[Music] Good morning encounter worship. Good morning encounter life. Why don't you stand up? Stand up on your feet and join us this morning. [Music] We want the King of Glory to come in this place this morning. Come on and help us sing this [Music] song. Mighty warrior, great in battle, you have overcome. [Music] my defender, no contender. You've already won. And I will lift up my eyes to the hills where my help comes from. For the Lord is the Lord is my shield and my fortress. I fear no one. Let the king Let the King of glory end. Let the king of glory end. Wo oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory end. Wo oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory end. Woah. Oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Oh, let the king of glory. My proider. Yes. Your gyer. You have done enough. Chains are broken and blind eyes open. where we lift you up. And I will lift up I will lift up my eyes to the hills where my help comes from. [Music] For the Lord is my shield and my fortress. I fear no one. Let the king Let the King of glory Let the King of glory in. Oh oh oh oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Oh oh oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Oh oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Oh oh. Let the king. Oh, praise the one who is the Lord of host. Oh, praise the one who has redeemed my soul. Oh, praise the Lord. Oh, praise the one. Who has authority? Who has authority? Oh, praise the Lord. Oh, praise the one. Set the captives free. Who sets the captives free. Oh, praise the one. Oh, praise the one. Who is the Lord of hosts? Who is the Lord of host? Oh, praise the one who has redeemed who has redeemed my soul. Oh, praise the Oh, praise the one who has authority. Oh, praise the one, who set the captives free. Who sets the captives free. And we're singing [Applause] hallelujah. Hallelu. [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelujah. Lord. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory in. Oh, let the king of glory. Let the king of glory in. Let the king of glory. Oh, let the king of glory. Let the king of glory in. Let the king of glory in. Oh. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory in. Let the king of glory in. Oh. Oh. And the king of glory. Let the king of glory. And the king of glory. The king of glory. And the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. The king of glory. And the king of glory. The king of glory. And the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Let the king of glory. Who is the king? Let the king of glory. Who is this king? Let the king of glory. Who is the king? Let the king of glory. Who is the king of the king of glory? The Lord got strong. The king of glory. The Lord got strong. The king of glory. The Lord got strong. The king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. The king of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. King of glory. Let the king of glory. And we're singing [Applause] hallelu. Hallelu. Hallelu. [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [Music] Morning. Good morning. Good morning. Encountered life. Oh, who is this King of glory? He's the God strong and mighty. Let the King of Glory come on in. And so we thank you. Those who've already come in, we want to just welcome you this morning. Welcome to our church. Welcome to our worship service. Join in with us as not as strangers or visitors, but as one family, lifting up the name of Jesus. Why don't you come on and join and let's give him some praise right here, right now. Why? Because he's deserving. Why? Because he's God. Why? Because he's God all by himself. Keep the praise going because he's worthy. Come on, think about how he brought you through this week. Yes. Think about how he woke you up this morning. Think about how he put food on your table. There's money in your bank account. It may not be a lot, but it's enough to pay your bills. I guarantee you that. Thank you. Thank you. So, we just want to welcome you here to Encounter Life Church. You may have your seats for a moment, then I'm going to ask you to stand for a word of prayer. We want to welcome those who've already made their way in. If you were in my classroom, I'd give you a star for being on time. And we want to welcome those who are coming in and those who are on their way. And we didn't forget you at home. We want to thank you for tuning in to the Encounter Life worship service. We don't want you to be just watchers or observers. We want you to participate in this wonderful privilege of worship. So won't you join us today? Clear your hearts. Ask God to cleanse you of anything that's in you, that's in me that is not like him. So with pure hearts and clean hands, we can enter into this holy place at this holy time. We are the Encounter Life Church and our fine pastor is none other than Pastor Dwayne Anthony McKini. We are proud of our pastor. We are proud of him. Not in a way that glorifies man, but in a way that honors you, God. He's a man after your own heart. And we can say that because we've witnessed it in his life. We've witnessed it as he grew up in this church, as he went away and came back and thought it not robbery when he was studying in medical school to come back every weekend to minister to our youth. And we're thankful for that. We know that every perfect gift comes from the father above. and he is a gift to us. So I don't say that to Brown nose. He doesn't pay me to say it. I say it because it's true. I've watched him all of his life and indeed he's a man after God's own heart. So I ask you right now if you would stand with me for a word of prayer first. Um I'm sorry for the reading of the word and then I'll pray us into the service. We're coming from Psalms 247-10. Lift up your heads, oh ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors. And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? He's the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, oh ye gates, even lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? He's the Lord of hosts. He is the King of glory. Glory. Let us bow our heads. Lord God, we welcome your precious and divine Holy Spirit into this space. Those of us who have a personal relationship you with you, we carry you wherever we go in our hearts. But now that we're gathered here together corporately, we ask that your precious Holy Spirit just fall on this place taking care of whatever we have need of, whatever distractions we have. Lord, let us look unto you, the author and finish of our faith. Let us devote this two-hour session or almost twohour session, however long the spirit takes that we focus on you. That we say thank you for what you've done in our life. Those of us who claim to know you personally, we thank you for salvation. Those who are seeking to know you, we thank you that you will that you're still striving with man. Your word says you will not always strive, but today you're still striving. And today is the day of salvation. So as the wonderful preacher comes and divides your word rightly today, we pray that someone would hear the salvation message and come to know you as their personal Lord and Savior. And before he comes, Lord God, we ask a blessing over uh Minister Stefan Lindsay of Zion Church as he comes to feed this branch of Zion today. We pray that you would pour him out. We pray a blessing on his wife and his children, on him and his ministry. We pray that he you would use him in a mighty way today. And then refresh him and revive him as you pour him out on us. For it's in your name's sake that we praise you. It's in your name's sake that we give you the glory. It's in your name's sake that we give you the