Testimony Time - November 26, 2023: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:16 Good morning it’s good to be in God’s house this morning the scriptures say it is good to give thanks to the Lord amen sing praises to his name so we’re going to open this morning with giving thanks unto our God I encourage you be a participant this morning it is for our uh good and our blessing that we give God thanks and uh our forefathers had a good a good practice of giving thanks having a special day to give thanks unto God so let’s stand we’re going to begin with worship this.

▶ 0:58 Morning we want want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that fes across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that flies across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high step by step we’re moving forward little by little we’re taking ground every prayer of powerful weapon strongholds come tumbling down and down and down.

▶ 1:54 We want to see Jesus lifted high ban that r across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see Jesus lifted high a batter that fes across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted. High yes Lord let’s give him thanks this morning we love you Lord we bless your name we thank you Jesus Lord how wonderful lift you up Lord we love you we love you God we exalt you we give you thanks and praise oh Lord.

▶ 3:00 Worthy is your name worthy is the king of kings. Lord we exalt you God we exalt you Lord we honor you Lord we hon you and praise you for your goodness praise you forus. Jes we just want to oh Lord oh. Lord Jesus Jesus.

▶ 3:40 Jesus Lord God Paul and Silas in the in the prison Lord they they stopped and they gave you praise and they sang hymns and glorified your name God Lord they had Lord they were following your vision Lord they were following your goal for the church Lord they were in prison praising and giving you glory and honor in the prison even in their difficult time God they stopped but they were doing wrongly imprisoned and they gave you thanks and praise God and you came and you answered their prayer you brought people unto you God we pray that you do that today God I pray Lord that you bring healing to people’s hearts and their minds God as they Lord give you thanks and praise this morning Jesus Jesus we need you we need you our king our Lord.

▶ 4:35 We have a vision for this. Nation we have a dream for this. Land we join with angels in. Cele by faith we speak revival in this. Land where every knee shall bow and worship. You and every tongue confess that you are. Lord give us an open heaven anoint our prayers this day and move your sovereign hand across this. Nation we have a vision let’s clap for this.

▶ 5:33 Nation we share a dream for this. Land we join with angels in. Celebration by faith we speak revival in this. Land where every kn shall bow and worship. You and every tongue confess that you are. Lord give us an open heaven anoint our prayers this day and move your sar hand across this. Nation oh we have a vision we have a vision for this nation for this nation we share a dream we share a dream for this land.

▶ 6:30 We join with angels in. Celebration by faith we speak revival in this. Land where every kne shall bow and worship. You and every tongue confess that you are. Lord give us an open heaven anoint our prayers this day and move your sovereign hand across this. Nation yes move your sovereign hand across this. Nation oh Lord move your sovereign hand across this. Nation God we give you praise.

▶ 7:25 Jesus we exalt you Lord we bless your name. Thank you Lord God we praise you we thank you Lord worthy worthy are you Lord we exalt the king of all. Lord Jesus Jesus you are wonderful oh God wonderful Jesus we love are you are we worship you Lord you are wonderful we ex you in this house you are wonderful Lord we magnify you we worship you.

▶ 8:15 Jesus we want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that fes across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that fes across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that fes cross this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see Jesus lifted high a banner that flies across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high step by step we’re moving forward little by little we’re taken ground every prayer a powerful weapon strongholds come tumbling down and down and down.

▶ 9:47 We want to see Jesus lifted high banner that flies across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see Jesus lifted high ban that flies across this land that all men might see the truth and know he is the way to heaven we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted.

▶ 10:41 High let’s lift him up this morning we lift you up oh Lord we lift you up. Jesus hallelujah Lord we honor you Jesus we worship you Lord. How great is your name oh Lord we love you we love you Lord thank you Jesus we honor you oh. God we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted. High we want to see. We want to see Lord we want to see Jesus lifted high we want to see we want to see we want to see Jesus lifted.

