The Danger of a Different Gospel: When Positivity Replaces Piety

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:00] You know, the Lord spoke to me about the Third Great Awakening, but the way that He presented it, look what happened at the First Great Awakening, then the Second Great Awakening.
[00:00:09] Why would we ever think it will be any less during the Third Great Awakening?
[00:00:14] Man, we need to increase our vision, and as He was quoting, you can't see it on the outside until you've seen it on the inside.
[00:00:24] And I tell you, we are in a supernatural move of God.
[00:00:27] You know, it's amazing, I think it was Abraham Lincoln, or I forget who it was, but somebody said there's like three groups of people.
[00:00:34] People who say, what's happening, and I forgot, anybody remember that quote?
[00:00:40] Some people look and say, anyway, I messed it up.
[00:00:47] But most people just don't recognize what's going on until after it's over.
[00:00:52] You know, we had David Barton on my television program, and we talked about the Great Awakening.
[00:00:57] And he said that really, people that were in the Great Awakenings didn't realize it until 10 or 20 years later, and they looked back.
[00:01:07] And even though that may be somewhat true this time, if you could catch the vision and increase what you're believing for, I guarantee you, you're going to see an increase of the outpouring of God.
[00:01:22] And so, man, that really ministered to me.
[00:01:25] This is powerful, what God is doing.
[00:01:27] It is powerful.
[00:01:30] I don't believe that anybody would have believed just a few years ago that we would have seen things turn around as quickly as we have.
[00:01:37] You know, it was the University of Pennsylvania, I think, that obliterated all of Leah Thomas' records and took them out and gave the women back their records, and they are now doing that, and they are putting pressure on the NCAA to take away all of the titles that Leah Thomas has got.
[00:01:56] I mean, once again, I don't believe that anybody would have believed that.
[00:01:57] Once things start going that way, I've even said this, that once the liberals gain ground, it seems like we never get it back.
[00:02:04] But we are seeing things turn around.
[00:02:05] There is evidence of a great awakening.
[00:02:09] And I'm aware that there are some of you here that are from other nations.
[00:02:13] You know, out here, there were some people that asked me to sign their book, and as I was signing their book, they looked at my watch, and they said, is that a Trump watch?
[00:02:23] And it is.
[00:02:23] It is.
[00:02:27] Trump signed it on the back as his etching of him, fight, fight, fight.
[00:02:34] It's number 209 out of 500.
[00:02:37] I'm proud to have a Trump watch.
[00:02:39] And anyway, those Canadians said, you know, Trump's not real popular here.
[00:02:47] And I can understand that, you know, he's arrogant in a lot of ways.
[00:02:52] There's things about him, but man, God is using him.
[00:02:55] Look at Cyrus.
[00:02:56] In the Old Testament, Isaiah chapter 45, and God said, I'm using you though you know me not.
[00:03:03] And he's the one that sent the declaration for the Jews to return to the land.
[00:03:08] God's never had anybody qualified working for him yet.
[00:03:12] And did you know, I don't think that there is a single religious figure.
[00:03:18] You know, when Trump ran for election the very first time, I think we had the most godly primary, Republican primary ever.
[00:03:26] And you know what?
[00:03:26] David Barton, who is on our board of directors for Truth and Liberty, and is just one of the greatest leaders here in the United States.
[00:03:34] He actually wrote the Republican, what do you call it, platform.
[00:03:39] And it was the most godly platform in the history of this nation back in 2016.
[00:03:45] And so we had Governor Huckabee, who has spoken right here, an outspoken Christian.
[00:03:52] We had Ted Cruz.
[00:03:53] I got to pray with Ted Cruz as he was running.
[00:03:56] And we had Ben Carson, who has spoken on this stage before.
[00:04:00] And we had all of these great Christians.
[00:04:02] But there isn't a one of them that would have stood against the attacks that was against themselves.
[00:04:08] And there's not a one of them that would have stood the way that Trump has stood.
[00:04:12] And so you can sit there and dislike a lot of things about him.
[00:04:16] He was using a lot of profanity recently.
[00:04:19] And it just grieves me.
[00:04:21] You know, I don't think that that's the way it's supposed to be.
[00:04:23] I was at a thing with Eric Trump.
[00:04:26] Last week, last Saturday.
[00:04:28] And he just used a lot of profanity.
[00:04:31] And I don't think that's right.
[00:04:33] I don't care for it.
[00:04:34] But you look at what they're doing.
[00:04:36] And I don't believe that there has ever been a president of the United States that has stood against the ungodliness.
[00:04:44] That has come in with, I mean, again, this is subjective.
[00:04:48] This is my opinion.
[00:04:50] But if Kamala Harris would have won the election, I don't think that America would have survived.
[00:04:54] I really don't.
[00:04:56] It would have either been overcome from the outside by the evil forces that were coming against us because they were gaining tremendously.
[00:05:03] Or it would have been destroyed from the inside through the corruption and the pollution.
[00:05:09] Abraham Lincoln said, and again, this isn't an exact quote.
[00:05:12] I wished I was like Richard that could put up all of these things.
[00:05:16] I can't do that.
[00:05:17] If it's in the Bible, I can quote it.
[00:05:18] But if it's outside, I just read it and then I kind of remember it.
[00:05:22] But I don't memorize stuff outside the Bible.
[00:05:25] But anyway.
[00:05:26] Abraham Lincoln said something like, all of the combined forces of the world could not take a drink from the Ohio River.
[00:05:35] He says, if America ever dies, it has to die by suicide.
[00:05:41] Nobody could ever overcome us if we are standing on the principles that God gave us at the founding of this nation.
[00:05:50] And we were losing our foundations.
[00:05:53] You know, let me use this verse.
[00:05:56] Or if you just put it up on the screen, it's Psalms chapter 11, verse 3.
[00:06:02] In Psalms chapter 11, if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
[00:06:09] And of course, this has applications in all kinds of spheres.
[00:06:13] But in this nation, this nation, as Richard was expressing, it was founded by godly people.
[00:06:21] And did you know people criticize that and say, oh, no.
[00:06:24] And I've heard them say that.
[00:06:25] Did you know?
[00:06:26] George Washington, Thomas Jefferson were slave owners.
[00:06:29] There's no way that you could sit there and say that they were founded by godly men because they owned slaves.
[00:06:35] Did you know that George Washington, at 10 years old, was given a slave?
[00:06:41] He was raised under this.
[00:06:43] And there was actually one, I can't remember if it was a senator or a representative, that said that America invented slavery.
[00:06:52] That is one of the dumbest statements in the history of the world.
[00:06:56] And did you know, and there's people that may disagree with this, again, I'm not the expert on this, but I've heard David Barton and Bill Federer verify this and go back into history, that the majority of slaves in the history of the world have not been black.
[00:07:13] They've been white.
[00:07:13] There's been more whites enslaved.
[00:07:15] Slavery is not a color of your skin issue.
[00:07:18] It's a demonic, it's a devil thing.
[00:07:21] And it existed.
[00:07:22] You can go back to the Bible.
[00:07:24] The Jews were all slaves.
[00:07:26] In Egypt.
[00:07:27] And they weren't black.
[00:07:29] Did you know that they used to have raids on England and they took hundreds and thousands of British people as slaves?
[00:07:38] Slavery has been going on from the beginning of time.
[00:07:42] Did you know that George Washington and George Mason in 1760 petitioned King George III to end slavery in the United States?
[00:07:56] They petitioned, but they were a colony.
[00:07:58] And guess who was the dominant, the controlling owner of the slave trade in the world?
[00:08:07] King George III.
[00:08:08] He owned the biggest portion of that.
[00:08:12] And he would not allow the colonies to get rid of slavery.
[00:08:17] And so George Washington and George Mason, over 10 years before the American Revolution, tried to end slavery.
[00:08:25] Did you know that?
[00:08:26] Did you know that there were blacks elected as the mayor, and I forget the exact city, do you know this, Richard, but it was either Baltimore or someplace before the American Revolution, they had black people elected to offices.
[00:08:40] Did you know that when the Declaration of Independence was signed, I've got this someplace, I read this today, this was a message from Bill Federer.
[00:08:52] Let me just read this to you.
[00:08:54] It says, this is talking to you.
[00:08:55] It says, this is talking to you.
[00:08:56] It says, this is talking to you.
[00:08:56] It's talking about the Declaration of Independence.
[00:08:58] It says, 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson's original draft of the Declaration also contained a line condemning slavery as the King of England was part owner of the Royal African Company.
[00:09:13] He waged, and here's what it says in the original draft of the Declaration of Independence, talking about King George.
[00:09:21] And it was listing the grievances.
[00:09:23] It says when, you know, it becomes necessary.
[00:09:25] It's not necessary for one political group to unplug from another one.
[00:09:29] We've got to give the reasons for it, and it gave all kinds of reasons, and this was the longest reason that they gave as a grievance against King George.
[00:09:39] It says, he has waged cruel war against human nature itself in the persons of a distinct people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death.
[00:09:55] And they're transportation hither, suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this excurable commerce, determining to keep open a market where man should be bought and sold.
[00:10:11] That was in the original Declaration of Independence.
[00:10:14] But did you know that Concord and Lexicon happened 14 months before the Declaration of Independence was signed?
[00:10:23] The war had already started.
[00:10:25] They had already had the.
[00:10:25] Okay.
[00:10:25] Yeah.
[00:10:25] had people killed at Lexington and Concord. And it says right here, unfortunately, a few delegates from the Southern states objected to this line since everyone was in a panic as the British were invading New York at the time they signed the Declaration of Independence. And it says, and the city was in flames. And since the declaration needed to pass unanimously, the line in Jefferson's original draft condemning slavery was tragically set aside. And this was because they were already under attack. They had already determined that they were going to break away from Great Britain and they had decided that for them to have any success of, uh, any chance of success against the strongest nation in the world, all 13 colonies would have to unite. And so two of the 13 colonies, uh, it was Georgia. And you remember which other one?
[00:11:21] South Carolina. Georgia and South Carolina refused to sign if they left in the thing about slavery. And so they decided to take it out. And I wish they hadn't have done it, but did you know what? We probably wouldn't have had a United States if they hadn't have unified and have decided that they were going to do what they could do. And they wrote in there, uh, you know, brilliantly that all men are created equal. They laid the foundation for this. And again, Richard, do you know these things? Could you answer, uh, come up here, Richard, where's, where's EW? Is he here? Is EW here? I don't know where EW went, but I've heard him talk on some of these things too. But anyway, what I'm trying to reference is that they had a provision in the constitution, if I'm not mistaken, that in 20 years, they expected the slave trade, the end. Yes. And so the, uh, watch night service, tell them about all that, you know.

