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[music] [music] [music] Praise the Lord everyone and welcome once again to another exciting episode of Doers of the Word Ministries broadcast. My name is Bishop Reginald Given and I am the senior pastor of the Word of Truth Community Worship Center. Our mailing address is 75 West Neweo Road, Sweet E342 in the city of Paris, California 92571. Here we are on the Marketplace Network and God has blessed me to have a word for you today that I pray will be a blessing to you.
So, we're going to go right into our word for today. Let's bow our heads and let's have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, I thank you and I praise you for the opportunity to share your word. And I pray, dear God, that it will resonate in the hearts of your people, Father, that you will strengthen them, that you will encourage them, that you will uplift them, and that you'll give them the victory in every area of their lives. Father, I thank you for your word, which is a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. I ask dear God that you'll help us to hide it in our hearts Lord that we not sin against you and that we be doers of your word and not just hearers only. We thank you father and we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.
Praise God. Well, the Lord would have me to encourage you today and I think encouragement is very very vital and very important. Uh, I personally don't think that anyone can have too much encouragement, especially the way the world is going today. >> And it really wouldn't hurt to even have a surplus of it on hand so that it can be at your disposal whenever you need it. I find that the word of God is what fuel is to a car. It literally helps us to get to wherever it is we need to be. People have always since the beginning of time had questions and inquiries as to why certain things happen in the world in which we live. And this will not change. And it is because of the inherent curiosity that is embedded within all of mankind. People will always want to know why. That is one of the greatest and most important questions known to man. Why? The famous gossip magazine that was entitled the National Inquirer. Some of you might remember that magazine. It built its whole reputation on the infamous slogan inquiring minds want to know.
And as we navigate daily through this thing that we call life, we are constantly bombarded by disillusionment, disappointment, as well as discouragement. And we have a multitude of things that serve to contribute to these feelings of despair. We have things such as racism, which is a huge problem that we have, and it is literally spiraling out of control every day. There is violence in the political arena as well as domestic violence in the home. There is a worldwide epidemic of drug addiction. Businesses that are designed to do business in our communities are literally going out of business. Folks getting laid off from their jobs with bills and mortgages to pay. Divorce is at an all-time high, not only in the world, but also even in the church. >> Yes. And people people have just stopped loving one another like they used to. And it is so sad. I remember that there was a time when we used to love one another for real. >> When love was for real. >> The kind of love that Jesus wanted us to have for one another. If you go with me to the book of St. John 15 12 and 13. Notice what Jesus said. He said these words. He said, "This is my commandment." And listen, it wasn't something that he left up to us uh as to do whether we wanted to do it or not. He commanded us to do this. This is my commandment that you love one another. >> Yes. >> As I have loved you. >> Amen. He said, "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Now, you just cannot carry love any further than that. >> Amen. This is the greatest limit and the greatest extreme >> that love can go that you lay down your life. And we used to have that kind of love for one another. >> Yes. But a lot of these things that I mentioned earlier and then some are contributors to what I call the four Ds. What are the four Ds? Number one, discouragement. Number two, disillusionment. Number three, despair. And of course, number four, disappointment. Amen. >> And none of these things would be ever we would ever have to contend with if it had not been for the very thing Jesus came to die for, which is our sins. >> Amen. Thank God that he came to die for our sins. >> And so here we have the answer. This this is the reason why we have all these things happening all around us simply because living in a fallen world will produce nothing but that which is corrupt.
And so the next question is what do we do? What do we do about what's going on around us? My wife, First Lady Given, she preached a message a couple of weeks ago entitled, "I don't want to do this anymore." It was a powerful message. It described the exacerbation one feels when it comes to dealing with such negative monotony in one's life. Amen. And because doing life like this has a tendency to make one weary and many have cried out in anxiety, Lord, I just don't want to do this anymore. And so the question as to what do we do is what my text is today. It is the most logical thing that we can do. And what is it? We must simply hold on. Amen. >> We must hold on because the only option you have left is to give up. >> And giving up is not one of our options. When you tell someone to hold on, what are you telling them? Uh what you're telling them is to be patient because change eventually is going to come. And even in light of this word of encouragement, people still want to know, what do we hold on to? It's one thing to tell someone to hold on, but what do we hold on to? >> Well, you hold on to the very thing that has never failed since the beginning of time. You hold on to what God has promised you. >> Amen. That's what you hold on to. what God has promised you. Listen in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20 Paul says for all the promises of God in him are yay and in him a man unto the glory of God by us. You see the devil does not want us to focus on the promises of God. But what the devil wants and what God wants for us are two different things.
First of all, listen to what God has promised. God has promised us number one that he will love us. In Jeremiah 31:3, it says, "The Lord has appeared of old unto me, saying, "Yay, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness have I drawn thee." M >> whenever you begin to feel like the love of your spouse, the love of your friends, the love of your children has dried up, remember that God loves you more than you could ever know. And he will keep on loving you. Watch this. Even if you mess up at times. I think that's important. I say thank God for that kind of love >> because if you're like me, you've messed up and so have I. >> Life is like that. You you don't you just don't get through it without making some mistakes. >> But listen, mess up with your spouse or mess up with your children or your friends and see what happens. >> There will be nothing between you and them that will ever be the same. But God says, "I love you with an everlasting love."
