The Holy Spirit is always in a good mood. If life has got you down, He can share His joy with you. All you have to do is ask.

Fourth of Four Summer Sermons- “Daring Faith” 

At left, David Trofort leads the Berean SDA Church Choir ensemble “Open Praise’ just prior to Pastor Russell’s sermon. It must have been dress-down day. At right, Mr. Trofort’s standard directorial vestment.

THE FINAL SERMON OF THE SUMMER SERIES “RISKY FAITH”

Pastor Fredrick Russell presented the concluding installment of a four volume “boxed set” of  summer sermons at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta on July 30, 2016. The theme of this series was “Daring Faith.” The sermon starts at time marker 1:06:20 in this link to a YouTube video of the ENTIRE SERVICE. Rather than risk the bad publicity that could attend its habitual removal of  videos of worship services from YouTube (due to copyright violations; most praise and worship music is highly copyrighted, and most of these copyrights seem to be owned by Sony Corporation), the temporal authorities have been placing advertisements at the start of these videos. For the last few weeks this ad has featured a “Messianic Bible,” but some ads are targeted specifically for each viewer, and feature local businesses that would be overjoyed to unclog your toilet, or to represent you in court. Here are links to the previous three sermons in the summer series:

Sermon #1- A GOD WITH LIMITS.

Sermon #2- FILLING YOUR BUCKET

Sermon #3- RISKY FAITH

Marcus Larivaux is singled out by the pastor before the sermon is presented. A sort of intern at Berean for the next year, he is currently applying Emory University clearcoat  over  his Oakwood U. basecoat.

IT AIN’T EASY BUT IT’S NECESSARY!

“How many of you are actually in love with the Word of God? How many of you know that the Word of God guides your life, and even guards your life?” Pastor Fredrick  Russell revealed to the congregation that this Word had become “very personal” to him this week. The title of the forthcoming sermon (It Aint’t Easy but it’s Necessary) was stated.  A brief mention of a projected year-long association between the church and  Emory  theology student Pastor Marcus Larivaux was made.  The pastor then read the text for this sermon, First Thessalonians 5:16-19:

“‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ And then verse 19 says ‘Do not quench the Spirit.'” (NIV)

The reason that these verses were so personally meaningful to the pastor was now introduced. Although he had preached on these verses a year-and-a-half ago, just three week ago God had granted Pastor Russell some deeper insight into them. This suggested that the topic be revisited this Sabbath. The congregation was advised that the presentation would be “interactive.” A prayer was offered. In this prayer, the pastor acknowledged that some of the circumstances we would all face in life would not be easy to deal with, but they would be nevertheless necessary components of our spiritual growth. The pastor also foreshadowed some subsequent commentary by noting that God has mandated how we are to respond to difficult circumstances. This mandate itself was mentioned, but the manner whereby we may best implement it was not described until after the opening prayer had ended. The verses from First Thessalonians 5:16-18. however, had given all hearers of the Word a brief outline of God’s occasionally difficult, but nevertheless necessary requirement that we “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks…”

From Acts 16:25: Paul and Silas singing praises to God despite the bad circumstances they find themselves in. You may own this $2,200 bronze by clicking HERE. Or you can, instead, give this enormous sum to the poor.

“I had no idea that this text would become so real to me…” Pastor Russell shared news of the unexpected deaths of two of his close family members this week. These unexpected deaths occurred just half-a-day apart. The pastor has been staying in very close touch with God for the last few months, and God had provided him with a “heads-up” in regard to this dual tragedy. The pastor’s family had not experienced any losses for years, He revealed this to his wife: “Brenda, the Lord has been putting on my spirit that our family is about to be hit.” The pastor noted that this type of forewarning by God is not unusual for those who make it their business to assiduously maintain a close relationship with Him. Pastor Russell, having been forewarned,  pleaded with God to delay the arrival of these impending deaths [Joshua asks God for a similar delay in 10:12 of the book that bears his name: Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon].

