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Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000067S
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00:05 Sermon #S035 - It's About Time - (Part 2)
00:19 Welcome to the Breath of Life Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell! 00:26 In today's episode, Pastor Snell will continue part two of the dynamic Message entitled: “It's About Time.” 00:34 Now, let's learn more about God's timing. 00:39 Pastor Snell: And I need you to say this. 00:41 I need you to say this because sometimes certain seasons may overlap. Okay? So just like at the end of winter, 00:52 you still may have some cold days in April and May. 00:56 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? Or sometimes in October, you still may have some hot days in fall. 01:03 Because sometimes the elements of one season may spill over into another season. 01:09 But it doesn't mean the season has not changed. Oh God. I need you to know, don't go by the elements. 01:16 You got to go by the season. Let me say it this way. I remember about 13 years ago before we had our first son. 01:22 Many of you know my wife and I had lost 4 kids through miscarriage before we had Jayden. 01:30 And it's crazy because we were in a season of mourning. But there came a time where the season of mourning had expired. 01:39 But guess what? There were still some tears there. There was still some grief there. 01:44 But God says, I need you to move from mourning to a season of anticipation. you all not hearing me. 01:51 Just because we were still weeping didn't mean we should stop anticipating. 01:57 And I need you to know that we are 3 kids later because God changes the season. 02:04 And there is somebody that's saying, I'm still weeping. But guess what? You can weep 02:09 and anticipate at the exact same time. For the Bible says weeping may endure for a night. 02:16 But how many know that joy comes in the morning. Are you all hearing me today friends. 02:25 Third thing this teaches us today is that whatever God brings you to, He's prepared you for. 02:41 This is critical because somebody's about to abort a miracle moment because you don't feel prepared for it. 02:51 And the reason you don't feel prepared for it is 02:55 because you thought God would train you using a different process than he did. 03:00 But I need you to understand this critical thing that whatever God brings you to, are you all with me today church? 03:07 God prepares you for. So, I need you to get this thing that in the whole camp like Pharaoh's army is coming. 03:15 I mean these folk, they tripping, they're like Moses, I told you we should have never left Egypt. 03:21 But there is only one man that is not overwhelmed by the moment. And it's Moses 03:28 and I need you to get this church that Moses doesn't understand why he was called. 03:34 He doesn't understand why he was chosen. He doesn't understand why God put his hands on him until this very moment. 03:43 What do you mean, pastor? So, they get down there on the verge of the Red Sea, they see Pharaoh's army coming behind them. 03:51 And they automatically go into 3 responses. Number 1, the people seize up and freeze and become immobilized. 03:59 Number 2, they begin to whine and moan and wail unto Moses and unto God. 04:04 And then number 3, they get ready to yield to the enemy. Are you all with me today? 04:10 So, they begin to freeze or get immobilized. They begin to cry and mourn. 04:14 And number 3, they begin to get ready to yield. But guess what? When they freeze and immobilize, 04:20 when they begin to cry out unto God, when they begin to yield to an enemy. 04:25 I need you to know that Moses ain't tripping. It stirs an echo in him because Moses is like, I've seen this before. 04:36 What do you mean pastor? Remember, God prepared Moses for leadership as a shepherd of the flock in median. 04:44 Congregation: Amen. 04:46 And whenever sheep come across an enemy, they do 3 things. They going to seize up and become immobile. 04:53 They're going to whine and cry out to the shepherd. Or they going to yield to an enemy. 04:59 So, when they start crying and tripping. 05:01 Your boy, Moses ain't scared he been dealing with this for 40 years so that when he sees their complaints. 05:09 He doesn't see insolent hardhearted people. He sees a sheep in need of a shepherd. 05:16 And God has been training him for the last 40 years for this moment. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 05:25 And I guess what I want to say to somebody today is don't despise the days of small beginnings. 