UMBC AM SERVICE - October 25, 2020

There is something about the words. And that song where it says. his Mercy Reigns and I don't know about you, but your been caught outside in the Trying to get from the front door to your car and it's raining so hard that I mean you were soaking wet and by the time you make that quit running. You know and I'm not think about it the way his Mercy is put on display to us every day in and that's about how it is. I mean you you you don't get just a little damp, but he he drown Junot dhoni praise the lord it's good to be in the Lord's house today, and I don't know about you, but I've already been blessed. Amen. My heart is as full as it started with a wonderful Sunday school lesson, and I walked in Sunday school class this morning and

Sister Dawn back there. I looked at man. I said well would you get all dressed up for today? And or ain't you all dressed up. Anyway, what I heard her say was why don't you ever dress up?

So and I am using areas guinea pig this morning. It's it's my prayer that that that the Lord will give me a chance this morning that when I tell you that Jesus loves you they what you hear is he loved me so much that he laid down his life on calvary's cross that I might go free. Amen. I I want you to hear what the spirit has to say today distinctly. Amen, and I'm so glad today is it that I know it makes you I'm so glad today that that he didn't look on on This Ole Boy at face value. I'm glad that that he didn't he didn't judge the book. Amen by it's cover a man. I'm glad that that he didn't say you you've exhausted every opportunity and and I'm glad he didn't say you don't have enough money. I'm glad he didn't say your hair is the wrong color. Amen, or you don't have enough of it. I'm glad he didn't say any of them things but he's simply said come unto me all you who labor. All right now are heavy laden and I'll give you what I'll give you rest a man and I challenge you today to enter into the rest of the Lord praise the Lord I challenge you today to taste of that freedom. Amen that Christ Jesus brains to those who trust in him. If you got your Bibles this morning, let's turn over to the Book of Joshua.

Over to the Book of Joshua. I like old Joshua. I'm going to tell you when I fell in love with Joshua. That's when he and Caleb were two of the 12 Spies sent into the land of Canaan. Bob Moses to spy it out to view it. And see what was there prior to the children of Israel going into the paint in the land of Canaan or the promised land and all 12 of them come back and they said I am truly there's a land that flows with milk and honey. They say the grapes look like in and they said, you know what the men they're they're like Giants and we weird about like a grasshopper in their eyes. And and that's the 10 of them. They said it's a great land but we can't take it. I love what I told Joshua said though. He said man is good. He said let's go get it right now. God will deliver and Caleb said I'll second that motion and ain't it amazing that that old boy that spoke up that day that that God chose him to to succeed. Moses I don't know about you but man the responsibilities and expectations of filling some shoes like the shoes of mole was this had to be somewhat intimidating had to be if it has been us. What would we have said all men you've got the wrong person? That's what I would have. But I Joshua Rose to the occasion he rose to the challenge and and so it's a very own set of the Book of Joshua one of his very first act as a leader or at as as as being over the children of Israel is to to get them across the Jordan. And and get ready to take the promised land in one of the very first cities on the other side of Jordan that they're going to come into contact with is going to be Jericho. What during the particular time of year and this is the harvest season the Jordan River is is not a small trickling stream it is however out of its banks, you know, I don't know how many of you across the Sabine River very often, but you know, sometimes you can drive across it and you can see that Sandy Bottom in it pretty clear. Then 11 times you go across it when we've had a lot of rain in the they've open those gates up there. And I mean it would be water from Maryville all the way back to bond wearing and I don't I don't know just how wide the Jordan was but I know this the word teaches us that it was it was out of its banks.

And you know, I'm going to be honest with you. I believe it is divine timing that God has got them down there when the river is at its worst. You know a lot of times life gets out of its banks with us. And I think that's really when God wants wants to lead you through those deep Waters because cuz if you go in the water shower, you kind of think that you did that on your own a man, but when you go in the face of of something being impossible guess what God gets the glory. Amen. Amen. So they've come down there and

and they're getting ready to cross the Jordan and God was very

precise about how he wanted this thing done.

I know used to when I thought about crossing of the Jordan or I thought about the crossing at the Red Sea by the Israelites. We know we want to think about a little pathway about like this this the aisle here between the chairs in the church, you know, just as nice little sidewalk, but you see that don't work for 6 million people.

And in all fairness to the numbers of people that left out of Egypt and cross the Red Sea was estimated between 4 and 6 million people This is 40 years later. I don't know how many people are there, but but if you read God's word says that that he stopped the waters. Were they headed up at back up at the mount? So you're telling about a huge area of of of ground that he dried up to allow them to cross and he told him this he said when you see the priest take the ark. And and make their way out into the Jordan. Y'all follow after he said don't get too close to it now, but you follow after in and so they've done that and I'm just giving us some foundational work here and they've done that and and when they come out on the other side. God has something. very

distinct that he wants done and I'm going to say this to you this morning. When he brings you. Out on the other side.

