Now
by Raymond Sloan
October 15, 2023 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Acts 10, Acts 10:1, Acts 10:2, Acts 10:3, Acts 10:4, Acts 10:5-6, Acts 10:7, Acts 10:8

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--now
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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imagine with me if you will a time and a place in life when maybe you knew there was something bigger better richer out there out there huh out there you couldn't touch it you couldn't experience it but perhaps you heard about such Visions or dreams or possibilities and something inside of you began to say is this is this actually something that I can be a part of something I can take soulless in something that I can enjoy with others now I'm not talking about the buffet and not although that is a good thing talking about all you can eat s well you know that's another good okay okay okay sorry but something out there that's you know that you've heard but it's just simply not accessible it's Out Of Reach it's foreign it's strange it's awkward you're not sure how to navigate we know here in our great United States of America again y'all know I I I love history I love reading and studying about it just blows my mind that the four and the eight and the 10 fathers that came be for us sorry for those that are paying attention um the audacity to stretch and to think they could stop everything and start over somewhere that they had no idea what it was H for the European Travelers for an example they were looking for life in a new world a feeling came to them and they they had a sense that if somehow they could simply break away from where they were if they could simply somehow trust and believe there was something bigger and better out there listen to this this is so intriguing how that they they literally live their entire lives in the place where most likely their parents live their entire lives and most likely their grandparents live their entire lives and most likely their great grandparents lived their entire lives and most you understand the there's a lot of history there these folk in a different age in a different time they decided that it's time for something else business has been done in that day between families families only you didn't have 300 miles to travel it was this family and that one across town that's how they married that's how they they lived that's how they built their their belongings and so forth it was how it was done family that it was your identity for an example hey you're John the blacksmith that's how you became known John the blacksmith everybody knew that's blacksmith he's the blacksmith what's his name I don't know but he's the blacksmith and they identified you by what you did that's Jack he's The Woodsman yeah he's the guy that smells like trees all the time yeah that's the seamstress her name is Janet yeah I think I don't know but she seems things it's the way the world was it was how Travelers went from town to Country and stuff they settled in a New Life imagine if you will the news and the stories of of this new world made their way back to these little hamlets and communities all all over the place and from there that family meetings and around the dinner table and down at the fireplace or wherever they were in the little stores or little places they shopped stories were being shared families and businesses they they were they were buying into this possibility of something that they could not yet touch they were in search of something else our great nation the one you sit in right now was founded on the principles of I don't know but I'm willing to give up everything to find out how many he's glad to be an American tonight come you're glad to be living in the United States of America come on somebody yeah I still stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I still salute the flag I still stand still at attention I still I still still stop for funeral possessions I still say yes ma'am and oo I'm gonna get caught in this aren't I a whole world that decided you know what there's something else out they would even fight Wars on this territory today we're not dealing anymore with you we are going to fight for our freedom why because something else is out there A New Path a dream a desire what whatever it's going to take to make the change we are willing to do it now listen to me I realize in 2023 we have had our challenges have we not elbow your neighbor say you listening come on we are looking at life's events going on around us situations in our world come on we're all in a baffled State of Mind got a lot of folk listen tomorrow when you go to work does anybody still go to work contrary to popular there's still some folk that go to work oh no he didn't just say that notice that your on your job tomorrow when you clock in or when you f people are doing this hey man how is your weekend hey what do you think about situation in the world that looks that looks distressed doesn't it huh come on a year ago you could go into a restaurant sit down have a great meal anybody still believe in eating see look Revival it just sprung out just woo it just happened I don't know used to be able to sit down in $12.99 eat a gret big old meal gret big old meal my wife and I went last night she B it's $ 1999 I said these prices ain't like 19.99 I said babe we're going have to share we going we're going to ask ask for extra chips how many know I'm talking talking about not only that have you noticed service is struggling boy I'm trying not to hit a cord here today I the other day I was buying paint at the paint store and these two painter guys paint at the paint store these two painters came in I heard them talking CU I was Eaves dropping man I've been trying to HDE I need nine people right now to work can't find nobody I'm listening these two guys are painters you know nine piece I interviewed nine I said I'll pay you $20 an now just come paint just need to come paint they said I interviewed him they saides and I went to the job site how many showed up none why'd you know you was one up no I didn't go my mind like $20 now I remember 290 an hour I'm like good $20 I said if I had 10 hours a day I carry the two and man that's a lot of taxes to pay anyway have you noted listen have you noticed there's businesses closing their doors and there's new businesses opening and the greatest challenge for the old ones and the new ones is people to work it's not the fact that business is slow but the workers are slower come on I'm not I'm not get it's a mind shift happening in our world we can all attest to the fact things have changed the entrepreneur Spirit if you will is kind of different in this hour things that you know folk used to just drop it all decide we're selling the farm we're loading up what we can carry and we're going to a new world and we're going to start and if it hair lips anybody we're going to be there in the do what we do and we're going to make it happen why because something in them said there's something else out there so the question for today is where