Wednesday Night Worship and Word | Bishop McCool

praise the Lord everyone praise the Lord everyone we greet you tonight in that wonderful and precious name of Jesus that name that is above every name we're so glad to see each one of you with us in the house of the Lord and this busy time of year when folks are having their Christmases with their their families and shopping and going here and there but the important thing is we are observing the birth of our Lord and we don't want to leave him out of the celebration don't you agree all right it's a it's a great time of our worship and and fellowship um a sister Rhonda Lee has been an attender of First Apostolic church for many many years and even before we attending here she attended uh Eagle Bend Apostolic Church years ago but she's now not just sister Rhonda Lee but she is commissioner Rhonda Lee from The Seventh District and she it felt her lot to provide the devotion for this month's Knox County Commissioner's meeting and she asked that I would take the devotion and be speaking at that and that's all I was supposed to know but that's that's all it was supposed to be is I was to have have five minutes to have a little talk and then have prayer and that was it but it turned out it was considerably more than that there was some great honors heaped upon brother McCool sister McCool and this church and let me say this there is no honor that I can receive that is an honor to me personally because everything I have ever been or am or will be I went to the Lord and I owe it to the great number of people that has been around me and has been with me through thick and thin and good times and bad times I could not receive any except any honor without pointing out that probably sister McCool deserves it more than I do and uh Pastor Mark McCool can't be you can't realize what it's like to be a pastor's especially a home Mission pastor's child because Anthony was born or Mark was born a Marc Anthony is his name I sometimes call him Anthony sometimes call Anthony Mark but anyway he was born over the 11th 1958 after system of cool and I came here in Knoxville on uh started the Revival on August the 24th 1957. but being born into our family he's waited in many a hospital waiting rooms he's waited in in jail houses in prisons he's gone with us to places that you had to have guards to guide you and protect you um he was with us the night we was at a certain place in the jailhouse that they were trying a break and they brought the prisoners out and brought a broom out and I never saw so many hacksaws that had been stuffed in that uh in in the broom in the long uh bit into the room where the the sweep is they had he had had these saws uh stuffed up in the straw where you couldn't see them he was there that night he sat at home and there was a gentleman called and was threatening to commit suicide was at the end of Henley Street Bridge fixing to jump off and I I got him occupied and hands up on to Mark and I said he was just a little boy I said keep him busy talking your mother and I are going to go and and try to get to this man before he has time to jump and Pastor Anthony Pastor Mark McCool he kept the fellow on the phone till sister mcquille and I could get there and we indeed did talk him out of committing suicide and brought him back to our house that night of course the the gentleman was inebriated and um uh funny thing happened we got to my house of course we were trying to keep him occupied because he was quite inebriated and and um I accidentally locked my keys in my car and uh he grabbed a coat hanger just a little bit he had my car unlocked and he said huh now then who's drunk and he he was with us when his mother had him to jump into the middle of the bed pray Mark pray this he's coming over here to kill us a fellow that professed to be a member of the mob and he didn't like it because he had called the church and they wouldn't bring me to the telephone and I was preaching I tried to explain it to the gentleman he so I was felt I was too good to talk to him and he said he had a lot of his friends from Chicago and and he was threatening to come over and and his wife said oh my god there he goes he's got that shotgun again and uh these are some of the things that a pastor's son goes through and so uh and when you're in the ministry these things happen I'm telling you all of that to say this uh any honor that is pointed in my way when I was asked to come to Joplin Missouri and be inducted into the apostolic minister of Hall of Fame I had to take the time to explain to them that we owed so much of this to First Apostolic Church in Knoxville Tennessee and that's the way I feel and so uh to bring this little explanation to close um sister makul and I came away from that meeting Monday night with a greater respect for our Knox County Commissioners I saw some people that were wrestling with things trying their very best to find solutions to some things that you and I would love to see solutions to but anyway um I I gave my little five minute devotion and I think we've got a tape of that I don't know if you need to I don't like to live in the last but if you need to dim the lights for the movie uh uh to do so brother uh uh Derek you can do that but uh where I'm going to show this to you and then uh that which was not formally told to me that happened later and so the next thing will be willing Dairy Knox County commission for Monday December 19th 2022 Knox County Clerk's Office Madam clerk will you please call the roll commissioner Monday here Mr Ward Mr Hill Mr Lee here Mr Jay Mr Frazier all members thank you we have a quorum at this time I would like to recognize commissioner Lee for tonight's devotional yes I would like Reverend Billy McCool come up to the podium he's going to do our devotional tonight he is from First Apostolic Church of Knoxville Madam commissioner Rhonda Lee and distinguished members of the Knox County Commissioners I thank you for this honor each one of your individuals especially Commissioners Apostolic church for many years is this the devotion I'd like to use a verse of scripture reminds me of and probably