Sometimes the resources we need don’t come from the places we expect. When God gives you the vision, He’s already prepared the provision—it just might arrive from unexpected people, places, and plans.

In this message, “Help From Unexpected Places,” Bishop reminds us that divine help isn’t always familiar. Solomon’s ability to build the temple of God came not only from heavenly wisdom but also from earthly workers sent by Hiram, the king of Tyre. God used a foreign king—an outsider—to supply the materials, manpower, and skill needed to fulfill a spiritual mission.

The backstory begins with King David. When David ascended to the throne, Hiram recognized the favor on his life and sent resources—cedarwood, masons, and carpenters—to help build David’s house (2 Samuel 5:11–12). Years later, that same favor flowed to David’s son Solomon. Because Hiram had honored David, he extended help again—this time to build God’s house.

Key Insight: Favor will finance your vision.
Before help builds the ministry, it first builds the man. God connects people to you not because of what you have, but because of what He has placed on you.

Main Points

I. Unfamiliar People – 1 Kings 5:1

• God will often use strangers to strengthen saints.
• Those too familiar with you may fail to recognize the anointing you carry.
• Hiram was an outsider who saw what others didn’t—God’s favor on Solomon’s life.
• Notes:
  1. Favor doesn’t have to be familiar.
  2. Don’t reject your designer help because it doesn’t wear your label.
  3. Your favor may follow your lineage—Hiram blessed Solomon because he loved David.
• Takeaway: God can send help through people who don’t look, sound, or worship like you.

II. Unfamiliar Places – 1 Kings 5:6

• Tyre was a wealthy, coastal trading city—a marketplace powerhouse.
• Everything Solomon needed for this next level came from one place outside his borders.
• Sometimes your blessing is a marketplace connection, not a ministry one.
• God can use secular systems to supply spiritual assignments.

Declaration: “It’s coming from out there!”

III. Unfamiliar Plans – 2 Chronicles 2:13–14

• Hiram didn’t just send materials—he sent people with wisdom, craftsmanship, and understanding.
• Huram (also called Hiram) was a hybrid helper: half Israelite, half Tyrian—skilled in metalwork, design, and architecture.
• Some people are divinely designed for your breakthrough—they carry a mix of experiences perfectly suited for your need.
• Solomon had the vision, but Hiram had the hands.

Truth: When God gives you the plan, He’s already prepared the people.

Conclusion

David’s help looked like warriors, but Solomon’s help looked like workers.
Whether it’s a familiar face or a foreign friend, don’t limit how God can send help your way.

3 Key Reminders:

1. Expect unfamiliar people
2. Expect unfamiliar places
3. Expect unfamiliar plans

God’s next move in your life may come from the least likely direction—so keep your heart open, your faith ready, and your hands prepared to receive help from unexpected places.

The Oil Still Flows

Psalm 133:1-3

This Sunday, Bishop reminded us that sometimes God shifts the message to meet us exactly where we are. What began as “Reserved Seating” became a powerful word titled, “You Know You’re Moving When…” — a message about growth, faith under pressure, and trusting God through the middle of the process.

Bishop began by reminding us that Jesus went into the wilderness to pray, and we must learn to do the same. Growth happens in solitude. “You’ve got to be your own overcomer,” he said. “You’ve got to handle your own stuff and learn how to counteract the trials and tribulations that come your way.”

The foundation of the message came from Psalm 46:1 —

When we lean on God, we find stability even when everything around us feels unstable. Bishop declared, “He promised He’d never leave me nor forsake me. Though horses rise up against me, in Him will I be confident. God is the joy of my life!”

You know you’re moving when the enemy gets upset because you’re finally in a good place — smiling, growing, and making God proud. But this time, you’re prepared: prayed up, faith-filled, and determined to give God exactly what He wants.

