Transcription
Coming up on The Potter's Touch.
Guilt that leads to a change of behavior is a powerful thing. Guilt that grabs you by the throat and makes you call me on the phone and say, "Look, I'm sorry." is a powerful thing. It's a wonderful thing for you to be guilty enough to humble yourself, TO TO PULL YOUR PRIDE DOWN, and pull your images down, AND PULL ALL THE LIES YOU TOLD TO YOURSELF DOWN, AND SAY, "LOOK, I miss you, and I'm tired of us fighting like this, and whatever I did to hurt you, I'm sorry."
This is The Potter's Touch. Hello, family. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to share the word of the Lord with you. I like to preach the kind of word that really deals with practical issues that we deal in life every day with them. The word is is living. It's vibrant. It's relative. It's important. The message today fits right into that zone. The message is called from guilt to gratitude. All of us have faced some level of guilt, and and how we respond to that guilt, and how long we allow it to to drag us and pull us along determines whether we're really mature in the faith or not. Guilt can only exist in the areas in which we care. You cannot heal it if you will not own it. From guilt to gratitude. We're going to be in the Gospel of St. Luke chapter 7, verse 37 through 49. Take a look at this. I want to teach some things that that will help you uh deal with the guilt, and deal with life, and deal with mistakes, and deal with bad choices, because there's not a person in this room who hasn't made a bad choice at some time or another in their life. Can I get a good amen? I said, "Can I get a good amen?"
See, you you have to realize that that when you have guilt in a positive way, it comes as an indication that you are not living your best life, your best self. You have not presented yourself in the light that you could have, that that somewhere down inside of you, there is a better you screaming trying to get out. There's a better you saying that those decisions are not a reflection of who I really am. I may have done what they said I did, but I am not what they say I am. I'm going to say they didn't get it. Let me try it on y'all. I may have done what they say I did, but I am not what they say I am. Have you ever done something that didn't reflect who you are? It's just me and three other people in the room. Thank God for you. And the rest of you phonies that came to church this morning, may God bless you, may heaven smile upon you till we meet again. I I I may have done it, but I am not it. And the part of me that is not it rebels against the part of me that did it, and I am ashamed, and I am guilty, because I have not portrayed the best part of who I am. And now I have to live with the guilt of what I DID, AND WHAT YOU say about me as a result of what I did, because some of the punishment is the pain of people whispering about the choices you made. AND IT'S HARD TO DEFEND YOURSELF when there's truth to what they said. I told you this was going to be hard. It it's hard to defend yourself when the murmuring of the voice of accusation is stronger on the inside than the voice of all the critics on the outside. Guilt is not just about what others are saying about you. It is what you are saying about yourself. It is It is the condemnation that comes upon you. It is the struggle that lives down inside of you that you say, "Have you ever said, 'What was I thinking?'" Have you ever looked back at something AND YOU JUST WONDER WHAT WHAT WAS I on to DO THAT? WHAT WHAT HAPPENED? DID Did Did You know, did somebody put something in my Coke? WHAT HAPPENED THAT I WENT that far? You mean I See, this this one of the things that we do with guilt, because it is such a heavy burden to carry. It's It's a heavy burden, because it can only exist in places where you care. It can only exist in places where you care. So, it becomes a heavy burden to carry. So, what we do is we change the narrative of what happened to make the memory more palatable. We change the narrative of what happened to make the memory more palatable. We block out the parts we are ashamed of. And we remember how people responded to us without remembering how we elicited or initiated the response. Selective amnesia. Yeah. And so, this story that we tell ourselves about what happened causes a certain toxicity to the soul that stops us from getting what God would give us, because God will only fall on truth. And you have told yourself a lie so long that you can't be delivered because you can't admit the truth. I'm I'm I'm going to go in. Can I go in? I'm going to go in now. I'm going to go in. You already know how I am now. I'm going to go in. I'm going TO GO IN. THERE WAS A MAN WHO SAT BY A POOL FOR 38 YEARS TELLING HIMSELF A LIE OVER AND OVER and over again. HERE'S THE LIE. "I'M here because every time I tried to get in the pool, somebody got in my way, and nobody would help ME." THAT'S A LIE. IN 38 YEARS, YOU COULD HAVE ROLLED TO the pool. IN 38 YEARS, YOU COULD HAVE CRAWLED TO THE POOL. IN 38 YEARS, HOW DID THE OTHER PEOPLE GET to the pool every year? IF THEY GOT TO THE POOL, THEN HOW WHY DIDN'T YOU GET TO THE POOL? SEE, THE PAIN of living WITH THOSE QUESTIONS CREATES A FALSE STORY. "WELL, I would have got there, but my daddy didn't raise me. I would have got there, but my mama was a hooker. I would have got there, but I don't know where I came from. I would HAVE GOT THERE, BUT I FLUNKED OUT OF FIRST GRADE. I WOULD HAVE GOT THERE, BUT I'M BLACK. I WOULD HAVE GOT THERE, BUT I'M A WHITE WOMAN. I would have got there, but I'm a woman. I would have got there, but These are things we tell ourselves to anesthetize the pain of the weights of I've brought this on myself. I did this. And you cannot help people in counseling who will not own what you did. Until you own what happened, UNTIL YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for it, UNTIL YOU TILL YOU STOP HIDING FROM THE GUILT. SEE, BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO TRANQUILIZE THE GUILT, YOU YOU KNOW WHY YOUR DAUGHTER disrespected you. YOU KNOW WHY SHE CURSED YOU OUT. You know what she saw about you and the neighbor across the street, BUT YOU BLOCKED OUT WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN YOU AND THE NEIGHBOR across the street, and thought about, "I ain't going to let that girl disrespect me. She just lost her mind." WHEN IN REALITY, YOU OH OH OH OH oh oh oh. You told me to go deep. You told me to go deep. You know, I I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT THEM HATERS. I'M NOT A HATER. I'm hurt, CUZ YOU BEAT me like a dog, and I'm TELLING THE TRUTH. THAT'S NOT A HATER, BUT YOU CHANGED THE STORY because the weight of the matter might mean you admitting, "My son is acting crazy, because I wasn't a good father. And I really wasn't there for him, and he saw things out of me that I wish I hadn't have done, but at that stage in my life, I did it." You have to stop telling yourself, "I don't know why the boy acting crazy." You do. You do know why he's acting crazy. And you're the only one who can FIX IT, BECAUSE YOU DO KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM. AND YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T GET HEALED, BROTHER, AS LONG AS YOU TELL YOURSELF, "WELL, somebody got in the way. Well, it's not my fault. He could have done You know what the problem is. But the weight the weight of the guilt. You know that you cannot heal it if you won't own it. The reason that we do all of these things is to protect our minds from the guilt of what we did at one time or another in one way or another. And it is easier to penalize me for my reaction to your behavior than it is for you to own that you elicited that response by how you treated me. And you leave both of us in the ditch because you are in denial. You will never give me the healing that I need to get on with my life and we are both stuck in a ditch with the weights. With the weight that I carried. Jesus asked people QUESTIONS LIKE, "WILL THOU be made whole?" Because in most cases it's not my will to be like this. It's not my will. I didn't choose it. I didn't decide I want to be an angry black man. Or an angry white man. White folks can be angry, too, incidentally. Anger is an equal opportunity response. And for that matter, I have met some seriously angry women in my life. When you say something like that, you don't look at nobody. You look right down the aisle. WHY ARE YOU ANGRY? CAIN, why are you angry? Why has your countenance fallen? God said to Cain, "If thou doest not well, will I not receive you? Are you angry about something you could fix?"