to from here this Sunday where do you go what do you do some of you have been dealt such a nasty hand some of you have challenged yourself just to Simply believe that God still loves you and that there's still hope and peace in the world and and in your mind it's in turmoil and trouble and everywhere you turn things are flipped upside down you make the mistake of trying to share your life with someone and it gets thrown back at you and the hurts and all the things come to you and all you want to do is have a happy and a peace peaceful life and it all just blows apart there has to be something how did we get here to this what causes a person in his right mind to even consider changing their status their position who they are in life what causes them to think that it can actually be better glad you asked Acts chapter 10 look at this verse number one there was a certain man of cesaria called Cornelius he was a centurion of the band called The Italian band this was not the mtle crew of the day this was not the Taylor Swift tour how do y'all know how do you know well how do you know well I ask you first cesaria it's a small town actually a large town for your historians out cesaria was on the Mediterranean Sea was a city listen to this it was built with one thing in mind it's history tells us it was a City built for splendor history says the buildings the bridges they were so ornate huge Amphitheater outdoor Arena places where people would come a Roman city that had Roman troops and they were housed there so that Rome could demonstrate to the Jewish population just how wonderful and how great and splendorous they were the city in Judea but it was ruled by the Roman law and there were statues and there were plazas and they all honored these gods and goddesses and stuff the cityscape if you will was incredibly huge and people would awe at Wonder of this city of cesaria Cornelius was a leader of 100 men he was in this Army he was part of this procedure and Cornelius according to what the story says he was a centurion which means he had power he had he had troops that he commanded he men came alongside him Men followed him on and on but the Bible says that he lived in cesaria he had his family and his servants and the troops and all the people lived there they were devoted to the cause dedicated educated very apt very able but something was different because acts chap 10: 2 says this that this Cornelius was a devout man he was one that feared God with all his house which gave much arms to the people and prayed to God always listen to this very care this is a Roman guy that's dedicated to the things of God come today to declare on this Sunday afternoon that what the Centurion was what Cornelius was what we see in Acts chapter 10 as the the explosion of of apostolic truth began to take over the then Known World the Bible said there was two things that Cornelius wrapped his heart his family his mind his ability his capabilities in two things number one he was a prayer Warrior he was a devout man man that prayed a man that understood I'm not really sure how all of this religious stuff works but surely it's bigger and better than any of these Idols or any of these statues that are out here around the city the Bible called him devowed he didn't do it on Monday and feel better on Tuesday and not even pray on Wednesday or Friday no the Bible said he consistently gave himself to the things of God he feared God he taught his children Bible says his whole household was in this condition they all understood when Dad talks about God you better be reverent about it you better not back talk you better not sass you better say yes sir you better lift your hands why because our daddy believes in this God listen to me carefully you got to understand it was not done at that particular time yet this man Cornelius was hungry for God he knew what he had followed what his father had followed what his grandparents had done it was something about breaking away from that tradition and finding something listen the life that he led was leading of men he understood that when you live the life of a centurion that you've got responsibilities but there was something in the heart of Cornelius that said there's got to be something bigger out there and the Bible says he prayed he knew that in his heart something was great out there for some reason he be to give himself to what the Jews taught he be to dig it up and understand and ask questions he didn't demonstrate it he could not grasp that reality but something inside of him said I don't understand it but I want it I'm not sure that I've got my my understanding and my knowledge in the right place because I wasn't raised in this but but I want that the Bible talks about how how this man was the was the one that ruled troops and understood it but yet he could not by his position know about the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this man said I want to know that I want to pray I'm I wonder what this man pray what his prayer life look like I mean he was used to in his grade school in his train they would worship Zeus they would worship Apollo they would worship other gods if you will but yet he somehow in the quietness of his office or in the Silence of his bedroom or somewhere on the road he would talk to God I wonder how he learned oh God you're a good God why how did he ever hear the word here o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord it wasn't in that in which he was raised in but something in him said I got to give I've got to do uh what I feel in my heart I'm ready for something new I'm ready for a change I come to this story today because I wonder what was he thinking where did he gather this understanding of prayer where listen to me where did he gather this grip on the understanding of giving arms to the poor was the right thing to do his reaction would not be dependent on what the other Romans thought but yet he was considering more of what the God that he did not have yet and what he thought at this particular y'all got to get this story I'm going to read it to you in a moment but at this particular place in his life Accord I got to ask y'all a question before I tell this has anybody here ever been visited at home by an Angel come on think back now you husbands don't be raising your hand cuz your wife's sitting here that ain't going to get you no points I saw you Logan huh come on an angel walks in the door hiy I don't know what what an angel say if it's South this is South right we we we Reading MA behold that's how it's at our Christmas program right behold with my bathrobe on oh I got sidetracked quickly didn't I but in this house of Cornelius listen to me this Roman leader listen to this one that had no right to to the right listen to this something in his prayer life something in his understanding merited a visit from Heaven who is at the door doesn't he know that I'm in do he know who I am and as the door creaks open it's the angel of the Lord and he comes in listen to me this was not a Hebrew house this was not a Jewish way but this was the house of a Roman a non-believer