The History of the Church | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

you have your Bibles in return to the Book of Luke chapter number one and verse number one we're going to read from Luke chapter one verse number one and then from Acts chapter 1 and verse number one and what's on my mind my heart today is on May the 28th next month May the 28th is Pentecost Sunday it's when the world has on their calendar to celebrate Pentecost and and I guess I've got a little Burr under my saddle today because we celebrate his birth into the world we make a big deal about Christmas and Emmanuel God With Us and and when we make a big deal about Easter he came out of the Tomb but very seldom brother Brock is anything really mentioned a lot about Pentecost and I plan to celebrate Pentecost and I I got a lot of ideas going on in my mind I may we may have a huge ten thousand balloon drop here in the auditorium um when they do a lot of things but folks we need never forget about the power of Pentecost there's power in Pentecost I kind of want to teach and preach about it this morning man didn't brother Hamden say a word he said today the the to The Addams Family what a compliment he said if he couldn't live in Maryville he'd live in Poland now that's what he said come on now you couldn't live it no I heard you say mirror foreign you know if I couldn't live in Maryville I'd live in Alcoa I better get in the word Luke chapter 1 verse number one for as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed Among Us even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and Ministers of the word it seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first to write unto thee in order o most excellent Theophilus Theophilus was the man that he was writing to that thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou Hast been instructed Acts chapter 1 and verse number one Acts chapter 1 verse 1. simply says the former treatise have I made o Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up after that he threw the Holy Ghost had given Commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he you have heard of me for John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence when they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord will thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel he said unto them it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father had put in his own power but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the Earth or a title today I simply want to minister on the history the history of the church how many is glad to be in the church that means glad to be in the church the history of the church father I love you this morning I thank you for the kiss of your presence that we have felt here this morning thank you for the anointing God that moved Lord like a wave across this building Lord I ask you today to take that same anointing and lay it upon your servant that I may speak with power and certainty God your word today I give you praise and give you honor in Jesus name we all pray clap your hands as you're being seated this morning the history of the church you're in something you need to know the history of that which you are in both the Book of Luke which Bears the name of the author and the book of Acts a c-t-s Acts which is an abbreviation the full title of the book of Acts is the actions the actions of the Apostles both the Book of Luke and the book of Acts are written by the man called Luke it is written to a man by the name of Theophilus a man that had a desire to know about the words Works life of Jesus Christ and uh since Luke and others were eyewitnesses of the life of Jesus Christ Luke sets pen to paper and Luke begins in the book that bears his name and he begins to share the story The Birth the life the words The Works the miracle the death the resurrection all the way up to the end of the book of Luke which is 24 chapters and at the end of the 24th chapter of the Book of Luke and the beginning of Acts chapter 1 of the book of Acts it's almost overlapping just a little bit because at the end of Luke 24 Luke records that they were told by Jesus Christ who was going to ascend into heaven to be our mediator that they were to go back to Jerusalem and that they were to wait carry at Jerusalem until they be filled with the promise of the Father which is the baptism of the Holy Ghost we know that acts chapter 1 opens with similar addressing Theophilus addressing the Ascension addressing the words that Jesus and his disciples had Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel and Jesus informed them that it was not for them to have that power but it was in his mind to have that power but he did tell them that there was a new kingdom coming there was a new kingdom that's just a few days away from being birthed in the church in the world and that is that is the church that is the church the Gospel of Luke and again I want to thoroughly put these two together the Gospel of Luke recorded the history of the words and the miraculous works of Jesus Christ the book of the actions of the Apostles records the works and the words of the church working in holy ghost power Luke It's the Christ during the words speaking the words and doing the Miracles in the book of Acts it's the church has a voice and the church is operating in miracles signs and wonders in Matthew chapter 16 and verse number 18. Jesus asked the disciples who do men say that I am there was a plethora of opinions of who the identity of Jesus Christ was but Jesus narrowed it down and said but who do you say that I am it was Simon Peter that spoke up and said you are the Christ the anointed the long anticipated Messiah you are Israel's hope you are the Christ the sun flesh of the Living God it was there in verse 18 that Jesus said I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and Upon This Rock I will build my church and the gates of the hell shall not Prevail against it please notice with me the building of the church is spoken of in a future tense he didn't say up on this rock I am building my church he set up on this rock I will build my church it is future tense the church had not been spiritually birthed at Pentecost yet