Guilt that leads to a change of behavior is a powerful thing. Guilt that grabs you by the throat and makes you call me on the phone and say, "Look, I'm sorry." is a powerful thing. It's a wonderful thing for you to be guilty enough TO HUMBLE YOURSELF, TO TO PULL YOUR PRIDE DOWN, AND PULL YOUR IMAGES DOWN, AND PULL ALL THE LIES YOU TOLD TO YOURSELF DOWN, AND SAY, "LOOK, I miss YOU AND I'M TIRED OF US FIGHTING like this and whatever I did to hurt you, I'M SORRY. I'M MAN ENOUGH TO LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND SAY I WAS WRONG AND I'M SORRY." YOU'LL NEVER BE HEALED TILL you can fix it. You know why we don't have revivals anymore? I mean, we have three-day services, but we don't have revivals. We don't have revivals cuz we don't have repentance. YOU CANNOT HAVE A REVIVAL when you cannot HAVE REPENTANCE. AS LONG AS EVERYBODY COMES TO CHURCH STUBBORN AND SAYING, "THIS IS MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT." I DON'T CARE WHO YOU BRING IN TO PREACH. YOU MAY HAVE SERVICE, YOU MAY HAVE CHURCH, YOU MAY HAVE SHOUTING, YOU MAY HAVE DANCING, BUT YOU WON'T HAVE REVIVAL UNTIL MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAY. THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN. I WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND GOD SAID, "I'LL HEAL YOUR LAND."
Still to come on the Potter's Touch. He took it off of me. He took it off. HE TOOK THE BURDEN OF IT. HE TOOK THE PAIN of it. HE TOOK THE AGONY OF IT. HE TOOK THE SHAME OF IT. HE TOOK THE GUILT OF IT. HE TOOK THE STRIFE OF IT. TELL YOU TODAY, HE TOOK IT OFF. AND IF I NEVER GET THE CAR, IF I NEVER GET THE HOUSE, IF I NEVER GET THE JOB, I'M JUST GOOD.
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God says, "I will forgive your sin." That's not the problem. I'll forgive your sin. I'LL HEAL YOUR LAND. THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU DID. IT'S YOUR ARROGANCE. IT'S YOUR INABILITY TO HUMBLE YOURSELF. He said if if you would if YOU WOULD JUST HUMBLE YOURSELF, if you would stop making excuses for bad behavior, if you would stop justifying stuff just because you like it. If you would stop doing things because you love them as opposed to doing them because they're right. God said, "It's not the sin. I can fix it. I got the antidote. I got the cure. I shed the blood. I got the key. I can get you out. I'll deliver you. I'll forgive you. I'll set you free. I'll make it just as if it didn't even happen. I'll clean it up better than your lies are doing. I can clean it up. I got the Brillo pad and the soap and the water. I will get the stain off of you. If you would humble yourself. But because you've been your own physician, because you've been your own attorney, you didn't leave space for me to get you off. You should have thrown yourself on the mercy of the court and said, "I'm completely guilty. I have no right to be here. I'm a sinner and a wretch undone. Every blessing I ever got is the grace of God. Every door he ever opened was the grace of God. Every mountain he ever moved was the grace of God. I I deserve to be burned in hell for the things I've done, but thanks BE UNTO GOD FOR EVERY BLESSING." YOU SEE THIS JACKET? IT'S A BLESSING. YOU SEE THESE PANTS? IT'S A BLESSING. YOU SEE THESE SHOES? THAT'S A BLESSING. BUT BETTER YET, YOU SEE THESE FEET? THAT'S A BLESSING. YOU SEE THESE LEGS? THAT'S A BLESSING. YOU SEE THESE ARMS? THAT'S A BLESSING. I DON'T DESERVE NONE OF THAT. TO GOD OH, SOMEBODY HUMBLE. GIVE HIM A BREAK.
See, when when when I teach ministers on exogenetical preaching and and delivering a text, I tell them never give the answer before you describe the question. Because the answer only has power in the face of the question. If you don't describe the question, the answer has no relevance. So, if you jump into this text and you look at this text and you see this woman just bathing his feet with her tears and don't see why, then you could think she was radical. She could be a nutcase. She could be crazy. She could be ridiculous. She could be out of her mind. Why is she crying? She won't stop crying. Why does she keep jumping up in the service? She's loud. She's noisy. She's out of control. Every time the bishop make a point, she's up there doing jumping jacks. Has she lost her mind? I don't want to sit beside her. She acts like she's crazy. If you don't know the story, you don't understand MY RESPONSE. COME ON HERE, SOMEBODY. BUT WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH AND YOU KNOW HOW I SUFFERED AND YOU KNOW WHAT I CARRIED, THE PAIN AND THE AGONY OF WHAT I CARRIED. AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT THING? SEE, YOU'RE PRAISING GOD CUZ YOU'RE CUTE. AND HE'S PRAISING GOD CUZ HE'S FINE. AND SHE'S PRAISING GOD CUZ SHE'S RICH. AND HE'S PRAISING GOD CUZ HE GOT A NEW SUIT. AND SHE'S PRAISING GOD CUZ SHE GOT A SUNDAY HAT ON. BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE HAT, THE SUIT, THE COAT, THE SHOES. I'M PRAISING GOD THAT THAT WEIGHT THAT WEIGHTED ME DOWN ALL MY LIFE. TOUCH THREE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM HE TOOK IT OFF of me. He took it off. He took it off. He took it off. He took it off. He took it off. HE TOOK THE BURDEN OF IT. HE TOOK THE PAIN of it. HE TOOK THE AGONY OF IT. HE TOOK THE SHAME OF IT. HE TOOK THE GUILT OF IT. HE TOOK THE STRIFE OF IT. TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR HE TOOK IT OFF. AND IF I NEVER GET THE CAR, IF I NEVER GET THE HOUSE, IF I NEVER GET THE JOB, I'M JUST GLAD.
GUILT THAT LEADS ME TO change is a powerful thing. But what about the guilt about stuff I can't change? I can't get that baby back. I can't get this disease remitted. What about the guilt we carry over the things we can't can't change. I would fix it if I could. If I had it to do over again, I would change. I was selfish. And I'm sorry. What do you do when the mess you made cannot be cleaned? Can't do it over. I brought that man in the house. I brought the man in the house who raped my daughter. My son got raped by my boyfriend. And he told me, and I called him a liar. Bishop, I would fix it, but the person I did it to is dead. Well, the person who hurt me can't come back cuz they're gone. And I feel like if they would just say I'm sorry, I could get well. But what do you do when you can't undo what's been done? You can't fix it. And you are standing there waiting on something to happen that cannot happen. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is that flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Touch your neighbor and say, "What can make me whole again?" Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Singing, "Oh, precious is that flow that makes me white as snow. No No other fount I know. Say that nothing but the blood again. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. One more time. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
I'm out of time. I've got to stop there, but this is a very provocative subject. I think it's very important. It's a very prolific ideology that really centers around something that every human deals with in one way or another. The whole notion of guilt and gratitude and and the gulf between the two and how we bridge it is quite quite profound indeed. Guilt that leads to change is a powerful thing, but what about the things that you can't change? There are There are some things in life you just will never change. Guilt is not one of them. You don't have to live with guilt. You have been forgiven. Walk in the forgiveness of the Holy Spirit and allow that that grace that you have received to emanate in how you deal with other people because if you are gracious, you will be grace-filled. If you are merciful, you will receive mercy. So, if you want it, give it away. If If you don't give it, I'm afraid you can't receive it. God bless you now. Have a great week and think about what we talked about today. Okay? You don't have to wish for it or sit around hoping for it. The all-encompassing freedom of Christ is yours today when you have the will to recover. I may have done what they say I did, but I am not what they say I am. Have you ever done something that didn't reflect who you are? For your gift of any size, you will receive the encouraging message from Guilt to Gratitude on CD from the Will to Recover series. Bishop Jakes will teach you how to find victory in unexpected places, how to overcome your past so that you can go to the next level, how to eliminate excuses so you can get your power back, and much more. You cannot heal it if you won't own it. And when your gift is $75 or more, you will receive the inspirational series The Will to Recover on DVD. However, for your gift of $160 or more, you will receive the Will to Recover series on DVD, a brand new King James Version Bible, and Great Is Thy Faith Wall Art. Victory can be found in unexpected places when you have the will to recover. You cannot be grateful and guilty at the same time to save your life. If you did something wrong and you can fix it, fix it. If you can straighten it out, make it right. If it's out of your reach, he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace is upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.
