Pastor Rhonda explores the healing nature of Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals, cures, mends, and puts our lives back together again. Drawing from the story of Israel at Mara, the life of Joseph, and personal testimony, this sermon reminds us that our deepest pain can become the very place where God births fresh purpose and fruitfulness.
📖 Key Scriptures
Exodus 15:26 – "For I am the Lord who heals you."
Psalm 66:12 – "We passed through the fire and the flood, yet in the end, you always bring us out better than we were before."
Psalm 147:3 – "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Genesis 41:51–52 – The naming of Manasseh ("God has made me forget") and Ephraim ("God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction").
Genesis 50:20 – "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..."
🔑 Main Takeaways
1. God Doesn't Just Heal; He Is a Healer
Healing is built into the very DNA of who God is. In Hebrew, Jehovah Rapha means to cure, to mend, and to put back together again. Like a completed jigsaw puzzle, God knows how every fragmented piece of your life fits together without needing human wisdom to guide Him.
2. Changing What the Pain Produces
At the bitter waters of Mara (Exodus 15), God instructed Moses to throw a tree into the water to make it sweet. Symbolizing the cross of Christ, God often heals not by removing the place of pain, but by changing what that pain produces.
3. Grace for Bitter Roots
God intentionality wraps our wounds (Shabosh) to protect us while we heal. He invites us to surrender any bitterness so He can uproot it and replace it with His supernatural peace (Jehovah Shalom).
4. Birthed Out of Affliction
Just as Joseph named his sons Manasseh ("God made me forget the pain") and Ephraim ("God made me fruitful in affliction"), God can cause new life to flourish out of your hardest seasons. Your scars are not signs of defeat—they are trophies of victory displaying triumph over trial.
💭 Key Quote
"What if the greatest miracle isn't just you surviving your pain, but discovering that God has made you fruitful because of it?"
— Pastor Rhonda Davis
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Summer in the Psalms: Sheltered & Secure (Psalm 61) – This Psalm teaches us that we can be confident and, like David, we have access to pour out even our most desperate cries to the Lord, knowing He listens and responds according to His will.
Faint – The word faint here means when my heart is overwhelmed, exhausted, or weighed down by circumstances.
A Core Truth – You might say that in order for us to realize that God is all we need, we have to be brought to the point where God is all we have.
Refuge – A refuge is a safe, secure shelter from physical or spiritual distress. It’s the strong tower David refers to.
Shelter – Shelter provides protection, and in Hebrew it means hiding place. (See Psalms 91). The secret place of the Most High, under the shadow of His wings, where our enemy can’t find us.
Heritage – Heritage means a legacy, spiritual blessings, promises & eternal security.
Vow – Vow means my solemn, binding promise. A sincere declaration. His vow was one of life-long worship.
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Here is a detailed breakdown of the July 5, 2026, worship service and Pastor Rhonda Davis’s message, organized with clear section headers, bulleted highlights, and a complete Scripture Index.
Service Overview & Pre-Sermon Highlights
Location: Church of the Harvest (TL Lowry Center)
Special Occasion: Independence Day Weekend & America's 250th Anniversary Celebration
I. Praise, Worship & Altar Ministry
Opening Prayer: The service opened with a focus on celebrating both national freedom and the ultimate freedom found in Christ, inviting the Holy Spirit to fill the room.
Miracle & Prayer Focus: Believers were invited to join their faith with the prayer teams at the altars to see God work miracles, declaring that every need must bow to the name of Jesus.
Underground Church Reflection: Preachers reminded the congregation of the immense privilege of public worship, noting that members of underground churches globally meet in secret and worship with unprompted passion despite the threat of death.
II. Sovereign Moves: Recent Testimonies
Pastor Rhonda invited members to share their recent experiences from the unique altar ministry lines held the previous week:
Tina Toles: Shared that despite initial fear and hesitation to step into the prayer line, she experienced an overwhelming, unprecedented power of the Holy Spirit that left her with a deep, lasting peace throughout her work week at Chick-fil-A.
KK (Mrs. Smith): Expressed that after a period of being away from church and feeling like she was simply "floating" through life, stepping into the line brought an immediate sense of peace. Pastor Rhonda ministered to her, saying, "God said, I am yours," validating a real, physical encounter with the Holy Spirit.
III. Harvest Announcements
Wednesday Night Series: Summer in the Psalms continues this Wednesday at 7:00 PM at the TL Lowry Center, featuring Pastor Joe Robinson teaching from Psalm 139.
