The last dance I can't help myself

[Music] come on would you clip your hands if you know that God is the Living Word come on he's deserving of more than that would you give it to him give God your best sound of Thanksgiving this the day the Lord has made we rejoice and we're glad in it everybody is sending I want you to just embrace three people around to tell them something good get made it happen to you [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] your hands if you love God the way I do come on do you think God is worthy of highest praise you may be seated in the presence of the Lord if you're glad to be alive and glad to be in the house of God give him a shout of Thanksgiving what a mighty God we serve angels bow before him heaven and earth must adore him what a mighty God that we serve down through the years God has been amazingly good to us just to think when we started together 18 years ago you were just 43 of us and to see God a mushroom that to ten thousand would you give God praise for that come on give God praise for it [Applause] there's so many of you that I am grateful for so many because it includes all of you I'm thankful for all of you allow me if you will a point of personal privilege are just a salute and celebrate the holy spirit for being with us for 18 years come on would you help me thank God for his precious Holy Spirit none of this would have been possible because were not for his prevailing presence help me if you will thank God for the presence of my dad our Bishop Bishop John Richard Brian come on give God some praise for him thankful that God has maintained his health and his strength and in spite of my craziness his sanity skipped him together and I'm thankful even in absentia for ripping dr. cecelia brilliant and from my only begotten sister dr. Tama Brian Davis um I'm appreciative allow me I'm so grateful that God has entrusted me with a remarkable presiding elder who is my immediate supervisor in the order of our doctrine of Methodism and I'm so grateful for he and his wife for their light their love in their leadership our presiding elder first lady won't you all please saying we're glad and we're grateful you've gotta hate let the praise fire elder I'm amazed at so many clergy that are present on today when Priscilla Beal and a daughter of this house thank you so very much all of the ordained clergy that a president won't you police saying all the clergy carriers of the gospel of bishops apostles prophets overseers come on give God a hand clap of praise for all of them I'm elated just for your presence are on this day empowerment temple thank you for letting me be your pastor for the last 18 years it's been the greatest joy of man lining and there is no greater Church and no greater people then impoundment temple do me a favor you've got some glory for yourself so many pastors die and frustration agony and depression because their imagination never turns into manifestation literally for 18 years there is not one thing I've ever charged or challenged you to do that we failed in whatever we set out to do we've been able to accomplish it through the grace of God that's an amazing team amen come on help me thank God for the grace that risks over our ministry and I'm believing that God already has the earmark - he has in mind to take us to the next level this is not the end it's just the beginning and God is gonna take us from glory to glory if you really value what it is that I've been able to share and to impart into you over these last 18 years the evidence of that is not you giving me a Hallmark card is not you writing something on my Facebook page or honor me by honoring your next pastor Amen with with that same level of love I want you to love that new pastor of First Lady and family that are coming are to serve you as a God would guide if you have your Bibles would you go with me please to Luke's Gospel chapter 23 Luke's Gospel chapter 23 as the Jill saying for the reading of God's word help me just a little more I'll be able to live thank you Luke chapter 23 Matthew Mark Luke y'all look lost Luke chapter 23 and I want to look at one verse and that one verse is verse 46 once you found it want you to clay I have it if you can't find it say lord help me look at all them visitors I know y'all know better Thank You Luke chapter 23 verse number 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice father into your hands I commit my spirit when he said this he breathed for the last time he may be seated I want you to arm yourself with a writing instrument there are some principles and points that I want to share with you that it is my hope aim and intention will serve you long after this worship encounter would have concluded I want to preach for a little while today using as a subject I can't help myself I can't help myself would you turn to the person beside you and say please pray for me I look back at him and tell them I just can't help myself millions of recovering addicts have attested to confronting their addiction by internalizing the serenity prayer god grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference while I admit that it's powerful in its intent my soul is more prone to imitate the intercession of the activists Angela Davis who is accredited with chanting while meditating a prayer that I want to give to