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:12:26] Yeah. They, they put into the constitution, the end of the slave trade. They said that it, they said it can't be outlawed until, um, the 25th year, I think of the Republic or 20.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:12:36] And that was basically just to compromise with these two Southern states. Did you know that two out of 13 colonies, that means 84% of the people that were colonists were against slavery, but in order to win the war, they compromised.
[00:12:51] They compromised on that issue, but wrote into the constitution that in 25 years, they would allow

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:12:56] the slave trade to end. And as soon as that deadline came, we outlawed the slave trade.

[00:13:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:13:02] And that was, uh, January the 1st of what year? 1804, I think it was.
[00:13:06] Something like that. And guess, you know, you've heard the thing about watch night services. All of us have heard of watch night service. You know what that originated from?
[00:13:14] You got me on this one. It was the blacks had a watch night service because on January the 1st, that was 1804 or whatever is when they said they would outlaw slavery and they outlawed the importation or the exportation of slavery. And Thomas Jefferson got up and signed that thing at 1201 because that was his desire. And some people will sit there and criticize Jefferson and say, well, he had slaves and, uh, he kept them, but the guy had, he inherited slavery and he was so poor that if he would have let him go, he would have let him go.
[00:13:51] But his slaves go Monticello would have, uh, you know, defaulted. And I'm not saying it was the right thing to do, but people again, see, just come against all of the godly foundations and find an excuse to discredit everything. Yeah. You know, Andrew, it's like right

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:14:08] now they're, they just passed a bill at Congress, this one big, beautiful bill. And it's not, yeah, it's not perfect. You know, it could be better, but this is reality, right? You got to compromise with people to get.
[00:14:21] Something through and to get a majority done. And there's no nation in the history of the world that ever fought a civil war to end slavery with, you know, hundreds of thousands

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:14:31] of Americans killed and maimed in that war.
[00:14:33] And Thomas Jefferson specifically said when he signed that thing to end importation and exportation of slavery, that he thought that slavery was so looked down on in the abolitionist movement was having a big effect that they thought that slavery would have ended within a few years.
[00:14:50] And the thing that.
[00:14:51] Changed it was the invention, invention of the cotton gin. And when the cotton gin was invented man, the South, it was agriculture. Cotton was their main crop. It made their economy boom, but it was dependent upon the slave. And so there was a huge pushback from the Southern states because of the cotton market and stuff. But, uh, man, I tell you, the point I'm making is that people are looking for things to discredit. And if the foundations are standing, I don't want them to be. Uh, but if you could take away that these people, they founded this nation on Godly principles, the vast majority, 84% of them were against the slave trade, and they were wanting to institute a government that would be responsive to the people and no longer oppressive and stuff. And if you take those things away, then it takes away the love for this country. It takes away a standing for the things that God has given us. And they've been rewriting history and making history.
[00:15:50] Mm hmm.

