Elevating Prayer & The Word | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

If you have your Bibles and would stand with me this morning, 2 Coronicles chapter number 6 and verse number 12 is where we'll begin. And brother Lang, thank you for a confirmation that you gave. And you'll you'll see the confirmation in just a moment. 2 Coronicles chapter 6 and verse 12. If you're ready to receive the word of God, would you say amen? >> Amen. >> And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands. For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold of five cubits long, five cubits broad, three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court. And upon it he stood and kneelled and knelt down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven and said, "Oh Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth, which keepeth covenant, and showeth mercy unto thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts. Nehemiah chapter 8 verse number one. Nehemiah chapter 8 verse number one. And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Watergate. And you'd have to be old enough to know this, but this is not talking about Richard Nixon. All right? Those that laugh knew it. All right? that was before the Watergate. They spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the Watergate, from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pullpit of wood. Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people. And when he opened it, when he opened it, all the people stood up and blessed. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, "Amen. Amen." with lifting up their hands and bowed and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Go to verse number eight. So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tatha, which means the governor, and Ezra the priest, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, "This day is holy unto the Lord your God, mourn not, nor weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then said he unto them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy unto the Lord our God. Neither be ye sorry for the joy." You ever heard this? For the joy of the Lord is your strength. I want you to join me in prayer this morning. And please remember brother Alan Bryant. He had surgery this week. Please remember uh brother Roland and sister Gloria Zender. Mother Thorp, sister brother Kirby, brother and sister Lawless have a need in their bodies. Brother Bill Burkett and Sister Lee. Please remember please remember these requests this morning. in in a praise in a praise report and prayer request, we we had three new new members, and we'll be showing pictures a little later, but we had three new members added to our church by natural birth. Chandler and Mesa were blessed with a baby girl, Scotty May, and we we'll be showing her off here. Uh, pardon? Yeah, we'll be showing I I think we're going to show them all. Um Scotty May and then Rachel and Trey Su and a beautiful baby boy or a baby boy um L. Help me with this Lula Josephine Su. And uh his his name means a mighty warrior that God has added. Girl, girl, I I was I was pondering that Josephine name there. I I was I was folks bear with your pastor here. Just bear be bear bear with me. I If I don't get it right, my committee down, my precious wife will help me. and Michael and Kayla Massenill. They were blessed last night with a beautiful baby boy, Hunter Lee Massenill. And uh I've been asked by the family, the little fella came early. The little fella came came early and I've been asked by the family. They've been up all through the night. They know their church family. I know that many of you will rush to the hospital this afternoon, but the family has asked for no visitors right now until they can get some rest. And we totally understand that, don't we? Could you, if you have a prayer request, could you just lift your hand right now? Lift the other hand now. Let's talk to God. Father, your eye is upon the place where your name is at. And Lord, we we certainly exalt your name here. And we certainly believe in your name here. And Lord, as we have brought all the prayer requests, Lord, before you today and every uplifted hand, Jesus, would you move upon these today? And God, would you heal? And would you deliver and would you set free? And Lord, would you make a way where there is no way? And Lord, would you just be God to someone this morning? Would you move in a great and a mighty way, Lord? Help us to receive your word today. Lord, help us to put it inside of our hearts today, Lord. Lord, help the word today. Help us, God, to not only be moved in the moment of the message, but God, in the days to come, Lord, let us savor and let us learn from this word today. We'll give you the praise and the glory and the honor in Jesus name. And I'm going to ask you before you're seated, if you would open your mouths and give God a praise before you're seated today, would you would you give God a praise right now? Oh yes. I give him praise today. I give him praise today. I do. You may be seated. Brother Lane, thank you for your confirmation because this morning I want to minister to the congregation on the subject of elevating prayer and the word. Elevating prayer and the word. It's interesting when Solomon had completed Solomon had completed the tabernacle or the temple I should say after it was complete Solomon dedicated the temple with prayer. Solomon dedicated. If you read 2 uh Chronicles 6 and7, you'll see where the glory of God filled the te temple and then Solomon um Solomon constructed a platform in the outer court. It was it was a platform that Solomon that Solomon constructed that was so many feet high square and uh I believe it was 7 and 1/2 ft square platform and 4 and 1/2 ft tall platform. He had it built. The Bible said it was a brass scaffold. It was a brass platform that he had it had it built in the outer court for for for Solomon would never dedicate the temple being inside the temple because Solomon Solomon was not the king of kings and only the king of kings had the right to stand inside of the temple and dedicate it. So Solomon went out to the outer court out by the altar and there Solomon constructed this brass platform of 7 and 1/2 ft square and 4 and 1/2 ft tall. And it was for the purpose of elevation. It was for the purpose of not only being seen but mostly to be heard. He wanted to elevate whatever he had to say. Whatever Solomon had to say, he built an elevation for it. He wanted the people to hear to hear what he was saying. And if you would turn back with me to 2 Chronicles 7 and 12. 