The Bible Truth About Prayer | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

Well, if you have your Bibles and would turn with me to First Peter chapter 4, verse number 7. 1 Peter chapter 4 verse number 7. We are so delighted tonight to have the Hunt family that are worshiping with us. And this is family of brother Ron Wolfford uh from over in West Tennessee and we're so thankful to have you here worshiping with us tonight. Can we give the Hunt family a a great big hand right now? Thank you so much. Thank you so much for being with us. I want to give a couple good reports before I read my text tonight. Brother Holland came through his heart surgery successful and we're we're thankful for that. We sure do love the Hollands here. We started Monday. We started at Monday the prayer from the morning to the evening and uh sign up and I want to thank everybody uh for uh going through all of the procedures since it's school time going through all the signins and everything such as that nature to get in here and u and uh and pray. Uh let me just add a little addendum. How many of you if you're a daycare parent here or a school parent here, aren't you thankful for the security that we have here? Amen. And not only that, I'm thankful for the security that we have when we gather together to have church. Amen. But all the sign in that we've been doing. We started on Monday and as of right now, we have had 954 people sign in for prayer this week. That wonderful. 954 people have signed in to prayer. Prayer certainly changes things around us. Um, thank you, brother Hammond, for um, giving that prayer and those words about Charlie Kirk. Thank you so much. Um, he was hated by hell because he had the ability to speak morals into the minds of America's youth. There's ever been a day there's ever been a day that America's got to get back on the foundation of biblical morals. It is today. And I echo what you said. It's neither Democrat or Republican. It's not a party. It is a fact. We've got to get back. Our nation's got to get back and we're going to pray our way back and we're going to repent our way back. But thank you, brother Hammond. I thought that was I thought that was so well put. 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse number seven. But the end of all things are at hand. Be ye therefore sober. Watch unto prayer. I'm not being negative tonight. Not being a pessimist tonight. I'm being factual tonight. We are living in what Paul described as perilous times. When a young woman can work a shift at a pizza place and get on a subway and done nothing wrong, but a man behind her would take her life for no reason. We're living in the end. We're living in the end. But what we have to do as a church in the end, we have to watch unto prayer. Verse eight. And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 1 Peter 3 and7. Just go back one chapter. 1 Peter 3 and7. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge. It's talking about a husband wife relationship. dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being hes together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. That your prayers be not hindered. I want to minister tonight on the Bible truth. The Bible truth about prayer. Jesus, tonight we thank you, Lord, for your word. I thank you, God, tonight for men and women come from work tired from the day, but Wednesday night means Bible study night to them. And I thank you, Lord, for the men and women that are here, our youth that are here. And Lord, for the next few moments, God, would you anoint me with the Holy Ghost and fire? Would you anoint me, oh God, to teach on this subject of prayer? Lord, the end is here and we must be a praying church. In Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen and amen. You may be seated tonight. The Bible truth about prayer. I could start off with a question for him. Why pray? Why pray? Prayer or the absence of prayer affects all of the relationships of our lives. We are people tonight that are a combination of relationships. Of course, this evening, our uh our ultimate relationship is our relationship with God. That is our ultimate relationship. If that relationship with God is not where it should be through prayer, then none of the other relationships of your life will ever be what they could be. But we understand that that first relationship that we must get right is that relationship with God. And God has given us a connection. And that connection that connection is prayer. God gave you and I the ability to connect with him. And through that connection with God through prayer, it's like receiving blood from an IV when you've lost blood and lost life. It's like receiving a nourishment. The more that we pray and we connect with our God, our father, the more that we connect with him through prayer, the better we become and the more godlike we become. You see, tonight the Bible is full of why we should pray. The effects of prayer upon a person causes them to take on that nature, that godlike that godlike nature. That nature that affects the way that a person will also treat his fellow man. That nature that will also cause him to treat his wife or the wife to treat her husband or the parents to treat their to. I found it very interesting when I read 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse number 7. And I do apologize to those putting the scriptures on the screen that I have not given them my scripture for tonight. For today to me has been a very disturbing. It's been a very disturbing day to me. 1 Peter 4 and7 I like to go back to that. Listen to the tone here. But the end of all things is at hand. He said, 'The end of all things is at hand. It's amazing that 2,000 years ago, they spoke about that they were living in the end. As a matter of fact, Peter said on the day of Pentecost that in the last days, God would pour out his spirit. That was 2,000 years ago. Church, listen to me tonight. If it was the last days 2,000 years ago, we must be living in the last of the last days this evening. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:7, "But the end of all things is at hand. Be you therefore sober." Now, that's not the opposite of being drunk. That is simply be alert. Be aware of what's going on around you. Be a be be aware, be sober, be alert. As a matter of fact, uh, one of the writers said that we walk circumspectly in this world. And that word circumspectly comes from the word circle which just simply means know what's going on all around you. Know what's going on all around you. Peter said but the end of all things is at hand. Be sober. Be alert to the times. And then he said and watch unto what? >> Prayer. He says at the end of time you need to watch. You need to pray. You need to have you need to have prayer revival. You need to promote prayer. You need to be talking about prayer. And then as if the subject changes, you go to verse eight and he says, "And above all things have fervent charity or love among yourselves. For charity shall cover the multitude of sins." What in the world does prayer have to do with how I treat people? Everything. It has everything to do with how I treat people. It is impossible for me to love God and hate you. There is no way. You're a deceived person. You're a deceived mind. You cannot love God and hate someone else. You cannot love God and treat God right and not treat one another right. So Peter says, "Well, the end is here." He said, "Be sober minded. Know what's going on around you." And he said, "Pray." And then he started talking about fervent love. That word there means hot, fervent, alive among yourselves for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. I'm going to tell you something, friend. He is saying that we're going to be living in a sinful time. But yet charity or love can help cover the multitude of sins. Then verse nine, look at verse nine. Using hospitality, using hospitality one to another without grudging. Wait a minute. We're talking about the end of time. We're talking about the last days. And you're talking about the way that we treat one another. You better believe it. It goes hand in hand. Hey, can I give you a sign? Can I be Can I Can Can we Can we go into prophecy tonight and let me give you a prophecy out of the Bible of what to look for in the end? Would you give me Matthew chapter 24? Matthew chapter number 24 and verse number 12. This is talking about the end of time. Matthew chap 24 and verse number 12. Let just let me know when get on the screen. He's talking about the end of time. And because iniquity, what's iniquity? Lawlessness. No right, no wrong, sister Edith. No, there there's no right, no wrong. It's just all open. Right and wrong is left up to our interpretation. Morals is left up to our interpretation. And because iniquity shall abound, abound means to grow. When we've seen iniquity growing through the ages, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall do what? >> Wax cold. That word wax there means to grow cold. It means to grow cold. So, at the end of time, I know we're we're concerned with Daniel's vision and we're concerned with 666 on our hand or our forehead. We better be concerned with how we treat one another. Because how we treat one another may be an indication that we're letting our love wax cold. When the Bible said, "Hope until the end. The end of all things have come." He said, "Have fervent love among yourselves and use hospitality." In other words, you're going to treat one another the way that they need to be treated. Our prayer life, our relationship with God is first and foremost in our lives. I'm thankful. What a staggering number for three days of coming to sign into prayer. 954 people. And they tell me they they told me that's a low number. They they really were saying it's probably over a thousand. I can't tell you. I I I can't express to you enough that this kind of praying is going to change the landscape first with us, then our families, then our communities, and we're going to be a lighthouse in Blunt County. We're going to be a lighthouse for prayer. I I tell you, last Wednesday, Sister Carpenter and I had slipped out of town to get a few days rest after the movement conference. And last Wednesday was the first Wednesday was the first Wednesday of the month, which we have prayer on that day. And uh I got a I got a text I got a I I got a text and then I got a phone call uh from from from a business owner here in town. And I don't believe you'd mind me calling his name. Uh, brother Jimmy Matlock. Uh, he he texts me and he he comes although although he he he he claims he's a he's an internet member. He said, "I'm an internet member of First Apostolic Church." He he texts me and he said, "Oh my," he said, "Uh, I just so enjoy coming." He came for early morning prayer and he said, "I I just so enjoy that." And so I began I began to tell him about our process that we're going to do about signing in and all that. And he said, "But you're not going to do away with that first Wednesday, are you?" And I said, "Oh, no. We we won't do away." He said, "I just love to sit there." He said, "I come the first Wednesday." He said, "There's a woman way in the back praying, and there's a woman way up front praying, and there's a man over the side praying." And he said, "I just sat there." And he said, "It's the most beautiful sound that I've ever heard." I'm going to tell you something. God is going to raise First Apostolic Church up as a mighty voice of prayer in Blunt County. This is our city. Can I get a witness right now? This is our city and the only way we're going to take it is going to be through prayer. Prayer changes things. So God, so God, all through his word, it's it's just so many that I wouldn't even dare to try to list all of them, but let's go to 2 Chronicles 4 and verse number 12. 