00:00:00.000 - 00:00:39.560

Something inside of me wants to cry out. Something within me wants to be released. Something within me wants to find opportunity to communicate itself, but somehow I'm restrained and I'm constrained. There is a longing in every soul to be released from the constraints

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of the mortal way that it might find openness and communication and and expression and fulfillment. Take with you words. Said a minute ago that intelligence may constrain us

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and custom may deny us and society may scorn us and liturgy may limit us and shame may ground us and fear may grip us. But in spite of all of these,

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there is still something in a man that wants to cry out to his God. Oh, don't you try to tell me that you're perfectly satisfied to come in the sanctuary

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and just sit and get up and walk out. Don't tell me that. I refuse to, I refuse to believe that. After you've lived all week

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and after God has so abundantly blessed you and after he has brought you through many times traumatic and cataclysmic circumstances, and after God has stood in the way

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and has opened so many doors and made so many ways, you tell me that you want to come to worship and just sit there and no, no! There's something in us that wants to cry out.

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To our God. Take with you words. I can understand what Lucy Campbell meant when she said, "Something within me that holdeth the reins.

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Something within me I cannot explain. Something within me that banishes pain. All that I know is there is that there's something on the inside of me. It might not be making itself known audibly, but it's there. Something within me, in spite of all the restraints that wants to

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bless God for his blessings toward me. Have you that something, that burning desire? Have you that something that never doth tire? Oh, if you have it, that heavenly, for then let the world know there is something within. Take with you words. You see I've got great faith in God and I'm busy at work for God

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these days, but I found really that that's not enough. I found that I have to I have to have something else because you see sometimes my faith weakens and sometimes my works fail, but in my low moments there's always one thing that I I can do I can cry out father hallelujah I stretch my hands to thee no other do

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you hear what Hosea says to Israel he says take with you words and then in the last phrase, it says "Render the calves of your lips." You know, when Israel went to worship, Israel took a sacrifice. Israel took something to place on the altar as a means of expressing their thanks to God and

00:05:16.760 - 00:05:34.400

and they went with their calves and their bullocks, and they placed them on the altar, and that the smoke rose to the nostrils of God. This was Israel's way of communicating with God

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and saying, thank you. But Hosea said, oh, Israel, now is the time for a more personal way of communicating. Take with you the calves of your lips.

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Let your sacrifice flow not from the burning stench of a calf, but let your lips be parted and let men hear you say, Hosanna! Praise be unto him who is God.

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Take with you. Word. Well, I like this. I like to be reminded of the fact

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that some of the most beautiful moments in life of those in which I talk with God. I enjoy communicating with my relatives, with my friends and neighbors,

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and Dr. Griffin, if I can slow him down long enough. It's a marvelous thing to be able to share and communicate with each other, but there comes those times

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when I don't have anybody else to talk to. And oh, what a strange position I would be in those many days when I ride the highways alone and in the night, midnight when I wake up and my wife is asleep, oh how terrible it would be if I had nobody to

00:07:16.800 - 00:07:39.680

communicate with. But I've learned the power of the statement of the text. I've I've learned to take with me words. Not so much to my friends and to my neighbors, but I like that little song that says,

00:07:39.680 - 00:07:52.640

"Have a little talk with Jesus." Now I know I've got a witness here. Tell him all about your troubles. He'll hear your faintest cry.

00:07:52.640 - 00:08:11.360

He'll answer by and by. Hosea says to Israel, "Israel, you're in a bad way, and you've got to straighten up your act with God." So get ready now to go before the presence of God

00:08:11.360 - 00:08:24.520

and to admit to God your faults and your failures. Get ready that your faith might be strengthened. And get ready that your works might be real. He said, "But don't forget something else."

00:08:24.520 - 00:08:45.000

Said, "You better learn to take with you words." You better learn how to talk with God. You better learn how to find communication with God. Don't settle for just talking about God, but learn to talk with him. And all my brothers and sisters, I'm happy about that this evening.

