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Press the Reset Button (How to Handle Your Past)

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Alright.   Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening.   Welcome to reconnect my heart podcast. The show that we talk about life's problems   that may break or tear our hearts apart   or reconnect my heart. We'll discuss God's answers to life's problems to reconnect our hearts back to the way he originally made us. I'm your host, brother, pray them. So glad y'all able to join us. If you have any questions, comments, you just want us   to the show, feel free to watch   on   www.reconnectmyheart.com.   Www.reconnectmyheart.com.   Or you can go to my mobile app. My mobile app is brother Prater. It's available on Android or   apple.  

You can type in brother Prater. You'll see my app.   And once you see my app, you just look on live podcast or live stream podcast,   and you'll see it on there. Unfortunately,   the   platform of, the podcast, the audio version,   they have a maintenance   on the website.   So   I hate that, but, you know, the show must go on, you know, as soon as soon as, I get a chance when   when I'm finished with the show, then I'll be able to upload it on other,   podcast   platform.   So look forward to that. I wanna thank each and everyone of y'all for tuning in. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your continued prayers and support and   happy New Year.  

Happy New Year.   Happy New Year.   I'm very excited to be here today.   Today,   I wanna share with you something that really gets kinda hit my heart.   Today,   we're gonna talk about   press the reset button.   Press   the reset button. How to handle your past?   You know, many people,   they, especially at the beginning of the New Year, they always think about these New Year's resolutions.   Oh, I'm a do better this year than I did last year. I'm a save money.   I'm a lose weight.   Imma get my boaz. Imma get my Ruth. All these things   that people say at the beginning of the year and often times,   people don't commit   to what they're professing.  

Let's be honest. So many people, they they have a beautiful, beautiful   start,   but they have a ugly ending.   And so what we wanna do is not focus on these, quote unquote,   unrealistic commitments.   But what we wanna do regardless of what transpired in 2024,   even 2023   or years earlier. What we wanna do,   we wanna look at   what can we do   to   allow god to press the reset button in our lives.   Now, there's a keyword   that I often think about when I talk about pressing the reset button.   There's a word that   we're familiar with, and   there's a word it's a biblical word, and it talks about grace. The meaning of it is grace.  

Grace, being able to receive something that you don't deserve   and god has given each and every   one of us grace.   You know, there's a song that said, your grace and mercy brought me through   and so, in spite of what transpired in our past, god love us enough to to give us another chance   and so with that other chance,   can you allow yourself   to receive that another chance?   Would you be able to give yourself grace?   Oftentimes,   many people beat themselves up over past mistakes   but often time, when I found out, yeah, you may have made a mistake but you can't wallow in that mistake.   You can't wallow in the past decisions that you made. You can't wallow in the things that you did in the past because as long as you wallow in it,   that will become your master.  

You have to allow yourself   to be picked up and the only time and the only person that can pick us up is god almighty.   Oftentime,   we continue to beat ourselves up over things that God has been given us over. And so God wants us to be able to give ourselves the grace, but also first and foremost, you know, asking him to help us, which we're gonna talk about   later on.   Now,   the first thing, the first thing we gotta think about,   each and everyone of us, we've all made some mistakes.   I don't care how saved. I don't care how anointing you are now.   Some of us,   some of us,   some of us,   no, all of us have made a mistake.  

You know, there's a word.   There's a word that we all have been guilty of, and that's sin.   Sin. Sin is missing the mark. If you think about   bull's eye,   to miss the mark is not to make it a bull's eye. You can   throw a 100 times   and even if you make 99,   if you miss 1, if you miss 1 bull's eye,   you have missed the mark and all of us have missed   god's mark   but that doesn't give us the license or permission to continue to do it. What we need to do is be realistic and say, you know what? I made some mistakes. Now, what we're going to do? We're going to learn from it and grow from it.   So,   with that,   the first thing we need to do   when we think about   handling our past, the first thing we gotta think about is acknowledging what happened.  

