Welcome to Strong Tower Youth Camp 2024!
by Nolan Carpenter
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Judges 2:6-10, Judges 2:11, Judges 2:12, Numbers 33:52, Judges 1:19, Judges 1:21, Judges 1:27, Amos 6:1, Judges 1:34, 1 Samuel 7:1-2, 2 Samuel 6:3

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/nolan-carpenter--welcome-to-strong-tower-youth-camp-2024-5
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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I'll be mindful of you standing uh this morning I want to give honor to where honor is due I want to give honor to my mother and my father I love them very dearly and and I know it's not a joke but I don't know where I would be in my life without their voice and their influence don't know where I would be without them I want to thank my God this morning for pastor Ericson and sister Ericson and their influence in my life and and uh sister Ericson being a a second mother to me and God's blessed me with many mothers in my life and God knows I would need it and uh I thank God for pastor Zach Hammond and sister Lauren Hammond haven't you enjoyed what they've put on this week haven't they been awesome I love them so much and I want to thank I want to thank Strong Tower Youth Camp because it's because of Strong Tower and the atmospheres that we've been in and and we've experienced this week that changed my life and if they would move this organ out of the way this morning and I could show you the very spot where I felt like God called me to do something for him and I love how brother land and Gore put it mayy I was called before that but that was the night where where God wanted an answer and I tried my best to give it to him I can move that organ back and show you the very spot where I feel like God called me to do something for him and so I want to thank Strong Tower Youth Camp uh for the investments in my life and uh I thank you all so much for being a part I know God's done so much in your life and last but not least I want to thank my beautiful wonderful wife sister flry in our brand new addition Magnolia Ray Carpenter and if they've got a picture and I gave it to them like two seconds ago that's her I don't have any memes today so the closest thing I've got to a meme is this next picture all right yeah that's the closest thing I've got all right and the social media team you guys have been killing it flaner and uh flaner and Magnolia they are uh my absolute world and I thank God for them every day and flaner makes me a better person and I love doing life with her and I'm thankful that I'm thankful that she had a child and the next service that she could be in that she was at worshiping God and I thank God that she's not missed a beat she's brought Magnolia to to service every every time she could and she worships with her and that means the world to me if you turn your Bibles to Judges chapter 2 and verse number 6 Judges chapter 2 and verse number 6 I feel the Lord has given me a burden for for this service this morning and I hope to release it the way that I feel like he has given it to me for someone this morning says in Joshua when Joshua had let the people go the children of Israel went every man into his inheritance to possess the land and the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua notice this scripture how many generations there are in the following scriptures uh the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua that's one generation who had seen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Israel and Joshua the son of Nine the servant of the Lord died being 10010 years old and they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath hirus in the Mount of Ephraim on the north side of the hill of gash and also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers here's another generation and there arose another generation the third generation after them which knew not the Lord nor yet The Works which he had done for Israel for the next few moments I want to preach to A Strong Tower student and the whole goal of the next I'm going to lie to you and tell you it's going to be the the next 25 minutes the whole goal of the next few minutes is for someone to go from second or third generation Apostolic to being a first generation Apostolic it's my whole goal today if I can get us to a place to recognize what the second generation what the third generation what their Tendencies are and what they what's easy for them to do I feel like we can walk out this week first generation apostolics and Set This World On Fire so I want to preach to us for the next few minutes on the demise of the second generation the demise of the second generation put your Bibles down your phones down iPads down whatever you're reading the word of the Lord on you lift Your Hands to Heaven you lift your hearts to heaven but most importantly today I'm going to stress to you to lift your voice unto God ask God to speak to us this morning God I love you today God I count it an honor and a privilege God to preach to your students God to to your children today God and I ask that you would anoint my lips God your word is good and your word is truth God and your word is already Anointed God I ask that you would anoint me today and I give you all the praise all the glory and the honor God I don't even want to attempt to do this without you but God I need we need you today God I pray at least one time this morning that your presence would be so real and so strong in this place God let it be undeniable that you have entered into this Auditorium God and that you are here to challenge us and to change us in your presence I feel you right now Lord and I thank you for what you're going to do in this place in the name of Jesus we pray if you believe God's going to do something this morning clap your hands and lift your voice with a voice of Triumph hallelujah hallelujah to God hallelujah you may be seated in the house of the Lord this morning the demise of the second generation Joshua was part of a generation that saw God do marvelous Works Joshua served the Lord and was committed to him but in scripture in this chapter in judges we see just two generations later we see a people who don't even know the Lord their God Joshua was the one who would see the miraculous divide of the Red Sea and the Jordan River but just two generations later there would be a generation who did not know God Joshua was the man who instructed the children of Israel to walk around the city of Jericho six times and then seven times on the final day and God would miraculously Bring Down the Walls of Jericho but just two generations later a generation a group of young people would not know the Mighty God of Israel Joshua was the one who dared to look at the Sun and commanded it to be still or there was some for there was some business that needed to be taken care of Joshua was standing on some business and the Bible says that there was no day like like it before it or after it that the Lord hearkened to the voice of a man for the Lord fought for Israel and just two generations later we have a group of people which knew not the Lord nor yet The Works which he had done for Israel not long after Joshua had died his grave wasn't even settled yet and there were still flowers living on top of that grave and two verses later the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served balum here in the next few words is why we see such falling away please pay close attention and this is the