▶ 11:48 High we want to. See we want to see we want to see. Jesus there lifted. High thank you. Lord thank you Jesus Lord we honor you. Lord God you are great you are. Wonderful Lord we’re reminded this morning the scriptures say if you be lift it up you will draw all men unto you Lord that’s why this song is so powerful that’s why we want you to be lifted high Lord Jesus that you would draw all people unto you just like the sun as it rises Lord everyone is drawn to its brightness the world the the the all of the plants turn their leaves to absorb the light to obtain life and energy from its light Jesus it’s the same way with us God Lord we turn ourselves to you this morning God we turn our eyes to you Lord you are the excellent one we give you praise this morning we’re going to sing a a song of thanks Thanksgiving unto our God like to invite you to join in with.

▶ 13:20 Us I come before you. Today and there there’s just one thing that I want to. Say. Thank you. Lord. Thank you. Lord for all you’ve given to. Me for all the blessings that I cannot. See. Thank you. Lord thank you. Lord with a grateful.

▶ 14:13 Heart with a song of praise with an outstretched. Arm I will bless your name and thank you. Lord I just want to thank thank you. Lord thank you. Lord I just want to thank you. Lord for all you’ve done in my life you took my darkness and gave me your light there thank you. Lord thank you.

▶ 15:09 Lord you took my sin and my shame you took my sickness and healed all my pain than you. Lord thank thank you. Lord with a grateful. Heart with a song of praise with an outstretched. Arm I will bless your name and thank you. Lord I just want to thank you. Lord thank you. Lord I just want to thank you.

▶ 16:07 Lord with a grateful. Heart and the song of praise with an outstretched. Arm I will bless your name and thank you. Lord I just want to thank you you. Lord oh thank you. Lord I just want to thank you. Lord with a grateful. Heart and a song of praise within out stretched. Arm I will bless your name and thank.

▶ 16:59 You. Lord I just want to thank you. Lord thank you. Lord I just want to thank you. Lord thank you. Lord we thank you. We bless your name God we lift you up you are. Wonderful there is no God like. You we worship you we. Worship. You we exalt the king of all king Lord of all.

▶ 17:57 Lord. Thank you. Lord for. Saving my soul. Thank you. Lord for making me. Home. Thank you Lord for giving. To. Me thy great. Salvation so. Rich and free. Thank you. Lord for. Saving my soul.

▶ 18:52 Thank you. Lord for mak making me. Whole. Thank you Lord for. Giving to. Me thy great. Salvation so. Rich and free thy great. Salvation so. Rich and free.

▶ 19:46 Lord we come before you this morning Jesus and we are grateful and we’re thankful Lord of your sacrifice on the cross for us how you paid the ultimate price and gave your life for our sin you gave up your your Holy Spirit Lord you it says you gave up your spirit on the cross Jesus you gave up your life for us you had a thousand you had legions of angels at your at your disposal God Lord yet you gave up your life for us and Lord we are grateful we are thankful Jesus we honor you this. Morning. Lord we honor you this morning. Jesus we love.

▶ 20:39 You we can’t get enough all this is for. You. Jesus we love. You we can’t get enough. All this is for you. Jesus as our last song this morning let’s just sing this with all of our hearts. Together I invite you to worship God with us lift up your hands sing it unto. Him when you walk into the room everything. Changes darkness starts to tremble at the light that you bring when you walk into the room every heart starts burning nothing matters more than just to sit here at your feet and worship.

▶ 21:49 You oh Lord we worship you. Jesus. We love you we love. You and we’ll never stop we can’t live without you. Jesus we love. You we can’t get enough all this is for you. Jesus. Jesus when you walk into the room sickness starts to vanish every hopeless.

▶ 22:43 Situation ceases to exist when you walk into the room the dead began rise cuz there is resurrection life and all you. We love. You and we’ll never stop we can’t live without you. Jesus we love. You we can’t get enough all this is for you. Jesus we love. You we’ll never stop we can live without you. Jesus we love.

▶ 23:39 You we can’t get enough all this is for you. Jesus thank you Jesus oh we thank you. We worship you we honor. You thank. You. We thank. You so and thanks for what he’s done for us this song expresses that we love him amen and the scriptures say that it’s the greatest thing that you can do in all of your life it says this is the first and great commandment to love God with all your heart mind soul and strength amen so that’s why we sing we love you you may find your seats this morning we’re going to play a special song real quick and uh this morning we’re going to be inviting people up to share invited some folks up to share this morning as a Thanksgiving.