you here's how Angela Davis pray I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change and I'm changing the things I cannot accept I want all of us to pray that together come on repeat after me I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change I'm changing the things I can't accept come on let's try it again let's do that going into the new year media ministry let's keep it on the screen for just one moment everybody all over the room let's pray it together I'm no longer accepting the things I cannot change I'm changing the things I cannot accept if you believe it somebody shout hallelujah hers is affirming for those of us who have been oppressed but still have the nerve to have faith before the Humane Society became such a formidable force in advocacy around the protection of pets there was a doctor by the name of Martin Seligman back in the 1960s conducted experiments on canines to assess their response to electrical shocks some of the dogs received electrical shocks that they couldn't predict while others were put in an environment that they could for this study the dogs were placed in a box with two chambers divided by a low barrier the box was electrified on one side but not on the other and when the electrified floor would be turned on some dogs would jump over to the safe side and all the more there were those who would give no effort and would stay right there submitting themselves to the shock out of this experience dr. Seligman coined an expression that I wanted to give to you today that may not even be for you it may be for your son maybe for your best friend it may be for your coworker but I want you to write this expression down here it is learned helplessness learned helplessness the theory friends of learned helplessness is defined as one who has been conditioned to expect pain to adjust to suffering to accept discomfort and never try to escape after enough conditioning the species will stop trying to avoid the pain at all when people believe that they have no control over what happens to them they begin to think feel and act like they're helpless that's called learned helplessness pastor why's it called learned helplessness I want to tell you why because you are not born with that innate trait nobody is born believing they have absolutely no control over what happens to them and God had you to come to this 11:30 service a whole 500 of you if not 1500 of you will give God glory for it God said today because you have come into worship with an open mind and an open heart I am anointing you here's your shout to get control of your life back you have to get control of your life back why because God is disgruntled by your brazen helplessness one day in John chapter 5 we meet a man who have been paralyzed for 38 years he's at the Pool of Bethesda it was the custom at that time that an angel would come once a year and trouble the water and the face first one to jump in would get healed impoundment here's what I need you to know is that the man here this is not 38 years old here 38 years old he's been in the condition 38 years so Jesus arrives and asked him a pointed question watch what he asked him do you want to be healed Jeff you ain't gonna believe it and in classic fashion of learned helplessness he never answers the question but begins ascribing the blame for his condition and starts talking about who won't help God never asked who didn't help you he asked do you want to be better then where you are right now and I'm talking to those of you that God is fed up with so many of us acting helpless as if he is not present and as if you are not capable there is an authority on your life then you are not a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued you're not waiting for nobody to write you some magical check you ain't gonna have to compromise your ethics your morals or your integrity to pay the rent to raise your children to get ahead or to get a promotion God said I gave you everything you need here's your shout and i'ma prove it to you by giving you no help in this hour in this hour Bishop Bryant black people must unlearn learned helplessness we got to unlearn learn helping the helplessness we can't wait on government to rescue we cannot wait for white-supremacist to gain a conscience we cannot wait for some grant to go through but there's gotta be something in us that says greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world can I tell you who you sitting around the day you are sitting on the road with folks that never had a family to push them you sitting around people that don't come out of a pedigree or background or exposure or formal education but you sitting around folk who refuse to roll over and play dead but they keep getting up every morning because they realize they got too much on the line to wait for you to decide whether you gonna help me or not you are going to make it in spite of who didn't show up God I'm preaching better than y'all Michelle I said you are gonna make it in spite of who did not have your back you groan now get over it daddy won there mama was jealous and your siblings are hatin but you're still got what it takes [Applause] you learned helplessness in learn helplessness watch this it disrupts how your brain processes so when you have learned helplessness watch this you co-opted a negative lens