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Better Together

God is with You!- Episode 1126

December 22, 2025 | S7 E1126 | 52:34

God is with You!- Episode 1126
"God with us" means that He is a perfect Father. He is our constant Protector, Comforter, and Savior. He stepped into our world to become our Redeemer and Father to the fatherless. Now we get to carry the Good News of Christmas to everyone we meet. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000
#Christmas #Emmanuel #PresenceofGod #Peace #Comfort #Hope #Father #Prophecy #Eternity #Community #Legacy #LoveofGod #BodyofChrist #LaurieCrouch #StephanieIkeOkafor #DeeDeeFreeman #RobynWilkerson #JeannieMunsey

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Show Timecode
Better Together | God is with You!- Episode 1126 | December 22, 2025
  • - at christmas, we celebrate the birth of jesus, emmanuel,
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  • God with us.
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  • No matter our circumstances, we are never alone.
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  • Come on, let's talk about our precious savior.
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  • [music]
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  • - you know, this week is really my favorite time of the year
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  • Because i really love christmas.
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  • I really love it.
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  • You know, it's a celebration, and it's so fun for me.
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  • I just, i love to party.
  • 00:00:51.307 --> 00:00:53.042
  • [laughter]
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  • I do.
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  • I love that.
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  • I love to party and i love to enjoy my family.
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  • Any holidays like this, i just, i look forward to it.
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  • I treasure it.
  • 00:01:07.123 --> 00:01:08.491
  • But you know, there's really an important aspect, and that is
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  • That we stop and we really ponder and we ask for,
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  • I'm going to use the word revelation, new ideas,
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  • New thinking, new ways that old
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  • Ideas come together and comes out new.
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  • And that's really what christmas is about.
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  • It's about new.
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  • It's about the story of baby
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  • Jesus who came to us in a manger.
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  • We know that nativity scene.
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  • We can see that.
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  • And he was god.
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  • And the scripture in isaiah, i just kind of want to read it
  • 00:01:42.492 --> 00:01:45.461
  • Just to give context again.
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  • And that is that, "for to us, a child is born.”
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  • See, new.
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  • "a son is given,”
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  • Legacy, "and the government will be upon his shoulder,
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  • And his name will be called wonderful counselor, mighty god,
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  • Everlasting father, prince of peace.”
  • 00:02:04.714 --> 00:02:07.283
  • That's isaiah 9:6.
  • 00:02:07.283 --> 00:02:08.785
  • And it is the forecast by this prophet in total chaos.
  • 00:02:08.785 --> 00:02:15.925
  • He's telling, if you read those chapters in the old testament,
  • 00:02:15.925 --> 00:02:20.430
  • He's talking about a season where the people are in
  • 00:02:20.430 --> 00:02:25.635
  • Desperate situations.
  • 00:02:25.635 --> 00:02:26.803
  • And in this prophecy, this vision that he's really
  • 00:02:26.803 --> 00:02:32.408
  • Explaining, all of a sudden, he digresses with this little
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  • Window, this bible verse where he is declaring that he sees in
  • 00:02:37.547 --> 00:02:42.852
  • His spirit, right,
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  • That something new is going to come.
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  • There's something to celebrate, and it is going to be a child,
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  • Who by the way, doesn't come for several hundred years.
  • 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:54.397
  • There's a lot to talk about there.
  • 00:02:54.397 --> 00:02:55.932
  • But he is foretelling.
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  • He is prophesying.
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  • He is declaring with his whole being to the people that were
  • 00:02:59.902 --> 00:03:04.574
  • So desperate that there's hope.
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  • There's new.
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  • There's this baby, a son,
  • 00:03:07.510 --> 00:03:09.812
  • And that it's going to be different.
  • 00:03:09.912 --> 00:03:12.348
  • Now, when he prophesies, what's very interesting here is
  • 00:03:12.348 --> 00:03:16.252
  • That he talks about the offices of god because jesus is god.
  • 00:03:16.252 --> 00:03:21.991
  • - yes.
  • 00:03:21.991 --> 00:03:23.192
  • - and that's something that's hard for us sometimes to get
  • 00:03:23.293 --> 00:03:26.362
  • Our mind around, is we kind of forget that piece.
  • 00:03:26.362 --> 00:03:29.966
  • We kind of think of him in nazareth.
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  • We see him with the children on his lap.
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  • We see him with the people, but we forget that he was from
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  • The beginning of times, and that he was there in the
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  • Beginning, and he'll be in the future.
  • 00:03:43.813 --> 00:03:46.649
  • - you know, every time i go through or revisit the birth of
  • 00:03:46.749 --> 00:03:52.055
  • Jesus, it really brings me so much hope and so much joy
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  • Because i understand the importance of having a
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  • Relationship with him,
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  • Him being our hope, him being our joy.
  • 00:04:01.597 --> 00:04:04.834
  • And so, whenever you're going through something, if you can
  • 00:04:04.934 --> 00:04:07.904
  • Think about god so loved you
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  • That he gave his only begotten son.
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  • No, he gave you jesus.
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  • He sent jesus from heaven to earth to be a representation of
  • 00:04:15.244 --> 00:04:20.283
  • Who he is to give you hope and joy.
  • 00:04:20.283 --> 00:04:23.386
  • - just talking about emmanuel coming to god.
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  • That's what god looked like, this beautiful baby.
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  • This was the scripture that i was going with of isaiah and
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  • The promise hundreds and hundreds of years before he
  • 00:04:37.166 --> 00:04:40.837
  • Actually came.
  • 00:04:40.837 --> 00:04:41.971
  • And he said, "i am sending you a piece of me.”
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  • Right?
  • 00:04:46.476 --> 00:04:47.744
  • "and they'll call his name wonderful counselor, mighty god,
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  • Prince of peace,”
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  • All these beautiful things.
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  • And when we receive jesus into our life, we receive all that.
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  • We receive that wonderful.
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  • We receive that counselor, and that prince of peace,
  • 00:05:02.692 --> 00:05:05.928
  • And that mighty god, and that beautiful father.
  • 00:05:05.928 --> 00:05:08.231
  • We get all that when we receive jesus into our life.
  • 00:05:08.231 --> 00:05:12.502
  • But when he says "emmanuel, god, god with us,”
  • 00:05:12.502 --> 00:05:17.340
  • You know, he's not god watching over us or god made us,
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  • But it's god with me, god for me, god inside of me.
  • 00:05:22.645 --> 00:05:28.484
  • - so, we don't have to wait for him to come.
  • 00:05:28.484 --> 00:05:30.286
  • - he's here.
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  • And so, i think practicing his presence.
  • 00:05:31.587 --> 00:05:34.424
  • And that might sound--
  • 00:05:34.424 --> 00:05:35.525
  • [crosstalk]
  • 00:05:35.525 --> 00:05:37.693
  • - knowing that david said that, king david, "where can i go
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  • From your presence?
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  • Where can i flee from you?
  • 00:05:45.301 --> 00:05:46.536
  • There's nowhere i can go that i'm not in your presence.
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  • Whether i go to the uttermost parts of the earth or whether i
  • 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:52.809
  • Make my bed in hell, there you are.”
  • 00:05:52.809 --> 00:05:55.111
  • And i think that when we meditate and when we stop with
  • 00:05:55.111 --> 00:06:00.750
  • Our hand up that turkey,
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  • [laughter]
  • 00:06:01.951 --> 00:06:03.352
  • Right, or when we're choosing that gift, or taking that
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  • Picture, we have a moment, and we say, "god is with me.”
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  • No matter what we're doing,
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  • No matter the stress of it, stop.
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  • Stop and give it a breath,
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  • And know god's presence is with me.
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  • And the more you think about that, and the more you dwell,
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  • And the more you talk to him
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  • When he's with you, that's practicing.
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  • That's becoming aware because it's already there.
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  • You can't get out of his presence.
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  • So, becoming aware of his presence, i think is so--
  • 00:06:38.521 --> 00:06:42.425
  • And the more you do that, the more you're aware, the more
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  • You feel it.
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  • And that's when it becomes natural to know that i am the--
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  • And i do not fear.
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  • You know, that was the first thing.
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  • Don't fear.
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  • God's coming.
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  • God's here.
  • 00:06:58.074 --> 00:06:59.342
  • - i've discovered that if i wake up in the night and i'm
  • 00:06:59.342 --> 00:07:03.946
  • Anxious or something, i've discovered that in those
  • 00:07:03.946 --> 00:07:08.050
  • Quiet moments, i change my thoughts, i bring my thoughts
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  • Into captivity.
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  • Bible says that we can do that,
  • 00:07:15.191 --> 00:07:17.527
  • And it takes practice, but you can do it.
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  • And as i've learned to do that, i've learned that when i
  • 00:07:20.496 --> 00:07:23.866
  • Elevate my thinking, i elevate my life, and his presence
  • 00:07:23.866 --> 00:07:29.205
  • Becomes real, comforting in the midnight hours, in the days
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  • When i feel like i'm overwhelmed.
  • 00:07:34.877 --> 00:07:38.514
  • Practicing his presence is looking up first, not last,
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  • Not when it's the emergency.
  • 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:44.987
  • But praying is our first resort, not our last resort.
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  • So, i encourage you.
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  • You can do it.
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  • It's going to grow, and you're going to find jesus in every
  • 00:07:52.128 --> 00:07:56.933
  • Circumstance.
  • 00:07:56.933 --> 00:07:58.267
  • - you know, at christmas time, we do the christmas tree or we
  • 00:07:58.267 --> 00:08:02.071
  • Decorate whatever it is that we're doing.
  • 00:08:02.071 --> 00:08:03.973
  • And it's all about creating atmosphere.
  • 00:08:04.073 --> 00:08:06.576
  • But when you understand who god is and that god is here,
  • 00:08:06.676 --> 00:08:10.947
  • He's with you in any season.
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  • You may not have a lot of family around you.
  • 00:08:12.515 --> 00:08:15.251
  • You may not have any family around you.
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  • You may have dealt with a loss.
  • 00:08:17.553 --> 00:08:18.821
  • But when you understand the bigness and the vastness of god
  • 00:08:18.921 --> 00:08:21.757
  • That he is here, that he becomes the atmosphere.
  • 00:08:21.757 --> 00:08:25.861
  • The external is really, really awesome.
  • 00:08:25.962 --> 00:08:28.297
  • It puts us kind of in the mood, hopefully.
  • 00:08:28.397 --> 00:08:31.033
  • But the external can also cause us to focus on the external.
  • 00:08:31.133 --> 00:08:36.405
  • And god is saying, "it's all about my spirit.