7 and 12, he begins. He begins here. Excuse me. 2 Chronicles 6 and verse number 17 is where I'd like to go. 2 Chronicles 6 and verse 17. He's Now, now picture with me. Lay the foundation. Picture with me. Um he is not level with the people. He is constructed this brass scaffold. He is some four and a half feet above the people. He steps up on this scaffolding here. And we'll begin reading at verse number 17. He says,"Now then, oh Lord, God of Israel, let thy words be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy servant David, but will God in very deed dwelt with men on the earth. Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee, how much less this house which we have built, which I have built." Now, now he comes to the understanding as they build this temple that they have they have built it, but they realize that the heaven of heaven could not contain God. That they they they've built something that could not hold all of God because God is omnipresent. God is omnipresent. But then he turns the corner and in verse 19 he says, "Have respect, therefore, to the prayer of thy servant." Have respect to the prayer. When I read that the other day, I I I read the word respect and I thought about the I thought about when Cain brought his offering and Abel brought his offering to the Lord. The Bible said the Lord had not respect for Cain's offering, but he had respect for Abel's offering. And the word respect simply means to look upon. Would you look upon the prayer of thy servant? I don't know about you, but I certainly want God to look upon my prayer. I I want I want him to hear my prayer. And I want him to look. He said, "Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication, oh Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee, that thine eyes may be open unto this house day and night, unto the place whereof thou hast said, thou wouldest put thy name there." to hearken, listen unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place. He said, "This is a special place." Now, now remember with me, he's on this brazen scaffold. He's 4 and 1/2 ft higher than the people. And he's elevating the subject of prayer. He's elevating the subject of prayer. If there's something, you know, when you start out in the ministry, when you start out, or at least when I did, I'll just tell you. I'll just I'll just tell you how I kind of uh uh went through my process. I wanted to be a good preacher. All right? I wanted to be a good preacher. I don't guess there's anything wrong with that, but I I wanted to be a good preacher, and I studied to be a good preacher. And then as I got a little older, Brother Lang, I I I wanted to be a I want to be noted for being a good leader. I I wanted to be able to people could say, "Man, he's a he's a good leader." Not only a good preacher, but he he's a good leader. I'm not I'm I'm not saying that I am. I'm just simply saying that was what I wanted to be. I wanted to be a good leader. I wanted people to say, "Man, I can follow." We could follow their footsteps. But now at 66 years of age, I'm going to tell you where I'm at in my season. I want to be a good pastor. I want to be a good pastor. And what I mean by being a good pastor, this building can be bull I I can die and this building can be bulldozed down. And so my legacy I don't want my legacy to be in the brick and the mortar here in this building. >> I don't want because you can forget about an address and you can forget about a location. But if I can somehow preach enough and teach enough and elevate the subject of prayer after I'm long gone, somebody's going to know how to get a hold of God. Somebody's going to know. Do you know prayer works? Do you know God answers prayer? Do you know God delights in prayer? God delights. So I want to be a good pastor this morning. And he said, "This is the place." Solomon said, "I'm going to elevate prayer. I'm going to elevate myself because you know prayer changes you. You you know that you you you can't pray and not be changed. Matter of fact, if I took the time to weave my way through the scripture, I'll show you that Solomon first stood upon the brazen scapel. The Bible said, "And Solomon stood and he opened his hands up. He spread out his hands." Now, that that's that's two different things. Number one, when you spread your hands out, that's that's an attitude of surrender. You're you're you're surrendering to God. When you you put your hands up, you're really saying, "I'm not mine anymore. I don't belong to myself anymore. I'm yours, God. I'm yours." As a matter of fact, I hope you're never arrested, but if you've ever be be arrested, they're going to tell you to come out with your hands up. Don't Don't come out Don't don't don't don't don't come out with your hands in your pocket. You uh you might not live very long. You said, "Come, come with your your hands up." That's a symbol of surrender. How many knows you can't go to prayer and be stubborn and self-willed very long because you're going to pray with your hands. I'm surrendering to you, God. Not my will, but your will be done. But I'm not only doing that. I'm not only spreading my hands up, I'm spreading empty hands out because I'm I am anticipating that when I go to prayer with empty hands that it'll be in the midst of prayer that God's going to put something inside of those empty hands. But we'll read if we had time to go through, you would read where Solomon began on that scaffold of standing. But it didn't take it didn't take him long till the Bible said, "And he knelt down." >> And he knelt down. And as he begin to pray, as he begin to pray there in 2 Coronicles, there in 2 Coronicles, I'd like to weave our way through and show you something about the elevating of prayer. The elevating of prayer. And while I'm on this, while I'm on the subject of prayer, let's please not forget. Let's not get out of the habit. Let's not let it grow old. Church is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for what? Could somebody shout it out? For what? >> For prayer. For prayer. Because I could you be a good preacher, but if you've not taught the people to pray, they'll forget about your good preaching. You if you've not been a good pastor and taught the people to pray, they'll forget about leadership skills. But if I can get you to understand the power and the elevation of prayer in your life, it'll go with you and it will be a it will be a blessing. 