although he said Upon This Rock I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it I find it needful today to remind us of what the Greek word church means the Greek word Ecclesia simply means called out or fourth it was used in other ways when a gathering of citizens were called out from their individual homes into some public place or assembly they would refer to that as a church it was a gathering of citizens that had one thing in common and they gathered together and they called it they called they called it a church we by the power of the Pentecost Holy Ghost we have been called out of this world we live in a kingdom unlike the kingdom of this world we live by a total different set of standards we live by total different rule of heart we are the church he said Upon This Rock I will build my church I want to inform us today that we are built we are built upon a rock a rock of Revelation a rock of revelation of who Jesus is that's why in a true Pentecostal Church you will hear the great emphasis on the identity of Jesus Christ because that's what we are built upon he spoke and said Upon This Rock I will build my church not upon the man Peter but upon the rock of revelation of who I am I will build my church we're not trying to be divisive today as we have continually now for over four Decades of the history of this church over four decades since the planting of this church there's probably not a service in all 40 some odd years it's went by that someone has not mentioned the identity of Jesus Christ the identity of Jesus Christ what does it mean what does it mean when we say to stand upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets now Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church and although this may be Elementary I think it's going to all come together in a moment the foundation of a building determines the with the depth and the height of the building the foundation of the building determines everything about that building the width of it the height of it the depth of it even how many stories that building will have already been pre-designed in the foundation how much steel has to go in what type of concrete has to be poured etc etc First Corinthians chapter 3 and verse number 10 listen to the Apostle Paul as he speaks about our foundation in First Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 10 he says these words according to the grace of God that word Grace means strength power which is given unto me as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon for other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ now let's get let's get the picture here you determine your response to the foundation but look at me this morning you do not determine the foundation you may determine how you react to the foundation you may determine how much of your life you give to the foundation but you hear me loud clear today you do not determine the foundation the foundation has already been laid the foundation is Jesus Christ well I think we can get to heaven with Jesus Christ and another religious leader wrong well I you know these people over here they don't they don't believe the deity of Jesus Christ but they believe that he's a prophet and they they do a lot of good works I believe that that group will get you to heaven wrong you don't determine the foundation you determine how you build on the foundation but you do not determine the foundation for other Foundation can no man lay them that is laid which is Jesus Christ now if any man build upon this Foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay or stubble see see the see it starts off with gold the highest thing and it goes all the way down to sticks that somebody picks up what can I tell you you really ought to put your most valuables upon this Foundation you ought to put the best you got because he gave you the best he had God so loved the world that he gave what didn't give an angel did he gave His only begotten son that whosoever so I'm not going to give no stubble no hay no wood I'm going to give him the gold of my life why why verse 13. Every Man's work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort that it is can I tell you something when you get on this Foundation it's not if you have a trial it's not if life throws you a curveball it's not if things get turned upside down with one phone call anybody ever had their life turned upside down by one phone call how about one letter in the mail how about one police officer knocking on your door you didn't understand just because you're on the foundation does it does it uh it's not a shot that keeps you from getting a trial you don't get a pre-season trial flu shot that keeps you from getting the flu Trials come to our lives fire comes to our lives but I'm gonna tell you something if you've built your life on wood guess what's going to happen it's going to burn up you've built your life on stubble guess what's going to happen it's going to burn up you've built your life on Stone guess what's going to happen the Heat's going to char it but there's two things here people use if you'll use gold or silver fire only purifies gold and silver you'll use gold and silver gold skip a fine of deity and silver is typifying of redemption if you let deity and Redemption be your most valuable possession that you've got every trial that comes your way when it's over when the fire dies down it's going to find you a better man or a better woman when the fire dies down and look at me today the fire is going to die down keep that gold and keep that silver Bible simply says in Ephesians chapter 2 20 that we the church are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone what does it mean to stand upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets hear me today good people what does it mean to stand upon the foundation of the Apostles of the prophets here's what it means it means that the church is not built on Modern ideas it means the doctrine of the New Testament Church birthed at Pentecost is not up for debate it's not up for debate well they did that 2 000 years ago times have changed preacher times have changed dear one but the church hasn't checked oh you don't understand times of change and that's