Are You Hungry? | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

you're not already standing will you stand with me right now and give God a shout of praise tonight in this house oh a shout of Praise Lord in this house is ready to receive the word tonight how many is ready to receive the word this evening you ready for the word let's go to the Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation chapter number two and we'll begin reading it verse number one Revelation Chapter 2 and verse number one and I want to say Echo what brother Nolan said about sister stepp and the service the anointed service that we had for sister step um brother stay up for many years played the role of a job site superintendent and multi-million dollar Hotel complex and he did that for many many years and today there were some of his former employees that chartered a private jet from Miami and flew up here to the service to be with the steps and um he showed me the text messages they sent him on their way back to the airport that they felt like they were in the presence of God they felt like they were in a powerful service and they even discussed going to the airport that they needed to go home and find churches to attend and uh man that's kind of funeral I want to have is it that's the kind of funeral I want to have Revelation Chapter 2 and verse number one unto the angel of the church at Ephesus right these things saith he that holdeth the Seven Stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks listen to God talk to them now I Know Thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou Hast tried them which say they are Apostles and and are not and has found them Liars and has borne and has patience and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted never the less I have somewhat against thee because thou Hast left thy thirst love remember therefore from which Thou Art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent but this thou Hast thou hate us the Deeds of the Nicolaitans which also I hate he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches to him that overcometh will I give to eat will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the paradise of god let's all pray father I love you tonight Lord I Thank you for this another opportunity to bring your word that God we would receive again on this Wednesday night Lord your word that we hunger after Lord we would drink deeply of your spirit of which we thirst after Lord that you would touch us tonight and help me God to feed your people to feed these precious people that so Faithfully come to your house and worship and praise you I'll give you praise and honor in Jesus name help me tonight give him a clap offering as you're being seated tonight all right don't no no one answer this out loud all right no one answered this out loud I know that I'm preaching to many that have come straight from work and some of you are maybe grabbed a bite and maybe you have got a sandwich waiting in the car or a plate of food that you halfway got through on the dinner table and you're planning on going back after service and finishing it up but tonight I want to minister on this subject are you hungry are you hungry hunger for a change in one's life no one has ever changed their life unless they were first hungry for a change they had to First no one has ever no one has ever changed their lives no one has ever put themselves in a position and conditioned for a change in their life until they were first deeply deeply deeply dissatisfied and wanted more they wanted they wanted they wanted more so this title tonight are you hungry has to do with the text that I read because I believe many times in an attempt to help people we have emphasized God's love we've emphasized God's mercy we've emphasized the prodigal son's father and on and on we go but we cannot be guilty of what we accuse others of and that's not preaching all the Bible because the Bible not only presents to us a loving savior but he also presents to us a savior that inspects his church he walks among the church as an inspector and he begins to inspect that church and when he finds things that need to be corrected we love brother sincada we love when speaking about miracles we love to say Jesus Christ the same yesterday today and forevermore but you see that scripture has two heads to two two sides to that coin he is the same yesterday today and forevermore in the realm of Miracles but he's also the same yesterday today and forevermore in his realm of expectation of what his people should live up to he came to the church at Ephesus he walked among the church there symbolically speaking he had seven stars in his hands which represent the seven ministers or the seven Messengers of the seven churches the church was represented as a Candlestick and rightfully so we are striving to be the light of our city we are striving to be a light to our community we are striving to shine the love of God and the gospel of God to our community and so the glorified Christ walks among the seven golden candlesticks and he begins to inspect them verse 2 he told them I know your works I know your labor and I know your patience I know how moral morally good that you are how that you cannot bear them which are evil and you've tried them that say they're Apostles and found them to be Liars your doctrinally sound you're born you've had patience and oh how you love the name of Jesus you have you have labored for my you have labored for my name's sake and you have not fainted but the great inspector of our church comes to verse 4. and he says nevertheless I have some what against you I have somewhat now this word somewhat here kind of tilts the scale back because right now they're feeling pretty good about themselves but when God places that some what on the scale it tilts the other way he says I have somewhat against you because you have left your first love or you have left thy first love then he goes into what I call a group of ours he said I want you to remember and I want you to repent and I want you to return he said now here's how we're going to remedy this Ephesus this is how we're going to remedy this you've got a lot of activity going on you've gotta you've got a lot of activity going on in your church but he said in the midst of that activity you have left the one that you should be loving you have not forgotten my name you have not forgotten my Doctrine you have