2 Chronicles chapter number six, Solomon's on his knees. Solomon's on his knees and he starts to pray. It's wonderful. It's interesting in verse number 22. Let's listen to him for a moment. He's talking to God now. He's on his knees. If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house, then hear thou from heaven and do, and judge thy servants by requiting the wicked by recompensing his way upon his own head, and by justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. You know what he says there? He says prayer, he says that prayer can bring out the truth. All right? He said prayer will bring out the truth. So many times we get wrapped up in our lives that life's not fair and that this situation's not fair and and this is not true. I'm not saying that none of that isn't true. But I'm saying that when you go to God in prayer, God is able to turn it back upside right the way that it ought to be. And God is able through prayer. Don't stop praying. I don't care how beat down you think you are. I don't care how helpless you think you are. I don't care how how how out of control that you think it is. If you will keep on praying, hear me church. You are now in control. An individual may have control of you. A circumstance may have control of you. But when you step out and you begin to pray, you take that control out of their hands and you put it in the great hand of God. >> It's amazing. Verses 22 through verse 27, Solomon's praying. And it could be summed up by this. Prayer can turn things around for the good. Prayer can turn things around. Don't stop praying. How bad it is. Don't how bleak it is. Don't stop praying because prayer can turn it around for the good. Go with me all the way down to verse number 28. And a matter of fact, well, let me let me just take just a moment. Let me just take this one. Let me go back to verse 24 to to to set this verse 24. And if thy people Israel be put to the worst before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in in this house, then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them, and to their fathers. Verse 26, when heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned, the people have sinned, then he says to go through. So what he's talking about here in verses 232 through 27 is things happening to you because of sin, things that you might have brought on yourself. Well, brother Carpenter, I'm not out of control. I've made bad decisions. I have brought this up on me myself. I've got good news for you today. Even if you're the guilty one and you're suffering the consequences of your sin, don't drown in your consequences. Understand that prayer can turn bad things back around and make them good. Yeah, you sinned and there's no rain, but you can understand your sin and you can pray for forgiveness and God can send rain. Can you give him praise right now? Hallelujah. Don't know about you, but I've had to eat some consequences. Don't know about you, but I've had to suffer some consequences. But I'm not going to die in the consequence. I'm not going to die in that situation. I'm going to go back to the prayer room and I'm going to pray and I'm going to watch God. I'm going to watch God turn it around. Somebody say yes. >> I'm watch God turn it around. Now verse 28. If there be darth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting and mildew and locust and caterpillars, if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land, whatsoever sore, whatsoever sickness there be, then what prayer or what supplications shall be made of any man or of all the people of Israel, when everyone shall know his own soar, his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands, in this house. Now, now listen. Life is life. You don't have to sin to have bad things come. Life can just be life. Things just happen in life. I I got to give us all a news break. We're not in heaven. We're not in heaven. Somebody Somebody Somebody said they believe a doctrine where we're we're we're evolving to into heaven. We're not doing very well. All right. You know, that's like evolution. You know, they say we came from monkeys. I I could partly believe evolution because I've seen some folks that look like they're going back that way. But I But that's a different different sermon for a different time. It's life. It's life. Well, I don't know why I've got this sickness. I don't know why. I don't know why the factory shut down. I don't know why this this one left. I don't know why this has happened. I don't know why the kids don't this and I don't know why. I get it. That's life. And that doesn't mean you've sinned. That's just life. Who are you listening to that today? And and would you stop blaming God for the things that life brings your way? Would you stop holding back praise and holding back worship >> because life has dealt you something that you don't want? >> You've heard this before. When life hands you a lemon, get some sugar and worship and praise God and make lemonade out of it. Because the Bible that I read, Brother Mario, the Bible that I read says, "For we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God and who are their cause." I don't know how God can work it out for the good, but I serve a God that Oh, you ought to. You ought to. that that's why we ought to we ought to get elevated on prayer this morning. He goes all the way down to verse 33. Remember he's on the scapula. He's on his knees. He says in verse number he says in verse number 34, "If thy people go out to war against their enemies and be and by the way that thou shalt send them and pray unto thee toward." He just He's talking about just life. You you you you do realize it. You You do realize it. Lean in to me. Lean in to me a little bit this morning. You do realize that you don't have to be an enemy to have an enemy. >> Do you believe Do you understand there's only two types of people in this world today? I'm I'm here to tell you won't be a good pastor to you. There's only two types of people. The children of God and the children of the devil. All right. There there there is no trans. >> You either a child of God or you're a child of the devil. >> And I got news for you. If you're a child of God, the children of the devil going to hate you. They don't have to have a cause. It's just who you represent. He said, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted for my name's sake." And guess what he said after that? Rejoice. Rejoice that you're being persecuted. I I just lean into it to me a little bit. You don't have to be an enemy to have an enemy. All right? They just You'll have an enemy from the children of the devil. They'll not like you. They'll look at you. They'll scowl at you. And it's getting worse as the time goes by. You can't even be conservative and go in some liberal cities without being snarled at. You don't have to wear a hat. You don't have to wear a t-shirt. You don't have to do anything to identify yourself as a a moral individual. They can just look at you. They judge you by your clothes. They judge you by your color. They even judge you by your accent. Southern. Oh, he's southern. Oh, he's a gun toader. Yeah. And proud of