Participants:
Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000004S
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00:04 Sermon #S003 - What keeps You Coming? Part 2
00:19 Pastor Snell: Grettings beloved, this is the day that the Lord has made. I don't know about you but I 00:25 going to rejoice and be glad in it. I am completely excited and elated for the opportunity to bring the 00:33 gospel of Jesus Christ right there to your living room. On last week we started the message entitled 00:39 "What Keeps You Coming?", where we began learning about the power of God to heal and the strenght that we 00:46 gain through faith. So this week I want to encourage you to stay with us once again. Get comfortable, 00:51 get a snack, put your comfortable blanket on, as I give you Part 2 of the message - 00:57 "What Keeps You Coming?" 01:01 Pastor Snell: See, it's amazing how in diets, on counselors, and food, 01:04 the prophet literally says that we've taken health reform. She says, 01:08 we've turned it into health deform. She says, the reason we've done this is 01:14 because we have taken a message of liberation and we've turned it into a message of bondage. 01:20 The reason you all were sad when I said it was health day was 01:24 because what we do with health is we've made it a faulty fake measuring stick for our spirituality. 01:33 But how many of us understand that eating right doesn't save you? 01:37 Eating right simply prospers you on why you all elected a church? 01:42 How many of us understand that the Bible says the thief comes to steal, to kill and to destroy. 01:48 But Jesus says, "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly." 01:54 See, the problem with the church in our time is that we've made the message of health about our 02:00 distinctiveness and not their deliverance. We've made it about our uniqueness, 02:07 and not their upliftment. We've made it about our rightness, and not their relief. 02:13 What the world needs to know is that if you know the truth, that the truth shall set you free. 02:21 Are you hearing me today, saints? 02:22 [Congregation: Clapping] 02:25 See, the reason we've got to preach this as a message of liberation is how many of us understand that 02:29 there is a correlation between black health and black wealth. See, I need us to understand, 02:36 friends with mine, that the average American household spends about eleven percent of their annual 02:44 income on out-of-pocket health expenses, like premiums and co-pays and prescription drugs, 02:50 but the average African American family spends about twenty percent of their income on out of care 02:58 pocket health expenses. 03:00 Do you realize that six hundred billion dollars were spent on prescription drugs last year 03:07 and about eighty-five billion of those dollars came from our community alone? 03:12 Do you realize that almost thirteen billion dollars come from the African American community 03:19 in visits to the emergency room annually? Billions of dollars are taken from our community 03:25 because of bail when a fifth of those dollars are related to mental issues of our 03:32 people who are not being treated. 03:35 Too often we raise the false narrative that the reason we're not doing well is 03:40 because we are spending all our money on weed; and we're spending all our money on liquor; 03:45 and we are spending all of our money on rum; and we spending all our money on clothes. 03:50 When the truth is that every community has its indulgences, 03:54 but what would happen if we start preaching this message of liberation? 04:00 What would happen if we took the money that was going into prescription drugs 04:06 and we start putting it into land? What would happen if we start building an endowment for Pfizer 04:13 and start building an endowment for historically black colleges? 04:17 What would happen if we took the money from co-pays and start putting them into 401(k)? 04:24 What would happen if we took the money from bail and start putting them into school? 04:30 What I'm saying today, friends, 04:32 is that we've got to get to a place where we recognize that wealth starts with health. 04:39 Are you hearing me today, saints? 04:41 [Congregation: Clapping] 04:43 Let me just say this, beloved. See, when we look at financial blessings, 04:48 we are only look at how much we have coming in. 04:52 But how many of you all know that when God blesses your health, 04:59 God is keeping your money from going out. Are you all hearing me today, church? 05:04 [Congregation: Amen] 05:05 Is there anybody that can just say "Lord, I thank you that even though 05:09 I don't have a whole lot going in, you bless me to where our whole lot didn't have to go out."? 05:16 Listen, if you hadn't had to go to the emergency room this year, guess what? You ought to praise God. 05:22 If you had had to go pay a co-pay, you ought to praise God. If you ain't under cancer treatment, 05:29 you ought to praise the Lord. If you hadn't had to go for a COVID test, you ought to praise the Lord. 05:36 Maybe there's somebody that makes more than you, but you live on the same level of them, 05:42 because God has rebuke the devourer and put his hand on your body, and kept 05:49 and preserved your health of your body and mind. Are you all hearing me today, saints? 