honor. For it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen. and the praise team give us one more song and then we'll have our announcements may have your seats [Music] please reef share support group will be starting Saturday May 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. It is held online. As a matter of fact, take your phone out and take a picture of this slide so that you can have the information. For more information, you can contact Dr. Katherryn Graham at cam12verizon.net. There are several ways to give ELC. You can give through text by texting the word give to 301842520. You can give through Givey by using the app strength like no other. Strength like no other. It reaches me. [Music] You are my strength. [Music] Strength like no other. Strength like no other and it reaches reaches to me. Let's sing that again. Sing it with us. Sing. You are my strength. You are my strength. Strength like no other. Strength like no other. Reaches me. You are my strength. You are my strength. [Applause] Strength like no other. [Music] Strength like no other reaches reaches me in the fullness in the fullness of your grace. In the power in the power of your name me up. You lift me up. Hallelujah. You lift me up in the fullness, in the fullness of your grace, in the power of your name. You lift me [Music] up. You lift me up. You are my hope. Hope like no other. [Music] Hope like no other. It reaches reaches to me. You are my hope. You are my hope. [Music] Hope like no other. Hope like Hope like no other reaches reaches me in the fullness in the fullness of your grace. In the power of your name, lift me up. You lift me up. [Music] You lift me up in the fullness in the fullness of your grace. In the power In the power of your name, lift me up. You lift me up. Thank you for lifting me. You lift me up. Unfailing love. Stronger than mountain. Stronger than mountain. Deeper than ocean. Reaches. reaches me. Unfailing love. Unfailing love. Stronger than [Music] mountains. Deeper than oceanes. [Applause] reaches me in the fullness in the fullness of your grace. In the power in the power of your name. Lift me up. You lift me up. [Music] You lift me up. of your grace. In the fullness of your grace, in the power of In the power of your name, you lift me up. Yes. You lift me up in the fullness of your grace. In the power of In the power of your name, lift me up. You lift me up. You lift me up. Your gracefulness of your grace in the power of your name. You lift me up. [Music] You lift me up. You are my strength. You are my strength. Yes, Lord. Strength like no other. Strength like no other. Reaches. reaches to me. Reaches to me. Reaches to me. Reach to [Music] me. Reach to me. [Music] Reaches to [Music] me. Let's stand and worship. This is time to worship. You Lord, you are worthy. [Music] Hallelujah. And no one can worship you for me. [Music] For all the things you've done for me. Hallelujah. and no one can worship you for me. So here's my here's my [Applause] worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship. All of my [Applause] worship. Receive my [Music] worship. All of my worship. You Lord, you Lord, you are worthy. [Music] And no one can worship you for me. Yes. For all the things you've done for [Music] me. And no one can worship you for me. So here's my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. Here's my [Music] worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my All of my worship is my worship. Here's my worship. All of my [Music] worship. Receive my [Music] worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship. All of my worship. [Applause] He's my worship. He is my [Applause] worship. All of my [Music] [Applause] worship and will not be silent. I will always worship you. As long as I am breathing, as long as I am breathing, I will worship you and I will not be found. I will not be silent. I will always worship you. As long as I am free, I will always worship you. So here's my worship. Here's my [Music] worship. All of my [Music] worship. Receive my worship. All of my [Music] worship is my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. [Applause] I will not be silent. I will worship you. As long as I am, as long as I am breathing, I will worship. Come on, lift up your voices and sing. I will not be silent. And I will not be silent. [Applause] I will always worship you. As long as I'm breathing. As long as I am breathing, I [Applause] will worship you. And I and I will not be silent. I will worship you. As long as I am breathing, as long as I am breathing, I will worship you. So here's my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. So he is my worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. All of my All of my worship. Here's my [Applause] worship. All of my worship. Receive my worship. all of my [Music] work. And you Lord, you are [Music] worthy. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Here's my worship. The Bible says, "If you don't praise him, the rocks will cry out." Come on, somebody. If you don't praise him, the rocks will cry out. Come on, give him glory in the house. He's worthy. Hallelujah. And no matter how you feel, no matter what your bank account looks like, no matter what's going on in your house, he's still worthy. [Music] Hallelujah. Receive our worship, oh God. Receive our worship, oh God. Come on. How many know God is good today? Can I be honest with y'all? I was feeling some kind of way while we started singing that song. The reason why is I was waiting. I said, "What is taking them people so long to stand up?" Amen. Because is our God not worthy of you rising before him? Amen. Sometime How many of y'all if you came in here distracted? You can raise your hand. You had a little distraction. I'mma raise my hand. If I had some distractions in my life, in my household, Amen. Anybody come in here with some If you came in here with something on your mind other than worship, you could raise your hand with me. Anybody? Right. Guess what? Everything you came with, let's put it back out the door. Everything that you came with, I it could be big. I don't even know your situation, but I know that there's nothing greater than our God. Nothing mightier than our God. Whatever the weight that you brought with him you today, the word says, "Cast all of your cares on him." Why? He cares for you and what you do in exchange for that. This morning I was reading in the book of Psalms. I was reading Psalms 65 through 67 and then 69 and 70. And David was crying out to the Lord in the middle of all of the things that are going on in his life. And he said, "Lord God, listen God, you're still calling me near to you in the midst of all of these people running after me. In the midst of the turmoil in my life, God, I still give you praise because you're worthy. And I'm here to tell you, when you praise him, your circumstance might not get better, but the load will feel lighter. Why? Because you put it on him now. And he's able. How many know he's able to do exceeding abundant above all you can ask or imagine. So, can we do this as one body? I want all of us to stand on our feet. Hallelujah. We're standing on our feet this morning and the song says, "God, here's my worship. God, with all of my burdens, here's my worship. All of my worship." Can we give it to him today? Come on, say, "Here's my worship. Here's my worship. All of my worship. All of my worship. In the midst of your burden, here's my worship, Lord. My [Applause] worship of my worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship, Lord. My worship. All of my worship. Here's my worship. Receive my worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. I will not be silent. I will not and I will not be silent. Listen, I will worship you. As I feel, as long as I'm breathing, as long as I am breathing, I will give it to you. I will always worship you. I will not be silent and will not be silent. I will worship you. I'm breathing down. As long as I am breathing, I will always worship you. Worship, Lord. Is my worship. All of my worship. Receive it, Lord. Receive my worship. All of my [Music] worship is my worship. All of my [Music] worship. Receive my worship. All of my worship. Glorify him in the middle of your pain. Give him glory right now. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. In the middle of your circumstance, praise him right now. Hallelujah. [Music] The psalmist says, "Bless the Lord, oh my soul." In that psalm, the way he the word that he's using, he's commanding his soul to bless the Lord. He's command, you know, you have to command yourself to bless God. Sometime praise is not about how you feel. How many know it's not about how you feel? It's about what's real. And your God is real. And sometimes what you feel, guess what? Your feelings will lie to you every time. You don't praise him based on how you feel. You praise him based on what's real. And your word of God tells you that he's sovereign and he's able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or imagine. Amen. Dear God, heavenly father, receive our worship today, God, we came with distractions. I know I came with stuff all my mind sometime all over the place. We we're so busy sometime trying to do the work of the church, God, that we're not being still to hear from you. God, receive our worship. I pray for somebody right now, God, who is burdened, who is distracted, who's heavy in spirit. Let them cast their care on you because you care for them. Let them know your care. Teach us and help us to command our souls to bless you in spite of how we feel. And when the praises go up, watch the blessings come down. We honor you. We give you glory in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You may have your seat. Amen. [Music] Amen for Amen. Praise the Lord everybody. Amen. Our God is good. I want to thank all of you for your prayers. Um uh Sister Tracy and I and and DJ and where's KJ? Is KJ here? We took uh DJ and and a couple of his friends KJ and Vance uh for a birthday cruise last week to the Bahamas. We praise God. Thankful for y'all for all of your prayers. Amen. That we It's hard to believe DJ is turning 17 this week. Amen. He came out last their their last week of school was week before last and he came out and said, "Dad, I'm a senior now." I was like, "Oh my goodness." No. No, you're not. You got You No, you're not. We actually got one class you got to finish. I'm trying to hold on to Junior all as long as I can. Amen. But we praise God for that uh uh that we celebrated our birthdays together in the Bahamas. Uh and thank God for his protection and his safety. Some of y'all know the first night we were on that cruise. Do you know DJ and his friends were in the hot tub and some gentleman came up to them and threatened to hang them from a tree. Can you believe that? No, you can't. Can you? I couldn't either. I'm glad I was sleep. I told somebody it's good thing I was sleep because I'd probably be in a Bohemian prison right now. Amen. And so, but I praise God. God kept him safe and that they young man, they they conducted themselves with character and integrity and not in their emotions. They filmed the gentleman uh and actually the man was removed from the ship in the Bahamas. So, we praise God for keeping them safe. Amen. and uh keeping them safe among other things and not allowing them to act in their in their flesh and not allowing things to go uh uh s go to the left and we praise God for that. Amen. Cuz we have heard and we have seen situations where that has happened. But I tell you, we in some serious crazy times. Amen. So, we better be uh we better be uh aware and alert. Uh and God is calling us to be a light in the middle of the darkness. Today I'm blessed uh and excited to have with us today uh uh somebody who's not a stranger anymore. After one time they no longer a stranger. He's this is by is this three or four? I don't know. This might be the third or fourth time Pastor Lindsay is here. He and his lovely wife and their son are here with us. And we praise God to have Pastor Stephan Lindsay here to give us a mighty word from the Lord. Pastor Lindsay comes from a church we are familiar with. uh Zion Church under the leadership of Ca Pastor Keith Battle. Uh and this man, this young man of God is a dynamic man of God who's got a word for us this morning. So, can we give a warm ELC welcome to Pastor Stephan Lindsay as he comes to break the bread this morning and give the word this morning. Amen. Amen. Bless you, man. Woo. Can y'all help me celebrate your pastor this morning? Can y'all help me celebrate your pastor? Thank you, sir, for your leadership. And first lady, can we all help me celebrate first lady, the whole family. Wow. To God be the glory uh for the way he has protected your family. I can't even imagine. I can't imagine, man. What a what a time we still live in. Um, but we know God is able. He's faithful. Amen. Amen. Well, to God be the glory. It is a honor. It is a privilege uh to to be invited and allowed to come back. So, I thank you for your leadership. I don't take that uh for granted. And to the founder, we give God praise for you, your leadership. And ladies, God bless you. Uh uh is there a airport nearby? Never mind y'all. That was my heart that just took off. My wife, y'all c can you help me celebrate my beautiful bride? She I get on her nerves, y'all. And she love it at the same time and and my two sons uh doing their thing. Man, it's an honor and privilege to be here. I give honor again to my pastor, Pastor Keith Battle, uh Zion Church. Can y'all help me celebrate him as well? Uh he sends his love for sure. Well, look y'all. Y'all ready for the word? Y'all ready to hear from God? Somebody say, "Lord, please speak." Lord, make me more like you. Lord, if I hear something when I hear something that challenges me please give me the grace to receive knowing that you just want me to be more like you in Jesus name. Somebody said amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. And can we give God praise for the praise and worship team? Oh my goodness. God bless you. Thank you for your leadership. Wow. There's a word today from 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8 and n. And I'm going to be looking at the Christian Standard Bible. The Christian Standard Bible. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8 and N. Second Corinians chapter 1. If you got it, say amen. Christians saying the Bible says Paul says, "We don't want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia." I love a CSB version that says we were completely overwhelmed beyond our strength so that we even despared of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. I want to preach just for the next three hours from this simple subject. I'm I'm for the next few moments from this simple subject. Tell it like it is. Somebody tell tell your neighbor, tell it like it is. Tell it. Tell it like it is. I can remember in the year of 2009, it was early 2009. This was before uh I had a relationship with Jesus Christ. And I I just remember that that particular night I was with a group of friends and and and we left a particular facility, the club. Um and it was a few of us and it was late and we were doing things in the car that we we we shouldn't have been doing. There was a lot of smoke in the car and and and I was on the passenger side and the driver, I think he was so discombobulated that he forgot to turn the lights on. And now out of nowhere, we get further down the road and we begin to see some red and blue lights in our rear view mirror. And we were told by the officers that we needed to go ahead and pull over. And so we pulled over and I noticed that the car was not a regular police car. This was one of those uh K9 trucks. I said, "Oh my goodness." Next thing you know, the officer comes. I don't know why he chose y'all to come to my side. I wasn't driving. Usually they come to the driver's side. So he want to come to my side. I roll the window down. License and registration. We getting that. And while my friend is grabbing the license and registration, y'all, I thought it would be a good time to ask the officer a question. I said, "Well, officer, you mind if I ask you a question while he's looking?" He said, "Sure. What's what's going on?" I said, "Just I'm just curious. Can that K9 dog search our car without our permission? He said, "Sir, I need all y'all to get off the car." All my friends was mad. That's why you you just shut up. I said, "I'm just trying to see how right now all of us sitting on the side looking crazy." And now and and and the and the K9 went around sniffing and found stuff and and the officer said, "Look, it's gonna go one of two ways. All y'all can go down or one of y'all going to have to take this fall." And here I go still trying to be ignorant. I'm going to take the fall for everybody. And my friend, y'all, I don't know if y'all had a mother like or or have a mother like I got a mother. My mother don't play. My friends, anybody got friends that know your mother don't play and didn't play? My friend said you No, no, no. My friend knew my mother ain't played so much that he decided he was going to take the jobs. Uh he he figured it was better for me to to to go home than it getting in trouble from my mother would have been worse than going to jail. Y'all understand what I'm saying? Shout out to those type of mothers. Amen. Sometime you need that to keep you keep you back. Anybody had a mother like that? Amen. Amen. Amen. Shout out to y'all. And and I I learned a valuable lesson that day, y'all. Uh, I said all that to just say this simply that sometimes, somebody say sometimes. Sometimes, sometimes you you can't always tell it like it is. Sometimes. But then there are other times that I believe are important for us to tell it like it is especially if what we have to share will be a blessing to others. Somebody say sometimes Paul understood that very well right here in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8 and N. He understood it. If you know anything about Paul's writings, this second Corinthians, for whatever reason, happened to be Paul's most vulnerable letter that he ever wrote in the New Testament. And you know, he wrote over half of the New Testament. And for some reason, he decided in 2 Corinthians, this particular letter, that he would pour out his heart and be vulnerable and intimate with people, that they would be able to see another side that most people couldn't see about Paul. Paul understood something special about the power of vulnerability. Somebody say vulnerability. Now I believe there's something that we we Paul wants to teach us about the power of vulnerability and more specifically if you're taking notes how to steward our stories. Somebody say steward our stories. There are three things and then I'm gonna be gone. There are three things that I want us to take a closer look at as Paul shares his particular story. We're going to take we we're going to notice his level of vulnerability and transparency and how he stewarded his story so that others might be blessed as a result of what God allowed him to go through. Amen. Tell it like it is. The first the first thing that Paul teaches us, if you take a closer look at verse eight, he says, "We don't want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia." First point, if you're going to be a good steward of your story, things that God has allowed you to go through and tell it like it is. The first thing is really simple, but it's not easy. That lesson is somebody say be open. Be open. Be open. Be open. Now, you got to understand Paul is saying here, he starts out by saying, "We don't want you to be unaware." Notice this language. This is not Paul responding to a question that the Corinthian church asked him. It's not like the Corinthian church said, "Paul, we heard that you was over there in Asia teaching the word of God and spreading the word of God on your missionary trip. Paul, how did it go?" This was not Paul responding to their question about his journey. This was Paul saying, "I got something to tell y'all because I want you to know this. Are y'all tracking? He says, "I don't want you to be unaware." In other words, Paul was Paul was willing to share this. This was this was on his heart to share this. He was open. Somebody say he was open. Now, I know that might sound simple, but watch this. Some of us are the complete opposite of Paul. We're not as open as God would want us to be because we're not as intentional. Somebody say intentional. See, when Paul says, "I don't want you to be unaware," Paul is saying, "I I got something to share, and I'mma be intentional about sharing this." Some of us will only share when somebody asks us something. And then by the time they ask us, depending on the circumstance, we we we still hold our stuff tight. But Paul was completely Paul was completely opposite opposite of of of many of us. Here's what I've learned. If you and I are going to be open, it requires a deep level of selflessness. One of the first lessons that we try to teach our children is to be selfless. To share as they grow up. Y'all know anybody had kids, you know, that's one of the first things you get that you trying to get them to do is share. They don't want to share nothing. That the fir one of the first words they learn is mine. It's mine. And if I'm going to be honest, many of us when it comes to sharing the things that things of God that that that we've gone through, some of us, God has allowed you to go through so much. But many of us, if we be honest, we still have a a childlike mentality when it comes to our stories and our wounds and some of the stuff that God has brought us through. And when it comes, our mentality is that's mine. I I want to ask you a question. Are are you open? Let me let me let me let me let me ask it this way. When I say are you open, I'm saying are you intentional about partnering partnering with God to seek out opportunities so that your to share your wounds so that others might win? I'm going to say that one more time. When I say are you open, the question is, are you intentional about partnering with God for opportunities to share your wounds so that others might win? Lord, who can be who can I bless? There there's so much you you've taught me. And I and I I I'll say this. Let's let's just be real. Many of us were conditioned to be closed off. Many of us were conditioned to be private. So I'm not even saying it. I I I ain't getting on nobody today. I understand some of us, you grew up in the old school where it it it was known to say be seen and be seen and not heard. Or you might have heard somebody say this growing up. You probably heard them say, "Stay in a child's place." I don't know where that is. But I knew I knew what to do though. Whatever happens in this house, we grew up in the same house, y'all. That's that's crazy. And so many of us were conditioned to be private, to keep our stuff to ourselves. But I'm just saying, Paul, I know this ain't the this ain't an attractive lesson today, but I think somebody