There's something that he expects of you, too. Listen to 3 this morning. And I tell you what. I'm not going to try to be long. I'm trying to work on that. I'm not going to try to get only believe me. I'm not going to try to I'm going to try to be real simple Forest today.

In the fourth chapter of the Book of Joshua in the 19th verse.

Is he there Morgan? You got it in Joshua. 4:19 God's word reads. And the people came up out of Jordan on the 10th day of the first month and then count in gilgal in the east border of Jericho. And those 12 Stones which they took out of Jordan and and let me add something here. God had told them when you when you get out in the middle of it on that dry ground. Y'all take 12 Stones from the very center of it and those 12 Stones, which they took out of Jordan did Joshua pitch in gilgal and he spake unto the children of Israel saying when your children shall ask their fathers in time to come saying what mean these Stones then you shall let your children know saying Israel came over this Jordan on dry land for the Lord your God dried up the Waters of Jordan from before you until you were passed over as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea which he dried up from before us until we were gone all over and I like this that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord. That is mighty that it is. Mighty that you might fear the Lord You're Gone Forever father truly love you with thank you so much the Lord for allowing us to gather together today. We thank you for the songs. We've been saying Lord. I Thank you for each one that's in your house today. I think you so much for the reading of your word. And it may you word challenge yesterday Lord. May it accomplish your Goodwill in our lives is my prayer this morning in the name of Jesus and the church says amen. So so it let me just put this thing in an interview no easy to grab a picture. So when they're they're Crossing Jordan and in in there, they're watching The Arc in and they're out in the middle of the river there, they reach down and and and they grabbed 12 pretty good-sized stones and and I know it home me and my kids had this. Saying about anytime we go. We're waterbugs and in time we go to a river or somewhere like that. They always grab his phone and they've got a group of them over around some roses and and they kept them there and it is meet with some of them. I don't remember where they come from now, but a couple of them I do in it and the new thing of it is is about those those fun moments when my kids were small and they still thought I was cool and that we had a good time with each other. They men before they they grew up and now I'm just Dad. And so the children of Israel, they take these stones and and God tells them the most amazing thing. He he says Joshua you tell them when they come up on the other side of the Jordan to take those Stone and build a little Monument a a a a a a a witness Monument if you might say and leave it there and there's a reason he said knew that he said so that as people come by this way and in that day and time and in that culture, it was very common to come to a place where a mountain was in your way and you have a couple of different passes or paths to take and they would Mark things with witness stones or our witness monuments and they were coming throughout that land but they all represented something. So for this one the whole intent was that sold years down the road as people come through. Here they will be reminded. Amen of what took place of what God had done and then he goes a step further. He says so that your children will remember I remember the good things that God done for you and I tell you how I've always loved that and I'm fixing a metal for a few minutes this morning, but but it's always challenge me cuz cuz I want to tell you if you ever want to look in God's word and find him showing us how to build a legacy. It's here. Now, I know that word legacy. We want a tribute it to some type of fame or fortune and that's just simply not true my granddaddy. Wasn't anything Rich about him as far as Earthly riches, but man he was rich in the spirit of the Lord and in faithfulness to God and in his testimony. And my grand daddy's been gone. Since April 18th 2011 at at 4:27 p.m. And I think of him all the time and I draw from that well of wisdom that he left for me all the time. Amen. And it just what and it ain't even about to go dry. Hallelujah. Amen because he he took me is it just no knuckleheaded boy amen, and he not only said it but he lived it and and he left such a legacy for me to look up to so here is Joshua. This whole monument that they've built is it is it serves as a testimony of God's goodness, but but for the parents and the grandparents in the people who passed by it's a reminder that I was here and I'm bearing witness as to what God done. Amen and how faithful he is and how miraculous he works and how he delivers his people and they put their stamp on it by leaving that that stone there in and I want to tell you when you go to talk about Allegacy daisies more than to it than just the word legacy you guys awake this morning. Amen? Okay, hang in there you got one more week and you get an extra hour of sleep and it died the first time I've heard my daughter Amen in church in years and it was when brother Robert brought that up this morning or ask Ashley brought it up on the screen.

Sorry it over there. I would love to sleep. But when we talk about a legacy. I'm going to ask it I know the answer, but I'm going to ask it for the sake of asking. Haven't gone done anyting amazing in your life.

a man you bet he have if all he's done is delivered you from the from The Wretched person that you were. Then he's done something miraculous and amazing and your life. But hey, we just sang a testimony in a minute and I remember being in the church service with her when the night that are in Revival tonight that didn't God worked a miracle and healed her of an ailment. She had had for years. See there. Are they going to make me an out of her over there? She can get up and go to dance in here in a minute. Praise the Lord but I mean it was it was so amazing and it was so undeniable. That was a miracle that were still talking about it some 11 12 years later amazing and and God gets the glory in and and it ain't just heard. I look around the room and how many days late is all kinds of people brother Jimmy over it over at Mark and Michelle's at the prayer meeting that night. He shared he shared some amazing things that that God had done in his life down throughout the years and then and there they're awesome and their Monumental in their miraculous and I love that in each one of us. We have those we have those those I'm going to say things we have those experiences while we went we have we have those those those Those are knots in the rope that that stand to serve as a legacy within themselves.