05:56 Third thing that this story teaches us, beloved, when it comes down to healing, 06:01 you can't just have a strong want. You got to also have a strong will. 06:09 [Congregation: Amen] 06:12 Now, since I really want you to understand what actually happens in this particular story. 06:18 Jesus asked the men this question, he says, "Do you want to be made well?" 06:29 The man answers the question, "Well, Lord, 06:32 I ain't got nobody to put me down in the pool when the water stirred." 06:37 But Jesus didn't ask him that question. He didn't ask him about your assistance program. 06:42 He isn't going to ask who came with you. He isn't going to ask what government agency is designed to 06:47 help you get down in the pool. 06:48 He asked him a straightforward question that deserve a straightforward answer. 06:52 "Do you want to be made well?" I need you to understand that the man is not evaluating whether 06:59 or not he wants to be made well, he's actually evaluating whether 07:03 or not he wants to give up his special status as the senior sick person in the community. 07:11 See, I need you all to understand, beloved, that this man actually has a considerable amount of faith. 07:20 How do you say that, pastor? Do you realize that Jesus, as people are passing by, 07:26 Jesus is a stranger to this man. He don't know Jesus. He didn't realize that when 07:33 Jesus roam through the streets, he didn't have no halo over his head. 07:37 That there was not a chorus of angels walking behind him, 07:40 that there was no harps playing theme music when Jesus walked down the streets of Jerusalem. 07:46 Are you all hearing me today, saints? In other words, Jesus doesn't say, "I am that I am." 07:51 He doesn't say, "I'm the balm in Gilead." He doesn't say, "I'm the rose of Sharon." He doesn't say, 07:57 "I'm the lily of the valley." He doesn't say, "I'm the bright and morning star." 08:02 He doesn't say, "I'm the fairest of ten thousand." He doesn't say, 08:06 "I'm the Lamb of God which has come to take away the sin of the world." 08:09 He is simply ask the question, "Do you want to be made whole?" 08:16 It's crazy, because the man has a lot of faith. Why do you say that? 08:20 Because it takes a whole lot of faith to be that superstitious. 08:27 You realize that Superstition is just misplaced faith. Superstition, 08:35 it is an unscientific belief in something that is supernatural. What we do is we say, 08:44 "Men, that's not faith." No, it's just faith that has been misapplied to rabbit's foot, 08:49 black eyed peas on New Year's Day, four-leaf charms, four-leaf clovers, amulets, 08:55 and wearing something borrowed and blue. But how many of us know that when God is on your side, 09:01 you ain't got to eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day. 09:04 You can step on lines and cracks on the sidewalk. You don't have to avoid black cats. 09:09 I don't need something old. I don't need something new. I don't need something borrowed. 09:14 I ain't got nothing blue because God is on my side. Are you all hearing me today, saints? 09:22 [Congregation: Clapping] 09:24 Jesus isn't connecting with a man on Facebook. They're not connected on Instagram. 09:29 They are not boys on LinkedIn. He don't know who Jesus is. 09:34 But when Jesus speaks the word to him, 09:41 he says, "Brother. Take up your mat and walk." Now, watch this. 09:50 I need you to know that as soon as Jesus speaks the word, that miracle power is applied. 10:00 [Congregation: Amen] 10:02 I need you to know that the heavy hand of God, that liberating power is released as soon as God speaks 10:11 it. But the man cannot access it until he obeys the command that has been spoken. 10:21 I need us to understand that sometimes, we're saying, "Lord, release the power." 10:27 But maybe the power has been released, but it hadn't been accessed 10:33 because we haven't obeyed what God has told us to do. Are you all hearing me today saints? 10:40 Look at this. I want you to see what happens. Desire of Ages 202. Look at this real quick. 10:44 Listen. Listen. Listen to what she says. She says, 10:46 "Without question the man set his will to obey the command of Christ and his muscles respond to his." 11:00 She says his muscles respond to his will. Springing to his feet, he finds himself an active man. 11:06 He believed Christ words and then acting upon it. He receives strength. Did you all catch that, church? 11:13 [Congregation: Amen] 11:15 In other words, his muscles didn't respond to his want. His muscles respond when he willed. 11:24 His muscle didn't respond to a desire. His muscles respond when he got determined. 11:29 His muscles didn't respond to an emotion. His muscles responded to obedience. 11:35 See, the reason we don't experience the miraculous is we only come with a want, 11:41 but we won't to apply the will. When we put our will in harmony with the will of God, 11:49 then the miraculous vivifying power of the Holy Ghost then gets released so that the abundance flow. 11:58 It is given to the people of the most high God. Are you all hearing me today, saints? 