the rest of you Commissioners also it's found in second chronicles 31 and 21. and you can use the gender of your choice and in every work that he began in the service of the house of God Amen and in the Commandments and to seek his God he did it with all his heart the general rule of reason is that those individuals Prosper who do their work with all their hearts well those who do their work half-heartedly are almost certain to fail God and reason is pleased to send success to those who dig in the field and find its Treasures it's commonly accepted that if an individual would Prosper one must be diligent and all that is attempted used to have a saying we are not a team we're a hawk meaning that we go beyond the bounds of the ordinary and she certainly proved her philosophy being upon your unparalleled and basketball success but with 982 wins the most of any coach in basketball men's are women's along with eight national championships may I say of you ladies and gentlemen who made yourself available to God and Community to be his and our servants all of you have other businesses jobs and Families you are out of the ordinary and you are to be commended and given the highest respect and honor when it comes to criticism and ridicule preachers and politicians seems to fall into the same category it's usually always open the season but but may I remind you It's Not Unusual to see an eagle circling high with smaller birds with the agility of smallness picking at the magician evil [Music] but just keeps on circling higher and higher until Outreach of the pastoring to teach when the people were threatened with an Annihilation by an evil force Queen Esther was informed by her Godly cousin Mordecai quote and who knoweth where the Thou Art come to the kingdom for such a Time as this for such a time has this with violence bloodshed the division even our schools and houses of worship aren't safe anymore yes for such a time as this we are indeed in need of and blessed to have leaders such as you thank you for your valuable service God has chosen you to do a special work I'll leave you with a scripture and second Samuel chapter 23 verse 1 3 and 4. now these be the last words of David the son of Jesse a man who was raised up on high the anointed of God the spirit of the Lord spanked by me and his word was in my tongue the god of Israel said the rock of Israel spoke to me men must be just ruling and the fear of God he shall be as the light of the morning when the Sun rises even a morning without clouds as the tender grass springing out of the Earth by a clear Shining and after the rain let us pray we thank you for living in a great country like the United States of America where we have the liberty and freedom for such an event as we are having to today we thank you for concerning citizens that are willing to come out and make their views known so that our elected officials can more wisely make their decisions reviews we thank you for the women and men who are leading in our local government we ask your blessings on them and their families bless every meeting with wisdom courage and kindness lead them and us in the paths of righteousness for your name's sake in Jesus name we pray amen amen thank you thank you I now look to commissioner for tonight's Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance item the next item is the resolution for 65 years of pastoring the First Apostolic Church of Knoxville like make a motion to prove let's motion to approve by commissioner Lee with a second by commissioner Jay all those in favor say aye any opposed that motion carries commissioner Lee you have the floor he's the founding pastor of First Apostolic Church of Knoxville he's celebrating 65 years pastoring First Apostolic Church Knoxville whereas Bishop Billy McCool began his ministry at the age 11 in Charter Oak Missouri were later married in 1956 and immediately they began evangelizing across the country and whereas in 1957 bishop and sister McCool came to Knoxville with a calling from God and a dream of constructing a church Christian School and Child Care Center whereas bishop and sister McCool who Faithfully served alongside him have a had a faithful fruitful Ministry having seen their dream fulfilled with the founding of First Apostolic Church Apostolic Christian School an Apostolic Kiddie Academy and whereas Bishop McCool and sister McCool have been the facilitators of many sister churches such as Eagle Bend Apostolic Church in Clinton Tennessee and First Apostolic Church in Maryville Tennessee whereas bishop and sister McCool still oversee and sir curve First Apostolic Church in a great capacity with their Dynamic preaching and passionate leadership and whereas with the help of precious dedicated helpers thousands have come through the ministry of Bishop and sister McCool and the First Apostolic Church of Knoxville now therefore be it resolved by the commission of Knox County as follows the Knox County Commission hereby honors Bishop Billy McCool for 65 years of faithfully pastoring the First Apostolic Church of Knoxville that this resolution is to take effect from here and and after his passage as provided by the charter of Knox County Tennessee and the public welfare requiring it thank you foreign and and she's been with me for 66 years I wrote a song that says she's a beautiful lady to me her words can't describe her there's no other lacker what a lovely lady is she she's my lifelong lover she's a Godly grandmother she's mommy she's humble she's both her charm is Ageless dispute it because Angels never grow old [Applause] I looked like zacchus beside mayor Jacobs I think thank you Bishop McCoy for your years of service next item please manager of the year [Music] motion to approve by commissioner Ward with a second bye Oster all those in favor any opposed that motion carries commissioner Smith but Mr Smith down to the podium and I don't think I can do any better than that please read get rid of resolution because that was pretty awesome Give the Lord in yourselves a great big hand um [Applause] I felt a very a very sincere feeling in that meeting and even the Commissioners were