Rev. Tim Hudson- “Where Is God When You Need Him?”

Have you ever felt abandoned by God? Those moments when your prayers seem to vanish into silence, when the heaviness of waiting crushes your spirit, and when that small voice whispers, "Has God forgotten me?" This powerful message tackles the heart-wrenching question we've all asked at some point: "What's taking you so long, God?"

Through the creation story in Genesis, we discover a profound truth about divine timing. God could have created everything in a single day—yet He deliberately spread His work across six days. At each stage, He declared His work "good," but it wasn't until completion that He pronounced it "very good." This distinction holds the key to understanding why God sometimes makes us wait.

The sermon weaves together compelling biblical narratives of those who endured seemingly endless waiting periods. Joseph languished in prison before his miraculous elevation to the palace. Lazarus had to die and be buried before Jesus arrived—not because Jesus was indifferent, but because resurrection would prove far more glorious than mere healing. These weren't stories of divine neglect but of divine preparation for something extraordinary.

If you're standing at the edge of hopelessness today, wondering if God has abandoned you to your prison, this message carries a lifeline of hope. God could have answered your prayer yesterday, and it would have been good—but He's waiting to make it very good. Your current confinement might be the necessary preparation for your coming promotion.

When the darkness feels overwhelming and God seems distant, remember the whispered truth that sustained the preacher during his own valley: "How do you think you got this far?" Even when we can't feel His presence, He's been carrying us all along.

Ready to transform your perspective on divine delays? Listen now and discover why God's "not yet" might be the most loving answer to your prayers. Your breakthrough isn't just coming—it's being perfected.

The Balance of Gray
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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction by Brother Jacob Bishop
• 1:52 Genesis: In the Beginning God Created
• 3:10 The Mystery of God's Timing
• 12:34 From Good to Very Good
• 21:06 [Ad] The Balance of Gray
• 21:54 (Cont.) From Good to Very Good
• 26:34 Hope Deferred Makes the Heart Sick
• 40:49 Joseph: From Prison to Palace
• 47:59 Lazarus: The Miracle of Waiting
• 54:20 Altar Call and Closing Song

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:11

Hey everybody, this is Brother Jacob Bishop from Waynesville, ohio, coming to you on behalf of Holiness Preaching Online. Today we want to present to you another wonderful sermon from a great Pentecostal holiness preacher. So, wherever you are, sit back and prepare to be blessed by the Word of God. Thank you all, and may God keep you and bless you today.

Speaker 3: 0:42

Bibles tonight.

Speaker 1: 0:44

Brother Walker should be quite pleased. Genesis, chapter 1 and verse number 1. Genesis, chapter 1 and verse number 1.

Speaker 3: 1:03

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Once again. In the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without form and void and darkness was created. The heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Amen, brother Noah, stand and ask the Lord to help us tonight.

Speaker 3: 1:45

In the name of Jesus, god, asking God for that great presence of God that moved in the beginning, the very God that created things into being. We move with this service tonight and the Lord's service will give you the praise in Jesus' name, amen. Psalm, chapter 13 and verse 1. The psalmist said how long wilt thou forget me, o Lord? Forever, how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Then, in Psalm 22 and 1, that great prophetic passage concerning the coming of the Messiah and the sufferings of Jesus, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? If you would remember those scriptures. We'll come back to them in just a little while. But to begin with, what better place to start than in the beginning?

Speaker 3: 2:44

There's a lot of things that we do not know about the beginning. There have been a lot of people that have argued and debated Been a lot of supposition. There have been many theologians who have argued as to whether or not God created it all in a literal six days. There have been those that have argued for the gap theory and that there is a span of time years sometimes some suggest millions of years between verse number one and verse number two of genesis, there's, uh, even those on the uh other side that would argue that, uh, in the beginning, that there was well nothing, but then suddenly there was this big explosion and out of that explosion came everything eventually that we know today. Evolutionists would have us believe that it happened over a process of millions and even billions of years. There's a lot of things we do not know, but there's one thing that we can rest assured of, that in the beginning, god, in the beginning, not only God, but in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Speaker 3: 3:58

I like that, don't you? Some men don't want to accept the fact that there is a God, because if there is a God, then they're going to be held accountable to that God. That's the reason men don't like to retain God in their knowledge, because if there is a God, then they're going to be accountable to that God, amen. And so they feel as if they can just do away with their accountability by doing away with God. That'd be like trying to do away with a traffic ticket by saying there are no state troopers, amen. I noticed something coming down 520. There's a lot of them on that stretch of highway, a lot of them. But in the beginning the Bible said God created the heaven and the earth. There's something about this word created.