it. >> >> Right. If you don't want to carry one, that's up to you. Thank God we're in America, right? >> I'm I'm going to get off here if I don't. You understand what I'm saying, right? You don't have to you don't have to be an enemy to have an enemy. just be who you are and you will have. And he goes he go he goes down all the way just talking about life. And then um he comes down and he says in verse 36 and this is where I want to go for a moment talking about his people. And he says really I really want you to see verse 36. if they sin against thee. For there is no man which sinnth not. All right. In prayer, you repent every time you go to prayer. Well, what have I done under you've done something wrong? Your thought that you've not done something wrong. You need some humbling. Isn't it wonderful y'all to pray like this? And this is what I do. I just I want to be a good pastor to you. God, if I've said anything I shouldn't have said. God, if I should have said something and didn't say it. God. God, if I thought anything. Y'all still lean into me now? >> I know I'm among the holy today. God, if I've said anything I shouldn't say, God, if I should have said things and I didn't say them, and God, if I thought anything I shouldn't have thought, God, forgive me of my sins. Because I don't know about you, but when an unholy person goes into the presence of a holy God, it immediately drives you to your knees. It's what it did to Solomon. For there is no man which sinnth up not. Now, I'm not giving you a license to sin today. I'm just simply saying that we should have that attitude of search my heart, oh God, and know my ways. See if there be any wicked way found in me. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be what? be acceptable unto thee, oh God, for there is no man which sinnth not. And thou be angry with them and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captive unto a land far off or near. Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whether they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in their captivity, saying, We have sinned. We have done a miss, and have dealt wickedly. If they return to thee with all their heart, and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whether they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name, then hear thou from heavens, even from thy dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, and forgive their forgive the people which have sinned against thee. See, now this is what he says. And and I think we've missed something. I think I think we I think we have I think we have missed something, brother Lang. This is the prayer of the prodal. This is the prayer of the prodal. They find themselves being captive in a strange land. They find themselves there. And it's amazing how lust and sin can entice people out of the church, can entice them out of the pew, can entice them out of a lifestyle. But when sin, listen, sin will first blind you and then sin will bind you. All right? That's how sin does. It woos you out. And but you if you've got the good word of God in your heart, if you've been in an atmosphere where the presence of God begins to move, if you've been in the Father's house and have seen the goodness of God in the Father's house, when you are in the pig pin of sin, when you're wallowing in the pig pin of sin, it's there that you begin to say, "How many servants in my father's house have bread enough to spare? there and I perish with hunger. I wonder if we've not missed brother Lanning in this parable. The reason the father was looking down the road to the far country was because the prodal was praying in his misery. And when God our father heard the prayer of the pig pin, God our father began to look down that road because he said, "If the prodal is praying, it won't cut me long until the prodal is coming home. I better be looking down the road because the prodal is praying." I wonder today how many people in here are prodals or how many people are watching are prodals and the prodals are praying and our father is looking down the road because if they're praying they're going to make their way back. Oh my God. Thank him for his goodness. Verse 40 through 42 he kind of ends it now. My God, let I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. Now therefore arise, oh Lord God, into thy resting place, thou in the ark of thy strength. Let thy priest, oh Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. Oh Lord God, turn not away the face of thine anointed. Remember the mercies of David, thy servant. This he comes to verse 40 through 42. And he says, first things first. Everybody say that with me. First things first. He said if we have got to first dedicate this place as a place of prayer. Prayer has got to be number one. Notice, it wasn't until he had established elevating prayer that now he says, "Let the priests come in." Now he says, "Let the musicians come in." Now he says, "Let the people begin to rejoice." Now he says, "Let the mercy flow." Why didn't he do that at the beginning and then talk about prayer? Because you got it turned around. God values prayer. As a matter of fact, God said that his house should be called not or known for. It should be called or known for. Not the house of preaching and the house of teaching and the house of singing and the house of music and the house of shouting and the house of dancing. That will all come in its own place. It doesn't matter how much we teach, how much we preach, how much we sing, how much we got in the orchestra, how many we got in the choir. It doesn't matter the school. It doesn't matter the daycare. It doesn't matter the missions outreach. It It doesn't matter what we're doing if it's not first elevated in prayer. It is prayer that God said get that first in your life. Don't get making money first. Get prayer first. If you're single, don't get make getting married first. Make prayer first. If Oh, yes. If you're raising your children, prayer first. If we can elevate prayer, there is nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong with you being offered the deal of all deals. There is nothing wrong with you saying I got to and would you help me finish the statement? I got to >> pray about it. I got to pray about it. Say, man, you you're going to lose a good deal. No, I I we got to pray about this. And that's not putting something off. That's just saying, God, it's first got to be prayer. He said, "My house shall be called the house of prayer." I tell you, I tell you how powerful a house of prayer is. A house of prayer. There's some folks that want to get uh contentious and say, "Well, your church sign should read the I've had people actually call me, want to debate me on this, and you you