basis of this whole sermon today this is the basis of everything I'll say for the next few moments this is the digression of each generation the Joshua generation serve the Lord and was faithful to him they had their own experiences with God and how God would bring them out of Egypt and how God brought them across the Red Sea on gr dry ground and they would ask they would go to God and say God what is right in your eyes the first generation would do anything that it took to please and serve the almighty God but the second generation served the god of their fathers notice the digression from the first generation to the second generation judges 2 and2 said they forsook the Lord God of their fathers it wasn't their God it was their father's God it was their parents' God that the second second generation served the first generation served the the almighty God but the second generation served the god of their fathers the scripture puts it and was borderline faithful to God the second generation about 50% of the times in scripture were faithful to God they would only have secondhand stories about how God did Mighty works for their parents they only heard how their parents came across Egypt on dry ground and bringing them across the Red Sea only hearing about when God would give a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of Fire by night and instead of going to God and asking what was right in his eyes the second generation would go to their parents and say Mom and Dad what's right in your eyes so the second generation serve the god of their fathers and ask Mom Daddy what is right in your eyes then we have the third generation or the Bible calls it another generation they served false gods and was faithful to everybody but the one true God of Israel they were faithful to the gods of everyone around them they didn't even know God or how he brought their grandparents out of Egypt on across on dry land or how God made the son stand still for Joshua in this generation notice the digression they serve the gods of culture and now they would ask what is right in culture's eyes so we have the first generation serve their the almighty God the second generation serve the god of their fathers and the third generation served the gods around them and did whatever culture told them to do and a lot of blame could be placed on the other generation or the third generation but reality is they didn't stand chance against the Strong Winds of culture because the true demise in scripture started in the second generation because they didn't have a personal experience with God they just had stories and I've come to preach to us young people today to just simply declare to you that you have to know God for yourself you've got to have a relationship with God for yourself I don't care it's 50% of the time that's not going to cut it as strong as the winds are blowing in culture you got to have a relationship with God for yourself you've got to experience him and his power for yourself you've got to have a burning bush experience for yourself while I'm thankful for the past generation sacrifices and all that they've done it's not going to make you make it you've got to have something for your yourself you got to worship for yourself you got to have a prayer life for yourself Mom and Dad can't pray you into heaven they can give you hope in your soul but they can't pray you into heaven they can't worship for you they can't read the word for you you've got to know them for yourself because we are you may be seated a generation away from them not knowing god are the works that God has done for them what scares me to death that beautiful little baby that I I showed you before we went into the word it scares me to death that spiritually she could be a third generation Apostolic if the second generation I was I was raised with stories upon stories I was raised watching my parents sacrifice but if I would ever take the second seat that third generation has no hope and I know you're thinking you're preaching about a baby at a youth camp but I want to tell you your future does not look good if you worship God through your parents your future does not look bright if you worship God through their relationship but I've come to tell someone today we can leave Strong Tower first generation Apostolic first generation in experience I believe this week we can leave with an upper room experience that makes us a first generation you've come too late to tell me that God doesn't still pour out about the gift of the Holy Ghost you've come too late to tell me that God doesn't do miracles signs and wonders why I'm first generation I'm first generation Apostolic I've come in this thing and I love it I see the Oneness of God why I'm first generation Apostolic it's not my parents' Revelation it's mine because I'm first generation come on do I have any first generation apostolics I know your great Grandmama she was an Apostolic Pentecostal but I wonder if I have any first generation apostolics in the house you may be seated there can never be a young person if you want to make it that has a secondhand experience of God that's why God in scripture you'll always read that he has children and not any grandchildren Jesus is not a grandfather he's a father and that's the relationship that he wants with you he doesn't want to be something passed down he wants you to have the real thing he wants you have the the real thing the the real thing that brings people out of sin that's what he wants you to have he wants you to have the fire by night and the cloud by day he wants you to have it if you're first generation the generation after Joshua could they knew the stories they could quote them they could tell you about when Mom and Dad came across on dry land that generation after Joshua man they were good at telling the stories about the days when God used to move they were really good at telling the stories but stories this week is not going to cut it stories from moms and dads and grandparents they're not going to cut it because I've come today to tell somebody that we need stories of our own we need stories of our own we need some things when we need a story when I was at Strong Tower youth camp and I was in The Altar and I felt like God called me to do something great that's kind of Stories We need the generation after Joshua maybe I could put it this way the second generation could tell you the days about the Holy Ghost when it when it began to fall the second generation could tell you about the days when when somebody was preaching and just a shouting and worship up to God went forth the second generation could just tell you about the days when the aisles used to be ran and and and the second generation could tell you about some funny stories when the the the two people took off running in opposite directions and met on a head-on collision right in the altar they could just tell you about those stories the generation after Joshua or or or the second generation could tell you about the days when the gifts of the Spirit used to operate in the church and the question is is why don't they operate anymore and I got news for us they're not going to operate if we're second generation they're not going to operate we're not going to see Miracle signs and wonders if we're second generation we're not going we're definitely not going to see it if we're third and we don't know the almighty God but I pray today that God baptizes us with fresh passion and fresh Zeal for the things of God