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That's the source of my strength, because I have moments when I can talk with God. God. Have you ever talked with him? Oh, I wonder really, have you, have you ever really

00:09:02.300 - 00:09:13.380

talked with God? When the burdens are heavy and when oh God, when the load is hard to bear, when nobody understands,

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God. You know one thing I've learned about God? Whenever I talk with him it's never a one-way conversation. Hallelujah this evening. Every time I talk with God, God talks back to me. I know I'm right. He never turns a deaf ear to my communications. He never leaves me without the knowledge and the assurance

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that he hears me and that he will answer in due season. And it's a marvelous thing to be able to talk with God. I've said this over and over but maybe I want to say it one more time. Several years ago when I was stricken and was laying there all but at the point of death while the doctors were working, I had a little talk

00:10:11.140 - 00:10:38.660

with God. I couldn't tell the doctors and the nurses and the cardiologists and all of these people what to do, but I knew there was somebody I could talk to. Strapped there in the bed with tubes all over me and all kind of restraints, and the doctor telling me don't move. I knew in the midst of all of that I still had

00:10:38.660 - 00:11:14.660

somebody I could talk to and I laid there and I had a little conversation with God and I told him I said now Lord yes you know where I am you know my condition you knew it was going to be before it happened but here I am now and the doctors are telling my wife and my son that this might be the end of life

00:11:14.660 - 00:11:40.760

for me. I said but while they're talking I want to talk with you and I said now Lord let me tell you something if this is the end of my days according to your number it's all right with me. I said but I tell you what I I'd like to remind if you, if you let me get up from

00:11:40.760 - 00:11:51.800

here, I'll preach for you a little bit more. If you let me get up, I'll live for you a little bit more. I talk with

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god. And he heard my feeble cry. Yes. And answered my every groan. And that's why as long I'll hasten to his throne. Oh Ebenezer, David Chappell, and whoever might be here this evening.

00:12:06.840 - 00:12:34.380

I've come just to say to you, take time to talk with God. You need to talk with Him. A lot of the advice we're getting is not so good, but when God speaks, there is power in His answers. God's promises. Now, I know that's right. When God speaks,

00:12:34.380 - 00:12:45.860

things move. Yes. And when God speaks, things change. Yes. And that's why I love to let him know the desires of my

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heart. And then wait until he's ready to make the way. Yes. words. Don't be afraid to talk with God. Lay before him the desires of your heart. Communicate to him your love and desire

00:13:08.000 - 00:13:31.240

for him and he'll hear you when you call. Do you believe that? Oh yes he will. He said, "Joseph says, 'Take with you words.'" You're in bad shape with God. If it was anybody else, they wouldn't listen to you.

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They'd turn their back on you and walk away, but God loves you. And therefore, you can still talk to him. Israel, regardless of how bad you've done, God is still, God still has a ear turned your way and he's waiting to hear your

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humble cry. Take with you words. Talk with God. Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to do that? Are you willing? All of us, all of us, every person in the room today needs to find an open channel to talk with God. And I've come to say to you today, if you'll talk to God, he's able. Now that you know I know that.

00:14:44.160 - 00:15:12.360

No doubt in my mind I said he's able. Some of you act like you don't believe that. Maybe you think you're self-sufficient, but I know I'm not and I like to talk with him because I know he's able. I know that all power and Heaven and earth is in his hands.

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I once was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in. Then a little light from heaven filled my soul. It filled my heart with love and joy and it wrote my name above.

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And ever since that day, just a little talk with Jesus makes it right. And one of the things I like about him, I don't have to talk to him all day.

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When I need him, hallelujah today. You'll excuse me, won't you? But I have to express myself the way I feel. When I really need him, I don't have to tell him everything.

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He already knows what I need. And many times all I've gotta do is cry, Lord, have mercy. (congregation murmuring)

00:16:18.980 - 00:16:40.820

Many times I don't know what a need must say. And I just get off in a corner somewhere and say, "Lord, have mercy." That's a good old time statement.

00:16:40.820 - 00:16:59.680

I remember old folk didn't say it like that. used to just say, "Mercy, Lord." You remember that, don't you? They weren't as eloquent with words as we were, but they'd just get off somewhere and turn turn their backs on their problems and say, "Mercy, Lord," and turn right around

00:16:59.680 - 00:17:18.320

and wait on God, and God would come right on time and bring them out. We need to We need to learn to say mercy, Lord. Have I got a witness here? We need to learn to seek of God, seek God that while he may be

00:17:18.320 - 00:17:36.680

found and call upon his holy and righteous name. And I tell you, there's not a better name that you can call upon because he's able. Take with you words.

00:17:36.680 - 00:18:01.140

Take with you words. Not only take with you words, but render unto God the care of your lips. You can say what you want to about Marvin Griffin,

00:18:01.140 - 00:18:19.880

but don't you know that's why you come back here Sunday morning? after Sunday morning. Jimmy Swigert's on television, you know. Yeah, I could go out on name a whole lot of folk that are on television and

00:18:19.880 - 00:18:39.400

David Chappell is sitting over there on the lovely corner, you know, but you don't go there. You're not satisfied with the Sunday morning television. You come and sit in these pews because there's something in you crying out, "Is there any word from the Lord?"

