Dr. Tony Evans

Tony Evans - Digging Your Ditches

January 4, 2026 | 27:29

Dr. Tony Evans is known as a relevant expositor and is a pastor of pastors and a father in the faith.

#WordofGod #Truth #Foundation #Soul #KingdomofGod #Prophecy #Faithfulness #SpiritualFoundation #FalseProphets #Prophet/Prophets #TonyEvans

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Dr. Tony Evans | Tony Evans - Digging Your Ditches | January 4, 2026

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Tony evans: anything you bring to god is living.
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He said this is a small thing.
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You got a marriage that looks like it's gonna end in divorce.
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It's a small thing.
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Your career is on the downside. it's a small thing.
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I don't know how big it feels,
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But when it gets placed in the hands of god,
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He says this ain't nothing but a small thing.
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It ain't that hard for the lord.
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♪♪♪
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Tony: sometimes things go from bad to worse.
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Sometimes when you think things are on the upswing,
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They go south.
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When that happens, you become disappointed,
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You become...
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Just, irritated because hope is dashed
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When things go from bad to worse.
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In 2 kings chapter 3, we have a story.
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And i have a simple challenge to you from this chapter--
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That is, to keep digging your ditches.
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My challenge to you today for the new year
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And all of its idiosyncratic confusion
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Is to keep digging your ditches.
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The situation is explained to us
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In the first eight verses of the chapter.
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I'll summarize it for you.
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Feel free to read the whole thing.
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But three kings have come together
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In a conflict with moab.
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Moab was paying a tax, if you will, to israel.
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They decided to no longer pay the tax.
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This created a conflict with israel and moab.
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Israel went to judah and edom
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About the problem that moab was no longer fulfilling
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Its obligation,
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And a war is about to break out.
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So that's the scenario.
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There is a conflict between these groups of people,
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The three nations-- israel, judah, and edom--
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Against moab.
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There's going to be a clash.
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So the kings gather together to now deal with this problem
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That has confronted them.
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That's the situation.
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But we have a problem in verse 9.
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So the king of israel went with the king of judah
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And the king of edom,
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And they made a circuit of seven days' journey,
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And there was no water for the army
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Or for the cattle that followed them.
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They were on their way to battle,
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But there was no water.
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Now, they're already in one fight
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Because they're getting ready to go fight moab.
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They got one battle.
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But on their way to fight this one battle,
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A new problem shows up.
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There has been a drought, a dry spell,
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And there's no water for the soldiers,
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There's no water for the cattle.
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So one problem, moab, has become two problems.
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There is no water, and you know water is essential to life.
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There was no water.
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What do you do when your life is in a drought,
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When there is no water?
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Water is regularly used in scripture to talk about life.
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The holy spirit is referred to as the life-giving fountain,
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Or water, for the soul.
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And of course, physically, you are without water long enough,
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You die.
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There was no water.
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How can we fight and we can't be refreshed?
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The king of israel, jehoram, said, verse 10, "alas!
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For the lord has caused these three kings
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To give them into the hand of moab."
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So the king of israel, jehoram,
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Says, "god has put us in a hot mess.
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God done hooked us up together to be beaten by the enemy."
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You ever felt like god set you up?
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He kind of sets you up for defeat.
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Here i'm out here trying to fight.
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We know god controls rain and he controls the water.
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There is no water.
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"where is god when i'm in a drought?"
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King of israel said, "god has set us up to fail."
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The truth be told, even if you're too scared to say it,
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Sometimes it feels like god has set you up for defeat.
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Because you're in a battle, and then things go
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From bad to worse.
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There is no water. and you blame god.
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You feel it, you think it even though you don't say it,
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Because he's the one who can make sure
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That there was water.
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Jehoshaphat is the king of judah.
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Israel is the northern kingdom. judah is the southern kingdom.
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But jehoshaphat said-- now, jehoram is israel--
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He said, "god has set us up to fail."
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But jehoshaphat in verse 11 speaks and says, "'is there not
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A prophet of the lord here that we may inquire of the lord
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By him?'
