NOTHING JUST HAPPENS (A MESSAGE BY BISHOP T.D. JAKES)

THREE WOMEN: NAOMI, WHO IS THE OLDER WOMAN, AND RUTH, (WOULD HAVE) WHO WAS HER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AND ORPAH WHO WAS HER OTHER DAUGHTER-IN-LAW. THREE WOMEN WHOSE (COMMON) AH COMMONALITY WAS PAIN. PAIN IS A STRANGE COMPANY-KEEPER. IT BRINGS THE ODDEST PEOPLE TOGETHER. THERE IS A SECRET FRATERNITY THAT EXISTS AMONGST THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN PAIN THAT IS MIND-BOGGLING. IT TRANSCENDS THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN. IT TRANSCENDS YOUR BACKGROUND. WHEN YOUVE BEEN THROUGH CERTAIN THINGS YOU FEEL FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THOSE THINGS BECAUSE YOU RELATE TO THEM. I PERSONALLY DONT LIKE TO HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN THROUGH PAIN. ITS NOTHING AGAINST THEM, AM NOT JEALOUS OF THEM, I JUST CANT RELATE TO THEM. I CANT RELATE TO THEM AND I AM SURE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RELATE TO ME. THE PARTS OF ME THAT I NEED TO HAVE KNOWN, THAT I NEED TO HAVE TOUCHED, THAT I NEED TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP, ARE TIED UP, NOT IN THE SUCCESSES OF MY LIFE BUT IN THE STRUGGLES OF MY LIFE. FOR GOD HAS DONE MORE THROUGH MY STRUGGLES. HES DONE MORE THROUGH MY STRUGGLES THAN HES EVER DONE THROUGH MY SUCCESSES AND IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT MY SUCCESSES, MY SUCCESSES ARE MADE OUT OF THE INGREDIENTS OF MY STRUGGLES. AND YOU CAN NEVER KNOW MY SUCCESSES UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND MY STRUGGLES, BECAUSE MY STRUGGLES ARE THE PATHWAY THAT LED ME INTO MY SUCCESS. ARE YOU HEARING WHAT I AM SAYING?AND SO IF YOU GONNA HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH SOMEBODY, YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEYVE HAD SOMETHING TO DIE IN THEIR LIFE. IF YOUVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DIE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU HAVE THE KIND OF OPTIMISM THAT IS ANNOYING. IF YOUVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO GO WRONG IN YOUR LIFE I DONT LIKE TO HEAR YOU PREACH, IT AGGRAVATES ME, GETS ON MY NERVES, BECAUSE YOUR PREACHING HAS NOT BEEN BALANCED BY FAILURE. IFIF YOUVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DIE IN YOUR LIFE, DONT COUNSEL ME BECAUSE YOU REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND MECOS YOUYOU, YOU DONT KNOW WHY I AM LIKE I AM UNTIL YOUVE BEEN WHERE IVE BEEN. IF YOU NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DIE IN YOUR LIFE DONT SIT THERE AND TELL ME, BE A MAN, TAKE IT, DONT CRY, YOU DONT KNOW WHAT AM TAKING, YOU DONT KNOW WHAT I AM ENDURING. YOU DONT UNDERSTAND. JUST BECAUSE YOU READ SOME BOOKS AND TOOK A PSYCHE CLASS DOESNT MEAN THAT YOU ARE READY TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES OF MY LIFE!THERES SOMETHING ABOUT GOING THROUGH DEATH AND LOSS AND PAIN, MISFORTUNE AND ADVERSITY; THERES SOMETHING ABOUT GOING THROUGH THINGS THAT DONT SEEM FAIR TO YOU, THAT ONCE YOU GO THROUGH THEM YOU NEED TO MAKE SENSE OF THE MADNESS IN YOUR LIFE SINCE YOU CANT CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED AND YOU CANT ALTER WHAT YOUVE BEEN THROUGH, AT LEAST YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO THINK THAT THERES SOME GREATER GOOD THATS GOING TO COME OUT OF IT. ITS WHAT THEY CALL BRINGING CLOSER. TO BRING CLOSER