put the wrong name on that sign, preacher." I did. Yeah, it should be called a house of prayer. God said, "It's called a house of prayer." Well, what he meant was not a sign. What he meant is what we do in here and what we're known for doing in here. He said it should be called a house of prayer. And I'm going to tell you, Isaiah prophesied about it. This is how powerful. If we can have a house of prayer, if we can have prayer elevated at First Apostolic Church, this how powerful it is. Brother Troy, Isaiah 56 verse number one, listen to God. Thus saith the Lord, keep ye judgment, do justice, for my salvation is near to come. My righteousness is to be revealed. In other words, he said, obey the scripture. Do what the word says, and the reward is coming. Verse two, blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold of it, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. So he says there blessings coming to the person that's obeying the Sabbath. There's blessings coming and they're they're not polluting it. Now verse number three, follow this closely. Neither let the son of a of the stranger that have joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, "The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people. Neither let the unic say, Behold, I am a dry tree." Here's what he said. He said, "When I have a house of prayer, the stranger, somebody that didn't ra they wasn't raised in the church. They wasn't raised in this beautiful thing. They wasn't brought up in this. They don't have aunts and uncles and grandpas and moms and dads. They don't have it. They don't have all this uh generation in the house of God. But if it's a house of prayer, a stranger can come in and the first thing he's going to feel is I I I just don't think I I could have what they have. I just don't think I could be what they are. I just don't think I could be blessed like this. But God says, "Stranger, you have come into a house of prayer." Stranger, you have come into a house of prayer where there is no respector of persons. You don't have to have a pedigree. You just got to get your soul to Calvary. And if you can get your soul to Calvary, it doesn't matter. You may be the only person in your family sitting here this morning, and you're just as special in God's eyes as somebody that's got generation upon generations. I remember being intimidated one time, Brother Ericson, early in my ministry, I was at a I was at a conference of young ministers, and I was a young minister and still am. I was a younger minister then, but they said they were going to introduce themselves and there's nothing wrong with this, but this this young man told about his granddad and his dad and he had a long pedigree in this thing. And the other guy, he had a long pedigree and the other boy speaker and and I I was the last one. And I said, "Y'all probably have never heard of my father, but he was a miracle worker. He performed miracles all where he would he had very short ministry fellas. He had a very short ministry. He uh he he he raised the dead in his ministry. Very short ministry. It's three and a half years. And and uh he he he he raised the dead and he he uh he he had crippled people walking and just for a moment they they they were biting into that. I said, "Yeah, my my father is God. >> My father's God." >> You understand? Do you do you understand that? Do you really grab that today that you and and then he said even if the stranger doesn't come he says if the unic did he not say this? He said um he says in verse three let the son of the stranger let neither let the son of the stranger that have joined himself to the lord speak. You're not second class. You hear me today? >> You're the only one in this church. You don't have any other family here. I rebuke the spirit of second class off you right now. >> I said I rebuke the spirit of second class. >> Neither let the son of the stranger that have joined himself to the Lord speaking saying the Lord hath utterly separated me from his people. Neither let the unic say, behold, I am a dry tree. Now unic a unic was simply a man who was unable to reproduce. And some were Unix by birth and some were made Unix by a cruel system, a cruel system of a king that would leave the the the the castle. And and uh they were made Unix there so that they could not they could not they could not reproduce. And so a unic is just someone that that that that never could have an heir, never could hold a son in his arm, never could hold a daughter, never would have grandchildren. And he said, 'The unic would just simply say, "I'm a I'm a dry tree. I'm a dead tree. I'm just a dead tree. Nothing's going to grow from this tree until you get in the house of God. For thus saith the Lord unto the Unix that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant. Even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls, a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the strangers that join themsel to the Lord, to serve him, to love the the name of the Lord, to be his servants, everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant. Let me tell you something. There's more to the name of Jesus than just saying the name. There's more to the name of Jesus than just singing about the name. There's more to the name of Jesus than just just just simply talking about the name. When you go to that water and they baptize you in that name, those of you that have been buried with Christ have put on Christ. You have put on the name. You have put on that name. I am Kenny Ray Carpenter Jesus. Today I am not Jesus, but I have the name of Jesus. And I have the authority of the name of Jesus. And when I say Jesus, I mean God looks my way and the devil tries to get away and the angels begin to fall down and the demonic spirits begin to roll back because that name is the name that is above every name. I'm going to tell you, the devil can camouflage his work in your marriage, but you better know the name. The devil can camouflage behavior in your children, but you better know the name. You better know the name that puts those demonic spirits. Pardon for the personal reference. My brother has come back to God and I am so thankful. My sister and I are so thankful that our baby brother has come back to God. But oh, he went through a time in his life of drugs and he went through a time in his life that that literally he put his family. He put us through, excuse me, but he put us through a living hell on earth with his drug addiction and his way of living and and uh there was no peace in the home. Uh there there there there was no sanity in the home and and and and and if you lived in the home, he he he he was just he he he it was it was horrible. It was terrible. And I remember