The pastor’s sense of foreboding was mitigated by recalling the Lord’s instructions, as delivered through his apostle Paul in First Thessalonians: “In every circumstance give thanks.” This admonition formed an association in Pastor Russell’s mind that mandated a deviation from the original order in which he had planned to unfold his points. This original order was manifest to all vis a vis printed sermon notes that were inserted into the program for this Sabbath service. The salient factor common to both the intent and the actuality was the Bible text Pastor Russell’s remarks were based upon (First Thessalonians 5:16-19). Deviations from Plan A reflected a response to “circumstances.” Rather than be guided by his notes, Pastor Russell would be primarily guided by the Spirit. It was this self-same Holy Spirit which happened to be a very prominent feature of this presentation. As if to emphasize his new improvisatory tack, the pastor forsook the podium, descending to the floor very early in the sermon. “If you’re drifting this morning, I want you to listen to this,” he told the congregation. “In fact, I think I’ll finish in about five minutes this morning...”

The dismount.

The pastor observed that all of us (his initial comments were targeted to the members of the choir) were surrounded by circumstance, “and some of it is not pleasant. Say amen, choir!” The rest of us were now included in the “interaction.” Pastor Russell revealed to the congregation that “another way to say ‘circumstance’ is ‘life.'” This past week, the pastor was blindsided by “life,” and he took a moment to thank the pastoral staff for covering for him as he was compelled to redirect his attention from his church family to his biological family.  He noted that relatives often get shorted by pastors, who are typically preoccupied with the grand and trivial concerns of their membership (and Berean SDA Church has quite a few members). The broader ministry does not stop in order to accommodate one’s personal affairs. Berean is blessed with a highly capable staff, one that can competently fill any temporary vacancies.

The first death in the pastor’s family was an expected one. He related that he drove to South Carolina the preceding Tuesday afternoon. A female relative, about the same age as the pastor himself, was on the threshold of succumbing to cancer. As the pastor was standing by her bedside, she uncharacteristically opened her eyes. A bit later the pastor again entered her room. She again opened her eyes. He expressed his love for her. She seemed to be aware that they were seeing each other for the last time (on earth). Pastor Russell drove back to Atlanta that evening, expecting his relative’s demise in no more or a day or two.

Uncle Floyd

As soon as he arrives back home, and just as he has sat down, the phone rings. His daughter was calling with the news that the pastor’s last surviving uncle (“We have a very small family, so we can’t afford to lose anybody,” he interjected) had just had a massive heart attack, and had died as a result of this. Pastor Russell recalled a family reunion that he has attended exactly a year and a week ago. The whole family had, at that time, joined hands and vowed to meet again in two years time. The pastor revealed his inner thoughts at that time: “Something in  my spirit said, ‘I wonder- are all of us going to be here in two years?'” The unexpected death of a second family member, a few steps upon the heels of the first tragedy, served to supercharge the intensity of grief that the pastor and his family were experiencing, and also to complicate whatever final arrangements had to now be attended to. The text for his projected Sabbath sermon (“in every circumstance give thanks”) therefore began to “come to life,” the pastor said, “because I know [knew in advance] I am going to teach it this morning.”

Trauma has a way of sharpening one’s perceptions. Pastor Russell is  blessed by the fact that he talks with God, and not just to God. The Lord is a source of constant amazement to the pastor. An insight on the theme of “joy in the midst of sorrow,” granted to the pastor in the course of one of his many conversations with the Father was too important to keep to himself. But before ultimately sharing it with the rest of the world, he chose to first share it with his wife: “Brenda! This is what God just showed me; how you can give thanks in every circumstance!” He now revealed this insight to the balance of humanity. “You can’t give thanks to God in every circumstance unless you trust God in every circumstance.” He added, “If you don’t trust Him in every circumstance, there is no way that this text will become real for you.” The natural reaction by most to an admonition by God to be thankful for all of our troubles was mimicked by Pastor Russell: “What are you talking about!?!” [“Thanks” represents what most would consider to be a counterintuitive reaction to adversity. It does not come naturally, for it is supernatural, much like the ostensibly oxymoronic command to “Love thy enemies”].

