To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://tphla.org/giving/ Service Date: 08.17.17 11AM
[Music]
you know Petey first of all give it up
for Petey and pastor Sarah come on you
can do better than that you can do
better than that
amen god bless them as they are in
Denver this weekend
and a few weeks ago Petey said hey you
know Devon why don’t you come in
September and do a two-part message on
your book The Hollywood Commandments
that’s my new book amen amen amen
it’s a spiritual guide to secular
success and I said cool Petey yes I’m in
and as I started preparing for today God
said don’t be Labor the book he said get
to the book next week he said what I
need them to know is more important than
you talking about the book I said Jesus
lord have mercy on my soul Lord you see
how many people there are here hey you
know what we talked about this book lord
help me Jesus
uh-huh uh-huh si si I want you to know
anything I preach to you about is
because I’m going through a tool right
I don’t preach from here down here we
all in this thing together and when you
hear God you say Oh Lord I gotta be
obedience alright so I’m not gonna talk
about the book all I’m gonna tell you is
the word he gave us commandment number
eight that word for today is your
difference is your destiny your
difference is your destiny I just want
to show you something look at you put it
down
Thanks oh it just makes it easier to get
into it thank you
okay so
in my hand somebody’s hungry my god a
man you you you should eat a little bit
of something before you come to church
amen
hallelujah so so in my hand
we got mrs. fields we got some mini
Chips Ahoy the chewy kind not not the
dry-time not not too covered up and we
got the Keebler’s chocolate chip deluxe
with the M&M somebody now as many of you
are salivating cuz you’re hungry I pray
your hunger for the word is greater than
your there’s a Kohanga watch this I
don’t want you to get lost I want you to
stay with me I hold in my hand chocolate
chips chocolate chip cookies right now
what’s interesting is this is just an
example of when you go to any
supermarket there is a whole aisle
dedicated to chocolate chip cookies you
can get whatever flavor or everstyle
you want but what dawned on me is that
you mean to tell me there’s a whole
aisle of the same product so as I I sat
there looking at the aisle I said how is
it possible in almost every supermarket
in the country there can be an aisle
dedicated to the same product as I began
to think about it I said it might be the
same chocolate chip but what
differentiates one brand from another
the recipe
may I submit for your consideration
these chocolate chip cookies represent
success we all have been destined to be
successful but each one of us has a
different recipe that God will use to
create success what I know is that
Keebler ain’t trying to steal mrs.
Fields recipe because Keebler does what
they do mrs. Fields do what they do and
they both can sell millions of cookies
every single year why because they’re
committed to their recipe they believe
that their recipe is the best and as a
result they still find success you don’t
see on the package of mrs. Fields we
taste just like a blurs now mrs. fields
as mrs. Fields Keebler’s as mrs.
Keeler’s and Chips Ahoy as Chips Ahoy Oh
your difference is your destiny you have
a recipe for your success so why are you
over there trying to steal your
neighbors recipe why don’t you start
cooking up what God gave you start
mixing up your ingredients and know that
if your neighbor can find space on the
Isle of the world for success that God
has some shelf space for you too I don’t
know who I’m talking to right now but
your difference is your destiny anybody
want some cookies
I all right please do not open those in
church please I don’t want y’all say
please after service all right watch
this watch this it is so important as it
relates to owning our difference that we
recognize what makes us different as a
way to helping us understand how God
wants us to be successful the work that
he is doing in you the work that he is
doing in me is different then the work
that he’s doing anyone else all right
but this is where it starts to get
difficult why because if we’re honest we
don’t like being different hmm and the
church gets quiet to be honest we don’t
like standing out we want to fit in we
want to be accepted we want to be liked
and as a result even in this very moment
some of us are even wearing something
different that we don’t even like but we
know that it’s the style so we want to
be accepted even in one church so we
wear jeans that we cannot fit we wear
shoes we don’t even like we wear a shirt
that’s a little too short but we like it
because we’re trying to fit in because
somebody told us this is how one church
dresses but what if God told you to put
on a suit and what if God told you to
put on a tie and bless your heart what
have they told you to put on a dress and
go to one church would you be obedient
to the difference or would you say no I
can’t do it it’s one church I have to be
who they want me to be what about owning
who you already are
