Sermon Outline: "Redeemed with a Purpose, Released with a Mission"
Preacher: Pastor Rhonda Davis
I. From Saved to Sent
The Foundation: Recapping last week's message, believers must stand firm on the reality that they are chosen, accepted, redeemed, and adopted.
Beyond the Waiting Room: The church was never designed to be a waiting room where saved people sit around until heaven comes; it is a sending station where redeemed people are equipped and released into a broken world.
Inserting Your Name into the Great Commission: Drawing from John 1:7, Pastor Rhonda emphasized that every believer’s name belongs in the blank: "There was a man/woman sent by God, and his/her name was [Your Name]."
II. The "Anywhere But Here" Principle
Overcoming Resistance: When called to serve, our natural reaction is often to ask God to send us "anywhere but here."
The Founding of Church of the Harvest: Pastor Rhonda shared her personal story of resisting starting a church in Cleveland, TN, hoping for opportunities in Phoenix or Yakima instead. While kneeling in the dirt on Atkinson Drive, God gave her a vision of Jesus reaching into the four corners of the earth to pull in the hurting and asked her: "Why are you resisting Me?"
Highest Calling: What begins as an "anywhere but here" moment often becomes the very place where God's presence is most powerfully revealed.
III. Carrying the Message of Redemption
My House Is Full, But My Field Is Empty: Pastor Rhonda shared a memory of her mother singing a classic song about God's heart weeping because His children gather around the table while the harvest fields lay ripe and ungathered.
The Ministry of Reconciliation: According to 2 Corinthians 5:18, God has trusted believers with the message of redemption. We do not carry condemnation into the world; we carry forgiveness, grace, and hope.
Shifting from Blame to Opportunity (John 9): In the story of the man born blind, the disciples wanted to debate who was to blame ("Who sinned, this man or his parents?"). Jesus rejected the blame game and focused on the opportunity to demonstrate God's works. Religion shames people for having dirty feet; Jesus kneels down to wash them.
IV. Using Base Materials for Miracles
Spit and Mud into Miracles: Jesus took dirt and spit—the lowest material—to heal the blind man and sent him to the Pool of Siloam (which means "Sent").
God Doesn't Need Better Material: Believers often wish they were smarter, more talented, or more gifted. However, God takes basic "dirt" (2 Corinthians 4:7) and fills it with His Holy Spirit so that the glory belongs entirely to Him.
The History of Queen for a Day & The Esther Project:
Starting small and using what was available led to growing out of facilities on Atkinson Drive by 2012.
In 2014, while Queen for a Day was on hold, God birthed The Esther Project at Women of Hope, where hundreds of women were crowned and reminded that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
In 2015, following a prophetic dream involving an emblem of the Lion and the Lamb, Queen for a Day was moved to Omega Center International (OCI), expanding its reach to hundreds of women annually.
V. Carrying an Atmosphere & Transforming Pain
Atmosphere Changers: Fear, division, and hopelessness carry dark atmospheres, but the presence of God inside a believer carries a light that shifts any room. You do not have to absorb the atmosphere of a room; you are sent to transform it.
Created for Good Works (Ephesians 2:10): Purpose is pre-ordained by God. There are people only your specific story and personality can reach.
Pain as Your Pulpit: Your greatest trials, struggles, and wilderness seasons become the very platform through which you minister compassion and hope to others. Nothing is wasted in God's economy (Romans 8:28).
VI. The Unstoppable Cry of Purpose
The Supernatural Realm: Purpose cries out before the throne of God long before a physical outcome is seen.
Moses: When placed in a basket on the Nile, the cry of his purpose ensured he survived to lead millions out of Egypt.
Mary Magdalene: Her purpose delivered her from seven demons to become the first witness to announce the Resurrection.
Peter: After denying Christ, the cry of his purpose sustained him to preach the sermon at Pentecost where thousands were saved.
Jesus in Gethsemane: Facing the cross, the eternal purpose of redemption carried Him through to secure salvation for all humanity.
Scripture Index
John 20:21 > "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
Romans 10:14-15 > "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace..."
John 1:6-7 > "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."
Matthew 9:37-38 > "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
2 Corinthians 5:18 > "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation..."
John 9:3-5, 7 > "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work... And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.)"
2 Corinthians 4:7 > "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Ephesians 2:10 > "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
 
Romans 8:28 > "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
 
Exodus 2:2-3 (Referenced) – The birth of Moses and his placement in the basket on the Nile River.
Luke 8:2 / John 20:18 (Referenced) – Mary Magdalene delivered from seven demons and witnessing the risen Lord.
Acts 2:14-17 (Referenced) – Peter standing at Pentecost declaring the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy.
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

