Judas Had the Key | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter

Kind: teaching
Scripture: John 12:3-8, Matthew 6:24, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Kings 3:5, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3:10-14, 1 Kings 10:23-24, 1 Kings 11:1-4, Ecclesiastes 1:17, Ecclesiastes 10:19, Ecclesiastes 7:12, Proverbs 9:10-11, 1 Corinthians 2:12-14, Psalm 18:30, Acts 10:38, Leviticus 27:30, Leviticus 25:1-7, Leviticus 25:20-22, Malachi 3:7-10, Malachi 3:11-12, Luke 6:38, Proverbs 3:9-11

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--judas-had-the-key-senior
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
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Praise the Lord, everybody. >> Praise the Lord. >> Good to see such an awesome crowd in the house of God on this midweek service. If you would quickly go with me in your Bible to John chapter number 12, the Gospel of John, chapter number 12 and verse number three. And while you're looking for that, I'm going to say that um I'll thank everybody for the prayers for Sister Carpenter. Uh it seemed like that that just suddenly came upon her Sunday afternoon and um I tell you how quickly the pain came upon her. Um she started maybe an hour before we went to the clinic, she started complaining and then all of a sudden she she she I knew she was talking out of her head. She was talking out of her head. She said, "I'm going to the clinic and you go to church." And I said, "You talk like a foolish woman." And uh I tell you how fast she got to the car. She got to the car so fast that I was still putting on my shoes and my trying to get my belt through the loop going out the driveway. And uh I'm so thankful they ran a series of tests on her and and uh everything's going everything by faith. Everything's going to come back good. Amen. You believe that with me? Everything's going to come back. Everything's going to come back good. If you're there at John 12:3, say, "Yes." >> Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas is chariot, Simon's son, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for 300 p and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the bag and bear what was put therein. Then said Jesus, "Let her alone. Against the day of my burying have she kept this, for the poor always you have with you, but me you have not always." I'll explain my title in just a moment. But tonight on this Bible study, very simple Bible study tonight, but I just want to simply minister on the subject Judas had the key. Judas had the key. Would you repeat that with me? Judas had the key. As we pray over the word tonight, please remember Sister Rhonda Meyers. She is having um she's got 100% blockage in one artery, 99% blockage in the other artery. And uh she is not strong enough for an open heart surgery. And they're going to be doing stances in the morning. So, please, please, please pray for Sister Rhonda Meyers. Also, remember Sister Debbie Lawless. She was scheduled to have surgery Tuesday morning, but that's been that's been postponed and put off for a week. And so, please remember Sister Debbie Lawless. Also, remember uh Brother Zach Hammond's mother, Sister Dorcas Hammond. Uh they discovered um they discovered something on her liver this week, and they're running a series of tests. even while we speak, they're running a series of tests on Dorcas Hammond. And let's pray. Let's pray for her. And also, last but not least, uh, Sister Alex Sullivan, her father unexpectedly passed away uh, yesterday. And, uh, they're going to be having the service. I'll tell you, I'll go ahead and ask Sister Ericson to send out a church text with all of the, >> >> uh, the arrangements. It'll be up in Kentucky. And uh but nonetheless, let us lift up a prayer tonight for Sister Alex Sullivan. Would you would you pray? Would you join me all over this building right now? Could we pray? Father God of heaven, we come before you tonight so thankful, Lord, for your love and for your mercy, God. Lord, I thank you that you've given us the ability, the privilege, God, to come into your presence. God, I just ask you to take care of Sister Dorcas Hammond. I just ask you tonight to take care of Rhonda Meyers, Lord, and take care of Debbie Debbie Lawless, Lord. I just ask you, Lord, to touch those names that have been turned in, God. Those that are forever on our heart, Lord. I pray, God, that you would move and that you would touch and comfort the family of Sister Alex Sullivan tonight. God, that you would touch them. You would move upon them. Now, Father, tonight, would you prepare our hearts for the Bible lesson, Lord, may our hearts be open, God, that we would receive with meekness the engrafted word. Lord, may we put preconceived ideas out of the way, God. May we drop our guard and may we allow your word Lord just to freely flow through our minds tonight in Jesus mighty name we all pray. Amen and amen. Before you're seated, would you give God one more praise right now? Would you give him one more praise tonight? One more praise. You may be seated. Judas had the key. And of course, I can't get over Sunday morning the service that I ministered about Mary and Judas and Mary Mary being that extravagant worshipper. Uh that that woman that worshiped God extravagantly and brought the ointment in and it was a year's wages and she broke the bottle, the alabaster box and she poured it on the head of Jesus. And this is where Judas comes in. And Judas begins to call it a waste. And Jesus uh he he tells Judas that you've always got the poor. And of course Judas had a an excuse for the reason. He said this should have been sold and this should have been given to the poor. But the Bible tells us the truth, doesn't it? Said this. He said not because he cared about the poor. He didn't care about the poor. You see, the Bible will instruct us that Judas was the one, he was the treasurer for the group. He was the one that was entrusted with the bag. And I'll tell you a little bit about that bag in just a moment. But he was entrusted with the bag where the collection where the money where the money came in. Judas was entrusted with that. Now, many of us when we think about a bag, we think we see Judas with some kind of a offering plate like you saw uh offering I guess I should say container like you saw go by you tonight. We think of a a pouch. We think of a of a purse. But it was not. When you study what the meaning of the word bag is here and the meaning of the word purse, Jesus did use the word purse in the Bible. He told them that when they were to go preach the gospel that they were not to carry two purses. That in other words, a container and and that God would take care of them. But this bag here in the Greek, this bag that Judas was over, I want you to get out of your mind a a pouch, a purse, a satchel bag, it it was literally a box is what it was. It was literally a box. As a matter of fact, as you dig in, brother Ericson, into the Greek on this