somebody who did not deserve it somebody not in the bloodline somebody that didn't get head it somebody that wasn't there somebody in all of the things but I've come to tell you God for some reason looked at the response and the actions of a man of his family of everything that he was wrapped in uh and in the midst of that God sees what he's doing and the response is simply this he saw in a vision acts 10 and3 evidently about the ninth hour of day an angel of God coming to him and saying Cornelius when he looked on him verse four he was afraid said what is it Lord he said unto him thy prayers and thine arms are come up for a memorial before God what you've been doing what you've been saying how you've been living it's a memorial before God listen Cornelius I know that you're a Roman listen I understand that you have a job that's right but there's something in your heart there's something in your activity that is pushing you into a place uh that you really hunger and thirst after and at this particular time uh the god oh the God of all creation says I Need an Angel to go and visit a Roman uh that's praying to me uh that's giving to the things I I need somebody right now to be dispatched to go Bible says and now send men to japa call for one Simon whose surname is Peter verse six he lodges with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the seaside he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do verse 7 and when the angel which spake to Cornelius was departed he called two of the household servants a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually verse eight and when he had declared all these things to them he sent them to japa listen to this in a vision he was told there's somebody that I'm talking to because you've been talking to me there's somebody that's looking at me because you're looking at me and what I'm about to do is the thing that you've been asking for I've got somebody I'm preparing right now that's about to unfold everything in front of your eyes come on there's a place there's a time and there's a person and what Cornelius all he could do was call the servants and call one of the soldiers and tell them all I can tell you is this that everything we've been doing God is pleased with it and God is looking for it and God somehow someway uh is about to do something how do you know because I'm told there's a Peter out there and I'm told that God's talking to him H Hey listen to this friend what you and I need to contend with today uh are you ready for the now now get up and go to japa don't wait till next week don't wait till the feeling gets bigger don't wait till something changes but now get up run run after him find the answer where you going what you doing what's it for how's it going to work why is it that way and why is it this way now go to japa two things two oh Lord help Peter was come on y'all read the rest of the story Peter said I ain't touching the unclean Peter was hungry again from the south Peter was hungry he was on the roof they're fixing food downstairs come on my wife and I drove around the mall yesterday windows are down cuz it's a beautiful day and I said baby that's chewy right there she said how can you tell I said the smoke coming out the stack she went I said yeah that's chewy right there we moving on down a little bit I said baby right there's Millers look at it smoke everywhere that's hamburger right there come on Seth how you feeling we drove a little bit come on all these restaurants we drove by W let's smell that coming out baby we going to eat lunch no we're not we're going home sandwich on I can't smell baloney sandwich y'all with me Peter's On The Rooftop they're fixing lunch or breakfast downstairs and Peter standing there hungry cuz he's been praying looking for God and in the midst of that he said he called it a trance y'all ever had a trance you know I might be right and all these four legged beasts and all these things that he wasn't allowed to touch because of the law gone what four-legged Beast all the stuff that was unclean arise E I can't I no it's unclean it's it's common I can't do that and finally when it ended guess what happened then the third time and Peter standing there in his confused day state the trance is over and he's well I thought I was I knew I was hungry but my goodness that was yeah it's steak day at our house yeah this is going to be good no we can't eat that see he couldn't say bacon some of y'all went did way didn't you couldn't say pork chops barbecue some of y'all are hungry right now AR I'm sorry y'all hungry but something was happening Peter himself said I've never seen never heard never I don't know anything about it all I know is this that God is doing a new thing something happened about that time there's a knock on the door we come looking for one Simon Peter we we come looking for one what do you mean what are you looking for listen I know that we're from cesaria and I realize that you're in japa I know that you're in a place that we don't deserve to be and we're from a place that you don't know nothing about but we've been sent here by our owner we've been sent here by the one that we call Dei we've been sent here by the one that rules us and one that holds us accountable we've been sent here because this an angel came to him in the middle of a prayer time and said somebody got to go go get Peter oh I can't go do that yes you can and we're going to wait till you go with us Peter then scratching his head you all know that look I gave it to you a minute ago he heyy I don't have time for breakfast I don't have time for lunch something is happening in the spirit world what do you mean I don't know uh but I'm about to get up and go running H I'm about to follow what the word of the Lord is saying uh why something was transpiring listen to this that had never been done to that date it never been accomplished to that moment uh you and I in 2023 we take it for granted though whole world knows about Jesus but it was not so at that time it wasn't allowed for the Roman to understand it he didn't dive into the word like everybody else but somebody got a hold of God and an angel came and said hey don't be afraid man I've heard your prayer I've watched what you've done something good it's coming your way now go to japa y'all know the story Peter says okay he gathers up some witnesses testifiers because nobody else is going to believe this and they take off the Bible say they got to cesaria let me paraphrase it for those who are lazy to read it uh got to cornelius's house walked in the servants are like sir that's the guy can we go eat now this is the he's the one Cornelius was ready and waiting with all of his family and all of his servants and anybody who was anybody in the house of Cornelius Cornelius said to his servants I have no doubt and to that so Soldier he sent y'all don't want to miss this okay then we'll wait and Cornelius begins to explain to Peter the dream the vision what had happened with the angel coming and it was in that particular moment that Peter now begins to recognize and realize something has happened