Speaker 3: 4:47

I'm not a Hebrew scholar by any means and a lot of times I have a problem with English. And, of course, one thing about being in South Georgia you're from the South and I'm from the South, so we pretty much speak the same language. I don't know if there are any from the northern states, but I've got a brother in the church. If you've ever been around some of the camp meetings and met Brother Hallelujah Henry, he's a maniac, he's originally from Maine and when he come down, oh my, oh, I'm getting in trouble now. Well, you folks would understand brother Hallelujah Henry.

Speaker 3: 5:28

We were in service one night. He got up and he got to thanking God. He got saved. God saved him from the bars, and everybody was from what, and I thank God. I used to go to bars and we stand there. What in the world? At a bar, he said I went to the bars and I got drunk. I said, oh, you mean a bar Amen? He said, yeah, a bar Amen. He parked his car too. But anyhow, hallelujah, I don't know, you folks might park your car, hallelujah.

Speaker 3: 6:02

But being down from south. Maybe we kind of understand a little bit of each other's lingo. Alright, amen. But I understand this word. Create. It means to take nothing and make something out of it. Amen. There's only one that can do that, and that was God. Hallelujah. In the beginning, god took nothing and he made something out of it. I don't know how he did it, but I know that he did it. Hallelujah, amen, praise God, hallelujah, this marvelous creation that we are a part of. Amen. The Bible said the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.

Speaker 3: 6:43

I remember just this past Wednesday night how many of you saw that lunar eclipse, and after service we went out and stood in the cold. Here we are just getting over the flu and we're standing out in the cold watching that lunar eclipse. And I'm not much of an astronomer, and so my daughter was trying to explain to me what was happening and the difference between that solar eclipse and the lunar eclipse. I know you know all about that, but anyhow, she's explaining to us and, if I understood it correctly, the earth had gotten between the moon and the sun and the shadow of the earth was on the moon and that's why the moon was turning dark, like it was Amen. But I remember, as I stood out there and marveled Amen and looked at that moon up in that sky and I saw the cloud coming over the moon, I thought, my, what a mighty God that I'm serving, that he could, by His very spoken word, amen, just hang that moon out there on nothing. Amen. Allah didn't put it out there, muhammad had nothing to do with it, buddha and Shinto had nothing to do with it, amen. But Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar there is a God in heaven, amen. That hung it out there by his very spoken word. Amen. The psalmist said when I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visit him, amen.

Speaker 3: 8:23

I remember several years ago when I was in Africa one of the first times and there working there in Africa, brother Curtis Teague I'm on the board with him African Holiness Missions. I remember I was there. I may have even been there by myself. Maybe it was one of the times that, the first time I'd gone by myself and first couple of times we had gone together and then we kind of learned our way around and I went back by myself. But I remember one time I did okay during the day but when it got dark and it's time for the chickens to start roosting, I was ready to find my roost and I'm kind of looking for my wife but she's 7,000 miles away. And I remember feeling so alone in Cameroon and even though we had friends with our field director and I felt just like family with them. I remember brother Noah, I was feeling kind of melancholy that afternoon and that evening and I was feeling all alone. And I remember, as I was standing out on the veranda One afternoon looking up in the sky, all of a sudden I looked up there in the sky and I saw these stars and I saw that moon up there and all of a sudden I began to realize something. I said, hey, I know who you are. I've seen you in South Carolina before. Amen. I stood out in the dark and looked up and I saw that moon in South Carolina and I realized, amen, that that same moon in Africa is the same moon in Carolina. Amen, and it is the same God in Carolina. That's the same God in Cameroon, amen. I'll just throw this in Amen.

Speaker 3: 10:02

A couple of years ago I was back up in the jungle for a convention with the pygmies and I was preaching the convention by myself. I was there, nobody was with us from the states and I told them before we went in the jungle. I told our field director and I told his wife. I said now, when we get in the jungle? I said it's going to be a full moon and that'll be good, because it's dark in the jungle at night when there's no lights. You're out there in the middle of the jungle at night and there's no lights and there's no electricity, and so, sure enough, you'll never believe what happened when we got to the jungle. That moon was full, as could be in the sky.

Speaker 3: 10:42

One night after service, our field director's wife, sister Eva Yebga, she come to me, her eyes were big and they called me Fat man in Cameroon, hallelujah. They called me Fat man and she said Fat man, you are a true man of God. I said what she said you are a true man of God. I said what do you mean, sister Eva? She said you are a true man of God. I said what do you mean, sister Eva? She said you told us before we came to this jungle. You said when we get to the jungle the moon will be full. She said look at that moon in the sky, it is full. You are a man of God. I never bothered to tell her that. I checked the calendar amen. Before I went to Africa and I saw on the calendar amen. I never did tell her, I just let her think I was a man of God. Hallelujah, amen.

