The Cure For Loneliness  |  Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter
by Kenneth Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Genesis 2:18, Revelation 1:1, Romans 5:12-14, Genesis 1:26, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Colossians 1:14-17, Revelation 13:8, Titus 1:2, 1 Corinthians 15:44-47, 1 Timothy 2:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, Genesis 3:19, Luke 22:44, Isaiah 52:14, John 19:34, Acts 20:28, Revelation 22:16-17

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/kenneth-carpenter--the-cure-for-loneliness
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
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The great book of Genesis, the beginning. The beginning. Everybody say, "The beginning." >> The great book of Genesis, the beginning. Genesis chapter 2 and verse number 18. And the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a help meat for him." Jesus, thank you for your word today. Lord, your spirit has moved our emotions today. The tears have flowed down our faces and the joy has got in our feet and we have danced. We have praised you because your spirit has moved us. But now, oh God, your word has come and your word is to enter our minds. Your word is to speak to us and give us understanding of who you are, who we are, what our purpose is. Now Jesus, for the next few moments, would you anoint my lips of clay that I may feed your people that have so faithfully gathered here today that they may leave here in a few moments, God, with a word from you. I give you praise in Jesus wonderful name we pray. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. I want to minister for a few moments today on this simple subject. The cure for loneliness. The cure. the cure for loneliness. Up to this verse, the only adjective that God used to describe what he created was good. The only adjective God used to describe creation was good. Now, in our text this morning, for the first time, God declares something. The same God who said let there be light. The same God who said let the waters bring forth is the same God who said it is not good that the man should be alone. For the first time, God's eye spies something, sees something of which God has to say these words, not good. John Milton in his book Paradise Lost says, "Loneliness is the first thing which God's eye named not good. Not good. Church family this morning. It is important to note that it is not Adam who said this. It was God who made the observation. All Adam knows is that he as a male was created with an urge, a drive, a longing that he didn't understand its purpose. Adam knew he had a need. Adam knew he had a need. We humans are good at knowing our needs, but we're not so good in knowing our condition before God. Adam knew. Adam was a male. Adam was created a male. He had all the urge, the drive, the desire. Is any male in this room? But at the time, all he knew is he had a need, but God knew his condition. Too many times we are need focused and not condition focused. I don't care what your needs are today or my needs are today. I've got to find out what my condition is before God because that's really all that matters. As this verse is followed by the creation of a woman with whom Adam is to bond Mary, it is clear that God it is clear that God wants men to marry. Marriage is a prescription, a moral and a social value, more than just a male instinct. It was more than just Adam's needs and desires. It was something that God was going to do that would be a moral value. It would be a social value. We're living in a culture that is witnessing the dynamic decrease in marriage rates at this time which just bears the fact in the west where more people where more people are not getting married that we are now living in a record of history. So more and more men and women choose not to marry. And because of this, please follow. Because of this, loneliness has become a major social issue. Loneliness has become a major social issue. In the words of the National Institutions of Health, they say, and I quote, "Loneliness is a painful universal phenomenon. Fentanol has got the headlines, but I submit to you that right beside fentanol needs to be loneliness." Researchers say that loneliness now plays a major p public health issue and represents a greater health risk than listen to this. It is a greater health risk than obesity than o than than obesity and is as destructive to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Now this is not coming from a preacher. This is coming from national health institutions and research centers around our world. As a matter of fact, they say that social isolation, loneliness, and living alone can increase mortality up to 32%. Of course, no one should be so naive as to assume that marriage always solves the problem of loneliness because there are lonely married people. Harvard professor Robert Putnham in his 2000 book bowling alone the author researches and says that in recent years fewer Americans were joining bowling leagues most were simply bowling alone this is leading lives to unconnected to others families can become unconnected, disconnected, islands to himself. I played with two or three titles that was supposed to go on the screen or that I would have given to go on the screen, but the cure for loneliness went out, but one of them, as a matter of fact, I'll tell you, it was my first title that I was going to submit simply said, "We need one another. We