one night trying to get some sleep and he'd come in in the middle of the night. He'd come in in the middle of the night and he'd you you may get he'd come in thinking his drugs were under the bed and and and I know what it's like, brother Ferguson, to be flipped to have the bed. Get out of the bed. I think my drugs are under the mattress. They're not under the mattress. And all of a sudden, somebody just flips the bed over on you. And and and it's just all that. And then then again, I'm telling you, thank God for prayer >> and the change. >> But I remember one night, Sister Carpenter, he come in the middle of the night. Mom and I were sleeping and he went in his room and he jacked up the stereo system as loud as he could the middle of the night. And I went over and knocked on the door, it door. I said, "Jerry, we're trying to sleep. Could you not turn it off? Could you not turn it down?" and and you could just imagine the language and no, I'm not going to turn it down. So, I just thought, I can't sleep, so I might as well get up to pray. Now, Brother Lane, my one voice is no match for the big speakers that he had in his room. My voice could not could not vibrate the walls at that house. My voice could not do that. My voice could not be louder than his stereo system. But when I got down beside that bed, I started saying, "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I thank you. Jesus, you're the mighty God. Jesus, you're everything to me. Jesus, bless me on the evangelistic field. Jesus, help me, God, to live for you." All of a sudden, that bedroom door opens. And he says, "People are trying to get some rest around here. What are you doing up praying like this?" I said, "Jerry, I'll make a deal with you. You turn the stereo down and I'll go to bed, too. He said, "That's a deal." You know what I think happened? I think because sometimes we take out on our family what Satan is doing through our family. They've just become bound. They've just become a puppet on a string. Their words are really not their words. It's the demonic spirit that is inside them. Their harmful behavior is the devil that hates the image of God. And the devil wants to damn every soul that he can. But I believe when I, brother Puit, begin to pray. I believe the demonic spirit said, "We in trouble right now. We in trouble right now because there's a spirit of God that's coming. I'm going to tell you, we ought to we ought to identify the enemy for who he is. We ought to identify him and start we we got to elevate. Oh, I wish somebody just help me praise him right now. We got to find it. We got to identify it. We got to put it on the road. Oh Lord. >> Let me finish reading this for a moment. Mighty God of heaven. Go back to Isaiah chapter 56 verse 6. Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants. everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant, even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and I will make them joyful, and the I will make them joyful in my house of what? >> Prayer. Their burnt offerings, and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon my altar. For my house shall be called a house of >> prayer >> for apostolic people. Oh, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all morally good people. >> My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people. That covers the city of Mville, Alcoa, Friendsville, Townsen, Lewisville, Greenback. You realize we have the name apostolic church apostolic. We have the name of Jesus Christ. We have the worship that God seeks after. We have the place. Do you realize this is a house that puts his name on people when we baptize them. We put his name on people. And God is looking down from heaven. He said, "My eye is upon the place where my name is. >> >> I would would we stand right now and just lift our voices and lift our hands and begin to magnify the King of Kings and the Lord of all lords. Come on right now. The name of Jesus. The name of Jesus. The name above all other name. The name of Jesus. The delivering name. The saving name. The sin cleansing name. The demon chasing name. The name. The name. The name. The name. Come on. In the name of Jesus. >> Come on. The name of Jesus. Come on. The name of Jesus. Come on. The name of Jesus. >> Let me preach to you for a moment. You know the problem with us is we've given up on prayer because we've misunderstood prayer. Well, yeah, prayers prayer is where God gives us what we're asking. Wrong. >> Prayer is relationship. >> Prayer is relationship. It's a relationship. If our musicians would come, it is a relationship with God. What are the benefits of prayer? What are the benefits of prayer? Can I just be really facitious? What are the benefits of prayer? Can I ask you another question? What's the benefits of breathing? What's the benefits of breathing? So, are you kidding me? I dressed up to come and hear that clown. Can you believe me? Yeah. Seriously. What's the benefits of of breathing? Well, duh. Living. What's the benefits of prayer? It's a relationship. See, too many people have not learned to soak a situation in prayer and pray till the answer comes. Don't just pray one time. Well, I went down asked God to deliver me. I went down and asked God to deliver me and and and I walked outside and I still have the same cravings. Evidently, he don't want to deliver me. It's wrong. Whatever's got you bound, you need to keep praying about it. And regardless of how many times you fall back into it, get back up and pray >> and pray and ask God, "Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. God. Don't give up. Don't get discouraged. That habit that you got's taken your health, taking your peace of mind, sayeth the Lord God Almighty. That thing that's got circled you today is going to take you to an early grave. But God has sent you a man here today that's built a scaffold and has told you if you'll elevate prayer in your life. I don't know that you'll get delivered. I don't know that you'll get delivered instantly. As a matter of fact, we kind of read over things real fast. These signs shall follow them that believe in my name. They shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and the sick shall instantly, what's it called? Recover. What if God is going to take your bondage and you saturate it with prayer, prayer, prayer, and slowly but surely, gradually over time, that habit that's going to take you to an early grave, that habit that's robbing you of your peace of mind, that habit through prayer, because if there's a demonic force that's wrapped around that habit, and I can't help but believe Satan is in and on everything, thing that would take us to an early grave. And I believe that God begins to say, "You hear him