Speaker 3: 11:31

But I'm glad tonight that I know the God that put that moon in the sky. I'm glad I know the God that named every one of those stars Amen, Millions and billions. And if I was Brother Bill Houston, I can tell you how many there are, but I'm not, so I can't. But there are millions and there are billions of stars up there and God made every one of them by His spoken word. When some of you sisters go in the kitchen and you start making that pie, you get this and you get that and you put it all together Amen. And you make something out of something. But God took nothing and made something out of it. That's what excites me about this service tonight. If God is big enough to do that amen, how much more can he do for us in this service tonight. Here you are in this building, amen.

Speaker 3: 12:29

I've never preached this before. I've preached all around what I'm preaching to you tonight, but I've never preached this before. But I have not been able to get away from this and I feel like tonight in this service there is somebody, and probably more than one, amen. You are out there tonight and you feel just about like you have about come to the end of your rope, but I want to tell you there is a God in heaven tonight, amen, that is concerned about you and knows the way that you take, and I feel like that god is sending me here tonight with the word from him for you hallelujah.

Speaker 3: 13:11

We look around at this beautiful universe, amen. The scars, stars, and then the moon and the sun. It is said that if the sun went out tomorrow, that there is enough energy that is being radiated from the sun, that you would have light for millions of years before the sun went out in the sky. That you see, amen. Only God could do that. Hallelujah, amen. But do you understand, for all the beauty of God's creation, that we see the beautiful mountains, the flowing rivers, amen. The massive oceans?

Speaker 3: 13:49

It was not always that way, for the Bible said that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void. Amen, again, I am not a Hebrew scholar, but that phrase form and void, without form and void what that literally means is wastedness and emptiness. Amen. So in the beginning, when god created the heaven and earth, if you'd have looked at it, you'd have said there's nothing to it, it is good for nothing, because it is nothing but a wasteland and it is empty. The Bible said it is without form and void, there's nothing there that is of any inherent value. Amen. Oh, that kind of reminds me of men and women, just like you were at one time, amen, looking out on your life. It appeared to be nothing but a waste, and you were so empty inside, amen. But something happened. I'll tell you what it was. The very thing that happened in verse number 2.

Speaker 3: 15:02

The Bible said, amen, darkness was upon the face of the deep, but something began to happen. In all of this wastedness, in all of this emptiness, in all of this darkness, things began to change. Amen, not when the preacher gets up and starts preaching, it's not even when the choir is singing their beautiful song, amen. But I'll tell you when the Spirit of God began to move, there began to come a change over this empty, wasted, dark place. Hallelujah, amen, that's what we need in this place tonight and I've already felt I said I've already begun to feel the moving of the Spirit of God. That's why, if you're here tonight and you're lost, if you're here tonight and you're nothing but a wasted life, if you're here tonight and you're empty inside, if you're here tonight and living in the darkness.

Speaker 3: 16:07

All that needs to happen in this place is for the Spirit of God to begin to move. And when the Spirit of God begins to move, there will come a change. Amen in your life. Is there anybody here tonight besides me? Amen, one time you were lost in your sin. Amen In your life. Is there anybody here tonight besides me? Amen, one time you were lost in your sin. Amen, one time your life was nothing but a waste. There was a time you were empty inside and darkness was all around you. Amen, you were without form and void, but do you remember that day, do you remember that night that the Spirit of God began to move in the service and on your heart Hallelujah.

Speaker 3: 16:53

Amen. And always, when God moves, things begin to happen. Hallelujah. Stay with me now. I feel like the Lord's going to help us here tonight, amen. And did you notice? Help us here tonight, amen.

Speaker 3: 17:05

Did you notice in verse number 3? Amen, as soon as the Spirit of God begins to move over this waste, over this emptiness and over this darkness. Amen. The Bible said in verse 3,. And God said Let there be light, and there was light. Have you ever noticed? When the Spirit of God starts to move, be light, and there was light. Have you ever noticed? When the Spirit of God starts to move, the light comes on. I said have you ever noticed? When the Spirit of God begins to move, it's like somebody turns on the light. Amen. That's why men don't want the moving of the Holy Ghost in their life and in a service, and the reason is simply this Amen. Jesus said men love the darkness rather than the light Because it is the light that reproves their evil deeds. Amen. Men love the darkness because it covers their sin. But I'm going to tell you, when the Spirit of God begins to move, amen, it's like somebody turns the light on. Amen. I remember amen, sister Walker.

Speaker 3: 18:11

I was seven years old when the Spirit of God moved on my heart and I gave my heart to Jesus and the light turned on and I've never wanted to go back to the darkness since that glorious day and that glorious hour. Thank God for the light. I said, thank God for the light, come on now you're going to help me while I preach, amen. You're looking at me and I'm looking at you and we're just going to have a looking contest tonight, amen. But I feel this thing and I tried to get away from it, but I can't. And I kept coming back to it. And this is where I'm at, amen. But it looked like I don't understand. Now, bear with me just a little while. I don't understand God, do you? I hadn't quite got God figured out. Amen, hallelujah.