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  • I'm the spirit of christmas.”
  • 00:08:38.774 --> 00:08:40.176
  • And i think when you find ways to practice the presence or you
  • 00:08:40.176 --> 00:08:45.014
  • Dwell on the lord, then i think what happens is there's an
  • 00:08:45.014 --> 00:08:49.485
  • Atmosphere that's created that becomes conducive for the
  • 00:08:49.485 --> 00:08:53.255
  • Miracles that he wants to do, even during the christmas
  • 00:08:53.255 --> 00:08:56.158
  • Season or all throughout the year.
  • 00:08:56.158 --> 00:08:57.526
  • - i love that you mentioned that because i think even in
  • 00:08:57.526 --> 00:08:59.895
  • Like festive times, suppressed
  • 00:08:59.895 --> 00:09:01.864
  • Emotions like rise to the surface.
  • 00:09:01.864 --> 00:09:04.266
  • You know, you start to think about if there was a loved one
  • 00:09:04.367 --> 00:09:07.403
  • That you lost.
  • 00:09:07.403 --> 00:09:08.704
  • You're thinking like, "you're not with us in this time.”
  • 00:09:08.704 --> 00:09:10.272
  • So, everything comes to the surface.
  • 00:09:10.373 --> 00:09:12.475
  • And if you're so focused on the external, then you could either
  • 00:09:12.475 --> 00:09:17.647
  • Be really happy or really sad, or you know, your emotions can
  • 00:09:17.647 --> 00:09:22.084
  • Really just go out of the whole spectrum.
  • 00:09:22.084 --> 00:09:23.853
  • But when your atmosphere is that understanding and
  • 00:09:23.853 --> 00:09:29.325
  • Knowledge of god is with me, then you're steady.
  • 00:09:29.325 --> 00:09:32.161
  • And that's why i go back to when jesus said, "the peace
  • 00:09:32.261 --> 00:09:34.730
  • That i give you is not a peace that the world gives you,
  • 00:09:34.730 --> 00:09:38.267
  • And the world can't take it from you.
  • 00:09:38.267 --> 00:09:40.236
  • But that peace is the holy spirit.
  • 00:09:40.236 --> 00:09:42.104
  • You know, in you, i'm giving you something that the world
  • 00:09:42.104 --> 00:09:46.876
  • Cannot take from you and the world cannot give to you.”
  • 00:09:46.876 --> 00:09:49.578
  • And i love when he said, "the peace that i give you,”
  • 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.581
  • Because your knowledge of christ in me, god with me,
  • 00:09:52.581 --> 00:09:57.286
  • God all around me, it just creates an everlasting
  • 00:09:57.286 --> 00:10:01.223
  • Atmosphere that i'm safe, i'm seen, i'm loved, you know?
  • 00:10:01.223 --> 00:10:05.995
  • So, i love that you mentioned?
  • 00:10:05.995 --> 00:10:07.496
  • - and it goes past your head into your heart.
  • 00:10:07.596 --> 00:10:10.399
  • - yeah, i know that.
  • 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:11.567
  • I know that i know because i experience it.
  • 00:10:11.567 --> 00:10:13.836
  • - it's experiential for me.
  • 00:10:13.836 --> 00:10:16.572
  • - god is my safe space.
  • 00:10:17.173 --> 00:10:18.808
  • He is my safety.
  • 00:10:18.908 --> 00:10:20.242
  • In him, i just know i can.
  • 00:10:20.242 --> 00:10:23.979
  • You know, when a person feels safe, that is really when
  • 00:10:23.979 --> 00:10:27.650
  • They're the most creative.
  • 00:10:27.650 --> 00:10:29.118
  • They're free to be creative.
  • 00:10:29.118 --> 00:10:30.586
  • There's no judgment.
  • 00:10:30.586 --> 00:10:31.721
  • They are free to express everything.
  • 00:10:31.721 --> 00:10:34.123
  • You know, i think about like doing karaoke.
  • 00:10:34.123 --> 00:10:36.292
  • Like, can you imagine if you cannot sing and you're doing--
  • 00:10:36.292 --> 00:10:39.395
  • Like you cannot sing, not even like you have like a little bit
  • 00:10:39.395 --> 00:10:42.665
  • Of, you know, you cannot sing, and you're so confident to do
  • 00:10:42.665 --> 00:10:47.770
  • Karaoke, like in front of a large group of people that are
  • 00:10:47.770 --> 00:10:52.441
  • Like all professional singers.
  • 00:10:52.441 --> 00:10:54.410
  • That is what the presence of god is like in my life because
  • 00:10:54.510 --> 00:10:58.314
  • His presence in my life just
  • 00:10:58.314 --> 00:11:00.750
  • Brings this safety that i just know i can.
  • 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:03.886
  • You know, i just know like, yes,
  • 00:11:03.986 --> 00:11:06.489
  • Like everything he says to me, it's true.
  • 00:11:06.489 --> 00:11:08.524
  • Like i am constantly a child before him.
  • 00:11:08.524 --> 00:11:12.561
  • I am constantly--
  • 00:11:13.028 --> 00:11:14.163
  • I don't think i'll ever lose.
  • 00:11:14.163 --> 00:11:15.464
  • And i pray to never lose my childlike awe because when he
  • 00:11:15.564 --> 00:11:21.303
  • Says something, i just think about little child when your
  • 00:11:21.303 --> 00:11:23.773
  • Daddy's like, "you know what?
  • 00:11:23.773 --> 00:11:25.441
  • You are a superhero.”
  • 00:11:25.441 --> 00:11:27.143
  • You're like, "yes, i am, daddy.”
  • 00:11:27.143 --> 00:11:28.744
  • And that's how it is with me and the lord.
  • 00:11:28.844 --> 00:11:31.046
  • So, here's my safety.
  • 00:11:31.147 --> 00:11:32.348
  • - and i think it's beautiful when we also recognize the
  • 00:11:32.348 --> 00:11:37.219
  • People that god places in our lives to represent his love,
  • 00:11:37.219 --> 00:11:41.924
  • That there's some people that when you--
  • 00:11:42.024 --> 00:11:44.293
  • When we don't take them for granted, when we, you know,
  • 00:11:44.293 --> 00:11:47.096
  • Recognize like you're not in my life by accident.
  • 00:11:47.196 --> 00:11:49.431
  • Presence reminds you like god is with me.
  • 00:11:50.366 --> 00:11:54.370
  • - listen, but how many people push people away?
  • 00:11:54.370 --> 00:11:57.706
  • - i believe that god also recognizes the importance of
  • 00:11:57.706 --> 00:12:02.111
  • Community, the importance of
  • 00:12:02.111 --> 00:12:03.946
  • People because even like during--
  • 00:12:03.946 --> 00:12:05.881
  • When we were planning the wedding, so a few months prior
  • 00:12:05.881 --> 00:12:09.051
  • To the wedding, my husband lost his father.
  • 00:12:09.051 --> 00:12:11.620
  • And he lost his mom a couple years ago.
  • 00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:15.224
  • I lost my dad as a baby.
  • 00:12:15.224 --> 00:12:18.093
  • And in nigeria, the whole embassy situation was backed up.
  • 00:12:18.093 --> 00:12:22.832
  • So, in order for my mom to renew her visa to come into the
  • 00:12:22.932 --> 00:12:26.268
  • Country, they pushed it all out to like 2023.
  • 00:12:26.268 --> 00:12:29.705
  • And i remember being in prayer, and i said, "god, she's the
  • 00:12:29.805 --> 00:12:33.642
  • Only living parent we have.
  • 00:12:33.642 --> 00:12:35.544
  • And i know you're there, but i want my mom here.
  • 00:12:35.544 --> 00:12:40.249
  • I need--
  • 00:12:40.249 --> 00:12:41.383
  • She's our mom.
  • 00:12:41.383 --> 00:12:42.484
  • I know you're with me, but i need--”
  • 00:12:42.484 --> 00:12:46.755
  • [laughter]
  • 00:12:46.755 --> 00:12:48.891
  • And i remember like my brothers calling me, and they're like,
  • 00:12:48.891 --> 00:12:52.228
  • "hey, are you guys going to push it?
  • 00:12:52.228 --> 00:12:53.729
  • What's going to happen?”
  • 00:12:53.829 --> 00:12:54.930
  • And the voice of god said to me, "keep planning.
  • 00:12:54.930 --> 00:12:57.566
  • She'll be there.”
  • 00:12:58.067 --> 00:12:59.168
  • And that's--
  • 00:12:59.168 --> 00:13:00.469
  • And no one knew how that was going to happen because
  • 00:13:00.469 --> 00:13:02.738
  • Literally, this is coming from, you know, the the us government
  • 00:13:02.738 --> 00:13:07.176
  • Saying, "hey, we have nothing until the 2023.”
  • 00:13:07.176 --> 00:13:10.212
  • And i'm like, "no, god told me she'll be here.”
  • 00:13:10.212 --> 00:13:13.415
  • So, it's going to work out.
  • 00:13:13.515 --> 00:13:14.617
  • And we kept planning, we kept planning.
  • 00:13:14.617 --> 00:13:16.385
  • It was maybe about two weeks prior to the wedding.
  • 00:13:16.385 --> 00:13:21.357
  • They changed her dates.
  • 00:13:21.457 --> 00:13:23.826
  • They renewed it a week--
  • 00:13:24.393 --> 00:13:26.929
  • - no way.
  • 00:13:27.263 --> 00:13:28.464
  • - she came into the country a
  • 00:13:28.564 --> 00:13:31.100
  • Couple days prior to the wedding.
  • 00:13:31.100 --> 00:13:35.204
  • And the lord said, "i told you i will sort it out.”
  • 00:13:35.204 --> 00:13:39.608
  • And that touched my heart.
  • 00:13:39.708 --> 00:13:41.410
  • - yeah, but the comfort came in knowing--
  • 00:13:41.510 --> 00:13:44.013
  • - he's with me.
  • 00:13:44.013 --> 00:13:45.147
  • And he he gave me a word.
  • 00:13:45.147 --> 00:13:46.849
  • - that's where the comfort came.
  • 00:13:46.849 --> 00:13:48.350
  • So, if you were not acquainted with this word and his voice,
  • 00:13:48.450 --> 00:13:53.989
  • Then where would the comfort come from?
  • 00:13:54.089 --> 00:13:56.025
  • - true.
  • 00:13:56.025 --> 00:13:57.293
  • - you know, a lot of people read scripture, but it's not
  • 00:13:57.293 --> 00:13:59.662
  • Real to them.