because the world doesn't need a second generation Pentecost they need a real first generation Pentecost they need it real they don't need a hand-me-down religion they need something real right after Joshua dies the children of Israel would find themselves serving the gods of culture around them because when you are second generation it's impossible to serve God through somebody else judges 2:1 and the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served balum if I'm honest today there's a cheap form of Christianity that's very appealing to the second generation it's a Christianity that costs you absolutely nothing and that's why it's appealing because when your second generation you didn't give up anything for this thing you didn't pay for anything to be in church you're just here because your mom's in and I love it and I'm not knocking please I hope that the and and Bishop McCool would say sometimes I don't know if I'm mad or anointed and I hope it's the ladder I hope I'm anointed today I I and maybe I I don't want to come ACR I'm so thankful that my parents brought me to church no one woke me up on a Sunday morning if I overslept from my alarm my alarm clock for church you know what I'd get wood still yet living across the street from my parents brother Keith if I overslept for church you'd see Penny Carpenter with that bun on top of her head come in my bedroom whoop my tail that's what you would see all right I'm thankful for it I'm thankful for it but there is a Christianity that is so appealing so appealing to the second generation and it's a it's a it's a Christianity that cost you nothing this Christianity says you can live however you want worship however you want do I have any second generation folks here today do does anybody know what I'm talking about this Christianity that cost you absolutely nothing you can walk out of the world and say you live for God but still look the same and still act the same I'm telling you that Christianity is not going to work my friends because first generation apostolics it's going to cost you everything the second generation have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof why do you worship like your worship because of first generation why do you jump like you jump because of first generation why you run the aisles like you run the aisles cuz I'm first generation why do you have altar calls at last three hours because I want to be first generation why does it look like you have fire shut up in your bones because you want to be a first generation Apostolic Why'd You Come on a morning in a strong tower running on two hours of sleep say a bang energy drink and you still worship because I want to be first generation oh come on somebody do I have any kids today they want to be first generation why you jumping because I want to be first generation why you running because I want to be first generation Apostolic why do you lift your voice I want to be first generation Apostolic I want to I want to pay something well at our church we try to tone it down we try to tone it down we don't like to lift our voice that scares the scares the guest that scares the guest if we could be a little bit more appealing we'll we'll get some people of of some clout that's the word I hear nowadays the clout in the community will come if we tone it down I'm telling you what your community wants and what they need is a first Generation Church that believes this is the real thing I don't care how they're not going to make fun of your worship you know why when you begin to worship they're going to feel something I you know they they want you to jump because when you jump and you entertain the presence of God they feel something they feel stirred they want you to be first generation they want you to have it just like your parents had it the old days of running the aisles are not over the old days of jumping up and down now it's not over why I want to be first generation they're begging you they don't want a cheap Christianity they live in a cheap Christianity that cost them nothing because if we're first generation I believe we could change the world this is how we keep a generation from not knowing god and his wonderful works of course by now I hope hope you can tell that it's very possible for you to be fifth generation Apostolic physically and be first generation Apostolic spiritually that's the whole goal of this message today I know I'm so thankful on on my wife's side and she can scream and correct me but I believe Magnolia is fifth generation Apostolic and I'm thankful for it on my side with Magnolia she is fourth generation Apostolic but that's not going to get her into heaven that's not going to get her across the Pearly Gates what's going to get her across the Pearly Gates is since she's first generation Apostolic and I want to preach to us today that you've got to love the word of God you got to love it so much you got to love Holiness why I'm first generation Apostolic this is not my mom and dad's convictions this is my convictions this is not my mom and dad's Revelation this is my Revelation I want a passion for the word of God come on could you lift your voice right now if you want to be first generation Apostolic could you lift your voice right now God I want to love the things that you love I want to hate the things that you hate God why I want a first generation Apostolic relationship with you come on that's it come on that's it some young people let's go from that third generation to stepping into that first generation come on that's the Holy Ghost I feel in this place God baptized us with a holy passion for the things of God baptize us with a holy passion for Souls like my mom and dad had and God but now I want to be the cause of something great something great you may be seated every generation has to have their own experiences I can could tell you the story I'll be very brief I would spend a lot of time here but I'll be very brief I could tell you the story about how my grandmother suffered from severe asthma these attacks were so severe I know asthma now is is one of them things you go and get inhaler for but many years ago my grandmother almost lost her life to severe asthma attacks not being dramatic for preaching sake that is the absolute truth but she heard about a preacher named Billy mcco and Billy mcco had strange doctrines like they're being only one God and his name being Jesus he had a strange message that came to Knoxville it was against culture and being baptized in jesus' name and speaking in other tongues is not only ridiculous but it would cause you to get make fun of in the culture of Knoxville but my grandmother needed something my grandmother heard about the power of God that was in the church on Pleasant Ridge Road she heard about the power of God that was falling and miracles signs and wonders that Pastor Billy McCool had at his church and she heard that preacher preach on the the radio of a program called the voice of Pentecost and so she called The Church got the phone number and called the church and said pastor Billy that's what they called him in that day now he is Bishop mle but she said Pastor Billy would you pray for me I heard you preach on the anointing of oil and I need healing in my body and Bishop mcol told my grandmother if you are baptized in Jesus name then God will heal you of your asthma attacks so she came to the church she was anointed with oil she was baptized in Jesus name God filled her with the gift of the Holy Ghost and she never