12:04 See, this is why, beloved, I need you all to hear this. Because all we come with is a prayer, 12:10 expectation and emotion, but when is the last time you put your will on it? 12:19 When is the last time you put your weight on the word of the living? 12:22 Are you all hearing what I'm saying today, saints? 12:26 It's amazing because, see, I need you to understand something about faith. 12:29 Because even God, even though he is omnipotent and omniscient, 12:32 you realize that there is one limitation that God has given himself. 12:36 The one thing or the one threshold that God will not cross, 12:40 He will never cross the boundary into human consciousness. He will never force your will. 12:46 Even if God wants it for you, He can never will it for you. 12:51 In other words, it cannot be brought into being until you submit 12:56 or apply your will to the will of the most high God. Are you all hearing me today, saints? 13:03 I need us to understand something. That sometimes, beloved, 13:06 applying the will... Anybody want to get well today. See, no, you all don't want it today. 13:13 You just got a prayer. If you're going to get well, you've got to apply your will. 13:18 Sometimes, applying the will means I get up when it's cold outside 13:23 and I go walk around the block when everybody else is still sleeping. 13:28 See, I knew you all didn't want it yet. 13:30 See, sometimes applying the wheel means that I buy water, instead of Coke or your Mountain Dew. 13:37 Sometimes, applying the will means I go back to physical therapy. 13:42 Sometimes, applying the will is the humility to go back to marital counseling. 13:48 Sometimes, applying the will is the willingness to admit "I have a problem with drinking." 13:54 See, the problem is we want magic. We don't want faith. We just wanted to have it. 14:00 We don't want to apply the will. But do I have seven folk that ain't going to sit there, 14:05 rub an oil lamp with a list of wishes, but you're saying, "I'm not just going to pray it. 14:10 I'm going to will it. I'm going to act on it. I'm going to believe God for it." 14:16 Are you all hearing me today, saints? See, I need us to understand, beloved, that the man... 14:22 This is not a sermon on willpower. The man doesn't will himself better. 14:28 His will simply allows him to have access to the power that Jesus has made available. 14:37 Are you all hearing me today, saints? 14:39 Last thing, the word of God teaches us here. 14:41 Bible says... Those of you who want to know what Jesus says here in verse number, 8, 14:47 Bible says, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." The Bible says in verse 10, 14:51 "Therefore the Jews said to him who was cured, 'It is the Sabbath. 14:54 It's not lawful for you to carry your bed.' 14:56 Then he answered and said to him, 'The one said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'' 15:00 Then they asked him, 'Who is the man who said it to you, 'Take up your bed and walk.'' 15:04 The one who was healed did not know who it was for Jesus had withdrawn a multitude being in that place. 15:10 Afterward, they found him..." Where? "...in the temple, 15:16 and said unto him, 'See you have been made well...' 15:20 Jesus says, "...sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you.'" 15:25 A thing you got to do, friends of mine, when you get your miracle, 15:28 you got to be a good steward of your miracle. 15:35 Two things you got to do if you're going to be a good steward of your miracle. 15:39 First thing you got to do, friends of mine, is when God does something for you... 15:43 You notice what the brother does. He don't get his little miracle and go home. 15:52 He doesn't get his miracle and act like God ain't done nothing. He gets his miracle 15:58 and the first place he goes, it's to the temple. Why does he go to the temple? 16:04 So that all of those that have been walking by him, all those years, and listening to his sad story. 16:12 Guess what? When he get into the temple, he ain't even got to say nothing. 16:17 When they just see he who was once broken standing and holding this. 16:23 I need you to know a praise party is going to break out simply 16:27 because he allows them to see the great things that God has done. 16:33 Guess what I'm saying, friends of mine, when God does something for you and your life, 16:38 don't be like the woman with the issue of blood that tries to sneak away. 16:43 Don't be like the nine lepers that don't come back to say thank you. 16:47 But when God blesses you, 16:49 how many of us know that you need to give God a praise openly for how he has taken care of you, 16:58 His children. 16:59 Now, the problem with us sometimes is because we equate sickness and sin, 17:06 we don't let people know we're sick. We'll think they'll think we've sinned. 17:12 The problem is if you keep all your sicknesses secret, then they'll never know that God is a healer. 