Still
by Raymond Sloan
January 3, 2022 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Matthew 24, Matthew 24:1-8, Matthew 25, Daniel 9, Revelation 22:10-11

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--still-1-2-22
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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grab somebody by the hand right now let's pray one for another let's pray for the word of god today jesus we pray today in faith believing lifting holy hands to you without wrath nor doubting but trusting you in this house breathe into our hearts let the word of god take root within us let it spring forth with life everlasting in jesus name anoint my brother today lord anoint my sister today anoint the family of god in jesus name i make myself available to you one more time jesus one more time god of glory take calls from the altar and touch these lips of clay i desire the blessing of the lord today the word of god today jesus we love you jesus we speak today to you our hearts lifted to you our hearts lifted to you jesus we glorify you right now jesus we love you we worship you aren't you thankful for the name of jesus let's give him a hand clap of praise everybody a standing ovation we're so glad you're here jesus we are so glad you're here sweet savior we magnify you great god and somebody say in jesus name thank you so much for coming to the house of the lord today singers musicians thank you to all of you teachers and classes all you helpers video guys sound guys door opener uppers and water putter outers thank you all so much for your work in the kingdom amen aren't you glad for church thankful for the family amen amen if you've joined us online we're glad you're with us today you may be seated welcome welcome to yet another year somebody say 2021 say it 2021 be gone here we are 2022. we are once again an important place in our journey towards our goal i wish somebody still believed in heaven this is the journey to get us to eternity with every passing day with every passing year we are reminded to look at where we have come from to where we are going anybody here still interested in heaven oh come on anybody still longing for streets of gold anybody want to sing a new song that the angels can't even understand as the redeemed sing to him come on anybody still longing for the sweet by and by i'm thirsty and hungry for heaven does it still thrill you to talk about the lord god and his plan for your life amen past week i have i have seen so much unfold in our world now listen carefully this is just the last week of 2021 in the first few days of 22. inflation crime rates in the cities i found out this week there are cities in our nation where people are leaving their car doors unlock their trunks open so that they won't break windows and glasses to get the things out of them wildfires that shouldn't be there snow storms on top of that flooding in certain places our government in an upheaval schools are not even sure if they should reopen after the holidays because of viruses virus scare and the unknown of what it's going to bring parents out of control kids are looking for control all of this just in the past week in our nation and somebody tells me that things are boring if you'll follow current events you will find so much is transpiring but hear what i say today on this first sunday of 2022 if we are going to look at the surface of all the activities happening then it could become very easy to be discouraged and even angry but the holy ghost feel children of god we know better as we see hear me as we see events unfolding daily weekly monthly and yearly it should excite us more than it ever has before listen to me carefully it's hard to get excited when you follow the negative press but if you are reading your bible you understand lord god this is your plan and heaven is closer than it's ever been before listen to me friend if you'll begin to focus on possibilities on where god has placed you i'm here to tell you keep believing that the god of glory is still in control his throne was never thwarted he never climbed off the throne never had to give it up to a committee or anyone else listen to me his name is still jesus his love still works his peace still calms the troubled soul and his grace still opens doors to those who will believe in him i know that in the year in which we live in the time frame in which we are alive i've come to tell you when you read the scriptures there are things out there in the future that are very bright and encouraging if you'll simply take time to understand them if you'll get into the word and you'll notice that god from the beginning has understood fully that the times in which we live we're indeed going to come to pass notice in the book of matthew i will begin chapter 24 verse number one and jesus went out departed from the temple his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple jesus said unto them see ye not all these things there's a question there verily i say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down verse three and as he sat upon the mount of olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when shall these things be and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world interesting to note in the beginning here of the new testament church the life of jesus he's still walking in shoe leather but yet his disciples are asking him when is the end coming they didn't know anything about coronavirus if you will they didn't know anything about politicians in the state that they're in they didn't know anything about where we are with inflation but even in that day they had heard the words of jesus there's a place there there's something out there it's bigger than right now it's larger than what's to come it is eternity and they looked to jesus they sat there with questions notice they got him aside privately we just want to understand