Becoming A Disciple | Sr Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

how many is ready for the word you have your Bibles and return with me to the Book of Luke chapter number 14 verse number 25 I cannot tell you how excited I am to see the how people in the house of God but not only see people in the house of God but to see the house of God filled up filled up it was one of the past presidents that we're getting that was getting ready to speak he was getting ready to speak in about a moment before he got ready to speak a man stepped out on the platform and removed a chair removed a chair and later on we discovered that the person that was supposed to sit there was like 10 10 chairs there's going to be 10 people come out with the president but one of the people that were going to come out was unable and so they came out and removed his chair someone later asked why would you come out and remove that chair they said because the president is such a high and lofty position that there should never be an empty chair on his platform now if there should never be an empty chair on a president's platform let's make sure there's never an empty place around here all right Jesus deserves a full house and you all are giving him you all are giving him a full house Luke Chapter 14 verse number 25. and there went great and there went great molditudes with him and he turned and said unto them the Great multitudes If any man come to me If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and Brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple now please don't anybody leave today I am reading out of the Bible I am reading the words of Jesus to give me a few moments to tell you what Jesus is putting in front of us here all right I simply want to teach today and I emphasize teach I want to teach today on becoming a disciple becoming a disciple father I Love You Lord you said in your word that if I loved you I were to feed your sheep and Lord here are your sheep standing in front of me today and God would you help me to feed the sheep would you help me today God to cause knowledge to Lodge in the hearts of people that they may see you as never before and that truly Lord we would all be disciples in Jesus name we pray amen and amen you may be seated this morning if we break the Bible down in the New Testament Church we go from a time that you are first a Believer you are first a believer a believer in the gospel the liberating life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ someone has preached to you and you have made that decision to be a believer but you do not remain a believer in the sense of staying at that level it is then that you become or should desire to become a disciple a disciple of Jesus Christ the definition of a disciple is one who follows the opinions or teachings of another that's the simple definition if you go to Webster's Dictionary you go to any dictionary you'll find it pretty well within these perimeters that a disciple is one who follows the opinions or the teachings of another of course when it is in reference with what we are dealing with today in the Bible it stands that we are followers students if I could use that term students of the teaching of Jesus Christ we are students of the teachings of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ doesn't have an opinion he is not an opinion he is the word so we become students students of the teachings of Jesus Christ now Revelation and I open an eye-opening thing can happen to us when we begin to go back to the culture of when Jesus was speaking about being my disciple uh rabbis or Masters as teachers were called in that day they were called Rabbi or they were called Masters they were that that was another word for teachers teachers didn't go look for students students found the teacher wasn't that the teacher went out in the street the rabbi didn't go out in the street and and begin to solicit hey I need students for my class no you would hear about this master you would hear about this Rabbi he would possibly seen how his teaching had changed the life of your next door neighbor or a family member and then it was your decision it was your choice to go to that master or Rabbi and you would request of him allow me to be your disciple allow me to be your student pour into me teach me I want to be a student it was then that the master or the rabbi or the teacher could look at the person sum their life up and give them a list of what it would cost just like today when when when the for education and education is costing you money well when you would follow this Rabbi or this teacher it wasn't free It came it came at a cost if you were willing y'all still with me right yeah you're just quiet because you're really listening right it came out of cost if you were willing to pay the cost then the rabbi slash teacher would allow you to be in their classroom they would allow you to follow them it was a group of people following Jesus there's just simply referred to they are just simply referred to as a multitude there's a great multitude following that multitude that multitude can that multitude can be referred to that multitude can be referred to as believers they are following Jesus because they do believe him they're they're following him they're following him because they do believe him but Jesus turns and wants to make disciples out of the Believers just like today God wants to make disciples out of all of us all of us he desires to be more than just a casual believer but he wants us to become Disciples of him he wants us to learn his ways he wants us to hear his word and apply his word apply his word to our lives it is in that setting that I hope this now comes to light he turns to them in Luke 14 26. and he simply says if any man come to me and hate not his father mother wife children Brethren sisters and his own life he cannot look at the end of that he cannot be my disciple now we understand that he is not telling you to hate your father and mother because that would be contrary to his word but in the