42 Days or 42 Years, The Choice Is Ours
Will You Wait 42 Days Or 42 Years For Your Miracle?
James Greer
Nov 29, 2020 36m
Sometimes we can delay our miracles from God. How? We are ungrateful. We stay in the past instead of embracing what God has already given us. We play the blame game and blame everyone and everything for our situation, including God. He does not wish to see us suffer. He wants us to prosper and move forward. Video recorded at Pineville, Louisiana.
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42 days or 42 years for your miracle tough times difficult times miracles faith god jesus struggle worshipTranscriptionmessageRegarding Grammar:
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
This is a transcription of the sermon. People speak differently than they write, and there are common colloquialisms in this transcript that sound good when spoken, and look like bad grammar when written.
James Greer (00:00):
What a testimony. Amen? Hey, y'all want to hear another miracle? Next service, two more people are going to be baptized. Amen? Hey, that's going to make, the first one next service will be 90 for this year. And then that'll be 92. Even with the virus, God is still doing miracles. Amen? This is definitely the month of miracles. And last Sunday we talked about if you're going through misery, might be a candidate for a miracle. I'm going to tell you, and this Sunday, man, you're going to learn something about going through trials and tests that could radically change your life. In fact, if you'll really learn today, you'll never ever look at a test or a trial the same way. I would say whether you're here or whether you're online, we continually go through tests. We continually go through trials and how you respond to those will greatly determine the blessings that you get.
James Greer (01:02):
We learned last week about the children of Israel, how they were supernaturally delivered from bondage. They were set free to cross the desert and God wanted them to go into the promised land. And they could've gone into the promised land in 42 days. Instead, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 plus years. Some of y'all could have a miracle in 42 days or some of y'all are gonna wonder around for 42 years. Makes me wonder why did they, why did it take them 42 years? Why did it take them 40 plus years to go into the promised land after they had been super naturally delivered? First, we're going to need to look at some background in Exodus 12:31 through 33. And let's look at that first. It says, then he called, then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron by night. And he said, rise and go out from among my people and both you and the children of Israel. And go and serve the Lord as you have said.
James Greer (02:22):
He said, you know, go and take your flocks, take your herds as have you said. And he said, go and bless me. Pharaoh is saying, listen, it's time for y'all to go. It's time for y'all to leave. We've had five plagues. We're on number 10. We're on number 10. And he said, it's time to go. And I want you to not only go, I want you to bless me. Pharaoh said the children of Israel have seen the God of God. And he's asking Moses now to bless him. And the Egyptians urged the people that they might go and send them out of the land in haste. They said in that we might not die. Pharaoh's learning the fear of the Lord. He said, not only I want you to bless me. He said, if you don't go, I'm afraid that we're going to die. And then in Exodus 12:35, and the Israelites had already done what Moses had told them to do.
James Greer (03:23):
I love this part. They had gone to the Egyptian neighbors and they asked, listen to this, for gold, for silver and for clothes. The Israelites had been slaves. And now they're going to the Israelite, I mean to the Egyptians. They said, give me gold, give me silver. See, the Lord had made the Egyptians, it said, I don't know if it says friendly. But it means favor. I don't know if it is says on the screen or not, but it says in Exodus 12:36, in one translation, it says and the Lord had made the Egyptians friendly. But it really means that they were finding the favor of God. And when you find the favor of God, even your enemy will respond different to you. It said the Egyptians were friendly, favor towards the children of Israel. You know what they did? And they gave them whatever they asked for. They had been slaves to the Egyptians. Now they found favor with them. They found really favor with God.
James Greer (04:41):
They gave them whatever they asked for. In this way, they carried away. You ready? The wealth of the Egyptians when they left Egypt. I mean do you want know what God did? God took the enemy's wealth and gave it to the children of Israel. He took what the enemy, what was bad and He gave it to the children of Israel to do what was good. Did you know when you're right with God and you have the favor of God, He can take what's bad, what's been bad to you, He can give it to you and you can use it for good. Amen? I mean the favor of God. I love it. When they got the favor of God, He said whatever the children of Israel ask, they got it. Don't you want the favor of God on your life? Amen? The children of Israel, they had been slaves.
James Greer (05:20):
Now they're saved. They had been serving. Now they're being served. They had been sad. Now they're actually surprised. They're actually surprised that God is so good to them. I mean this is a picture what saved is all about. It means to be healed, to be recovered. It means whole, protected. It means well. See, they went from slaves to being saved. See, saved, when these people get baptized, it's a picture of they got saved. They're on their way to Heaven. Amen? But it's so much more than that. God has so much more for them. It had more than just being delivered. God wanted to them to go to the land of milk and honey. It means to be healed, to be recovered, to being protected. The children of Israel went from being wimpies to warriors, went wimpy to wealthy, from feeling worthless to worthy. So many people that feel worthless today. And God wants you to know that you're worthy. They went from worthless to wishful. Now see, God was growing their faith.
James Greer (06:27):
That's what God wants to do. When God's pouring out His blessing, He's trying to grow your faith, but He grows your faith. You ready? Where you will follow Him. Now, see, at this point, He's growing their faith and they're getting. But what's the purpose of God growing your faith? It's not for you to get, but it's to follow. The purpose of God growing your faith is for you to do what? Say follow. But see, they're missing it. They think God's purpose of growing their faith is to get.
James Greer (07:00):
They went from helpless to hopeful. You got to understand the purpose of God growing your faith. If you don't understand the purpose of God growing your faith, you'll miss it when you're tested. The purpose of God growing your faith is when you're tested is to follow God, not to get. See, what they did, as long as they were getting, they would follow. It's like many Christians after you're saved. As long as you're getting, you want to follow Christ. But then when you're not getting, you don't want to follow. And so therefore, you miss out on the blessings of God. See, God was doing a miracle, working God. He had sent 10 plagues, 10 miracles. And man, he was just unbelievable. Why in the world did it take them 40 plus years to enter into the promised land?
James Greer (07:48):
Number one, because at the first test of freedom, they failed the test. Can I tell you something? Even as Christians, after you're saved, when you fail the test, you have to take it again. You understand? When you fail the test, you take it again. As long as they were being spiritually and physically blessed, like they were happy. They were taking the Egyptians' wealth, their food, their animals, they were excited. But God doesn't test you to hurt you. He tests you to help you. God doesn't test you to hinder you, but to help us. You ready? This is really important. He test us to bless us. He test us to bless us. If you've got a great marriage, can I tell you something? You pass the test. You had some tests in your marriage. If you tell me you've been married, like me, I've been married 47. In February, I'll be married 48 years. And everybody said, amen. That's a miracle. Anybody that can stay married to me for 48 years. Amen. Pray for my wife.