word bag, it can also mean it can also mean a box, but it can also mean a coffin. A coffin. And they would use that word bag to refer to refer to a coffin. So, it wasn't get in your mind. It wasn't a bag that he actually held, but it was a it was a box that he had. And this box no doubt had a key to it. and he would bring the the the offerings that were given to the work of Jesus Christ. He would bring it and there they would put it in the box and Judas had the Judas had the key. He had the key to that box. He had the authority over that box. And we'll come to that a little bit later in in the Bible lesson. But I want to make a statement this evening as your pastor, as your shepherd. It is not my intention tonight to put anyone under condemnation. All right? It's not God's will for any of us of you to be put under condemnation. Now, it is the will of God when the word of God goes forth to convict you. To convict you. But please make a note of this. Condemnation and conviction are different. They are poles apart. Condemnation beats you down. Condemnation shows you only how lousy you are. It shows you only how hopeless you are. It shows you only the past. But conviction, conviction doesn't deny sin. Conviction is like a light that comes on. Conviction does show us our sin. Conviction does light up the way. But conviction not only shows us our sin, but conviction shows us the way out of our sin. Amen. And that's different. That condemnation just keeps beating you down like a baseball bat just keeps beating you down. You never can get up because it's it's it's condemnation. Now, what I'm going to teach on tonight, what I'm going to teach on tonight is what the Bible has to say about money. What the Bible has to say about money. And having said that, that's one of the reasons that I wanted to use the word it's not my intention to put you under condemnation, but rather to put you under conviction if you've not yet seen and obeyed what the Bible says about money. A lot of a lot of times people people are are very I won't use the word ignorant, although it would be the correct word, but they're oblivious to what the Bible has to say about money. They're they're just oblivious. They just don't, you know, they just think that it's it's just really not something that God um spoke much about. But yet, tonight we're going to dive into this and we're going to see what the Bible has to say about money. Now the first one that I would like the first one that I would like to bring is Jesus Christ. I'd like to hear what Jesus Christ said about money. We find that in Mark, excuse me, we find that in Matthew chapter number 6 and verse number 24. Matthew chapter 6 and verse number 24. Listen to what Jesus said about money. No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Mammon was another word for money. Can I tell you, God, Jesus Christ, right off the bat, wanted us to know that money was not to be our master. Money was not to be something that we serve. He said, you cannot serve both God and mammon. It's impossible. You you can't serve because you're either going to love God and hate money or you're going to love money and you're going to hate God. You're either going to hold to one and neglect the other. And so he said, you you you cannot do that. You cannot you cannot serve two masters. So now now what Jesus is saying is let's put money in its proper place. Amen. Let's put money let's put money where it belongs. Jesus Christ, brother Nolan said it. He is our top priority. He is the number one. He's not only one God. We've been teaching on that. He's not only one God, but he ought to be the number one of your life. The number one. And so now let's call the Apostle Paul and let's see what Paul has to say about money. We find this in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 10. 1 Timothy 6 and 10. This is what Paul had to say about money. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have aired from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Paul says the love of money is the root of all evil. I'm going to tell you, there's a lot of evil that's on sale in our world today. There's a lot of evil that's on sale in our world today. As a matter of fact, the world does not give you their evil without you giving them your money. All right? It's all driven. It's all driven. The love of money is the root of all evil. And let me tell you something, the love of money is not only something that's in the world, but the love of money can be in the church. >> It can be in people in the church. Because Paul goes on and says the root the love of money is the root of all evil which while some all right he said there's some have coveted after they've coveted after this money and coveting after money look what they did they aired from the what faith while they were coveting after money they begin to veer off of the road they begin to veer off of the road and then it says this and they have pierced themselves through. Are you seeing this? They had pierced themselves through with many sorrows. It is believed that when Paul used the word pierce that he was referring to a Roman trap in war, what the Romans would do when they wanted to trap someone, they would set it they would set uh this trap for them and uh they they it would it would be down a pathway and they would take uh they would take a board and and and they would put several sharp razor blade knives through that board. They would put a spring on that board and they would put a trap and when you would come down and hit the rope, it would it would touch the spring and those that board with all of those razor sharp knives would come and would pin you against a tree. And it's believed that Paul was saying that the love of money is the root of all evil. While some in the church have coveted after they have pierced themsel they have fallen into a trap. They have fallen into a trap. Let's study a man tonight. And this is one of the reasons that you and I should really lean on God because the man that we're going to study for a few moments, his name is Solomon. His name is Solomon. Now, Solomon is known as the third king of Israel, but he's also known as the wisest man that has ever lived besides the God man, Jesus Christ. Follow me. Follow me if you would. First Kings chapter 3 and verse number five. Solomon comes on the scene and Solomon is very humble and he he come he comes on the scene and and um he he just he begins to tell the Lord you you've made me a king over your people and he says this now brother Sharp he's a grown man Solomon's a grown man but he stands and he's so humble he says God I'm but a child I don't know how to be a king I'm but a child he wasn't a child but he had childlike faith all right he wasn't a child, but he had he's still in God. I I I don't know, God. I I I don't know h how to come in. I don't know how to behave. In First Kings 3 and 5, look what happened in Gibian. The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, "Ask