Selig Meghan said you always know when you around people that have learned helplessness why because they always got three P's on their plate they got three P's on their plate I want you to write down these three P's so you know when you're dealing with learn to help business Negroes somebody who has learned helplessness their first feet write this down is always personalized I'm a bad person I don't have what it takes I'm not enough so they always throw that out there watch this in hopes you gonna affirm you okay ain't no wrong with you you is smart but I'm talking to those of you watch this who had to be your own life coach there's sometimes sitting in the car you had to adjust the rearview mirror and tell yourself pull it together boo you are not gonna let them break you on this job today I got what it takes [Applause] personalized second Peters always on somebody who has learned to helplessness second Peters always on that plate is it's pervasive it's pervasive what does that mean pastor everybody hates me everybody don't know you nothing is right it's all wrong whenever there's something good they can find something bad in it y'all ain't saying nothing to me the reason why the enemy has not been able to hold you down is somehow uncannily you have been able to find positive in the middle of a negative situation hallelujah there's some people if they had to play with the hand you were dealt they would have jumped off the chesapeake bridge but I need some folk in here that came up the rough side of the mountain and in spite of it you don't same song as I'm living my best life yeah it don't matter what it is I don't have oh what you think about me Cray that you see this in me can I tell you when you anoint it when you got haters and they don't know I got nothing but God first be on the plate is that is some personal second be on the plate is that it is pervasive third one what's this for people who have learned helplessness is they believe everything is permanent let me show you the language the linguistics of oppressed people who are absent of hope you know what their tattoo is it is what it is god help me whatever but God told me to tell you whatever situation you're in right now is temporary I just needed to see how you would respond why you in the in between anybody can shout when they got it all together but if there's anybody who believes ahead any moment now God is getting ready to kick down the door on my behalf you better be careful how you treat me now because in a few moments you gonna need I need you to prophesy to somebody who's on your roll I don't know what they dealing with I don't know what's on their plate I don't know what's on their shoulders but I need you to prophesy to them and tell them it's not permanent hey you don't even know what they need you don't even know what they're going through that's wrong they find the person behind you and tell them pastor told me to tell you it's not permanent you ain't always gonna be broke you ain't always gonna be alone you ain't always don't be dependent on people but sooner or later it's gonna work in your favor [Applause] be seated please dr. Seligman said that when people have learned helplessness they personalize everything they look through the lens and believe everything is pervasive and they begin to convince themselves that their situation is permanent the problem with dr. Seligman is that dr. Seligman that he is not a born-again believer hallelujah so I want to put a fourth P on the plate is that when you are going through Weiss's you only need one more when you are distressed and that is what's this your praise hallelujah because my my praise is personal I'm not giving God glory for no preacher I'm giving God glory for what I'm going through look at the person beside you said let me apologize now this shelf is not for you so I don't care if you get annoyed irritated or aggravated but I came to give God glory I came to give him the honor I need you to give him a praise why because everything in my life shift if you believe everything connected to you it's getting ready to change before December 31st now like your credit score is getting ready to change your dress ready to change be seated please give somebody a high five and tell them nothing is permitting everything connected to you is getting ready to change I don't know how many of you need the prophecy look at him and tell about next year this time you gonna be working for yourself but next year this time you gonna wake up in the bed to your husband you gonna cast your biggest check next year this you gonna be balling out of control yes getting ready to ship they see them please dr. Henry cloud dr. Henry cloud in his book necessary index articulated from the vantage point of a therapist that the most troubling pattern I need you to hear this the most troubling pattern about learned helplessness is the perceived loss of control over things they actually have control over hallelujah I need you to just shake that neighbors hair and tell a neighbor you getting control over your life this is your last season being depressed when David slipped into that dark place he didn't need oxycontin but the Bible said he encouraged himself help or your neighbor and tell him you ain't gotta affirmation you ain't even gotta believe in my dream but I'm crazy enough