Number two, he promised to never leave us and never to forsake us. >> In St. John 14:8, it says, "I will not leave you comfortless, but I will come to you." This is what Jesus said to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. Now, this is signifying that although he may not be with us in bodily form, he has returned to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. >> Not only will he lead and guide us into all truth, which is his promise, but he will also comfort us in the midst of all of our trials and all of our difficulties. what that's called. It's called the peace of God. >> Amen. The peace of God. We find that in Philippians 4:7 where it says, "And the peace of God which passes all understanding or it goes beyond anything that you can conceive or imagine shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Amen. The peace of God is the peace that God gives to us when we feel anxious at times. When we're going through a storm, when things seem to be falling down around us and nothing is going right, God is has the ability to give us peace. Especially in those times when we feel we have no control over the things that are happening around us. And that feeling is is quite prevalent often times. You see, we have no control over the economy. We have no control over the gas prices. We we don't control the food prices. And and we don't control the interest rates. >> But I see in Isaiah chapter 26:3, and this is what we hold on to. We hold on to what God has promised us. Isaiah 26:3 tells us, "Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee." Amen. Or because he holds on to me, saith the Lord.
Now, I want to encourage you to hold on to the Lord today, saints. And and and I think that we all need to be encouraged to do that. >> Especially in times like these because the songwriter said, "In times like these, we need a savior." >> In times like these, we need an anchor. Be sure, saints, be very sure that your anchor holds and it grips the solid rock. >> He went on to say, "This rock is Jesus. He is the only one that can save us. He is the only one that can keep us. He is the only one that can shield us. And he is the only one that can free us.
Number three, the reason why he won't leave you is because he also promised that he has great plans for your life. Somebody ought to say, "Praise God." >> See, others may write you off completely. Others may exclude you completely from their presence. >> Others may not even let you into their circle. But the Lord is saying, "That's all right. I will still use you when others have excluded you." >> That's it. >> Because my plans for you will not fail. One of my favorite scriptures, Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts or I know the plans that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end. I believe that none of us will leave here until the plan of God has been fulfilled in each and every one of our lives." >> That's it. So, don't worry if you don't fit into the plans of others. Don't worry if you're no one's favorite. Uh you fit perfectly into the plans that God has for you.
And as I close, bring this message to a close, if there's one promise, if there's just one promise out of the many that God has made to us that we better hold on to more than any other promise, let it be this one. Number four, it is the promise that he made to come back for us so that we might be with him. In St. John 14:es 1-3 it says let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house >> wow >> are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you this is a part of the promise and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also. >> What a great and wonderful promise. >> You see this world is headed toward destruction and Jesus said he's coming back and it won't be long before he returns. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16-18, it says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. And notice what he says in verse 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I speak these words to you today to comfort you. I speak these words today to encourage you. Hold on, saints. Eternity is a lot longer than the short time that we each have down here on this earth. So, let's get ready for it. Let's not just get ready, but let's stay ready. And let's keep our eyes lifted up to the heels from whence cometh our help. >> You know where your help comes from? Your help comes from the Lord. So when things go crazy and things get tough, tell yourself as well as tell others to just hold on. Amen. Hold on. Change is coming after a while. Hold on. >> Amen.
I want to pray for you right now. Those of you that are struggling, those of you that are facing insurmountable odds, I just want to speak into your spirit today. Hold on. God has has it all worked out. God is going to deliver. God is going to heal. He's going to save. He's going to set free. But you got to hold on. The Bible says, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy will come in the morning, but you got to hold on." It says, "Be not weary in welloing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." That means you got to hold on. Amen. Pray with me. Heavenly Father, we come before you holding fast to our faith. Unwavering in our trust and in our promises in times of despair when our strength waivers, Lord, remind us of your unwavering presence. You are our refuge, oh God. You are our strength and you are our hope. Even with trials that test our faith, we rejoice, Lord, knowing that these trials produce patience, leading us to perfection in you. We rebuke the enemy's attempt to shake our faith. For you, Lord, are greater than the enemy that we face. We declare our unwavering belief in you, our confidence in your guidance and in your support. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer with me and God has blessed you and has touched your heart, send a comment. Let us know how this word has blessed you. You can send your comments to uh Doers of the Word Ministries at Marketplace Network and we will listen to your comments. We'll accept your prayer requests. And if you would also take a step of faith and help us to stay on the air, my mailing address is down at the bottom of the screen. 75 West Newevo Road, Sweet E342, Paris, California 92571. And I pray that the Lord will impress upon your heart to send in an offering. Send in what you can. $20, $50, $100, $200 to help us stay on the air and to continue to bring these types of messages to you that will encourage you and lift you up and help you to hold on.
Well, once again, my name is Bishop Reginald Given, and I thank God for this opportunity to share this word with you on the Doers of the Mini Doers of the Word Ministries on the Marketplace Network. And until next time, until we meet again, may God's richest blessings continue to be yours. God bless you. >> [music] [music] [music]