  • 00:13:59.662 --> 00:14:00.863
  • You know, they haven't really become one with it.
  • 00:14:00.863 --> 00:14:04.033
  • And so, the only way we can really have that comfort--
  • 00:14:04.033 --> 00:14:06.635
  • Because we hear things all the time.
  • 00:14:06.735 --> 00:14:08.837
  • We say, "god, is that you?
  • 00:14:08.938 --> 00:14:10.940
  • Or is that me?”
  • 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:12.141
  • But, you know, your husband can call you right now.
  • 00:14:12.141 --> 00:14:16.178
  • You're going to know his voice
  • 00:14:16.178 --> 00:14:17.746
  • Because you spend quality time with him.
  • 00:14:17.746 --> 00:14:20.249
  • So, we have to spend quality time with him in his presence
  • 00:14:20.249 --> 00:14:24.253
  • And in his word to know that it's his voice.
  • 00:14:24.253 --> 00:14:27.923
  • - god's presence.
  • 00:14:28.390 --> 00:14:29.758
  • I know sometimes we look for a feeling, but god's presence for
  • 00:14:29.758 --> 00:14:33.829
  • Me is knowing.
  • 00:14:33.829 --> 00:14:35.364
  • It's a knowing.
  • 00:14:35.464 --> 00:14:36.632
  • It's an understanding.
  • 00:14:36.632 --> 00:14:38.267
  • And when i see him manifest himself in my life through the
  • 00:14:38.367 --> 00:14:43.005
  • Lives of others, then that's how i know that god, you are
  • 00:14:43.005 --> 00:14:47.309
  • Present with me.
  • 00:14:47.309 --> 00:14:48.644
  • - you think about jesus coming
  • 00:14:49.345 --> 00:14:51.246
  • Fully god, fully man in human form.
  • 00:14:51.246 --> 00:14:54.583
  • He wept.
  • 00:14:54.883 --> 00:14:56.218
  • He felt pain.
  • 00:14:56.318 --> 00:14:58.020
  • He was despised.
  • 00:14:58.020 --> 00:14:59.188
  • He was rejected.
  • 00:14:59.188 --> 00:15:00.322
  • Everything that we go through, jesus went through.
  • 00:15:00.322 --> 00:15:02.558
  • Well, to think now he's in heaven.
  • 00:15:03.392 --> 00:15:06.028
  • Of course, he's glorified now in a glorified body, but he's
  • 00:15:06.128 --> 00:15:09.598
  • Still a human being.
  • 00:15:09.598 --> 00:15:10.733
  • - yeah, true.
  • 00:15:10.733 --> 00:15:12.067
  • - and he's sitting before god, beside god, interceding for us
  • 00:15:12.067 --> 00:15:17.506
  • As human because he knows what we're going through.
  • 00:15:17.506 --> 00:15:21.310
  • He knows where we are.
  • 00:15:21.310 --> 00:15:23.979
  • He felt, and he feels where we are today.
  • 00:15:23.979 --> 00:15:28.684
  • And he prays for us, and he intercedes for us.
  • 00:15:28.784 --> 00:15:31.553
  • We've got these beautiful books that--
  • 00:15:31.553 --> 00:15:33.188
  • Rick warren's "the purpose of christmas", which is so good,
  • 00:15:33.188 --> 00:15:36.191
  • It's "because of bethlehem” by max lucado.
  • 00:15:36.291 --> 00:15:39.261
  • And i was listening to max this morning reading that book.
  • 00:15:39.261 --> 00:15:42.164
  • And he was talking about jesus
  • 00:15:42.164 --> 00:15:45.768
  • Being human and in heaven today as a human.
  • 00:15:45.768 --> 00:15:50.506
  • I went through it, i know where they are, i feel their pain,
  • 00:15:50.506 --> 00:15:54.510
  • And i've sent the holy spirit to fill up all the holes to the
  • 00:15:54.510 --> 00:15:59.915
  • Liquid love of the holy spirit, right?
  • 00:15:59.915 --> 00:16:02.384
  • That fills in every crack, every crevice, every hole,
  • 00:16:02.384 --> 00:16:08.157
  • Every emptiness, you know?
  • 00:16:08.791 --> 00:16:11.293
  • And i think as you were talking, this time of year, not only
  • 00:16:11.293 --> 00:16:17.132
  • Ending a year, everybody's very introspective.
  • 00:16:17.132 --> 00:16:20.235
  • I think it starts bringing in
  • 00:16:20.235 --> 00:16:22.938
  • All the feels of where did i go this year?
  • 00:16:22.938 --> 00:16:26.108
  • You know, i started out strong,
  • 00:16:26.108 --> 00:16:28.243
  • And nothing's really changed for me.
  • 00:16:28.243 --> 00:16:31.747
  • Maybe i had a lot of loss this year.
  • 00:16:31.847 --> 00:16:35.717
  • And it just brings out--
  • 00:16:36.285 --> 00:16:38.087
  • Then there's other people who have a new baby in their life,
  • 00:16:38.087 --> 00:16:40.789
  • You know, and it's all wonderful.
  • 00:16:40.789 --> 00:16:43.292
  • But just i think all the emotions and all the things
  • 00:16:43.292 --> 00:16:47.162
  • That kind of culminate this type of year that jesus knows
  • 00:16:47.162 --> 00:16:52.234
  • All about it and that he is
  • 00:16:52.234 --> 00:16:54.236
  • With us in such a beautiful god, emmanuel.
  • 00:16:54.236 --> 00:16:58.307
  • And i think if we can just all dwell on that, that word,
  • 00:16:58.407 --> 00:17:03.045
  • Emmanuel, god is with me.
  • 00:17:03.145 --> 00:17:05.714
  • God sees me.
  • 00:17:05.814 --> 00:17:07.049
  • God knows me.
  • 00:17:07.049 --> 00:17:08.150
  • God loves me.
  • 00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:09.284
  • God's for me.
  • 00:17:09.284 --> 00:17:10.652
  • God is in me to get through, to thrive, to be victorious.
  • 00:17:10.752 --> 00:17:18.227
  • - you know, when i think about jesus and his love and the holy
  • 00:17:18.327 --> 00:17:21.196
  • Spirit that comes, and i talked about that liquid love,
  • 00:17:21.196 --> 00:17:25.134
  • I've never really referred to christ like that, but i think
  • 00:17:25.234 --> 00:17:28.504
  • That's exactly what he does for us.
  • 00:17:28.504 --> 00:17:30.439
  • He is our everything.
  • 00:17:31.006 --> 00:17:33.275
  • I mean, jesus plus nothing equals everything.
  • 00:17:33.375 --> 00:17:36.545
  • And he fills in, and he pours in his love into us.
  • 00:17:36.645 --> 00:17:41.683
  • And that just fills in all the gaps, that fills in all the
  • 00:17:41.783 --> 00:17:47.289
  • Crevices, all the holes in our lives, all the places, the deep
  • 00:17:47.289 --> 00:17:51.927
  • Parts of our lives that are empty.
  • 00:17:51.927 --> 00:17:53.595
  • That's what he does.
  • 00:17:54.129 --> 00:17:55.597
  • He comes in, and he fills it up with his love.
  • 00:17:55.597 --> 00:17:58.567
  • - let's stay connected.
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  • [music]
  • 00:18:19.721 --> 00:18:24.126
  • - this one word that i'm sharing right now, thinking
  • 00:18:25.227 --> 00:18:28.931
  • About is this everlasting father.
  • 00:18:28.931 --> 00:18:32.234
  • And if you look at a lot of theologians and scholars,
  • 00:18:32.334 --> 00:18:35.103
  • They talk about the fact that he's the father everlasting.
  • 00:18:35.103 --> 00:18:40.008
  • But he actually is the father of eternity is a better way to
  • 00:18:40.008 --> 00:18:45.847
  • Describe that.
  • 00:18:45.847 --> 00:18:47.249
  • In revelation, it talks about he's the beginning, he's the
  • 00:18:47.249 --> 00:18:50.986
  • End, the alpha and the omega.
  • 00:18:50.986 --> 00:18:52.654
  • And so, when we get our mind around this idea that he's the
  • 00:18:52.654 --> 00:18:57.626
  • Everlasting father, he's the father of all that's ever been.
  • 00:18:57.626 --> 00:19:02.231
  • And yet, isn't it interesting that out of these offices that
  • 00:19:02.231 --> 00:19:07.636
  • He is god, he depicts a father, and a son, and a baby.
  • 00:19:07.636 --> 00:19:16.511
  • And god comes to us in a way, he packages this story in a way
  • 00:19:17.813 --> 00:19:23.452
  • That he's the father of eternity.
  • 00:19:23.452 --> 00:19:26.054
  • He's got our eternal priceless souls.
  • 00:19:26.054 --> 00:19:30.225
  • He's with us.
  • 00:19:30.325 --> 00:19:31.526
  • I'll just be honest.
  • 00:19:31.526 --> 00:19:33.128
  • When we talk about father, i kind of hesitate because so
  • 00:19:33.128 --> 00:19:39.635
  • Many people--
  • 00:19:39.635 --> 00:19:40.769
  • I got to get a tissue.
  • 00:19:40.769 --> 00:19:41.870
  • [crosstalk]
  • 00:19:41.870 --> 00:19:44.406
  • Just let me get this out.
  • 00:19:44.406 --> 00:19:45.707
  • I'm just like, i don't even want to talk about it because
  • 00:19:45.707 --> 00:19:48.477
  • It's personal.
  • 00:19:48.477 --> 00:19:49.578
  • You know, you don't want to talk about that.
  • 00:19:49.578 --> 00:19:50.912
  • So, many of us don't have the gift of having had an earthly
  • 00:19:50.912 --> 00:19:58.086
  • Great father, right?
  • 00:19:58.086 --> 00:19:59.621
  • And i just--
  • 00:20:00.022 --> 00:20:01.323
  • I don't know why i have to cry about it, but i was blessed
  • 00:20:01.323 --> 00:20:05.894
  • With extravagant love.
  • 00:20:05.894 --> 00:20:08.797
  • I had an incredible earthly father, and i am so blessed,
  • 00:20:08.897 --> 00:20:15.937
  • And i hesitated to ever talk about this much because one out
  • 00:20:15.937 --> 00:20:21.076
  • Of four children in the united
  • 00:20:21.076 --> 00:20:22.978
  • States today doesn't have a father.
  • 00:20:22.978 --> 00:20:26.048
  • And yet, it's such an urgent topic because, here in the
  • 00:20:26.048 --> 00:20:32.287
  • Prophecy of isaiah, he could have said a lot of things about
  • 00:20:32.287 --> 00:20:36.391
  • God, about jesus, could have
  • 00:20:36.391 --> 00:20:38.126
  • Said, you know, talk about miracles.