Next Sunday Guest Speaker: Welcoming back Lori Wilke, an anointed speaker, singer, and author with a deep prophetic teaching edge.
Community Outreach Impact: Pastor Rhonda thanked the church for its continued financial stewardship, highlighting recent works funded by tithes and offerings: reaching the homeless, jail/prison ministries, assisting single mothers, and completely covering the rent for a local family in dire straits.
Special Presentation: 250th Celebrate Freedom Tribute
Led by Army Veteran Michael Cook (who served 10 years stateside), the service paused to honor first responders and military veterans present in the congregation:
Veteran / First Responder
Branch / Conflict
Bob Rumbaugh
U.S. Army (Gulf War) & Naval Reserve (3 Years)
Ralph Steven Beavers
U.S. Army
Zachary Wages
U.S. Army
Kit Carson
Local Firefighter / First Responder
Dale Perkins
U.S. Air Force
Michelle Hill
U.S. Navy
James Henry
U.S. Army (Staff Sergeant)
Liliana Henry
U.S. Army (Private First Class)
Presentation of the Colors: The United States flag was formally presented by Tina Toles, a retired Master Sergeant who served 21.5 years in the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command, with deployments to Japan, Turkey, Germany, and Italy.
Tribute Video: A special media presentation featuring interviews with church children and reflections on "American Grit," the founding fathers, and the constitutional right to pursue happiness was highlighted and credited to Austin and the media team.
Sermon Outline: "Freedom Worth Celebrating"
Preacher: Pastor Rhonda Davis
I. Point 1: Land of the Free, Home of the Redeemed
The Odds of Grace: Statistically, based on global birth rates, an individual has only a 2% to 3% chance of being born in the United States.
A Beacon of Light: Over its 250-year history, America has outlasted its accusers, remaining a democracy through civil war, internal discourse, and external enemies. The nation historically leads the world in sending Christian missionaries to foreign sands and outspends the next three runner-up nations combined in global disaster relief.
The Call to Stand: Reading from Galatians 5:1, the church is reminded that Christ sets us free for the purpose of living in actual freedom. Believers must actively choose never to be entangled again by a yoke of spiritual slavery.
II. Point 2: Freedom Has a Price
The Winter of 1777 (Valley Forge): To understand the value of freedom, Pastor Rhonda recalled General George Washington leading 12,000 under-resourced men into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, after devastating defeats. 2,000 soldiers died from cold, starvation, and disease. Out of sheer desperation, men boiled their shoe leather for sustenance and left trails of blood in the snow from bare, frostbitten feet—yet they refused to surrender because they believed freedom outweighed personal comfort.
The Cost of Spiritual Liberty (Calvary): Moving from Valley Forge to the hill of Calvary, Jesus Christ endured the ultimate price for human liberty. As prophesied in Isaiah 52:14, He was beaten beyond human recognition. Though He possessed the immediate power to call down 10000 angels (Matthew 26), He chose to stay on the cross because He determined our freedom was worth the price.
III. Point 3: Two Freedoms, One Source
Inherent Human Dignity: True liberty—both the civil freedom to vote and live without government interference, and spiritual freedom—stems from a singular source: God Himself. Because God is free by nature, and because humans are uniquely made in His image (Genesis 1:27), every individual possesses inherent, sacred dignity.
The Living Room Jail Cell: Quoting Galatians 5:1 from The Message, Pastor Rhonda warned against trying to add legalism to grace. Living a restricted, legalistic life after being saved is equivalent to being liberated from a maximum-security prison only to build a voluntary jail cell right inside your own living room.
IV. Point 4: Don't Go Back to Chains
Guarding Against Apathy: History shows nations are rarely conquered by sudden external conquest; instead, they fall through internal apathy and gradually forgetting what it cost to obtain their liberty. Pastor Rhonda recalled a WallBuilders podcast interview by historian David Barton featuring a Washington State pastor who had to sue the government in 2020 because secular establishments were permitted to stay open while churches faced criminal misdemeanors for outdoor worship and singing.
Identifying Modern Chains: The enemy constantly attempts to lure believers back into old bondages. These chains manifest as:
Rehearsing past failures on a continuous mental playlist.
Slipping back into toxic, generational family mindsets.
Trapping oneself in people-pleasing loops and performance mentalities.