need we need we need one another. Another book that I another author that I quote today, Jonathan Sachs. I want you to know that these are not necessarily Christians. Many of them are not. Jonathan Saxs, Jewish theologian and former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, summarized this aspect. He said, "Regular attendees at a place of worship were more likely than others to give money to charity, engage in volunteer work, donate blood, spend time with someone who is depressed, offer a seat to a stranger, help somebody find a job." Isn't that interesting that if you were a regular attender to church, you were more likely, let me read that again. You were more likely to give money to a charitable organization. You were more likely to engage in volunteer work. You were more likely to donate blood, spend time with someone who is depressed, give a seat to a stranger, and help somebody find a job. Regular attendance at a house of worship is the most accurate predictor. engage of an unselfish person. Man, there's got to be a lot of unselfish people in this room right now today. Because we could fall prey to being selfish and say the words, "Well, I can stay home and worship God or I can watch it online and worship God." One of the one of the downfalls of being on the internet is people think they can stay home and stay in their PJs and drink their latte. Well, that sounded right, didn't it? PJ's a latte. You know what? You can do all that, but you know what? You can't be a blessing to somebody else doing that. >> Can't be a blessing. Regular attendance at a house of worship is the most accurate predictor of an unselfish person. More so, listen to this than any other factor, including gender, education, income, race, religion, marital status, ideology, and age. Most fascinating of his findings in Putinham's book is the key a factor in being part of a religious community. They said if you're a part of a religious community, it has an impact on your life so much than an that an atheist who goes regularly to a house of worship, perhaps to bring a spouse, perhaps to bring a child, is more likely, now hear this, an atheist that doesn't believe in God that somehow finds him or herself in a house of worship, whether it's coming with a spouse, coming with a child, coming with something, someone that just simply asked, "An atheist who goes regularly to a house of worship is more likely to volunteer in a soup kitchen than a fervent believer who prays alone." Something about being a part that makes you want to help the cure for loneliness. Allow me this morning again to point out the fact that God declared Adam alone despite the fact. Now hold on to this. God said it's not good for you to be alone. But Adam was not necessarily alone. What do you mean God was there? God was there. So God declared Adam alone despite the fact that Adam had a relationship with God. The lesson God declares that even he God does not fully relieve our aloneeness. God is essential but we need one another. So let us not fa fall prey. All I need is God. That's that that's true in part. But we do need God. But God so designed you and I that we need one another. Aren't you thankful that you have somebody to worship the Lord with today? Brother Hammond, I hear the psalmist right now. Oh, magnify the Lord with with me. Let us exalt his name together. Can I tell you today, can I be just just uh transparent with you today? I've had some pretty amazing prayer times. I've had some pretty amazing prayer times in my life where I felt the glory of God. But it doesn't match anything like we just had the last 20 minutes or so. Why? Because we came together to worship God. If God was enough for Adam, God would have never said it's not good. But God knew that he created a man that needed interaction with other people to really fulfill his God-giving God-given cause. Read with me today or look with me today. The first book in the Bible is the book of what? The last book in the Bible is the book of what? So they're they're the first book. Let me say it again. That sounded so good. The first book in the Bible is >> Come on, husbands. Let's say it. Say it. Your wife, it'll impress your wife. She'll at least you know what the first book is. All right. The first book in the Bible is >> Genesis. >> The last book in the Bible is >> first book is Genesis. Second book is Revelation. Or the last book is Revelation. The first book in the Bible is Genesis. Its meaning is the beginning. And the last book in the Bible is the book of Revelation. And the first verse in the first chapter of the book of Revelation, the first words say this, the revelation of Jesus Christ. So if we put these two books together, Genesis beginning, Revelation, the beginning of the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now let me show you something here today. This Bible is all about the revealing of Jesus Christ. >> From the first Genesis to the last revelation, this book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. I'll do like Sister Haley did last night when she would give her speech. She made a good point. Nobody clapped. She said, "This book is about the revelation of Jesus Christ. Everything in this book, God's entire design for the universe, for the earth, God's whole design is so that we could come together in the year of 2025 and we could have a revelation of who Jesus Christ is. I want you to know, if you'll get a revelation of who he is, keep a revelation of who