00:18:39.400 - 00:19:29.440

And you come to hear words, words of hope, words of inspiration, words of direction, Words, words, words that lift you while you're falling, give you a new sense of direction for life. I go to my doctor, but when he gets through working on this old weak people frame of mind, he has to come to me. Hallelujah. Yes, I go to my

00:19:29.440 - 00:19:55.880

teachers, I go to all of my professionals, my lawyer, but there is a word that man needs that I can't, that he can't get in the doctor's office, he can't get in the lawyer's office, he can't get in the school room, and he has to come to the church to hear the word. And then we walk out saying take the name of Jesus with

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you because the Bible says in the beginning and the book of John in beginning was the word and the word was God and further down in there says in the word was with God. Jesus is the word. Take with you words and God will hear us and the way will be made plain before

00:20:31.080 - 00:21:15.320

before our faces. And hills will become low places, and mountains shall become valleys, and the zigzag lightning will simply serve to reveal to us that which is shadowed by the clouds of the storm. Take with you words I say. When you take with you words sometimes God will bring a tear to your eye but the tear will simply wash away

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the film of doubt that you can see the power of God in a greater way. Take with you words I say. [MUSIC PLAYING] (dramatic music)

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(ominous music) (ominous music) (dramatic music) (soft music)

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[MUSIC] [MUSIC PLAYING] [ Music ] ♪ Mountain ♪

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♪ Seem level ♪ ♪ When you ♪ ♪ Break ♪ ♪ Condition ♪

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♪ Get better ♪ When you pray, things will change, you'll see. Yes. ♪ 'Cause he, he will give ♪

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♪ He'll give you the vi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-or the victory ♪ ♪ Because something ♪ - Something. ♪ Something's bound to happen ♪

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♪ If, Lord, if you pray ♪ - Yeah, yeah. ♪ Jesus ♪ - I believe that.

00:23:45.620 - 00:24:00.060

♪ Sing nearer ♪ ♪ When you pray ♪ - My, my. ♪ And Jesus ♪

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- Yes. ♪ Will hear you ♪ - I believe that. ♪ When you pray ♪

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- Yes. ♪ He says ♪ ♪ There's no need ♪ ♪ To fear ♪

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♪ 'Cause he ♪ ♪ Will wipe ♪ - Yeah. ♪ My God's gonna wipe ♪

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♪ He'll wipe away all of my tears ♪ - Yes he will. ♪ Because ♪ ♪ Something ♪

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- Take it with your words. ♪ Something's bound to happen ♪ ♪ Lord, Lord, Lord when you pray ♪ - Yeah.

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[MUSIC] >> Yeah, yeah. [MUSIC] >> Do you believe that this evening?

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[MUSIC] ♪ 'Cause he will wipe ♪ ♪ My God will wipe ♪ ♪ Oh, he'll wipe ♪

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♪ He's gonna wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe ♪ ♪ Oh, I'll love your tears ♪ ♪ Because, because something ♪ Something's bound to happen. It's got to happen. Lord, Lord, Lord if you pray. Yeah.

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Something. Take with your words. Yes, yes. Do you believe in all your heart?

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You'll see the way. Yes. You just keep your faith in him. Uh-huh.

00:27:03.720 - 00:27:42.820

And your eyes, your eyes toward heaven's door Because something, something bad to happen [MUSIC] I'm not going to my seat till I get ready.

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And when I rejoice in the Lord, I like to rejoice and go to my seat feeling good about it. And that's a little old word they use in the, they use in the, they say in the Holy Ghost Church

00:27:57.040 - 00:28:06.780

that I've learned to love and it's just become a part of me and every once in a while I have to say, ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪

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♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪

00:28:13.560 - 00:28:20.760

♪ Mm, yes ♪ ♪ Yes ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yes ♪

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♪ Oh yeah ♪ See, you afraid to say that. I know you are, but I'd just love to say it. Yes.

00:28:26.140 - 00:28:29.460

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

00:28:29.460 - 00:28:32.800

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

00:28:32.800 - 00:28:36.140

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

00:28:36.140 - 00:28:39.460

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

00:28:39.460 - 00:28:42.800

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

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Oh, yes. Yes. I'll tell you why I like to say it, because he's mine. He's mine.

