"I'll Do It Even Better Next Time" | It Will Happen | Pastor Debleaire Snell

substantial feat as we get ready to jump into the Word of God today and I'm gonna invite you before we do that we're gonna begin with our our declaration we're going to be continuing in our series today it will happen and we're gonna continue talking about developing the discipline of waiting on God how many of us know that it's gonna happen how many of us know what's gonna happen amen and so we put that declaration statement on on the on the on the fron screen and so let's uh you know y'all should almost know it by now let's declare it like we mean it today I dedicate myself to learning how to patiently wait on God I will not prioritize the right now over the right thing I apply myself to stillness prayerfulness discipline and Trust I value God's work on my character more than I value his work on my career my car my bank account or my love life when there is delay I will wait when it takes longer than I planned I will wait when it doesn't feel good I will wait when I'm tempted to take matters into my own hands I will wait on the Lord because all my needs are on his schedule I can boldly declare that it will happen amen amen giving them a little DAP let them know it's gonna happen give the other neighbor little pounds I know it is gonna happen it's gonna happen it's gonna happen amen amen I want to make the right to remain standing as we go to our scripture reading today we're gonna go to the book of Zechariah chapter 2 Zechariah chapter 2 and this this particular vision that God gives Zechariah has meeting for us kind of in the immediate and then this afternoon I'm gonna talk about it a little bit more from a prophetic and missional standpoint and so we'll connect the two together a little bit later on this afternoon Zechariah chapter 2 we're gonna begin together at verse 1 and it's a little bit of a different vision for those who are not as familiar but we'll kind of unpack it as we go Zechariah chapter 2 and verses number one and I asked the question earlier how many of us are wanting God to restore something in our lives like there's something that needs just a fresh start God is gonna speak to that today Zechariah chapter 2 and verse 1 that's kind of the second to the last book in the New Testament for those who are trying to pretend like you know where it is amen just kidding got to see dr. Wilson in house thank you so much for blessing us last night let's get my heart a man Zechariah chapter 2 and verse 1 again me good they just say Amen Zechariah speaking he says then I raised my eyes and looked and behold there was a man with a measuring line in his hand so I said where are you going and he said to me to measure Jerusalem to see its width and what is its length and there was an angel who talked with me going out and another angel was coming out to meet him who said to him run and speak to this young man saying Jerusalem shall be inhabited as a town without walls because of the multitude of the men and the livestock that are in it for I says the Lord will be a wall of fire around her and I will be the glory in the midst of her and so God says flee from the north says the Lord for I have spread your broad like the four winds of heaven says the Lord o Zion escape you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon for thus saith the Lord of Hosts he sent me after glory to the nations which plunder you for watch this Israel I need y'all to hear this for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye lord I wish somebody will shoot me today I need you to know that no matter what's touching you it's touching the Apple you are the apple of God's eye need you to get that for surely I will shake my hand against them and they shall become spoiled for the servants so know if you got that they're in bondage God says all I got to do is shake my hands and they're spoil is gonna fall to you y'all y'all didn't get it yet and then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me sing and rejoice o daughter Zion for the hold I am coming and I will dwell in your misses the Lord and many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day and he they shall become my people and I will dwell in their mist then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you today Saints as we talk under this idea of restoration I want you to know God is saying this word to you today I'm gonna do it even better next time I'm gonna do it even better next time let's pray father I pray that in this little while that you would say much would you grant me permission to join my human frailty in my lack to your divine strength father I'm praying that you would just give me the focus the courage to preach your word but Lord would you give you people the measure of faith needed to be able to receive this particular word so Lord would you once again please hide me in the shadows of the cross that Jesus alone might be seen that Christ alone would be heard and at the end of all things may Jesus alone be praised we pray this in a matchless name of him who is altogether lovely let God's people say together amen a man you may be seated in the house of the Lord again he'll do it even better next time and invite those come on in and be seated here in the house you know doc Hill as I interact with the body of Christ through preaching and teaching and counseling I've come to note that spiritually most of us would rather renovate than rebuild because just like with a physical structure our renovation deals with just the aesthetics paint and carpet and fixtures but when there is a rebuild there's got to be some demolition of the old and things have got to begin on the foundation and so from time to time I hear people say something like pastor I'm just trying to get back to where I used to be past spiritually I'm just trying to get back to where I used to be financially I'm just trying to get back to where I used to be I just want to get the marriage back where it used to be I just want to get my weight back where it used to be I just want to get my prayer life back where it used to be and and I cringe when I hear people say that because I know that that mentality is going to bring them in conflict with Providence because the reason there is conflict is because you're trying to get