B (22:51)

What.

A (22:51)

What if Joseph would have gotten out that way? Think of that just for a moment. What. What if God goes, you want. You want a way out? Because I'm gonna. Because God. Those who know the story of Joseph know that God is going to give Pharaoh a dream that nobody can interpret. And then they're going to go back into the prison and say there is a Hebrew that interprets dreams. And in one day he takes off a prison jumpsuit and puts on the robes of a prime minister. In one day. But if he would have gotten his own way and got out, when before that took place, I kept thinking to myself, he goes back to Canaan, faces the famine. But Joseph thanked God that God didn't answer that prayer. Joseph stays in jail for almost 12 years, released by that dream and the memory of a cupbearer. God's exit strategy and comfort would make him a prime minister. There's something more that God is doing. When you want to get out, let God begin to comfort instead of you. Exiting. Ask God for help. Ask God for a scripture. Ask God for a prayer. Ask God for a miracle, but don't try to make your way out of that thing. God has something that he's wanting to do. Suffering without the God of all comfort is dangerous. It's toxic. You're hearing from someone who is who. When you're hearing from somebody who has not experienced the comfort of God, they just. It was difficult, so I left. It was difficult, so I got out of the marriage. It was difficult, so I left New York. I got out of the job. I left the staff. I don't know, whatever it may be, I'm just throwing things out there. You're hearing from someone who is hurt but not healed. Comfort heals and preps you for. For the ministry that's supposed to take place. God is wanting to do this is where God is going. The end is just the beginning. Your testimony brings comfort to people. That's one of the ways God uses the powerful tool of a testimony that when God brings you through, it's not over, it's just beginning. For you to tell that story, you can make it through, you can get through that. I think that for even my daughter who is in college sports and resilient, who has gone through injury after injury after injury, and I just, I think that God, you're giving her a story. You're giving her a testimony. She blew out her knee and then has to rehab and misses a whole year of recruiting and all of a sudden it's gone. But God put her in the right place. Then the first day back, after she's cleared by the doctors, after surgery, she runs her mouth into the knee of somebody at a tournament and her front teeth get pushed in the back. She has to go through surgery and stitches inside of her mouth. And I'm just thinking to herself, this poor girl is going through it over and over again. But God has done resilient things through her faith and what God wants to do through her, that she just hasn't quit. It's a story to tell that God can bring you through. And it's so important. Just because you went through a difficult moment doesn't mean you have something to offer. Unless you've received what God has given to you. You cannot just think you going through it. I went through it. Let's talk about it. If the person who's talking has not received something from God, you are going to hear a story with a bitter tone. Some of you going like, I knew I should have stayed home this Sunday. Your suffering story without the comfort of heaven means you need comfort before you comfort others. It's so important to understand that God wants to use you now. I wanna just tell you this. I wanna tell you what Paul does. Now back to Second Corinthians. Paul tells his suffering and then tells his comfort story. Our. I think our monitors. Oh, no, it's up there. I think that my monitor's gonna. Okay, perfect. Paul tells his suffering and comfort story. The apostle Paul's comfort came from a prayer meeting that was 300 miles away from his suffering. This is important to understand. So once he finishes and Says the end. The end is just the beginning. The end of what you went through is just the beginning. What does that mean? That when God takes you through something, you're going to help somebody else get through something. When God gives you a scripture, a word, a brother, a sister, that is not the end going, wow, you got me through. No, no, no, no. You are meant to get other people through it also. The end is just the beginning. It's just the beginning. And Paul is going to show us this. Paul tells us his suffering and comfort