[00:15:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:15:51] making it look bad. Yes, they have. They have. They've been sending people all over for the last few years, tearing down statues and, you know, all this stuff. Our kids are being taught all

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:16:00] these things. And it's it's wrong. It's a lie. And, you know, the 1619 project, you might be able to address this better than I do. But the 1619 project, they said that that was, you know, where all this slavery started and things like that. And did you know that in the what colony

[00:16:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:16:17] was that? The which one? It was a southern one. I think it was Virginia. Virginia was the first slave. Yeah. But the ones that resisted were South Carolina and Georgia. Yeah. But I'm talking

[00:16:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:16:28] about the 1619 project. That's descriptive of what colony? Virginia. But what was what town? Oh,

[00:16:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:16:38] I'm going to say I'm going to say Jamestown or somewhere. There's it. That's what I was

[00:16:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:16:42] looking for. Jamestown. Did you know that in Jamestown?
[00:16:47] And you guys may disagree with this, but you can go study it out. I've studied it out. I can't quote it, but I've read it. Did you know that the first slave owner in Jamestown, do you know who it

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:17:01] was? Can you quote the guy's name? I don't. I can't quote his name. He he was black. He was a

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:17:06] black man. And he was he was taken to America through slavery. And most of the slaves in those early days were what they called in.
[00:17:17] Indentured servants. And they used slavery. They guaranteed that I would serve you for seven years if you'll give me passage to America and support me for seven years. And so this man was a indentured servant. He came over here. And at the end of seven years, he was given a payment and stuff. And he actually bought a hundred and something acres. And he had an indentured servant that when the indentured servitude was up, he took him to court. And while one, one, the ability to keep him as a slave for life, the very first slave owner in the United States was a black man. And he enslaved white man. He had white man that worked for him. Again, slavery is wrong. And people take that. And because of it, they try and tear down this nation and and say things that aren't true. The people who founded this nation were trying to make a better world.
[00:18:14] And they are the very first people in the history of the world.
[00:18:17] That took a stance against slavery and they compromised on issues. And you can sit there and blame them and criticize them for that. But if we were there, who knows? Right. We might have had to do the same thing in order to try and gain freedom from Great Britain.
[00:18:32] And so the point I'm making is that this is just wrong. And, you know, you were talking about Moses and how that he saw the burning bush and God spoke to him. But the next verse after the one that you put up there, it says, And when God saw that he turned to the side, then he spoke to him. He does things to get our attention. But unless there is a positive response from us, God is not going to make these things happen. And so he had to use people. And this nation was founded by flawed people. But I guarantee you they were people that were trying to do the right thing. And we are blessed beyond all people, I believe, on the face of the earth to have this nation and people that establish something that has.
[00:19:17] Endured for nearly 250 years. And brother, I was encouraged. You were out of the room when I was saying this, but I was encouraged when you made these comparisons between the first, the second. And if those first and second great awakenings caused those things, man, there is no reason to believe that this isn't going to cause a rebirth of freedom in this nation like we've never seen.

[00:19:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:19:41] Amen. I believe that. You know, God, God's never going to do something less, right?
[00:19:47] He's the God of increase.
[00:19:48] Amen.
[00:19:49] So If He did that in number one and number two, what's he got in store for number three?
[00:19:53] Amen. Amen.

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:19:54] And you know, here is one other thing while I'm thinking about it, that Thomas Jefferson has been criticized as fathering, I think four children through Sally Hemings, one of his slaves. And I actually was in a service where white man got up and they, this is when Trump was running for election the very first time and the slogan was make America great.
[00:20:16] Thank you.
[00:20:17] AGAIN. AND THIS PREACHER, A WHITE MAN, GOT UP AND SAID, THIS NATION HAS NEVER BEEN GREAT. THOMAS JEFFERSON, THE ONE WHO WROTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, HE RAPED SALLY HEMMINGS AS SHE'S CHAINED TO A BED POST, AND JUST WENT ON TALKING ABOUT THAT THAT'S THE KIND OF NATION THAT WE'VE GOT. THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE. FIRST OF ALL, THEY DID SOME FORENSIC TESTING, I THINK IT WAS IN THE FIFTIES OR SIXTIES, AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A MATCH BETWEEN THE GENETICS OF THE FOUR CHILDREN OF SALLY HEMMINGS TO THE JEFFERSON FAMILY, AND SO PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THAT WAS THOMAS JEFFERSON THAT FATHERED THESE CHILDREN. AND, UH, DAVID BARTON AGAIN SAYS THAT ACTUALLY WHEN THEY RE-EXAMINED THOSE THINGS, THAT IT MATCHED HIS BROTHER'S DNA MORE THAN HIM. SO IT'S NOT FOR SURE THAT THOMAS JEFFERSON FATHERED THEM. NOW HE DID, UH, SUPPORT THEM IN LIFE, BUT HE DIDN'T FATHER THEM. NOW HE DID SUPPORT THEM IN LIFE.
[00:21:15] BUT EVEN IF HE WAS THE FATHER OF THESE FOUR CHILDREN OF SALLY HEMMINGS, IT WAS AFTER HIS WIFE DIED AND SALLY HEMMINGS WAS ONLY ONE FOURTH BLACK AND SHE WAS THE HALF SISTER OF HIS WIFE. AND SINCE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGES WERE FROWNED ON AT THAT TIME, IT WAS AFTER JEFFERSON'S WIFE HAD DIED AND IF HE DID FATHER THOSE CHILDREN, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF HE DID OR NOT, I BELIEVE IT WAS PROBABLY, IT WASN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT HE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BEAR THE EMBARRASSMENT OF AN INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE AND SO THEY HAD THIS RELATIONSHIP ON THE SIDE AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE REASON. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT HE WAS A PERFECT PERSON BY ANY MEANS, BUT THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT IS SO PREVALENT IN OUR NATION TODAY THAT THEY GO BACK AND FIND THINGS ABOUT PEOPLE AND THEY JUST TRY AND UNDERCUT AND DISCOURAGE EVERYBODY. I GUARANTEE YOU, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, IF YOU CAME TO MY MEETING LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WRONG, I GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU. IF YOU WANT TO FIND SOMETHING, IF YOU JUST COME HERE AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO FIND SOMETHING. WELL, ANDREW, IF WE

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:22:21] TAKE THAT APPROACH, WE OUGHT TO PROBABLY TEAR OUT THE BOOK OF PSALMS RIGHT OUT OF THE BIBLE. BECAUSE THE GUY WHO WROTE THEM HAD SOME PRETTY BIG FALLS. DID YOU KNOW THAT

