Align or Decline

Good morning, church family. Today is Sunday, November 20th, 2022, We are continuing and the in whom I trusted series. And today we want to talk about the following a line or decline.

What do you think? I'm mean. At you remember where some centering this and surrounding this around 1st Samuel 9. Chapter 10 and chapter 13 and we'll be taking selective scriptures out of those verses are those chapters, excuse me, first Samuel, 9 or Samuel 10 and 1st Samuel 13th and the 10th chapter of 1st Samuel today, but this will be the primary scene as we begin to study. So anybody want to share what that means to you and you look at a line or decline. And put it in context to what we talked about last week, which was God said it. Do you agree?

Cricket's, just waiting to go on the jail. Nobody has anything to say. I look at it.

What God Said from from me, and my life. With the Holy Spirit revealed to me on a day-to-day basis. I agreed To that contract that to uphold and adhere to his will, from for me. And for my life, when I accepted him, I could've, you know, it's too much in your work. I want to do all this part of your work. I'll get half of it. But I'm still kind of connected to what I was doing before and I'm just that it's going to take a minute for me to get there, or maybe I just sent Same cuz I just don't think. The other one. But now I knew that when I know accepted Jesus as my personal, Lord and savior. I'm accepting him as my master.

And for me to be. So if I decline that, then I'm not aligning myself with the word of God. I'm not aligning myself with God. I'm asking you is going to be to God, if I could climb when he sang, I need to do. And then I'm going to go through some stuff.

I'm looking at God's word and in my life that it's working for me and helping me. Why would I do that when we were meeting? You know, last time we were talking about stall last time and how he

What's the weather in? Was not really paying attention to doing what God wants.

You know, because that's exactly what we said that type of question. So, handsome and the tallest

But when God chose, what people were looking at. But people were looking at all because he was handsome. People said they wanted to give you what you want, I'll give you that, but it wasn't who got really was going to have after it's hard to believe a man after his own heart. And so I was not that guy even though he was tall and handsome and all of that. But he wasn't Proof that he wasn't so he didn't even do what God his glory. So you know, he got the results and I look at that. I don't want that because I know you have something better for me. And that's what I got out of it again.

See that, you know, it.

and, because they were looking at the Other nations in how they would govern themselves and all the stuff in that. They For the day, one of the king for themselves.

What they want and so he allow them to have a key. So we ended up with exactly what he said.

Attributes that nobody else song outside.

and, you know, sometimes as we go throughout our daily life

Take the same perspective.

Correct. Or is it? It makes sense, right?

That that alignment part is it is that we want God's blessings go for my way beyond what I feel what I know you know and I just trust me. I trust your way is better than we're definitely in the realm of what we want to talk about today and it is something to understand realize and accept that when you confess Jesus as your lord and savior. That you're responding to the call to Salvation and you're making are you should be making a concerted effort to begin for a line, your life to the word of God. And if you're not aligned in your life to the word of God, you're declining. And that is kind of where we are in society today. I want God, but I want God on my side. I don't necessarily agree with all that's in the Bible and now that we live in this high-tech age where you can Google anything You can present yourself in a controversial way. That would suggest you don't believe all that's in the Bible because you don't believe that God is the one that put everything in the Bible. Talk about that. I don't even know that this is really what God has to say. How we know that this is who God really is and what he really wants us to do. We can trust man and we can go down the list that was before the pulpit and lied to look at this in a very skeptical way instead of researching because if you start researching and understanding the context of the word, you'll see a common theme that takes place and it doesn't matter. The time that is common theme exist, man. Is man, we're going to be Who We Are. And we never deviate from what and who we are. Unless there's an intervening force that influences up is bigger than us to do it and that would be not know that we're about to go into taking it into its contact. We want to remind you of a few things and you touched on it in your car. One, there was a decline of a priesthood that wasn't serving God. You had the high priest who had his son. Offering Wayward worship to say the least to God and how they were securing the offerings. That the people of God, we're trying to render to God. So can you imagine the grumbling and the complaining that's taking place there? They're supposed to be the representatives of God and they are corrupt. So there's a fatigue, a weary this because of their corruption. Why should I sacrifice when it's not going to the one I wanted to go to which is God, how can I be assured that? I'm going to receive the blessing I'm looking for in my offering when this, this Wayward priest that's taking what really belongs to God. Then you hear God's pronouncement over that priesthood, which was a decline of Eli and his whole entire life be like, if me and son died in battle against the Philistines, take the ark. And then he'll, I became reaction and response to his sons have been killed. And more importantly, the ark has been taken now that enemy that God allowed to overcome the Israelites and take the ark away still exists. The Philistines are still there and they are occupy the territory of Israel. And they're doing. So, in a way that suggests our God is better than your God. So if they were living in oppression before meeting the people of Israel and they are living in a pressure now because they have a profit, that's Rising whatever. Samuel says, God did not allow me to fall to the ground, but who else, who else do we have? That's the leader that we can look too that we can rely on and that we can follow. They didn't understand that there should have been upward cuz they're still looking outward for the, what the validation now is that any different from what's going on today? We still do the same thing. We are looking at work for a leader that will lead us into some Realm of success, some realm of Freedom, some Realm Of Joy, right? Instead of looking up work, we're still looking at 1. Then they go to Samuel and say, look your cool but your sons are just as wicked as he lies. We're so we don't want to do this anymore. We want something new gym, us a king because they believe that it's only a king that can help deliver them from the enemy that still is occupied their territory. They don't understand, you have the fight in you. If you would just align yourself to the one that can defeat your enemy, So, when Samuel goes to God and says, I'm just stressed, I'm summarizing here. I'm just stressed because they want a king. God pills. Don't be because before they rejected you or declined you they rejected me. It's not you that they are. They are objecting to. It's me they won't align themselves with me. They are declining to align themselves with me. And because of that, it's going to lead to if they continue their permanent decline from God. Now, how is that different than today? What is different about? Is there anything different about that mentality?