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What about you this evening? He's mine. He's mine. Oh, I know he's mine.

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He's mine. He's mine. He's mine. He's mine.

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You see, you got yours all pent up. I'm going to leave here feeling better than you, because I'm going to let all of mine hang out. So glad. Yes, sir.

00:29:17.800 - 00:29:53.600

So glad. Oh, I'm so glad. So glad. So glad. So glad. I tell you why I'm glad. I woke up this morning with my mind. Stay on Jesus. I woke up this morning. Oh, you come on here. Stay, sing with me.

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I woke up this morning. You act like you don't know that song. Stay. Hallel--

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Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel--

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Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel--

00:30:06.620 - 00:30:08.620

Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel-- Hallel--

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Hallel-- Oh, there ain't no harm to keep your mind. Stay. Stay.

00:30:15.800 - 00:30:19.300

Stay. Stay. Stay. All all day.

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♪ There's no harm in keeping my mind ♪ ♪ Dead on Jesus ♪ ♪ There's no harm in keeping my mind ♪ ♪ Dead on Jesus ♪

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♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh, when we're speaking and praying and we're fine ♪

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♪ Stay on, Jesus ♪ ♪ Singing and praying in the mountains ♪ ♪ Stay on, Jesus ♪ ♪ Singing and praying in the mountains ♪

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♪ Stay on, Jesus ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Walking in glory with my mind ♪ ♪ Stay on Jesus ♪

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♪ Walking in glory with my mind ♪ ♪ Stay on Jesus ♪ ♪ Walking in glory with my mind ♪ ♪ Stay on Jesus ♪

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♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ - Amen.

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- Everybody say amen again. - Amen. - That was the word and there's power in the word. That was a message in that word for us at Ebenezer.

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I hope we picked that up. Thank you, Reverend Obey. Thank you, David Chappell, for coming. I always get put in these predicaments where I have a hard act to follow.

00:32:17.720 - 00:32:43.220

We will now continue with the program. We turn you over to the hands of the ushers for the offering. [MUSIC - "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER"] (SINGING) Oh, I feel I'm going home.

00:32:49.220 - 00:33:19.740

♪ O'er the land of the free ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ ♪ And the home of the brave ♪ ♪ Oh ♪

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♪ You light my life ♪ ♪ I feel like ♪ ♪ Going home ♪ ♪ I feel the coming of ♪

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- Center aisle stand, please. Center aisle, please. All except the guests and honorees. Lord God our Father, please bless this offering.

00:34:22.480 - 00:34:38.520

May it be used for the ongoing of thy kingdom. These prayers and others we ask in Christ's name. Amen. You'll now have recognition of our guests.

00:34:38.520 - 00:35:26.640

[ Silence ] program would really not be complete if we didn't stop for just a minute to say we're so happy you came to all of our special guests who are here today and especially to Reverend Obey. We are just so delighted to have you come and be

00:35:26.640 - 00:35:46.120

with us and worship with us with our pastor and his wife on their 15 years of service. We thank God for each one of you and we hope you will come back to be with us again even if it's not for 15 years of service if you'll just come back and be with us again. Thank you.

00:35:46.120 - 00:36:31.700

[ Pause ] >> Pastor and Mrs. Griffin, would you please come forward? >> You know, Reverend Obey preached and he said, "Carry with you words."

00:36:31.700 - 00:36:53.300

I have the word with me in here and the word is, "In God we trust." In God we trust. On behalf of the Ebenezer Church family, we would like to say to each of you,

00:36:53.300 - 00:37:02.920

we appreciate 15 years of service and hope you'll have 15 more. May the Lord bless you, and may he keep you, is our prayer. Amen.

00:37:02.920 - 00:37:34.320

Come over, Pastor Griffin and members of the Lebanese Baptist Church. I pray. I'm Calvin Husk, member of Olivet Baptist Church.

00:37:34.320 - 00:37:56.800

My pastor's away in Alaska conducting a revival, and he told me to make this presentation to you. To Pastor Griffin, pulpit officials, the sanctuary choir would like to take this time also

00:37:56.800 - 00:38:04.080

to make a presentation to Reverend and Mrs. Griffin. were not meant to be a separate organization, but we were still collecting by the time the program had begun.