Speaker 3: 19:03

It seemed like that God would have done it amen a different way than what he did. Come on now, don't look at me like that, amen. You sit there and you know you'd have done it different. A lot of times Haven't you questioned and said God why did you do this or why did you not do that? Amen, hallelujah. But I'll tell you why. You're not God, and neither am I, as the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways above our ways. His ways are past finding out. Amen.

Speaker 3: 19:38

When Job comes down to the end in Job, chapter 42, I believe it is what is the final analysis God says Job, I'm God, I do it like I want it done. And you know what Job said God, you're God, do it like you want to do it, lord, amen, hallelujah. You're sitting in this building tonight and some of you don't understand the plan of God, but I want to remind you tonight he's the one in charge, not you. He's the one that's got everything under control. Amen, hallelujah. I said God knows who you are, amen, and he knows where you're at. Hallelujah. And I felt like tonight that God sent me here to tell somebody amen, just hold on and let God do it His way.

Speaker 3: 20:30

I said hold on and let God do it His way. You don't understand it. I don't either, but we're not God tonight. Amen, but God is still God. I said God is still God and he still sits high and His train still fills the temple.

Speaker 1: 20:57

I don't understand this.

Speaker 3: 21:00

Maybe some of you theologians can explain it. Maybe some of you theologians can explain it Amen, god took six days to do it all, but he was great enough to do it all in one day. Verse number 4. God saw the light, that it was Good, and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light day and the darkness he called night, and the evening and the morning were the first day. But it seemed to me like a God that big could have done it all in one day, and that's what you're thinking too. You're wondering why God hadn't already done what you been after Him to do. I said you're sitting here tonight and the devil's already told you God's forsaken you and God has cast you away. And if your God is as big as amen, you proclaim Him to be, how come that he's not already done it? Hallelujah, amen, amen, oh well, amen. Well, let's go a little farther. Amen, in verse number 10. And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters called his fees, and God saw that it was good, amen, hallelujah. And God said let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth. And it was so, amen. And the earth brought forth grass and herb and the tree yielding fruit, and God saw that it was good, amen. This is day number four. Amen. Or rather day number three, I'm sorry, amen. I can't understand. Seemed like God could have done it all in one day, amen. And then we go down to verse number 18 and the Bible tells us he's made the lesser light and the greater light Amen, verse 18, to rule over the day and over the night and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day, amen. And then we go to verse 21, and God created great whales and every living creature amen. And every winged fowl after his kind. And God saw that it was good, amen. That's day number 5. And then in verse number 25 we find these words Amen. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind and cattle after their kind and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and God saw it was good, that it was good, amen.

Speaker 3: 24:57

I don't understand, but grab your Bible, brother Noah. I want you to get a verse of Scripture here. I feel like this is what the Lord sent me here to preach to you tonight Amen, oh God, amen. What is taking you so long? Amen. That's what I'm preaching on tonight. What's taking so long, god, amen.

Speaker 3: 25:18

Some of you are sitting here tonight. You have been praying and agonizing and you're wondering what has taken God so long? Amen, have you ever been there? I said have you ever been there? Amen, come on now. You don't have to act like a Amen. I'm a stranger, even though I am. But Brother Noah, it has amazed me across this country, the places I've been in the last little while, the number of people, amen, that have been on the verge of throwing in the towel and quitting Amen. They prayed and prayed and sought God, amen. And trouble after trouble and trial after trial, and here tonight in this service, amen. You're like the psalmist and you said oh, how long. Oh, lord, will thou forget me? I don't know who you are, but I feel like tonight you're here. Amen. You've said God, where are you at? Amen, oh Lord where are you?

Speaker 3: 26:15

at. And the devil said if your God is so big, how come? How come there is no answer to your prayer? Amen, if your God is so big, how come you're still underneath this burden?

Speaker 4: 26:27

Come on, now I'm preaching to you about a real devil.

Speaker 3: 26:30

That's a bit of talking to you, amen. But I want to tell you tonight that there is a God in heaven. Amen, there is a God in heaven. And there is a God in heaven, and though the vision tarry wait for it, for it will surely come and not tarry I'm here to tell you tonight that there is an answer on the way. I said there is an answer on the way, hallelujah. I said there is an answer on the way, amen.

Speaker 4: 26:58

Hallelujah, I feel like shouting it again. There is an answer on the way. Amen, hallelujah, I feel like shouting it again.

Speaker 3: 27:01

There is an answer on the way for you, friend. And the devil is a liar and God has not forsaken you.