Prophetic Deliverance: Pastor Rhonda shared a personal moment from her youth when minister Billy Burke gave her a word detailing a "ball and chain" around her ankle representing the conditional expectations of others. Breaking that chain requires standing firm—derived from the Greek word stekete, meaning to stubbornly hold your ground, defend your position, and completely refuse to be moved.
V. Point 5: How to Steward and Stand Firm in Liberty
Know What You Have: You cannot properly steward what you do not understand. Taking inventory of spiritual rights reveals that there is zero condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1), sin is no longer your master (Romans 6:14), and the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside you (Romans 8:11). Pastor Rhonda referenced a 2022 table talk discussion with Lance Wallnau and Cindy Murdock, recalling Wallnau's story of Donald Trump in 2015 challenging silent ministers to defend their biblical rights, which later resulted in the executive repeal of the restrictive Johnson Amendment.
Use Freedom for Something Greater: Freedom is never the final destination; it is simply the vehicle. According to Galatians 5:13, liberty must never be used to satisfy selfish, sinful natures, but rather to serve one another in love. The sacrifices of past generations are dignified when we use our voices to speak truth with grace and act as the hands and feet of Jesus to help the homeless, the prisoner, and the vulnerable.
Let the Holy Spirit Lead: Believers must maintain an open mind to how God wants to uniquely deploy their skills, influence, and talents across different seasons of life. It does not require unusual human ability to shift the world—only a caring heart, a determined mind, and a willing spirit.
VI. Conclusion: Intercession for the Land
The Command to Pray: Aligning with 1 Timothy 2:1-2, the church corporate is called to make supplications, prayers, and intercessions for all people, explicitly including kings and all secular authorities, so that believers may lead quiet, peaceful, and godly lives.
A Promise of Healing: God is not finished with America. Relying on Lamentations 3:23 (His mercies are new every morning) and the covenant promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, the church closed by corporate prayer, repenting of negative mindsets, asking for systemic healing from the White House to the communities, and calling a wayward generation back into their divine identity.
Scripture Index
Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service:
Psalm 139 (Referenced) – The focal text announced for the upcoming Wednesday night teaching by Pastor Joe Robinson.
Galatians 5:1 > "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Also quoted from The Message: "Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.")
Isaiah 52:14 (Referenced) – The prophetic description of the Messiah being marred and beaten beyond human recognition.
Matthew 26 (Referenced) – Jesus declaring He could command twelve legions of angels to deliver Him, yet choosing the cross.
Genesis 1:27 > "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Romans 6:14 > "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Romans 8:1 (Referenced) – There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:11 > "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
Galatians 5:13 > "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
1 Timothy 2:1-2 > "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
Lamentations 3:22-23 (Referenced) – The Lord's mercies are not consumed; they are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.
2 Chronicles 7:14 > "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Benediction) > "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Sermon Outline: "You Can Get There from Here"
I. Introduction: The Divine Waymaker
Overcoming the World's Directions: In the natural world, when asking for directions, people might discouragingly tell you, "You can't get there from here." However, God specializes in impossible routes. No matter your starting point or how dead-end your situation seems, God can get you to your divine destination.
The Invisible Path: Reading from Psalm 77:19, Pastor Rhonda highlights that God's road often leads straight through the sea and mighty waters—paths that no one even knew existed, leaving no human footsteps behind.
The God of Action: Citing Psalm 77:13-14, we serve a great God who actively makes things happen and pulls His people out of the worst kind of trouble.
II. Point 1: Start Right Here (The Beauty of the Sanctuary)
Choosing a New Path: In Psalm 84, the sons of Korah write about longing for the courts of the Lord. This is significant because their ancestor, Korah, rebelled and was destroyed. Yet, his descendants chose a different path. You may come from generations of brokenness, but you can choose today to serve the Lord.
Proximity Over Position: The house of God is beautiful not because of its physical architecture or staging, but because it is where God's people gather to corporately meet with Him.
A Day in His Courts: According to the Psalmist, a single day in God's courts is better than a thousand days spent anywhere else. Proximity to God trumps any secular privilege—even a debt-free million-dollar resort or a palace.
Strength to Strength: In the sanctuary, believers draw dynamic strength from one another's testimonies—seeing brothers and sisters who have conquered cancer, beaten addictions, and defied medical odds. Together, they pass through the Valley of Baca (weeping) and turn it into a place of fresh, living springs.