had asthma attacks again come on I still believe he doesn't I still believe he does it that's my grandma's story I'll tell you about my dad's story he had severe earaches as a kid they went to the doctor and they said hey little Kenny you got a hole in your ear and and at night he would have to lay on hot rags to get his just to soothe the pain a little bit and and so he went to the church for prayer after all the the hot rags and the medicine did not work he went to the church to be prayed for that same Billy McCool that prayed for my grandmother prayed for my father and my dad after being prayed for went to the doctor after suffering tremendous earaches had a hole in his eard drum they took that big machine put it in one ear of my father and looked at it that looks pretty good the other ear is the one that has the hole in it they put that machine in his ear doctor went over and checked his papers check the other ear just to make sure he didn't miss something then he grabbed that thing again and the doctor said hey Kenny and Ruby Carpenter we must have missed diagnosed you cuz we don't see a hole in his eardrum like we did the first time it might must have been it must have been something on the the reading that we just thought was something else no I tell you what it was God still does miracles signs and wonders to first generation apostolics I believe it I believe it I want it I love it I need more of it today huh well be quick I'll be quick may be seated you say no and that's the first generation story now your dad's got a first generation story what in the world you've done besides quote stories of your parents and grandparents there's a man at the church named Kenneth Kirby Kenneth Kirby has been blind for many years felt so strong but the Baton was preaching One Night in a prayer line went forth felt so strong but the Kirby had nobody around him to take and I promise I don't say this for personal gainers anything like that no one around Kenneth Kirby just holding on the Pew in front of them just kind of gazing up into the ceiling and worshiping I felt like saying you know God could heal him tonight God could do it I so much faith and here's what I did I grabbed Jacob Sullivan I said you're going with me buddy if this fails it's going to be on the both of us I said I said will you come back here and help me get brother Kirby and brother suvin just so genuinely sure let's go let's go get him of course he had a lot more faith than I did so brother Kirby put his hand on our shoulders and we walked him through the prayer line I asked him I said brother Kirby I said would you like to go through the prayer line and he said Nolan I was waiting on somebody to come back here and get me just didn't know where anybody was so we took a through that prayer line and I felt the power of the almighty God I felt I felt like I was going to look back and I was going to see brother Kirby have his vision and looking around and felt the power of God I felt every Shake every stirring you we got the one Elder that you know pushes the head back like this you know we've got to pray for whiplash afterwards you know we've and all that happened it was awesome and then you know it were being tossed and tone like a uh like a a mosh pit and I got to the end and I just knew I was going to look back brother Jonathan I was going to see brother Kirby have his vision back to my disappointment he said can you lead me back to my seat said okay I will so we walked him back to his seat service was over went to bed went to school really didn't think anything of it Wednesday night rolled around and God's help me through this battle but I was running late like I do um sometimes and uh I didn't have my tie tied yet because I just knew if if I was late I didn't want to face the wrath of anyone and so I'm running in I was running in and about in the middle section about eight rows back with the Kirby and his wife uh sister Kirby she played the the second keyboard for us and and awesome awesome people in the church brother Kirby yells to me and says he's sitting about eight rows back he yells to me and says Nolan come here I'm running late I either thinking you know come back here make don't ignore brother Kirby and make a saint in the church mad at me or be late for Ser or or practice and have my sister mad at me so I had to weigh it in the balance and so well brother Kirby I'll go to you real quick and see what we can figure out he looked to me and said Nolan do you plan on tying your tie before service he said you know your dad would be really mad at you if uh if you if you look like that at start a service I said brother Kirby I said that's really funny I said uh who told you that my tie wasn't tied he said well I could tell you were a little disappointed Sunday night he said I could tell in your voice you were super disappointed he said but Sunday Sun Monday morning I woke up and I began to see the the fan in my room I begin to see it circling he said and as the day went oh Lord help me Jesus as the day went on I I saw my grandchildren's face for the first time and when my wife got home from school I saw my wife's face in over nine years I've come to tell somebody today that God still doing a work if we become first generation you can lay hands on the sick and they shall recover if you're first generation Apostolic the world the sick does not need a second generation bit C but they need a first generation I just believe here today I'm ignorant enough to believe if there's someone sick under the sound of my voice today if there's any young people that are sick and body today you can walk out healed in the name of Jesus Christ Christ why I've seen him do it I've seen him do it you may be seated a point every generation has to have a personal encounter with God and you don't have to backslide to have that encounter with God you don't have to go the way of the world and have a first generation experience you can stay in church and have a personal encounter with God you can stay in church and have that experience with God Joshua begins to preach to the people before he dies he says to them as for me and my house we will serve the Lord how you going to make it in an ungodly culture doesn't say as for me and my youth group it says as for me and my house who I'm responsible for we will serve the Lord we will there an old promise given to Moses about a land that they would possess the Victory and and they knew they were to drive out the people in the land who served false gods it was an old Commandment that Joshua reminded the children of Israel that God gave to Moses in numbers it says then you shall uh drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you destroy all their pictures destroy all their molten images and quite pluck them down out of their high places Moses was telling the people then and Joshua was telling the children then drive out every symbol of ungodliness drive out every symbol of unholiness because they're contagious especially when your second generation drive out anything that's ungodly the tribe of Judah began to drive them out but they ran into something in verse uh uh judges 1:19 and the Lord was with Judah and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had Chariots of iron the moment that the second generation the ones that do not have a firsthand experience with God they always quit when things get a little hard if you're living through somebody else relationship with God the moment troubles enter into your life and you