needs to hear this today because somebody, not just you, but some other people need to get free as a result of you getting free from being so private and closed off. Because some of us, believe it or not, you are giving off a false sense of perfection to people and it's hard for them to see Christ. Cuz not even Christ was as put together as you try to be. Help me, Jesus. Y'all remember when he died and he came back and eventually he showed himself to over 500 people and and Thomas was in the upper room and the other disciples and they What did Thomas say? Man, I ain't going to believe that he really died unless I can see and touch his wounds. I want to see Jesus transparently came through the door and and and you would have thought that Jesus would have came in with a speech saying, "How dare you, Thomas? I've been walking with you all this time. I've been teaching you. You done seen me do miracles, and yet you still don't believe that I am who I say I am." He could have said all that with his hands behind his back so Thomas couldn't see nothing. But yet instead, our savior decided to Somebody say, "Be open." He came in like this and said, "Go ahead, Thomas. Touch. Do what you got to do." Cuz sometimes people need sometimes people need to see. Some of us too private. What What if your privacy is hindering people from growing into another level of of their faith? Cuz everybody ain't going to always be where you are or wherever you think you are. Some some sometimes they need us to be open. And I guarantee you that level of openness from Christ allowed Thomas's faith to go to another level. Yeah, I might have missed it that day. Yeah, I shouldn't have doubted that day, but it it I won't have another day like that cuz my savior was open. He was intentional about partnering with God to seek out an opportunity to share his wounds so that others might win. I guess I'm saying y'all before we go to point two, I know many of us have been crippled by tradition, but don't let your family tradition cause don't let your generational traditions leave generational curses in your family. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? Where it's privacy and secrecy all going all around and don't nobody know nothing. And because nobody know nothing. People going through the same cycles and ain't experiencing freedom. Uncle done dealt with addiction but nobody talk about it. Grandma done dealt with this but nobody talk about it. And we don't hear nothing till after the funeral and somebody died. No, no, no. I want to hear it before you go to the grave. Help me to. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? cuz cuz multiple generations going through the same cycles and things cuz so and so showing up to the cookout and the and the in the family gather and nobody being open. Nobody want to talk about the real stuff. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? So we repeating stuff because of family tradition. We good. Y'all ready to eat? be open. But not only be open, Paul also wants us to understand the important of importance of being honest. Somebody say be honest. And some of y'all are saying, "Well, what is the difference?" If I'm being open, ain't I being aren't I being honest? Not always. Look at what Paul says. He says the second part of verse eight, he says, "We were completely what? Overwhelmed. beyond our strength. So that we even despared of life itself. We thought we was going to die. We thought it was over. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? That that's what you call being honest. Now, let me break down the difference. Being open is we went through some afflictions in Asia. Being honest is we were completely overwhelmed. Y'all see the difference? See, some of us what what Paul could have did is what many of us do when we sharing our stuff. We like to sum it sum that thing up real quick. Man, I went through so and so, but God bought me through. That's it. In 79, we went through, but the Lord brought us a mighty long way. Ain't nobody. The Bible says we we overcome by the word of our testimony. News flash, that ain't no testimony because we can't hear the tests for real. And we can't hear how you was impacted as a result of the test. Nobody's getting free by you talking about just saying, "Well, d and the Lord bought me a mighty long way." No, no, no. slow this story back and tell me about the way you went and how you missed some steps on the way. Do you hear what I'm saying? That's how people really overcome. Not just by being open. I've been through some stuff. Now, let's be honest. Tell me what you been through. Because Paul said, I was completely overwhelmed. Got a question for you. Anybody ever been completely overwhelmed? I I I'm not just talking about I didn't say have you been overwhelmed. I'm sure we all have, but I'm saying have you ever been completely overwhelmed? That's another level. If you pay attention to the news long enough, sometime you can get completely overwhelmed. Ever got a diagnosis and nobody could do nothing about it but God can have you in a place where you are completely overwhelmed. Grief and heartache, people transitioning, stuff happening that you ain't expect. Uncertainty around your job, 401k and your future and praying for your kids and your grandp grandkids. All this stuff happening around you. And if you would be honest, sometimes you get to a place where you can feel completely overwhelmed. Paul didn't say, "I gave up on God." He didn't say, "I I lost the faith." But he was being honest and just saying in this moment, in that moment, I was completely overwhelmed. I I I looked at this. I said, "Oh my goodness." Wow. Can you imagine what it was like for the Corinthian church to read this particular passage from Paul? I I imagine it like this. I I see some of them huddling around reading the letter and some of them sitting back and listening. And I I can imagine when somebody says he was completely overwhelmed. I I I imagine somebody saying, "Hold on, hold on. Slow down. Read that again. He was completely Are you talking about Paul? The one who wrote over half of the New Testament. Paul was completely overwhelmed. Are you talking about the one who who who literally had a visitation where he went to the third heaven and got a cl a secret clearance from God? Because the Bible says he was told stuff that he couldn't even repeat to other people. that Paul was completely overwhelmed. And as a result of it, you know what I believe that that that that letter did? Everybody who heard that, I believe it set so many people free to say to think like our Paul can feel completely overwhelmed. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? the one we look up to, the one we rely on, he he was humble enough to tell us that even he gets completely overwhelmed. So surely I must be in good company. I This one line set so many people free cuz I'm sure it made them feel like, man, I ain't too bad. All I'm saying is family, some people, believe it or not, are probably oversuffering because many of us are under sharing. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? some people in your family, your friendships, in your community. And again, I'm not saying everybody is owed all of your information, but I am saying that some people deserve more details than we've been giving them. Some of them, believe it or not, are oversuffering because you and I are under sharing. There's some people in your life that need to that some that need to know that you understand what it's like. You've been there. You you you know what it's like sometime to have to wake up 2 3 hours early to get ready. Not because you just trying to be on time, but because you know what it's like to be in a place where you're dealing with anxiety and depression. So you get up early because it take you that long just to get yourself together. Can I get a witness? I know I can't get no witness because ain't nobody going to be real. Can I get a witness though? Yeah. It take you that long just to get your mind right. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? It take you that long just to just to feel human again. It take you that long to pray. It take you that long to encourage yourself and speak the word over yourself. It t and by the time you put it put your makeup on, brush your hair, get it all together, you look good. and you showed up, but nobody know the half of what it took for you to even get in your car that day. Had no clue you woke up at 4:00 or 5 in the morning, not to intercede on others behalf, but because you were crying out to God saying, [Music] "Help." I'm saying somebody needs to know that sometimes. Woo! Help me, Jesus. Some some some people need to know that you ain't always had a 700 800 credit score. Yeah. Some some people need to know you you know what it's like to be somewhere else because because you you you you like to brag about where you are. But some people can't get free until you help them to understand you know what it's like because you've been where they are. So now now your children feel condemned because you always throwing your highlights in their face. Good God. They need to understand that you ain't always had a good relationship. You see me and your mother, we uh No, no, no, no, no. Sometimes you need to sit back and tell them tell them about you and you and Jackie back in the day. Make sure you got your wife permission though, you know. or or to the wife. Tell them about you and Craig. Yeah. Talk about that one that didn't work out. Talk about how you stay, you know what it's like to stay in relationships longer than you should. They don't need to hear when they every time they bring a challenge to you in a relationship. Well, you know, you shouldn't. And the words say it equally y. No, no, no, no. Slow down. Cuz you know what it's like to be there. Because now when they leave out of your presence, all they feel is shame, guilt, condemnation. like they the worst person in the world cuz you make them think you ain't gone through nothing which we know ain't true. See, I ain't get no amens right there. That's all right, though. That's all right. I'm almost done. I'm almost done. But they need us to be transparent. People need us to be transparent. Some of Some of our kids are tired of our our motivational speeches all the time. They hate getting in the car because you got a new speech every time. I got to tell myself that sometime. No, no, no. You know what we need to do sometime? Parents, grandparents, you know what we do? I challenge you. Take a whole week. Don't don't don't tell them tell them about your wins. Take a week and just tell them about stuff you you you messed up on. I guarantee you it will do something to that relationship that you couldn't even imagine. Cuz guess what? Our children and and grandchildren, they don't believe the lie anyway. We try to look a certain way to them, they don't believe it anyway. She's so fake. Daddy, daddy think we think you per. No, no, no, no. Go ahead, bring them in. Cuz they already know you ain't perfect. Because if we don't bring them in, somebody else will. Somebody else gonna give them the real somebody else gonna talk to them. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? Oh my goodness. They need to know that, y'all. They need to know some of those things so that so that when life hits them and they going through, they they don't need to just think, "Well, I must be a weak Christian cuz cuz I'm still in this place. Mom, daddy, I just need to speak the word. No, they they need to hear you say, "Now, sometime I I've been through I've been in a low place for a long time, and that's all right. You keep calling out, but even if you still there, but you still calling out and you still hurt. I know what it's like to be there for a long time. I might look like and show up, but I've been there." And you just know I got you. Don't you feel like you less of a Christian because you struggling with this? I know what that's like. I got you. We going to keep praying for you and no matter what, I love you. Do y'all hear what I'm saying? But I'll wrap this up like this, y'all. I I am a work in progress. I I don't present this word as if I get a A in this area. If I'm being honest with you, honest, not just open. This message was birthed back in January. It came through a conversation. And I was talking to one of the brothers that God has graced me to mentor. We were having a conversation and I checked on him. How you doing? And we went through the normal, you know, check in. And toward the end of the conversation, the Lord had me ask him again. I said, I got I know I asked you this up front, but I got to ask you again. H how you really doing? And when I asked him the second time, he said, "Man," he started going into depth about just how how much he was in a low place and battling with depression and anxiety and what couldn't do that. It was just hard to do that. And he says, "This what hit me." He says, "And I feel bad that I even feel this way." And it was in that moment where I said, "I I apologize. I had to apologize to him because I said, "For you and I to have been walking together this long and you feel bad for feeling bad, that means I didn't do my job right. I didn't I didn't share enough to help you to normalize your experience to realize you you human." And that even Jesus had a moment where he was in the garden and said, "Lord, would you take this cup from me? Even our savior had a had a moment like that." I said, "Man, I'm sorry. That's on me." And I began to share more of my story and wounds with him. And you can just sense the weight lifting off of him where he realized, man, I'm not alone. Thank you, God. We got to be open. got to be more honest. But I'll close here. We also got to be somebody say purposeful. Purposeful. If you can put verse N up. Verse N. I'm going ask my brother if you don't mind if you can help me out. Verse N. And we'll get out of here. He says, "Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead." Be purposeful. Paul did not just share his wounds for sympathy's sake alone. And I'm not saying it's a bad thing to do that. Sometimes we just need to vent, get the level of sympathy or comfort we need. I I'm not nothing wrong with that. But I'm also saying in this particular context, he was purposeful. Indeed, we felt that we received the sentence of death so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He wanted it to be clear that I I've gone through some stuff. I know what it's like to be at my to be at your lowest even as Paul, even as a pastor. But he also wanted to be purposeful and help them to know that though it feels like the end that that don't that don't mean that's still reality cuz God is still able. I thought I was going to die. I thought it was over. And he says God allowed this to happen so that we would not trust in who? but in God who raises the dead. Y'all don't judge me, but when I looked at that passage, I said, "Well, that's nice." But Paul, didn't you already know that it's important to trust in God, not in ourselves? I'm sure Paul knew that. I mean, we talking about Paul And then I realized there's levels to trust. God reminded me that no matter who you are, no matter how long you've been walking with the Lord, no matter how much impact that that God uses you to make, there's always another level of trust that God wants you and I to get