he is, your feet is already walking on streets of gold. If you'll get a revelation of who he is, keep a revelation of who he is. There's no enemy. There's no foe that can push you down or keep you back. You are already walking on streets of gold. And I'll do like I said to Haley last night. I'll give him a praise. Jesus Christ. In Genesis, we have the first man, Adam. In Revelation, we have the last man, God man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5 and 12. Let's look at the first man. Romans 5 and 12. Talking about the cure for loneliness. Romans 5 and 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. Who is Adam? Who is the figure of him that was to come? Who was Adam? Adam was the figure of the one that was to come better. It helps us better understand Genesis 1:26 when God in the midst of creation in Genesis 1:26, God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." The first man was made in the image and the likeness of Jesus Christ according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. The first man was made in the image and the likeness of Jesus Christ who was who who was according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. Paul said, "In whom the god of this world, Satan, hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the image of God should shine upon them." So when God said, "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness," he's a God that dwells in eternity. He's a God that speaks of those things which are not as if they already were. You see, prior to let there be light, prior to an earth in the water, out of the water, prior to darkness and void was upon the face of the deep. God had a plan and that plan was God becoming a man for scripture. Let's read Colossians chapter 1 verse number 14. Talking of Jesus Christ to Colossians 1:14. In whom Jesus Christ we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins. Verse 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature on the human humanity side. He was the firstborn of creation. On his deity, he was the great eternal God. Verse 16. For by him, Jesus Christ were all things created that are in heaven, that are in earth, visible, invisible, whether there be thrones, dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and for him. And he, listen to this now, and he is before all things. And he who Jesus Christ is before all things. Who? G I'm going to keep hammering this away. Who is Jesus Christ? He is before all things. And by him all things consist. What do you mean? He is before all things. Now, he cannot be as a man. He cannot be before Bethlehem's manger. as a man. He was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary and he was born in a city called Bethlehem. As a man, but as eternal God. Let me tell you where he's at. As the eternal God. Look at Revelation 13 verse number eight. The first part of this verse deals with the Antichrist. But it says, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him." That's the Antichrist. whose names are not written in the book of life of the lamb slain before the what? The foundation of the world. He's the firstborn of every creature. That means before there was any substance of an earth, God already had a plan that he would become a man. You got to see it this way. It's the only biblical way this scripture makes sense because if you look at it and say you you you know he's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. You got him slain twice. You got him slain before creation and you got him crucified some thousands of years later on a hill outside of Jerusalem. But in the mind of God, he is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. People, people are absolutely their minds are blown at creation. The galaxies, the planets, all of creation mesmerizes them. But can I tell you what was before all of that was a great plan that God had about becoming a man. Not only did God have a plan about becoming a man, not only not only did God have a plan about becoming a man, but in Titus chapter 1 verse number two, it simply says, "In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Not only was it in the mind of God to become a man before the world was ever created, it was also in the mind of God, you and I doing what we're doing this morning, being who we are today, being sons and daughters of the living God. You you you understand today that that wasn't something that happened a few thousand years ago at Pentecost. That isn't even something that happened some thousands of years at creation. Before a star ever twinkled, before a bird ever sung, before a brook ever ran, before a river was ever created, God looked down and God said, "I'll become a man. And when I become a man, I will redeem a people. And I will have a people that have eternal life." We going to live forever in Jesus' name. We are going to live. We are going to live. forever. Huh? The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse number 44, Paul is trying to explain the resurrection. There's those that are just saying, "How will there be a resurrection? How will there be a resurrection? How will there be a changing of our mortal bodies?" And Paul brings two men to the surface. Paul says about the resurrection, about our bodies. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body. There is a spiritual body. And so it is written, "The first man, Adam, was made a living soul. He was made from nature. He was made from the dirt, the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. But he was made, he was made from the dust of the ground. There is a natural body, there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, the first man, Adam, was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit. One Adam had a soul that could connect with God. The other Adam, Jesus Christ, was the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And he could speak life into things. He could turn water into wine. He could unstopps and reconnect uh nerves and in ears. He could open the eyes of the blind. He could create eyeballs in eyeball sockets and blind men could begin to see. Not only not only could he be a healer of the body, but let a man called Lazarus, let a little 12-year-old girl face death, let a boy be carried out. And I I look at those three times that Jesus resurrected people from the dead. He resurrected He resurrected a little 12-year-old girl that laid in her bedroom. In that day, the funeral home was your local was your local funeral home. They didn't have they didn't have funeral homes like we have today. You died, your home became your funeral home. Jesus went to the funeral home and he resurrected a 12-year-old girl because he was a lifegiving quickening spirit. He then is walking into a city called Na. They have left the funeral home. They got a they got a boy on a on a on a beer. It's a it's a board carrying him out to the cemetery. Jesus stops and touched the beard and the dead boy raised up and his mama was not a little happy that he raised up. She was full of joy. So, let's see it. Jesus conquered death in the funeral home. Jesus stopped the funeral possession. They had their lights on. They had the flashers on. And they're going out to the cemetery. And he stopped them on the way to the cemetery. And he raised that boy from the dead. But let's go all the way to the cemetery. And a man has been buried for four days. And his name is Lazarus. And this lifegiving, the first Adam couldn't do this. The first Adam could just connect with his God. He was made a living soul. He could fellowship and connect with his God. But this second Adam, oh no, this second Adam was a lifegiving spirit. He could stand at the grave of Lazarus and he could say, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth out of walking. So let me let's just break it down. Whether you're in the funeral home, on your way to the grave, or already in the grave, he can conquer it all. Hallelujah. Verse 45. And so it is written, the first man, Adam, was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit. How be it, that was not first which is spiritual. but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual. Look at verse 47. Glue your eyes on this verse. The first man is of the earth earthy and the second man is the Lord from heaven. That wonderful today. That wonderful today. So now let's begin to see something. It's more about God creating a man and it's more about God creating a woman. It's God giving the beginning of a full revelation of who he is and what he wants to do. But let's continue on. There's similarities between Adam and Jesus, said the carpenter. There's similarities between Adam and Jesus. Let's look at 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse number 13. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Adam came first. He was first formed and then Eve. Adam was not deceived. But the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Now, Adam was not deceived. Adam knew very well what he was getting into. Eve, absolutely not. She really thought that she would become like God. She really thought there was more coming. And brother, there was more coming. But it wasn't a good more. She really thought so. I'm I'm I'm I'm going to I'm I'm going to I'm going to have something I don't have right now. That's a true two. But Adam, he very well knew it was transgression. He very well knew that it was sin. He very well knew. He very well knew all of this. The first data 2 Corinthians 5:19. To wit to know, to understand. a wit to know to understand that God was in what? Come on, give me a little participation here today. God was where? >> Reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now we, now then we are ambassadors for Christ. That's what we're doing here today. We are ambassadors for Christ. What is an ambassador? Ambassador is a representative of another kingdom living in a strange land representing another kingdom. We the church, Sister Sutton. We are ambassadors. We're pilgrims and strangers down here. We're only passing through. We are spiritual ambassadors to a world telling them that there's a better kingdom that they can believe in and that they can enter into the kingdom of God. Now we now now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christstead in the place of Christ. Be you reconciled for c to Christ to God. Verse 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God. Adam willingly walked into sin. Adam willingly walked into death. Just like the second Adam, Jesus Christ, willingly took our place on the cross. He paid our penalty. We should have been crucified. We should have been shamed. We should have been humiliated. We should have been exposed. We should have been all of that what that was done to him. But praise be to God, just like the first Adam did not want to be removed from his Eve, from his wife, she was deceived, but he walked in it with her because he wanted to be with her. And our second Adam, the Lord from glory said, "I will come. I'll never commit sin. I will become sin. I will never do sin. I will be made sin so that I can get my Eve. I can get my why. Oh, I wish you'd give him more praise than that today. God gave Adam a sign. God said to the first Adam, Genesis 3:19, "In the sweat of thy face, two things, sweat and face." Sweat and face. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread till thou return into the ground. For out of it was thou taken. For dust thou art until dust thou shalt return. This is a visible sign of sin. Sweat being on the face. That's the first Adam. But let's look at the similarity between the second Adam. Luke 22 verse number 44. It's Jesus Christ, the Lord from glory in the garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:44. And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it was great drops of blood falling to the ground. The first man, Adam, would sweat to show it was a curse. It was a curse. Look at the prespiration. Look at the sweat on my face. Look at the sweat. Look at how I'm toiling. The second Adam goes to save you and I. And in the garden, Dr. Luke would record that his sweat became as great drops of blood. But where does the Bible mention? His face of the second Adam. The face of the first Adam had sweat on his face. But the face of the second Adam is found in Isaiah 52:14 prophecy of the crucifixion. And it says in Isaiah 52:14, "As many as were a stoned at thee." And a matter of fact, they were they were they were taken back. They gasp. They gasped when they saw it. They gasped when they saw Calvary. They gasped when they saw that they about cut him in two with the cattle of nine tales. They gasped when they looked at his face. They gasped when they looked at the nails. They they they they they gasped. They gasped. And they were astoned at this. And they were astoned to his his vig that's face was so mired more than any man and his form more than the sons of man. The first Adam had sweat on his face as a witness to the sin that he had willingly walked into. But the second Adam, the Lord from glory, went to the garden of Gethsemane, to die, not for his sins, but your sin and my sin. And under such stress, his sweat became as great drops of blood. Not only that, they beat him among his face. They beat him so much that you had to take a second look. Mary had to stare a little bit. Mary had to stare because his vig his face was so mired that that you couldn't recognize him. His eyes were swollen. His face was was beaten up. His beard was plucked. They could not rec they could not recognize him. Now that may be a little bit of the explanation of why the disciples after the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the road to Emmas, the Bible said they did not recognize him. And there is a possibility if we believe he kept the nail prints in his hands and the nail prints in his feet, maybe he kept the disfigured face to show that I have overcome all things. But the second Adam did that for you and I. Why? Because he's working on a plan. He's working on a plan. The cure for loneliness is more than just male and female getting together and getting married. The cure for loneliness is understanding that Adam represented the Lord from glory. Adam represented a God that wanted to walk with us. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Musicians, come. Would you please Wait a minute. Hold hold on a minute. Wait a minute. Adam, it's not good for a man to be alone. It's not good for a man to be alone. Go to sleep, Adam. fall asleep, Adam. And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. God caused a sleep to fall upon the first Adam, and he fell asleep. And God and God took a rib from Adam's side. God took a rib and God took that rib and God made with that rib, God made a woman. God made a woman. And when Adam woke up and God brought her to him, Adam said, "This is now bone of my bone. This is flesh of my flesh. She shall be called a woman because she was taken out of me. I now have I now have a helpmate. I now have someone suitable for me. We can now populate the earth. I now find someone that can that that that can satisfy my needs and my wants. And I now find someone that can be a helper to me. I find someone that is suitable. Sons and daughters can be born. Sons and daughters can be born now. But I got to go ahead and tell you that the cure for loneliness is more than just a marriage ceremony. It's more than just a male and a female coming together. If the first Adam was a was was a symbol and a figure of Jesus Christ, then Eve becomes a figure of the church of the living God. The first Adam got his wife from being put to sleep and a rib taken from his side. God made a woman. Jesus hangs on a cross. John 19:34. But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and fought with came out blood and water. What are you going to do with the blood? I'll tell you what I'm going to do. Acts 20:28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost have made you overseers to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. The first Adam got his wife from a ri out of his side and the second Adam got his wife the church out of the blood that poured from him. Oh, aren't you glad to be in the church today? Aren't you glad to be in the church today? Aren't you glad to be spiritfilled? Aren't you glad to be waterbaptized? Aren't you glad to be If you're glad, stand to your finger. I'm I'm glad to be in the