Bishop shared that the Lord is saying,

The message took us to the question,

Everything we have to lean on is the Word of God. Even when it doesn’t look like God is moving, He’s still doing exactly what He said He would do. Our problem, Bishop said, is that we have preconceived notions of what our “next” should look like.

When you pray for change and things start to crumble, that’s not failure — that’s formation. “It’s working,” Bishop said, “and it’s working on me.”
If you’re not feeling pressure, God may not be stretching you yet.

When God says, “It ends well,” that’s a sign that something difficult is coming in the middle. But don’t focus on the middle — focus on the promise. Tell yourself, “I’m going to trust God for how it ends.”

Hold on to what God has promised you. Don’t let the enemy make you miss the finale.

Bishop encouraged us to pray:

Even in hard seasons, God is counting on us to keep showing up — to finish strong and trust Him for the finished work of the Cross. It’s already done!

If you can just push past this little hump, you’ll see clearer on the other side. God has not forgotten you.

So today, declare:

• Scripture: Psalm 46:1
• Key Points:
  • You know you’re moving when pressure increases — that’s proof of progress.
  • God’s promise still stands, even when the process feels uncomfortable.
  • Don’t focus on the middle; focus on how it ends — because it ends well!
  • Be your own overcomer and pray like Jesus did in the wilderness.
  • Trust God’s voice — even when the direction shifts.
• Declaration: “I will trust God for the finished work!”

This message challenges believers to protect the anointing, faith, and victory that they’ve fought for. Using the life of Job as an example, we see that the closer we press toward God, the greater the resistance we face—but those same trials refine our faith and strengthen our walk. The enemy’s agenda is clear: he wants your worship, your witness, and your will. But when you realize what it cost you to get where you are, you’ll declare, “Because it cost me everything, I can’t let it go for nothing.”

Main Points & Notes for Listeners

I. Guard Your Faith

📖 Job 1:20 — “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.”

• Job lost everything but refused to lose his faith.
• His first response wasn’t complaint—it was worship.
• “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”
• Guard your faith with worship, not with words.
• When life breaks everything else, let your convictions remain unshaken.

🩸 Takeaway: Because you’ve walked through fire, don’t let the enemy steal the faith you forged there.

II. Silence the Noise

• Job’s wife said, “Curse God and die.”
• His friends accused him of hidden sin.
• Yet Job chose silence and steadfastness over the noise.

🔇 Protect the inner voice of God within you from the outer noise that man throws at you.
When confusion, criticism, or comparison come, remember: peace speaks softer than pain, but it speaks truth.

🩸 Takeaway: The voice that called you is greater than the noise that surrounds you.

III. Don’t Focus on Temporary Loss

• Job’s grief pointed to glory—his loss was not the end but a setup for restoration.
• As the song says: “Sometimes you have to lose to win again.”
• What you lost refined you; what you survived redefined you.

🔥 Lesson 1: Don’t forfeit what fire has forged—the fire didn’t pacify you; it purified you.
💧 Lesson 2: Don’t release what loss has refined—you are better because of it.

🩸 Takeaway: Everything you went through produced something holy in you—protect it with your life.

IV. The Anointing

• The anointing is what kept you when offers fell, lifted you when sin tried to bury you, and whispered life when death called your name.
• You didn’t get this anointing on clearance—you paid for it, and you’re still paying for it.
• It’s not negotiable or transferable; it’s Heaven-recognized, Hell-feared, and Earth-needed.

👊 Tell your neighbor:
“Protect it in the Fire, the Fight, and the Famine—because it cost too much to let it go.”

Final Reflection

Romans 12:1 reminds us to “present our bodies as a living sacrifice.” That means offering your entire self to God—even when it costs you everything.
Job protected his integrity even when all was stripped away. Likewise, we must guard what God birthed through our pain.

🩸 If it cost you your life, protect it with your life.
You fought for this faith. You bled for this breakthrough.
Now stand firm, and protect what you paid for.