2 Chronicles 4 and verse 12. And they may not be able to keep up with me, and again, I do apologize to those that normally have the scriptures right up. 2 Chronicles 7 verse number 12. And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer. 2 Chronicles 30 and verse number 27. Then the priests, the Levites arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place. Psalms chapter 6 and verse number nine. Aren't you thankful? We serve a God that hears prayer. Amen. >> We serve a God that hears prayer. Have faith in the word of God. Don't have faith in emotions. It doesn't matter if you feel you get a prayer through or not. It's not built on feelings. It's built on faith. And we serve a God that hears prayer. Psalm 6, Psalms chapter 6 and verse number nine. The Lord hath heard my supplication. The Lord will receive my prayer. Isaiah 38 and verse number five. Go and say to Hezekiah, thus sayaeth the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer. Luke 1 verse number 13. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zachcharias, for thy prayer is heard. Acts chapter 10 verse number 31. Here's a man that's not even in the bride. He's not even in the church. He's not even in the body of Christ. But listen to what God says to him and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard and thine arms are had in remembrance of him. Look at this tonight, good people. God hears prayer. God hears you when you pray. As a matter of fact, one of my opening scriptures tonight, First Peter chapter 3 and verse number seven, if they would put that back on the screen because I really want to show you tonight that through prayer, our relationship with God is established. And when our relationship with God is established, we treat one another the way that we should treat one another. And so maybe instead of addressing behavior, we need to address the cause of the behavior because you can't be connected to God and not treat your brother right. It doesn't happen. It's it's it's impossible. As a matter of fact, in 1 Peter chapter 3 verse number 7, Peter's writing and he says, "Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge." Talking about the husband wife relationship. How many knows that's pretty important? >> How many knows that's really important? Husband and wife relationships. If the home is secure, we're more likely to raise secure children. If the husband and the wives are functioning the way that God wants them to be functioning, there's a higher possibility that we're going to raise kids are going to function. But if the home gets out of order, the children have nothing to guide their lives. So Paul Peter is writing here and he says to the husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honor unto the unto the wife as the weaker vessel and then as heirs to being heirs together of the grace of life. Do you know that word heirs there means inheritors of the grace of life. Now let me show you something in this one scripture here. It's not talking about our inheritance in heaven. It's not talking about streets of gold. It's not talking about gates of pearl. It's not talking about our mansion in the corner of glory land. It's not talking about our glorified body. It's talking about what we inherit down here of the grace of life. I'm going to tell you something. If a husband and wife will be connected to God, and I've used this, many of you have seen me use this. If a husband and a wife, here's the husband, here's the wife. If they're connected to God and they have inside of them that they want to live for God and they want to serve God, the more they go toward God, the closer that they get. It's like a triangle. Man here and woman here, God on top. And as we seek to please God, what happens? It automatically draws us closer together. And when a husband and wife are in the right relationship with God, we begin to produce things and inherit things that are wonderful, that are beautiful, that are magnificent in our lives. We begin to inherit these things here. But listen to what Peter went on to say. Listen, listen to what he listen to what he went on to say. He went on to say this. Giving honor to the wife as unto the weaker vessel. And of course, he's putting the responsibility, brethren, where it should be of leadership in our home. Our our men, I hope that you strive to be the high priest of your home. Men, I hope I pray to God as your pastor, as your spiritual leader. I pray tonight that you call the name of your wife out in prayer. I pray tonight that you call the names of your children and grandchildren out in prayer. And I pray when you pray over your families that you're praying over them for God to use them and for God to keep them. I pray that every man at this church will become the high priest of his home. Do you realize that a lot of times problems that arise that by the time it gets to me, it's a mountain, but it started as a molehill in the home. And so if the father is the high priest in the home will will will address something when it's small then it won't get out of hand because we need our fathers to be high priest. We need them to pray in the home. We need them to be not only inviting the presence of God into the home but we can also demand that the adversary take all of his tools and all of his destructive spirits and leave this home. My daughter is not yours. My son is not yours. Our marriage is not yours. Oh, I feel the love. I feel something in this house tonight. I feel like there's going to be some men get up and start saying, you know, I I just believe it's time