wiping tears from their eyes and I had prayed God led us whatever we let us do something that will touch somebody's heart and I want to repeat tonight that any honor that comes my way belongs to you people because we are one family and I may be the leader but I want you to know that my son my granddaughter my grandson their companions they're carrying on this great work and I'm believing God to see it just continue to grow through the years and I'm cognizant of the time tonight and I will I will keep Within Myself allotted time and this is our Christmas Sunday supposed to be December the 25th and the the title of this lesson was worshiping with Shepherds and wise men but I have retitled it worshiping with wise men I I thought to brother Wilson did a fantastic job of preaching for the second chapter of Luke about the the Shepherds that uh heard the angels singing and the the choir singing and the angel said peace on Earth and Good Will to him and he did a super job about the Angels going away but in Matthew the second chapter starting at verse 1 it says now when Jesus was born in the Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king behold there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem saying where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship Him Now what a lot of folks don't understand and many of the Christmas plays they have these wise men coming to the barn and and kneeling at the manger and bringing the gifts they did not come to the manger this was some sometimes in fact some Scholars think he was a committed as long as two years before they they came because they the scripture says they went in the house and didn't say they went in the barn in the crib but they were they were called wise men and men who are wise are sensitive to Heaven's happenings they see Heavenly signals to which the ordinary man pays no attention now these are my comments now uh men who are wise are sensitive to Heaven's happenings they see Heavenly signals to which the ordinary man pays no attention and I want to discuss some Heavenly institutions to which we need to give more attention now remember this could have been two years but at any rate They Came From Afar they came from the East and they saw a star in the heaven and the heavens and they realized by their study of Prophecy that there was something supposed to happen and it was happening and they started following this star as did the Shepherds and they they followed until they came to the the place where this baby Jesus was living at that time it called it and they went in the house but I'm I want to call your attention to some Heavenly institutions to which we need to give more attention number one Matthew 8 36-37 says and what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul now we get busy preparing for the future we get busy with our education we get busy with our career our jobs our Hobbies and and all the things that life consists of but the one thing we need to give the in my opinion the number one thing we need to give attention to is our soul it's the Bible said if a man would gain the whole world and lose his soul what has he profited or what would he give in exchange for his soul now I might can get a job across the town across the state or across the United States it may pay twice as much as I'm making right now but is it going to affect my soul am I going to be at a place where I can go to the house of God is it going to be where I can go to church is it going to be worth it if I leave where I am and I find myself in the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah and I lose out with god what have I profited if I lose my family and if I lose my soul let me tell you something it's very important Jacob when he went to sleep that night out there in the desert laying his head on a rock and had a dream of a ladder that came down from heaven and angels ascending and descending on that ladder and the next morning he arose and he took that stone and he had a horn of oil and they anointed that stone and he said how Dreadful is this face he said God was in this place and I knew it not how Dreadful is this place this is none other than and the house of God and this is the gate to Heaven I want to tell you something some folks take the church so lightly they can pull up sakes and they can leave somebody can fail to to shake their hands somebody can do the least little something to give me an excuse to get offended and I'll leave the house of God what I don't realize is I'm leaving the gate to heaven how Dreadful is this place this is none other than the house of God and this is the gate to heaven is it worth it to walk away from the house of God is it worth it to walk away from the man of God the elders and the brothers and sisters in the church that love you and prayed for you and is there satisfaction to walk away I say a thousand times no some Heavenly things wise men will give attention to and when I ever think of one time looking back turning back or making a left turn I've got to think this is the house of God and this is the gate to heaven the book says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves unto them as they must give an account for your soul that they may do it with joy and not with sorrow did you know the man of God prays for you did you know the man of God Who Weeps in the middle of the night when there's a problem did you know that those that that that that populate this platform that leads singing that Praises sings in the praise crew did you know they're here much earlier than the rest of us and they're preparing something to feed the souls of the people and and it breaks their heart to see somebody drop out or drop aside let me tell you something there are some Heavenly things that we need to be giving attention to and I submit to you wise people will see the special events that's Heavenly let me go on I've got to skip a lot of things for my time's sake the next thing I want to point out that's a Heavenly institution that we need to give more attention to the institution of a holy matrimony the divorce rate in America today is estimated at 50 percent