▶ 25:26 Service. So before we get into all the sharing I’m going to sing a special song here just giving. A recognition to Christ and how great our God. Is all are you past the point of weary is your burden weighing heavy is it all too much to caring let me tell you about my Jesus do you feel that empty feeling his shame done all it stealing are you desperate for some healing let me tell you about my Jesus.

▶ 26:24 He makes a way where there ain’t no way he rises up from an empty grave ain’t no one that he can save let me tell you about my Jesus his love is strong and his grace is too good news is I know that he can do for you what he’s done for me let me tell you about my Jesus let my Jesus change your life let him change your life let him change your life let him change your life who can wipe away the tears from broken dreams and wasted years tell the t pass to disappear let me tell you about my Jesus all the wrong turns that you would go and undo if you could who can work it all for your good let me tell you back my Jesus.

▶ 27:31 He makes a way where there ain’t no way he rises up from an empty grave ain’t no one that he can sa let me tell you about my Jesus his love is strong and his grace is too good news is I know that he can do for you what he’s done for me let me tell you about my Jesus let my Jesus change your life let him change your life let him change your life let him change your life who would take my cross to Calvary by the price for all my guilty who would care that much about me let me tell you about my Jesus.

▶ 28:25 He makes a way way where there ain’t no way rises up from an empty grave ain’t no one that he can sa let me tell you about my Jesus his love is strong and his grace is too good news is I know that he can do for you what he’s done for me let me tell you about my Jesus and let my Jesus change your life let him heal your heart. Let him heal your soul let him heal your mind let him heal your sin let him heal oh you let him change your life let him change your life let him change your life.

▶ 29:24 I’m going to um. Share scripture real quick before I invite up uh mrs Thompson she going to share this morning all right. Excellent Psalms 92 scriptures say it is good to give thanks to the Lord and sing praises to your name oh most high to declare your loving kindness in the morning and your faithfulness every night I will triumph in the works of your hands as we express every weekend how important it is to uh give thanks and praise unto God we encourage you and through the scriptures this morning to make that a priority in your life Jesus said I would that all men would lift up holy hands you know God is calling us he is inviting us to worship him to exalt him amen the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree and he shall grow like a cedar in lebanon how many want to be strong amen how many want to grow and be strong Christians don’t want to just wither away I do not those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of their God they shall bear fruit in old age.

▶ 30:42 Amen I want to be able to bear fruit when I’m older not just wither away when I’m older and like oh when am I going to die I want to know when I’m no we don’t want that you want to have some purpose you want that life still flowing in you and God is giving us the solution here be planted in the house of the Lord and we can flourish to declare that the Lord is. Upright a lot of people are mad at God a lot of people think he is. Unjust and uh it’s not true he is upright he is good he is my rock and there is no unrighteousness in him amen do we believe that this morning just a little aside here I had a um. Uh much longer topic that I was going to bring up but as I worked on it just didn’t sit well with me and then a week ago I said no I’ll switch to this other one and then it it felt right and after what we’ve this last half hour I go oh yeah that that was yeah that was a right thing to do stick with Jesus and you’ll have a happy life I always would every time I share I would always bring this up.

▶ 32:05 And uh it’s just kind of become a thing that I tell you guys especially the kids I always tell I would tell the kids this. And. Uh I seen in my in my many years I’ve seen so many people who are just they were just to my depression they were just. Believers they didn’t seem to be happy at all. Uh and when they spoke they weren’t happy they they would bring up things that were that were true but I was. Like I don’t find God to be like that and so I just wanted to um bring that up that stick with Jesus and you’ll have a happy life and as you look in the Bible you’ll find that pop out at you if you look at it with that purpose with that uh focus you’ll find that that pops out a lot now that’s not what I have to share but it’s just something that I always have to begin sharing with every single.