We need to acknowledge. We need to be real with our self.   You know, if we not real with our self,   we're going to always be a pretender.   We're going to always   what we call fake to punk. We're going to always we're going to always   miss the mark   but we need to be realistic.   We need to be transparent. I want to make sure this work with you. Being a pretender. Okay, good.   We need to make sure that we are real with god and real with our self.   If you continue to be in denial,   you're going to miss the benefits and the life that god has for you.   So, we have to acknowledge what happened   regardless if it was good or regardless if it was bad.  

We need to acknowledge what happened. That's what grown for. That's what mature people do. I know so many people. Well, I'm, you know, I'm grown. I'm grown. That's fine and dandy but what I found out,   grown   has to do with age.   Grown had to do with age   in the United States. They say you're grown at the age of 18.   Excuse me. And in some instance,   21.   But   stop worrying about being grown. What you need to do is be mature.   That is what matters.   Grown speaks about age. Maturity   speaks about   knowledge,   wisdom, and applying it.   So being mature and responsible   and and also   the other thing I wanna talk about,   we first acknowledge what happened, but the other thing, this is the key. Own it   or   own it.  

Own it so it won't own you.   You need to own up to your mistakes.   Own up to it. Don't   make an excuse. Well, you know, somebody else's fault. Somebody else's fault. You know, many people when they have done things, when you try to blame others,   that's a   move. When you try to blame others, that means that you are not owning up to your responsibility   or your participating   in whatever may have happened.   You need to own up to it. That is what we call   being mature.   On up to what you did.   On up to own up to your part and don't even worry about or even acknowledge somebody else's part. Tell off on yourself.   When you can acknowledge, when you can   confess your mistake,   confess   your part, then, that give god access to come in and intervene to help you in that situation   but as long as you are blaming others, as long as you're not foretelling about yourself,   god can't trust you with what he want to give you. Why? Because you're shifting the blame on somebody else.  

That's not familiar.   Didn't that happen in the Garden of Eden?   Think about it.   Adam blaming Eve.   Eve blaming the serpent.   Everybody had a point.   Everybody had a point. Simply put.   And you know what I found that even growing up? Oftentimes   the parents   would discipline us   would discipline us because of what we did because number 1, we represented them   which were having our last name, having their last name. We represented them   but also,   we got discipline because we knew better.   We knew better and we failed to do better.   A lot of times, that's what we get in trouble at.  

When you know better   and choose not to do it, oh, man.   That means that you don't respect their authority.   You don't respect them nor their authority.   You don't respect them. So, we have to be very careful   and like I say, own up to our mistakes.   Own it   so it won't own you and what I found out, the things   that we   don't   own, the things that we don't acknowledge.   What happened, we become a slave   to what   you don't acknowledge   and also what you avoid.   We allow that to become our master.   Whatever   you run from,   you'll be running from that or that be chasing   you pretty much for the rest of your life if you don't acknowledge and repent   and turn that. You have to turn   from running from that to run into that and acknowledge it. You have to.  

That's what we call being mature. Being responsible.   We have to be responsible for   our mistakes.   We have to be, how else you going to grow if you always running from your responsibilities?   It just like a person   that may have had a child   and what happened? Instead of instead of going and helping and raising that child,   the parent could it could not just be   people may say, well, you know, it's the man that's run but also there are some ladies that run from the responsibility of raising their child. So, it could be either male or female, father, mother but let's just say a a a parent   is running from their responsibility   of participating   in grooming   their child. Yeah, you can celebrate your child when things are well.  

But the true test is when it come down to   grooming,   when it come down to discipline,   correcting, you know, not just when things are going well but even the hard times.   Being able to be there, stick with it   and so when it pertains to you and your mistakes, the things of your past,   you have to acknowledge   it. Like I said, if you don't acknowledge it,   you will become   a slave to it. That will become your master.   There are people that always run   from their responsibilities.   There are people that always run   from doing what they supposed to.   That's not number 2 a person.  

But god wants you to grow up. God want all of us to grow up. You know, the Bible tell us that we should move from milk   to meat.   That pertains to the word of god but also that pertains to life.   It pertains to life.   You know, when I was a child, I thought as a child but when I became a man, I put aside childish   ways.   So, each and everyone of us   have a responsibility   Each and everyone of us   have to face the music.   You know, that old saying, you made your bed, you need to lie in it.   And so yes,   being able to   acknowledge   but also own it.  