yes the most sacred event in one's life one which should be given the highest priority has deteriorated to the point that half of the marriages today are not expected to survive now stop and think about that for just one minute do we know what we're doing when we go before the man of God and before the Autumn and we say I promise unto death us do part let me tell you that's a solemn oath that's a solemn promise but so many take it so lightly and then after we're married some of us do not give enough attention to cultivate and take care of that marriage we have what we call a marriage retreat but it probably should be called marriage restoration and to keep marriages going we need to continue to cultivate that marriage now I I had a brother some years ago a couple was having marital problems and he disappeared for a long time and finally when he showed up I was able to get him in my office and I read scripture I talked to all kind of talked to him uh to try to get him to see he was making a big mistake and then it just stormed on me I had a a a CD of my it might have been an a track back then it was a a fellow singing a song that said I think I'll have a little talk with myself and the song starts out about uh here lately all my friends are avoiding me and the girl I love just up and walked away and then you begin to figure out what was wrong with him he said I need to have a little talk with myself I've been too self-centered I haven't looked at the things that are important and I'm letting the wife of God get away I'm loving my marriage dissolve we need to be doing more to keep our marriages healthy and happy and you're not going to keep it happy and healthy by making jokes about your wife you're not going to make it stronger to make jokes about your husband about marriage indeed it's the most sacred thing that you will ever be involved in and then oftentimes a marriage falls apart because we get so busy with a job we go here and we go there and we get and we forget about the one we promise to love cherish and to to give the very all we've got until death us depart until the next thing you know you you you drift apart you're you're not not even acquainted with each other anymore and the next thing you know that marriage is dissolving now don't forget my thought wise men we're worshiping with wise men wise men see Heavenly things that the average person don't see I see my marriage as one of the most valuable things that I could ever have God help me to always nurture and always keep it healthy well uh I use that old uh Ray Stevens song for this brother and he says to this day he's got that tape or that record and he said that's what brought him back home and brought him to his senses well in 1995 Patty Loveless won the album of the year with the song and title you don't even know who I am I want you to listen to this it's a worldly song okay can you think can you imagine the bishop up your uh quoting words to a worldly love song I want you to listen to the words and I want you to help me Analyze This song Would you please be thinking as I give you the words and I want you to analyze with me what's happened to this marriage the words go like this she left the car in the driveway she left the key in the door she left the kids at her mama's and the laundry piled up on the floor she left her ring on the pillow right where it wouldn't be missed she left a note in the kitchen right by the grocery list it said you don't even know who I am you left me a long time ago you don't even know who I am so why do you care if I go but now unless you're the man's side of it he left the ring on her pillow and the laundry piled up on the floor he called her to say he was sorry but he couldn't remember what for he said I've been doing some thinking I've been thinking that maybe you're right I go to work every morning and I come home to you every night you don't even know who I am you left me a long time ago you don't even know who I am so why do I care if you go what's the meaning of the song a multi-million seller a man and a woman singing to each other now first of all they was pretty well known because they evidently had two cars she left the car in the driveway and he evidently was driving one to work they've been together for quite a while because they had children Kids the song said she left the kids at her mama's so we know that they had been together a long time they had a nice house and a nice probably two cars and she left the kids at her mama's she left the ring on a pillow right where it wouldn't be missed and she left the note in the kitchen right by the grocery list it said you don't even know who I am now what's the song saying what's it telling us why did it make such a big hit and won so many awards because it fits so many people's lives now sir it's easy for you to go to work every morning and see girls flipping around flirting at the water fountain it's easy for you my I wish I had all the young folks here tonight but I do have a whole bunch of them over here listen to me please would you now both of them finally agreed that they no longer even know each other huh it might look a little bit silly but my wallpaper on my laptop computer it's got 65 pictures of sister McCool some of them with me and I've even got one with her old boyfriend she was going with when I found her now we've made jokes about it but he was no homely looking dude he was a six foot broad shoulder he was a good-looking man he was a handsome man I'd hate to think that she would go with anything less but she found something better and I want you to know I still know her name I still know her name is Betty Jean cook Billy D McCool and that's going to be it till the day we die and we know each other and I continue to cultivate and I've done I not only cultivate that that marriage she cultivates it listen every give me a half a chance to sing My Love Song and I'll sing it to President Biden if they'd give me a chance before the Congress of the United States I'd love to sing it to him she's a beautiful lady she's in her 80s but she still seems like 20 to me her hands may be wrinkled but in her eyes there's a