exactly right times are changing that's why the church should tie down to its foundation like it has never been before because we are built upon the foundation we are built I would listen I wouldn't want to build on a science textbook I wouldn't want to be listen go to college and get educated but don't go to college to get a foundation you need to get in the church to have your foundation I wouldn't want to be building on life-sinking sand right now I'm glad I'm in the church I'm glad I'm in the Church of the Living I wish somebody just helped me love him real good this morning ah it means that the church is not built on Modern ideas but rather on the spiritual Heritage given to us by the early Apostles and Prophets of the Christian church why do we preach what we preach because that's what they preached it's why we preach it's why we preach and I do feel it needful today there are a group called the early church fathers do not go by their Doctrine do not go by their Doctrine because they are referring to men that lived in the second third and fourth century men that had never even seen Jesus Christ men that are are only repeating hearsay and men that got together to form a church that would be more palatable to the societies of society of pagans that were around them we have got to so design and customize the church so that the pagans around us this can be more palatable to them friend don't follow those early church fathers did you hear what Luke said to the Theophilus not once but twice we were eyewitnesses we were eyewitnesses of what he's taught in his works go to First Peter chapter 2 verse number six this morning First Peter chapter 2 and verse number six Peter says wherefore also it is contained in the scripture behold I lay in Zion a cheap Cornerstone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded that word confounded there means ashamed ashamed you'll believe upon him he will not have a life to live that shame unto you verse 7 therefore which believe he is precious but unto them also which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner he is the Chief Cornerstone so we see in verse number two or excuse me verse number seven we see a difference between the choices I choose to believe upon this Stone I choose to build my life upon this Stone I I I I choose to see this as as my owner I look around today I I look around uh today and I see young men and young women whose parents and grandparents are here today uh Andrew and David I and please excuse me for that all right devanna I was in the D's right all right they come by yesterday and fix some Plumbing at my house and I thank you publicly for that but when I see this little couple here today that was raised in a church and now that they're here in the church they they made the choice on their own when they became of age they could have looked at their moms and dads and say I'm out of here I'm away from here but they they they're they're married and now they're building their life and and when you you believe upon this Foundation this what the church has rested upon today when you believe what we're resting upon today the foundation of Jesus Christ the identity of Jesus Christ what a delightful sight it is to pastor and I know to parents today to look and see this to see this in the house of the Lord this morning because I'm going to tell you something removed from your mind one of the lies the enemy puts in your head and that is you're wasting your time here you're not wasting your time here I promise you if you don't spend your time here you will live to regret not spending your time here you'll look back at it and wonder what kind of marriage could I have had if I'd stayed in the church what could have kids could I had if I had stayed in the church I'm just trying to help us today we got Pentecost coming and it's going to be a celebration because you're going to know the value you're going to know the value of the church but it's your choice unto you therefore verse 7 which believe he is precious but unto them which be disobedient the stone which the builders disallowed the same is made the head of the corner it's a stone of stumbling watch this now watch this one stone a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient unto also they were unto also they were appointed now let me read that verse again because it's talking about the same Rock Look at me now the same rock that is precious the same rock that I can build my life on the same rock that I can trust in but what happens if I don't believe it becomes a stumbling block a stone of stumbling a rock of offense even to them would stumble out the word being disobedient we're unto also they were appointed in other words this rock is something you'll either build on or this rock is something that'll trip you up do you know there's no other religious leader if I could use the word religious leader only for the culture there's no other religious leader in the history of man that has been hated as much is Jesus Christ you don't hear people you don't hear people when they want to swear when they want to use a word in frustration you don't when when that man hits his finger with that with that hammer you don't hear him say oh Buddha you don't hear him say oh my God what do you hear him say Jesus Christ entertainment is full of men and women using that word Jesus Christ you know why today is because he's no ordinary Rock you're either going to see Miss Precious are you going to see Miss putrified you're either going to see him as something to build your life over or you're just going to step over him and let the weak-minded people in the world do all of that Jesus business Rock of offense but he goes down and says this it goes down he says but you're a chosen people you're a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation A peculiar people that you should show forth the Praises of him who have brought you out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light if you stumble at the word the only thing you've got to show is a life of Brokenness the only thing you can show Society is being a statistic of how many is hooked on this and how many he's doing this and how many suicide all you become is a statistic but if you