a little deeper where you're coming from we just want to comprehend what's going on and this jesus the messiah began to speak words into their life understanding they are human and they have such a small capability of understanding the sweet by and by jesus begins with the lesson notice in verse number 4 of 24 of matthew jesus answer said to them take heed that no man deceive you hear this for many shall come in my name saying i am christ notice the translator said christ with a capital c meaning this isn't going to be a simple word or a simple name but it is actually going to be something that tries to replace him shall deceive many you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nations shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places all these things are the beginning of sorrows don't let man deceive you is the words that jesus gave to his disciples words that you and i can live by even today 2022 jesus warned his disciples what to expect there will be false messiahs that will rise there will be false christs with false teachings there will be wars and they will talk of wars and possibilities of war there will be kingdoms at war rising one against another there'll be famines where starvation happens pestilence was pestilences where things will be lost earthquakes where the things even under your feet will shake but this is simply the beginning see we all want to leave this world before anything happens so that we're not caught in the middle of it come on if you can't choose today to live for god how are you going to choose for him when pestilence is hit i wish somebody understood where preachers coming from today i've come on this first sunday of 2022 to tell you that jesus continues with good news people are going to want to kill you come on stay in matthew 24. people are going to want to stop you for those who believe and preach about jesus false prophets and teachers are going to try to destroy the hope that you have come on you can keep reading this jesus even mentions daniel from the old testament daniel 9 you can read about the abomination of desolation they're dealing with god's people in israel and the children in the city of jerusalem how that the population looks at the people of god with a negative intent jesus didn't place as much attention hear this on the painting i'm still in matthew 24 going in the 25 of the hearer how they put into their mind the ends of time in matthew 24 and 25 emphasizes what is to come jesus began to use parables he begins to use a point in nature a point in humanity where the hearer could get it in this story he tells the story of the ten virgins five wise five foolish the master he leaves talents with three servants he leaves one with five one with two and one with one we know these parables and then he deals with the aftermath of what the servants did and with what they were given he talks about nations and peoples and how they deal one with another humanity dealing with what they see and even more important more important what they cannot see you notice at the end of matthew 25 you all hang on to pastor for just a moment jesus gives instructions to the disciples when you do something in my name even is as simple as taking care of somebody's needs the hungry the thirsty the naked or those in need when you do something for those as simple as that is you are doing it as unto him the message for today you struggle we struggle we try we try to understand the timing of things does anybody still want to make kevin your home then you got to understand the steps that it's going to take to get there we would all like to believe that if we repent of our sins and we're baptized in the name of jesus christ for the remission of those sins and will receive the gift of the holy ghost evidence speaking in tongues that that's all it is but friend of mine that is simply the key that puts you on the road to get to him now you've got to live every monday and every tuesday and every wednesday and every thursday every friday saturday and sunday for the lord god within your mind and in your heart establishing i'm gonna make heaven my home i'm going to make heaven my home when we try to understand things we under we know we know we get this we try to grasp this and in the midst of our questions isn't it interesting that the disciples were trying to understand time jesus understood time did he not but yet when we talk about the lord god we are talking about a god that is out of time he doesn't have to work within your schedule notice as humans we're very good at putting the calendar together anybody know what i'm talking about we're very good at planning our day and our schedule in fact you can you can somebody can invite you to a great party or a great get-together and and something inside of you says well let me check in my calendar to see if it'll work this week the boss may come and say somebody want to work some overtime you have to say let me see if it fits in my schedule our dear prayer coordinator will say will anybody rise up and say i'll pray for this hour we all say let me check our schedule let me see if i can fit that in it's not on purpose it's not because you want to push it aside maybe it's simply we live in time we live in a series of minutes that turn to hours that turn to days and turns a week so when we look at the red letters of jesus written in the book of matthew as the translators did it we understand that where does time then fit with jesus for today jesus was in time at that moment the rising of the sun the setting of the sun to get up in the morning to go to bed at night jesus was there working with the disciples and his followers and he was trying to get them to understand there is something happening in the future and if you'll ever get your actions from the rising into the setting and you'll ever get your attitude and if you'll ever get the word within you and you'll focus