[00:22:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:22:30] MOSES MURDERED A MAN AND HE WROTE THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE AND ALSO PSALMS CHAPTER 90? DID YOU KNOW THAT DAVID KILLED A MAN? I MEAN IN COLD BLOOD TO COVER UP HIS ADULTERY. AND FIRST AND SECOND SAMUEL, PART OF FIRST KINGS, ALL OF THE PSALMS ARE WRITTEN ABOUT HIM.
[00:22:48] HE'S QUOTED SO MUCH. THE NEW TESTAMENT, HALF OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WERE WRITTEN BY A MAN WHO MURDERED CHRISTIANS, THE APOSTLE PAUL. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN BY PEOPLE WHO WERE MURDERERS?
[00:23:01] NOT TO SAY THAT GOD SANCTIONS THAT, BUT IT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT, MAN, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING, AND THIS IS PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, AND IT'S NOT ONLY IN THE NATION AND IT'S NOT ONLY IN POLITICS, BUT DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS TO US INDIVIDUALLY? THIS IS JUST THE DEVIL. I GUESS I'M THROUGH WITH YOU, BROTHER. BUT YOU'RE A BLESSING.
[00:23:22] YOU'RE A BLESSING. THANK YOU.
[00:23:24] ISN'T THIS GUY A BLESSING? AMEN. HERE.
[00:23:30] SO E.W. NEVER DID SHOW UP, DID HE? HE'S ON THE PHONE.
[00:23:36] WELL, THAT GUY'S MISSING A BLESSING. HOW DARE HIM BE ON THE PHONE? LET ME SHARE THIS WITH YOU OUT OF GENESIS CHAPTER 3.
[00:23:44] THIS IS WHERE THE ORIGINAL SIN CAME. LET ME JUST ASK YOU THIS.
[00:23:49] IF YOU WERE THE DEVIL, AND IF YOU WERE TASKED WITH DESTROYING THE WORLD AND COMING AGAINST ADAM AND EVE, HOW WOULD YOU COME AGAINST PERFECT PEOPLE THAT HAD NO SIN IN THEM? THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.
[00:24:06] THEY COULDN'T GRIPE ABOUT THEIR DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY. THEY COULDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT THEY WERE ABUSED WHEN THEY WERE A CHILD.
[00:24:14] THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TELL ADAM AND EVE FROM EVERYBODY ELSE IN HEAVEN, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A BELLY BUTTON.
[00:24:24] I HEARD DUANE SHERIFF SAY THAT HE CREATED THEM FULL GROWN. EVEN GOD DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH TEENAGERS.
[00:24:37] SO THEY HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS IN THEIR WHOLE LIFE.
[00:24:41] THEY LIVED IN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT. THE WEATHER WAS PRETTY GOOD. THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS. THEY HAD NO PROBLEMS.
[00:24:44] PERFECT. YOU COULDN'T COMPLAIN. THEY HAD ALL OF THE FOOD THAT THEY COULD EVER NEED. THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS ANIMALS THAT WERE VICIOUS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE CLIMATE WAS PERFECT.
[00:24:55] THEIR MATE WAS PERFECT. HOW DO YOU TEMPT PERFECT PEOPLE?
[00:25:02] YOU KNOW, IT'D BE EASY TO TEMPT PEOPLE TODAY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE A CORRUPTED NATURE ON THE INSIDE OF THEM. AND SO YOU COULD USE A BRIBE AND TRY AND GET SOMEBODY TO GO AGAINST WHAT THEY KNOW IS RIGHT. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD GIVE IN.
[00:25:14] THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SO HURT AND NEGLECTED THAT IF YOU WOULD OFFER THEM ACCEPTANCE, THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU. PEOPLE THAT ARE CORRUPT, IT'S EASY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TEMPT THEM AND GET THEM INTO SIN. BUT HOW DO YOU TEMPT PERFECT PEOPLE? THERE'S NOTHING FOR THEM TO GRIPE ABOUT.
[00:25:32] EVERYTHING'S PERFECT. LOOK AT THIS IN GENESIS CHAPTER 3 VERSE 1, NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE SUBTLE THAN ANY BEAST OF THE FIELD WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. AND HE SAID, UNTO THE WOMAN, YEA, HATH GOD SAID, YE SHALL NOT EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN. I'VE GOT PROBABLY SIX HOURS WORTH OF TEACHING ON THIS, AND I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SKIP OVER MOST OF THIS, BUT THIS IS POWERFUL TO SEE IT. BUT I WANT YOU TO FOCUS ON THIS ONE POINT. HE SAID, YEA, YE SHALL NOT EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN. LET'S JUST SUPPOSE THAT THERE WAS A THOUSAND TREES THAT THEY COULD EAT OF IN THE GARDEN. HE DIDN'T COME AND SAY, HAS GOD SAID, THAT YOU COULD ONLY EAT OF 999 OF THESE TREES? DID YOU KNOW IF HE WOULD HAVE PRESENTED THE TEMPTATION THAT WAY, THE VERY FACT THAT IT WAS PRESENTED THAT WAY WOULD HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS INDICATION ABOUT HOW GOOD GOD WAS AND HOW MUCH HE LOVED THEM, BECAUSE HERE'S A THOUSAND TREES, AND YOU GOT 999 OF THEM THAT GOD SAID, HELP YOURSELF. HE DIDN'T FOCUS ON WHAT THEY HAD. HE FOCUSED ON THE ONE THING IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE.
[00:26:44] AND HE GOT THEM TO FOCUSING ON THE ONE THING THAT GOD TOLD THEM NOT TO DO, AND HE EVEN DID THAT FOR THEIR OWN BENEFIT, BUT NONETHELESS, HE GOT THEM TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE.
[00:26:55] DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WAY ALL MARKETING IS? DID YOU KNOW THEY DON'T COME UP AND THEY DON'T SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A CAR AND IT'S GOT MAYBE A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES ON IT, BUT CARS TODAY ARE BETTER THAN THEY ARE? AND YOU KNOW, AMY, THE LADY THAT'S BEEN RUNNING AROUND, HERE SHE IS OVER HERE, SHE WAS DRIVING A CAR WITH THREE HUNDRED AND SOMETHING THOUSAND MILES ON IT, AND JUST LAST MONTH GOT ONE THAT HAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND. AND I SAID, BOY, THAT'S A LOT OF MILES. AND SHE SAYS, OH, THEY'RE GOOD CARS.