there is now something transpiring in a gentile World somebody who was not Of The Bloodline somebody who didn't walk in the Old Law God was doing a work that was going to change the entire face of humanity I've come today to declare to somebody if you are hungry for the things of God he will satisfy the desires of your heart he will put you in a place where you can find true peace happiness contentment joy and all the stuff you're looking for why because he will not walk away from one who is truly hungry and thirsty for him in the vision that he was shown the vision that Peter received something was transpiring here you know what you need Cornelius you need to repent of your sins how do we do that you know what else you need you need to be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of your sins how do we do that and you need to receive the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost and it will be evident by you speaking in tongues as the spirit gives utterance how do we do that the Bible said in that moment things begin to Shake in the house of Cornelius things begin to change in the house of Cornelius and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost uh they spake with tongues uh they were baptized in the name of the Lord the scripture says now for us today at 1:24 on a Sunday afternoon I've come to ask somebody do you still believe that God can answer prayer to anybody who will pray it oh come on there's still somebody that believes uh if you have a sincere heart if you have a hunger within your mind and in your life uh God will not deny you he will move on your behalf oh come on does anybody believe in prayer still then then you know I love you you know I believe in you you know I know God's doing great things in your life but I've come to ask somebody today the struggles that you're facing the challenges that you're going through you pray you ask for God to intervene you ask for God to move and for some reason it simply has not happened you know that it's possible you know that healing can happen you know that Deliverance can take place you know that restoration is a possibility but I've come to declare to you by the word of the Lord today I feel this so very strong the reason that this Roman Centurion was able to get the heart and the mind of God and God was able to reveal himself in an incredibly powerful way is because two things that Cornelius did that many of us in this house today struggle with greatly the two things are this we will pray but we will not give the Bible said he was a devout man feared God all of his house he gave much arms to the people and he prayed to God always he gave and he prayed I declare right now by the spirit of the Lord God in this place I'm not a doomsday kind of preacher I don't like I don't I'm not preaching negative Nelly stuff I'm simply telling you that some of you are sitting on a miracle today but you stopped giving you have stopped giving Pastor you're getting into my funds I didn't say your money I said you stopped giving now the alms that was spoken of in this story in the book of Acts chapter 10 you realize Revival came Revival came to the Gentiles because one man prayed and gave and it got God's attention I'm convinced today in this house that if you as an individual full of the Holy Ghost full of the power of God if you can somehow within yourself decide who you are in the Kingdom and who what your worth is in the kingdom and you could somehow decide you know what every little thing I got come from the Lord God every blessing I've got come from him every dime in my pocket come from him uh every day that I live and I breathe it comes from him uh every ounce of energy and everything that I walk into or walk out of comes from him if you'll ever recognize the fact of who you are then you can say under him Lord I don't want to bind up Heaven I don't want to shut the windows of heaven but instead Lord I'm coming today to believe uh that if I will pray and if I will give to the people that have needs and I will give to the things of God that somehow someway it'll get your attention and you'll be able to stand at the precipice of heaven and say I'm coming to you I'm looking for that I want that to happen listen to Pastor for a moment in the day and age in which we live this culture in the United States of America we are inundated with selfishness pride and arrogance right right now that Spirit roaming through this church house this room today I can see it on some of your faces who does he think he is I'll tell you who I am somebody today reaching for your soul cuz you're in trouble and I'm not the judge of that I'm the one that reads the word just like you do but if I don't rattle the alarm in your head and in your heart to say we're living in the 11th Hour we're living in the time that we need to get serious about living for God some of you have bound up the miracle of God and you're walking through all of your trials and your tests and your pain and your suffering and your sorrow because you won't give H I declare the whole word of God says if you'll give he will give H if you'll give he will give H if you give he will give we watched just a few weeks ago somebody hear the word at our general conference we watched brother Jerry Dean preach a message if anybody hasn't seen it you need to go watch it and within 15 20 minutes time over $5 million was given to global missions listen to this preacher today and the very first statement that Brother Dean made he's from Boer City Louisiana if you question it go look it up first statement he made was this in this global missions service God is going to heal sicknesses disease heartaches pain and suffering tonight but it will not come because of your worship in your praise it will come because you open and you give if you feel like for one moment that when you don't give and tithe an offering that you're sticking it to the church or you're sticking it to the pastor or you're showing who you are and all your bossiness and what you think you've acquired in life I've come to tell you that's a lie from Hell the devil's confused you I said the devil's confused you I have heard from some mou sitting in this room today Pastor I can't afford to give Pastor it's hard on my budget Pastor I don't I'm here to tell you you can't afford not to even Jesus himself stood in the temple and said you see those giv right there that one just gave all of this but that one gave that who gave the most the comparison was not what they wore who they were or what they did the promise was there in the heart of the little Widow who said it's all that I have but I will follow the law and I will give it and when I turn and walk away I'll think of 30 things that I could have spent those two mites on but instead I'll lift my hands and I'll declare God has been good to me God has been faithful to me God has made a way where there was no way God allowed me to walk into the church today God gave me the strength to understand his will H come on somebody if you'll understand the way of God when Cornelius had an Angelic being walk into his house