not forgotten all this you have simply left your first love now he said now how we're going to remedy this is you're going to first you're going to remember back when you had your first love you're going to remember back when you first got into the church you're going to remember back when you walked in a sinner and walked out a saint of God you're going to remember the night of conviction you're going to remember how old and overwhelmed that you were with the presence of God and he said remembering I hope that it causes you to repent I want you to remember it's full of ours I want you to remember because I want you to repent I want you to remember I want you to repent and I want you to return back to your first love and look at verse number five he mentions first love in verse number six and then in verse number five he says repent and do the first Works do the first works there are first fruits that are connected with your with your first love remember repent return or I know that we need to hear this is he a loving God absolutely is he a merciful god absolutely is he an Angry God absolutely is he a God that passes judgment on us absolutely because he said if you don't remember and repent and return I am going is the final R he gave I am going to remove you out of my presence I'm going to remove you now that doesn't mean they're going to cease to be a church that doesn't mean that they're going to cease to have a lot of activities it just simply means that I will not be in the midst of your activities I won't be in the midst of that I'm asking are you hungry tonight are you hungry to always keep Jesus in the center of our life when he comes to us and he begins to say I know you're doing this and I know your doctrinally sound and morally sound that you've left your first love he's trying to say I want you to remember I want you to get a hunger because none of us will ever change where we're at on our spiritual level right now until we become dissatisfied with where we're at we'll never change until we realize hey I've got an issue I better stop judging myself by somebody else and realize he's walking in the midst and he's pointed out some things about my life and he said to them if you don't remember repent and return I'll just remove you out of my presence you know I I begin to study today and I begin to see that the spirit of God on a church can have two totally different responses told to totally different responses well it's even found out in the book of Acts when the Holy Ghost came baptized them on the day of Pentecost the Holy Ghost fell on the 120 and then in Acts chapter 2 and verse number 12 follow this look at look at the crowd here Acts chapter 2 and verse number 12 and they were all amazed and were in doubt saying one to another what meaneth this there was a group of them that just were curious and they they said what meaneth this what's what's going on right now we're hearing these 120 speak in our language what's going on right now but look at the next crowd look at the very next crowd others mocking said these men are full of new wine total different responses one group was curious you know you can help somebody see the light if they're curious you can help somebody see a better way if they're asking questions but when someone goes to the Absurd limits of just simply saying ah they're just full of new wine there's no they're just drunk that's all there is I don't have a scripture to prove it but I think Common Sense will prove it I don't believe that those that said they're drunk with wine asked the question men and Brethren what shall we do I believe the ones that said oh that's just a bunch of drunkards early in the morning and walked off I believe that they just walked off and never heard Peter preach the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and never were convicted of their sins and asked men and Brethren what shall we do you know who I believe will ask that question those that said what meaneth this two totally different responses upon their mind let's look at another example of this Acts Chapter 19 Verse number one Acts chapter 19 and verse number one it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth Paul having passed through the upper Coast came to Ephesus finding certain disciples he said unto them have you received the Holy Ghost since you believe they said unto him we have not so much is heard whether there be any Holy Ghost he said unto them and to what then were you baptized they said unto John's baptism then said Paul John barely baptized with the baptism of repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus sister Carpenter Bible study teacher you are home Bible study teach you your art wouldn't you love for conversions to be that easy man wouldn't you love for a conversion just simply be that easy hey have you all received the Holy Ghost since you believed well we've not heard so much as well holy ghost how are you baptized we're baptized under John's Baptist well John baptized with the baptism of repentance saying that you were to look to the one that was to come Christ Jesus and all of a sudden when they heard this they just said let's be baptized let's just be baptized us and the Bible says and the Bible says when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied and all the men were about 12. what takes us sometimes 10 weeks with a search for True chart to do Paul did it and let me see your one uh in seven verses Paul did what takes us sometimes ten weeks to do in seven short verses he's got them baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost man what a group of people but let's read on and he the same Paul that's that's in verses one through seven and he went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months wait a minute now we've done went from seven verses to three months disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God but when divers were hardened and believe not wait a minute that's the Holy Ghost wait a minute that's the great Apostle Paul you wait a minute That's The Power of your response the power of your response can be I'll receive it in seven verses the power of your response can be I'll accept the gospel and let the Holy Ghost change me or the power of your response can be I don't believe it I don't believe in something I should do and find everything you can find to speak against it didn't mean Paul wasn't an anointed didn't mean Paul was a