to take authority over my house. Now, let me tell you something. The devil doesn't live in furniture. The devil doesn't live in cars. The devil doesn't live in carpet. He doesn't live in the pain. He doesn't live in houses. The devil lives in people. The enemy dwells in people. And when we begin to identify that we've allowed the adversary to come in, you dad can stand up and begin to say, "You know what, Johnny? You know, and if you're here tonight, your nice name is Johnny. I'm just using Johnny and Sally tonight. You know what Johnny, I'm just going to start praying for you right now." There's something about when a leader begins to pray for you. There's something about when dad begins to pray for you. Come on, dads. Tonight, come on. Get on. Get on the team with me tonight. You don't don't don't don't don't pass it over to Pat. Well, I know Brother Carter prays for him. I know Brother Ericson prays for him. I know Brother Hammond prays for him. Yeah, we do. But there's nothing like dad laying his hand and beginning to pray and beginning to call it. You you don't have to pray a big flowery prayer. You just got to say, "God, touch Johnny. God, keep your hand on Johnny. God, Johnny's been struggling with some things. He's got some things going on in school. And I just pray for him right now in the name of Jesus Christ. Begin to pray. Begin to pray over your families." The Bible says 1 Peter 3:7, "Being heirs together the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." Don't tell me it doesn't matter how you treat your mate. Don't tell me it doesn't matter how you treat your husband or treat your wife. Don't tell me it doesn't matter how you treat one another. And this is not I don't believe this is just for the husband and wife. I believe it's I believe it's he's he's talking about husbands and wives, but I believe it goes to all relationships that the way we treat one another. What did he not say? Did Jesus not teach that if you come before the altar to worship him and there remember your brother's got all a y'all ain't listening to me tonight. He said, "You go to the altar to come and worship me, but there you remember your brother's got all there's a there's a there's a problem between you and your brother." He said, "Leave your gift right there. Go be reconciled to your brother, then come back and offer me the gift." Because he's simply saying, "You can't try to be right with me and not be right with one another." >> That's so true. You know, prayer is so important. Prayer is so important tonight. Prayer is such an important thing that when God when God gave Moses the plans to the tabernacle, this would be the place that God would dwell on earth. God would dwell in the place called the Holy of Holies. God would dwell above the ark of the covenant between the cherubams. God would dwell there. God made a way for man to come into his presence. He made a way for the high priest to come into his presence. Several pieces of furniture were designed by God. The length, the height, the width, the type of material. Shidum wood, gold, brass, silver. God was particular colors, blue, scarlet. God was particular about measurements and he was also particular about telling Moses, "Now see that you make it according to the pattern that I show you." One of the things, as a matter of fact, it was the piece of furniture that was closest to the ark of the covenant. It was closer than the brazen altar. It was closer than the labor. It was closer than the shoe a table of shoe bread or the candlesticks. It was the one piece of furniture. It's the golden altar of incense. It was closer than any other piece of furniture. It represented prayer. It represented prayer. Do you know if you want to get close to God, prayer is the closest you're going to get to God down here on this earth. And so in Exodus chapter 30, and we'll begin reading at verse number one. I'd like just to go through here. He begins to give the instructions God does for the altar of incense. And he says in verse number 30, he says, "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon of shidum wood of shidum wood shalt thou make it." Now let's understand that incense incense would be made from materials from from material taken from trees. It would be made in a substance. It would be beat small. But the only way that incense would give the aroma would give the aroma, it had to be placed on fire. It had to be placed on the coals of the altar. When that substance, that gummy powder-like substance touched that flame, it literally burst into smoke and it filled the tabernacle with a with a a sweet odor. It filled it with a sweet fragrance. It is likened unto prayer. It is likened unto prayer. Would you get me Psalms chapter 141 verse one and two? And again, I do apologize. I didn't give you these verses tonight. I keep saying that, but I I keep meaning that. Psalms 141 verse one. Lord, I cry unto thee and make haste and make haste unto me. Give ear unto my voice when I cry unto thee. Verse two, let my prayer be set forth before thee as what? Incense, and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice. So we see here that what we do in the form of prayer, if we could just imagine when they took that gun, that substance in and they laid it upon the coals and it burst into an aroma, a cloud that filled the holy place in the holiest of holies. It was the presence. It was a It was that thing that got before the high priest ever pulled the veil back and stepped into the Holy of Holies. His prayer had already got there. His incense had already got there. Can I tell all of us tonight, none of us have been to heaven, but our prayers have. I've never I've never been to heaven, but my prayers have been there. But one day, because I'm sending prayers there, one day you and I are going