Hear, Read, & Obey | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

It's good to be in God's house. As it's already been said this morning, it's good to be in the house. It's good to be in the house of the Lord. And uh let me say that there is such a great uh group of guests that are here with us today. And uh I met some guests coming in and and um we were so thankful to meet them. And I asked them I said um I said this your first time here. They said no actually it's our second time. I said shame on me. Shame on me. So we want our guests to feel welcome, don't we, FAC? >> And could we put our hands together and welcome all of our guests? We just we just have so many of them. We just have so many of them right now and we're so thankful for what God is doing. You know, years ago, we'd have our guests to stand and we'd recognize them, but uh through the blessings of God, um and the great number of guests we have, uh that's not really possible for time's sake. And I'd say some of you guests are probably thinking, I'm glad it is that way, too. But we are truly thankful that you're here. when we think of uh Mville does not have a famine or a shortage of churches and uh that you would choose First Apostolic Church for your place of worship. Thank you so very very much. Church family, could we put our hands together and welcome all of our guests. Thank you so much. Thank you for being Thank you for being Thank you for being with us this morning. I always want to remember. I always want to remember you get you get older, uh, sometimes your memory don't work as good, but I always want to remember to tell the guest thank you for coming. Amen. I want to remember. And, uh, I heard a story the other day about older couple. They were uh getting ready to go to bed and the wife said to her husband said, "Honey, would you go downstairs and get me a scoop of vanilla ice cream?" He said, "I will." She said, "Now, don't you forget it." He said, "I won't." And she about to go out the room. He said, she said, "Hey, honey, put some chocolate on top of it." He said, "I will." She said, "Now, don't you forget it." And he's about to get out of the room. And she said, "Oh, one of the would you get some of those grounded up nuts and put on top of the chocolate, too. You might want to write it down." Yeah. Oh, I won't I won't forget it. I won't forget it. Vanilla, chocolate, some grounded up nuts on top of it. I'll get it. About 15 minutes, he came back with a ham sandwich. She opened up that ham sandwich and she said, "I told you to put mayonnaise on this." So, I I don't want to I don't want to forget to tell our guests today. It's good to have y'all. It's so good to have you here. You know, one of the greatest privileges that we have is that we can we can talk to God. We can talk to the Lord. And >> >> uh how many of you in this building today would stand as with me right now? And we have a prayer request. We have several prayers that we need to offer up to God today. Would you stand with me? Uh please remember in prayer today. Uh Sister Gloria Xander. Um they are I say they her and brother Roland are both at the hospital and um they are inseparable and sister Xander uh she has had a dangerous spike in her blood pressure and uh they have hospitalized her and then they'll be going from there to some uh some other places to help her to walk and and uh we I just want to pray for brother Roland, sister Gloria as he enter this morning. How many join me in prayer with them? Praying praying for him uh today. And um I went by yesterday and I visited with uh brother Kenneth Kirby and uh he is he is in pretty bad shape as far as his health is concerned. And could we lift up brother Kenneth Kirby uh in in prayer? And of course, brother and sister Callaway both had a fall and and um let's let's remember let's remember them. And there's just several. Do you have a prayer request this morning? Would you slip your hand up in the air right now? Come on, church family, let's bind together and pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning and Lord, I bring all the prayer needs of this church. Lord, you're a prayer answering God. Lord, you take great delight, Lord. You take great delight, Lord, when when we bring our needs before you, Lord. You know my personal needs that I have, Lord Jesus. You You know, God, the things that I need you to do in my life, in my family, Lord Jesus, the uplifted hands today, God, the names of the people uh God, in this church, Lord, those that need a healing in their body like like Sister Gloria Zender, they need a healing in their body, God. Lord, I just pray over her today. I pray over Brother Roland today, Sister Callaway. Lord, Lord, my prayer list, God, I I bring them before you, God, for your healing touch, God. That Lord, you would move upon their need and you would comfort them and the seasons of their life, God, that your presence would be there, Lord, through all the seasons of our life, God. You would be there with us, Lord. God, you would walk with us, God, and you would comfort us, oh God. Lord, let there be an answer of prayer. Lord, let there be an answer. God, I I do not want to pray a vague prayer, Lord. We need an answer of prayer, God. We We want you to answer the prayer, Lord. God, with healing, and Lord, there are those, God, that have found themselves in the in the state of addiction. But in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray over every person in this congregation today that has found themsself in the vice in the grip of an addiction. And I speak to that addiction through the authority of the name of Jesus Christ. I speak to that. I speak to that addiction right now. I rebuke the powers of hell that wants to put thoughts of hopelessness inside of our minds. I REBUKE THE POWERS of hell today. And I ASK FOR THE HOLY PRESENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD TO MOVE upon them and to touch them in Jesus' name. We all pray today. And if you believe God heard our prayer, would you give him a great hand of praise right now? If if you are physically able to remain standing with me for the reading of God's word, and if you're not physically able, we we totally understand that. Uh the reason we stand when we read the word is out of honor for the precious, priceless, lifechanging word of our God. Amen. And so we find our first text today in Luke chapter 6 verse number 46. I'm actually going to read several from several places here in the Gospels. Luke chapter 6 and verse number 46. Jesus said, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like, he is like a man which built an house, and dig deep, and laid the foundation on a rock, when the flood arose, and the stream beat veheminently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth and doeth not is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth against which the stream did beat beheminently and immediately it fell and the run of that house was great. Turn with me to the book of Mark. The gospel of Mark chapter 6 and verse number seven. The Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, or excuse me, the Gospel of Mark, chapter 7. See there, I'm forgetting that mayonnaise on that sandwich. Mark Mark, chapter 7, verse number six. He answered and said unto them, "Well, hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honorth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. How be it in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Go to Matthew 7 2021. Jesus said, "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." Many will say to me, "In that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name ha have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I want to minister today on three simple words. I'm I'm really stirred up right now as your pastor on the word of God upon the value of the word of God. Uh I want to preach teach on three words. Hear, read, and obey. Hear. See, it's really not hard to live for God. Hear, read, and