your attention on what's about to happen in the future then things on earth can grow dim and you'll not be pushed aside by the distractions of the day in and the day out come to ask you today if you can't give to god if you can't live for god if you can't give your whole life to him then why is it such a challenge to simply say yes god i am here today to give myself to you understand jesus was talking about time but this particular moment in 24 and 25 of matthew this was before the cross this was before the tomb this was before his ascension this was before the commands so on this sunday first sunday of 2022 i pose to you a question what are you looking for to be different in this year than last year jesus talked about the end jesus gave instructions to them for the end i stand here today and i simply want to remind us of a simple question a simple statement a simple thing that we need to grasp a hold of here it is do you believe still do you believe still does this thought of heaven still excite you does the possibility of what a prayer can do cause you to rejoice still is it a thrill to be in this room today on the first sunday of the year with your problems and issues do you still consider that worship and praise is important do you really think that god can move into your situation still i know it's a short word i know i know it's a word that we use so so haphazardly but the fact of the matter is that word still that's an adverb it connects it has a thought with it something's gonna happen but you have to it's a continuance of what has been happening and what is possible to happen i stand here even today to ask you do you still believe in the power of the cross do you still look for the miraculous to happen in your life do you still want the hand of god to work with you do you still believe is his presence still amazing to you why why why are you on this note pastor the first sunday of 2022 i've come to tell you out of the book of matthew 24 and 25 you can read so many instructions that were crammed into such a short amount of scriptures about the end of times and about the people and about what would happen and although we but anybody still believe that that the rapture will take place one day anybody's still convinced it's going to transpire would you lift a hand like you're not ashamed of that come on you still believe that if that's the case then you still have to believe that there are things that you're going to have to go through to get to that place i want to make heaven my home but i have to decide that now and i still have to believe it when the heartache comes i still have to believe it when i don't understand the steps that's happening in my life i still have to believe it when i can't comprehend it i still have to understand that as long as god is alive and well in my life i can still believe in the miraculous is there anybody here that's hurting with a pain in your body a physical ailment do you still believe you serve the healer or have you grown accustomed to the pain and the sorrow is there anyone here that has a need in your finances do you still believe god is a provider and a waymaker or do you live with the fact that you're broke and you're poor and you'll never have anything does anyone here have issues in your family and you you wish they were different and changed do you still believe that the word of god could come in and heal relationships see what we can get to is a point that we begin to forget just like those disciples they gathered jesus aside privately and said let us know what to expect and jesus tells them the wars the famines the pestilence and all these things and they're looking at this external stuff and they're wondering wow this is horrible this is terrible this is negative and jesus looks at him says they're not even going to like you they're going to want to kill you they're wanting to they're going to want to do everything against you they're going to try to stop you isn't any wonder and all of this and they're standing there saying i'm not so sure that i want this bill of sale i'd come to tell somebody though as a young boy and an altar at a junior high youth camp i bought into it the lord god filled me with a spirit i've never been the same since i've not walked the same way i've not talked the same way i know i was a young boy but god ordered my steps from that moment i have made some of the dumbest decisions and choices i know just like some of you have but the grace and the mercy of god pulled me back into a place i am thankful for the altar wherever it might be in my bedroom in my car right here in this sanctuary that i could one more time throw my knees to the floor lift my hands and with tears of brokenness i could say god i need you one more time to put me on the straight and narrow i've come today to tell somebody he's coming back heaven is still there but i'm asking you do you still believe in it is the word of god still more powerful in your life than any media are you still hungry and thirsty for the ways of god or are you allowing netflix to overtake it are you still thirsty for god to come in and breathe life into your situation or would you rather have somebody else receive that blessing come today to this podium to simply ask do you still believe if we were to take time today to look in the prophetic words of john as he wrote in the events and the occasions of the book of revelation we could see so many ways that things would wind themselves up at the end of time things that were still to come i don't know about you but the book of revelation is a challenge for me i try to understand the heads and the crowns and the the beast and the things and i i want to understand what they mean figuratively and symbolically and so when i read and study that it's a grasp and i have to pray god let me know what this is because i'm not so sure that in my little bitty puny mind if i can grab