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And one of the kings of israel's servants answered
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And said, 'elisha the son of shaphat is here,
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Who used to pour water on the hands of elijah.'"
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Stay with me now.
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Jehoshaphat says, "i know you want to blame god, jehoram,
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But i ain't gonna listen to you.
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I want to talk to somebody who knows god."
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When i'm in a drought and my world is falling apart
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And it looks like i'm going to be defeated
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And there is nothing to sustain me,
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Is there not somebody who can hear from god
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To tell us what to do,
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Who can inquire of the lord,
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Who can get some information from heaven
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For our situation on earth.
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Now, we've got to put a parenthesis here,
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And make sure you understand what the job of a prophet was.
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Prophecy is more than preaching.
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It involves preaching, it involves proclaiming,
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It involves declaring the word of god.
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But when prophets show up in scripture,
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It's not generic.
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They show up at specific times, to specific people,
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In specific situations to bring clarity
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To that person or that circumstance
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About what they were currently going through.
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A preached word is for everybody.
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A prophetic word is for your situation.
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I am giving a generic sermon.
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I am preaching to all who are listening.
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But only some will get a prophetic word.
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It's the difference between saying,
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"i heard the sermon, i enjoyed the sermon,
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I learned from the sermon"-- that's good--
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From a person who said, "you talked to me today."
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The prophetic word is designed to be a personalized word
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To your reality, where you are and what you are dealing with.
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He said, "i need somebody in this particular situation
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Who can bring clarity to what we're going through.
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Because, jehoram, what you're talking about blaming god
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Is getting us nowhere.
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I need to find out what god is up to
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In allowing the situation to transpire as it has.
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Is there a prophet?"
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Well, the servant said, "well, there is a prophet here
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Named elisha, who used to pour water on the hands of elijah."
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To pour that water on the hands of--
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He was elijah's servant.
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So elisha was the servant of the previous prophet, elijah.
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He says elisha is-- yes, he is nearby.
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"so jehoshaphat"-- stay with me here--
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"said, 'the word of the lord is with him.'
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So the king of israel," jehoram,
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"and jehoshaphat and the king of edom went down to him,"
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Because they needed spiritual clarity--
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Watch this--
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"for a physical situation," two physical situations.
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One, they're in a war;
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And, number two, there is no water.
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Now, that's a physical reality,
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But they need a spiritual clarification
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About the spiritual reality.
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If you're in a drought right now
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Or if you're in a battle right now in your life,
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In your world, with your career,
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With your finances, with your family,
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With your future,
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You're in this battle and there is no water--
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In other words, every place you look is dry.
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Every place you look is empty.
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Every place you look, there is nothing
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That's giving you life-sustaining clarity
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And help.
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Then that means you need a prophetic word.
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You need something that will zero in
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Where you are and what you are dealing with.
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You need a prophetic word.
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So they go down to get spiritual clarity.
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Now, "elisha said to the king of israel"--
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Watch this, a little funny but it's serious, in verse 13--
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'what do i have to do with you?'"
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Now, there are three kings who went--
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Jehoshaphat, king of edom, and jehoram.
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But he only turns to jehoram, the king of israel, and said,
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"why are you here? get out of my face.
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I don't want to see you. move on.
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I don't mind talking to these other two guys.
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I don't want to talk to you."
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But he only says it to the one king.
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He doesn't say it to the other two,
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Although there were three there.
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All right, go back to verse 1.
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"now jehoram the son of ahab became king over israel
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In samaria."
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The beginning of verse 2,
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"and he did evil in the sight of the lord."
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Verse 3, "nevertheless he clung to the sins
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Of jeroboam the son of nebat,
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Which he had made israel sin; he did not depart from them."
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So let me tell you about jehoram.
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Jehoram's daddy was ahab. jehoram's mother was jezebel.
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You starting to track with me?
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Ahab and jeze...
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Led a whole herd of false prophets.
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They went about killing the prophets of god
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And bolstering up the prophets of baal.
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They had elijah, who was the spiritual father of elisha,
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Running for his life.