failure but when divers were hardened and believe not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them in separate and separated the disciples disputing daily in the school of one tyranus and so when they started speaking evil of the way they started they started bad mouthing the truth and they started doing all that Paul just went another way how come we didn't have a mighty Revival in this verse because of their response are you hungry are you hungry as a matter of fact you can not only have two separate responses two different responses from two different people but one person can give two different responses follow this Matthew chapter 16 verse 16. Simon Peter answered and said Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God Jesus answered and said unto him blessed art thou Simon barjona for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven and I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and Upon This Rock I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever Thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in heaven whatsoever Thou shalt loosed on Earth shall be loosed in heaven then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ stop right there we're going to continue to read stuff right there wow what a revelation Peter gets the Revelation that Jesus is the sun flesh of the Living God I know who you are you're not a prophet you're not a good man you are the flesh the son of the Living God and when he said that when he said that Jesus said you have received this Revelation by my father you have spiritually received a revelation of who I am and because you have I'm going to give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven keys or something that are that's used to open up a door as a matter of fact there this is connected when a man would become learned in the law when a man would become a scholar of the law the rabbis the rabbis would give him the keys to where the Scrolls were kept and he had the right day or night to go down and open up the the Vault if you please where the Scrolls were kept and he could bring them out and begin to expound the kingdom of God and what Jesus was saying is saying Peter you have received this Revelation from me it's such a great Revelation that you've received from me I'm going to give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven that's why Peter is used to preach on the day of Pentecost and not the 11 other Apostles the reason it wasn't Matthew the reason it wasn't any of the other Apostles it was because that when Peter was given that Revelation he sought God and was given a revelation G Jesus said you'll be the one to open up the church doors on the day of Pentecost that's why when the Samaritans when the Samaritans in Acts chapter 8 listen to the preaching of Philip and were baptized in Jesus name but one thing one thing hadn't happened one thing the one thing that puts us into the body for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body into one body the church but the Samaritans had not received the Holy Ghost yet is any wonder that Peter and John came down and when they laid their hands on them they received the Holy Ghost I believe Peter was a key figure of opening up the kingdom of God to the Samaritans and it's no wonder the third and final class of people to come into the church was the Gentiles and we better thank God for Acts chapter 10 because that's what we all are we are all gentiles is it any wonder when that hungry Gentile was wanting more than just giving alms and obeying the law that when that hungry Gentile got hungry for God that God sent an angel it's no coincidence who did the angel tell Cornelius to go get and he's going to come and tell you words why by whereby you and your house can be saved he told him to go get Simon Peter because Simon Peter had received a revelation Peter preached on Pentecost Peter laid his hands on the Samaritans and Peter went down and preached to the Gentiles and Cornelius in his household was saved but watch how quickly now now I want to warn us tonight I want to warn us I thank my God that I know there's one Lord I thank my God that I know the baptism of the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues I thank my God that I know Holiness of what which without which no matter see the Lord I Thank my God I know how many gods there are I know who Jesus is I thank God for all of these things but wait a minute we can never let the knowledge of a revelation take the place of our hunger for God we can never allow because what will be will become a bunch of carnal people that know how many gods there are we'll become a bunch of fleshly people that know what name to be baptized in will become a bunch of carnal hating one another backbiting backstabbing group of people and all we know is the Revelation well let me show you a little scripture verse number 21 he still told Peter you got the keys to the kingdom verse 21. from that time forth Jesus begin Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day he began to tell them I'm going to Jerusalem I'm going to be arrested I'm going to Jerusalem I'm going to have my beard plucked on my face I'm going to Jerusalem they will beat me so much about my face you won't recognize me I'm going to Jerusalem they're going to nail me and crucify me on a cross on a tree I'm going to Jerusalem but I'll be raised up again on the third day look what happened in verse 22. then Peter took him comma stop right there the train is off the track right now who does Peter think he is to take Jesus he took him he took him who does he think he is he took him well let me go on and that'll maybe help prove this four words here and begin to do what wait a minute no we have the cart before the horse he took him and began to rebuke him saying be it far from the Lord this shall not be unto thee now this is the same man that says you're the son of the Living God this is the same man that was given the keys he's got the keys wagging on his hip right now he's going to open up the church it's the same man he's he's a man with revelation but he's a man that doesn't have a hunger for God he's glad he's got the revelation but he doesn't have a hunger for God no this is never going to happen to you you're not going to be crucified you're not going to be doing I rebuke you for even talking that way verse 23 but Jesus turned and said unto Peter get thee behind me Satan boy see how fast we