Wednesday PM Service

This place right here is something a lot of people think they want till they get it. >> There's a burden goes with it. >> There's a burden. I'm not crying and I'm thankful to God. God called me to be a preacher, but I'm not going to tell you it doesn't come with a cost. It doesn't come with a burden that you have. You see the lights and you see the suit and you see the well- combed hair. How about the preacher? And again, I'm I'm I'm just kind of letting you behind know the behind the scenes a little bit. How about the preacher that wonders where you were at for two church services? How about the preacher that wallows in the bed because he's wondering, are you going to get back up around the altar and are you going to make it or are you going to be a spiritual casualty? Can I tell you? Can I tell you what is the heartbreak of all heartbreaks? I shared it with S Carpenter and I believe I shared it with the family, but can I tell you what's the heartbreak of all heartbreaks about a pastor? It's the things that didn't have to happen. It's not the things that happened. You You better believe with every funeral I've ever preached, I hate that they're there. I wish that they were healed. I wish they hadn't went on, but God's will be done. But when it is things that you just know was not God's will and you have to look at it and meet them in the community and visit some in the jail house and visit some in the hospitals trying to get off of drug addiction. And when you look at them, Sister Paula, and know it didn't have to happen. >> But I don't care how far they are from God. Every prayer that you hear me say, God, bring the prodal back. I I believe there's hope for every person that's lost their hold on God from this church. I believe that there's still hope for them. I don't care what's being said. I don't care what they said. I don't care what they're thinking. I don't care that they've said they'll never come back. They'll never be apostolic. You can't stop me from praying. You can't stop God's spirit from invading your bedroom and shaking you up in the night. your occupation. Your occupation. Can I tell you it's a calling in the nursery. It's a calling to do yard work. It's a calling to develop your giftings. If you have gifting that that that Hispanic brother turned my world upside down when I asked him to give me a bid on trimming our trees and trimming our shrubbery around here and he looked at me. He just recently got the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They, I believe it was last Thanksgiving, they had a Thanksgiving meal out here under the canopy and they invited him. He was a denominal man. And he told me later, he said, "I didn't want to come." He said, "I thought they were crazy to be honest with you." He said, "But somehow I I I somehow pastor Sodto kept asking me to come." And he said, "I got here and I began to feel something and he got the baptism of the Holy Ghost and he got baptized in Jesus' name and and he's been coming. and he plays a guitar and sings and and he's been coming to church and and and and and when I asked him, "Give me a bid to trim these trees up." He looked at me with tears streaming down his face. He said, "I cannot give you a bid." He said, "You have given me a place to worship and magnify God." He said, "I'll just take these hands and I'll trim those trees for you." That's the kind of spirit we need. That's the kind of revelation that we need to sweep over, oh God. God, let it sweep over this church. I went to my pastor to tell him I I was called to preach. When I went to him to tell him that I had a calling upon my life, when I went to him and told him that, he got up from his desk. We went down to the janitor's closet. He mixed up some hot water and poured a bucket of pine. He poured some pine saw in the bucket and got a toilet brush. I thought, man, I'm trying to tell you that God is I mean, I've been in a prayer meeting talking in tongues. I've rolled up under my bed. I've seen angels. I' My God, I'm ready to operate all 15 gifts of the spirit, Brother Hunter. I'm ready to go and and I'm going to have to watch you. I'm going to have to watch you clean toilets. It wasn't watching him. He turns around and hands it to me. And he says, "Could you scrub these toilets right here?" And he simply said this, "If you're too good to scrub a toilet, you're too good to preach in a pull pit." So I scrub me some toilets and I I I swept me some I swept me some parking lots off. And I come out to some men's work. I didn't know a bit more how to hang drywall than a man in the moon, but they had a they had people out there doing that. You're shooting grades. I'll never forget one night, this is a spiritual high moment in my life. I never forget one night we were shooting grades and and there's a tripod, little scope looking thing you look through and there's what's called a story pole and you hold the Sister Glenna, you know what I'm talking I see you grinning back there. You hold that story pole and you shoot that grade and so Bishop Mcool was shooting the grade and I was holding the story pole and evidently I was getting a little lazy and I'd lean it this way and I'd lean it that way and he said, "No, you got to hold it