it wasn't because who he was it was not because what he wore it was not because of the house he lived in but it was because he prayed and he gave he prayed and he gave oh some of us are good at praying woo God great God lord only you can come through cuz I'm Blue aren't you y'all thought I was done didn't you come on I've watched some of us I have no rocks to throw I have no I have none of that I'm telling you simply I'm reaching for your heart today revival can come into your home into your health into your family if you will learn the gift of giving the obedience to the things of God there is no Greater Joy for a pastor y y'all y'all need to understand where I'm coming from right now listen to me we get to see all the giving statements of those in the church and I don't study them I don't pour over them I don't take highlighters and circle and stars and thumbs up thumbs down boo to you I don't do I don't do that I don't have to y'all listen to Pastor I'm GNA be very honest with you over the last several weeks at our home because the financial giving has been at our house the computer set up my wife is she's rumbling through it trying to wrap her beautiful mind around it and I know nothing about it all I know is to see yeah I ain't got nothing that's the answer brother Rob see how muchoney I got nothing we got some in the bank I don't know I don't I got nothing here so far as I'm concerned I'm broke she can tell you no we have this point two somewhere I hear all all the time brother Daniel I'm seven cents off two cents off boy baby keep hitting it we're F to be to the good come on keep hitting it we F to be to the good come on baby now I got $17 in no hat oh come on now come on bound it Daddy needs a new pair of shoes I'm joking I'm joking but as for me one of the greatest joys is pastoring as I know some of y'all situations but I see your name on that list and I pray God honor their faithfulness to you honor their obedience to you there's an occasion that I get to see one of these young people's names on that list and I see that they gave $217 and I'm like God you're doing it to the next Generation they are figuring out Lord the power and the blessing of giving as I sat in my office this morning early and I tried to get my mind wrapped around this the only thing I could come up with was evidently Cornelius understood the power of prayer and giving why would a Roman soldier who had all these people working under him and all this Authority why would he give arms to the poor why did even matter that he would give to those in need apparently he figured out somehow through what the Jews were doing is they had sold their goods and they brought to the apostles and the apostles distributed as needed and to those who had need they were man the church was moving and people were selling and bringing stuff come on and apparently he saw what was happening and he figured out but look at their countenance their full of joy they they love coming to prayer meeting look how they act when they hug one another and I know that one last week was selling stuff in the market this week he's brought all that money to look at that one he's own land and he's own farms and he went and sold them and brought them and laid it at the Apostle look how they're blessed and they're happy that somehow someway this man makes sense to them evidently Cornelius saw that and in his heart and in his mind he began to focus oh God I have prayed to Zeus I have prayed to these other gods I have reached out for all these idols and all these statues and never have they even smiled at me but when I teach my child here oh Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Thou shalt love the Lord thy God listen son listen with all your heart all your mind all everything talk about it in the morning talk about it when you go out talk about it when you lay down talk about it at the supper table talk about it why because there's a generation that believes it 2023 Brother Don would you come help selfishness arrogance Pride self-centered it's all about me it's all about what I want it's all about who I am that attitude and that spirit is in our world how many know that but what happens in the world can find itself inching into the church house the voice of the Angel when he came to Cornelius he said now go find the answer you're going to find it when somebody has yielded to me and they're willing to preach it to you some of you have put your call and your election on hold because you won't follow what God is telling you because you have wrapped up your bowels of compassion and you've stopped believing and trusting God with an open hand and today you sit here in a quandry and your your finances are all in disarray and your bank account's all busted up and you've got holes in the sacks that you're trying to carry money in because you won't settle it in yourself giving is the right thing to do I want you to understand pastor's heart today I'm not pulling nobody's heartstring but I want you to know when I stand on that property on gry road I go over there two or three times in the week and I walk the property and I pray I go upstairs I go downstairs trying in my mind to assess what this is going to look like how's it going to be done I'm I'm trying to I can't wait for the leaves to fall so I can see the road over there so I can hey that's a clear path all that's to my mind I'm think and I'm saying Lord there's so much funding that we need and so much stuff that we need my wife and I have even talked about cutting if we have to we cut part of the property off and sell it to help us stay afloat and and I talked to the church board when the church board said this is what we need to do and when I we presented it to the church and my first question to the board was are you guys willing to lose everything and come to my house and have church in my garage if this goes south you know what I ask CU I'm willing to put all of this on the line because I believe the Lord's looking at Chattanooga there's a church there I am waiting for the moment that I can take one of my angels and go Make A Way speak to them let them know that I'm there encourage them until we can get past this we'll never hear that again this morning my struggled sitting at my computer in my desk in the office aside the coffee got cold yeah struggle is real I said 'l I know right now that there are so many testimonies that will be in that room today of what you have done in people's lives and every listen to me every single one of them that would stand and say look what God has done if I ask them how did God do that they would say it's when I submit committed to him it's when I gave it all to him it's when I got in the word and I discovered that his faithfulness his power is beyond me his greatness doesn't depend on me love is bigger than me so in my little way and in my little percentages and in my little time frame and in my little time capsule if I can't find room for him to have full rain and power there's an entire family living in my house that's not going to know God you know what happened you know what happened