can go from getting the keys to being called the devil you see that I mean see how fast we can go from a revelation to carnality he said get thee behind me Satan Thou Art an offense unto me for thou here's the word Savor us that's a hunger word savoreth that's what you put the food in your mouth and Savor you Savor not the things that be of God but those that be of men he said we got a problem here we've got a man with the revelation of who I am but he's got a case to want to please the flesh he's got a taste to want to please the world Apostolic church tonight let's pray with all fervency because we can have the right Doctrine but we can have the wrong hunger and God will say I'm going to come and take you out of my midst I don't care that you do know my name I don't care that you do know that I'm one God if you don't have a hunger for me I would rather put you over here and let you operate all by yourself oh I don't want that and I don't believe you do either tonight I want Jesus to always be in our midst I want him to be among I'm hungry for him tonight are you hungry come on let's give God a hand of Praise right now are you hungry I didn't ask you did you have a revelation I asked are you hungry tonight are you hungry are you hungry tonight listen to Jesus in Matthew 5 and 6. blessed that we're blessed there means fortunate happy are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled blessed fortunate happy content are they that hunger and thirst after right standing with God brothers and sisters tonight we need to daily be asking God what he thinks about us we need to daily let God examine Our Lives we need to daily let God begin to say hey I was a little displeased with your conversation today hey you had an attitude towards somebody that I was a little bit displeased you believe the Lord will speak to you that way I don't believe the Lord will speak to you that way I believe the Lord is speaking to us that way we said well it's not bothering me well is it that you become calloused is he trying to speak to you that your ears have grown calloused oh we ought to daily ask God what he thinks of our life we are our our prayer times should not begin with God do this miracle God do that Miracle it shouldn't begin like an immature child God I'm Jimmy I've come give me give me give me bless us for and no more God your prayer time shouldn't start that way but your prayer time ought to start like the psalmist created me a clean heart oh God and renew the right Spirit Within Me O God let the words of my mouth are you with me tonight church let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto thee Oh God set a watch before my tongue Lord oh we ought to begin by saying God are you pleased with me Lord blessed are they that hunger and thirst at righteousness let's go to Genesis chapter 25. verse number 27 Genesis 25 verse number 27 Isaac and Rebecca's two sons Esau and Jacob Genesis 25 27 says and the boys grew Esau was a cunning Hunter a man of the field Jacob was a plain man dwelling in the tents now let me tell you what this is right here Esau was a man's man he was a hunter he he was always hunting and in that day they didn't hunt they didn't hunt necessarily so they could mount a head on an office wall somewhere or they could they could do something like that they would hunt for food that's what they would hunt for they would hunt for food so their motivation for being in the field was an appetite for their their belly so they were driven and so this verse here is just simply saying that that Esau was a man that was driven to fulfill his appetite and then it says Jacob was a plain man look at verse 27 dwelling in tents that doesn't mean he was a mama's boy when you study out the scripture you find that the scholars those that passed down traditional word of God these older men lived in the tents and it was in the tents that you could go into and sit down and you could begin to hear these men talk about the ways of Yahweh the ways of God and the way so as Esau was a man that was trying to fulfill his fleshly appetite Jacob was a man that was trying to feel an empty void that was on the inside of him wanting to know more about God verse 28. Isaac loved Esau now it's going to be real when we read these scriptures I don't understand these scriptures all right Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his venison okay boy is that something I just love my boy he brings the best deer meat home that you've ever eaten I just love my boy would it be like me said man I just love Nolan you know he's a preacher I just love never he said he's he's a he's a children's event I just I just love him he had sense enough to marry a wonderful girl I just love him but you don't love him for what he does you love him for who he is right Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison but Rebecca loved Jacob so we have a division there Jacob sawed pottage that means he made a bowl of beans he cooked a bowl of beans Esau came from the field and was faint Esau said to Jacob feed me I pray thee with that same red pottage that red bowl of beans for I am faint therefore was he his name called Edom you ever want you ever ever thought that we become named after what we crave after we become we become named after what we crave he becomes named after the red bowl of beans Jacob said sell me this day thy Birthright the birthright was a spiritual obligation it was a privilege if you were the firstborn you got a Birthright that meant you got double blessings you've got a lot of material things he said Jacob said sell me this day thy Birthright Esau said behold I am at the point to die what prophet shall this Birthright do to me Jacob said swear to me this day and he swear unto him and he sowed his Birthright unto Jacob then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils and Esau did eat and drink and Esau rose up and went his way thus Esau despised his Birthright look at this you got one man that is hungry for that Birthright you've got another man that does not appreciate what he has been given the truth that he has been given now now the truth that he is the truth that he has been given I want to appreciate the truth I I had a mother that put me in an Apostolic Christian School as a teenage boy I I I've been raised practically in in the church I I'm appreciative of that I don't want to ever take that for granted tonight church because there are those that are have