[Music]
see hmm I gotta just give it to you
where feel I’m gonna get to our text
don’t worry I got a text I’m going to in
two minutes just give me a minute
because see here’s the thing the power
to conform is so pervasive that many of
us are prey to it right now that we
really aren’t owning our difference
because we’re afraid that if we do we
will not be accepted by the one that
sitting next to us so as a result
instead of being obedient to what God
has called us to do how he’s called us
to do it we have exchanged obedience for
acceptance and then we wonder why we’re
not happy we were not designed to fit
into someone’s limited idea of who we’re
supposed to be can I get an amen and
hallelujah somebody your difference is
your destiny I want to give you this
text real quick and then I want to talk
about the pain of being different but
also the power of being different I read
this text in your hearing we’re in 1st
Samuel Chapter 17 verse 31 this is David
going to King Saul telling King Saul
that he is going to fight the giant
Goliath and he says let no one lose
heart on account of this Philistine why
because your servant will go and fight
him we’re talking about destiny
difference is the one thing that
differentiates two people right or two
things it’s mixed it’s the difference
between what is similar and what is not
that is difference destiny is the place
that we were designed to operate it is
our calling it is our vocation may I
submit for your consideration that once
we get to our destiny we have an
abundance of opportunity you don’t I’m
here to tell you don’t have to worry
about money
you don’t have to worry about it get
close to your destiny and money comes I
promise you don’t even worry about
opportunity
keep walking pores close to your destiny
and God will give you opportunity I
promise you how many know that they need
to get closer to their destiny and are
believing who are but how many are
believing that God will bring you to
your destiny how many are excited about
getting to your destiny come on come on
so what I know about destiny similar to
the text his destiny comes with a
declaration David had to declare what he
was going to do not only before he did
it but before he even had the
opportunity to prove that he could do it
how well are your declarations and what
are you declaring what is coming out of
your mouth and is it working against
your difference and your destiny think
about it what are the first things you
say when you get up in the morning I’m
late noticing a list anybody who heard
reclaiming my time and got no reason or
excuse to be late am i right come on
somebody right hey if you late that’s on
you
Amen we have to begin to look at our
declarations and are we declaring the
destiny even before it manifests are you
speaking what you’re going to do even
before you have the opportunity to do it
I’ll never forget in high school I was
17 years old I had the opportunity to go
to Washington DC the summer between my
junior year and my senior year and it
was a program called boys nation it was
a program where they chose two students
high school students from every state
and you would go to Washington and
participate in a mock government during
the summer you would be a senator from
whatever state you were from this was
the same program where Bill Clinton when
he was a kid
met JFK President Kennedy there’s a
famous picture and so this particular
summer I had the opportunity to meet
President Bill Clinton at the time while
he was in the White House and then they
had media that was there and they came
up to each student and asked each
student what do you want to do when you
get older what is your dream what is
your passion what is your career goal
and now I grew up in a community of
faith I grew up in the church but God
called me to come to Hollywood now the
church didn’t like that too much the
elders would say no Devon why don’t we
just go ahead and lay hands on you and
just rebuke the devil
come on Who am I talking to many of you
are here because you had to fight the
rebuke of your own church community and
family community because they didn’t
believe you could come out here and be
successful who am I talking to don’t get
quiet on me 11 o’clock so there I was
and in my mind I said do I tell the
reporter what is acceptable by my church
family that my dream is to stay in the
Bay Area I’m from Oakland by the way
yeah yep there is a stronger anointing
on Oakland
I think the Warriors show that okay
we’re gonna say say say in the message
Devon stop it Devon stop stop okay here
we go watch it watch this I’m going
somewhere watch this do I tell them what
will be acceptable or do I actually
speak what is in my heart
do I declare what is going to happen
even though when my parent or my aunt’s
or my family or my church reads the
article they may not like what I say but
if it’s my truth should I begin to
monitor my truth because somebody else
may not like it please let me get right
beside you right now and ask you a
question are you living your truth or
are you trying to modify the truth
because you want somebody next to you to