Cornelius household servants stood there that day and listened to the voice of the preacher and every one of them receive the Holy Ghost every one of them were baptized every one of them now for those of you that are interested in the story here's the question said day said time said place what did Cornelius do the next day at work um listen boss man person uh this Angel thing huh yeah was an angel what yeah I know an angel what is that is that another Idol is that another no no oh no this one came from Heaven what uh I need you understand something boss man person um I've got the Holy Ghost yeah I know um and you know all that stuff that you were making fun of the Jews and the things they're doing and the Pentecost Sunday thing and all those guys out on the street and all that stuff that happened on that day we is wrong maybe my mind's only works this way I'm trying to figure out what Cornelius did the next day at work what all his servants and all how many knows what Revival is Revival is when one person says I wish somebody so would catch on fire catch on fire somebody else gets it and somebody else gets it somebody else gets it I got to believe Cornelius recognized the fact that what God had done in his life Peter went back did you notice the struggle Peter goes back says hey I went and did this and baptized him they're like what you can't do that that's against the law no this is what happened the sheet came down up down up down they're like what it's given to the Gentiles mhm and these are my Witnesses six guys he took with him read the story now now we get to the good stuff because then Paul says man I don't know about this but one thing I know I'm about to go preach and anybody that'll listen I'm about to tell them it's all in Jesus it's all in Jesus it's all in Jesus last thing and I'm done one 44 for us clock Watchers 2:20 something this morning I was telling my lovely bride when we got up this morning 22 something this morning I had a dream how many y'all know dreams are real they're dreams whether in the spirit or out of the spirit I do not know but I know that I was in the dream in the dream I'm in my pickup truck cuz I got one and I'm driving to this place and I my mind I know it's the church I can't describe this to nobody but I was trying to explain to my wife and she's standing there brushing her teeth going I'm in the truck and I'm driving down this place this road in the middle of the road is this girl and that lady and when they saw my truck they took off running that direction as if I were going to run over them and I promise I wasn't I wasn't and I got to this building and in my mind I knew it was the church anybody understand what he get dreams like wo where am I but I knew it was a church I don't know if it was this building but I knew it was a church and they're running like they're leading the way and they're running they're screaming and yelling everybody's at the church I pull up in my truck and I put it in park and I step out of my truck and I look brother Don and the church was inflamed engulfed burning burn I could see the Flames coming out from the eaves I could see the smoke coming out and I'm standing here and the and there there all these folk and my wife said while she was I there would you wait a minute it's electric anyway she said what's it mean I said I don't know but I got up an hour later and the dream was still happening I could smell the smoke brother Mike and my I could smell it had to go to one of those over 50 things you know over 50 guys got to go to the bathroom okay so then I come back and now I got to go back to sleep and I go back to sleep and guess where I'm at now I'm bare again and it's just burning in my mind I'm like God I'm going to burn up this a church is burning to the ground and in my mind the first thing I thought was you took it with a tornado now you're taking it with Fire 2 and 1 half hours later I woke up and it was 6:15 and I'm usually out of bed by 6:30 and I slip out of bed and I go and I get ready to go to my office and I still smell and smoke I still feel it the Lord is very so gracious and he says I want you to know I'm not destroying your church I'm answering your prayer and I went and sat at my desk and the Lord began to deal with me and this again I'd been pondering in my mind Lord how did Cornelius even know about Revival how did he even have an inkling of an understanding about it and God said two things he prayed and he gave if the church will pray and the church will put their money where their mouth is and give there is a fire and an anointing that I will drop upon the church and everybody in the city will come running saying look what God's doing listen to me in my mind and my spirit I sat at my desk and I tried to clear my mind of it and try to focus on what I was doing and the only thing I come down I tell babe I had this dream and I don't she's just looking I'm I don't know either and I get here this morning and I can't go into the classroom I'm sitting in the room over there and I'm saying God I want to understand and the Lord was so very gentle and kind to say you've prayed for Revival Ry you need to know something there's a whole group in the church praying for it but I can't open the windows until everybody will fall what I'm telling them to do some of you right now you are so beat up and battered and bruised and your your spirit and your body and your mind and you're blaming everything but you I promise I guarantee I stand on the word today if you will open up God I give it to you God I give it to you I got nothing else it's all your I give it to you I turn loose of it I give it up I lay it down now God I will stand and I will pray everything that I have is laying right here here and in the midst of that God you will not deny me you will not walk away from me but you are a friend of the Wounded Heart and when you see that I've broken it out in front of you Revival is going to come into your life into your situation into your story oh I'm trying to watch my clock I'm so at a time healing will happen if you will give stop arguing with yourself give stop fighting with yourself give answers will come in your greatest darkest moment if you'll simply give Pastor you asking me to empty my bank account no I'm asking you to follow what God's telling you to do are you saying that today is a a day to give and an offering cuz I forgot my wallet at home and no I'm telling you this you give you give some of you right now the spirit of the Lord is convicting you because you have struggled for so long I want you to know that you can bring an offering today you can bring yourself you can bring your wallet your watch your car don't drive it up here but tell I don't care just say I give it to the Lord today because I'm praying but now I've got to learn to give last bunch of years ago my family were in the South American country of Uruguay and we were going through one of the greatest challenging times in the country I had a sweet sweet pastor and wife and two little ones they live most of the pastors lived in their churches because that was the only way they