story. The Apostle Paul's comfort came from a prayer meeting. And I want to tell you this why this is important, because Paul is going to tell you about a big God. Just like remember Jerusalem, Singapore, New York city and Indonesia, 300 miles away, there's a prayer meeting while Paul is going through the challenge of his life. Paul's problem, he's going to tell you, this was in Ephesus, which is modern day turkey. That's Acts 19. And the prayers that were going up for him. So this is the prayers that were happening. This is the comfort that was taking place. The prayers were going up in Corinth, which is in Greece. That's 2nd Corinthians 1. So keep this in mind. We're going to read both of these scriptures. You have Acts 19, Second Corinthians 1. These verses, these verses in your Bible may be 60, 70 pages apart, but on a map, it was 300 miles apart, 300 miles from Paul's problem. There was a prayer meeting that was going on that literally rescued him 300 miles across the Aegean Sea. God was going, I've got comfort. I've got a group of people that are going to stand in the gap for you. They're going to pray you through this. Paul, listen to it. For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves, so that we did not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us from he on whom he has set our hope. He will yet deliver us. Now here it comes. Listen to the prayer meeting. And you also joining in, helping us through your prayers so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many. This is amazing because Paul tells us, if you look at verse 10, it said, he who delivered us from so great a peril of death and will deliver us. That's Ebenezer and Jehovah Jireh right there. Thus far, God has helped us and will provide a way out. He's going to begin to do it. It's faithfulness and assurance. Paul said, I was in an affliction in Asia that was about to crush us. He said, I thought we were about to die, but thank God there was a prayer meeting happening in Greece while we were facing death in Asia. Thank God that no matter what you may be facing in Australia, what you may be facing in Israel, or what you're facing in Ukraine, I'm believing that there is a church here in New York City thousands of miles away, because prayer bridges the gap, what seems to be miles on a map. There is no miles or gap between that when the people of God begin to pray. And that's what happens here. Asia has a problem and Greece has a prayer meeting. Let me say that again. Asia has a problem and Greece has a prayer meeting. So if you're watching from California, get people praying for you, even though they may be thousands of miles away, prayer always works. You need people to seek God for you. Look at the problem that he had in Ephesus. This is what he's talking about in Second Corinthians 1. About that time, there occurred no small disturbance concerning the way for a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsman. These he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades and said, men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business. You see in here that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia. This Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying, the gods made with hands are no gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours falls into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence. Look at. Look at this talk, Paul. Paul's. Paul's reputation of winning people to Christ. Now all of a sudden, this battle is brewing. The pot is boiling. And then when they heard this, they were filled with rage and began crying out, great is Artemis of the Ephesians. The city was filled with confusion. They rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. And when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would not let him. This is where they knew that death was looming over them. Also, some of the assarchs who were friends of his sent to him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into the theater. So then some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Confusion. The majority did not know for what reason they had come together. Some of the crowd concluded it was Alexander. Since the Jews has put him forward and having motion with his hand, Alexander was intending to make a defense to the assembly. But when they recognized that he was a Jew, a single outcry arose from all as they shouted for two hours, shouting this phrase, greatest Artemis of the Ephesians.