are second generation you will not make it those they were so encouraged when they begin to drive out the the things of ungodliness but the moments they had Chariots of iron they stopped because it was too difficult they were fine obeying God when it was easy in the mountains but they met their match in the valley because they had Chariots of iron the moment that the second generation faces some difficulties it usually ends up in giving up and even worse compromise judges 1:21 says in the children of Benjamin this was a common thing for the second generation they didn't drive out the jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth Sheen some of you perked up because I just mentioned the fav the name of your favorite clothing online shop Beth Shen and what's funny about Beth Sheen is this means the house of ease the house of ease Amos 6:1 says woe to them that are at ease in Zion a giant that is difficult for the second generation to push out and to completely drive out but the Keith is a people of ease an easy way why didn't cost you anything to get in the apostolic faith but a first generation they completely destroy the people of ease I've come to tell you today that you better thank your God every day if you have a pastor that won't let your flesh be at an easy place you better thank your God every day if you have a youth pastor that just doesn't let you take the easy route in the easy way in your relationship with God you better thank your God every day for that man of God that looks to you and tells you that's not the that's not the right way that's the easy way but it's not the right way if I could just air out some things this morning I know I might be oldfashioned but I still believe you ought to talk to your pastor before you make any major life decisions in your life everybody but brother Keith you may be seated I still believe you ought to talk to your pastor every time you make a major life decision why I'm driving out the easy way I'm drive you know it's a cop to have your your mind made up that you're going to date that girl you're going to date that boy you're going to move away and connect yourself to ungodly things without first Consulting your man of God that's what a second generation would do but not a strong tower Youth Camp I'm looking at some first Generations that you're W your pastor to preach it to you you're want your pastor to give it to you you're want your pastor to tell you what your flesh does not want to hear God help me you can read on and you can see that the second Generations were unable to drive out any of the enemies that they were supposed to drive out they settled for partial Victory while allowing a little bit of ungodliness to occupy the land that was rightfully theirs listen how bad this is the amorites verse 34 forc the children of Dan into the mountains for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley so then we have a little change in the battle the second generation here not only does has not drive them out of the land that was rightfully theirs but now they allowed culture in those people to tell them where to go that's what happens to a second generation Apostolic you think no one's going to tell me what to do but in reality an Unholy people in an ungodly culture begins to tell the second generation how they ought to do how where they ought to go they they start to look to Hollywood to tell the second generation what they ought to look like and Nashville begins to tell you what you to listen to Why second generation what happened in scripture and it still happens today I love I love Strong Tower so much and I believe today someone is going to have an encounter with God you become a first generation Apostolic it's not God's will for a first generation to have more convictions than the second generation it's not God's will we wonder hey God why don't you do things like you did for my grandpa and my ma my MMA well you don't do the same things as your grandpa and Mama that's why that's why I don't I'm preaching to myself today I promise I I don't want to come across as arrogant I want to come across as passionate today if we want the same things that they saw we're going to have to put in the same amount of work if we want to see the results that they had if we want to see the results that Billy mcco could come to Knoxville and absolutely change the structure of a city what I've got to put in the same work that Billy mcco put in in Knoxville and then maraville could have it just like that first generation there's a a young man that comes to Jesus there's a young man that comes to Jesus so eager he's so passionate comes to Jesus and says good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life I've come to tell you that this young man was second generation he was rich he was powerful and the Bible says he was young Jesus tells him the follow the Commandments and says I have observe them from my youth and up meaning the Rich Young Ruler had some parents to teach him the law and how to please God he was the second generation everything was given to him the power he didn't work for the power he was born with power he didn't work for the riches he's young he was born with the riches and it even makes sense to why he uses this word inherit when asking for eternal life we know we are the second generation if we we feel entitled to everything in the kingdom of God what scares me so much about the second generation is we have it so good didn't cost us anything but Jesus looks to him and he gives him an opportunity that he just doesn't give to anybody else there's some people that Jesus would do a work in their life and would say all right go tell people about me or there's some people he would do a work in their life and he would say keep it to yourself this young man there was something about him Jesus says young man if you go gather all your riches go sell all that you have give to the poor and pick up your cross and follow me could surmise for the next few minutes that he was looking into the future seeing that Judas would betray him and he was looking for a replacement for Judas that may be true we do know that he asked him said you've got so much potential I want to offer you to be one of my disciples young man there's just something about you I see you have a respect for God but I want to see if you're willing to give up everything for a relationship with God and so that second generation sits there so perplexed and realized that the cost of being a first generation was far too much because it truly was going to cost him everything and I could just think about what that young man when Jesus gave that call that opportunity to him think about what he missed out on he missed out on Jesus raising the dead he missed out on personally witnessing the greatest love story of all time he he missed the the opportunity of of Jesus Christ God R in flesh showing his love to humanity by why because he wasn't willing to give up a few things because it was given to him it was second generation he missed seeing the glorified body of Jesus he missed receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost in the upper room being the one of the very first ones to speak in other tongues and and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost I've come to tell the second generation today that we will merely be known for our potential if we're not willing to pay the cost to be first generation we don't even know the young man's name is just a buy a title of a rich