back where you used to be God is trying to take you where you've never been [Music] see you're trying to get back to us familiar and God is trying to show you what you could not fathom and you've got to understand that where you were and where God wants you is never the same place and say sometimes I wonder since where we get this doctrine of yesterday from because remember Isaiah 43 God says through Isaiah don't even remember the form of things don't even consider the things of old behold I'm going to do a new thing but you need to recognize it like even even Paul in Philippians 2 he says the one thing I know how to do is to put those things that are in the past behind and reach forward to those things that are before notice that when God introduced himself to Moses he didn't introduce himself as I was he introduced himself as the God who he says I am right now and see the reason there is tension is because you're trying to go backwards God is trying to take you forward and I need you to understand that if your past glory is your standard then you're aiming too low because the God is not trying to renovate you God is trying to rebuild are y'all hearing me today saying let me just pause to say this beloved that who you used to be wasn't that great in other words if your prayer life was that great you wouldn't be in the situation you are right now if the marriage used to be that fantastic you wouldn't be what you're in right now you know if you have that spiritual back in the day you wouldn't be facing what you're dealing with right now and the thing I want to say is that used to be wasn't that great it's just more bearable than what you're dealing with right now and the thing I want to say is be careful about idolizing who you used to be because it'll keep you from becoming who God has ordained you to be and in the words of somebody is don't settle for renovation when God wants to rebuild you from the very foundation today and see the truth is beloved that when you come through the storm that you've come through that you're gonna come through stronger and better and it's gonna be better than it was the first time y'all y'all not with me yet so let me say it this way I remember after the storms came through in 2011 I met a brother who in my neighborhood who had his complete house destroyed by the storm and so I remember that they were initially devastated because the house was in shambles but I remember talking to him after about three weeks and the insurance had begin to kick in and it's crazy because at first he was mad but after the insurance stuff was put in place he was talking with joy in his face he lost his halibuts where there was excitement in his face and I was trying to figure out why he was so excited about losing the house and he says listen man when I rebuild the house I'm not gonna rebuild it according to the old blueprint y'all not hearing me yet in other words I built it bought it first based on somebody else's plan but when I rebuild it I'm gonna build a custom right to my design so when I revealed I'm gonna get my mancave when I revealed my wife is gonna get another bathroom he says it was nice at first but when I rebuild it it's gonna be even better the second time and how many of us know that when you come through this storm you might not have insurance but you got blessed assurance and when you got blessed assurance it's going to be better than let's go around and the good news is that Jesus is better than State Farm because like a good neighbor Jesus is going to be there I need you to know that he's better than all state because you're in good hands with Jesus and and how many of us know that I'm I'm covered by a group name alpha but the good thing is he's out four and the Omega he's there with me at the start and they're with me at the end and the good news is that when you come through what you're in it's gonna be better than it was at first are you hearing me today sense and so go back with if you don't mind to Zechariah chapter 2 and I'm gonna look a little bit closer at this text as we try to unfold the meaning that I want you to draw from this day Zachariah chapter 2 in verse 1 when you get back there let me hear you say Amen Zechariah 2 in verse 1 he says then I raised my eyes and looked and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand so I said where are you going and he said to me to measure Jerusalem to see what is its width and what is its length and there the angel who talked with me going out to end to another angel was coming out to meet him who said run and speak to this young man saying Jerusalem shall be and have as a town without work as they turned without walls because of the multitude of the man and the livestock in it did y'all catch that church for I says the Lord will be a wall of fire around her and I will be the glory in the midst of her now let me just take a moment to provide just a little bit of context for those who are not familiar with the visions given to the Prophet Zechariah now say so I need you to get that Zechariah is actually one of the younger prophets in Scripture in fact Zechariah actually has a dual responsibility because he is not only a priest he also serves as a prophet and the visions that God gives to Zechariah pertains specifically to the redemption or the restoration of Israel after their exile from the land of Babylon in fact through the Prophet Zechariah what God assures them is that he is going to redeem the children of Israel and that he is going to rebuild the cities of Jerusalem and Judah and so what he kind of lets them know is that even though they're in exile there's gonna come a time where I'm gonna rebuild the city and I'm gonna make it even better than the first time then I need you to now look at what God shows Zechariah individually what God shows him is a man Envy shows him in division a man with a measuring device in his hand and when when Zechariah sees the man he says dude what is it that you're about to do and the man says that I'm going to measure the lift of Jerusalem I want to see how long it was I want to see how wide it was I want to measure how tall it is and the reason that the man measuring the list of what Jerusalem used to look like is that he's getting ready to build it according to the former dimensions in other words he's measuring