▶ 33:15 Time praise the Lord. And we know that. Um to praise to bless it means to speak well of or say good things about so this is just the nuts and bolts of it to begin. With. And we know how to praise the Lord if you look up at this banner here that has been sitting there for decades it seems uh not not decades but it’s been up there for a long time it’s the nuts and bolts the principles of praising the Lord and if you want to if you’re not sure what this isn’t aside to if you just are not sure exactly uh what you want to look at or study or or think about or something like that jot all these scriptures down and look them up um just it’ll become a whole.

▶ 34:17 It it just be profitable I I guarantee you it’ll be profitable to you so anyway that’s we know how that’s the the principles. Of praising the Lord with your uh with your voice with your uh your attitude with your hands with your your body posture. So now why we know why to praise the Lord I think this has been brought up many many times Psalm 82 out of the mouth of babes you ordained strength to steal the enemy and the avenger. And Jesus explained it he quoted it when he was coming into Jerusalem and they were complaining about why are these people especially these kids making such a to-do about you why are they making such a noise such a it was so disorderly it wasn’t according it didn’t come from our authority so you they were just grouchy and complaining about it and Jesus says don’t you know.

▶ 35:27 That out of the mouth of babies you perfected praise so he’s quoting that with praise is strength and it it steals your enemy here’s another. Why again in or in Psalms 22:3 we’ve heard this so many times you are holy that inhabits the praises of Israel and we we know that it’s something God told us by the spirit that if we would praise the Lord he would come his presence would come to us and I believe that was the here this morning um as we were praising him but there’s more in that same oops excuse me. Uh now in Hebrews 12 uh.

▶ 36:23 212 I will declare the writer of Hebrews who is probably the apostle Paul said I will declare your name unto my brethren and in the midst of the church I will sing praise unto you and this is quoting also from Psalm 22 a little further along it says I will declare your name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation I will praise you you that fear the Lord praise him all you the seed of Jacob glorify him and fear him all you the seed of Israel see Jesus Christ through the spirit spirit is praising God the father through us as we open our mouths you know if the spirit of Christ dwells in you you’re glorifying God that’s another reason to praise the Lord is you are he is inhabiting your praises he’s coming and living in you he dwelling in you and he will sing praise to God through you that Holy Spirit will use your praise it will rise up it will be greater than just your words that you’re like oh okay I’m praising God it’s greater than that the spirit gets in the Holy Spirit gets involved but now I want to give you one more why to praise the Lord.

▶ 37:46 Why you praise the Lord Psalm 69:30 to 31 here’s verse. 30 I will praise the name name of God with a song and will magnify him with Thanksgiving magnify you know what that means you get a you make it bigger you get a magnifying glass you can see it when you’re old you need those magnifiers to see things to see the fine print I will make him bigger than me with. Thanksgiving so praise the name of God with a song you’ve got that up there is something to do and magnify him with Thanksgiving and here’s the kicker for this fa uh verse. 31 this also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bulock that has horns and hooves your praise.

▶ 38:45 Pleases the Lord that’s why you should praise him with these these other things it pleases him more than our sacrifices the uh oxes and the bullocks were. Sacrifices it’s more it pleases God more than our tithes and offerings it pleases God more than our helping out and it pleases God more than the things that make us feel better about ourselves because we think we’re doing God a favor you know it praising the Lord is better than those things. So add this to your praise. Toolbox we have the the ways that we know how to do it to sing speak shout stand dance bow down clap raise your hands uh and play musical.

▶ 39:47 Instruments why to defeat the enemy to invite God’s presence excuse me to come to you. So. Add to these verses that we know so well add pleasing the Lord praise pleases the Lord add that to your walk with God and let’s just recap that again so you see it I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify him with. Thanksgiving this also shall please the Lord. More a better than an ox or bulock that has horns and hooves so I think that’s really in line with what God is wanting to say to us today please God with your Thanksgiving with your praise.

▶ 40:47 Says in Psalms 24:8 who is this king of glory the Lord strong and mighty mighty in battle lift up your heads oh oh ye gates lift them up you everlasting doors and let the king of glory come in we don’t have to live our lives separated from God we don’t have to live our lives with God far away you can have him inside of you dwelling in you but we’ve got to humble ourselves open up our mouths invite him in amen says that the kingdom of God is near near you even in your mouth so she’s she’s totally right if you remember the story of Paul and Silas they were wrongfully put in prison and they began to sing and praise him and sing hymns you know if in your life you want to become someone who is a praiser you know keep God around you Paul and Silas kept God around them and and delivered them from that pr prison sell you guys know the story if you don’t know the story it’s powerful it’s an acts you should look it up it’s great God delivered them and not only delivered them but brought the jailer to Christ.