to go to that place called heaven. It's that incense. If you can just imagine when you come in the auditorium tomorrow and you begin just to walk around here in this room and you're saying, "Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I praise you. Jesus, I need some help. Jesus, I need some wisdom. Jesus, I need my family. God, we have a lost city around us. God, we need to if you could just see that that you're feeling filling this place with a smoke and an aroma that's ascending up to God and God is receiving that prayer. Verse number two, going back to Exodus chapter 30, verse number two, a cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit shall be the breadth thereof. Four square shall it be. Two cubits shall be the height thereof, and the horns uh thereof shall be of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof roundabout, and the horns thereof, and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold roundabout. And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it. By the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it. And they shall be for places for the staves to bear it to bear it with all. Give me 1 Timothy. Give me 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse number eight. And let me tell you a little bit about this. When he gave the dimensions, he told them to put rings in the sides of it because these rings were going to have staves or sticks put through them because this golden altar was going to be portable. It was going to be movable. It was only it was not just going to stay in one place. It was going to be movable. Now, I want to tell you that we're not only going to pray in the auditorium, but we're going to pray everywhere. But if we really don't get it right in here, we're probably not going to get it right out there. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 2:8, "I will therefore that men pray in the sanctuary, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting." Any challenges in that house tonight? Okay, let's read it again. I will there that men pray in the prayer room. I would that men help me now. I will that men pray where? >> Oh, do you know that prayer is portable? It's just not here in the auditorium. We can take prayer home with us tonight. We can, you know, I have a lot of people. They'll say, you know, I feel so good at church. I just wish we could stay at church all the time. Well, why don't you take church home with you? Do you know that? Do you know the first place that I got out of being intimidated to raise my hands and and and and worship God was not in the the sanctuary. I was a little intimidated because at that time at that time I'll just tell you what what it what was happening. I just believed that everybody in that church was holy and righteous and I was a low down scoundrel that somehow God gave me the Holy Ghost. I know I spoke in tongues. God gave me the Holy Ghost. But if these folks ever really find out who I really am, man, they going to kick me out because all these people are and I just I just could never get my hands up. I just could never I just could never. It didn't have anything to do with pride. I just didn't feel worthy enough because everybody in there were holy. I mean, every I was the most unholy vessel in that whole auditorium. And so I finally begin to worship God at 208 Black Oak Drive. I begin to worship God and lift my hands and begin to clap my hands. And therefore, when I begin to do it there, it was a little easier to come to church. And after a while, I found out that everybody wasn't as holy as what I thought they were was. And I I I kind of got to feeling more at home. But you know something now, let's just turn it around. If we can learn how to pray right here, why don't we take that prayer home with us? Well, we get in the car and the spirit of aggravation is that, well, just start thinking, God, Lord, I just praise you. God, I just thank you. and you get home and things are not the way, just begin to pray. >> Am I making this up tonight? I would that men pray >> everywhere. Lifting up holy hands so that that was portable. It could be it could be placed. It could be taken around. Let's go back to Exodus chapter 6, excuse me, Exodus chapter 30 and verse number six. And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony where I will meet with thee. Where was it placed? It was placed close to the veil. The veil, that divider between the holy and the holiest of holies. that thick veil that was a divider. He said, "I want you to take the golden altar and I want you to push it up against the veil." Now, why is the placement important? Would you give me Hebrews chapter 10 and verse number 19? And could you say, "Praise the Lord." >> Why is that placed where it is at? Let's see what Paul says in Hebrews chap 10 verse 19 and 20. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. So the prayer, oh hallelujah. So the prayer altar is pushed up against the flesh. You may ask, "Why do I need to pray?" Because we are flesh. Why do we need to pray? Because we are flesh. Somebody asked me one time, they said, "I believe that person running there is in the flesh." I said, "I believe they are, too, cuz if you ever see a spirit run, I'm getting out of here. I mean, it it's all in the flesh. We're we're in the flesh. You listen. We're going to be in the flesh until we are changed in a moment in a twinkle of an eye. So until I am changed, you know what? I got to keep this flesh pushed up against. I got to keep it pushed up against prayer. I got to bring prayer because if I get to living without prayer, oh, there's an ugly me that shows back up. There's a rude me. There's a gossiping me. There's a cussing me. There's a fussing me. There's a selfish me that you you know your pastor's preaching it right