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They were so oppressive.
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Like father, like son.
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Elisha says, "i know about your daddy,
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I know about your mama, and you as bad as them.
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You're a chip off the old block."
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In fact, he says, in verse 13,
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"'go to the prophets of your father
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And to the prophets of your mother.'
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And the king of israel said to him,
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'no, for the lord has called these three kings together
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To give them into the hands of moab.'"
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Okay, he says, "why are you coming to me?
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Why don't you go back to your people,
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To the folks that your mom and dad believed in--
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Baal and ashteroth.
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Why don't you go back to your false gods?"
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But now he's with the king of judah
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And he's with the king of edom.
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He's like a lot of folk. he was an emergency worshiper.
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Because, see, he in a crisis, he in a drought,
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He in a situation he can't fix,
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He's in a problem that he can't resolve,
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So now he want to go to church.
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Now he want to hear what the bible has to say.
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Now he wants to hear what the word of god has to say
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Because he's in a crisis.
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You know, that's what folk do. they want god in an emergency.
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So he says, "go back to your people.
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You don't believe in god.
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You don't--you haven't called on god before.
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You haven't been looking at god all the time then.
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Now you want to just show up and get spiritual.
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What are you doing here?
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You don't believe in the true god.
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You're just using him right now."
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So they've got this emergency.
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Elisha says, verse 14, "as the lord of hosts lives,
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Before whom i stand."
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In other words, "i don't just visit him; i stand before him."
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In other words, "he's my lifestyle,
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Not just my sunday morning experience.
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Before whom i stand."
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In other words, "this is how i roll.
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This is how i operate."
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"before whom i stand,
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Were it not that i regard the presence of jehoshaphat
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The king of judah,
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I would not look at you nor see you."
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"the only reason i'm talking to you
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Is because jehoshaphat is here, the godly king of judah.
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So you're gonna get the benefit of a saint in your midst.
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You're gonna get the benefit even though you need to go home
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To mama and daddy, and they dead.
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You're gonna get the benefit
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Of jehoshaphat being in the mix."
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That's why the bible says, "the presence of the righteous
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Affects the condition of the wicked."
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Because the righteous in a vicinity
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Can give credit to the evil in the environment.
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"because jehoshaphat is here,
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I'm gonna answer his question that's gonna bless you."
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Verse 15.
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They want to know is there a word from god
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About this crisis of no water?
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He says, verse 15, elisha, "'but now bring me a minstrel.'
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And it came about, when the minstrel played,
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That the hand of the lord came upon him."
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Oh no you didn't.
00:17:58.894 --> 00:18:03.332
He said, "is there anybody here with a keyboard?
00:18:03.332 --> 00:18:08.837
Is there anybody here with a piano?
00:18:08.837 --> 00:18:11.173
Is there anybody here with an organ?
00:18:11.173 --> 00:18:13.208
Is there anybody here with a violin?
00:18:13.208 --> 00:18:15.544
Is there a minstrel that is a musician
00:18:15.544 --> 00:18:19.014
In the vicinity?"
00:18:19.014 --> 00:18:23.152
The prophet asked for a musician.
00:18:23.152 --> 00:18:26.421
You can show up here for the sermon
00:18:26.421 --> 00:18:29.458
And you'll only get the sermon.
00:18:29.458 --> 00:18:30.993
Their situation didn't need a sermon.
00:18:30.993 --> 00:18:33.729
They needed a prophetic word.
00:18:33.729 --> 00:18:37.099
And a prophetic word is god speaking personally
00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:40.669
Into your situation.
00:18:40.669 --> 00:18:43.372
So in order for them to get a prophetic word,
00:18:43.372 --> 00:18:47.142
They were going to have to worship,
00:18:47.142 --> 00:18:49.611
Not just sit down and listen to a sermon.
00:18:49.611 --> 00:18:52.347
[congregation applauding]
00:18:52.347 --> 00:18:56.418
Tony: the purpose of music in worship, the minstrel,
00:18:56.418 --> 00:19:02.124
Is not to simply be a prelude to a sermon.