▶ 42:09 Amen I’m going to invite the next person to share um. Whoa uh mrs Gomez are you here come on in come on up well good morning everybody it’s good to be here good to see faces that I haven’t seen in a long time kids from school that was awesome. Um so some of you know I’ve worked here for a long time and gone here for a while and uh what a great training ground this it was here you know learning and being taught the things of God uh I remember um one time when I first got here mrs sila was having Bible studies and they were doing this um they were making baskets to give away for Easter I think it was Easter they were they were giving them away and all the women there were supposed to decorate them and I looked at it and remember I just got here and and I’m looking at it and she has all these laces and beads and stuff to put on there and I said what am I supposed to do with this she go decorate it I go decorate how she go just just think I go think I go wow that’s a new thing for me you know think how to decorate wow and I looked I go I don’t know what to do with this basket just yeah just you know decorate it we’re going to fill it

▶ 43:39 up with stuff and give it out to the kids and I go oh my go so I sat there you know I did my best you know and and I only see that because that’s how I came here you know I didn’t know what to do but but because I continued coming here continued coming to church and being taught and and and not giving up you know God you know used that tiny training there with more and I got involved I got involved with children’s church got involved with the school and I kept growing you know and and I was I’m so thankful for that you know you I God just open the doors for me things I didn’t even know he taught I mean you know I got to have my childhood that I never had as a child.

▶ 44:43 I don’t know lots of these kids have had ch childhoods I never had one and I didn’t go camping I didn’t go you know I didn’t didn’t do a lot of stuff you know. So I [unclear] here with the kids you know I got involved with children’s church we had camp outs we had you know all kinds of fun you know activities and played airsoft in the woods you know it was it was a blast you know dressed up like a soldier carried a gun you know whenever the kids were bad I got to pay them back you know so it was fun we had a great time you know you know I I was like wow God even gives you that you know that’s awesome you know so all these years of children’s church I mean we I did it for years you know I had a lot of help from the body here you know uh saying okay you know we’ll help you out we’ll spend the night you know no one likes spending the night and sleeping on the floor you know but you do it because why for the kids you know it’s all for the kids kids you know so I little do you know you know the things that you’ve been doing here was going to take me to my next my next walk with God you know uh I I finally decided to leave the school and and

▶ 46:14 do something else I was planning on leaving the state but I ended up staying and I ended up just working somewhere else but before I did that I got into foster care. And uh I remember being out there by the pool and just think looking at the kids uh there was these ladies that did foster care and I looked and I said okay this one’s a good one this one’s not such a good one you know we need more Christian women to be foster care to do foster care you know how how how wonderful that would be you know to to show love to these kids and the love of Christ to them you know I said I I need to do that you know and I said no not really you know I forget that but you know but I just you know it just it just touched my heart I could tell the difference in these kids’ life what God was doing to them that you know they would come here and and they would have this blank face on and then a month later two months later they were smiling you know they were so sad cuz they were taken from their parents and then months later they were happy and I was like wow that’s the difference you know to see a smile on a kid’s face so.

▶ 47:26 Finally uh my daughter told me about doing foster care she worked at this company and I said oh no I don’t no she say mom you would be good at it and I said so I tried it out and I said okay I want domestics and those are kids that live here no they didn’t give me domestics they gave me these uh uh ur ucp kids that’s undocumented immigrants that came from uh different countries and I was like a I don’t want them you know I want American kids you know but no I got those ones and uh I had like maybe 13 14 of them but four at a time you know throughout my years and six years of doing foster care and it really blessed my life and number one I never worked with uh the youth here I only worked with the kids I only worked with the kids from 4 to 12 years old so I never worked with youth I never wanted to you know you know they had their attitudes and stuff and you know the little kids you you know they believe everything you say but these older kids they don’t you got to make them believe it’s tougher they’re a little tougher I didn’t feel like messing with that you know and uh so I never at the church that was weird I never worked with the youth you know never I never wanted to so finally I get these youth in my home there I am working with them you know and it was you know some of them these kids that come from other countries don’t know nothing about Jesus they don’t know about