  • 00:20:38.126 --> 00:20:40.495
  • That's not what's here.
  • 00:20:40.495 --> 00:20:42.464
  • What's here is counselor.
  • 00:20:42.464 --> 00:20:44.433
  • Jesus will be mighty god, protector.
  • 00:20:44.433 --> 00:20:47.269
  • But everlasting, the father of eternity, the father imagery is
  • 00:20:47.269 --> 00:20:54.042
  • Here for us as his children.
  • 00:20:54.042 --> 00:20:57.012
  • - there is nothing like a great, big, wonderful god who is our
  • 00:20:57.012 --> 00:21:02.984
  • Everlasting father that we can curl up in his lap, and feel
  • 00:21:02.984 --> 00:21:08.023
  • His embrace, and tell him everything, and him caring,
  • 00:21:08.023 --> 00:21:14.096
  • And him protecting, and him--
  • 00:21:14.096 --> 00:21:16.932
  • That watchful eye over us,
  • 00:21:16.932 --> 00:21:19.301
  • And that love that's in that embrace.
  • 00:21:19.301 --> 00:21:21.670
  • That's what we get when we
  • 00:21:21.670 --> 00:21:24.172
  • Receive him as our lord and savior.
  • 00:21:24.172 --> 00:21:27.042
  • - many folks, listening even right now, it's so painful
  • 00:21:27.142 --> 00:21:32.047
  • Because they haven't had this image of god as father,
  • 00:21:32.047 --> 00:21:38.286
  • This eternal protector of his children.
  • 00:21:38.387 --> 00:21:42.190
  • And why we have to talk about this is because even if we've
  • 00:21:42.190 --> 00:21:47.829
  • Gone forward with christ, even if we've started anew,
  • 00:21:47.829 --> 00:21:52.334
  • And we've pressed on, and we've left the past behind, there are
  • 00:21:52.334 --> 00:21:56.638
  • These daddy issues, so to speak, that are from the past that
  • 00:21:56.638 --> 00:22:02.210
  • Linger in our human experience.
  • 00:22:02.210 --> 00:22:04.246
  • And we can be limited in our understanding of who god is,
  • 00:22:04.246 --> 00:22:10.185
  • And what he wants from me, and how i can be his daughter.
  • 00:22:10.185 --> 00:22:14.823
  • He is our protector.
  • 00:22:14.823 --> 00:22:16.491
  • He loves us.
  • 00:22:16.491 --> 00:22:17.793
  • But when i think about my dad and what brings me tears is
  • 00:22:17.793 --> 00:22:21.430
  • That he was the ever present protector.
  • 00:22:21.430 --> 00:22:26.134
  • He was the pastor.
  • 00:22:26.134 --> 00:22:29.938
  • He was the person i could run to.
  • 00:22:30.038 --> 00:22:33.842
  • He always loved me, always accepted me.
  • 00:22:33.842 --> 00:22:37.212
  • And often i've had people say, "you look just like your dad.
  • 00:22:37.312 --> 00:22:41.283
  • You look just like him.
  • 00:22:41.383 --> 00:22:42.851
  • You're just like him.”
  • 00:22:42.851 --> 00:22:43.952
  • And that's been the compliment.
  • 00:22:43.952 --> 00:22:45.821
  • And i think for the point of this conversation, i think it's
  • 00:22:45.921 --> 00:22:50.525
  • So important that we start to address the gaps in our life
  • 00:22:50.525 --> 00:22:55.464
  • Because we can have--
  • 00:22:55.464 --> 00:22:57.232
  • Even i had this perfect earthly father, but nobody's perfect.
  • 00:22:57.232 --> 00:23:01.503
  • Only jesus is perfect.
  • 00:23:01.503 --> 00:23:03.605
  • And god puts this image here for us that we can embrace him
  • 00:23:03.605 --> 00:23:10.212
  • In this way where we feel secure, we feel confident.
  • 00:23:10.212 --> 00:23:14.249
  • The whole christian bible,
  • 00:23:14.249 --> 00:23:17.152
  • Our christian word for god is father.
  • 00:23:17.252 --> 00:23:22.057
  • And when we use that language, especially at a holiday season,
  • 00:23:22.157 --> 00:23:26.528
  • Christmas time, there's a whole lot of men and women who recoil.
  • 00:23:26.528 --> 00:23:31.500
  • And they say, "well, you know, if that's who this bible is all
  • 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:36.204
  • About, i really don't want to talk about father."
  • 00:23:36.204 --> 00:23:40.709
  • - we do have to go back to the original intent of what a
  • 00:23:40.709 --> 00:23:45.380
  • Father was supposed to do and be to us in the body.
  • 00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:49.784
  • Our dad was supposed to be a representation of god,
  • 00:23:49.885 --> 00:23:53.588
  • The father here in the earth.
  • 00:23:53.588 --> 00:23:55.991
  • Like me, my dad was like the epitome of a good father to me.
  • 00:23:55.991 --> 00:24:02.297
  • But i didn't come up in a christian home, so i didn't
  • 00:24:02.397 --> 00:24:07.569
  • Have the correlation of this being a representation of who
  • 00:24:07.569 --> 00:24:13.141
  • God happened to be.
  • 00:24:13.141 --> 00:24:14.809
  • So, of course, i saw a lot of things that were not a
  • 00:24:14.910 --> 00:24:18.013
  • Representation of who god happened to be.
  • 00:24:18.013 --> 00:24:21.149
  • But when i look back over my life, it's like my dad was,
  • 00:24:21.149 --> 00:24:25.954
  • I know you say not perfect, but in my mind, my world,
  • 00:24:25.954 --> 00:24:29.491
  • He was the perfect father.
  • 00:24:29.591 --> 00:24:31.393
  • I mean, my dad was the one who
  • 00:24:31.493 --> 00:24:34.062
  • Would take us shopping, take us on trips.
  • 00:24:34.062 --> 00:24:36.798
  • My mom would be at home, and my dad would put all seven
  • 00:24:36.898 --> 00:24:39.868
  • Of us in a station wagon and take us to a park or take us to
  • 00:24:39.868 --> 00:24:45.941
  • Get new shoes.
  • 00:24:45.941 --> 00:24:47.208
  • But i remember one time, i mean, it was more than one time.
  • 00:24:47.208 --> 00:24:52.180
  • When we were little, my youngest brother and i,
  • 00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:54.449
  • My dad would dress us up, and drive us around on sundays,
  • 00:24:54.549 --> 00:24:59.154
  • And just go spend time with his
  • 00:24:59.154 --> 00:25:00.855
  • Friends, and just showing us off.
  • 00:25:00.855 --> 00:25:02.891
  • Like, "these are my kids.”
  • 00:25:02.891 --> 00:25:04.993
  • And he was just so proud.
  • 00:25:04.993 --> 00:25:06.628
  • And it just makes me think about--
  • 00:25:06.728 --> 00:25:12.667
  • You know, we have this idea or we get this concept of how
  • 00:25:13.902 --> 00:25:20.375
  • Somebody was to us, and we think it's supposed to
  • 00:25:20.375 --> 00:25:23.878
  • Transcend over into other relationships.
  • 00:25:23.878 --> 00:25:26.147
  • And i think about how good my dad was.
  • 00:25:26.147 --> 00:25:30.218
  • And then, when i got married, it was like, this isn't a
  • 00:25:30.218 --> 00:25:33.888
  • Picture of like my daddy.
  • 00:25:33.888 --> 00:25:36.825
  • And thank god things change.
  • 00:25:36.925 --> 00:25:39.127
  • [laughter]
  • 00:25:39.127 --> 00:25:40.295
  • But don't worry, i've been married for 38 years now.
  • 00:25:40.295 --> 00:25:44.199
  • I got better stories.
  • 00:25:44.199 --> 00:25:45.333
  • [laughter]
  • 00:25:45.333 --> 00:25:46.635
  • But in first years, it was like he wasn't a good picture for me.
  • 00:25:47.936 --> 00:25:51.906
  • But my dad could no longer fulfill the role that i needed
  • 00:25:51.906 --> 00:25:57.445
  • After i said, "i do.”
  • 00:25:57.545 --> 00:25:59.814
  • So, i thank god that i
  • 00:25:59.914 --> 00:26:01.850
  • Developed a relationship with the word.
  • 00:26:01.850 --> 00:26:04.219
  • You understand?
  • 00:26:04.219 --> 00:26:05.353
  • And i began to see god the father being who he was
  • 00:26:05.353 --> 00:26:10.025
  • Supposed to be in my life at that particular time.
  • 00:26:10.025 --> 00:26:12.460
  • - i had an awesome and amazing father.
  • 00:26:13.361 --> 00:26:16.031
  • But when i received jesus christ as lord, it could not
  • 00:26:16.031 --> 00:26:20.769
  • Even be compared to the love that my natural father gave me.
  • 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:25.707
  • The bible says that god--
  • 00:26:25.807 --> 00:26:27.509
  • That our natural father is
  • 00:26:27.609 --> 00:26:28.910
  • Being evil, knowing how to give good gifts.
  • 00:26:28.910 --> 00:26:32.147
  • How much more will the heavenly father give unto us?
  • 00:26:32.147 --> 00:26:35.984
  • So, to be in a relationship with god, a god of love,
  • 00:26:35.984 --> 00:26:40.955
  • A god that will be there, that he will never leave you
  • 00:26:40.955 --> 00:26:45.960
  • Nor forsake you, that he's with you in your good times and your
  • 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:49.931
  • Bad times, that you can take him home with you.
  • 00:26:49.931 --> 00:26:52.934
  • You don't have to leave him when you go and be with a
  • 00:26:53.034 --> 00:26:55.804
  • Spouse or deal with your children.
  • 00:26:55.804 --> 00:26:57.372
  • He will be right there.
  • 00:26:57.472 --> 00:27:00.108
  • And so, to be loved by a god like that is unmeasurable.
  • 00:27:00.208 --> 00:27:04.813
  • I can't even explain it.
  • 00:27:04.813 --> 00:27:06.514
  • - you're right.
  • 00:27:06.514 --> 00:27:08.083
  • There's so many people who don't have good story,
  • 00:27:08.083 --> 00:27:11.152
  • Good father stories that wasn't raised in a home with a dad.
  • 00:27:11.152 --> 00:27:14.622
  • And so, they don't have a picture or a view of what a
  • 00:27:14.723 --> 00:27:17.559
  • Father should look like.