true context here he is simply saying I must be the number one priority relationship in your life I must be the pro I must be number one when it comes to relationship I have to have a commitment that you make that requires this relationship to be the first in priority you see a simple explanation for this can be he said you gotta unless you hate your father mother brother sister so if that term father mother can refer to a son or a daughter do you realize that you cannot be at your full potential best you cannot be the best you unless he is number one in your life you cannot be the best you unless he is number one now if he's not number one in your life I just got simple news for you you're not being the best you that you can be and so if you really love your father mother brother and sister if you really love your children and your wife your husband then allow God to be number one in your life because you'll be a far better husband to that wife if God is number one you'll be a far better son a far better daughter if God if God is number one in your life now since he requires to be number one he requires it in other words is there any wiggle room in this verse I think they still got that verse could you put the verse 14 26 back up on this screen is I don't see any wiggle room in the end of that verse do you uh go on give me the next part of it that's only part that's a hypocrite Bible give me all of it now what is there any wiggle room right here can y'all help me out is there any wiggle room he cannot be what my that's he's possessing you my there's no wiggle room there so he must have top priority he's got to be number one he's got to be number one you cannot be the best you that you can be unless he is number unless he is number one so at least number one we go back to the Old Testament for a little groundwork here and in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse number four very familiar passage of scripture isn't it here why don't we read it together as a class hear o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord hear o is of the Lord our God is one Lord he's telling them that God is the teacher of Israel God is the rabbi of Israel God is the the teacher to the class of Israel and he says here's what I want you to hear in the class hear o Israel the Lord our God is one is one Lord now if you attend church any length of time you will hear a phrase or you should hear the phrase in the world now in the world in the world you hear that phrase right we ought to hear that phrase in the world and when we make the we make we make the comment in the Pulpit now church out in the world this is referring to a standard or code of living that is in opposition to the teaching of Jesus Christ when we use the phrase now out in the world out in the world now we're saying there are teachings that are going on in the world that are absolutely directly contradicting the teachings of Jesus Christ and you can't be a disciple of Jesus and a disciple of the world a fountain cannot bring forth salt water and fresh water we are either in the church being Disciples of Jesus Christ or we're in the world being Disciples of a world now he was going to bring them into the land of Canaan Deuteronomy 6 and 4 he is bringing his people he is bringing his children into the land of Canaan he's bringing them into the land of Canaan or we could say into the world they may have said Canaan the gods of Canaan but we say the world look at Deuteronomy 6 14. watch the teacher God watch the teacher as he teaches Israel he says in Deuteronomy 6 14 ye shall not go after other gods plural plural of the God's plural of the people which are round about you he says this is the reason this is the reason I have given you Deuteronomy 6 4 hear o students the Lord our God is one Lord he's not a plurality of Gods he is not a plurality of Lords he is one Lord hear o Israel you're going to go into a Canaan world but don't get sidetracked in the Canaan world because they have God's plural but you're a student of me you are a disciple of the Living God and when you're a disciple of the Living God hear o students the Lord our God is one Lord I believe he deserves a hand of praise talking about what we believe Jesus in John chapter 1 and verse 10 speaking of Jesus Christ John the Gospel of John verse 10. he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not look at that he was in the world he was in this world and this world was made by him and this world knew him not it's one reason you don't need to go to the world to find God they don't know him don't go to the word don't don't don't go to any other book to find God other than the Bible because the Bible plainly says to us the world he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not don't look to higher education for your knowledge of God they don't know him John chapter 8 verse 23 look at this verse Jesus plainly said to the religious system the religious system they claimed they knew him and he said unto them John 8 23 and he said unto them ye are from beneath I am from above ye are of this world I am not of this world no wonder the Pharisees and scribes of the religious people were scratching their heads and saying we don't know you and it's exactly right you don't know me because you're of this world I am from above I am from above some of the last words that were spoken to the New Testament Church not the Gospel of John but the Epistle of John The Second Epistle of John chapter 1 verse number seven do you know that Satan's first attack upon the church was not what the church wore the first attack Satan had on the church was not our clothing the church the first attack Satan had on the church was not gender identity the first attack Satan put on the church was the identity of Jesus Christ because if I can derail the identity of Jesus Christ everything else falls apart there can be a train coming down the track 89 cars connected to that engine 89 cars massive tons of cold hauling cars all of these trains are coming down but all you have to do is remove