chucking carrots myself I'm like that little train at the bottom of the hill itself thing cocky own corporation go back to school without a scholarship raise these kids with no child support because you've got before me who can be against me came to kill the devil today day you know praise him but cars clothes and money my shout find what you get ready to do but what you getting ready to accomplish but what you getting ready to achieve the battle is over congratulations you survived the worst season of your life just get ready to get better yes get ready to get stronger your [Applause] even if to yourself what's wrong and say neighbor I want you to know why you gonna do because favor is better than money the money on your life there's nothing [Applause] you see them please we see them please what's wrong with shop be seated what's wrong Michelle be seated god help me What's Wrong I'll be singing look at your neighbor and tell him I'm trying to sit up I'm trying not to scream I'm trying not to run the goodness of Jesus we see psychologists psychologists make the distinction between giving up effort is different than giving up commitment we see that places there's a difference between giving up effort and giving up commitment giving up on a particular commitment doesn't mean I'm giving up on my effort I'm just redirecting my energy towards something that's worth my time cause y'all ain't saying nothin to me so for me to stop doing something don't mean any less of me it just means I came to myself and realize you ain't worth the investment because you ain't serious about God is saying when will you reach that point when will you reach that moment when you finally will be met with the Epiphany there's some things you can't help and all the more there are some people you can't help what a striking contrast what a overwhelming irony the Lord would direct but on the first Sunday of Advent well I'm surrounded by poinsettias that in this moment where it is that I should be doing the poor diagnostic on the Christmas narrative on the nativity scene and yet gone would usher me to crucifixion pastors up something is wrong with your liturgical calendar on this on this Sunday should be prepping us to Christmas and you escorting us to the crucifixion something's wrong no you've been packing I know you got a lot on you emotionally but you should've thought that through you can't preach of Good Friday message three weeks before Christmas so Jamal when you get to 11:30 tell them I'm not off there's a common denominator between Christmas and crucifixion I said god I don't see it he said right in the middle of Christmas right in the middle of crucifixion y'all I don't like it is a tree he said they they going in the basement looking for bulbs and I'm going to Luke 23 looking for a body cuz something got to go on that tree god help me by the time I get to Luke chapter 23 nobody is singing tis the season to be jolly and I get to Luke 23 nobody is Caroline go tell it on the mountain when I get to Luke chapter 23 nobody is standing around with warm cups of hot chocolate as a matter of fact nobody is singing because the angels have gone on strike the choir has disbanded the Sun has refused to shine and the only person who speaking is the one who's going through the pain everybody else is just looking and they got no idea what he's going through what's this even though it ain't what he wanted to do so he gotta stand in front of them in pain while they watch not knowing that this is not what he elected but what God chose and God said why are you standing there don't you dare complain trust me why you going through the pain I'm talking to 50 of you who have had to show up at work when you didn't feel like getting out of the bed I'm talking to those of you who had to encourage people even while you were at the end of your rope I'm talking to a few of you get prayed for other folks when you didn't have strength to pray for yourself and in spite of that God just left you on that tree have you on that tree crazy things happen while he's on the tree it's when he's them when he's performing miracles is 5,000 when you give him our food at Thanksgiving is 4,000 when he kept sending kids to school is hundreds but now that he's going through pain he got to go through it by himself and all they can do is watch he lifts himself up on that cross and up to this point he can only say six sentences he's dehydrated dying from a fixation he got 12 people on their staff he doesn't entrust it to take to church forward three I'm done left one of them now that he died and denies his power y'all ain't saying nothing to me and the church begins to scatter as long as he but there the church was drawn was going strong with new souls were coming into the body every day Papa God says in order for this that could be complete I gotta pull you out of the pitch but I only been here a couple of years why are you gonna pull me now cuz the church ain't really gonna be able to grow while you still present can I stay here little while longer I still need to pour into him a little while still need to preach a little bit still need to perform a few miracles that still need to erect some more building Gossett nah time's up Ness six word on the cross he begins to speak out of his own humanity out of his own frustration out of his own brokenness