not been fortunate enough to have the spiritual privileges that we have but that can get turned around those that have not been privileged can have a more of a hunger for God than those that have been privileged those that that have been I don't want to fall I don't want fac of Maryville to fall we have been privileged we have been absolutely privileged are we thankful for that privilege are we hungry for more of God are we hungry to know God oh Lord I never want to take it for granted God but he saw Esau had no hunger for God and Esau just sold out his Birthright his future or a lousy bowl of beans Hebrews chapter 12 and verse number 15. tells us a little bit more about Esau it says in Hebrews 12 15 looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled you you need to be careful you need to be careful letting a root of bitterness come up in you you need to really fight that and it's it's really bitterness of root of bitterness ought to be dealt with when it's a small little Sprout that comes out of your soul it ought to be dealt with there in prayer it ought to be dealt with if you need to go talk to somebody go talk to somebody if someone has offended you if if something has happened you you don't need to let that just grow up and fester on the inside of you because look at it look at it real close you can get a root of bitterness spring up in you you can get a root of bitterness springing Up In You lest any root singular a bitterness spring up trouble you and thereby many be defiled how can one root trouble one person but before it's over with many are defiled I'm here to tell you with a sad note in my voice I've seen one man or one woman get offended I've seen one man or one woman get offended and let a root of bitterness spring up in them and before it's over with that root of bitterness and he done God in their mate and before it's over with that root of bitterness done God in their family and it it's like a cancer it's like a it's like a cancer that just grows church family hear me tonight deal with a root of bitterness Esau had a root of bitterness that was on the inside of him it says in verse 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his Birthright for ye know how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears church family lets you and I examine our souls tonight let's don't let another service go by that we don't say God I want you to know I'm not going I'm not going to have insurance on that I know that there's only one God and I know your name is God how do I look tonight God do I have all jealousy out of my heart do I have pride do I have lust out of my heart God I knew I got hatred in backbiting and backstabbing and gossiping all the life do I have all of that out of my life God because he says if you don't I'll come down there and take that candlestick and I'll remove it out of its place I'll remove it out of its place you see we need to understand this evening that you can have the same Holy Ghost can move across this building two different responses tonight one person sitting there saying God praying under their breath God touch me God help me God I don't allow this hurt to Fester up on the inside of me God lord I I forgive whoever's wrong me Lord if I've got to keep going back over and over again God I'm going to keep praying that prayer help me O Holy Ghost help me in this area and then it can be another group of people that feel Justified well I don't think it's I don't think it's anything wrong with that I don't I don't think there's anything wrong with that oh God help us tonight I guess I'll go back to my title are you hungry are you hungry you see in second Chronicles chapter 26 and verse number 16. it was a man by the name of Uzziah the Bible says but when he was strong his heart was lifted up to his destruction or he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense this King Uzziah it was not his place to go into the house of God that was that whether he was not his place to go burn incense that was left up to the priest to burn incense but for whatever reason for whatever reason Uzziah wanted to burn the incense and Azariah the priest went in after him and with him four score priest of the Lord 80 of them went in that were Valiant men and they withstood Uzziah the king and said unto him it appertaineth not unto thee Uzziah to burn incense unto the Lord but to the priests the sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn incense go out of the sanctuary for thou has trespassed neither shall it be for thine honor that for thine honor from the Lord these 81 priests try to reason with him they get that they get in and they try to reason you need to get out of the sanctuary Uzziah it is not your place to burn in since Uriah your your trespassing against the Lord that was Mercy hear me tonight those 81 priests were giving him Mercy can I tell you anytime we are confronted with our sin what determines whether we get Mercy or judgment is how we respond to it when we are confronted with our sin we can either we can either respond in a judgmental way if you're not going to tell me where to go you're not going to tell me don't you know I am the king I am my own man these 81 priests are trying to tell him you need to back out and you need to back out slowly this will not be for honor you need to leave but here was uzziah's response verse 19 then Uzziah was Wrath as angry and had a sensor in his hand to burn incense and while he was Wrath with the priest while he was angry with the one while he was angry with the one who was rebuking his sin while he was angry with the priest the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priest in the house of the Lord from before the incense altar watch this had Uzziah responded the right way are you hungry had your Ziah responded the right way he could have backed out of the Tabernacle and he could have said you know you're right I got a little bit too big for my britches I got a little bit too much pride thank you 81 priests thank you all for telling me the error of my way thank you and and he could have turned around and lived out the rest of his life as king but because he stood there with that sensor in his hand and he got mad at the men of God that had confronted him with his sin while he had the mixture look at the mixture the mixture of a rebuke mixed with anger from the one being rebuked and God settled it God said I'll go ahead and pass judgment right