obey. Just a prayer and a praise right now for the word of God. Would you join me? Thank you, Father, for your word right now. Thank you, Lord, for your word, God. Your word is going to settle in upon our hearts today, God. Your word, I thank you for your word, God. Your word has been a light in a dark place to me, God. Your word has been a compass that has directed me, God, when I didn't know the direction to go. Lord, your word has been the hammer that has taken things out of my life that, Lord, were not good. Lord, your word has been a healing sab. God, your word has revealed who you are. Your re your word has revealed the future events that are coming. And I just thank you and I praise you and ask you to help me today, God, for the word of God. Jesus name. You may be seated. Thank you so very, very much for standing today. Wednesday night, we taught a we taught our Bible lesson on foundations. Foundations. How many were here and heard that Bible study Wednesday night on on found on foundations? And I'm going to tell you something. I'm going to tell you something. Just like um today it's Sunday school. It's Sunday school. And uh we don't really, you know, we refer to it as Sunday school, but it's Sunday school. It's where we're taught the word of God. It's where our children, it's where it's where our children are taught the word of God. And you you know, uh I think it's great that our children here are not only taught that Jesus took five loaves and a few fishes and multiplied it and fed a multitude. And I I I think it's wonderful that our children are taught more than just uh Jonah was swallowed by whale and on and on that that you know we think of Sunday school as being we think of Sunday school as being Bible stories that our kids come home and tell us about. But you know I'm I'm glad today as I looked around and I saw a lot of our children worshiping God. All right. I I I saw them worshiping God. You do know that Sunday school is more than just Jonah getting swallowed. And it's more than just Jesus taking some loaves and fish and multiplying it. It's it's educating our children and ourselves on how to worship God. Now, you may wonder today just really how much do children take home with them? How much do they you know, maybe a mom's might be a mom that's got a child beside them and you're wondering, you know, are they really getting anything out of church? I was I I taught my entire Bible uh class Wednesday night on foundations. Foundations. And uh on Thursday morning, one of the daycare u teachers, I believe Sister Stephanie, sent me a text and it said, "I just overheard one of the daycare students tell another daycare stu student, hey, pastor said we need to build on a strong foundation." And aren't you thankful for that this morning that our children are knowing how to worship God? our grandchildren knowing how to worship God. A new Lifeway research study was done on what's referred to as generation Z that this generation generation Z attend church services. And this was amazing to me. They attend church services more than any other generation in history. Now, they've done this research that the generation that now is, the young people, generation Z that now is, that they attend church more than any generation in history. Says they attend worship services, 6.2 two services per month. And they say that in that generation that's more this generation that now is is more than any other previous generation. Yet in the same research they said 52% said 52% over half of this generation said when they have to choose between deciding their way or God's way when they're made a decision that they know you either have God's way or my way. 52% said they usually choose their own way. Now, they're going to church more than any other generation, but over half of them said, "When we're giving a choice between doing things our way and doing things God's way, we choose most of the time to do things our own way." The research went on and said, "The research shows that this generation doesn't have a church attendance issue, but rather a disciplehip issue. They're going to church more than they ever have. But yet when it comes to making decisions about their life, over 52% said, "We most of the time do it the way that we want to do it. We do it our own way." It's not a church attendance. It's a disciplehip issue. They are showing up to church but not allowing what they hear at church to shape their everyday life. Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen this morning as I stand before you. I not only want for the next hour or so for your thoughts to be upon God. I not only want for the next hour or so for you to hear a message and you say, "Well, that was pretty good." Like eating a steak and walking away and forgetting about it. But it is the will of God for what we hear in this auditorium on Sunday and Sunday night and Wednesday night to shape the way we think and to shape the way we act and to shape the way we live. If we don't if we don't we find ourselves much like the text the three texts that I read today. I go back to Luke chapter 6 verse number 46-49. Jesus said, he asked a question. You know, he's God manifest in the flesh and he knows the answer. But he asked a question. He says, "Would you tell me why you call me?" Now, notice this. He didn't just say, "You call me Lord." He he he doubled it. "You call me Lord. Lord, you put you put special emphasis on calling me Lord." Why you even you even wear a emblem of a cross around your neck? Why you even have a bumper sticker that talks about I'm a Christian and and uh there there's a bumper sticker one time that said honk if you love Jesus and then another bumper sticker set out come out and said pay your tithe if you love Jesus said anybody can honk. So he says, I want to ask YOU A QUESTION. WHY do you call me Lord, Lord, and you do not the things which I tell you? I I you you call me Lord, Lord. You you you attend. You You're there and you CALL ME LORD, LORD. BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS IN YOUR LIFE, you you 52% of the time do it your own way. And he said, 'I'll tell you what you're like. I'll tell you what you're like. You see, I want to tell you today, we don't need to preach against laziness in the church. I believe that we have got more activities than we have ever had. But can I tell you, activities doesn't necessarily produce disciplehip. >> Activities, being busy, having a lot of things doesn't necessarily produce disciples for Jesus Christ. He said, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THIS is like. It's like a man that that digs down deep. He builds a house. He's active. He's active. He builds a house. He's active. He digs down deep. Gets on the rock and puts his house upon the rock because the storms are going to come and and and the rains and the flood and and they did. And it beat upon that house. But that house didn't fall because it was founded upon a rock. That man had dug down. He had heard my word and he had dug down. He had heard my word. He had done my word and he had performed and his house was on rock. But he said, "Here's this other man. He's not lazy. He attends. He hears the same message. He hears the same message that the man that dug down deep, but he makes a decision to do it his own way." Well, I think digging down deep is is not needed. I just do I really have to do that. And you know what? You can rationalize anything away. >> You You could That That's why That's why when it's the word of the Lord and it's black and white, it's the word of the Lord. You need to do it quickly. >> You know why? Your mind will start rationalizing why you don't have to do this. >> Well, do I really have to dig down deep? And after all, it hasn't come a real bad storm in some time. And and and you know, I just think that I I can do this and everything will be all right. He was busy. He was busy, but yet he built a house without a foundation. He heard the word, but he