00:38:04.080 - 00:38:51.880

So we wanted to make this presentation also. Thank you very much. [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

00:38:51.880 - 00:39:10.880

[Music] [Music] (music) [Music]

00:39:10.880 - 00:39:26.880

[Music] (music) [Music] [Music]

00:39:26.880 - 00:39:52.880

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

00:39:52.880 - 00:40:42.600

♪ ♪ [Music] [Music] [Music]

00:40:42.600 - 00:41:09.600

[Music] ♪ ♪ [Music] ♪ ♪

00:41:09.600 - 00:41:39.200

(gentle music) ♪♪ ♪♪ [Music]

00:41:39.200 - 00:42:10.200

[Music] [Music] [Music] (Music)

00:42:10.200 - 00:42:57.200

[ Music ] [applause] Now the man of the hour, our pastor and wife, let me get through. [laughter]

00:42:57.200 - 00:43:13.340

Present to you our pastor, Reverend Marvin C. Griffin. - Thank you so very much. After 15 years, it's good to look back as well as to look forward.

00:43:13.340 - 00:43:27.620

And as we pause today, I want to express the gratitude of my heart for your being here on a hot day like today to turn aside, to be here in this service

00:43:27.620 - 00:43:41.300

of recognition and celebration. It's certainly a source of inspiration and strength. And I want to say thank you to every one of you. I want to thank Reverend Obey

00:43:41.300 - 00:43:53.000

for this very strong gospel message. As my good friend, I've always inspired, I listen to him every Sunday night, so he's sort of pastors and preaches to me then.

00:43:53.000 - 00:44:06.300

And the message that he brought here today is one that I shall long remember. And one of the many things I think God has blessed him with, not only the preaching, but he's blessed him with a good wife.

00:44:06.300 - 00:44:17.920

And I think that he's doubly blessed. And I certainly want to thank him, to thank the choir of David Chapel, and to thank the ushers and all of the members

00:44:17.920 - 00:44:29.920

of David Chapel for sharing with us. And to the members of Olivet that are here, Reverend Lawrence Wicks is in Alaska. This is the first time in the 15 years that I've been here

00:44:29.920 - 00:44:40.220

that he's missed one of these services. And he called me, but he's well represented in many ways, not only in presence, but other ways. And I want to thank him, his wife, who's here,

00:44:40.220 - 00:44:51.660

and all of the members of Olive, who are present to share in this service, and all of the members of the community, for it has been an experience that is indeed rewarding

00:44:51.660 - 00:45:07.540

to have been here at Ebenezer and in Austin during these 15 years. I was reading the other day a passage of scripture and God was speaking of the land he that he was giving to his people He said it is a land of hills and valleys

00:45:07.540 - 00:45:25.000

And so this has been an experience of hills and valleys, but when we look at the landscape, it's a beautiful land But it's a land of hills and valleys and I want to thank especially the committee sister Dorothy Malone sister Willie B Manning and

00:45:25.380 - 00:45:36.820

And all of the members of the committees, that's the co-chairpersons and chairpersons, everybody, officers and all, I wanna thank you from the very bottom of my heart

00:45:36.820 - 00:45:52.540

for what you have done in making possible this program. When we look back, you can see the landscape and see that it is a land of hills and valleys, but it's also an opportunity as we pause

00:45:52.540 - 00:46:17.060

that we look forward to where we will be going in the time that is ahead. And I love that word that is expressed so beautifully by Robert Frost when he talks about that traveler who paused on a wintry day in the woodlands of New England and then went on and Frost wrote concerning that experience these words, "The woods are lovely,

00:46:17.740 - 00:46:34.280

dark and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep and miles to go Before I sleep God being our helper may we together keep the promises of God

00:46:34.280 - 00:47:10.080

Well dear friends, this is a new twist In most of the years I have had the choice of being first. [laughter] I wonder if the members of the committee, of the program committee, could be telling me something.

00:47:10.080 - 00:47:33.080

Nevertheless, just pull off your shoes because I'm going to take just the same amount of time. I don't get here but once a year. And you know, in the last few years, it seems that the time seems to be coming more and more and more. The older you get, the shorter the years.

00:47:33.080 - 00:48:00.080

It seems like just a few months ago that I was standing here telling you how much I thought about that ugly picture on the program. And you know, my husband and I have been married 40 years next month. And we've had an argument going in our family as to which one of us is darker.