say yes you’re doing what God called you
to do let me tell you something God
ain’t gonna tell everybody what it is
that you’re supposed to do he may only
whisper it in your spirit and he may
tell you the truth about your life so if
you submit the truth to somebody else
for a vote and they vote no are you
still going to do it you’ve got to start
declaring where you’re going to go and
so in that moment with the reporter I
told him the truth I said I want to be a
media mogul well do you know anyone in
entertainment I don’t know nobody but I
want to be a media mogul I want to use
the power of media to inspire and make
people’s lives better that’s what I want
to do seventeen years old had not got
accepted to USC had not didn’t know
anybody in Hollywood but I declared it
because I said you know what I got to
own my difference because here’s the
thing I only got one life this is not a
dress rehearsal can I remind you of that
you don’t get a chance to do this life
over again this is the show you’re
waiting to perform the performance is
now so if you don’t live out your truth
if you don’t embrace your difference
will you be able to look back and say
whatever you shortchanged your
difference for it was worth it
whoever you shortchange your difference
for were they worth it so often we
become a limited version of ourselves
just to be accepted by somebody who then
goes on to move on to some
and there we are left with the damage of
having compromised ourselves for their
love and acceptance and they de said no
no and they’re on to somebody else and
we’re still left healing from a
situation we should have never been in
to begin with say your notes Devon I
just need to tell you right now please
do not want love so badly you
compromised who you are to get it if
somebody you’re dating cannot handle the
fullness of your purpose and your
calling and your personality why don’t
you go ahead and drop them right now
please drop them cut it off cut it off
why because all you’re doing is wasting
your time and their time be who you’re
created to be and if they cannot handle
that god bless them go ahead and buy my
bag of cookies and say I’ll see you on
the other side but I cannot allow myself
to be subject to your limited thinking I
am bigger than your capacity to handle
Who I am Who am I talking to right now
your difference is your destiny we all
were created different we were created
as Sandown you can’t be like anybody
else no matter how hard you or I try we
can’t do it
he made us different for a reason so we
had to declare so I declared it watch
this I declare I want to be a media
mogul check this Contra Costa Times 1995
and the article goes back home and
people are like oh I guess you’re not
going to seminary I said no I gotta go
to Hollywood and I believe that he’s
gonna open up away I had to declare it I
had to speak it what are you speaking
seriously what’s in your mouth right now
stop speaking to get yourself stopped
speaking against your difference too
often we say why can’t I be like anybody
else you ever been there before trust me
I’ve been there I’ve been there more
days than I would really want to admit
because it’s hard to be different it’s
hard to stand out growing up you know
I’m the middle child of three boys any
middle children in the house we got a
support group okay right after this it’s
hard to be a middle child am i right
amen so so here’s the thing standing out
is difficult because we all come in the
world with the need to be wanted and
accepted in love and that is natural
that’s okay
but the question comes what are we doing
to get that and are we doing it at the
expense of who we were created to be so
so difference is painful watch this not
only does David declare it when you cut
to verse 38 it says that souls rest
David in his own tunic so Saul said fine
if you want to go fight Goliath that’s
on you you’re crazy
so I’ll did not believe that David had a
chance to defeat Goliath but if David
wanted to go on a suicide mission he was
not gonna stand in his way
so Saul says look he says I dressed he’s
a dress that says then Saul dressed
David in his own tunic he put a coat of
armor on him in a bronze helmet on his
head verse 39
David fastened on his sword over the
tunic and tried walking around because
he was not used to them then he said to
Saul I cannot go in these because I am
not used to them so he took them off oh
my lord oh my lord oh my lord
David came into the reality that I’m
different I’m the eighth son that that
Jesse didn’t even think qualified to be
brought before the Prophet the oil has
fall fallen on my head
I’m a shepherd I’m a warrior and I know
how to play the harp a masculine and
feminine all at the same time watch it
see too many times
we try to own one part of who we are not
the fullness of who we are
David said yes I can play the harp and
yes if you try me I can whoop
they called him a warrior I’m just
quoting scripture I’m just uh I’m just
quoting the scripture this is what he
did when Saul was in need of someone to
play the harp the person in the kingdom
said go get David he’s a mighty warrior
and he can play wait a minute so you