it or not but hear me friend to the child of god it should bring an excitement because of what is to come notice the very last chapter of your king james version chapter 22 verse number 10 and he saith unto me seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand hear this he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still i've come today at this first day first service of 2022 to declare to you what's going on in our world today is not a great surprise to god he knows the heart of man he understands what the angels can do and he also understands what the mind of man can do i've come to tell you what was said at the end there write this down the just and the unjust the filthy they'll stay filthy but the righteous they'll still be righteous the holy will still be holy why is this important at the end of chapter 22 of revelation i'll tell you why people going to do what people are going to do but i still believe the holy ghost is your key to heaven i still believe that the way that was established by the lord jesus christ is still the way to get there you can do what you want to if you want to be filthy you be filthy still if you want to be unrighteous unjust you be unjust and unrighteous you'll receive your reward but i choose to be holy before god i choose to declare i don't care what the family says what the press says and what the media declares it don't matter to me what i understand or do not understand this one thing i know i stand on the name of jesus christ his word is forever settled in heaven i still believe in an old rugged cross i still believe in the power of the risen jesus i still know he's there in the morning he's there at noon and he's there in the midnight on this first sunday of 22 is there anybody that would declare god i still believe i still believe the negative is driving me crazy the unknown is wreaking in my mind but i still believe the word of god is right i still believe in time of prayer i still believe in assembling together in the house of god i still believe in trusting the plan of god because of experience of humanity there are many times that we simply fail now don't look at anybody around you i'm going to ask you this very pointed question do you do everything right come on you don't have to answer don't poke your neighbor don't poke your spouse leave him alone are you perfect in all of your ways regardless of what you think as long as you're walking in shoe leather as long as your flesh gets out of bed in the morning and as long as you're breathing deep breaths of air you have the possibility by your nature to fail and to falter but i still believe in giving my life to him every day i still believe prayer works but tim i still believe he's a healer brother duran i still believe that he provides i still believe he makes a way i still believe that he opens doors i i still believe he speaks through the darkness i still believe he can reach on a bar stool or under a bridge or in a palace and bring some i still believe in the convicting power of the word and the spirit of god i still believe joy comes in the morning i still believe truth rises above all the fear and doubt i still believe the devil's a liar i still believe that god has conquered him i still believe he has no weapon formed against me that can prosper i still believe that all things done in the name of jesus will be blessed i still believe in the convicting power of the holy god in which we serve i still believe that he is faithful i still believe that he is true i still believe that he is honest i still believe he's got the answer i still believe that his word is right i still believe there's no way to get around it i still believe he'll be my judge one day and i still believe he'll say well done thy good and faithful servant i refuse to believe the lie of the enemy devil get thee behind me i walk in faith and favor in the word of god my life has his hand upon it i still call on the name of jesus i still lift holy hands without wrath or doubting i still believe in separation i still believe in the power of a risen savior i still believe brother drone come and help me in the world in which we live there is so much trying to pull you down i got to ring brother josh there is so much trying to destroy you got folk that will even say the church is not relevant today fine yours may not be but mine still is i still need to see your smiling face in the house of god can i say this as pastor i want to see your frowning face turn to a smile i'm not gonna meddle i'm gonna tell you what a heart is i still need to see you in an altar reaching for god i still need to see you reach out and pray for your brother and sister binding together with them in faith i still need to see your parents praying with your children and teaching in the next generation what it takes to walk for god come on i still enjoy the fact that you come into this place full of all the things of the world but i still see the joy on your face as you turn loose up and lift your hands to heaven i love when the people of god come together and encourage one another listen what god told me this week understand what i've been through this week but blessed be the name of the lord god i don't know how i don't know why i don't know where i don't know when but i know one thing is this god is faithful god is faithful i still believe he's faithful stand with me all over this room today it is three minutes after one for us clock watchers your coupon is still good at the restaurant you can go eat in a minute listen to me carefully listen to me carefully in this room right now there's a handful of you there's a handful of you that you have felt the burden of this word today and it is promptly resting upon you not for you but for someone else in this room god i still believe your answer god i still believe you can reach them you can change them you can breathe on them if you're courageous enough