will see Jesus Christ is most precious today God has called us out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light that I can show up on a Sunday morning at 10 o'clock and show forth the Praises of him that's brought me out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light I use him as an example today brother Kenny if you're still in the auditorium would you stand right now would you stand right now you stand right now you're still in the audit right here on the front row when he first came to the house of God he didn't look anything like he looks right now he didn't have the joy of the Lord inside of his heart he didn't have the peace Giver inside of his heart he had inside of him a destructive thing that was going to take him to an early grave the only thing this young man had to show the world was Brokenness and heartache and is going to be another statistic but he stumbled into the house of God here one Sunday and God filled him with the Holy Ghost he was baptized in Jesus name and you know what he's doing now he's showing forth the Praises of him and you know what he can be you too do you hear him over here it can be you too instead of you having a life filled with misery instead of you having a life filled with defeat instead of you having nothing to look forward to you can turn your life over to him and you can have A peculiar people I hold it look at that Hallelujah come on let's praise him a little bit more this morning they came to Jesus Christ in the 20th 20th chapter of Luke they came to Jesus Christ and they asked they said but what Authority did you do these miracles Jesus said before I answer your question I want to I want to ask you a question if you'll answer my question I'll answer your question say the baptism of John fellas was it from God or was it from man he said wait a minute Jesus we need to have a little meeting here and they got in a little meeting they said hey man boys if we step back out there and say that baptism was from John was just John the popularity polls anytime you begin to anytime you begin to Pander the popular opinions and public opinions you ain't nothing more than a puppet Lord I wouldn't want to be a preacher right now if I was going to Pander to public opinions or most Americans today believe that most Americans to believe most people in the world believe well I'd hate to be in that shape now fellas if we tell him that that's John's baptism well he he John's very popular the last poll that we had John was up there in the 90s and I I'm telling if we if we step back out here and and say it was John's baptism well we're not going we're going to be in trouble with popular opinion poll and then if we step out there and say no it was from Heaven it was God sent then he's going to look us right in the face and say then why didn't you do it they stepped back out and they said we cannot tell you we cannot tell you you do realize that there is a difference between cannot and will not there's a difference between cannot and will not then he just basically said well and neither till IU but what Authority I do this I said you're asking me about my authority stay with us now you're asking me about my authority I want to ask you about your obedience because you can never find Authority until you find obedience you'll never have the authority the power of Pentecost until you have first been obedient got to fall under a different master you've made a mess of your life as it is you need to fall under a different Master you've made decisions for your life and look where it's got you you need to turn over to that rock this morning you need to start trusting in that rock and so Jesus simply just answered them he simply answered them in Luke 2017 and he said this any any and he beheld him he just looked at him spoke a parable to him and he beheld them and said what is this then that is written the stone which the builders rejected the same has become the head of the corner whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder come on tell you one of two things gonna happen to you one or two things gonna happen he's either going to fall on him today and let him break you and let him break your stubbornness you're going to fall on him and let him take all that pride and all that stubbornness and all I'm My Own man nobody's going to tell me hey I'm 13 years old ain't nobody going to tell me what to do and I I'm My Own man ain't no preacher going to tell me he puts his pants on one leg at a time just like I do I reckon I do I don't hang him on a door knob and go jump inside of them I do but there's a big difference you're either going to fall on that rock and let him break that pride and that stubbornness out of you or there's coming a day that Rock's gonna fall on you you'll either fall listen you better settle your case out of court you don't want to meet God in the courtroom you better get on the steps of the courthouse and start calling out on the name of Jesus and you better settle your case out of court you better break your pride now here today you better break your stubbornness now here today you need to throw your hands up and surrender and say God I'm making a mess out of my life I'm not happy God I'm absolutely miserable God I'm not giving you all of my life God God and you just need to fall on that rock because if you don't if you don't one day that Rock's gonna fall on you and that rock is going to grind you to powder would you put your hands together and give him a praise right now go back to Ephesians chapter 2 and verse number 20 for a moment and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself the Chief Cornerstone in whom in whom subject matter is Jesus Christ in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy Temple in the Lord in whom ye also are builted together for a habitation of God a habitation of God through the spirit now here's where Pentecost comes in here's where Pentecost comes in we're not the church if we don't have his spirit might be a club might be a good idea but in order to be the church we got to have your spirit if we're on that Foundation then we got to have this power in our lives we've got to have his power in our lives I like one translation of Ephesians 2 