This is The Potter's Touch. Coming up on The POTTER'S TOUCH. WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE BETWEEN TWO VOICES. ONE TELLING YOU TO DO right and one telling you to DO WRONG. ONE TAUNTING YOU SAYING, "WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?" And the other one saying, "Hold on to God." He may not come when you want him, but he's right on time. YOU MIGHT BE SICK, BUT YOU CAN STILL CALL HIS NAME, AND HE WILL DELIVER YOU. YOU MIGHT BE DOWN TO YOUR LAST DIME, BUT THE GOD I SERVE IS ABLE TO BRING YOU OUT. ISN'T IT CRAZY HOW FAITH AND FEAR CAN COHABITATE UNDER THE SAME TENT?
This is The Potter's Touch. Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to be in your life. Thank you for inviting me into your home, your office, or wherever you might be watching this broadcast. The message that I have for you today, I believe is important enough to interrupt your day, your afternoon, or evening with this thought. It is more than a greeting. It's more more a card. The message is called get well soon. Some people get stuck in the moment and they can't get out. They want to get well, they just don't know how. However, they are so busy worrying about the symptoms, they don't work on the root problem. Make sure you stay tuned in until the end and I will come back to you and have special prayer with you. The message is get well soon. I don't care what you're going through, you can recover. Hezekiah was well, he was well, he was well. He was well, he was more well than his father was. His father was an idolater. His father had corrupted all of Judea with his with his ways and with his compromise and with his attitude, but Hezekiah came forth from a corrupted seed. He came forth a whole son. Away with the notion that if your parents weren't perfect and if your home wasn't perfect, you can't rise above your circumstances. Hezekiah is proof positive that you can bring good things out of bad places. He was the antithesis of his father, completely different in so many ways. His father had allowed idols and corruption to take over the place, but Hezekiah, from the time he was a young boy to now, was fighting to bring back true worship and and true true holiness. He was He He WAS FIGHTING TO TEAR DOWN THE idols that his father had allowed to be built in the hill and in the groves to tear them down and to bring Judea all of Judah back to worshipping Jehovah again. He was He was committed to that. And he worked hard for that. He worked relentlessly for that. He worked tirelessly for that. He tore down the idols. He resurrected a sense of worship and praise and order unto God, and he worked hard to refurbish the temple that had laid in ruins and waste. He refurbished it and renewed it and laid the gold back in place and the cedars. People had not seen the temple like that for years because the temple had gone down because the worshipers had ceased. And the temple was an outer sign of an inner corruption because sometimes when something's not well in one place, it shows up in another. I'm going to let that just soak for a minute. Sometimes we're so busy worried about the symptoms that we don't get the root causes it it See, it wasn't no need to fix the temple if you weren't going to fix the worshipers. So, he began to restore the worshipers so that they would have a place to worship. Isn't it amazing how many people have the cart before the horse? How they're more worried about impressions than they are reality? They want the temple to look good, but they don't care that nobody worships there. They've got big Bibles, but they don't read them. Oh, y'all don't hear what I'm saying. Hezekiah was the real deal. He fought for the pilgrimage, the three three annual times out of a year they would make pilgrimages and go back to the temple to worship, and he brought that back again. According to the Torah, there were three times a year that a good and devout Jew would make a pilgrimage back to the temple, and he brought it all back and all of the customs began to come in. And as he began to bring in the right customs, his father began to recede and die and move out of the way, and he became the king over Judea and moved into position OF POWER. AND HEZEKIAH WAS a freedom fighter. He wasn't just church boy, he wasn't just a spiritual guy, he wasn't just a spiritual praying priestly type of king, he was also a freedom fighter. He was fighting to alleviate the oppressors, first of THE PHILISTINES. FOR GOD had unfinished business with the Philistines, and Hezekiah made it his business to settle the score with the Philistines BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SLEEP with the enemy and call yourself free. He fought long and hard to move back the Philistines, and then he had to fight Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, who was a tyrant. He fought valiantly, and he fought mightily, and he fought with great tenacity. Hezekiah was a warrior. He was influenced by Isaiah. Isaiah was was a bit of a mentor to him. He was a mentee up under Isaiah. He was kind of to him what Paul was to Timothy. Isaiah was the voice of reason and conscience in his EAR THAT THAT APPLAUDED HIM, AND HEZEKIAH HAD DONE MUCH TO TO TO REESTABLISH order and worship, and then then then things went wrong. Have you Have you ever wondered how bad things can happen to good people? SEE SEE, HAD HAD HIS FATHER GROWN SICK, BROKE OUT WITH BOILS, the diseases in his feet, YOU COULD KIND OF UNDERSTAND it cuz his father was wicked and evil and hadn't done much good. But when you've DONE GOOD, WHEN YOU'RE SO GOOD AND REAP BAD, IT'S A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. WHEN WHEN YOU WHEN WHEN YOU'VE HELPED AND YOU'VE PRAYED AND YOU'VE WORSHIPED AND you've sang and you've danced and you've clapped, you came to church, you brought your tithes, you raised your kids, you paid your bills, you've been as honorable as a human being can be, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TROUBLE COMES TO YOUR DOOR, IT'S A SHOCKING THING TO FIND THAT NONE of your righteousness has exempted you from pain. You could have been a good wife, and he still left. You could have been a good husband, and she still cheated. You could have been a good mama, and the kids still cursed you out. I know you don't know anything about what I'm talking about, BUT THERE THERE ARE TIMES THAT THAT YOU ARE BROKEN IN WAYS that are confusing. To have SUCH A GOOD TRACK RECORD. WHERE DID I GO WRONG? WHAT HAPPENED? I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE YOU NEVER PRAYED THAT PRAYER, BUT I HAVE HAD TO ASK GOD, WHERE DID I GO WRONG? WHY AM I GOING THROUGH THIS AFTER DOING THIS AND THAT AND THE OTHER AND THE OTHER? THIS WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO END UP LIKE THIS. IT'S IT'S KIND OF IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT I WAS PREACHING LAST SUNDAY. YEAH. YOU REMEMBER THAT WHEN I YEAH. I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. I KNOW I GAVE YOU $100 AND YOU'RE ONLY GIVING ME BACK 60. I MAY HAVE TO TAKE IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT CUZ I KNOW I GAVE YOU BETTER THAN YOU GAVE ME BACK. I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. DOES ANYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE SHORTCHANGED? SHORTCHANGED. These are the things that try men's souls. These are the conditions that that that challenge our faith. What do you do when it seems like it seems like I'm not saying it's is like, but it seems like faith don't work. What do you do when you you've prayed for other people and they got blessed, and you prayed for your situation and it it got worse. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CAN HELP EVERYBODY BUT YOURSELF? WHAT DO YOU DO? WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE A FIGHTER, BUT YOU'VE FALLEN OFF your horse, and now you're laid on your back, and there is no captivity like the captivity you go through when you put a warrior in bed? Child was meant to fight. I was not CREATED TO SLEEP. HEZEKIAH WAS NOT MADE FOR BEDS, HE WAS MADE FOR BATTLE. HE WAS A FIGHTER. AND THERE is nothing as tough as taking care of somebody who was built for battle, but they're stuck in bed. I want to describe beyond the physical infirmities that has brought him to the point of debasement that now he is incarcerated in an infirmity. I want to go deeper than that and to enunciate the psychological propensities of putting a warrior in the bed. So, he's not just hurting in his feet, he's hurting in his sensibilities. This man has rode horses, commanded chariots, subdued armies. HE HAS RUN INTO VILLAGES, PILLAGED THEM WITH FIRE, AND FOUGHT HIS WAY OUT. And now he's laying in the bed and wondering, how did I end up like this? AND WHAT EXACERBATES THE TEXT IS THAT HEZEKIAH WAS A WORSHIPER. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE DEMONIC VOICES THAT WERE STANDING ON THE PILLAR SAYING, "WHERE YOUR GOD NOW?" "Tore down all those idols, you might as well have left them up." "You built back the temple, but what good did it do you now?" I know y'all don't have those voices. But when I grew up, we used to have those cartoon characters and you would have a angel on one side and the devil with the pitchfork on the other. They They both live right here. They They live right here. The The angel is quoting scriptures to me and the devil is saying, "Cuss her out." The angel IS BRINGING BACK SCRIPTURES TO MY MIND AND THE DEVIL is saying, "If you take THIS CUSS WORD AND PUT IT WITH THAT CUSS WORD and put it with HER LAST NAME, IT WILL RHYME. AND IF YOU RHYME, YOU CAN RAP TO IT. AND IF YOU RAP TO IT, WE ALL HAVE TO LIVE BETWEEN TWO VOICES. ONE TELLING YOU TO DO right and one telling you to DO WRONG. ONE TAUNTING YOU SAYING, "WHERE IS YOUR FAITH?" AND THE OTHER one saying, "Hold on to God." He may not come when you want him, but he's right on time. YOU MIGHT BE SICK, BUT YOU CAN STILL CALL HIS NAME AND HE WILL deliver you. YOU MIGHT BE DOWN TO YOUR LAST DIME, BUT THE GOD I SERVE IS ABLE TO BRING YOU OUT. ISN'T IT CRAZY HOW FAITH AND FEAR CAN COHABITATE UNDER THE SAME TENT?