Right. So why would we even waste our time to argue about whether or not? The Bible is real when you can identify a mentality? That you can see that you can experience that you've known. It's sometimes, we can get this thing to glean from it. The principles because those principles are good principles to live by. So understanding that it in that top context. Let's go straight to the word. You want to talk today, about a failure to align with the word, which simply is an unwillingness to agree, okay? And unwillingness to agree. Fear of God's word that is depicted in 1st Samuel 9, verses 15 through 17. Now the Lord told Samuel in his ear a day before. Saul came saying tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin and thou shalt anoint him to be Captain Over My People Israel. That he may save my people out of the hands of the Philistines for. I looked upon my people because their cry has come unto me. So you see first of all God gives his word to his profits and and he tells them you I'm going to annoy it this man that you'll see around this time tomorrow to be my captain that one we hear promotion has come from the Lord. We get happy right? And we get all into that promotion. I am now. Prophetess I am now evangelist. I am now faster and you greet me in accordance to the promotion that God has given me. We don't see the second part as clear. Why did God anoint, a, why did God it indicate his intention to anoint this man to do what?

That's what he was doing, but why?

That may say my people out of the hand of the Philistines. with promotion, comes responsibility, with promotion, comes the need to Answer the call to service. He was required to serve the people on behalf of God. See people want to talk about God being an egomaniac reference God in that way. That is selfish. That is cruel.

Here is a good response. If that were the case, when the people said that they wanted a king and that they were rejecting Samuel in his role as profiter judge, then he could have just left them alone. But she worked with them where they were, and this is how God, but still effectuates as well. His will was to deliver his people from the hand of the Philistines, cuz their card was so great that it had come up to him. He could have if he was a testicle, if you were selfish, if he was someone that didn't want to have anything to do with his creation, any longer he could have continued to be silent, he could have refused to respond to the call, but no, he said, there's a man that I want you as my profit to anoint as king. And I'm at work, within the context of where they are, with the intent that they see who I really am, and what I really am, and have always been to them. This is not a concept for us to understand. As parents are children, sometimes do things the way that they want to do them. And although we may give them the distance to do it when they are in trouble, what parent will not respond. And this is what he's doing and then

And when Samuel salsa speaking of verse 17, the Lord said unto him, behold the man, whom I spank to the this thing, shall reign over my people. So that's God's word that has been spoken. This is a man, I've chosen. This is the purpose for which the enemy this, formidable Enemy enemy, who is occupying your territory. Now, if you really understood the call in that way, how many would be willing to say, I'm ready to do it. God, I'm ready to fight on your behalf and not from the back, but the front line as your leader.