didn't do anything. And the storms came, the floods came, the winds blew, and tore the house down, and great was the run of it. Another time, another text that I read to you this morning was from Mark 7:6. And Jesus just stood back and he said, "Oh, Isaiah the prophet said it right about you." Matter of fact, when we just think that Jesus delivered sweet little biatitudes and made people feel fuzzy and comfortable and accepted, that's not the Jesus I read about in the Bible. He addressed this. He addressed this congregation. He addressed this congregation by starting out saying, "Hypocrites. Hypocrites. What's a hypocrite? What is Well, the word hypocrite was used in that day to make an actor. In that day, in that day when when there would be actors on a stage, they would put a mask on and they would come out and and they would perform a certain act, a certain character, certain person, and then they would run back in and they would put a different mask on. And they were called hypocrites. They they were not they were not really who uh they were claiming to be. There was somebody else under the the mask. And so he said, "Hypocrites." Now, I know that doesn't make us feel fuzzy and warm and and uh want to think about Jesus with a little lamb lapped over his arm. You know, hypocrites. Did not the prophet Isaiah speak very well of you? This people honorth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Oh, they lift their hands generation. They're going this generation now. They're going to church more than ever before. There there's more praise music. There's more heel song. There's more uh float like a butterfly. There's no that's boxing. There's more uh there there there's there's more worship songs today and congregations are worshiping and that's good unless we can only worship him with our lips but our heart is far from us. My lips can make me look like I'm a Christian in here but my heart tells the true story out there. My heart tells the true story out there. Is it really in my heart? Well, you all go to that church that you have to do this and have to do that. Some of you heard that somebody said, you know, well, you you go there and you have to do this and you have to do that. I don't know what church they're talking about because we don't have to do anything here at FAC. We choose to look at God's word and say, "Praise God, we get to do this. We We get to worship God this way. We get to live this way. Oh, I love the song Sister Hawkins sings. I choose to be a Christian. I choose to live for him. What is it? Nobody makes me do it, but this is how I want to live. You decide for you and I'll decide for me. But this choice that I made is going to be taken. I know I'm butchering the song up, but it's going to be taken. It's going to take us out of here. He said, "You got lip service, but do you have it in your heart?" Oh, church, today, should not our goal be not to just have it here, but to have it here. >> Then the third text that I use today, you got people busy. You got them with lip service. The third text I use today. Jesus said Matthew 7:21. He said, "Not everyone that saith unto me." There again, here's this doubling, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. It's this is a hard verse. These are some hard scriptures. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, I have have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. Look at verse 23. And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Isn't it amazing? They could be busy prophesying. They could be busy doing spiritual warfare and casting out devils. They could be busy building many wonderful, marvelous works, but on that day of judgment, God would say to them, "I never knew you. I never knew you." You see, today, I wonder if we haven't got distracted by preaching on big things we ought to stay away from. And we have been distracted away from we can be busy but not spiritual. We can have activity going on here in our church, but yet BE FAR AWAY FROM GOD. OH, I don't want to fall into that boat. Do you? I don't want I don't want to be that kind of person that, oh, you go to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, you go to prayer meeting, you go to this, you go to that. That's all well and good, but you have to answer inside of your heart. Am I really becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ? Did that five-day prayer meeting that we had, did it change the way we think? Did it change the way we act? Did it change the way that not only act, how about this? I believe that God not only wants to change the way that we act, I believe God wants US TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE REACT. >> Several years ago, there was a precious man. He's here and I won't I won't use his name because I don't have his permission. But but he came to me and he told me he said, "I know that I got the Holy Ghost. I know that I got the Holy Ghost." And I said, "Yes, yes." Amen. Amen. I And I started talking about tongues. He said, "Oh, no." He said, "I know that happened." He said, "But the other day on the job," he said, "There's a man come up and got in my face and called me everything but a righteous child of God." And I just looked at him and I thought, if this was before I had the Holy Ghost, you and I'd be going outside, you better thank your God that I have the Holy Ghost. That's what I'm talking about. I'm talking about God getting a hold of us that we're just not sweet and kind and open the door for people inside of this building. But when we get out of this building, we are still sweet and kind and because I don't just want to honor him with my lips. I want it to be in my heart. I want it to be in my heart. I not only want to be sweet and kind and loving to my wife here in this congregation in front of the children of the most high God. I got a little black eye this morning. I don't know if you get close enough you can see it. And I'll tell you right now, sister Carpenter gave it to me. She did. She gave She got home yesterday and that garage wasn't clean the way she wanted it. Kapow. She said she said, "You going to get that garage clean? I'll give one to match it on the other side tomorrow." Now, you all know that didn't happen. She did give me a black eye. There wasn't that. She just she just uh she was getting out. She getting out of bed this morning. She rolled over like that and just nailed me right there. But I know not in front of the church, honey. Not she's doing this right here. No, no, no. Come on. Don't you know God wants us to not only be sweet and kind and loving to one another inside this building from 10 to 12 on Sunday. God wants us to be sweet and kind from 12 to 6. Amen. God wants us. I'm talking about I don't just want to be busy and be able to say, "Lord, I've cast out devils. Lord, I've done this. Lord, I've done that." But not have a life to match it. Am I doing all right this morning? >> Let me show you another church. The book of Revelation, chapter 2, verse number 18. Revelation chapter 2 verse number 18. And unto the angel of the church of Thyatara, write these things sayith the son of God who have his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet are like fine brass. Listen to what God says about to the church. I know thy works and charity and service and faith and patience and thy works the last to be more than the first. What did he say? He said, "I know your activity, brother Ericson, thy retirey church. I know your activity. I know your activity. I know your calendar. I know your activity. I know how busy you are. And then he said this, you are busier now than you've ever been. You have MORE ACTIVITY IN FATARA. You have more things going on now than you've ever had in the history of your church. Shouldn't that be good? Well, let's look at verse 20. not withstanding. I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetus, to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. I gave her space to repent of her