  • 00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:18.693
  • It's like, ok, well, that's done away with.
  • 00:27:18.693 --> 00:27:21.396
  • It's over.
  • 00:27:21.396 --> 00:27:22.530
  • It's happened.
  • 00:27:22.530 --> 00:27:23.832
  • Like, let's move on and let's get a real picture from the
  • 00:27:23.832 --> 00:27:26.701
  • Word of who this loving father
  • 00:27:26.701 --> 00:27:29.904
  • Is supposed to be to us now, you know?
  • 00:27:29.904 --> 00:27:33.908
  • And so, just to encourage them.
  • 00:27:34.008 --> 00:27:36.444
  • It's like, it's ok.
  • 00:27:36.444 --> 00:27:37.579
  • You might not have had that, but you can have that now.
  • 00:27:37.679 --> 00:27:41.416
  • - yeah.
  • 00:27:41.416 --> 00:27:42.550
  • - god is who he said.
  • 00:27:42.550 --> 00:27:43.918
  • And he's not even like, "man, that he should lie; neither the
  • 00:27:43.918 --> 00:27:48.223
  • Son of man, that he has to repent,”
  • 00:27:48.223 --> 00:27:49.924
  • The scripture says.
  • 00:27:49.924 --> 00:27:51.059
  • And if he said it, he's going to make it good.
  • 00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:54.028
  • - that has been my testimony, right, were not having a
  • 00:27:54.028 --> 00:27:58.266
  • Natural father, but it opened me up to seeing god,
  • 00:27:58.266 --> 00:28:03.805
  • Like embracing him as father in so many ways.
  • 00:28:03.805 --> 00:28:07.175
  • You know, i remember--
  • 00:28:07.175 --> 00:28:08.676
  • And this is not supposed to be a crying--
  • 00:28:08.676 --> 00:28:12.680
  • [laughter]
  • 00:28:13.047 --> 00:28:14.849
  • I'm gonna not try not to cry, but this is the one thing that
  • 00:28:14.949 --> 00:28:17.919
  • Brings me to tears.
  • 00:28:17.919 --> 00:28:19.154
  • And i remember when i started in ministry, and it was
  • 00:28:19.154 --> 00:28:24.959
  • Something where i always wondered, i was like, man,
  • 00:28:24.959 --> 00:28:27.862
  • It would be so cool, like if my dad was alive to see this
  • 00:28:27.862 --> 00:28:31.766
  • Moment happen.
  • 00:28:31.766 --> 00:28:32.867
  • And i remember the lord saying, "i'll be there.”
  • 00:28:32.867 --> 00:28:36.337
  • And it's not that cool, like, you know, the lord.
  • 00:28:36.437 --> 00:28:39.240
  • I was like, "you're everywhere.
  • 00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:40.375
  • Like, you'll be there.”
  • 00:28:40.375 --> 00:28:41.709
  • And, you know, for like for me, i think when i encountered god,
  • 00:28:41.810 --> 00:28:44.946
  • I started seeing a lot.
  • 00:28:44.946 --> 00:28:46.614
  • So, even like spiritual gifting.
  • 00:28:46.714 --> 00:28:49.150
  • So, mine has to do with sight.
  • 00:28:49.250 --> 00:28:50.885
  • So, i see a lot of, you know, spiritual activities.
  • 00:28:50.885 --> 00:28:53.922
  • And so, this particular day, we're at the church, and i was
  • 00:28:53.922 --> 00:28:59.561
  • About to minister.
  • 00:28:59.561 --> 00:29:00.829
  • So, at that time, there was like where like normally the
  • 00:29:00.829 --> 00:29:04.232
  • Pastors would sit, and you know, there are other like, you know,
  • 00:29:04.232 --> 00:29:07.902
  • Staff pastors around.
  • 00:29:08.002 --> 00:29:09.137
  • So, there's a sit next to me, and it's open.
  • 00:29:09.137 --> 00:29:11.973
  • But for some reason, no one is sitting there.
  • 00:29:12.073 --> 00:29:16.644
  • Like, people are walking, and it's like it was weird.
  • 00:29:16.744 --> 00:29:19.514
  • And i'm like--
  • 00:29:19.948 --> 00:29:21.449
  • There are people looking for seats.
  • 00:29:21.549 --> 00:29:23.184
  • There are staff pastors that keep going to the back.
  • 00:29:23.284 --> 00:29:26.354
  • And i was like, why is it anyone sitting there?
  • 00:29:26.354 --> 00:29:29.490
  • But i just i didn't--
  • 00:29:29.490 --> 00:29:30.658
  • It was like a fleeing thought.
  • 00:29:30.658 --> 00:29:31.793
  • I'm like, we're about--
  • 00:29:31.793 --> 00:29:32.894
  • Service is about to start.
  • 00:29:32.894 --> 00:29:34.229
  • And so, when the worship is going on, and i'm about to like
  • 00:29:34.229 --> 00:29:38.533
  • Mount the altar--
  • 00:29:38.533 --> 00:29:40.735
  • And so, i see this like, just all these like angels in
  • 00:29:40.835 --> 00:29:45.039
  • The sanctuary and the way they were.
  • 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:48.409
  • And i'm like, "ok, i've seen angels before.”
  • 00:29:48.409 --> 00:29:50.645
  • But they looked like they were trying to usher someone in.
  • 00:29:50.745 --> 00:29:54.182
  • So, they came almost like
  • 00:29:54.282 --> 00:29:56.885
  • You're preparing the way type of thing.
  • 00:29:56.885 --> 00:29:58.586
  • And i was like, "i've never seen that before.”
  • 00:29:58.686 --> 00:30:01.089
  • And i was on--
  • 00:30:01.522 --> 00:30:03.291
  • Like i'm on the altar, and they're giving me the
  • 00:30:03.291 --> 00:30:06.828
  • Microphone, and i'm trying to understand.
  • 00:30:06.828 --> 00:30:08.630
  • So, i'm looking, and i'm like, "god, what is it that you want
  • 00:30:08.730 --> 00:30:10.999
  • To do in the house?
  • 00:30:10.999 --> 00:30:12.300
  • You know, why are all these angels walking like they're in
  • 00:30:12.300 --> 00:30:15.136
  • A marching band,”
  • 00:30:15.136 --> 00:30:16.271
  • You know?
  • 00:30:16.271 --> 00:30:17.372
  • And then, i see the lord, and i broke down and--
  • 00:30:17.372 --> 00:30:21.042
  • Oh, child.
  • 00:30:21.409 --> 00:30:22.510
  • [laughs]
  • 00:30:22.510 --> 00:30:23.645
  • And people are like looking at me.
  • 00:30:23.645 --> 00:30:25.513
  • They're like, "what happened in a split second?”
  • 00:30:25.513 --> 00:30:28.883
  • And i see him, and he walks in and sits where nobody--
  • 00:30:28.883 --> 00:30:36.024
  • Like for some reason.
  • 00:30:36.024 --> 00:30:37.725
  • And during the whole service, nobody sat there.
  • 00:30:37.825 --> 00:30:41.930
  • And when i saw him--
  • 00:30:41.930 --> 00:30:44.232
  • And he didn't communicate with
  • 00:30:44.232 --> 00:30:46.100
  • Words, it was like thought to thought.
  • 00:30:46.100 --> 00:30:48.269
  • And it was that, "i told you i'll be here.”
  • 00:30:48.369 --> 00:30:50.638
  • And he came in, sat down.
  • 00:30:50.738 --> 00:30:53.174
  • At a moment, i didn't see him anymore.
  • 00:30:53.174 --> 00:30:55.243
  • [laughs]
  • 00:30:55.243 --> 00:30:56.377
  • And i was like--
  • 00:30:56.377 --> 00:30:57.612
  • I broke down in tears.
  • 00:30:57.712 --> 00:30:59.514
  • I couldn't get myself together for like a few minutes.
  • 00:30:59.614 --> 00:31:02.383
  • And i was like, "you guys don't understand, this moment,
  • 00:31:02.483 --> 00:31:04.852
  • What it means to me.”
  • 00:31:04.953 --> 00:31:06.454
  • And later on, i realized.
  • 00:31:06.554 --> 00:31:08.623
  • I said, "that's what god does for each and every one of us.”
  • 00:31:08.623 --> 00:31:13.394
  • The only difference i had in that moment is i saw it.
  • 00:31:13.494 --> 00:31:17.098
  • But that's literally the love of god.
  • 00:31:17.198 --> 00:31:20.335
  • He shows up.
  • 00:31:20.335 --> 00:31:21.803
  • He's always there.
  • 00:31:21.803 --> 00:31:23.304
  • So, even when we say god with us, it's to know that he's
  • 00:31:23.404 --> 00:31:27.775
  • Always with us.
  • 00:31:27.775 --> 00:31:29.777
  • He's always with us.
  • 00:31:29.877 --> 00:31:31.746
  • - knowing that your father is
  • 00:31:32.447 --> 00:31:36.184
  • God, your father is the king of kings.
  • 00:31:36.184 --> 00:31:39.120
  • I don't know what else like there is.
  • 00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:42.490
  • I don't even know if we really unpack that in our daily lives
  • 00:31:42.490 --> 00:31:48.096
  • Because, for example, we see it in culture and society,
  • 00:31:48.196 --> 00:31:52.266
  • That what a name, the weight of a name.
  • 00:31:52.266 --> 00:31:55.636
  • If you go to certain places and you are connected to the royal
  • 00:31:55.737 --> 00:31:59.407
  • Family, you don't even need an id.
  • 00:31:59.407 --> 00:32:02.110
  • Your name already opens doors.
  • 00:32:02.210 --> 00:32:06.247
  • We see it every day, the weights of names.
  • 00:32:06.247 --> 00:32:10.084
  • And so, when you carry god, the name of god, that you carry,
  • 00:32:10.084 --> 00:32:17.291
  • You are his child.
  • 00:32:17.392 --> 00:32:19.293
  • It is so mind-blowing.
  • 00:32:19.293 --> 00:32:23.631
  • I think that in itself should give us everlasting peace.
  • 00:32:23.731 --> 00:32:28.503
  • And for me, whenever i struggle, whenever i start having anxious
  • 00:32:28.503 --> 00:32:34.709
  • Thoughts or battling with fear, it's a reminder you've lost
  • 00:32:34.709 --> 00:32:40.214
  • Sight of your identity because when you come back to the
  • 00:32:40.214 --> 00:32:44.185
  • Recognition that who your father is, who my daddy is,
  • 00:32:44.185 --> 00:32:48.890
  • This is not an issue.