to in him. Don't matter how many scriptures you know. Don't matter how many church services you've been through. As a matter of fact, sometimes God will intentionally allow more things to happen to a person that has been around the block just to challenge you because he loves you and he knows if I don't allow a challenge then you'll stay right here and get comfortable with all of your church ism. So sometimes I got to shake it up just to keep you close to me, just to take your trust level to it. Anybody that are you a witness today? I'm still growing. I'm still a work in progress. I still got a ways to go. I'm still learning God. I don't know it all. Grace and mercy. I want to trust him more and more and more and more. But that line teaches us, you see, Paul while he was out there, he was on a missionary journey seeing people come to Christ and yet behind the scenes he was dealing with trust issues. You know what that means? It means you got to be careful. Don't allow your effectiveness to serve as a revelation of how much you trust God. I'm gonna say that one more time. Don't allow your public effectiveness to serve as a direct revelation to how much you trust God because it ain't always equal. You can be Paul reaching all these people. You can be singing. You can be effective at your job. All of this effectiveness you see on the outside. But that does not mean that's a revelation of how well you're doing in your spirit. Let me prove it to you like this. Y'all remember God told Moses, "Moses, I need you to speak to the rock." Moses, what he decided to do out of his own self-reliance, what did he do? Struck the rock. But what happened? Water still came out of the rock. And God was faithful to bless the people. Water still came out. He was still effective in the in the eye of the public. But y'all remember what happened behind closed doors. God said, "Moses, because you ain't listen to me, you ain't going to be able to enter the promised land cuz you didn't trust me. You still got the same results." But the results are not an indication that you trusted me. Sometimes the effectiveness and the results are an indication of how faithful I am despite despite you. Do you hear what I'm saying? So don't be deceived by results. Don't be deceived by your effectiveness. Don't be deceived by by what's in your bank account. Don't be deceived by the promotion at your job. Don't be deceived by the results. God, I still need to pursue your heart every day. I still need intimacy with you, Jesus. Lord, don't allow the busyiness to make me think I'm being productive and honoring you. I still need you. All standing. All standing. [Music] So we would trust God who raises the dead. I don't know who I'm preaching to today. I don't know where you are today. I don't know what you are carrying today. But you can trust God who who who raises the dead. Whatever looks dead in your life, whatever's dormant in your life, the same God who raised Jesus is able to do it for you. As a matter of fact, sometime he allows the stage to be set in such a way that it conveyances you and I just so he can walk out and do what only he can do and get all the glory in your life. So wait on him. Wait on him. Somebody say wait on him. Thank you Jesus. Father, I pray right now in the name of Jesus, God, that you would get us to a deeper place in you where we can tell it like it is. We can be more honest, more open, more honest, and more purposeful. I pray in Jesus' name that you would set us free. Lord God, some of us have been bound by family tradition and it's been causing not just us but others in our family and our friendships and community to go in cycles cuz we so private. We're so hidden. We've been conditioned to give off a false sense of righteousness that's just not real. It's not authentic. It's not Christc center. It's laced in self-righteousness and pride. But God, it's not because that's what we want to do. Lord, you know, some of us that's all we know. That's what we've been exposed to. But may your word shine light on a new possibility for us to be more like Jesus. Jesus, you were open. You were you were honest. You were vulnerable. You were crucified publicly for everybody to see. I thank you in advance that as a result of this message, Lord, I see it. I see more conversations happening. I see breakthroughs happening. I see people walking in a deeper level of intimacy with you, Jesus. I see people walking in a I I see people getting free from shame and guilt and condemnation. I see relationships mended and stronger between mothers and daughters and fathers and sons and families. God, I I see I see more strength and unity that's tied to authenticity in you, Jesus. I see it and I thank you in advance, Lord God. I see burdens lifted. of God. Somebody who walked in today feeling shame because I'm struggling with this sin or I'm struggling with this weakness. Somebody needed to know today that they are not alone and that you love them just where they are. Yet at the same time, you love us too much to leave us there. You're always drawing us closer. And we just say thank you in advance, Lord God, for lifting every [Music] burden. Before we go, if if you're making a declaration today to say, "Lord [Music] Jesus, I'm tired of living for myself. There's some some wounds I got that can become somebody else's wins. I don't want to walk in this false sense of righteousness, God. I want to live more free. I want to live more whole. I want to live more open and honest and purposeful. I want to be used by [Music] you. Can we all just sing in unison before we go? I give myself away. Say, I give myself [Music] away. Have your way. Say, I give myself away so you can use. Say, I give however you want to use me, God. I'm letting go of perfectionism. Give my I'm letting go of rigidity and control. Come on, say, I give. I give. I give my whatever I got to do. So generational curses can be broken. Woo. Yeah. Say, I give myself you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And this why I'mma do it. Cuz my life is not my own. You say, "My life is not my own. To you I belong." Come on. To you. Shame. It got to go. It got to go. It's got to go. Woo. Come on. Come on, say my life is not my own. My life is not my own. Say to you, you Lord, I give myself give myself I give myself. I give myself [Music] away. Thank you, Jesus. Come on, you say I give myself. [Music] I give [Music] myself God has set so many people free right now. [Music] You and I going to walk out of here no longer trying to appear strong. We going to walk out of here simply wanting to appear human, completely dependent upon God. That's our aim. So we thank you in advance, Jesus. I want to go, but I got to speak a quick word over somebody. You heard this word and you feel convicted. You want to make a change, but the enemy wants you to feel bad because you you've been living in privacy and secrecy and a false sense of self-righteousness. So you you feel bad. I I want to speak a word over you. The same word applies to you that there's no condemnation in Jesus Christ that even before you leave here, you going to forgive yourself cuz you only did what you knew to do. But there's no shame over you. There's no guilt over you. God loves [Music] you. [Music] Would you just talk to the talk to God yourself? I'm trying to move, but I'm going to be obedient to the Lord. Whatever you need to tell him, whatever you need to ask him, it's you and God. [Music] change us. Make us more like you. [Music] [Music] You wait. You wait. [Music] Amen. Amen. Amen. We continue in worship. [Music] And when the spirit allows, you may take your seat. I did it before, but I want to do it again. I welcomed you earlier to our