B (33:38)

Wow.

A (33:39)

This is what's going on. Two hours they're shouting the same phrase. And we, Paul says, we thought we were about to die. We thought it was all over for us. But something was brewing in a house prayer meeting in Greece, something 300 miles away. There was a little prayer meeting in Corinth that got a big God to help us. That all of a sudden, without the comfort, without knowing that these people were praying that God would protect. And God did protect them. God did begin to surround them. God did begin to get them out of there safely. It's the power of prayer. Can you imagine if Paul just leaves without knowing the comfort of a prayer meeting? He could just tell people, don't go. Don't go there to Asia. Those people are mean. They hate us Christians. But here's the story. Because of God's comfort, it's Paul telling him, no matter where you go, no matter how dangerous, no matter who's against you, if you have people praying for you, God is with you. God will cover you every single time. It's the presence of God that we need. It's the power of God that we need. I was talking to someone the other day when they were asking me about a church that has people from all over the world in it. And they. And it's. And they're trying to find this kind of thing to like, what do you do for all the nations? What do you do? Like, we live in a time that's trying to make the pulpit kind of connect with people out there. I said, you know what the great equalizer is? It's the presence of God. It's God's power. I don't have to stand up here with a beanie on and ripped up jeans and sit up here with a latte talking to you with words that I can't even pronounce, that my kids are laughing at me all the time folks, hip is gone, out of my life. I am not hip though. Someone said I walked into a place and they said, hey, that outfit you're wearing is dripping. And I don't even know what that means. How do you bring together over 120 nations in this place? It has to be God's power and presence. We're not here to make you feel like, hey, we're connected. I want you to get connected with God, not with me, but with God. I speak that to leaders, to 60 and 70 year old men that are trying to be hip and stick their hair straight. Okay, let me just stop. Listen to me right now. Stop. Stop it. Ask God to show up at church. Ask the presence of the power of God, that it doesn't matter what you look like as long as God is in the house. Take that off. I don't know why I said that. Listen to me. Let me finish with this. This is how Paul describes the Corinth prayer meeting. Let me read it to you. Look at the screen. 2nd Corinthians 1:11. Band, you can come up. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation. I don't want you to be in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God's deliverance of us. A rescue in which your prayers played a crucial part. Hallelujah. Wow, that's amazing to me. God says your prayers played a crucial part. A crucial part. And that's what God wants to do. Let me finish. This is a for real finish. On Saturdays, I come in the mornings and I or mid afternoon and pray over the seats, pray over the place, pray over these spots, pray that God would just move. Prayed over your seats and just asking God to move. And then usually in the evenings I try to take another walk, praying for God to protect this place. But I did something I have never done before. I took a different prayer walk last night for my evening prayer. I went to a pizza place to pray. It wasn't eating and praying, but I was standing outside of it and praying. I want to tell you why. There is a pizza place close by just a few blocks down the street that boasts to be the largest pizzeria in the country. Now I have to tell you, it's a little bit significant. They boast on their website this is the largest pizzeria in the nation. But there is more to this pizza place called John's Pizzeria on 44th and 8th. It's on 44th and if you go down seven blocks from here, make a left. You're going to see an old building, a giant sign, and it's going to say John's Pizzeria. I have to tell you a story because if you go to that pizza place, there's something that occurred there. I think it was Elder Chris that told me about the church that once was down here. And he said, pastor Tim, do you know there was a church down on 8th? John's Pizzeria answered the question that I've been looking at for four years. I'm going, where was that church located? John's Pizzeria was actually Gospel Tabernacle. Gospel Tabernacle. Let me tell you why that's important. Gospel Tabernacle's pastor was a man named A.B. simpson, who started the Christian Missionary Alliance. It would be birthed there in 1881 the fourfold gospel. Christ our Savior, Christ our sanctifier, Christ our healer, Christ our coming king. And from that church they would start Nyack College. Nyack College where if I listed to the alums of that, both in ministry and Christian music. It's amazing the man that had a influence of that, that whose books have affected so many from that church. AW tozer. But how does Gospel Tabernacle turn into John's Pizzeria? How does it turn into John's Pizzeria between 43rd and 44th? What happened that the church is no longer there? Even Nyack, the school, it just shut its doors after being open 140 years and it shut. What battles did they face? Folks, I'm not here to be judgmental or critical. It sobered me as I was looking at this, thinking to myself, God, there's always a fight. There's always a battle. There's always something that wants to shut this place down. There'll be a battle that wants to make you give up going. It's not gonna. And I go, God, please, in every battle, send that comfort, send that answer. I don't wanna give up, I don't wanna exit. I don't wanna just say, well, it's financial problems, it's this no one's showing. I wanna go, God, what are you saying? Get me through this in Jesus. And when he does, the end is just the beginning. It's not just to get you through, it's to get other people through that. To get all of us through that. As all the, as all the singer, everybody comes, listen to me. I was just, I just heard this CBN 700 club just reported it. They said just this year in the country, this year, 15,000 churches in America have shut their door. In the next couple weeks, 15,000 Church in America has shut their door. It's over. No more. Think of that for just a moment. Over a thousand churches every month. I didn't even do the math. So if It's. You have 30 days in a month and a thousand churches are shutting down, what is that? That would be 30 churches every day. Every day. They just go, this is the last sermon. We'll close our doors. We'll close. And that's just this year. And they said, in the coming years, this country will experience. They said, these were their words. 