So it won't own   you. Also, the other thing what we need to do,   we need to reflect.   We need to reflect,   examine our past experience   to understand   understand   the emotional,   the mental,   and also   the spiritual   involvement   of what made us or what we may say   what caused us or what may have influenced us to do what we did.   You know, oftentimes, there may be some people that may say, well, you   know, the devil maybe do it   or hey, let's let's be real. Look, we adults.   There are sometimes that we have made mistakes pertaining to matters of the heart   and we may have said, well, you know what? Oh,   we.  

Go.   God bless me with this person. God bless, we blaming god and for good reason,   in our mindset, hey, because I met this person in church or I met this person, that person appears to be nice.   Okay, that's fine and dandy   but   when the true character comes out,   then,   what happened? Well, the devil is busy. Well, to be honest with you, the devil always been busy   because   he was the one that sent you that person   or he was the one that led you to that person.   We blame god. Oh, god, you know,   god got us together and all this, all that. Yeah, you know what? One thing about I would tell people, god gave us a choice.   There are some things.  

Look, there are some things   god didn't even want us to be involved in but sometime because of our kind heart,   we feel like, well, you know, I can help this person   or but you know,   you know, we supposed to be we supposed to be helpers of one another. You know, you know, that person got a good heart. You know, all that person need is just, you know, somebody that really understands them   and we try to become god in their life.   Sometime, like I say, we feel like we can change them.   Sometimes, we feel like, well, you know,   you know, I can I can help them get saved? I can help them to recover. I can help them with this and with that and I tell people all the time, that's the worst mistake you can do because what you're doing, you're trying to feel to become god in their life thinking that you're the one that can help them. No, it's not your responsibility.  

The more only god can help them but god may want to help them but they may not want to use you.   God may want   you. It just be able to refer them to somebody that you know that may be able to help them or   reveal their true motive because they may have came to you but you know, I'm you know, I'm trying to do good. I'm trying to do trying to live this Christian life all and all that but god maybe tell you, hey, hey, hey, hey, refer them to them. Refer them to this person right here and then, when you do what happen,   the real them is exposed.  

They weren't trying to live right. They were trying   to do you. They weren't trying to, you know, do the right thing.   They were just trying to do you.   And guess what?   The real motive is revealed.   See?   That's why god want us to be able to hear his voice and respond in obedience.   I mentioned earlier   about sin, missing the mark.   There are 2 type of sin. There's a sin of commission.   You're doing something you weren't supposed to do.   But then also there's a sin of commission, omission.   You didn't do something that god told you to do.   So, either way, you might have been guilty.  

Either way, we might have been guilty. There are some things that god didn't tell me to do but I did it anyway.   God told me to stand still and I ran.   Look, I was wrong.   There are some things that god told me to go   and I stayed.   Go do this and I didn't.   I omitted what god told me to do.   So,   understanding that it is so important for us to be able to hear god's voice and respond in obedience.   Look, you know, we always hear that word, you know, the phrase, you know, obedience is better than sacrifice and   what we gotta understand,   obedience is so important. Back in the day in Old Testament time, you know, they   sacrificed a lamb or a dove or something.  

You know, it was a substitute.   It was a substitute. Ultimately,   Jesus Christ became the sacrificial lamb   but   when you obey god, you don't have to sacrifice anything.   When you obey god, do what he told you to do.   We have to hear him and respond in obedience. Don't think that you can outthink   what god said. Don't think that you can outthink him, period.   We have to listen to what god word says   and respond in obedience. His written word, his audible words.   Listen to him. So, that way we can do what he want us to do. We can fulfill the purpose and the plan that he has for us.   So,   yes. Being able to reflect   Think about   what you did.  