tonight. If we don't pray, we revert right back and we listen, you can you can put a suit on it. You you put a dress on it. You can take it to church three times a week, but if you ain't praying, you're just an old fleshly person going through. That's all you are. But oh, if I can keep prayer pushed up against me, I got the sweet aroma. I'm going to worship my God and I'm going to treat my brother right. I'm going to worship my God and I'm going to treat my wife right. I'm going to worship my God. I'm going to treat my kids right. I'm going to worship my God. I'm going to treat my neighbor right. flesh when you pray because we are flesh. We are flesh. Give me Matthew chap 27 verse number 49-51. Give me that for a moment. That veil in the temple represented flesh. represented the flesh of Jesus Christ that he went to the garden and he prayed not my will but thy will be done he went and hung on a cross and let's see what happened the rest said let me let's see where the Elias will come to save him verse 50 Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice yielded up the ghost and behold Behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. The earth did quake and the rocks were rent. That veil was rent when he gave his life on crucifixion. His crucifixion caused the veil representing the flesh to be rent. Let me tell you, your flesh will keep you out of the presence of God. >> Your flesh will keep you from the promises of God. You can be near to it, but your flesh can keep you away from it. You can come to church. Isn't it amazing how that people can come to church, hear the same singing, the same preaching in the same altar service, and one walks out and says, "This is the most glorious thing I've ever been in in all my life. I got a touch from the Lord tonight." While another goes out and says, "You know, that service lasted an hour and 45 minutes." And he yelled about the whole time he was up there and it was a little bit too loud for me. Yada yada yada no. What's the difference? One got crucified and went through into the presence of God and one's flesh is there. They're close to the promise. They're close to the presence. They're close to the life changed, but they never can get to it. I wonder how many people in Marville tonight want to see the flesh be be crucified and be rent so that I can step into the promises of God. Somebody shout he was crucified. >> He was crucified. >> When he was crucified, the veil of the temple was rent. He represented the flesh. Would you give me Romans chapter 6 and verse number six? Because crucifixion is something that you and I should experience. Romans chapter 6 verse number six. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. We go through a crucifixion. Your flesh doesn't want to believe. Your flesh doesn't want to repent. Your flesh doesn't want to be baptized. And your flesh doesn't want to yield to the Holy Ghost. But the only way you believe is to crucify your flesh. The only way you repent is to crucify your flesh. The only way you're baptized is to crucify your flesh. And the only way you get the Holy Ghost is to crucify your flesh. And the only way you keep living for God is like Paul said, "I die >> weekly." >> Bi-weekly. Amen. >> How's he die? >> I die daily. You can't make it. Stop. Stop thinking you're going to come to church and praise him on Sunday and not think about him to Wednesday night. You're not going to make it. I'm just telling you, you're not going to make it. Stop thinking you could come on Wednesday night, get a dab of Jesus, and it's going to last you a Sunday. It's not You're not going to make it. You're not going to make it. You got to get up in the morning and say, you know what? We had a good service last night, but I got to die right now. I I got to be crucified right now. Hey, you know, hey, hey, they're they're talking about they they got a sign up sheet and they're having a prayer at the church. I'm going to the flesh says, "Oh, you ought to go hunting. You ought to go fishing. You ought to go shopping. You pray any other time, but you're going to say, "No, Mr. Flesh. We're going to go down to the church and we're going to sign up and we're going to have some prayer cuz God needs to hear me pray. I got some things I need to be delivered from. I got a marriage situation that needs to be healed. I got some kids that are not showing any interest in you. I got to pray. How am I doing, brother Mayo? >> Awesome. >> Thank you. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20. Have I apologized to the people tonight that I didn't give my notes to? Galatians 2 and 20. Oh, why don't we read it together? Can Can we read it together? I am. >> Who did what? >> I am crucified with him. Stop thinking in your theological mind that there was only one crucifixion and it happened 2,000 years ago. There should be a daily crucifixion. It ought to happen daily in our lives. Well, let's see what Galatians chapter 5 24 has to say. Galatians 5:24. Let's see what it has to say this evening. And they that are Christ, you want to belong to him? Anybody want to belong to him? And they that are Christ have crucified the >> with the affections and >> lust. You belong to him. You got to start crucifying that. You got to start nailing it to a cross. You got to start bringing Jesus into the midst of your temptation. I wonder how quickly we could be delivered by things if when we get the urge and the desire if we would start bringing Jesus into the temptation >> because we begin to crucify. We begin to crucify our flesh. What about Galatians chapter 6 and verse number 14? Galatians 6 and 14. God is so good to us tonight. Galatians 6 and 14. But God forbid that I should glory, save, or accept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. Put that verse back up for a moment