Can you do when you have a crowd of people? And you walk into this crowd of people, how many of us will stand in front of that crowd and face the crowd. As the leader. We always try to do what in the back. Cuz we don't want to be seen, right? Just human nature, right? It looks like at Samuel's response which is his agreement to the word that he heard from God. This is reflected in 1st, Samuel 9 18 through 20, been so near to Samuel in the gate. Instead tell me I pray thee to your house is remember we talked about this last week. He was looking for the donkeys, couldn't find them till the service that was with you know what? Are you still my father's? Not going to be worried about them. Donkey is only worried about me. So we've got to just go back and the service. If there is a seer And that fear can help us as if I don't have a gift, he's a guy. Do I have a fourth of a shekel of silver? We can give this to him a text, thank you, that's a good idea. Let's go, and then, they meet somewhere along the way, the tell him where to go to find the Seer. And this is where he is as he draws near to Samuel and the gate and said, tell me, I pray thee, we are the Sears house is so he's never even seen them. He didn't even know who the Seer was. And Samuel 7 verse 19. I Am The Seer. Go up before me into the high place for you shall eat with me today and tomorrow, I will let thee go. And we'll tell the all that is in the last 3 days ago. Do not worry about them, they have been found and is all the desire of Israel turned if not to you and your whole family line. So, tell me who receives this word that God had given him concerning saw, and he showing his agreement and alignment with that word because he's pronouncing us all. That you have been selected. He's indicating that when he says and to whom is all the desire of Israel turned is not to you and your whole family line.

Sol's reply was to question that word that Samuel was giving him that came from God. He answered him by saying, but am I not a benjaminite from the smallest tribe of Israel? And is not my clan. The least of all the clans of The Tribe of Benjamin. Why do you say such a thing to me? Now that he knows is a man of God, that he knows he's hurt that, whatever this man says comes to pass. So this isn't just Joe Blow on the street, keep running into that saying this about him. This is a prominent well-known well-established man of God that is speaking truth because it is the word of God and this is how he receives it. Why do you say such a thing to me? Apostle, do you want to add anything right here? To keep it in context. What is motivating? Sammy was aware of it, even though he wasn't able to identify, who was, which then says, because

shoot a little, we see that God speaks to send you until Samuel salt, the flip side of it is now Samuel approaches song. Song doesn't have relationship, so he can. Who's Samuel it? Which is an indication that he didn't have inside or he was disconnected. No spiritual But the reference when he goes into a benjamite has to do what happened in judges 19 and also in 20, where God calls Israel to almost erratic Behavior, he's looking and seeing we're almost done.

So we're actually the smallest tribe. What's 10 x 1,000? You calling? For the leadership of God to come out. Play. You don't know the history of Benjamin Benjamin, so you're asking me. So it almost seems as though he's either misinformed. So now it's all has reason to question. You know why this collection is has come to pass?

I can't seem to find the donkeys. You are giving me something way more.

So why would you say this to me? It's also two phone because we go back up. Chapter. We see the selection of God, you know? There's a statement man looks at the outer appearance. So God is giving Israel what they want in appearance. Not what they want as it relates to his heart. So he gives them, someone who stature is great because the adversary their kings were great. They had great statue, you look at the alliance, you look at the the feeling of you look at over Egypt is that the majority of the teams were great in stature. And so God was giving them on the surface, what they want. And so, he selects from the children of Israel. Benjamin someone who meets that criteria where they would accept you hands down and feel a sense of Pride and connectedness to him. So God is giving them what they want. And then ultimately, he will reveal. You know what his choices since we going to work within the system. Now let me show you what my Chase is. Because you going to sit in there, just want you to take notes. Remember David's, older brother, and he had that same kind of image and got rejected him. And so then you'll see the ship where God then gives them what they want to let them see the flaw in this. In the failure is that video? Somebody will bring them something to get, that goes across the grain. He's going to instead of go with the flow going down, he's going

So he's going to go where they wouldn't never imagine. And choose from what they would never select. Demonstrate his greatness cuz you'll have greatness not in stature. But in character, remember the name of the series in whom I trusted. Because we do the same thing. when we look for someone to be late when we look for relationship as it relates to mentorship as it relates to, you know, who can speak into my life,