Think about it.   And when you think about it,   matter of fact, what I always tell people,   when you ask god to help you in a situation,   the next time the opportunity   comes, what god will do, god will slow the scene down so slow   where you have the choice   to do it or to not do it.   You have the choice   and so,   that's why it's so important for us to recognize when god has given us a choice   to do something,   what he'll do. Like I said, he'll slow the scene down   and let you say, if we don't do it,   but god told us to do it   or vice versa,   then what happened, there's a sense of   little disappointment,   little sadness. We we can feel it in our spirit.  

Oh, wow. God, I'm so sorry. God forgive me.   But also,   when god saw the scene down   and we do what he told us to do or we didn't do what god, you know, told us to not do, then, that's a sense of peace   because we please the father. So, what we have to do, we have to reflect.   It's good for us to reflect   on the things in life. So, that way, we can learn and grow but one of the things I always tell people,   whenever   we obey god,   we develop that relationship a closer, intimate relationship with him and also what you when you think about it,   when you have a relationship with someone,   the most important thing is   trust.  

Some people say, oh, love.   Uh-uh.   Trust.   Trust.   Because it is difficult.   It is difficult   to love someone you can't trust.   See, love is a action word   but love is based upon the level of trust.   Think about it. Yeah, you can love, you can love someone. You know, the Bible tell us to love our enemies.   We can love any and everybody but you can't trust any and everybody. You can love them for your sake. So, that way you don't allow them to fester   or contaminate your spirit or your psyche.   But when it come down to trust,   look, the Bible told us to, you know, love everybody. Yeah. But the Bible didn't tell us to trust everybody.  

Think about it. So, it's so important for us to recognize   when we obey god   that closer relationship, the more intimate relationship   develops and one of the things I always tell people,   when   god can trust you,   when god can trust you,   even towards your enemies,   he can trust you, period.   Look,   god not going to, you know, monitor   how you treat your friends. No.   Because   the sentiment can treat they friends well.   But he going to look at us how we respond, how we treat our enemies.   Those that do us wrong.   That I'm like, man.   If you really think about it,   a sinner man, someone who ain't even saved, someone who not even a Christian,   they could do it right towards   those that love them but what about those that don't love you?  

So, like I said, there's something for us to think about. It is so important for us, so important for us to examine,   to reflect.   Like I said,   and also, the other word I was talking about, to process.   There's another one, process.   Being able to reflect, being able to examine   with a fine tooth comb.   Where   things went wrong? What happened?   And they're also   processing.   You know, allowing yourself to feel those emotions   that are associated with your past.   That means   examining   emotionally,   mentally,   and spiritually.   Being able to process   go through the process. One of the things I always think about,   those that are familiar with Krispy Kreme's.  

Krispy Kreme donuts, all   they make, look, they make the donuts with   dough, and then they put it on top of the conveyor belt.   And it goes through this process   of being heated, heated, and then the glaze, and then eventually,   shoot,   at the bottom of the tray.   But you think about it.   If you try to   get the dough that's on top before it becomes the form of a donut, heat it, prepare it, then what's going to happen? If you try to eat that dough raw, you're going to get sick but it has to go through the process   and many of us have failed the process   We have to go through the process   of those things so we can learn and grow from it.  

The Bible tell us, be you transformed   by the renewing of your mind.   That word transform is a word that means metamorphosis.   Metamorphosis   have nothing to do with time   but all about the will.   And see, so what happen is when we think about process,   it's like,   matter of fact, I'm I'm going to say, let me use this pen.   Let's just say this is so y'all catch me on camera. Okay. Let's just say this is the   end. This is the destination.   And this is the beginning part.   I can take   2 seconds.   Go through that. Or I can take my time   and do this.  

And then stay right here for an hour.   See,   the length   is not the look. It's not the question.   But it's how long it's gonna take to get from here   to here.   And it has to do with   the process.   Not the time   but the process. And the process is   if I want to go ahead and do it,   if I want to go ahead and let this hurry up and get to her,   or if I want to take my time.   So, it's the same distance   but   what counts is the process   that I'm allowed to go from here to there.   So, that's why it's so important for us to   look, to actually examine and allow ourself   to go through the process   and look, the Bible, I ain't going to say the Bible but there's the old saying, leave no stones unturned.  