according to the old scale he's wanting to rebuild it like he remembered it he wants to rebuild it like it used to be in other words the man with the measuring line doesn't get that God is not gonna do a new thing using outdated blueprints okay okay so some of us didn't get that and so the properties the man with the measuring line and the angel immediately tells him that you need to stop measuring because your measurements are going to create limitations he says this time Jerusalem is not going to have a law because even though a law will protect you from an outside invasion it also limits your internal expansion in other words walls won't allow you to grow walls won't allow you to expand walls won't allow you to develop and he says if you keep on measuring you're gonna place a limit on my divine activity so he says put down the measuring stick because you're not gonna rebuild the walls of Jerusalem why because he says when I rebuild Jerusalem he says I'm gonna bring so many people I'm gonna bring so much livestock I'm gonna bring so much cattle I'm gonna bring so many options I'm gonna bring so many sheep I'm gonna bring so many goods I'm gonna bring so much inventory that your walls can't contain the blessings that I'm gonna give to my people and see God's Word to somebody in this room is that when I restore something in your life don't you try to pre measure it based upon your past experience don't assume it can only be here and no further don't assume that it can only go this high in no don't assume that it can only be this and no more gotta say don't you try to measure what I have forecast to do in your lives and see I don't know if some of us are getting what I'm saying today see I need to get that walls are protective tools in other words the goal of the law is to preserve what already is it's not gonna help you expand or become what God wants you to be are you hearing me say in other words the goal of a wall is that what it does is it protects them from the possibility of disappointment the wall keeps them from a defeat like what happened the last time in other words our walls represent our low expectations are we erect walls because we have fear of an enemy we erect walls to brace ourselves from failure and sometimes we erect walls to preserve what we have left and see God's message to the vision to somebody who is hearing me today is that when I restore you number one God says I don't want you to think preservation I want you to think expansion he's saying this time when I bless Jerusalem it's not going to have walls or any boundaries he said I'm gonna bless it so good that they gonna expand into the foothill they're gonna expand into the suburbs they're gonna expand into the desert land they gonna expand into the mountains they gonna expand into foreign terrain and God is saying that when you build walls what you do is you put before him a small container and how many of us know that when you give God a small container then you can only receive a small portion Lord I don't know where I'm preaching that today he says just kind of like this man y'all y'all know my youngest son prated he's the homesick pray for him but I need to know that that boy's spiritual gift is eating anybody got some kids like that today hang on live man if eating was a spiritual gift he would be an apostle do I have a witness in this joint and it's crazy because like in the pantry we have like some little small bowls for them to eat their cereal out and then we have some big bowls for the adults and I need to know that we're not telling my boy to go and get the bowl for his cereal I need you to know he don't go get one of the tiny bowls for his age he goes and gets one of the big bowls that's for daddy and see he has learned the principle of expansion because he knows that if he only brings a tiny boat that he can only get a tiny portion but my boy is gonna bring the big bowl because he wants the big boy portion and how many of us know that we need to learn how to pray to God with the big bowl we need to come before God with a platter because we can only receive a portion that's commensurate with what you've made available y'all hear me today sings I see the thing that I need somebody to understand is that I want the Church of the Living God this year to have a growth mindset it is that do I have some witnesses in this room that want to have a growth mindset that's saying I don't want to just be about preservation I want to function in the realm of expansion see I'm in a place where I'm not just trying to preserve my marriage I want to expand my marriage I'm not just trying to preserve this ministry I want to expand this ministry I don't just want to preserve my finances so I have the agreement I want to expand my finances in other words don't just try to preserve the business you want to try to expand the business I'm not just trying to preserve my piece I want to expand my piece I don't want to just preserve my spirituality and not saying I want to expand into intimate moments with God that I never ever thought possible and God is trying to get some folks that believe and understand you don't just have to hold on to what you have you don't just have to preserve what you got but God wants to expand and enlarge your territory are y'all here me than a Saints and I need us understand that as a church as we look in the ministry our goal is not just to preserve what we have we trying to expand the new heights come on and say you man in other words beloved I thank God for the bridge I thank God for abundant life I thank God for this campus but we got to expand the gospel to all nations so I think that in coming years we ought to start a spanish-speaking campus where men and women that don't speak English can receive the gospel of Jesus are y'all hearing me today Saints in other words I'm not just good at having a full church I've heard you Steven we got to get this message on YouTube on Facebook we got to get it on television do I have a witness in this room that the truth of the gospel can go to the four corners of the earth in other words I want to expand the property we've got five acres of land and new market that we built without any debt come on and say man we got to put a building on that land we got to build the gymnasium and community service center