church today. So, the first Genesis is about God making a man and a woman. The first marriage was performed in the book of Genesis. And the last book called Revelation talks about church, a church, a bride, a wedding ceremony, a consummation of the ages. Can I tell you today the cure for loneliness is to be born again. The cure for loneliness because just as God created Adam and Eve and from that time Adam and Eve, you do realize on our fleshly side, Adam and Eve are our parents. on the fleshly side, Adam and Eve. Every last one of us in here today come from those original parents, Adam and Eve. But God said, "My plan is far better from that." The second Adam is going to come. The second Adam's going to die on a cross. Second Adam is going to pay the sin debt. The second Adam is going to appease the wrath of God. The second Adam is going to silence the voice of Lucifer. That if God would enter man, Lucifer would deem God unjust. But God outsmarted him as he always does. And God made a plan that the body would be the sacrifice for sin and it would make a way that we could enter into the presence of God. And a little over 2,000 years ago, in a room that would hold about 120 people. The blood had been shed from his side, he had been resurrected. And in the room, Brother Sincada, that would seat about 120 people. God said, "It's time to engage me a bride. It's time for me to have a bride." God came like a rushing mighty wind, filled everyone. They begin to speak in a new tongue. They begin to speak in a new heavenly tongue as the spirit gave them utterance. They were baptized in Jesus' name for the washing away of their sins. They were filled with the Holy Ghost. They now become, and aren't you thankful today, sons and daughters of the most high God. Aren't you glad for that? Would you just raise your hands with me for a moment? I praise you this morning, God. I love you this morning, God. I thank you this morning. And now, are we the body of Christ, Lao? You hear me? We're the body of Christ right now. Hear me? If Jesus is going to talk to somebody, it's going to be through my voice and your voice. If Jesus is going to touch somebody, it's going to be through our hands and our voice. And you know, here's what's wonderful about it. Yesterday at men's conference, yesterday at men's conference, there was a man that came to men's conference with this thought. I need direction in my life. I need wisdom in my life. I need direction. I need wisdom in my life. and I need to know if God answers these prayers that it won't change him. Those were the two requests this man came to men's conference. He needed direction. He needs wisdom with something that's about to happen. And he wants to make sure with what's about to happen, it doesn't change him. And so in his mind, brother Lord, he said, "I'm going to get Pastor Tim Hammond and I'm going to get Pastor Kenny Carpenter to pray for me. I I have a lot of faith in these men of God. They're they're going to these two he he says giant of men of God going to pray for me. I'm going to have wisdom and they're going to pray for me for it not to change me. So the Holy Ghost, he said, I waited for the Holy Ghost to start moving real good and he said I started try to find you all but he said I couldn't find you. and he said, "All of a sudden, a hand slapped on my forehead, and when I looked up, it was the hand of a young man with Down syndrome." He said, "That young man snapped his hand on my head and begin to say, Jesus, give him wisdom. >> Give him understanding. Jesus, give him wisdom. Give him understanding. >> Great things are about to take place. Great things are about to unfold in his life. And he said he took his hand off of me. And he said he turned around and he said, "Turn turned all the way around and stuck his finger in my chest and he said, "And don't let it change him, God." said about that time the young man's dad walked up said hey said what did my boy say to you what almost is I I don't want my boy to be a boy what what are you saying he said he told me great things are happening great things are going to unfold and he told me not to let it change he said well let me just say tell tell you something he's only done this a few times but said I got to news for you. Anything my boy has ever told somebody, it has surely come to pass. What are you trying to say, brother Carpenter? I'm trying to say you don't have to be a giant or you don't have to be perceived as a giant. God's got all kind of wonderful, beautiful people. I said, God's got all kind of wonderful, beautiful people here today. Oh, God. Come on, lift up your hands right now. Lift up your hands right now. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Lord. I want to follow your leading God. I want to follow your leading God. I want to follow your leading God. I want to follow your leading God. I want to follow your leading right now God. I do. I do. I do. I do. Now, before I call everybody into this altar, before I call everybody into this altar right now with heads bowed and eyes closed, I'm going I'm going to call it'll be a diff it difficult thing for you to do. You're not admitting some kind of horrible sin. You're not admitting maybe even sin at all. You're just admitting, I battle with loneliness. I battle with loneliness. I battle with this right now. I battle I feel all alone. I I I battle with this. If you would, I'm going to call everybody in in just a moment. Everybody don't come right now. But if you