Okay. So before you can leave a legacy, you got to have something to leave a legacy about.

God's took care of that for you. And if he hasn't he's more than happy to do that. Next thing is that they did is they had to build that Monument.

That may be the hard part sometimes.

Cuz before I can stand and testify of God's faithfulness. I've got to go through the fire and allow him to show me that yes, I am. Before I can testify amen of God's long suffering. I've got to have tasted of that long-suffering personally.

And most of the time those things are not going to be pleasant.

I'm going to be honest with you for a young Christian. It's not pleasant to have to stand on your face because when you were standing on that face everything around you is screaming. Take matters in your own hands trust in your own self you get involved and do this thing how you want to but face says send back and let God be God amen-ra looks impossibility in the eyes and says, this is possible. Amen through God. I love what room it says in the 8th chapter. It says may we are more than conquerors through him who loves us It also says hey that that if God be for us who can be against us. I like it boy that excites you today. Yes, brother. I know that's what it says and it's so when we go to talking about about building a legacy, amen.

Sometimes it takes some sweat. Sometimes it takes time on our knees. Sometimes it takes patience what when God has done something for you a man. You have the the privilege. Is this thing working at y'all have no privilege? Amen of a building that witnessed own so that as others come by they will see and know especially your family

so you build one.

And then you leave it.

How many of you I want to ask you a question? You don't have to raise your hand, but I want you to answer this within yourself. How many of you

someone that You thought you knew? Know someone you knew.

passes and you get to talkin with other friends or other family and they begin telling you something about that individual you say I had no idea. I didn't know that about him. Is that ever happen anybody? Sure, it has is having all of us.

It even happened with my dad. Through a first cousin he was close to and he and I have no idea. I don't have no idea cuz my dad never shared that he never spoke of that. He never talked about that for those who cross the Jordan that day Okay.

Who look at the stone in the bed of the river? And leave it laying there because it's too heavy to carry and they walk on out. And God gets done and he closes the river back up with the water years later when people come that way. Guess what they know. Very little unless somebody's told them because there's nothing left there to serve as a reminder. Amen of what God did. Enliven your life. It's it's beautiful to build a legacy. Amen. And if we do it more so by our actions a member, we should be leaving witness tones download path of Life are Kendra walking amen so that when they come to a place of decision in their life, a men are answering have even even though we make me go leave enough information. Amen laser enough impression for him to tell him you need to go left at this at this Crossroad. Are you need to go right at this Crossroad or this is what I done amen and garden showed up on the scene in my life and work something amazing. God delivered me. Amen from a place of impossibility. Amen, and I have built a legacy and I'm leaving this Legacy for you because I want you when you come this way to know where you're going to amen. Amen. Hey, what a privilege.

God help.

I'll pick on it that precious boy of mine this morning.

One of these old days down this road alive. Especially if I'm not here to grab him and smack him around a little bit. And he comes to a place.

a difficult place

a hard place Amen, see she she hears me. Maybe even a place and I'm going to say it like this this morning, but I'm saying this for conversation and understanding maybe even a place of giving up.

Have I been so transparent? And so vocal as to what God's done in my life. But I've built that same witness stone that that Legacy. Did he says Dad was by here?

And he faced the same thing.

But you didn't stay here cuz I don't know her eyes and I see another. Another testimony that he left and I don't think I'll give up today. Neither. I think all I'll follow me. Not because I need to be followed but because of who I serve because of who I trust people. Can I can I ask you this this morning? Amen? Have you made it? So obvious that those who come behind you that the answer to their troubles the answer to their problem. Amen is to run to Jesus.

for he is the way he's the truth. And he's the the life.

What Legacy? or we leave

you say we're preaching. What are you leaving?

I'm still working on mine.

Are you?

experience build it and pass it on.

Cuz I'm going to tell you today.

God knows my heart and you don't judge me on the statement. I'm fixing to make until till I get to the end of it. My brother and I we did a funeral on a great man of God Wednesday and and and and he made a comment and I've made it so many times and I mean it I knew in that statement was the the greatest thing that you and I can hear. is enter in my good and faithful servant and

and I I know that I do.

But there's one thing.

There's one thing I could hear that would actually make that statement better.

Unless somebody back in the crowd. Holler and daddy.

That's one of these. That's Connor Holland, Brother Brad.

God help me.

To make it clear. Make it truth to make it real.