Speaker 2: 27:10

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Speaker 3: 27:17

Hallelujah, hallelujah. You come in this church, service after service. You've watched the choir get up here. You've gone through the motions, amen. You've gone through the motions of worshiping God, but in your heart, amen, the devil has said you may as well throw in the towel and quit. Where is God? Amen, where is your God? Amen, the devil has said you may as well throw in the towel and quit. Where is God? Amen, where is your God? Amen, you pray and you can't make that connection. Amen, you can't make that connection, hallelujah. But I'm here tonight to tell you, on the authority of God, amen, hang in there. You're fixing to make that connection. Amen, that you've been looking for For a long time. Amen. Somebody remind me in a little while that I've still got lingering effects of the flu. I'm about to forget about it. Amen, because there is a God In heaven. Amen that knows who you are and knows where you're at Right now. Tonight, mama, god knows, brother, god knows, brother, god knows. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Oh Lord, god, what's taking you?

Speaker 3: 28:30

so long God? What's taking you so long? God could have stopped on day one, and it would have been good. God could have done it all on day one and stopped, and it would have been good. He could have wound her down on day three, and it would have still been good. He could have stopped it on day four, and it was good. He could have stopped it on day five, it would have been good and God saw it was good. He could have stopped it before he made the man and the woman, and you know chapter 2 is just a little more of chapter 1. He could have stopped it before he made man and woman and it would have been good. Kind of like your grades right Good.

Speaker 3: 29:46

Yeah, the man after him on hard nodding his head yeah, amen, it would have been good you got your Bible. Hallelujah, hallelujah, genesis, chapter 1.

Speaker 1: 30:06

Genesis, chapter number 1. Y'all still here?

Speaker 3: 30:10

He could have stopped it at any point and it would have been good, but he held off to verse 31.

Speaker 1: 30:17

And read verse 31.

Speaker 3: 30:21

Chapter 1 of Genesis and God saw everything that he had made, that he had made, and behold and behold, it was very good. Hold it, back it up. What did he say? And it was very good. What kind of good was it Very. What did he say? And it was very good. What kind of good was it Very, it was very, very good.

Speaker 1: 30:52

Very good, this is what you don't understand.

Speaker 3: 30:56

God could have answered that prayer yesterday and it would have been good, but when he answers it tomorrow, it's going to be very good.

Speaker 3: 31:10

You're not hearing me tonight. I said God could have answered your prayer yesterday and it had been good, amen. But when God answers it tomorrow, it's going to be very good. Hallelujah, amen. I feel like telling you tonight you don't understand. If you wait on God, it's not just going to be good, it's going to be very good in a little while. Hallelujah, I said it's going to be very good in a little while. Hallelujah, I said it's going to be very good in a little while. Amen.

Speaker 3: 31:46

I've never had this before. I've never preached in a place. I've been a few places that I've preached that had balconies. But when I come on this bench tonight, I looked up and saw this balcony. That's been ringing in my ear ever since I've been here, shouting in the balcony, shouting in the balcony, shouting in the balcony, shouting in the balcony. You may do it, amen. You may do it, but I feel like in a little while there's going to be somebody in this building that's going to be shouting in the balcony, because when God answers your prayer, it's not just going to be good, it's going to be very good.

Speaker 3: 32:25

I said it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good. What's taking you so long, god, amen, I'm not going to just do a good job, it's going to be very good when I get it all done. And I felt like God wanted me to tell somebody tonight if you'll give God the chance and let Him work His work, it won't just be good, it's going to be very good. God could have done it all in one day, but he did it in six, so the time was going to be very good. God could have done it all in one day, but he did it in six, so the time was going to come. When you said, god, you could do it right now, and God said, yeah, but give me a little time and let me work it like I want to work it, and it won't just be good, it's going to be very good. Hallelujah. I said there's somebody here tonight.

Speaker 3: 33:18

You're on the verge of a very good move of God Almighty Hallelujah. Hold on, weary pilgrim, the answer's on the way. Amen, god is getting ready to move and it'll all be over.

Speaker 2: 33:39

Hallelujah. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, hallelujah, hallelujah, thank you Lord, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Speaker 1: 34:01

I was walking one Sunday afternoon at the church. I was in the church praying and right over here in the second row some sisters sit, and there's one in particular. From time to time that seemed like the devil has just beat her down.

Speaker 3: 34:23

And I was praying and the lord spoke to me. I believe it was god.

Speaker 1: 34:26

I went home, got a pen, piece of paper wrote down a little note and took it, stuck it in the bible. I went back to the church just told my wife. I said, honey, I'm going back.

Speaker 3: 34:35

I said lord move, don't write this note to her. I didn't sign my name.

Speaker 1: 34:39

And so you will know I do not make a habit of writing notes and sticking in ladies' Bibles.

Speaker 3: 34:47

Okay, Is that all right? But I told my wife I didn't sign my name.

Speaker 1: 34:56

But I took it and put it in her Bible. I never told her that I put it there.