want to step out of your pew today and walk down to this altar and stand in this altar, you're simply saying, "I I I just battle loneliness. I I battle loneliness. Would you come right now? Would you come right now? I battle loneliness. I I battle feeling alone. I I I battle that in my mind. I I I know that God's with me. I But I but I battle alone. Just come and stand. Come and stand. That's it. That's it. That's it. Beautiful. Thank you. Thank you for transparency right now. Thank you for transparency. Don't I don't want everybody to come. This is only for those that are that are just walking the aisles saying, "I do battle with being alone. I I I do I do battle with being alone. I I do battle with loneliness. I I do battle sometimes thinking I'm in this all by myself. I I do battle sometimes thinking I I got to look out for me and I I got to I got to I got to concern myself with me right now. Right now. Right now. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus right now. In the name of Jesus. Right now. The name of Jesus. Now, right now, here's what I want to do. Here's what I want to do. I want you to go find somebody in this altar right now and pray with them. I want I I want you to come find I'm not going to just miss everybody. No, every don't don't just everybody come. I want you want to come and pray with somebody. I want you to come pray with them right now. I would ask if you could just step forward just a bit. Let's fill up any gaps in the altar. Going to be a great altar call today. I need you to step in about three or four more steps. That's it. That's it. step in right now. Find somebody right now to pray with. Find somebody lay your hand on them right now. Lay your hand because you are a selfless person. You think of others more than you think about yourself. You You saw them walk down the aisle and immediately you said, "I got to go pray for him right now. I I got to go pray for him right now. I I can't be by myself right now. I got to go pray in the name of Jesus right now." Come on, church family. Let's everybody come and gather in the altar right now. Let's everybody gather in the altar right now. The name of the Lord Jesus is my sheer. He goes before me, defender behind me. I won't feel filled with anointing. The cups overflow. No weapon can harm me. I want you. Hallelu. I am not alone. He's my God. always. He always mountains and valley joy is refreshing. restores my soul. Mercy and goodness gives me assurance that I'll see his glory. Praise to your name. >> Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. I am the Lord. >> He is my comfort. He's my always. I am not alone. >> He is my comforter. is my God. >> You always hold me. >> Your spirit is within me. >> Your spirit lives with me. >> So I will walk. >> So I will walk in your peace. Your spirit lives within me. My victory. My victory. Your spirit lives within me. So I will walk in your peace. Your spirit lives within me. I >> Your spirit, >> your spirit lives within me. So I will walk in your spirit. >> Your spirit lives. >> My name >> Your spirit. Your spirit lives within me. So I will walk in God. >> Your spirit. >> Your spirit is coming. I need you. I need you. Your spirit. >> Your spirit. >> Your spirit. >> Your spirit. Your spit. So I will walk. Oh, I will walk in your spl I am not. >> He my comfort. Be my comfort always. Hallelu. I am the Lord. >> He is my comfort. He's my >> closer than my next. Your spirit is your >> You are my strength. So I will. >> You are my spirit. I your spirit lives within me. So I will walk in your spirit within my spirit. Your spirit is I will walk your spirit. Your spirit is >> coming. >> Your spirit, >> your spirit is within me. So I will walk in your spirit is within me. My victory. My victory. My victory. My victory. My victory. My savioral He is my He's my all mountain. Jesus in the streets. Jesus in the darkness for every enemy. Jesus for my family. I speak the holy name. Jesus. Oh Jesus from the mountain. Jesus is the Jesus is so Jesus speaking Jesus in the Jesus over every Jesus I speak Jesus. Your name is your name is your name is Jesus. My name my name is my healer. Your name is my life. >> Your name is my If you like every stout shout to for the mountain. I speakus Jesus from the mountain. Jesus. Jesus in the street. Jesus in the dark. Every day Jesus I speak. Jesus. Your name is power. Your name is Jesus. Your name is your name is every shine burn. I claim your name is your name is is breaking through the shadow burn like a fire. >> Revelation 22 verse number 16 and 17. The Bible is about to close out. The Bible is about to close out. He's about to say in verse 20, surely I come quickly. But verse 16 and verse 17, Revelation 22:16 and 17, I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the rooe and the offspring of David, the bride and the morning star. Look at verse 17. and the spirit and the bride say come. Can I tell you today? I'm a husband. She's my wife. Spirit, bride, spirit, bride. And by the help of our God, we've raised some good children. Seen them through some tough times in their life. the terrible twos and the horrific teens. But we feel we've raised some pretty good kids, god-fearing kids. Love God. Vote the way I tell them to vote. No, not really. I hope. Anyway, they're a good kids. But those good kids was the product spirit and bride. We never worked against each other. We we never worked against each other. As a matter of fact, an automatic grounding and