Sheryl Brady - There's No Place Like Home

I want to share what’s on my heart today from the book of Amos, specifically chapter 9. I hope that if you’re a visitor, you feel welcome; I hope you sense the presence of your Father and know that wherever your Daddy is, you are at home. I encourage you to reach for God today. I am inspired to stretch for God, and I encourage you to get what you came for. If you don’t receive it, make sure you get what you came for. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Just look at someone and tell them, «Go after it! Go after it!» I preached last Sunday about going after the river; let’s go after it. Everything you need is in the flow of God’s river.

I want to read Amos 9:11. Amos 9… I’m looking for it, so give me a second. Amos 9, verse 11, says, «On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David which has fallen down, and I will repair its damages; I will raise it up and restore its ruins.» He is saying to us, «On that day I will do this. I am God. I’m going to raise up the tabernacle of David. It was up, but it fell down and there has been some damage, but I will help. I will repair the damages; I will personally restore its ruins.» I love this because what God is basically saying is, «I don’t need to go out and get new material. I won’t discard what others have said is worthless. Watch and see because I will repair it, even though it has been so damaged. I will rebuild it as in the days of old.»

God says, «Why? Why am I willing to do this?» Look at your neighbor on the right and say, «Neighbor, because there’s no place like home.» Turn to your other neighbor and say, «Neighbor, there’s no place like home.»

Let’s pray today. Father, we thank You for this in the name of Jesus. We give You honor and praise. Amen and amen. You may be seated today in the presence of the Lord. As you sit down, tell your neighbor, «There is no place like home; no place like home.»

About a year, or a little more ago, I flew into the city of Detroit. I don’t do this every time I go; in fact, I rarely do. But I had a friend with me, and we drove around my old stomping grounds, where my mama would take me. I had her take me by the school I attended and by the old bakery where we used to buy a loaf of bread for 50 cents and watch them slice it right there in front of us. We went by the old house, my childhood home, and I was really amazed at how many memories started flooding back as I looked at where I grew up. I lived in that house for 18 years, longer than any other place I’ve ever lived, and it brought back a rush of memories. I remember walking up the stairs; we had a porch. On the right-hand side, there was a section with a rosebush. I recall riding my bike along the little sidewalk and tipping over into the rosebush.

There I was, caught up in the thorns. When you’re stuck, you don’t know whether to move or not, but you do know that the wrong move can cause a lot of pain. I remember the pain of being caught in that rosebush. I also remember lying in bed at night; my bed was against the window. Many nights on Christmas Eve, I would look out and see the entire neighborhood covered with snow. Waking up on Christmas morning to find even more snow than when I went to sleep was amazing; it was everywhere!

Anyone from the North, like Chicago or New York, knows what I mean. I know all of you from Chicago because every time I go out there and hug someone, they say, «I’m here from Chicago, ” so I know you understand snow. It’s funny here because the slightest forecast, even a 1% chance, sends everyone into a buying frenzy. I remember Detroit had to plow the streets, and even if there were 15 inches of snow, it didn’t matter if it was Sunday morning; we were still going to church! That was just the way it was. I cherish all those wonderful memories. I also remember my father and I would wake up very early. My mama had to get up at 4:30 every morning to go to work at the A&P bakery.