22. one translation says this this means that God is transforming each one of you into the holy of holies his Dwelling Place through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you what happens when we are filled with the Holy Ghost why why the emphasis on being filled with the Holy Ghost folks I may be in a little bit of a repented mind today of saying God we've celebrated your birth and God we've celebrated your death but come Pentecost Sunday sometimes very little is said about it listen Pentecost is our life Pentecost is our power it is not a set of Doctrine beliefs that give us power knowing there's one God is well and good knowing his name is well and good knowing ink on paper is well and good but oh we need the power of Pentecost we need the power of the Holy Ghost Inside of us we need that that that we need that power Paul again in verse Corinthians chapter 12 verse number 13. First Corinthians 12 13 listen to Paul for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be Bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit you see today it's one spirit that brings both Jews and Gentiles together the Cornerstone was there in order for to join two walls it was two walls that were joined to the to the Cornerstone and Jesus Christ brought together a group of people that had hatred and animosity in between them Jews and Gentiles hated one another Jews hated Gentiles and Gentiles hated Jews there was a racial thing there was animosity there but when Jesus Christ came and filled his church with the Holy Ghost it became both a Jewish and a gentile Church how in the world do I do I am I delivered from having a grandfather who is prejudiced against the Jews how in the world do I get delivered from having a grandfather that is prejudiced against the Gentiles dogs aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel Gentile years of ingrained Prejudice that was between them but what erased it I'm going to tell you what a race did and when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were in one place and in one Accord and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as a fire and it's set upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost check it out check it out the book of Acts is a multi-race church it is both Jews and Gentiles the reason we're having the issues in our society today white black and whatever you want to add to that list has to do with one thing they don't have the spirit of God because if they would get the spirit of God there's neither male neither female neither white nor black nor rich nor Bond if any fact fact checkers want to check me out today do it but do it after church but the amazing thing about Azusa Street brother Ben Azusa Street in California when the Holy Ghost was poured out in a great way there in California it's called the Azusa Street Revival it went on for years people came from the four corners of the earth hearing about Los Angeles and the Azusa Street Revival outpouring but here's what a lot of people don't know do you know that the Curiosity of Azusa Street was not speaking in tongues the Curiosity of the Azusa Street was not they rolled and sawdust there the the the the Azusa Street the building had been a stable where they kept horses at at the time and they would roll in the floor and they would worship and the service would go on for hours but do you know what the thing about Azusa Street was whites and blacks Chinese every nationality were coming Under One Roof where before this time whites didn't fellowship with blacks and vice versa and the different nationalities had their own little Chinatown and this and all of that they stayed away from one another but when the Holy Ghost came when the Holy Ghost came people forgotten about what color they were they didn't see color anymore they didn't see nationality anymore they're all they could see is that they were one come on praise him this morning praise him this morning John Cheryl a reporter for a Los Angeles newspaper was sent out to investigate this phenomenon at Azusa Street let me tell you about the reporter John Cheryl John Shearer went out to report on Azusa Street but before John Cheryl knew it John Cheryl had received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues he wrote a book and they speak with tongues but they begin to talk about they begin to talk about the different races of people the different nationalities that were that were gathered that that were gathered there the worst thing the Pentecostal church ever did I wasn't alive in this time but the worst thing the Pentecostal Church did in its infancy in its infancy now let me let me let me qualify this there's always been a church there's always been a church and when the Holy Ghost was poured out in America and and the the Pentecostal movement began to sweep like a prairie fire the worst thing that happened to that movement is they allowed the culture of the South to cause them to do segregation so worst thing and I'm here to tell you today we missed a mark in history it shouldn't be that we're celebrating Martha lewton King Day we should be celebrating Pentecost day because I believe it was the Divine will of God for the Pentecostal movement to break the Civil Rights and bring all men whether the color whether their background to bring them all to a level place it should have been the Pentecostal movement it should have been the best but because they missed their time does it mean we're going to miss our time we're not going to miss our time this is our day somebody thank you you're in the church today the book of Acts is only 28 chapters as a matter of fact there's an interesting fact about the book of Acts and the interesting fact about the book of Acts is all the books in the Bible end with the end all the books in with an ending amen Paul signs off amen the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be upon you amen the end but this one interesting book the book of Acts at the end of the 28th chapter does not have an end there's no amen there's no V in there and the explanation is very simple the book of Acts this blessed church is over 2 000 years old and she still is powerful as the day she was born her DNA is the spirit of God she still