17:23 Where you all at today, church? If they don't know that God capped you, 17:28 how can God get the glory if you are always keeping it away all that today, church. 17:33 In other words, I need you to know some of us is so scared to let people know we had COVID. 17:39 That we are not praising God for keeping us from COVID. If you've been COVID-capped, 17:45 you ought to say thank you. If you've been cancer-capped, you ought to say, thank you. 17:50 If you've been depression-capped , you ought to say, thank you. I f you've been arthritis-capped, 17:56 you ought to say thank you. Don't act like God ain't done nothing for you. 18:00 You ought to give an expression of praise for what the Lord has done. 18:05 Are you all hearing me today, saints? 18:07 Let me say it this way. Listen. Every now and then, 18:10 my wife and I will go out to eat and I need you all to know me. 18:14 I'm not proud of this, but I'm one of those brothers that like when I go to the restaurant, 18:18 especially if it's going to cost a little money, I ain't going to guess about what's on the menu. 18:23 I'm going to pretty much go with what I know. Do I have some brothers like me in this place? 18:28 Listen. When go to this place, I know what I'm going to go looking for. 18:32 I don't even need to see the menu. See, one of the things my wife will do is she loves to experiment. 18:40 In other words, man, you know how it is when your wife experiments and she don't like what she gets. 18:48 She is going to reach across the table, come on now, and to try to get some of yours. 18:53 Am I preaching to anybody today? We go out one night and I go to the menu. I see what I want. 19:00 I make up my mind with the quickness. 19:02 I see her on the other side studying the menu like it's scripture. 19:06 [Congregation: Laughing] 19:08 Pastor Snell: I'm like, "Oh, no. Here we go. I know how this is going to go down. 19:12 She is going to get something that she don't like. When she tries and she don't like it, 19:17 she is going to be trying to eat some of mine. I see where it's going to go. 19:20 I try to head it off at the pass and I say, "Let's let's be clear on this. 19:24 Whatever I get, it's for me. Whatever you get is going to be for you." 19:32 What happens is she orders her fancy dish that we can't even pronounce and guess what? 19:38 They bring it to the table and I'm over here eating mine. I know how it's going to taste. 19:43 I just rock with it. Over on the other side, I see her eating hers 19:48 and I'm watching to see how she's going to deal with this thing. 19:51 My wife, who is normally a little quiet, after she's eating her food for a while, 19:56 she says, " Hmm." And then after a little while again, she says, "Hmmm." 20:05 And then after a while, it got so good that she lifted with her hands at the table. 20:11 And after again, she let out another moan of pleasure. Even though I had set the rules... 20:20 [Congregation: Laughing] 20:24 She gave so much expression that I said, "Baby, let me get a little piece of what you got over there. 20:32 " I guess what I'm saying is that I wouldn't have known how good it tastes. 20:37 If she hadn't given no expression. The reason folk don't know to taste 20:44 and see and that the Lord is good is because we don't give no expression. 20:51 We bottle it up. We keep it up, we hold it to ourselves. 20:57 Is there anybody that's grateful that God is a healer, that 21:01 God is a deliver, that God is a way maker, that God is the sustainer? 21:07 That you go open up your mouth and give an expression so that the world will know that God is good 21:16 and he is worthy to be praised. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God today. 21:28 [Congregation: Clapping] 21:29 Pastor: Come on. Praise team. At some point, your praise has to take on the form of an expression. 21:37 Number one, in order for you to be a good steward of your miracle, you got to give thanks. 21:42 But then this is very critical. Notice what Jesus says. 21:47 He says stop sinning or something worse is going to happen to you. 21:58 In order for you to be a good steward of your miracle, saints, 22:02 you can't turn around undo the thing you just ask God to do. See, 22:12 the implications, words of mine, is that either his recklessness 22:17 or something he did as a young man is what got him in that condition. 22:22 Or something he was doing was keeping him in that condition. 22:27 What I'm saying, friends of mine, a part of you being a good steward of your miracle, like no. 22:31 How many of us are believing God for it? But part of being a good steward is when God does that thing, 22:42 don't go back to the same thing that puts you by the edge of the pool in the first place 22:55 because you realize... 22:59 I don't think that in the body of Christ said there's a lack of miracles. 23:04 I just think that through choice, they're so consistently nullified. 23:10 That God can't get the glory that He deserves. What I'm saying to us, 23:17 beloved, we're not here to beat you up, but like tell the truth. 23:19 I mean, I have been there. "You need to lost some weight." 