on this land we got to expand the property of the church we got to take the gospel into every part of town it can't just be where we live in Madison or out there in Green Mountain we got to take the gospel to Mason court we got to take it right here around the corner we've gotta enlarge and expand the borders of the kingdom of God we've got to buy some property so that we can help some of these homeless folk transition from a place of dependency to a place of independence and find their standing in God but though none of that happened if we just worried about being stained by the world and we say are insulated from the world we gotta expand to become who God has ordained us to become and sort of thing I need us understand because there's some of us that don't quite understand it because he God says put down the measuring line because your measurements see all of your measurements Saints are based upon what you've already seen and saying God is saying to the church your problem is you're living out of your memory I need you to live out of the vision my vision is always gonna be bigger than what you remember in times past and I need your understand because see that's a challenge because some of us are saying man you know how do I build without measuring how do I move and still function and faith see it's just kind of like what contractors are do sometimes when they build a architects draw up a building sometimes they'll build it with a flex option in other words they when they build it they don't build it to look that way the rest of its time they build it with the option to expand a wing or develop a wing so they're not gonna build it in such a way that the parking lot is gonna be put right up against it they want to make room for growth and what I'm saying is that when you write some plans this year make sure that you have a flex wing to it so that God can grow and enlarge and expand what he wants you to do are y'all hear me today Saints so the first thing I need to get is that God wants to have us an expansion mentality not just a preservation mentality so God says this Amman Jerusalem this time when we rebuild it it ain't gonna have no walls when I restore it this time because I'm not gonna place no limits I need to go to town to preach this on the way all that today I don't know listen he says I'm gonna build it this time and they ain't gonna have no walls because I'm gonna let it have unlimited expansion but I see that there's a caveat because see one of the things that the business shows us is that you can't have unlimited expansion with limited obedience see I knew some of y'all's gonna get mad and since you mad I might as well tell the truth anyhow come on say you see you may have unlimited expansion with limited sometime the obedience so watch this like beloved did you notice that that when the man in division starts thinking about measuring or rebuilding Jerusalem did you notice that he started measuring the wall and not measuring the temple it isn't it interesting that he doesn't start with worship he starts with the wall he didn't stop measuring the place of devotion he starts measuring the defense system now I need to understand that beginning with the wall is actually a certain act of presumption what do you mean pastor so God says to them he says listen man the reason y'all gonna have no walls at this time is because this time when I grow Jerusalem this time you're not gonna have any walls you're not gonna have any structure but this time when I expands you it's going to require you to be vulnerable when I expand you it's gonna expose you when I expand you it's going to cause you to maintain a posture of reliance upon me and he's saying you won't be walls in by a structure you won't be protected by in a butte meant you won't be strengthened by by some concrete you won't have to trust me to be a shield and a fence all around you everyday and see God's Word to somebody is that if you can't trust me to defend you how can you expect me to expand you y'all with me yet ah sheesh I need you to kind of see what's going on because so you gotta understand that these people like in my mind when I see the text now I'm like man God says listen let's you ain't got a building the wall I'm gonna be a wall of fire around Jerusalem and I see that joy and I'm just like oh snap yo that's where it's at let's unlimited expansion so when they hear unlimited expansion they say they shout but when they hear and the walls they get nervous I see the reason I get nervous and they bristle against this idea see I read it Mike and I'm thinking like a reader see the reason they struggle with this idea it is because they say God is going to protect us but we in Babylon right now because God didn't protect us last time right on your wit me Church in other words there is some emotional scar tissue left behind by what happened last go-round not music still got some tension is because there's enough evidence in scripture that shows that God will fight for his children now y'all hearing me Saints in other words it is chronicled well and in the book of in the battle where Aaron in her and hold up Moses his hand and as long as the man of God's hands were held up high that God was able to help them win the battle it is chronicled in the writings of Joshua how when they marched around the walls of Jericho seven days and on the seventh day they marched around seven times and all they had to do a shout and the walls came tumbling down it is chronicled in the ministry of Jehoshaphat how multiple enemies came at the same time we never getting to call on God in prayer the God made it plain that this battle is not yours but it belongs to the Lord and the Lord stopped the battle and caused the enemies to literally fight against themselves so some wondering why is it that they were even bristle against the idea of God functioning as their protector see the reason they don't like this idea is that they know that the promise of protection hinges on obedience since did I realize that the protection of God is hinged on the principle of obyeye y'all hear what I'm saying today Saints in other words that in their minds the reason they want to build a better wall is so they don't have to build a better relationship [Music] okay help me Holy Spirit CGI I need you gotta say ain't no