[00:27:23] AND THEY DROVE IT OUT TO CALIFORNIA AND BACK. BUT SEE, INSTEAD OF SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOUR CAR'S GOT FIFTY THOUSAND MILES ON IT, BUT IT'S GOOD. AND THEY'RE RUNNING, AND INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT, IT'LL PROBABLY LAST YOU ANOTHER FIVE OR SIX YEARS, AND INSTEAD OF DOING THINGS LIKE THAT, ALL OF THE ADVERTISEMENTS WILL COME UP, AND SHOW YOU, HAVE YOU GOT THE NEWEST? HAVE YOU GOT THE GREATEST? THEY'LL SHOW YOU WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE. DID YOU KNOW JAMIE AND I ONE TIME, WE REALLY NEEDED A CAR. OURS WAS ABOUT TO GIVE OUT, AND I JUST, OUT OF LOGIC, THOUGHT I NEED TO START LOOKING, BECAUSE WE'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO GET US A NEW CAR. AND SO WE WENT DOWN TO A DEALERSHIP IN COLORADO SPRINGS, AND I TOLD THE GUY, I SAID, LOOK, I'M NOT READY, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY A CAR, BUT I SAID, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO LOOK. AND SO I JUST WANT SOME, INFORMATION. AND THIS SALESMAN, HE'S SHARP, HE SAID, OH, NO, YOU NEED TO GO SIT IN THE CAR. AND I SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT TO SIT IN THE CAR. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS ASKING, BUT NO, HE MADE ME GO SIT IN THE CAR, AND THEN HE SAID, BOY, DOESN'T THIS FEEL GOOD? AND DOESN'T THIS SMELL GOOD? AND HE GETS YOU TO FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE, INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU DO HAVE. AND DID YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T EVEN, I WENT DOWN THERE NOT EVEN WANTING TO THINK ABOUT BUYING ONE.
[00:28:44] AT THIS TIME, BUT WHEN I WENT HOME, I SPENT HALF OF THE NIGHT FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH CAN I BORROW? HOW MUCH CAN WE AFFORD TO PAY? BECAUSE HE CREATED A DESIRE IN ME FOR WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE. THAT NEW CAR SMELL. DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN BUY THAT IN A CAN AND SPRAY IT IN YOUR CAR?
[00:29:06] BUT I STARTED FOCUSING ON WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE INSTEAD OF WHAT I DID HAVE. THIS IS HOW SATAN COMES AGAINST US. AND THIS NOT ONLY WORKS ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL LEVEL. WE'RE CELEBRATING THE 249TH ANNIVERSARY, AND SOME PEOPLE JUST FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT WERE WRONG, AND GOD HAS NEVER HAD A PERFECT NATION, AND THIS ISN'T A PERFECT NATION. BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, IT WAS STARTED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS BY PEOPLE WHO PUT THEIR LIFE, THEIR FAME, THEIR FORTUNE, ALL OF THEIR ASSETS AT RISK. MANY OF THEM WERE PERSECUTED AND KILLED. MANY OF THEM. I THINK EVERY SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION EITHER LOST THEIR OWN LIFE, OR LOST THEIR OWN LIFE. I THINK EVERY SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION EITHER LOST THEIR OWN LIFE, OR SOME FAMILY MEMBER'S LIFE. MANY OF THEM LOST THEIR END TIME FORTUNE.
[00:29:48] THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE WILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIFE FOR THE FREEDOM THAT YOU AND I HAVE. AND SO IT WASN'T PERFECT, AND SO THIS IS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. BUT DID YOU KNOW THE SAME THING IS TRUE ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL? IT'S TRUE ON A CHURCH LEVEL. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WILL GO TO A CHURCH, AND THEY JUST FIND THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE THING. THEY DON'T LIKE THE COLOR OF THE CARPET. THEY DON'T LIKE THE WAY THAT THE PEWS AREN'T PADDED, OR THEY ARE PADDED, OR THEY DON'T LIKE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AUDITORIUM, AND THEY JUST ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WRONG. I REMEMBER WHEN WE MOVED INTO THAT BUILDING OVER THERE THAT I CALL THE BARN, WHEN WE MOVED IN ON JANUARY THE 6TH, 2014, WE HADN'T FINISHED AN INSPECTION ON THE FIREPLACE THAT'S IN THAT AUDITORIUM, AND THE FIRE CHIEF WAS GOING TO STOP US FROM BEING ABLE TO OCCUPY THAT PLACE. AND WE ALREADY HAD EVERYTHING PLANNED AND CELEBRATIONS AND STUFF, SO WE HAD A COMPROMISE, AND THEY ALLOWED US TO PUT UP FOUR BY EIGHT SHEETS OF PLYWOOD AROUND THAT FIREPLACE SO THAT NOBODY COULD TOUCH IT UNTIL WE HAD THE FINAL INSPECTION. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S NOT THE WAY, THAT'S NOT THE WAY I WANTED IT TO BE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS OKAY. IT'S NO BIG DEAL. IT WAS JUST A SMALL SPACE. WE HAD ONE PERSON COME IN AND SEE THAT PLYWOOD UP, AND THEY MISSED ALL THE BEAUTIFUL BEAMS. THEY MISSED THE FACTORS. THEY MISSED THE FACTORS. THEY MISSED THE FACT THAT IT WAS DEBT-FREE. THEY MISSED THE FACT THAT WE HAD SPENT COUNTING THE PROPERTY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ROADS, WE HAD SPENT $32 MILLION IN ABOUT 14, 18 MONTHS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DEBT-FREE. THEY MISSED ALL OF THAT. ALL THEY SAW WAS FOUR SHEETS OF PLYWOOD, AND THEY CAME UP, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DO THINGS. YOU OUGHT TO DO THINGS WITH EXCELLENCE. AND THEY STARTED CRITICIZING US AND JUST SPEAKING AGAINST US AND SAYING, IF YOU'D HAVE LET ME DO THINGS, I'D HAVE DONE IT BETTER THAN THIS.
[00:31:40] AND THERE'S PEOPLE LIKE THAT SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS AUDITORIUM. THAT YOU ARE GONNA LOOK AND FIND SOMETHING WRONG IN OTHER PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. AND YOU'RE ALSO CRITICAL ON YOURSELF. I'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE COME FORWARD BEFORE AND THEY SAY, I PRAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND I SEE PEOPLE HEALED ALL OF THE TIMES AND I SEE ALL THESE THINGS AND YET I CAN'T GET HEALED MYSELF. WHY AREN'T I HEALED? AND ONE OF THE ANSWERS, THAT I GIVE PEOPLE OFTEN IS, IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNOW ANYBODY ELSE. AND YOU ARE SO CRITICAL OF EVERYBODY AND YOU ARE CRITICAL OF YOURSELF. WHEN YOU COME UP TO SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU JUST EXTEND COMPASSION TOWARDS THEM AND YOU DON'T KNOW THE FACT THAT THEY HAD A FIGHT ON THE WAY TO CHURCH. YOU DON'T KNOW ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON AND YOU JUST EXTEND MERCY TO THEM. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOU, YOU KNOW EVERY ROTTEN THING ABOUT YOU AND YOU JUST THINK, HOW COULD GOD EVER USE ME? I TELL YOU, THIS ATTITUDE, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS NATION AND THE CRITICISM THAT'S COME AGAINST THIS NATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT I TELL YOU, THIS ATTITUDE TO OVERLOOK ALL OF THE GOOD AND JUST FOCUS ON THE EVIL AND STUFF, IT IS A DEMONIC ATTITUDE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT SATAN DID RIGHT HERE. IS THIS ONE THING THAT GOD TOLD YOU NOT TO DO? HE JUST FOCUSED ON THE ONE THING THAT THEY COULDN'T DO AND MAGNIFIED IT AND AMPLIFIED IT. DO YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST YEAR, UH, I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, AND WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED ALL THE OFFERINGS, SO THERE'S NO, UH, POINT TO BE MADE IN THIS. I'M JUST USING THIS AS AN ILLUSTRATION. BUT THIS LAST YEAR, IN MAY OF 2024, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR MINISTRY, I ACTUALLY WENT ON MY TELEVISION PROGRAM FOR A SOLID WEEK AND I HAD ALL OF MY TOP LINE PEOPLE ON THERE AND WE PRESENTED ALL OF OUR BUILDING PLANS, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