own of his own vulnerability and he says like many of us while we are in pain most people close the book when you're going through pain they think what you said in pain is what you meant how to do you they think is over for you win when they think that it's finished for God says let me clear my throat what did you just say it is finished people from the Jerusalem times and people from fox5 is real show up and they're recording it now this is the end stand to the church stand it administrator Sansa to the disciples it's finished they're not gonna be able to hold together after he gone it ain't gonna mean nothing after he's out the way he was the clue to it all that people started coming cuz he was there I said all right let me tell you what I'm gonna do I'll move them out the way so you can see that I don't need one person to do my business I'll raise up somebody you ain't never seen before who's the name you ain't never heard and show you that this church belongs to me he's convicted in his name he's convicted in his disappointment he want to do this he's sweating until this his sweat and see you're starting in the blood other people who he served over them years now walked away he was with him as long as there was a crowd [Music] but when stuff started falling off that's when the real church showed up yeah y'all ain't saying nothin to me I'm telling y'all we can better to chef Baltimore down cuz they think impoundment is over after this but I'll tell you what come back next week and watch what God is able to do can I say to you you can be anointed and still have a frail moment y'all ain't saying nothing you can be anointed and say some stuff you don't mean y'all ain't gonna be real with me you can be honest that there's some days you wish you can press the do-over button cuz you did it out of your humanity and not out of your spirituality if is finish were supposed to be the last word but Jesus had to correct himself after he said it is finished I'm now in ITEX he starts to pray out loud father in your put this church I can't do nothing else but I trust you for the church's views and I need some people in here who know what's this I'm not depending on people but I depend on God here's the air I need that hand lifted whatever you do whatever you do whatever you do please don't take your Holy Spirit away from us that hand is lifted what this I'm just a clay he is the problem I'm lost without you I I can't live without Jack here move without jack here breathe without you I'm hopeless whatever it is that you feel helpless about whether it's about your finances this church your life or your family that hand is lifted I want to replicate the model of Christ today is my last day of being your pastor but it's in God's hands now he's in God's hands now and I want you to know I trust it in his hands I know some of you not gonna understand it you ain't even gonna agree with it but those of you who have enough spiritual maturity to put not just your life but the future of this ministry into the hands of God I need you come on let's just have one moment of worship lift up that hand it's in his hands now some people don't come some people don't go is in his hands now we all see new faces returning faces but it's in his hands now come on I need you we're not just a heavier hand lifted I need to help you open up your mouth come on would you put it in his hands my life is not my own to you [Music] come on everybody lift up their hand everybody come on my life is to you [Music] I'm not singing it good open up your mouth called the singing aloud everybody my life is not my own [Music] [Applause] I give myself to you my life [Music] come on Here I am [Music] Oh [Applause] [Music] to [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] with that hand lift it would you open up your mouth just worship him for just one moment come on bless him for one moment come on give it to right where it is that you want [Music] we got a move but I want you to partner meet with me and doing so I want you to move from where you are I want you to just encourage and empower somebody would you move from where you are need you to embrace three people and tell them in st. God's hands now come on tell them is in God's hands now [Music] how much [Music] No to [Applause] [Applause] [Music] if you gonna trust God enough to put everything in his hands would you join me in a chorus of Thanksgiving come on I can't hear you said if you're gonna put it in his hand we trust them right next chapter we trust them for our future we trust God for this spiritual family every person is standing does that much trust that having God I got enough nerve to open the doors of the church when I can't even tell you who the pastor gonna be next week I mean that's real faith right there hoping the doors of the church watch this for somebody to give their lives over to Christ knowing you can't live without her can't move without can't breathe without where did you learn to be helpless you ain't get that from here God is giving you everything you need in order to get to the next level come on join me please for 18 years I've been equipping you preparing you for this moment come on let's go make disciples would you move from where you are and go talk to to people around you ask them how they say ask them do they have a church home Esther