structure don't keep you you won't have to walk in covenant with me in order to have this unlimited expect are y'all hear what I'm sayin another one I see the reason they want to have a wall is just in case they want to turn up with with the harlots of bail they want to have a wall just in case they decide to go smoke it with the boys down in Moab they they want to keep a wall up just in case they decide to go lick get lit and start the party with the extra rest and the day guards of the day in other words the reason they want to law is to make sure they can be rebellious and still be covered [Applause] in other words saints they've got to come to a place where God is saying you gotta wake up make up in your mind whether you would rather have unlimited expansion or security for your sins okay he's asking the question uh uh would you rather have unlimited prosperity or a landing spot for your iniquity and see that's the choice somebody's got to make today do you want the unlimited blessings of God or a contingency for your foolishness are you hearing the word today saying so God says I'm gonna rebuild it better this time but there ain't gonna be no walls or you gonna have is me and see I need your reason God says no walls for two reasons because God is trying to teach them and us this principle and the principle is different simply this sense that that if God can't keep you then you can't be kept no no were you saying it cuz remember Jerusalem had walls last time and in Declan Knesset came in and burned that joint down to the ground beat down all the men and snatched the women without any defense God was trying to show them that the wall couldn't keep you last time and if I can't keep you then you just can't be kept let me just pause the safe to the body of Christ today that they're just certain walls that we are erecting as precautions and safety measures in the event that God doesn't come through but I need you to know that if God can't keep you then you just cannot be kept and I preached it anybody in this room listen listen a man if you got some personal protection in your house but you can have all the bullets all the guns but there's always somebody with more bullets and both guns and if God can't keep the house y'all mighty quiet in here if God can't keep the house then it just can't be kept in other words man you can get a prenuptial agreement to protect your assets but if God don't keep the marriage it just can't be cat I lie all the time and I always read listen to the safety regulations I read the instructions in the event of a water landing but the truth is that if God don't keep the plane the truth is a joint just can't be kept young folk when you sing you can put on all the condoms and take all the pills but if God don't keep you then you just can't be kept and I'm not trying to say you shouldn't be cautious I'm not saying that you shouldn't have wisdom but I need somebody to understand that your strength can't be in the structure your peace can't be in a person your peace can't be in a weapon your peace can't be in your bank accounts your peace can't be in your job yo he's 10 being your degree no peace can't be in your title no peace your name because of God came you then you just hate me cat are not hearing the word today sex so God is saying this time growth is gonna make you bun and growth is gonna expose you growth is gonna make you depend more on me but you know why they wanna borrow so they can be trifling they still be covered they want to have rebellion they still be covered and God is saying you just got to decide would you rather have unlimited expansion or covering for your seniors it's in there some things where we're offering partial obedience to God and wondering why we can't have the unlimited expansion see some of us are praying for unlimited expansion financially while being partially obedient in stewardship do you realize that the overflowing not not enough room to receive it it's contingent upon the promise of obedience that I bring not just a portion of the Thai blabbering all the time into the storehouse like some of us are saying pray for unlimited expansion in our work but we are partially obedient and keeping the Sabbath I knew y'all was gonna get quiet but I'm gonna stand right here in your face and tell you the truth of the word of God I need you to understand that working on the Sabbath it's not how you get ahead but Isaiah says that if you take your foot off the Sabbath and stop doing your own work or keeping your own ways he says I will cause you to rise on the high places of the earth and I'll feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father y'all hear what I'm saying some of us are saying I want unlimited prosperity in my marriage but you still got your pornography stash under the TV for the nights where are y'all hearing what I'm saying the other day they were saying I want unlimited peace but you keep feeding your soul all the wrong things never gonna rob you of your peace and God is saying that issue is not that I don't want to bless you it's just that you're so sometimes in your obedience and see and that's why I like the man we start with the wall instead of starting with worship and what we do is we invert the order and what Zechariah is simply teaching is that if you start with worship God will be the wall if you start with worship God will be the wall if you start with devotion God will be your defense if you start with praise God will be your protection if you God start with us the consecration God will grow you and expand you and allow you to reach Heights that you did not even think Tulsa but you got to start with worship Saints and God give me the wall since it'll be a wall of fire around you think I'll share what you want summer man when they I was taking the kids over here to the library at Oakwood and it's crazy happened to be like the rainiest day they all look like ever in life and so it was crazy because I had you know I was good because I had the big umbrella had a pretty good reach and when we get outside in the car you know how it's right there from the levy library you got a whole field of grass sidewalks I mean this looks like a runway for kids go and play and it's crazy because it's raining it's our first date they got next to me and they huddled to me under