worship service and I'd like to welcome you again to our service of deliverance cuz the man of God today preached a word that set some people free. I know it did me. Some people have been delivered, been set free. Pastor Lindsay, we thank you for bringing a mighty word of God, being a mighty man of God for the people of God today. Amen. Amen. Amen. Look at your neighbor and say, "It's all right." Somebody might need to hear that. It's all right. It's all right. I'm going to take the liberty to speak to the man of God today. It's liberty I'm taking. Pastor, get me later. The word that you shared just now touched my heart so much. My granddaughter McKenzie just earned a scholarship for high school next year and she went back and the another teacher, she got one and another teacher approached Kelly and said, "We have another one we think she should try out for because she's dynamic in drama. We wanted her to try out for our drama scholarship." And Kelly said, "Well, Mackenzie, you're going to have to write a paper and do two monologues." And she being 13 said, "Well, why ma? Why we have to do that? We're not poor. Why are we trying to get all these scholarships? We're not poor." Kelly looked at her and said, "Um, you are poor. You don't have anything." And my granddaughter said back to her, "I'm not poor. I have generational wealth. And so, Pastor Lindsay, today that word hit me that she not only has generational wealth, not from me, but from her grandfather on both sides, but she also has the wealth of my brokenness, the wealth of my failures. And because of you, I'm rushing home to share some things with her today. So, I needed you to know sometimes when you preach, you don't know how it hits. And the Holy Spirit said, "I needed to tell you that." And I thank you. Thank you. My granddaughter has general generational wealth. It's not just about finances. Go and tell somebody about your brokenness. Cuz through your brokenness comes his blessings. Amen. Amen. And now since we're talking about wealth, let's move into our time of worship with our giving. Staying in 2 Corinthians where the man of God came from today, the 8th chapter 7th verse says, "Just as you excel in everything, you excel in your [Music] faith." Can we bring the monitors down? You excel in your faith. You excel in speech, in knowledge, complete earnestness. He says, "Now see also that you excel in the grace of giving." We have been been given grace to give. So at this time, we're preparing ourselves to give. Those of you at home, please watch your screens and follow the the directions on your screens. You can text, you can mail, you can go to our website and give there. But put yourself in the line of blessing by [Music] giving. And those who are short this week, for whatever reason, you can't give out of your wealth, give out of your time, give out of your treasure, give out of your talent. God loves that cheerful [Music] giver. Thank you, ushers. Has everyone had the opportunity to give? Please raise your hand for the ushers to acknowledge you. [Music] Let's say a quick word over the [Music] giving. Most gracious and heavenly father, Lord God, we thank you that you've given us the opportunity to join and partner with you in ministry by the ministry of giving. Lord God, we ask that you would take it and do what only you can do. Multiply it, expand it, send it in the byways, and the highways of ministry needs wherever it should go. give our leadership team the wisdom, God, to direct these monies, these this giving in a way that would bring back forth a multitude of whatever you stand, whatever you send it out to do, whether it's missionaries, whether it's families who need, whether it's scholarships for students, whether it's the bills that we need to cover for this facility. Just have your way, Lord God. have your way with it. And we'll be so quick and careful to give you all the glory, the honor, and the praise. For it's in your name's sake that we're able to work, and we're able to give abundantly above all that we even think or imagine because of you. Because what you've given to us, strength in our bodies, clarity in our minds, but most of all, grace to give. For it's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. Amen. And before we close, are there any visitors? Do we have any uh pastor says you're not a visitor, you're a guest. Do we have any guests uh worshiping with us today? Or anybody who's been here and for some reason you feel like a guest today. That word hit so hard you said, "Wait a minute. Anybody like that?" Okay, I'm going to ask the man of God to come and say a prayer. Um closing our service out. Thank you. God bless you. Bless you. Amen. Amen. Can we all stand? Can we all stand? Let's give God praise for doing what only he could do today. And just hug hug somebody near you. Give them a five something. Just tell them tell it like it is. Tell them like it is. God got you. Let them know God got you. Amen. God got you. God got you. God got you. God got you. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. And I pray that uh I don't know if one of the ushers or good church mothers or church aunties just like God got us if you could help me get me cuz I've been drinking that coffee. So I can't talk to nobody unless I got a mint cuz I don't want to offend you. So somebody got a mint or some gum. Appreciate you. I just wanted to say that just in case somebody come about me be like this so I don't offend you. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for your grace. Thank you that you love us so much that you would send your word to not just challenge us but heal us God. Strengthen us God. Thank you, Jesus, that that that you see us no matter what. Even with our brokenness and with our wounds, you still see us as holy. You still see us as righteous in your sight. You still see us as perfect in your sight. So, we don't have to live in such a way to try to make people see us a certain way. we can rest in how you see us and then walk out in an authentic way so that people can see you. We thank you for your word. I pray a special blessing over everyone here and online that you will continue to bless them and keep them Lord God as they travel Lord to their next destination. Now to him who is able to keep us from falling present us faultless to the presence of his throne. To him be glory, dominion, and power. Henceforth now and forever. Jesus name. Amen. Amen. God bless you. Thank you so much. Here are a few announcements. ELC. Reef Share Support Group will be starting Saturday, May 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. It is held online. As a matter of fact, take your phone out and take a picture of this slide so that you can have the information. For more information, you can contact Dr. Katherine Graham at cam12verizon.net. There are several ways to give ELC. You can give through text by texting the word give to 301842520. You can give through givey by using the app and putting in Washington Christian Center. You can give by mail by mailing your giving to 2200 Colbear Drive, Hillrest Heights, Maryland 20748. And you can give online by using your phone to capture the QR code or going to encounterlifechurch.net/give. There will be a ladies meet and greet breakfast on June the 7th from 10 to 12:00 p.m. Please sign up in the lobby. More information to come. We do have baptism here at Encounter Life Church every first Sunday. If you are looking to be baptized or want more information about baptism, please make sure that you contact Pastor Dwayane McKenna. You can reach him by email at dntt mckinigmail.com or you can call him at 301675285. Thank you so much for joining us here at Encounter Life Church. [Music]