straight, son. Got to hold it straight." And I had to hold it straight for a second. Then I'd lean a little bit. You got to hold it. And then he come over and he got around me and he said, "Let me show you." And he got up close to me and he put his arms around my arms and he put his hands on my hands and he said and I I'm sitting there thinking, "My God, this is the man of God's hands on my hands. This is the man of God's hands. I got the and I I'm going to hold this post straight from here on out through that turn. I'm I'm going to wash my hands from now on. This is the man of God's hands. You know, now I'm gonna tell you something. Some may sit there and think, "Ah, that's a little bit too much." I'd rather be a little bit too much that way than a little bit too much this way. He's He's not just a man. Oh, I know he's got flesh. I know he's got bone. I know I I know he bleeds. If you cut him, he bleeds. But he was the man that brought me the word of God. He was the man that taught me the word of God. He was the man. I'll never forget Saturday being over there. They were building one of their 17 million wings they got off that church. They got wings going everywhere off that building. And we were putting sophet. We were cutting sophet in them them them uh wings. And it was me and Bishop and Early were and and we were cutting sophet. I was cutting. He giving me the measurement. And I cut and me and brother we putting it got noon time. It got noon time and we called it quits and we're walking to put a ladder up. I got about I about to take you to the spot. He turned around. Bishop said, "You ever thought about evangelizing?" I said, "Yeah, yeah, I have. I have." He said, "Uh, I'm preaching an anniversary service for Ed Davis in Johnson City next Saturday." He said at 2 o'clock, be there. Okay, I'll be there. So, next Saturday rolled around and I drove to First Apostolic Johnson City and Bishop Mcool was up on the platform preaching and so help me God. It happened just like this. He said, "I have a young upcoming powerful evangelist I'd like to introduce to you today." And I'm sitting there, Brother Dean in the audience. I before I sit on the platform and I'm thinking, who's he going to introduce? I'm going to introduce to you an upstanding, powerful evangelist today, Brother Kenny Carpenter. Come up here. And I got up there and he said, "This young man's an ups coming. He's a he's wanting to evangelize. He's wanting to preach and and all this. And I got up there and I scared half to death. He he called me about. I I I've never evangelized, but he called me one. I I I would I would I would recognize if he said, "I've got the best sopet cutting boy that you've ever hired. I would He talking about me." But he caught me something that I wasn't because he saw in me something that I couldn't see. But I wasn't too good. I know it sounds like I'm bragging, but I wasn't too good. I wasn't waiting for a car and a date book and to be called an evangelist. I just doing whatever I could do. And and that day I matter of fact two couple Sundays from now on the Sunday afternoon I'm going to go to Morristown and um I'm going to preach uh for brother Dan Bradley's uh uh daughter and son-in-law. And and and that day that day there in Johnson City, Dan Bradley come up to me. He pastored in Souls Harbor. He came up to me and he said, "Could you be in Soul's Harbor tomorrow night to preach our Sunday night service?" I said, 'I believe I could be. I'll check my date book. So, I preached for Brother Dan Bradley on Sunday night in Bristol, Virginia, Tennessee, and he said, "Can you come back Wednesday night and start us a revival?" There's where the trouble happened. He wanted me to preach a five night revival. I only had two sermons. you pray a lot then let me tell you they said they put me in the hotel they they put me in the hotel there in Bristol and the hotel was famous that's where Elvis Presley stayed and I'm going to tell you he had a whole lot of shaking going on and I had a whole lot of praying going on but that's the story that's just how the story started and I got a revival at this church and I got a revival at that church and and and then somehow here we are tonight but we're here not by chance not by luck we're here tonight not not to take the light Help me now. Put it on all of us. We're not here by choice. We're here by work tonight. Everybody would like to have a school like we have, but it takes work and workers. Everybody would like to have a daycare like we have, but it takes work and workers. Everybody would like to have a beautiful edipus of a place, but it takes work and it takes workers. Everybody would like to have a live stream like we've got, but it takes work and it takes workers. Everybody would like to have the influence in their city that we've got. Are y'all hearing me tonight? But it takes work and it takes workers. Come on, lift your hands and give God praise. If you're glad for your occupation, if you're glad for what God is doing, would you give God word? Come on, give God praise right now. Give God praise right now. Psalm 78 verse 70. He chose David not when he fought Goliath. God chose David when David was keeping when David was tending the pregnant sheep making sure they didn't