mean he can war and he can also play I
don’t even understand how that works why
David didn’t trip he said I’m different
I’m gonna own my difference you may
think of me as just the soft harp player
but let me tell you something don’t
mistreat or misunderstand who is playing
the harp this is a warrior playing this
thing I am playing strings of victory I
need to talk to somebody right now
because see here’s the thing as men as
men as men here’s what we do as men we
allow society to define what masculinity
is Society says real men don’t cry so so
anytime we find ourselves getting
emotional we hear the voice of society
saying my emotion tells me I’m not a
real man so as a result as men we are
conditioned to cut off the emotion that
means we can never fully love nor fully
receive love because we are closed off
and then the society wants to wonder why
we are damaged as men because it has
reinforced this idea that if we show
emotion we are weak we are soft this is
where toxic Nexus masculinity comes from
but then when I go into the word it
tells me that Jesus wept
[Applause]
Jesus is the man of men
Jesus is the man of men he is the man of
men let me tell you something if Jesus
wept and I call myself a follower of the
man of men that I don’t mind if I cry
too why cuz I’m not afraid to show
emotion you’re gonna see my heart let me
tell you something any real man is not
afraid to show your heart is not afraid
to get vulnerable I need to know who I’m
talking to are there any real men in the
house right now not afraid to let
somebody know how you feel not afraid to
show that you care not afraid to drop us
here once in a while who am I talking to
right now
we no longer let society define us we
define what masculinity looks like we
can be a play the harp we can also war
we can write poetry we can also go ahead
and write a soliloquy we can go and give
a dissertation we can also go and be
there for you when you need us the most
we are redefining what masculinity looks
like right now why because we are owning
our difference
[Applause]
I’m tired of fitting in I’m tired of
fitting in I turn to your neighbor say
I’m tired of fitting in turn to your
other neighbor say no I’m really tired
of fitting in David realized what I am
wearing does not fit this is what
conformity looks like hmm
many of the reason why most of you come
to this church is because it allows you
to be free the church community I love
the church too so I’m not gonna vilify
the church but I’m gonna tell you let’s
be honest about the church the church
does not embrace difference very well
growing up if I didn’t want to be a lot
a doctor a lawyer a pastor a preacher in
terms of the church if I didn’t sing in
the choir or if I wasn’t leading the
praise team any gift that was not on the
pre-ordained church lifts gifts were not
embraced they were suppressed Who am I
talking to
anybody had your gift suppressed before
because the church didn’t know how to
handle you so instead of speaking life
into you they slept they spoke depth
into you see here’s what I know here’s
what I know as much as the church loves
me and loves you people have a hard time
dealing with those that are different
they don’t fit a norm is that their
problem or our problem
there have been generations of
well-meaning Christians who have never
lived out the fullness of their calling
because they were afraid to go against
what the church said was acceptable and
what wasn’t God sent me here today
because he wants you to know you don’t
have to fit in you were created to stand
out watch this
David put on the armor it did not fit
think about this for a moment just think
about it for a moment
he has gone before the
he is exposed he said I am going to do
it the king says fine if you want to go
take on Goliath let me at least put you
in armor that may protect you David goes
he is obedient he tries it on in that
moment he is having an identity crisis
because he understands what is expected
of him but as he is there in the
dressing room of the palace he
recognizes that the expectation does not
fit because he can’t move the way he’s
used to moving he can’t do the thing he
know he knows that he can do the way
he’s used to doing it so he has a
dilemma do I keep the arm the armor on
even though I know it does not fit and
it’s restrictive and go out into battle
and do my best or do I have enough
courage in the moment to say it doesn’t
fit I’m not going to wear it and going
to the battlefield the way God called me
to do it he’s got a dilemma we have a
dilemma how often are we faced with am I
really going to own what I want to say
in a moment or do I want to fit into my
group so well do I want to fit into this
network so well that I remain quiet even
though I know I have something to say
how often are we faced with an identity
crisis where we know who we really are
but we aren’t sure if we embrace it if
we will still succeed you got to
understand something I’m standing before
you not as Minister Devon Franklin I’m
standing before you as Devon I’m
standing before you as your brother I’m
not preaching from here to here we all