fornication. She repented not. Look at this. While the church, brother Mayo was distracted with activity only a spirit. Now see, she really when you get in the book of Revelation, you got to understand you you have to take things sometimes spiritually and there's imagery there that's not I don't believe that there was a a woman in the church who was named Jezebel. I think that would be a I think that you nobody's going to go to Jezebel's class right? Am I Am I Am I right? I mean, how many of you would like for me to introduce And here I'm picking on you again. How many of you would like to introduce I don't know. You know, I've got a little thing I say about Penny. I say, "Oh, this is my million-dollar Penny." But what if her name was Jezebel? I'd love for you to meet my wife, Jezebel. Right. Are y'all with me today? Jezy Jezebel. I want you to remember jumping Jezebel. I you I want you to meet my It wasn't really the It was It was a spirit that was in the church. And this spirit was teaching. It was a seducing message. It was a message that seduced them away from God. It was a seducing. So while they got activity on one side, they've got seducing going over on the other. And I'm going to tell you, too many times we try to get things out of our lives. Oh, I'm praying to get this out of my life. I'm praying to get this out of my life. I understand what you're saying. But can I help us all a little bit today? If we would pray more to get something into our life. >> This is greater than what in my life. >> I don't know what your hang-up is. I don't know what your challenge is. I don't know what your issues and your problems are. And you can pray till your face is blue. God, deliver me. GOD, HELP ME. GOD, TAKE IT OUT. BUT UNTIL WE START TELLING JEZEBEL, IT'S time for you to leave. I need to get a hold. I need to hear. I need to read. And I need to obey the living. Oh yes. Would you put your hands together this morning? So maybe maybe we don't NEED TO PRAY. GOD, WOULD YOU TAKE THIS OUT? Is maybe we need to say, God, let me read. Let me hear. And let me obey. Let's talk about Jezebel for just a little bit in this message today. Let's talk about her. She's here. She's got activity. Busy can be fatal. Busy can be a distraction. Do we not have a story in the New Testament of two sisters named Martha and Mary? And did not Jesus go to their house? Did not Jesus go to their house? It's found in Luke 10 verse number 39. Would you get that? Luke 10 verse number 39. You see uh Martha and Mary, they invite Jesus to come. And in Luke 10:39 it says, "And she had a sister called Mary which also sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word." So I mean Jesus come in the house and I want you to know Mary sat right down at his feet and was just looking up at him hearing his word. I want to know what you've got to say. I want to know what you're saying, Lord. Oh God, give us an eagerness to hear God's word. Oh God, every time a man gets up and opens up this book, may your prayer be, God, would you speak to me today? Mary was just there wanting to listen to the word of God. But verse number 40 says this, but Martha was cumbered, anxiety, stressed out about much serving. I mean I mean Jesus is coming to our house. Jesus is the yard's got to be mowed. It's got to be trimmed. Get the kids toys out of the front yard. Windows have got to be Windex. The doors got to be clean. The bird's nest have got to be knocked down from the ledge on the roof. We got to wash the front porch. We And once they get here, once Jesus gets here, the floor's got to be mopped and and the air's got to be just right. and we need to have some mood candles and and we got to have the everything's got to everything's just got and she was so cumbered about everything and she kept walking by and there was her sister Mary you know and this is true this don't even go with the sermon day but there isn't anything more aggravating for work to be done and you be working and people to be standing am I only am I the only one right now I mean I mean, I have words come back to my thoughts that I I got victory over years ago. Oh, some of you holy people. I'm sorry. I just I just offended some of the sanctified people here today. I'm sorry about that. Right. But here Martha's trying to make sure the floor's dusted and Martha spies a cobweb and she's coming through with the broom behind her back and she was going to try to And there's Mary. There's Mary. You know, we can get our mind on being busy to where we start actually getting an attitude about Jesus. But Martha was cumbered about with much serving and came to him and said, "Lord, dust thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. You know what is I I I I wonder if Jesus I want Martha didn't come by a few times thinking he's going to see me coming by and rebuke Mary. He's going to see me coming by and tell her to get her hide up and start helping me clean. He's going to see he going to see me coming by. And she never got that. And finally she got an attitude with Jesus. She said, "Lord, do you not care about me? Do you not care that my low down lazy sister has left me to do all this work alone? And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful, full of anxiety, and troubled about many things, but one but look at verse 42 with me again, please. But one thing is what? >> One thing is what? One thing is what? >> Needful. >> One thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her. Can I tell you today, let's not allow busyness and activity to take us away that Jesus is in the house. Jesus is here today. Let's not let busyness and activity take away FROM THE FACT I got to praise the Lord. things will never be just right. The the the the things will never be just right in your life. And if you only worship when things are just right, you'll probably never worship. But there just comes a time you got to leave the dirty rug. And there just comes a time that you got to leave the the the the PANS ON THE STOVE. THERE JUST COMES A TIME THAT YOU GOT TO SAY, "HEY, I GOT TO GET TO THE FEET OF JESUS AND I'VE GOT TO I I GOTTA Is anybody HERE TODAY THAT I I JUST GOT TO HAVE A TOUCH TODAY? I I I I I JUST GOT TO HAVE A TOUCH. I GOT TO GET MY MIND OFF THIS ONE. I GOT TO GET my mind off that one. I got to get my mind off I got to be at WORK IN THE MORNING AND I GOT TO GET MY MIND OFF THIS ACTIVITY. I GOT TO JUST SIMPLY UNDERSTAND. I love you, church. I thank you for responding to the word of God. You know something? I've got me a revelation. We've been too hard on Eve. We've been too hard on her. You hear me? We've been too hard. Oh, Eve, that woman, that woman, Eve, she she ate us out of house and home. Literally, she did. I mean, they had to leave the garden. Oh, the woman started this. Oh, the woman. The woman. The woman. Yeah. Okay. Will you You go to Genesis 2 2:15 with me for a moment. Genesis 2:15 says, "And the Lord God took the man." Everybody say the man. >> You say the woman. And put him into the garden of Eden to do what? What does keep mean? Guard. Guard. God put him and said, "Here is your assignment, man. Here is your assignment, man. You tend to the garden. You You dress it. You take care of it. You trim it when it needs to be trimmed. You take care of it. But then he said, "The garden, you guard this thing. It's up to you to guard this garden. Protect it." The Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden, thou mayest freely eat." So my job is to guard the garden. My job is to protect whatever that means. You just to guard it, to keep it. Genesis 3 and 1. Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, "Yay, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Here's what I think Here's what I think I'd like to for you to look at today. The snake was not a creature of the garden. The snake is identified. The serpent is identified. The serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field. So the serpent belonged in the field, not in the >> garden. Whose job was it to protect the garden. >> It was man's job to protect the garden. >> If Adam had protected the garden the way that he should have been protected, what do you mean by that? In other words, if anything gets in your garden that don't belongs there, >> there's things that get in our garden that don't belong there. And we don't need to we don't need to tolerate it. We don't need to just become friends with it. There's things that come into our lives. There's ungodly entertainment. There's ungodly this and ungodly that that belongs in the world. It doesn't belong in my garden. GOD HAS GIVEN ME A GARDEN. IT'S GOT A TREE OF LIFE. AND AS LONG AS I OH, HALLELUJAH. AS LONG AS I DO WHAT GOD SAID, COME ON. THERE'S SOME THINGS IN YOUR GARDEN THAT YOU NEED TO SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE. THIS DOESN'T BELONG IN MY HOME. THAT ATTITUDE DOESN'T THERE THERE THERE ARE SERPENT ATTITUDES THAT WANT TO GET IN OUR CHILDREN." AND WE AS FATHERS NEED TO SAY THAT AIN'T COMING IN THIS GARDEN RIGHT HERE. THIS IS NOT GOING TO COME IN. THIS IS THIS IS A GUARD. AND SO, >> it's all right. >> We've been really heavy on Eve. >> But if Adam had been protecting that garden the way that he should, but oh, give Adam a break. He's one man as far as we know. And that's a big garden. He's got a lot of activities. He's got a lot of things he has to do. That's right. While Satan, I'm Let me tell you something. The devil doesn't care how we lose our soul. >> You can lose your soul teaching a Sunday school class. >> Why? You can lose your soul being a pastor of a church. Oh, y'all don't believe that. You You can lose your soul being in the choir because Satan doesn't care how he he gets your soul as long as he gets it. And he can just get you distracted on other things while the serpent slithers his way in. Well, Jezebel, just let me quickly, man, she is a case here. She Here she is in First Kings chapter 16 verse 30. Now, this is the literal Jezebel. This is this this is the the original the original Jezebel. First Kings 16:30. And Ahab, the son of Amorai, did evil in the sight of the Lord, above all that were before him. Man, look at here. You got a man that is more wicked than anybody that was before him. It came to pass as it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the sons of Nebat. And you know, by the way, by the way, was it not Jeroboam that said, "Hey, we're too busy to go to Jerusalem. That Jerusalem's a long way away. That's a long way to go." Sacrifice. Can't we just have little corner market temples around here? Could we Could we convenience, you know? And have you found with me, we have these things called convenience stores. Have you found with me that things are more expensive at a convenience store? I need some I need some rolls the other day and I I I stopped the car. We were doing one of the funerals uh somewhere and I stopped the car and I went in a little convenience store and I had heartburn real bad. and and and and and Sister Lee, I stopped there and I went in and and I got the pack of religion. I looked on it and $7.69. I said, "Bless God, I can do with my heartburn." I put it back. I'm sorry. I'm a cheapo. I I just wasn't going to pay. >> Can I tell you when you try to live for God by convenience, it's going to cost you a whole lot more. >> May cost your marriage, may cost your joy, may cost your children. I don't want to have a convenient. I don't want to. But but but it was him that just made everything real convenient for the people. And it came to pass as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, the son of Ethel, king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He reared up the altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove. And Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God to anger than any than all the kings of Israel that were before him. In his day did Hyel the son of the the Bethleite build Jericho laid the foundation thereof in Abram his firstborn and set up the gates thereof in his youngest Sig according to the word of the Lord which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. Let me just real quickly when when God brought the walls of Jericho down, God placed a curse upon anybody that would rebuild what he tore down. >> God placed a curse on it. God said if any man rises up and tries to rebuild Jericho, he'll do it at a cost. He will lay the foundation. And when he lays the foundation, he'll lose a son to death. And when he finishes the city, when he puts the last gate on the hinge, bam, another son will die. And for hundreds of years, nobody would touch a stone at Jericho. Nobody would try to rebuild that city. Why? Because there's a word. There's a prophecy. There's a word of God that is out that says if you try to rebuild this, I don't care what a good deal you got real estate. I don't care. It's it's a prime location. It doesn't matter. There's a prophetic curse upon this. There's the word of God upon this. 500 years go by. But the culture, the climate, you you you see today some of our grandparents would roll in their grave if you resurrected them and brought them back to America. Matter of fact, I don't roll in my grave. I'm not there yet. I sure do shake my head sometime at what we see in what we see in our world. Things that years ago would have been considered by the mass of humanity to be abomination, to be unthinkable. Now, the culture is just right. The climate's just right. The climate's just right. You see, for years, somebody say, "Oh, don't touch that." But Denver, don't touch don't don't try. I don't I know they came by and told you you could get a good deal on Jericho. I I I know it's a good location. You could really make a lot of money if you opened it back up. But I'm telling you, there's a 500y old prophecy that says the man that does it will be cursed and lose both of his children. But when the climate got right, how what do you mean the climate got right? You got Ahab And you got Jezebel. And you got a different climate. And somebody looked back and said, "Foolishness. That's old hat. That's foolishness. That's never going to happen. That's never going to happen." Just like when Satan tries to put thoughts in our mind. I hear you preach on the rapture. It's not happen. What if he carries 500 more years? And what if this and what if that? And I've heard that before. Can I tell you? I don't care how much you've heard it. It is still the truth of the living God. The word of God will still bless you. The word of God will still curse you. The word OF GOD WILL STILL COMFORT YOU. THE word of God can still guide. I know it's an old book, but it's just as much alive today than it's ever been. And if you believe that, WOULD YOU VERBALLY say yes this morning? >> Yes. Yes. Well, they set it up. When they set it up, they did just like God said. When the man set it up, he lost his firstborn. He lost all of his children. But God's word has a way of controlling cultures. God just cut the water off. Not going to rain for three and a half years. Do something about that, Jezebel. Do something about that, Ahab. I'm going to It's not going to rain for three and a half years. And for three and a half years, it got so dry there. It got so dry. Can you imagine no rain for three and a half years? It was so dry. They had brought in water. Animals were dying. And three and a half years later, Ahab and Jezebel said, "It's Elijah's fault." It's is amazing. Is it amazing what our culture can blame on us? God, this is good. Even though I'm preaching, it's good. I'm just telling you, this is it's good. What the guy say? I wouldn't change his spot with a leper. I mean, this is good. It's just good. Isn't it amazing how the enemy can want to blame us? That's that Elijah. Go find that Elijah. And so, um, Ahab had a servant by the name of Obadiah. And oadai, his name means a servant of the Lord. And when Jezebel started killing all the prophets of God, that's how you're going to get rain. That's what Jezebel, that's how I'm I'm going to get rain because I'm going to kill I'm going to kill these guys that have caused the rain. And if I can kill all them, I'll break I'll break the curse. That's the same spirit that's going to happen in Jerusalem with the Antichrist. Because when the when the tribulation comes in and the sun and the uh blood and all the vials of wrath, the antichrist is going to think if I can annihilate Israel, we'll break the curse. >> All right. So, so she she has all the prophets of the Lord killed, but Oadiah took a hundred of them and he hid them in a cave of 50. 