00:19:02.124 --> 00:19:06.428
It is to set the atmosphere for god to speak.
00:19:06.428 --> 00:19:13.001
God did not speak to the prophet elisha
00:19:13.001 --> 00:19:16.638
To give him a prophetic word
00:19:16.638 --> 00:19:18.674
Until the atmosphere had been affected.
00:19:18.674 --> 00:19:22.744
So if you want a prophetic word,
00:19:22.744 --> 00:19:24.580
Don't you just show up for the sermon--
00:19:24.580 --> 00:19:27.516
Because you'll only get a sermon.
00:19:27.516 --> 00:19:29.918
You need to be part of an atmosphere
00:19:29.918 --> 00:19:32.421
Where god is free to express himself on a personal level
00:19:32.421 --> 00:19:37.659
Because you are a worshiper
00:19:37.659 --> 00:19:41.697
And not just an attender looking for a sermon.
00:19:41.697 --> 00:19:47.169
The prophet said, "give me a musician
00:19:47.169 --> 00:19:50.939
Because i need the atmosphere for god to speak into."
00:19:50.939 --> 00:19:56.578
So, no, music isn't just because a song
00:19:56.578 --> 00:19:59.681
Is supposed to be in church.
00:19:59.681 --> 00:20:01.783
It's supposed to be an atmosphere
00:20:01.783 --> 00:20:03.352
Where god feels comfortable.
00:20:03.352 --> 00:20:07.222
And so before he ever heard a specific word, a rhema word--
00:20:07.222 --> 00:20:13.562
A rhema word is a specific utterance,
00:20:13.562 --> 00:20:15.664
Not a general, preached truth.
00:20:15.664 --> 00:20:20.969
Before he got clarity,
00:20:20.969 --> 00:20:23.071
He had to have an atmospheric change.
00:20:23.071 --> 00:20:27.676
So when you get alone with god during the fast,
00:20:27.676 --> 00:20:29.911
When you get with him, as a general rule,
00:20:29.911 --> 00:20:34.549
Create some atmosphere
00:20:34.549 --> 00:20:37.286
So that you can hear a prophetic word.
00:20:37.286 --> 00:20:43.759
So the lord came on him, elisha.
00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:50.465
Verse 16, "and said, 'thus saith the lord,
00:20:50.465 --> 00:20:56.471
"make this valley full of trenches."'"
00:20:56.471 --> 00:21:01.043
"i want you dig ditches, trenches, ditches."
00:21:01.043 --> 00:21:07.949
"make this valley full--" fill it up with holes,
00:21:07.949 --> 00:21:12.821
With trenches.
00:21:12.821 --> 00:21:14.222
"for thus saith the lord."
00:21:14.222 --> 00:21:16.958
Now, he only heard this after he heard the minstrel,
00:21:16.958 --> 00:21:20.796
After the atmosphere was changed.
00:21:20.796 --> 00:21:23.765
Because, i mean, there are a million options out there
00:21:23.765 --> 00:21:28.603
Related to our decision making.
00:21:28.603 --> 00:21:31.306
There are a million options out there.
00:21:31.306 --> 00:21:34.009
And, i mean, tv is hitting us with it--
00:21:34.009 --> 00:21:36.545
"you should do this; you should do this."
00:21:36.545 --> 00:21:38.146
You don't know what to take for this;
00:21:38.146 --> 00:21:40.449
You don't know what to take for that.
00:21:40.449 --> 00:21:41.783
You don't know.
00:21:41.783 --> 00:21:43.118
You know, i mean there's a million options out there,
00:21:43.118 --> 00:21:44.453
And new stuff is coming every day,
00:21:44.453 --> 00:21:45.987
And you don't know which one you should take.
00:21:45.987 --> 00:21:48.890
A prophetic word gives you a specific word for you.
00:21:48.890 --> 00:21:54.162
"this is the strategy right now
00:21:54.162 --> 00:21:56.598
For this thing you are dealing with."
