- 1 week ago
Keynote-Performance Bishop Morton
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00God bless you, my brothers and sisters. I greet you in divine love.
00:07On this very, very special day, this very, very special time, congratulations to Essence
00:13for celebrating its 50th anniversary.
00:19This great movement founded on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement.
00:24A leading voice of inspiration.
00:30Essence has served black women and communities for decades.
00:36And I just want to say thank you for your excellence.
00:40Thank you for your impact.
00:44The impact that you have made all over this world.
00:49And I'm honored to be a part today to bring to you the Word of God.
00:57Today I'm going to the book of Joshua, the 23rd chapter.
01:01And I'm going to be focusing in on verses 5 and 6.
01:07Joshua, the 23rd chapter, verses 5 and 6.
01:12And the Word of God says,
01:13And the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you.
01:22And drive them from out of your sight.
01:28And ye shall possess their land.
01:32As the Lord your God has promised unto you.
01:38Verse 6 says,
01:39Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses.
01:50That ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left.
02:01Today I just want to talk for a few moments on the subject.
02:07Stay focused.
02:09Stay focused.
02:13I think that we will all agree that there are many distractions in this world today.
02:22And you have to be careful because the devil's job is to put distractions in your way.
02:34That's why the Word of God says now,
02:36Stay focused.
02:38Don't turn to the right.
02:38Don't turn to the left.
02:40Don't turn to the left.
02:40Even in this season.
02:42No looting in this season.
02:44Don't turn to the right.
02:45Don't turn to the left.
02:46Don't burn down.
02:49Small businesses of people who are trying.
02:52Let's stay focused on the assignment that God has given to us.
02:57The story is here.
03:00It's the story about the children of Israel.
03:05Very special people because they were God's chosen people.
03:12Do you know somebody can actually know God, love God, but still end up in the wilderness?
03:29I know that there's a plan for my life, but in the wilderness, you got me going in circles and around and around I go.
03:39So, today, I want to share with you how to stay focused.
03:46The children of Israel at this particular time, they were living in the promised land.
03:53Everything was going great.
03:57They had been through the struggles.
03:59Walls of Jericho down.
04:02They had come through the Red Sea.
04:05They took authority over giants.
04:07Now they are in the promised land,
04:10But now they have been captured by the Babylonians and they have become slaves.
04:24After living in the promised land, captured by the enemy, the Babylonians,
04:31and now they are sent to a place called Babylon to be slaves.
04:40Here they are now, in bondage, in Babylon.
04:46I'm not talking about bad people.
04:51I'm not talking about criminals.
04:53I am talking about God's chosen people.
05:01Ended up as slaves.
05:05God's chosen people.
05:08Ended up as slaves.
05:10In America.
05:13In America.
05:14And I want to just emphasize that because our Babylon is right here in America.
05:23Look at black people in America.
05:27In Babylon.
05:28And you've got to understand what Babylon is.
05:31And I'll share it with you in the word of God.
05:33But Babylon is a strange land.
05:41A strange land.
05:44So I wanted to share this with us today because the question comes,
05:50How are you going to deal with your Babylon?
05:55How are you going to deal with your strange land?
06:04I mean, when people treat you like a slave and you know you are not a slave.
06:12How are you going to respond in this strange land?
06:19Because we are seeing things like we have never seen them before.
06:25I'm talking about people who used to hide racism.
06:29They used to hide their hate.
06:32But it doesn't matter now because they're showing it.
06:35They don't like you and they'll let you know they don't like you.
06:38And they will try to destroy you every kind of way that they can.
06:44How is it in the 21st century that white nationalists are rising up again?
06:50It's a strange land.
06:54It's a strange land.
06:56So the question comes,
06:58How am I going to deal with my Babylon?
07:03How am I going to deal with my strange land?
07:10First of all, let's look at how the children of Israel dealt with their strange land.
07:23You know, you can learn from other people.
07:26That's what I love.
07:27I mean, people who make mistakes.
07:29You can even learn from people's mistakes.
07:33The old folk used to say,
07:35You can even learn something from a fool.
07:39You see that one acting the fool.
07:41You can say, I don't want to act like that.
07:43I don't want to act a fool like that.
07:45You can learn something from anybody.
07:47So let's look and see in this strange land where the children of Israel, where they are now,
07:55how did they handle the strange land?
08:00Well, here it is.
08:03Here it is.
08:04These chosen people, these gifted people of God, these talented people who had a right to be free.
08:12But in Psalm 137, this is what I read in verses 1 and 4.
08:17For by the rivers of Babylon, there we sat in this strange land.
08:26We wept when we remembered Zion.
08:32We wept when we remembered how it used to be.