the umbrella but like they could not resist the temptation of the wide open field none easier to understand they're just certain battles they ain't gonna fight if you want to run out there and get wet ain't gonna really try to stop you from getting wet but it's crazy because they would run from underneath the umbrella but then they would run away from me and the covering and then complain that they're getting wet yeah y'all didn't get it they would run far from me and just want the covering the run behind them wherever wherever they went and see the reason I kept on letting them get wet is that leading them to understand that you can't run away from Danny and still be covered by daddy y'all not hearing me today see the problem is that the covering angel chase you the coverage is gonna be found in intimacy clothes my section will be covered your entire time are you hearing me the next thing so where it says here verse number 6 God says to division up plea from the land of the north says the Lord part spread the abroad from the four winds of heaven says the Lord up Zion escape listen escape those of you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon y'all still with me Saints y'all man you don't matter ho keep preaching it alright third thing this teacher says is you can't wait for it to get better before you start moving now you'll see it in a minute you'll see it in a minute so it's prophesied to Israel but God my soul faith even before this thing before before the Babylonian exile God told to them ahead of time he says through the prophet Isaiah Isaiah chapter 25 in Jeremiah chapter 23 he says it's gonna be seventy years that you're gonna be there in Babylon and the reason he tells them exactly how long it's going to be is so that they don't think that the punishment is gonna be permanent you see with me he gives them an exact time and then he literally lets them know that at the end of the 70 years I'm gonna break the bow of Babylon and I'm gonna call you back home and here in prophetic our function he literally says arise and arise those of you in the north who dwell in the daughter of Babylon it is an announcement declaration that is time for y'all to leave Babylon and come back home so so what so the question should be why does Zachariah have to even say that to them because remember now the head of gold has been subdued by the chest and arms of silver with the advent is that y'all still here with me today in other words that that great kingdom has been subverted by an inferior Kingdom Nebuchadnezzar has been put off the throne in other words God has literally boat that broke the boat as prophesied and made a way for them to come back home but by the time Zechariah starts prophesy almost 2/3 of the Israelites are still living in Babylon by choice not only thing worse than a slave it's a free man that chooses bondage volunteering [Applause] so so then document what what they still doing in Babylon so say the reasons most of them stay in Babylon voluntarily it is threefold number run the reason they stay in in Babylon is number one by even though now the slavery the oppression is gone and because of Daniel he got them a little shy and there in Babylon and there's just in the prominence and comfort in Babylon to keep them from going back to Jerusalem second reason extant Babylon they've been there seven years you got some jobs that been born in Babylon that's all they know I mean teenage years they got married in Babylon had kids in Babylon in the Chamber of Commerce and Babylon and they assimilated so much into the majority culture that they don't even know where they come from I'm gonna save that sermon for another day on the West going but the third reason they stay in Babylon is because in their minds they're in nothing back home to go back to Jerusalem is still in ruins the walls have been set on fire everything is in shambles it's completely devastated in Jerusalem so that even though it's bad where I am hey ain't got nothing to go back to back home are y'all still with me Church so I need you to kind of get kind of how this thing plays out like in their mind they have taken like many of us have a wait-and-see posture Stephen they have decided we gonna let it get built back up first then we gonna come back when everything's all together and God is trying to teach them that things can't be restored without your cooperation he's trying to teach somebody that nothing ever fixes itself he's saying come from the north come those who dwell in in Babylon with the daughter of Babylon because I can't rebuild it click out your participation not a reason that is important for some who are wanting God to restore some things in our lives see we have taken a passive posture a wait-and-see our did our disposition where I need to see every jot need I need God to fix it first then our start moving in that direction that's not how it works so there's some disenfranchised spouse today who it's saying why should I even go back to them let me just let God get them together first then I'll go back home and God is saying you can't wait to it's perfect to start moving because I can't rebuild it without your participation somebody who is pertinent burned and ministry before who said you know I saw I'll get that active when everybody in church gets their self right when everybody in church gets gets on the same you'll be waiting till Jesus comes for that no God is saying you you got to start moving while it's still broken because God can't rebuild it without your participation there's somebody who's saying that when I start feeling better and when my knees stop hurting then I'll start exercising and eating right the devil is a liar you've got to start moving when you don't feel like moving and there's pain in your knees because God can restore it without your participation let's be there some of us men that are paralyzed but like this this this posture of perfection I move when I see everything gets right I'll move when everything falls into place I'll move when I see the doors opening I'll jump on board when the train starts moving but God is saying no God is calling you while the still in ruins he's calling you when it's still in shambles God is calling you in things are still messed up because things can't be restored without show participation this