[00:33:39] FOR THIS THING. AND WE MADE A PUSH, A DIRECT APPEAL FOR FINANCES. AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'D EVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE DID THAT, OUR FINANCES WENT SOUTH? AND THEN, RIGHT AFTER THAT, WE ANNOUNCED THAT MIKE AND CARRIE WERE GONNA BE THE ONES THAT WERE TAKING OVER AND SO ON SEPTEMBER OF 2024, WE ANNOUNCED THE LEGACY PLAN. AND I LOVE MIKE AND CARRIE, AND EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS THEM LOVES THEM, BUT NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS THEM. AND, UH, SO THERE WAS PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE THEY, UH, WE EVEN HAD ONE PERSON CONTACT JAMIE AND ME AND ASKED IF WE WERE ENJOYING OUR RETIREMENT.
[00:34:16] WHICH, I'M BUSIER THAN I'VE EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE. BUT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THOUGHT WE RETIRED. AND SO ANY, AND THEN WE HAD ALL OF THIS CONSTRUCTION AND THEN I HAD PEOPLE SAY THAT WE ARE ADVERTISING THE BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION AND MAYBE WE OUGHT TO JUST BE FOCUSED ON THE NEXT DORAM AND TALKING ABOUT THE FIVE MILLION AND IT'S OVERWHELMING PEOPLE. SO ANYWAY, WHEN OUR FINANCES BEGIN TO GO DOWN, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS. I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND, UH, DISCUSSED, MAN, DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG? HAVE I NOT PRESENTED THINGS RIGHT? IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF OUR MINISTRY THAT OUR FINANCES HAVEN'T INCREASED YEAR OVER YEAR. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WONDERING, DID I DO THIS WRONG? DID I DO THIS? HAVE I SAID SOMETHING WRONG? AND HERE, AND IT WAS JUST, UH, RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO THAT, UH, THE LORD, AS I WAS PRAYING ABOUT THIS, ACTUALLY, I WAS WATCHING MY OWN TELEVISION PROGRAM. WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING, UH, MOST OF THE TIME I'LL WALK OUTSIDE, BUT SOMETIMES I'LL WATCH MY OWN TELEVISION PROGRAM ON A TREADMILL. I GOT THIS BIG SCREEN AND I WANNA SEE WHAT THE TELEVISION PROGRAM'S LIKE. SO ANYWAY, I WAS WATCHING MY PROGRAM AND I FORGOT NOW EXACTLY HOW I SAID IT, BUT I WAS SAYING SOMETHING AND I JUST STOPPED AND I SAID, NOW GOD'S SPEAKING TO SOMEBODY. AND I STARTED PROPHESYING THAT YOU ARE BEING HARD ON YOURSELF AND YOU'RE JUDGING YOURSELF AND YOU'RE WONDERING. AND I SAID, IT'S NOT ACCORDING TO YOUR WORDS.
[00:35:40] AND I SAID, THAT'S ME. THANK YOU, JESUS.
[00:35:49] AND I PROPHESIED TO MYSELF AND I SAW THAT, PRAISE GOD, I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING PERFECTLY. I NEVER HAVE DONE ANYTHING RIGHT. AND I JUST REALIZED, GOD, EVEN IF I'VE MADE A MISTAKE, I'VE MADE LOTS OF MISTAKES IN THE PAST AND YOU'VE STILL BLESSED US AND THIS ISN'T GONNA STOP ME FROM DOING WHAT GOD TOLD ME TO DO. AMEN?
[00:36:13] SO THIS ATTITUDE THAT I'M SPEAKING AGAINST, IT'S A STINKING ATTITUDE AND IT AFFECTS ME AND IT AFFECTS ALL OF US. WE JUST GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE NEGATIVE. THIS IS A DEMONIC THING. NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU IGNORE THE NEGATIVES. YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH STUFF AND YOU NEED TO CHANGE WHEN CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS JUST SOMETHING WRONG ABOUT BEING SO CRITICAL.
[00:36:36] OF EVERYTHING AND OUR NATION IS JUST AWASH IN THIS. IF YOU WERE HERE ON MONDAY NIGHT WHEN I SPOKE OUT OF SECOND TIMOTHY CHAPTER THREE, WHERE IT TALKED ABOUT THE PERILOUS TIMES THAT WE'RE GONNA LIVE IN AND IT SAYS IT IS EVEN GONNA BE HARDER TO LIVE AND BE A CHRISTIAN IN THESE LAST DAYS THAN IT WAS FOR PAUL AND THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE BEING FED TO THE LIONS AND BURN AT THE STATE. AND ONE OF THE, SOME OF THOSE SIGNS OF THE END TIMES AND STUFF ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE WHERE PEOPLE ARE BOZING.
[00:37:06] PEOPLE ARE BOISTERS AND SLANDERERS AND THEY'RE JUST AGAINST EVERYTHING. I'M TELLING YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE NEED TO BE CELEBRATING THE GOOD THINGS, NOT PUTTING OUR HEAD IN THE SAND, IGNORING THAT THERE'S THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO CHANGE.
[00:37:20] BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE NEED TO BE CELEBRATING IN THIS NATION.
[00:37:24] WE NEED TO BE CELEBRATING WHAT JESUS HAS DONE. AND MAYBE YOU STILL DON'T HAVE EVERYTHING PERFECT. MAYBE YOU AREN'T HEALED YET, BUT YOU OUGHT TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HEALED.
[00:37:35] MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EVERYTHING SOLVED YET, BUT YOU OUGHT TO BE CELEBRATING WITH OTHER PEOPLE. YOU OUGHT TO BE CELEBRATING THAT JESUS EVEN PROVIDED IT, WHETHER YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE IT OR NOT. AND DID YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET THIS ATTITUDE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE? WHEN YOU GET THIS ATTITUDE THAT I'M GOING TO BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES, HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH.
[00:38:00] WHEN YOU GET THE ATTITUDE, PHILIPPIANS 4, THAT I REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. AND AGAIN, I SAY REJOICE. IT WILL MAKE YOU FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE INSTEAD OF THE NEGATIVE. IT WILL, IF YOU MAKE A DECISION THAT I'M GOING TO ENTER IN AND I'M NOT GOING TO EVER SAY WHAT MY NEED IS AND ASK FOR SOMETHING UNTIL I'VE ALREADY PRAISED GOD. THIS IS THE PATTERN THAT JESUS GAVE US. OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. THEN YOU SLIP IN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. BUT THEN YOU END IT WITH THINE IS THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER.
[00:38:38] YOU START AND YOU END WITH PRAISE. THAT'S THE WAY THAT THE LORD TOLD US TO DO IT. BUT MOST PEOPLE JUST ENTER IN AND THROW UP ALL OF THEIR JUNK, ALL OF THEIR HURT AND PAIN, COME TO GOD COMPLAINING. THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. I'VE ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE COME TO ME BEFORE THAT WERE PRAYING FOR A MATE. I REMEMBER THIS ONE WOMAN CAME AND SAID, I'VE BEEN PRAYING FOR MY HUSBAND FOR 40 YEARS BECAUSE HE... AND THEN SHE STARTED NAMING ALL OF HIS PROBLEMS. AND I SAID, THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS QUIT PRAYING FOR YOUR HUSBAND.