"Stop Living Like You're Running Out"
Pastor Rhonda Davis
Subtitle: No Scarcity in the Father's House
I. Defining the Scarcity Mindset
The World's Definition of Scarcity: Scarcity occurs when demand outpaces available resources, creating shortages, panic, and cutthroat competition.
The Herd Mentality & Modern Panics: Pastor Rhonda illustrated scarcity using two real-world examples:
The 2020 Toilet Paper Panic: How uncertainty and herd mentality caused citizens to clear store shelves out of irrational fear during the pandemic.
The November 28, 2008, Black Friday Tragedy: A Long Island, New York Walmart where a worker was tragically trampled to death by a crowd driven by the panic of missing out on limited electronics. Even after announcements declared a death in the store, shoppers kept shopping.
Black Friday vs. Good Friday: The world operates on a "Black Friday" mentality—driven by insufficient supply where one must fight, push, and kick to get theirs. Believers, however, live in a "Good Friday" reality. A decree has gone across the Earth that a Man died for us, paying the full price, so we no longer need to desperately "shop the aisles of the world."
Four Pillar Truths of Divine Abundance
Pastor Rhonda outlined four foundational pillars showing why scarcity has no place in the life of a believer:
1. You Are Chosen
Before the Earth Was Formed: According to Ephesians 1:4-5, God loved us and chose us to be holy and blameless before the creation of the world. Adopting us into His family gave Him great pleasure.
Sonship Over Scarcity: A scarcity mindset makes you tightly grasp what is in your own hand; a sonship mindset teaches you to rest in and trust what is in your Father's hand.
2. You Are Accepted
Accepted in the Beloved: Citing Ephesians 1:6, believers are fully accepted in Christ. Human acceptance is fickle, but divine approval is settled.
Antidote to Insecurity: Accepting at the core of our being that we are chosen by God is the divine antidote for insecurity, neurotic fear, and the exhausting drive for human validation.
Personal White House Testimony: Pastor Rhonda shared about her recent invitation to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House for a Women of Faith briefing. Despite initial thoughts of insecurity ("Who am I to be here?"), she covered her mind in prayer, walked in as a daughter of the Most High God, and experienced divine favor, connections, and peace without needing to jockey for position or prove herself.
3. You Are Redeemed
The Redeemer's Business: Redemption (Jehovah Goel) means to buy back, pay a ransom, restore, and atone for mistakes. God specializes in cleaning up what humans mess up.
The Expiration Date on Trials: Citing Isaiah 43:1-2 and Jeremiah 29:11, Pastor Rhonda declared that whatever hard situation a believer is facing does not have the right to own them. In God's economy, every trial and season of suffering has an expiration date.
Kairos Time vs. Kronos Time: Humans live in linear time (Kronos), but God operates in appointed, strategic time (Kairos). God can accelerate restoration and make up for years of lost ground in a matter of days.
4. You Are Adopted
From Chains to the Table: Citing John 1:12-13 and Romans 8, adoption gives us the Father's name, a seat at His table, and joint-heir status with Christ. Redemption breaks the chains, but adoption brings us into the family.
The Story of Josiah Brian Giles: To illustrate adoption and restoration, Pastor Rhonda shared the powerful story of her nephew, Josiah:
In 1996, her brother Brian visited Romania and was moved by an infant named John Christmas, who was rocking himself in an orphanage bed. Brian adopted him, changed his legal name to Josiah Brian Giles ("Josiah" meaning God will heal/support), and brought him home to Tennessee.
Despite being adopted into a loving family, life brought complicated turns, including a parental divorce and years of separation from the family.
Father's Day & Deathbed Restoration: After years of silence, an 18-year-old Josiah unexpectedly walked back into the family homestead on Father's Day. Years later, on August 13, 2025, as Pastor Rhonda's father lay unconscious in hospice, Josiah entered the room. For two hours, aunt and nephew sat together, poured out their hearts, cried, laughed, and reconciled. Shortly after Josiah kissed his grandfather goodbye and declared he would see him in eternity, their father passed peacefully into heaven.
Full Restoration: Pastor Rhonda presented a photo of all the grandchildren restored together at her father's gravesite—a living picture of how God restores lost prodigals and completes family stories.
Scripture Index
Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service:
Galatians 4:4-5 > "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."
2 Corinthians 9:8 > "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."
Ephesians 1:4-6 > "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world... Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself... To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."
Isaiah 47:4 > "As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel."
Isaiah 44:6 > "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."
Isaiah 43:1-2 > "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee..."
Jeremiah 29:11 > "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
Jeremiah 50:34 > "Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause..."
John 1:14 > "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
Matthew 20:28 > "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."
 
1 Peter 1:18-19 > "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ..."
 
John 1:12-13 > "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
 
1 John 3:1 > "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..."
 
"Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

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.