100,000 churches in the next few years will shut their doors. Folks, I'm telling you, we are going to face battles. We are going to face affliction. You're going to face suffering. And the goal is not for you to get out. The goal is for you to get out and then help others to get through. The issue is not like, oh, I'm so glad, or my family went through that. No, the end is the beginning. When God has brought Cindy and I through, Cindy and I and our children through. It wasn't so we can get through. It's so we can walk other people through it. It's not so you can sit here. It's so ministry starts. The end is the beginning. That's what Paul was saying. Paul was going, I learned that he is Ebenezer. He is the God that has helped us thus far, and he is Jehovah Jireh. God will provide. That's what it means. God will. Future tense. Will provide. In the midst of the battle, in the midst of the difficulty, it's not just an abundant of affliction, Paul says, but there's an abundance of comfort that comes from heaven. There is God that steps in and says, if you receive the comfort, I'm going to teach you how to get other people through this. I'm going to teach you. Folks, I'm telling you this. I am not interested in this place turning into a Broadway theater. We are going to pray, we are going to fight, we are going to believe for God's comfort. They are not going to walk by this place and go, wasn't there a church? That was. There wasn't. No, no, no, no, no. They're going to. They're going to walk by, they're going to see an LED wall. They're going to see a whole screen and going, that church isn't going anywhere. Listen, stand with me. Stand with me, stand with me. Listen. Listen carefully. There is a. There is a. And a preacher from Australia from 70, 80 years ago. I've picked up his sermons and I've read them, and I just. And I'll never forget some years ago, reading the story he told of. I want to make sure I got my name right. He talked about the great British scientist, Alfred Russel Wallace. He said Wallace discovered this incredible thing about the emperor moth. He said in his laboratory, he was watching this. This amazing specimen of an insect that was trying to get out of a cocoon. And as it's trying to get out, it's struggling to get out. And so you know what Dr. Wallace did? He took a penknife and made it easier. He cut the hole bigger for that emperor moth, it said. When it came out, it said it never flew and it lost its color, he said, because in the struggle, he realized when it's struggling through the hole, the gunk on its wings are coming off. That junk is coming off through the struggle. The junk is coming off of us to do what we're supposed. So if you're in a battle right now, don't cut the hole bigger. That's what Joseph was doing. Cut the hole bigger. Get me out of here. And God goes, no, no, no, no, no. I need you to fly as a prime minister. I need you to do something. I need you. So I'm not going to make it a bigger hole. It's going to be a struggle, but when you come out, I'm telling you, junk will be off you. You'll be able to go where God wants you to go. Listen, the end is the beginning. The end is the beginning. Don't take your battle and just put it as a doorstop and going like, whoa, thank God that's over with. Let's go to church. No, it's time for ministry. It's time to fight. If God brought you through something, it's not for you to simply be on a mic. It's for you to tell others, God will take you through this. God will get you through this. That's what he does. So if you're sitting here singing, you're going like, oh, my goodness, this. I'm in a battle and I'm trying to get out of this thing. Don't cut the hold more for them. Listen to me. The struggle is worth it. It's worth it. The junk is coming off as you struggle through. The stuff is coming. So what you want to do is going, let's get out. Let's go back. Folks ask me, they go, have you ever wanted to Leave Times Square Church all the time. I've told Cindy before, I said, just let Hawaii Call, But I'm not. I'm telling you, it may be a struggle, but that junk is coming off. And I'm going, get this junk off me. And you know what it is? God goes, this is what God says to me. This is what God says to me. He says, and this is what he spoke to me. He says, the end is the beginning. If I can get you out, it's just the beginning of what I want you to say. God did not bring you through to put you in a choir and a microphone. He brought you out. He didn't bring you through. Those that are these. These instruments, these singers, these ushers, the TSC kids, those that are sitting in your. He didn't bring you through to sit in a seat or sit behind the mic. He brought you through to say you can do it. Listen to those. Don't listen to those that have never experienced comfort. Don't listen to their bitter story. Listen to the ones that says, let me tell you about Ebenezer, the Lord has helped thus far. And let me tell you about Jehovah Jireh. God will provide. Hallelujah. How many are saying, it's a struggle right now? It's a struggle. It's a fight. I'm in a fight right now. Okay, let me ask you again. How many are in a fight right now? Raise your hand. Okay. How many are kind of wishing for a bigger hole to get out? Anybody with me go like. And you start. And I've done this. Listen to me. I've done this. When people have gone to you, they're going like, hey, how are you doing? What can I pray for you about? And I know God wants me to be quiet. And you're going like, hey, we just praying over. You know, I remember doing this a few years ago back in Detroit. We're going through a financial need. Oh, I'll be praying for you. Yeah, just be praying, because it has to be $1,322.16. What was I doing? I was trying to tell them what to give me. It was so gross. When I stood back going, God, why can't I just trust you? What do I have to make it up for? You know what I was doing? I was cutting the hole. I was cutting the hole. And God goes, let me do it. Let me do it. Do you have a song on your heart? Perfect. If you're in a struggle right now and you're going, he's got to get this gunk off me. Now, as we sing this. Just get out of your seat. I want to pray for you.