James Greer (09:15):
Hey, I tell you, I wouldn't say amen. I can tell you, we had some tests to go through in 47 plus years. Beverly's going. She's looking at Darrell. See, you're looking at me and Beverly's looking, she's going uh-huh. If you got a great marriage, I can promise you, you went through some tests in your life. And if you pass the test, one of the reasons we're having 50 plus people divorced that are married now, even including Christians, they're not passing the test. They're having problems. They fail the test. The first time a test, first time a problem, they start say, hey, I'm not going to pass the test. So they get married again. They don't pass the test again. So when you don't pass the test, you have to test again. It's the same thing. You got a great job. You've been successful on the job. If you're successful in business, you're successful whatever your job, you're successful in whatever area you're in, you had to pass the test. Financially, if you've had some success, you were tested.
James Greer (10:19):
I can remember, I can still remember when I started tithing. I thought I was doing God a favor. I said, God. I started out giving 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%. Finally, got up to 10%. I said, God, I'm giving you 10%. The truth is it was all God's. He was giving me 90%. I finally passed the test. And I thought, man, God, now I passed the test. I went to the mailbox. I thought I was going to get money in the mail. It didn't happen. But I can see the advantages looking back now, how God so blessed because I passed the test. So if you're in school, whether it's grades, whatever area, spiritually, emotional, even physical, you had to pass a test. I did not get this good looking physically just by accident. I passed the test. Whoever that was was wise. Testing is for the purpose. You ready? Of teaching us to trust Him. The main purpose of testing us is teaching us to trust God. He tests us to bless us. Once we pass the test, we began to have triumph. We begin have victories.
James Greer (11:47):
When we don't pass the test, like the children of Israel didn't pass the test, they had to keep being tested again, over and over again. They failed the test for 40 plus years. Yeah, some people never pass the test. They get saved and they go back and live the same way they did before. They were saved but they're never satisfied. They were saved but they always complained. They were saved. They had food. They had clothing. But they never had the abundant life that God has for you. And they wandered around the wilderness. It's a shame for me to see Christians. I'm talking about I really believe they gave their life to Jesus Christ. I believe they're going to go to Heaven. But man, they're living like hell while they're here on earth. That was never God's plan for you. I understand about not passing the test.
James Greer (12:33):
I understand about failure. I understand about it personally. I understand about it financially. I understand it back when I was young. I understand it back when I was in school. I have something called dyslexia. Back then, they didn't have a word for it. They had a word for it, but they didn't call it dyslexia. They call it stupid. Yeah, yeah. When you came to class, you know, like I can remember. Y'all don't do this now. Thank God. They had these little groups. They had the red group, the green group and the blue group. They didn't say that. They'd say, hey, James, go to the red group. All the stupid people went to the red group. I mean everybody knew what you were doing. Everybody that couldn't read, guess where they went? To the red group. Everybody that couldn't spell, we went to the red group. I mean why didn't you just say, everybody stupid, go here. I understood. Everybody else understood. I would say I had a better word for it.
James Greer (13:30):
You know, if you're in that group, I love it. They have a better word for it. Dyslexia. That sounds like you've got a mental problem. But anyway. Anyway, you know, you can't read well and sometimes you can't even hear the words right. You think it's everybody else. One of the words with me is wrestle and wrestle. It drives my wife crazy. She said, it's not wrestle. It's wrestle. I said, I said that. She said, no, you didn't. She said, you can't even hear right. I said, well, you can't speak correctly either. I mean you just know it. And then the crazy way people spell. I mean why don’t they just spell it like it sounds, huh? I mean whoever came up with that anyway is just crazy. And now, you can't spell, you can't write and then it comes to numbers. Half the time they turn around backwards. So when I'm quoting Scripture, if I say Matthew 6:33, it might be 33:6. Who knows? So just switch it around. You'll find that where I'm at. Okay? It's all right. Just what it is. But when you're young and they didn't know what it was, it was tough. So you're going from one class to the other, one failure to the next. And you're trying so hard. And your poor parents, they're saying, can't you get it? Answer is no, I can't. Are you trying? Yes, I am. Can you hear that word? No, I can't.
James Greer (14:52):
My sister, oldest sister, she is finally a teacher and she went into teaching and she finally figured out that I had problems. One summer, she brought me up to Oklahoma and just really worked with me and it helped to somewhat, you know, to understand. But there was one time that I really failed a test and it was in the fourth grade and it was a long year. Long year. I didn't know how bad I failed the test until the end of the year. End the year, then that's when you came and got your report card at the end of the year. And I lived out of the city limits and I went to get a report card all by myself. I actually rode my horse. Not because you rode your horse back then. It wasn't that far back. We had cars and everything. You know? But I lived out of city limits and it was kind of cool. So I rode my horse up to the elementary school and I went in and got my report card.
James Greer (15:45):
And it said that I failed. And it was very difficult. Nobody had talked to me. My parents didn't talk to me about it. The teacher hadn't talked to me about it. And I was really upset. And they kept, then when I did talk, everybody kept saying, it's just for your good. I didn't really see how it was for my good. I failed the test. I didn't want anybody to know. I didn't want my friends to know. I was worried about what people were going to think. I was worried about what they were going to say. People didn't really talk to you a whole lot back then. They didn't sit down and explain things to you back then. All I knew was I failed the test. And I learned one thing is I didn't want to fail the test again.
James Greer (16:23):
I was worried about my friends going to the next grade and me having to stay back. It was a terrible time in my life. Here I am 67. I can still remember it so bad. I remember I got on the horse. I ran all the way home and just cried and cried and cried and didn't understand why I failed the test. I understood one thing. I wanted to do everything I could do from then on not to fail the test again. I couldn't understand dyslexia. I didn't understand what was going on in my life. But I understood what failure was at that time. I understood that I could continue to live a failure or I could go on and try to push past and do the best I could. And I understood I don't want to be a failure. I think because of being such a failure at a young age that helped me later on to push through failures and understand that failure is not final.