  • 00:32:48.990 --> 00:32:50.158
  • I could relax.
  • 00:32:50.591 --> 00:32:52.193
  • And so, i don't know how to even put it in words.
  • 00:32:52.293 --> 00:32:57.365
  • What does it mean to be the daughter of the king of kings?
  • 00:32:57.365 --> 00:32:59.967
  • Again, i think it means safety.
  • 00:33:00.068 --> 00:33:02.136
  • It means like i--
  • 00:33:02.136 --> 00:33:05.273
  • Wherever i need to be in life, like nothing can hinder me.
  • 00:33:05.273 --> 00:33:09.077
  • Whatever i need to do in life, nothing can hinder me.
  • 00:33:09.177 --> 00:33:12.313
  • The only person that can get in my way is myself, and that is
  • 00:33:12.413 --> 00:33:15.616
  • When i lose sight of my identity in him.
  • 00:33:15.616 --> 00:33:19.153
  • But when i come back to that place of who i am in god,
  • 00:33:19.253 --> 00:33:23.658
  • It shifts everything.
  • 00:33:23.758 --> 00:33:25.693
  • - it took me to the moment of even when you read the
  • 00:33:25.793 --> 00:33:28.830
  • Scriptures, when they say there was a fourth man in the fire.
  • 00:33:28.830 --> 00:33:31.265
  • And it's like they're trying to figure out who is the fourth
  • 00:33:31.365 --> 00:33:34.335
  • Person in the fire, and they can't decipher it.
  • 00:33:34.335 --> 00:33:36.671
  • And that was the lord right there with them.
  • 00:33:36.771 --> 00:33:39.173
  • Even before he was revealed to humanity as lord, he was right
  • 00:33:39.173 --> 00:33:43.444
  • There in the fire.
  • 00:33:43.444 --> 00:33:44.579
  • And you see it throughout the scriptures.
  • 00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:46.581
  • You see angels setting people free from the prisons.
  • 00:33:46.681 --> 00:33:50.051
  • All these moments, and you're like, "the love of god,
  • 00:33:50.151 --> 00:33:54.288
  • It cannot be put into words.”
  • 00:33:54.288 --> 00:33:57.692
  • You can't even quantify it.
  • 00:33:57.792 --> 00:33:59.494
  • It is as--
  • 00:33:59.494 --> 00:34:01.362
  • You know, it extends as far as eternity.
  • 00:34:01.362 --> 00:34:05.166
  • And so, all that we get to do is live in it, to live in the
  • 00:34:05.266 --> 00:34:10.371
  • Reality of his love.
  • 00:34:10.371 --> 00:34:11.739
  • And i love it so much, dr.
  • 00:34:11.839 --> 00:34:13.007
  • Robyn, because you mentioned legacy.
  • 00:34:13.007 --> 00:34:15.143
  • And i also believe that god reveals his love to us through
  • 00:34:15.243 --> 00:34:18.946
  • Legacy because there are things that you go through in life and
  • 00:34:18.946 --> 00:34:22.483
  • You don't understand why, but it was for your legacy.
  • 00:34:22.483 --> 00:34:25.686
  • There are lessons you can impart to your children,
  • 00:34:25.786 --> 00:34:28.222
  • To your grandchildren.
  • 00:34:28.222 --> 00:34:29.490
  • And in the moment that you went through it, you have no clue
  • 00:34:29.590 --> 00:34:32.093
  • Why i went through this.
  • 00:34:32.093 --> 00:34:33.327
  • But it was something that the lord knew, just like when
  • 00:34:33.327 --> 00:34:36.564
  • Isaiah was saying, giving them
  • 00:34:36.564 --> 00:34:38.533
  • Hope that, hey, the lord is coming.
  • 00:34:38.533 --> 00:34:40.835
  • But it took hundreds of years.
  • 00:34:40.935 --> 00:34:42.837
  • But he was not just speaking to the people, but that you might
  • 00:34:42.837 --> 00:34:46.807
  • Be going through something now that your children's children,
  • 00:34:46.807 --> 00:34:49.610
  • They will know the lord.
  • 00:34:49.710 --> 00:34:51.112
  • They would meet him.
  • 00:34:51.112 --> 00:34:52.380
  • They would have a peace that they cannot even understand.
  • 00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:55.016
  • And i think god reveals himself through legacy.
  • 00:34:55.016 --> 00:34:58.052
  • So, when we have an eternity perspective, it gives us this
  • 00:34:58.052 --> 00:35:02.990
  • Embrace of his love.
  • 00:35:02.990 --> 00:35:04.525
  • - and all of us are hardwired, apparently, to long for
  • 00:35:04.525 --> 00:35:10.531
  • Fathered love.
  • 00:35:10.531 --> 00:35:11.933
  • We want approval.
  • 00:35:12.033 --> 00:35:14.802
  • I mean, just what brings tears to deedee's eyes for me is that
  • 00:35:14.902 --> 00:35:19.373
  • I adored my dad so much.
  • 00:35:19.373 --> 00:35:23.044
  • I want to be just like him.
  • 00:35:23.711 --> 00:35:26.814
  • - yeah.
  • 00:35:26.814 --> 00:35:27.949
  • - right?
  • 00:35:27.949 --> 00:35:29.250
  • That's really what she's saying, is that his voice in my head
  • 00:35:29.250 --> 00:35:35.523
  • Elevates me.
  • 00:35:35.523 --> 00:35:37.425
  • A father forms us.
  • 00:35:37.525 --> 00:35:39.493
  • And we as children--
  • 00:35:39.493 --> 00:35:41.929
  • You know, the bible says in 2 corinthians 6:18, "'i will be a
  • 00:35:42.029 --> 00:35:45.866
  • Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,' says
  • 00:35:45.866 --> 00:35:51.439
  • The lord almighty.”
  • 00:35:51.439 --> 00:35:53.207
  • That imagery and this earthly father, this is a gap for so
  • 00:35:53.307 --> 00:35:58.613
  • Many millions because they haven't had that approval.
  • 00:35:58.613 --> 00:36:02.083
  • They haven't had the affirmation.
  • 00:36:02.083 --> 00:36:03.684
  • They haven't had the protection.
  • 00:36:03.784 --> 00:36:05.987
  • And today, what we're talking about is even in the absence of
  • 00:36:05.987 --> 00:36:11.926
  • That human experience that they're still longing for,
  • 00:36:11.926 --> 00:36:15.696
  • Many could be believers today that haven't really let god
  • 00:36:15.796 --> 00:36:20.167
  • Heal that part of their little child heart.
  • 00:36:20.167 --> 00:36:23.504
  • And i think it's so important that we realize that god is
  • 00:36:23.504 --> 00:36:29.610
  • Truly understanding who we are, and he wants to be for us in
  • 00:36:29.610 --> 00:36:36.884
  • Those places.
  • 00:36:36.884 --> 00:36:38.152
  • He loves us, he's proud of us, he adores us, and that is
  • 00:36:38.152 --> 00:36:43.824
  • Available today to us at christmas time.
  • 00:36:43.824 --> 00:36:46.894
  • Something to celebrate.
  • 00:36:46.994 --> 00:36:49.230
  • - healing comes by being in the presence of the lord,
  • 00:36:49.330 --> 00:36:52.867
  • Being around people that love you, that will allow you to
  • 00:36:52.967 --> 00:36:58.205
  • Walk through your journey because some days you feel good,
  • 00:36:58.205 --> 00:37:02.009
  • Other days that you don't.
  • 00:37:02.109 --> 00:37:03.611
  • But god sees us in whole.
  • 00:37:03.711 --> 00:37:06.113
  • He doesn't see us in just a season where we've been wounded.
  • 00:37:06.113 --> 00:37:09.717
  • He sees us and he loves us.
  • 00:37:10.384 --> 00:37:12.186
  • And if we allow him to, he will take the pain of our past and
  • 00:37:12.186 --> 00:37:17.325
  • He will use it to do something glorious in the future.
  • 00:37:17.325 --> 00:37:20.594
  • Maybe somebody's hurt you or wounded you in a certain way.
  • 00:37:20.695 --> 00:37:23.297
  • You can take that pain, you turn it around for good,
  • 00:37:23.397 --> 00:37:26.801
  • And you will help somebody else not have to walk the road and
  • 00:37:26.801 --> 00:37:30.738
  • Feel the pain that you have felt.
  • 00:37:30.738 --> 00:37:31.906
  • It's a journey every day.
  • 00:37:31.906 --> 00:37:34.508
  • - join the conversation on our "better together”
  • 00:37:35.576 --> 00:37:37.712
  • Youtube channel.
  • 00:37:37.712 --> 00:37:38.879
  • Subscribe today and never miss a new upload.
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  • 00:37:43.008 --> 00:37:43.719
  • [music]
  • 00:37:44.052 --> 00:37:48.490
  • But then, there are others that may could be viewing now and
  • 00:37:49.758 --> 00:37:52.594
  • Saying, "well, i've never had an encounter with god like that.
  • 00:37:52.594 --> 00:37:56.465
  • Or i've never seen that happen.
  • 00:37:56.465 --> 00:37:59.301
  • No one ever showed up for me,
  • 00:37:59.401 --> 00:38:01.103
  • And god didn't visually show me.”
  • 00:38:01.103 --> 00:38:03.805
  • So, how do they, you know, now embrace this loving god
  • 00:38:03.905 --> 00:38:10.078
  • That we're talking about?
  • 00:38:10.078 --> 00:38:11.246
  • It has to be embraced through others.
  • 00:38:11.246 --> 00:38:14.383
  • I mean, even in scripture, john 13 talks about how new
  • 00:38:14.483 --> 00:38:17.986
  • Commandment that he's given, that we love one another as he
  • 00:38:17.986 --> 00:38:22.891
  • Has loved us.
  • 00:38:22.891 --> 00:38:24.025
  • Ok, so how has he loved us?
  • 00:38:24.025 --> 00:38:27.028
  • If he's loved us this way, it's our responsibility as
  • 00:38:27.028 --> 00:38:31.032
  • Believers, right, to go out and to love others the same way
  • 00:38:31.032 --> 00:38:35.404
  • That he has loved us.
  • 00:38:35.404 --> 00:38:36.538
  • - being the body of christ.
  • 00:38:36.638 --> 00:38:38.273
  • [crosstalk]
  • 00:38:38.273 --> 00:38:39.574
  • - right.
  • 00:38:39.574 --> 00:38:40.342
  • Really be the body of christ.