TO IT TO JUSTIFY THAT I DINT GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF PAIN FOR NOTHING I NEED TO BE ABLE TO FEEL LIKE SOMETHING GOOD IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THIS, IF I CANT DO THAT, THEN I FEEL LIKE I AM A VICTIM, THEN I FEEL LIKE IVE BEEN VICTIMIZED, THEN I FOREVER FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF AND I AM NOT FREE TO GO ON WITH MY LIFE AND I AM NOT SAFE TO RE- MARRY AGAIN, AND I AM NOT SAFE TO GET ANOTHER JOB AGAIN, AND I AM NOT SAFE IN ANOTHER CHURCH AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE UNRESOLVED ISSUES OUT OF MY PAST AND I AM NOT READY TO GO FORWARD WITH MY LIFE BECAUSE I AM STILL TIED UP WITH WHERE I CAME FROM. I NEED TO KNOW IF I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORSHIP GOD. I NEED TO KNOW THAT SOME DEMON DIDNT GET LOOSE IN MY LIFE AND WRECK MY LIFE.ITS NOT A MISTAKE, ITS NOT AN ACCIDENT, GOD DIDNT FALL ASLEEP ON THE JOB AND THE DEVIL CAME IN AND WRECKED THE CAR. NO GOD NEVER SLEEPS AND HE NEVER SLUMBERS. HES IN COMPLETE CONTROL AND HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE. AND HE KNOWS HOW OLD YOU ARE. AND HE KNOWS HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPENT. AND HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHO WALKED OUT AND LEFT YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHO BETRAYED YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHO MOLESTED YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHO RAPED YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHO REJECTED YOU. AND HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE IN LIFE. AND HE KNOWS ABOUT YOUR BILLS. AND HE KNOWS ABOUT YOUR DEGREE. AND HE KNOWS YOU DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL. AND HE KNOWS ABOUT WHAT YOU DIDNT GET. AND HE KNOWS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF YOUR CHILD. AND HE KNOWS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. UNDERSTAND THAT AND TELL YOURSELF: NOTHING JUST HAPPENS!!AND SO ORPAH WALKS AWAY, SHE WALKS AWAY. I MAY HAVE TO TURN THIS INTO A SERIES COS I CANT, I CANT GET OUT OF THIS. ORPAH WALKS AWAY AND SHE CRIES AND SHE GOES BACK BUT AND SHE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN WALK AWAY FROM YOU. AND HEAR ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS: WHEN PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY FROM YOU, LET THEM WALK! WHEN PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY FROM YOU LET THEM WALK!!!I CAN SIT DOWN NOW. IVE PREACHED! I CAN SIT DOWN. I DONT NEED TO MAKE ALTAR-CALL OR NOTHING, I CAN SIT I DONT HAVE TO HOOT, I DONT HAVE TO MAKE YOU SHOUT, I HAVE JUST PREACHED RIGHT NOW. WHEN PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY FROM YOU, LET THEM WALK! I DONT WANT YOU TO TRY TO TALK ANOTHER PERSON INTO STAYING WITH YOU, LOVING YOU, CALLING YOU, CARING ABOUT YOU, COMING TO SEE YOU, STAYING ATTACHED TO YOU. I MEAN HUNG UP THE PHONE. WHEN PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY FROM YOU, LET THEM WALK!YOUR DESTINY IS NEVER TIED TO ANYBODY THAT LEFT. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THEY CAME OUT FROM US, THAT IT MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST THAT THEY WERE NOT OF US. FOR HAD THEY BEEN OF US, NO DOUBT THEY WOULD HAVE CONTINUED WITH US. PEOPLE LEAVE YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT JOINED TO YOU. AND IF THEY ARE NOT JOINED TO YOU, YOU GET SUPERGLUE, AND YOU CANT MAKE EM STAY! LETEM GO! AND IT DOESNT MEAN THAT ORPAH WAS A BAD PERSON. IT JUST MEANS THAT ORPAHS PART IN THE STORY IS OVER. AND YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN PEOPLES PART IN YOUR STORY IS OVER! SO THAT YOU DONT KEEP TRYING TO RAISE THE DEAD. YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN ITS DEAD DAVID! WHEN YOUR BOY IS DEAD, WASH YOUR FACE AND HAVE ANOTHER BABY! YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN ITS OVER! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING: I GOT THE GIFT OF GOODBYE! I MEAN I GOT THE GIFT OF GOODBYE! ITS A TENTH SPIRITUAL GIFT. I BELIEVE IN GOODBYE. ITS NOT THAT I AM HATEFUL, ITS THAT I AM FAITHFUL. AND I KNOW WHATEVER GOD MEANS FOR ME TO HAVE, HELL GIVE IT TO ME! AND IF IT TAKES TOO MUCH SWEAT, I DONT NEED IT! STOP BEGGING PEOPLE TO STAY!!! LETEM GO!!!AH!!... RUTH ON THE OTHER HAND, COMING TO THE CROSSROADS, SHE LOOKS AT ORPAH WHO LEFT, RUTH TURNS TO NAOMI AND SAYS AS THE LORD LIVETH, I SHALL NOT LEAVE THEE. SHE MAKES A STATEMENT TO THIS WOMAN THAT SOUNDS (SOMEWHAT) SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN POETRY, INTIMACY, AND BORDERS ON LESBIANISM. PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT RUTH SAID TO NAOMI. IT MAKES THEM UNCOMFORTABLE, THEYRE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT IT. THEY DONT WANNA TEACH ON IT. SAME THING WITH DAVID AND JONATHAN. WHENEVER SAME SEX RELATIONSHIP GETS TOO CLOSE, PEOPLE DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY. BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO CARNAL THEY THINK THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN TIE YOU TO SOMEBODY IS FLESH TO FLESH. UNDERSTAND THAT NAOMI WAS AN OLDER WOMAN. SHE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO BE RUTHS MAMA. SHES NOT ATTRACTED TO NAOMIS FLESH. SOMETHING SOME KIND OF WAY NAOMIS SPIRIT HAS GOTTEN INTO HER SPIRIT. THERES SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS TO YOU OCCASIONALLY, WHERE YOU CAN MEET SOMEBODY AND YOU SENSE YOU SENSE YOU SENSE THAT YOUR DESTINYOH GOD! OH GOD! YOUR DESTINY IS TIED TO THAT PERSON. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHATS HAPPENING TO US? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SPENDING OUR LIVES TOGETHER? HAS IT EVER CROSSED YOUR MIND THAT WE ARE SPENDING OUR LIVES TOGETHER? THAT WE WILL DIE AFTER THIS? AND THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED TOGETHER AND WE ARE SPENDING OUR LIFE TOGETHER? HAVE YOU EVER REALIZED YOU CAN SPEND YOUR LIFE ANYWHERE WITH ANYBODY DOING ANYTHING BUT SOMETHING HAPPENS INSIDE OF YOU WHERE YOU SENSE THAT YOUR DESTINY IS TIED TO A MINISTRY OR TO A VISION AND YOU DECIDE TO SPEND YOUR LIFE? PEOPLE KEEP TALKING ABOUT SPENDING THEIR MONEY, AND AINT NOTHIN! I CAN SPEND MY MONEY AND LIVE IN CHICAGO. BUT WHEN I SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU, THATS ALL I HAVE!!!I DONT I DONTI DONT THINK, I DONT THINK THAT HITS YOU. WE ARE SPENDING OUR LIVES TOGETHER! YOULL NOT BE ABLE TO WRITE YOUR STORY AND LEAVE ME OUT! WERE SPENDING OUR LIVES TOGETHER! THERE IS NO GREATER BOND POSSIBLE! OCCASIONALLY IN SCRIPTURES IN THE WHOLE BIBLE YOU SEE ITYOU SEE IT HAPPENING. WHERE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT EVEN BLOOD-RELATED, SPEND THEIR LIVES TOGETHER IN THE MOST INTIMATE CONNECTION