lay over on their side. David was setting up babysitting with pregnant sheep. And that's where God found David. It's an interesting story in Acts chapter 18 verse number one. Look at this interesting story. Acts 18 verse number one. After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corenth found a certain Jew named Aquilla born in Pontis lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. But these Jews been going through it for a long time, haven't they? And came unto them. And because he was of the same craft, he abodeed with them and wrought. For by their occupation, they were tent makers. It's commonly believed. It's commonly believed that Paul converted Priscilla and Aquilla, husband and wife, because they were of the same occupation. They were tent makers. Paul would make tents and supplement his income. Paul had a skill. Paul had a craft. Paul would do this to supplement his income. While supplementing his income, he came in contact with some more tent makers, Aquilla and Priscilla, husband and wife. And there Paul converted Priscilla and Aquilla to the truth. Think about that. While using their occupation, did you think that God on your job could use you to witness? Now, keep doing your work, but you can witness while you work and you can do a whole lot of witnessing on your lunch hour. So he wins this couple that as far as we know their their skill is they're tent makers. But let's go down to verse number 24. And a certain man named Apollos born of Alexandria. An eloquent man mighty in the scriptures came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord. Being firm, fervent in spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Here is a powerful denominal preacher. Here is a man who is sincere. He knows the scriptures. He knows all the scriptures, but all he knows he's incomplete. He just knows the baptism of John. He's eloquent. He's from Alexandria. Alexandria. Sister Ericson. Allen had the largest library in the world. If you were from Alexandria, you were considered to be highly educated. Here is this man Apollos from Alexandria. An eloquent speaker, an eloquent. They said that that that uh that they they have found out that how that they would speak so distinctly and clearly that they would have to shove pebbles in their mouth. They would fill their mouth up with pebbles and they would give a speech. And when you could understand their speech with their mouth filled with pebbles, then you were able to grant. He was a man that knew diction. He was a man that that that had all of voice control. But he had power. He had he had information. Boy, he was sure lacking because all he knew was the baptism of John. But verse 26, and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue, whom were whom when Aquilla and Priscilla had heard, they took unto them that they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Don't you tell me God can't use you in your occupation. Don't be intimidated. They are tent makers. They're not eloquent. They're not mighty in knowledge. They're tent makers. They've got a limited education, but they know the great educator of all. And they, Aquilla and Priscilla took Apollos aside and begin to tell him about water baptism and spirit baptism in the name of Jesus Christ and Apollos was converted. Acts chapter 19 verse number one, it came to pass while Apollos was at Corenth, he goes to Corenth and there he begins to preach. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse number 12. Please stay with me. Please stay with me tonight. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse number 12. Now this I say that every one of you saith, I am of Paul. I and I of Apollos and I am Cphus and I am Christ. You see Paul was dealing with the church at Corinth being divided and they were dividing themselves up into parties. And he says some are saying you're Paul and look at how high Apollos had ascended. There were those that were saying I am of Apollos. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse number five Paul said who then is Paul and who is Apollos but ministers by whom you believe even as the Lord gave to every man? He was just simply saying you've got such a high opinion of me and Apollos. Look at 1 Corinthians 3 verse number six. I have planted Apollos as what? >> Watered. But God gave the increase. Paul likened Apollos as his partner. 1 Corinthians 16 verse number 12 as touching our brother Apollos. I greatly desired to seek to I desired him to come unto you with the brethren. But his will was not at all to come at this time, but he will come when he shall have a convenient time. Here he's talking about I desire for him to come. Titus chapter 3 verse number 13. I believe it's the last time we hear his name in scripture. In Titus Paul says, "Bring Zenus the lawyer and the pilots on their journey diligently that nothing be wanting unto them." Can you see how important Apollos is? Have I tonight students, strong tower tu students, have I adequately proved tonight that Apollos had a prominent place in scripture? Have I have I would you wave your hand? The student section, would you wave your hand at me? Have I? He's a pretty important fella, isn't he? But who does he owe his roots to? He owes his roots to tent