50 in this cave and 50 in that cave. and he would sneak them down bread and water of the night because oh Oadiah knew if I have any hope it's keeping the word of God alive. >> If you have I'm going to tell you if you have any hope your your life is not hopeless. You just need to keep the word of God alive in your life. You got to give it some bread. You got to give it some water. You got to give it some attention. You got to give it some belief. You got you you got to give the word of God. And so he hid these he hid them. He didn't let Jezebel know it. He had lost his own life. So he hid 50 over here and 50 over here and sneak them some water and sneak them some bread. Well, Ahab got Oadia said, "Let's go throughout the land looking for water for the horses." And so Obadai and Ahab went through the land looking for water. And lo and behold, Elijah stepped out. They've been looking for Elijah from Dan to Bashibba. Elijah stepped out, looked at Oadai. He said, "Go tell your master I'm here. Go tell Ahab I'm here. Go tell Ahab. And I I like the little little thought here. It says it just this way. Go show yourself to Ahab and I'll cause it to rain. You know, sometimes we have a drought in our life because we haven't faced the Ahabs in our life. >> Sometimes we have problems in our lives because we're willing to let Ahab camp out at our house when we need to be letting Ahab know. We need to show up. So, uh, he said, Obadai, he said, "Go tell Ahab I'm down here. Tell him." And Obadai said, "Are you trying to get me killed?" He said, "We've looked for you from Dan to Burba." Said, "We've looked all over." Said, "We've turned every rock upside down trying to find you." And said, "Just as sure as I go to Ahab and tell him I know where you're at. We're going to come back here and you ain't going to be here." >> And then he said, "Didn't didn't you hear that I hid prophets and I fed?" He said, "I promise you, you go tell Ahab I'm right here." And boy, he went and told Ahab, he see down there. He's down there on the side of that hill. And and how you like this warm How you like this warm greeting right here? I'm Ahab. Brother Ericson is Elijah. How you like this warm greeting? He walks up and he says, Ahab says, "Hey, you troubler. Hey you that have troubled Israel. Hey you troubler. And the man of God said I'm not the troubler. He said it's you and your wicked wife. You all are the trouble for Israel here. You you see we need to understand what's causing the trouble. It's not the word of God that's causing you the trouble. >> It's an evil. And so the stories go on about Jezebel. She killed the prophets of the Lord. God sent rain and she sent word that she's going to kill Elijah. Elijah ran for his life and God told him to anoint a young man by the name of Jahu. He anointed Jahu and Jahu's assignment as a king was to execute judgment upon Jezebel. Why? Because Jezebel had shed the blood of Neabboth who owned the vineyard. And Jezebel had lied and got the the Neabbop's vineyard. And God said, "That does it. I'll go ahead and seal your doom. The dogs will lick your blood at the wall of Jezrael." She probably heard that. And you know, like a lot of people that don't listen to God's word, they scoff at it. N, it's never going to happen. So Jay Hugh went to look for her and Jay Hugh found her. But when she knew, and I want you to hear this today, when she knew that Jay Hugh had come to look for her, the Bible says she painted her face and she tied up her hair. In other words, she made her she she made herself seductive. She made herself seducing. She painted her face and she tied up her hair because she knew the only way I can escape judgment is to seduce the word of God. I got to seduce Jay Hugh. And so Jay Hugh comes riding through town and oh Jezebel sticks her head out of a window. And when she looks at Jay Hugh and Jay Hugh's riding a horse and she looks at Jay Hugh and Jay Hu looks at her and and and and this is oh help help me today church. The devil is not going to come to us in a red pajama suit with a pitchfork and a pointed tail. He's not going to walk into our lives and say, "Hey, I'm Lucifer. I'm here to damn your soul today." Huh? No, no, no, no, no. He's not going to do that. He's not going to come to you and say, "Hey, I'm here to wreck your marriage. I'm here to take your peace. I'm here to get you so helpless that you'll turn to a bottle or a needle. I I'm I'm here to I'm here to get little children in the background there. I I'm I'm here to twist their minds and pervert them and I'm here to take them to an early grave. You'd say, "What are you doing the name of Jesus? Get out of here." But he will disguise himself. He can come to you in hurt feelings. He can come to you in offenses. Offenses are going to come anytime you got people. You're going to have hurt feelings. Anytime you got people, you're going to have offenses. He will wrap himself up in everything. But you've got to look beyond your hurt feelings and you've got to look beyond the offense and say, "Oh, no. I'll deal with that, but I'm going to keep my life in the in the hand of God. I'm going to keep my life right." She poked she poked her head out the window. All painted up. Jezebelled up. All Chakquita ban banana mama up. I mean she was hooky lip probably took her head out the window. Jay who thank God for people that cannot be seduced by the world. Jay, who looked up there at the window and he said, "Hey, who's on my side?" And two or three Unix stuck their head out the door. They were with they were with Jezebel. They were Unix because Jezebel's spirit always hangs around things that can't re reproduce because Jezebel always want to be the star attraction. So these three unics stuck their head out the window and said, "We are." He said, "If you're on my side, cast her down." And friend, it's a just about time that we in our lives reach and get a hold of some Jezebel spirits that are trying to dead our senses to the word of God, trying to dead our dedication to our God. If you sat here this morning and you saw the worship that was going on, I know everybody's not going to be a worship. I know everybody's not going we're not going to have a cookie cutter uh uh church around here. Some are going to spin, some are going to leap, some are going to raise their hands, some are going to be like me. They're just going to stand and cry and look at it. And I'm worshiping just as much as people running around the aisle. But let me tell you something. If you sat here this morning and you said, "I think that's a little bit too much. I I just think that that that's probably just a bit about out of order, too. I think that's a little bit too much." You need to take that Jezebel and you need to throw her out the window. It's not too much at a football game, is it? IT IT'S NOT TOO MUCH AT A SOCCER GAME, IS IT? IT'S NOT TOO IT'S It's It's It's not Come on. AM I IS YOUR PASTOR PREACHING TO YOU THIS MORNING? >> It's not too much. It's not too much. WHAT COULD BE TOO MUCH FOR THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS? WHAT COULD BE TOO MUCH? CAST her down. They threw her down. Jughe just kind of trampled over her a few times with his horse and he went in, ate dinner and he came back out just like the prophecy said, the dogs came. The dogs came and the only thing that was left of Jezebel, and this is interesting, was her