young ruler and I want to tell somebody today we are full of potential we are the smartest Minds that the apostolic world has ever seen we're the some of the most talented musicians did you hear the singers today we got the most talented singers and the most talented musicians and I'm not even going to say in Pentecost I'm going to say in the world the brightest Minds young people will only be known for our potential if we're not willing to pay the cost we'll never be heard of again if we're not willing to pay the cost of the first generation how much is it going to cost you I hate to tell you it's going to cost you everything it's going to cost you everything in your life it's going to cost you your friend group it's going to cost you what you listen to it's going to cost you your free time is it worth it yes it's worth it you get to see God do great things you get to receive the Holy Ghost for the first time Rich Young Ruler if you pay the cost if you pay the cost maybe see The Last Story it's a long 25 minutes but the last story I want to talk to you about is a man a young man by the name of yua the Ark his dad was named abinadab and they of the Levites and when David comes to the throne he realizes something's missing he realizes that the Ark of God the Holy Ghost the the the the holy presence of God is missing from Israel and they they bring the the the had done some cool things in enemy territory and so they they put the Ark on a cart and they kind of just send it off and they overlay it with some cool things and I don't know why God lets them touch it but when usua goes to touch it he just should know better all right I don't know why God allows that to happen but that's how it happens and so it comes to the bottom and I always thought that they drove that cart to the front door of a abad's house and then they just put the Ark of God in abinadab house it's not how it happened Levites grabbed it off the cart put it on their shoulders which is should how the it's how the The Arc of the Covenant should be carried and they put it in the house of abinadab and they ordained his son eleazer to to take care of the Ark the Ark of God is the most beautiful thing that you've ever seen it's the has the mercy seat it has the law inside of it it has the has the pot of Mana it has Aaron's Rod that budded it has it has so many cool things inside and so it's in the house of abinadab it was in the house of abinadab and we could see this from 1st Samuel 73 and 4 it was in his house for 20 years between 1st Samuel 7 uh chapter 7 verse 3 and veres 4 and another 20 years or so from 1st Samuel 7 and four so we have combined here we have 40 years 40 years 20 in the beginning 20 in the the the next uh the next few verses or rather the next book of Samuel we have a a 40-year period in total I think it's very interesting that 40 years represents a generation I think that's very I think God's trying to tell tell us something this morning and so 2 Samuel 6:3 tells us and they set the AR Ark of God upon a cart and brought it out of the house of abinadab that was in giba and using o Ohio the sons of abinadab drave the cart and they didn't know how to properly transport the ark and you imagine being USA you imagine that all your life in the middle of your house the arc Arc of the Covenant has been in the middle of your living room that's what the scripture says scripture says it was in the house of abinadab and USA grows up in the house of abinadab so every day when you go out to school you pass right by the ark every day you come home from school you pass right by the ark the holy presence of God is sitting in your house every day it's not by you're doing it's by by who your dad is they've ordained your older brother to keep the Ark of God in your house to keep it make sure nothing happens to it and so us a all your life you've had the presence of God just as close as you want to get to it you didn't do anything for it it was there because who your daddy is and you walk around it you may have I can I can say you may have come accustomed to it but every day he walks out of his house looking at the presence of God walks back in his house looking at the presence of God and the most sad story about a second generation young person is that when it came time abinadab dead his older brothers nowhere in the picture I don't know if he's we can surmise he died and now it's USA and Ohio's turn to move the presence of God so they put it on a cart and they begin to drive the cart under the direction of King David they begin to drive the cart and the Bible says that it hits na Nan's threshing floor and the cart begins to shake and yua puts his hand upon the ark and the Bible says God's anger was kindled against USA and he fell over dead and what I want to tell you today if you don't remember anything I said Just remember this statement it is very possible to be around the presence of God all your life but never once learn how to move it for yourself if there's anybody who should know how to move God's presence it was USA he was around it all of his life it was in his living room but when it come for his day he didn't know how to move the presence of God have not come to beat the second generation down or the third generation down I've come to tell you it's very possible that the presence of God could be in your home every morning but you don't know how to move it for yourself it's very possible you can walk out of school listening to your mom and dad pray but you never learn how to move it for yourself you never learn how to move the presence of God for yourself I'm telling someone today if you want to be first generation Apostolic you got to learn how to move the presence of God you got to learn what God likes I tell you what God likes he likes to be glorified he likes to be worshiped he likes for the Liv of voices unto him and praising and proclaiming his name you may stand all across this house it's very possible it's very possible to be around the presence of God all your life and never learn how to move it for yourself if anybody if anybody Jared should know how to move the presence of God it should be used he's around it for the last I don't know how old he is I know know he's not old in 40 I don't know how I I know the Ark of the Ark of God has been in his house longer than he's been alive but yet it comes to his day when he needed it the most when he needed the presence of God in his life when he needed to learn how to move it falls over dead because his inability to learn how to move the presence of God and this is truly how the SEC second generation operates we we if you just picture this story with me in your mind that it begin to drive it on a cart it begins to shake a little bit it begins to shake a little bit in the second generation we don't like when things begin to shake we don't like when thing it gets us out of our comfort zone it gets us out it makes us nervous a little bit when things begin to shake but I've come to tell you that God never shakes things on accident if God's shaking something in your life you go ahead and let God shake it if God's shaking your friend group you go God's trying to remove some things from your life that's important for you to lose if God's trying to shake some things in your life Let It Be shook don't try to put your hand on it and stop it because God's trying trying to do something I want to tell somebody if you did not receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost last night I can tell you