III. Point 2: Remember God's Track Record
The Roundabout Way: When God delivered Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 14), He intentionally did not lead them along the shortest route through Philistine territory. God stated His strategy: He knew that if they faced an immediate battle, they would get discouraged and turn back.
Strategic Position vs. Apparent Mistake: God purposefully led them on a roundabout way through the wilderness to camp at a perceived dead end at Baal Zephon. To Pharaoh and the enemy, it looked like they were wandering aimlessly and trapped by the wilderness.
The Enemy's Trap: What the world or the enemy labels as a disastrous mistake is actually God's hidden strategy. God didn't build a dead end to trap His people; He built a trap to eliminate their enemy.
IV. Point 3: Trust the God Who Takes You Through the Obstacle
Through, Not Around: When the crisis hit at the Red Sea, God did not build a bridge over it, send boats to carry them, or take them around it. He took them straight through it. The obstacle itself became the road.
Night Season Operations: God blew back the waters all through the night season. When you are in your own dark night season and cannot see a way forward, that is precisely when God is operating behind the scenes to clear your pathway.
The Mystery of the Dolphin Skins: In Exodus 26:11, God instructs Moses to cover the ceiling of the Tabernacle's tent of meeting with dolphin skins. While finding sea creatures in the middle of a dry wilderness seems impossible, Jewish history and various scholars suggest a powerful reason:
As the Israelites crossed the Red Sea with walls of water stacked high on either side, they could see the marine life.
They carried those skins into the wilderness as a permanent structural reminder in their ceiling to look up and remember: “We did not get here by ourselves; it was the Lord who redeemed us.”
The Right to Cross Over: Because the blood of Jesus has purchased you, you are legally classified as the redeemed of the Lord, giving you an absolute right to cross over your barriers.
V. Point 4: Trust the Process from the Manger to the Throne
God's Unconventional Pathways: Throughout history, God has continuously built unexpected avenues of deliverance using unlikely people:
He anointed a heathen king named Cyrus to march through the Euphrates River at night to overthrow Babylon and deliver His weeping people.
He anointed a simple cupbearer named Nehemiah to stand before King Artaxerxes to secure the rebuilding of Jerusalem's ruined walls.
Shouting to the Mountain: When holy projects stop halfway and leave you in disappointment, we must speak the prophetic words of Zechariah 4:7: Cry "Grace, grace" to the mountain, and it shall be leveled into a plain.
The Humble Arrival: When the King of Kings arrived, He bypassed the expected pathways of Middle Eastern royalty—the velvet tapestries, marble floors, and royal heralds. Instead, He started in a dusty, earthy manger filled with straw and the smell of livestock.
Palace Transmutations: God took a route no human saw coming. If God can navigate a path from a low, dirty manger straight to the right hand of the Throne, He can take the "manger" situations of your life and turn them into a palace.
VI. Conclusion: No Throne Without the Cross
The Strategic Weapon: The cross was naturally a site of execution, sin, deep shame, and public humiliation. The religious elite and demonic principalities assumed Jesus could never reach the throne from such a low place of defeat.
Returning to the Feet of the Cross: The cross is not just the entry point of your salvation; it is your ongoing structural weapon against the enemy. When you are bullied by fear, intrusive thoughts, or defeat, return to the feet of the cross where the veil was torn, sin was destroyed, and shame was paid back.
The Third Day Resurrection: The apparent defeat of the cross was turned around on the third day when Jesus was triumphantly resurrected from the tomb. Because of that structural victory, God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name that reigns supreme over cancer, sickness, debt, and every dead-end trap of the enemy.
Scripture Index
Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service:
Psalm 77:19 > "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known."
Psalm 77:13-14 > "Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people."
Psalm 84:1-2 > "How amiable [lovely] are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God."
Psalm 84:6-7 (Referenced) – Passing through the Valley of Baca [weeping] and making it a well, as they go from strength to strength.
Psalm 84:10 > "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."
Exodus 14 (Referenced) – The account of God leading Israel the roundabout way through the wilderness to camp at Baal Zephon, and Pharaoh assuming they were trapped.
Isaiah 51:9-10 (Paraphrased) – Awaking the arm of the Lord to put on strength as in ancient generations, drying up the great deep to make a road for the redeemed to cross over.
Exodus 26:11 / Exodus 36:19 (Referenced) – The structural command to cover the tent of the Tabernacle with a covering of dolphin skins [badger/sea-cow skins in some translations].
Zechariah 4:7 > "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."