Speaker 3: 35:04

But I put it right on this verse, right above, right below this verse. You've read it Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is the tree of life. And this is the note. It is tree of life. This is the note. Sometimes, if God answered today, it would not be near the joy, the happiness or the miracle if he waited until tomorrow. So if not today, maybe tomorrow. And just remember, god has not forgotten you. And you're standing here, you're sitting here tonight and in this building. You're sick. It's not the flu, it's not a stomach virus, it is not some incurable disease. But your hope has been dashed so many times when you got up and come to church and thought today's the day, only to walk out the doors carrying the same burden. You are sick tonight because your hope has been deferred. Amen.

Speaker 3: 36:14

I don't know about you, brethren, there have been times in my life that it seemed I could not hear God. It seemed like I could not hear the voice of God. Have you ever prayed that? I've said God, where are you at? But I'll say one thing, brother Noah All the time I couldn't hear from God. The devil never shut his mouth. The devil never shut his mouth. But he whispered in my ear when is God at now? Where is the Lord now? Where is God? There's no hope. And I do, like a bunch of others, throw in the towel and quit Amen. But I'll tell you what I didn't do. I didn't throw in the towel and quit Amen. I said, I didn't throw in the towel and quit Amen. But I realized that there is a God in heaven, amen. And I made it up in my mind, hallelujah, that if I go down, I'll go down fighting.

Speaker 3: 37:04

If I go under, I'll go under in belief, and if I die, I'll die in faith, as a lot of others did not having received the promise. Hallelujah.

Speaker 2: 37:14

Hallelujah, amen, but you're here tonight.

Speaker 3: 37:18

I don't know where you're at, but I feel like there's somebody that's mighty close to day number six and in a little while it's not just going to be good. God's going to look down and do a work and everybody's going to say that's a very good work that only God can do. Oh Lord, I feel the Holy Ghost. I said, I feel the.

Speaker 4: 37:39

Holy.

Speaker 3: 37:40

Ghost, you're here tonight and you're sick, but when your desire comes, it's going to be like a tree of life, liberating your soul.

Speaker 4: 37:49

I'm here to tell you the answer's on the way.

Speaker 3: 37:52

God, hallelujah. God is dispatched from the glory world, and it'll soon be over. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Oh Lord, help me, dear Lord it's been years.

Speaker 1: 38:14

It's been years.

Speaker 3: 38:16

It's been years.

Speaker 1: 38:17

Hallelujah, all hope is gone. I'll never see them again.

Speaker 3: 38:30

Looking out the window day after day, saying I just wonder where they're at God. Where are you, where are you at God? I thought I heard you say Lord, where are you?

Speaker 1: 38:54

Oh what? Yeah, yeah, bring me the clipboard.

Speaker 3: 39:12

I'll take care of it. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months.

Speaker 1: 39:29

Possibly months into years. I wonder what he looks like now.

Speaker 3: 39:33

Last time I saw him, he's just a little boy. I wonder what he looks like. God, where are you? What have I done, god? Where are you? What have I done? God? What have I done Where's?

Speaker 1: 39:49

God, god's first. You got that clipboard. Give me that clipboard.

Speaker 3: 40:00

Thank you, let's see All right.

Speaker 1: 40:06

We got ten new ones in One left.

Speaker 3: 40:12

One died, all right Into the hall, all right.

Speaker 1: 40:18

I got one available, caught down there. Where's God? Where's God? Where's the Lord? God's forgot me what?

Speaker 3: 40:36

Do what, do what.

Speaker 1: 40:44

That don't make any sense here. Take this clipboard.

Speaker 3: 40:56

I didn't get everything done, but when I get back I don't know what's going on. But when I get back I'll finish the job. Okay, okay, that alright alright.

Speaker 1: 41:11

I'll take care of that when I get back. I'll be back in a little. There's only one problem, joseph you're not coming back to the prison you're going to sleep in the palace tonight cause it's God's time.

Speaker 3: 41:32

This is the day God's been preparing you for for years, and the next time you come back to the prison, you'll be riding in a chariot with servants running before you saying bow the knee. God could have left you in Potiphar's house and made you second in command to Potiphar, and it would have been good. But he's going to make a very good work out of you, Joseph, and you're going to be second in command to Pharaoh. Amen. I don't know who you are tonight, but you feel like you're like Joseph in the prison house and you feel like there will never be any change. But I'm going to tell you there's going to come a day you're going to wake up in the prison, but you're going to sleep tonight in the palace. Amen.

Speaker 3: 42:25

Oh why? Because, amen, there is a God in heaven. I said there is a God in heaven that is not just going to do a good work, it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good, Hallelujah. We don't understand the mind of God, but we do know that our God will do a very good work. Amen.

Speaker 4: 42:49

If we'll only wait on.

Speaker 3: 42:50

Him and let Him do His work.

Speaker 2: 42:53

Hallelujah, Somebody tonight you're getting ready to leave the prison.

Speaker 3: 42:58

Amen, and you're heading to the palace. You're getting ready to change. Amen, change and fetters Hallelujah. Hallelujah for liberty like you've never known before.