James Greer (17:17):
I feel sorry for people that continue to live in their past as a failure. It gave me a heart for students that struggle. I thank God for you that are A-plus students. I don't know what that's like. I have some in my family, believe it or not. I have a granddaughter. I've got other kids that are A's. My grandkids can spell better than I can. I was out with some of the grandkids this week and I was writing something I had to ask one of the grandkids, how do you this? And they just spelled it. They didn't even say anything. They just spelled the word. Thank God that you can talk into the phone now, but you better be careful with that. I said shirt the other day and it said another word, S-H-I-T. And I sent it out. And that was not shirt that it sent. I know spelling well enough to know S-H-I-T does not spell shirt. Had to correct that one. But I also know that there's a lot of average students. In fact, I would say probably the majority are average. And I would say if you're an average student, that's okay. I want you to know that doesn't mean you can't be a success. I want you to be very careful whether you're an A student, average student or below average student, don't let your past determine or define your future. If you're not careful, whether you're an A, B or an F student, that doesn't define who you are.
James Greer (18:57):
The greatest thing in my entire life was allowing Christ to define who I am. Not school, not work and not others. I think the biggest cause for failure is allowing other things and people and places to define who you are. I can tell you the real reason. I think the children of Israel never went into the promised land is because they continued to live in the past and they allowed the past try to define their future. And so they never got to enjoy the fullness of what God had for them. And I'm afraid today, not only here at church, people online, all over, they're allowing the past and the present of other people, what they said and think define who they are instead of letting Christ define who they are. So they don't get to enjoy the fullness of what Christ has for you. That being said, the children of Israel got to pass through the Red Sea. God parted the water and they went through.
James Greer (20:10):
Can I tell you, they got on the other side, they were singing songs to God. And in Exodus 15:1, it says, and Moses and the children of Israel, they sang songs to the Lord. They said, I'm going to sing unto the Lord. And His triumph is glorious. His horses and the riders and thrown into the sea. I mean it's unbelievable. Later on, in Exodus 15:3, it says, this is true too, the Lord is a man of war. You don't have to worry about fighting battles. Who is the Lord? He is a man of what? War. The Lord is His name. If you're fighting a battle, why don't you let God get on your side? Amen? But then let me tell you what they did right after this. All right. God had delivered them. God to given them freedom. They sang a song. First of all, then they complained about Moses delivering them. Then they started complaining about not having any water. Then complained about no food. Then they complained when Moses went to Mount Sinai to get the commandments. Then they complained again about no food. Then they complained about when we're going to fight the giants. Then they complained about no water again. Then they complained for 40 years.
James Greer (21:13):
Can I tell you something? God still provided food, water and clothing. God still loved them. God still provided for them. They're the ones that missed out. They missed out on going into the promised land. They missed out because they didn't understand the test. They didn't understand why they're having to go through trials in their life. And I say, today, there are so many Christian, born again, going to Heaven and you're missing out on what God has for you. 1 Peter 1:6 says this, so be truly glad. How in the world can you be glad when you're going through tests and trials? There's wonderful joy ahead of you. That's why. Because you begin to understand you're being tested because you God wants to bless you. Even though you must endure many trials for a little while. For how long? A little while. Why was God testing them? Because He wanted to bless them. Why did He want to bless them? He wanted to bring them into the promised land. He didn't want them to starve to death. He didn't want him to go thirsty. He wanted to bless their lives.
James Greer (22:15):
Guys, I don't know what you're going through today. I don't know what your test is. I can tell you one thing. If you're not going through a test today, you will before long. Because of time, we're gonna skip onto why did it take 42 years instead of, 40 years instead of 42 days? Number one, first reason is they blamed God for the problems instead of thanking Him for the miracles. You know what I'm wondering? See, God says, clothes, shelter, and food, you should be content. Just those three things. Anything you have other than that is a blessing from God. When's the last time you thanked Him for that? Janice, when I look at you, I thank God for my health. I don't want to be, I'm not being, I just do. I take my health for granted. I took it for granted until I had to sleep on the floor. I take it for granted when I see, I don't want you to have to go through your chemo treatments. I don't have to do that. When is the last time y'all thanked God for your health? That's a blessing from God. Amen?
James Greer (23:27):
She's going through it and she's a blessing from God because the witness she's going through. Amen? So what I'm trying to tell you, God is doing miracles I believe all the time and we're missing them and we're not thanking God for them. So stop blaming God and start thanking God. Amen? Second of all, second reason, I think they kept doing it, they started blaming Moses and it's a type of blaming who's ever over. You. There's children, they're blaming their parents. They blame their teachers. They blame their mate. So they start blaming those that are over them, their leaders. And God really sit them there to help them. Even if you have somebody over you that's a non-Christian, God uses them to help grow your faith. And you don't see it. Instead, you blame them. And with Moses, Moses stood up for them even when they wouldn't stand up for themselves. And Ezekiel says, somebody stands in the gaps. Parents are standing in the gap for their kids. Their kids don't even know it. Some reason they're protected. Some reason they're blessed. They don't even realize it because their parents were standing in the gap. There's some people at church, you're blessed because your leaders and your pastors are standing in the gap for you. One day, you're going to have to give an account. But it does matter who's umbrella of protection you're under. Stop blaming them.
James Greer (24:43):
Later on, the children of Israel, verse 12, it says they started saying this. Is not the word that we told you in Egypt saying, let us alone. Now listen. They're telling Moses what he should have done. Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. Now you know what they're doing? They're telling him why they shouldn't have gone. Can I tell you something? Stop asking and telling God why and start asking God what. Quit asking Him why I'm going through this? Quit telling Him why this and why that. Start asking God what could I learn and how can I follow? And there's going to be things that you never understand why, but there's always something you can learn. Amen? Third, they kept wanting to live in the past. They didn't want to move forward. There's some people still living their first/fourth grade mentality.
James Greer (25:49):
They're still blaming their fourth grade teacher because they failed. They're blaming their parents because their parents didn't sit down and talk to them. My mom and dad should've told me I was going to fail the fourth grade. I can't go forward. I couldn't pass the fifth grade because my mom and dad didn't tell me about the fourth grade. I can't be successful because my fourth grade teacher failed me. I see people like that all the time. Now, that was sad. But you know, sooner or later, you got to accept responsibility for yourself. Amen? I'm not in the fourth grade anymore. I'm out of school. I got to accept my own responsibility and so do you. You can't live in the past. I did fail the fourth grade. But I did graduate from high school believe it or not. Amen? I did try to go to college. That didn't work. Beverly, I tried to go to LC one time. Whoa, that was a mistake. About halfway, I told them, I said, I'm just doing this for fun. Don't give me a grade. They said, it's a good thing. But I mean I did. I'm out. I did it. Amend. Did I go to seminary or cemetery? Absolutely not. But that's one of the greatest miracles I ever did. God allowed me to read and preach. Amen? That is a miracle. Amen? Somebody that failed the fourth grade and God, I mean I'm a walking miracle.