now and leprosy like a cauliflower leprosy came out and onto his forehead and when verse 20 and Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked upon him and behold he was leprous in his forehead they thrust him out from fence yea himself hastened also to go out because the Lord had smitten him look at that yay himself hastened also to go out sounds like to me that he finally got to cooperate with him yay he also hastened to go out sometimes Church hear me now sometimes you can respond too late today's the day of salvation now is the acceptable time now is the Wednesday night now is the service for you to say God search me see see if there be any wicked way found in me oh God created me a clean heart I'll add to you my Psalm that I pray and it's my personal Psalm that I wrote myself turn me upside down and turn me inside out shake me and make me what I need to be God but I don't want to be lost I'm asking and not on this Wednesday night are you hungry are you hungry I know you believe in one God I know you know tongues is the evidence of the Holy Ghost but are you hungry tonight that's what matters on are you hungry tonight Uzziah hasten to go out let's keep on reading about him for a moment verse 21 and Uzziah the King was a leper unto the day of his death and dwelt in a several house being a leper watch these verses now and for he was cut off from the house of the Lord he was cut off from God's house the very place that he needed to go hear the priest minister he was cut off from the house of God can I tell you how we'll lose our first love how we'll lose how we'll lose our first love is much like when we started we found the one and started dating we couldn't stay off the phone we couldn't stay off the phone we talk for hours on end we talk hours on end I'm saying my story I'm telling you your story too talk hours on end drive through the night or just try to spend every try to spend every available minute that we can I heard one Pastor say this he said I work trying to keep young people apart and married people together somehow in a marriage we can leave our first love same man and woman that could talk for hours on the phone find himself for hours sitting in a room not saying one word the same man and woman that used to arrange their schedules and their lunch hours anything we can do to look to meet somewhere and have lunch together now are looking for ways to take a long drive home before we get there oh I don't want to treat I don't want to treat my wife that way and I don't want to treat my God that way but you know the first sign of leaving your first love is you lose a love to attend the house of God now I understand that thank you the the Applause is deafening to me tonight in this place I I I I I'm just absolutely amazed I'm having to see you so many times tonight but it's the truth now I understand that Seasons come and people have to miss church for various reasons and I I try to be an understanding pastor about that but you know when it becomes the exception that you're here when you can't count the last time that you've been to Wednesday night Sunday morning and Sunday night you've lost your first love you you you you you've lost your first love I don't want to lose my first love I don't want to lose my first love now I don't want anybody to look around here tonight because we dividing everybody up during song service tonight this place is just practically filled and I thank the Lord for that but I do know that I Pastor people that have lost their love for the house of God every you know just any little thing they find to to not be at church any little excuse they could find now now they don't hold their work by the same standard they can be sick enough not to be able to come on Sunday night but there's a miracle angel that comes through our town on Sunday night there there's a miracle Angel comes through the town on Sunday night and all them people that were sick and all them kids that were too sick to come to church they can all get healed after Sunday night service and they're all at school the next day and they're all at work the next day folks come on tonight come on tonight are you hungry are you hungry you you need to if your marriage is in trouble if your marriage is in trouble I counsel you to start taking things off your calendar and find ways to be together if your marriage is in trouble somebody initiate a hole in the hands somebody initiate little kiss on the cheek somebody start somebody start giving some compliments somebody start trying to rekindle that fire and if you'll start rekindling that fire that fire will start back up again I use the same analogy come on to church well you you know I I I I I I saw this the other day there wouldn't be much work done if we only worked when we felt like it there ought to be two times you come to church when you feel like it and when you don't now it'll be two times to praise God when you feel like it and when you don't if I can only do something when I feel like it I'm an Esau but if I can do it when I feel like it and I don't I'm a Jacob because I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna come anyway I'm Gonna Worship anyway Lord I love your house Uzziah Uzziah never went back to church chapter 27 verse number one jotham jotham is jotham is uzziah's son now Uzziah stopped going to church jotham II Chronicles 27 1 Jonathan was 25 years old when it began to Reign he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem his mother's name also was Jerusalem and the daughter of zadok he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah did how be it he entered not into the Temple of the Lord and the people did yet corruptly now that doesn't mean I know some have tried to say well that means he didn't go in like his daddy did that doesn't mean that there that simply meant he didn't go to the house of God he didn't go to the house of God how many kids are not going to the house of God because their daddy or their mama got a root of bitterness that they didn't get dealt with and they lived their life saying I'm not going to go back to church my Mom and Daddy got hurt at the church let me give you a good definition if your rebuke for your sin that's not getting hurt that's not getting hurt that's getting preached to and there's a lot of people that are going around saying well I just got hurt at the church no you didn't get hurt at the church you got rebuked by the word and