Isaiah 51:11 (Referenced) – The redeemed of the Lord returning and coming with singing unto Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Benediction) > "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Sermon Outline: "Turn It Around with Praise"
I. Introduction: The Battle belongs to God
The Multitude and the Response: Reading from 2 Chronicles 20:12, Pastor Rhonda highlights the reality of facing overwhelming situations where we don't know what to do, but our eyes remain fixed on God.
The Divine Promise: God's response is clear: do not be afraid or discouraged by the large obstacles, because the battle is not yours, but God's.
Corporate Worship: Gathering together on Sundays brings a unique, collective strength. True praise often requires us to do something beyond our comfort zone—giving raw expression to what the Holy Spirit is moving in our hearts.
Deeply Personal Praise: Praise shifts and deepens when you have personally walked through the valley, lost loved ones, and seen God’s unexpected provision carry you through seasons that should have taken you out.
II. Point 1: Praise Shifts the Atmosphere Before the Breakthrough
The Trench Metaphor: Reflecting on spirit-filled believers in the midst of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, journalists noted soldiers singing worship songs in the trenches. They understood an ancient biblical truth: praise is not just what you do after the battle; it's what you deploy before it.
Not a Performance: True praise isn't an emotion or a staged show. It has consistently driven God's people from the very beginning—from Abel’s unselfish sacrifice in Genesis to the massive, roaring cascade of hallelujahs recorded in Revelation.
The Historical Enemy: Throughout human history, oppressive forces (Pharaohs, giants, evil rulers, and hostile regimes) have tried to silence the praise of the church. Yet, the church remains alive, active, and vocal across every time zone.
Declaration 1: “I will praise God first.” We must commit to praising Him before the natural circumstances catch up to the spiritual reality—before the doctor calls back, before the child comes home, and before we even check our phones on a Monday morning.
III. Point 2: Building a Seat for the King
Enthroned in Praise: According to Psalm 22:3, God inhabits and sets up His throne within the praises of His people.
Declaration 2: “I will praise God in the middle.” When we choose to praise God right in the center of an unmanifested breakthrough, we are building a dwelling place for Him to sit.
The Moving King: When God takes His seat in our praise, the atmosphere changes, chains break, and enemies scatter. He does not merely watch from a distance; He actively moves into the situation.
The Noise of His Tabernacle: Citing Job, Pastor Rhonda speaks on the functional "noise" of worship. Just as water vapors rise to create heavy rain clouds, our spoken praise sends an invisible vapor before the throne, causing heaven to open up with a downpour of revival, joy, and new rain over dry places.
IV. Point 3: The Divine Wardrobe Exchange
Beauty for Ashes: Isaiah 61:3 details a transaction. God doesn't expect you to pile praise on top of your heavy heart; He offers an immediate replacement. You give Him the heaviness, and He hands back a garment of praise.
Understanding "Heaviness": In the Hebrew context, the root word for heaviness links to a dimness of sight. A spirit of heaviness blinds you to your future, distorts your value, and makes you lose the desire to move into tomorrow.
The Over-the-Head Garment: In ancient culture, a full garment was put on over the head. Symbolically, the garment of praise covers your mind and thoughts first, capturing intrusive despair, before draping over your eyes to restore vision.
Morning into Dancing: God rips off the grieving bands and replaces them with a spiritual lightness. Even if you can't physically dance, it brings a stride of joy, a smile that won't quit, and a "whistle-while-you-work" perspective.
V. Point 4: Dropping the Grave Clothes
The Lazarus Principle: When Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, Lazarus emerged alive but was still completely bound from head to toe in his funeral wraps. Jesus had to command the crowd, "Loose him, and let him go."
The Wardrobe of Yesterday: Many believers have been brought out of their tombs by God, yet they are still walking around wrapped in the grave clothes of yesterday—draped in old bitterness, the shame of past additions, or a cloak of poverty.
A Preview for Others: You must actively stop using yesterday's grave clothes as today's wardrobe. Your freedom and your praise serve as a vital preview to someone else who is still trapped behind a sealed door that you have already walked out of.
VI. Conclusion: Deploying Your Weapon
A Functional Tool: Praise is operational, not just decorative. When Paul and Silas praised God at midnight while covered in wounds, an earthquake shook the entire prison. Your praise has a massive spiritual radius that can reach situations, jobs, and children miles away.