James Greer (27:06):
I didn't want to live in my past. The fourth reason, they continued to, I mean the third reason, they continued to wander in the wilderness because they kept living in the past. How many of y'all are still living in the past? That last marriage or my mate or my mom or my dad or that boss. Oh, poor me. Come on. Get a life. Move forward. God does not want you to stay. In fact, if you would read Exodus 14:15, I love it. And the Lord said to Moses, He said to me, He said, stop crying about your past. Get up and go forward. Amen? Some of you need to get up and go forward. Number four, number four. You way underestimate what you already have. You way underestimate how God can use you. I mean do you know, I went for years and I would say, how could God use me? How could I preach? How can I teach? And I gave all the reasons. This is how. Because when God gets ready to use you, it doesn't matter. Amen? I mean God can take somebody, a nobody and make them a somebody if you'll use what you got. I mean what did he use with Moses? He used a rod in his hand. What's He going to use in you? Moses used to stutter too if you don't know that. And he sent Aaron. I mean I can remember when I was trying to teach a young adults class. I can remember Debbie had to sit next to me because I do have to read the Bible. Amen? And when I get the words that she knew I couldn't read, she'd just read them. I mean it just, I would get to a word and I'd say, hey. I'd get to that word and she knew I was sweating. She just, I'd just like me reading. And.
James Greer (28:40):
But lift up the rod and she'd say stretch out your hand. I'd just keep reading. And people got to the point, they just understood, you know? And we'd just go right through it and drag grounded and through the midst of the sea. I'd read one word, she'd read one word and they didn't think anything about it. Can I tell you something? You don't need anything else? You know what you really need? You need to ask God to bless what you already have. Jesus, had 5,000 people. He was teaching and preaching to them. And there wasn't anything but two fish and five loaves of bread. He didn't need more food. He didn't need them to go shopping. He just lifted them up in the air and He needed God to bless what he had. When God blessed it, it was enough to feed 5,000. Amen? So what I'm trying to tell you is everybody keeps saying what they don't have. No, what you have and all you need is God's blessing on your life and your marriage and your job, whatever it is that you really need. Ask God to bless what you already have. Amen?
James Greer (29:43):
I mean God is so good. He's so powerful. We should be so grateful. We should be so thankful. God can use Moses and God can use you. And God used Moses to deliver them. God wants to use Jesus Christ to deliver you. From what? I don't know. I don't know what you're going through. I can tell you one thing. There's nobody here that's in the bondage that the children of Israel were. Pharaoh was the most powerful person in the world and one of the most meanest. Nothing compared to God. What do you need delivered from today? What tests are you going through today that God's really just saying, hey, the test, I want to bless. But you got to pass it. You got to pass the test. The reason they wouldn't pass the test was because they kept blaming instead of thanking God for what He's already done. Some of you need to stop blaming people in the past and you better start thanking God for everything He's already done for you.
James Greer (30:54):
Some of you need to ask God, stop complaining about where you're at at work, your job, your marriage. You better start asking God would you just bless me there. Not why I'm there, but what and how could you use me because of where I'm at. Got to understand that tests are for the purpose. The purpose for me to trust in you. I don't know what you're going through today. Different people are going through different tests. Janice, you and Randy, it's a health test. I thank God for how y'all give God the honor and glory and how you trust Him. You have to trust Him because verses like Romans 8:28, all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and called according to His purpose. Do you understand even if God would have done the miracle, it would take taken 42 days?
James Greer (31:58):
It's not always instantaneous. Sometimes it's months, sometimes it's years. Did you know in 2 Kings 6, it says, don't be afraid. Do you understand there's more with us than there is against us always? We just can't see it. Spiritually speaking, there's more angels with us than there is the enemy against us. Don't panic. Whatever you're going through, don't panic. It's only a test. Faith it. The purpose of God growing your faith, so you'll follow Him. And it's not for what you can get. If you're being tested right now, tell God, God, I want to follow you. What do you want me to learn? What do you want me to do? Stop saying why. Say what. When you start saying what and you start saying, God, whatever you want me to do, that's what I want to do, it changes your whole attitude, the whole atmosphere.
James Greer (33:07):
God wants you to follow Him. I don't care what you're going through right now. Grow your faith. Say God, let me follow you wherever you want me to go, whatever you want me to do. You'll pass the test. When you pass the test, I promise you'll be blessed. Would you stand let me pray for you? God, I thank you for what you're doing. I thank you for what you're doing in individual lives. I thank you for what you're doing in Journey Church. God, I thank you for the baptism, the lives that are saved and lives that are changed. I pray for those that are here this morning, those that are online, you're going through tests, tests that I don't understand, but God you do. Jesus, your son, He went through all the tests. He passed them all. And one of the reasons you allowed Him to be tested, so he could sympathize with us.
James Greer (34:09):
And you left the Holy Spirit to empower us, to intercede for us. God, I pray for those that are going through the test right now. Help us stop asking why. Help us to ask what. What would you have us to learn? Help us to grow our faith. What would you have us to learn? How would you have us to follow? Would you have us to follow in accept in your son, Jesus Christ as our savior? Would you have us to follow through in baptism? Would you have us to follow in joining this church? Would you have us follow in making a commitment to have a better marriage? Would you have us follow through and say, hey, I'm going to follow you at my work. I'm tired of following whoever the company or my boss is. I'm going to let you be the Lord. You're a man of war.
James Greer (35:05):
You're going to take care of that. I'm going to follow you in my finances. I'm going to follow you in every area of my life. And God, I'm going to follow you. I'm going to relax right now. Pray peace on everybody here and everybody online. God, we have next step cards. And I pray that you, whatever you lay upon hearts, that they'll take the time and put on there what their next step needs to be, what we need to pray about, how we can help, how we can intercede, how we can stand in the gap. That's what Moses did for the children of Israel. That's what we at Journey Church want to do. We want to help you. We want to help stand in the gap for you and we want God's protection and God's provisions. God, whatever you have for each person here today, I pray that we could follow you, thank you and give you the honor and glory. It's in the impressive name of Jesus we pray. And everybody said, amen.