rough work somebody in this thing today see see I needed you know that God showed me something even this way God God showed me something I was walking with when we were there are the British a Wednesday I was walking into Belk and you know how when you go into the department stores they have an automatic sliding glass door that opens up as soon as you walk toward it and it's crazy because man I don't know what was going on that day I'm just walking like I normally do I got my pastoral swag on I'm moving in the door and I need you to know I don't see the door open and it's crazy something was wrong with the sensor and it didn't open and I hit it pretty good and you know it dawns on me Lewis it's how much faith we put in an automatic door in other words we start marching towards even before it opens we don't break stride we put all our weight in a certain direction in other words the reason we start walking toward it is because we know that it has a sensor in other words we don't wait for the door to open and start moving and it's a symbiotic relationship because the door will open until it senses that you start moving and the words of somebody is that it won't get better till you start moving but don't pull it open until you start moving the door for your kids won't open till you start moving education doors won't open till you start moving healing doors won't open till you start moving Merritt's doors won't open till you start moving business doors won't open until you start moving in that direction are y'all hear me today says listen so look at this sense verse 9 y'all y'all still in the trance for thus saith Lord God is speaking verse a he sent me after glory to the nations which plunder you for he who touches you touches our y'all in the scripture whitney says touches the apple of his eye for surely I will shake my hand against them and they shall become the spoil for the servants and you'll understand this Saints last thing that there's a reason why God placed you there the message is that he'll do it even better next time but notice what God says God says to Jerusalem while under oppression I let this happen I let you go through this chastisement but remember Eric whoever touches you touches the apple of my see there's a tension that we're wrestling with God let them touch him because of rebellion turns around and says you're the apple of my eye quick principal I need you to get is that even when God allows things to chasing you it doesn't change the way God feels about you who know your that's another news and how you're shouting today even in your foolish stupid foul great state iniquity God says you are still the apple of my eye and the object of my supreme affection and he needs somebody to understand that no matter how great the level of your iniquity it doesn't change the way I view you it doesn't change the way I see you I haven't changed my mind about you and even when I let consequence touch you you are still the apple of my eye so he wants somebody understand that even when you're in jail you're still the apple of my eye when your house is being repossessed you're the apple of his eye when you're in rehab you're still the apple of his eye when your things are at their worst you are still the apple of God's eye ooh he hadn't changed his mind about you when you need deep in a bottle of Hennessy he had changed his mind about you when you land up with somebody that ain't your spouse he hasn't changed his mind about you when you smoke in your mind crazy and change his mind about you when you forget to pray here and change this mind about you he'll let some stuff touch you to drive you back to him but it does because he's forsaking you but it's because he loves you just that much he has not changed his mind about you Jerusalem are y'all hearing in a sense so he's saying I let it touch him I let it touch you I let it touch I let you go there but your arrival there wasn't just punishment it was equipping the sermon is he'll do it even better next time notice what he says I'll shake my hand that they're the ones that's touching you and they will give spoil to the ones who served them doc shame he says when I stake my hand in Babylon that they will send spoils to the one that served them so so y'all gotta understand what squirrels is so that when one nation overtook another nation they were plundered them and they would take the spoils back to where they came from y'all y'all still not hear me now understand that Israel is known for some specific things in Jerusalem so if Babylon takes them they gonna take from them some wheat they gonna get some olive oil they may even take some some grapes and some wine because that's what they're known for in Jerusalem so so so that when they are taken into captivity their goods are imported with them so they have their wine is taken then we is taken some of the olive oil is taken but understand that Babylon didn't just take Israel Babylon has been taken down everybody so they don't just have spoil from Jerusalem they got spoiled from all over the world so in Babylon they got diamonds from Africa they got ivory from Asia Minor they they literally I have some water on the cedar from the land of Lebanon they've got goods imported from all over the land so even though they left only giving up one type of good when God puts the sport in there buzzer no no y'all can get it they not giving up just oil and wine and some grape juice but when they come back home they will come back with gold and silver and fine linen in other words it was bad what they went through but they go come back Richard let will come back stronger they go come back better they gonna come back bigger in other words God is don't give them in captivity what they need to make it better when they get back home Oh y'all didn't hear me in this thing today I need you to know that God when he sent him into the captivity he was simply giving them what they needed to rebuild Jerusalem bigger and better and better and more awesome the next go-round why is it important because as you're saying pastor man I want the Lord to get me out of this that's the wrong prayer instead of saying Lord get me out of it you ought to be praying what do you want me to get out of it because when you come out you gonna come out with more face you gonna come out with