Honesty over Pretending: Praise is not minimizing your pain, lying about your hardships, or pretending everything is fine. It is an intentional declaration that God is vastly bigger than the reality of your suffering. Praise through tears and a quivering voice carries incredible weight in the heavens.
The Positioning: Just as King Jehoshaphat was instructed to send the singers, bass players, and drummers out to the very front lines of the camp to declare God's enduring mercy, our primary stance in warfare is to stand still, open our hands, and lead with our worship.
Scripture Index
Here are the prominent scriptures read, paraphrased, or referenced during the sermon:
2 Chronicles 20:12 > "O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee."
2 Chronicles 20:15 > "...Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 (Referenced) – The positioning of the singers at the front of the army to praise the beauty of holiness, causing the Lord to set ambushes against the enemy.
Genesis 4:4 (Referenced) – Abel offering an unselfish sacrifice of worship to the Lord.
Revelation 19:1-6 (Paraphrased) – The great voice of much people in heaven crying Hallelujah, and the voice out of the throne commanding all small and great servants to praise God, sounding like rushing waters.
Psalm 34:1 > "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Psalm 119:164 > "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments."
Psalm 63:3 > "Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee."
Psalm 22:3 > "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest [enthroned in] the praises of Israel."
Job 36:29 > "Also can any understand the spreading of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?"
Isaiah 61:3 > "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..."
Psalm 30:11 > "Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness."
John 11:43-44 (Referenced) – Jesus calling Lazarus out of the grave and ordering him to be loosed from his grave clothes.
Acts 16:25-26 (Referenced) – Paul and Silas praying and singing praises to God at midnight in prison, triggering a great earthquake that opened all the doors.
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Benediction) > "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Always On Time"
I. Introduction: Defining "On Time"
Human vs. Divine Timeline: We all view time differently (e.g., being hours early like Pastor Rhonda's father, pulling in at the last exact minute, or having a "when I get there, I get there" attitude).
The Mismatched Watch: Pastor Rhonda shares a story of her father getting anxious about being late, only to realize his watch was still set to a different time zone. We often get aggravated or anxious with God simply because we are looking at our own clock instead of His.
Core Truth: God does not operate on our timeline or synchronize His eternal watch with ours. His delays are deliberate, purposeful, and designed to bring Him glory.
II. Point 1: The Danger of Rushing God
The only thing worse than waiting on God is wishing you had waited on Him.
Scriptural Warnings of Impatience:
King Saul: Took matters into his own hands and offered an unauthorized sacrifice because his men were scattering and the prophet Samuel was delayed. As a result, the kingdom was torn from him.
Abraham and Sarah: Attempted to force God's promise of a child by involving Hagar, resulting in the birth of Ishmael and generational warfare.
The Counter-Culture of God's Delays: Even when humanity makes mistakes or tries to rush the process, God is powerful enough to rewrite the story (e.g., the massive revivals occurring today among the descendants of Ishmael in places like Iran).
III. Point 2: The Nature of the Waiting Room
What is "Waiting"?: In Isaiah 43, the Hebrew word for waiting (qavah) means to be tightly woven together like cords.
The Principle: True waiting means binding your heart to the Lord, not to the outcome or the specific thing you are asking for.
The Reality of Turbulence: Life brings unexpected turbulence, much like a bumpy flight 30,000 feet in the air. When God chooses not to immediately stop the turbulence, He provides the necessary grace to walk through it.
God's Arrangement: In Ecclesiastes, "beautiful in its time" translates from a root meaning arranged, precise, orderly, and fitting. God is intricately preparing the circumstances to display His glory perfectly.
IV. Point 3: He Reaches Down and Lifts Us Up
An Eyewitness to Deliverance: Our survival through past trials isn't luck, coincidence, or superstition—it is a direct testimony of God doing what only He can do.
The Ultimate "Reach": God bridges the massive gap between His absolute holiness and our deep hopelessness. Calvary was the ultimate extension of God reaching down to humanity.
Deep Waters: Deep waters represent situations heavier and stronger than we are—depression, grief, financial crisis, or broken relationships. Even David, the mighty warrior who killed Goliath, had to admit when an enemy was too strong for him.
The Parent Metaphor: Just as a parent jumps fully clothed into a pool to rescue a drowning child without a second thought, God moves urgently into our deep waters to rescue us and place us in a "spacious place" of freedom.
V. Point 4: Walking Through the Fire
The Purpose of the Furnace: Fiery trials are not strange occurrences; they are vehicles to burn off the "fake" attributes (like pride or addiction) and solidify genuine, veteran faith.