Still to come on the Potter's Touch. In some area of your life, your faith has been put on trial. I guarantee you at some point in your life, you will go through something that whether you say it or not, you will think to yourself, "WHERE IS GOD?" JOB SAID, "I LOOKED FOR HIM ON THE LEFT hand and I couldn't see him. I LOOKED FOR HIM ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I COULDN'T SEE HIM. I CANNOT SEE HIM. WHERE ARE YOU?"
MEGAFEST 2015 is more than a festival. It's an experience. This is MegaFest. From August 19th to the 23rd, MegaFest is taking over Dallas. An extravaganza for the whole family. And 100% pure fun. There is something for everyone. Visit mega-fest.com to find event updates and to make reservations. This experience is one you don't want to miss. Look at somebody and say, "Get well soon." It'd be a shame to live and die and never be well. It'd be a shame to go through decades and decades and never be well. It'd be a shame to go to work and come home day after day after day and never be well. And it would be a shame to go to church Sunday after Sunday after Sunday and never be well. But I want to tell you something. I know a whole lot of people that go to church, but they're not well. I know a whole lot of people that dance and shout, BUT THEY'RE NOT WELL. IN FACT, YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW SICK THEY ARE TILL YOU MARRY OR GO HOME OR GET INVOLVED OR GO TO WORK. EVERYBODY TALKING ABOUT HEAVEN AIN'T GOING there heaven. Faith has been put on trial. I guarantee you I guarantee you whether you're in the balcony or the back row or you're sitting over here or sitting over here or in the choir or with the pastors I guarantee you in some area of your life, your faith has been put on trial. I guarantee you at some point in your life, you will go through something that whether you say it or not, you will think to yourself, "WHERE IS GOD?" JOB SAID, "I LOOKED FOR HIM ON THE LEFT hand and I couldn't see him. I LOOKED FOR HIM ON THE RIGHT SIDE, I COULDN'T SEE HIM. I CANNOT SEE HIM. WHERE ARE YOU?" IN THIS MARRIAGE, WHERE are you in this layoff? Where are you in this crisis? Where are you in this mortgage being backed up? Where are you in my car being repossessed? Where are you in my daughter being pregnant? Where are you in my son being strung OUT ON DRUGS? WHERE ARE YOU IN MY BROTHER BEING HIV POSITIVE? WHERE ARE YOU? I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCHING. The Ohio State University done some research on the impact of faith on wounds. And it is a statistical fact that people who have faith recover more quickly from wounds. They heal more rapidly. They are restored more rapidly. It is also a fact the Mayo Clinic did some research and pointed out that it is also a fact that they age more gracefully, are less prone to have strokes and STRESS ATTACKS. THEY THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS. They They They want TO POINT AT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ramifications of HAVING FAITH BECAUSE SCIENTISTS DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A GOD that sits high and looks low AND HAS ALL POWER in his hands. AND WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE RESEARCH, IT DIDN'T SAY THAT PEOPLE WITH FAITH DON'T GET WOUNDED. BUT IT DID SAY THEY HEAL FASTER. I CANNOT SAY THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN WOUNDED, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I HEAL REAL FAST. LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SAY, "MY FAITH WORKS. MY FAITH WORKS." It It IT IT MAY NOT STOP THE INJURY, BUT IT HASTENS THE RECOVERY. I'M GOING TO SAY THAT AGAIN. IT MAY NOT STOP THE INJURY, BUT IT HASTENS THE RECOVERY. AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, LOOK AROUND YOU. THESE PEOPLE YOU SEE IN CHURCH TODAY ARE NOT HERE WITHOUT BRUISES. SOME HAVE BEEN CUT. SOME HAVE BEEN STABBED. SOME HAVE BEEN SHOT. SOME HAVE BEEN BETRAYED. SOME HAVE BEEN LIED ON. SOME HAVE BEEN OSTRACIZED. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR MIND, HAD A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN. BUT EVERY TIME THE DEVIL THOUGHT HE Isaiah Isaiah is coming to visit the sick and shut in. It's maybe a Sunday afternoon, maybe in the pastures visiting the sick and so he comes over to visit his mentee Hezekiah. Hezekiah, can you imagine the joy that must have filled his heart when he heard Isaiah coming through the gate? Oh, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel. He's He's come to bring the good news. And Isaiah walked in the house and said, "Thus saith the Lord, set your house in order, for surely you are going to die. You will not recover." Now, you could rebuke him and say HE'S A FALSE PROPHET, BUT HE'S YOUR TEACHER. HE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF EVERYTHING you understand about God. His mouth said, "You will not recover from this." There's no more saying if it be the will of God because Isaiah is an eagle eye prophet. That's his nickname is eagle eye prophet. He sees clearly and precisely like an eagle. And so there's no doubt about it being the will of God. Isaiah has spoken truth. "You will die." And turns around and walks away. And then Hezekiah begins the struggle. The struggle to recover is more intense than the struggle of affliction. If you have to work to get well. See, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU. YOU HAVE TO WORK TO get well. FAITH WITHOUT SO SO, HEZEKIAH TURNS CUZ HE HE'S got some work to do. He He says He says, "I got a good resume." He said, "Look Look at my resume. Look at my background. Look at how I tried to serve you. Look at how I tried to worship you. Look at how I tore down the idols and look at how I restored your temple and look at how I I I broke yolks and look at Look AT HOW I FOUGHT FOR YOU AND LOOK AT HOW I STOOD UP FOR YOU and and the death angel is still flapping his wings and Isaiah is still headed out of the court and and and when you READ IT IN SECOND KINGS, YOU DON'T REALLY GET IT TILL YOU READ IT IN ISAIAH BECAUSE IN ISAIAH, ISAIAH TELLS US THE LINE THAT HEZEKIAH PRAYED THAT TURNED HIM AROUND. HEZEKIAH WAS PRAYING AND NOTHING IN HIS BACKGROUND WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO BREAK THE HOLD OF SICKNESS ON HIS LIFE. BUT FINALLY, HE SAID TO GOD, HE SAID, "GOD, THE GRAVE CANNOT PRAISE YOU. YOU CAN'T GET ANY GLORY OUT OF ME DYING. BUT IF YOU KEEP ME ALIVE, I PROMISE YOU EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, I WILL GIVE YOU THE PRAISE. MY GOD, IF I DON'T PRAISE HIM, THE ROCKS WILL CRY OUT. IF I DON'T PRAISE HIM, THE ROCKS WILL CRY OUT. DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAME FROM? Isaiah's on his way out. AND HE'S SURE HE'S HEARD FROM GOD. BUT JUST BEFORE HE COULD GET OUT OF THE OUTER COURT, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ISAIAH AND SAID, "ISAIAH, GO BACK AND THE LORD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU THAT HE'S ABOUT TO REVERSE THE VERDICT." SEE, IN IN THEOLOGY, THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL AN ANTHROPOMORPHIC TERM. It is when you use a humanistic term to explain something that defies human logical comprehension. Like it repented the Lord that he ever made man. The eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the earth. Doesn't mean God has eyeballs going everywhere. It's just that he's using something you can relate to to explain something that you could never understand. And so, I don't know exactly what God did because Isaiah's word from God was correct. It was true. It was as true as gravity is true. Whatever goes up must come down. THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THAT HEZEKIAH TIED INTO A HIGHER LAW. IT'S LIKE THE LAW OF GRAVITY AGAINST THE LAW OF AERODYNAMICS. THERE IS A HIGHER LAW THAT SUPERSEDES LOWER LAWS. THE LOWER LAW SAID, "IF YOU'RE THIS SICK, YOU'RE GOING TO DIE." BUT THE HIGHER LAW SAID, "IF YOU PRAISE GOD, HE WILL BRING YOU OUT." ISAIAH, GO BACK AND TELL HEZEKIAH, "IF YOU'RE GOING TO PRAISE ME, I'LL ADD 15 YEARS TO YOUR LIFE." NOW, I KNOW YOU'RE A CHURCH FOLK AND I DON'T WANT TO BOTHER YOU. BUT IF THERE IS A PRAISE THAT WILL TURN THINGS AROUND AND GIVE YOU 15 YEARS OF LIFE, WOULDN'T YOU GIVE?