▶ 48:56 the holidays they don’t know about Christmas we go to Walmart and we go you know I’d go Christmas shopping and looking for things to decorate and they go what is that you know I go that’s a nativity scene they go for what and I would be we’ll be having a Bible lecture in Walmart you know talking about what it is and I thought what a what an opportunity you know what an opportunity to tell these kids about Christ like that so it was awesome to me and then after I left here my my things what I wanted to do changed and then I said okay uh my daughter again said uh mom you know they’re hiring over here at my work I had left I was about to leave mountainside the school and I said okay so I interviewed there and it’s hard to interview for not having an interview after 30 something years and now you got to go what interview my gosh what do they ask you know so I interviewed got the job and now I’m working with these kids and um these kids uh you know I don’t like to say things about myself you know boast but I come here and man they make me feel like wonder woman you know I’m like man I can do everything here you know you know I mean these little you know they got a lot of young kids working there you know 22 23 26 and up but man when you got an an adult there

▶ 50:27 that’s that’s you know been doing all this stuff they don’t know nothing you know and I I can make eggs and you know do you know no problem oh we’re going to cook for Thanksgiving all right breakfast let’s do it you know and they just look at me cuz you know I’m used to doing that used to having camp house you know it’s no big deal to them it’s a shock you know um playing outside I was refereeing a basketball I got tired of seeing the kids double dribble and carry the ball I’m like oh my gosh I can’t take this no more I said I’m going to be right back I have a whistle in my car why it’s been in my car all these years I do not know but I had my school whistle still so I went I got it and I said okay I’m the ref this is how we play I’m going to be calling these so I start don’t double don’t dribble with both hands you can’t do that you can’t travel don’t you can’t take steps when you stop so they’re saying okay miss okay and now remember these kids are from all over the world and they don’t all speak english so sometimes I have to translate in different languages with my google phone and uh so I’m telling them and they’re playing and they’re getting the hang of it I’m blowing my whistle calling fouls and not fouls just uh double dribbles and all like that walking and then finally they they start saying hey that’s a foul miss I go guys come on man you’re barely getting traveling and double dribble we’re not going into fouls right now and so these guys are playing and playing and and they thought they were like like in the nba man they just said wow

▶ 51:57 we’re going we got a real game going on you know so they’re playing and after the game they just said thank you miss thank you you know thank you for playing with us or calling you know refine and I said no problem guys I mean you know it it was good you know um I’m able to make waffles on Saturday for them in the morning and breakfast and and that’s a lot for them that you know they get their food they get food but it’s you know it’s sitting there for a while until they get up this is hot food you know this is freshh food I don’t know what they don’t put seasoning in their food and all like that you know it’s it’s bland you know I I I can’t even eat it but you know I’ll look on the menu and said oh they’re having they’re having hot dogs going to get a couple cans from uh darina snitel the chili get some onions get some cheese and fancy those hot dogs up you know put them in the oven and they’re good they love them you know they’re like man this is the best so you know know that kind of stuff goes a long way for these kids you know and and I’m well respected you know they’ll tell a new kid hey that’s miss miss miss Martha she’s a good one and it goes you know and I go wow look at I’m a good one you know you know so I you know and I appreciate that you know I’m just so grateful for that that I you know I got to share this Thanksgiving with them you know I I got to be in two cottages at the you know I I did a double that day I worked all day so the

▶ 53:27 first cottage I I shared with them the second cottage I went and we’re eating Thanksgiving dinner there and I said now do you guys know why we’re having Thanksgiving and no no you know and they don’t know you know and I go one of them said to give thanks I go yeah yeah give thanks that’s right so I got the share about Thanksgiving and then I got a another standing ovation you know it’s so funny you know I just I’m like wow you guys are funny and then I I get my coffee and I move over to a chair cuz I want to see the football game I go this is another thing we do on Thanksgiving okay this is American cuz they don’t like American football I go I’ll tell you let’s put it on here you know so I sit down and they bring me a little table for my coffee and I go dang I got a little table even you know and then I’m able to watch you know my game and stuff and they go you like football I go I love football and they go wow okay so now they know I like football and we watch football there now I couldn’t get them to let me watch football last year you know I I couldn’t let them they wouldn’t listen to me now they listen to me you know so it’s it’s awesome you know what food and and all this stuff goes you know.