“God Appears to Moses in Burning Bush” by Eugène Pluchart – 1848. God spoke to Moses. God also speaks to Pastor Russell. He will speak to you, too, if you will only take the trouble to grant Him an opportunity.

The bad reaction of the majority to this difficult (for lukewarm types, at any rate) commandment  was further illustrated by the pastor. Then the imperative nature of this commandment was then reinforced by the speaker. The Lord certifies the validity of His non-negotiable injunction at the conclusion of the germane verses from First Thessalonians. Pastor Russell vehemently restated God’s  emphasis that may be found in chapter 5, verse 18: “And this is the will of God for your life.”

A previous commandment, stated in verse 16, “Rejoice always,” was now linked to the command that commences verse 18: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” The pastor, plagued as he was by “circumstances” was, immediately following these circumstances temporarily rendered as incredulous as are most can  to any possibility of experiencing a seemingly unseasonable joy, and an attendant offering of heartfelt thanks (rather than blame) to God when thing were not going so well in one’s life. But the highly edifying “insight,” that God granted to Pastor Russell was to now about to be fully disclosed: “And then God showed me this…” The printed sermon notes, heretofore not synchronized with the sermon, temporarily came back into play. The pastor would append a few verbal footnotes to this outline, some timely addenda based on his own recent difficulties. The first of these additions was a reference to Romans 14:17, which Pastor Russell described as talking about the “…joy in the Holy Spirit” [It will now be replicated below, but Pastor Russell reserved a complete citation for a moment in order immediately connect it to a second, and very similar verse, and to grant the congregation a moment wherein they might add these verses to their printed notes. All were writing, rather than listening. The pastor waited until the members of the audience had stopped their scribbling in order that our attention would not be divided as he unveiled the main point of his “insight”]. Here is the first verse, from Romans:

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (NIV)

“And then write down First Thessalonians, Chapter 1 and Verse 6… it talks about the joy of the Holy Spirit” [The summarizer will throw in verses 4 and 5 as well].

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because ourgospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Good title. Bad theology. The movement, of which Thomas A Kempis was a part of turned their backs on the world. Christ, however, was fully engaged with the world, despite the fact that His kingdom was not of it.

[The effort and commitment that is required to relinquish one’s natural predilections, and to become “imitators… of the Lord,” as noted in the second supplementary verse provided by the pastor, is an increasingly rare phenomenon among those who call themselves  Christians. Pastor Russell revisits the unifying theme of this four sermon series, “Daring Faith,” at the conclusion of his remarks. But living one’s life completely under the direction of the Word and the Spirit could be considered (in the context of an increasingly lackluster level of commitment by many, if not most who profess to be Christian) to be an audacious act of defiance, a radical departure from the prevailing “herd mentality,” and therefore an act of “Daring Faith.” It is tragic that total commitment to God should represent the exception, rather than the rule in the United States at present. We are following in the footsteps of most of the European continent, but this path will lead to spiritual bankruptcy. For every ten persons who profess willingness to follow Christ, only a few appear to fully surrender themselves, and fully dedicate themselves to doing the Lord’s work. Even fewer can weather the vicissitudes of “circumstance” in a spirit of gratitude to God, and without complaint. All fall short of the glory of God, but an occasional failure to measure up should not deter anyone from an honest effort to “represent Christ” at all times. Stated intentions are not enough when these are not followed by actions, for “by their fruits shall you know them,” This short digression is intended to remind the reader of the “Daring Faith” leitmotif of the four sermon series. It shall conclude by daring you, and myself as well, to strive to completely conform to the image of Christ. This is the solution to every temporal maladjustment, and is also very important in assuring that your ultimate destination is heaven, and not oblivion. In Matthew 7:21 Jesus assures us that Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.]

Depiction of the Christian Holy Spirit as a dove, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, in the apse of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The introduction of the third person of the Trinity into a discussion of the topic of “joy” directly related to Pastor Russell’s aforementioned “insight.”