could do it was a Quanza Hut military style very hot very cold they lived in the back I felt one day that morning prayer I said I need to go see the Mingo today see how him and Julie's doing in the babies and so I left the house I ran by the store and I picked up some groceries and put them in the bags and got in front of the church and it's very dangerous Community super dangerous a lot of stuff happened a lot of there was bullet holes in the side of the church where people I mean just stuff so I get out of my truck and I grab the white bags and of groceries I can still see this and I shut and lock the door and I set the alarm and I put the dog out and I get the mill I'm joking it's all there right I push the gate open and I walk down the sidewalk the church is right there and at the door is Domingo and Julie husband and wife the pastor and his wife and Julie sees me and she pushed the door open and she backed up and she went oh God and she turned and ran away yeah I love you good to see you Domingo standing there yeah bro prayed for you this morning and I felt to just bring you some groceries probably don't need them but here I went in and the kitchen counter was a half squash and a little bowl of rice that's what they had I sat the bags down and Julie came out of the back and around she said pastor I'm so sorry I ran I'm so sorry I respect you and she hugged and I'm so glad I want you to know something I my prayer this morning I said Lord we're literally starving to death and the Lord said but you give and you pray yeah God I've given you all I don't know how I don't have anything else literally to give and then the Lord showed me El P in Pastor standing at the door carrying two white bags I said Julie what was in the bags I don't know but the Lord said you were coming today he beat me here I hand her the bags I don't know what's going on she takes them and they're just elated I mean it was simple stuff beans and stuff like that and brother Domingo pastor Pastor come here Pastor I want to show you something and it's his altar it's very humble did you see this altar I said yeah he said we have reached the end I said okay what can I do to help he said you can't I said what what do I need to do buddy I'm here for you I'm just following the Lord tell him he said listen to me Pastor my wife had that Vision this morning in her prayer time while she was in the back praying and our kids were asleep my wife was trying to figure out how to feed them she said he said I came out to the sanctuary and I took everything out of my pockets I took the shoes off my feet I laid them on the altar I called for Julia I called for the babies and they came out and I said baby I need you to sit here I picked up the three-year-old and the one-year-old and I set them on the Altar and he said I sat down in front of them and I nailed my face to the ground and I said God I have nothing else to give so I give you them I said Domingo he said I don't know what that meant but I know one thing I was at my end and I recognized if God was ever going to hear me I had to be desperate I said Domingo what if God would have took him he said I would have let him because I can't take care of them said ' where are they he said come here and it was Santiago and Bob bin oh she was sweetie she they come running out of the back and there they are there's Jew so they lived he said yeah you know what the Lord told me I hear your prayer I see what you give it's coming it's coming said ' what'd you do he said 'I told bin baby I need you to go down to the store have these little Kile there's little little bitty store about this big there stuff in it I need you to go buy us bread we need bread Daddy I don't have any money I know go buy bread she's standing at the little counter waiting her turn she's standing there while she's standing she looks down and there's two pesos on the ground she said I wear who bread counter resist High come on brother rob you got these stories don't you She lays a two paste of down said what can that get he said I can get you two pieces of bread good I get one and my brother gets one she comes home he said that then you pull up in my driveway and you say I got you some food I said Son what happened Domingo what he I can tell you what happened I finally got tired of fighting it myself and I said God it's yours now I cover this altar in everything that I have I want you to know Revival broke out in that community and he was baptizing F I went over there one day he's cutting his grass it's just High you know what he's cutting it with scissors true story true story what you doing cutting grass with scissors you got any better ideas mm I ain't got no scissors Shane we got home shortly after that and my family had they brought us home for Christmas two years we've been on the field my family said we're trying to figure out something to buy y'all for Christmas what are you going to do what you got what do you want to take back with you said baby we don't need nothing she said no we don't I said family will y'all buy we weed eater that's a dumb Christmas present not if you're Domingo it's not got back to the country I went and found the best weed ear I could buy I bought it the gas can I bought the string I bought all the mix and I pull up in the front and I come out he looks no white bags no look what I got and I walk in he say what's that I said weed e what's a weed eater I'll show you move he's standing there with scissors listen to me listen to me I I put it down on the ground I said Domingo my family gave you this he said I don't know your family I said yes you do it's me he said what do I do I'll show you I went back back there a year later guess where that weed eater was in the Box he used it every week brother drawn it looked brand new this is what he told me if God tells Pastor to give me something I'm not about to let it get dirty and messed up and so every time he'd weed eat his yard he was the best looking place in the whole Community he said I'd sit down and I'd pray as I took it apart God bless my pastor today God bless and honor his family and he put it back in the box and it sit on the floor went over there one day to visit him and he walks up to me and he's he's just beaming he said pastor here and he hands me a bag to him inside the bag is a half a bar of soap a cup of rice and a half a sweet potato I said what's this for he said these are our tithes God gave to me and I learned the power to give did I deny it did I walk away from it no sir thank you Domingo for listening to God y'all want to know why I shared those today it's the same reason why the Lord brought them back to my memory this morning the Revival will come when people will pray and give bow your head with me Lord we So Hunger for Revival Lord we so thirsty for a move we so desire the good things of God I'm sorry Lord today that I've done things wrong I'm sorry Lord today that I'm more worried about the clock than what you're about to do in this place please forgive me in this house Lord there are miracles in this place Lord there's anointing and this this room right now