What do you do when you've been a fighter and you've fallen off of your horse? Don't let the pain that you're going through deter the purpose that God has for your life. Let me pray with you that you can get back up again because I am a living witness you can get back up again. Father, I thank you because you have the grace that is sufficient enough to heal, to deliver, to strengthen, and fortify. And when healing is delayed, your grace is still sufficient. Give that grace to those souls that are praying with me right now that whatever state they're in, they can look to you as the author and the finisher of their faith. In Jesus' name, amen. Now, listen, let me hear from you. Let's seal the deal. I want you to just seal it right now by faith and send me a word let me know that you received the word and that God is strengthening you and just just claim recovery. Uh emotionally, spiritually, financially, whatever they're under attack, uh get well. Come out of it. Don't lay in it. Don't wallow in it. It is get out of it right now in Jesus' name. Thank you to all of you that support this ministry, this broadcast, and see it as a vital part of your spiritual well-being. When you support it, it really does make a difference enabling me to stay on the air to say that I care. If you are a pastor, if you are a leader, whether you are leading in a church or leading in a department store, you need to be at the International Pastors and Leadership Conference. April 30th May the 2nd is where great minds gather themselves together. John Maxwell, Samuel Rodriguez, Steven Furtick, and more are coming together with Bishop T.D. Jakes to teach you leadership, leadership, and more leadership. Come and learn how at the International Pastors and Leadership Conference 2015. Register today at pastorsandleadership.org or call 1-800-Bishop2. Build locally. Think globally. You don't have to wish for it or sit around hoping for it. The all-encompassing freedom of Christ is yours today when you have the will to recover. I may have done what they say I did, but I am not what they say I am. Have you ever done something that didn't reflect who you are? For your gift of any size, you will receive the encouraging message from Guilt to Gratitude on CD from The Will to Recover series. Bishop Jakes will teach you how to find victory in unexpected places, how to overcome your past so that you can go to the next level, how to eliminate excuses so you can get your power back, and much more. You cannot heal it if you won't own it. And when your gift is $75 or more, you will receive the inspirational series The Will to Recover on DVD. However, for your gift of $160 or more, you will receive The Will to Recover series on DVD, a brand new King James Version Bible, and Great Is Thy Faith wall art. Victory can be found in unexpected places when you have the will to recover. It is not your praise alone that brings about your preservation. It is also your purpose. I put something inside of you that the world is going to need and no weapon formed against shall be able to prosper. And every tongue that rises against you, it shall be condemned because there's something in you.
This is The Potter's Touch. Coming up on The POTTER'S TOUCH. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU FUSS ABOUT THAT'S EATING AT YOU. IT'S WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN UP ON FUSSING ABOUT. IT'S IT'S WHAT YOU ENDURE IN SILENCE AND NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN UP ON THE expectation of of any kind of retribution, ANY KIND OF RECIPROCITY, and you are in Lodebar when you stop talking about what you lost in the transaction.
This is The Potter's Touch. Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our king. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to share the word of the Lord with you, to be a part of your life, and to present the gospel of Jesus Christ in what I hope will be compelling and provocative ways. Have you ever felt shortchanged? Felt like you invested more than you're getting back? You pour into people and pour into people and you don't get the reaction, the response that you need, or you gave yourself to a project, or you gave yourself to a job, or you gave yourself to a church, a ministry, a choir, and you just say, "Lord, I'm not complaining, but what I see back is not commensurate with what I invested." This message is called Shortchanged. I've been there. I know that feeling and I believe that it will speak to your life in a powerful way. Take a look at this and be blessed. Okay, you don't mind if I exchange this with you. It's $100. It's $100 right here. And I'm going to give you I'm going to give it back to you in 20s. And you'll understand this better by and by, okay? And this is 20 and that's 40 and and that's 60. Thank you. I I I'm sure. Okay. You trust me? You you gave me $100 and what did I give you there? I gave you 60. And and you but you trust me cuz you know I'm up to something, don't you? Okay, you stick around for a minute and I'm going to explain it in a minute, okay? You see how she don't want to go? But you trust me. Don't go far. Okay. She She She I gave her She gave me a hundred. And and and I gave her back three twenties. And and and and she stood there. She trusted me, but And she And she loved me and everything like that, but uh The problem the lady is having with the transaction is that she has been shortchanged. And and and and that's my subject this morning. Shortchanged. You always feel shortchanged when you have invested more than what you got back. And the problem with so many of us today, we're smiling and we're all dressed up and we're smelling good and we got our clothes on straight and our socks are matching. But we're living with the feeling of being shortchanged. When When you invest more than you get back, when you when you sow more than you reap, when you've been better to people than they've been back to you, when you when when you've been faithful to people that haven't been faithful to you, when you serve people that won't serve you, when you've POURED INTO CHILDREN AND THEY DON'T POUR BACK INTO YOU, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN A GOOD SON OR DAUGHTER AND YOU DON'T SEE A GOOD MOM or dad, whenever you you put in a hundred and YOU GET BACK 60, YOU I DON'T CARE
HOW YOU SMILE AND POLITELY WALK AWAY. AS SHE WALKED AWAY, SHE WAS COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THE TRANSACTION HAS OCCURRED, BUT UH I HAVE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. AND IT'S NOT JUST RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERRELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE. IT IS ALSO FEELING LIKE OTHER PEOPLE GOT SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T GET. THAT YOU YOU'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED AND IF YOU'D HAVE MORE SUPPORT, YOU'D HAVE WENT TO SCHOOL. IF YOU'D HAVE MORE SUPPORT, YOU'D HAVE GOT YOUR DEGREE. IF IF YOU HADN'T HAVE HAD THIS TO HAPPEN TO YOU, THAT HAPPENED TO YOU. IF THE CAR WRECK HADN'T HAVE HAPPENED, IF GRANDMA HADN'T DIED, IF MAMA SUSIE WAS ALIVE, IF DADDY WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH MAMA, I WOULD HAVE GONE FURTHER AND I I AM I'M LIVING WITH WITH 60 WHEN I SHOULD HAVE GOT A HUNDRED. I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED.