If don't we go, we we look for the attractive, we look for the physical characteristics, and we base our faith and our trust in those that meet those expectations that you have based on physical characteristics. And that's why I hate some side that faith and trust is misplaced because instead of you looking to see who is align themselves, with the word. Who is living their life in a way that it is, it is evident that they are aligning. Not have a line cuz none of us have a ride but they are aligning their lie to the word of God. But we get so caught up in the physical characteristics. We won't even allow our eye to see what it actually sees as a relates to Lifestyle. You can see if you're honest with yourself that they're declining the word, instead of aligning themselves, because you're so into the physical characteristics. So, again, nothing new with the people. That is what we're doing now. common thing we get tricked to because of what we look to instead of what we align with a mint. Why do we sleep? You know what you choose. It's not but you choose out. The got nine rooms. And it's just the two of you. So someone's going to have to clean up that tremendously, large home. Someone's going to have to Manicure that tremendously large. And so but we do it, not just for a self, we do it for others. So that others prescription of Is. Agilyx adore admires people to be involved. We want to bring out that theme in them that says all men. That is crazy.

Adulation from. So sometimes we overextend ourselves for years and years until his daughter made him change up, is that? And he's a billionaire. You know, he said he eats McDonald's breakfast sandwiches every day but see if we were in that position. We, we Sash and around. Let everybody know how we living, you know, you know what? All the 24 inch rims. And so people perceive that we're doing better than what we're doing. So it's a smear that we get caught up in and then we patient's to establish a safe place, a safe haven arrest place for themselves that they too, have that seed. Stone in them. And then we buy a large phone into. The debt trap. There are always working out of a hole and we're living largely beyond our me when we find No Satisfaction seeing the person who has the most wise displays the least, because he, or she doesn't want anyone knowing what all they have. Because they know the nature of men and women, and that people are drawn by the enormous, appetite to decipher, what their true motives are, you don't know if the person is into you because of you are into you for what they can get out of you in the Heart Is deceitfully, Wicked. I was reading this morning about a boxer former boxer being in a club and a beautiful young lady walked in the club hill stepped on his foot and he was so thrown by her beauty while she apologized. He asked for a dance, ultimately end up marrying her in a few years. She put together a plot to have him assassinated, police played into the role in the park, and they staged his death and put him in the make-believe green and she was rejoice and celebrate. And when he spoke with the officers, they said we got her, but we want to make sure we got because she's so beautiful. We don't want any feeling sympathetic and then holding up. So we've got to have this airtight. So when she start laughing, it was excited about him being dead and they had it all on. So she's doing 20 years now. So when she gets out, Issue that payment date they brought out is he was so overcome with her beauty that he did not pay time to investigate the search out to see what kind of character that she had. So, he pushed aside character Put receive you in, the scripture says Beauty will fade. So we have to get to the Crux, the essence of things and realize that God is simply drawing attention to. These are the things that you love. The things that you want and sometimes what you want is not what you need and if we stick to what we need, cuz all they needed was him. Discipline ourselves so that we can stay off the things that we just walked. OSB. We grown and mature to know that those wants or what he wants. If your ways, please me, I'll give you the desires of your heart. Don't mean that God's going to give you everything you want.

So, Dennis Safeguard you can't rush. You displayed your ways please and your actions correspond. You are in a line so you don't decline. Amen.

You embrace my cat together is for today cuz this is a lot and I knew it was going to be a lot that I could see that there was some things that you know, we're worth discussing and I think today one of the things that's worth discussing with Apostle talked about with the boxer. Now, do you? Wants to be successful. He wants to win this fight. Is it beyond the scope of reason to believe that he would pray to God? Help me, help me and my matches so that I can get a win these fights. And I'll give you the card when I do. We have sport athlete sports figures. That do that, right? They put their hand of God, make a touchdown and Reliance on God to empower the athlete to be the top in their field. Is it beyond the scope of reason? And we just say, what is This boxer was such a man.

In order for him to continue along that line. He needs to do what align himself with the word of God. What's the message now that I have this position? Now that I have this influence guy, what is the message you want, your people to receive? That I can give because of this position and influence. I now have based on your favor on my life. You asked me that if we were lying in our self with God's word, that's what as his servant we should be doing.