one piece of track and everything else derails and Satan knew all I have to do students is just derail the identity of Jesus Christ if I derail his identity everything else just just just piles up you can't make heads or tails out of anything second John Second Epistle of John 1 7 for many deceivers are entered into the into the world who confessed not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an antichrist I'm going to tell you instead of instead of looking for a mark on your forehead or hand Antichrist you may need to kind of study out are you believing the Jesus of the Bible are you accepting a Jesus of the Bible or are you accepting a Jesus of religion because what began to happen Antichrist false teachers false prophets begin to travel the land saying oh Jesus Christ came but he was an angel he didn't come in the flesh do you know that if G if God didn't come in the flesh then our Salvation is no good because a perfect Adam man fell in the Garden of Eden a perfect man with blood sails sinews muscle all of that a perfect Adam failed in the Garden of Eden and in order to redeem Adam who represented all the human race their had without us at their head without any exception had to be a perfect Adam to come along and since Adam there had never been a perfect man because we're born in sin shaping in iniquity and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God so now man is hopelessly lost because nobody can ever pay the payment for the first Adam but the Bible tells us the Bible tells us that the first man was of this Earth earthy but the second man that God created God created two men all other men have been begotten all all other men have come through the birth order but two men God created the first Adam in the Book of Genesis God made him from the dust of the ground and breathed into him breath which is the same word we get spirit and he breathed into him and Man became a living Soul the second man that cried that God created was when God Spirit breath breathed upon a little virgin girl and inside of her womb a miraculous thing took place a miraculous conception took place because Mary never knew a man and now we have an equal to the Adam that was in the garden we now have an equal in Jesus Christ Our Lord that's why we give him all praise that's why we want to be his disciples and we want to follow him commandment was given hear o Israel the Lord our God is one the Lord our God is one Lord it would be the prophet Zechariah in Zechariah Chapter 14 and verse number 9 Zechariah the prophet would say and the Lord shall be king over all the Earth in that day there shall be one Lord and his name one there's not two and there's not three there's only one Lord and his name is one the old Prophet Malachi wanted us to know this Malachi and Malachi 2 and verse 10 Malachi simply asked the question have we not all one father hath not how many gods created us one God created us if we're going to be students of Jesus Christ we've got to get pen paper out pencil out and begin to make sure that we're following the first commandment he said he said you cannot be my disciple if you're concerned about religion if you're concerned about what somebody's going to think because you're attending a Pentecostal Church you're fearing the wrong thing you should get your mind in the Bible and be able to say look I don't care what they say about that church I don't care Jesus only Jesus everything Heretics say whatever you want to but when I go there and open up my Bible what they are teaching is in the word of God hear o students the Lord I God is one and his net I wish somebody would shout his name his name is one in Mark chapter 12 verse number 28 Mark chapter 12 verse number 28. the Bible said and one of the scribes came now scribe was a very wealthy person he had learned the art of writing he had not everybody was educated in those days not everybody could write documents so scribes scribes were in demand they could write they were in they they made a lot of money and this scribe the Bible says in verse 28 follow this scribe with me please and one of the scribes came and having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that Jesus had answered them well ask him which is the first commandment of all this scribe said I like what I'm hearing I I like I like I'm I'm eavesdropping on Jesus I like what I'm hearing so I think I'll ask him a question Jesus of the hundreds of Commandments of the hundreds of Commandments which commandment which commandment is the first the first first in what priority what's the first priority commandment what is the first priority commandment Jesus answered him the first of all the Commandments is any Wonder he said he wonder why he says the first of all the Commandments is hear o Israel the Lord our God is one why because once again if you love not me more than father mother brother sister you cannot be my disciple if you don't have the priority down you cannot be my disciple read on verse 30. and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul with all thy mind and with all thy strength this is the first commandment but Jesus didn't stop and the second is like namely this Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself there is none other commandment greater than these you understand that he doesn't say the first of all the Commandments is love your brother because you can't be remember what I started with today you can't be the best you until he's number one you can't love your brother the way you need to love your brother unless God is number one so he said the first thing is to love me the fur the the first and then you love your neighbor as yourself I want to just go on with the Scribe for a moment verse 32. and the Scribe said unto him well master thou Hast said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but he and to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the soul and with all the strength and to love his neighbor as himself is more than the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices that scribe