WHEN WHEN YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE AS A MARRIED COUPLE AND AND YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STREET AT THE OTHER COUPLE SITTING AND LAUGHING AND TALKING AND SMILING AND YOU AND HER CAN'T THINK OF NOTHING TO SAY. YOU FEEL SHORTCHANGED. WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING MORE LIFE OR HAVING MORE LOVE OR HAVING MORE SEX OR HAVING MORE MONEY AND YOU'RE YOU'RE JUST DEALING WITH THE 60 WHEN YOU EXPECTED A HUNDRED, YOU MIGHT SMILE, DANCE, SHOUT. I DON'T CARE IF YOU LOOK AT ME WITH YOUR HOLY SELF. I'MMA BRING IT DOWN TO WHERE IT'S REAL. YOU MIGHT DANCE, GIVE A SHOUT, BUT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, YOU ARE LIVING YOUR LIFE EXACTLY LIKE THAT WOMAN WHO WALKED AWAY FEELING LIKE, YOU KNOW, I I LOVE BISHOP, BUT I GOT GOOD SENSE. THREE TWENTIES DON'T MAKE A HUNDRED. HAS LIFE HANDED YOU THREE TWENTIES? AND YOU KNOW YOU PUT IN A HUNDRED. YOU'RE LOOKING AT A SITUATION YOU'RE YOU'RE SHORTCHANGED. YOU'RE 40 YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE STILL SINGLE. YOU'RE 50 YEARS OLD AND YOU'RE STILL SINGLE. YOU'RE 60 YEARS OLD AND YOU GOT TO GO OUT, YOU GOT TO KILL THE PIG, MAKE THE BACON, BRING THE BACON HOME, OPEN UP THE DOOR, UNPACK THE GROCERIES, TAKE OUT THE TRASH, FRY THE BACON UP, CLEAN UP EVERYTHING AND YOU SAY IT WAS CUTE AT FIRST, BUT NOW I'M GETTING OLDER AND I'M TIRED OF THIS. AND AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WILLIE, WHO WASN'T CUTE, HE'S LOOKING BETTER NOW BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED.
SEE, IT WHEN WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP, ALL OF US HAVE SOME AREA IN OUR LIFE OF INEQUITY. A POOR RETURN ON A FULL INVESTMENT. AREAS WHERE IF WE'D HAVE ONLY GOT MORE SUPPORT, IF WE WERE IF WE'D ONLY BEEN ABLE TO TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT BEFORE WE WENT TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING, WE'D HAVE DONE BETTER IN SCHOOL. IF WE IF MAMA AND DADDY HADN'T HAVE BEEN FIGHTING ALL OVER THE HOUSE, IF MAMA HADN'T HAVE HAD ALL THEM STRANGE UNCLES COMING IN AND OUT OF MY HOUSE, MAYBE I WOULD HAVE WENT TO COLLEGE. I DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY HAD. YOU I KNOW. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU YOU YOU YOU'RE DEALING WITH WHAT SHE'S DEALING WITH. YOU'RE DEALING WITH WHAT'S LEFT. BUT YOU'RE NOT DEALING WITH WHAT'S RIGHT. SHE WALKED AWAY WITH WHAT WAS LEFT. BUT IT WASN'T RIGHT. IT WASN'T RIGHT. AND WHEN THINGS ARE NOT RIGHT, IT'S FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU WHEN YOU HAVE WHEN YOU HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN YOU GOT BACK. YOU HAVE BEEN SHORTCHANGED.
THERE ARE THREE MEN IN IN THE IN THE TEXT THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING. EACH ONE IN HIS OWN WAY HAS BEEN SHORTCHANGED. WHEN WHEN WHEN WHEN YOU WHEN YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THERE IS A STORY HERE WHERE DAVID HAS COME INTO A PALACE THAT BY ALL RIGHTS SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HIS. HIS PREDECESSOR AS KING IS SAUL. AND SAUL HAS A SON NAMED JONATHAN. AND IF ANYBODY SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SUCCESSOR TO SAUL, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN JONATHAN. BUT JONATHAN AND SAUL ARE DEAD AND DAVID BECOMES THE KING OF ISRAEL. AND HE'S LIVING IN A PALACE THAT HE WASN'T POINTED TO. AND HE'S SITTING IN A SEAT THAT HE WASN'T GROOMED FOR. AND HE'S GOT A POWER THAT HE'S NEVER SEEN BEFORE. AND HE'S ON THE INSIDE AND THE KINFOLK ARE ON THE OUTSIDE. AND DAVID IS WALKING AROUND IN HIS PALACE SAYING, "IS THERE ANYONE LEFT OF THE HOUSE OF JONATHAN?" NOW, JONATHAN, WHO IS THE SON OF THE KING, WAS DAVID'S BEST FRIEND. AND BUT JONATHAN IS DEAD. AND AND AND AND AND THE PROBLEM IS JONATHAN IS DEAD AND DAVID'S LOVE TOWARD JONATHAN IS NOT. BECAUSE LOVE DOESN'T DIE. AND IT DOESN'T BURY WITH THE GRAVE. SO DAVID IS SAYING, "I NEED SOMEBODY TO LOVE. AND I I NEED SOMEBODY TO POUR UH IS THERE ANY OF JONATHAN'S KIDS LEFT THAT THAT ARE NOT KILLED, THAT ARE NOT DESTROYED, THAT ARE NOT GONE?" AND IF ANYBODY LEFT, AND ALL THEY SAID NO, THEY'RE ALL GONE. EXCEPT HE DID HAVE A SON NAMED UH UH MEPHIBOSHETH, BUT BUT BUT MEPHIBOSHETH IS IN LODEBAR. MEPHIBOSHETH IS IN LODEBAR AND LODEBAR MEANS THE PLACE OF NO COMMUNICATION. AND IT IS THE PLACE OF NO PASTURES. NOTHING GROWS GREEN THERE. NOT EVEN COMMUNICATION. AND MEPHIBOSHETH IS DOWN THERE AND HE'S LAME, NOT IN ONE FOOT. HE'S LAME IN BOTH OF HIS FEET. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN KING. BUT SOMEBODY DROPPED HIM AND HE GOT SHORTCHANGED.