more joy you will come out more spiritual you gonna come out with more fortitude you gonna come up with more beliefs you gonna come up with more word you gonna come out with more experience don't lay me where you are because God is gonna send the spoil and when you come out it's gonna be even better than the first time are y'all hearing me today sense and so I love this thing so the word simply says in verse 10 God says to the Prophet sing and rejoice o daughter of Zion for behold I'm coming and I will dwell with you in the midst let's not just last thing I got to say is that sometimes when you find yourself under the 8-ball and you find yourself in despair sometimes you just gotta learn how to praise them in advance mrs. s are y'all with me today st. listen listen they still in captivity but he say it starts singing now they still in Babylon but he says start praising me now just praise me because I gave you the promise that I'm coming again and my glory is gonna be tabernacling against you see the problem is some of us too often say when I get to heaven I'm gonna shot when I get on trees of gold I'm Josiah how many of us know that you ain't gotta wait til you get to the New Jerusalem this shot you ain't gotta wait till he comes he stands dying and starts singing right now sang start praising me down Zion get a dress rehearsal right now because if you don't practice it down here you can't perfected up there how many of us know that he's coming again I said he's coming again his word is sure and I can rejoice in the present because I believe in the promise if you believe God shall God give God a praise in this place today you place before me I'm done [Applause] and so I need you to understand is just that the rebuilding of the earthly Jerusalem without walls where he brings all nations into it y'all know what that is it is simply a foreshadowing of the work that God is doing that he says in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you but he says I will come again and receive you to myself he said we will Babylon now but we ain't gonna be down here forever but we don't be in a New Jerusalem where no iniquity dwells and all nations shall be gathered in and we will sing and rejoice and reign with him forever and ever and ever and ever and ever forever and ever amen but there's somebody in this room this is decision you got to make Lucy somewhat of us so you know what I'm a little nervous about see it's not we don't save me in a shout but there's a summer yard there's this deadness in your eyes because you just don't leave nothing you running around here with a with a measuring stick and God is saying I don't want no boundaries this time even as you're hearing this sermon and hearing me talk about God rebuilding your marriage you already joined some measurements he'll shield they'll be good for a month or a few weeks and then they're gonna go right but you already joined the measurements yeah yeah you know I young you know I'm in church but but but you know I get back here I'm gonna get active but I know they're gonna start acting stuff when you drawing your measurements you know you know I know I need to open up the people and be more friendly and get friends but but every time I do that you know people always hurt me you draw in your measurements and your worst enemy ain't from outside it's the fact that you just you don't believe see like I'm just at a phase where either I just gotta believe what the Bible says I'm gonna stop fooling around with the whole religion conversation altogether I can't be an in-between I can't just believe it so I gotta believe what God said God is one expand your peace he's one to expand your intimacy he's wanting to expand your marriage ministry leaders he's wanting to expand the ministry so so you only see me roll my eyes and suck my teeth when you sit in front of me and all you want to do is what you did last year hidden ones just preserve the history and the legacy of this church most of the city doesn't know that there's a God who saves and a Jesus who comes again we got a function an expansion church my aides are trying to preserve that business no letters no boundaries y'all my prayer life oh I'm gonna get it back where it used to be it won all that see you you good man if I can get in here and I can just pray for 10 minutes your measuring stick you don't know God just once you get someplace where you can just go in there Freddie Lawson and just get lost man I'm late for work oh I ain't even no I'm just me and G we just kickin it late for work late for work like work because you just dwelling so richly powerfully in the presence of God godly trying to preserve nothing he's trying to expand y'all hear me sing God is just trying to preserve financially God done just watch a living from check the chicken month-to-month and stressed the stress God wants to bless you in such a way that you're able to pour back into the ministry of the church so that the kingdom of God suffers no lack why y'all hear me say healing just trying to preserve the little healthy God he wants to expand it he wants somebody to put down a cane this year for the last time he wants somebody to take a last insulin shot that last blood pressure P he's trying to expand expand putting the walls around God says listen if you faithfulness stewardship I'll open up such a blessing I'll plot such a blessing that you don't have room in left to receive our y'all hear me sakes but I need somebody I need you to get rid of the doctrine the doctrine of yesterday he didn't introduce you as the great I was he says I'm the great [Music] and I prayed that if you didn't get it this morning you get the tape I'll email you the Sermon transfer because I need you to get this this God wants to do a new thing powerful a transformative thing and I know that you hate where you are I talked about a couple ways unites my greatest blessings all the things I got in the way [Music]

Channel: First Seventh-day Adventist Church

Views: 9,876

Rating: 4.8060608 out of 5

Keywords: Church, huntsville, alabama, God, love, Jesus, faith, hope, joy, black, women, men, seventh-day adventist, pastor, African-American, youth, teen, worship, sermon, bible, protestant

Id: FI0mSBF8p3c

Length: 61min 17sec (3677 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 21 2020