stood back and he said I'm going to tell you something these two Commandments here is greater than every sacrifice we've ever given if we don't have these two Commandments love God first and foremost love your neighbor as yourself it doesn't matter how many bullets and lambs and goats and gold and it doesn't matter anything you bring down to the temple it all fails in comparison Jesus heard this Jesus heard this and he says in verse 34 and when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly he said unto him Thou Art not far from the kingdom of God and no man after that nurse asked him any questions he you know he said do you know when you begin to believe there's only one God you're not very far away from the kingdom of God now believing there's one God does not put you in the Kingdom if believing there's one God put you in the Kingdom the devil's in the Kingdom because the Bible said the devil believes in one God and trembles but if you believe in one God you're not far from the kingdom because if you truly believe in the biblical understanding there's one God the next thing you're going to hear is about a new birth experience you're going to hear about a new birth experience Let's Travel on he says uh verse going I'm I'm going back to Deuteronomy 6 now Deuteronomy 6 and 5. hero Israel the Lord our God is one Lord then he says in verse 5 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul with all thy might these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart do we understand now why that he says if you don't love me more than father mother brother sister you cannot be my disciple and right after he tells them that there's only one Lord he then tells you how you should worship that one Lord folks it's all your heart you'll never be the disciple that Jesus wants you to be until you're willing to give him all your heart all your heart now I know what the enemy does when we start using the word all somebody else said I'm never going to have any fun you don't know how much fun you're going to have I'm never gonna have it no no no you you you don't know how much fun in life and it's going to be the right fun it's going to be the right laughter it's going to be things that lead to life and joy and peace and happiness it's not going to be things that are tearing you down and separating your life it's gonna he said he said I came that you might have life and that I came that you might have it more abundantly look he says all all your heart all your mind then he doesn't stop there and I'm talking to the parents today verse 6 Deuteronomy 6 6 is to the parents today and these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart parents can I tell you why the nation of Israel has outlasted outlived many of the Nations she was surrounded with two thousand years ago how many is recently heard on the news today the Hittites did this and he's heard on Fox news or to balance it out CNN I'm just you know I'm just trying to be politically correct here today all right I'm sorry how many is heard on either one of those today the jebusites did this or did that you don't because they don't exist anymore because they had Pagan Godless waves that eventually destroyed all their seed but how many can turn your news on how's that how can we can turn your news on and hear the word in Israel today in Israel today you know why that is because they have one of the most fantastic ways of training their children they have one of the most fantastic ways of training their children and do you know that if we will train our children the way that Israel was told to train their children we'll have a greater possibility of keeping our children on the straight and narrow path with God these words which I teach you which I command you this day shall be in thine heart whose heart is that parents parents watch this and thou who's thou somebody help me now who's in The Vow there that's about four of you who parents and thou shalt teach them what's to them there now I got you on that when I meant to see we're trying to teach them without this don't teach them without this and thou shalt teach them word diligently unto thy and shall talk of them what's the who's with them there you catching on now and she'll talk of them when they'll sitest in thy house without Walkers by the way when thy lies down when they riseth up and thou who's a thou there I'm gonna keep you on your toes this morning who's the thou he'd make you real nervous I'm gonna start pointing to folks now who's the thou and thou shalt bind them who's of them huh word that's kind of like a cure uh it was I know some of you like to buy them kids I understand and thou shalt bind them for a sign up on who's thy hand a lot of responsibility here right and that and they shall be as frontless between thine eyes you don't know where you're going your kids don't know where you're going and thou shalt write them up on the post of thy house and on thy Gates now listen to this today church and Christian schools are places of information the home should be the place of application don't let me say that again church is the place we give information Christian School is a place we give information but it's got to be home that is the application you can't you can't sit back and think you've done your job because you get them here on Sunday at 10 and 6 and Wednesday night at 7 30 or you drop them off at eight o'clock and pick them back up at three o'clock Monday through Friday that's not going because we're just given information that's all we're doing we're giving information but if God can raise up husbands and wives that have God as their first priority if we can be parents that the most important thing in our life is that we know God and that we pass it down to our children what good is wealth if they don't know how to spend it what good is straight teeth if they don't know how they ought to live their life we live our lives training our children to be stars and all this stuff let's raise our children to know the one true and living God and if God wants to make