For us to allow the process   and for us to have that examination,   the mental,   the emotional, but also the spiritual   evaluation   evaluation for us to be healed.   So, we can have a testimony from this situation.   Also, like I said, the emotional   and the spiritual, the emotional, the mental, and the spiritual.   See, often times, like I said earlier, we blame god. God, you told me that you could, you told, you told me I can have him. You told him I can have her   But it wasn't god that was speaking. It was your emotions.   So, in   in that process,   we can find tune to make sure that we can differentiate   between god's voice   and our emotions   because our emotions can speak as loud as a voice and we internalize   thinking that it's god's voice   but it could be   our voice   or the devil's voice   but that's why it's so important for us to differentiate   and go to the process of really hearing   not only what you heard   but also   what you thought you heard   or what you didn't hear.  

You see?   So many people   there have been a lot of misunderstanding   because some people   internalize   something that would never say it.   Some people   you say it but no I didn't. This is what I was saying. This is the heart of what I was saying. In other words, this was the motive of what I was saying. This was the main thing but the devil can sometime play tricks on you to make you have selective hearing.   Sometimes, you can want something so bad that you hear what you only you want to hear. You can you will hear what you want to hear but you tune out what you don't want to hear.   So, that's why god want us to grow and   mature for us to be able to differentiate   like I said, between   god's voice,   the devil's voice, and our emotions.  

Don't allow yourself   to be, look, be led by your emotions.   Be led by your feelings.   We have to be, look, we have to be in self control.   We have to be self control.   The Bible tell us   what   just stay in my mind, you're fighting god but   he he given us sound mind. He give us a sound mind   which means self discipline.   We have to do our part   to allow our self to be disciplined.   When a person does not know how to control their emotions, they are a dangerous   person.   What happened? They make impulsive   decisions.   When you make impulsive   decisions,   you're not responsible   to help or to   I guess lead   anybody.  

Why? Because if you always going on your emotions,   the devil have something to play with.   The devil have something to manipulate you with.   That's why   you you know, there's old saying talk about false alarms.   False alarm or the boy that cried wolf.   So, it's so important for us to keep our emotions in check   and that not only goes for the young ladies but it goes for the guys. When a person   is always   dealing with their emotions,   they make impulsive decisions.   They make, look, they make permanent decisions in a temporary condition.   So, that's why it's so important to what? To be self   disciplined   He will restore your mind, allowing god to restore our mind.  

Also,   I spoke about the process which is so important.   There's something else.   The word   is called   forgive.   You have to forgive yourself over over the mistakes   or the choices of your past.   You have to forgive yourself.   Even if you still dealing with the consequences   of your bad decision or wrong   decisions.   Take the back. I meant to say wrong this. I didn't mean to say bad. But wrong decisions.   There are some people that are still beating themselves up over things that happened 30 years ago, 40 years ago.   My question is, how long are you going to continue to sentence yourself   over something that god has forgiven you for?  

You know, the Bible tell us who the son makes free is free indeed.   God has freed us. God has, you know, told us, hey, you're free to go. He has released us from the emotional,   the mental, and the spiritual prison that we allow allowed ourselves to be in.   But while god is releasing us,   we're grabbing our self and junking ourselves back into the prison and throwing away the key.   Forgive   yourself   and I know many people,   they don't really know how to forgive.   Many people don't know how to forgive. Now, I always talk about forgiving others but let's talk about forgiving our self.   Don't you know some people,   they equate   the   the feeling that they did or the severity that they did   in their mistake   or their bad decision   or wrong decision   that level of pain.  

They try to match with the level of pain.   What do I mean?   There are some people because   they don't feel forgiven.   They feel like, well,   they have to be   physically,   spiritually,   or emotionally   assaulted   and for them to punish themselves and so,   since they feel like god's forgiveness are not enough, I don't feel,   I don't feel it. Then, what happened? They end up   causing physical harm on themselves.   They punch themselves or do other things   that look, they're hurting their temple. They have to feel some physical pain because they still feel some emotional   or mental pain.  