maybe one of the reasons why when the Holy Ghost starts to move and you begin to shake under the power of God and you begin to feel something under the power of God the Ark of the earth Covenant is is shaken it is our flesh's tendency to want to put our hand upon it it's our flesh's tendency to stop the stop God from moving it's our FL it makes us so uncomfortable I want to tell somebody if you didn't receive the gift of the Holy Ghost last night and you want to receive it this morning when the when God starts to move in your life just let it happen don't don't don't try to stop it don't try I know it feels odd and I know people not going to make fun of you I promise if you begin to feel something shaking in your life go ahead and let God shake it if your hands begin to shake what is that that's the moving of the power of God if you feel your tongue start to shake go ahead and let it happen what is it it's God trying to give you the the evidence of the Holy Ghost every head bowed every eyes closed all across this place I'd ask for hopefully all first generation apostolics will lift your voice for a few moments so God will give us Clarity on a direction this morning God I love you today God I thank you God I'm asking you speak right now God I believe in the next few minutes you want to give us a first generation demonstration of your power young lady you could be healed in your mind this morning so you'll become a first generation Apostolic God can heal you of some past hurt this morning if you allow God to move in your life if you allow God to shake some things in your life young man God may just want to use you this morning to lay hands on the sick and they shall recover why to give you a story that now your first generation Apostolic your first generation come on that's very good I feel the Holy Ghost in This Place come on I feel like there's some rich young rulers in this house today you've got tons of potential you got so much potential but you merely be known by your potential if you're not willing to pay the cost come on young man you feel a call of God in your life you feel a call of God in your life I wonder for the next few minutes if we would just learn how to move the presence of God if we would learn how to you've been around it all your life but you're scared to death right now because you don't know how to move them come on that's it I feel it it's shaking a little bit let's not put our hand on it right now the Holy Ghost is shaking a little bit if you feel a call of God in your life I want you to make your way to the altar right now if you feel a call of God in your life I want you to make your way maybe the call this morning young man is from you to go to Second Generation the first generation second generation the first generation oh Hallelujah let's pray until everybody gets up here Lord I thank you God I thank you Lord You're about to demonstrate your power God you're about to demonstrate your Authority why so we'll leave here today first generation God I don't want a a youth group to die in the second generation God there's a balum right in our midst that it's easy to go the way of the world the Christianity that they that that balum offers cuz it cost us nothing Hallelujah come on right now right now under the sound of my voice every young person baby you just need to commit to the same passion that your parents and your grandparents had maybe you need to commit right now to that prayer life that you walked away from last year come on maybe you need to commit to those convictions again come on I feel the Holy Ghost right here come on you can become first generation in in demonstration if you commit to God come on right now now you might be surprised you might think oh my Lord I don't even know how to move the presence of God I'm lifting my voice but I can't feel them come on move them right now move the presence of God come on God's calling someone right now God's calling somebody right now God wants to demonstrate his power in your life come on lift your voices right now Lord across this house come on us you've been around it all your life do you know how to move them you've been around it all your life do you know how to move them come on that's it your school doesn't need a fake phony Apostolic they need a first generation Pentecostal they need a first generation Apostolic with some convictions with a passion for God that's what they need Kenneth Kenneth Kirby didn't need a story he needed a demonstration your sin friend don't need a story of how your mom and dad's a soul winner they need a young person that's on fire for God to win the Lost come on right now lift your voice I feel like there's a deep move of the Holy Ghost in This House to lift Your Voice Hallelujah come on he's shaking a little bit let him shaking come on he's shaking right now he's shaking you out of your comfort zone he's shaking you out of your flesh today he's shaking you if you need the Holy Ghost right now I want you to lift your hands and lift your voice and begin to brag on God begin to Magnify Him if you've been not been refilled with the Holy Ghost for a while now lift your voice begin to brag on God in your own words and when you feel that shaking do not stop it let him sh I promise you it's not your flesh that wants to talk in tongues don't let the enemy use the lie that it's it's your flesh you going to speak that gibberish no it's not no it's not it's God shaking us come on Rich Young Ruler you're full of potential you're full of power come on you've been given some things and that's awesome use it to give to God make that decision I'm G to give you everything I got God I'm going to go back to some convictions I used to have God I've got some things I've got be she in in my life I've got an easy way I've got an easy way I got some Jus sdes in my life I've got some jdes in my bedroom that's keeping me from being first generation I'm got some friends and keep me from being first generation drive them out drive them out pull out every ungodly thing in your life here's the shaking here's the stirring Hallelujah come on if you need to get to the Holy Ghost today I want you to make it known to somebody that you need it if you need the gift of the Holy Ghost in your life right now I want I want you to make it known to somebody that you need it look around to someone and say I need the Holy Ghost they're going to help you pray we've got certified people to pray with people right now and they're looking I promise you they'd love to pray for you is there anybody that you need a healing in your life right now physical mental I don't care what it is does anybody need a healing in your body because I'm just crazy enough to believe that you can be healed this morning matter of fact if you need a healing in your body would you make your way right up here in front of the altar right in front of the pull pit this morning and the most important miracle that will take place this morning is somebody receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost if you need the Holy Ghost I want you to make your way forward this morning come on if you need the Holy Ghost I know it listen I know in this moment I know In This Moment our flesh is like whoo you believe I'm will come in this half circle that these crazy young people have made you you you're kidding you know what it is you of putting his hand on the ark youus tried to stop it come on that's it young man that's great I believe that God's going to make a first generation Apostolic