what I shall give thee." Now, I don't know about you, but every time I read that scripture, I can't help but muffle the word, "Wow." Because when God asks, "Hey, whatever you want, I'll give it to you, brother." He can back it up. All right? You know, he God's not like a lot of us, you know, we tell one another, "Hey, if you ever need me, give me a call. But when we need you, you're busy." All right? You know, you know what I'm saying? So, so God says, and every time I read this, I just say, "Wow." God says to Solomon, God says, "Whatever, whatever you ask, whatever you ask, and I'll give it to you." Go down to verse number nine of the same chapter. And Solomon says, he says, "Now God, give therefore thy servant." Here's what I want, God. An understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to judge this thy so great people? He said, God, I tell you what I want. I said, God, this God can just give you anything. All right. God says, hey, Solomon, you really please me. What do you want? Ask me whatever you want. And Solomon said, "Would you just give me wisdom to lead your people? Would you just give me wisdom to be able to discern between good and bad? Would you would you just give me the wisdom to lead?" I'm I'm going to tell you something. If you want to get to the heart of God, treat his people right. Love what God will God. Love what God loves. >> I said love what God loves. >> You love what God You You love what That's why That's why the Bible talks about God loving his house. That's why we love God's house >> cuz God God loves God God loves God loves I I got a call today from brother Landon Sutton and he was he he texted me sometime I was in prayer and I was doing a Bible study today and and and he he text said hey pastor I got to talk to you I got to talk to you pastor and and and and finally we we talked and he said pastor he said I didn't know he said I signed up for a class and uh at at college and he said I thought it was Tuesday and Thursday I didn't I didn't realize he said but the class is Monday through Thursday, every every night from like 6:00 to 8:00. And he said, "Pastor, I I I just I I'll be missing Bible study. What do you think I should do?" I said, "Landon, I'm going to tell you what you need to do." I said, "As soon as class is over," I said, "Get to church. Get to church." He He I said I said, "If you get to church," and I was thinking of Pellissippi just up here around the corner. I said, "Landon, you if if you get out 8:00, you you man, we you you're going to catch a lot of my Bible." He said, "Pastor, that's it. it it's the campus over in Knoxville. I said, I tell you what, dude, Landon, I said, as soon as class is over, get to church. I said, because I'd rather get to church and have 15 minutes of worship than to not go to church at all. Now, I I I know some of you some of you look like you just swallowed a cucumber sideways, like, I can't believe he really, you know, you know that here's the difference. I really love this place. >> I I really think God loves this place. I I I really I really believe that God loves the house. And I want to love I want to love what God loves. And God God loves God loves you good people tonight. God loves you good people. And I know this this will surprise you, but God even loves me, too. He said, "God, just give me wisdom. I just want to judge your people. I just want to be able to tell them the difference between good and bad." Look at verse 10. And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, follow this now. And hast not asked for thyself long life, neither hast thou asked riches for thyself, nor hath hast asked for the life of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to thy words. I've given you what you ask. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee, that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings, like unto thee all thy days. And if thou will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments as thy father David did walk, then will I lengthen your days. Look at that. Because he asked God for the right thing. Because he said, "God, what I want? I just want to be able to lead your people. That's what I want. I just want to lead them into your blessings. That's all I want. I want to see your people prosper. God said, you know what? That speech really pleased me because you could have asked for money and I gave you my word. Ask and I'll give it and I'd had to give you money. Or you could have asked for a lot of victories in your life and I'd had to give them to you. But because you asked for wisdom to judge between good and bad, I'm going to also give you something else. I'm going to give you what you didn't ask for. I'm I'm going to give you riches. I'm going to give you I'm going to give you victory. And then he said, "If you'll live right, I'll lengthen your life. I'll cause you to live a long time if you live right." Well, that's a good start, Solomon. That's a good start. I'm going to tell you something tonight. This is why we got to stay on our toes. It's not how we start, >> it's how we finish. >> First Kings chapter 10 verse 23. So, King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches, for riches, and for for riches and for wisdom. Verse 24, look at this close. And all the earth sought to Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart. Remember the Queen of Sheba? She came to do what? To hear the wisdom of Solomon. Man, he's pretty popular now. Turn over to chapter 11 of First Kings 11 verse number one. First Kings chap 11 verse number one. But Solomon loved many strange women together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Zidonians, and the Hittites, of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, "You shall not go into them, neither shall they come in unto you, for surely they they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon clave unto these in love. He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, and his wives turned away his heart. Can can I tell you here is a proven thing that a man let riches he took the riches that God gave him and bought himself status symbols with it. He purchased status symbols with it. In that day a man, a king, a ruler flaunted his wealth by how many concubines and how many wives that he had. Solomon had the money. Solomon was given great riches and Solomon had the money. But the Bible said they turned his heart away from the Lord. I don't want to turn my heart away from him. You can't help but be blessed if you serve God. Are you hearing me tonight? >> You cannot help but be blessed if you serve God. But you better watch out. You can let the blessing become a curse and the blessing can be used as a as as something that takes our heart away from God. Then we go into this book called Ecclesiastes. Solomon is the author of Ecclesia of Ecclesiastes. He's he's the author of it. And um in Ecclesiastes, here he is in Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 17. And I'm going to go ahead and tell you, he says it that he he is is is is looking for something outside of God. He's looking for something outside of God. Hear me tonight. There's nothing outside of God that you need to look for. Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verse 17. Listen to it. I Solomon I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceive that this also is vexation of spirit. He said I I wanted to know wisdom. Now I want you to hear this tonight. Hear this tonight. There are two types, sister Bonnie. There are two types of wisdom in the earth today. There's two types. There's only two types of wisdom in the earth today. The wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. Wisdom of man. Wisdom of God. And if I could use the example of this, if I could use the example of this, the wisdom of man starts in here. Okay? It turns in here. That's all it knows. It's it's it's inside here. It tries to come up with enlightenment inside here. But the wisdom of God, you see the earth, the earth without the sun is in darkness. The earth does not radiate light. The light that the earth has does not come from within the earth. It comes from the sun. Now, as goes the natural is the spiritual. The life that you and I have is not here because that's just the wisdom of man. You're trying to come up with a an enlightenment about money that's that's come here. This here is never ever produced light of God. But the light that we have comes from God and it enlightens. Just like the dirt, we're made from dirt. The earth is dirt. The sun shines upon the dirt dirt and there is light. What we want tonight on the subject of money or anything else the Bible has to say. I don't want it here cuz things don't make sense here. >> Can't understand why why they speak in tongues. Can't understand why they go the water. Can't understand why they dress this way. Can't understand why they you know why you can't understand? You're trying to get understanding here. That's philosophy. But if you'll ever get hungry to reach outside of here and reach up to him, all of a sudden light comes on and you begin to see. You begin to see what God has intended for you to see. Solomon said, "I my heart was turned away from God and I I want to know wisdom." That's man's wisdom and to know madness and and folly. And he said, "I I I so I'm I'm in this frame. I'm in this frame of mind." King Solomon writes from a heart in search of anything but God. Well, no wonder in Ecclesiastes chapter 10:19, no wonder this makes sense. This makes sense. Ecclesiastes 10:19, a feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry, but money answerth all things. Now, see right there, people would say, "Man, I'm going to tell you something. We need money because money answers all things in our life. No, no, no, no. That's written from a man seeking the wrong knowledge. >> Money does not answer all things. >> Money does not answer. I'm going to tell you what money could not buy Michael Jackson sleep. He had to have a doctor LATER IN HIS LIFE. HE HAD TO HAVE A doctor to come in and put him to sleep at night. I mean, if a man should ever be happy and content, it should be him. I mean, the man the man had his own carnival out in his backyard in Hollywood. He didn't have to go to the TV ai fair. He didn't have to go there. He had his own ferris wheel. HE HAD A MERRYGOROUND. HE HAD A He had a ZOO IN HIS OWN BACKYARD. That's how much money he had. Money didn't make him happy. He had to be put to sleep by a doctor every night and woke up by the same doctor in the morning. Benjamin Franklin said this. He says, "Money has never made man happy, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has, the less the the more he wants." In other words, if money could make you happy, when are you going to be happy? >> Warren Buffett said these words, "Even large sums of money isn't going to make you happy. It is not going to happen. Oh, by the way, Warren Buffett's one of the richest men in the world. Mark Cuban, Mark Cuban says this, "Money buys you comfort, takes away a lot of stress of paying the bills, but it doesn't make you happy." Denzel Washington said this, "Money doesn't buy happiness, but true satisfaction comes from family, simplicity, and living your life through one's children." And I can agree to that. That's that's living. Howard Hughes, another former billionaire, he said these words, "Money can't buy happiness." Researchers from Harvard's study of adult development says long-term data data show that close relationships not money or pre prestige are the strongest predictors of lasting happiness. Money helps with security and reducing stress up to a point but beyond that it does not drive deeper wellbeing. That's a Harvard study. Let's read on. Ecclesiastes 7:12. Come on, Solomon. Teach us about this money. Ecclesiastes 7 and12. For wisdom is a defense. That means a shade. That's exactly what that Hebrew word there means is a shade. Wisdom is a shade. It's a place to rest. And money is a defense. It's a place to rest. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. In other words, money can give you temporary rest, but it's wisdom that's going to produce life in you. This is the difference between you existing or you living life. You just simply existing. You get up in the morning, you go to bed at night, you work a job, you you look for retirement and all of this. I'm going to tell you something. If in this life only, we have hope. We have all men most miserable. But friend, I'm not just going to exist. I'm going to live my life down here on this earth. >> Wisdom. Wisdom. Wisdom. Proverbs chapter 9 and verse number 10. talk to you about wisdom for a moment. You see, what we need is not more money, but what we need is wisdom to handle money. Let me say that again. >> What we need is not more money. What you need is wisdom to handle money because money is a good servant, but it's a lousy master. And so, we want to pray for wisdom tonight. That's what we need to pray for this evening. Proverbs chapter 9 verse 10. Listen to him. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of what? And the knowledge of the holy is understanding. In other words, if you could if you get wisdom, this is the beginning the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Look at verse 11. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. what do we need to it's it's not money that's going to make us happy. It's that godly wisdom of what the Bible says not only about money but about different things about our marriage about raising our children. I told you a moment ago there are two types of wisdom. Paul draws this out in 1 Corinthians 2:12. Paul's going to let us know about these two types these two types of wisdom. He says in 1 Corinthians 2:12, "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God, which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom," there it is, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual ual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. I'm going to tell you something. A natural man, a natural-minded man cannot understand the Bible doctrines of tithing and offerings. It just it just simply simply that they it can't because they're trying to get the light from here and that light never comes on when the light is to get hungry enough to reach out to God and say, "God, I do surrender. I do surrender all. I surrender. I surrender all to you." Let me tell you about tithing and offerings. God's ways are perfect. You will never get a better way than God's way. >> I mean, come on, Yahweh. It's the only way. All right? You'll never get a better yet. We We ought to We ought to walk with a holy uh a holy presence that we are God's people >> and there's not a better way to live than the way we're living right now. >> There's not a better life that you could live. As a matter of fact, let me say this and and I shared this in a Bible study today. If there was no heaven and if there was no hell, I'd still be happy doing just like I'm doing tonight. I I mean, if if if there wasn't a place called heaven and a place called hell, it would still be to our benefits to live the way that the word of God teaches. >> But aren't you thankful tonight that this is not the end? Aren't you thankful tonight that we're just simply on our way to a place that's going to absolutely be beyond anything that we've ever money when we get to heaven. Why the things that people work for today to say they have a few pounds of it. The things that people work for for today to say this is a 14 karat this or a 14 karat that. The streets in that place are made of pure gold. >> You You think about it, the things that people are trying to to to TO PUT TOGETHER TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO A PLACE WHERE the streets are paved with pure gold. WHILE THE GATES of the city ARE MADE OF ONE PEARL, THE WALLS OF JASPER AND EMERALD AND ALL KINDS OF RICHES. TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO A PLACE SUCH as this. I can't help but say, let's get our priorities right. God's ways are perfect. God's ways are perfect. Well, I say that, but it'd be good to have the scripture back it up, wouldn't it, church? Psalms 18 and verse number 30. I when it goes up on the screen, I'll begin to read. Could we all read it together? And let's all read it with a holy boldness about it. As for God, his ways is >> the word of the Lord is >> he is a butler >> to all that trust in him. You know what a butler is? A buckler, he's one that goes BEFORE THE SOLDIER. HE'S OUT IN FRONT. HE'S OUT THERE IN FRONT and he's he's in the front line of you. Thank God that God's ways are perfect. GOD'S WAYS IS AT YOU. YOU can't improve upon God's ways. His way is perfect and the word of the Lord is tried. Do I have any testimonies in the house right now? Do I have anybody that wouldn't be a that you you you wouldn't be embarrassed tonight to say, "I've lived on BOTH SIDES. I'VE LIVED on the non-giving side and I've lived on the tithing side. I've lived on the natural man's side and I've lived on the holy side." And can I CAN I GET ANY WITNESSES TO SAY, I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S A WHOLE LOT BETTER TO LIVE OVER HERE. Come on. It's a whole LOT BETTER TO LIVE OVER HERE. I want you to know I want you to know my I wasn't privileged. I wasn't privileged as my wife was. I wasn't privileged to be brought up trained to tithe. I wasn't privileged. and and and parents, you would do yourself a spiritual favor to make sure that your children are tithing. >> You you you would I got four amens out of this group. You you'd really Yeah. Well, well, my boy took some extra job. Let me tell you something. You'd do good to say, "Now, Johnny or Susie, you you you did get a tithing envelope as you went in the door, right? You you you did Oh, you made $100 WORKING AT BROTHER COGN. YOU YOU YOU you went to work with him, made $100 for working 80 hours, and you you you you did you got Well, now, JOHNNY, HOW MUCH THAT BELONGS TO GOD? $10 of it belongs to God. And and then you need to put an offering in on top of that. You you're you're not being the parent you should be. If you're not stepping in and you But if you don't, you're probably one of those parents, too, that knock on your child's bedroom door before you enter. Huh? >> Come on. Tell you, I I go ahead and tell you they're they're here tonight. They're here tonight. They're grown out of the house. But I still give them my opinion. I still And I thank God they respect it, too. >> I I thank God I thank God they respect it, too, because you know what? We've proven over the years, I mean them nothing but good. >> I just want what I just want what's good. And God only wants what's good in our lives. And we as parents should make sure that our children that our children tell his His ways are perfect. His God's out to bless you. Why don't you let him bless you? I said God's out to bless you. >> Let him bless you. Let Let him bless you. Let Let him Let him bless you. The Bible says that Acts chapter 10 verse number 38. Acts chapter 10 verse number 38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing what? Somebody shout it. What' he go about doing? >> Huh? >> What' God do? >> I got to get this in you tonight. I got Somebody didn't know open your mouth right now. You're a good ventriloquist. Come on. COME ON. HE WENT ABOUT DOING WHAT? >> HE WENT ABOUT DOING WHAT? >> WE SERVE A GOOD GOD. >> You You got to get IN YOUR MIND. HE'S NOT A TAKER. He's a giver. >> He only takes from us SO WE CAN MANIFEST OUR VICTORY OVER OUR FLESH. THAT'S WHY I GAVE JUDAS THE BOX BECAUSE JUDAS HAD A WEAKNESS. AND IF JUDAS HAD DEPENDED UPON ME, HE COULD HAVE GOT VICTORY OVER HIS WEAKNESS and he could have he could be different tonight. He's, you know, oh Lord, help me help. >> I really wonder if we know the nature of our God. >> I I got a little thought for and I may I may do a sermon one day on this, but the the prodical son left the father's house, did he not? He left it. Right, brother Ben? He left the pro. He left the father's house. But when he got ready to come back, what did he say? He said, "I'm going to go to my father. I I I think he'll give me a job. I I think my father would hire me. I think my father Can I tell you something? Listen to me real closely. That boy didn't have the revelation of the nature of his father." >> A lot of people leave the house of God because they've never got a revelation God is good. I said, "God is good." >> WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE GOD'S HOUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A REVELATION? GOD IS GOOD. THIS IS THE PLACE HE'S BLESSING. THIS IS THE PLACE HE'S LOOKING AT ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS IS WHO HE'S LOOKING FOR HERE. GOD IS A GOOD GOD. NO, HE HE DIDN'T he didn't have that revelation. He didn't have that revelation. You know what the revelation he had? Maybe he'll give me a job. Maybe he'll let me sleep out back in the in the in the servants quarters. you, boy, you don't know your father because your father's going to strike up the band. Your father's going to kill the fatted calf. Your father's not going to bring just a robe out. Your father's going to bring the BEST ROBE OUT. YOUR FATHER'S GOING TO THROW A PARTY. THAT'S PROBABLY WHY PEOPLE LEAVE IS THEY'VE NEVER known the nature. I'm going to tell you something. When I fill out a tithing envelope or I drop some money in the plate, I'm going to tell you, he's a good God. Now, I don't give to get. That's that cheap charismatic stuff. I don't give 10 to get a hundred. That's cheap stuff. I give because God loves a cheerful giver. I got something IN MY HAND BECAUSE GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER. THAT'S WHY I'M GIVING. And well, let me go on. Let me let me let me go on. Let me go on. Let me go on. Let me go on. Y'all are Y'all are holding me up. He's a good God. Everybody say that. >> Let him be good to you. Tithe. Tithe. What's the meaning of tithe? 