instead of just saying God be merciful to me you felt like you had a blanket excuse not to go back and so you could go around saying well I ain't going to talk about it I just got hurt at the church but here's the sad thing that happens with that our kids are going to grow up and they're listen they're not going to come back to the house of God because that's that church that hurt my mama that's that church that hurt my daddy that's that church that hurt this folks we ought to lift up the house of God so high in our children's lives we ought to hold it up in honor we ought to hold it up to where our children say man church is the best place on the earth man going to church I can't wait to turn 13 to get in the choir I can't wait to be in the house of God now you're standing I I appreciate that tonight now you're standing look at this and I'm coming to an end you saw I got hurt and didn't go back to church jotham had an excuse and he never Joe them never went to church verse 20. second chronicles 28 and 1. this is ahaz ahaz ahaz is a son of jothim ahaz is the grandson of Uzziah ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign he reigned 16 years in Jerusalem but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord like David's father for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel made also molten images to Balaam more also he burned incense in the Valley of the son of henna and burnt his children in the fire after the abomination of the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children Mr uziah please don't get mad at the priest your response here is going to determine whether your grandchildren where evods or they're laid on a heathen Altar and burn up to a heathen God church family tonight you better weigh your response when you're when when you're rebuked for your sin when you're corrected for your way you better weigh out that response because it may determine whether your grandkids are going to be in the choir or they're going to be out in the world on drugs you better listen to the man of God listen to the man of God tonight the Bible says II Chronicles 28 verse 22 go all the way down to verse 22. speaking of ahaz his Grand Josiah's grandson in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more yet more against the Lord this this is that King ahaz for he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus which smote him and he said because the gods are the kings of Syria help them therefore I will sacrifice to them that they may help me but they were the ruin of him and all of Israel ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and House of God and shut the doors of the house of God and made him altars in every do you all see what I'm seeing tonight uziah's wrong response to the Lord he didn't go back to church his son his son or his son jotham wouldn't go back to church his grandson destroyed the church his grandson took the gold Off the Wall got him a hammer out and nailed the doors to the house of God shut oh I wish I could end this on an upbeat tonight but I can only end it on an upbeat if we see that right here tonight it's so important how we handle issues in our life it's so important listen great peace have that well I just got offended brother Carpenter I'm just going to tell you I just flat out got offended well I'm gonna flat out give you a scripture great peace have they which love thy law and nothing shall offend them honey when you know that your salvation is on the line when you know your family's salvation on the line call me a dog face liar call me a long-winded creature call me a money grabber call me whatever you want to call me but I'm not gonna get offended and I'm not gonna leave the house of God come on they ought to be more of you standing on your feet right now that'll be more of you standing up in this place right now I'm not your my life depends upon this now just remain standing with me right now because there's a there's people walking around that never darken the doors of a church and they'll tell you I'm saved they're not they're not oh oh oh so you believe you you need to come to a church listen to my Greek tonight yes yes wow it's just a traditional thing no forsaking not the assemblings of yourselves together and so much the more as you see the day approaching you shouldn't have less Church than your parents had you shouldn't have less Church than your grandparents had we ought to be right in step with them we're going to the house of God it's Sunday morning I'm going to the house of God it's Sunday night I'm going to the house of God hey can I tell you I was a little apprehensive when they wanted to have sister step's funeral in the middle of the day I was a little apprehensive about the crowd fac of Miracles showed out in big fashion today yeah I mean it just it just it just showed out in big fashion today now I'm glad that didn't have anybody saying well I've been to church once today do you know that there's women here tonight that never left the circle we fed the step family a meal over here and by the time the family got through feeding them it was almost Church time and some of those same ladies are here tonight in the house of God I'm telling you brother Erickson look at your clock get get yourself on out give me two minutes two would you give me your undivided attention for two minutes 120 seconds would you do that just would you do that you're not answering me yet would you be good when I tell you to start I want you to start all right and then when I when you say time up say time up all right two minutes right you ready you ready go Hezekiah he was uzziah's great-grandson and the Bible said his great-grandson saw the Dilemma the punishment of Heaven the doors to the house of God nailed shut Israel was being defeated by every enemy Israel's suffering defeat they were ashamed among the Nations but Hezekiah rose up and he said the first thing that I got to do Hezekiah went down and the Bible said he opened back up the house of God doors and he got the priests back in and the Priest started preaching and everything turned around do you know that your life can turn around because you come to the house of God it is the first love are you hungry come on are you hungry oh I love God tonight I know we sing the same song I know that's the same preacher but I'm hungry after God I want more of God in my life are you hungry come on right now are you hungry tonight if you are hungry