The more you should be leaning into where God is guiding you via the holy spirit because as you grow in favor that favor. Is it just for you to do what? Apostle suggest lavishing it. Look at how I'm living. I'm rolling good. I'm living good. I'm eating good. Everything is good. Look at me. I have someone for you to come it. Right? That I'm the standard of favor. I'm the standard of success when you look at me know that I am blessed of God, and if you want to be blessed of God, you got to do it. Like I'm do it like mine, get a car like mine to show that you have God's favor to really what we should be doing with that favor say

What's the purpose for?

Who can I reach with it? How do I make your people feel better about their life, what's going on in their life? Because they may not listen to the person that they call brother and sister right next to them. But they listen to me because of the paper that you have on my life. How can I use this favor to lead? People draw people not to me but to you because they can see you on me and I fully give you credit for what you giving me. So it's not beyond the scope of reason to believe that this boxer new God, if he did with ask God for some success in his field and as he's living his life, look at the distraction and what he chose to align himself with instead, this beautiful woman with a 6-inch stilettos. He Allied himself with her to the point where he joined her in marriage, gave her his name and allowed her to live a life outside of him. Look at what happen when we have and we know we got God's favor but we're not aligning ourselves to God, so that he can work in that favor, he has given us And look at the distraction to destruction, almost cost him his life.

He was from Puerto Rico. She was from Mexico. She was in America on a Visa. So, she was looking for a means to become Americanized. So we are marrying, her allow that be and what she ended up telling. I'm going through a divorce.

Is that what she said is, I'm an American now. Entitlement. And so she divorced him but the divorce kind of went along little quicker than apparently. It was getting ready to be, finalized need it to have him.

Having killed so that she can get what he possessed along with the home and all of the other things that she would have normally been entitled to half. But breathe. She didn't want to take half, she wanted it all. And so, it goes to again, with God, talks about when he talks about grief, you know, is that when what you have is not even and what you willing to do to have more And so she came here with nothing. She married into something in the guy just described what he provided for a huge home. Said, the best coding, the best shoes said that when he saw her walking in court in her outfit and he heard those jeans, he fought with self. She's changed shoes. The shoes that fit that the state gives, which are Is she treated those high-heeled pumps and all that he provided for her for $1 shoes and being a chain? He said he couldn't he just couldn't wrap his mind around it. Why you could have had have now, you have nothing. But it was Green. So again, we need to investigate even when we engage friends and we bring people into our Inner Circle. What is there, trouville? Why are you really here? What is your objective? And you got to look beyond the facial. You know, where that guy you saw in school, he was robust and he had long flowing hair, beautiful hazel eyes and everybody was after. And then

A late bloomer and he was overweight, you know? Slouchy. Now, 10-15 years later and The Jock is bald. And the bad guy now because no one expressed an interest in him, she disciplined himself to study and make the B.

He has money to buy a trip to get a trainer. So now you see it nicely built Willow spoken, living the life in the majaka, was the man in his teenage years is the one that's the couch potato. That's all out of shape and with no plausible future. So we have to consider that what you see today with your natural until you're able to see what you have to evaluate. You have to print it, be critical with your eye. You have to see more than what you see on the surface.

Before you you might your life with someone else's life yet.

Guard your heart with all diligence.

Someone who has her. A proclamation of prominent that he is going to ask go back to so you could see it. And to whom is all the desire is returned, if not to you and your whole family line, that's a proclamation of prominent and look at what his responses. Why do you say such a thing to me? This is who I really am. I'm a Benji. Benjamin life. Benji B, I'm from the smallest tribe, who got humbled. And even though of the smallest tribe, my clan is of the smallest of the small Why would you say such a thing to me? This is like on the outside. This is what he's thinking of himself on inside and if this is what he's thinking of himself on the inside, how could he possibly rise up to the challenge that he would be required to ride as a king that's capable of wiping out.

Cancel, the debt became the heights. Height of the Statue - I mean, physically became the death of his insecurities. so just as great as he was here, he was equally great but in the negative way in the adverse way, so his outlook on himself was as great as the people's outlook on him in the physical physiological and psychological, he was a he was negative

But physically, he was a positive, you look good to the people. For the people didn't see just as great as you looked on, that was just as great as the depravity, the depravity that he was suffering from in the inside, from The Wizard of Oz lion.