in this together and and there has been
a tendency in my life again because I
want to be accepted I want to be loved I
want to be part of the in-crowd there
has been a tendency
to sand down my difference just to fit
this book this book me writing and
talking and calling it the Hollywood
Commandments a spiritual guide to
secular success is crazy because there
are some people in the church crowd they
say Devon you are too secular and there
are some people in the secular world is
a Devon you are just too churchy so in
these moments we have that identity
crisis where I’m trying on the armor of
either one and I recognize that neither
quite fit I don’t quite fit completely
in the neat box of the church and I
don’t quite fit necessarily in the
wildness of the world but I do have
secular ambition that I believe God gave
me and I do have strong spirituality
that’s rooted in the Word of God
so ask me what am I supposed to do
because I’m not just this or just that
I’m everything God created me to be so I
have a dilemma
do I wear the church armor or the world
armor at the expense of the church at
the expense of the world well I said you
know what god bless your heart I’m aware
both armors at the same time and I’m
gonna teach you how you can do the same
so you can be who everything God called
you to be I’m tired of you thinking you
have to fit in with one or the other
no be who God created you to be and know
that it’s going to be enough oh here’s
what I can see in your spirit some of
y’all are like literally jumping out of
your skin right now because you came out
here thinking like oh cool is LA and
people in this industry have said no
you’re too spiritual as a matter of fact
some of you haven’t even gotten some
invitations to go to some events you
thought you should be getting into am i
right can we be honest some of you hang
with some people you thought you were
friends with you even know they got
together till you saw it on Instagram
[Applause]
am i right
but see here’s the thing I don’t want
you to covet every invitation because
see because you are as spiritual as you
are there are certain environments you
go into and people can sense the
presence of God on you
ah hey they can they the presence of God
is so strong on you you don’t even have
to say a word and you convict those that
don’t even want to be in the presence of
God because it’s on you and they didn’t
invite you because they didn’t want to
feel convicted so don’t you feel
rejected you just continue to own who he
created you to be continue to be as
spiritual as you are and he will allow
you to be at the right places at the
right time you don’t have to compromise
to get recognized you don’t have to
compromise just to get an invitation if
they did not invite you well bless your
heart that means I didn’t belong I need
to talk to somebody right now own your
difference and it will lead you to your
destiny
watch this David made a choice I’m gonna
take myself out of the armor and I’m
gonna own what makes me different for
better or worse
life or death win or lose I’d rather do
it owning my difference then if I fail
and I can’t the armor on I would have
always regretted not doing it the way
God called me to do it are you pursuing
success in the way he called you to
pursue it or are you like David could
have been trying to wear an armor that
does not fit because you believe that if
you don’t have it you won’t be accepted
I need to talk to the artists in the
house any artists any musicians it has
songwriters producers here’s here’s what
I know here’s what I know there are
certain melodies that God gives you okay
resist the temptation watch this there
is a there is an exchange temptation
which is to exchange what makes you
different for what will make you common
see sometimes we try to say well what’s
hot right now let me write what’s hot
let me produce what’s hot no no what
about writing was honest to you what
about producing what’s honest to you
regardless if another person says oh
that’s hot cuz let me tell you all of us
were born hot we were born in His image
we were shaped in his life Who am I
talking to you don’t have to get hot you
already hot they don’t even know how hot
you are you don’t even know how hot you
are you’re trying to get hot you are
already hot let me tell you something
God does not make anything less than he
makes us more than I don’t know who I’m
talking to
but you’re more than a conqueror you
have what it takes to make it you woke
up in the room and now all of a sudden
the temperature starts to rise why cuz
you’re that hot I don’t know who I’m
talking to right now stop trying to get
hot you already hot why what is here
here so here’s what I know the reason
why God want me to talk about your
difference is because it’s too often we
we exchange our difference for somebody
else’s difference too often we mistake
somebody else’s distinctiveness for our
distinctiveness I need you to know
because here’s the thing I used to work
for Will Smith right I used to make
movies I used words in the first of all
I was an intern for him I was an
assistant at a company and then I used
to make movies for him watch this and