▶ 54:42 So I thank God for that I thank God for preparing me you never know what you you know what’s going to happen in your life you know why you you see someone doing something and you it starts touching your heart and you say man should I I I feel that I should do that but no until it finally comes up and God says do it just do that foster care stuff you know he was getting me ready for the the shelter you know these these kids are there for a while you know they they don’t have no family here some of them and so they’re the ones that don’t have no family here are waiting for a home you know foster care and it’s a it’s just a blessing you know to be part of their lives you know I see them as children you know just kids you know the same ones we work with here just can’t understand english you know trying to learn how to you know speak english some of them you know but it’s it’s just an it’s an awesome blessing to be there and to be part of their lives you know and and for those who are starting you know that are coming here or you know wondering how long it takes I always wondered ask God you know when are you going to change my life you know when are you going to do something in my life you know and one day when I barely started off he says how many years have you been in sin and I’m just counting okay well

▶ 56:12 good 10 years he goes then give it a good 10 years you know be patient be patient and he goes and and little by little guys started working started taking the smoking the drinking the cigarettes the bad language and and to this day you know I’m still growing it never stops you know you just got to be patient you got to you know be open to his word his word is true you know his word is truth you got to be involved in church those were the things that we were taught here to stay you know planted like Psalms 92 they were talking about staying planted in the house of God and and you’re going to flourish you’re going to flourish and you’ll always be ready for things that happen in your life and and I’m so grateful I’m so thankful and I’m thankful for the teaching here and I thank you all for that.

▶ 57:11 Amen mrs Gomez when I was a kid she was one of my teachers for second grade her daughter and I went were in the same class so I I would get invited to sleepovers and birthday parties and mrs Gomez just went all out you’re going to have a sleepover I want mom can I. Go I want to go and uh they were always great of course me and mrs Gomez she would do uh boxing sometimes so me and mrs Gomez used to box each.

▶ 57:51 Other uh very uh rich history. Here mrs g and u God has done a great work in her life and it’s awesome to see uh lastly we have miss no who are you pointing at oh okay well I guess that’s it uh did anybody else have anything to share I’d like to open it up the floor all I can say is amen Martha w I worked with her and I can just confirm every word she said she’s an awesome powerful woman of God what God has done in her life um I was going to share that it’s a scripture it says um anyone that’s in the Lord is a new creation he makes us new but I looked up that word and it’s more than just being new like you get a new toy bam it’s there it’s a creation that is founded and it’s founded to a plan it’s established and it’s something that’s going to be building in your life so some people when they come to Christ oh you’re a new creation and you just think bam you’re going to be new but like Martha shared it’s going to take time when you’re planted in the house of God you will grow and flourish and that new creation is something that God is establishing in your life and

▶ 59:21 he is saying I will never leave you or forsake you and I I’m going to finish that work that I started in you I’m going to complete it to the day of Jesus Christ and so there’s a song that we sing um there’s when I was thinking about what I was going to share I was thinking of a song it’s out of the wilderness and um there’s a line in there that says the bitter taste of failure now is gone in life we face disappointments and there is bitterness and that bitterness can root itself in our hearts but as we stay connected to Christ he works all of that bitterness out all those disappointments from the past he removes them and then he also said forget the former things behold I will do a new thing and I felt uh when I was working on this or you know contemplating what I wanted to share I was thinking Lord you have have brought me into a new place there’s a transition happening among us the old the former things are past the things that we did yesterday like I keep going back to mrs Gomez what she was.