Darrell Ingram (36:10):
On behalf of Pastor James, we're so glad you joined us in worship today. If you still want someone to pray with you, we have people on standby right now to pray with you and for you. There are two things I'd like to just mention real fast. First of all, Wednesday, December 16th, at 6:30, we are having our Christmas pageant and our children and our youth will be performing that night. We want you to come and be a part. Also, we have a marriage retreat that is happening on January 22nd and 23rd. We would love you to come and be a part of that. Hey God bless.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
What a testimony. Amen? Hey, y'all want to hear another miracle? Next service, two more people are going to be baptized. Amen? Hey, that's going to make, the first one next service will be 90 for this year. And then that'll be 92. Even with the virus, God is still doing miracles. Amen? This is definitely the month of miracles. And last Sunday we talked about if you're going through misery, might be a candidate for a miracle. I'm going to tell you, and this Sunday, man, you're going to learn something about going through trials and tests that could radically change your life. In fact, if you'll really learn today, you'll never ever look at a test or a trial the same way. I would say whether you're here or whether you're online, we continually go through tests. We continually go through trials and how you respond to those will greatly determine the blessings that you get.
James Greer (01:02):
We learned last week about the children of Israel, how they were supernaturally delivered from bondage. They were set free to cross the desert and God wanted them to go into the promised land. And they could've gone into the promised land in 42 days. Instead, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 plus years. Some of y'all could have a miracle in 42 days or some of y'all are gonna wonder around for 42 years. Makes me wonder why did they, why did it take them 42 years? Why did it take them 40 plus years to go into the promised land after they had been super naturally delivered? First, we're going to need to look at some background in Exodus 12:31 through 33. And let's look at that first. It says, then he called, then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron by night. And he said, rise and go out from among my people and both you and the children of Israel. And go and serve the Lord as you have said.
James Greer (02:22):
He said, you know, go and take your flocks, take your herds as have you said. And he said, go and bless me. Pharaoh is saying, listen, it's time for y'all to go. It's time for y'all to leave. We've had five plagues. We're on number 10. We're on number 10. And he said, it's time to go. And I want you to not only go, I want you to bless me. Pharaoh said the children of Israel have seen the God of God. And he's asking Moses now to bless him. And the Egyptians urged the people that they might go and send them out of the land in haste. They said in that we might not die. Pharaoh's learning the fear of the Lord. He said, not only I want you to bless me. He said, if you don't go, I'm afraid that we're going to die. And then in Exodus 12:35, and the Israelites had already done what Moses had told them to do.
James Greer (03:23):
I love this part. They had gone to the Egyptian neighbors and they asked, listen to this, for gold, for silver and for clothes. The Israelites had been slaves. And now they're going to the Israelite, I mean to the Egyptians. They said, give me gold, give me silver. See, the Lord had made the Egyptians, it said, I don't know if it says friendly. But it means favor. I don't know if it is says on the screen or not, but it says in Exodus 12:36, in one translation, it says and the Lord had made the Egyptians friendly. But it really means that they were finding the favor of God. And when you find the favor of God, even your enemy will respond different to you. It said the Egyptians were friendly, favor towards the children of Israel. You know what they did? And they gave them whatever they asked for. They had been slaves to the Egyptians. Now they found favor with them. They found really favor with God.
James Greer (04:41):
They gave them whatever they asked for. In this way, they carried away. You ready? The wealth of the Egyptians when they left Egypt. I mean do you want know what God did? God took the enemy's wealth and gave it to the children of Israel. He took what the enemy, what was bad and He gave it to the children of Israel to do what was good. Did you know when you're right with God and you have the favor of God, He can take what's bad, what's been bad to you, He can give it to you and you can use it for good. Amen? I mean the favor of God. I love it. When they got the favor of God, He said whatever the children of Israel ask, they got it. Don't you want the favor of God on your life? Amen? The children of Israel, they had been slaves.
James Greer (05:20):
Now they're saved. They had been serving. Now they're being served. They had been sad. Now they're actually surprised. They're actually surprised that God is so good to them. I mean this is a picture what saved is all about. It means to be healed, to be recovered. It means whole, protected. It means well. See, they went from slaves to being saved. See, saved, when these people get baptized, it's a picture of they got saved. They're on their way to Heaven. Amen? But it's so much more than that. God has so much more for them. It had more than just being delivered. God wanted to them to go to the land of milk and honey. It means to be healed, to be recovered, to being protected. The children of Israel went from being wimpies to warriors, went wimpy to wealthy, from feeling worthless to worthy. So many people that feel worthless today. And God wants you to know that you're worthy. They went from worthless to wishful. Now see, God was growing their faith.
James Greer (06:27):
That's what God wants to do. When God's pouring out His blessing, He's trying to grow your faith, but He grows your faith. You ready? Where you will follow Him. Now, see, at this point, He's growing their faith and they're getting. But what's the purpose of God growing your faith? It's not for you to get, but it's to follow. The purpose of God growing your faith is for you to do what? Say follow. But see, they're missing it. They think God's purpose of growing their faith is to get.
James Greer (07:00):
They went from helpless to hopeful. You got to understand the purpose of God growing your faith. If you don't understand the purpose of God growing your faith, you'll miss it when you're tested. The purpose of God growing your faith is when you're tested is to follow God, not to get. See, what they did, as long as they were getting, they would follow. It's like many Christians after you're saved. As long as you're getting, you want to follow Christ. But then when you're not getting, you don't want to follow. And so therefore, you miss out on the blessings of God. See, God was doing a miracle, working God. He had sent 10 plagues, 10 miracles. And man, he was just unbelievable. Why in the world did it take them 40 plus years to enter into the promised land?
James Greer (07:48):
Number one, because at the first test of freedom, they failed the test. Can I tell you something? Even as Christians, after you're saved, when you fail the test, you have to take it again. You understand? When you fail the test, you take it again. As long as they were being spiritually and physically blessed, like they were happy. They were taking the Egyptians' wealth, their food, their animals, they were excited. But God doesn't test you to hurt you. He tests you to help you. God doesn't test you to hinder you, but to help us. You ready? This is really important. He test us to bless us. He test us to bless us. If you've got a great marriage, can I tell you something? You pass the test. You had some tests in your marriage. If you tell me you've been married, like me, I've been married 47. In February, I'll be married 48 years. And everybody said, amen. That's a miracle. Anybody that can stay married to me for 48 years. Amen. Pray for my wife.