there was a time that I believed I had
distinctiveness and difference because I
worked with will because I worked with
somebody who was so distinctive and who
was so different
I was confusing his difference with my
difference watch this because here’s the
thing
too often we covet being in the
environment of somebody who is different
and distinctive and we think that
because we have proximity to that person
that means success is gonna fall on us
too I need you to know if God has you in
proximity of distinctiveness
indifference it’s not because you’re
supposed to worship that it’s because
you already have the same level of
distinctiveness and difference as the
person you’re in proximity
– like attracts like don’t outsource
what makes you great for their greatness
you are in their environment because
there is greatness in you – I don’t know
who I’m talking to right now
embrace your difference embrace your
difference embrace your difference
embrace your difference embrace your
difference embrace it embrace it embrace
it as a matter of fact some of you God
has put you in proximity to people like
that to put you on notice of what’s
getting ready to happen to you it’s an
email from God to you you think this is
something I’m setting you up so that you
know how to handle success when it comes
now you know how to handle fame when it
comes you know how to handle blessings
when they fall you are in proximity
because it’s getting ready to happen to
you anybody ready for God to do it
anybody ready for God to do it anybody
ready for God to do it Who am I talking
to anybody ready for God to do it
anybody ready for God to do it here’s
what you have to do you cannot exchange
your difference for someone else’s as I
was working for will I’ll give you a
true story being transparent telling you
my truth I’m in Beijing working on the
Karate Kid I was the lead executive for
Sony at the time and I and you know I
had known will for about ten years at
that point a little bit longer than ten
years and we had made a pursuit of
happiness and seven pounds and Hancock
and now we were producing working on
Karate Kid in so much of my success in
Hollywood was because I had the
association you might know I’m talking
now
oh so you’re associated to him that
means that’s getting ready to happen
pray okay cool so because you have the
association we’ll take your call we’ll
treat you with respect but there I am in
Beijing watch it I’m in Beijing and I’m
like great working on the Karate Kid
this is awesome this is my movie in
between takes it was will
Jaden jada and Willow the Smith family
and in between takes they’re having a
time they’re just playing around and
having fun and in that moment God says
what do you see and I said Lord I see
the Smith family
he said no Devon what did you see and as
I looked closer I said I see that this
is their movie he said yes he said Devon
this movie would have happened whether
you worked at Sony Pictures or not
because this movie was born out of their
difference not yours
Real Talk
you are servicing their difference but
don’t mistake their difference with your
own so as I’m getting the revelation I’m
completely being broken down by God
because so much of my identity was tied
up in the relationship with Will Smith
[Applause]
so as God begins to tell me this I say
Lord what am I supposed to do he said if
you start asking me what you were
created to do what your difference is
and if you would stop downplaying your
difference just to be close to their
difference you would really begin to
discover what I created you to do so I
was completely honestly completely
depressed by the revelation true true
story we can be honest I can tell you
the truth completely depressed by the
revelation completely but what did I do
that same trip while I took the Sabbath
off in Beijing I said Lord okay well
what do you want me to do what makes me
different and he
davonne where have you been in this past
week I said well I was in London for a
premiere I went to to the Bay Area to
preach I was back in Los Angeles for
meetings and here we are in Beijing God
in one week he said okay what is taking
you there I said well it’s my faith
because I’ve honored you I’ve held on to
my faith he said exactly faith is the
path to success not the obstacle and he
said and he said who else do you know
has navigated entertainment the way you
have I said nobody exactly he said I
want you to call up that book agent that
came to you a year ago and told you to
write a book and you told him no I want
you to call them up and tell them the
idea for your first book is that faith
is the path to success not the obstacle
we’re talking 2009 this is happening I
call up the book agent I say hey I got
the idea for my first book this is what
it is she said great I said what do you
want to call she said what do you wanna
call it I said I think we should call it
produced by faith I was an executive for
Sony I had to go get permission to write
the book they said wait you want to
write a book about how you can use your
faith to be successful Devon do you want
to get fired