And I want to tell you,   yes,   it's just that easy to receive the forgiveness   from god. It is easy.   You can do it but the thing is what I always tell people,   like I said, some people feel like, well, you know, all I need to do is just do this, just receive it. Yes,   receive it.   Turn   your life around.   Turn your decision making around.   Turn around. In other words, do a 180,   not a 360 because you're going to end up landing in the same spot.   Look,   turn yourself around.   And understand that god   not trying to call you home but god not trying to have you to call us home upon yourself.   Forgiveness   is easy.  

You can do it.   You can do it. I know some people, well, it's easier said than done. Y'all heard some of y'all saying it. It's easier said than done but you know what? I was in a situation too but I had to learn. The more I begin to learn about god,   the more I begin to spend quality time with him, the more I realize, you know what? He want this relationship with   me. He want me to forgive myself.   So, what's the problem?   The devil want you to think that it's hard, it's complicated,   you know, no. It's not.   Look,   god has a beautiful future for you but the devil trying to make you live in your past   and one thing we always say, whenever the devil bring up your past, you bring up his future.  

He, look, doom and gloom.   Look, he's going to be, look here. God going to shut him down   on the last day.   But he trying to shut you down in these days.   God, look, god made you with purpose.   God made you. God planned out your whole life and then he allowed you to come to the scene on Earth.   So, your life, your plan   is already made out. How about you consult the one that already made your plans?   Consult him. You don't have to make your life hard.   You know, so that's why it's so important for us to recognize   what god has for us but most importantly, who god has for us?  

He made us with purpose.   So,   being able to forgive.   You have to forgive yourself and no one like I always say, people, first of all, even for those who may have done us   wrong.   Yes, forgiven them   even if they don't deserve it.   We deserve   it. We do not need to allow them   to become,   look, that prisoner in our mind   to be living the rent free in our minds. No. They, look at, they ain't worth it.   But also the devil wants you to hold on to that.   So, that way you can miss everything god has for you.   Instead of you focusing on   that goal to tell em, you focus on what god has for you. You think about this rascal.  

What they did. No. No. No. Forgive yourself.   Forgive them.   Forgive them. The one thing we all tell people   when you don't forgive them that you're like you drinking parts and expecting them to die.   No.   You forgive them.   Now,   pretend to you forgive yourself.   Yes, you have to forgive yourself.   You have to. Yes, and just because you still deal with the consequences does not give you permission   or the license   to continue to beat yourself up.   Look, when you come into the knowledge of knowing better   and now you're willing to do better,   why not forgive yourself?  

Why not?   Why not?   Like I said, the devil wants so badly to make you feel like, you know,   it's you know, it's your responsibility to beat yourself up all the time. No, the devil is a liar. No.   So, release that   disappointment,   that hurt. Yeah, so many people, they they disappointed because of, you know, man, I can't believe I failed for that. Okay. Now, what you going to do? What you going to do about it?   What are you going to do about it? Allowing god to come in. Allow god to have access to help you to be able to live   beyond   your mistake.  

Live beyond   your your wrong decision.   Think about it.   So, yes.   Being able to forgive,   choosing to let go of resentment,   not only towards others but towards yourself.   You have to allow yourself to   breathe,   letting it go because god wants you to see the healed version of you and the healed version of you requires you to forgive you.   In order for you to heal, you have to forgive   but as long as you hold on to unforgiveness,   you will remain unhealed.   Think about   it. You have to allow yourself   to see the healed version of you   through the lens of the forgiven person of you.  

If you want to see the healed version of you,   you have to allow yourself to be forgiven.   Forgiveness,   you forgive yourself,   gives you access   to see yourself   as healed, to see yourself   as delivered,   to see yourself   in your purpose.   Think about it.   And so with that,   it is so important for us   to take these steps and allow god to help us in every area of our lives.   There is no good thing god will withhold from us   when we're obedient to him, when we trust him   but also   move on from our past.   If you continue   to be dictated by your past,   you will forever   forfeit   your fruit, excuse me, not your present, but your future, in your present also, yes.  