spend the rest of the two minutes telling him I love you God I'm sorry that I've got latched I'm sorry that God I've not praised you like I should I'm not praised like I should oh God I love you tonight God are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry tonight you're a good people I know you know how many gods there are I know you know the evidence of the Holy Ghost but are you hungry tonight are you wanting more of him come on come on come on come on say yeah come on are you hungry tonight are you hungry tonight come on right now come on right now are you hungry tonight do you want him tonight do you want him on the inside of you tonight oh God I'm hungry tonight God oh God I'm hungry Lord for you tonight Lord I'm hungry for you tonight God I want you to know I'm hungry for you God I want you to know God I thank you for the Revelation there's one God but God I want you in my life right now Lord God I'm hungry Lord God if I've said anything I shouldn't have said God if I've said anything I should not have said Lord if I thought anything I shouldn't have thought God if I've done anything I should not have done oh God forgive us tonight Lord God forgive us tonight Lord I don't want you to take our candle stick out I don't want you to remove us out of your presence God I love you tonight oh I love you tonight God I love you tonight God are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry enough to walk out of your Pew tonight and come for a couple of moments around the Earth are you hungry tonight are you hungry tonight are you hungry tonight oh are you hungry tonight come on bitterness I'm telling you bitterness cannot stay in a worshiping man bitterness cannot stay in a worshiping man the spirit of Gossip cannot stay in a worshiping person oh oh God I love you I love you I love you oh God I love you come on let's seek the Lord come on let's seek the Lord tonight let's seek the Lord tonight hallelujah hallelujah come on church family let's seek the Lord right now hallelujah hallelujah I'm telling you the fervancy of which you're praying right now will be the fervancy of which your children will pray have the fervency of how you're praying right now will be the fervency of how your grandchildren pray it's in your hands right now oh it's in your hands right now if it's in your hands right now hear me hear me hear me hear me how you're praying right now will determine how your children are praying oh God that's right f-a-c that's right First Apostolic that's right First Apostolic that's right First Apostolic that's right that's right First Apostolic that's right hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah a lot of your family issues can be solved right here tonight a lot of your family issues can be solved right here tonight marriages can be healed trouble with your children can be healed oh God oh God oh God I love you Lord I love you Lord I love you Lord I love you Lord oh you are a good people you are a good people you're a good church but we got to lift up our voice are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry oh God are you hungry Lord are you hungry are you hungry are you hungry for God are you hungry come on church I've LED you as far as I can I cannot give you your response I can preach to you that you should respond but I cannot give you your response tonight that's between you and God are you hungry tonight oh mighty God Mighty God Mighty God Mighty God oh God I'm hungry for your father oh Father I'm hungry for you tonight God oh Father I'm hungry God for more of you Lord I'm hungry God for more of you God I don't want my heart to get hardened God I don't want to be critical God oh God I don't want to be critical God Lord I don't want to miss the house of God oh God I don't want to miss the house of God come on right now let's rededicate ourselves back to the house of God come on let's rededicate ourselves back to the house of God right now oh God take me back I want to go back dear Lord to the place where I first received you take me back take me back take me back to my first love take me back God when I counted down the days to midweek Bible study take me back God when I counted down the days to Sunday morning take me back God that I counted down the days that we would be back in church oh God let me have my first love back I want to hold hands with the church I want to hold hands with the house of God oh yes God oh yes God oh God I love you Lord I love you Lord I love you Lord I love you Lord I love you Lord oh my God my God my God my God oh God I love you Lord oh Lord Church let's don't lose our love for God's house come on let's don't lose our love for God's house let's don't lose our love for God's house oh god let's don't lose our love for God's house take me back God take me back God to the day take me back God to the place that I first received you come on let's let's receive it right now come on are you hungry tonight are you hungry are you hungry tonight are you hungry oh how you're hungry tonight are you hungry tonight oh God take me back Lord take me back Lord take me back Lord take me back Lord come on drink it in tonight Church drink it in tonight drink it in tonight drink it in if you have to leave I understand we got people to get up at three and four in the morning if you have to leave I totally understand at night but if we can just spend a moment or two drinking in God right now I'm hungry for you Lord foreign second thing that you know that you've lost your first love is when you become critical of your brothers and sisters you find fault can't stand the side of them when always feel like it's your god-given mission to tell everybody in the church hey don't be deceived by him he's not what he's cracked up to be hey don't be deceived by her she's not what she's cracked up to be can I tell you that when your lack of the house of God and you begin to bite and devour your brothers and sisters you just you just might be running off the man that your son has a lot of respect for you you just may be running off the woman it's going to be the key to unlocking your granddaughter to come to the house of God folks we ought to love one another with a fervent love that should never come across word or a a an insinuating word or anything like that folks look around here we need each other tonight we need each other tonight and again it's the last time I'm going to ask you tonight are you hungry are you hungry