“Look at me, everybody.” [Pastor Russell’s signature harbinger of especially significant statements.] “Here it is… Romans 14:17 talks about… joy in the Holy Spirit, and First Thessalonians [1:6] talks about the joy of the Holy Spirit.” These verses were now subjected to further analysis. “Sometimes I don’t feel joyful about ‘stuff’ in life,” the pastor confessed, “But then I finally saw it. The Holy Spirit has joy all by Himself.”

Pastor Russell briefly distinguished between the two distinctive prepositions used in the two verses that describe the relationship of the condition of “joy” to the Holy Spirit. The following sentences represent an inference by the ham-fisted summarizer of this sermon. The reference to joy “in” the Spirit infers that joy is a constituent element of the Spirit itself, and something we can access when we are ourselves “in” the Spirit.  The citation of joy “of” the Spirit also would seem to describe joy as a component of the Holy Spirit, but could additionally refer to it as an attribute that could be freely bestowed by the Spirit to others who might stand in need of it. A more nuanced meaning communicated by this second preposition, “of,”  would be one that reveals that the Holy Spirit not only possesses joy as just one of many attributes, and also as a dispensable commodity, but also reveals that the Holy Spirit happens to be constantly joyful Himself. A close association with the Spirit could render one joyful by mere proximity to his infectious joy. It could rub off on you. This characteristically joyful condition of every member of the Trinity was, indeed, what Pastor Russell was about to describe for the congregation.

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” A engraving from Germany, artist unknown, used to illustrate a work of Luther.

In the “Parable of the Talents” (from Matthew 25) the preposition “of” and the noun “joy” are conjoined in many translations. Here is a portion of verse 23 from the English Standard Version: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ This may have referred to a potential permanent place at the master’s dinner table. A very notable scriptural instance of “joy” may also be found in Hebrews 2:12 (with regard to Jesus): For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. If the Son is described as being joyful, it is reasonable to assume that the Holy Spirit is also joyful. But we need not assume this, for His  joyous  state is unambiguously described in First Thessalonians 1:6.

Pastor Russell continued his analysis: “When you are living connected to God, here is what God wil do for you sometimes. Through the Holy Spirit,  the Holy Spirit will allow you to enter into His joy.” Pastor Russell felt  compelled to re-emphasize this important resource [The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)requires that “Areas of Refuge” be provided in the corridors of large buildings, a place where the wheelchair-bound can safely ride out a catastrophe. A strategic retreat into the “joy of the Holy Spirit” could similarly safeguard anyone who was being tormented by any of the inevitable vicissitudes of circumstance (AKA “life”)].

“…I wish you all would read the Bible again. Let me try this one more time…  Your joy comes and goes… You don’t just pray to the Father. You don’t just pray to the Son. You learn how to pray to the Holy Spirit, because what Paul talks about… is the ‘sweet communion’ of the Holy Spirit, where you’re talking with the Holy Spirit., where you’re communing with the Holy Spirit. Where you are enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit.”

Maybe just a little too joyful! “The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa,” an overwrought altarpiece by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. 1647–1652

Pastor Russell recalled the nearly simultaneous deaths in his family last Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. “I wasn’t feeling good at all, and then the text came back at me.” The Holy Spirit directed him to just “stay  put,” so he absented himself from the church that day. “Did you notice that sometimes in life you’ve got to stop, and you have to absorb it all? And on that day, the Holy Spirit came into my den in such a way… He was already there because He choses to live inside of me, because I ask the Holy Spirit every day to come and live inside of me; God comes to live inside…” These brief instructions were essential to anyone who might desire to access the joy of the Holy Spirit, and were therefore thoughtfully inserted into the sermon at this point. How do we get filled by the Spirit? All you have to do is ask Him for a fill-up. “Many of you in this room never enjoy the pleasure of having God to come and live in you!” Pastor Russell appeared to be nearly dumbfounded, utterly flabbergasted by this unbelievable negligence by many of the members of the church.