If you hold on to your past, you will miss your present.   You will miss your present and you will miss your presence.   Why? Because you will never see yourself as how god sees you.   God wants you to see yourself   through his lens,   not your past lens,   through his lens, not your past hurt.   Through his lens,   not through how somebody have treated you or not even from somebody else's lens.   That doesn't define you.   That should refine you.   So, with that being said, we need to ask god to help us. He he's the only one that can do it and I'm telling you, god wants to come to your life. He want to be involved. He want you to in. Look, he want you to trust him. Trust him with   your hurt. Trust him with your past. Regardless how painful it was. Regardless how   uncomfortable it was or even how bad it was.  

Give god access to come in and help you.   And you know what? My dad said to always say this but my dad said this, he said, a wise man learn from his mistakes   but a wiser man learn from somebody else's mistakes.   So, the other thing is, in my closing,   what have you learned from your past?   Have you learned anything   from your past decisions?   If you haven't learned anything,   then you're doomed to repeat   what you did.   The the there's a saying that says history   repeats itself.   You have to be able to recognize   when things are reoccurring.   There's an old saying also that talks about   being able to pass the test. If you don't pass the test, you don't have to take it over again.  

So, that's why god wants you to pass the test in your past   so you won't have to relive your past.   You can grow. You can, look, graduate from your past.   That's a worth of the day.   Graduate from your past.   Are you willing to allow god to help you to graduate from your past?   No? Okay. Well, guess what?   You're going to forever live in that cycle over and over and over and over again. Break that cycle.   Even if it was started or caused by you.   But also even if it was someone else in your lineage,   your family lineage. Hey, break that generational curse.   You deserve that.  

And so, with that being said, I want each and everyone of us to take an examination of our self.   Yet, this is a new year. This is the 5th day in January.   I want to share this with you. Thank god.   Yesterday,   I celebrated my anniversary   of me being a Luceric.   31   years. 31   years   and I feel every bit of it. But 31 years, god has blessed me   but one of the things I had to acknowledge,   yeah,   in my growing stage up there,   one thing about it, I had somebody that mentored me. That's something that we often may need sometime. Someone that's gonna mentor us. Someone that we're gonna, look, have in our corner that's gonna tell us the whole truth.   Be transparent   and tell us the for real, for real.  

Not no yes man because those people that are telling us what we want to hear but god trying to have us to have people that tell em,   look, tell us what we need to hear.   That's what matters   and so with that being said,   I want each and everyone of us to go to god, trust him in every area of our lives and know, yes, in spite of your past, god has a beautiful future. Yes. Receive that grace that god has given, has bestowed upon us.   Receive it in Jesus name. Let us pray. Dear father, we come to you right now. We thank you lord for your awesomeness. We're coming to you right now and god we acknowledge our presence on today. God, we're coming to you right now, god. Ask god to help us right now, god. In every area of our lives, god. Help us god to be able to acknowledge you god and trust you in every area right now. In the name of Jesus. Help us god to surrender our will and our ways to you right now god. In the name of Jesus. We bind everything the devil stand for. We count on the devil's assignment right now. In the name of Jesus and lord, our hearts say yes to your will god. Yes to your ways right now god. We surrender everything over to you right now god. Not only our past but even our hurts, our disappointments,   our ups, and our lows right now. Our ups and our downs,   Our lows and our highs right now. In the name of Jesus, we give everything to you god. Even those who may have uh-uh   use us or mis spitefully use us. Those who may have scandalized our name god. We surrender   to you because vengeance is yours, not ours. So, god, we ask god to help us right now, god.  

To not be distracted, god, but help us god to stay focused on you, god. In the assignment that you have given us right now. In the name of Jesus and lord, we speak in this special manner right now, god.   God, god, your people, help us in every area, god. In the name of Jesus. And while we speak god in a special manner god, those that are grieving, god,   help them comfort their heart right now, god.   God,   thank you right now, god, for coming in and intervening for them right now,   god. God, speak a word and send your people, god. Send your people. Send the right people, god. That's gonna speak, god. Encourage your words, words of love,   god. Will your words, god, in this trying time right now. In the name of Jesus and lord, we thank you right now, god, for saving us, god. We thank you right now, god, for delivering us, god. We thank you right now, god, for sending your son to die for us right now. In the name of Jesus, and we thank you, lord, for everything you've done, and we thank you, lord, for the testimony coming from this. In Jesus name, we pray. We say amen. Amen. Amen.  