I’m like no but I believe there are
people who can benefit from my
difference and I want to be obedient to
what I believe God is calling me to do
and I want to hold on to my job as well
you have not because you asked not to
you better start fixing it in your mouth
don’t be afraid to ask for it
the way he told you to ask for it you
are different and God will allow
circumstances that nobody else has been
able to conform around their faith but
they will conform around you why because
you are different and not only do they
say yes you could write the book but do
you realize that writing the first book
produced by
faith was the key to harnessing my
difference I would not even have a
production deal right now making
faith-based movies if I had not been
obedient to writing the first book
because the book was identity the book
was different where is your difference
you want to manifest your difference you
got to start harnessing it no matter
what
stop being a brain turn to your neighbor
say stop being afraid stop being afraid
stop being afraid stop being afraid stop
being afraid oh we might need to cut
that stop being afraid stop being afraid
why because when you own your difference
power is on the other side peace is on
the other side joy is on the other side
reward is on the other side destiny is
on the other side keep owning your
difference and you gonna see God work
this thing out last thing I want to say
and we’re going close Jesus in his first
sermon to the Jewish people in the
Sermon on the Mount he said you are salt
and you are light he said what good
insult if it loses its flavor you are
supposed to be the salt of the earth and
I began to think about this salt usually
comes in a shaker salt in the shaker
does absolutely nothing you and I have
had moments when we are just like the
salt in the shaker when we do nothing we
can be of no use to the world but in
order for salt to do what it’s supposed
to do you got to shake it on something
you gotta shake your distinctiveness on
something you can’t stand here and where
you want to be is there and you sit here
no you got to get closer
and you got to shake it on your
environment shake it in your
relationship I don’t know who I’m
talking to right now but you gotta stop
being the salt in the shaker and you
gotta shake it in your environment
somebody should be able to taste
something you’ve done and taste the fact
that you flavored it why because you’re
different you’re distinctive you add
flavor to the earth you add flavor to
the culture the culture needs you you
don’t need it the culture needs your
salt
the culture needs your seasoning you
need to season up your gift real good
cuz somebody needs it the way that God
gave it to you
I don’t know who I’m talking to right
now but you gotta shake that thing on
everything God created for you to shake
it on why because you’re gonna make it
better it’s gonna taste better when
you’ve you’re done doing what you can
only do with it I don’t know who I’m
talking to right now but you are salt of
the earth you are light you cannot shine
light and light
you gotta shine light in darkness that’s
why God has sent some darkness your way
not to depress you but to allow your
light to shine even brighter you gotta
know your difference is your destiny who
am I talking to right now
anybody ready to harness the power of
your difference who am I talking to
right now anybody ready to say today I
owe my difference today I stop making
excuses for being different today I will
no longer limit myself because of my
difference what I will begin to embrace
every good thing that makes me different
God wants you to know your difference is
not a burden it’s a blessing the fact
that you don’t fit in is good because
now that he can isolate you because
sometimes when we’re different one of
the prices we pay is loneliness if
you’ve been lonely because of your
difference I want you to stand I want
you to stand I want you to stand I want
you to stand I want you to stand I want
you to stand here’s what I know if
you’ve been lonely and you have ever
viewed your difference as a burden raise
your hand please I want you to raise
both hands as you raise your hands this
is a sign of surrender
I want you to surrender to the
difference that God has created in you
he didn’t make you or I different to
burden us to depress us but he made us
different because he knows what needs to
be done in the earth and he knows that
we are needed to fulfill the purpose in
the earth so he’s allowed us to be
different to think different to create
different to walk different to talk
different to dress different and this
difference is to be celebrated you are
right where you need to be but God is
asking me to tell you it’s not wishing
you or someone else come on come on come
on come on come on come on
you are awesome just the way you are you
are more than nothing you are powerful
you are amazing you are incredible you
have what it takes to make it I need you
to know it your destiny is closer than
you think when you begin to embrace your
difference as you embrace it be more
courageous in knowing and owning who you