a ball player out of them praise the Lord if God wants to make a millionaire out of them am I getting through this Sunday morning Christian School and church or places of information the home should be places of application to the parents today write this down there ought to be some first scriptures that you memorize with your children I mean there ought to be some first things I know we want them to say die die first all our kids did at least that's my story I know we want to say die all that but as children of God with the top right now no no no no if you messed up and you're trying to be in the church and in the world at the same time that's like trying to put iced tea and chili in a thermos jug I don't know you see the the ship belongs in the sea but you get a hole in the boat and you get the C in the ship the ship's going down the church belongs in the world but the world doesn't belong in the church if you begin to allow the world to come into your mind sir your home is going down your home is going to sink because you're letting the world some of the first scriptures you ought to memorize with your children and grandchildren hear o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord there's multitudes of videos of me holding little babies people have people have driven their children by the church we want to get a video out and have Pastor do his little deal with Deuteronomy 6. you know why because that's the primary verse of scripture that they need to know hear o Johnny the Lord our God is one Lord hear o Susie the Lord our God is one Lord because we want to get that as early as we can we want them to be able to raise one finger up and say oh God one God one God one God that's not just little cute nursery rhymes we're trying to instill inside of them there is only one God I know it's a long verse of scripture I know it's a long verse of scripture but a second scripture they ought to memorize then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost if I was a young parent today and I either didn't have children or have smaller children this would be what I would try to memorize I would try to get them to memorize listen I would take them to McDonald's I'd buy them a super duper Happy Meal I would do whatever I would buy him a basketball if they could quote Deuteronomy 6 4 I would I would buy her a new a New Dress if she could quote Acts 2 38 friend we'll do it for every other thing why don't we do it for those things that are Eternal do you want to be his disciple or do you just want to attend church do you really want to make a difference in your family or do you just want a social Gathering call brother Hammond I'm about to help you here this morning I believe the third commandment you ought to teach them I believe the third commandment you ought to I think believe the third commandment or the third scripture it's not the third commandment but the third scripture you ought to teach them Deuteronomy 6 4 Acts 2 38 Exodus 20 and verse number 12. what is Exodus 20 and 12 honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Ephesians chapter 6 verse one through three when they grow up here's what they're going to be preached to Ephesians 6 1-3 children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth now I know I know just like brother Hammond caught a lot of flack when he preached that message about Rapture anxiety and liberal messed up reprobate people got on there putting fear on those children putting fear look that that mean preacher at that conference putting fear in them you better thank your God that there is a youth pastor that will get up and begin to tell our children you better watch how you live because the Lord is coming back well you're putting guilt on them and you're putting anxiety on them oh I rebuke that in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I would rather put conviction on them any day you know what you need to tell I and I I know I know I know you may be seated but I know I know when that little girl or that little boy begins to sash you and back talk you you need to quote that scripture to them you need to look them right in the face and say Bubby I love you I love you and and if you don't honor your mom and dad if you don't honor your mother and I you're not going to live very long on the Earth are you Ki you tell them that absolutely what are you trying to put in them early the fear of the Lord the fear of the Lord oh my Lord I feel my I feel my Sunday night holy ghost on a Sunday morning Bible lesson I'm trying to get the fear of the Lord in them because I want to do something in the home that's going to affect the way they go to school and I want to do something in the home that's going to affect the day they get a job and they're under a manager and they're in a place that they learn how to respect and speak respectfully to those they'll go far in life and they'll go far in life if they're respectful to their they'll go far in life foreign my sister and brother-in-law sitting at today oh right there right there is my brother uh Kathy you remember across uh Central Avenue Pike was a pond now they built some apartments there now there was a pond there and you probably had to walk what'd you think from would you think from your from where we lived to the pond it was a half mile and and Central Avenue Park was a pretty busy it was a little residential street and uh my father my father told me because he had a stink he had a suspicion that I was gonna sneak off and go to sturkey Pond and fish and he told me he said Kenny Ray there's a because because I had somebody for my birthday bought me a zip code am I saying it right zepco 707 is that right or is that James Bond he said Kenny Ray he said you sneak off and go to that pond he said that Pond's got a monster in the bottom of it he he took a measuring tape and he measured me up and he said oh yeah that's about how big his mouth is he said you sneak off down there and and you go around that pond that thing come out and get you and said your mom and I've never seen you well daddy