No [Music] if there's somebody here I need you to come this is your hour this is your moment this is your opportunity never how much come on ask the people around y'all you sure you say you sure you got a church home you may be seated hallelujah here's the sound that I want to be met with in this room those of you who are making up in your mind you are committed watch this to not be helpless if that's where you are come on give God a cheer right now you're committed as of this day moving forward you're taking complete authority and complete control over every area in every aspect of your life fannie lou hamer said is not what they call you is what you answer to hallelujah that power is still licking your hands and you have the authority to deal with it how God has given all of us tools and resources to be able to move forward but some of them are tangible and some of them are intangible you don't even know that your gift is your marketability you've got no idea that your currency is connected to your character you got no idea what's this that where it is that you're getting ready to thrive you're gonna do it watch this on your sheer talent without adjustment for the insecure it doesn't matter who don't like you they gotta respect your work acumen and what it is you bring to the table how many of you know I am NOT being paid what I'm worth how many of you know it all the let's get ready to change in 2019 I believe that for you is I believe it for myself every person in this room if you're absent of an envelope would you lift up their hand our servant leaders our ambassadors are coming amongst you I don't want anybody robbed of the opportunity to be able to give to be able to solve and to be able to share I want all of us to be able to give God our best seed our greatest sacrifice how many of you don't fool me you've been blessed more than one time at empowerment temple more than one time hallelujah he did it before he'll do it again hallelujah I want you to please wherever it is that you are I want you to get a scene that is sizable that is substantive and it is significant that says to God I am not only thankful for what you've already done but this is a seed of expectation for what I believe you're going to do how would you get that seed in your hand the best way that you can honor this ministry after 18 years of service best way that you can honor our ministry is that we would today collectively tithe that every person has the testimony about how God has impacted their life to influence their lives through this amazing ministry called the empowerment temple you should be receiving now I'm not sure where they are brother Britton you should be receiving Christmas envelopes ambassadors do you have those christmas envelopes if your hand bows out please for the last 18 years you have majestically taken care of me and my family are you've not just loved on us you've spoiled us and for that I'm amazingly grateful my children have never had a moment of insecurity about what they were gonna eat or where they were gonna live or whether they'd have something to put on all of that is because of the compassion you've had towards your pastor and for that I'm amazingly grateful and I don't take it for granted as this is my last Sunday here I asked my executive staff that in this Christmas season I don't want you to do anything for me you've done enough over these last 18 years that if I lived hard to see a hundred if you stopped right now would be more than enough I've asked my leaders that on this Christmas season that I'm grateful for every card for every seed for every token for every gift but this Christmas holiday what I want to do and I hope that your partner with me and doing is I want to be a blessing to the staff of empowerment temple that they have worked hard come on give God a hand clever every member of our staff is doing the work of two to three people they are grossly overworked and grossly underpaid but I want them to know how much their pastor values them and celebrates them and as a consequence on this Christmas I want to be a blessing until the full-time staff of the empowerment temple on throughout the course of this month at Christmas envelope is going to be there I ask that you would give generously and lavishly to this staff everything that you see I'm just the front guy but it's the backup band that makes the music ain't now I and so I want to thank God for all of them if it weren't for them I wouldn't be able to do what it is that God puts to my hand to do sometimes you got to celebrate the people who are not up on y'all ain't saying nothing to me you got to celebrate the people who are neither fun because those are the ones that have your back I'm for that I'm extremely and eternally grateful and so I'm asking you to prepare two seeds on this day just as you would ordinarily give for your pastor I want you to give in that same love and in that same spirit to the staff of an empowerment temple most of them on average have been working with me for at least a 12 year average at least 12 years so they've been here through every growth through every movement and through every shift and I just want them to know on my way out the door how grateful I am how appreciative I am you should have that gift in your hand I'm Millennials for watching I ask that you would give