08:36And this is what happened.
08:38They were so depressed.
08:39They were so down.
08:40Verse 2 says,
08:41We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
08:47And here it is in verse 3.
08:49For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song.
08:55They required us a song.
08:58And they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying,
09:02Sing us one of your songs of Zion.
09:05In verse 4, the children of Israel answered,
09:11How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?
09:22You want us to sing?
09:26You have just captured us.
09:29You took us out of a good place.
09:35You have made us slaves.
09:39And you want us to sing?
09:45How dare you?
09:50Well, all of these slave masters, what they were basically saying,
09:54Listen, all we want is a song.
10:03We want you to continue to be our slaves.
10:10But your reputation precedes you.
10:17We heard how good you black people can sing.
10:23We heard how good you black people can dance.
10:30All we want is for you to entertain us
10:33because we don't know how to do it like you.
10:38I mean, they say you're able even with your hands.
10:41We don't even know how to clap in time.
10:44But you even have a different kind of clap.
10:47So all we want you to do is to sing one of your church songs.
10:57So the children of Israel said, in effect,
11:00You want us to sing to you
11:02and your police department has been killing our people unjustly
11:06and the justice department lets them off.
11:13Treating us like slaves.
11:17So the children of Israel made up in their minds
11:22that we are not going to sing in this strange land.
11:27Forget about it.
11:29We're not going to do it.
11:31And this is what the Bible says.
11:32They hung their harps on the willow trees.
11:35We're not going to play our music.
11:37We're not going to sing our song.
11:39We won't do anything in this strange land.
11:47But could I tell you something today?
11:51I don't care how rough it is.
11:58Don't lose your voice in a strange land.
12:03The devil wants you to lose your voice
12:07in a strange land.
12:09That's why the Bible comes back and says,
12:12Don't you get weary in well-doing
12:15because in due season you will reap
12:18if you faint not.
12:22The other day,
12:25George Floyd allowed us
12:27to get our voice back.
12:30He allowed us to get our voice back
12:33because we heard his voice
12:35all over the world.
12:37We heard his voice
12:38all over the world.
12:40This man who lost his voice,
12:44his last words,
12:46I can't breathe.
12:49He took his harp off the willow tree
12:51with a knee on his neck
12:54and he sang
12:55and we heard him say,
12:57I can't breathe.
12:58Oh, but it was a sound
13:01that went all over the world
13:04because England heard it.
13:07France heard it.
13:09Germany heard it.
13:10Spain heard it.
13:12Black people heard it.
13:13White people heard it.
13:15Asians heard it.
13:16Chinese heard it.
13:18All the way in Africa
13:19they heard the sound.
13:21many had stopped
13:26raising their voices
13:28in this strange land.
13:32But we had to take our hearts
13:36down from the willow trees.
13:40And voices,
13:41thank you Lord,
13:43all over the world
13:46said enough
13:48is enough.
13:49and people
13:51from all over the world
13:53began to lift their voices
13:55like never before.
13:57People who never supported
13:59black people before
14:00said enough is enough.
14:02And the voice
14:03cried out,
14:05black lives matter.
14:08something happens
14:12when people
14:14get on
14:15one accord.
14:18You couldn't even
14:19silence the voice
14:20of essence
14:21in this season
14:22with the
14:23coronavirus.
14:25Essence said
14:26we will go
14:27viral
14:28and we will
14:29still get a word
14:31from God.
14:33Because black lives
14:34matter,
14:35something happens
14:36when people
14:37get on
14:37one accord.
14:38The same folk
14:39who hung
14:39their harp
14:40in this strange land
14:42said
14:42they would
14:44not lift
14:45their voices
14:46anymore.
14:47But they had
14:48a change of heart.
14:49They had a change of heart
14:50with the children
14:51of Israel.
14:52And you can come
14:53to Psalm 138
14:54and those
14:55same folk,
14:57the children
14:57of Israel
14:58who said
14:58we will not
14:59lift our voices,
15:00we will not
15:01sing,
15:01we are on strike,
15:03we will not
15:04hear from us
15:05anymore.
15:05Look what happens
15:06in Psalm 138
15:08and this is what
15:09it says,
15:09I will praise thee
15:10with my whole heart
15:12before the gods.
15:13I'm talking about
15:14that's with a little
15:16g
15:16before the gods,
15:19the god of racism.
15:22I'm going to
15:22still praise God
15:24with the god
15:25of a corrupt
15:26justice system.
15:28I will still
15:29praise God
15:30before the gods
15:31will I sing
15:32unto thee.
15:33I will worship
15:34toward thy
15:35holy temple
15:35and praise thy
15:36name for thy
15:37loving kindness
15:38for thy truth
15:40for thou has
15:41magnified thy
15:43word above
15:44all thy name.