10%. That's what tithe means. 10%. Where do we come up with tithing? Leviticus chapter 27 verse number 30. God said, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is who's it belong to?" >> The Lord's. It is what? >> Holy unto the Lord. So that 10% he said you can have the 90. He said, ' But the 10% belongs to me. Now, we do know, you do know tonight, I hope I don't have to inform you this. God doesn't need our money. >> The only thing God needs is our obedience. >> Why is that? Because without it, he can't bless you. >> This is not the lotto. >> You're not going to get lucky and get blessed. >> If you're going to get blessed, it's because you're obedience. And the only thing God needs is your obedience. You give him your obedience and God's going to bless you. It's just going to be an automatic an automatic thing. God doesn't need our money. He needs our obedience. >> He needs our trust. Well, Carpenter, you you you just don't understand. You you you don't you don't understand how deep I am. You don't understand how indebt I am. I get it. I get to understand it. But you got to trust him. You you you you got to trust him. Let's let's look at Leviticus 25 verse number one. If if this is not a trust factor here, I don't know what else is. Leviticus chapter 25 verse1. And the Lord spake unto Moses in Mount Si, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, when you come into the land which I give you, then shall the land then shall the land keep a Sabbath unto the Lord. Six years thou shalt sew thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof. But in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for the Lord. Thou shalt neither sew thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord of the harvest, thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine unrest. For it is the it is a year of rest unto the land. Now get this now. Let me explain it. God said, not only is there going to be a Sabbath day that we c that we have every week, but he said every six years, you don't plow, you don't reap, you don't sew. It's it's a Sabbath. the seventh year. It's an entire year. You don't do anything. You don't sow. You don't reap. You don't do anything to the land. Now, slide down with me to verse 20 because this is exactly what I would have said. And if ye shall say, here's where I would have come in. If you shall say, what shall we eat the seventh year? Boy, that'd be what I'd say, RIGHT? WELL, WHAT ARE WE GOING to eat the seventh year? Behold, we shall not sow, neither gather in our increase. Then, this is God. Then will I command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years, and ye shall sew the eighth year, and eat of the old fruit until the ninth year until her fruit come in. Ye shall eat of it OF THE OLD STORE. HE SAID, YOU JUST GOT TO TRUST ME >> because on the sixth year, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE YEARS ON THE SIXTH YEAR. CAN I TELL YOU, GOD HAS NEVER MADE A COMMANDMENT THAT DID NOT REQUIRE US JUST STEPPING OUT AND SAYING, "I don't understand it. I don't know how we're going to live if WE DON'T HAVE." BUT GOD SAID, "I JUST WANT YOU TO STEP OUT IN FAITH AND believe my word." AND IF YOU'LL STEP OUT IN FAITH AND BELIEVE MY WORD, I'LL COMMAND THERE TO BE a blessing. >> A blessing for you. Everybody say, "Trust God." >> Trust God. Man, we got it on our money, don't we, brother Troy? What's it say on our money? In >> Why don't we live by that? For heaven's sake, in God. >> We trust. Malachi 3 and 7 says this, because they had got away from tithing in the Bible days, and they didn't have a house of God. They didn't have priests to teach. They didn't have they didn't have they didn't have teachers teaching the word of God because they had to go to the field and work and nobody's teaching. The house of God's laying desolate. And God says here in verse 7, even from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from my ordinances and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, sayeth the Lord of hosts. But you say, wherein shall we return? And see, this is where I really have a hard time just I I just believe that people that are not tithing and giving offerings are just ignorant to the blessings of God. But you see, that's where a man of God needs to step in and teach a subject that many people can take a lot of shots at him that he's got ulterior motive. But before my God tonight, I plead with you in Jesus name to look beyond my shirt and see into my heart, I want you to be blessed. I want our kids when I see these hundreds of kids go in this Christian school, I want these kids to be blessed of God. And the only way they can be blessed of God is to be obedient to God. And the only way they can be obedient, the Bible, the Bible even says it this way, how can they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without a preacher? >> And how can he preach EXCEPT HE BE SENT? HOW ARE PEOPLE GOING TO KNOW ABOUT tithing if tithing is not taught? And there's a great weight that gets on. And I I've even had this. I've even had this. I've I've been invited to come places to teach. Brother Cartman, would you come teach on tithe and offerings? I don't want the people mad at me. You Because you're not fighting people. You're fighting the spirit of the adversary >> that wants to come in and put a lot of weight down and and all all of that. THAT THAT THAT'S RIGHT. BUT BUT YOU'RE REALLY BEING THE BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD TO THEM. You're really being the best thing in the world to THEM TO SAY, "HEY, GET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GOD. THERE'S THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN THAT CAN BE OPENED AND THAT CAN BE POURED OUT UPON YOU." God said, "Return unto me." God said, "Return unto me." And but yet you see how how ignorant they are. And I'm not saying that in an ugly way. They're just ignorant. See how ignorant they are? Well, they're