through our cash app that's on your smartphone those of you that have cash F lift up that phone please you got cash app on your phone lift it up lift it up high now you'd be jumping up if I was sending something to yours I lifted up right where it is that you are if you have never given your see-through cash yep come on let's be revolutionary innovators today I ask that you would please maximize it have we started this church with 43 people and so as a consequence I'm challenging every member of the ministry today for 18 years of growth and God's expression in the earth that every person at your lowest we give a seed of $43 if you would but now that's if you are not at either if you are Tyler you know it is required of you you know what is expected of you God loves what kind to giver what kind of giver cheerful Giver thank you so very much now that you have that seat on your hand in your hand both of you are giving electronically for debit or an ATM card on either side of the sanctuary you're gonna be able to give if you're writing a cheque you're writing it out to empowerment temple might I ask you to please stand if you don't mind do me a favor please even if you don't have nothing to give I want you to March anyway please don't make people crawl and climb over you amen this is gonna be good cardio for you you can take a walk around the block thank you every person would you lift up that gift above your head after it is that you would have given you're gonna go back to your seats because we're gonna share our last communion of the year together we're gonna share the last communion of the year together and I want you to be here and I want you to be a part of it I dear friends who on live stream both of you on Facebook I want you to so even right now I want us to crash the internet with people who are not looking to take but people who are excited about the prospect of giving lift that hand as high as you see your finances maybe y'all didn't hear what I just said I said lift your hand is high did you see your finances going repeat after me Lord thank you for what you did last month for what you did last week for what you did yet last year but the seed in my hand is an expectation for what you're gonna do before December is over amen would you turn to your right begin coming now from the last row [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] let's Lord everybody is standing what an amazing opportunity God has given us to come around the communion time table 12 times says often as you remember do this unto me aren't you thankful that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us he looked beyond all of our phones and he met us at our needs here's the condition if you confess your sins he's faithful and he's just cleanse us from all unrighteousness I want us to pray collectively corporately the prayer of general confession your servant leaders who are standing before you your pastor in this music ministry we stand before you not because we're perfect but because we're forgiven right where it is that you are let's pray together to prayer general confession it's on your clothes to scream lift up your voice Almighty God have mercy upon us bless the Lord if you'll pull back the first level of your receptacle you'll lift it above your head Jesus come indeed the disciples put him in a room closed the door and he pulled out a loaf of bread lifted up that loaf of bread and so that they would understand was getting better to happen he said this is my body it's broken for you right in your hand would you break it that's what the enemy tried to do to you in 2018 he tried to break you but God kept you together because of His grace and His mercy God is not gonna let the enemy tear this church apart do you believe it would you please take a knee ever so carefully pulling back the second level of your receptacle he then pulled out a flask of wine he lifted it up and said this is my blood shed for you why'd he do that cuz he realized over this holiday season more people OD on drugs than any other time of year alcohol sales increased by 72% opiate addiction is at an all-time high right in this city beyond any other place in the nation he said when you're going through pain and disappointment and frustration don't look for a bottle don't even look for a body look for my blood it reaches to the highest mountain and it flows lowers valve for the blood that was shared but no good sinners like Jamar Harris and Brian and all y'all too would you please take a drink Master what ought we do while we're in this season of wandering wading watching he said in these moments is when I need you to pray the Lord's Prayer let's bring it together amen do me a favor please would you hug three people before you take your seats tell them it won't always be like this [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] if power come on flip that hand Oh school sounds it reaches [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] come on celebrate God you may be seated couple of things that I I want to underscore Mark Twain said that rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated empowerment temple is moving and marching forward it is my proud privilege to share with you that on Tuesday of the City Council for the city of Baltimore approved our zoning for us to begin construction