Identity in the Fire: When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace, the Babylonian king tried to change their identities by renaming them. However, Christ walked into the fire with them, burning away only their bindings.
The Hebrew Meanings of the Three Hebrews:
Hananiah (Shadrach): "Yahweh has been gracious."
Mishael (Meshach): "Who is like our God?"
Azariah (Abednego): "Yahweh has helped."
The Fire's Expiration Date: Every trial has a limit. The world cannot alter your identity as a son or daughter of God, and you will come out of the fire not even smelling like smoke.
VI. Conclusion: God Rescues Because He Delights in You
Relentless Delight: God doesn't love or rescue us out of obligation or because we performed perfectly this week. He is overwhelmed with delight for His children because of Jesus Christ.
The Final Declaration: God is worth waiting for. From Joseph to Esther, to the arrival of Jesus in the fullness of time, He has proven that He is an all-time God who cannot fail.
Scripture Index
Here are the key verses read, cited, or closely paraphrased throughout the service:
Psalm 18:1-3 > "I will love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised..."
Psalm 126:1-5 > "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like those that dreamed. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing... They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."
1 Samuel 13 (Referenced) – The account of King Saul prematurely offering the sacrifice and Samuel declaring the kingdom torn away.
Genesis 16 (Referenced) – Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, and the birth of Ishmael.
Isaiah 40:31 (Referenced) – Waiting (qavah) on the Lord to renew strength and mount up with wings like eagles.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 > "He has made everything beautiful in its time."
Romans 8:38-39 (Paraphrased) – The conviction that no principalities, powers, height, or depth can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 43:1-3 > "...Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
 
1 Peter 4:12 > "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you."
 
1 Peter 1:6-7 (Paraphrased) – Gold perishes, but a refined faith brings praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Daniel 3 (Referenced) – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace with the fourth man who looked like the Son of God.
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Benediction) > "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

When the World Shakes, Look Up
In this grounding and timely message, Pastor Rhonda Giles Davis addresses the heavy culture of anxiety, economic strain, and digital noise that characterizes modern life. Drawing from the calling of the Prophet Isaiah, she reminds the congregation that when earthly systems begin to crack, our response shouldn't be to panic, but to lift our gaze to the King who remains completely unshaken.
Key Highlights
The Low-Grade Anxiety of Our Day: Pastor Rhonda challenges the church to be vigilant about what they consume online. She warns against the "cannibalistic" culture of social media and AI-generated distractions designed to induce panic and tight chests, urging believers to limit exposure to things without godly intent.
The "King Uzziah" Crisis: Isaiah's vision didn't happen during a time of peace; it happened "in the year that King Uzziah died." Uzziah had provided stability and prosperity for fifty-two years. His death threw the nation into panic. Pastor Rhonda notes that everyone faces a "King Uzziah moment"—the sudden loss of a job, a diagnosis, or a closed door that causes earthly foundations to shake.
The Trap of Hedonic Adaptation: Humans naturally get used to amazing things over time, causing them to become routine. Pastor Rhonda warns against allowing our relationship with Jesus to fall into this routine, urging the church to return to the pure awe and amazement of their first love.
The Breaking is Holy Ground: True encounters with God's holiness don't produce a shame that destroys us; instead, they produce a holy brokenness that opens us up. Real transformation requires moving past a polished religious exterior and being completely honest about our mess before the throne.
Sustained from the Inside Out: God doesn't just create the universe; He actively sustains it. Pastor Rhonda points out that if God can naturally replace the seven octillion atoms in the human body without our effort, we can completely trust Him to sustain our families, our health, and our finances.
Shifting Perspectives: Street Level vs. Throne Level
Perspective
The Street-Level View (Looking Down)
The Throne-Level View (Looking Up)
Focus
Constantly staring at problems, scrolling through chaos, and rehearsing limitations.
Beholding the Master, high and exalted, seated firmly on the throne.
The Mind
Fear tightens its grip; low-grade anxiety settles into a permanent residence.
Faith builds up; earthly troubles begin to grow strangely dim.
The Cry
"Woe is me! I am ruined and completely unqualified."
"Here am I, Lord! Your grace has atoned for my past—send me."
Outcome
Emotional exhaustion and a fixed mindset of defeat.
Spiritual recalibration and a fresh, active "yes" to your calling.