00:21:56.598 --> 00:22:01.269
He says..."what god told me to tell you was to dig
00:22:01.269 --> 00:22:05.907
Plenty of ditches in a valley."
00:22:05.907 --> 00:22:08.877
Now, a valley is a low place. a valley, you know, you low...
00:22:08.877 --> 00:22:13.882
So they're in a war, there's no water, and they low.
00:22:13.882 --> 00:22:19.521
Down, depressed, low. you're in a valley.
00:22:19.521 --> 00:22:24.092
"i want you to dig ditches,
00:22:24.092 --> 00:22:27.763
And i want you to fill up the valley with them."
00:22:27.763 --> 00:22:33.168
So he worships. he gets a specific word:
00:22:33.168 --> 00:22:35.771
"fill the low place, the valley, with ditches,
00:22:35.771 --> 00:22:40.308
With trenches."
00:22:40.308 --> 00:22:43.011
"well, what's going to happen when i do this?
00:22:43.011 --> 00:22:45.747
Because that seems weird."
00:22:45.747 --> 00:22:49.117
Verse 17, "for thus saith the lord,
00:22:49.117 --> 00:22:52.654
'you shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain;
00:22:52.654 --> 00:22:57.159
Yet the valley shall be filled with water
00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:59.828
So that you shall drink, both you and your cattle
00:22:59.828 --> 00:23:04.699
And your beast.'"
00:23:04.699 --> 00:23:07.002
Okay, listen to this now.
00:23:07.002 --> 00:23:11.406
When god gives you a prophetic word,
00:23:11.406 --> 00:23:13.575
It may not make sense.
00:23:13.575 --> 00:23:18.180
There's gonna be no wind, no rain,
00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:22.517
And there's gonna be water everywhere.
00:23:22.517 --> 00:23:26.254
That does not fit the natural scheme of things.
00:23:26.254 --> 00:23:29.858
That's not normal.
00:23:29.858 --> 00:23:31.927
It's dry. there is no water here.
00:23:31.927 --> 00:23:34.529
And there's gonna be no rain, and it's gonna be filled?
00:23:34.529 --> 00:23:37.833
Do you know why he told them, "build ditches"?
00:23:37.833 --> 00:23:40.368
He told them, "dig ditches,"
00:23:40.368 --> 00:23:42.437
So that they could make room for god.
00:23:42.437 --> 00:23:44.573
He says, "this ain't hard.
00:23:44.573 --> 00:23:47.909
This is but a slight thing with the lord.
00:23:47.909 --> 00:23:52.447
It ain't all that."
00:23:52.447 --> 00:23:55.550
"you mean to tell me we're gonna dig ditches,
00:23:55.550 --> 00:23:58.220
The place is gonna be full of water,
00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:59.855
The people gonna drink, the animals gonna drink,
00:23:59.855 --> 00:24:02.457
And we're gonna defeat moab?
00:24:02.457 --> 00:24:04.359
You mean to tell me that?"
00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:06.027
"i'm not only telling you that."
00:24:06.027 --> 00:24:07.362
It ain't-- it ain't nuthin' but a thing.
00:24:07.362 --> 00:24:09.431
[congregation laughing, applauding]
00:24:09.431 --> 00:24:11.533
Tony: it ain't that hard for the lord.
00:24:11.533 --> 00:24:16.438
But notice he said
00:24:16.438 --> 00:24:18.406
You're gonna have to dig the ditches.
00:24:18.406 --> 00:24:19.875
God's not gonna dig the ditches.
00:24:19.875 --> 00:24:23.645
You dig the ditches.
00:24:23.645 --> 00:24:27.282
Because god wants to see your faith at work,
00:24:27.282 --> 00:24:32.020
And he will only fill
00:24:32.020 --> 00:24:33.421
The amount of ditches that you dig.
00:24:33.421 --> 00:24:36.458
He said, "make the valley full of them."