23:28 But like a hangnail, it shall return. Come on. I'm telling the truth. 23:34 There are sometimes where we've made some strides with our diabetes, blood pressure, or heart disease. 23:40 Soon as we start feeling a little bit better, we start feeling more like you can't come back. 23:48 I mean, there are sometimes where we made some adjustments 23:50 and the swelling went down and the inflammation went down. 23:53 We started making some progress. Guess what? 23:58 We went right back to the same old thing that put us in the pool in the same place. 24:02 God is saying to us. Listen. Listen. Listen. "My people, my community. 24:07 I want to do something supernatural. I want to do something abundant. 24:10 I want to do something that is going to create a personal and community 24:13 and global witness in the earth, but you got to be in agreement with me. 24:19 You've got to not just have a want, you've got to apply your will. 24:22 But then when I do it or you, 24:27 don't keep habitually doing things are going to put you right back at the pool." 24:33 How many of us lead the word of God today. Now, our choir is going to sing. 24:37 They're going to administer to us. The, I'm going to ask you to make one last decision for Jesus Christ. 24:42 Choir leader: Come on. This song is so simple. Let's sing it together. Say "I am the one." 24:47 Choir: I am the one. 24:52 Choir leader: One more time. Say, "I am the one." 24:54 Choir: I am the one. 24:58 Choir leader: Real simple there. I am the one that came back. 25:01 Choir: I am the one that came back to say "Thank You, Lord." 25:10 Choir leader: For all that You've done. 25:11 Choir: For all that You've done. 25:14 Choir leader: It says, "I'm grateful for everything." 25:17 Choir: I'm grateful for everything You've Done. 25:19 Choir leader: I had to come back. 25:20 Choir: I had to come back. 25:22 Choir leader: My heart made me run back. 25:23 Choir: My heart made me run back... 25:25 Choir leader: And tell You, "Thank You." 25:26 Choir: ... and tell You, "Thank You." 25:27 Choir: Thank You. Thank You. 25:28 Choir leader: Thank You. 25:30 Choir leader: One more time. I had to come back. 25:32 Choir: I had to come back. 25:34 Choir leader: My heart. 25:35 Choir: My heart made me run back... 25:37 Choir leader: And tell You, "Thank You." 25:38 Choir: ... and tell You, "Thank You." 25:39 Choir leader: Come on. We can sing that one more time. Let's put some harmony into it. 25:43 Say, "I am the one." 25:45 Choir: I am the one. 25:49 Choir leader: Hallelujah. Say, "I am the one." 25:51 Choir: I am the one. 25:54 Choir leader: We came back to say "Thank You" to Jesus this morning. 25:57 Choir: I am the one. 25:59 Choir leader: That came back. 26:00 Choir: That came back to say, "Thank You." 26:04 Choir leader: Bless His name. 26:05 Choir: Lord. 26:07 Choir leader: For all that You've done. 26:09 Choir: For all that You've done. 26:11 Choir leader: Say, "I'm grateful." 26:12 Choir: I'm grateful... 26:13 Choir leader: For everything. 26:14 Choir: ... for everything You've done. 26:15 Choir leader: I had to. 26:17 Choir: I had to come back. My heart made me run back. 26:21 Choir leader: And tell You, "Thank You." 26:22 Choir: And tell You, "Thank You." 26:24 Choir leader: Say, "Thank You." 26:25 Choir: Thank You. Thank You. 26:26 Choir leader: One more time. Say, "I had to." 26:28 Choir: I had to come back. My heart made me run back. 26:32 Choir leader: And tell You, "Thank You." 26:33 Choir: And tell You, "Thank You." 26:34 Choir: And tell You, "Thank You." 26:36 Choir leader: We are going to sing that one more time. Let's take it up at this moment. 26:39 Say, "I am the one." 26:41 Choir: I am the one. 26:44 Choir leader: Hallelujah. Say, "I am the one." 26:47 Choir: I am the one. 26:49 Choir leader: Bless his name. Say, "I'm the one that came back." 26:52 Choir: I am the one that came back to say "Thank You, Lord." 26:58 Choir leader: Hallelujah. We say thank You, Lord, for all that you've done. 27:03 Choir: For all that you've done. 27:06 Choir leader: Say "I'm grateful." 27:07 Choir: I'm grateful. 27:08 Choir leader: For everything. 27:09 Choir: For everything You've done. I had to come back. 27:14 Choir leader: My heart made me run back. 27:15 Choir: My heart made me come back and tell You, "Thank You." 27:19 Choir leader: Say "Thank You." 27:20 Choir: Thank You. Thank You. 27:22 Choir leader: Let's put it in three parts. I... 27:23 Choir: I had to come back. 27:25 Choir leader: My heart... 27:26 Choir: My heart made run back. 27:28 Choir leader: One more time. 27:29 Choir: And tell You, "Thank You." 27:30 Choir leader: Thank You. 27:31 Choir: Thank you. 27:32 Choir leader: One more time. 27:34 Choir. Thank You. I had to come back. My heart made me run back. 27:39 Choir leader: And tell You, "Thank You." 27:40 Choir: And tell, You "Thank You." 27:42 Choir leader: Thank You. 27:43 Choir: Thank You. 27:44 Choir leader: Last time and say. 27:45 Choir. I had to come back. My heart made me run back and tell You "Thank You." 27:56 (Breath of Life Theme Music) 28:18 [End] |
Revised 2022-02-16