James Greer (09:15):
Hey, I tell you, I wouldn't say amen. I can tell you, we had some tests to go through in 47 plus years. Beverly's going. She's looking at Darrell. See, you're looking at me and Beverly's looking, she's going uh-huh. If you got a great marriage, I can promise you, you went through some tests in your life. And if you pass the test, one of the reasons we're having 50 plus people divorced that are married now, even including Christians, they're not passing the test. They're having problems. They fail the test. The first time a test, first time a problem, they start say, hey, I'm not going to pass the test. So they get married again. They don't pass the test again. So when you don't pass the test, you have to test again. It's the same thing. You got a great job. You've been successful on the job. If you're successful in business, you're successful whatever your job, you're successful in whatever area you're in, you had to pass the test. Financially, if you've had some success, you were tested.
James Greer (10:19):
I can remember, I can still remember when I started tithing. I thought I was doing God a favor. I said, God. I started out giving 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%. Finally, got up to 10%. I said, God, I'm giving you 10%. The truth is it was all God's. He was giving me 90%. I finally passed the test. And I thought, man, God, now I passed the test. I went to the mailbox. I thought I was going to get money in the mail. It didn't happen. But I can see the advantages looking back now, how God so blessed because I passed the test. So if you're in school, whether it's grades, whatever area, spiritually, emotional, even physical, you had to pass a test. I did not get this good looking physically just by accident. I passed the test. Whoever that was was wise. Testing is for the purpose. You ready? Of teaching us to trust Him. The main purpose of testing us is teaching us to trust God. He tests us to bless us. Once we pass the test, we began to have triumph. We begin have victories.
James Greer (11:47):
When we don't pass the test, like the children of Israel didn't pass the test, they had to keep being tested again, over and over again. They failed the test for 40 plus years. Yeah, some people never pass the test. They get saved and they go back and live the same way they did before. They were saved but they're never satisfied. They were saved but they always complained. They were saved. They had food. They had clothing. But they never had the abundant life that God has for you. And they wandered around the wilderness. It's a shame for me to see Christians. I'm talking about I really believe they gave their life to Jesus Christ. I believe they're going to go to Heaven. But man, they're living like hell while they're here on earth. That was never God's plan for you. I understand about not passing the test.
James Greer (12:33):
I understand about failure. I understand about it personally. I understand about it financially. I understand it back when I was young. I understand it back when I was in school. I have something called dyslexia. Back then, they didn't have a word for it. They had a word for it, but they didn't call it dyslexia. They call it stupid. Yeah, yeah. When you came to class, you know, like I can remember. Y'all don't do this now. Thank God. They had these little groups. They had the red group, the green group and the blue group. They didn't say that. They'd say, hey, James, go to the red group. All the stupid people went to the red group. I mean everybody knew what you were doing. Everybody that couldn't read, guess where they went? To the red group. Everybody that couldn't spell, we went to the red group. I mean why didn't you just say, everybody stupid, go here. I understood. Everybody else understood. I would say I had a better word for it.
James Greer (13:30):
You know, if you're in that group, I love it. They have a better word for it. Dyslexia. That sounds like you've got a mental problem. But anyway. Anyway, you know, you can't read well and sometimes you can't even hear the words right. You think it's everybody else. One of the words with me is wrestle and wrestle. It drives my wife crazy. She said, it's not wrestle. It's wrestle. I said, I said that. She said, no, you didn't. She said, you can't even hear right. I said, well, you can't speak correctly either. I mean you just know it. And then the crazy way people spell. I mean why don’t they just spell it like it sounds, huh? I mean whoever came up with that anyway is just crazy. And now, you can't spell, you can't write and then it comes to numbers. Half the time they turn around backwards. So when I'm quoting Scripture, if I say Matthew 6:33, it might be 33:6. Who knows? So just switch it around. You'll find that where I'm at. Okay? It's all right. Just what it is. But when you're young and they didn't know what it was, it was tough. So you're going from one class to the other, one failure to the next. And you're trying so hard. And your poor parents, they're saying, can't you get it? Answer is no, I can't. Are you trying? Yes, I am. Can you hear that word? No, I can't.
James Greer (14:52):
My sister, oldest sister, she is finally a teacher and she went into teaching and she finally figured out that I had problems. One summer, she brought me up to Oklahoma and just really worked with me and it helped to somewhat, you know, to understand. But there was one time that I really failed a test and it was in the fourth grade and it was a long year. Long year. I didn't know how bad I failed the test until the end of the year. End the year, then that's when you came and got your report card at the end of the year. And I lived out of the city limits and I went to get a report card all by myself. I actually rode my horse. Not because you rode your horse back then. It wasn't that far back. We had cars and everything. You know? But I lived out of city limits and it was kind of cool. So I rode my horse up to the elementary school and I went in and got my report card.
James Greer (15:45):
And it said that I failed. And it was very difficult. Nobody had talked to me. My parents didn't talk to me about it. The teacher hadn't talked to me about it. And I was really upset. And they kept, then when I did talk, everybody kept saying, it's just for your good. I didn't really see how it was for my good. I failed the test. I didn't want anybody to know. I didn't want my friends to know. I was worried about what people were going to think. I was worried about what they were going to say. People didn't really talk to you a whole lot back then. They didn't sit down and explain things to you back then. All I knew was I failed the test. And I learned one thing is I didn't want to fail the test again.
James Greer (16:23):
I was worried about my friends going to the next grade and me having to stay back. It was a terrible time in my life. Here I am 67. I can still remember it so bad. I remember I got on the horse. I ran all the way home and just cried and cried and cried and didn't understand why I failed the test. I understood one thing. I wanted to do everything I could do from then on not to fail the test again. I couldn't understand dyslexia. I didn't understand what was going on in my life. But I understood what failure was at that time. I understood that I could continue to live a failure or I could go on and try to push past and do the best I could. And I understood I don't want to be a failure. I think because of being such a failure at a young age that helped me later on to push through failures and understand that failure is not final.
James Greer (17:17):
I feel sorry for people that continue to live in their past as a failure. It gave me a heart for students that struggle. I thank God for you that are A-plus students. I don't know what that's like. I have some in my family, believe it or not. I have a granddaughter. I've got other kids that are A's. My grandkids can spell better than I can. I was out with some of the grandkids this week and I was writing something I had to ask one of the grandkids, how do you this? And they just spelled it. They didn't even say anything. They just spelled the word. Thank God that you can talk into the phone now, but you better be careful with that. I said shirt the other day and it said another word, S-H-I-T. And I sent it out. And that was not shirt that it sent. I know spelling well enough to know S-H-I-T does not spell shirt. Had to correct that one. But I also know that there's a lot of average students. In fact, I would say probably the majority are average. And I would say if you're an average student, that's okay. I want you to know that doesn't mean you can't be a success. I want you to be very careful whether you're an A student, average student or below average student, don't let your past determine or define your future. If you're not careful, whether you're an A, B or an F student, that doesn't define who you are.