Speaker 2: 43:08

God's going to do a very good work in your heart.

Speaker 1: 43:15

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, oh Lamb of the Most High, oh God, I may have missed it tonight. Not at all, but I don't believe God has at all. And coming down the road tonight here, it seemed like God began to direct my focus for the first few nights of this meeting.

Speaker 3: 43:48

Amen, because there's somebody here, and it does not take a prophet in this day and hour to say Hallelujah for all the Spirit of God in this building. Your eyes are telling me that there's a heavy weight on your shoulders and your Amen, york. Your hands are telling me you feel like you're chained and fettered and bound. But I'm here to tell you tonight. God could have done it yesterday and it would have been good, hallelujah. But if you just give God a little more time, it's going to be very good. I time, it's going to be very good. I said it's going to be very good, hallelujah. Yes, you're getting ready to leave the prison and you're heading to the palace. Amen. And in a few years Look who's coming down the road Amen. But Joseph's little brother, benjamin, and every one of them bowed down, just like God said. It's been 17 years since he last saw them, but there's one thing about the word of God if God said it, it'll come to pass. Hallelujah. It may have been 15 years ago when God gave you that promise.

Speaker 3: 45:04

But I'm telling you, the devil is still alive and in a little while God amen is going to do His work and when he does, it's going to be very good. I said very good. I don't understand it. I don't understand it. It makes no sense to me why? Why they're weeping, sobbing, crying. They've held out as long as they can. I had pardoned a few in the Bahamas.

Speaker 1: 45:45

One time it was two weeks between the time he died and the time they buried him. Two weeks South Carolina, you know. Three days, four days, most of the week you've got to have him in the ground. Two weeks They've held him out as long as they can hold him.

Speaker 3: 46:01

They're weeping and sobbing. Why is he taking so long? They're praying and praying and he's gone. And he's gone and they're weeping and crying. He's gone and they're weeping and crying. And down the road is the one who has the power to speak the word and heal his sick body. But he deliberately delayed, he deliberately held off Amen. So much so that when he got there, martha said Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But Jesus told him a few verses before, when he said plainly, lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sake that I was not there Now, tell me that one. But Jesus knew, if they could only hold out a few days, amen, his coming would be a far greater miracle. Amen. When he said where have you laid him? Amen. And they rolled that stone away.

Speaker 3: 47:20

It would have been one thing if he had showed up and healed him while he was alive and everybody said well, he went to Dr Smith and you know how good a doctor he is, amen. But he's not only dead, he's already at a point where he's stinking. And Jesus said yeah, I know it and I'll let him die. And the reason I'll let him die is because it will be a far greater miracle for me to bring him out of the tomb than if I was to heal him. Yeah, god could have touched you today, but it'll be a far greater miracle if he does it tomorrow. Hallelujah.

Speaker 4: 47:56

Hallelujah, I'm telling you, I feel the Holy Ghost in this house.

Speaker 3: 48:01

I don't know who you are, but God knows who you are and God's just saying if you can just hold out a little while longer, the stone's coming off and you're coming out of the grave.

Speaker 1: 48:32

What's taking so long? Musicians, come you would. Somebody wants to get a song? My daughters aren't quite ready for that. We might let them one night Hallelujah. But, you're here tonight, oh, Father, and the look on your face says yes. Some time ago I was in a very low spot, I was in a place. Oh, Brother Noah, just to feel the loving embrace of heaven.

Speaker 3: 49:21

Oh, you know it. And for God, dear brethren, to just wrap, me in His arms and say to me I love you. I couldn't hear Him, I couldn't get Him to speak.

Speaker 1: 49:41

He seemed a thousand miles away.

Speaker 3: 49:45

I felt like I couldn't go any farther and I remember one day at the church praying oh God, if you'd just pick me up in your arms and carry me and hold me close. Just carry me Lord clothes, Just carry me, Lord. And ever so sweetly, I heard him speak to me as he whispered in my ear while I cried and said oh God, would you please just pick me up and carry me.

Speaker 1: 50:26

Ever so gently.

Speaker 3: 50:28

I heard him whisper in my ear.

Speaker 1: 50:31

How do you think you got this far? How do you think you got this far?

Speaker 3: 50:43

I said oh, Just because.

Speaker 1: 50:56

I couldn't feel you didn't mean that you weren't caring me all the while You're here tonight, sis.

Speaker 3: 51:00

You're here tonight, brother, and your heart is heavy and you're wondering God, where are you at Are?

Speaker 1: 51:12

you going to ever? Why? What's taking you so long?

Speaker 3: 51:18

I feel like tonight God has told me to tell you it's fixing to be very good if you'll just wait on him. These altars are open tonight and somebody that's discouraged and somebody that's been talked to by the devil needs to come down here around this altar and say God, it may be day four, it might even be day five, but I just want you to know God, when day six rolls around, I'm going to be here waiting to hear you say it's very good, this altar's open.