05:32 Because how many of us understand that sometimes your placement gives no obvious correlation to your assignment. 05:43 Sometimes God trains us in unusual ways. 05:46 What are you talking about Pastor? Remember God anointed David to be king. But then he anointed him to be king 05:53 and sends him back out to take care of the sheep. But in all his idle time, he got good with a slingshot. 06:02 He got good aim with a slingshot. And God trained him for a moment he didn't have a date for. 06:10 God assigned him to play music for Saul. And Saul literally became his mentor without knowing it, you all not with me. 06:19 God called Joseph to leadership. But guess what? He trained Joseph by treating him as a servant in Potiphar's house. 06:26 So that Joseph learned how to treat people, how he would want to be treated. 06:31 He learned about the criminal justice system when he was falsely accused and put down in jail. 06:37 Do you realize that God trained the disciples not by sending them the seminary, but by teaching them how to fish? 06:45 He says, I'm going to teach you patience on the water. I'm going to teach you how to use the right bait. 06:50 But now I'm going to say, come and follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. 06:56 And what I'm saying to somebody today is that just because God then used the rubric you anticipated, 07:03 doesn't mean God didn't prepare you for it. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 07:08 [Congregation: Amen] 07:09 It's crazy, man, I am thankful for my wonderful Oakwood seminary education, 07:14 but God trained me in some strange ways for what I'm doing right now. I remember growing up in Florida, 07:19 every summer I would work in Florida State University. In the dorms we would do odd jobs like painting 07:24 and building screens and pressure washing sidewalks. And it's crazy, Chris, because God developed some things in me 07:30 and I didn't even realize what He was doing. You see, as a pastor, guess what? 07:35 I don't punch a clock. I don't have a boss checking on my everyday movement. But on that job, 07:40 I had to work and be self-driven and self-motivated. Nobody had to tell me what I had to do. 07:46 So, in 8th grade, I was getting prepared for this assignment. Because I worked there several summers. 07:52 I had to lead people that were older than me. And 07:56 so, I had to get used to dealing with some folk that didn't want to take orders from somebody younger. 08:01 You all might quiet today. He was preparing me. It's crazy because as the youngest one, I got bullied 08:07 and that's where I learned how to raise my voice. That's how I learned how to use this base. 08:12 You all might quiet with me today. In other words, He was training in a way that I could not see it. 08:18 And what I'm saying is if God brought you to it, it's because he's prepared you for it. 08:26 Now there are some who say, no, pastor, I got prepared for it in university. I need you to know that, 08:34 and I'm for education, you ought to get all you can. And you ought to can all you get. 08:41 But however, us know that education certifies, but providence prepares you. 08:48 [Congregation: Amen] 08:49 In other words, you learn methods of teaching in university. 08:54 But you got the burden to teach in the hood where you grow up. 08:58 In other words, you learn how to diagnose in medical school, but you learn how to treat people working at Publix. 09:04 You all not hearing me today. 09:06 And I need somebody to understand that you may have learned how to build certain things in a certain trade school, 09:12 but how to care for folk and excellence in craftsmanship. You learn that somewhere else along the line. 09:18 And what I'm saying to somebody today is that if God brings you to it, it's because God has already prepared you for it. 09:30 Sometimes God trains us in strange ways. Anybody old enough to remember the movie Karate Kid? 09:44 Do I have at least one relative out here? 09:47 And it's crazy because remember Daniel, when he was getting trained by Mr. Miyagi, 09:51 he didn't take him to the gym every morning. No, he had him doing some crazy stuff. 09:57 He developed his reflexes by making him catch flies with chopsticks. He strengthened his forearms by making him sweep 10:04 and mop the floor every day. And then he made him learn how to do some things like wax on and wax off the car. 10:09 You all hearing what I'm saying today? And it's right because one day Daniel got tired of doing all these menial tasks. 