Core Message: Your Perspective Dictates Your Peace
The central premise of the sermon rests on a foundational truth: where you look determines what you see, and what you see determines how you live. If you can see God completely sovereign above your storm, you can easily survive the waves beneath it.
"God isn't looking for people who have figured out how to make the world stop shaking, because you're not gonna do it. He's looking for people who will see Him clear enough and say, 'The shaking in my world does not determine my yes.'"
Scriptural Foundation
Colossians 1:16-17: All things were created through Him and for Him; He is before all things, and in Him, all things consist.
Isaiah 6:1-8: Isaiah’s majestic vision of the Lord seated on the throne, surrounded by the seraphim crying, "Holy, holy, holy."
Psalm 139: A reminder that we are fearfully and wonderfully knit together by God.
Luke 12:27: Jesus' teaching to consider the lilies of the field and abandon toxic worry.
Action Steps for the Week
Silence Your Mouth, Guard Your Clicks: Step back from online arguments, negative commentary, and profit-driven clickbait that feeds your anxiety.
X-Out the Dragons: Like master mariner Sir John Franklin, look at the maps of your past trauma and write "Here Be God" right over the spaces where the enemy tried to plant demons and dragons.
Attend Consecration Service: Use the upcoming Wednesday night service to lay down your performance, stop pretending you are okay, and let the fire of God's grace touch your wounds.
Would you like me to help you create a specific scriptural reading plan focused on the sovereignty and peace of God to ground you when daily life starts to feel overwhelming?
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

At the King’s Table
In this moving and deeply personal message, Pastor Rhonda explores the "portrayal of grace" through the biblical story of Mephibosheth. She delivers a powerful reminder that no matter how many times we have been "dropped" by life, there is a seat reserved for us at the King’s table—a place where sinners become saints and the broken find healing.
Key Highlights
The Tragedy of being "Dropped": Mephibosheth was born to royalty but became disabled at age five when his nurse dropped him while fleeing a takeover. Pastor Rhonda notes that many of us feel "dropped" by circumstances, failures, or the decisions of others.
The Reality of Lo Debar: Mephibosheth ended up in Lo Debar, which means "no pasture" or "place of nothing." This represents a mental state where hope dries up and we believe our best days are behind us.
Grace Seeks You First: David didn't wait for Mephibosheth to find him; he went looking for someone to show "Hesed" (loyal, unfailing love) to. Similarly, God doesn't wait for us to get it together; He comes looking for us in our broken places.
Hidden Limitations: When Mephibosheth sat at the King's table, the tablecloth covered his crippled feet. Pastor Rhonda explains that at God’s table, His grace covers our past, our limitations, and our shame.
Treated Like Family: Mephibosheth didn't eat like a servant or a charity case; he ate "like one of the king's sons." Grace provides full dignity, honor, and rights to the household of God.
The Journey from Lo Debar to the Palace
Stage
The Lo Debar Experience
The King's Table Experience
Identity
"A dead dog" (Shame-based)
A Son/Daughter (Dignity-based)
Location
Barrenness, no pasture
Restoration, abundance
Support
Lame in both feet (Stuck)
Carried by the King's chariot
Future
Hope has dried up
Continual access to the King
Living Testimonies of Grace
Pastor Rhonda shared four powerful stories of modern-day "Mephibosheths" who found their seat at the table:
Jenny Cross: Survived a childhood of abandonment, homelessness, and witnessing the drug trade to become a miracle of love for her own children.
Zachary Wages: Spent years in foster care due to abuse but was adopted by a teacher who saw a son where others saw a case file.
Priscilla Phillips: Overcame childhood trauma and a hard battle with addiction to celebrate three years of sobriety and a new life in Christ.
Jay Dennison: Facing total organ failure and the "devils" of despair, he received a miraculous physical healing and a divine reminder that God wasn't done with his journey.
Core Message: A Table for the "Whosoever"
The message concludes with a challenge to the church to have a "Yes face"—to be a place that welcomes the outcast, the addict, and the broken without judgment.
"When you sit at the king’s table, your past is under the table... because grace has the final word."
Scriptures Mentioned
2 Samuel 9: The core story of David restoring Mephibosheth.
Romans 5:8: "But God put his love on the line for us... while we were of no use whatever to him."
Psalm 139: God’s ability to find us even if we "make our bed in hell."
Proverbs 21:1: "The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord."
2 Corinthians 12:9: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Ephesians 2:19: "You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but... members of his household."
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.