out of him this morning come on if you need a miracle in your life I want you to come up to the front if you need a if if young ladies if you're battling something in your mind this morning I want you to come up to the front I believe God's about to demonst R his power this morning come on I want you to stretch your hands up here I want you to stretch your hands up here and for God's sake lift our Voice come on let's AR this place for lifting our voice what's going to make God be in this house worship worship Him worship Him make him big make him known worship as they begin to sing I wonder if all across this house you and make a a fresh commitment to God I'm going to be first generation Apostolic close your eyes young lady there's so much potential make that commitment to God make that commitment I'm going to go home and give it the same thing that my parents gave it young man God's got anointing for you but he wants you to commit to him there is no plan B It's All or Nothing in the name of Jesus we he's stilling oh he's still proving stilling just how great he is great he is he's still he's still Ming oh he's still doing stilling Mir are still still he's still moving he's still Ming just he is he is stilling he's still proving just how great he is is there anything is there anything too hard for He's A Mir working anything to on there not anything anything too for the he still Ming still Ming he still proing just how great he is how great he is stilling stilling just he is how great he is he's Ming today he's still still proving still great he is God he is oh is there anything is there anything to is anything to anything too hard for the anything too hard for anything to anything to We Believe in Your w Spirit you are come this place your GL God is our hearts be over by your presence sing and your glory glor my I want it for myself oh holy spirit oh you're in this room God Spirit you are welcome this place be experience God first by your presence Holy Holy Spirit you are the dark be GL GL your let us experience more aware of your presence I want for myself let us become more of God pres let us experience glor your goodness let us speak up more aware of your experence experience the glor let us experience the glory of your good more your experience the glor your open eyes to you open my eyes to you Lord glor you welcome me with my you are welcome here you are welcome here you're the same God today that's always he still moving still moving still moving just how great he is how he's still moving Still Still he he is great he is still how great we have one that just receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost I wish you'd reach your hand toward this pit right now if you haven't received it receive it right now come on the spirit of God is here come on that's it we've got a few more that are seeking it right now we've got altar workers down here could we create just a web could you grab a hand of somebody grab a shoulder of somebody for just a few more minutes could we just get in one mind and one Accord and could we seek him come on let it blow through you right now if you've got the Holy Ghost I wish you'd begin to speak in that god-given language right now come on let it flow from you one Accord it came from heaven like a rushing Mighty Wind and it build the house build the house build the house build the house today oh that's another one just received the baptism of the Holy Ghost come on all of Heaven is rejoicing right now all of Heaven is rejoicing right now come on give God a praise Hallelujah Jesus Hallelujah Jesus oh oh Hallelujah Hallelujah we got another one just received the baptism of the Holy Ghost come on if there's somebody seeking it right next to you would you pray with them come on don't nobody looking around right now come on tap into what God's doing this is what it's all about come on receive it right now receive it right now yes God yes God yes God yes God I said Son speak it out in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus come on I wish you'd be engaged in this right now if this don't get you excited you're you're worried about the wrong things I wish every young person would just pray with us pray with us right now come on one mind and one Accord that's it that's it that's the Holy Ghost that's the Holy Ghost that's the Holy Ghost hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah oh God oh God that's it that's it come on I wish you'd lift up a shout I wish you'd lift up a shout there's a young man speaking in tongues for the first time right here in our midst being born of the spirit I wonder if I've got a young person that would begin to leap for Joy because of all all of Heaven is rejoicing come on the enemy Satan is getting frustrated right now cuz of what's happening in this room yes God pour it out still moving still mov he's stilling he's still moving just how great he is great he still moving he's the same God still Pro still Ming he still Ming he's still moving he's still moving just he is great he is sing change fall Fe here now Jesus you change everything and light are he and right here right now Jesus you change everything which I change you know you know Jesus Jesus CH Jesus CH change Jesus change everything now Jesus ch CH you change you change everything you're the ch he's the same God he's the same God we CH here now Jesus Jesus you change everything Weare it's moving CH everything here Jus change everything now Jesus Jesus you change everything name Jesus you change Jesus Jesus you change everything Jesus you change every Jesus you change everything Jesus you change every Jesus you change every Jesus you change everything Jesus you change everything Jesus you change oh a you're the same God you never me you never me if you feel like you need to go I totally understand it but I believe there's a few more students that need to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost this morning they're here they're hungry for it and the Lord is here so one more time with me would you help us create an atmosphere as in one mind and in one Accord that without the aid of music that we could let the Lord move come on we can let the Lord move just one more time I believe one more push one more push into his presence come on don't try to stabilize what God wants to shake come on let God shake you up this morning let God shake you up this morning come on that it just a little bit louder come on just a little bit further come on can we push it his presence we got another one receiving it right here in the name of Jesus come on receive it right now come on receive it right now Hu God oh God oh God oh God one more time if if You' lift your hands all across this place you would obey the word of the Lord this morning and lift up your voice like a trumpet come on higher than your hands could you lift your voice like a trumpet oh yeah that's it come on that's it yes God oh come on now would you clap your hands to him as loud as you can Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah we praise you oh we thank you for every soul that's been F oh God this week Lord we thank you for every soul that was filled with your spirit it's been endued with power from on high oh Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah down oh h you we've got another one just received the Holy Ghost For the First Time come on I'm asking you there's a couple more right here God's about to do it God's about to do it come on rejoice with me Hallelujah Jesus Hallelujah