praying, back off. You hear him pray and you see him praying, back off." And so prayer does that. What's the benefits of prayer? What does prayer do to to the believer? It's our God connection. It's our spiritual It's our spiritual supply line. And I I I stayed too long on this and I want to get you in the altar in a in in at least another minute, but you confirmed it today. You got to have the word coupled with prayer. You got to have the word coupled with prayer. If prayer is inhaling, reading the word is exhaling. You get the word, you get prayer and the word. Prayer and the word. Prayer and the word. You begin to read the word. Nehemiah elevated a pull pit for the purpose of reading the word out over Israel. Now, here's what happened. When they heard the word of the law, they fell so short under the word. Nehemiah's people fell so short under the word. So short. The people stood there, Brother Seth. And Nehemiah built a pull pit. He's on it. And the people say, "Give us the word." And Nehemiah starts saying the word. And the people start weeping. They start crying. Why? Because they were not living up anywhere near to the word. And when Nehemiah looked around and saw him weeping and crying, Nehemiah said, "Wait a minute. You're hearing the word. This is not a day of sorrow. This is not a day to be mournful. This is a day to be joyous. You're hearing the word of God. For the joy of the Lord is our strength. Don't get your mind of how far away you are. Get your mind upon the word that says you can come to me. I will change your life. It doesn't matter who you are. I can change your life. In the mid700s, there was a ship filled with liquor being delivered to another coast. It was a ship filled with liquor and men. The ship run ground on a small island that they believed was uninhabited. They couldn't get the ship loose. And so the men decided to live on the island with the men and a few native women. A few native women and liquor. That island soon turned into an island of symbols. An island where women were pregnant and producing children. The children were following the same. And they when they ran out of the liquor, the history book says they ran out of the liquor, they were so addicted to it that they went and found a small plant and they begin to make their own liquor there on the island. Disease, sexual disease, immorality, children early repeating the same mistake of the father and their mother. All of this was going on until one day by the war, somebody went back on that boat to look for something. And when a man by the last name of Adam stepped off that boat, Adams found the word of God. And Adams began to read the word of God. He began to read. People begin to come. He be to tell them about morals. He be to tell them he be to tell them about righteous living. >> >> And he began to tell them about a the sin, the cleansing that they'll have. And a hundred years later, a boat landed on that island. And here's what they said about that island. They wrote back and they said, "This has got to be one of the most godly paradises on the face of the earth. People here live by our moral code. Husbands and wives and children are happy. They attend a place of worship. They're kind to one another. What changed it? Somebody just got a hold of the word of God. Would you bow your heads and pray with me for a moment? Jesus, I believe that you have people here today that need the word of God to go to work in their lives. Jesus, I believe you got people here today that have a need in their life. And right now, I open up this altar to you. Congregation, help me pray. Your help is just a few feet away in the altar. Your deliverance to the beginning of your brand new tomorrow is just a few feet away in the altar right now. Jesus, would you draw them? Jesus, would you touch them right now? Jesus, you have cleansing blood. Jesus, you have the name that would help them. Jesus, you have the name that they be no more an orphan. You would help them right now. Come on, congregation, pray with me. Oh, pray with me right now. God, I love you. Lord, I praise you today. God, I need you today. If there's somebody in this room right now that would like to be the first to step out and come and just stand around the altar and say, "I am not what I should be, but I I'm going to allow the word to elevate me. I'm going to allow the word to elevate me today. I'm going to allow the word to elevate me right now. I'm going to allow the word." Church family, is there somebody that would walk down right now? I'm going to allow the word to elevate me. I'm not where I need to be. I'm going to let the word elevate me. Jesus, let the word elevate me. I'm going to begin to pray right now. In the name of Jesus, God, elevate us. In the name of Jesus, God, help us today. In the name of Jesus, God, help that man today. In the name of Jesus, God, help that woman today. In the name of Jesus, God, help that marriage today. In the name of Jesus, God, help that young man that's making the wrong decision. God, in the name of Jesus today, shake that young lady up. Lord, in the name of Jesus today, God begin deliverance over pornography. Lord, in the name of Jesus today, begin to give deliverance over drug addiction in the name of Jesus today, begin to bring deliverance over alcoholism in the name of Jesus today. God, every vice that hell has got, begin to bring deliverance right now. Oh, begin. Come on, let's pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. If you'll pray, he's looking your way. If you will pray, he's looking your way. If you're a believer, lay your hand over on somebody right now. If you will pray, God will look your way. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, help us with our bondage. Jesus, help us right now. Jesus, help me to be a better man. Jesus, help me to be a better woman. Jesus, help me, oh God. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. God, come on. Pray. Pray. Exert strength. There's an enemy that wants to beat you down. Your flesh doesn't want to pray. Your flesh doesn't want to pray. You got to push. You got to pray. You got to push. You got to pray. You got to push. You got to exert. You got to pray. Come on. Break out of it right now. Come on, break out of it right now. Come on, break out of it right now. Don't be looking around wondering when we're going to quit. You'll get nothing down that way. Get your hands lifted and begin to push. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Lay your hand over on somebody right now. Somebody close to you needs prayer. Somebody close to you needs prayer. Who knew you feel me in the cross? Who thought you found me at the lowest place? Nothing like I thought you were. You married me. What a God. What a God. What a God. What a God. [music and bell] What a God. What a God. What a God. What a God. I thought you show what kind of God is for the Lord. They say it's over. You say no. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. If the highest place I reach is your then I've done it all. If the best thing that I've seen is your glory has changed my heart forever my God. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. You are God. Help them Lord to make >> Bill Jackson upon the profession of your faith and obedience to the word of God. I now indeed baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. That's the name. He just put on the name. He just put on the name. Now he'll keep on the word. Don't stop there. Don't stop there. Don't stop there. Don't stop there. Sorry. I see. forever sisfy. You are my >> I feel very compelled to do this today. We need to pray that we make the right decisions. And I' I've laid my hands on as many as I can. I've seen others do. But would y'all have nobody in here today? Would you help me? Would you help me today? Would you just find somebody right now to go pray with? And our prayer is Jesus, help us to make the right decisions. Jesus, help us to make the right decision. Go do it right now. Please go do it right now. This man was baptized. But the change will come with the word. The change will come with the word. It'll be the word that'll be the compass. It'll be the word that'll give direction. It'll give the word that'll speak clarity. Baptism can bring an emotion, but the word will bring you a direction. The word, the word, the word. Come on, pray right now. God, I want to make the right decision. Oh God, I want to make the right decision. God, I pray over our youth group right now. I pray over Strong Tower right now. God, I pray over these young men and young women that they'll make the right decision. Lord, ultimately God, they've made the decision to live for you. But God, may they make the decision to be consecrated. May they make the decision to be dedicated. May they make the decision. Come on, pray. I consecrate myself to you right now. I dedicate myself to you right now. I consecrate. I dedicate. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. I consecrate myself. I give myself away to you right now. I give myself away to you right now. I'm sorry I've held you a little longer than normal today, but I feel compelled to the Holy Ghost. We got to consecrate oursel to God. We got to consecrate oursel to God. The word will tell us what we need to do. Come on, pray right now. Pray right now. The word. The word. The word. The word. The word. The word. The word. The word. The word. >> >> I consecrate myself to you. I consecrate myself to you right now. I dedicate myself. I I want you to know today, I want you to know, and I do apologize. I've held you a little longer than I normally do, but I got something burning and stirring on the inside of me. But I believe as parents, I believe as parents when we when when our our children are starting to date and we're approving of who they date of and and that's right. That that ought to be that way that we we have we give our blessings upon upon upon this is the one I think the question that we need to ask is not have they been baptized and do they have the Holy Ghost and not even are they in the church but we need to start asking are they consecrated >> are they consecrated because baptism in the Holy Ghost can give you the emotion >> but it's going to come what you heard this morning, what you're going to hear tonight, and what you're going to hear Wednesday night. That's going to consecrate you. That's that's going to give you the answer. Well, how how should I live? Well, it's right here. How should I act? Well, it's right here. Well, how should I worship? Well, it's right here. How how how should I how should dedicated? Should I? Well, it's all right here in the word. Oh, let's consecrate oursel one more time. Let's give oursel away to God one more time. Would you would you would you reach out to God with everything, all your heart? Would you reach out today with all your soul? Would you just for 60 seconds forget about going home? Would you just for 60 seconds forget about it's about over? Would you reach out your hands? And would you begin to cry unto God? Oh God, Jesus. Give myself away. I give myself away. I give myself away. I give myself away. Come on. I give myself away. I give myself to you, God. I give myself to you today, God. I give myself away. >> I give myself away. >> You're my God. >> So you are my God. >> I give myself away. >> God, you see my sin, but here are my God. >> I confess my sin. >> I admit my wrongdoing. I admit my poor judgment. >> I admit my lack of consecration. >> Here I am, God, on this Sunday morning, >> July 19th, >> with my hands lifted >> with prayer of the word elevated. Give myself away so you can lose. Yes, God. >> Give myself. >> Oh, sing it with us today and lead him from your heart. >> Give myself away so you can use me. >> Give myself away. Are you consecrated today? >> Are you consecrated this morning? Are you consecrating myself? >> Are you consecrating? >> Give myself away. >> Are you consecrating? >> Are you consecrated? >> Give myself away. You sing it one more time. >> I give myself away. >> Oh yes. >> Oh yes. Oh yes, God. Well, brother Car, pastor, that's a big word. It's a big word you're using. Consecrated. Consecration. Pastor, would you care to tell me just a little bit what does consecration look like? Can I tell you it looks like this? It looks like at 5:30 this afternoon, you'll walk into a prayer room, kneel down and pray a ritual prayer, a routine prayer, a prayer you've prayed over and over and over and over and over. You say, "Well, Bill Carpenter, I prayed over and over and over again. God, I got news. Let me bring my analogy back into it. Are you tired of breathing? Cuz you're breathing over and over and over and over. But you know one thing, it's a good thing to breathe, isn't it? And it's a good thing to show up at 5:30 tonight, consecrate yourself in that prayer room, then be back here at 6 o'clock. Say, "Well, well, I know what's going to happen tonight. The choir's going to sing. We're going to have prayer for the sick. Uh, Brother Lane, well, we got something new tonight. Brother Lane's going to be here and that's going to be super fantastic. And uh and then we're going to pray a little bit in the altar and go home. Yes. And it's a good thing. You'll become a better person by hearing the word than you will be by staying home tonight. So let's be here at 5:30. Let's consecrate ourselves. God bless you. Thank you for hearing the word of God today. Let's clap our hands and be dismissed.