This sermon focuses on the power of conviction and what it means to be fully persuaded that you are walking in God’s will. Drawing from Ruth’s decision to stay with Naomi despite famine, death, and uncertainty, the message highlights how conviction—not convenience—ushers us into God’s promises and destiny.

The preacher begins with a personal story: a conversation with siblings who also pastor, reflecting on the joys and struggles of ministry. The Spirit impressed the word “convinced” early one morning, reminding us that consistency flows from conviction. Romans 4:20-21 shows us Abraham’s faith—he was fully persuaded that God would perform what He promised. The world today promotes self-centered living—“I’m protecting my peace,” “I’m living my best life”—but what about the promises we made to God? Believers must remain persuaded that holiness is still right and non-negotiable.

Ruth’s story embodies this truth. Though she had every reason to return to her past life, gods, and culture, she chose conviction. She declared: “Your people shall be my people, your God shall be my God.” That decision led her into destiny—the lineage of Christ.

Key Points

I. Conviction Over Comfort

• Orpah chose comfort—returning to what was familiar.
• Ruth chose conviction—forsaking idols and choosing the living God.
• When you’re convinced, you don’t choose what’s easy; you choose what’s eternal.

II. Clinging, Not Quitting (Ruth 1:14)

• Orpah kissed Naomi and returned, but Ruth clung to her.
• Orpah represents those who serve a season; Ruth represents those who endure.
• It takes faith to cling when your future is uncertain. God is seeking clingers, not quitters.

III. The Right Connection Unlocks the Right Future

• Ruth’s decision connected her to destiny—the lineage of Jesus.
• Your decision precedes your destiny. God reveals purpose after commitment.

IV. Convinced People Become Covenant People

• Ruth’s vow was covenantal: “Where you die, I will die.”
• Conviction is not seasonal—it is covenantal.
• Covenants always bring increase and inheritance.

Conclusion:
Like Ruth, we must be convinced we are in the right thing and the right place. There’s no wavering, doubting, or second-guessing when we are persuaded of God’s will. Outside of Him there is confusion and loss, but in Him there is safety, promise, and inheritance.

Declare it: “I’m in the right thing, in the right place. I’m fully persuaded, and I’m not turning back.” Celebrate your connection to God’s covenant and destiny.

Waiting is one of the hardest seasons God calls us into — because waiting often feels like nothing is happening. You prayed, you worked, you believed, you kept showing up, and yet the doors stayed shut. But Elder David Totten reminds us through the life of Caleb in Joshua 14:6–14 that waiting is not wasted. It is the process where God strengthens us, shapes us, and positions us to receive the promise at the right time.

Caleb was 40 years old when Moses promised him an inheritance for following God wholeheartedly, yet he had to wait 45 years before stepping into it. At 85 years old, Caleb declared with bold faith, “Give me this mountain!” His testimony proves that waiting doesn’t weaken us — it preserves us for the very moment when God’s promise comes due.

Key Points for Listeners:

1. Waiting Is Not Wasted

• Waiting is not idleness, laziness, or punishment. It’s active faith.
• Isaiah 40:31 – Waiting renews strength, it doesn’t deplete it.
• Like a seed in the soil, unseen growth is happening in your waiting season.

2. Lessons from the Seed

• Hidden Work (Mark 4:26–29): God works where eyes can’t see.
• Covering (Psalm 92:13): God protects you until it’s your time.
• Food Inside (Matt. 4:4): God’s Word sustains you when nothing else can.
• Embryo (Jer. 1:5): Your purpose is already planted inside you.
• Breaking Open (John 12:24): Sometimes waiting feels like loss, but it leads to new life.
• Soil’s Job (Gal. 6:9): Growth can’t be rushed; our job is to trust and not faint.
• Harvest (Isa. 55:10–11): What God plants will come to pass.