B (49:47)

You.

A (49:47)

Because I'm with you. The end is the beginning. Just get out of your seat. Get up here and just say balcony.

B (49:51)

Come on.

A (49:51)

Get down here. If you're in. If you're in the annex or if you're at Jersey campus, I want you to go to the altar right now. Come on. You come. Let's sing this as you come. Come on.

B (50:12)

And all see how. How great. How great is our God. Oh, how great. How great is our God. Sing with me. How great is our God and oh, see how great how great is our God. You're the name above all names. You're the name above all names. In your. The name above all name Worthy of our praise wor. You're the name above all names. You're the name of God and you're the name above Worthy of your worthy.

A (51:44)

Come on, let's sing how great. Let's go up. Let them sing. Let them sing. How great. Come on. You sing it now. Balcony, main floor. Sing it to him now.

B (51:59)

Sing.

A (52:00)

Sing with me.

B (52:01)

How great is our God.

A (52:13)

Let's go up one more time. Come on.

B (52:15)

Sing it. Church.

A (52:16)

How great is our God. Sing it one more time. How great is our God?

B (52:20)

Sing it. How great is our God? Sing with me. How great.

A (52:47)

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Don't close shop. Don't give up. His comfort's gonna come. His comfort's gonna come. Okay, and listen, here's. Here's the thing. It's not just to get you out. The end is just the. What? The beginning. He says, I'll take you through. Not to simply get you through because there's more work to be done. I'm gonna use you. And you. Some of you are. I'm looking at some of your faces. You're going like, he can use me.

B (53:22)

He can use me.

A (53:22)