10:15 And it's crazy because what Mr. Miyagi did was, he just charged him in the moment. And when he charged him, 10:21 all those reflexes he learned in service automatically begin to kick in. 10:26 And see, sometimes you won't know what you've been trained for until the attack is permitted. 10:33 And you say, I didn't even know all that was there. I didn't even realize that was inside of me 10:40 because God developed it in a way you couldn't even recognize. Are you all hearing me today friends? 10:52 Next thing this teaches is that when you're on the verge sometimes you need a push. 11:07 When you're on the verge, sometimes you need a push you all sit with the pastor today. It's crazy. 11:16 This story has so many spectacular tensions 11:21 That are all useful to God. Let me say it to you all this time, 11:28 everything that brings tension to the people is actually going to be used by God. 11:35 So, their mountains on both sides. So, they can't run away. The Red Sea is in front of them, 11:40 so they can't go forward. And Pharaoh's arm is behind him. So, they can't go backwards. 11:46 In other words, they are completely boxed in on every side. But I need somebody to know that even when you are boxed in, 11:56 you are just being set up to see the mighty hand of God. So, remember that God's goal is not just for them to escape Egypt, 12:10 because if they escape, they can be recaptured. So, God is saying, I've got to put Egypt out of commission. 12:24 So, remember, I need you to think through something with me. I need you to understand the posture of the people. 12:30 The people just told Moses, man, it would've been better if we had just stayed in Egypt. In other words, I need you to get. 12:38 That they just give voice to what they've been thinking ever since they left. 12:44 In other words, ever since they left, they've been thinking they've been better, 12:47 that we just stayed here and died in Egypt. Are you all hearing the pastor today? 12:52 So, I need you to know that God is at work with every particular tension that is permitted in this story. 12:57 Because we look at it with the clarity of hindsight, because in my mind, it is pretty dope for God to open up a Red Sea 13:08 and for it to hang suspended without any dam or wall or structure to hold it up. 13:15 [Congregation: Amen] 13:17 But do you realize that in real time, the Red Sea is just another way for them to die? 13:25 In other words, as they're looking at the Red Sea and it's held up and suspended. 13:30 Not by walls, not by structure, but the only thing that's holding it up is the invisible hand of God. 13:38 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? In other words, do you realize that if Pharaoh's army wasn't behind them, 13:46 they would've just sat there looking at an open sea? But God didn't cancel Pharaoh in Egypt. 13:53 He allowed Pharaoh to chase them because they would've never gone through of their own accord. 13:59 Sometimes you've got to be pushed across the verge. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 14:06 You all acting brand new because some of us are standing looking at a Red Sea right now. 14:12 God has opened up the door and sometimes God has got to send a circumstance to push you across. 14:18 What do you mean, pastor? Because remember your boy Jacob was not checking for God. 14:25 It was Esau that had to push him into that night of wrestling where he ultimately wrestled all night with God. 14:32 Are you all hearing me today friends? Do you realize that Simon of Cyrene didn't volunteer to carry the cross? 14:38 Somebody had to put the cross upon him so that he could go forward. Do you realize that Moses did not want to go? 14:47 God had to kindle his anger against him and push Moses into going. 14:53 And the truth is that there are some of us that will never enter into God's ultimate plan. 14:58 We will never enter into full relationship if we don't have something chasing us there. 15:04 [Congregation: Amen] 15:08 So, it was only because God allowed us to be heartbroken that He pushed you to the heart fixer. 15:15 [Congregation: Yes] 15:17 It was only our lack that pushed us to our provider. It was only our sickness that pushed us to our healer. 15:24 It was only our confusion that pushed us to the answer. It was only because all the doors were shut, 15:31 that we were pushed to the way the truth and the life, which is Jesus Christ. 15:36 In other words, stop walking around talking about how you always love God. And how you chosen of your own volition. 15:42 The truth is that God had to put some irritants and some irritations and some hardships. 15:48 Trouble had to be an usher to seat you at the feet of Jesus Christ. Are you all hearing what I'm saying today? 