because there there's there there's a lot here. He said, "I'm going to glory. God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Watch this. By whom the world is crucified unto me. By whom the world is crucified unto me. In other words, when I'm facing daily crucifixion and I'm crucifying the flesh, hear me. You're not going to have nowhere near the temptations for the world. Why is that? You've crucified it. Hey, everybody wanted a Jesus that walked on the water. Everybody wanted a Jesus that could raise the dead. But nobody wanted a crucified Jesus. Can I tell you that if you'll crucify the world and look plum through the world and see its deadly desires, you'll look at the world and say, "That's dead to me. That's dead to me. I'm I'm living proof that there's more than me." that's in this room tonight. There used to be things in our lives that the world had that was a draw to us that we got to have. We got we got to go get it. But once we got in the presence of God and had the new birth and we got a daily prayer life established, the things that we used to run to, we look at it and say, you know, I must have really been stupid back then. I I used to really I can't believe that I used to do all I can't believe I used to do all those things. It's the power of the cross, isn't it? It's the power of the cross. I'm crucified to the world and the world unto me. Let's turn the corner. Let's turn the corner. Let's go to the book of Leviticus. Leviticus is going to tell us about the sacrifices that go on the altar. The Bible The Bible says, wh just wait just a moment. I I I've got ahead of myself. Go back to Exodus chapter 30 and verse number u 7. Exodus chapter 30 verse number 7. And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense. Every morning when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lightth the lamp said even, he shall burn incense upon it for a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. Let me make this small note. Isn't it amazing that God connected together the incense and the light, the prayer and seeing? You see that he connected the two together? Well, you said, "Well, brother Corbin, I I I I just don't see it that way." Have you prayed about it? Yeah. Well, I I I just can't I just can't see that. Well, you you really don't need to make that statement until you really prayed about it because incense and lights go together. If you got incense, you got light. You can you can see the things that you couldn't normally see because you've crucified the flesh. You You see how that goes together? Incense, prayer, and light. and and uh he said every morning when when he light up the lamps that that he would he trim the lamps, refuel them, and burn the incense. They went they went hand in hand. Verse se verse n look at this. And ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering, neither shall you pour drink offering thereon. Now the thing about strange um he said he said um don't offer any strange incense. Now what he means by that is he said I've already gi you the composition. I've already told you the ingredients of this. I believe there were four ingredients there and I could be mistaken but I believe I believe that there were four different ingredients and and you had to mix them together. And he said don't bring any strange incense here. Can I tell you there's only one way to connect with God. You can't write a check big enough to connect with God. You can't feed enough homeless people to connect with God. Although that's good in its own place, don't bring any strange incense and think you're going to connect with God. The only way we connect with God is to bring him prayer. And then he said, "Don't bring a burnt sacrifice and put it here." Now, if you really study this out, you'll see that burnt sacrifices belonged on the brazen altar. It was the first thing that you needed to get victory over. It was the first sacrifice that you brought the the flesh and you put the flesh of the animal. And I could read all that to you, but you brought the flesh of the animal, brother Matt. That was the first thing. You brought the flesh of the animal. You laid it on the altar, the brazen altar, the huge altar. As a matter of fact, the brazen altar, the first piece of furniture was so large, it was the largest piece of furniture in the tabernacle. It was so large that they say every piece of furniture in the tabernacle could have fit in the brazen altar. Which that tells me that the first altar was where my flesh was to go. that I'm going to spend a lot of time making sure that my flesh is crucified with Christ. Because a lot of times we come to the golden altar and we still got too much flesh. That may be the answer of why some prayers don't get through is because we've got too much flesh alive. And God is saying, "You need to go back out and you need to get your will. You you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you've brought some stubbornness in here. You brought an unsubmitted spirit in here. You you brought somebody in here. You're trying to tell me how how to run the T. You're trying to tell God what to do. And God says, "No, no, no, no. You need to go back out there and you need to get your flesh under subjection. You need to crucify your flesh. Don't don't don't bring that burnt offering because here when the flesh as a matter of fact the fire from the brazen altar, the first altar, they scooped up the coals from the first altar and they took it to the golden altar and they laid those coals in the golden altar. Which means this, the first altar was for the destruction of the flesh. All right? It was for the destruction that would the whole animal would be consumed down to ashes that they would have to carry off. It would be totally it would be totally consumed there. That