on our new health clinic somebody give God a hand clap of praise so in the spring of this year we'll be opening up a breaking ground for a new health clinic for people in our community who are uninsured or underinsured somebody give God a hand clap of praise for that we are 75 percent complete of doing our environmental study in 2019 I'm pleased proud and privileged to share with you empowerment temple will be the first black mega church in America to go completely green somebody give God some praise I saw solar panels will be coming in also that will be able to be a blessing not just to this immediate community but also do you serve some of our expenses in terms of our electric bill right here at the church our school as I've been sharing with you over the last couple of weeks I has been named at my USA Today as one of the five healthiest schools in the state of Maryland somebody give God Hank let the praise for that so we are moving onward and upward and as a consequence I want you how many of you love empowerment temple come on how many apartment temple if you love your church love this ministry and we love how God reveals himself in this place that I want you to be in this exact same seat on next Sunday on this exact same seat next Sunday look at the person beside you tell them save my seat say save my seat I'm sitting right here on next Sunday on next Sunday supplementals on next Sunday is I own the black Wall Street it is our own black Wall Street and our Kwanzaa festival will be taking place for the next two consecutive Sundays of our black entrepreneurs who are in our church and in our community will be setting up their wares as that you will please support them the same way you do Towson Arundel Mills amen and everywhere else as that you would help us recycle our black dollars man I asked all of our entrepreneurs would you stand all of our entrepreneurs would you saying come on give God some praise for all of our entrepreneurs if you've not already registered to do so I ask that you would please call the church office this week to reserve your space so that our church family would be able to support you I'm telling you I'm rarely at a loss of words really at a loss of words but Abraham Lincoln said please and thank you can get take you so much further than degrees and credentials so all I can say to impoundment temple thank you for loving me thank you for supporting me thank you for pushing me thank you for believing in me thank you for standing with me thank you for the good times the bad times to rough times thank you told the two earlier and somewhere else my membership remains at impoundment temple and I'm a tithing member of impoundment temple amen don't y'all mess up my church amen let's keep everything up five-star is it's supposed to be Tuesday night I want you to please come here the city is having a send-off celebration for your pastor my brother pastor Dante Hickman is coming Bishop Walter Scott Thomas is coming our Jonathan Nelson is coming minister Eugene is coming Steve Lawrence is coming it's gonna be absolutely amazing we gonna have our friends and family there is gonna be throwback Tuesday amen and so I want you to please come and come early all the doors are gonna open up at 6:30 but I want you to bring your family your friends your haters your naysayers I need them to come so that that we cannot end this chapter of our lives collectively I in a strong way of the worst is behind and the best is yet to come join me in doing this please would you lift up that hand please it's not for your benediction as far as to pray Lord send us the right pastor somebody who has the oil for this people and for this city for this community I pray to the Lord that you'll anoint them now for this task for this assignment and for this call I pray that you will send somebody who can keep me here god I trust you for it and those of you who have that same prayer would you give God some praise in advance sound sent to your feet your next pastor please don't look for another Jamal Bryant God got somebody better than that now they're not as fly but they could pray they're gonna send you a pastor that's coming as we leave this place but never from God's presence as I've been telling you for 18 years that I mean it your pastor loves you and I'm praying for you I'm gonna see God get the glory out of your life would you lift up that hand right where you are repeat after me walk with God and he'll walk with me talk with God and he'll talk with me listen to God and they'll listen to me build for God and they'll build for me love God because He first loved to me lift that hand as high as you see yourself going now one to him who's absolutely able to do anything but fail may God make you sleepless until you help somebody may God make you restless until you help yourself may God irritate you until you have enough sense to worship Him and may God bless you but you have to give stuff away it's both now and forevermore and the Blessed people of God said Amen hug three people on your way I'll tell them barriers coming I'm gonna see all of you on Tuesday night

Channel: Dr Jamal Bryant

Views: 3,380

Rating: 4.9223299 out of 5

Keywords: jamal bryant, pastor jamal bryant, dance

Id: iknHA4PtUq4

Length: 72min 46sec (4366 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 02 2018