ignorant because they have not had a teaching priest. But you say, "Where in shall we return?" Say, "God, you're telling us to return? Well, where we went to?" He says, "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me, but you say, "WHEREIN HAVE WE ROBBED THEE?" In other words, he said, "Return." They said, "We don't know we went anywhere." Then he said, 'Well, I'm going to tell you, you've robbed me. You've robbed me. And they said, 'Well, how we robbed you?' And he said, 'In tithing and offerings. Then again, listen to this now. Listen to this real closely. God doesn't need your money. God longs for the opportunity to bless you. God is looking for a reason to open the window and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive. There's two times in the There's two times in scripture, Brother White, that the windows are open. He opened the windows to destroy the earth with a flood. The windows of heaven were open and there was a worldwide flood. But then he said, "If you'll tithe and give an offering, I'll open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive." I want you to know tonight, I want to be under the window of the blessing of God. I DON'T WANT TO BE UNDER that other window. >> You've robbed me. God's looking for an opportunity. I want you to get this. God is looking for an opportunity to give you a raise on your job. Yes, he is. God is looking for an opportunity to give. Listen, if you'll start trusting God, that mountain of debt, God can begin to chisel away at that. God can begin to take away at that. If you'll just believe God, if you'll just trust God. Are you just Are you with me tonight? You You'll just believe God. You, Brother Car, you don't know, Brother Carbon, listen. Me and God's got this deal. When I get out of debt, I'm going to start tithing. You and God does. You'all have that deal. That deal happened right here. That's where that deal happened. >> You you you know, God made man in his own image. And since man failed, man's been trying to make God in his image. You you you're bringing God down here putting him at the table. He's not at the table right now. All right. But God is saying, "I I wish they would. I I see the mountain of debt they've got. I watch them come to my house and lift up hands. I I I I watch them get taken in business deals. I watch them make the wrong decisions in business deals. I watch them. Oh, if they would just learn how to step out and trust me, I would begin to open THOSE WINDOWS UP. I WOULD be begin to open things up for them. >> Bible says in verse eight, "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, wherein have we robbed thee?" God says, "In tithe and offerings, you're cursed with a curse. For you have robbed me, even this whole nation." You don't want to be cursed with a curse. You don't want a double whammy. You don't want to be cursed with. is one thing to be cursed, but to be cursed with a curse. You You don't want that church. You don't want that. I don't WANT THAT TO THAT THOSE HUNDREDS of kids that get out cars in the mornings AND WALK UP. I I DON'T WANT THAT TO THAT group of kids that come here in the mornings and pray. I don't want that for you good people sitting here that there's a marketing agency. There's a there's all kinds of things in the world that's after your that's after your money. I want you to be blessed of God. >> You're cursed with a curse. Even you're cursed with a curse for you've robbed me even this whole nation. But listen to God. God gives the cure for the curse. Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now here with sayeth the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Can I tell you something? Stop getting your mind off of money. All right? Stop getting I'm giving 10, getting a hundred. There will be an increase with that. But you do realize there's a whole lot more blessings other than just money. >> How about the blessing of a spiritual wholeness to know that you've obeyed the WORD OF GOD? HOW ABOUT JUST A GOOD CLEAR CONSCIENCE? I have obeyed the will of God. I tell you another blessing GOD CAN GIVE US. WHAT ABOUT A happy marriage? Wouldn't you think that WOULD BE A GREAT BLESSING? HOW ABOUT KIDS THAT LOVE GOD AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER? HOW ABOUT BEING IN A CHURCH WHERE people love one another? >> There's blessings that can come in different forms other than just money, other than other than just money. He said, "I'll pour you out a blessing. There shall not be room enough to receive it." And then I like verse number 11. Look at it real closely. This is what's after you. If you're not tithing, this is what's living with you. This is what's on your front porch. This is what's following you right now. And I will rebuke. Are you following me? Verse number 11. If you're following me, say >> yes. >> And I will rebuke, God says, I will rebuke the devourer >> for your sakes. Notice this. And he >> the devourer is a he. Well, I think I know who he is. Right. >> The Bible says, "The thief HAS COME BUT DESTROY, >> BUT I HAVE come that you might have LIFE >> AND THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY." >> You you you see tonight. You see tonight, mother-in-law, I wouldn't want it to happen. I wouldn't want I wouldn't want it to happen. BUT IF OUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN TONIGHT, we've got insurance to replace it. I wouldn't want it to happen. But you live you live with the assurance that you got insurance. Can I tell you when the devourer sees THE SHADOW OF GOD'S presence that says, "No, no, no, not here. Not in this house." When the devourer comes to take the things that you've WORKED HARD FOR AND TRIED TO ACCUMULATE AND THE DEVOURER COMES AND SAYS, "I'M GONNA DEVOUR that up. I'm going to eat ALL THAT UP." THERE'S A GOD THAT STEPS OUT AND SAYS, "NO, NO, NO, not in this house because THEY'RE HONORING ME. WE'VE GOT A financial covenant together. THEY CAN GET THEY CAN THEY I I believe it was Oh, Lord, bring it back to my mind." That was the brother that during uh it brother brother Joel Mayo. He during COVID the the airline shut down and that's what he's that's what he does for a living. He flies with planes and the airline shut down and and he said we didn't know what we were going to do. had just taken a a a new job. But but he he he was a tither. He's a offering giver. And he said he got a call. He got a call from a man up in Washington that had a plane that needed to be flown across the country or wherever. Anyway, HE MADE MORE DURING CO THAN he made any other year. YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S GOD. THAT'S GOD, CHURCH. THAT'S GOD SAYING, "I'M BIGGER THAN CO. CO HAS COME TO DEVOUR." BUT GOD SAYS, "NO, NO, NO. NOT ON, NOT NOT ON THIS WATCH RIGHT HERE. NO, NO, NO. >> Not on this watch right here. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes." Are you Are you still verse 11? If you're still at verse 11, say, "Yes." >> Yes. >> I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field. Boy, these folks, they almost made it. They almost got there. Boy, if the timing had been just right, if I'd been here just a little earlier, if the if id stayed a little longer, if the timing God says, "If you're a tither, I'll allow things I won't allow to cast forth its fruit before the time in the field." Sayeth the Lord of hosts. Now, have you noticed that he identifies himself as the Lord of hosts? You know what a host means? He's a captain. >> That means he's fighting for you. He's fighting for you, and all nations shall call you blessed, for you shall be a delightsome land, sayaeth the Lord of hosts. Well, why should I tithe? I just got a couple questions. I'm gonna let us go home. Why should I tithe? Are you ready for a real deep ex uh Denver, are you ready for this? Why should I tithe? Because God's word commands it. If you're waiting for something else to come out, nothing else come out. It's a command of God. It's a command of God. Tithing puts meat in God's house. Or tithing causes the house of God to function and the kingdom of God to increase through what the house produces. Tithing puts meat in God's house or tithing causes the house of God to function and the kingdom of God increases through what it produces. If you want to know, if you want to see the effect of this church, I invite you to go out these doors here and go around and go through the double doors into the daycare. And as you go, turn sharply to the left and there's a whole wall there. of students of Apostolic Christian Academy, graduates of Apostolic Christian Academy. Some of them, they're all over our nation. They're all over our nation. Some are pastoring churches. Some are evangelist. Some are workers in churches. But there they are. But unless there had been tithing in the house of God, there would have been no meat in God's house. There would have been no ACA. There would have been no school teachers. There would have BEEN NONE OF THAT. BUT BECAUSE SOMEBODY TRUSTED GOD AND SOMEBODY TITHED, there is meat in God's house. And because there's meat IN GOD'S HOUSE, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, the kingdom of God is flourishing. Would you stand with me right now? Bible says in Luke 6:38, I'm going to read my final scriptures with people standing tonight. Luke 6:38, "Give, and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you meet with all, it shall be measured to you again." In other words, he's saying, "How you give is determined on what's going to be given back to you." Proverbs 3 and verse number nine. Honor the Lord with thy substance. Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with what? >> And thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastising of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. It amazes me that he's talking about honoring the Lord with the substance, with tithe and offerings. And then it talks about an abundance of blessing. And then verse 11, it talks about how our children are raised. Nothing like passing this down to our children. Nothing like nothing like passing it down. And again this evening, let me say this. Jesus told us he he told about forgiving somebody seven times 70 in a day. He said forgive them seven time in a day. And you know what they said back to him? They said Lord increase our faith. God we just we don't we can't comprehend this. God increase our faith. There may be some of you and tonight I I promise I don't Nobody needs to leave here condemned. But everybody should leave here convicted. Nobody should leave here. Well, man, he beat me up. He beat me up tonight. I got beat up on tithe and offerings. I got beat up on No, no, no. That's that's how the that's how the that's how the devourer wants you to leave here tonight. He wants you to leave here that way. But you know all you need all you need to start honoring God. You just need a little increase of your faith. You you you just need God to increase your faith. You You say, "Well, it'd be impos." No, no. All you need is for for your faith just to be to be increased. Jesus called a man to come and follow him. The man would not due to his riches. And he went away sad. He went away sad. Tonight, I don't want you to leave your condemned. I want you to leave her convicted. I want you to gather up around the altar with me. I believe we got someone to be baptized this evening if I'm not if I'm not mistaken. We've got Sister Carpenter, Brother Snitzer. Sister Carpenters had a Bible study going on with uh Jess. Her name is Jess. Many many of you ladies know her. She owns a business here in town that you go to. And and uh we met Jess and Kenny Kenny Dean. Kenny Dean, a coach here at ACA. And u it's Jess is Kenny's fiance and u and there they are tonight. Jess Sister Carpenter had been talking to her and she come in today and she said I'm convinced. She said I need to be baptized tonight in Jesus name. I need to be baptized tonight in Jesus name. Come on let's all gather up around the altar right now. Let's pray for Jess to be filled with the Holy Ghost tonight. Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray for Jess right now. God, you see that woman's heart. God, you know that woman's soul. God, you know the hunger, God, that's in Jess right now. Lord, I just ask you, God, to fill her with the Holy Ghost, God, as she starts a brand new life tonight, Lord, as all of her sins, all of the guilt, all of the shame by the shedding of the blood on Calvary and by the obedience of the word of God. She is about to receive the remission of her sin. She is about to receive the washing away of her sin. Lord, I just pray that you FILL HER WITH THE HOLY GHOST, LORD, in Jesus name. Lord, fill her tonight. In Jesus name, fill her tonight. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lord. >> Jessica Dean, upon the profession of your faith and obedience to the word of God, I now indeed baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of your sins. And the Bible says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. >> The gift of the Holy Ghost. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. YEAH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. HALLELUJAH. HEAT. HEAT. HEAT. HEAT. YEAH. HEAT. >> >> Thank you Jesus. Heat. Heat. Feel free. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Come feel God. Well, I don't know if Sister Jess received the Holy Ghost tonight or not, but I know I did. Amen. Could we just give God some praise right now? Did she receive? She did RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST. COME ON. LET'S PRAISE HIM RIGHT NOW. YES, GOD. YES, GOD. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. I love you, Lord. I love you, Lord. I love you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, God. Yes, God. Oh yes, God. Oh yes, God. Oh yes, God. God is so good to us. God is so good to us tonight. I thank the Lord. Jesus, I thank you for the precious soul you fill with the Holy Ghost tonight.