  • 00:38:40.342 --> 00:38:42.144
  • - and you know, we need the holy spirit to do that because
  • 00:38:42.144 --> 00:38:46.415
  • We can't take the place of who god is.
  • 00:38:46.415 --> 00:38:50.886
  • So, we need god in us to show god out of us, right, and to be
  • 00:38:50.886 --> 00:38:58.293
  • That father to the fatherless.
  • 00:38:58.293 --> 00:39:00.328
  • And i'm sitting here thinking of all the people who have had
  • 00:39:00.328 --> 00:39:05.033
  • Traumatic, horrible, awful fathers and fathers that
  • 00:39:05.033 --> 00:39:09.671
  • Aren't there.
  • 00:39:09.671 --> 00:39:10.839
  • And i am so proud of the daddies listening today that
  • 00:39:10.839 --> 00:39:14.509
  • Have showed up, and that have been there for their children,
  • 00:39:14.509 --> 00:39:17.412
  • And have asked god for his help to to help them be the fathers
  • 00:39:17.412 --> 00:39:22.350
  • That they should.
  • 00:39:22.350 --> 00:39:23.485
  • Good on you.
  • 00:39:23.485 --> 00:39:24.553
  • God bless you.
  • 00:39:24.986 --> 00:39:26.221
  • God empower you to be more, to be better, to be everything
  • 00:39:26.321 --> 00:39:33.395
  • That you need for your kids.
  • 00:39:33.395 --> 00:39:34.563
  • And thank you for being such great dads out there.
  • 00:39:34.663 --> 00:39:37.566
  • - i think we show the father
  • 00:39:38.233 --> 00:39:40.101
  • And his love by loving one another.
  • 00:39:40.101 --> 00:39:42.704
  • He said, "they will know you by your love.”
  • 00:39:42.804 --> 00:39:45.740
  • And so, god wants to use you.
  • 00:39:46.441 --> 00:39:49.411
  • He wants to use me.
  • 00:39:49.511 --> 00:39:50.979
  • And i think if we can remember that, not only now in this
  • 00:39:50.979 --> 00:39:55.550
  • Beautiful christmas season, but all through the year,
  • 00:39:55.550 --> 00:39:58.019
  • That god wants to show his love to the world through me.
  • 00:39:58.019 --> 00:40:02.557
  • He wants to show his power through me.
  • 00:40:02.657 --> 00:40:05.594
  • He wants to show people that he's real through me.
  • 00:40:05.694 --> 00:40:08.530
  • And he can do it.
  • 00:40:08.997 --> 00:40:11.533
  • He just--
  • 00:40:11.533 --> 00:40:12.634
  • That's just being available to
  • 00:40:12.634 --> 00:40:16.238
  • Him and letting him use your life.
  • 00:40:16.238 --> 00:40:18.273
  • - i think about the passage of scripture where the scripture
  • 00:40:19.541 --> 00:40:23.645
  • Says, "as fathers, good fathers
  • 00:40:23.645 --> 00:40:26.648
  • Desire to give gifts to their children.
  • 00:40:26.648 --> 00:40:29.451
  • How much more does the father desire to give to you?”
  • 00:40:29.551 --> 00:40:33.121
  • The legacy that we carry, not from natural fathers,
  • 00:40:33.121 --> 00:40:37.025
  • But from the spiritual fathers, are the gifts that we share
  • 00:40:37.025 --> 00:40:40.328
  • With others are the gift of our lives.
  • 00:40:40.328 --> 00:40:43.265
  • The word of encouragement.
  • 00:40:43.265 --> 00:40:44.533
  • The natural father desires to
  • 00:40:44.533 --> 00:40:46.635
  • Give good gifts, or good fathers do.
  • 00:40:46.635 --> 00:40:48.503
  • But perhaps they had--
  • 00:40:48.503 --> 00:40:50.805
  • They came from hurting backgrounds, and then they
  • 00:40:50.805 --> 00:40:54.209
  • Further accented that without knowing how to become the kind
  • 00:40:54.309 --> 00:40:58.947
  • Of person that they needed to be.
  • 00:40:58.947 --> 00:41:00.515
  • So, in the natural, things are not always right.
  • 00:41:01.583 --> 00:41:04.486
  • But if we look to the heavenly father--
  • 00:41:04.486 --> 00:41:06.288
  • In fact, the the lord's prayer, we start it out with our father,
  • 00:41:06.288 --> 00:41:10.792
  • Our father together.
  • 00:41:10.792 --> 00:41:12.227
  • And so, we take and we create a legacy by giving good gifts,
  • 00:41:12.227 --> 00:41:17.732
  • Giving of ourselves to create a spiritual legacy to the next
  • 00:41:17.732 --> 00:41:22.504
  • Generation because the father desires--
  • 00:41:22.504 --> 00:41:25.373
  • If he desires to give us better than our earthly fathers--
  • 00:41:25.373 --> 00:41:28.143
  • I had a great earthly father.
  • 00:41:28.143 --> 00:41:30.111
  • He wasn't perfect, but he loved me.
  • 00:41:30.211 --> 00:41:32.347
  • I felt like i was one of his favorites, you know,
  • 00:41:32.447 --> 00:41:35.083
  • But i think all the kids felt that way.
  • 00:41:35.083 --> 00:41:36.918
  • But in knowing that, that my father loved me, if i get a
  • 00:41:36.918 --> 00:41:41.556
  • Picture of my heavenly father,
  • 00:41:41.556 --> 00:41:44.159
  • And for those, they don't have that.
  • 00:41:44.159 --> 00:41:45.794
  • But we can be that.
  • 00:41:45.794 --> 00:41:49.164
  • We can carry that legacy of the father as we give to others.
  • 00:41:49.164 --> 00:41:54.603
  • - the spirit of giving that we find at christmas time,
  • 00:41:54.703 --> 00:41:58.473
  • If we could just bottle that up and every day of the year,
  • 00:41:58.573 --> 00:42:02.744
  • Live that out.
  • 00:42:02.844 --> 00:42:04.145
  • And it's an intentional effort that i think that we have to
  • 00:42:04.145 --> 00:42:07.649
  • Make every day when we get up
  • 00:42:07.649 --> 00:42:10.085
  • Because christ is about giving and loving.
  • 00:42:10.085 --> 00:42:13.188
  • I think we have to emulate those things, and those things
  • 00:42:13.288 --> 00:42:16.491
  • Have to lose and flow out of us.
  • 00:42:16.491 --> 00:42:18.093
  • So, when i get up every day, i say, "god, where's my
  • 00:42:18.093 --> 00:42:21.429
  • Assignment today?”
  • 00:42:21.429 --> 00:42:22.764
  • Who can i help?
  • 00:42:22.864 --> 00:42:23.965
  • Who can i bless?
  • 00:42:23.965 --> 00:42:25.266
  • It doesn't matter if it's
  • 00:42:25.367 --> 00:42:27.402
  • Something small or something large.
  • 00:42:27.402 --> 00:42:28.937
  • And i think it is possible to live out christmas, the spirit
  • 00:42:28.937 --> 00:42:34.142
  • Of giving every day of your life.
  • 00:42:34.142 --> 00:42:36.444
  • - earthly fathers, even the best, mine, they make mistakes.
  • 00:42:36.544 --> 00:42:42.183
  • They're just humans.
  • 00:42:42.183 --> 00:42:43.518
  • And they can hurt us, and they didn't even want to, or mean to,
  • 00:42:43.518 --> 00:42:49.224
  • Or even know they did.
  • 00:42:49.224 --> 00:42:50.525
  • And i think it's so important to get the theological idea
  • 00:42:50.625 --> 00:42:54.229
  • Clear, and that is that, yes, god came as a baby, and yes,
  • 00:42:54.229 --> 00:42:57.666
  • He's a son, and yes, there's a father, and we're all hardwired
  • 00:42:57.666 --> 00:43:01.670
  • To desire and need that.
  • 00:43:01.670 --> 00:43:03.204
  • So, if your father was terrible or tragic, if he was all those
  • 00:43:03.204 --> 00:43:11.246
  • Terrible things, the point is that even the best, our earthly
  • 00:43:11.246 --> 00:43:16.885
  • Fathers are not the representation of god.
  • 00:43:16.885 --> 00:43:20.822
  • God is the perfection of your earthly father.
  • 00:43:20.922 --> 00:43:24.492
  • And where i could have ideas about dad did this or he didn't
  • 00:43:24.492 --> 00:43:28.563
  • Do that, i can let that go and say, "you know what?
  • 00:43:28.563 --> 00:43:32.000
  • That's not god."
  • 00:43:32.434 --> 00:43:33.702
  • - yeah.
  • 00:43:33.802 --> 00:43:34.903
  • - but i'm hardwired for approval.
  • 00:43:34.903 --> 00:43:37.672
  • I'm hardwired for affirmation.
  • 00:43:37.772 --> 00:43:39.974
  • And today, i received that as god's daughter because he says
  • 00:43:39.974 --> 00:43:45.513
  • Right there, "he'll be a father to the fatherless."
  • 00:43:45.513 --> 00:43:49.517
  • - and he must have thought that was really important to tell us.
  • 00:43:49.617 --> 00:43:52.587
  • - the beauty of god.
  • 00:43:53.121 --> 00:43:54.222
  • I just love what you said,
  • 00:43:54.222 --> 00:43:55.356
  • How intentional he was to say that.
  • 00:43:55.356 --> 00:43:57.225
  • Even the scriptures would say, "if your mother and your father
  • 00:43:57.225 --> 00:44:00.261
  • Forsake you, i, the lord, would gather you unto myself.”
  • 00:44:00.261 --> 00:44:04.199
  • But i do love even the charge, the charge that as individuals,
  • 00:44:04.299 --> 00:44:09.504
  • We have the responsibility through the help of the holy
  • 00:44:09.604 --> 00:44:13.108
  • Spirit to reveal the love of god, to be present in our
  • 00:44:13.108 --> 00:44:17.445
  • Society, in our community.
  • 00:44:17.445 --> 00:44:18.780
  • How can we love people in a manner that when they feel your
  • 00:44:18.780 --> 00:44:23.051
  • Love, because it's through the holy spirit, what they're
  • 00:44:23.051 --> 00:44:25.487
  • Sensing is god.
  • 00:44:25.487 --> 00:44:26.621
  • - we have to be what he has commissioned to be.
  • 00:44:26.621 --> 00:44:30.024
  • We put that responsibility on the natural family like, oh,
  • 00:44:30.125 --> 00:44:33.895
  • This is my daughter.
  • 00:44:33.895 --> 00:44:34.996
  • This is my mother.