I wanna thank each and everyone of y'all for tuning in.   If, you wanna get in contact with me, you can catch me, brother Prater. You can catch me on Facebook.   On Facebook, you'll see my daily devotion and my videos.   Also, you can go to my website   as well as my mobile app. My website is brother prader.com.   My app   is available on Android and Apple. Just type in brother prader and you'll see this   bow here to go to boy.   To me, you'll see my picture, and, just click on   all the apps are free. My app is free.   You'll see my data devotion and my videos.   Also, there's a calendar on there that tell you my personal appearances.  

Also,   you can go to the source section   of my website where you can purchase my book,   where you can purchase my,   oh, I got my books. I got my books. I got my auto books on. I wanna make sure I   get it right quick.   But,   oh,   here you go. You can purchase my book, A Few Good Men, A Path to Godly Fatherhood.   A few good men was written to inform men the   the needs of their family, their children, even their children, mother, regardless they're with them or not. But also I speak to the ladies   and tell them the needs of men as well as   to help   our families to be, you know,   cohesive and working as one.  

Love and respecting each other. It's kinda like 2 books into 1. But also, I talk about things we may be dealing with in life. We're gonna be low self esteem,   grief, or whatever.   The other book is called   The Girl Who Was Her Brother's Keeper, The Love Beyond Life. And it's a tribute to my sister, Sheila Prater,   who was tragically killed,   domestic violence relationship.   And with that being said, I want to thank each and every one of y'all for tuning in. And last but not least, I wanna give   a special tribute.   I wanna dedicate   this episode to   my friend,   my aunt,   miss,   or aunt,   Margie   Logan.  

And Margie was   my aunt. She was   a one of the pillows of this family.   And unfortunately, last Saturday,   she passed.   But   she was saved,   loved the lord, great,   great, great praiser,   anointed singer, anointed   word. Shaw had a word.   And even though, yeah, even though she not   physically here and she was saved, yes, but   being real with you,   yes, as someone who love her and she would love our many, we're gonna miss her. We're gonna miss her presence. We're gonna miss her smile.   And so I wanna ask each and everyone of y'all to please   keep the Logan family   in prayer.  

Keep the Logan family   in your prayers. We have lost a lot of loved ones. A matter of fact, I found out right after   her funeral yesterday yesterday was her funeral.   Right after we left   her funeral,   found that another relative died. We're like, my gosh.   My gosh.   And so, yes, be praying for   the Logan family,   the Hutchins family, the Washington family,   the Fleming's family.   Be praying for a lot. It's a lot of people that have lost loved ones.   And so I want you to know,   yes. God promised to be with us. Not only when times are well but even in uncomfortable times. He promised that he was going to be there with us. I'm a live a witness.   I'm a live a witness. When you generate, look here. Look, when your electricity is low, god can kick in a generator   that will supply you of the needs that you need fulfilled. I'm telling you from personal experience and I tell people, if god can do it for me, he can do it for anybody   and so I want you to know that god is here to help each and everyone of us. So, to uncle Jack,   to Sherry,   to Karen, to Steve,   to   you know, to   all the family and friends, to the granddaughters.  

You know, even under the circumstance, I was so happy to see them. I was so happy to see them. You know, they were like,   you know, like me seeing my own kids grow up. You know?   But I love, love, love my family. I love my family.   And just to see them, you know, regardless of the circumstances,   but sometimes I just sit back and just watch and smile because   my family, I'm very proud of them. And I want y'all to know I'm praying I'm praying for y'all, and I'm here for you all. And so with that being said, I think even have one of you all. And, also, while I forget, I do have to acknowledge   Pearly Gates Baptist Church. Pearly Gates, thank you so much.  

Thank you. Y'all have y'all have helped so many of us so many of us.   Thank you so much.   You know,   with he with that being said, I wanna thank each and everyone of y'all for tuning in. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you for listening to replay my podcast.   God bless you   and good night.  

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