15:45And finally
15:46in verse 3
15:46it says,
15:47in the day
15:48when I cried,
15:49God you answered
15:50me and strengthened
15:51me with strength
15:53in my soul.
15:54Oh,
15:55I'm so glad
15:56all over this world
15:57we're getting
15:57new strength,
15:58we're getting
15:59new power
16:00because we're not
16:01in this alone
16:02because the god
16:03whom we serve
16:04is real.
16:07Listen,
16:08there is a
16:09shift
16:10that is going
16:12on.
16:14Don't
16:15miss
16:15the shift
16:17that strange
16:20place
16:20of Babylon
16:21where they
16:22were strong
16:23where you
16:26would always
16:27be a slave
16:29when everybody
16:31said we
16:33must use
16:33our voice
16:34in this
16:35strange land
16:37because of
16:40a change
16:40of heart
16:41because of
16:42a voice
16:43something
16:45happened
16:47that has
16:49not
16:49happened
16:50before.
16:52There's
16:53a difference
16:53because
16:54something
16:55has happened.
16:56Now you
16:57got to remember
16:57how bad
16:58Babylon was.
16:59You know
16:59how bad
17:00Babylon was.
17:01Once you
17:01got in
17:02Babylon
17:03you would
17:03remain a
17:04slave.
17:05Once you
17:05got in
17:06Babylon
17:07there would
17:07be no
17:08freedom.
17:08It's over.
17:09It's done.
17:10But I
17:11go now
17:12in my
17:13final
17:14scripture
17:14to Isaiah
17:1521
17:16verse 9
17:19and this
17:21is what
17:22the word
17:22says
17:23to strong
17:24Babylon
17:25where you
17:26were not
17:27supposed to
17:28escape
17:29from slave
17:30masters
17:30and from
17:31slavery.
17:32Here's what
17:33the word
17:33says
17:34and behold
17:35here
17:37cometh
17:38a chariot
17:39of men
17:40with a
17:41couple
17:41of horse
17:42men
17:43and he
17:45answered
17:46and said
17:47Babylon
17:48is
17:50fallen
17:50is
17:53fallen
17:54and all
17:54the
17:55graven
17:55images
17:56of her
17:57little
17:57gods
17:58has he
17:59broken
17:59unto
18:01the
18:01ground.
18:02I
18:02come to
18:03tell you
18:03and you
18:04got to
18:05watch
18:05the
18:05distractions
18:06in this
18:07season
18:08and stay
18:09focused
18:09because
18:10what some
18:11people don't
18:11understand
18:12yet
18:12Babylon
18:13is falling
18:14this strange
18:15land
18:16where you
18:16don't know
18:17how to
18:17treat people
18:18that have
18:18a right
18:19to be
18:19in this
18:20nation
18:20Babylon
18:21is falling
18:22your strange
18:23land
18:23is falling
18:24it's a new
18:25season
18:26it's a new
18:27day
18:27just stay
18:28focused
18:29with your
18:29peaceful
18:30protest
18:30stay
18:31focused
18:32as you
18:33raise
18:33your voice
18:34as you
18:35vote
18:35stay
18:36focused
18:38stay
18:38focused
18:39on what
18:40God
18:40has
18:41for you
18:42because
18:42God
18:43is still
18:44in control
18:45the Bible
18:46does not
18:47say
18:47the earth
18:48is Donald
18:49Trump's
18:49and the
18:50fullness
18:50thereof
18:51the last
18:52time I
18:52read my
18:53Bible
18:53the Bible
18:54said the
18:54earth
18:55is the
18:55Lord's
18:56and the
18:57fullness
18:57thereof
18:58and all
18:59they that
18:59dwell
19:00therein
19:00so I
19:01don't care
19:01who you
19:02are
19:02or how
19:02much
19:03power
19:03you think
19:04you have
19:04every knee
19:05is going
19:05to bow
19:06and every
19:07tongue
19:07is going
19:08to confess
19:08that Jesus
19:10is Lord
19:12we are
19:13in God's
19:15world
19:15and we
19:17want our
19:18rightful
19:18place
19:19please
19:21understand
19:22I'm not
19:24trying to
19:25be white
19:25in fact
19:27I don't
19:28want to
19:29be white
19:29I'm glad
19:32to be
19:33who I
19:34am
19:34I
19:34just
19:35want
19:35you
19:36to
19:36treat
19:36this
19:37black
19:37man
19:38like
19:40he
19:40has
19:40a
19:40right
19:41like
19:41anybody
19:42else
19:42has a
19:44right
19:44as a
19:46musician's
19:46play