An access of the Spirit was what preserved the pastor’s equanimity throughout the course of the multiple tragedies that beset him earlier in the week. He recalled the message that he received at that time: “…Freddie, what I’m about to do for you is what I do for those who live close to me… I want you to come and let me share my joy, which I have, with you.” Pastor Russell was then blessed to experience the same joy that continuously dwells in the Holy Spirit Himself. Pastor Russell restated the Lord’s directive in a slightly different way: “I will allow you to come into my sphere, where you will be allowed to enjoy what I m already enjoying… This is what Paul talks about. This is what God offers, The ‘sweet communion.’ The ‘sweet connection.’ The ‘sweet fellowship’ of the Holy Spirit.”

A recycled image- This song has been unconvincingly converted to Christianity in the hymn “Joyful Joyful,” but Schiller’s original poem was so dreadfully pagan, it is now the official Anthem of lukewarm Europe!

It would be most regrettable to miss one of the most edifying and enjoyable aspects of being a Christian. The first thing that everyone  should do, every morning, without fail is to ask God for an outpouring of His Spirit. Pastor Russell communicated one of God’s desires for us, to share what He experiences with us: “Let me give you just a taste of what I am enjoying.” We live our lonely lives disconnected from the Lord, the pastor noted. “We never tap into all that God has for us! [the subject of the first sermon in the “Daring Faith” series, “A GOD WITH LIMITS“] We have access to joy (in all circumstances) by having access to the Spirit. This last statement encapsulates the meaning of the first two words  of the text utilized for this sermon (which also happens to comprise the entirety of verse 16), “Rejoice always.”

The means whereby we are enabled to receive the Spirit (asking God for it) is the subject of the succeeding verse, First Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray continually.” The pastor said that “You can be joyful in all circumstances if you are actually praying, because if you are actually praying, and you are always talking to God (because you are in a relationship with God), that means you are going to trust God. And when you trust God, then you are able to thank God.” The pastor mentioned people who seem to sleepwalk through life, out of touch with God, reacting to circumstances as they may arise, and missing out on everything that God has to offer, But an intimate knowledge of God builds trust (a previous sermon in this series included this observation by Pastor Russell: “You can’t trust somebody you don’t know”). The pastor revealed God’s proficiency as a master planner by making a statement on His behalf: “You know that everything I permit to come your way, I’m gonna bring good outta that.”

“Black Jesus Praying” by Tyler Jacobson, an artist who has obviously been influenced by the illustration style of Maxfield Parrish. Here is some PROOF of this theory.

Pastor Russell related that neither the uncle of his that had just died of a stroke, or any of his uncle’s family were churchgoers. “For years I had been wanting to share with them about Christ. But each time I got close there was almost a wall that went up. About three weeks ago the Lord told me to call him… I did not obey that voice.” God was persistent with this message, yet the pastor neglected to act upon it in a timely manner. “I said, ‘God, please give me a way to minister to this family. I know we are close, but we have not had a lot of deep spirituality with this part of our family.” When he talked to his Uncle’s survivors, the pastor asked as to whether the departed was a member of any church. “No” was the response. Pastor Russell offered to provide a eulogy, and to lead the memorial service. The family seemed surprised by this offer, but the nephew of the late patriarch asserted that “I would be happy to do that.” The pastor announced the time and place of the projected service, 8/19/2016 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Pastor Russell expressed a hope that he might “…in that context, in that sensitive moment to be able for the first time to talk to that sector of the family about God” [this service will be private, so the venue for Pastor Russell’s evangelical endeavor should prove to be an intimate one]. The pastor is trusting God, and thanking God for this opportunity.

It was not an instance of hyperbole on the part of the pastor when he promised that this service would be an “interactive” one. He now invited a member of the congregation to the front of the sanctuary in order for her share a testimony. A few weeks ago, on a Sabbath, a young Berean (who shall be designated “M”) related a story to Pastor Russell as she was leaving the church. The pastor now prompted her to share this tale with the congregation. “…What happened?”

At 1:29:53- “I walked away without a scratch!”