On the inside, I feel sufficient, but you're going to put me in this position of power so I can't admit to you. I'm afraid. I feel I'm inadequate. So how do I live up to the expectation?

So can I just make this example? Just came to me, okay? You know what they say when you when you look at the ocean, when you're out on the ocean, where The atmosphere. Touches down on that body of water. Do you have that divide that middle line? That water can go 1,000 ft, 5,000 ft, the deepest part of it. We need to know because it has to be something kraftic that can with that can withstand the pressure to get down, but

He has as much out there to above water. In the positive as the dips. Under the water. So if you can go a thousand feet up or a thousand feet down, Fill 1000 feet up with the physiological structure. He was not nice. Nice looking. Nice. Bill. Going down beyond that line, which is the middle part. He was empty, boy.

Week. Double-minded unstable.

So, he only put up with you. He's only able to put a 50 is what he projected out early. What was their out, early was not the same thing even though it was the same on a thousand feet up for a thousand feet down is just one just outside the other that goes to the gym and shows the heart, is that it was just as deep. So you have to be careful because haven't you seen programs of read news headlines, that said that this was a person that everybody thought was just as nice. Can you turn out to be a serial killer? When the people all the neighbors all talked, he was to instill, he always spoke. I'm surprised I'm shocked. Why is it always that shop?

Dave, if you would have spoke to him before he was revealed, he got all the Praises and accolades. He being a super Community Advocate, all those things, but then when you go, you look deep inside of you Darkness. Is extremely dark. It's extremely dark. And so you have to be concerned about people's character, not what they display openly because we all can put on face. Amen. So, I think that we're going to stop right there. I meant the kind of want just to think about what am I lying myself, too. Am I really aligning myself to the word of God?

Or am I like that boxes? I got distracted by someone? That was nowhere near God? And let me even further away from that. His life and his contribution to his community.

So, what you doing? 2.

Need to look at all of it because it's not just a lot of yourself.

Cashews safe for the holy spirit. Will bring it to your knowledge if you will. but you also have to Who am I?

That part. Because the Holy Spirit.

We have to. and, you know, people

Marry me? Mysteriously saving. To him beyond what he wants for himself, or she wants. Is that you call the police? And you going to open your life up to a journey Adventure. It God, never intended. You to be a part of. It was all because you were not and didn't remain aligned with him and when you don't you decline in it. Amen. And so that's what we're going to talk about.

Because after Samuel mixes pronouncement and saw questions, the proclamation then set up. So I was going to spend the night at someone's home and Samuel is going to give him further instruction, and this instruction is an example of what God does for us. After the proclamation is made, as to who we are in him, he gives us the tools that we need to align ourselves with him. But it's always our choice, so we'll look at what God did to show saw that number and what sold it and response, despite the signs of alignment that God gave through seven that happened to stop. So we'll talk about next week.

Anybody want any last words? Before we bid our audience to do any comments on what was discussed as far or even what you're looking forward to. What you believe, we'll be discussing all next week.

Do you think that if you would learn your stuff at like a younger age? Like now things will

So you won't be so like depressed or unhappy stuff like how do you really like your goddess real life? Not just for lunch are coming to church cuz I'm depressed. So how do I align myself with God? For the rest of my life? And how old are you? If I can ask him. So you're at a good age. And that's an excellent question to ask at the age, you are, because one you are searching, you are speaking. We don't search and speak unless there's something that's encouraging us to do that. So the fact that you're searching and seeking such a way to such a young age, tells me that you're on the right path. And how you do it is to acknowledge where you are. I was a few years older than you but not much. When my journey with God begin and I remember I was working at a department store and on the outside everybody that was so beautiful. They will come and act like I'm waiting for her, they just for whatever reason, they wanted me to be the one to sell them cosmetics. And I have to believe it was based on physical on the outside of parents because I have people like one asked me if I ever did in modeling. If I wanted to gave me a card, I didn't even know that the card she gave me two was to one of the biggest modeling agencies in New York.