that they were young enough spanking was if you come ask me for something and I say no, if you go to mom and ask her, automatic. Automatic. >> That's right. >> Because it was imperative that spirit. >> Yes. Yes. Jesus. Yes, Lord. say the same thing. I don't know it for sure, but I just say that the Bible may speak about a woman's voice in the home more than a man. Just thought, >> search it out. Well, we raised some pretty good children. But, you know, that was just part of God's plan. But the real thing is his spirit >> and his bride. Yes. >> You want to know what will cause the most tremendous harvest of souls that we've ever seen in Marville, Tennessee, >> is when the spirit and the bride >> start talking. >> Yes. >> And when the bride spirits don't talk. >> Yes, Lord. >> I said spirits don't talk. In order for a spirit to talk, a spirit has to enter a body and then a spirit talks. >> The devil doesn't have a voice. He has a he has a he has a force about him, but he doesn't have a voice until he gets in the body. But you see, that's where we got the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost comes, what's the first thing that happens to us? >> We begin to speak, right? >> I'm here to tell you today, and I challenge all of us. I challenge every last one of us. Let's be in the prayer room tonight. >> Let's come by the church. And oh, by the way, we're not going to keep announcing this. This is just going to be a way of life. Prayer from sun up to sun down. You'll sign in just like we've been we we we've been doing it. Somebody said, "Oh, it's costing us. We got to have extra this and that's that." Is prayer not worth it? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, sir. >> Is prayer not worth it? >> Find you a time to during the day to pray and and be open. You know how it is. Sign up. Sign up for prayer. Uh tonight 5:30, go through the prayer room before you come out for service. And and if we will work together, if the spirit >> Yes. and the bride instead of me standing there saying I want the Lord to speak to brother Lord the Holy Ghost got to move in today and I Lord just touch brother we wear weir God just speak to his heart and as if I heard the Lord say go over and speak to him go over and speak to him go over there and whisper in his ear and tell him that God's got his hand on his life you ever been encouraged by somebody just coming by and putting their hand on their life on your back or saying Hey little Troy, we got this. God's got this, man. Let's be that bride. You want to Let's be that bride that works together. Because if we'll work together, just like tonight, I think tonight we've already got two already to be baptized. >> You know what that's the product of? You know what that's the product of? The spirit and the bride. God bless you. God bless you today. Before I dismiss you, before I dismiss you, Sister Marshall, her baby sister who's suffering an illness. They're not expecting her to live through the day. The Marshalls are going to be traveling. Could we just turn around right now? Brother, Sister Marshall, raise your hands right now. Brother Marshall, tell me her name again. Gillette. Janna. Janna. Is that over there in Olive Branch? >> Arkansas. We're going to be praying for you all. Brother Marshall, your voice of prayer in the prayer room is such an encouragement to hear you. You you pray and you talk to God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ right now, Lord, somebody will lay their hand on brother and sister Marshall. God, I pray for Sister Marshall's baby sister right now. God, you have our days numbered. God, you know all there is. God, Lord, if it be your will to heal, if it be your will to turn it around, Lord, God, thy will be done. But God, just be up on her right now, Lord. God, touch and give that Marshall family the grace and the strength, God, that they need. Lord, keep your hand up on brother and sister Marshall as they travel the interstates, God. And Lord, bring them back home safely, Lord. And God, we'll just praise you and we'll worship you. Jesus, wonderful name we pray. Amen. Amen. I'm going to say this one last thing because it's bugging me. We were at the Charlie Kirk uh vigil last night. It's a powerful thing. Probably 800 people there. Three of our young people were asked by the mayor. Three of our young people were asked by the mayor to give a a five minute speech. And they just did tremendous. They just absolutely absolutely did tremendous. But there was a thing that kept being said last night. The gospel of Jesus Christ. the gospel of Jesus Christ. They got up, people got up, kept saying, "We got to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ." And I believe that and I am when they said that we're saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ. But brother Knuckles, do you know that a bride is given to detail? You just can't have any candle. Not to the bride. You can't just have any runner, not any song, not any No, no, no. The a bride's given to detail. We're the bride of Christ. It falls our obligation. We've got a city that's talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we need to tell them the full gospel of Jesus Christ. >> Born again of the water, born again of the spirit. >> Come on. That's what the bride, that's what the bride, the bride has sent on you. You can talk about the gospel, but let me tell you how to obey the gospel. >> Go on. I'll eat lunch better now that I'm done. God bless you.