God your spirit Works Cornelius Lord he didn't deserve any of that he was simply praying believing you and giving and look what you did in his life his family Revival I ask you right now Lord Breck the hearts of those that are struggling at this time God help them to recognize and realize the value of giving sacrificially even to you Jesus this altar is open for anybody wants to pray y'all come on y'all come on this ain't about what you think of me this ain't about what you think of anybody this is about what God has planned for your life are you willing to let him do it come on this altar is open would you come yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah come on would you come pray Lord I I so need you Jesus my household Lord we need you I believe today that healing is in this room I believe right now that healing and deliverance is in this room if somebody will recognize the power of giving submitting letting God take control oh come on come on don't be selfish God is here right now to meet you where you are come on cry out to the Lord forgive me Lord for selfishness and pride forgive me Jesus if I thought wrong Lord or I've done wrong God forgive me Lord I'm I'm so sorry I'm so sorry search me oh God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts see if there be any wicked way in me Lead Me in the way Everlasting come on somebody the miracle of the Lord is here today but you're going to have to learn to give you're going to have to learn to pray and Believe come on that's right pray right now come on that's right on your face before God God you are the answer oh come on that's right in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus come on somebody that's right come on believe for it I need you Lord I so need you Lord I so need you today Jesus God of Glory I submit to you all that I am that I have that I don't I give it to you God you can open the windows of Heaven Lord you can pour out a blessing that I can't even have room to receive it yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah oh come on that's right come on some family's going to walk out of here complete and whole today I'm individual is going to walk out of here complete and whole today I give it to you Lord I give it to you God come on don't shut up your bows of compassion open them up there's a whole world hurting out there waiting on somebody to give them hope somebody to to give them peace somebody to give him an answer oh come on that's right Mom and Dad pray come on young person submit it to the Lord right now submit it to the Lord right now Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus now now get up go to japa now right now make something H come on right now yield to what it come on right now move on it right now let God work in your life now now now now now come on somebody believe the Lord for it right now Jesus you can restore my home Lord because I give you can heal Lord sickness and disease because I submit to you and I give come on somebody the Lord's reaching for you today the hand of the Lord's reaching for you right now the spirit of the Lord is reaching for you right now that's right that's right that's right Lord I I love you Lord I trust you I yield to you Jesus come on come on believe him for it come on believe him for great things you need the Holy Ghost that's right come on let him do it in your life right now as you give yourself to him come on let him work in your life the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus Revival in our hour Lord Revival in our day Revival in our day Jesus these hands multip am we need you Lord again we need you Lord here I am Jesus great God great God Jesus I Need You Jesus does oh that's right come on let him work in your life right now yes Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus we are complete in you Jesus we are complete in you Jesus Hallelujah to the Lamb of God holy is the Lord holy is the Lord that's right come on somebody want to pray come on pray call on the name of the Lord great God I I so need you so trust you right now Jesus running to you great God I'm running to you holy one I'm looking to you great king desire Lord is your fire you Jesus you Jesus you Jesus burn in My Heart Lord that this church Lord burn with anointing and unction I pray that the church family Lord in this hour God help us oh God to be sensitive to your unction to your moving Lord to your spirit in the name of Jesus Bren hallelujah hallelujah you reach over and pray with somebody close by you right now do you mind come on come on we're family here pray for your neighbor today pray for your brother today your sister today come on God of Glory Speak Lord I pray confirm it Lord confirm it God you're doing a work in their lives Lord Jesus you are making a way Lord come on that's right come on that's right I Believe In You Lord I Believe In You Lord I trust you God let the glory of the Lord work in hearts and lives right now Jesus oh come on that's right come on prayer Works guys prayer Works prayer works the name of Jesus the name of Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus oh come on that's right reach for the Lord right now I'm coming to you Lord the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus the name of Jesus hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah Hallelujah the incredible things that Cornelius saw because of his prayer life and his giving life amen no way to deny it Revival came to the Gentiles because he submitted come on Revival will come to your home to your community to your neighborhood to your family to your life as you submit to the ways of God would you pray with right now Lord I Thank you so much for the church the family of God thank you Lord your desire Lord for the church is so incredibly large and huge and Powerful now Lord now Lord we want to move into that place that you will open doors you will make opportunity God you will show us the way Lord as a church help us God I pray to give to give Lord let it settle Upon Our lives our hearts Lord we have to while the day is here when Night Comes no man can work help us today Jesus there is breakthrough God when we give there is anointing and Glory when we give there is power and promise when we give the name of Jesus the name of Jesus oh God make up in your mind Lord I'm going to follow you I'm going to follow you submit to his word in his ways watch The Promise unfold this is not a bank account this is not an investment firm this is the promise of God look to somebody and say man oh man Now's the Time tell somebody I love you all I thank you so much for coming to the house of the Lord I would say I'm sorry I kept you late but next week it would it'll be shorter then you'll be like wow we weren't there at all today I feel cheated thank you for coming to the house of the Lord listen you know the calendar of events there's all kind of stuff going on be where you're supposed to be love the Lord serve the Lord with gladness amen amen I love y'all have a great week greet one another hug each other's neck if it's appropriate love y'all tomorrow night prayer