has the word in her she still has the Miracles in her she still has the life transforming power that's on the inside of her she's still she still has it she is still she's still the church she's still the church The Book of Luke tells us about the miracle signs and wonders Jesus Christ performed but the book of Acts the book of Acts tells about the miracle signs and wonders they come through the church come through our words we better be preaching the apostles Doctrine because I want to tell you something friend you can't have his miracles unless you have his word over 30 times in the 28 chapters of the book of Acts the word witness is used the word witness so because he said that the church would be a witness unto him how about it 21st century Apostolic Church God anoint us to be a witness to this world today God help us not to blend in God help us not to want to blend into this world God deliver every Apostolic person in this room from the spirit of wanting to blend into the world come out from the world and be your separate saith the Lord and I will receive you unto myself we are in the world but we are not of the world we are the Pentecostal Church listen to how Paul says it our musicians would make their way to the front listen to how Paul says it in Philippians chapter 1 verse number 20 according to my Earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body look at him now I want Christ to be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by Death Paul said you can pray for me to be delivered if you want to you can pray for me to be healed if you want to I want to be delivered I want to be delivered I want to be healed you can pray in those ways if you want to but he said let's settle it right now my chief concern is that I could magnify Jesus Christ in my body if that means I'm alive I want to Magnify Him or if that means I have to lay my neck up on the chalk block and go out into eternity I want to Magnify Him how about at church this Sunday morning do you live your life I don't know if you're going to be delivered I don't know if things are coming back to you I don't know what Prosperity is in your future I don't know if he's coming back she's coming back they're coming back but I can say one thing whether they do or they don't I want to magnify Jesus Christ am the Pentecostal Church Colossians 1 1 27 to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of Glory where's Christ at sure he's in heaven the glorified man Christ Jesus did he is my mediator but how many of you today would raise your right hand to this statement I have been filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost where's Christ at where's Christ at today he's in me silver the carpenter why don't we see what we used to see can I tell you something it has nothing to do with him it has everything to do with Christ in me in what dumbs him down in my life you know what dumbs him down in your life sin sin sin is what it's not it's not the lack of faith that stops miracles it's unrepented sin that we've allowed to be justified in our minds it's this it's the dark corners of our soul that we have things lurking there it could be a woman today that has felt Justified the harbor bitterness walked up a different aisle when somebody else comes in this door make sure we sit over here that Spirit should never be an opinion that Spirit should ever be never be in a Pentecostal I don't believe that spirit's here at this church but I do believe that that Spirit can be in a Pentecostal and when we allow those spirits to be in US we allow those spirits to be an ass Christ in US says I don't want to come out I don't want to show my glory because when I come out and begin to show my glory that brings emphasis to you and you're just not something that I want to see reproduced God's looking for someone today that will say God 's looking for a Pentecostal day and I I've never understood this and I don't even know I don't even know I've just had maybe two members of the Pastoral team that's come and tell me it's good today that I may be looking right at you but it's I couldn't tell you who it is but to the members of the of the pastoral team has been mildly reprimanded by someone when they would begin to pray with them and say let's let's repent and that person would stop them and say no you only repent one time you don't repent more than once I don't know what I don't know what Bible you're reading but repentance is is Paul said Paul said I die at camp meeting once a year how many times did he die daily every day every day I'm gonna tell you I want you to stand with me this morning you may have noticed we didn't have any prayer today for the sick I asked brother ham and I said don't I said I want to I want to pray at the very end but right now if we need if we want the power of God to move mightily in this room right now we got to repent we got to repent and repent is just asking God forgive help me repenting is just you bringing to the surface what God already knows is there God already knows they're there today come on church this is a church-wide repentance right now God I come before you right now today God I ask you to search the corners of my heart God I ask you today Lord to forgive me God I ask you today God you know my struggle God you know my lack of faith God that I have you know Lord things and ideas God that I've allowed God hurts come on today come on come on right now there may be bitterness that needs there may be gossip that needs to be God forgive us Lord that we have we have run our mouths toward one another God forgive us Lord that we have dug up people's sins that are under the blood and we've told you that this one or that one God Lord forgive us right now Lord forgive us right now God forgive us Lord right now for gossip God forgive us o God forgive us God for being negative God God you've been so good to us right now God you've been so good to us today God you've been so good to us today in the name of Jesus forgive us God Lord forgive us for our lack of evangelism forgive us o God that that Lord we we've let our fire go down God we have become comfortable in this world God we have looked a worldly entertainment God we have looked to a lot of things in this