Speaker 3: 51:57

Tonight I feel like I preached to you in my heart. I feel like opening this altar. Come on, somebody. Your heart's heavy tonight. You prayed and you prayed and you sought God and you can't find Him. But tonight the Lord said to tell you he could have answered yesterday and it would have been good. But if you will be willing to wait until tomorrow, god will make it very good For you. Somebody pray tonight.

Speaker 3: 52:34

I don't know, maybe I missed it. I don't believe I have. I believe, beneath the veneer of your surface, there's a heaviness on your heart, there's a weariness in your spirit and the devil has said give up and quit. There's no use. God's forgot you. God doesn't even care. Where's the Lord at, where is God at? Where is the Lord? Where is the Lord? Come on, sis, pray. God said to tell you. God said to tell you. God said to tell you it's going to be very good in a little while. Not just good, it's going to be very good. Come on, brother, I feel like God wanted me to tell you. Tonight you may be in the prison and you feel like God has forsaken you, but you just hold on, friend, and God's going to bring you out of the prison and you're going to the palace. God's going to turn it around for you, friend. God's going to turn it around for you, oh Lord oh God, oh Lord, oh God.

Speaker 3: 54:03

What's taking so long?

Speaker 2: 54:04

God yes, I could have done it all in one day.

Speaker 3: 54:09

It would have been good, but let me take my time and I'll make it very good. Come on, sis. That's right, come on, sis. Come on, your heart's heavy tonight. Your heart is heavy, but your spirit has been touched Because you feel like the Holy Ghost has touched your heart. Brother, you're here tonight. You felt your heart melt already because you said but God, nobody knows, but you, hallelujah. And so tonight, if you'll let God if you'll let God, if you'll let God, if you'll let God.

Speaker 2: 54:52

If you'll let God, I've done the best I could.

Speaker 1: 54:58

It's not any better.

Speaker 3: 55:02

It's not God's fault. Come on, sir pray. Come on, sis. Come on, young folks. Come on, young folks. Come on, sis. Come on, young folks. Come on, young folks. Come on, grandma, come on, grandpa. Come on. Seek the Lord tonight. Thank God, lord, here I am, jesus. I don't understand it all. I'd like for it to be different, but, god, I'm willing, lord, to let you do it your way, because you're God.

Speaker 2: 55:47

You're God. Be thou removed. From here to yonder. Disappear into the sea. Be to the mountain, oh. Speak with authority, as a mountain bird. I love you, jesus, and you shall claim victory. Thank you. In the midst of the battle, when the foe is gaining ground, look up, see the mighty hand of God reaching down. Speak God's name and Satan triples. Speak God's word and watch him flee. Once again, our God delivers. Mountains crumble at our feet. Speak to the mountain. Speak to the mountain. You'll not triumph over me. He's our renew. From here to yonder. Disappear into the sea. Speak to the mountain. Speak with authority. Speak to the mountains. Speak with an orange tree, and the mountain must sing and you shall claim victory. Victory, thank you.

Speaker 2: 58:34

Piano plays softly. Again. We're sinking down in the shadow of a mountain high Above our head. We need not fear what lies ahead, for the word has clearly said that our faith will be sufficient To make the mountains dance of peace. Speak to the mountain. You're not triumphant. Be thou removed. You're not trying for me. Be there and move from here to yonder. Disappear into the sea. Speak to the mountain. Speak with authority, and the mountain must move and you shall claim the glory. I know it isn't.

Speaker 5: 1:02:01

Thank you ¶¶ ¶ Friend don't worry about this heavy load I carry, and don't be concerned if it sends me to my knees, for I know a place where all my load will lighten and I'll be alright as soon as I touch Calvary.

Speaker 5: 1:02:58

And if my feeble hands of faith could only reach out through this dark and dreary storm of unbelief, and if he'll slip his male-scarred hand into my hand, I'll be all right as soon as I touch Calvary. Very soon now I'll reach the hill called Gotham and I'll touch the cross that was fashioned from a tree. And if one precious drop of His blood touches me, I'll know I'm alright, because now I've touched Calvary. I'll touch Calvary. And if my feeble hands Of faith could only reach out Through this dark and dreary storm Of unbelief, and if you'll slip his Mascard hand into my hand, I'll be all right as soon as I touch Calvary. And if my feeble hands of faith could only reach out through this dark and dreary storm of unbelief, and if you'll slip this mask of hand into my hand, into my hand, I'll be alright as soon as I touch Calvary.

Speaker 4: 1:05:12

This is Pastor Philip Steele from Pentecostal Lighthouse in Pekin, illinois, and one of the contributing members of the HPO team. We're so glad that you joined us today. We pray that you've been blessed, encouraged and uplifted through this message. May you continue to walk victoriously in the hope of his calling. God bless.