SO THE PERSON WHO WAS DESIGNATED TO BE HEIR TO THE THRONE AND HAD EVERY RIGHT TO INHERIT HIS GRANDFATHER'S KINGDOM IS SITTING IN A PLACE THAT WON'T EVEN GROW GRASS. LODEBAR DOWN THERE IN IN LODEBAR WHERE THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION. AND THE FUNNY THING ABOUT BEING SHORTCHANGED IS SOONER OR LATER, SHORTCHANGED WILL SHUT UP. SOONER OR LATER, YOU'LL STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT IT. SOONER OR LATER, YOU'LL STOP CRYING ABOUT IT. SOONER OR LATER, SHORTCHANGED WILL ALWAYS END UP IN LODEBAR CUZ LODEBAR IS A PLACE OF NO COMMUNICATION AND IT IS THE SILENT FRUSTRATION THAT EATS AT THE FIBER OF YOUR SOUL. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU FUSS ABOUT THIS EVENING, IT'S YOU. IT'S WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN UP ON FUSSING ABOUT. IT'S IT'S WHAT YOU ENDURE IN SILENCE AND NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN UP ON THE EXPECTATION OF OF ANY KIND OF RETRIBUTION, ANY KIND OF RECIPROCITY AND YOU ARE IN LODEBAR WHEN YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU LOST IN THE TRANSACTION. AND YOU DECIDE, "I'VE GOT TO MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION." AND THEY ARE ALL LIVING IN LODEBAR.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN THE TEXT IS A CULTURE OF BEING CUT SHORT. LOOK AROUND YOUR LIFE IF YOU'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. CHECK OUT YOUR ENVIRONMENT AND I BET YOU YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN YOUR STORY THAT WAS SHORTCHANGED. I BET YOU IF YOU'RE A SHORTCHANGED DAUGHTER, I BET YOU SOMEWHERE THERE'S A SHORTCHANGED MAMA. I BET YOU IF YOU'RE A SHORTCHANGED SON, IF YOU COULD FIND YOUR DADDY, YOU WOULD FIND OUT HE WAS SHORTCHANGED, TOO. AND SO LODEBAR EPITOMIZES A CULTURE AND AN ENVIRONMENT OF CUT SHORT. AND YOU SEE, SHE WAS CUT SHORT, SHE WAS SHORTCHANGED, BUT SHE SURVIVED. SHE WAS SHORTCHANGED, BUT SHE MADE IT BACK TO HER SEAT. SHE WAS SHORTCHANGED, BUT SHE LEARNED HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. SHE WAS SHORTCHANGED, BUT SHE CARRIED HER OWN CROSS. SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF HER MIND, I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH I PREACH OR TEACH, SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF HER MIND IS, "YOU OWE ME." AND I DON'T CARE HOW STRONG WE ARE AND HOW WELL WE LEARN HOW TO RISE ABOVE IT, SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, "YOU OWE ME."
STILL TO COME ON THE POTTER'S TOUCH. THE LORD SAID THAT HE HAS YOU ON HIS MIND. THE LORD SAID THAT HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN WHAT YOU DIDN'T GET. AND THE LORD SAID YOU'RE GOING TO COME INTO A SEASON OF RESTORATION. AND THE LORD SAID, "I WILL RESTORE UNTO YOU THE YEARS THAT THE CANKERWORM AND THE PALMERWORM AND THE LOCUSTS ATE UP. GOD SAID I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU DOUBLE." MEGAFEST 2015 IS MORE THAN A FESTIVAL. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE. THIS IS MEGAFEST. FROM AUGUST 19TH TO THE 23RD, MEGAFEST IS TAKING OVER DALLAS. AN EXTRAVAGANZA FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. AND 100% PURE FUN. THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. VISIT MEGA-FEST.COM TO FIND EVENT UPDATES AND TO MAKE RESERVATIONS. THIS EXPERIENCE IS ONE YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS.
IS THERE ANYBODY IN HERE THAT WILL BREAK THE SILENCE AND SAY, "I MADE IT, BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED." I MADE IT. I MADE IT. I MADE IT. BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. TELL SOMEBODY SAY, "I MADE IT, BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED." TELL SOMEBODY ELSE I MADE IT, BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. I MADE IT, BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. I SURVIVED IT, BUT I'VE BEEN SHORTCHANGED. I THOUGHT I'D MAKE IT WITH A HUSBAND. I THOUGHT I'D HAVE A WIFE. I THOUGHT MY KIDS WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME. I THOUGHT MY MAMA WOULD STOP SLEEPING AROUND. I THOUGHT MY DADDY WOULD PAY THE BILL. I MADE IT! BUT I ALAS, I HAVE BEEN SHORTCHANGED.
BUT THE LORD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. YES, SIR. THE LORD SAID THAT HE HAS YOU ON HIS MIND. THE LORD SAID THAT HE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN WHAT YOU DIDN'T GET. AND THE LORD SAID YOU'RE GOING TO COME INTO A SEASON OF RESTORATION. AND THE LORD SAID, "I WILL RESTORE UNTO YOU THE YEARS THAT THE CANKERWORM AND THE PALMERWORM AND THE LOCUSTS ATE UP. GOD SAID I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU DOUBLE." SOMEBODY TAKE A MOMENT. SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN SHORTCHANGED. SOMEBODY WHO DON'T SAY NOTHING ABOUT IT AND GIVE GOD A TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR THIS IS A SHORTCHANGED PRAISE. IF YOU AIN'T BEEN SHORTCHANGED, YOU AIN'T GOT NO BUSINESS PRAISING. BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, I GOT 10 SECONDS LEFT TO GIVE GOD A I WANT YOU TO TOUCH 10 PEOPLE AND TELL THEM, "GET OUT OF LODEBAR. GET OUT OF LODEBAR." YOU GOT TO COME OUT OF LODEBAR. YOU GOT TO COME OUT OF LODEBAR. YOU GOT TO COME OUT OF LODEBAR. YOU GOT TO GET OUT OF LODEBAR. YOU GOT TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH. YOU GOT TO START GROWING SOMETHING. YOU GOT TO START PLANTING SOMETHING. YOU GOT TO START SAYING SOMETHING. YOU GOT TO START GROWING SOMETHING. YOU GOT TO START DOING SOMETHING. YOU CAN'T STAY IN LODEBAR. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. MY GOD, I FEEL A PRAISE IN THIS PLACE. THE REASON, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT GOD BLESSED ME SO MUCH ON THE BACK END, IS HOW I SUFFERED. OH, Y'ALL DON'T HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING. THE REASON GOD BLESSED ME ON THE BACK END OF MY LIFE IS HOW I HAD TO CRAWL THROUGH ON THE FRONT END OF MY LIFE. AND THE LORD SAID IF YOU DON'T TELL THEM YOUR STORY, THEY WON'T UNDERSTAND THEIR STORY. HE SAID, "TELL MY CHILDREN I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU." TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR IT'S MAKEUP TIME. IT'S MAKEUP TIME. IT'S MAKEUP TIME. GRAB YOUR POCKETBOOK. GET YOUR SUITCASE. GET YOUR HAT AND COAT. WE'RE COMING OUT OF LODEBAR. WE'RE COMING OUT IF WE GOT TO CRAWL OUT. WE'RE COMING OUT IF WE GOT TO BE DRUG OUT. WE'RE COMING OUT IF WE GOT TO BE CARRIED OUT.
SO, WATCH THIS. SO, WATCH THIS. GOD PUT MEPHIBOSHETH ON DAVID'S MIND. AND GOD SAID HE'S GOING TO PUT YOU ON SOMEBODY'S MIND WHO IS IN A POSITION TO RESTORE WHAT YOU LOST. SO, DAVID TOLD ZIBA TO GO DOWN THERE AND GET MEPHIBOSHETH. AND THERE MAKER WAS DOWN THERE TAKING CARE OF MEPHIBOSHETH, WORKING AT A DEFICIT. BUT WHEN ZIBA CAME DOWN TO GET MEPHIBOSHETH, IT RELIEVED MAKER OF HIS RESPONSIBILITY. AND GOD SAID SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND SOMEBODY ELSE, THE LORD SAID IT'S ALMOST OVER NOW. HE'S ABOUT TO LIFT A BURDEN. SO, ZIBA COMES DOWN TO MAKER AND SAID, "BARDER, YOU MADE A BAD DEAL. YOU HAD TO CARRY YOUR BURDEN AND MEPHIBOSHETH'S, TOO. BUT IT'S GOING TO TURN AROUND TODAY." AND HE TURNED THE WHOLE THING AROUND. IF YOU GOT REAL FAITH, TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR IT'S GOING TO TURN AROUND TODAY. AND SO, WHEN GOD GOT READY TO TURN IT AROUND, HE SENT ZIBA DOWN TO MAKER TO GET MEPHIBOSHETH. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, WAIT A MINUTE. LET ME LET ME FINISH THIS UP CUZ CUZ I I GOT SOME UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH YOU. I THINK LET ME THINK. YOU GAVE ME 100. AND I GAVE YOU 60. AND IF I UNDERSTAND MY MATHEMATIC EQUATIONS CORRECTLY, THAT MEANS I OWE YOU 40. THERE OUGHT TO BE TWO MORE 20S. BUT BECAUSE OF HOW YOU WAITED AND BECAUSE OF HOW YOU SUFFERED AND BECAUSE OF HOW YOU HELD YOUR PEACE AND BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T SAY NOTHING AND BECAUSE YOU PRAISED GOD ANYWAY AND BECAUSE YOU CLAPPED YOUR HANDS ANYWAY AND BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THE MONEY UP HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, GOD SAID, "I'M GOING TO POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING. YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM ENOUGH."