[00:39:10] AND SHE LOOKED AT ME LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU TELL ME TO QUIT PRAYING? I SAID, IT'S BECAUSE YOU SPEND 45 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT WHAT A REPROBATE HE IS AND HOW BAD HE IS, AND THEN YOU END IT BY SAYING, SAVE HIM IN JESUS' NAME. YOU SPEND 45 MINUTES RECOUNTING ALL OF THE NEGATIVES, AND THEN YOU JUST MENTION SAVE HIM. AND I SAID, IT'S... YOU'RE JUST OVERWHELMED WITH ALL OF HIS FAULTS. I LISTENED TO ANOTHER TEACHING AND IT WAS A PASTOR, AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT HE...
[00:39:35] HIS WIFE DIDN'T PLAY THE PIANA. SHE WOULDN'T DO A BIBLE STUDY IN THE CHURCH, AND SHE DIDN'T DO THE THINGS THAT THE TYPICAL PASTOR'S WIFE DID. AND SO THIS PASTOR GOT TO THINKING THAT IT WAS HIS WIFE THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. AND HE ACTUALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE HE WAS PRAYING AND ASKING GOD TO GIVE HIM AN OUT OF THAT MARRIAGE SO THAT HE COULD REMARRY AND MARRY A WOMAN WHO WOULD BE AN ASSET TO HIM AS HE PASTORED THE CHURCH. AND AS HE WAS PRAYING THERE, WELL, HE KNEW THAT WAS WRONG AND HE JUST STOPPED AND HE SAYS, GOD, SOMETHING'S WRONG.
[00:40:09] HE SAYS, I NEED HELP. I NEED YOU TO HELP ME THAT I COULD LOVE MY WIFE. AND HE SAYS, I WANT YOU TO QUIT PRAYING THAT ALL OF THESE FAULTS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HE THOUGHT SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, HE SAYS, I WANT YOU TO QUIT PRAYING THAT SHE'LL CHANGE AND INSTEAD I WANT YOU EVERY DAY TO JUST SPEND AN HOUR PRAISING ME FOR ONE GOOD THING IN YOUR WIFE EVERY DAY. AND I WANT YOU TO DO THAT FOR A MONTH. AND SO THE VERY FIRST DAY HE SAYS HE COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING GOOD.
[00:40:35] HE SAID HE COULDN'T THINK OF A SINGLE GOOD THING ABOUT HIS WIFE. AND SO FINALLY HE ASKED THE LORD FOR HELP AND HE SAID, WELL, WE'VE BEEN MARRIED FOR, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS, WHATEVER. AND HE SAYS, SHE'S BEEN FAITHFUL TO ME AND SHE'S NEVER COMMITTED ADULTERY. SO I PRAISE GOD THAT SHE'S BEEN FAITHFUL TO ME ALL OF THESE YEARS. AND SO HE SAID THAT FIRST DAY, PRAISING FOR THAT. SECOND DAY HE HAD TO HAVE HELP AGAIN. AND THE LORD TOLD HIM, HE SAYS, YOU'VE GOT ALL OF THESE KIDS AND SHE DEVOTED HER LIFE TO HELPING YOU RAISE THOSE KIDS.
[00:41:04] SHE GAVE BIRTH TO YOUR CHILDREN. AND SO HE STARTED PRAISING GOD FOR THAT. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY HE ASKED, AND AFTER 30 DAYS, THIS MAN WAS ON HIS FACE SAYING, GOD, THANK YOU FOR MY GODLY WIFE. HE HAD FORGOTTEN ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT SHE HAD DONE BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T PLAY THE PIANA AND SHE WOULDN'T DO A BIBLE STUDY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I TELL YOU, THIS IS JUST HUMAN NATURE TO LOOK TOWARDS THE NEGATIVE AND TO SEE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG. AND IF WE WOULD BEGIN TO START PRAISING GOD FOR THE GOOD THINGS INSTEAD OF ALL OF THE BAD THINGS, IT WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE. I WAS MINISTERING ALONG THESE LINES AT A MINISTER'S CONFERENCE IN BUENA VISTA, COLORADO, AND BOB NICHOLS, WHO JUST WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD THIS LAST MONTH, I WAS AT HIS FUNERAL, HE WAS ONE OF THE SPEAKERS AT OUR THING.
[00:41:53] AND HIS DAUGHTER HAD HAD A CAR WRECK THAT CAUSED A HEAD INJURY AND IN TWO YEARS SHE STARTED HAVING SEIZURES. AND IT'S NOW BEEN 30-SOMETHING YEARS THAT SHE HAS BEEN IN A SEMI-VEGETATIVE STATE, HAVING TO HAVE 24 HOURS A DAY CARE.
[00:42:10] AND HE HAD PEOPLE IN HIS HOME 24 HOURS A DAY TAKING CARE OF HIS DAUGHTER. AND I WAS PREACHING ALONG THESE LINES ABOUT FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE INSTEAD OF MAGNIFYING THE NEGATIVE. AND AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS, PASTOR BOB WAS ON THE FRONT ROAD. HE HAD HIS BIBLE IN HIS LAP AND HE JUST STOOD UP THROUGH HIS BIBLE ON THE FLOOR AND HE SAID, I'VE HAD ALL OF THIS I CAN TAKE. I GOTTA THANK YOU GOD FOR HOW GOOD AND HE JUST STARTED PRAISING GOD FOR ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. AND THEN HIS DAUGHTER HAD BEEN IN A COMATOSE STATE FOR DECADES AND YET HERE HE WAS JUST PRAISING GOD. AND PEOPLE WHO HAD MINOR PROBLEMS COMPARED TO WHAT HE HAD, ALL OF A SUDDEN BEGAN TO GET CONVICTED. AND I MEAN, WE HAD EVERY PERSON IN THAT PLACE NEARLY LAYING ON THEIR FACE, REPENTING AND SAYING, GOD FORGIVE ME FOR, FORGIVE ME FOR NOT BEING THANKFUL FOR THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE. I TELL YOU, WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL. WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL. WE NEED TO THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE'S DONE FOR US. AND EVEN IF YOU AREN'T HEALED AND PRAISE GOD, THEN IN ETERNITY YOU'RE GONNA BE HEALED. THERE WON'T BE ANY SORROW OR GRIEF. EVEN IF YOU HAVE FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, YOU GOT A MANSION WAITING FOR YOU IN HEAVEN ON STREETS THAT ARE PAVED WITH GOLD. EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING THROUGH RELATIONAL PROBLEMS, MAN, YOU'LL BE, IT'LL BE PERFECT IN HEAVEN. NO GRIPES, COMPLAINTS. WE GOT SO MUCH TO BE PRAISING GOD FOR. WE GOT A LOT TO BE PRAISING GOD FOR IN THIS NATION AND SURE THERE'S PROBLEMS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST, I JUST HATE THE LACK OF GRATITUDE. I HATE THE CRITICISM, THE PEOPLE THAT JUST TAKE A LITTLE TINY SPECK AND MAGNIFY IT UNTIL IT BECOMES THIS HUGE BOULDER. THEY TAKE A LITTLE TOOTHPICK AND MAGNIFY IT UNTIL IT BECOMES A BALL BAT AND THEY JUST BEAT PEOPLE'S BRAINS IN WITH IT. I TELL YOU, WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL PEOPLE. AND TODAY, PRAISE GOD FOR THIS NATION.