are every good thing that has come in my
life has become because I’m own
distinctiveness I’ve own being different
I’ve owned it I just said you know I get
you I get too tired of asking God well
why can’t I preach like this person and
why can’t I produce like that person God
says you can’t because you were created
do something unique and God wants me to
let you know you were created to do
something unique it ain’t gonna be like
nobody else why cuz there’s nobody else
than doing like you alright you the only
one you’re one of one you are rare and
this earth will reward those that are
rare in the mind and mighty name of
Jesus so here’s we’re gonna do before I
pray for your difference is there anyone
here today that knows that you need to
give your difference to Jesus for the
first
or you need to give your difference back
to the difference-maker here’s what I
know
I could not harness the power of my
difference if I had not committed my
life to Christ committing my life to
Christ and living for him has helped me
harder the power of my difference and
every day there may be days I’m down
there may be days I even cry but I don’t
do it without hope I know who I serve I
know I serve a risen Savior I know I
serve a Savior who died from my sins and
it’s coming back so I know we have to go
we got to get ready for the one o’clock
but if there’s anybody here right now
and you know you got to give your
difference back to God I want you to
come down right now or you got to give
your difference to him for the first
time come right now
come right now come right now come right
now come right now come on
don’t delay god bless you my sister god
bless you my brother come on come on
come on come on come on god bless you my
brothers come on come on come on come on
god bless you my sister come on make
room make room make room come on come on
come on come on come on make room make
room
one church do not pattycake those that
are coming to God I need you to
celebrate there Stan amen
welcome them as they come welcome
welcome come on come on come on come on
come on come on come on come on come on
make room make room it’s all right make
room make room make room
anybody else you got to give your
difference to God for the first time or
you have to resubmit your difference
amen rededicate your life hallelujah
anybody else anybody else before we
close anybody else anybody else you know
you got to be up here you know it again
to harness your difference begins with
obedience be obedient to what God is
calling you to do and who he’s called
you to be stop fighting who you are stop
fighting it you are everything he
created you to be you don’t have to
fight it just embrace it and own it okay
is there anyone else before we close
anyone else there you go thank you my
sister god bless you my sister god bless
you
god bless you who else who else god
bless you my sister my brother there it
is come on there it is there it is
hallelujah there it is come on now yes
thank you Jesus thank you Jesus who else
who else for those of you that are up
here I want you to join hands please
join hands grab your neighbors hand
right now as in those that an audience
you can grab hands as well I want
everybody touching somebody right now
for those of you that have come up to
give your difference to God for the
first time or to give back your
difference if you have already if your
rededicating your life I want you to I
want you to feel the burden lifting
because you’ve been fighting your
difference some of you have been hating
your difference because it’s been so
hard to be you it feels like there’s a
tax on every side it feels like nobody
understands what you’re trying to say
and what you’re trying to do and there
have been many nights where you have
cried yourself to sleep and you have
prayed God just make me like everyone
else and because he loves you he has not
answered that prayer because he loves
you he loves you so much he will allow
you to remain different because he knows
your difference will take you everywhere
he’s planned for you to be so I pray as
you dedicate your life to him that you
would know he is the difference maker
and that your life your salvation is
assured so now it’s about walking it out
day by day do not live as someone who
hates who they are but live as someone
who is proud to be created by the
Creator dear Heavenly Father I pray
right now for every living soul in this
house I pray right now for every destiny
represented in this building I pray dear
God that those that have come down would
keep their commitment to you and I pray
those that are already commitment will
continue to walk in steps of difference
and destiny knowing that the combination
of both
we’ll make them unstoppable I pray dear
Lord that everyone understanding and
hearing this prayer would feel motivated
to own who they are to own how they feel
like they need to dress to own how they
feel they need to create based upon what
you have told them right now in the name
of Jesus and let them know in the depths
of their spirit that they are enough in
the name of Jesus we pray give your God
a hand praise give him a hand praise
[Music]