left for work there was my rod and reel an RC Cola and a moon pie and my little way of thinking so I snuck off and went to the pond but I stood way back throw out throw out I couldn't get my float my hook completely in the water so I'd move up a little closer bow out and I snuck off I will confess several days the more that I snuck off and the more that I got closer found myself with my RC colon my moon pie sitting right beside the pond I I don't have an explanation for this other than to tell you this about five feet from me one morning a big old bass come to the top of Waterway bow but to me it was the monster I left rod and real sister Harwood I left RC Cola I left the moon pie and later that day I confessed to Daddy would you go back down to the pond with me and would you get my rod and reel with me now that's just a little story but there's a little truth to it if we can get inside of our children's Minds that long life is promised to them not only just long life but that they would do well in the land not just long life but that they would do well in the land and we can drive that into their mind maybe the next time they get ready to back talk you they're going to think are we on the same page today right right I can't think of a better way to raise our children the world don't have the answer to how to raise our children all they have is drugs to put them on all the world has is a Godless confused age to put them into not me and my house as for me and my house we're going to teach our children why because I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ I am a disciple of Jesus Christ let's go back to Luke I'd like to ask the musicians to come let's go back to Luke chapter 14. I believe it's verse 27. let's go back unless you love me more than father mother brother sister you cannot be my disciple get the love relationship down and then Luke 14 27. and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple did you did you see that again in verse 25 could you go back to Luke 14 25. less you love unless you love me more than father brother go ahead go ahead and turn it on any man come to me and hate not his father mother flip it on it bro why children brother and sister gay in his own life on up please he cannot be my disciple that said once he gets that love relationship right he gets that love relationship right can I tell you how to love you less love him more see a lot of people cannot love God because they love themselves more than they love him foreign there's a brand new Life opening up to us from verse 25 to verse 27 he said get the love relationship right love me more love me more if you love me more you will be a better this and a bit of that love me everybody say love me Jesus said love me more but then he comes to verse 27. and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple notice he does not say bear my cross he says bear his cross a cross was an instrument that was used to put to death a man the cross was meant it was an instrument of death the Romans used it the Romans were very cruel before the Romans ever hung you on a cross the Romans made you carry your cross if you saw a person walking by with a cross on their back you knew that person had no tomorrow that person was going to death Church is never before if there's ever been a time to put to death flesh it's now we have too much flesh alive flesh makes the wrong decisions we have too much flesh alive in our lives flesh that says I don't know why you got to raise them hands you know what that is flesh what do they have to sing for so long you know your flesh doesn't complain at a four-hour ball game they have to pass the offering place every service you don't complain you don't only have to buy a ticket to a ball game you got to pay 25 for a parking spot three miles away from the game you may be seated you know what that is flesh somehow or another you got to learn how to start putting flesh to death flesh says flesh says you're tired to stay home tonight watch it online you need to save your flesh no I'm gonna go to the house of God tired my backs will hurt what is the sacrifice of praise about anyway Lord I love you God I thank you God I magnify you oh Lord I put to death the flesh when the flesh says it really doesn't make any sense to do that he says unless you're willing to crucify your flesh as you're willing to crucify your flesh you can't be my disciples I'm going to read eight more verses of scripture and I want you to pay attention as never before but it's the battle it's the battle between the Flesh and the spirit there is a battle it's always going on you never graduate from this battle you never get a you never get so much of the Holy Ghost to what you don't have this battle it is a continual battle and will be a continual battle until you're glorified at that time called The Rapture Romans 8 and 1. there he is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit you're pursuing after the flesh or you're pursuing after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemn sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh don't walk after your flesh but after the spirit flesh says pamper me flesh says be number one get that parking spot be number one be the man everybody wants to be like be the woman everybody wants to be like don't let anybody treat me unfairly I'll I'll make sure it gets even that's the flesh that's the flesh but the spirit says God I want to be the man that you've created me to be God I can't be the best Me Without You God I live far underneath my potential if I don't love you with all my heart all my soul and all my might sir your deceived you're thinking that you're the best husband but the best husbands have God at the front of their life they are Disciples of Jesus Christ thank you for they that are after The Flesh do mind the things of the flesh that they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace how are you going to rule your life through a carnal mind or through a fleshly mind how are you going to have a good marriage through a carnal