WELL, WATCH THIS. WHEN HE CAME TO GET MEPHIBOSHETH OUT, THE PROBLEM WAS MEPHIBOSHETH'S TIME OF DELIVERANCE HAD COME, BUT HE COULDN'T WALK. SO, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ZIBA CARRIED MEPHIBOSHETH OUT. AND THE LORD SAID HE'S GOING TO GET YOU OUT IF HE'S GOT TO USE SOMEBODY ELSE'S STRENGTH. IF HE'S GOT TO USE SOMEBODY ELSE'S POWER TO DRAW YOU OUT OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE AND OUT OF YOUR SITUATION, WHEN GOD GETS READY TO BRING HIM OUT. HE CARRIES MEPHIBOSHETH OUT OF LODEBAR AND BRINGS HIM INTO THE PALACE OF THE KING AND LAYS HIM ON THE FLOOR. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MEPHIBOSHETH FELT TO FINALLY GET IN THE PALACE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? BUT BECAUSE OF A DETOUR AND BECAUSE OF A SHORTCHANGE, IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING, BUT HE FINALLY GOT THERE. I CAME TO TELL SOMEBODY IT MAY BE A LONG TIME COMING, BUT IF YOU HOLD OUT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE. SLAP YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, "I'M ALMOST ALMOST THERE."
BRING ME ONE OF THOSE CHAIRS. AND SET IT RIGHT THERE. COME ON, MEME. YOU'VE BEEN DOWN LONG ENOUGH. YOU'VE CRIED LONG ENOUGH. YOU'VE SUFFERED LONG ENOUGH. YOU'VE HELD YOUR PEACE LONG ENOUGH. YOU'VE ENDURED HARDNESS LONG ENOUGH. GOD SAID, "I'M GOING TO BRING YOU OUT OF LODEBAR. I'M GOING TO SET YOU IN A PLACE THAT THE DEVIL SAID YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE. I'M GOING TO RAISE YOU ABOVE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE. I'M GOING TO LIFT YOU ABOVE YOUR SITUATION." AND THE LORD SAID, "EVEN WHEN YOU WERE IN LODEBAR, I HAD THIS SEAT WAITING ON YOU. AND WHEN YOU TAKE THIS SEAT, GOD SAID, "I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN AND POUR YOU OUT A BLESSING YOU WON'T HAVE ROOM ENOUGH TO RECEIVE." TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR, "SIT IN YOUR BLESSING." SIT IN IT. ROCK IN IT. SHOUT IN IT. DANCE IN IT. LIVE IN IT. DON'T LET ANYBODY MAKE YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. DON'T LET YOUR HATERS HATE YOU OUT OF IT. DON'T LET THE GOSSIPERS TALK YOU OUT OF IT. DON'T LET THE LIARS LIE YOU OUT OF IT. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH TO GET IN THE SEAT YOU'RE IN RIGHT NOW. TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE I'M FEELING RUNNING SPIRIT. SLAP SOMEBODY AND TELL THEM, "IT'S MY TIME NOW."
IF YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE BUT NEVER CHANGE YOUR HEART, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE SHORTCHANGED. IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MESSAGE IS SOMETHING THAT LIVES IN THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE WHICH GRADUALLY BREAKS DOWN YOUR JOY, TAKES YOUR PEACE, AND MAKES YOU BITTER INSIDE, QUITE FRANKLY. IF YOU DON'T GET A RESOLUTION ABOUT IT, IT CAN RUIN A MARRIAGE, A MINISTRY, OR CAREER. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS. ANYTIME THERE'S MORE GOING OUT THAN THERE IS COMING IN, THERE'S A DEPLETION, THERE'S A DEFICIT GOING ON THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH. I PRAY THIS MESSAGE WILL BLESS YOUR HEART AND BLESS YOUR LIFE AND LET YOU WOULD KNOW THAT WE HERE AT THE POTTER'S HOUSE CARE ABOUT YOU.
IF YOU ARE A PASTOR, IF YOU ARE A LEADER, WHETHER YOU ARE LEADING IN A CHURCH OR LEADING IN A DEPARTMENT STORE, YOU NEED TO BE AT THE INTERNATIONAL PASTORS AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE. IT'S APRIL 30TH MAY 2ND. IT'S WHERE GREAT MINDS GATHER THEMSELVES TOGETHER. JOHN MAXWELL, SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ, STEVEN FURTICK, AND MORE ARE COMING TOGETHER WITH BISHOP T.D. JAKES TO TEACH YOU LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP, AND MORE LEADERSHIP. COME AND LEARN HOW AT THE INTERNATIONAL PASTORS AND LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2015. REGISTER TODAY AT PASTORSANDLEADERSHIP.ORG OR CALL 1-800-BISHOP-2. BUILD LOCALLY. THINK GLOBALLY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WISH FOR IT OR SIT AROUND HOPING FOR IT. THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING FREEDOM OF CHRIST IS YOURS TODAY WHEN YOU HAVE THE WILL TO RECOVER. AND THEY HAVE DONE WHAT THEY SAY I DID, BUT I AM NOT WHAT THEY SAY I AM. HAVE YOU EVER DONE SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T REFLECT WHO YOU ARE? FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY SIZE, YOU WILL RECEIVE THE ENCOURAGING MESSAGE FROM GUILT TO GRATITUDE ON CD FROM THE WILL TO RECOVER SERIES. BISHOP JAKES WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO FIND VICTORY IN UNEXPECTED PLACES, HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR PAST SO THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, HOW TO ELIMINATE EXCUSES SO YOU CAN GET YOUR POWER BACK, AND MUCH MORE. YOU CANNOT HEAL IT IF YOU WON'T OWN IT. AND WHEN YOUR GIFT IS $75 OR MORE, YOU WILL RECEIVE THE INSPIRATIONAL SERIES THE WILL TO RECOVER ON DVD. HOWEVER, FOR YOUR GIFT OF $160 OR MORE, YOU WILL RECEIVE THE WILL TO RECOVER SERIES ON DVD, A BRAND NEW KING JAMES VERSION BIBLE, AND GREAT IS THY FAITH WALL ART. VICTORY CAN BE FOUND IN UNEXPECTED PLACES WHEN YOU HAVE THE WILL TO RECOVER.
TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR, "I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WAITING ON IT." I KNOW THE DEVIL TOLD YOU IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. I KNOW THE DEVIL SAID YOU WERE TOO MESSED UP. TOO BROKEN. TOO LAME. TOO LATE. BUT THE DEVIL IS A LIAR. GOD'S GOING TO CARRY YOU OUT. YOU OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM LIKE YOU JUST GOT OUT. YOU OUGHT TO PRAISE HIM LIKE YOU JUST GOT OUT. YOU OUT THERE. THIS IS THE POTTER'S TOUCH.