19:47I remember
19:50Dr. Martin Luther
19:51King
19:52in Birmingham
19:54I know we
19:55remember many
19:56of his
19:56messages
19:57one that
20:02stuck with me
20:03was when
20:03Dr. King
20:05said it
20:06doesn't
20:06matter
20:06now
20:07there were
20:11those that
20:11were trying to
20:12say Dr. King
20:13just be quiet
20:14if you don't
20:15say anything
20:15maybe we can
20:16get some grant
20:17money to help
20:17more people
20:18but he said
20:18it doesn't
20:19matter
20:19now
20:20Dr. King
20:21they may
20:21try to take
20:22your life
20:22but it
20:23doesn't
20:23it doesn't
20:24matter
20:24now
20:25that's the
20:28cry that
20:29we're hearing
20:29in the world
20:30today
20:30from the
20:32military
20:32that was
20:33quiet
20:34they're saying
20:34it doesn't
20:35matter
20:35now
20:35we got
20:37white people
20:38that are
20:38standing
20:38with us
20:39people from
20:39all races
20:40that are
20:40standing
20:41with us
20:41because they're
20:42saying
20:42it doesn't
20:43matter
20:43now
20:43because we
20:44got to
20:44stand up
20:45for right
20:46and everybody's
20:47got a right
20:48to breathe
20:49Lord whatever
20:53you're doing
20:54in this season
20:55don't do it
20:58without me
20:59Lord
21:01whatever
21:05you're doing
21:13in this season
21:18please
21:20don't do it
21:26without me
21:29don't
21:33do it
21:34without
21:36me
21:37Lord
21:42Lord
21:43whatever
21:46whatever
21:46you're doing
21:53in this season
21:56please
21:58don't
22:01do it
22:02without
22:04me
22:05don't
22:09do it
22:10without
22:12me
22:13come on
22:14greater
22:14help me
22:14say
22:15help me
22:15say
22:16Lord
22:17whatever
22:19you're
22:22doing
22:23in this
22:25season
22:25please
22:27don't
22:28do it
22:29without
22:30oh my
22:31oh my
22:32oh my
22:33don't
22:34do it
22:35without
22:36me
22:36come on
22:37help me
22:38say
22:38Lord
22:41whatever
22:43you're
22:45doing
22:47in this
22:48season
22:48please
22:49don't
22:51do it
22:52without
22:53my
22:53my
22:54my
22:54my
22:55my
22:55my
22:55don't
22:57do it
22:58anybody
22:59anybody
22:59need a
22:59healing
23:00anybody
23:01need a
23:01healing
23:02Lord
23:03if
23:05you're
23:06healing
23:07I know
23:08you're
23:08healing
23:09in this
23:11season
23:11please
23:12don't
23:14do it
23:15without
23:16my
23:17my
23:17my
23:17my
23:18my
23:18my
23:19don't
23:20do it
23:21without
23:22healing
23:22Lord
23:23if you're
23:24healing
23:25oh my
23:27if you're
23:28healing
23:30healing
23:32in it
23:33oh
23:34don't
23:37do it
23:37without
23:38oh my
23:40oh my
23:41anybody
23:43need a
23:44blessing
23:45essence
23:45speak it
23:46in your
23:47life
23:47Lord
23:48if you're
23:51blessing
23:52blessing
23:54in this
23:56season
23:56please
23:57don't
23:59do it
24:00without
24:00my
24:01my
24:01my
24:02my
24:02my
24:03soul
24:04do it
24:05without
24:06Lord
24:07if you're
24:08blessing
24:09Lord
24:11if you're
24:13if you're
24:14blessing
24:14I know
24:15you're
24:16blessing
24:17in this
24:18season
24:19please
24:20don't
24:21do it
24:22without
24:23oh my
24:24oh my
24:26soul
24:27just say
24:28that last
24:29line
24:29just say
24:30that last
24:31line
24:31don't
24:32do it
24:33without
24:34don't
24:34please
24:35say
24:35say
24:36say
24:37say
24:38don't
24:38do it
24:39without
24:40if I could
24:41just touch
24:41the hymn of
24:42his
24:42stomach
24:42don't
24:43do it
24:44without
24:45I know
24:46everything
24:46will be
24:47alright
24:48alright
24:48don't
24:49do it
24:49please
24:50please
24:51please
24:53please
24:55just stay
24:56focused
24:57keep your
24:58trust in
24:59God
24:59he will
25:00see you
25:01through
25:01God
25:02bless
25:03you
25:03God
25:03keep
25:04you
25:04until
25:05we
25:05meet
25:05again
25:06yeah
25:07don't
25:11do it
25:12without
25:13me
25:14you
Comments