Keion Henderson - Recovering from a Rough Start

Give us a message that will bring an inexhaustible new life into our circumstances, so we might leave here better because we’ve had a connection with You. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Say Amen.

Do me a favor-just tell your name. I’m so glad to be standing next to you. Did they say it like they meant it? Did you really feel like a mentor? Did they say it just because? I totally talked to the other one. I want you to get an authentic welcome. Just look around. I’m so glad I’m standing next to you. Do you feel it? What 's that? Did they tell the truth? Well, you only have one more neighbor, and that’s the one behind you. If this one doesn 't work, you’re going to have to go to the Lord in prayer. Just look behind you and say, «I’m so glad to be standing in front of you or behind you.» Come on and give God some praise in this place! Do you know that one of the words for the church is «koinonia,» which means fellowship? The reason I had you do that is because we live in this antisocial society where people will sit next to somebody for an hour and a half and not say a word to them. I don’t know how-I couldn’t stand next to you for two minutes without saying, «What 's up, homie? What 's your name?» I’d have to ask you something. Sometimes, not ingratiating yourself to someone in your proximity will keep you from a blessing that God has for you. So get to know people, hug them, and ask them their names and what they do for a living because you never know how what they do may help you earn a living. So do me a favor-just ask them, «What do you do, man?» Ask them what they do. Someone might say, " I ain’t got no job. I’m looking.» «Dog, you got one!» Funny how you’re searching since she asked! Oh Lord, have mercy!

Go with me to the book of Hosea, chapter one. Now, y’all talk about jobs; can’t be quiet, huh? Trying to get up on some employment. Hosea chapter one, verse number one. The Bible says, «The word of the Lord came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam, the son of Joash, king of Israel.» The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. The Lord said to Hosea, «Go and take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom, for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.» For those of you who are like, «God, yes,» He just called that woman a… you heard Him right! So if you hear that word several times a day, kind of note it down, but only in the scripture. The Bible says he went and got Gomer, and they conceived a son, and the Lord called his name Jezreel. «For yet a little while, I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel. It shall come to pass at that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.» She conceived again and bore a daughter, and God said unto him, «Call her name Loruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy upon the house of Israel, but I will utterly take them away.» Somebody say «take it away!» «But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah.» I want you to see how confusing God is. «I will utterly take them away"-verse 7-"I will have mercy on them.» God, are You going to take us away, or are You going to have mercy? «And I will not save them by boat, nor by sword, nor battle, nor horse, nor by horsemen.» Now when she had weaned the second child, she conceived another son and named him Loammi. «Yet you are not My people, and I will not be your God.» Now you see God just said, «You’re not Mine, and I’m not yours.» Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. It shall come to pass that in this place where it was said unto them, «You are not My people,» there it shall be said to them, «You are the sons of the Living God.» Either we are Yours, or we are not, God! Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel gather together and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. I want to talk on this subject: recovering from a rough start. Is there anybody in here in the last few moments who started something or maybe can trace it back in your life but is struggling with overcoming a rough beginning? The word of the Lord for you today is that it is not how you start; it is how you finish. I want you to encourage every person on your way down and tell them, «God’s going to give you a recovery from a rough spot.» Come on, encourage them! God bless you, you may be seated. God is going to give you a recovery from a rough start. When we started the Lighthouse Church, we launched it in 2009. How many of y’all remember the Great Recession of 2008? We literally started this church in a recession.