformed.
[01:11:21] and it's because of people like you who are a part of this big vision.
[01:11:25] We trust that God is blessing you.
[01:11:27] We trust that he's healing you and we trust that this is just the beginning of the best days of your life.
[01:11:33] Until next week, go out and live a transformed life.
[01:11:36] God bless you.