00:24:36.458 --> 00:24:39.060
And if you are struggling digging your ditch,
00:24:39.060 --> 00:24:42.364
Find a jehoshaphat who will encourage you
00:24:42.364 --> 00:24:46.334
To dig ditches,
00:24:46.334 --> 00:24:48.236
Who will not let you just hang out talking a good game,
00:24:48.236 --> 00:24:52.641
Listening to sermons, praying prayers
00:24:52.641 --> 00:24:55.443
Without any ditches for god to work with.
00:24:55.443 --> 00:24:58.847
"it happened in the morning,"
00:24:58.847 --> 00:25:01.249
Verse 20, "about the time of the offering of the sacrifice,
00:25:01.249 --> 00:25:05.153
That, behold, water came by the way of edom,
00:25:05.153 --> 00:25:09.024
And the country was filled with water."
00:25:09.024 --> 00:25:12.060
Let me explain something. do me a favor: don't box god in.
00:25:12.060 --> 00:25:14.963
Don't say how he's going to do something.
00:25:14.963 --> 00:25:18.567
He can come in so many different ways.
00:25:18.567 --> 00:25:21.002
He can come around in so many different avenues.
00:25:21.002 --> 00:25:24.039
That's why don't get discouraged.
00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:25.507
Don't quit. dig ditches.
00:25:25.507 --> 00:25:27.809
I have, as many of you do-- a--power strips.
00:25:27.809 --> 00:25:31.046
And these power strips, like yours,
00:25:31.046 --> 00:25:33.949
Have five or six connections.
00:25:33.949 --> 00:25:37.252
Now, on the wall, i just have two.
00:25:37.252 --> 00:25:39.454
On the wall, i could plug something here
00:25:39.454 --> 00:25:41.623
And plug something there.
00:25:41.623 --> 00:25:42.958
But when i plug the power strip into the wall,
00:25:42.958 --> 00:25:45.760
I have expanded my capacity for power.
00:25:45.760 --> 00:25:52.067
I have taken something that will allow me to get more done
00:25:52.067 --> 00:25:56.071
Than what i just naturally have that came with the house.
00:25:56.071 --> 00:26:00.442
See, when you accepted jesus christ,
00:26:00.442 --> 00:26:02.310
Certain things came with the house.
00:26:02.310 --> 00:26:04.846
It's just, you know, your eternal destiny was secure.
00:26:04.846 --> 00:26:07.349
That's on the house.
00:26:07.349 --> 00:26:08.850
When you accepted jesus christ, your god's presence.
00:26:08.850 --> 00:26:12.520
Certain things are on the house,
00:26:12.520 --> 00:26:14.356
But other things require expanded capacity.
00:26:14.356 --> 00:26:19.494
That's why i love--i love ephesians chapter 3, verse 20.
00:26:19.494 --> 00:26:24.799
"now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:28.870
Above all you can ask or think,
00:26:28.870 --> 00:26:32.507
Be glory, honor, and dominion through the church."
00:26:32.507 --> 00:26:36.277
So now unto him who can meet you in your dry spot,
00:26:36.277 --> 00:26:40.482
In your spiritual battle, in your trial,
00:26:40.482 --> 00:26:43.785
In your tribulation, in your singlehood,
00:26:43.785 --> 00:26:46.688
In your marriage, in your career, on your job,
00:26:46.688 --> 00:26:50.158
With your parents, with your children,
00:26:50.158 --> 00:26:52.494
Now unto him who can meet you in your discouragement,
00:26:52.494 --> 00:26:57.032
In your depression, in your frustration,
00:26:57.032 --> 00:26:59.801
In your irritation,
00:26:59.801 --> 00:27:01.403
Now unto him who knows your hurt,
00:27:01.403 --> 00:27:04.339
Who knows your mistrust, who knows your mistreatment,
00:27:04.339 --> 00:27:08.309
Now unto him be glory, honor, and dominion, now and forever.
00:27:08.309 --> 00:27:14.883
Somebody better give him some praise up in here,
00:27:14.883 --> 00:27:18.420
Up in here.
00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:20.855
He is worthy to be praised while you dig your ditches.
00:27:20.855 --> 00:27:20.855

Tony Evans - Digging Your Ditches

January 4, 2026 | 27:29

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