in what you know leave the seat where you are and go get a hold of that one and let your faith connect with them enough to say god i still believe even though i don't understand come on move from your seat i'm not asking you to make a show with things i'm asking you to follow the unction of the spirit go jesus i still believe come on move from your chair move from your chair this is not a spectacle this is not a show this is a simple act of faith i still believe still you're there still you work still your power can do come on you need to be praying with somebody right now together jesus i still believe you can bring my backslidden child home i still believe you can save my spouse lord who doesn't want to come into the house of god i still believe that you can change my finances and you can change my life i still believe in the provision of the god of glory come on somebody i still believe oh that's right come on i still believe they'll be in an altar that's right pray with somebody let your faith connect with them i still believe in you jesus i rebuke the fear i rebuke for doubt i rebuke the voice of the enemy i rebuke the voice of the enemy devil leave me alone i'm not listening to you i still believe salvation works i still believe the cross is there i still believe oh that's right come on been through a lot the last year but but i still believe oh guys i've seen so many disappointments and discouragement but i still i still know that i am on your mind your plan is still working oh come on that's right still believe this is still trusted i still honor you i still kiss me i still sacrifice i still hard work i still honor you i still trust you jesus come on try to press through go into the presence of the lord i will trust you jesus my come on on this first sunday of 2022 you still believe his word do you still believe in the power of jesus do you still believe that he can do the work do you still believe i still believe oh that's right jesus i believe heaven is still my home oh that's right that's right come on pray call that faith bro right now i still believe i i believe you're still oh that's right come on i believe you still i believe you're still still i trust in you still i honor you let him that is righteous be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still come on i will remain standing on the foundation of your words i will establish my steps upon you god i still know you are able that you are able you're more than able you are more than able jesus yes lord yes jesus oh come on faith right now faith to believe still in spite of the situation possibly because of the situation you still believe now one voice all over this room lifted to heaven come on bless the name of the lord lift your hands to him bless the name of the lord i love you lord and i believe you still all power is in your hands still god now change that you still are in authority you're still on the throne you're still the exalted you are still god oh that's right that's right that's right i believe in you lord i trust you wrong i honor you i honor you today glorify you i glorify you come on there is a moving right now walk on into his presence in the name of jesus walk on into his presence in the name of jesus the name of jesus hey yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah i love you lord i bless you lord i worship you lord i still trust you jesus you are holy god you are worthy mighty saviors oh king jesus you are wonderful you are worthy oh you are worthy jesus jesus jesus a couple of years ago a couple of years ago this church went through a very challenging season on an easter evening a tornado came through and pulled down our church building anybody recall that fun times right today i came to remind you that god still moves mountains he still touches he still delivers he still heals listen carefully on that particular afternoon we picked up we pushed we shoved we tried to collect we filled boxes and totes and whatever would be good and then somebody had a bright idea let's see if we can get that piano out under that wall through dissecting the wall that it fell on it and pulling it pushing and lifting this grand piano that was in our entry anybody remember that got it out there and a couple little surface scratches for whatever reason duron sat down and in that entryway of the church with no ceiling practically no walls this is what he played still i want jesus still i will follow still come on you know what guys it's an old song to your everyday calling hear it when the storm rages high and i can't find my way anybody remember come on sing it like you mean it as we stood there that day we didn't know how it was going to happen but this is what we say still i will trust you still i will follow all right high and i can't find my way still grab somebody's hand let's pray together jesus thank you for our time together today lord thank you for the spirit of god that's moving in this place in the hearts and the lives of people lord i ask a special anointing rest upon the church in this new year 2022 god you know exactly where we are why we're here and how we got here we still choose to trust you bless our week this week lord guide our steps let the glory of the lord shine round about us wherever we go help us god to be kind to those around us to let them know about you i plead your blood over every heart every home every family i plead the blood of jesus over our church family keep us lord we'll come back rejoicing in you loving and serving you god with joy and peace because heaven is in view love you lord trust your lord and honor you in jesus name we pray can you give the lord a handclap of praise before you leave this place i thank you jesus oh come on church i thank you jesus you still make a way i love y'all go with god shake hands be friendly one to another to our guest so glad you came the lord bless you we'll see you soon in jesus