makers that took him aside and used their occupation to blend into Apollos and to pour into Apollos. I bring this Bible lesson to an end tonight, but I'm going to mention some names right now. Keith Walls, Jordan Atinson, Brandon Johnson, Samantha Johnson, Kim and Jason Triplet, Jamie and Danny Stafford. What do all these have in common? They're used by God. They're upstanding, productive people in this apostolic church. They're being used of God. They're in the ministry. Keith Wall is one of the greatest worship praise leader. He's he he's the music leader, director. Brother Hammond's father's church in in in Georgia. Jordan Atinson is a upcoming mighty powerful pastor over in West Tennessee. Uh Brandon Johnson is used of God here. Samantha Johnson, Kim, Jason Triplet, Jamie, Danny Stafford. powerful. People would look at them. Preachers would love to have them in their congregation. Any of them would love to have a quality character. But do you know who we owe all this to? A truck driver. I'm sorry, Kenny. A car hauler. All right. A car hauler. a car hauler that got a job in Tennessee, but wanted his family in Marville, Tennessee, because he believed that it was Marville, Tennessee that had the answer for him and his wife and his children. He didn't even work in this city. You worked over in uh help me now, Sammy. How many miles was that away? 200 200 miles away from here. He'd go back and forth. He was a car hauler, but many times he was driving here and driving there and sacrificing so that his family could be here. I say to you, where would ACA be today if it wasn't for the dynamic leadership of Sister Sherry Johnson? Where would we be today? Where would Keith Wall be? Where would Jordan Atinson be? And the list goes on and on and on and on and on. Where would they be had it not been for a Brenda Akens that said, "I believe we could have a daycare. I believe that it can open up." Folks, you see the glitter. You see the lights. You see all that there is. But God sees a car hauler that says, "I want to put them here." And this is where they should be. I wish somebody give him praise right now. I wish somebody give him praise right now. Come on, stand with me right now tonight. My God, don't you look down on your occupation. Don't you look down on your occupation, Dad. Don't you think that God can only use me if I'm a preacher? That's the big Listen, that's the biggest lie. I hate that lie because it gets men out of contentment and women out of contentment. Let me tell you something. To my knowledge, Kenny Johnson never wanted to be a preacher. I think Cherry would have been a better one anyway. To my knowledge, he never wanted a pull pit. To my knowledge, he never wanted to evangelize. But all that man wanted to do was keep his family here at this church. And the rest is glorious history. Come on, Aquilla. Come on, Priscilla. I I know that you're not eloquent like Apollos. I know you're not educated like Apollos, but slide over there a little bit and start talking about the goodness of God. Keep standing. Just carpenter. We're going to go to the back door and greet people tonight. But where would this church be if it wasn't for Troy and Ruby Prophet that owned a little pawn shop over here on Old Knoxville Highway that was faithful to God that was faithful to God. I brother prophet was a preacher but I never could get him to preach. I tried to I tried Lori I tried to get your granddad to preach for us but he just wouldn't do it. He told me one time he said Bill Carton I'm an emergency preacher. I said what is that? He said, "When there's nobody here, I'll do it." But oh, how Ruby and Troy Prophet were so faithful to God. How they were so faithful. How they were so faithful to God with their tithing, with their offerings, with their with their liberal love offerings. They would give. He'd go in every morning. Him and Ruby Prophet go in every morning, open up that pawn shop. He didn't have the latest technology. Sister Wales, they didn't have the latest technology. is probably out, but he had 25 TVs on the wall of the pawn shop. He'd go turn every one of them on his deathbed. On his deathbed, he' had his little hand up. Somebody said, "You know what papa's doing?" No, he turn them TVs on right now. He turned them off. We see all this right here. But God says, "Don't you ever forget. If it wasn't for some tent makers and some pawn shop owners, if it wasn't for some people on social security that would bring their tithe and bring it to the house of God, if it wasn't if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't be here." Now, here's my question. If what they did brought us here, don't you think what we can do will take us on. >> It's not the end of the chapter. I said it's not the end of the chapter. God's got other things for us to be doing, but we can't think we've arrived. God, use Brother Ericson, I want you to get a microphone, and I want us to spend it's it's 8 it's 8:52, but I want us to spend at least to 8:55. I want you to spend a I want you to spend a few minutes praying about your occupation and how God I'm not saying you quit your job. I'm just asking you to ask God to use you on your on your occupation. Would you lift your voices up right now? Let's pray. Let's pray.