▶ 1:00:41 Yesterday had built upon what she is today but she had to forget the former things in order to embrace something that God wanted to do that was fresh and brand new and I felt felt from the Lord there’s something fresh and brand new that God is establishing in this church and in the hearts of people there’s a transition that is coming there’s a growth that is coming and it is it’s amazing so we have to forget sometimes okay we did it this way we did this this this because God wants to do a new thing in us and um it’s very exciting uh there things that I can’t speak yet but there’s there’s a change coming there’s a blessing because we are coming out of the wilderness God doesn’t leave us there but he does leave us there until we get it and I’ve been in a wilderness longer than I should have been but there’s something new there is something new coming in my life I’m not sure but it’s around the corner God is faithful and and you know there’s been a lot of loss a lot of loss in my life a lot of pain but God sustained me through all of it and you’ve never seen me down I’m always like because God gave me when I got saved he gave me that joy he said he that believeth on me as the scripture has

▶ 1:02:12 said out of his belly shall flow living waters and he’s constantly through his word re uh resurrecting joy in my life constantly every time I want to go down that road he goes nope nope forget the former things I’m going to do a new thing amen can you play that for me I’ll sing it okay I want to share a song and it’s called new wine it’s time for the new wine skins. Amen. Okay in the crushing in the pressing you are making new. Wine in the soil I now.

▶ 1:03:06 Surrender you are breaking new. Ground so I yield to you and to your careful. Hand when I trust you I don’t need to. Understand. Make me your vessel make me an offering make me whatever you want me to be I came here with nothing but all you have given me Jesus bring new wine out of me in the crush. In in the pressing.

▶ 1:03:58 You are making new. Wine in the soil I now. Surrender you are breaking new. Ground so make me your vessel make me an offering make me whatever you want me to be I came here with nothing but all you have given me Jesus being new wine out of me where there is new. Wine there is new. Power there is new.

▶ 1:04:52 Freedom the king om is here I lay down my old flames to carry your new. Fire. Today where there is new. Wine there is new. Power there is new freedom the kingdom is here I lay down my old flame to carry your new. Fire. Today make me your vessel make me an offering make me whatever you want me to be I came here with nothing but all you have given me Jesus bring new wine out of me.

▶ 1:05:55 Jesus bring new wine out of me oh Jesus bring new wine out of me. Amen. Whe their heads bowed or eyes closed we’re just going to take a moment here to um invite our God and give people an opportunity to pray and invite him into their heart this morning if you never accepted Jesus into your heart Romans 3:23 says at the wages of sin is death that all have fallen short of the glory of God and in Romans 6:23 three it says the wages of that sin is death in hell we don’t want that it says the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and that is what we are offering today Christ Jesus he has offered his life giv up his life for us and that’s what we’re so thankful for it says in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess he is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness this morning if you you acknowledge that you

▶ 1:07:25 have sin in your life and you’re willing to admit and confess unto Christ this morning uh right now and invite him into your heart I’d like to just lift up your hand right where at our eyes closed just lift up your hand if you’d like to invite Jesus into your heart and we’re going to pray this prayer together and just repeat after me Lord Jesus I admit that I have sinned against you I confess. My sins before you this morning Lord Jesus I invite you to come into my heart fill me with your love your power your spirit Jesus Lord I pray that you would cleanse. Me all of me Lord Jesus I thank you this.

▶ 1:08:22 Morning. Amen this morning also we want to take a moment to pray if you’ve already accepted Christ and you want to keep growing and and keep committing a lot of things are mentioned this morning but uh first was mentioned is we’re we want to please God we want to praise him lift up his name beat back the enemy in our life uh we want to commit ourselves to his house as miss Gomez mentioned the scriptures that say be planted in the house of the Lord Lord and this morning let’s just respond to that this morning by uh praying a prayer together let’s just repeat after me Lord. Jesus God I. Commit to serving. You Lord to putting the kingdom of darkness behind.

▶ 1:09:17 Me and focusing on you Lord to put your word in my heart and lift up your holy. Name Lord Jesus I commit to loving. You thank you Jesus in your precious name everyone said amen amen amen thank you all for joining us this morning we want to thank those online we trust you heard all of the great testimonies this morning and a call to uh surrender unto him give thanks unto him grow in him uh we appreciate you joining us this morning God bless you.