James Greer (18:57):
The greatest thing in my entire life was allowing Christ to define who I am. Not school, not work and not others. I think the biggest cause for failure is allowing other things and people and places to define who you are. I can tell you the real reason. I think the children of Israel never went into the promised land is because they continued to live in the past and they allowed the past try to define their future. And so they never got to enjoy the fullness of what God had for them. And I'm afraid today, not only here at church, people online, all over, they're allowing the past and the present of other people, what they said and think define who they are instead of letting Christ define who they are. So they don't get to enjoy the fullness of what Christ has for you. That being said, the children of Israel got to pass through the Red Sea. God parted the water and they went through.
James Greer (20:10):
Can I tell you, they got on the other side, they were singing songs to God. And in Exodus 15:1, it says, and Moses and the children of Israel, they sang songs to the Lord. They said, I'm going to sing unto the Lord. And His triumph is glorious. His horses and the riders and thrown into the sea. I mean it's unbelievable. Later on, in Exodus 15:3, it says, this is true too, the Lord is a man of war. You don't have to worry about fighting battles. Who is the Lord? He is a man of what? War. The Lord is His name. If you're fighting a battle, why don't you let God get on your side? Amen? But then let me tell you what they did right after this. All right. God had delivered them. God to given them freedom. They sang a song. First of all, then they complained about Moses delivering them. Then they started complaining about not having any water. Then complained about no food. Then they complained when Moses went to Mount Sinai to get the commandments. Then they complained again about no food. Then they complained about when we're going to fight the giants. Then they complained about no water again. Then they complained for 40 years.
James Greer (21:13):
Can I tell you something? God still provided food, water and clothing. God still loved them. God still provided for them. They're the ones that missed out. They missed out on going into the promised land. They missed out because they didn't understand the test. They didn't understand why they're having to go through trials in their life. And I say, today, there are so many Christian, born again, going to Heaven and you're missing out on what God has for you. 1 Peter 1:6 says this, so be truly glad. How in the world can you be glad when you're going through tests and trials? There's wonderful joy ahead of you. That's why. Because you begin to understand you're being tested because you God wants to bless you. Even though you must endure many trials for a little while. For how long? A little while. Why was God testing them? Because He wanted to bless them. Why did He want to bless them? He wanted to bring them into the promised land. He didn't want them to starve to death. He didn't want him to go thirsty. He wanted to bless their lives.
James Greer (22:15):
Guys, I don't know what you're going through today. I don't know what your test is. I can tell you one thing. If you're not going through a test today, you will before long. Because of time, we're gonna skip onto why did it take 42 years instead of, 40 years instead of 42 days? Number one, first reason is they blamed God for the problems instead of thanking Him for the miracles. You know what I'm wondering? See, God says, clothes, shelter, and food, you should be content. Just those three things. Anything you have other than that is a blessing from God. When's the last time you thanked Him for that? Janice, when I look at you, I thank God for my health. I don't want to be, I'm not being, I just do. I take my health for granted. I took it for granted until I had to sleep on the floor. I take it for granted when I see, I don't want you to have to go through your chemo treatments. I don't have to do that. When is the last time y'all thanked God for your health? That's a blessing from God. Amen?
James Greer (23:27):
She's going through it and she's a blessing from God because the witness she's going through. Amen? So what I'm trying to tell you, God is doing miracles I believe all the time and we're missing them and we're not thanking God for them. So stop blaming God and start thanking God. Amen? Second of all, second reason, I think they kept doing it, they started blaming Moses and it's a type of blaming who's ever over. You. There's children, they're blaming their parents. They blame their teachers. They blame their mate. So they start blaming those that are over them, their leaders. And God really sit them there to help them. Even if you have somebody over you that's a non-Christian, God uses them to help grow your faith. And you don't see it. Instead, you blame them. And with Moses, Moses stood up for them even when they wouldn't stand up for themselves. And Ezekiel says, somebody stands in the gaps. Parents are standing in the gap for their kids. Their kids don't even know it. Some reason they're protected. Some reason they're blessed. They don't even realize it because their parents were standing in the gap. There's some people at church, you're blessed because your leaders and your pastors are standing in the gap for you. One day, you're going to have to give an account. But it does matter who's umbrella of protection you're under. Stop blaming them.
James Greer (24:43):
Later on, the children of Israel, verse 12, it says they started saying this. Is not the word that we told you in Egypt saying, let us alone. Now listen. They're telling Moses what he should have done. Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians for it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. Now you know what they're doing? They're telling him why they shouldn't have gone. Can I tell you something? Stop asking and telling God why and start asking God what. Quit asking Him why I'm going through this? Quit telling Him why this and why that. Start asking God what could I learn and how can I follow? And there's going to be things that you never understand why, but there's always something you can learn. Amen? Third, they kept wanting to live in the past. They didn't want to move forward. There's some people still living their first/fourth grade mentality.
James Greer (25:49):
They're still blaming their fourth grade teacher because they failed. They're blaming their parents because their parents didn't sit down and talk to them. My mom and dad should've told me I was going to fail the fourth grade. I can't go forward. I couldn't pass the fifth grade because my mom and dad didn't tell me about the fourth grade. I can't be successful because my fourth grade teacher failed me. I see people like that all the time. Now, that was sad. But you know, sooner or later, you got to accept responsibility for yourself. Amen? I'm not in the fourth grade anymore. I'm out of school. I got to accept my own responsibility and so do you. You can't live in the past. I did fail the fourth grade. But I did graduate from high school believe it or not. Amen? I did try to go to college. That didn't work. Beverly, I tried to go to LC one time. Whoa, that was a mistake. About halfway, I told them, I said, I'm just doing this for fun. Don't give me a grade. They said, it's a good thing. But I mean I did. I'm out. I did it. Amend. Did I go to seminary or cemetery? Absolutely not. But that's one of the greatest miracles I ever did. God allowed me to read and preach. Amen? That is a miracle. Amen? Somebody that failed the fourth grade and God, I mean I'm a walking miracle.