mind through a flashlight through a fleshly mind or through a spiritual mind how are you going to have a good marriage when your fleshly mind says this marriage is all about me and when you get a husband and a wife both in the flesh hang it up hang it up fleshly mind or a spiritual mind God it's not all about me it's all about you God it's all about you God for it should be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace because the carnal mind is enmity against God let me tell you who you fight carnal mind is fighting against God because the spirit is trying to say surrender to me listen to my word today listen to what he's saying to you today you're miserable you're living a life far beneath your privileges and your potential and the spirit is saying lift listen to him listen to the word today but if you allow your carnal mind it's warring right now saying nobody's going to tell me what to do I don't have to submit myself to this and you know what you don't you choose but if you go the carnal mind all you've got to look forward to is death and Everything You Touch death in yourself death in your marriage death in your family death in your job Everything You Touch Is Going to wilt away because that's the mindset that you have said but if I can be spiritually minded life is coming back to myself life and peace is coming back in my life life and peace is coming back into our marriage life and peace is coming back into our children life and peace is coming back into all the things life and peace because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God I asked this question already once today I'll ask it again cannot please God is there any wiggle room there if I'm in the flesh is it possible to please God it's absolutely not would you stand with me right now all over this room would you bow your heads and would you begin to surrender your life right now to God come on we just begin to surrender your life right now to God oh God oh God I Surrender my life to you right now God oh God I Surrender my life to you right now God I surrender all that I am I surrender all that I'll ever be God Lord to know you is the true and living God lord to know you is the one and only true and living God of which there is none other oh God I surrender to you right now Lord I surrender to you right now God I surrender to you right now Lord oh God I surrender to you right now to those of you that want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ would you find yourself in this altar with me right now those of you that want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ now your flesh will tell you you can stay right there in your pew that your spirit is saying I need to go up to your Ultra I need to make it up around the altar right now come on pour your heart out to God your flesh doesn't want to raise its voice your flesh doesn't want your flesh has set a limit your flesh is said oh you're going to take me to is that location all you're going to take me to is that address that I imagine you today to crucify the flesh get in the spirit right now oh yes come on push up around the altars today those of you that have come in the altars push up a little bit to make room for those that are coming right now push up right now Mighty God Of Heaven I love you Jesus come on I beg you today your pastor is pleading with you today come on your happiness can is hinging upon you doing this in your happiness your marriage your children your life come on cry out to the Lord today cry out to the Lord today God I want to be your disciple God I want you to be your disciple God oh God I want you to be your disciple God lord I want you to be your disciple Lord come on Church you're praying come on you're praying right now Lord I want to be your disciple God I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ come on crying out with me God we want to be your disciples God lord we want to be your disciples God God we want to be your disciples God God I wanna love my enemies God I want to pray for those that are spitefully used oh God oh God pray with me right now Church come on down Holy Ghost come on down Holy Ghost I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ oh yes Lord yes Lord yes Lord yes Lord yes Lord yes Lord that's it that's it that's it come on we're going to stay a few moments in the altar today I want you to cry out to God oh as your pastor as your spiritual leader come on I want you to cry out to God sir when's the last time your ears heard you say Jesus I love you oh mighty God I love you come on prayer thank you no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no foreign God take out of me Pride say that to the Lord with me you'll take out of me Pride God God help me only to become be concerned Lord with God help me to only be concerned with how you view my you my God come on take out of me cry ing for other things you're not a blessing God for material things love after just one more Touch of your spirit God I'm blasting after just one more Touch of your spirit God it's been a long time since I felt your touch God it's been a long time since I bet you touch God yet I'm after you this morning God come on me and come on Church oh God I'm after you this morning God God I'm not after a New Dress I'm not after God I'm not after God new relationships God I'm not after more money God I'm not after God the Applause of men God I'm asking give me just to touch God yet I'm hungry for Just a Touch come out pray with me this morning pray with me this morning come on crucify that flesh right now come on crucify that flesh right now as I crucify you right now flesh don't you see where I'm at I'm in the altar you wanted me to stay in the Pew but I'm in the altar oh God I'm in the altar right now flesh you don't want me to raise my hands I'm raising my hands flashes because you are no longer in control of my life you want me to hate flash you want me to hate not going to love instead of hate yes God cannot pull your heart out to your yard now pull your heart out to God right now oh yeah