[00:44:08] PRAISE GOD FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIFE. I TELL YOU, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CELEBRATION THIS AFTERNOON AND WE ARE GONNA BE SINGING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SONGS OF THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT STAND WHEN THEIR SONG COMES UP AND WE WAVE FLAGS. AND I TELL YOU, LAST YEAR THROUGH THIS THING, I JUST WAS SO TOUCHED. I SAT THERE AND CRIED THROUGH THE WHOLE THING, THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE DIED. JAMIE HAD AN UNCLE THAT DIED AT IWAJIMA PURCHASING OUR FREEDOM. AND WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL. NO, AMERICA'S NOT PERFECT. BUT IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT CHURCH, IF YOU EVER FIND IT, DON'T JOIN IT OR IT'LL BECOME IMPERFECT. IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT NATION, DON'T TRY AND GO THERE BECAUSE IT'LL BECOME IMPERFECT THE MOMENT YOU GET THERE.
[00:45:03] WE GOT PROBLEMS AND WE'RE DEALING WITH IT, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, PRAISE GOD. AND I, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T U.S.
[00:45:10] CITIZENS AND YOU'RE JUST VISITING US, YOU MAY THINK WE'RE A LITTLE OVERBORED, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, GOD STARTED THIS NATION. THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED BY GOD DESPITE THE IMPERFECTIONS OF THE PEOPLE WHO FOUNDED IT. AND IT HAS BEEN IN A CONSTANT SATE OF TRYING TO IMPROVE AND TO MAKE THOSE WORDS THAT WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. WE'RE STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
[00:45:38] BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB THAN MOST.
[00:45:43] AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO DO TO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRASHING AMERICA AND TALKING ABOUT HOW TERRIBLE IT IS, I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM A ONE-WAY TICKET TO GO VISIT ROSIE O'DONNELL. AND I GUARANTEE YOU, YOU WOULDN'T SPEND TIME OVER THERE VERY LONG BEFORE YOU WOULD BEGIN TO START APPRECIATING WHAT WE'VE GOT. IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO BE PRAISING GOD FOR THIS NATION. AND ALSO, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY THESE SAME THINGS TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. SURE, YOU AREN'T PERFECT. YOU HAVEN'T DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT. AND DID YOU KNOW, AS YOU TAKE THE MESSAGE THAT BILLY GAVE LAST NIGHT, AND YOU START DREAMING AND RECOGNIZING THAT, MAN, GOD WANTS TO INCREASE AND STUFF, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HOLDS PEOPLE BACK IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOUR FAILURES.
[00:46:32] AND YOU JUST THINK, HOW COULD I EVER DO THESE THINGS? WE TEND TO BE REALLY CRITICAL OF OURSELF. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO GET BEYOND YOURSELF. ALL OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT GREAT THINGS IN STORE FOR US THAT GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO ME, BUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY OBTAINED, WE DID NOT OBTAIN THIS BECAUSE I'M THE SHARPEST KNIFE IN THE DRAWER. WE DID NOT OBTAIN THIS BECAUSE I GOT THE GREATEST CHARISMA. I LISTENED TO ALL THESE OTHER SPEAKERS. J.B., HE JUST NEVER MISSES A BEAT.
[00:47:02] AND I CAN'T TALK A SENTENCE WITHOUT STUMBLING AROUND. I'M NOT THE SHARPEST PERSON AROUND, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I'VE STEPPED OUT AND GOD HAS HONORED IT, AND WE'RE SEEING THINGS HAPPEN. AND IF YOU ARE SO TOUGH ON YOURSELF AND SO CRITICAL OF YOURSELF THAT YOU'RE AFRAID TO STAND UP AND MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU'LL NEVER GET ANYTHING DONE. THE GREATEST FAILURE OF ALL IS THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID THAT THEY WON'T DO IT PERFECTLY. WHEN WE STARTED THIS SCHOOL, WE HAD NO CLUE WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND WE'RE STILL LEARNING. WE'RE STILL CHANGING. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? GOD'S BLESSED IT. AND WE'VE NOW SEEN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, 14, 15,000 GRADUATES AND 9 OR 10,000 PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL AT ANY ONE TIME. WE'RE, WE'RE A LARGE PART OF THIS THIRD GREAT AWAKENING. GOD'S USING IT IN SPITE OF US, NOT BECAUSE OF US. AMEN? AND JUST MAKING A DECISION THAT I AM GOING TO PRAISE GOD. I'M GOING TO FIND SOMETHING TO PRAISE GOD ABOUT. IF THEY CUT MY THROAT, I'M GOING TO PRAISE GOD THAT IT'S A BRAND NEW KNIFE. IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY CORRUPTION ON IT, NO RUST OR ANYTHING, PRAISE GOD. I'LL FIND SOMETHING TO PRAISE GOD ABOUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS.
[00:48:15] AMEN? AND YOU GET THAT ATTITUDE, IT JUST MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
[00:48:20] AMEN. SO FATHER, WE LOVE YOU. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR US INDIVIDUALLY. THANK YOU FOR OUR SALVATION. AND FATHER, EVEN FOR THOSE THAT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE FULLNESS OF IT AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH PROBLEMS, THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT WE KNOW YOU'VE PROVIDED EVERYTHING, WHETHER WE CAN RECEIVE IT OR NOT. WE JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JESUS AND EVERYTHING HE'S DONE. THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE 249 YEARS AGO WHO PUT THEIR LIFE, THEIR FORTUNES, EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM ON THE LINE. MANY OF THEM DIED AND SUFFERED TREMENDOUSLY SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TODAY TO STAND HERE AND TO CELEBRATE YOU AND TO SAY THANK YOU.
[00:49:02] AND TO SAY THESE THINGS WITHOUT ANY FEAR OF THE GOVERNMENT RESTRICTING US. FATHER, WE ARE JUST SO THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. AND WE DEDICATE THIS DAY, WE DEDICATE THE PERFORMANCE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVERYTHING TO JUST GIVING YOU PRAISE AND GLORY FOR THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE IN THIS NATION, DONE IN OUR HEARTS. WE THANK YOU. AND FATHER, I PRAY FOR ALL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HERE. I PRAY THAT THIS WEEK, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID, WE TRUST THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT BRINGS IT BACK TO PEOPLE'S REMEMBRANCE AND THAT FATHER, THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIFE. AND AS RICHARD SAID, THAT THEY WOULD GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD, THAT THEY WOULD DO SOMETHING, THAT THIS WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU.
[00:49:45] WE GIVE YOU PRAISE IN ADVANCE FOR THE LIVES THAT ARE CHANGED.
[00:49:49] AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN.
[00:49:55] AMEN.