world God forgive us Lord forgive us this morning God God forgive us Lord God forgive us for our lust and our our lustful desires God forgive us God of our lustful desires that we have God forgive us this morning God Lord forgive us for the things we're doing that that we know is not pleasing to you Lord Lord in the name of Jesus come on Church repent come on ask God to forgive you today you know what you're dealing with the lies that have been told the UN the untruth and God that has been told the hatred that's been spewed oh God Jesus Jesus now won't you pray with me right now and several come to the Altar and that's well and good but my main Target today my main target is still in the Pew right now my main target is still in the Pew right now job had friends job had friends that when he should have done right when they should have come to job and said come on Joe we know you're a righteous man come on Jehovah I know it's tough right now you've lost your family you you you've been smitten with the disease come on job keep your faith in God keep your faith in God job come on Joe those strands came to him and begin to judge him well he's got to have sin in his life who would have ever lose all of her children he's got to be an unrighteous man come on job tell us what you've done confess up Joe no man suffers to the extent like you without being sin chapter after chapter went by until job finally got it right with God and when job Sister Sister Franklin when job got it right with God didn't speak to job God spoke to his friends and God said I want you to take seven bullocks Seven Realms because you have sinned you have not done right you've not spoken right to job I want you to go to job and I want you to offer these sacrifices and job will pray for you and when job prays for you I will hear you I will hear job now I want you to watch this who was the offender job's friends they were the offender who was the offended job it is only when the offender prays or the the offended praise for the offender that God begins to turn to captivity of job when the offended and the offender begin to worship together God begin to turn the Captivity of job when the offender well you said brother Carpenter I'm here today and I do know that I offended such and so and you may be here today and you may be saying brother brother Carpenter such and so has offended me do you know what the answer is today both of you get together and begin to worship God and let God begin to hear your plead one more time a prayer a prayer of repentance over this building right now if you feel the need if you feel like you you need to repent just lift your hands up right now the name of the Lord Jesus the name of the Lord Jesus the name of the Lord Jesus today the name of the Lord Jesus now church I want you to gather in this altar right now I want you to those of you that want to gather up around the altar I want you to come gather up around the altar right now the name of the Lord Jesus right now the name of the Lord Jesus the name of the Lord Jesus oh God we need the power God we need your power right now move up as close around the altar as you can so we can get as many people in this order as we can my God my God power Lord power power Lord Jesus power come on push up around the altar just a little bit right in the center right here in the center of y'all come just push up around the altar just a little bit that's it that's it please forgive me for only being lengthy today please forgive me for being lyfty but I'm about to turn the service to you I'm about to turn the service to you right now you'll determine how much longer you stay here but but listen to this listen to this man this preacher just one more time brother Erickson in the Book of Luke it was one man that spoke words and said devils come out it was one man Christ Jesus who laid his hand upon the leper and said be healed one man one man but now we are the church and it's not one man any longer it's a church filled with the spirit that was in that one man it's us saying to the devil I rebuke you right now I read QQ right now I rebuke you right now I rebuke you right now come on right now Church let's review the satanic attack upon the church right now I rebuke you right now I rebuke you right now I rebuke you right now in the name of Jesus I rebuke you right now come on Church come out Pentecostal Church I rebuke you right now come on if you keep rebuki if you feel like hell is on you rip you get right now I rebuke you I rebuke you in the name of Jesus I rebuke you in the name of Jesus I rebuke you demons in the name of Jesus I rebuke you oppression in the name of Jesus and if you give a demon in Hell In The Name of Jesus Hallelujah man-to-man and woman to woman put your hand over on somebody right now we are the church we are the church we are the church we are the church we are the church we are the church we are the church yeah the church you take your voice out of her life right now I rebuke you in the name of Jesus with you and I find you today I rebuke you and I find you today the church the church the church come on let's put the devil to silence right now Church the church thank you foreign I believe we're binding to adversary today I believe we're finding that I believe we're binding demonic spirits right now I believe we're binding demonic demonic spirits right now you do it Church you have the same Holy Ghost I have you have the same Holy Ghost I have I want you to listen just for a moment would you listen just for a moment I received two phone calls this week one by way of text one by phone call I received a phone call from Linden Robert Thompson this week Mr Thompson and went back to the doctor and it doesn't look good according to the doctor the doctor they asked the question that they don't want to ask how much time I got how much time we got the doctor is just going on the doctors are not evil medicine's not evil they're just telling you what they see the doctor said I see six months to a year this month's New Year I got a text from sister brother stepp today hospice said she has maybe three or so weeks Julia now we're not mad at anybody today we're not putting our head in the sand like an ostrich today but I don't think we