I was on my way home one night, and it was dark, and I got on the highway. And I hit a bumper, and my car slid along all lanes of the highway. And as I was sliding I was approaching a wall, and I thought to myself, ‘I’m gonna die.’ So I said, ‘God, I don’t wanna die!’ The car slid back across the highway the other way and stopped right before I hit the median. And I walked away without a scratch, thank God. Even when it came to paying for the deductible, I didn’t know how it was going to happen, but I was having faith that since God let me live through this, He’s gonna make a way. Little did I know that there was a check already in the mail the next day for the same amount that I was going to have to pay to get that car fixed! 

The pastor proceeded to debrief M: “And so… the Bible says ‘in everything give thanks, with joy, for this is the will of God for your life.’ And then it says ‘don’t quench the Holy Spirit.’ My question is ‘were you able to give thanks in this circumstance?’ Because you recognize that if you trust God in every circumstance, you can give God thanks in every circumstance… this morning, by God’s grace, do you trust God in every circumstance?”

“I do, I do. In every circumstance,” responded M.

“And are you able to thank God in every circumstance?”

“I do. I thank Him for everything that He is doing; the things that I know, and the things that I don’t know.”

A pilot’s definition of a successful landing is “Any one that you can walk away from.” This is a scene from the 1983 movie “The Right Stuff.”

Pastor Russell thanked M for her testimony, and then questioned the rest of the assembly: “How many of you are going through ‘circumstance’ right now?” [“circumstance” having by this point in the sermon become a kind of euphemism for “difficulties.”] How many of you have some circumstances in your life right now that are not so good? Raise your hands high.” A significant percentage of the congregation raised their hands. Pastor Russell noted that “It’s easy to give God thanks for the good stuff, but not the bad. Here it is again, everybody…”

If you trust God in every circumstance, you can thank God in every circumstance. If you trust God in every circumstance, then when things happen you can give thanks to God in every circumstance.
The pastor invited all to stand, and for a minute or so to relate to the person beside them what particular circumstance they were facing at present. These brief revelations were to be concluded by all participants with the following assertion: “I trust God in this circumstance, and therefore I give thanks to God in this circumstance.” Now the “interactive” nature of the presentation was extremely localized. After a brief exchange amongst themselves, the praise team presented a rendition of James Fortune‘s song “I Trust You” (“I can… I will… I must trust you“). Pastor Russell then resumed his presentation.

At 1:37:31- “I want to pray this morning…”

“I want to pray this morning…” Before this prayer, the pastor reminded everyone that it is God’s will that we give Him thanks in every circumstance. Emphasis was placed upon the word “will.” This is semantically equivalent to a direct command, for it is the principal duty of every human being to honor the will of God. God knows what is best for us. When times are tough, we can take comfort in the certain knowledge that God has already formed a perfect plan to pull us through. We just have to trust Him in this matter. When we do, we shall not only survive the tough times; we will thrive in their aftermath. We will become better persons, and better Christians, and for this reason it is incumbent on us that we render thanks to Him.

The immediacy and import of this prayer was enhanced by the frequent repetition by the pastor , either consciously or unconsciously, of the phrase “right now.” These instances, in those portions of the prayer that are to be quoted directly, will be marked by bold type. The injunctions Pastor Russell urged upon the congregation during the course of this prayer were not intended to be implemented at some unspecified future date, They were, rather, intended to commence right now.



Father, so often we as believers, we live our lives just like the people who don’t know you. We live our lives, and we respond to life like people who have no connection with you. And you have been saying in your Word all along, in First Thessalonians that… in every circumstance give thanks. But Lord, when we think that life is acting on us, and we can’t see you in it, and we can’t believe that you are in it, then. Father, we get like everybody else. We start, when things start going wrong in our marriages, we start acting crazy like everyone else; fire against fire, reaction against reaction, instead of saying ‘God, I don’t know why my husband is doing this. I don’t know why my wife is reacting this way, but Lord, I trust you right now in this circumstance. I trust you. And therefore Lord, as strange as it may seem to the world, I give thanks right now, because, God, I believe you’ve got this in your control.