  • 00:44:34.996 --> 00:44:36.297
  • This is my father.
  • 00:44:36.397 --> 00:44:37.532
  • But it's like, who really is my mother, my father?
  • 00:44:37.532 --> 00:44:41.569
  • It's like, except those that receive jesus christ as lord,
  • 00:44:41.669 --> 00:44:45.673
  • We are truly the body of christ.
  • 00:44:45.673 --> 00:44:48.710
  • And if we would take ownership of that to say, "oh, wait,
  • 00:44:48.710 --> 00:44:53.414
  • You are my responsibility.
  • 00:44:53.515 --> 00:44:55.250
  • That's my son.
  • 00:44:55.350 --> 00:44:57.352
  • Oh, this is my friend."
  • 00:44:57.452 --> 00:44:58.553
  • - in other words, that kid that
  • 00:44:58.553 --> 00:45:00.321
  • Is such a trouble, that's my child.
  • 00:45:00.321 --> 00:45:04.025
  • [crosstalk]
  • 00:45:04.025 --> 00:45:05.093
  • - absolutely.
  • 00:45:05.527 --> 00:45:07.762
  • - it's not always about the grand things that we do.
  • 00:45:07.862 --> 00:45:11.599
  • It's about the least that we do.
  • 00:45:11.599 --> 00:45:14.202
  • You know, when jesus would talk about the things we did for him,
  • 00:45:14.202 --> 00:45:18.306
  • He would often speak to the least of these.
  • 00:45:18.406 --> 00:45:21.276
  • There's a scripture when he says, you know, "i was hungry,
  • 00:45:21.376 --> 00:45:24.579
  • And you fed me.
  • 00:45:24.579 --> 00:45:25.713
  • I was in prison, and you visited me.
  • 00:45:25.713 --> 00:45:27.882
  • I was naked, and you clothed me,”
  • 00:45:27.982 --> 00:45:30.852
  • And all these things.
  • 00:45:30.852 --> 00:45:32.353
  • And they're asking him, "lord, when did we do this?”
  • 00:45:32.353 --> 00:45:35.390
  • You know, they're very confused.
  • 00:45:35.490 --> 00:45:36.758
  • They're like, "we have not seen you, you know, naked.”
  • 00:45:36.758 --> 00:45:39.060
  • And jesus is like, you know, "whatever you did to the least
  • 00:45:39.160 --> 00:45:43.264
  • Of these, you did unto me.”
  • 00:45:43.264 --> 00:45:47.001
  • And why i think that is so powerful is that when jesus is
  • 00:45:47.101 --> 00:45:50.205
  • Saying, "what you do for the least, you do unto me,”
  • 00:45:50.205 --> 00:45:53.708
  • Is also a reminder that how he wants to touch people,
  • 00:45:53.708 --> 00:45:57.512
  • How he wants to clothe that naked person, how he wants to
  • 00:45:57.512 --> 00:46:01.783
  • Feed that hungry person is what he does through us.
  • 00:46:01.783 --> 00:46:04.986
  • We are charged to represent the nature of god in our community.
  • 00:46:04.986 --> 00:46:11.492
  • - and i think, too, sometimes our greatest areas of pain
  • 00:46:11.492 --> 00:46:17.298
  • Become the greatest gifts that we have to help others.
  • 00:46:17.298 --> 00:46:20.401
  • We're talking about fathers today, but i lost my mother
  • 00:46:20.501 --> 00:46:22.904
  • When i was young.
  • 00:46:22.904 --> 00:46:24.105
  • And then, so when i had children, i was raising them
  • 00:46:24.105 --> 00:46:27.108
  • Without the help of my mother.
  • 00:46:27.108 --> 00:46:28.509
  • Now, as my daughter has had her children, i can be to her
  • 00:46:28.509 --> 00:46:33.047
  • Things that i missed in my own life.
  • 00:46:33.047 --> 00:46:36.184
  • And so, the absence of the father in the home in the
  • 00:46:36.284 --> 00:46:39.988
  • Natural, that's devastating.
  • 00:46:39.988 --> 00:46:41.489
  • We don't learn certain things.
  • 00:46:41.489 --> 00:46:43.925
  • But with our pain that we've experienced, we also know what
  • 00:46:44.025 --> 00:46:47.762
  • We missed, and we have the ability to give that to others,
  • 00:46:47.762 --> 00:46:51.733
  • Which i think becomes a gift to us, not a tragedy to us.
  • 00:46:51.833 --> 00:46:56.571
  • - and then your legacy, because then god is also looking at the
  • 00:46:56.671 --> 00:47:00.375
  • Children he would entrust to
  • 00:47:00.375 --> 00:47:01.542
  • You and what they would need from you.
  • 00:47:01.542 --> 00:47:02.877
  • - it's like legacy is love to me.
  • 00:47:02.877 --> 00:47:06.447
  • It's like if you really want to leave a legacy in the earth,
  • 00:47:06.447 --> 00:47:09.350
  • Demonstrate the love of god.
  • 00:47:09.450 --> 00:47:10.585
  • And then, we continue to build upon that.
  • 00:47:10.585 --> 00:47:13.388
  • - we not only have a family of
  • 00:47:14.088 --> 00:47:16.758
  • Origin, we also have a family of choice.
  • 00:47:16.758 --> 00:47:19.327
  • And i believe that's the community of believers that we
  • 00:47:19.327 --> 00:47:23.831
  • Have an opportunity to invest ourselves in.
  • 00:47:23.831 --> 00:47:26.834
  • I encourage people to realize that the people that are
  • 00:47:26.935 --> 00:47:31.072
  • Planted in their workplace, the persons that you are in
  • 00:47:31.072 --> 00:47:35.810
  • Touch with day and night, your neighborhood, they may not
  • 00:47:35.810 --> 00:47:39.147
  • Be a biological family, they may not be a family of
  • 00:47:39.147 --> 00:47:43.184
  • Origin for you, but you can adopt them.
  • 00:47:43.184 --> 00:47:47.021
  • Now, listen to me.
  • 00:47:47.021 --> 00:47:48.423
  • You can adopt them the way that god has adopted us, is what the
  • 00:47:48.423 --> 00:47:53.995
  • Bible teaches, and that we're all his children.
  • 00:47:53.995 --> 00:47:56.764
  • And by investing in others, they don't have to be
  • 00:47:56.764 --> 00:48:01.836
  • Biological children, you are planting your legacy into them
  • 00:48:01.836 --> 00:48:08.443
  • For eternity.
  • 00:48:08.443 --> 00:48:09.811
  • - be a part of a community.
  • 00:48:10.478 --> 00:48:12.947
  • Invest in that community.
  • 00:48:12.947 --> 00:48:15.717
  • Show up in that community because there are coaches and
  • 00:48:15.817 --> 00:48:19.887
  • Youth pastors.
  • 00:48:19.887 --> 00:48:21.022
  • There are teachers.
  • 00:48:21.022 --> 00:48:22.490
  • There are all kinds of people available.
  • 00:48:22.590 --> 00:48:25.126
  • And i just want to agree with moms that their children will
  • 00:48:25.126 --> 00:48:30.565
  • Not be eternally impacted.
  • 00:48:30.565 --> 00:48:33.434
  • They will grow healthy.
  • 00:48:33.434 --> 00:48:35.336
  • They will be strong, even if they don't have their earthly
  • 00:48:35.336 --> 00:48:39.974
  • Father showing up right now.
  • 00:48:39.974 --> 00:48:41.509
  • So, i just really think that it's important that we speak as
  • 00:48:41.509 --> 00:48:46.447
  • Mothers and grandmothers, like you're talking about,
  • 00:48:46.447 --> 00:48:49.217
  • That there is a solution.
  • 00:48:49.217 --> 00:48:51.986
  • Stephanie talked about this model.
  • 00:48:52.086 --> 00:48:54.322
  • And when that model or that template gets broken,
  • 00:48:54.322 --> 00:48:59.227
  • The earthly church, the believers here on earth,
  • 00:48:59.327 --> 00:49:03.698
  • They can fill in those gaps.
  • 00:49:03.698 --> 00:49:05.767
  • - i think it's important that no matter what you think you
  • 00:49:05.767 --> 00:49:10.171
  • Can or cannot do, you need to do something.
  • 00:49:10.171 --> 00:49:12.407
  • The body of christ needs--
  • 00:49:12.507 --> 00:49:14.008
  • I need every part of my body to work properly, please.
  • 00:49:14.008 --> 00:49:18.913
  • So, if everybody in the body of christ would just do your part,
  • 00:49:19.013 --> 00:49:23.751
  • It might be little, it might be the little toe, it might be
  • 00:49:23.751 --> 00:49:26.087
  • Whatever, whatever, hair grow,
  • 00:49:26.087 --> 00:49:28.523
  • You know, whatever it is we need.
  • 00:49:28.623 --> 00:49:32.093
  • The body of christ needs to function in a healthy,
  • 00:49:32.093 --> 00:49:35.863
  • Whole body, and we all need to do something.
  • 00:49:35.863 --> 00:49:40.034
  • And we all have something to
  • 00:49:40.034 --> 00:49:42.403
  • Give, whether we think it or not.
  • 00:49:42.403 --> 00:49:43.971
  • - right now, we're going to
  • 00:49:43.971 --> 00:49:45.373
  • Pray, and together we extend our faith.
  • 00:49:45.373 --> 00:49:48.709
  • Jesus, all of us around this table and across the airwaves,
  • 00:49:48.709 --> 00:49:53.815
  • We together collectively speak life, we speak new beginning,
  • 00:49:53.915 --> 00:50:00.555
  • Especially for those who feel the sting of a fatherless
  • 00:50:00.655 --> 00:50:05.927
  • Experience in god.
  • 00:50:05.927 --> 00:50:07.228
  • We pray healing, wholeness, and we know that father god is
  • 00:50:07.228 --> 00:50:12.567
  • Our provider.
  • 00:50:12.567 --> 00:50:13.868
  • Today at christmas time, father, we are grateful and thankful
  • 00:50:13.868 --> 00:50:18.506
  • That we know that you are with us in our situation.
  • 00:50:18.506 --> 00:50:23.144
  • You are with us, and we believe for more.
  • 00:50:23.144 --> 00:50:27.882
  • In jesus name.
  • 00:50:27.882 --> 00:50:29.150
  • - amen.
  • 00:50:29.150 --> 00:50:31.185
  • - connect with us on social media and let us know how our
  • 00:50:31.285 --> 00:50:34.188
  • Team can pray for you.
  • 00:50:34.188 --> 00:50:36.023
  • - watch better together on the go.
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