Pentecostal Tabernacle » Get Blessed or Die Tryin’

Listen to the sermon: Get Blessed or Die Tryin’

by Bishop Brian C. Greene

Matthew 6:9

Last week, the movie Get Rich or Die Tryin’ came out. It was the fourth highest grossing movie of the week. It’s a movie based on the life of a man by the name of Curtis Jackson who is better known to people as the Rapper named 50 Cent. I really did not think much about it until while I was standing by my locker at the gym when God spoke to me and said, “Get Blessed or Die Trying!”

So I searched the web, and I found the non-explicit sound track of his CD. I was intrigued by the name of the first song, “A Hustlers Ambition.” As I was thinking about the kind of attitude it takes to gain the attention of God, these words in that song struck me:

“You get in the way
While I’m trying to get mine (as in what I believe belongs to me)
And I’ll mess you up!”

God said to me, “When my people have this attitude with regard to me, it will revolutionize their prayer lives. But until then, their prayer time will continue to be dry, boring, and produce no results. If there is no passion in their time with me, then there will be no passion in my response to them!”

Again, the word “hallowed” in the Greek means “to venerate” which in our English language means “to regard with great respect.” The Latin word venero means “to worship” which means “to put into a position of worth (value).” Hallowed be Thy Name means “to put God’s name (reputation) in a position of worth; that is value.” God’s name (reputation) gets no respect or worth (value) if it does nothing.

This past Wednesday, I spoke to some fourt year psychiatric residents on the history and beliefs of the Pentecostal religion. During my talk, I added worth and value to the name of God by first of all beginning my talk with prayer. In other words, I first respected God by inviting Him into the room where I was about to speak. Secondly, I respected and valued Him by telling those present the “valuable things” God has done which was to heal my brother from being crippled and to heal my daughter of regular sickle cell crises.

Hallowing the Name of the Lord is the gateway to the blessing (favor) of God which is simply Him responding to my prayers. Obtaining God’s blessing, or favor which means getting His help, support, aid, assistance; this is the critical portion of my prayer time. Why? Because the objective of prayer is answers! If God doesn’t respond, I’ve wasted my time!

I must do everything within my power to get blessed (God’s favor) into the circumstances of my life or at least die trying! This is the worshipper’s ambition! This is the attitude of the worshipper! Please understand that God will not reward nor respond to the casual, apathetic, insipid, “It doesn’t really matter” prayer. God wants passion! God wants to be wanted! Therefore, I must die to my own selfish, self-centered ways of worshipping Him in they way “I feel” like worshipping Him.

Psalm 42:1-2 epitomizes the worshipper’s passion and ambition! And anything that gets in the way of the worshipper and “His” God must be destroyed. When God can find people who will value Him and possess this kind of desire for Him, and will worship Him in ways He craves for; there is nothing on earth that will hinder Him from responding to them. My friend, this is an experience to die for.