Pastor Russell inserted a personal testimony into the prayer. A temporary glitch in his household finances was corrected. He and his wife, Brenda, had thanked God in advance of their deliverance, fully believing that He would work things out for them. The offering of thanks to God, and trust in Him preceded the solution of their difficulty by mere hour and a half. A similar level of faith and trust was recommended to the entire congregation. A type of model prayer, one suitable for all who may be in crises mode, and unclear as to how they may overcome this crises was now provided by the pastor:

Father, in Jesus’ name right now, and by your strength, and by your power, we chose to trust you with it right now. We’re not going to go home and react to it right now [you will recall the Holy Spirit’s earlier instructions to the pastor, in the wake of the two deaths in his family, to “stay put”]. We’re not going to go home and try to cut corners and do things that are outside of your will to try to make it get fixed; we’re not going to do any of that, God. Whether it’s finances, whether it’s relationships, whether it’s health, whether it’s job [related]… everyone can fill in their own blanks. Whether it’s loss in our families… God, right now the Berean Church, in this house, in a calm way, right now, we trust you with our circumstances, and therefore, right now God, in Jesus’ name, we thank you for those circumstances. We thank you. We never thought we would say this about this matter. [Jeremiah 32:27: Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?]

Uncle Floyd once managed the NCO Club at Duke Field.  Dolittle’s Raiders trained there in 1942. At the start of the sixties, air transport arrangements for the not-so-secret Bay of Pigs invasion were staged at Duke.

The subject of joy was now revisited in the course of this prayer.

And Lord, in those times that we are not feeling the joy… then Holy Spirit, do what you said you would do… ‘Let me, as God, share with you my joy.’ Let me give you what I am experiencing, right now… Our God says ‘this is what I’m experiencing. Let me let you enter in and share the exact same thing that God is experiencing right now. And Father, you’ve opened up so much stuff to us!

Pastor Russell again revealed God’s good pleasure:

I will give you what you don’t have, I will give you my peace. I will give you my joy. I will give you myself, and all you have to do is everyday, and throughout this day, ask me to come live inside of you.” Our proper response to this gracious invitation was now proclaimed: “We welcome you Lord, into our place. We welcome you into this place. And we thank you God… as every head is bowed, and as every eye is closed…

Pastor Russell now spontaneously directed the musicians to play “Welcome In This Place” [link is to a seldom audited YouTube version by Alvin Darling & Celebration. The Berean version commences at approximately time marker 1:44:10]. He urged all who knew the song to join in, and prefaced this by revealing that “My joy in worship in the morning is when I get a chance to sing to the Holy Spirit.” The song was sung. And then, in conclusion…

Father. In the quiet, in the quiet as we close this prayer out, God, let no one walk out of here today stressed, off kilter… [a short portion of the prayer is unintelligible, due to technical problems, but the issue is resolved in time to reveal the pastor’s last words] I give thanks right now. I give thanks. I give thanks, God. I give thanks! Losing loved ones, God; we give thanks! For jobs, God, we give thanks, whether we lose it or we get it. If we begin to have trouble this week in our homes, God, we’re not going to be [enablers?] of these troubles, God, we know you’re going to bring us through it. For those this morning whose pockets are empty, and they have no idea how they’re going to pay all the bills… to close this month off, God, right now, we give thanks… And you know why we give you thanks? Because we trust you. With our lives. Every detail. We trust you!

In Jesus’ name, let all of God’s people say… Amen.

Uncle Floyd was able to devote the last six years of his life to golfing. At left, part of the tarmac at Hulbert Field AFB. At right, Uncle Floyd’s favorite, Air Force run Gator Lakes Golf Course, which actually has alligators.

As of 8/16/2016, 1,383 persons had viewed the YouTube video of this July 30, 2016 sermon presented by Lead Pastor Fredrick Russell at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta. This represents only a small percentage of the number that regularly watch these services  via the internet. But it is several hundred more persons than typically view the service on YouTube. The augmented level of viewership for this particular message is rather hard to explain, but is nonetheless gratifying. The Holy Spirit is prominently featured in this sermon, and may have taken a hand in its successful dissemination.

Some of the unique scenery at Gator Lakes Golf Course. It is now open to the general public, but in order to play you must first sign an affidavit that certifies that you are not there in order to engage in espionage.