And what I'm going through can use me in this. Yes, he can. Yes, he can. You can ask Cindy. There were moments I. I gave to Cindy. I, I, I scripted to her, in one of our hardest moments, I scripted the. The cocoon hole. And this is what I told her. I said, we're out of here. I'll never forget. I said, we're done. I said, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go back over here, and we're gonna live with your parents. And then I'm gonna say, she goes, first of all, I know that's not the Lord. She said, because we're not living with my parents. Those are such. She said, and what was I doing? I was cutting the cocoon hole bigger. And God goes, no. And thank God for a godly wife. You know what? She. She wouldn't let me. She wouldn't let me take the pen knife. She goes, and not that she said this, but the junk was coming off of me. The junk was coming off. That's what was happening. I had stuff. I couldn't go where God wanted me to unless he got it out. So there is. There's blessing in the struggle. But you've got to listen to people that have gone through and receive comfort. You may be. And I feel so strongly, listen to me online balcony. Listen to me at this altar. You listen to people that have gone through it and have received from the Lord. You don't go to people and going, like, oh, you went through it. I went, ask them this. Tell me what God did for you in that. Because if all it comes up is going like, that's why I don't go to church anymore. That's why I'm starting my own ministry. Okay? At that point, run how many know what I'm talking about? Because in those moments, they didn't get comfort. They found an exit. They cut open. They cut open the cocoon. The junk has to come off. I listen, I thank God for the people in my life. I thank God for. For the Pastor Carter's. I thank God for my wife. I thank God for the people that said, no, no, no, we're not making the hole bigger. God is doing something. He's doing something. He's doing something. So come on, lift those gunky wings to the Lord right now. Come on, lift them up. Because what he's doing and just say, thank you, Lord. There's blessing in the bath. Thank him right now for it. Would you just say, God, with your help, I'm not going to exit prematurely. I'm not going to abort mission. I'm not going to abort. Would you just tell God, say, lord, I know the end is going to be the beginning. The end is going to be the beginning of what you're going to do. Come on. I'm lifting my gunky wings to the Lord right now. There's stuff that he's got to get off of me right now. But God, I'm asking you, bring people in our life, oh, God, that has been through it, that has not exited, but said, we know what God can do. Come on, would you praise him for a second for being Ebenezer. Ebenezer. That name means, thus far the Lord has helped. Thus far the Lord has helped. Thus far the Lord has helped. You are standing at this altar because he is Ebenezer. Thus far the Lord has helped. Hallelujah. Thus far he has helped me. Thus far he has worked miracles for me. Thus far. Now, would you praise him for being Jehovah Jireh? Would you just say, God, you'll provide. You'll provide a scripture. You'll provide a prayer meeting for me. You'll provide the body of Christ, a brother or a sister that will put an arm around me and a hand on my. In my hand and walk me through this. Come on. Just tell him, say, I thank you that you are Jehovah Jireh. You are Jehovah Jireh. The Lord will provide. Thus the Lord has helped. Thus far. Thus far. Far. We have got promises and assurances. We have got faithfulness and assurances. God is with us. God is with us. God is with us. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Those at this altar, just look at me for a second. Don't give up. Just don't give up the promise. Edith said there's going to be abundance of affliction and suffering. I'm going.

B (57:26)

Ah.

A (57:26)

I don't want to read that. I came in the snow for that. You came in the snow for this. There will be an end, but that's the beginning. That's the beginning. That's the beginning. I've operated so much in my life that the end is the end and it's not. He's just prepping you. He's getting you ready because we want to bolt. We want to bolt. Listen, you're looking at number one bolter right here. Get your finger out and tell the person, say, don't bolt. Look at the person next to you and say, the end is the beginning. God's gotcha. He's got you. He's got you. There's hope in this. You're not. Look at me. You're not going to become a pizzeria. And I don't want any of you. Listen, if you go down there, you're not to buy the pizza. Just pray. That's why I don't want anybody going like, hey, that's pretty good. Pete. Nobody gets John's pizza. I just want you to go. Not again. I'm not against John. I just want it to be. I want it to be a memorial for us just to pray. I'm not angry. I'm not. I'm not even critical. I just. I used it as God. I'm gonna fight. I'm gonna fight because that's what the enemy wants to do. The enemy wants to turn me into a pizzeria. I'm not doing it. You're not gonna see me on Ace going like, hey, who wants a slice? I will fight. We will fight. God is with us. God is with us. God is with us.

C (59:05)

Thanks so much for listening. We hope you've enjoyed this message and be sure to subscribe so you can receive new messages each week. Visit TSC NYC for all the latest info on how you can stay connected. Also, don't forget that you can follow us on social media on all major platformsquarechurch. Thanks for tuning in today. Have a great week.