altar was the altar of destruction. But they took the same fire from that altar and took it into the golden altar. And that altar was one for that altar was one for construction. It was one because does not our Bible say building up yourselves on your most holy faith. Building up yourselves on your most holy faith. Building up yourselves on your most holy faith. Praying in the Holy Ghost. Do you see how beautiful that is tonight? You see how beautiful that is? If I can truly get everything, I mean, I don't want anything in my I want I want to be totally consumed with the word of God. Not my will but thy will be done. I want to get totally consumed on that brazen altar so that when I come into that golden altar I can begin to say now Lord give me the fruit of the spirit now Lord God make me the man or the woman that you know that I can be. And if we'll do that, if we'll do that, brothers and sisters, God, and I've heard my wife, if she has said this, matter of fact, I've been trying to count. I've been trying to count how many times because every time she says it, I feel the reverberating of God's voice. Brother John Stone inside of me. Every time we've come, I think it's three times, she has told me this. She says, "Honey, if our church catches fire with this prayer that we're trying to institute," she said, "One year from now, you won't recognize this church." >> Don't you want to be changed by God? Come on. Don't you want to be changed by God? Would you stand with me right now? Oh, I want to be changed by God. I I do. I want God to change me. I do. Oh God, I want God to change me, Lord. Lord, I don't want us to be an average church, Lord. Oh God, I don't want us to be Leodysa, God. I I don't want us to be in your presence, but God, we're filled with a lot of worldliness. I I I don't want us to be in your presence, God, but we got we got a lot of worldliness in us, God. Lord, I want to be a church of Philadelphia. I want to be a church of brotherly love. Lord, I want to be that church, God, where your power and your miraculous power and the miracle signs and wonders. I I want to be I want to be that kind of church right now. I I want to be that kind of church right now. Oh, I want to be that kind of church right now. Just take a moment. Let's pray. God, I want to be that kind of church. I I want to be that kind of individual, Lord. I I got some things inside of me, God. I Lord, I I got some things in my heart, God, that I I I want to be changed, God. I I don't like the person that I am right now. I don't like the individual that I am right now. Lord, I want to be changed right now. Come on, pray it with me just for a moment. Pray it with me for just a moment. I'm not praying for anybody around me. I'm praying for me tonight. God, I I want to be changed, God. Lord, I want to be changed in your presence, Lord. I want you to change me, God. I want you to move up on me, God. Lord, I want you to touch me tonight, God. I want to be the man that you know that I can be, Lord. I do. I want to be the man that you know that I can be, God. Lord, I want to be that person that's an overcomer. God, I want to be that person, God. Lord, I want to be delivered from selfishness, God. I want to be delivered from self-centerness, God. Lord, I want to be shook. I want to be woke up, God. Lord, I don't want to sleep the sleep of death, Lord. Lord, the rapture could come at any time. Lord, we're racing toward the end, God. I want to be stirred up, Lord. I want to reach my community around me. I want to be a force to be reckoned with. I want to see drug addiction broken. I want to see alcoholism broken. I want to see our prodals come home. I want to see people changed by your power, by your glory. I want to see that God. I want to see that God. Oh, I want to see that God. I want to see that God. I do. I want to see that. I want to see that through prayer. Well, don't forget don't forget tomorrow, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are the times of prayer that we have here. sign up through the maybe sister Carpenter, would you like to go back over that with a moment? Maybe we got some people here if you could give her a microphone. She does such a good job. Uh again, she's an administrator. I I can't administrate a yo-yo to come back and I I'm I'm I may start telling you times and and and all that, but you come on up, babe. Come on. >> Alrighty. And I'm sorry I'm not prepared, but >> at 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 pm and you need to come over here to this entrance of the daycare. >> Sign up, >> check in. Please sign up. And it's it's not oh that we just want to know, hey, how many people are catching on and are we all doing our very best to do it and to make that extra effort. Make sure you sign in also too. Uh tonight we had um the uh stand outside of the prayer room. So make sign up there and then our students needs to make sure they're signing up and that way everybody's signing up where we'll get true numbers of who are tr who's truly praying. And when you sign up on u the next couple of days there'll be a code for you for Saturday. So you'll see that you'll see instructions there. All right. That way we can keep this place secure. And and also Sister Carpenter, the app that we're having developed, uh we're going to eventually have a a kiosk there. We eventually have a kiosk there and u u you'll be able to sign in. But this app is also going to give you the ability when God answers a prayer. >> Yes. >> You'll actually be able to type that prayer answer in and we'll be able to share it because it's just going to be a good going to be a good faith builder. And I just love the future that we're going to have here at First Apostolic Church. Love you all. You're a great group of people. God bless you for coming out tonight