skull, the palms of her hands, and her feet. You see, even dogs don't want to eat where Jezebel's been, her feet. And even dogs, even dogs don't want to eat what Jezebel's been working with with her hands. And even dogs don't even want to eat what goes on in the skull of Jezebel. Skull, feet, and hands. And uh her body would be dung upon upon the earth. That's the end of Jezebel. Somebody say, "Thank God." >> That's the end. Here's some Jezebel. And don't think we see Jezebel, you automatically think of a woman that that's made up. Not No, no, no, no, no, no. It's it's a spirit against the word of God. Here, have you come to church? Can I tell you, please get a renewed hunger to hear the word of God. Please get a renewed hunger to read the word of God. But for God's sake, get a good hunger. Get a good hunger to obey the will of God. Become a serious student of the word of God. I brought some Bibles with me this morning. I I brought them in and some of the greeters. You know what I mean? Some of the greeters. I I came in this morning and I came in. I had some my study Bibles and I had them like this on top of my other Bible. I had them like this, John Phipe, in front of my other Bible. And one of the greeters said, 'Oh God, we're going to be a long time here today. I have some Bibles that you wonder, you know, and I know we we live in technology day and you have a Bible on your phone and and I do too and you have a Bible on your iPad and I do too. I have Bible apps, but maybe I'm just oldfashioned. But The app on my phone is a Bible on my phone. It is a Bible on my iPad. I have other apps on my iPad. I have other apps on my phone. Maybe I'm oldfashioned. But I like just having a Bible Bible. This is not a cell phone. It's a Bible. This won't show you the radar of re weather. It's my Bible. This doesn't store information. My Bible, I have several Bibles. The greatest investment you'll make, have a personal Bible. Have a have a personal Bible. Have a personal Bible. Have a have a Bible. And I can re recommend several of you today. If you're if you are a serious student of the word of God, uh the first Bible I ever owned was a Thompson Thompson chain reference Bible. And it's it's it's what's great about is that if you go and you find Abraham, you'll find a number beside Abraham and then you can go back to the back of this book and and every verse that has to do with Abraham will will will it would tell you where every verse is at. So it's a it's called the Thompson chain Bible. And then um I have the life application study Bible. the like life application. It's got a lot of historical thoughts in it. It's got a lot of different different things. I I don't I I don't go to these Bibles for the footnotes to get my doctrine because always remember this. The footnotes are not necessarily anointed. >> The footnotes are the opinions of people. >> And and I'm not saying there are not some good opinions in here, but there can be some con opinions. For example, I have another Bible. It's called the Dakes Bible. The Dakes Bible. And Mr. Dake writes a lot of comments. And u in in in his Bible, you know, Paul u Paul was coming to the Corinthian church and he was he he was getting on to them because they were being identified by who baptized them. Okay? And and they were saying, "I'm of Peter and I'm a Paul and I'm this and I'm that one." And Paul comes around and he corrects that. And Paul says in Corinthians, he says, "I think my God, I baptize none of you except," and he named a few people. He said, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." Dake writes his footnotes and says, "Further proof, Paul neither preached nor practiced water baptism." That's exactly what I said. Well, the correct interpretation is God did not send any of us to baptize people so that they can go around and talk about Kenny Carpenter baptized me. >> Brother Schillings baptized me. Brother Ericson bapt God God never called us to do that. >> He called us to preach the gospel but in preach. So I said all that to tell you you have to be careful about about footnotes. But if you're a serious student about the Bible, the Life Application is is a good Bible. And then there is uh the Apostolic Study Bible. The Apostolic Study Bible. Uh I believe we have it for sale in our bookstore here. The Apostolic Study Bible. It is written, the footnotes are by apostolic ministers, scholars in the apostolic faith. They write about the different scriptures. You you really need to have a Bible >> and you really need to study the B. You can study the Bible. You you could Oh, no. I'm not really educated. Me? I mean, come on now. You can study the Bible. And when you hear it and you read it and you obey it, guess what happens? It begins to change your life. It begins to change your life. musicians, would you come? It begins to change your life. Can I tell you today that God really loves you? How do you know that, preacher? Because God's word says it. Let me say that again. And if you're here, would you look up here at me today? Because I want I want to make this connection. God loves you. I said God loves you. God loves you more than you could really fathom how much God loves you. You know, when you look back on your past sins, you say, "Well, brother, I didn't think we're supposed to look back about it." You know, the forgiveness is from God, but the memory kind of lingers in your head. You can look back on your past sins and see the marvelous mercy of God. Can look back at things you did that you're ashamed of, that you never tell. you don't even want to talk about. But you see the marvelous, merciful hand of God. One more time today. God loves you. How you know? Cuz the Bible tells me he loves you. God cares about you. How you know? The Bible says he cares about you. He died for your sins. Bible tells us that he hung on a cross. Bible tells us that he was buried in a tomb. Bible tells us that three days later, he rose again from the dead. Bible tells us that he ascended into heaven and is a place of a mediator, a place that we didn't have before that. A place that where WE CAN SAY ONE THING, JESUS, be in the presence of God. Place that we can pray. Jesus, he sent us the Holy Ghost. The Bible tells us that when we are waterbaptized and immersed in water in the only saving name there is, every sin I've ever committed is washed away. I become a new creature. The Bible tells us that he's coming again. Are you ready? The Bible tells us that. It tells us that. Buy a Bible. Read it. Study it. But above all else, But above all else, let it change you. Just so simple. Would you stand with me today? Let's pray about Let's pray over the word this today. Let's Let's pray over what we've heard right now. Speak to me, Jesus. Oh God, speak to me through your word, God. Oh Jesus, speak to me right now. Come on. all over this building. Let's lift our voices up in a prayer. Speak to me right now, God. Oh, speak to me right now, God. Speak to me right now, God. Hallelujah. Speak to me right now. It it it doesn't have to be a lot. The first miracle was performed by Mary saying, "Whatever he says to do, do it. Doesn't have to be a lot. I'm in a storm right now, pastor. Pastor, my life is a living hell right now. I've got the hot lightning of grief. I've got the booming sound of condemnation. I've got the rocking of my emotions. I'm in a living hell right now. But here comes Jesus walking on your storm. And Peter said, "Lord, if it's you, allow me to walk on the water and come to you because I would rather be with you on the water to be in this man-made vessel in the middle of my storm. I would rather be with you, Jesus, to be in anything that I've concocted, anything that my own intelligence, anything my own self has conjured up. I'd rather be with you. One word, come. One word, come. And Peter took that one word and stepped out of that boat and began to walk on the water. Yeah, I know. He got his mind on the wind and started to sink. But hey, at least I