3. Caleb as an Example of Faithful Waiting

• From the Tribe of Judah (Num. 13:6): Rooted in praise. Surround yourself with the right tribe.
• Not the Likely Pick (Josh. 14:6): Caleb was a Kenizzite, yet chosen. God uses the unexpected.
• A Different Spirit (Num. 14:24): Caleb saw victory where others saw giants.
• Surviving the Wilderness: Sometimes waiting has nothing to do with your mistake—it’s about God’s timing.
• Still Strong at 85 (Josh. 14:11): Waiting preserved Caleb’s strength.
• The Bold Request (Josh. 14:12): Caleb asked for the mountain with giants, trusting God for victory.

Takeaway:

Waiting is not a sign of God’s absence—it’s proof of His preparation. Just like Caleb, your waiting season is preparing you for your winning season. The promise is still yours, no matter how much time has passed. But when your moment comes, don’t shrink back—rise up in faith and declare, “Lord, give me my mountain!”

👉 Reflection Questions for Listeners:

1. How am I viewing my waiting season—wasted time or preparation?
2. Am I surrounding myself with the right “tribe” that encourages faith?
3. What seed has God planted in me that is being prepared in the unseen?
4. Am I ready to boldly ask God for the mountain He promised me?

In this message, Overseer Mary Annette Walker reminds us that God has called His people to be vessels of honor, prepared for His use at any time and in any way He chooses. Using Paul’s imagery in 2 Timothy 2:20-21, we are shown that the church contains all types of vessels—gold, silver, wood, and clay—representing those who walk in truth and those who stray from it. Yet, as verse 19 reminds us, God’s solid foundation stands firm, and nothing catches Him off guard.

The challenge is clear: when others bring false teaching, negative thinking, or distractions into the church, will we stand firm in the truth, or will we move aside and let them take the space God has given us? Spiritually, we cannot afford to give ground. God knows every vessel—those of honor, dishonor, and those who are simply struggling. Our responsibility is to love, encourage, and help each other mature into who God has called us to be.

Key Points for Listeners:

1. Stand Firm in Truth

• Don’t let others bring in false doctrines or ungodly thinking and replace the truth you already know.
• God is not looking at just who we were, but where we are going.
• Everyone who comes to church may not stay—but make sure you remain in place.

2. Vessels for the Master’s Use

• God uses vessels in different ways for His purpose. Some are honorable, some are dishonorable, but all can be shaped by His hand.
• Jeremiah 18 – Just as the potter reshaped the clay, God can remake us when we are broken.
• A vessel “meet” means useful, serviceable, and prepared for God’s purpose.

3. Preparation Through Holiness

• Scripture reminds us: “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Without holiness, no man will see the Lord.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1 – We must cleanse ourselves from sinful behaviors, foolish arguments, and worldly habits.
• Holiness is not optional—it is the standard for those who want to be used by God.

4. Remove Excuses—Live for God

• Too often, we hinder ourselves by focusing on what we “can’t do.” But God has given us everything we need to serve Him.
• No more excuses—make time for what matters. If you can make time for what you want, you can make time for God.
• Like the song says: “I want to live so God can use me, anytime and anywhere.”

5. Be Sensitive to God’s Voice

• John 10:27 – “My sheep hear my voice.”
• We must remain close enough to hear Him, obey Him, and respond when He calls.
• Sometimes we try to stay covered under our “spiritual umbrella,” but God has a way of interrupting us so His Spirit can still touch us.

Takeaway:

God is calling us to be vessels of honor, sanctified and ready for His use. That means standing firm in truth, pursuing holiness, removing excuses, and being open for God to use us anytime and anywhere. Don’t wait for a convenient season—live now in such a way that the Master can use you for His glory and His plan.

👉 Reflection Questions for Listeners:

1. Am I living in a way that makes me useful for God’s purpose?
2. What areas of my life need cleansing so I can be a vessel of honor?
3. Do I allow false ideas or distractions to move me out of the space God gave me?
4. Am I available to be used by God anytime, anywhere?