00:48:00.080 - 00:48:23.600

[LAUGHTER] So if nothing more, I think this program will settle that argument. [LAUGHTER]

00:48:26.080 - 00:48:51.080

Now, I want to thank you, I want to thank Brother Obey for that compliment or comment or whichever that was. I haven't decided yet which one, compliment or comment, but nevertheless I'm working on that Brother Obey. Maybe after the next 15 years I can be more like the preacher's wife. [laughter]

00:48:51.080 - 00:49:00.220

I'm trying, I'm trying anyway. Anyway, I want to thank you. I want to thank David Chaplin. I really want to thank Ebenezer.

00:49:00.220 - 00:49:16.060

Now, your finance is very needed and helpful and always glad. We're glad to get it. But look, when you come back here on a hot Sunday evening to say just to share with us in this best service,

00:49:16.060 - 00:49:28.300

that's far more important to me than that dollar you dropped in that place. Now, I'm not saying we don't need the dollar, but your presence here is far more important to me.

00:49:28.300 - 00:49:38.660

And it says far more to me than any amount of dollars you could drop in that place. Because there are many places that you could be, that you would be far more comfortable,

00:49:38.660 - 00:49:57.380

and I know you'd be cooler. But if you could sacrifice your Sunday afternoon-- and some of you have been here year after year after year, just like I have. We've both grown old together. And I want to let you know today that I am

00:49:57.380 - 00:50:25.100

very grateful. Now he took most of my speech, and I guess I'll have to let that one time go for both of us. But at any rate, I want you to know that as a minister's wife, now I might be a little more chatty, you know, than I should be. Most minister's wives get up and say thank you very much and sit down. But I got to be me and you either accept me

00:50:25.100 - 00:50:50.860

as I am or you reject me and that's your burden or your problem not mine. When you called him I came along and that's the way it is. But nevertheless I want you to know that we have been very grateful for you over these 15 years. You've enriched our lives.

00:50:50.860 - 00:51:01.460

You've made us happy. And we've grown. And I hope you have also. Because God knows how many more will be together.

00:51:01.460 - 00:51:16.500

I don't, and neither do you. But whatever, we will continue as pastor and members. Thank you very much. And a special thanks again to my good friends up there

00:51:16.500 - 00:51:24.980

and my-- I worked with Edith for a while. And I mean, Mrs. McKinney, sorry. But anyway, I want to thank her for that beautiful solo,

00:51:24.980 - 00:51:33.840

and as well as the rest of you. Come back whenever you can. It doesn't have to be an anniversary. I'm always glad to see you, all of us.

00:51:33.840 - 00:51:39.040

So come when you can. And you preach it, too. Thank you, Lord. [laughter]

00:51:39.040 - 00:51:47.040

[inaudible] [inaudible] [inaudible] The next item on the agenda is the benediction.

00:51:47.040 - 00:51:55.040

I'm going to ask that after the benediction and during the recessional you allow our guests, our honoree, pastor, and those guests there

00:51:55.040 - 00:52:03.040

and the pulpit guests to vacate the room before we leave. Thank you.

00:52:03.040 - 00:52:23.600

[inaudible] Let me just say thank you to the members of our choirs, our bishops, nurses, and the members of David Chapel who came along to share with us in this hour, my two associate pastors and all of you.

00:52:23.600 - 00:52:42.200

And to you, Dr. and Mrs. Griffin, I wish you many, many, many more anniversaries. I want you to stay here in Austin with me. Yes, I'm serious about that. I need both of you all to stay here in Austin.

00:52:42.200 - 00:52:56.320

Must Jesus bear the cross alone and let the Griffins go free? [LAUGHTER] Hallelujah. So I want to do all I possibly can to keep you here,

00:52:56.320 - 00:53:17.440

and we'll all just bear our crosses together. God bless you. We're ready to go. Oh yes, we are having training union at 6 o'clock at David Chapel and Pastor Parker is preaching

00:53:17.440 - 00:54:08.320

tonight. And I didn't expect anybody to say amen. [ Laughter ] [ Music ] I will open up my heart to everyone I see.

00:54:13.320 - 00:54:34.600

♪ And say ♪ ♪ Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ Be glorified ♪ - Oh Israel, return unto the Lord, thy God,

00:54:34.600 - 00:55:00.880

for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. take with you words and turn unto the Lord and say unto him, take away all iniquity and receive us graciously. So we will render the cares of our lips.

00:55:00.880 - 00:55:15.760

And now unto him who's able to keep us from falling and able to present us spotless before the matchless throne of God. To him be glory, honor, and majesty both now and forever.

00:55:15.760 - 00:55:40.020

[MUSIC PLAYING] Amen. [COUGHING] [BLANK_AUDIO]