got out of the boat. At least I walk. At least I've got a testimony that nobody else in my family has. At least I've walked on the water. AT LEAST I come out of the boat. I'm telling you, I believe the Holy Ghost is giving somebody in this room right now. One word, come. Come. I believe God is speaking to you one word this morning. Come. And what I mean by that, step out of your pew and walk down to this altar and begin to present your storm to the one that can calm the storms. Begin to present your life to the one that can control your life and begin to lead your life and guide your life and turn your life from mourning into dancing TO SORROW TO SORROW INTO JOY. COME, COME. One word, come. One word. Come. Come. Come. One word. One word. One word. One word. Oh God, here we are today, Lord. >> >> Oh, Holy Ghost move on us right now, God. Oh, Holy Ghost, move right now, God. >> Glory to your name and bless your heart. Show us how to love you. here and raise us. Come and overtake us. You're the one we're living for. Holy Spirit, lead us to the heart of Jesus. There is nothing we want. We want Oh, we are talk to him right now. Go ahead and talk to him right now. The Bible says if you will call upon the name of the Lord, you will be saved. Go ahead and call on him right now. Don't allow Jezebel to tell you God doesn't hear prayer. Don't allow Jezebel to tell you God doesn't hear your prayer. Don't allow Jezebel to tell you you've sinned too much. You've done TOO MUCH WRONG. GOD WON'T HEAR YOU. You open your mouth this morning. Throw Jezebel out the window. Begin to pray right now. Begin to pray. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. God in the name of Jesus right now. God touch people in this room. God touch people in this room right now. God touch people right now. God in this room. Oh God touch people. God in this room right now. Oh God, God. Lord Jesus, God, help people today. Lord, help people today, God. Lord, help people today, God. Lord, help people today, God. If God is leading you to go pray with somebody, would you just go pray with them right now? If God is leading you to lay your hand on somebody, would you just lay your hand over on them right now? Come on. Come on. God hears your prayer. God hears your prayer this morning. God hears our prayer this morning. God hears your prayer this morning. Don't allow Jezebel to tell you God doesn't care. Don't allow Jezebel to tell you you went too far. God's done with you. God's finished with you. You throw Jezebel at the window today. You throw Jezebel at the women today. God does hear you. God does love you. Oh yes God. Yes God. Oh yes God. Yes God. God is leading you. Go pray with somebody. Go pray with him right now. Go pray with him right now. Oh yes God. Jesus name. Jesus name. Jesus name. Jesus name. Jesus name. Be healed. Oh God be healed in Jesus name. God be healed in Jesus name. Be healed. Be delivered. Set free. Have a joy of the Lord. Jesus. Yes God. Yes God. Yes God. God is leading you. Go pray with somebody. Pray with right now. Oh yes God. >> Jesus. Oh Jesus. Yeah. Heat. Heat up here. Heat. Heat. >> >> I just feel a little more push. I just feel a little more push today. Some of us, you've got Jezebel almost to the window. You walk down to this altar today. You got her in the window. There is something stopping you right now. Open your mouth and begin to give God praise. begin to tell God, "I'm sorry, GOD. I'VE WASTED MY LIFE, GOD. I I have I have I've got other entertainment, but God, I don't HAVE YOUR WORD IN MY LIFE, LORD. I don't have enough of your word in my life. I don't have a daily Bible reading, Lord. I don't have a daily nourishment of the word of God, Lord. I God, I I don't even I don't even have a Bible, Lord. Come on right now. Come on right now. GOD LOVES ME. GOD CARES ABOUT ME. GOD'S GOT THE ANSWER FOR MY LIFE. GOD'S GOT AN ANSWER FOR MY LIFE. GOD CAN HELP ME WITH MY BEHAVIOR. God can help me. God overcome anger. God can help me to overcome grief. God can help me to be a testimony. GOD CAN HELP ME TO BE A LIGHT AND A TESTIMONY and a voice. GOD CAN CHANGE MY LIFE TODAY. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Believe it. Believe it. Believe it. Believe it. God can change me today. God can make me a new man. God can make me a new woman. Oh yes, God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. God hears our prayer. >> God hears our prayer. We've had a precious little baby boy born last week, [name redacted]. He's had some breathing issues. He's had had to be in the NICU. And brother Eric, pastor told me that's where he's at today. Could we pray for a healing right now for that baby? Could could we pray a specific prayer? Do do you know if we pray Listen to this now, if you pray vague prayers, most of the time you get vague answers and you don't really know, did God answer that or not? Because we we kind of pray vague. But would you pray with me? Would you pray with me? that today there will be a turnaround in [name redacted]. Today >> today now I I I hear the doubt. I hear the doubt. >> Well, if it don't happen, we hear the faith. >> What if it does? >> Right. Right. So, oh God Jesus, you said except for the little children to come unto you, forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray over [name redacted] right now. Lord, I pray you created our lungs. You created them to function properly. And Lord Jesus by the 39 stripes upon your body by the authority of the name of Jesus Christ, I ask you to move upon [name redacted]'s lungs today. God to move upon his lungs today and that there would be a noticeable change in [name redacted] today. God in the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray for Mother Zender today. I I pray for for Gloria Zender. I I PRAY FOR RONDA MEYERS TODAY. I I PRAY GOD for these people today. Lord, you wouldn't put healing in the Bible if there wasn't healing available. And right now, today, Jesus God. Jesus God. To the man or the woman that has a need in their life, raise your right hand right now. Jesus God. Jesus. God, touch right now, Lord. Oh God, I pray over marriages right now, God. God, I pray over husbands and wives, God, that are separated as we speak. Oh God, where hell is setting up the future, not only for the husband and the wife, but for the children that'll be torn apart. But God, would you descend down upon that man? Would you DESCEND DOWN UPON THAT WOMAN? GOD, WOULD YOU DO WHAT NO HUMAN COUNSELOR CAN DO? WOULD YOU BEGIN TO MINISTER to their heart right now? Come on, help me pray right now. Jesus God. Oh God, that problem you got on your job, that situation you got in your family, oh God, that child, God, that's causing you grief, that child that's causing you heartache, that child that has that child that that has kept you awake through the night, that that child that HAS CAUSED YOU TO BLAME YOURSELF. OH GOD, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, LORD, be the comforter. In Jesus name I pray. In Jesus name I pray. Today, let's love God one last time with your hands lifted, your head tilted back to heaven. Oh yes, God. Oh God. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. I'm going to go home and read your word, God. I'm going to go buy ME A BIBLE, GOD. I'M GOING TO BUY ME I'M GOING TO GIVE ME A Bible reading program. I'm going to start reading your word, Lord. In the Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen. Thank y'all so much for being in the house of the Lord this morning. All of our guests, thank you so so very, very much. I want to say to this church today, there is not a another place on planet earth that I love, love, love, joy, enjoy a joy preaching like I do to you great people. I don't know if you know it or not, but you great people have a wonderful way of receiving the word of God. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that today. God bless you. Prayer 5:30, 6:00, another great evangelistic service. Shake hands. You're dismissed in Jesus name.