I was too young and dumb and didn't realize it so I didn't take advantage of it but I and I always had that type of attention so I just dimension But there was a woman that worked in furniture at the same department store that I worked in cosmetics and she knew God, as she saw something in me. I guess that got her attention but I never knew she was a woman of God until I went to her during the break times. I would be in the break room making jokes hanging out with everybody. Just laughing and having fun, she'd be by herself reading the Bible that will cost me to get attracted to her. I was curious about God. Why aren't you joining us in our conversation over here but you're just reading the Bible until I wouldn't ask that started a conversation when I would go to the break room. Hanging out, I wanted to just talk to her. And I didn't know that God was using her to woo me into his kingdom.

That really hurts me. And from that point on, I never let go. I Was preparing to go to.

I was graduating from college, that was my last year of college and I'd applied to go to law school and I was waiting to hear from all the law schools that I got accepted into, and I was bragging to her about how God was blessing. She's like, you know, I take the back. I wasn't bragging about how God was blessing. I was bragging about how well I was progressing like you know, I don't need anybody. Look at what I'm doing on my own. I'm working at a young age. I've been at this job since I was 16 years old. I take care of, not only myself, I help my brother. And my sister's, I went through a horrible experience in my home that I hadn't told anybody about. I finally have enough courage to talk to her about the abuse that I suffered while I was in my mother's home. But I was my perspective was that I would never be hurt like that again. So I was going to be tough and I was going to succeed in school and what side became a lawyer to anyone that would try to step at me. I was angry. I was awesome to press that I wasn't willing to admit that I was depressed cuz it was easier for me to cheat on that hunger. Being angry that anger said my intent to live my life in a way that would never let me be a victim again. Does that make sense? So she looks at me is I'm bragging about all that I've accomplished and how imma be my own person and no man would ever hurt me again, inside to make sure, no man would ever hurt me again. Nobody would ever be able to read my phone. Because I realize that he was able to see me as a young child and he was able to read me. So this is what I was growing myself into and this is what she said to me. That just captured She said, did you have a good head on your shoulders? And it seems like you're headed into some wonderful places in your life and there's no doubt about it that you're going to succeed.

and without God,

that angered me so much.

This is all that I'm saying to myself. Later on that evening sitting at my mom's kitchen table and I'm writing this paper for college and everything is fine. Nobody is there. And those words came back to my mind and I begin speaking again, to myself, ruminating over what she said. and then, just for a moment, I felt the complete most most

Disturbing feeling of Floyd. I felt empty. It was almost like God, the hedge of protection. He had around me while he was blowing me and calling me. It's almost like he just took it out. He lifted it up so I could see who I really was.

And when I felt that emptiness, when I felt Hollow not completely alone, I just finally started coming. I finally admit it but I couldn't be angry anymore. I was instead acknowledging, I was interested. And I needed something bigger than me. To help with that injury. So when I knowledge that that's when God opened up the doors to lead me to him shortly after that. I went to church. And the pastor of that church saw, you couldn't see me physically. You can just feel my Spear and he knew somebody in here. Will you respond to the car? Unless I responded to that car, I've never let go. From that day to this day, I serve him. I feel him. I acknowledge Him. I worship him. I struggle with him. Great. Just because you did in your life over.

He's shown me so much you're 17. I'm 57. And this, I can tell you between those. It's been quite a journey when I wouldn't give up. So you are on the right path and all you have to do acknowledge where you are, acknowledge what you mean. and the Holy Spirit looking for You can always just ask her. Is that? Hey, this is where I am. I need you to be real to me and so I can be real to you. You will see your life start, when you return. You just start like like when you get home, what did you do what? I tell you to go and get some food and it's the same way with God when you're hungry and she started start reading about find out where you find out about him. As much as you can. He already knows everything about you. Where you are right now cuz from where I am, it looks like there's a little tear on you on your cheek. Am I reading that right? That's a good place because if you

If you ask him. You can even ask him question. If you real just make it known to me. And I promise, you just like what you see in that text is that, I promise you, I give you this promise and it will never fail because God's word.

It's going to. Accomplish.

See, your depression comes. When you try to understand and buy into work and reason out after all of the information misinformation that you gotten and don't all come together and you get tired and confused.

Let him help.

I need to help me and I was not much older than you. He says God is always been updated but his back was to us because we refused to acknowledge what he wants it says. But when we found out that we turn and ask in a hopeless desperation Lord are you up there? And if you are please help empty space to us so he can respond to your inquiry. So I'm going to say the same thing. He said to me God's been waiting for this moment. You did not send. But he allowed circumstances.