twinkle and a smile that still excites me she is my lifelong lover she's a Godly grandmother and great-grandmother she's modest she's humble but she can be bold now I sung a verse to this song to The Minister's banquet that I don't usually sing because when I sung that song to her that uh uh she's a beautiful lady and she's in her 80s and it tells about she's sweet warm and kind she's that way all the time she's modest she's humble she's bold but when I got done singing she said let me sing that verse for you I said the one that says she's sweet warm and kind and she's that way all the time she said you don't know about her per you don't know about her her uh Jolly part of her life out of our sense of humor she said that she's a beautiful lady she's sweet warm and kind most of the time until he swerves toward the ditch then she turns to a witch and that messes up his rhyme you'll never make it without a sense of humor but what I am saying right now and I you've heard you've heard this over and over and you'll keep on hearing Peter said uh I as long as I'm in this Tabernacle I'll keep reminding you uh of these things though you already know them and many of us in this audience tonight we've got children grandchildren and even great-grandchildren drill it into them some young girls they just got to get married because I Gotta Wear that pretty white gown down their aisle and they're going to see the candles and and they've got to see the flowers and they've got to hear the Beautiful music well you've heard me say that if they really wanted to be practical what the model would do instead of having candles at each end of the other has some broom handles and the mop panels and a a some diapers hanging from Latin and some KUB builds hanging from the next one and a car payment the coupon book from that that might that would be just a little bit too crude to be at a wedding but it it's not too bad to remind them that it's more than just a pretty wedding you've heard me talk about the boy that joined the Marines because he went to a marine parade he loved the music and he loved their pretty uniforms boy was he in for a shock when he got into Paris Island and and and saw all that was going on and let me tell you is it is it worth it do you love that person and you're now you don't say that there'll never be a problem he may swerve toward the ditch and you may once in a while turn to a witch but let me tell you after that's all over the making up sure is fun okay we've analyzed the sad song back to scripture when the Herod the king had heard these things he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him evil is always troubled at the coming of the Prince of Peace it's bad when the presence of Jesus is troubling it wasn't I was preaching a camp meeting in Ludlow Falls Indiana years ago and uh there was a beautiful Lake there and they had they rented this Campground and one night the police came driving up and we'd been reported that we were disturbing the peace there was that we were too noisy and the folks that were complaining was all the way across the lake way over there and what the the police didn't realize the two preachers who were in charge one was was a Brother David Ball Matthew Ball's father he was an attorney the other brother was in business with him was an attorney also and they began to pull the law on these policemen did you know that there's a law that you've got to surpass a certain decimal level do you know that the rock and roll show that was in Indianapolis last year did you know they went less and less and thus and before it was finished the policeman took off because these people were defending their rights to sing and shout and praise God but you see evil always is troubled by people that's turning people away from their sins when people there's some parents you almost wonder if they wouldn't rather see their child on dope then get the baptism of the Holy Ghost to see them go into a Pentecostal Church uh and getting the Holy Ghost and turning the life they would rather see them strip off almost nude and become a a one of the cheerleaders than to see them come to church and sing in the choir and have them dedicate their life to God Mom and Dad let me tell you there's some Heavenly things that we need to be giving attention to we're worshiping with wise men wise men will see the value of keeping their children in the house of God and I'll tell you something else wise men will not allow their children to hear the the saints of God and the elders and the brothers and sisters of the pastors roasted around the supper table they're not going to listen to a lot of criticism when you do that you're you're planting some terrible seed oh brother Robert Perry he told me about this boy that was like the farmer's daughter and uh he uh the farmer didn't like him they didn't get along so this boy just for menus he went and stripped the field of Johnson grasp you don't know what Johnson grass that's one of the most aggravating things that Grass Grows you can't really kill a little go tall and that's a bad thing to get in your field and that boy stripped a field and took and Scattered it in that Farmer's field later on him and that girl made up and he married her and he inherited that field be careful the Johnson grass you sow be careful the criticism you administered to others it will come back and when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together he demanded of them where the Christ should be born now he we're talking about Herod we're talking about the prince of peace and then we're talking about the blood thirsty blood curdling one of the most evil men that ever walked to the planet Earth he didn't mind at all to kill little babies and when he had gathered all the chief priests scribes of the people together he demanded of them where Christ should be born and they said to him in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written out now listen to this listen listen to this there's a point I want you to get he demanded of the chief Priests of scribes these were religious leaders they should know something about where the Christ child was