James Greer (27:06):
I didn't want to live in my past. The fourth reason, they continued to, I mean the third reason, they continued to wander in the wilderness because they kept living in the past. How many of y'all are still living in the past? That last marriage or my mate or my mom or my dad or that boss. Oh, poor me. Come on. Get a life. Move forward. God does not want you to stay. In fact, if you would read Exodus 14:15, I love it. And the Lord said to Moses, He said to me, He said, stop crying about your past. Get up and go forward. Amen? Some of you need to get up and go forward. Number four, number four. You way underestimate what you already have. You way underestimate how God can use you. I mean do you know, I went for years and I would say, how could God use me? How could I preach? How can I teach? And I gave all the reasons. This is how. Because when God gets ready to use you, it doesn't matter. Amen? I mean God can take somebody, a nobody and make them a somebody if you'll use what you got. I mean what did he use with Moses? He used a rod in his hand. What's He going to use in you? Moses used to stutter too if you don't know that. And he sent Aaron. I mean I can remember when I was trying to teach a young adults class. I can remember Debbie had to sit next to me because I do have to read the Bible. Amen? And when I get the words that she knew I couldn't read, she'd just read them. I mean it just, I would get to a word and I'd say, hey. I'd get to that word and she knew I was sweating. She just, I'd just like me reading. And.
James Greer (28:40):
But lift up the rod and she'd say stretch out your hand. I'd just keep reading. And people got to the point, they just understood, you know? And we'd just go right through it and drag grounded and through the midst of the sea. I'd read one word, she'd read one word and they didn't think anything about it. Can I tell you something? You don't need anything else? You know what you really need? You need to ask God to bless what you already have. Jesus, had 5,000 people. He was teaching and preaching to them. And there wasn't anything but two fish and five loaves of bread. He didn't need more food. He didn't need them to go shopping. He just lifted them up in the air and He needed God to bless what he had. When God blessed it, it was enough to feed 5,000. Amen? So what I'm trying to tell you is everybody keeps saying what they don't have. No, what you have and all you need is God's blessing on your life and your marriage and your job, whatever it is that you really need. Ask God to bless what you already have. Amen?
James Greer (29:43):
I mean God is so good. He's so powerful. We should be so grateful. We should be so thankful. God can use Moses and God can use you. And God used Moses to deliver them. God wants to use Jesus Christ to deliver you. From what? I don't know. I don't know what you're going through. I can tell you one thing. There's nobody here that's in the bondage that the children of Israel were. Pharaoh was the most powerful person in the world and one of the most meanest. Nothing compared to God. What do you need delivered from today? What tests are you going through today that God's really just saying, hey, the test, I want to bless. But you got to pass it. You got to pass the test. The reason they wouldn't pass the test was because they kept blaming instead of thanking God for what He's already done. Some of you need to stop blaming people in the past and you better start thanking God for everything He's already done for you.
James Greer (30:54):
Some of you need to ask God, stop complaining about where you're at at work, your job, your marriage. You better start asking God would you just bless me there. Not why I'm there, but what and how could you use me because of where I'm at. Got to understand that tests are for the purpose. The purpose for me to trust in you. I don't know what you're going through today. Different people are going through different tests. Janice, you and Randy, it's a health test. I thank God for how y'all give God the honor and glory and how you trust Him. You have to trust Him because verses like Romans 8:28, all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord and called according to His purpose. Do you understand even if God would have done the miracle, it would take taken 42 days?
James Greer (31:58):
It's not always instantaneous. Sometimes it's months, sometimes it's years. Did you know in 2 Kings 6, it says, don't be afraid. Do you understand there's more with us than there is against us always? We just can't see it. Spiritually speaking, there's more angels with us than there is the enemy against us. Don't panic. Whatever you're going through, don't panic. It's only a test. Faith it. The purpose of God growing your faith, so you'll follow Him. And it's not for what you can get. If you're being tested right now, tell God, God, I want to follow you. What do you want me to learn? What do you want me to do? Stop saying why. Say what. When you start saying what and you start saying, God, whatever you want me to do, that's what I want to do, it changes your whole attitude, the whole atmosphere.
James Greer (33:07):
God wants you to follow Him. I don't care what you're going through right now. Grow your faith. Say God, let me follow you wherever you want me to go, whatever you want me to do. You'll pass the test. When you pass the test, I promise you'll be blessed. Would you stand let me pray for you? God, I thank you for what you're doing. I thank you for what you're doing in individual lives. I thank you for what you're doing in Journey Church. God, I thank you for the baptism, the lives that are saved and lives that are changed. I pray for those that are here this morning, those that are online, you're going through tests, tests that I don't understand, but God you do. Jesus, your son, He went through all the tests. He passed them all. And one of the reasons you allowed Him to be tested, so he could sympathize with us.
James Greer (34:09):
And you left the Holy Spirit to empower us, to intercede for us. God, I pray for those that are going through the test right now. Help us stop asking why. Help us to ask what. What would you have us to learn? Help us to grow our faith. What would you have us to learn? How would you have us to follow? Would you have us to follow in accept in your son, Jesus Christ as our savior? Would you have us to follow through in baptism? Would you have us to follow in joining this church? Would you have us follow in making a commitment to have a better marriage? Would you have us follow through and say, hey, I'm going to follow you at my work. I'm tired of following whoever the company or my boss is. I'm going to let you be the Lord. You're a man of war.
James Greer (35:05):
You're going to take care of that. I'm going to follow you in my finances. I'm going to follow you in every area of my life. And God, I'm going to follow you. I'm going to relax right now. Pray peace on everybody here and everybody online. God, we have next step cards. And I pray that you, whatever you lay upon hearts, that they'll take the time and put on there what their next step needs to be, what we need to pray about, how we can help, how we can intercede, how we can stand in the gap. That's what Moses did for the children of Israel. That's what we at Journey Church want to do. We want to help you. We want to help stand in the gap for you and we want God's protection and God's provisions. God, whatever you have for each person here today, I pray that we could follow you, thank you and give you the honor and glory. It's in the impressive name of Jesus we pray. And everybody said, amen.
Darrell Ingram (36:10):
On behalf of Pastor James, we're so glad you joined us in worship today. If you still want someone to pray with you, we have people on standby right now to pray with you and for you. There are two things I'd like to just mention real fast. First of all, Wednesday, December 16th, at 6:30, we are having our Christmas pageant and our children and our youth will be performing that night. We want you to come and be a part. Also, we have a marriage retreat that is happening on January 22nd and 23rd. We would love you to come and be a part of that. Hey God bless.
Recorded in Pineville, Louisiana.
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