have to stop right there it ain't one man I wish you'd bring brother so and so in here both Karma the so-and-so operates in a gift of healing we don't need so and so with the gift of healing we need the church we need the church Jesus is not here anymore telling lepers your Clans he's not here anymore saying be healed he left into the church come on foreign I just got this note Brittany Morales Brittany Morales is age 32. she's battling cancer she wanted everyone to know today I'll be watching online Brittany I want you to know that a Pentecostal Spirit-filled church Brittany right where you're at Brittany the stone that we're built upon took 39 Stripes upon his back and he said by my stripes you are healed Brittany Jesus is our Cornerstone in the name of Jesus cancer cancer cancer cancer leave today in the name of Jesus Spirit of the Living God move upon Britney Jesus Spirit of the Living God move the bottle into Thompson right now Jesus Spirit of the Living God move the buses to step Jesus come on Church speak it today speak it today praying today oh God comforter come oh God deliver a job oh God comforter come to come God of All Comfort or come oh God of All Comfort come right now oh God of All Comfort come right now oh God I comforter come right now oh Spirit of the Living God fill the room where Linda Thompson's at right now oh comforter come right now oh peace O Lord in the name of Jesus right now I want you to turn man to man and woman to woman I want you to begin to pray for one another right now you are the church you church I want you to pray I want you to turn and pray for one another right now you are the church the power of Pentecost the power the power of the church the power of the church God Church brother wrapped his nails God help for the Ralph just now God you'll recover from open heart surgery blood Comfort all the children today oh God scrolling across the street come on Church there's power when you pray there's power when you pray don't you feel the power right now don't you feel the power ship right Jesus God pray God the names Johnny Holland Thomas Gable Sparky Hill Reinhardt family oh God Stephanie Cheshire faith will find the Joyce Max Oh Donna watch it oh God church we are the Pentecostal church we are the Pentecostal Church UNC where the Pentecostal Church is penteculture it's not true I'm waiting for me is I want you to hear this I want you to hear this today sister read the Tharp has a daughter special needs but several years ago she was told this from her doctor go ahead sister Tharp Tell It Candace went into a coma at seven months old and Candace and they told us she this would wishes there lifted to Le manner we lived in Lexington Tennessee then that Friday night they couldn't figure out what was going on she was just in a comment on what it was she's got a very rare metabolic disease is what it is but it was so rare it was only two alive in the world with it at that time but we got to Le Bonner they didn't know what it was they called a specialist in on Friday afternoon and they told me about five o'clock Friday afternoon she was in constant seizures that she would not this specialist came in they called him in from somewhere off and they said she won't live through the night and I pushed him for a percentage he said one percent and walked out of the room like he was mad at me about that time I went out and brother Joel reveille's dad a good friend of ours from Memphis and brother Isaacs from the brother Johnson's church at Memphis and knew us really well he had flown in and he come straight to the hospital and I I they told me she wasn't going to live so we all went out the whole family was there's like 30 people had gotten there that night and I brother Reveille went to the room and saw Candace before he saw me because I let a minister in they would let me back in and when I got back up close to the room I saw him and I went to him and I said brother Reveille he said I said they just told us she's not going to live through the night he said there's no way I said they said there is no way she can live her about she's her everything's failing and he looked at me and said Sister Rita I don't feel death in that room come on down come on I don't feel dead I don't feel dead in that room thank you Lord he said what are you feeling I said brother I feel it's going to be a fight it's going to be a fight it's going to be a fight but I don't feel she's going to die either and he said then she's not going to let me go back in there and pray again he said let me go back in there and pray again he come back out and he said you keep your fight up I went back into the room about eight o'clock that night and she was laying still and sleeping calm she's seven months old baby sleeping I looked at the nurse and said when did the seizure stop she said her last she looked at the chart she said I'm new let me look at the chart the last seizure stopped at five o'clock when brother Isaacs and brother Emily prayed wow and the next morning the doctors told me they don't know what happened but she's stable she is almost 30 years old we say Miracle after Miracle after Miracle the doctor said Vanderbilt have Miracle on her chart wow and they tell me they'll say how long do you think she'll live and I'll say they'll I'll ask them what do you think we're dealing with now they said this is Candace we don't know come on it's up to her and you and I guess you're God yes but God does Miracles yes wait what we don't listen to the doctor's report that's right what is God's report what is God's report thank god listen to that listen to that we what is God's report Lord Jesus Lord Jesus let this testimony build our faith Lord Jesus you have everything in your control God you have everything Lord in your hands Lord Lord we are your people God we are your people God and you have everything Lord in your hands and God we give you praise and honor and Glory we thank you for what you did with Candace over 30 years ago God you're the same yesterday today and forevermore God I believe you God I believe you God I trust you Lord in the name of Jesus we pray amen and amen aren't you thankful to be a Pentecostal church today God bless you dismiss you tonight at 5 30 at prayer