going to come and know some and they did by prophecy the chief priests and scribes were in the know concerning the coming of the Christ child so why did they not see the star which guided the wise men so it is are some of the most well read Among Us overlooked the high and the lofty things which has eternal significance isn't that amazing some of the most educated people of the world overlooked treasure hidden appeal the Bible said the Kingdom of Heaven as a man that found treasure hid in the field and he went and sold everything he had and bought that feel with the treasure let me tell you if you really want the treasure of what God has for you sometimes you've got to sell out every you've got to sell everything you can't hold back malice you can't hold back jealousy you can't hold in stripe you can't hold in a gossiping tongue you can hold hatred some against anybody get rid of it sell it and by the field all taken God take my life take my habits take my temper take my anger take it away because I want to buy that field because there's treasure in that field give you a hand clap praise [Applause] by prophecy they knew where the Christ child was gonna but why didn't they recognize the star a star of the heavens is hard to hide so these wise men excuse me and lowly Shepherds they saw the star but these religious leaders didn't see it if they saw it they paid a little attention to it and they said the scripture said about Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not thou least among the prince of Judah for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule My People Israel then Herod when he had privately called the wise men inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared and he sent them to Beth to him and said go search diligence diligently for the young child and when you found him bring me word again that I may come and worship him also the liar he wasn't going to come and worship him he was born to come and kill him and when they had heard the king they departed wise men know who to stay away from and they and when they heard the king they departed and low the star which they saw in the East went before them until they came and stood over where the young child was and when they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy and when they were come into the house they saw the young child with Mary's mother and fell down and worshiped him and when they had opened their Treasures they presented unto him gifts gold frankincense and myrrh they fell down and worshiped him and opened their Treasures to him God Was preparing the angel was going that God was going to give Joseph A Dream that he was to get out of that country and go back down to Egypt to be Out Of Reach of Herod and he needed money so the wise men opened their treasures and laid it before that little baby and that was going to give them Financial wherewithal to go down in Egypt and live there until Herod died and uh another bathroom and and when they had heard the king they departed below the star which they saw on the East went before them and when they were coming to the house they saw the young child Mary his mother fell down and worshiped him and when that opened their Treasures they presented him gifts gold frankincense and Myrtle and being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod they departed into their own country another way wise men communicate with God and God directs their steps the good man steps are ordered by the Lord the Bible says if if you are wise spiritually God will direct your path and when they were departed behold the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream saying arise take the young child and his mother and plead into Egypt and be thou there until I bring thee word for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him when he arose he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt sometimes the Holy Ghost leads us in unusual directions and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying out of Egypt have I called my son then Herod when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men was the exceeding wrath and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem and all the coasts there are from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophecying and Rhema there was a voice heard lamentation and weeping and great morning Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not but when Herod was dead behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt when Herod was dead the angel appeared unto Joseph Isaiah 6 and 1 said in the year that King yesiah died I saw also the Lord sitting up on the throne high and lifted up and his train filled the temple there are many things which indeed need to die in our lives so Christ can be high and lifted up there are some things that we need to hold in high esteem and other things we need to let die and we often neglect our children the Bible said train up a child and the way it should go and when he's older and not depart from it we need to keep them we're a child we don't say honey you want to go to church today you don't do that it's true it's sunny we just go to church that's that's where we go that's where we go I've been a amused some of my I've got two great granddaughters one great-grandson and these little girls uh have cried because it wasn't the day to go to church they wanted to go to church they wanted to get to the Sunday school class may God help us it's 8 45 would you stand Proverbs 127 3 low children are a Heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward father we thank you tonight for your goodness and mercy we thank you for the word of God I pray that it will be sensitized to our hearts and we will recognize the things that are important in our lives and the things that are not so important some things that we can lay aside and and put you in the work of God first keep our children in church keep our family in the house of God I pray Lord you will just miss us from this place but not from your presence bring us back at the next appointed time in Jesus name amen Lord bless you you're dismissed in Jesus name