15:56 And there are times friends of mine, where we don't like being push. The problem with some of us, 16:06 it's not that we don't have any opportunity. The problem is you hadn't had the push you needed. 16:12 And it's crazy because I don't like being pushed. But guess what? When I look back over my life, 16:17 I thank God for every difficult circumstance and every adversity 16:24 and every hardship that ultimately pushed me into God's purpose and God's design for my life. 16:34 Are you hearing me today friend? It's crazy. Last thing this teaches is that at some point you got to stop looking backwards. 16:45 [ Congregation: Amen] 16:46 When you're on the verge, you got to keep your eye on what's in front of you. 16:52 So, notice what God does. God says, okay, I'm in the cloud leading them. 16:59 So, God, as He opens up the Red Sea, the cloud goes behind them. 17:06 [Congregation: Amen] 17:08 The cloud stands behind them and becomes a cloud on one side. 17:13 And fire on the other side so that the two camps don't come close to each other. 17:20 The reason God does this is that as He chases them into the sea, He doesn't want them consistently looking back at Egypt. 17:31 So that when they look over their shoulder, they can't look back at what they came out of. 17:36 All they can do is look forward to that which God has prepared for them. 17:43 And what I'm saying to somebody who is on the verge of spiritual deliverance, 17:47 emotional deliverance, relational deliverance, professional deliverance, 17:52 God is saying to somebody that I'm going to stand behind you. 17:56 So that you can't see where you used to come from. You can't see where you fail last. 18:02 You can't see what you used to do. God is saying, 18:05 put those things which are in the past behind and reach forward to those things that are before. 18:11 That's why God and Isaiah 43 says, consider not the former things. Don't even remember the things of old. 18:19 He says, behold, I'm going to do a new thing. Shall you not know it? And it's crazy because it's faster. 18:27 We get into the new year and we always start this whole mantra where we say, 18:31 pastor I'm just trying to get back where I used to be. Pastor, I'm just trying to get back where I used to spiritual. 18:39 I'm trying to get my prayer life back to where it used to be. I'm trying to get my marriage back to where it used to be. 18:45 Do I have a witness? We we're trying to get our weight back to where it used to be. 18:47 Come on, say amen. And it's crazy. Where did we get this doctrine of yesterday? 18:54 And the reason we get conflicted because you're trying to get back to where you used to be. 18:58 God is trying to take you where you've never been. And that's the frustration you feel 19:05 because you are trying to get back to a level you've seen. 19:07 God is trying to take you to a level you ain't never seen in your life. 19:13 And so, God says, I'm going to stand behind you sometimes so that you don't get so caught up idolizing your yesterday. 19:22 That you can't even become who I ordained you to be in the future. Can I just say this to somebody? 19:31 I don't care how great your yesterday was. How many of us believe that the best days are still... 19:43 [Congregation: Amen] 19:44 Oh God. Where the church at today? 19:46 [Congregation: Amen] 19:47 No. Where the church at today? I don't care how good your marriage was. 19:52 Do I have at least 7 or 8 couples that say in the best years are still in front of me? 19:57 I don't care how well it used to go on your job. But how many of us believe the best years are still in front of you. 20:04 I don't believe my best sermons are in the past. I believe God is going to do some stuff sometime in the future. 20:10 And do I have at least 7 or 8 folk who are saying, I'm done idolizing what was, but I'm reaching forward to what will be. 20:19 Because I believe that the deliverance is in front of me. It is not behind me. And that God is not finished with me yet. 20:30 [Congregation: Amen] 20:32 There's a reason I've been talking about hesitation for 2 reasons. 20:37 Because what God does is He stands and He creates a bridge between the Egyptians and the Israelites. 20:44 But He only does that and He keeps the wall suspended till daybreak. 20:53 I need you to understand something critical because there's somebody on the verge. 