POSSIBLE. ANDAND...AND THEOLOGIANS AND SCHOLARS AND PREACHERS STUMBLE ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DONT UNDERSTAND THE POWER BEING JOINED TOGETHER. HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN WHAT MADE ELISHAH LEAVE HIS NATURAL MOTHER AND FATHER AND RUN AFTER ELIJAH TO WAIT ON HIM? TO CLEAN HIS CLOTHES, TO POUR WATER ON HIS HAND, TO SET UP HIS TENT. BUT SOME KIND OF WAY ELISHAH SENSED THAT HIS DESTINY WAS TIED TO ELIJAH. HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN TIMOTHY, WHO WALKS AWAY FROM EVERYTHING THAT HE OWNS TO HANG OUT AT THE OUTSIDE WINDOW OF A JAIL-CELL, AS AN OLD MAN PREPARES TO BE BEHEADED. HE PEEKS IN THE WINDOW HANDING HIM BOOKS AND PLACARDS, MINISTERING TO HIM. THE YOUNG MAN UNDERSTOOD ILL NEVER BE WHO I WAS MEANT TO BE WITHOUT YOU IN MY LIFE! DO YOU HEAR WHAT AM SAYING? THERES SOMETHING THERES SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU TALK IT FEEDS ME, SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU SPEAK THAT CHANGES ME, SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR SPIRIT THAT MOTIVATES ME. AND ILL NEVER BE COMPLETED WITHOUT YOU. AND I DIDNT MEET YOU BY ACCIDENT. I DIDNT STUMBLE UP AND MEET YOU. THERES THERES(*tongues*)!!! THIS DIDNT JUST HAPPEN! THERES A REASON THAT I AM IN THIS PLACE.IM SO SICK OF TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT EVERYTHING JUST HAPPENS. I GUESS ILL GO TO CHURCH I GUESS ILL GET SAVED I GUESS ILL MOVE TO CHICAGO I GUESS ILL MOVE TO DALLAS. THATS NOT HOW IT IS! THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD! YOUR STEPS WERE ORDERED! IF YOU HADNT GOT THE PHONE-CALL THAT YOU GOT WHEN YOU GOT RIGHT YOU GOT IT, YOU WOULDNT EVEN BE HERE RIGHT NOW! IF YOU HADNT MADE THE TURN THAT YOU MADE YESTERDAY, YOU WOULDNT EXPERIENCE WHAT YOURE EXPERIENCING TODAY. GOD HAS BEEN BEHIND THE CURTAIN, LIKE A PUPPET-MASTER, PULLING STRINGS IN YOUR LIFE! ITS NOT THAT YOU ARE SMART, ITS NOT THAT YOU ARE GREAT, ITS NOT THAT YOU ARE HOLY, ITS NOT THAT YOU ARE PERFECT, ITS NOT THAT YOU ARE GOOD, BUT GOD WINDED YOU UP, POINTED YOU INTO THE RIGHT DIRECTION, RELEASED YOU INTO YOUR DESTINY, AND YOU ARE HERE AND YOU CANT GET AWAY. FLAP SOMEBODY AND TELL EM NOTHING JUST HAPPENS!!!CAN I TALK TO YOU A FEW MOMENTS? THIS MEANS THIS MEANSTHIS MEANS THAT I AM UP UNDER THE BANNER OF HIS WILL. I AM UP UNDER THE BANNER OF HIS WILL. EVEN IN THE MIDST OF DEATH, IM UP UNDER THE BANNER OF HIS WILL. EVEN IN THE MIDST OF PAIN, IM UP UNDER THE BANNER OF HIS WILL. EVEN IN THE MIDST OF SEPARATION AND DISAPPOINTMENTS, IM UP UNDER THE BANNER OF HIS WILL.CAN I TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL? JONAH WAS SENT TO NINEVEH, WENT TO TARSHISH, HEADED FOR TARSHISH, NOT OBEYING GOD. GOT THROWN OFF THE BOAT INTO THE BELLY OF THE FISH. SWALLOWED FOR THREE DAYS. EVEN THOUGH GOD TOLD HIM TO GO TO NINEVEH AND HE DIDNT GO, HE WAS STILL IN THE WILL. IM NOT SURE YOU CAN HANDLE THIS! HE WENT THE WRONG WAY, AND HE WAS STILL IN THE WILL! THEY THREW HIM OFF THE BOAT, HE WAS STILL IN THE WILL, ILL PROVE TO YOU HE WAS IN THE WILL. IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE A BIG FISH! SEE? IT JUST HAPPENED TO BE A BIG FISH, SWIMMING BESIDE THE BIG BOAT, SO THAT WHEN BIG MEN DUMPED HIM OVER, THE FISH JUST HAPPENED! THIS IS TOO STRONG YOU CANT TAKE IT!THE FISH CARRIED HIM DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH SEAWEEDS WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK. HES THOUSANDS OF FEET BELOW SEA LEVEL. AND GOD SUSTAINED HIM SUSTAINED HIM NOT ONE DAY, NOT TWO DAYS, NOT FOUR DAYS, BUT THREETHREE DAYS! NOTHING JUST HAPPENS! ON THE 3RD DAY, ON THE 3RD DAY, THE BACKSLIDDEN, REBELLIOUS, REPROBATE, DISCONNECTED, DISJOINTED PREACHER COMES UP OUT OF THE WATER. AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER CHRIST SAYS: EVEN AS JONAH WAS IN THE BELLY OF THE FISH THREE DAYS, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE IN THE GRAVE. HE HAD TO GET UP WHEN HE GOT UP, AND HE HAD TO GO DOWN WHEN HE WENT DOWN, BECAUSE NOTHING JUST HAPPENS!!!YOUR MISTAKES WERE IN HIS WILL, YOUR TROUBLE WAS IN HIS WILL, YOUR PAIN WAS IN HIS WILL. I DONT CARE WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH! DAVID SAID IF I MADE MY BED IN HELL, THOU ART THERE, IF I TAKE HE WINGS OF THE MORNING AND ASCEND TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH, GOD IS STILL THERE! HE WAS WITH YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR TROUBLE! HE WAS WITH YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PAIN! THATS WHY PAUL SAID : IVE LEARNT WHATEVER STATE IM IN THEREWITH TO BE CONTENT. I KNOW HOW TO BE RICH, I KNOW HOW TO BE POOR. I KNOW HOW TO BE FREE, I KNOW HOW TO BE BOUND! YOU OUGHTTA SHOUT, I DONT CARE WHERE YOU ARE BECAUSE NOTHING JUST HAPPENS!!!AND NO DEVIL IN HELL HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO ABORT THE PURPOSE OF GOD, NOT ONCE! AND YES GOD GAVE YOU A HUMAN WILL AND YOU ARE A FREE MORAL AGENT. BUT IF YOU THINK THAT YOUR HUMAN WILL IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CHANGE HIS DIVINE WILL, YOU ARE TRIPPIN! YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND! GOD IS GOD! THE REASON WE WORSHIP HIM AS GOD IS BECAUSE HE IS THE C.E.O. HE IS IN CHARGE! HE RUNS THE UNIVERSE! AND WHEN GOD GETS READY TO MAKE YOU, AND WHEN GOD GETS READY TO BREAK YOU, AND WHEN GOD GETS READY TO TAKE YOU, HES NEVER BEEN WITHOUT THE POWER TO MAKE YOU YIELD TO HIS WILL! HES NEVER NOT ONE MOMENT OR TIME NOT BEEN ABLE TO ORCHESTRATE YOUR AFFAIRS AND NOTHING IN YOUR LIFE. THINK ABOUT THE MOST DAMNABLE THING THAT EVER HAPPENED AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE MOST EMBARRASSING THING THAT EVER HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE MOST IMPOVERISHED, FINANCIALLY DEPLETING THING THAT EVER HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE WORST SCANDAL THAT YOU EVER WENT THROUGH IN YOUR LIFE AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LOVED YOU AND WALKED OUT AND LEFT YOU AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT BETRAYAL OF THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF YOUR LIFE AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE STRUGGLE GOING ON ON YOUR JOB RIGHT NOW AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR KINSFOLK AND YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR BOSS IS TREATING YOU ON YOUR JOB AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN AND SHOUT NOTHING! THINK ABOUT YOUR PAST LIFE OF SIN, YOUR WHOREMONGERY, YOUR INAPPROPRIATENESS, YOUR ATTITUDE, YOUR DISFUNCTION AND SHOUT NOTHING! SHOUT NOTHING! LET THE DEVIL HEAR YOU SAY NOTHING! THE DEVIL WILL THINK HE WON IF YOU DONT SHOUT NOTHING! THE DEVIL WILL THINK HES IN CHARGE IF YOU DONT SHOUT NOTHING! HELL THINK HES GONNA WIN BUT YOU GOTTA SHOUT