20:58 I need you to know that God is going to open up the waters. But the waters don't stay open until they make up their mind. 21:05 [Congregation: Amen] 21:07 The water doesn't stay open until they decide what they're going to do. 21:11 The water is open for a temporary season. And the water's going to collapse on not only those who are in rebellion, 21:21 but it's going to collapse on those in hesitation as well. 21:25 [Congregation: Amen] 21:26 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? 21:28 [Congregation: Yes] 21:30 And there's some of us, that God literally young, he has put the right men or woman, like they're right there in your class. 21:36 Get them out the friend zone. 21:39 [Congregation: Amen] 21:42 You don't want them because he always praying and she always in the choir. No, that's your wife right there. 21:48 [Congregation: Amen] 21:53 That's your wife right there. No, not the one that's dropping it like it's hot. 21:58 The one that's falling on her face in the name of the Lord. 22:01 You all hear what I'm saying? That's the one right there. Charm is deceitful. Beauty is fading. 22:06 But a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. Are you all hearing what I'm saying? That's the word right there. 22:16 [Congregation: Clapping] 22:18 All you doing is looking at that other, how she look? You better look at who she is on the inside. 22:24 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? Because a woman that's just pretty, but ain't got nothing on the inside. 22:28 She's like an onion. You peel back the layers, you'll start crying. Can I get a witness out here today? 22:34 Are you all hearing what I'm saying? Same thing with a man. 22:42 [Congregation: Amen] 22:51 Get him out the friend zone. He be at the bell tower. That's the way you ought to be. 23:02 Because you, with the one that P-R-E-Y-S. 23:07 You better find the one that knows how to P-R-A-Y. Can I get a witness out here tonight? 23:11 [Congregation: Clapping] 23:18 You are in Huntsville. You go to Oakwood Church. The door is open for you to go back to school, 23:27 but it ain't going to be open forever. 23:29 [Congregation: Amen] 23:32 In other words, there's some of us that our kids are 14, 15, 16. We still in that season where we can have influence over them. 23:38 That door is open, but that door ain't going to be open forever. And what I'm saying is when certain doors are open, 23:46 you got to stop shuffling your feet and start marching in Jesus name. 23:50 [Congregation: Amen] 23:54 And it's crazy. The reason I'm saying that the door-, the water is only open for a short season, 23:59 is because the Lord literally begins to-, as Pharaoh and his army push down into the Red Sea. 24:06 The Bible literally says, friends of mine, that God causes the wheels to come off the chariots. 24:16 So they can't hardly drive. And this is my last point before I have the choir come sing, is this, 24:24 they literally come to the conclusion. Oh snap, it took 9 plagues, a Passover, 24:36 a cloud of fire, an open Red Sea for them to finally realize God is with these people. 24:45 And they're just like, oh, snap. God is with them. But guess what? By the time they try to turn around, It's too late. 25:00 And when I need somebody to know, is that what Pharaoh and his army actually teach us? 25:05 Because what we say and it is true while we're in season, that you can never go too far from God. 25:14 But there will come a day. There will come a day when Michael stands up and the door of probation closes. 25:36 You'll be just like Pharaoh in his army. You will have gone too far and it's too late for you to turn around. 25:48 And what I'm saying to somebody today is that the good news is guess what? It's still open today. 25:57 [Congregation: Amen] 25:59 It's still open. Grace is still sufficient. He is still calling us home. 26:07 But you got to move and you got to act while it is your time because it's not about how good or how bad you are. 26:16 It's about time and moving in the season that God has ordained. 26:23 For the past 49 years, Breath of life has been presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 26:30 From a contemporary urban perspective, in 2023, we plan to grow our reach. 26:36 And your donations are what help make that possible. 26:40 This year, our major goal is to launch our Breath of Life weekly broadcast into five new cities. 26:47 In addition, we're excited to introduce our new Breath of Life Kids platform with original content created with your 26:55 little ones in mind. We'll continue with innovative programming, dynamic preaching, 27:02 and sharing the gospel through evangelistic campaigns. Here are the five ways that you can give. 27:08 You can give online at Breath of Life.tv. By mail. P.O. Box 5960. 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Revised 2023-05-04